Since 1994, I’ve been running my own small business (it’s a consulting firm that helps clients with customer relationship management). In the early years, the best way to get information was by reading a few self-help business books and visiting a couple of Web sites once in a while. Now it seems as if there are a million Web sites and books and experts all trying to tell me how to succeed. And another million bloggers and pundits interpreting the daily political, economic and cultural news and events that affect my company.What small-business owner has the time to sort through all of this stuff? Well, now that The New York Times has enlisted me as a blogger, I guess I do. I’m going spend the time each week and summarize everything that’s happening that affects my business. I’m going to highlight the best commentary from smart people who will help me understand these events. I’ll add a few of my own comments. This exercise, I hope, will help me run my business better. Perhaps it will help yours, too.Welcome to Dashboard.STILL A BUYER’S MARKET A big job-creating program that was part of the last year’s stimulus bill is expiring soon, which could mean even more people will be unemployed. “The federal program has helped employ nearly 130,000 adults and has paid for nearly an equal number of summer jobs for young people, according to an analysis by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal policy institute in Washington.” But wait… a new report by the Conference Board says that online job demand has increased by 30 percent (that’s a million jobs) since the official “end” of the recession in June 2009. Even so, it looks as if unemployment is going to stay high for a while.IT’S OVER, I TELL YOU While many were busy watching the premiere of “Dancing With the Stars” (dude, that Palin girl can move!), the government announced that the recession ended in June 2009. Don’t believe it? Neither does Steve King, a researcher who argues that for many small businesses, the recession is… not over. Back in August, Mr. King wrote about the “2 Speed Economy,” explaining that bigger companies were recovering faster than smaller ones (funny, he reached this conclusion even without visiting my company). He is now forecasting that “the small-business economy will emerge from recession by the end of this year and start to grow early next year.”HERE’S ANOTHER BAILOUT Maybe we should stop whining about China all the time. One recent report listed 25 American products that rely on huge protective trade tariffs just to survive. (Hey! That’s the jacket I wore to every high school dance on slide No. 8.) I bet these business owners aren’t complaining about the government.HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL MOVES FORWARD Some key provisions of the health care plan have kicked in. NPR has an interesting interview transcript that reviews the changes for both individuals and businesses. You might want to point your employees to this summary of the bill, too. Many business owners are still grumbling about higher premiums. Meanwhile, a new poll says the new bill doesn’t go far enough.NEED A TICKET? The Phillies clinched the National League East this week, which means I’m going to be paying big for playoff tickets. This report in the Harvard Business Review gives some tips on getting great ticket prices. Oh, and it helps business owners like me figure out their own pricing challenges, too. It’s useful, but do you really think a prof from Harvard is going to out-negotiate a scalper from South Philly?SMALL-BUSINESS POLITICS Just before the Congressional recess, the small-business jobs bill was signed into law, offering incentives for banks to loan and tax breaks for businesses buying equipment. Some tax guys are gushing over it. And remember the old saying about rain being good for the farmers? This guy says the bill is too. Me? I think it’s a gimmick.LEAVE ‘EM LAUGHING Where do you want to spend your advertising dollars? With the recession behind us, a new report says that “most retailers are planning to increase spending on Internet and mobile channels over the next 12 months. In addition, most retailers are planning to advertise more aggressively during the 2010 holiday shopping season.” Don’t want to waste more money on ads? Then according to a new product by this sales training coach all you need to do is make your customers laugh more.FEELING SICK? I’m keeping my eye on a proposed law in New York City that could, if successful, affect businesses around the country. “The bill would require businesses to provide employees up to 72 hours, or nine days, a year of sick leave. For a business with fewer than 20 workers, the maximum number of paid sick leave hours would be 40, or five days.” The costs for small businesses could be huge.TECHNOLOGY SPENDING Happily for my business, a new survey from the tech distributor CDW predicts that information technology spending by small businesses is on the rise. Thirty-six percent of the small businesses that took part in the survey said they planned to purchase new computer hardware within the next six months and 51 percent of small businesses planned to purchase new software in the next six months. Thank you, Microsoft, for making Windows 7 