Identifying the Intertwining Aspects of Free

Identifying the Intertwining Aspects of Freedom Essay To truly comprehend the depth of ones’ determination, a literary character-psychologist must take a step back and realign their perspective with various individualistic and public opinions. In my analysis of Richard Rodriguez’s: Hunger of Memory The Education of Richard Rodriguez and Azar Nafisi’s Reading Lolita in Tehran I shall ponder the intricacies of several major themes associated within these controversial texts. In uncovering the underlying principles, we must first accept that there are intermingling concepts and themes. These themes and concepts are vital to the overall arguments found in each literary work. My analysis shall play a key role in evaluating how each piece plays its own role within the respective work. My diligent analysis shall ultimately focus on: the interweaving significance of self-identity, the essence behind a characters acceptance of public identity, the overwhelming drive to be successful in an ethnocentric society, the challenges associated with overcoming adversity, the complex vitality of ones’ definition of freedom(s), and finally the all-encompassing importance associated with education. My scrutiny of these works shall bring several sources into play in order to support the conclusions being drawn within this paper. Along with two literary works which emphasize the central themes expressed above, I shall be incorporating the movie, iRobot, one magazine article, one newspaper article, a reliable internet source, a singular case study, and lastly a peer interview into the scope of my paper. From the get-go, I shall seek to instill within the reader the acceptance that these themes are both an internalized as well as externalized challenge. We shall be uncovering how these changes affect different individuals on differing emotional, psychological, sociological, and physical levels. Let us proceed with comprehending the significance of how self-identity is formed on the part of our characters and how it affects our perspective of self-freedoms. Self-identity is essentially a private perspective being formed of how one reflects how they see themselves. Per Wikipedia, this self-concept is all about the â€Å"mental and conceptual understanding and persistent regard that sentient beings hold for their own existence† and is key to comprehending who you feel that you truly are on the inside. On the part of Richard Rodriguez, his self-perspective was one of true confusion where his â€Å"words could not stretch far enough to form complete thoughts† and his embarrassment â€Å"to hear (his) parents speak in public (where) their high-whining vowels and guttural consonants† was so unlike â€Å"the way gringos spoke† (14-15). Lost within his own misconceptions of American versus his Mexican immigrate status, he succumbed to being quiet, and timid. In his novel, he reflects that today he hears â€Å"bilingual educators say that children lose a degree of ‘individuality’ by becoming assimilated into public society† but they fail to see that assimilation has its benefits and is a necessity (26). This is because it eventually leads to a public individuality versus the private one; hence, isolation is less prevalent. Feeling secure within the world of books, he delved into reading and acquiring acknowledge as a means to understanding his essence. This tactic was one method of uncovering ones’ self-identity. The old saying that knowledge is power always plays an intricate role within a developing young mind and personality. For Rodriguez, this attainment of knowledge led to a greater comfort level in his sense of freedom. The case study from Economic Mobility of Immigrants in the United States from Economic Mobility Project states that â€Å"†¦second generation immigrants exceed the educational attainment of the first generation†¦(where) education is (considered) one vehicle that immigrants use to help their children get ahead. † This case study indicates that education is a determinant of wages and income in the United States, which Rodriguez had the early foresight to see. The bar graphs presented in this case study show that there is a definite correlation between those without an education from immigrants families and the amount of money they brought in weekly and annually. Because Rodriguez was socially disadvantaged, came from a family without an education, and characterized as lacking linguistic skills, he found himself literally tongue-tied in social environments. Instead he wisely shut himself off from the social world, and uncovered the monumental significance of learning material that children his age perhaps ignored. This level of sophistication created a self-identity tied to sophisticated thoughts and impressions. He indicates that he â€Å"felt that (he) had somehow committed a sin of betrayal by learning English† and though he acknowledges that he â€Å"turned to English with angry reluctance† he felt that his parents â€Å"encouraged (him) to learn English† (30). His social growth was stagnate at first by his overwhelming concern that people did not comprehend his immigrant status, but upon coming to terms with his ethnocentric background and westernization his self-awareness grew by leaps and bounds. As a â€Å"scholarship boy† (62) , he found himself literally memorizing words and phrases presented to students by their teachers. His self-identity became inter-wound with the idea of success, and this was â€Å"his primary reason for success in the classroom†¦(and) that schooling was changing and separating him from the life he enjoyed before becoming a student† (45). His drive for education enabled him to seek out new information and achieve successes that he might otherwise not have sought out. He has had the chance to incorporate his self-identity into an acceptance of his public one. His