Education Systems In Australia, Singapore And The Uae

Education Systems In Australia, Singapore And The Uae The primary goal of this project is not just to study, analyze and assess the currently prevalent systems of education being followed in Australia, Singapore and the UAE but also to be able to draw a comparative analysis citing the advantages and drawbacks of these in comparison to each other. For this purpose, it is important for us to understand what an education system of a country means and how they can vary with respect to each other. Education is defined as an act that is responsible for having a positive developing impact on the person indulging in it, not just on the mind, but the character as well as the physical and mental abilities of the individual. Education is a means through which the society in general is responsible for the transmission of all the collective knowledge set along with certain values and the acquired skill that has been accumulated over the generations. This makes education a sequential continuous process and therefore, different countries and societies and establishments employ different techniques as deemed correct and necessary by them to transmit this knowledge. Education system in Australia In Australia, education is considered by the system as the responsibility of the respective states or the territories as appropriate. The state governments are held responsible for being able to provide the funds for education as well as regulate and monitor public and private schools. The federal government, on the other hand, is engaged in funding the universities, which however set their own curriculum. In Australia, like in a lot of other places around the world, a three-tier based system or model is followed which comprises a compulsory primary education for all in primary schools, which is then followed up by a secondary education in secondary/high schools. The final tier in this system in the tertiary education in federal government managed universities or TAFE colleges across the country. The Australian system of education has been ranked at 6th for their Reading on a worldwide scale, on 8th for their Sciences and on 13th for their Mathematics also on worldwide scales by the Programme for International Studnt Assessment in the year 2006. Also, Australia has been listed as 0.993, being among the leading in that scales, in the Education Index that as published by the UN in 2008. They are tied at the first position for Education Index with other countries like Denmark, Finland and New Zealand. Education in Australia is mandatory till a specified age, which may vary between states which have complete jurisdiction over the education in their respective states. However, this age varies between 15-17 years in general, which means that education up to the secondary level is compulsory for all. Besides monitoring and regulating the activities of a school in a state by the state government, each state also has a Vocational Education and Training(VET) or otherwise a Technical and Further Education system(TAFE). The main objective and function of VET is to be able to prepare people for work in a career that may not necessarily need a university degree to be attained. It is the responsibility of each state in Australia to manage and coordinate their own system for VET and the training and education of individuals and prepare them for their work, and state representatives meet on a national level to synchronize and coordinate their efforts and unify them in a common direction towards the education of these individuals for specified tasks. Also, the national meet ensures that VET continues to be acknowledged between different states and remain applicable and valid even if a personal travels from one state to another. A VET course done in on particular state is applicable in all t he other states within the Australian domain. Typically, the course of VET takes around two years of study. The universities in all the states are funded by the central or the national government. However, each of these universities is entitled to set their own course curriculum and the government has no jurisdiction over this matter. However, for a course to run in a university set by its governance, the course must be endorsed by some professional body. A course in one of the universities in Australia takes a time period of roughly three to four years at the minimum. In the work place and the offices as well as other places of employment, the employers take into account only the courses endorsed by some professional body to employ new staff for the purpose of training or employment. The training received as one of the ongoing work places of a company, if provided in some form of documentation, adds to the advantage of the student and counts into the overall qualification of a student pursuing a course. Education system in Singapore the entire system of education in Singapore is coordinated, and managed by the Ministry of Education, or the MOE, which has the responsibility of controlling the proper governance, development and management of the state schools, which receive funding from the central government. The government also has a role in advising and supervising the activities of private schools. There are set principles to determine the role of the government in the curriculum and the autonomy the schools have, along with the nature and kind of aids that the government provides and the admission policy to the various private and public schools. There are SPEDs or schools with special education for children with disabilities and the funds for these come in parts from Voluntary Welfare Organizations as well as the MOE and the national budget, of which about 20% is contributed to these schools. In Singapore, education is compulsory till the age of primary school level, and it is a criminal offence for parents to not be able to provide their wards with this. English is the primary medium of communication in the education system in Singapore and is even the first language for the children in their preschool age. The education system in Singapore is defined as world-leading and it is one of the very few that were picked out especially for praise by the education minister Michael Gove of the United Kingdom. Singapore also follows a system which is in a manner of speaking a three-tier model but in existence has four fundamental levels. The difference comes in the precollege/pre-university level which is considered an intermediate level between school and college but essentially is an extension of senior school itself. The following tiers are maintained in the learning process of a student right from the beginning: Kindergarten: the first phase in the education cycle is the preschool phase or the kindergarten. This is meant for children from ages groups three to six years, after which they move to the next level of education. Primary school: this is the post kindergarten phase which is further divided into the following: Foundation stage, in which a basic introduction is given to the students about English, their mother tongue or a regional language, Mathematics, History and Civics and sometimes even basic sciences. The next is the orientation stage where more in depth knowledge in English, mathematics and other related courses is given depending on the ability of the student assessed so far in the preschool and the foundation stage. At the end of this, there is a primary school leaving examination (PSLE) conducted on the national level which determines whether a particular student is ready to leave the primary school at this stage. Also, the scores in this examination determine what seat the student gets in the secondary level of education. Secondary education: based on the score achieved in the PSLE, the students get different tracks or streams in the secondary school. The different streams or tracks are: Special, Express, Normal (Academic), or Normal (Technical). At this level, the aim of the education system in Singapore is to make a clear distinction between students belonging to different levels of aptitude. This has its pros as well as cons. The criticism made against this system is that the age of ten to twelve years in a students life is too less to make a comparison of him with his other peers and it may be de-motivational towards the student in not granting him a chance to study and excel with students of higher academic capabilities. Also, the distinction made creates a divide among the students and the general sense of belonging to the same class is lost. The sixth grade, some believe is too early for competitive studies and this kind and degree of competition can often become very difficult for the students to handle. However, the traditionalists believe that it is this system which is in a way helping students of all levels of aptitude cope with the pressure of academics. By putting all the high performers of the exam together