Bingo Long Traveling Essays - Bingo, , Term Papers

Bingo Long Traveling Ask someone either at home or at work, "How are you doing today?" Several replies will be forthcoming. Some respond "Ok", "Fine" or "Surviving". As long as Sallie Potter's Louisville Ebony Aces were playing ball in the Negro League circuit, times and surviving were good. A steady salary, Potter's bus, driven by Potter, with reclining seats, which carried the team from one scheduled game to another, black hotels, black restaurants and night clubs made for an indulgent and uncomplicated life on the road. When Potter released veteran player Raymond Mikes, because he broke his foot rounding third base, playing the Philadelphia American Stars, Bingo organized the players and revolted against owner black owner Potter. After all, Bingo thought he knew all the ins and outs of the game, having watched Potter and fellow hustler Lionel Foster all these years. How hard could it be owning and managing a ball club? With Lionel backing Bingo with a little capital until things got going, a barnstorming baseball outfit was born. Bingo first recruited fellow teammate Leon Carter, the best pitcher alive, and then one by one talked Potter's Aces into becoming Bingo's All-Stars. Even Raymond Mikes had agreed to come along as bookkeeper. With third baseman Louis's Lincoln convertible and Bingo's Auburn, the team was set and left for Pittsburgh to play the Elite Giants. Lionel had helped Bingo set up games in Cleveland, Toledo and Chicago, after that, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, then Iowa. Life was good and surviving was no problem. Bingo knew hustling baseball games in small rural towns was a lot different than playing the usual scheduled games in the Negro League and tried to acquaint his teammates, who had not traveled west of Chicago, with this fact. "We got to be polite and cheerful all the time even when we ain't feeling it" (Brashler 50). Life in segregated America was not easy for Negroes. White restaurants and hotels did not permit them inside. It was necessary to find black establishments, who would serve Negroes. If no place was found to put them up for the night, they slept in cars or outside on the ground in bedrolls. Even if they had money and were able to pay, prejudice and bigotry took charge and made life for the Negro, as a second class citizen. Bingo was aware of this, but he was going to find out first hand how it really was. Life would become survival. Once the All-Stars left the Eastern cities and established Negro League baseball schedules, they would have to hustle their own games. Because theses games were in smaller populated areas, the All-Stars would have to play more games just to break even. Lionel had advised them to play as many games as possible. Road travel was difficult and slow, streets and highways were not paved. Cars lumbered over the roads at a snail's crawl. Dust not only covers the passengers, but also plugged up the car's engines. At times, after the last game, the players filed back into the cars, got as comfortable as possible and were driven by Bingo and Louis, or back up drivers, on to the next town, the next game. Showmanship was necessary. Upon entering small towns, it was necessary to drive down the business district, the driver would honk the horn as the players stood up in the car and waved to the people. Then they would change into their uniforms, re-enter the town, driving down the main streets, honking the horn, players would walk behind the car and wave and bow to the people, all in an effort to gain interest and enthusiasm in the upcoming ball game. At the beginning of the games, were hot ball routines, infield pantomimes and pitching shows. Then there was the baseball fields, in some cases just pastures with a couple of wooden benches and a broken down backstop. If an admissions stand could not be built, then the All- Stars would pass the hat in small rural areas. After all, expenses have to be met. The strain of the road eroded players mentally and emotionally. Day in and day out it was the same routine over and over again. The ever present discrimination and class distension appeared in many different themes. Louis was razored for propositioning a white call girl, a white car mechanic took advantage of Bingo's ignorance concerning needing new spark plugs for Bingo's Auburn, Bingo's car was destroyed when a white woman's truck hit it, there were small white town hecklers at the ball

Changes in Canadas Military System

Changes in Canadas Military System Governments usually conduct experiments before coming up with new methods of harnessing military activities. These experiments involve real life scenarios and collection of statistical data. Learning experiments can be conducted using various theories including constructivist and learning theories.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Changes in Canada’s Military System specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Recently, the Canadian Defense and Research Authority used the results of a statistical study to figure out the best way to conduct tactical operations (Grant, 2012). The study took six days and involved nineteen military officers. The results of the study were used to indentify skills that are important to military personnel. Moreover, the military was able to learn new ways to use the newly developed command and control software program. This paper will explore how the statistical results of this study were us ed to impact changes to Canada’s military system. Military command organizations also referred to as C2 units are in charge of providing directions to teams that have been deployed to the field. The success of a C2 organization is vital to the success of military operations. The operations system of command units keeps changing in line with technology and security requirements. This is why it is necessary for changes in the functionality of a C2 unit to be communicated fast. For instance, as the war in Iraq progressed, NATO command units kept updating their modes of operations. The purpose of this experiment was to transmit knowledge and to generate new useful information (Grant, 2012). This study was initially commissioned by the Canadian Department of National Defense. The study was specifically aimed at enhancing the fire support team during military operations. The experiment was conducted with the aim of refining the then ongoing Afghanistan