public identity was fashioned after society saw a well-educated Mexican immigrant who was driven by education and knowledge to pursue his dreams for higher education. Prior, the public had seen immigrants as mainly blue collar works with limited English linguistic skills and considered immigrants to be worthy of only remedial jobs. He reflects that â€Å"dark skin for my mother was the most important symbol of a life of oppressive labor and poverty†¦and the work (his) father found in San Francisco was work for the unskilled. A factory job†¦(where there was)†¦noise and heat.. and the dark stench of old urine† (119-120). These stories from his parents and awareness of blue collar jobs aided Rodriguez in his endeavors to educate himself; thus building a higher level of self-esteem that he otherwise would have lacked considering his preoccupation and concern that he was of immigrant status. His early and youthful withdraw from his family might be considered somewhat of a con, but in fact it showed him that his family in its way supported his desire to be successful and not become part of the blue collar workforce. His assimilation and learning of English lead to â€Å"diminished occasions of intimacy† at home because he â€Å"sensed the deepest truth about language and intimacy: Intimacy is not created by a particular language; it is created by intimacies† where this feeling arose because he used his public language, English, most of the day to move â€Å"easily† through society. (32) Through mature self-awareness he later became aware of the value associated with family and seemingly acknowledges that his family and immigrant background was like a reverse role model-ship. One example of this distance was when his father one day â€Å"opened a closet†¦and was startled to find me inside, reading a novel† (45) which was highly unusual and led to his family joking about what he â€Å"sees in (his) books†. This cultural adversity and mental hardships molded Rodriguez into a man who was ultimately virtuous, highly respected, successful, and knowledgeable. It also encouraged him to intellectually analyze material and find security in learning. This ethnocentric challenge to fit in is not unheard of for first generation children of immigrants. In reality, there are many immigrants from all over the world who come to America seeking to fulfill their hopes and dreams. Some come here under refugee status, some as students, others as H1 workers, and many as illegal immigrants. It is interesting that many have their own story and experience to tell about living in a foreign country. From my driving instructor, Victor Yang, I told that in Saudi Arabia they arrest both the driver and spouse of the driver if they were caught drinking while under the influence. You would think that only the guilty party would be affected, but in this manner the spouse too suffers. Therefore, the husband would probably feel less inclined to commit such a crime again as his loved ones too pay a penalty for violating the law. It might eliminate the freedom of the innocent, but for some it is the psychological and emotional embarrassment suffered by the guilty which limited the violations. I had the opportunity to work with a Muslim refugee from Bosnian who came to America as a teenager, and who was given the hard responsibility of caring for her one-armed mom whose left arm was blown off in the Bosnian marketplace, illiterate father, and young sister. She had to perform all the linguist responsibilities of obtaining paperwork, living space, find a job for her father, enrolling her kid sister in elementary school, running a household, and finally making her way through school. Her determination for education, her drive to live up to her own self-identity, her goals, and her insistence that the family not be on welfare lead to her having a successful job in corporate America. During my many conversations with her, I have heard how difficult it can be to insert your awareness of yourself and goals into a society which covertly favors Americans versus immigrants. Hers too is a story of triumph over adversity. Hers too is the story of many immigrants who faced identity hurdles, but stuck to their determination and knowledge-driven mindset. Her motto is â€Å"Always be self-driven and self-aware. † From my friend’s experiences as immigrant, I found myself curious as an American in uncovering if this â€Å"melting pot† was truly functional or fictional. One newspaper article that I ran into within the Washington Post, â€Å"America’s Racial and Ethnic Divides: Immigrants Shunning Idea of Assimilation† illustrates how a naturalized Mexican does not feel like she is American and she â€Å"resists the idea of assimilating into U. S. society (because she says) ‘I think I’m still Mexican†¦when my skin turns white and my hair turns blonde, then I’ll be an American†. From her external perspective and self-image, like Rodriguez had encountered, she is being differentiated by her skin color. The article points out that â€Å"it is no longer the melting pot that is transforming them, but they who are transforming American society. † Their inputs and idea of freedom and identity enable them to bring new perspectives and ideas into the American society; hence, the melting pot theory is invalid. We might consider it more to be a bowl of chili where every ingredient plays its own role in the end flavor. This ‘segmented assimilation, in which immigrants follow different paths to incorporation in U. S. society’ allows for immigrants to educate themselves and take advantage of opportunities and freedoms that they might not otherwise have. This also enables them to more easily face hurdles and complexities within their public identity. Richard Rodriguez found himself in a more difficult position because of his desire to not be defined as Mexican; which was his own self-identity in question.