and similarly, dividing the class up into separate sections, each having different difficulty levels of academics not only helps the weaker students as they no longer have to compete with the academically brilliant students who are not of the same league, but also the smarter students by putting them in a competitive environment where they get a chance to interact and learn with other students of similar potential. Hence, the Singapore system of education does believe in having students of equal intellect and aptitude studying together, while always emphasizing and encouraging the need for having a competitive environment where every student is aspiring to do well. The grading system followed by most of the schools in Singapore is similar to the one followed at the Singapore-Cambridge GCE examination at the level O. This exam is taken by students after they have completely about four to five years of education at the secondary level, with each student appearing for a minimum of six subjects or courses. The marks obtained in this exam have a corresponding grade attached to them and therefore, and these obtained grades have a meaning attached to them as mentioned below: A1/A2 (Distinction) B3/B4 (Merit) C5/C6 (Credit/Pass) D7 (Sub-Pass/fail, that is, passing at a lower standard in the exam or fail) E8/F9 (Fail) The overall total performance of a student academically is calculated through various different systems of scoring which include the L1R5, the L1R4 and L1B5 systems. For the purpose of evaluation of exams that are of a non-major kind, many schools are known to use the Mean Grade per subject method of evaluation. Schools that have currently been running the Integrated Program have also been known to use the GPA system for the purpose of evaluation, that is, the Grade Point Average method of grading. Extra-curricular and co-curricular activities are mandatory for all students at the secondary level in schools, in which all the students are required to participate in a minimum of one such activity, and this participation and their performance is graded along with other academic achievements through the four years of their education. This system of scoring is known as LEAPS (Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation, Service). There are however a few criticisms made of the prevalent education system in Singapore, often by parents of students there, that the education system is too rigid, sometimes even elitist and over-specialized in certain cases. A sharp contrast to the education system in the United States, an often faced criticism is that there is little or no support and encouragement in the system for creative thinking and little emphasis on arts and creative vision. The argument put in response to this has always been that the students of Singapore have always outperformed the others from different parts of the world in international competitions of mathematics as well as the sciences. However, what is argued is that the fact that Singaporean students performing better shows only that they are better prepared and more oriented towards preparing for these particular kinds of examinations than developing skills and the ability of free creative and critical thinking. Education System in UAE With the amelioration that United Arab Emirates has been undergoing over the past few years, one can very well predict the development in the system of education. The administration of the country has not only increased academic opportunities in big cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai abut also in every remote area constituting the country geography. The country now has mature enough to offer education comprehensively to students ranging from kindergarten and going all the way to university levels. In fact the academics department has also made education free to the citizens of the country. This is the reason that the policies like Emiritization are seen to be successful in UAE. The students are being trained from the early days so that once they are grown-ups they have the capability to beat the best in the world. Moving further into the advancements that the countrys education has seen in the recent past, private education is provided to children of both sexes who pursue higher educati on abroad. Several thousand students in the country have done exceptionally well and have also made the country proud by being amongst the best by this system of the country. If one compares the education system existing in the country in the 1970s when the seven Emirates were formed, there has been a drastic change. With consistent policies of privatisation, UAE has been going great guns. This can be seen in the re-evaluation of the Governments role. There is a special organization in the countrys capital that is looking after this privatisation policy helping the country and its citizens mutually. This body is called the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC). Pioneer institutions like United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Zayed University (ZU) and also Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) are doing a remarkable job in the context. So, now that the country is seeing so many reforms, one can very well see that the motive behind the same is the country wants its youth to be able to mee t the challenges of the new century. Also, the quality of education given to the individuals is good enough so that once they are graduates; they are capable enough to have jobs in the corporate world. (UAE Education Centre General information, 2010) The country has provided the following breakdown to the education system: Kindergarten: 4 -5 years old Primary: length of programme 6 years old with an age level between 6-12 years old Preparatory: length of programme 3 years old with an age level between 12-15 years old Secondary: length of programme 3 years old with an age level between 15-18 years old In this program, secondary school certificate is awarded Technical Secondary School: length of programme 6 years old with an age level between 12-18 years old In this program technical secondary diploma is awarded The education system of the country has become so strict on the past few years that it has made primary education compulsory for all levels of the society without any discrimination of its citizens. The best part of the system is that the ratio of staff to children has been kept as 1:20 which was much beyond reckoning when the Emirates were formed. This ratio is increased to 1:15 at intermediate and secondary levels of education. Another very significant mark in the development of the education system in the country is the formation of Federation. The weekend schedule of the education system was also revised in the year 2006 with Friday and Saturday being considered to constitute the weekend. Levels of Education Primary and Secondary Education As it has been mentioned, education at this level has been made compulsory in the part of the world. It has four-tiers in this sector. This has been mentioned as follows: 4-5 years old: Kindergarten 6-11 years old: primary Schools 12-14: Preparatory Stage 15-17: Secondary School In order to ensure that the children of this age are well-equipped with Islamic principles and the traditional culture of the place, the teaching staff is also chosen in the basis of Emiritization to an extent which would reach 90% by the end of year 2020. At the moment, the number of pupils attending primary school is of the order of 40%. Many of them offer foreign language courses as well but at the same time maintain the integrity of the place. The Government has allowed admissions to expatriates but on the basis of merit which would also levy fees. As far as the citizens of the country are concerned, they are experiencing the highly liberal policies of ADEC where the organization has taken the responsibility to bear all the fees of model school. Integration with Zayed University has also planned to improve English speaking capability of the masses. There are 30 faculty members from the same to look after English speaking courses in the schools at the primary and secondary levels. (Zayed University announces the five year strategic plan , 2009) IT Education The Ministry of Education in UAE is making its best possible efforts so that the plans and strategies related to the development of educational programs are able to meet international standards. As a part of all the educational strategies made by the company, there is special attention given to the introduction of latest IT resources at every level of education. Being at par with the latest IT services would make the country highly competitive on the global front. The education system is working on providing a computer amongst every ten children at the kindergarten level. The stupendous success of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid IT Education Project (ITEP) has advanced the IT system of