and forcing the entire world to upgrade.A NEW MARKET FOR MY PRODUCTS? Sometimes we all need to be reminded of the big picture. Scientists say they have found a new earthlike planet pretty nearby. Much like Los Angeles this past week, temperatures can be as hot as 160 degrees (or as frigid as 25 degrees below zero) but in between – in the land of constant sunrise – it would be “shirt-sleeve weather,” said a co-discoverer, Steven Vogt, of the University of California, Santa Cruz.NEW THOUGHTS ON STARTING UP What’s the outlook for people looking to start a business? A new Wharton article outlines the challenges and the hot sectors. Leonard Lodish, a Wharton marketing professor, says there has been a shift: “In 2006 and 2007 it was much easier to get funding if you had a good idea and a good track record. Now you need to demonstrate that you have a business model that really works.” The best positioned industries, apparently, are those that have continued to attract investment dollars, notably green technology and renewable energy as well as Internet-related businesses. Before launching that new venture, you may want to check out this new report on some of the worst celebrity business owners. I’ve been out for a while – any messages from Heidi Fleiss?MOODY’S JUMPS IN This week, the credit-rating giant Moody’s announced its own Web site to provide more information specifically to small-business owners. The site “features small-business news and economic analysis and timely articles. A variety of recent credit and economic data is also available, ranging from auto and retail sales data to daily foreign exchange and mortgage rates.”HE’S OUR GUY Representative Todd Platts, a Pennsylvania Republican, won a “Guardian of Small Business” award from the National Federation of Independent Businesses for his support of small-business legislation in the 111th Congress. Congressman Platts was awarded the award during the 110th Congress, as well. But before you get too excited, the N.F.I.B. is presenting “Guardian awards to 202 U.S. representatives who voted favorably on key small-business issues at least 70 percent of the time during the 111th Congress.” It’s like my children’s T-Ball league – almost everyone’s a winner!A QUICKER WAY FOR US TO PAY At the TechCrunch conference in San Francisco, PayPal announced a new way to make deposits using “mobile pictures.” The new app will allow a user to take a picture of the front and back of a check with your iPhone camera, and it will be added to your PayPal balance. Great, here’s my first entry.
Differences in the Types of Auctions That Take Place Around the World
Auctions are those events where properties or goods are sold to the highest bidder. Auctions are mostly public events, where bidders make a series of bids and purchase a particular item for a high price. During auctions, bidders decide the price of an item rather than the seller. It depends on bidders to decide the amount they would want to pay for a specific item. During an auction, a bid is a proof of a legal binding. Bidders agree to pay the amount that they have bid. In a high profile auction, bidders may have to pay a deposit in escrow accounts or give a proof that they can pay for those items.
Types of Auctions:
Different types of auctions take place around the world. Below mentioned are some types of auctions:
1. English auction:
This is a basic type of auction. In this type, people can see the item and then start bidding. Bidders slowly raise the value of their bid until everyone gives up. The highest bidder is the winner. An auctioneer manages an auction, keeps records of the on going bid and decides the winner. Sometimes, the seller will quote a minimum amount for an item to the auctioneer, below which the auctioneer cannot sell that item.
2. Dutch auction:
In this type, the auctioneer sets a particular price and then gradually lowers the price. People in public will start bidding and later decide which prices are suitable for the item. A seller may use this type of auction to sell large quantities of same products to the public. For instance, a seller may want to sell a large amount of hay and will thus, decide to sell this hay to people for the same amount, once a reasonable price is decided.
3. Silent auction:
In this type, the bidders in public will present their bids in a sealed format. These sealed bids open at the same time and bidder with the highest bid wins. There could be a modification in this type of auction. The bidders are allotted a specific period to bid. They can roam in a room displaying the items, and write their bids on an associated sheet of paper. The bidders are allowed to see bids of other bidders and can choose a higher price for an item. At the end of the allotted time, bidder with the highest bid is the winner.
Examples of Auctions:
Auctions can be of two types either public or private. Sellers may trade any kind of items in both types of auctions. Some areas where auctions take place are:
1. Antique auction: An antique auction consists of a trade opportunity as well as provides entertainment.
2. Collectable auction: In a collectable auction, the seller may put up collectables like coins, vintage cars, luxury, stamps, real estate, and luxury for sale.