A Mind Full, a World Shattered :: Personal Narrative Writing

A Mind Full, a World Shattered At the end of a long road one will look back and ponder the experiences that time has moved along the path. There is no doubt I am leaving high-school a different person and I doubt there are few ideas that I once held that have remained the same. At times I miss the simple lessons, the easy test, the mindless homework assignments. I wasn't sure what I expected in high-school, but I am leaving with a mind full, and at times, a world shattered. I'm not sure education meant much to me when I began this path. Perhaps it meant a little more when I had to work for the knowledge I chose to keep or dismiss. I have come to realize that high-school was no more than life lessons, ways to cope, how to deal with people, and a way to test my boundaries mentally and emotionally. It took me awhile to realize that those test given prove nothing, those papers written in structured form prove little else than the thesis statement on the paper topic demanded by teachers. As I look back I can say I will take this with me: Understanding who I am is understanding what I have learned, what I have failed at, what I have questioned, and what I believe. I have learned to distrust words but adore their depth. I have learned to follow directions and to break the rules. I have learned that teachers are just people, with their own minds and beliefs that, in some way, have infiltrated the class room and what I have been taught. At times this has been a tremendous gift, other times a great tragedy. I have learned that a brilliant person is not one who can memorize facts or maintain a high GPA. I have learned grades do not reflect who I am and my abilities. Grades are only maintained to because people are afraid to just "be" and just "learn." I have realized that grades and competition may be the system used to induce hard work and dedication, but I also know that there are better ways because the system fails on a moment to moment basis. I have realized the most important people of this world are not those walking around with the most money or graduating from the best high-schools.

Culturally Resposive Teaching Essay

In this essay I will use the given scenario to analyse and critique the teaching practice it outlines, drawing on the learning theories and themes outlined in the Professional Practice paper to explain and validate my ideas and thinking. I will consider the approaches in the scenario and offer alternatives, justifying my opinions with reference to theory, literature and my own emerging philosophy. Throughout my essay I will give consideration to the use of culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogy, demonstrating an understanding of the role Treaty of Waitangi within this practice. Throughout the scenario the theory of behaviourism is reflected in the teachers practice. Behaviourism sees learning as the establishing of connections between two events, and theorists view environmental factors as influential to behaviour. This sort of associative learning is called classical conditioning (Papalia, Olds & Feldman, 2009). This theory is reflected in the teacher’s classroom management practice when the students all move outside to begin their day with a jump-jam session immediately after the bell rings, with no verbal instruction given by the teacher. It is also evident when they move back into class and sit and wait for the teacher, again with no verbal instruction issued. Another example of behaviourism theory is shown when the teacher uses reinforcement and punishment, known, as operant conditioning when she comments on Mark and Cathy’s jump jam prowess as a form of motivation. Behaviourism theory is also evident when the teacher is issuing instructions and displaying the timetable on the whiteboard as the directions are teacher lead. Within the realms of classroom management the strengths of behaviourism are obvious; the children know the sequence of events and can move from one activity to the next with little disruption and classroom management is, as described by Wong, Wong, Rogers & Brooks (2012), ‘a set of procedures that structure the classroom so the students know what to do, how to do it, and when to do it†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (p. 61). This could, I believe be disconcerting for new or diverse students and to act in a more culturally responsive manner I would advocate a pictorial display to aid understanding (Davis, 2012). I feel whilst using the reward/punishment technique during the jump jam may have motivated Cathy, who received positive reinforcement, the negative comments issued by the teacher certainly demotivated Mark. This criticism clearly affect Mark’s self-efficacy and as a result his motivation was lessened (Le Francois, 2000). I would have been inclined to direct my motivational techniques towards the class as a whole and perhaps let Mark and Cathy motivate the class by allowing them to take joint responsibility for the running of the ‘Jump Jam’ programme for that day (Hill & Hawke, 2000), using the constructivism theory, this, I believe would have been more motivating as the learner is actually involved in the learning process. I also believe the teacher missed an opportunity to incorporate the MÄ ori learning theory of Ako, reciprocal learning. Instead of leading the ‘Jump Jam’ herself she could have facilitated