education in the country. It has not only installed various labs in the region but it has also provided a highly valuable education resource available at www.itep.ae. ITEP serves about 40 schools in the country so far including about 13,000 students. The success rate of the students is of the order of 97%! Higher Education The most remarkable fact about UAE education is that it has been able to diversify itself in very little time. The Government institutions are available free of charge. Even some internationally accredited private institutions are also available free of charge making it highly easy for the citizens to receive impeccable education. Universities like United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) offers leading research facilities in higher education. There are more than 70 undergraduate degrees and also a substantial number of streams at the graduate level. As the country has now collaborated with many international institutions, the quality and diversity of education has gone up tremendously. Talking about Al Ain, there is more than 280,000 square meters of space available for residential as well as educational purposes. The country is also focussing to a large extent on public-private partnership in education. Top organizations of the fame of Mubadala Development Company and also UAEU have undergone the execution of a 30-yrs concession agreement. This will allow BOOT (Build Own Operate and Transfer) basis development. (build, own, operate, transfer, 2010) Zayed University This University was established with a motive to educate the women citizens of UAE. It has a facility of the worth of 370 million Dhms which encompasses an area as large as 711,000 square metres. There are in all six colleges with different departments and laboratories. The academic division of the university has been mentioned as follows: Arts and Sciences Business Sciences Communication and Media Sciences Education Information Systems The main motive of the University is to infuse bilingual knowledge in both English and Arabic with a proficiency in IT and also a considerable capability of quantitative and research skills. The University has been undergoing tremendous innovations in the past few years. Dubai Internet City (DIC) is an example of this. ZU has also partnered with IBM so as to make an enhancement of its e-business and also communication activities. The University also organized, Women as Global Leaders conference in 2006. This is done to ensure that the students of the University are prepared well enough so that they could make an active participation in the society. Higher Colleges of Technology In order to provide technically a more sound system of education, a system of UAE colleges was devised in the year 1988. It started with only 4 colleges but has 12 colleges for men and 12 for women in cities like Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Fujairah. The advancement in the number of students has gone from 239 to 15,000 in only about 2 decades. There are a number of examples in this area. As for example, Dubai Mens College provides a cent percent digital atmosphere. Academic assignments, examination mark sheets, the number of classes missed and also the library can now be accessed online in the college. The commercial arm of Higher Colleges of Technology is Applied Research and Training (CERT) has made a number of alliances with multinational firms and many elite organizations which helps in the professional development in the region. CERT is also planning to make a separate CERT City. The idea behind doing the same is to have a fully integrated facility for research, innovation and also e ntrepreneurship. Conclusion of Comparison If one puts it on the developed and the developing scale, Australia and Singapore would certainly lie on the developed side and United Arab Emirates would lie on the developing scale. The reason for the same is that it has been only about 30 years since the formation of the Emirates. As we have seen, most of the development in the country has come from the making of the federation. Such bodies were significant mush before the UAE system of education even started. But as far as the growth in education system is concerned, one would definitely put UAE right on top. The provision of free and compulsory education for the citizens is one of the traits of a country that is developing its education system. But with the rate of growth that UAE has been witnessing over the past few years, in little time, the country would be able to catch up with the likes of Australia and Singapore which are relatively developed. Very soon the results of organization like ITEP and UAEU would certainly see in ternational levels. It is the collaboration with multi-national concerns that by the end of this decade, the country could be of the likes of Singapore and Australia. As far as the International Maths and Science Study is concerned, Singapore was placed at the first place showing the mark that it has made in the mentioned subjects. This is contrast with UAE where the focus has never been specifically on Maths and Science. As the stage of development has begun in the technological era, the country focuses largely on IT than in any other subject. The education system in Singapore is more specialized and rigid than any other country. It has also been seen that the education system in Singapore involves lesser amounts of creativity. As we have seen, there is also a segregation of the more intelligent ones and the lesser ones in the education system of Singapore. The teachers are also allotted in the same order of quality. This is likely to make the intelligent more intelligent but the lesser intelligent ones would not get a chance. This has been criticised especially in the primary and the secondary levels. (A guide to universities in Singapore, 2010) As far as Australia and UAE are concerned, there is a similarity in the fact that both the countries have implemented compulsory education at the primary level. But as far as Australia is concerned, this at times is not called education at the kindergarten level where play-school is highly prominent. Such availability is not very common in UAE. To be more precise, education is considered to be compulsory in Australia between 5 and 15 only. As far as world raking is concerned, the countrys rank of 6th in Reading, 8th in Science and 13th in Mathematics does place Australia behind Singapore in the latter two subjects. If one compares UAE for that matter, it does not even include Maths in its compulsory system of education. Moreover, there is a huge amount of consideration that is given to Arabic and English in order to make bilingual scholars. The conditions as we have seen are contradictory in both Australia and Singapore. Funding and management of the education system is looked after from territory which is different from that we have seen in the case of UAE. There are certain centralized bodies that have the authority to don the particular job. Moving on to the system of free education, as we have seen, UAE is a pioneer in providing free education. The case is not similar when compared to Australia and Singapore. In fact it is highly expensive to study in the two countries. When the same is compared to UAE, for the citizens it is absolutely free. This service continues for even abroad studies. Also, the existence of expatriate-citizen is more pronounced in UAE than in the other countries. Singapore and Australia do not have policies like Emiritization to educate the natives more liberally. There are many expatriates who have been going to Australia particularly for their education. UAE also allows meritorious expatriates to study with fees levied on them but it is not as much pronounced as in Australia and Singapore. The distribution of education is also more segregated in Australia as compared to UAE and Singapore. This is visible in the chart mentioned in the Australian education sector. As far as flexibility in switching subjects is concerned, Singapore in the most liberal of the three countries. This allows the students of Singapore to be able to choose a subject of their liking. Unlike the other two countries, Singapore allows continuously improved standards to target rather than a single target set of the highest standard and expectations. As we have seen, Singapore is also alleged to have educational streaming not giving equal opportunities to all to study. In UAE this is there with respect to natives and expatriates, but in Singapore it is on the basis of talent and intelligence. This should certainly be resurrected in the future so that Singapore can produce larger masses of qualifies professionals. As far as preparation for examination is concerned, Singapore is not considered to be a favourable place. This is because; the country has always ranked in Maths and Science and not in other subjects. This is an indication of rote learning which cant be considered to be optimal in the education system. But the Singapore Ministry of Education takes pride in the fact that it ranks in the Maths and Science streams as the countrys text books are sold as far as in North America. When it comes to Australia, as the level increases from primary to secondary, the countrys education system gets all the more regularized. This is taken care of from the primary level itself in UAE to a considerable extent. (Singapores Education System, 2010) References UAE Education Centre General information. (2010). Retrieved on July 27, 2010 from http://www.uaeinteract.com/education/ Zayed University announces the five year strategic plan. (2010). Retrieved on July 27, 2010 from http://www.ameinfo.com/198293.html Build, own, operate, transfer (BOOT). (2010). Retrieved on July 27, 2010 http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/build-own-operate-transfer-BOOT.html A guide to universities in Singapore .