How Does Shakespeare Influence Audience Opinion Of Shylock in The Merchant Of Venice Essay Example

How Does Shakespeare Influence Audience Opinion Of Shylock in The Merchant Of Venice Paper Shakespeare influences audience opinion in many different ways in The Merchant Of Venice. However, some of the devices he uses may have differing effects on Elizabethan and modern audiences. Elizabethans had many prejudiced stereotypes that Shakespeare includes in his play. There was less diversity of cultures when Shakespeare wrote the play, and therefore there was a lot more bad feeling towards different races and religions. Elizabethans were also more religious than people are nowadays, so there feelings towards religion and religious beliefs were much stronger than they would be today. The Elizabethans did not like the Jews, mainly because of the stereotypes that were portrayed of them. Jews were seen to be money grabbing and the Elizabethans disagreed with their ideas and values about life. The play was set in Venice, Italy where there was a law of equality which allowed trade to run smoothly as much of the Venetian way of life was based on trading. This would have an effect on the Elizabethan audience because Elizabethans believed that generosity was a great virtue to have, and they believed that Jews were not at all generous, something which is definite of Shylocks character. We will write a custom essay sample on How Does Shakespeare Influence Audience Opinion Of Shylock in The Merchant Of Venice specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on How Does Shakespeare Influence Audience Opinion Of Shylock in The Merchant Of Venice specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on How Does Shakespeare Influence Audience Opinion Of Shylock in The Merchant Of Venice specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They also disliked usurers and merchants because they went against the Christian values. The play is a comedy and a lot of the humour was based on the Elizabethan reaction to Shylocks character and onstage appearance. However, in modern times society is a lot less prejudiced, thus creating more sympathy for Shylock. The Elizabethan audience would also be much more religious than a modern audience, and Shylock was a character that went against everything they believed in as Christians. Most of the Christian values are opposed to the stereotypical portrayal of Jews, especially as they are portrayed in Merchant Of Venice. Therefore, especially with an Elizabethan audience, the main feeling towards Shylock would not be sympathy, but hostility and loathing. The Elizabethan audience would immediately recognise Shylock as Jewish because he would we be dressed in stereotypical Jewish clothes and he would be wearing a red wig which was another stereotypical image of Jews. Everything about him would be stereotypical of a Jewish person, most of it in a degrading way as Shakespeare himself would have been a Christian. A lot of Shylocks speech reflects his character, for instance, he is a miser with words, similar to the way he is a miser with his money. He does not live in the world of aristocrats, but instead the world of merchants, which is why his money is so important to him. In Act One, Scene Three Shylock speaks first and his words are Three thousand ducats; well. This gives us an immediate first impression that his main concern in life is his money and wealth. He also repeats a lot of his words and phrases which shows he has a materialistic mind and a lack of imagination. He is very narrow and literal minded as we see in the way that he speaks. Ho, no, no, no, no and there be land-rats and water-rats, land-thieves and water-thieves It is significant that he used the term rats, because the Elizabethans had strong views on the sense of order of being. They thought that the order of society reflected the universe. Animals were at the bottom of this chain and therefore the least important. Elizabethan philosophers thought that man would lapse into beastliness if he allowed himself to become selfish. Therefore, the fact that Shylock uses animals as metaphors shows that he is preoccupied with the animal world. This tells us that Shylock is at about the same level as animals in the order of being, giving the audience little respect for him. However, a modern audience may not see this link as they do not have the same ideas as the Elizabethans on the order of being. Other characters in the play also refer to Shylock as a bird of prey which shows us that they perceive him as being the least important person around, and that he is selfish. The audience may react to this differently because it might, for some people, increase their sympathies towards Shylock as he is being mistreated and mocked by the other characters, but other people may see it as a reinforcement to the idea that Shylock is a selfish, unlikeable character. However, I dont think it would influence a modern audiences opinion towards Shylock because they would not associate the animal references with the chain of being. Therefore, it would only affect the Elizabethan audiences who would understand the references. He also repeats short, blunt phrases, showing his stubborn personality and his repetition of the adjectives rats and thieves show, again, that he lacks imagination and it is a great contrast to the metaphorical way of speaking of Antonio and the other Christians. [Antonio]The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul, producing holy witness, is like a villain with a smiling cheek, A goodly rotten apple at the heart. This is an example of the poetic speech of Antonio and his fellow Christians. This gives the audience a negative opinion about Shylock compared to Antonio already, as Shakespeare wanted his audience to think that Christians were much more sensitive and open hearted then the Jews. It also means that the a udience will subconsciously prefer Antonio to Shylock as his words are much more poetical and less blunt. It also gives us a bad impression of Shylock because we see that Antonio is speaking harsh words about him and we know that there must be a reason for this because Antonio is Christian and is therefore good and speaks the truth. The contrasts between Shylock and Antonio influence audience opinion greatly. The main reason for disliking Shylock is the fact that he is a Jew and most of the Elizabethan audience, as well as the majority of the characters in the play, are Christians. Therefore, a lot of the influences on the audience for disliking Shylock, come from the constant comparisons to Antonio who is seen to be automatically a good character, simply because he is a Christian. This is hypocritical because, although Antonio is not an obvious merchant like Shylock, he still makes money in the same way that Shylock does, but through his ships. However, there are some similarities between the two characters. Although it is more obvious with Shylock, both of the characters are outsiders. Shylock, because he is a Jew and Antonio because he is unmarried. Also, neither of them accept the others religion and they both hate each other because of it. Both of them are lonely, isolated figures amongst the happy youth of Venice. They also both equate their property with their life and they both have a power over the others life at some time in the play. This means that although the audience may dislike Shylock and like Antonio, there are still similarities between them, which might make their opinions change or differ throughout the play. There is a irony in the way that one of the reasons the Christians (and Antonio) despise Shylock is because of what he does with his money (lend it out for profit) but Antonio does the same thing with his trading, but in a different way. This irony is highlighted in Act Four, Scene One, by Portia [Portia]Which is the merchant here? And which is the Jew? This would show the audience that some of the reasons for disliking Shylock are unfair, as they apply to themselves and the other Christian characters in the play. There are, however, a lot of differences and contrasts between Antonio and Shylock apart from the obvious different religions. Shylock lends his money to his enemies for a profit, whereas Antonio lends his money to his friends for free. Antonio risks his life for Bassanio because he is his friend, but Shylock tries to take the life of Antonio because he is his enemy. They also have very different characters. Antonio is mainly optimistic and merciful, whereas Shylock is pessimistic and vengeful. This influences the audience opinion because they think of Antonio as a good character because he shows better characteristics. The