3. Wine auction: In wine auction, bidders can bid for rare wine, which may not be available in retail wine shops.
4. Horse auction: Bidders can bid for young horses of the best breed.
5. Livestock auction: In livestock auction, bidders can buy pigs, sheep, cattle, and other livestock.
The other examples of auctions may not be public. These auctions are for bidders from corporate levels. Some examples of private auctions are:
1. Timber auction
2. Spectrum auction
3. Electricity auction
4. Debit auction
5. Environmental auction
6. Auto auction
7. Electronic market auction
8. Sales of business auction
Bidders in an auction need to examine the items displayed and decide an appropriate price for an item. Thus, auctions help buyers in getting the best deals and in gaining better profits for sellers.
Multicultural Education in Your Classroom
America has always been referred to as a melting pot, but ideally, it’s a place where we strive to invite everyone to celebrate exactly who they are. As the US population is becoming increasingly diverse and technology makes the world feel increasingly smaller, it is time to make every classroom a multicultural classroom.
What is Multicultural Education?
Multicultural education is more than celebrating Cinco de Mayo with tacos and piñatas or reading the latest biography of Martin Luther King Jr. It is an educational movement built on basic American values such as freedom, justice, opportunity, and equality. It is a set of strategies aimed to address the diverse challenges experienced by rapidly changing U.S. demographics. And it is a beginning step to shifting the balance of power and privilege within the education system.
The goals of multicultural education include:
- Creating a safe, accepting and successful learning environment for all
- Increasing awareness of global issues
- Strengthening cultural consciousness
- Strengthening intercultural awareness
- Teaching students that there are multiple historical perspectives
- Encouraging critical thinking – Preventing prejudice and discrimination
Advantages of Multicultural Education
According to the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME), multicultural education:
- Helps students develop positive self-image.
- Offers students an equitable educational opportunity.
- Allows multiple perspectives and ways of thinking.
- Combats stereotypes and prejudicial behavior.
- Teaches students to critique society in the interest of social justice.
Road Blocks to Implementing Multicultural Education
Contrary to popular belief, multicultural education is more than cultural awareness, but rather an initiative to encompass all under-represented groups (people of color, women, people with disabilities, etc) and to ensure curriculum and content including such groups is accurate and complete.
Unfortunately, multicultural education is not as easy as a yearly heritage celebration or supplemental unit here and there. Rather, it requires schools to reform traditional curriculum.
Too often, students are misinformed and misguided. Not all textbooks present historical content fully and accurately. For instance, Christopher Columbus is celebrated as the American hero who discovered America. This take on history completely ignores the pre-European history of Native Americans and the devastation that colonization had on them. Some history books are being revised, but often, it’s much easier to teach that “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”
Most curriculums also focus more on North America and Europe than any other region. Most students have learned about genocide through stories of the Holocaust, but do they know that hundreds of thousands of people are being killed in places like Darfur and Rwanda? Despite our close proximity to Latin America, American schools typically spend little time reading Latin American literature or learning about the culture and history?
Thus, multicultural education is most successful when implemented as a schoolwide approach with reconstruction of not only curriculum, but also organizational and institutional policy.
Unfortunately most educational institutions are not prepared to implement multicultural education in their classrooms. Multicultural education requires a staff that is not only diverse, but also culturally competent. Educators must be aware, responsive and embracing of the diverse beliefs, perspectives and experiences. They must also be willing and ready to address issues of controversy. These issues include, but are not limited to, racism, sexism, religious intolerance, classism, ageism, etc.
What You Can Do in Your Classroom
Just because we’re facing an uphill battle doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take those first steps. To integrate multicultural education in your classroom and your school, you can:
- Integrate a diverse reading list that demonstrates the universal human experience across cultures
- Encourage community participation and social activism
- Go beyond the textbook
- By supplementing your curriculum with current events and news stories outside the textbook, you can draw parallels between the distant experiences of the past and the world today.
- Creating multicultural projects that require students to choose a background outside of their own – Suggest that your school host an in-service professional development on multi-cultural education in the classroom
Favorite Lessons in Multicultural Education
Analyze issues of racism through pop culture.
Example: Study the affects of WWII for Japanese Americans through political cartoons, movies, photography, etc.
Analyze issues of socioeconomic class through planning and development.
Example: Design a development project with solutions to the needs of those living in poverty stricken communities.
Analyze issues of sexism through media.
Example: Make a scrapbook of stereotypical portrayals of both men and women. Compare both positive and negative stereotypes and determine the struggles they face as a result of these stereotypes.
Recommended Resources
Books:
Becoming Multicultural Educators by Geneva Gay
Beyond Heros and Holidays by Enid Lee
Lies My Teachers Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James Loewen