(2010). Retrieved on July 27, 2010 http://www.uniguru.com/studyabroad/Singapore/top-best-university/education-system-in-Singapore.html Yes Australia official website .(n.d.) retrieved on July 27, 2010 from http://www.yesaustralia.com/cursoestudo-sistemaensinoing.htm SG Box official website .(n.d.). retrieved on July 27 2010 from http://www.sgbox.com/singaporeeducation.html MOE official website. (n.d.). retrieved on July 27, 2010 from http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/

Examine different sociological views on the change of child

There is really only two views on the change of childhood and they're ‘The march of progress view and ‘The conflict view' both of which are every different to the other. The march of progress view is the view that the position of children In western societies has greatly improved. Aries and shorter , two sociologists of whom hold a march of progress view, argue that children are more valued , better cared for , are more protected and educated , have better healthcare and have more rights all due to sociological changes throughout history.These Include things such as laws estricting child labour, the establishment of policies controlling at what age a child can do things (such as smoke), the introduction of compulsory schooling (1880) , new child protection and welfare legislations and the growth of the idea of children's rights. Lloyd deMause , a social thinker of whom seemed to hold a march of progress view , said In 1974 that ‘ The history of childhood Is a nightm are from which we are Just recently awakening from'. Other sociologists of whom agree with this argue that this Is because not only has society changed as a whole due to new laws, legislations and iews etc. ut also because families seemed to have become more child centred as well as society as a whole. This Is clear as children are no longer to be seen and not heard as they where in Victorian times. They also argue that children are given a better chance of survival due to the development of proper healthcare and higher standards of living thus making childhood better. Many people hold the conflict view that childhood Is quickly disappearing , Iona ople argues against this as through her lifelong research she has found strong evidence hat there Is a very separate culture between adults and children of which didn't exist 50 years ago.The opposing view to that of the marching progress view is the conflict view. This is the view of which Is , held by feminists and Marxists, that childh ood hasn't improvised. Sociologists of whom hold the conflict view argue that one of the main reasons childhood hasn't improved is due to Inequality between both children and adults. They argue that children from different status's , nationalities , gender , ethnicity and class do not have the same resources , chances or backgrounds herefore leaving them unequal.For example according to Mayer Hillman (1993) boys are more likely to be allowed to cross or cycle on roads, use buses and go out in the dark unaccompanied , whereas Jens Bonke (1999) found that girls do more housework than boys , so much so that in some families girls do five times more than the boys in inequality through ethnicity was discovered by Julia Brannens (1994), she found through her study of 15-16 year old girls that Asian parents were more likely than others to be strict towards their daughters.They also argue that there is also inequality between adults and children therefore causing children to experience more control and oppression to that of a child 50 years ago. March of progress writers argue that adults use this power of inequality to the benefit and protection of children. However , critics such as Shulamith Firestone (1979) and John Holt (1974) argue that many things march of progress writers see as care and protection are in fact Just new ways to to force control and injustice on Modern age children.For example Firestone argues that ‘protection' of hildren from paid work is not a form of protection on a child but in fact a way of keeping them dependant on their parents and forcibly creating a segregation between adults and children, of which again is a form of inequality. Another reason they believe childhood hasn't improved is due to the control children experience. Due to the change in society through history and the segregation between adult and children it is seen that adults have more authority over their children, therefore allowing them to control certain aspects of their lives.Such as the pace/places children are and aren't allowed to go, what their child spends time doing and how much time there child spends doing things, there child's bodies and the ways in which they and other people can touch them and the resources their child receives. For example people are allowed to put signs up saying â€Å"no school children† or can band there child from entering a particular estate or place. They can also disallow there child to go out at specific times or set them a time in which they do distinct tasks such as homework or chores.They can also tell a child how to wear here hair or what clothes they can and cannot wear and they can also disallow a child access to the internet etc. These things alone do not come across as an issue but when put together sociologists argue that these things stops the independence of a child and and can even cause a child to be unhappy. Another thing sociologists argue and that isn't rare is that adult control can often lead to abuse in many levels. This can be in 4 different forms physical abuse , emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect all seen even in modern day (Daniel Pelka, Baby P etc. ).Another thing sociologists argue that childhood hasn't improved is the way in which technology has taken over our children's lives even in such a way they are constantly glued to a television or games console. This then effects their behaviours and learning abilities which can lead to loss of imagination, shortening of attention span and may cause confusion with fact and knowledge. Sue palmer also found that there where many concerns with teachers as computer games and television was causing children to become more impulsive and distractable therefore compromising ntellectual,emotional and social development.A particular sociologists Neil Postman believed that childhood was disappearing due due to telivisation unsupervised child hood games and rhymes etc. where disappearing therefore children's child hoods where beginning to fade away. In my own opinion I believe in neither the conflict view or the march of progress view as there is lots of little things you have to take into consideration like the way in which life as a whole has changed , for example the fact that theirs at least a case of murder , rape or abduction on the news every single week.Most parents feel as if they have to protect they're children from this and rightfully so. Although some parents may be stricter with they're children than others and some more over protective they all have they're own personal reasons for that. Some parents are strict because they simply want they're children to succeed whereas other because that's the way in which they where brought up. Some parents are more overprotective than other as they only have one child or simply because they're terrified of the disgusting and horrific things that happen here even in the modern era.On one hand I believe that childhood has improved as children are no longer working from the age of 3 and are now given a chance to mature before being pushed into the world of work. On the other hand I think particular aspects of childhood life hasn't improved as children as still being neglected and abused and are very much so reliant on there parents sometimes when they don't actually need to be , also a lot of independence and freedom is being taken away from children from no fault of they're own. So overall I believe in some aspects childhood has improved in others not so much.