this by allowing Cathy and Mark to lead the session (Bishop, 2008). The humanist approach to learning is also evident in many areas of the teachers practice presented in the scenario. The Humanist approach to learning focuses on the child’s whole self, looking after the social and emotional needs of the learner as well as their cognitive abilities. For example children’s basic needs of safety, shelter, food, love and respect must be met before their academic needs can be addressed (Krause, et al, 2012). During the scenario the teacher is chatting to the students before school, in doing this she is showing she is interested in them as people thus creating a supportive relationship between herself and her learners. This relationship, the humanist theory suggests, will motivate her students and is ‘the key to effective education’ (Krause, et al, 2012, p. 233). Within the theme of classroom management the humanist theory is applied as the teacher allows the students to discuss the roles and responsibilities and the tasks that w ill need to be outlined to make camp go smoothly. She is inviting the students to be part of the process and taking a non-directive role, listening to the students’ ideas and involving them in the learning process, and in turn boosting their self-esteem. I believe that the teacher applied the humanist theory to her classroom management skills when she used the rhetorical question to redirect Clark. However, in my opinion this would have been an ideal opportunity to allow the MÄ ori boys to have a voice and encourage them to share their knowledge and learning style with the class, regarding the cooking of eels, showing respect for their culture (Le Francois, 2000). She would also have shown cultural responsiveness and demonstrated her understanding of the Treaty principle of partnerships as outlined by the Ministry of Education (2012). In critique, I also feel that the teacher could have used the humanist approach in her classroom management skills to ensure that the Somali girls have a better understanding of what a recreat ional camp entails. The girls emotional needs have not been met as they clearly have no understanding of what a New Zealand school camp is like thus are frightened and unsure so they are not engaged in the pre-camp tasks (Le Francois, 2000). Personally, I would have made sure I knew about the girls backgrounds before they came to school. This would have enabled me to develop a supportive relationship, perhaps giving the girls the confidence to approach me with their concerns and allowed me to alleviate their fears concerning camp. The social constructivist learning theory is defined as being learner centred with the learner actively involved in the process and underpinned by social interaction. Different learners will learn in different ways to suit their individual needs. Language is also an important aspect of this theory, as it is through language that the learner will construct their new ideas (Krause et al., 2000). In the scenario the teacher uses the social constructivist approach to classroom management when she invites the children to brainstorm the safety rules for the cookout. In allowing them to co-construct the rules by discussion and social interaction she is actively encouraging the use of a collaborative approach. In using this approach the teacher is allowing the students to ‘brainstorm for prior knowledge’ (Cobb, Forbes & Lee, 2012). This theory is also evident in the teacher’s instructions for the camp diaries as she allows the students time to reflect on what they would like to include in their journals and also how they would like to present them. In encouraging the use of pictures and diagrams she has allowed those who may not be able to contribute by writing an opportunity to contribute. This is an example of ‘learning for all’ (Barker, 2008) and is facilitated by the teacher in incorporating the diverse learning styles of her students (p. 31). This approach shows that she has an understanding of the participation principle outlined in the Treaty of Waitangi, which states that all students be given equal opportunity to contribute (M.O.E, 2012). Social constructivism is also apparent during pair and group activities where the students are participating in peer assisted learning and assessment when testing each other on their vocabulary. The teacher further applies this theory when she collaborates with the students by calling them to her desk and scaffolding their learning. This approach gives students self-governance over their learning and can be beneficial as it allows students to choose a style that suits their particular needs. However, in the scenario it was apparent that some students were off task and I feel that the students may have benefited from a more humanist approach to classroom management and would have moved around the classroom and offered help and looking to scaffold students where necessary. Cultural responsiveness is evident at various points throughout the scenario and the teacher demonstrates this when she attempts to include all cultural groups in the camp concert. I would critique this by pointing out that, although this may show she is culturally aware, it does not imply that she has any cultural understanding as the Somali girls are ill informed about the concept of ‘camp’ and can only draw on their own experience of what a camp means to them. When the Somali girls