campaign. Nineteen military o fficers of different ranks took part in the experiment. The experiment was code-named the Coalition Attack Guidance Experiment (CAGE).Advertising Looking for case study on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The results of CAGE were employed in several military operations. The first changes in military operations as a result of this experiment involved unscheduled missions. Unscheduled missions refer to events that occur haphazardly such as ambushes or evacuation of casualties. The results of this experiment are now used in unscheduled missions that require fire support. The results of the experiments revealed that a longer chain of command resulted in more failures during unscheduled missions (Grant, 2012). In addition, unscheduled military missions in future would be recorded in single entries. The experiment had revealed that making several entries regarding a single mission was ineffective. In addition, i t increased the chances for errors and the workload in unscheduled missions. Through the experiment, the Canadian Defense Authority was able to adapt a â€Å"Joint Automated Deep Operations Coordination System (JADOCS)†. From this experiment, the military learnt a new way of logging information using a color-coded system. This system is used to complement the pre-existing voice system. The method is very effective in scenarios requiring rapid response. The results of this experiment are also used during battlefield briefing tasks. The graphs derived from the experiment revealed the best approach to a mission briefing. The mode of conducting a briefing is dependent on factors like priorities and enemy positions. Psychological research has often been used to come up with better ways of handling everyday scenarios (King, Rosopa Minium, 2011). In this case, an experiment conducted using the constructivist theory was used to come up with better ways of handling a military command system. Not all of the results in this experiment were helpful to the improvement of the military command system. However, the experiment offered some results that were of help to Canada’s defense force. The above demonstration is an example of an effective way to employ psychological experiments in formulating public policies. References Grant, C. (2012). A constructive approach to organizational learning in a tactical operations centre. PsychNology Journal, 10(1), 7 – 22.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Changes in Canada’s Military System specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More King, M., Rosopa, J. Minium, W. (2011). Statistical Reasoning in the Behavioral  Sciences. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons.

Winners and Losers in the Arguments for Free Trade Essay

Winners and Losers in the Arguments for Free Trade - Essay Example This surge in the flow of services and goods will undoubtedly increase competition that, in turn, will lead to a decrease in the price that consumers have to pay for goods to the traders. When these elements are all combined, most economists are of the belief that global and individual economic growth will be achieved. The comparative advantage theory states that every country will produce goods at which they are extra efficient at production. So long as each country is able to produce goods that give it more comparative advantage, trade becomes mutually beneficial. One argument for free trade is specialization. Through exporting and importing goods, nations come to rely on each other for the production of services and goods at which it might not be too efficient at doing itself (Voituriez and Ekins, 2009, p. 11). When producers and countries are allowed to specialize in production of various services and goods, they attain more efficiency in service and goods production. It also let s individual countries produce services and goods for some things that they may have not been in a point to back when they had to produce everything they needed themselves. Specialization also allows countries, which had to provide services and goods for themselves when they were still not available via trade, to carry out other tasks. Yet another argument for free trade is efficiency. Free trade enhances a country’s efficiency, which, in turn, leads to an increase in the number of services and goods that country or individual can produce using the same resources (Voituriez and Ekins, 2009, p. 11). This encourages corporations to look for other ways of decreasing wasted resources that, in turn, decrease the production costs of goods. Various firms may also seek to increase their production because of the increased demand that will inevitably rise due to the existence of free trade. This will happen when they realize that it is possible to produce extra units at a per unit pri ce that is decreased. One more argument for free trade is an increased standard of living for the involved parties. Increased specialization and efficiency allow these parties to attain a higher living standard. As more services and goods are purchased and sold via exportation and importation, the amount of cash resources that are available in these nations can only increase. With individuals making more cash, they possess more money that they can spend on services and goods that they could use to import services and goods that can satisfy their other needs (Voituriez and Ekins, 2009, p. 12). Finally, free trade allows its participants to attain a better quality of life. Besides monetary gains to be gleaned by countries involved in free trade, economists use the argument that free trade highly improves the quality of life for its citizens. Free trade leads to the decrease in the possibility of war outbreaks, enhances the security of the nation, and leads to increased cultural enrich ment and awareness (Voituriez and Ekins, 2009, p. 13). The belief is that these countries depending on each other for services and goods are not likely to go to war with each other. Additionally, it is likely that they will rely on each other’s defense when a situation pops off. This idea of free trade also exposes individuals to various cultures that exist around the world that result in their personal enrichment. Winners in Free Trade The biggest winners in free trade agreements are transnational corporations. Free trade agreements erase tariffs, meaning that corporations pay less for them to sell their products. With reduced tariffs, for example, electronic producers can