Coffee and Starbuck Essay

Summarize the overall strategy of Starbucks Management in its effort to create and develop a new concept and a rapidly expanding company. The overall goal of Starbucks Management was to create an American version of the Italian coffee bars that Howard Schultz had experienced first-hand in Milan. He believed that Starbucks should function as an important part of the community, as a meeting place for its customers. He wanted Starbucks to become an experience that would differentiate itself from its competitors. One of their key strategies in meeting this goal is a focus on customer service in order to create an experience for its consumers. Another one of their strategies is to ignite their emotional attachment with consumers. They also have a commitment to improving their business through better training, tools, and products and to give attention to store-level economics and operating efficiency. All of these are prongs to their strategy that will allow Starbucks management to turn Starbucks into a location where people don’t just go to grab coffee, but to experience the atmosphere of an Italian coffee shop. Another prong to their strategy is to offer many different products and to distribute them among a variety of distribution methods. Which one of the five generic competitive strategies discussed in Chapter 5 most closely approximates the competitive approach that Starbucks is employing? There are five generic competitive strategies that can be employed and they are low-cost provider strategy, broad differentiation strategy, focused low-cost strategy, focused differentiation strategy, and best-cost provider strategy. The strategy that Starbucks uses is broad differentiation where they seek to differentiate their product offerings from rivals’ with attributes that will appeal to a large variety of consumers. The key market characteristic for the strategy of differentiation to work is that buyers’ needs and preferences are very diverse and cannot be satisfied with a standardized product offering. This is an evident characteristic of the market because consumers all have different preferences on the way they like their coffee. Which is the reason why Starbucks offers many different product options like lattes, skinny lattes, coffee, iced drinks, blended drinks, etc. They also offer fruit cups, water, and bakery items to provide even more options for their consumers. If a differentiation strategy is successfully implemented the firm will be able to do one of the following: command a premium price for its products, increase unit sales, and/or gain buyer loyalty to its brand. Starbucks has some of the highest prices for the type of products they offer and people tend to be extremely loyal to whatever coffee they are used to purchasing, because they trust the quality. Methods to enhance differentiation 1. Create superior product features, design, and performance Starbucks has a superior knowledge of coffee and a commitment to providing customers with quality coffees. Providing top-quality, fresh-roasted whole-bean coffee was the company’s differentiating feature and a core value since the beginning of its founding. Couches, fireplaces, newspapers, drive-through windows, kiosks in supermarkets and other public places were added to locations depending on what would add value to their consumers. Due to their focus on providing a different experience depending on the location of the store, their international strategy is a multi-domestic approach. The core characteristics of each new store was based on local materials and craftsmanship, a focus on reused and recycled materials and exposure of structural integrity and authentic roots. Most important of all they believed that coffee should be central and that distractions should be removed. They believed that the combination of all these elements should tell a story that would engage the consumer’s five senses and provide them with flexibility to meet the needs of the many different consumers that would be attracted to Starbucks. 2. Improving customer service or adding additional features When Howard Schultz first became part of the company he realized that one key problem Starbucks was having was that first-time consumers often felt uneasy about their absence of knowledge about high-quality coffee. An additional problem was that the employees came off as arrogant and unapproachable. He then worked with employees to teach them about friendly customer service and created a pamphlet to teach new customers about coffee. He also began to offer part-time employees health insurance and a stock option plan for all employees, because he believed that if a company treated their employees well, then they would in turn treat their consumers well. The additional features that Starbucks offers are fireplaces, couches, music, Wi-Fi access, ability to use paid sites and services like Wall Street Journal’s site, exclusive content and previews, free downloads, local community news, and activities. 3. Pursuing production R&D activities Starbucks is constantly brewing new flavors and blends to offer their consumers a variety of coffee to try. Flavors are rotated daily or weekly to offer constant variety. They also test new product offerings like Frappuccino’s, Lattes, Skinny Lattes, and seasonal drinks. 4. Striving for innovation and technological advances One way that Starbucks was able to constantly strive for innovation was by controlling the cost of opening and renovating stores by centralizing buying, developing standard contracts and fixed fees for certain items, and consolidating work under those contractors who displayed good cost-control practices. Starbucks retail operations group outlined the minimum amount of equipment each store would need. This meant that standard items could be ordered from vendors in volume at 20 to 30 percent discounts. The items would then be delivered to the site from a warehouse or from the vendor. A technological advance was that they used computer software to build store layouts that would calculate costs as the design progressed. This cut costs by a significant amount and shortened the process of opening a store to 18 weeks. 5. Increasing intensity of marketing and sales activities Originally, Starbucks didn’t spend a lot of money on advertising, because they relied mostly on word-of-mouth. In 2008 McDonald’s stepped up their advertising to highlight their McCafe coffee drinks. In order to counter this Starbucks undertook the largest advertising campaign ever. 6. Seeking out high-quality inputs Starbucks promotes environmentally sustainable practices in coffee cultivation methods and have specific guidelines they follow called Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices that help farmers to grow high quality coffees in environmentally beneficial ways. In 2000 they began purchasing their coffee organically and a growing percentage of their coffees were grown organically as well as Fair Trade Certified. 7. Improving employee skill, knowledge, and experience Starbucks has a commitment to training their employees so that they are better able to serve their customers. All partners and baristas receive at least 24 hours of training in their first two to four weeks on topics such as coffee history, drink preparation, coffee knowledge, customer service (for a total of 4 hours), and retail skills. Baristas in particular are required to learn how to grind beans, steam milk, pull perfect shots of espresso, memorize recipes, practicing how to mix drinks, and how to customize drinks. Sessions also include how to operate the cash register, clean the milk wand, explain the Italian drink names, and making eye contact with customers. Management trainees are required to attend classes for 8-12 weeks and learn about store operations, practices, and procedures. When a new store is opened a Star Team of experienced employees are sent to make sure everything runs smoothly. From time to time, Starbucks conducts special training programs, including a coffee masters program, leadership training program, and career programs for partners in all types of jobs. When does a differentiation strategy work best? A differentiation strategy works best when buyer needs and uses of the product are diverse, there are many ways to differentiate the product or service that have value to buyers, few rival firms are following a comparable differentiation approach, and technological change is fast paced and competition revolves around rapidly evolving product