displayed concern for what camp meant a suggestion would be for the teacher to facilitate sharing of prior knowledge and understandings early on in the lesson. This would have potentially allowed for the Somali girls fears and concerns to be alleviated , thus addressing their emotional needs and allowing them to move on with their learning. Doing so would have aligned with a humanistic approach by considering their interconnected needs as a whole person. Cultural responsive pedagogy also requires the teacher to reflect on their practice (Gay, 2000). This practice is observed when the teacher contemplates ringing the Somali girls’ parents to offer them support and explanations regarding the school camp. If practicing culturally relevant pedagogy the teacher would, Fraser & Paraha (2002) point out ‘take the personal concerns of students seriously and examine social issues with them that were drawn on the students’ cultural positionings†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (p. 57). Furthermore, I believe a behaviourist approach to classroom management when allowing the girls to research on the computer, perhaps giving them some pre viewed websites to explore, may have enabled Aaheli to feel that her culture was valued. The outcome in the scenario could well have made her feel ostracised and even made the other girls become culturally biased. Throughout the scenario reference is made to the ethnicity of groups of students who seem to stay in these cultural groups within the classroom. The teacher doesn’t appear to interact with the Somali girls at all and the MÄ ori boys only receive a negative response when they show enthusiasm for aspects of camp. Although the students can learn cross-cultural understanding from personal experience I would advocate using the social constructivist approach to cultural responsiveness and model good practice to my students by using inclusive and cultural responsive pedagogy inviting the MÄ ori boys to demonstrate their cooking skills and perhaps going a step further than the teacher in the scenario and actively encouraging the parents of the Somali girls to attend camp meetings (Whyte, 2008). The teacher did, however, collaborate with a parent and invited them in to help with the preparation of the camp concert, promoting the concept of Whanaungatanga (M.O.E, 2011). Furthermore, I believe this pedagogy would encompass the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi as outlined by the M.O.E. (2012) as partnership, protection and participation. This essay has used the scenario and analysed and critiqued the teaching practices it outlines by drawing on the learning theories and themes outlined in the professional practice paper using them to validate ideas and thinking. It has considered the approaches in the scenario and offered alternatives, justifying these opinions with reference to theories, literature an emerging philosophy of my own. Throughout the essay I have given consideration to the use of culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogy and demonstrated an understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi. References Barker, M. (2008). How do people learn?: Understanding the learning process. In C. McGee & D. Fraser (Eds.), The professional practice of teaching (3rd ed.) (pp. 17-43). Melbourne, Australia: Cengage. Bishop, R. (2010). A culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. In C. McGee & D. Fraser (Eds.). The professional practice of teaching (3rd ed.) (pp. 154-172). Victoria, Australia: Cengage Learning Australia Pty Ltd. Cobb, D., Forbes, D., & Lee, P. (2012). Lecture 1: TEPS222-12C (NET) [PowerPoint slides]. Hamilton, New Zealand: University of Waikato. Davis, B., M. (2012). How to teach students who don’t look like you: Culturally responsive teaching strategies (2nd Ed.). California, U.S.A: Corwin. Fraser, D., & Paraha, H. (2002). Curriculum integration as treaty praxis. Waikato Journal of Education, 8, 57-70. Gay, G. (2000) Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research and practice. New York, U.S.A: Teachers College Press. Hill, J., & Hawk, K. (2000, November). Four conceptual clues to motivating students: Learning from practice of effective teachers in low decile, multicultural schools. A paper presented to the NZARE Conference, Waikato, New Zealand. Krause, K., Bochner, S., Duchesne, S., & McMaugh, A. (2010). Educational psychology for learning and teaching (3rd Ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning Australia Limited. Le Francois, G. (2000). Psychology for teaching (10th Ed.). Calfornia, U.S.A: Wadsworth. Ministry of Education. (2011). TÄ taiako: Cultural competencies for teachers of MÄ ori learners. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education. Ministry of Education. (2012). The New Zealand curriculum update 16. [Professional practice and inquiry 2: Strategies for effective teaching, course resource]. Hamilton, New Zealand: University of Waikato. Online reference TEPS222-12C (NET). Papalia, D., Olds, S., & Feldman, R. (2009 ). Human Development (11th ed.). New York, U.S.A: McGraw Hill. Whyte, B. (2010). Culturally diverse classrooms and communities. In C. McGee & D. Fraser (Eds.). The professional practice of teaching (3rd ed.) (pp. 173-186). Melbourne, Australia: Cengage. Wong, H., Wong, R., Rogers, K., & Brooks, A. (2012). Managing Your Classroom for Success. Science & Children, 49(9), 60-64.