Ancient Magical Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ancient Magical Practices - Essay Example In ancient times, there was no such division. Magical practices encompassed both the passive and aggressive forms of magic with no real dividing line between the two. Early scrolls containing instructions for spell casting would combine both sides of magic on their pages with little regard to whether one was aggressive and one was not. The early practitioners used their spells and amulets in much the same way Christians used their prayers and various symbols. Each incorporated the names of various important figures in their religion into their spells and charms. In fact, the Christian incantations were phrased much like the hexes of those who practice magic. There are many similarities in the way each set phrased their spells or incantations, such as the way each asks for assistance from a deity, whether for themselves or someone else. The magical texts used more key words, words believed by ancient peoples to contain more power than a normal word. Often these parts of the hex or spe ll were written in a different language or alphabet, which would possibly have enhanced their power in the spell. The Christian incantations used some of these words, gradually less and less as they were replaced with biblical quotes. This practice can even be linked to modern prayer rituals where certain words or segments of biblical text are repeated to enhance the experience and are expected to yield greater results on behalf of the deity. Both forms of religion are enlisting the aid of their respective incantations and amulets in an effort to gain what they desire, whether is the destruction of an enemy, the protection of a loved one, or their own renewed health. For the magical practitioner, the path laid out to follow to that goal may be vastly different depending upon what is sought. For example, if one is seeking vengeance against someone else, enlisting the aid of a deity, in magic there will more than likely be a complicated ritual involving herbs or some other form of offering to be placed in a certain area while the incantation is read to invoke the favor of the deity. In Christianity, there would be a short incantation to request favor from God to request what the person wishes. However, other spells or rituals could be very similar, such as the request for protection. In both instances, the request is generally very simple and may be followed by the wearing of an amulet believed to protect the wearer against harm (Various). Where the magical practitioner has assigned different tasks to different deities, Christians have also assigned different tasks or areas of responsibility to saints, lower deities, from the Holy Trinity. Christian saints are often people of great faith in their religion who have passed away. This practice is similar to magical practices in that each creates amulets for different deities or saints who protect the wearer against different ailments or other problems in life. To aid against a specific problem, the amulet may be placed on different parts of the body, or placed in different areas throughout the home to increase effectiveness. There is often some sort of short incantation that accompanies these amulets, usually printed on the back or around the edge, whether the amulet is Christian or magical. The only difference between the two types of amulets aesthetically is what is depicted or inscribed on them. Christianity and ancient magic truly have more in common in their practices than modern followers of either might like to believe. They were and still remain each a type of religion, encompassing the same basic belief that there are deities who will assist human beings in their day to day lives. They

Organisational strategy and decision making Essay

Organisational strategy and decision making - Essay Example It has also been observed that the company had set certain strategic directions for future, such as enlarging business in growing economies and empowering its competitive positioning among others. In order to mitigate the strategic issues and successfully attain the strategic directions for future, certain recommendations comprising both short and long-term have been provided. These include adopting, as well as utilising, the strategy of cost leadership and making substantial investments, especially in developing the performances of the entire workforce. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Introduction 4 Internal Audit–Strengths and Weaknesses 5 Strengths 5 Weaknesses 5 External Audit – Opportunities and Threats 6 Opportunities 6 Threats 6 Discussion 7 Evaluation 9 Conclusion 11 Recommendations 12 References 14 Introduction Strategies are fundamentally described as the ways that a particular organisation selects to compete with its key business market competitors or to comply with the requirements of the customers. In this similar context, organisational strategies are often defined as a pattern of effective policies, decisions, performances or programmes that support an organisation to accomplish its predetermined business goals and most significantly to attain significant competitive position over the major business market contenders (Rothwell, 1998). It has been apparently observed that the organisational strategies adopted as well as implemented by the organisations affect their decision-making procedures by a significant level. This is owing to the reason that the organisations deeply rely upon formulating effective strategies for the purpose of controlling as well as coordinating the information flow amid different parties such as the employees, stakeholders, investors and the customers (Fairholm, 2009). Tesco PLC is regarded as one of the biggest retailers in the entire globe which performs its business functions in 14 nations. The company employs nearly 5, 00,000 personnel and serves significant portion of customers every week (Tesco, 2013). The visions of the company are to attain utmost value from the customers that it serves and also the communities where it operates its different operational functions. Moreover, the other major vision of the company is to flourish itself as a pioneering as well as a modern company and grow its business in every region throughout the globe (Tesco, 2013). In this discussion, the internal audit of Tesco in the form of strengths as well as weaknesses and the external audit in the form of opportunities along with threats will be taken into concern. Moreover, a comprehensive analysis about the different strategic directions of the company will also be portrayed in the discussion. Internal Audit–Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths One of the major strengths of Tesco is that it is a leading organisation in the business market of the United Kingdom and is known as one of the best retail ch ains across the globe. Moreover, the other strengths of the company are strong brand recognition, increased business reputation and deliverance of superior quality products in accordance with meeting the requirements of the customers. In addition, the execution of e-retailing activities while conducting business is also regarded as the other crucial strength of the company. In this similar context, the company has acquired success due to its formulation