features. Starbucks’ actions to differentiate their product line They have expanded their product offerings along many different distribution channels by capitalizing on their growing brand name and awareness. First they were able to market their product to restaurants, airlines, hotels, universities, hospitals, business offices, country clubs, and select retailers. United Airlines, Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, Radisson, Westin hotels, and Wells Fargo all began to serve Starbucks coffee. A joint venture with PepsiCo came with the sale of a bottled version of the Frappucino drink and Starbucks Doubleshot espresso drinks. In 2008, they partnered with Suntory to sell ready-to-drink Doubleshot drinks in Japan. In 2010 a partnership with Arla Foods spread Doubleshot products and Starbucks chilled cup coffees into retail stores in the UK. A 1995 partnership with Dryers created a new line of coffee ice cream under Starbucks names that was later disbanded in 2008. At this time the rights to manufacture, market, and distribute Starbucks ice cream was given to Unilever. In 1998 Kraft Foods began marketing and distributing whole bean and ground coffee to supermarkets in the US. Tazo Tea was acquired by Starbucks in 1999 and in 2005 they acquired Ethos Water. A partnership with Jim Beam Brands created Starbucks Coffee Liqueur in 2004 and Starbucks Cream Liqueur in 2005. In order to offer healthier options they began offering skinny lattes, banana walnut bread, fruit cups, yogurt parfaits, a farmer’s salad, and smoothies in 2008. Also in 2008, Starbucks responded to customer’s wishes to have a blend of coffee that was always in stores. They created the Pike Place Roast in order to satisfy these customers. 2009 saw the introduction of VIA instant coffee. In 2009 the retail sales mix of Starbucks was 76% beverages, 18% food items, 3 percent coffee-making equipment and other merchandise, and 3% whole bean coffees. What are the key policies, practices, business principles, and procedures that underlie how Howard Schultz and Starbucks’ management have implemented and executed the company’s strategy? Key Policies, Practices, Business Principles, and Procedures The key policies that have been implemented can be broken down into five groups. First is how the company goes about expanding the number of Starbucks stores. The second is their international expansion practices. The third group is their staff training. The fourth is their principles towards ethical business practices. Fifth, is their coffee roasting practices. Store Expansion Starbucks management’s approach to store expansion is using a hub city approach. After a suitable demographic area is chosen Starbucks begins to open up stores in a large city that serves as its hub. After about 20 stores are opened in this hub city, they will then move on to the surrounding areas that are the spokes. This expansion strategy serves to create buzz and brand recognition for the company in an area that has a high amount of foot traffic before moving into a location that has less customer traffic. When a new area was selected for expansion a group of professionals were sent to facilitate the opening. Starbucks also had zone vice presidents who would oversee the expansion process and instill the culture of Starbucks in the new stores. International Expansion When expanding internationally Starbucks has two options; they either open company-owned and operated stores or license to a company that has a good reputation and the knowledge of retailing in that area. Starbucks prefers to license, rather than franchise because licensing provides more assurance of quality control. When they move into foreign markets one of their practices is to use a partner or license to help recruit individuals for employees, set up relationships with suppliers, find store locations, and learn how to cater to local market conditions. For stores that were licensed Starbucks would receive a license fee and a royalty on sales. Companies that were licensed to supply Starbucks coffee were required to follow their detailed operating procedures. Not only that, but managers and employees were required to attend the same training as employees at company-owned stores. Staff Training As mentioned previously, employees are put through an extensive amount of training to learn daily practices and how to treat customers. They are put through this training because customer service is so integral to their organization. Some of the things that baristas learn in their 24 hours of training are coffee history, drink preparation, coffee knowledge, customer service, retail skills, and beverage preparation. Beverage preparation includes grinding the beans, steaming milk, pulling a perfect shot of espresso, memorizing the recipes, practicing the drinks, and learning how to customize drinks. Finally, partners were trained on cash register operations, how to clean the milk wand, how to explain Italian drink names, how to sell espresso machines, making eye contact, interacting with consumers, and taking responsibility for the cleanliness of the store. Not only that but they had many rules that needed to be learned as well such as: milk needs to be steamed to 150 degrees Fahrenheit but not more than 170 degrees, an espresso shot not pulled within 23 seconds needs to be thrown out, coffee can’t sit in the pot more than 20 minutes, and disgruntled customers were given a coupon for a free drink. Managers were required to go even more in depth with their training. Ethical Business Principles Starbucks purchases products that are Fair Trade Certified, meaning that farmers make a fair amount of money for their products. They are very involved in Corporate Social Responsibility and take a number of measures to reduce, reuse, and recycle. They are also committed to purchasing from companies that use environmentally sustainable growing practices. Coffee Roasting Practices Coffee recipes are put together by the coffee department once all components have been tested. In order to be sure of consistency computerized roasters are used. Trained personnel are required to monitor the process by using hearing and their sense of smell to check when the beans are perfectly done. There are extremely exacting standards that must be met and the color of the beans is tested in a blood-cell analyzer and if it doesn’t meet the requirements the batch is discarded. Directly after roasting and cooling coffee is vacuum-sealed into bags that are guaranteed to preserve freshness for 26 weeks. However, policy says that after three months they need to be used. Once opened the shelf life is seven days. What â€Å"values† does Starbucks have? How well do they connect to the strategy and to the manner in which the company conducts its business? Are they successful in implementing to them? The values that Starbucks consider important are included in their mission statement and those are: 1) Coffee: They are committed to providing their consumers with top-quality coffee that is ethically sourced, and to improve the lives of the people who grow the beans. They do this through a variety of methods. First is their Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices (C. A. F. E Practices). These practices specify product quality, that the price received by farmers/growers is fair, that safe and humane working conditions are being used, and that the methods of growing are environmentally responsible. Second, they do not add artificial flavorings to their coffee beans. Third, they have Farmer Support Centers in Costa Rica and Rwanda. These support centers were staffed with agronomists and experts on environmentally responsible coffee growing methods and worked with coffee farming communities to promote best practices in coffee production They also worked to improve coffee quality and production yields. 2) Partners: In order to better care for their employees Starbucks has a health care plan available for all employees, a stock purchase plan, employee training, and employee recognition. Some of their employee recognition awards include Coffee Master awards, Certified Barista awards, Spirit of Starbucks awards, Manager of the Quarter, Green Apron awards, Green Bean awards, and Bravo! Awards, 3) Customers: They value connecting with customers and uplifting the lives of consumers by providing the perfectly made beverage and going the extra mile for their customers. Employees are trained to take heroic measures to make customers happy. 