audience will also have a negative opinion of Shylock because he is surrounded by enemies while Antonio is surrounded by friends. This is part of the way the scene is structured which affects the audience opinion of Shylock. The way the scenes are structured has a lot to do with our opinion of Shylock. For example, in most of the scenes we either see Shylock in the middle of a conversation, or entering in the middle of a scene with other characters. This means that we never see whether Shylock stops talking about money when he is not talking about the deal, because we never see him start a conversation. This means that we have a negative view of him, because we always see the same business side of him. We also never see Shylock on his own, he always enters the stage to join a social grouping, which automatically makes him seem like an outsider. This also means that we rarely see Shylock as he sees himself, just as other people see him. Because most of the other characters in the play are Christians, and therefore dislike Shylock, we see their image of him, which is obviously going to be negative. However, through the use of asides, Shylock reveals some of his inner thoughts to the audience, which is the only time we get to see what Shylock is really feeling. [Shylock talking about Antonio]How like a fawning publican he is: I hate him for he is Christian This shows us that Shylock is capable of human emotion and he does have feelings, which is a contrast to the narrow minded image we have of him, due to his cold, monosyllabic talk. However, these emotions are negative so they do not necessarily create a good image of his personality, but they still show that he has emotions. This creates a better image for Shylock and we feel more sympathy towards him because as we realise that he does have feelings, we realise that he does get hurt by the way he is treated and we see that it is unfair. However, Shylock is being hypocritical because he is being prejudiced against Antonio which is one of the reasons that he (Shylock) is treated unfairly himself. In a modern audience, however, where religion is less important they may see that Shylocks prejudices are justified because of the way that he is treated. In Act three, Scene one the language that Shylock uses influences our opinion a lot. Shylock learns of the disappearance of his daughter, Jessica and he does not seem to be very concerned. She is damned for it This suggests that Shylock does not care about what has happened to her and he blames her, saying she is damned. A lot of the reactions he has towards his daughter would influence audience opinion greatly. A lot of Act Three, Scene One is about the disappearance of Shylocks daughter Jessica. Shylock fears that she has run away with a Christian, his greatest enemies. At first we think that he is genuinely interested in his daughters well-being. [Shylock]Hast thou found my daughter? The first thing he thinks about is his daughter, which shows us that he does have some good sides to him and he wants to know what has happened to his daughter. This will make the audience see him in a good light as he has shown us that he cares about someone. However, Shylock then proves that he is a slave to his money [Shylock]a diamond gone! Cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfurt I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear Shylock has openly admitted that he would rather have his jewels and his daughter dead, than the other way around. This is a shocking thing to admit and it will influence the audience greatly into having a negative opinion about him, because the fact that he cares more about his money than his daughter gives the impression that he is extremely cold hearted and money is his life. Although Shylock repeatedly talks about his loyalty to the Jewish faith, it is shown to be less important to him than his wealth [Shylock]a diamond gone, cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfurt! The curse never fell upon our nation until now; I never felt it till now This shows that his priorities lie not with his faith which he talks about so much, but with his money because he admits that the supposed curse on his race has not affected him until now, when his money has been taken away. By saying this the audience gets an impression of him that until things affect him personally they do not bother him, which emphasises his selfish personality. It also shows that he is feeling bitter about being a Jew. He then calls his daughter a thief, which shows that he doesnt seem to have any compassion towards her because she has taken the most important thing in his life from him: money. This reinforces our opinions and ideas about his character, and the audience will continue to see him in a bad light. We then see more of Shylocks bad side when he learns about Antonios ships. [Shylock]What, what, what? ill luck? ill luck? From this we see that he is keen for someone else to suffer bad luck as well as him. It also shows us that he is happy again now he knows that he will get his money. Again we see that money is extremely important to him because he has become happier when he realises that he Antonio will not be able to pay him back and therefore broken the bond. This shows us again the bitterness and selfishness of his character. However, he does show us that he has some feelings because he mentions his ex-wife Leah. I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor: I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys. This shows us that he does in fact care for some people, and he does have feelings and emotions as he would not have given the ring away because of its sentimental value. This shows the audience that he cared for his wife and it creates audience sympathy towards him because he obviously cares/cared for her, proving he does have emotions and he is not completely bitter. Another of the main devices in the play which influence our opinion of Shylock occurs with the main twist in the plot: the ending where the tables are turned on Shylock. In the court he is insisting on carrying out the bond he had with Antonio, even though both the judge and Portia are against him and have offered him three times the money Antonio owed him instead of the pound of flesh. However, Portia points out that Shylock cannot have his pound of flesh because the bond would not allow him to spill any of Antonios blood, and Shylock would not be able to take a pound of flesh from Antonio without taking any of his blood. [Portia]Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh; But, in cutting it, if thou dost shed One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate Unto the state of Venice This comes as a shock to both the audience and Shylock because neither of them would foresee this. It is also an example of irony because Portia is being as p edantic about the law as Shylock was earlier in the scene. There is even more dramatic irony when Shylock is forced to be a Christian. [Antonio] He presently become a Christian This is ironic because Christians are supposed to believe in mercy and forgiveness, so this is going against their religious beliefs. It also makes the audience feel sympathy towards Shylock because he is facing having to lose everything or to change his beliefs. It is also ironic that Antonio and the other Christians despise Shylock because he lends money for profit, because they do exactly the same thing, just in a different way. Antonio sends his ships out to buy goods cheaply from other places, and then he will sell them on for more money, which is effectively the same as what Shylock is doing. Christians also believe that everyone is equal but they do not show these qualities in their inhuman treatment of their slaves. This hypocrisy increases audience sympathy for Shylock because we see, again, that he is being mistreated, even more clearly than before. Because Shylocks religion was one of the main reasons that he was mistreated, the audience will see it as unfair that it is now being taken away from him, when it has been the reason for years of suffering on his part. The trial scene in the play is very important because it is where the two main plots come together. The scene starts without Shylock (which is the case for much of the play) and when he enters he knows that everyone in the court is Christian so he does not expect much sympathy from them. At the beginning Shylock tells the Court that he wants Antonios flesh because it is his whim although he does not give reasons for this, except that he is only insisting on the bond because he bears a grudge. He points out that other men would do the same thing, only in different