Market Trends and Changes in Dell Computer - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1561 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/09/13 Category Advertising Essay Did you like this example? Market Trends and Changes in Dell Computers Kim Jones University of Phoenix ECO/365 Dr. Dominic F. Minadeo September 10, 2009 Market Trends and Changes in Dell Computer This paper will describe market trends that Dell Computer may face in the near future. Possible changes will be identified within the following areas; market structure, technology, government regulation, production, cost structure, price elasticity of demand, competitors, supply and demand. This paper will also touch on the impact that new companies may have on Dell. As plans are made for Dell, a monopolistic competition seems to remain the most practical marketing structure for them. Even with adding new products to their PC trend, Dell is still competing against other companies with similar products such as laptops, desktops, game systems and many other electronics allowing for the market structure to remain constant. Dell is starting to have a new take on technology as they work on future designs and thoughts. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Market Trends and Changes in Dell Computer" essay for you Create order While traveling overseas, Michael Dell stated that he and his staff are exploring smaller-screen devices. â€Å"Speculation is, Dell is planning a smart-phone that would compete with Research in Motion’s (RIMM) BlackBerry, Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone, and the various devices running software from Microsoft (MSFT), Nokia (NOK), or the Google (GOOG)-backed Open Handset Alliance† (Kharif, Olga, 2009). Another possibility that Dell is considering, if the smart-phone does not succeed, would be a mobile internet device, or MID. This device is larger than a smart-phone but lighter than the smallest notebook computer known as the netbooks. According to recent surveys of consumers, most would be in agreement to replace the smart-phone idea with the MID. In addition, after research was conducted on other cell-phone makers, a struggle is found to be going on in the smart-phone market regarding whether or not the smart-phone is even a successful possibility. Going green is a technology that has been going on for some time and will remain one of Michael Dell’s strongest passions. Dell is looking at introducing several new greener services in the near future that will help to assess complexity and simplify IT environments as it will keep Dell in compliance with the government environmental regulations. The first will be the â€Å"greenprint† which will help organizations identify inefficient process and develop ways of fixing them. â€Å"Dell is simplifying its client and data center infrastructure, and is also offering services that let organizations assess complexity in their IT environments† (McLaughlin, Kevin, 2007). Dell is also planning to sell PowerEdge servers with Solaris installed direct to customers. This device will be 23 percent more energy efficient than similar offerings from competitors. According to Dell, another service called Image Direct will let customers develop one’s own custom PC images and upload them to Dell to be installed on the machines they buy. Dell is hoping that these new services will not only create stronger customers relations but also will stay strong in helping to save the environment. Another future technology that Dell is introducing is the XFR E6400 Latitude. This laptop is geared toward military and construction uses, meets military specifications and can withstand being drenched with a fire hose. According to Dell spokesperson Patrick Burns, this laptop can endure the harshest of environments such as first responders, field service technicians and those who require systems that meet 13 military specifications including drop tests, sea fog, temperature extremes, thermal shock, explosive environments and many more. This new technology will be funded through a government stimulus package while targeting the military as they are now fighting wars. The XFR E6400 Latitude can be used by the military to assist in the live updates of satellite maps, enabling satellite-based telecommunications and troops using the laptop to chart incoming missile and artillery fire† (Miguel, Renay San, 2009). Dell is looking into new market trends such as price slashing to keep on top of the market. According to CBC News, Dell computer’s second-quar ter profit was whacked 23 percent as the personal-computer industry’s slump dragged on this summer. Revenue in the PC category came down nine percent to $2. 