4) Stores: Starbucks management’s goal was to create the stores to be a haven where customers belong and meet with friends. They do this by creating a store ambience, having interesting music playing, leather couches to sit and read newspapers in, and they make sure that nothing overpowers the smell of coffee. 5) Neighborhood: Their stores are part of its community and to be a force of positive good in the area. One way they do this is by using local materials and craftsmanship. They are also extremely involved in Corporate Social Responsibility. The commitment to do the right thing has been a significant part of how Starbucks operates as a company ever since Schultz became CEO. Starbucks has been named to Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s list of â€Å"The 100 Best Corporate Citizens† for the 10th time in 2010. 6) Shareholders: Starbucks is committed to getting all of the above values right so that they can help everyone that is involved and affected by Starbucks thrive. What is your evaluation of Starbucks social responsibility strategy? How much does it help to create their public image? Starbucks CSR strategy has four main parts which are: 1) Ethical sourcing of products: They do this through their C. A. F. E Practices, purchasing Fair Trade Certified products, and buying from manufacturers that have a commitment to environmental and social responsibility. 2) Community involvement: Starbucks has several organizations to foster community involvement. First, is the Starbucks Youth Action Grants which involves young people in community involvement projects. Second, is their program to give medicine to people suffering from HIV in Africa. Third, is the Ethos Water Fund where they donate 5 cents every time somebody purchases a bottle of Ethos Water. Fourth, they donate money to the Starbucks Foundation which was the fund that was started in 1997 to handle all the Starbucks’ philanthropic actions. 3) Environmental Stewardship: In order to achieve this goal they have several methods. First, they focus on increasing recycling and reducing waste which they do by giving discounts to people who bring in their own mugs, coffee grounds are donated for use as a soil amendment, they take part in Earth Day activities, they purchase paper products with recycled content and unbleached fiber, and they encourage their suppliers to provide energy-efficient products and eliminate unnecessary packaging. They also have commitments to be more energy efficient, use renewable energy sources, conserve water resources, use green facilities, using environmentally friendly building materials and energy-efficient designs. They also have plans to achieve LEED certification globally. In 2009 they became part of the Businesses for Innovative Climate Change and Energy Policy coalition. They have also collaborated with the Earthwatch Institute and work on replanting rain forests, mapping water resources, and biodiversity indicators, and sharing sustainable agriculture practices with coffee growers. 4) Farmer loans: They provide funding to organizations that make loans to coffee growers. Their goal for 2015 is to donate $20 million dollars to these funds. They have also committed money to hurricane Rita and Katrina victims, as well as to help the devastation after the earthquake in Haiti. Having a strong CSR campaign adds to the value of Starbucks’ products if consumers know that they are involved in these activities. It lets consumers know that part of the money they are spending is going to a good cause. By getting on the Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s list of â€Å"The 100 Best Corporate Citizens† for the 10th time in 2010, it increases the knowledge that people have about their CSR strategy. Compare the US and International share of yearly revenue, revenue growth, and operating income/revenue. What do these ratios tell you? What is your overall assessment of Starbucks’ financial performance during fiscal years 2005-2009? Explain the performance of Starbucks stock. Exhibit 1 Comparison of Starbucks’ Financial Performance in the US and Internationally| | | 9/27/2009| 9/27/2008| 9/30/2007| 10/1/2006| 10/2/2005| Yearly Revenue ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| $ 6,572. 10 | $ 6,997. 70 | $ 6,590. 20 | $ 5,495. 20 | $ 4,359. 50 | | International| $ 1,608. 00 | $ 1,774. 20 | $ 1,437. 40 | $ 1,087. 90 | $ 852. 50 | Revenue Growth ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| -6. 08%| 6. 18%| 19. 93%| 26. 05%| | | International| -9. 37%| 23. 43%| 32. 13%| 27. 61%| | Operating Income/Revenue ($ millions)| | | | | | | United States| $ 531. 80 | $ 454. 20 | $ 1,005. 20 | $ 955. 20 | $ 818. 50 | | International | $ 92. 90 | $ 110. 00 | $ 137. 70 | $ 108. 50 | $ 82. 30 | These ratios tell us that overall they have been increasing their revenue growth by significant percentages of an average of 20% internationally and 12% domestically. Domestically the amount of revenue growth per year slowed down in 2008 and went negative in 2009. Revenue growth also went negative in 2008 internationally. This makes sense because 2008 was the beginning of the economic downturn which affected the company’s bottom line. Operating income has fluctuated quite a bit since 2005 and since its peak in 2007 ($1,0005. 20 million) has decreased significantly to $531. 80 million. Internationally it has remained steadier at an average of $106. 28 million. Again these numbers make sense because it was in 2008-2009 that the economic downturn occurred and Schultz instituted strategic initiatives and revamped strategy execution efforts to fix these financial problems. One reason that the economic downturn affected Starbucks’ bottom line badly is because it was considered a treat to go to Starbucks and to get coffee that wasn’t brewed at the home. Less people were indulging in coffee by the cup. In 2006 and 2007 Starbucks reached its peak growth in the period displayed in exhibit 1. This is represented in the stock chart because it is also when their stock performance reached its peak at 40. The lowest point on the stock chart was in 2008 which makes sense because this is when the economic downturn occurred so many people were selling stocks. In 2008-2009 Schultz’s measures to institute strategic initiatives and revamp strategy execution efforts began and clearly worked because in the period of time from 2008-2010 stocks returned to almost 30. What are the key elements and your evaluation of Howard Schultz’s transformation agenda for Starbucks during 2008-2010? What do you think of the letters shown on page C-364 and C-365? Has Schultz done a good job since his return as Starbucks’ CEO? Why or why not? Elements of the Transformation Agenda Howard Schultz’s transformation agenda during 2008-2010 had several key elements. First, he planned on slowing new store openings to 73 internationally. Second, 900 underperformed company-owned stores were closed in the United States. The goal of this action was to raise sales and traffic at nearby sales. Around 75% of these stores that were considered underperforming were within three miles of an existing store which shows that their strategy of having a Starbucks everywhere was cannibalizing their sales. The third element of the transformation agenda was raising the projected return on capital requirements for proposed new store locations. This is a way for Schultz to be more particular about new store placement and to have a better chance of making a significant amount of profit and not losing traffic to existing stores. Fourth, he planned on revamping the company’s locations in Australia with a focus on Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney as the hub cities. He planned on closing 61 under-performing locations in order to do this. Fifth, it was important to Schultz that there be an emphasis on developing new store designs in order to promote a refreshed customer experience. In order to do this the character of each store would be a reflection of the area it was in to make the customers feel more at home and to make Starbucks the center of that community. Sixth, customer experience would be heightened through a variety of methods. The first method was by removing warmed sandwiches from the menu, because it inhibited the aroma from the coffee. Second, high-quality baked goods and pastries would be offered at the store along with new menu items for healthy eating on the go. For example, fruit cups, skinny lattes, yogurt parfaits, salads, smoothies, and healthier bakery selections were all a result of this step in