situations. This influences the audience opinion as they think he is just being stubborn and difficult, an unlikeable trait. Shylock also refuses to listen to the Dukes pleas of humanity, but the Dukes views are from a Christian point of view so Shylock may not agree with them. We can also see the extremity of Shylocks hatred towards Antonio when Bassanio asks a reasonable question [Bassanio]Do all men kill the things they do not love? Shylock response has extreme implications [Shylock]Hates any man the thing he would not kill? Shylock is saying that Antonio symbolises everything he hates, and that is why he is so insistent on the bond being carried out. The characters in this scene are all human, but they also stand for concepts. Shylock is inflexible and inhuman and he stands for law, an end in itself. Portia represents law in the service of man and we can see this when Bassanio tries to convince Portia to stop Shylock taking his pound of flesh by telling her that to do a great right, do a little wrong. However, she refuses, saying that it must not be. By refusing to stop Shylock she is proving that she represents law in the service of man because she is carrying out the law completely. She is also, by contrast to Shylock, flexible and merciful. However, this emphasises the hypocrisy that Portia shows when she does not show any mercy to Shylock in the end. Portia continuously offers Shylock three times the money that Antonio owed him to let the bond drop, but Shylock refuses. In doing this we see his stubborn nature and his strict adherence to the law. It also shows us that he is hard-hearted and sadistic, certainly not merciful. We see more of a reason to dislike Shylock when he refuses to let a doctor stand by while he takes his pound of flesh because it is not in the bond. This reinforces our opinion that Shylock is dark, sinister and dislikable. Portias pleas for Shylock to accept the money are impassioned and lyrical, but Shylock is unmoved. His lack of emotion makes the audience automatically opposed to him, in that they do not want him to be successful in his fight to take his pound of flesh. Then Antonio makes a speech which greatly influences the audience opinion for both himself and Shylock. He talks about his loyalty to Bassanio and says that he is prepared to die for him, making us see him as a brave, loyal friend. He does not appear to be scared of death and says he will be at least remembered as old and strong rather than old and feeble. He is also keen for Bassanio to tell Portia how he (Antonio) cared for him (Bassanio). This is because he feels an outcast because of the lack of love in his life (another similarity between him and Shylock) and he wants to prove that he does have the capability of loving someone so much he would die for them. This is also ironic because Portia is there and she hears what he says without him realising. When he makes this speech the contrast between him and Shylock is huge because they both have such different values and views on life. The audience will think that Antonio is brave and loyal, and that will lower their opinion of Shylock because Shylock still wants to take his pound of flesh. We see how un-noble Shylock is when he is compared to Antonios loyal outlook. One of the main differences in the two characters opinions of what should happen is caused by their religion. Shylock thinks that he has done nothing wrong and that he is only following the law, therefore he seeks only justice. On the other hand, the Christian outlook is that all men are sinful and depend on Gods mercy. Shylock justifies his opinion by quoting from the bible (3:1). In doing this he is pointing out that the law of the Jews is that of an eye for an eye and the law of Christ is mercy and forgiveness. He is showing how different the two religions views are, and therefore allowing him to contravene the spirit of the law. However the trial scene highlights the fact that Shylocks mind is so twisted that he cannot even admit the bitterness and evil in his own soul. However, in the end, Portia points out that Shylock is unable to get his pound of flesh without letting any blood be shed, which is not allowed in the bond. This is ironic because Portia is being as pedantic about the law as Shylock was being earlier. Then Shylock decides that he would like to just take the money but Portia says that he has already turned them down so he should have nothing but a penalty. Compared to his behaviour and attitude at the beginning of the scene Shylock now becomes more apologetic and begging. Then we see how the way the other characters treat and refer to Shylock will affect the audience opinion. Shylock is treated very badly in this scene. He is not referred to by his name, but by Jew which is made to sound like an insult and it takes away his equality and individuality. They also suggest that Shylock is an outsider of Venice and therefore does not have equal rights. It is enacted in the laws of Venice If it be provd against an alien This is not fair to Shylock as he is as much as a part of Venice as Antonio, Portia and all the other Christians. Here we see a lot of hypocrisy as one of the reasons that they condone Shylock is that he makes money for nothing. However they either dont realise or choose to ignore the fact that they all do the same thing to make a living: buy things and sell them off at a higher price. The audience may be slightly more sympathetic towards Shylock because of the lack of respect and hypocrisy shown to him. It also shows that all the people in the court view Shylock as an outside, although he is as much of a citizen of Venice as they are. The only reason that they dont accept him is that he is a Jew whilst they are Christians. To a modern audience this would seem like a minor difference because there is a much larger diversity amongst the people in Britain then there would have been in Elizabethan times. Therefore, modern audience would not totally understand the seemingly irrational hatred of Shylock, simply for the fact that he is a Jew. Then the Duke decides that Shylock must become Christian and he must leave his money to Jessica and Lorenzo when he dies. This is another example of hypocrisy because Christians should so mercy and forgiveness and they are not showing that at all in the way that they are treating Shylock because they presume that they have the right to change his faith when it is nothing to do with them and it just highlights their prejudices. Shylock is often judged externally which means that the audience do not get to see him as he sees himself. It also means that we only get to see other peoples views on Shylock so the audience only ever gets a secondary view of Shylocks character, which will obviously affect their own opinion of him. For example, a lot of the adjectives used to describe Shylock in Act Four, Scene One vary greatly from those used to describe Antonio. Shylock is described by adjectives such as an inhuman wretch, unfeeling man, harsh, inexecrable dog and the offender. None of these are very complimentary and they would influence the audience opinion. However, Antonio is described as a poor merchant, touchd with human gentleness and love and royal merchant. These words are very complimentary and they would affect the audience view of Shylock because they would compare the adjectives used to describe both characters. Another example of external judging of Shylock comes after his reaction to the abduction of his daughter. Salerio mocks Shylock because of the reaction that he was more concerned about the loss of his money than the loss of his daughter. This, again, will influence audience opinion. Also, the audience would judge Shylock as a Jew through the references of others and through the costume he wears. All of this external judging will influence audience opinion because much of it is negative and if the other characters are constantly mocking or saying negative things about Shylock then the audience will be affected by these views, especially if they do not get to see how Shylock views himself. There would also be differing opinions between modern and Elizabethan audiences because nowadays different cultures, races and religions are much more common around Britain and so any prejudices against someone because of their religion would be seen as racist, and an undesirable characteristic. Elizabethan audiences, however, would see Shylock as inferior to Antonio simply because he is a Jew and Jews were disliked in their times. Therefore, a modern audience may feel sympathy towards Shylock in a lot of the situations, whereas an Elizabethan audience would feel that Shylock deserved what he got.