9 billion lthough the shipments of consumer PCs increased 17 percent over last year. To preserve market share, the PC makers have been slashing prices. This is yet another example of Dell’s price elasticity of demand. Even though the revenue dropped, Dell was still willing to be elastic with their prices in order to keep cliental motivated and interested in Dell products. In 2006, the Wall Street Journal attacked Dell Computers because of a bad quarter. There was a decline of 51 percent in earnings from the prior year and a 60 percent decline in stock prices from the year 2000. The journal was making accusations that Dell was falling behind other competitors worldwide. Michael Dell has an upbeat not so negative response, â€Å"Ten years ago, this was a $5 billion business; now it’s a $56-to-$57 billion business. We still hold the number-one market share in the small computer system industry† ([emailprotected], 2007). Dell is growing more rapid internationally such as 37 percent in China, 82 percent in India, 87 percent in Brazil and 78 percent in Mexico. Even in Japan, where there was little hope for success, Dell is the number one leading desktop market and number two overall in the Japanese market and building into the future. Dell also had many of their top executives snatched out from under them by a competitor just for Dell to come out with 60 percent of the profits of the industry and the competitor 40 percent. The company remains and continues to grow more profitable than the next three competitors combined and is also the largest provider of hardware maintenance services for computers in the United States. The competitor has tried to replicate Dell’s idea of the supply chain without achieving near the improvements that Dell has in their system. Not to say that the competitors have not achieved some level of improvement but if one was to look at the basic metrics, like return on capital or inventory management, they have not approached anywhere near the level that Dell does with its supply chain. To the competitor, the supply chain is about innovation and profits, but to Dell the chain is more about customer relationships and service with the customers. A few comparisons of customer preference through surveys showed that Dell was preferred above all other computer providers. In notebooks two competitors combined carried a preference of 12 percent, while Dell was preferred by 60 percent. Within large institutions and corporations, Dell was preferred by 56 percent in desktops and 53 percent in notebooks. The other two competitors combined carried only a 36 percent preference. These numbers are showing a strong preference towards Dell and a strong likelihood of repurchase in the future compared to the competitors. Since 2007, Dell has started opening up a new customer feedback website in order to better supply customers with what they are demanding; hence supply and demand. Dell is discovering that customers want pre-installed Open Office and pre-installed Linux green, energy efficient computers. â€Å"Customers are also demanding that Dell supply the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) program in North America to help literacy programs and under-privileged kids by offering $100 laptops with subsidies and easy payment options like $9 a month for a year or $1 a month for 100 months† (Arrowsmith, Robert, 2007). As a need is demanded worldwide, Dell is looking for near future ways of producing more â€Å"green† computers and simultaneously supplying children all over the world with affordable classroom computers. The one negative impact that new companies entering the market could have on Dell would be that of printers. Dell has depended on the sales of Lexmark, Hewlett-Packard, Epson and Canon printers even though they do not benefit from the ink refill business. With new comers entering the market, Dell may have to create a printer design of their own to be able to stay on top of the market. Otherwise, Dell does not seem to be easily intimidated by new competition as they remain on top of excellent customer satisfaction and relationships. Going into a bight future of continued success, Dell is still striving to remain amongst the top PC providers as they explore new possibilities for the company. Dell is looking into new technologies such as the smart-phone, the mobile internet device and many new ways of keeping all products environmentally friendly. Dell’s prices remain elastic with the economy and the needs of the customer’s in order to supply the best product demanded at the most competitive price. Most believe that Dell will continue to prosper as they remain both customer friendly and environmentally friendly for many years to come. References Arrowsmith, Robert, February 22, 2007. One Laptop Per Child News. Might OLPC Inspire Dell to Open Source Laptops in USA? CBC News, August 31, 2009. Dell Profit Sinks 23 Percent in Slumping PC Market. https://www. industry. bnet. com/technology/news-analysis/dell-profit-sinks-23- slumping/9588 Kharif, Olga, March 25,2009. BusinessWeek-Telecommunications. A Dell Smartphone Would Face Big Hurdles. https://www. businessweek. com/technology/content/mar2009/tc20090324_741292. Htm [emailprotected], September 6, 2006. Michael Dell: Still Betting on the Future of Online Commerce and Supply Chain Efficiencies. https://knowledge. wharton. upenn. edu/article. cfm? articleid=1543 McLaughlin, Kevin, November 14, 2007. ChannelWeb. Michael Dell: Going Green is Key to Industry’s Future. https://www. crn. com/networking/203100337;jsessionid=F5WIS1RFNAC3DQE1G HPSKH4ATMY32JVN Miguel, Renay San, March 10,2009. TechNewsWorld. Personal Computers. Dell Rolls Out Laptop for the Hard-Hat Set. https://www. technewsworld. com/rsstory/66447. html? w/c=1252274516.