The Caste System of India

The Caste System of India The album of the modern world is portrayed by class and caste systems, the mere reflections of social inequality in human society. Class and caste are the form of the social stratification. The division of society into classes or strata, which form a hierarchy of prestige and power, is an universal feature of social structure. In this paper mainly focus on the basic concept of caste and class of society and in Indian context the changing trend of the caste system. What is Caste: Caste is the name of an ancient social institution that has been part of Indian history and culture for thousands of years. Wikipedia states that, A caste is a combined social system of, endogamy, culture, social class, and political power. Any of the hereditary, endogamous social classes or subclasses of traditional Hindu society, stratified according to Hindu ritual purity, especially the Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaisya, and Sudra castes. The nature and function of the caste system: The statutory commission report in 1930 stated about the nature and function of the caste in India as, Every Hindu necessarily belongs to the caste of his parents and in that caste he inevitably remains. No accumulation of wealth and no exercise of talents can alter his caste status and marriage outside his caste is prohibited or severely discouraged. Renowned scholar Paul H. Landis has remarked as, No ambitious young Indian of a lower class can ever hope to be a Brahmin. Here the class differences are strong that the lowest class, the untouchables are not allowed even to touch the garments of the highest or Brahmin class. They (untouchables) die in the hope that they will be reborn into a better class. From the various statements it becomes clear that caste continue to be an overpowering influence in the social, economical and political life of the country. The Indian village system is tied up with caste hierarchy. Origin of caste: some views Caste or more precisely varna for which the former a Portuguese synonyms, has come into wide use in comparative literature in recent years. It has been an invariable dimension of the social evolution in india during the last 3500years. During the Rigvedic period the Aryan community had started splitting into classes Brahma, Kashata and visa. It is only in one of the later hymns purushasuktha that a reference has been made to the four classes of Indian society. The names of the four classes were given in the sukta as Brahma, Rajanya, vaisya and sudra. The earlier division into these groups or section or varnas represented division of labour and division of social product. The original in habitants, portrayed as blackish people were called as Dasas by the Aryans, the invaders. These Dasas were over powered by the Aryans and when the conquered class were transformed into a service class, new relations of production came into being. The Dasas were known as the Sudras the fifth caste in the Aryan fold of the Indian society. Phules theory of the caste system was that it was created by the Aryans or Iranis Bhats or Brahmins. Before the coming of Irani Brahmins, Indian society was a casteless or classless agricultural community. The Grammarian Patanjali (Bc.200) commenting on panninis rule classified the countries of his times as Abrahmaniko Desah'(non-Brahmin countries) and vrshalak desah'(Brahmin countries). Dr. B.R. Ambedkar attempted to prove that the sudras originally constituted the solar Kshatriya caste of the vedic Aryan society, but that since the Brahmins refused to perform upanayana for them they were pushed down to the fourth caste. Definitions of caste: The word caste is derived from the Spanish word caste, meaning breed, race, strain or heredity. The Portuguese, when they came to India used the term to identify the caste divisions. In the words of Madan and Majumdar, caste is a closed group. To C.H Cooley, When a class is some what strictly hereditary, we may call it a caste. The most commonly cited defining features of caste are the following: Caste is determined by birth a child is born into the caste of its parents. Caste is never a matter of choice. One can never change ones caste, leave it, or choose not to join it, although there are instances where a person may be expelled from their caste. Membership in a caste involves strict rules about marriage. Caste groups are endogamous, i.e. marriage is restricted to members of the group. Caste membership also involves rules about food and food-sharing. What kinds of food may or may not be eaten is prescribed and who one may share food with is also specified. Caste involves a system consisting of many castes arranged in a hierarchy of rank and status. In theory, every person has a caste, and every caste has a specified place in the hierarchy of all castes. While the hierarchical position of many castes, particularly in the middle ranks, may vary from region to region, there is always a hierarchy. Castes also involve sub-divisions within themselves, i.e., castes almost always have sub-castes and sometimes sub-castes may also have sub-sub-castes. This is referred to as a segmental organisation. Castes were traditionally linked to occupations. A person born into a caste could only practice the occupation associated with that caste, so that occupations were hereditary, i.e. passed on from generation to generation. On the other hand, a particular occupation could only be pursued by the caste associated with it -members of other castes