Japanese Counters Used for Counting Objects

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Introduction to Astronomy and the Search for Life Elsewhere Essay

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International Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

International Business - Assignment Example This has been boosted by the fact that, five times daily, the Muslims are called to pray at the mosque. Moreover, the United Arab Emirates has stability in its political and economic structures. In the global quest for business, firms should be able to know the geographical distances involved the cultural backgrounds and the different time zones at hand ( Hill, 2009). A number of investments and trade developments have been carried out over the past years in United Arab Emirates that has brought in global or international recognition. The project will cover business prospects of amalgamations, joint ventures and the factors to consider when undertaking foreign direct investments. In the United Arab Emirates, there are vast instances of opportunities to yearn for to compete effectively (Griffin & Pustay, 2010). This ranges from the service industries to the manufacturing sectors. The stable political, economic, social, technological, and legal environment offered has made the country grow to a substantial level. International trade and development in foreign countries always adds value to the national income of the participating countries and therefore substantial growth (Darity, 2008). The Acorn construction company has successfully completed the construction of commercial, residential and renovation projects in the London region. The company can see the construction projects from all sides of the spectra so that good premises are built. The company undertakes projects with due experience and confidence, in an efficient manner to the benefit of customers. With this in mind, the company constructs concerning the industry standards within the stipulated time and budgetary allocations. In view of this, the company would like to venture into other countries and exploit new opportunities as it offers it construction services. This new arena is like the United Arab Emirates where it will build in respect to the cultural backgrounds there (Campbell & Netzer, 2009). Pl atforms are continuously created where ideas can be interchanged and opportunity sought to improve the corporate image of companies. This is by having international trade fairs and exhibitions to advertise services and bring together like-minded people to identify and create business opportunities. The platform created a scenario where products and services offered were uploaded to the internet through electronic commerce for an array of customers to see. This will be able to boost the profit of the company (Maidment, 2007). To garner more profits on the principle of large numbers, there should be joint ventures that generate more capital and expertise. This is for any individual that seek to enlarge the business scope by finding new opportunities and gaining footholds into new markets in the form of alliances. A relationship that subsists between two or more parties to pursue agreed upon goals is strategic alliance (Cavusgil , Knight & Riesenberger, 2012). Acorn Company for instanc e can form an alliance with an interior design company for a specific period to gain competitive advantage so that the profits can be high. In the support of international investments, the company will build structures that suit the Islamic cultural designs. This is by building standard infrastructural facilities for United Arab Emirates. In the event, the company will make profits and there will be developments (Velasquez, 2006). Over the years, the real estate business has been

The New Oil: Castrol

The New Oil: Castrol Castrol was originally an oil company set up by Charles Cheers in the year 1899. Within 10-years, he managed to develop a new lubricant named The new oil Castrol which significantly benefits the transportation industry in the twentieth century (Castrol, 2011). The internationalized of Castrol of as a motor oil lubricant brand began in 1966 when Burmah Oil bought over to it become renamed Burmah Castrol, (BP , 2012) and their success in Thailand encouraged them to venture Vietnam in 1991 through a joint venture Saigon Petro (Dodd, 2005) which had a large motorcycle population. They were also the very first foreign lubricant joint-venture operating in Vietnam (NA, 2001). Later in 2000, British Petroleum (BP) acquired Burmah Castrol merging all operations with BP. However, BP still continued to retain Castrols identity as the company had long established brand reputation as a premiere motor oil lubricant. As an international business, Castrol, like any other international firm, were faced with key issues surrounding both formal and informal framework, and they tackled these issues by adopting, adapting and diffusing institutional elements in their strategies to succeed in the Vietnamese market. Vietnam: Key Issues for Castrol Cultural Environment Hostedes Cultural Dimensions (1980) shows the Vietnameses culture (Asia-Pacific) and Castrols native cultures (Anglo-American) are on opposing ends, which means that in order to succeed in Vietnam Castrol had to overcome these cultural barriers. Vietnam is heavily influenced by the Confucian values and ideals, beliefs in a high hierarchal structure, which means they have high power distance, are collective decision making and focus on the relationship element rather than a business transaction (Dong, Liem, Grossman, 2010). Face saving is a core concept practiced, as such maintaining relational harmony is more important than integrating and domination confrontations, which are deemed inappropriate (Oetzel Ting-Toomey, 2000). The Vietnamese tradition strongly emphasizes trust, which can be only obtained through earning peoples respect and affection (Dana Dana, 1999), in other words established through relationships. The relationship emphasis is clearly illustrated in dealing with the government bureaucratic system in which a request can have a long turnaround time and to expedite, an international manager would have to have a strong local network which helps reduce the governments uncertainty about your intentions (Smith Pham, 1996). Relationship also value is vital for Vietnamese manufacturers and distributors as it can enhance product quality, information, and smoother delivery processes (Nguyen Nguyen, 2011). In addition, the ability to grasp language could somehow ease communications as language influences peoples view of the world (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, as cited by Kay, P Kempton 1984). And because linguistically, Vietnam largely differs from Castrols native home, Britain, as such; Castrol had to overcome the language barriers in their business negotiations with Vietnamese who prefer to have an interpreter even though if the Vietnamese can converse in the foreign language that was used (Bouchart Swierczek, 1994). Halls (1976) polychornic and monochornic concept of time is another significant difference between Castrols home practice and traditionally Vietnamese who see time more seasonal rather than by the clock (Smith Pham, 1996). This perception of time may be changing in todays environment, but Vietnamese can take longer to weigh decisions (Smith Pham, 1996), and because they are collective and have high power distance, it is customary for them to get consent from their superiors beforehand. While, Vietnam was once colonized by the French and Americans, Vietnams socio-cultural orientation substantially varies from their colonizers. Clearly, cultural differences can pose the underlying cause conflict. After all, culture is the collective programming of the mind, which distinguishes one human group (Asia) from another (US), (Hofstede, 1980, as cited by Beaman, 2008) and Castrol had to take these variations into account from the very beginning of market entry in to Vietnam. Ethical standard There is no clear definition of ethics, as the great divide between universalism and relativism explains. Universalists believe that ethical moral standards are universally the same throughout with no regards to culture and moving time; whereas relativists argue that perceptions of right and wrong differ from culture and individuals and tend to evolve with time (Bigambo, 2011). As such, in favor of the relativism approach, the ethical and moral perceptions are perceived differently, in regards of corruption. According to the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) assessment, pre National Strategy for Preventing and Combating Corruption toward 2020 introduction, World Banks Worldwide Governance Indicators rank Vietnam CPI level at 22.9 in 2004 and post the policy, in 2010, the country ranked 33 (Martini, 2012). Castrol had entered Vietnam pre-government policy, as such the Company had to