Schultz’s transformation agenda. The seventh part of the agenda was to create a program to share best practices in stores globally, this would promote quality control and improve customer service, which was one of the things that Schultz had found lacking when he became CEO again. Eighth, Schultz thought it was important to provide resources and tools for store employees such as laptops and internet-based software for scheduling. Ninth, there were cost-containment initiatives put in place in order to improve the bottom line that included a reduction of 1,000 people in staffing. Finally, the last part of the agenda was to renew the attention placed on employee training in order to reignite the enthusiasm to please customers that is vital to the mission of Starbucks. Evaluation The goal for 40,000 stores worldwide as a long-term objective and the rapid expansion that Jim Donald began led to a decrease in customer traffic in the US stores, new store openings that continued at a rate of 6 per day worldwide, and the emphasis on increased store operations efficiency put financial strain on the company and led to a decrease in customer service. Good customer service is one of the cornerstone values of Starbucks and was a central idea during Schultz’ leadership. Schultz’ return to CEO and his strategic initiatives mentioned above will help to return Starbucks to the values it originally held as very important and to return it to profitability by slowing down on expansion to focus more on the three main themes Schultz saw as important to his strategy. These themes are: strengthening the core, elevating the experience, and investing and growing. Before he can focus on growing the company, they need to have a strong base of employees and a focus on the experience that Starbucks is meant to provide its consumers. Letters from Schultz The letters that are shown on page C-364 and C-365 of the case show that Schultz is dedicated to his shareholders, which is one of the values in their mission statement. He is being extremely open and upfront the concerns of shareholders and about the actions that will be taken to address those issues. The first letter is addressed to customers and he explains that he has come back to Starbucks as CEO in order to ensure that the customers receive the experience that he believes Starbucks is known for. This letter shows that he truly cares about the thoughts and concerns of consumers. The second letter is to the employees of Starbucks. In this letter Schultz addresses them as partners in the path to revitalizing Starbucks’ mission. He even says, â€Å"I am proud to be your partner†¦Ã¢â‚¬  By treating his employees like this he is able to foster accountability for the actions that everybody can take in helping to turn around Starbucks to what Schultz’ vision for it is. Evaluation of Schultz’ work. Schultz has done a good job by creating strategic initiatives in order to return Starbucks to where he thinks the company should be. His vision includes becoming the authority on coffee, engaging and inspiring Starbucks’ partners, igniting the emotional attachment with customers, expanding global presence and making each store the neighborhood’s heart, being a leader in ethical sourcing and environmental impact, creating innovative growth platforms, and delivering a sustainable economic model. Every one of these visions is addressed in some way in his agenda, which shows he has a clear idea of where the company should go and how to get it there. In 2008-2009 the company experiences five quarters of deteriorating sales, but from 2009-2010 had five quarters of improving sales, which shows that Schultz’ transformation agenda has been working. What issues confront the company as of mid-2010? What should Starbucks’ management be worried about? What are the challenges in expanding internationally? Issues as of mid-2010. 1) Oversaturation of the market: With the â€Å"A Starbucks Everywhere† approach and the rapid expansion steps taken by Donald, there was a decrease in customer traffic at the stores, resulting in a loss of profit. 2) Lack of emphasis on customer relationships: The emphasis on increased efficiency in store operations led to a decrease in good customer service. 3) Drifting away from the original values of Starbucks: Starbucks was built with an emphasis on high-quality coffee, good customer service, and a commitment to creating an experience for customers. However, when Schultz became CEO again he noted that this was lacking. 4) Offering high-quality products: As Starbucks moves into new locations in order to draw attention away from local popular spots they will need to offer a product that is of high enough quality to keep consumers coming back. 5) Differentiation: Again, as they move into new markets they will need to do significant research to find out what those consumer’s value. They need to be able to give it to them in order to achieve their goal of being the heart of the neighborhood. 6) Coffee prices: Coffee prices fluctuate significantly due to weather, economic, and political conditions in the countries where they are grown. What should management be worried about? Management should be worried about offering high-quality products. If they cannot prove that their product is better due to quality or differentiating features then locations that sell coffee and consumers are already loyal, they will have issues drawing consumers away. However, Starbucks does have an extremely strong brand image and hype associated with their name, which is an asset for them in entering new markets. International Challenges Some challenges that Starbucks will face internationally are: 1) Adapting their stores to fit the location they are in 2) Creating partnerships and licensing agreements with reputable companies to offer their products abroad 3) Regulations on foreign businesses moving into their country 4) Having enough control over the quality in the international stores that are licensed. 5) Higher production costs Starbucks has chosen to follow a multi-domestic approach to international expansion, meaning that they customize their product offerings to match the tastes and preferences of local buyers. The main challenge that Starbucks will face in entering international markets is knowing what that group of people wants and prefers. Another problem is that they will need to make partnerships and licensing agreements with reputable companies in order to be sure that the culture of Starbucks is continued to their new stores. Finally, they will have the issue with tailoring their stores to fit the environment they are in, because they will be unable to use a set design which could raise production costs. What recommendation would you make to Howard Schultz to sustain the company’s growth and support continued strong financial performance in the years ahead? Consider both the US and International strategies. Recommendations * Coordinate with suppliers to address consumers’ needs better: By coordinati.

The Kayapo Indians Live On The Lands Of Mato Grosso

The Kayapo Indians live on the lands of Mato Grosso, Brazil. They live in the Xingu National Park which was created to preserve the Amazon ecosystem and to protect the indigenous people of the region. The Kayapo are Indigenous people of this region. Indigenous people are: Indigenous communities, peoples and nations are those which, having a historical continuity with pre-invasion and pre-colonial societies that developed on their territories, consider themselves distinct from other sectors of the societies now prevailing in those territories, or parts of them. They form at present non-dominant sectors of society and are determined to preserve, develop and transmit to future generations their ancestral territories, and their ethnic identity, as the basis of their continued existence as peoples, in accordance with their own cultural patterns, social institutions and legal systems. -United Nations Development Group 2009 These Indians have a strong sense of their tribal identity. They stick with their cultural expressions and traditional tribal rituals. The men wear disks in their lower lip that grow larger over time. This gradually stretches the lip tissue. This and other body modification rituals are connected to the complex symbolism of body adornment present in their society. The plug in the lower lip shows that one is aggressive. Ear plugs signify that one is open to the opinions and input of others. The Kayapo live a nomadic lifestyle. By adopting the practice of