could not enter the occupation. Social structure and cultural aspects of the caste system: The nature of caste system in India can be studied as a social structural system and as a cultural system representing the unique feature of Indian cultures: Social Structural Aspects: The caste system is a hierarchy of values in terms of the concept of purity and impurity. It is organized as a characteristic hereditary division of labour. It is committed to organic coordination with the larger communities. Dumont, the French sociologist used the term homo-hierarchy meant for the minority opposition and mutual repulsion in the inter-caste relationship. There is a lot of cooperation especially in the socio-religious lines between various castes. Cultural Aspects : The cultural or symbolic system of caste has the following important things: A hierarchy of values in terms of the concept of purity and impurity. Hereditary transmission of psychological traits with in caste groups. The concepts of karma and punarjanma giving ones attitudes and ways of life. Commitment to caste occupation of caste style. Tolerance of different styles of life of other castes. What is Social Class? A social class may be defined as a stratum of people of similar position in the social status continuum. The social position of the George is not the same as that of the college president; a student will not greet them in exactly the same manner. Most of us are deferential towards those whose social position we believe to be above our and are condescending to those whom we consider socially below us. The members of a social class view one another as social equals, while holding themselves to be socially superior to some and socially inferior to others. The members of a particular social class often have about the same amount of money, but what is more important is that they have much the same attitudes, values and ways of life. Social class is a very important from a social stratification. Class system is universal phenomena. Nowadays classes are in increasing and new classes are coming into being in various parts of the world. Class system in a society in determined by economic cond itions, occupational conditions, abilities, hereditary factors, educational factors etc. Every society is gradated into various social classes and each class has its status in society. To understand more about social class one has to depend on some definitions given by social scientists. Definition of Social Class: T.H. Marshal defined by stating that A system or structure of social class involves first, a hierarchy of status groups and secondly the recognition of the superior-inferior stratification and finally some degree of permanency of the structure. In the word of Ogburn and Nimcoff, By a social class we mean one or two or more broad groups of individuals who are ranked by the members of the community in socially superior and inferior positions. To Lapiere, a social class is a culturally defined group that is accorded a particular position or status within the population as a whole. Characteristics of the Class: Social class is a very important from of social stratification in the modern times. Following are the main features of class: Hierarchy of status groups: In the class system , everyone has its own status. In other words social class is a status group. Based on their features and resources, some people occupy high status, some middle status and yet some others rest at the lowest position. In modern complex society each class feels that they belong to a specific group. Class- Consciousness: In the class system every social class develops class consciousness and the status consciousness results in psychological separation. Open system: Social class system is an open one in society. The social position of one individual is based up on the factors like his profession, personal merits, dignity and wealth. The more an individual develops his abilities so as to be useful to society better he is placed in the social hierarchy. In the class system a person can move upward or downward, depending upon his personal attainments, merits and demerits, abilities and disabilities. Objective Factors: Economic condition, profession position, education, health, race etc are objectives factors of the social class system. Class consciousness resulting from the feeling of superiority and inferiority are to the called as subjective factors. When these subjective factors integrated into the objective ones, class organization occurs. Class is not only an economic division: Karl Max and Engels have the opinion that class division and economic inequalities alone lead to class difference. According to them social classes originate only from economic conditions. But our sociologists like Mac Iver mention that economic factor is only one of the factors for the origin of class system. Class is not only an occupational division: It is wrong to consider social class is an occupational division. It is restricting the scope of the social class. The criteria of high and low, superior and inferior cannot be specifically applied to professions. Social mobility: Class system involves greater scope for social mobility. According to A. Sorokin, social mobility is of two kinds; Horizontal and Vertical. Horizontal social mobility is movement from one social status to another social status of the same level. E.g. An engineer who is working in the Ford motor company goes to general motors co. as an engineers of the same grade. Vertical social mobility is the movement upward or downward e.g. A Director moves down to the position of an Assistant Director. Social Class: Marxian View The basic frame work for the dynamic of social change was laid down by Karl Marx through his materialistic interpretation of history and theory of class struggle. Opening the first chapter of their communist manifesto, Karl Marx and Engels stated: The history of all hitherto existing society(i.e. all written history) is the history of class struggle. Marxian theory, materialistic and economically oriented, views class attitudes and class consciousness as fundamentally a reflection of economic conditions. Under the Marxian concept there are only two classes namely petty Bourgeois capitalists and the proletariats or the working class. Marxs distribution of the classes was mainly on economic basis that had comes as a subject of criticisms to sociologist like Mac Iver. Karl Marx conceived the