ensure they adhered to policies at all times, to perhaps like Intel who actively cooperated with the government to combat corruption and improper business conduct (Deresky, 2011) Because Castrol had entered the country before establishment of formalized policies, the Company was forced to successfully adopt and adapt to Vietnams standards at the time, while still trying to hold on to its own corporate culture. As such, beyond the reasons of initial foreign direct investment (FDI) required a local state owned company (Schaumburg-MÃ ¼ller, 2002) it was only rationale for Castrol to enter Vietnam with joint-venture with a local player, Saigon Petro in 1991. Political Environment As a result of the fall of the Soviet, Vietnam was forced to undergo an economic reform in the 1980s (Speece, Quang, Huong, 2003). In 1986, the Economic Reform Policy, Doi Moi, removed trading barriers including liberalization of the domestic market and encouraged foreign investments and foreign privatizations of firms (Nguyen Bryant, 2004), an open economy. Through Doi Moi, the country gradually progressed from a command- economy toward a market economy (Van Arkadie and Mallon, 2003), through tax incentives to foreign firms. However; this increased, competition within the nation; hence, Castrol had to up their game to succeed in the country. In many aspects, like China and Laos, the Vietnamese government is communist in only name sense, as they tend to be more inclined toward market-based economic reform practices. Vietnam; however, remain as totalitarian state that deny many basic civil liberties to the people (Hill, 2007). Meaning, the government remains communism, but in reality, the market is similar to capitalism. Only, key industries such as water, electricity communication, logistics (road system, ports, and aviation), are owned by the government. In general, the communist political ideology governs every aspect of the country by holding key industries while maintaining its market-based economy. The country also introduced a new state constitution in 1992 that introduced a more formalized legal system and increased economic freedom (Costello, Nash, Kavanagh, Smyth, Boyce, 2010).The government also offered more tax incentives to attract more foreign oil companies. Castrol benefited from these practices as they took advantage of the first-mover as they entered the Vietnam market in 1991, after seeing great success in Thailand and they also benefitted from local insight with their partnership with Saigon Petro. Competition Castrol entered Vietnam prior to the establishment of the Competition Law, in which there were no formalized practices to regulate domestic competition (Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, 2005). In this sense, Castrol could be vulnerable to being dominated by stronger players and fair trade was unheard of. As the country moved toward a market-oriented economy, the Vietnam Law on Competition 2005 established fairground for all types of enterprises and offered legal protection for fair competition (Harvie, 2001), leaving types and pricing to be determined by the market. The law controlled any potential market monopolies and offered a leveled playing field for market access and fair competition as it encourages consumer choices (Le, 2003); hence; giving Castrols competitors such as Shell, Caltex and Vietlube a better chance to succeed. While Castrol has the first-moved advantage as an already a well-established brand, with Vietnams formalized policies and the country joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2007, to sustain its success, Castrol would have seek ways to reposition itself and use its premium quality against the growing price sensitive and quality conscious Vietnamese consumer behavior. Vietnam: Castrol Succeeds It can be inferred that Castrols success is related to their strategic market entry in Vietnam along with their ability to systematically create marketing mix that customized an advertising and branding, distribution, pricing strategy to fit in the Vietnamese economic landscape. Market Entry Castrols rationale for entering Vietnam was clearly for the purpose of market seeking and strategic asset seeking to which they intended to capitalize on Vietnams Doi Moi policies rather than lose out to their competitors. One of the key advantages Castrol had above everyone else was its first mover advantage in Vietnam and how the company had taken advantage of Dunnings OLI framework (1980). The OLI framework provides great insight on factors that affect a companys ability to enter a foreign market. In Castrols case, the company benefitted largely from ownership and location advantage, through which the company leveraged on its firm specific advantage in lubricant oil knowledge and exploited Vietnams already established motorcycle market. To reduce transaction costs relating cost of negotiating, contract enforcement while gaining a strong foothold in the domestic market it is likely the reason Castrol chose to partner Saigon Petro, illustrated by in Burmahs profits in 1996, to which more than 20 percent of its profits came from India and Vietnam, even in an era where car ownership was growing (Stevenson, 1996). The Company internalized its distribution through establishing its own transportation channels to reach its distribution points (NA, 1998). While this is a costlier route, this help Castrol closely monitor and manage its distribution. Marketing Mix Globally, Castrol offers its consumers one homogenous product lubricant oil. However, the Company varies its product strategy to reach its market segment, motorists who want quality lubricants for long-lasting care of their motorcycles. Coming off their success in Thailand, Castrol wished to establish brand loyalty in Vietnams motorcycle segment in hopes, the loyalty will continue on upon upgrading to a car. The Company reinforced the fundamental need for a reliable mode of transport motorcycle, as Castrols Asia Director, Ian Pringle states the Company focused on turning near haves into have somes (NA, 2010). Being a premium lubricant, Castrols prices was significantly higher than most, and the Company adopted that same strategy in Vietnam, three times the cost of cheaper oil imports from Taiwan and Thailand, while aiming to maintain its strong brand image of superior quality, Dau nhot tot nhat. In terms of promotion, Castrol supported its premium pricing strategy by utilizing the push communications strategy in traditional media such as billboards, bumper stickers and roadside garages and motorcycle cleaning shops signs to establish initial consumer awareness. And as Castrols position in Vietnam strengthened, the company leveraged on its global marketing campaign, which featured David Beckham. On reason for this is perhaps the Vietnamese are the second biggest football fan-following in the Asian region (NA, 2010), and in 2008, Castrol also went on to sponsor the UEFAs European Championships in Vietnam in hopes to drive revenues through brand recognition and recall in Asia (NA, 2008). Vietnam was a strategic decision on Castrols part as not only did the country closely resemble its neighboring Thailand in terms of motorcyclist population, it was a less risky decision for Castrol, as similar successful strategies could easily and inexpensively be exported to Vietnam. In terms of distribution, given Vietnams political divide, Castrols distribution strategy focused on two distinct distributors- stated owned customers, primarily Communist in practices and private customers. While this was costly, this method gave Castrol more control in terms of managing their distributors in terms of corporate practices reduce the risk of illegal practices or other such brand tarnishing practices (NA, 1998), though in the long term Castrol should consider more viable inexpensive measures. Opportunities and Challenges SWOT Matrix As first movers, Castrols strength lays in their success in developing a solid brand strategy that effectively captured a large market share. Today, the Company offers lubricants for the purpose of motorcycles, cars, commercial vehicles, industrial and even professional car repairs. In looking at Vietnam as a fast growing economy, the country is taking major measures to liberalize trade, through which can be seen by the countrys admission to WTO and even trade agreements such as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Free Trade Area (AFTA) and U.S.- Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). Clearly, Vietnam is on its way toward a more transparent, less corrupted in its practices, which will largely benefit foreign companies like Castrol in their dealings in the country. The setback would be these liberalization practices will eventually increase competition for Castrol as Vietnam becomes a more attractive FDI destination. In terms of weakness, Castrols pricing strategy could be seen as a weakness as Vietnams urban market becomes more price- sensitive toward consumer goods (Speece Nguyen, 2005). Furthermore, Vietnams lack of domestic infrastructure capacity as well as enforced regulations (Pham, 1998), forces Castrol to internalize its distribution strategy, which is less risky; however, the line cost may be transferred to the end customer. In 2000, BP had acquired Burmah Castrol, and this in turn gives Castrol the ability to leverage on its parent companys core competencies from oil and gas production to distribution and supply chain management. Furthermore, the establishment of two refineries provide local source for petro products as well as increase interaction between the northern and southern Vietnam. Despite being a first-mover, Castrol may have already established its competitive edge; however, with the introduction of more structured open-market policies and trade agreements, Castrol will be faced with competition such as Shell and ExxonMobil. While, the country rapidly increased with an average 5.9% GDP growth in 2011, the inflation rate based on consumer prices was extremely high at 18.7% versus Chinas 9.2% GDP growth and 5.5% inflation rate (CIA, 2012). And in recent times, Vietnam has incurred international debt as high as USD12billion which could result in the collapse of the countrys banking system (Nyuen, 2012), and create a ripple effect for Castrol who already operate in the country and region. Recommendations As a dominant player, Castrol has an ample of opportunities to exploit and continue being a leader in Vietnam. Castrol could seek growth through expanding its current offerings in the automobile industry and relying on the existing Vietnam market. Castrol can seek to broaden its product base beyond offering light and heavy automotive lubricants and so forth by offering automobile batteries. While diversification could pose a threat to economies of scales and even increase marketing costs of the new product, by introducing a complimentary and complementary product, Castrol would not face such an issue. Castrol could also extend their strategic global partnership with leading automobile manufacturers such as Honda in Vietnam as they had in the United Kingdom (Castrol, UK and Ireland, 2012). By doing so, the automobile manufacturer can benefit from the tangible value of the ingredient brand which in this case is Castrol to enhance the customer experience. Similarly, Castrol can build a more efficient distribution network by collaborating with partners to share distribution channels and establish value chains as they had intended to with local tire manufacturer, Casumina and local battery manufacturer Pinaco (Phi, 2011). However, a much rationale route would be to leverage off parent company BPs resources including financial, logistics and research and development (RD). Castrol could also choose to adopt its loyalty program from Malaysia as regional strategy in Vietnam, by rewarding returning customers (Castrol, Malaysia 2012). With the establishment of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MONRE) in 2002, the country has intensified its environmental practices. In 2007, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked with MONRE to train southern, central and northern Vietnam environmental inspectors (EPA, 2012). In being a responsible corporate citizen, Castrol should adhere not only to Law on Environmental Protection; the Company should also consider measures to create a sustainable environment. For example, Castrol could offer consumers incentives to return their bottled packaging to distributors rather than self-disposing or offer refill-packaging options at a cheaper rate than purchasing the entire bottled package. Conclusion Even though globalization does reduce barriers, its not always as simple as Friedmans (2005) flat world as illustrated by Castrol in Vietnam. While, globalization may standardize selected practices such as consumer product needs; however, in going deeper, motivators tend to differ. In Castrols case, the variation of Vietnams norms both formal and informal from its home country resulted in the Company customizing practices to fit the national culture, and proactively streamlining processes and operations to sustainably grow within its host country.

Affirmative action Essays -- essays research papers

Affirmative action is a term used to describe rules and regulations that were established to protect minorities and women from being discriminated against (Simmons 1982). Affirmative action has changed the way people were treated since it was first brought into order in 1961 by president John F. Kennedy through executive order 10925(Alexander 1999). It helped established more opportunities for minorities and women in education, employment and housing (Dietz 2001). Nevertheless, affirmative action has caused much controversy in our society and whether it has benefited America (Altschiller 1991). As a result, there are those who believe minorities have benefited, yet the dominant group has suffered. Before the passing of executive order 10925, minorities and women were treated unfairly. Before president Kennedy brought the executive order into action, minorities suffered a great deal of discrimination. In the past, minorities were abolished from specific areas. For instance they were not allowed to use the same bathrooms as whites (Alexander 1999). The minorities were spatially segregated from the rest of society meaning outsides did not accept them; they weren’t allowed to obtain certain jobs, live in close proximity to the dominant group or receive the same educational opportunity (Parrillo 2003). After Kennedy, president Lyndon Johnson established several laws that helped establish better opportunities for minorities such as his â€Å" Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 1965 and then the office of Federal Compliance in 1967†(Alexander 1999). In addition, he was simultaneously establishing the Fair Housing Act as well as the Economic Opportunity Act. The Civil Rights Movement was one of the major contributors to the establishment of the parity laws. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it possible that the federal level could enforce the law on those who violated it, which helped give minorities the protection they needed from the Dominant group. After the implementation of affirmative action and the laws that followed, â€Å"the proportion of blacks in white-collar jobs grew from 10% to 24% and the ratio of black median family income to white rose from 55% to 62%†(Alexander 1999). As one can clearly see, there were major improvements for minorities. They were given more opportunities to contribute to society without facing discrimination from businesses, educa... ... affirmative action. Furthermore, how much someone earns is usually based on their ethnic background and their gender. Affirmative action has caused controversy and will continue to cause it for years to come.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works citied Alexander, A. & Jacobson K. (1999). Affirmative Action. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research: A Critical Reconnaissance, 23(3) 9p Altschiller d. (1991). The reference shelf: Affirmative Action. New York: The H. W. Wilson Company Dietz, T. (2001). Sociological Spectrum. The unrelenting significance of minority statuses: gender, ethnicity, and economic attainment since affirmative action. 21(1) 20p Friedl, J. (1999). Change. Documentation of how affirmative action benefits all students, 31(4) 6p Gross B. (1977). Reverse Discrimination. New York: Prometheus Books. Parrillo, V. (2003). Strangers to these shores.Boston: The Book Company Simmons, R. (1982). Affirmative Action: Conflict and Change in Higher Education after Bakke. Cambridge, Massachusetts. Thomas, W. Review of Black Political Economy. Mitigating Barriers to Black Employment through Affirmative Action Regulations: a case study. 27(3) 22p

Ecological Systems Theory

From the time a person first enters this world until they taketheir final breath, they go through many changes that will shape their character and determine how they handle situations in their life. Many different psychologists have studied human behavior and why it is that we react a certain way in different circumstances, and ultimately why we behave in the way that we do. Urie Bronfenbrenner developed a model called the â€Å"Ecological Systems Theory† that attempts to explain what factors influence a person’s behavior and which ones have the most impact. The model is broken down into five systems: the â€Å"Microsystem†, â€Å"Mesosystem†, â€Å"Exosystem†, â€Å"Macrosystem†, and â€Å"Chronosystem†. The â€Å"Microsystem† is considered the most intimate or most influential level and it consists of the interactions between the person and their family or their close friends. These influences are bidirectional, meaning that both sides are influenced equally. For example, a child who is very calm and obedient will most likely cause the parent to be calm and trusting of the child. On the other hand, if the parent is very strict and harsh towards the child, the child may feel the urge to rebel against the parent. The â€Å"Mesosystem† essentially represents the connections between the â€Å"Microsystems†. This means that there is more than one factor that influences a situation in one’s life. For example, if a young student is doing poorly in school, it can be due to lack of parent involvement in their academics, or if the parents show interest in the child’s school life at all. Another example of this would be if an employee was not doing well in the workplace, it could be linked back to a fight at home or the lack of communication with a spouse. The next level in the theory is the â€Å"Exosystem†. This system is made up of experiences or factors that do not necessarily contain the developing person but nevertheless have an impact in their life. These factors or experiences can be formal or informal organizations. Formal organizations consist of flexible work schedules or paid maternity or paternity leaves and these circumstances can positively influence the parent-child relationship. Informal organizations can consist of the parent’s social networks, such as close friends or relatives that can offer advice or friendship in the child’s life. These relationships can provide a sense of trust and source of love in the life of the child. This system can also be observed in a way that will affect the child’s life negatively. For example, if the parents do not have close friends or a feeling of acceptance in the community, there has been shown to be an increased risk of child abuse and conflict within the family. The â€Å"Macrosystem† is a much broader system that consists of the cultural values, morals, customs, and resources in the community. An example of this would be if a child attends a private school that closely monitors the behavior of the children and tries to instill moral values, the child might experience a more enjoyable time during their school years. Bronfenbrenner defined the ever-changing nature of a person’s environment to be the â€Å"Chronosystem†. He noted that there were many factors that can influence or change the circumstances of one’s life, which he called â€Å"Ecological Transitions†. â€Å"Ecological Transitions† could be any event such as starting college, getting married, getting divorced, graduating high school or college, becoming a parent, or retiring. All of these instances could be considered â€Å"milestones† in someone ‘s life that can have a major impact in the routine or schedule one is familiar to. For the project, I chose to conduct an interview with my aunt, who is now forty-eight years old. In the interview, I asked her questions that would reveal what or who were the influences in her life and what were the major special events that occurred. I repeated the interview with her twice; the first to ask her about her life at the age of twenty-one and then again at the age of thirty-six. I found that it was very interesting to interview my aunt about her experience at the age of twenty-one, only two years older than I am now. I tried to compare her influences, concerns, and experiences with mine and found that we are similar in many ways I was not aware of, but also very different in others. There were many factors in my aunt’s life that influenced where she is today in her life. When she was twenty-one, in the â€Å"Microsystem† level, three people that truly influenced her life at the time were my grandparents, Mimi and Papa, and my great grandmother, Mamette. My aunt was extremely close to Mamette, and confided in her in many ways. Since all three were members of her close family, they would be considered part of this system and very crucial to her development at the time. My aunt told me after she graduated from college all she wanted to do was party and not find a job, and I found that these factors and this mindset were part of the â€Å"Mesosystem†. The fact that she was partying all the time, or her social life, was hindering her from finding a job and moving on from her college days. Since the â€Å"Mesosystem† is essentially factors that influence other factors or circumstances, the fact that she had recently graduated from college made her feel like she had the right to party and not find a job. Another factor in her lack of diligence toward finding a job was that her parents did not put a lot of pressure on her to do so. Along with factors in the â€Å"Microsystem† and â€Å"Mesosystem†, the â€Å"Exosystem† in her life consisted of many influences that played a role in the crisis of no motivation and partying all the time. One factor in this system was that many of her friends were getting jobs after they graduated college, and she knew that she should be searching for one, but the motivation was not there. Another factor was that she may have felt that she deserved to â€Å"have some time off† after working so hard in college. These examples are forms of informal organizations in the â€Å"Exosystem†. An example of a formal organization was that she applied for a job with the IRS and she was waiting for them to call her about her application. She jokes during her interview that she would still be in that stage if she didn’t look for another job until the IRS called her back because its been twenty-seven years and they still haven’t called! The â€Å"Macrosystem† played a role in her development at that time also. She mentioned how life just seemed more â€Å"laid back† and â€Å"carefree†; times were easier and there was no terrorism (that she knew of). The culture was also more wholesome than it is now and the moral values of the country were at higher standards. One strain of the country and the economy was the oil crisis that erupted during the 80’s. She remembers expensive gas and oil, and that the economy was not very strong during that time. As she reflected on this time of her life, she says that there were experiences during that time of her life that have an impact on her life now. Sometimes she wishes she could go back to that time of fun and â€Å"no worries†, but what was most important about that time of her life was the friendships she made. She’s learned life is not about a job, money, or objects, but about the relationships one makes along the way. She has recently gone through a divorce, and she says that she could have never made it through that hard time without the friends she made in high school, college, her sorority, or even in the past couple years. The â€Å"Chronosystem† encompasses changes over time and how one develops over a lifetime. Her reflection and the amount she has grown as a person in the last couple decades is an example of the way a human can change and mature in this particular system. Next, I interviewed my aunt about her life when she was thirty-six years old and lived in Houston, TX. She described this time as some of the best years of her life. Her son, Mike, was six years old and her daughter, Stacey, was only three. She reminisced about the neighborhood bar-b-ques, pig roasts, her amazing church, the kid’s summer camp, and great friends. During the interview I could tell that she truly longed to go back to this time. Her â€Å"Microsystem† level consisted of her best friends, Dana and Diane, and her Bible Study Fellowship leader, Gloria Day. These people truly shaped her life at the time and she was explaining how they still have an impact on her now. Just the other day she talked to her friend, Dana, about her divorce, and she can see just how important these influences are in her life. The â€Å"Mesosystem† at this time consisted of the influence of the guidance she acquired in Bible Study Fellowship that helped her to be a better mother and spouse. Also, her church served as an outlet for her to find good friends that would hold her accountable and provide advice and companionship when she needed it most. In the â€Å"Exosystem† there were many areas in her life that socially provided experiences and interactions that would influence her at the time. The formal organization of this level was the fact that she was a stay-at-home mom, giving her more time with her children and the ability to focus on being the best mother she could be. Another example of an informal organization would be her Bible Study Fellowship. Here she could make friends with the same beliefs and morals, and really gain a group that would provide great stability and accountability. The â€Å"Macrosystem† during this time consisted of a stimulated economy, the price of gas was cheap, and, again, there was no fear or worry of terrorism. She noted how practically everyone in her neighborhood was an engineer. The stress that we now experience today of terrorist attacks and a failing economy was not present. I once again asked to reflect on her life at that time, and see how her experiences then have influenced her life now. This answer came