relation between these two classes essentially based on the means of production, followed by the exploitation of the Bourgeoisie class up on the working class. Regarding classes and their relation with each other Marx has set three assumption in selected correspondence. Classes are bound up with particular historical phases in the development of production. Classes are bound to lead a struggle between two classes namely Petty Bourgeois capitalists and the working class. The class struggle between those two classes necessarily leads to the dictatorship of the proletariats by over throwing the ruling capitalist from power. Marx and Engles have described classes as economic conflict groups that are divided on the basis of the possession of the various instruments of production. Thus it is believed that an industrial society is connected with two classes- petty Bourgeoisie capitalist and proletarate workers. Before the industrial revolution there were only two classes, Landlords and the Agriculturists. Class system in India: In village India, where nearly 74 percent of the population resides, caste and class affiliations overlap. According to anthropologist Miriam Sharma, Large landholders who employ hired labour are overwhelmingly from the upper castes, while the agricultural workers themselves come from the ranks of the lowestpredominantly Untouchablecastes. She also points out that household-labor-using proprietors come from the ranks of the middle agricultural castes. Distribution of other resources and access to political control follow the same pattern of caste-cum-class distinctions. Although this congruence is strong, there is a tendency for class formation to occur despite the importance of caste, especially in the cities, but also in rural areas. In an analysis of class formation in India, anthropologist Harold A. Gould points out that a three-level system of stratification is taking shape across rural India. He calls the three levels Forward Classes (higher castes), Backward Classes (middle and lower castes), and Harijans (very low castes). Members of these groups share common concerns because they stand in approximately the same relationship to land and productionthat is, they are large-scale farmers, small-scale farmers, and landless laborers. Some of these groups are drawing together within regions across caste lines in order to work for political power and access to desirable resources. For example, since the late 1960s, some of the middle-ranking cultivating castes of northern India have increasingly cooperated in the political arena in order to advance their common agrarian and market-oriented interests. Their efforts have been spurred by competition with higher-caste landed elites. In cities other groups have vested interests that crosscut caste boundaries, suggesting the possibility of forming classes in the future. These groups include prosperous industrialists and entrepreneurs, who have made successful efforts to push the central government toward a pro-business stance; bureaucrats, who depend upon higher education rather than land to preserve their positions as civil servants; political officeholders, who enjoy good salaries and perquisites of all kinds; and the military, who constitute one of the most powerful armed forces in the developing world. Economically far below such groups are members of the menial underclass, which is taking shape in both villages and urban areas. As the privileged elites move ahead, low-ranking menial workers remain economically insecure. Were they to join together to mobilize politically across lines of class and religion in recognition of their common interests, Gould observes, they might find power in their sheer numbers. Indias rapidly expanding economy has provided the basis for a fundamental changethe emergence of what eminent journalist Suman Dubey calls a new vanguard increasingly dictating Indias political and economic direction. This group is Indias new middle classmobile, driven, consumer-oriented, and, to some extent, forward-looking. Hard to define precisely, it is not a single stratum of society, but straddles town and countryside, making its voice heard everywhere. It encompasses prosperous farmers, white-collar workers, business people, military personnel, and myriad others, all actively working toward a prosperous life. Ownership of cars, televisions, and other consumer goods, reasonable earnings, substantial savings, and educated children (often fluent in English) typify this diverse group. Many have ties to kinsmen living abroad who have done very well. The new middle class is booming, at least partially in response to a doubling of the salaries of some 4 million central government employees in 1986, followed by similar increases for state and district officers. Unprecedented liberalization and opening up of the economy in the 1980s and 1990s have been part of the picture. There is no single set of criteria defining the middle class, and estimates of its numbers vary widely. The mid-range of figures presented in a 1992 survey article by analyst Suman Dubey is approximately 150 to 175 millionsome 20 percent of the populationalthough other observers suggest alternative figures. The middle class appears to be increasing rapidly. Once primarily urban and largely Hindu, the phenomenon of the consuming middle class is burgeoning among Muslims and prosperous villagers as well. According to V.A. Pai Panandikar, director of the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, cited by Dubey, by the end of the twentieth century 30 percentsome 300 millionof Indias population will be middle class. The middle class is bracketed on either side by the upper and lower echelons. Members of the upper classaround 1 percent of the populationare owners of large properties, members of exclusive clubs, and vacationers in foreign lands, and include industrialists, former maharajas, and top executives. Below the middle class is perhaps a third of the populationordinary farmers, tradespeople, artisans, and workers. At the bottom of the economic scale are the poorestimated at 320 million, some 45 percent of the population in 1988who live in inadequate homes without adequate food, work for pittances, have undereducated and often sickly children, and are the victims of numerous social inequities. Changing Pattern of Caste system in India: Despite many problems, the caste system has operated successfully for centuries, providing goods and services to Indias many millions of citizens. The system continues to operate, but changes are occurring. Indias constitution guarantees basic rights to all its citizens, including the right to equality and equal protection before the law. The practice of untouchability, as well as discrimination on the basis of caste, race, sex, or religion, has been legally abolished. All citizens have the right to vote, and political competition is lively. Voters from every stratum of society have formed interest groups, overlapping and crosscutting castes, creating an evolving new style of integrating Indian society. Castes themselves, however, far from being abolished, have certain rights under Indian law. As described by anthropologist Owen M. Lynch and other scholars, in the expanding political arena caste groups are becoming more politicized and forced to compete with other interest groups for social and economic benefits. In the growing cities, traditional intercaste interdependencies are negligible. Independent India has built on earlier British efforts to remedy problems suffered by Dalits by granting them some benefits of protective discrimination. Scheduled Castes are entitled to reserved electoral offices, reserved jobs in central and state governments, and special educational benefits. The constitution mandates that one-seventh of state and national legislative seats be reserved for members of Scheduled Castes in order to guarantee their voice in government. Reserving seats has proven useful because few, if any, Scheduled Caste candidates have ever been elected in non-reserved constituencies. Educationally, Dalit students have benefited from scholarships, and Scheduled Caste literacy increased (from 10.3 percent in 1961 to 21.4 percent in 1981, the last year for which such figures are available), although not as rapidly as among the general population. Improved access to education has resulted in the emergence of a substantial group of educated Dalits able to take up white-collar occupations and fight for their rights. There has been tremendous resistance among non-Dalits to this protective discrimination for the Scheduled Castes, who constitute some 16 percent of the total population, and efforts have been made to provide similar advantages to the so-called Backward Classes (see Glossary), who constitute an estimated 52 percent of the population. In August 1990, Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap (V.P.) Singh announced his intention to enforce the recommendations of the Backward Classes Commission (Mandal Commissionsee Glossary), issued in December 1980 and largely ignored for a decade. The report, which urged special advantages for obtaining civil service positions and admission to higher education for the Backward Classes, resulted in riots and self-immolations and contributed to the fall of the prime minister. The upper castes have been particularly adamant against these policies because unemployment is a major problem in India, and many feel that they are being unjustly excluded from posts for w hich they are better qualified than lower-caste applicants. As an act of protest, many Dalits have rejected Hinduism with its rigid ranking system. Following the example of their revered leader, Dr. Ambedkar, who converted to Buddhism four years before his death in 1956, millions of Dalits have embraced the faith of the Buddha. Over the past few centuries, many Dalits have also converted to Christianity and have often by this means raised their socioeconomic status. However, Christians of Dalit origin still often suffer from discrimination by Christiansand othersof higher caste backgrounds. Despite improvements in some aspects of Dalit status, 90 percent of them live in rural areas in the mid-1990s, where an increasing proportionmore than 50 percentwork as landless agricultural laborers. State and national governments have attempted to secure more just distribution of land by creating land ceilings and abolishing absentee landlordism, but evasive tactics by landowners have successfully prevented more than minimal redistribution of land to tenant farmers and laborers. In contemporary India, field hands face increased competition from tractors and harvesting machines. Similarly, artisans are being challenged by expanding commercial markets in mass-produced factory goods, undercutting traditional mutual obligations between patrons and clients. The spread of the Green Revolution has tended to increase the gap between the prosperous and the poormost of whom are low-caste. The growth of urbanization (an estimated 26 percent of the population now lives in cities) is having a far-reaching effect on caste practices, not only in cities but in villages. Among anonymous crowds in urban public spaces and on public transportation, caste affiliations are unknown, and observance of purity and pollution rules is negligible. Distinctive caste costumes have all but vanished, and low-caste names have been modified, although castes remain endogamous, and access to employment often occurs through intracaste connections. Restrictions on interactions with other castes are becoming more relaxed, and, at the same time, observance of other pollution rules is decliningespecially those concerning birth, death, and menstruation. Several growing Hindu sects draw members from many castes and regions, and communication between cities and villages is expanding dramatically. Kin in town and country visit one another frequently, and television programs available to huge numbers of villagers vividly portray new lifestyles. As new occupations open up in urban areas, the correlation of caste with occupation is declining. Caste associations have expanded their areas of concern beyond traditional elite emulation and local politics into the wider political arenas of state and national politics. Finding power in numbers within Indias democratic system, caste groups are pulling together closely allied subcastes in their quest for political influence. In efforts to solidify caste bonds, some caste associations have organized marriage fairs where families can make matches for their children. Traditional hierarchical concerns are being minimized in favor of strengthening horizontal unity. Thus, while pollution observances are declining, caste consciousness is not. Education and election to political office have advanced the status of many Dalits, but the overall picture remains one of great