to her much easier than when I asked her about the influence of her experiences when she was twenty-one. Her involvement in Bible Study Fellowship showed her how to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, and how to apply her study of the Bible to real life. Her leader, Gloria Day, truly inspired her to grow in her walk with God and rely on Him for everything. She revealed in the interview how she had been going through some very tough times, and if she did not have the information she learned through Bible Study Fellowship, she would not have had the same optimistic and hopeful view of her struggles now. Over time, her walk with the Lord has gone through times when she was very close with Him, and times when she was not. In the â€Å"Chronosystem†, her relationship with God and her spiritual beliefs have been the defining factor of her inner strength as a person. Along with her relationship with God, many major events, or â€Å"ecological transitions†, occurred from the time that she was twenty-one and thirty-six. For example, she found a job, got married, became a parent, and moved. All of these events can have an influence on one’s character and well-being. They can have a â€Å"rippling effect† in someone’s life, influencing many parts during one time. My aunt recalled that she absolutely hated moving, and they would stay in the same place for about three years. She said the first year was always the hardest, the second year was better, and the third was when they were finally settled but then my uncle would have to move again for his job. The moving process always took a toll on her family and kids, never truly establishing a place for them to call â€Å"home†. Another â€Å"ecological transition† for her during this time was getting married. Marriage is definitely an adjustment and her decision in the man she chose to marry may not have necessarily been the right one. Nevertheless, changes that one experiences in their life require adjustment, or an â€Å"ecological transition†. The â€Å"Microsystem†, â€Å"Mesosystem†, â€Å"Exosystem†, â€Å"Macrosystem†, and â€Å"Chronosystem† are the ecological systems in our lives that influence our character, morals, and decisions. From the time my aunt was twenty-one to thirty-six, the influences in her life changed drastically. Instead of being influenced by her parents and grandmother like when she was younger, she was more independent from her family and her close friends and studying God’s word had the most impact on her. Right after she graduated from college, she was not focused on â€Å"growing up† or finding a job, but mostly on partying and having a good time. She matured greatly when she started a family, as she became more focused on others rather than herself. Virtually everything in her life changed when she had children, from her schedule to her priorities. As the influences and events in my aunt’s life changed over the years, so will mine when I am older. My ecological systems will always be transforming as I graduate college, get married, and eventually have children. Right now my life is focused around what is best for me; my education, social life, and health. I am still dependent on my parents for guidance and support, but I am beginning to lean more on God’s will for my life and trusting in Him rather than advice from other people. After I graduate my â€Å"Mesosystem† will change, along with my â€Å"Exosystem†, â€Å"Macrosystem†, and â€Å"Chronosystem†. By acquiring the knowledge of how factors influence an individual, I will be able to truly examine what those factors are in my life and decide which are in my best interest. In conclusion, Studying Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory was very interesting and I feel it will be very helpful to know in my future teaching career. When a child is misbehaving and is not performing to their best ability in school, I can look into their home life and see if there are any distractions or added stresses that could be hindering their academic performance. Also, I hope to provide a source of guidance and comfort for my students that extend past the realm of academics, but can better them as a person in the long run. Urie Bronfenbrenner was a brilliant man whose research and theories can help people have a better understanding about the influences in their lives and how to use them to their full advantage. Ecological Systems Theory Despite previous theories, Erie Brotherliness's ecological systems theory continues o be one of the most comprehensive theories used to better understand human needs. That Is why it has become Increasingly Important to be able to recognize the key concepts of the ecological systems theory and to be able to Identify what characteristics set this theory apart from other theories. Once this level of competence is achieve, workers should be able to identify what kind of problems and/or clients this theory would be helpful with.This skill can only be mastered by understanding every detail of the ecological systems theory. Discussion According to Whooper, Rooney, Dewberry Rooney, Storm-Gottfried, and Larsen (2010), the ecological systems theory suggests that Individual engagement with other human beings (niche) and systems within the environment (habitat) are two of the most influential factors that determine human needs. This is because both factors reciprocally influence each other (2010 ).For instance, a change in a person's environment typically changes the kind of people that person interacts with and the type of resources that person has access to. If I decided to move from the projects to he suburbs, I would be exposed to a new community. My new community will allow me to network with people who I might not have had the opportunity to network with when I lived In the projects. My move from the projects to the suburbs could also provide me with access to more resources such as libraries and jobs.A change in a person's niche or habitat can be positive or negative. The ecological systems theory makes it clear that it is desirable to have a positive and well-balanced niche and habitat. This Is because â€Å"the satisfaction of human needs and mastery of placement task require adequate resources In the environment and positive transactions between people and their environment† (Whooper, Rooney, Dewberry Rooney, Storm;Gottfried, and Larsen, 2010, 16).For examp le, a person who aspires to be a phenomenal business leader would be better prepared to take on that role if he or she had access to superior educational institutions and positive interaction with individuals who are already in this type of position. This is because the educational facilities can provide valuable knowledge to that Individual and the exposure to other traders can open up hands-on learning opportunities. Now Image If there were gaps In any AT ten above resources or negative Interactions Ana now tense gap could hinder that individual's needs and development.This notion that a person's life circumstances are based on individual interactions and different layers of his or her environment is what set the ecological systems theory apart from other theories. This is because, historically, theorists have only used one of the two variables to understand different aspects of human life. The ecological systems theory is helpful on both the micro and macro level of social work. For a clinical social worker, the ecological systems theory is the most helpful in phase one of the helping process.During this phase the worker explores client needs, assesses contributing factors, and devises a plan of action to help meet client needs. Taking an ecological system's approach to this phase will allow the worker to create a more accurate profile of client needs, help to determine what environmental absentees may be causing certain needs, determine individuals who may be costively or negatively contributing to client needs, and to determine what actions need to take place to help bridge the gap between client's habitat and niche.Personally, the ecological systems theory appears to be an ingenious approach to the field of social work. It is very advantageous because it forces the worker and the client to create an all-inclusive picture of the client's reasons for needing a social worker. As human being we have a tendency to identify a single factor as the cause of all of our problems. The ecological system perspective is helpful in extending our coal point.Applying this theory would be the most beneficial to me when I am working with clients who are having difficulties meeting certain needs because of a lack of resources or with clients who have a drug abuse problem. I identify drug abuse clients because these types of clients typically use drugs as a coping mechanism to deal with some of their relationships or current living situations. Conclusion In closing, the ecological systems theory is one of the best theories to apply when attempting to assess human needs.