inequity. In recent decades, Dalit anger has been expressed in writings, demonstrations, strikes, and the activities of such groups as the Dalit Panthers, a radical political party demanding revolutionary change. A wider Dalit movement, including political parties, educational activities, self-help centers, and labor organizations, has spread to many areas of the country. In a 1982 Dalit publication, Dilip Hiro wrote, It is one of the great modern Indian tragedies and dangers that even well meaning Indians still find it so difficult to accept Untouchable mobility as being legitimate in fact as well as in theory. . . . Still, against all odds, a small intelligentsia has worked for many years toward the goal of freeing India of caste consciousness. Factor contributing to caste change: The main factors responsible for the changes of caste system are: Modern education: Modern education is one of the major factors for weakening of the caste. It has gone to make negative impacts upon casteism. As modern education is deeply ingrained into the values such as liberty, equality and fraternity, it gives no place for hoary social evils and practices like casteism. Education also encouraged inter-caste marriage. The feeling of untouchability and prejudices are being gradually eliminated from the mind of the children of all caste. Industrialization: With the advent of industrialization people of all castes were forced to find out employment in factories in big cities. In the industrial centers members of different castes came into mutual contact, made harmonious relationship with other and forgot the caste barriers. Urbanization: Industrialization, transportation and widened communication are the main facors responsible to decrease the sentiment of the caste from the people to a greater extent. Higher caste members who moved to urban areas for pursuing employment found it difficult to retain their caste ideas and practice. Significance of wealth: In the past power of money was not much dominating factor in the society. Today wealth is replacing caste as the basis of social prestige. In other words money has become a deciding factor for influencing human life at present. Rise of Nationalism: Nationalism bound up with the concept of universal brotherhood has opened up new volumes in inter-caste relations. It seems to have helped to a considerable extent in shortening the prejudices of casteism from the mind of people in rural areas. Effect of social reforms: Social reform movement had also gone to a wider extent in diminishing caste prejudices from the upper caste minds. Social reformer like Babasaheb, Ambedkar, Balgangadhar Tilak, Ranade had done a lot for removing caste distinction and prejudice from the mind of Indians. Conclusion: The strength of caste themselves, of the individuals attachment to his own caste, it may be claimed that the traditional caste system has been profoundly altered. In that system each individual caste had its ascribed place and co-operated with each other castes in a traditional economy and in ritual. No doubt there was always some competition between castes and there were changes in position in the hierarchy of prestige; but there was no generalized competition. It is quit otherwise with the modern caste associations, which exist in order to compete for wealth, educational opportunities and social prestige in a much more open society. The class interests and demands of the toiling people, the poor and the oppressed, has largely been expressed in the form of caste politics. Articulated within the structures of Indias democracy, this caste based politics has succeeded in providing significant relief to the lower castes, who form the overwhelming majority of Indias toiling masses. Next week, this column will look at the consequences of lower caste politics in contemporary India.

Essay --

Ans. Today a typical operation spends and takes in several hundred thousand dollars per year , and income over a million dollars are not uncommon. The irregularity of income and expenses, and the use of intensive technologies have become very capital have adequate funding in the key to the success of a business right time. The use of capital and credit has modern investors with a series of decisions to make : †¢ How much to invest? †¢ Where to get capital? †¢ What combination of equity and debt to use? †¢ How to negotiate rates and terms of the credit? †¢ How much financial risk to take ? Making good financial decisions is often the difference between a thriving economy , growing farm business and is constantly wondering how to pay the next bill. The modules in this course of professional study will address the above decisions , and more. Although the modules are arranged in a logical sequence , can be completed in any order you want. According keeper and ambrosio , " Financial Management is the application of the functions of planning and control of the finance function. " ï  ® Financial decisions are decisions concerning the financial matters of a Firm. The financial decisions are grouped into three categories. 1. Investment decisions. 2. Financing decisions. 3. Dividend decisions. Investment decisions An investment decision revolves around the capital expenditure assets that produce the best performance of the company over a period of time desired . In other words , the decision is about what to buy for the company will get the maximum value. To do this, the company has to find a balance between your short term and long term. In the very short term , a company needs money to pay your bills, but keeping all your cash means you ... ...ned as: WACC= [kd(D/D+E) + ke (E/D+E)] D= Dividend E= Equity Kd= cost of debt Ke= cost of equity WACC= value of the firm The WACC for the firm may be calculated as follows: % 0f Equity % of Debt Cost Of Debt Cost Of Equity Cost of capital of Debt Cost of capital of Equity WACC 100% 0% 5% 12% 0.00% 12.00% 12.00% 90% 10% 5% 12% 0.50% 10.80% 11.30% 80% 20% 5% 12.50% 1.00% 10.00% 11.00% 70% 30% 5.50% 13% 1.65% 9.10% 10.75% 60% 40% 6% 14% 2.40% 8.40% 10.80% 50% 50% 6.50% 16% 3.25% 8.00% 11.25% 40% 60% 7% 20% 4.20% 8.00% 12.20% The optimal debt equity mix for the company occurs at a point when the overall cost of capital, ko, is minimum. The above calculations show that the ko is minimum at a point when the debt is 30% of the total capital employed. Therefore, the firm should use 30% debt and 70% equity in its capital structure and its ko would be 10.75%.