Political Dynasty Essay

â€Å"Propose bill of Sen. Ping Lacson for political dynasty† Due to the growing number of political dynasties, Senator Ping Lacson proposed and supported a bill that is against it. For that, I admire his determination to halt all the families that are involved in this. I also commend him for being a good follower. This was proven by Sen. Lacson when he followed already the bill even though it is not approved yet. He vows that he would retire from politics if his son, Ronald Jay, runs and wins in the 2016 polls. Political Dynasties should be stopped because of the negative effects of it in the good governance of our country. One of the effects, is corruption. For example, a senator discovered the anomalies of a congressman, he/she can easily cover it up because they are relatives. The other one is, one particular family has power all over the country thus, it results to injustices. In Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s Bill, it was observed that political dynasty shouldn’t exist in local elective only. While as Sen. Lacson’s, not only local the local but also the national position is included. I think both of them have good intentions towards this. But they need to elaborate more the clause included in the said bill. Many people/government officials doesn’t approve of this because it is not clear to them the legal definition of a political dynasty and its corresponding consequences. I also think that it would be unfair for a candidate, who may be more qualified than his family or relative already elected in a public post, to be barred from running because of his relations. It is like we are. All in all, it is good but it should be clearer for the citizens and government to agree upon it.

Motorcycle Diaries Character Growth Essay

â€Å"The enormity of our endeavor escaped us in those moments; all we could see was the dust on the road ahead and ourselves on the bike, devouring kilometers in our flight northward. †-pg. 33 â€Å"The Motorcycle Diaries† is a story of a motorcycle trip made by 23-year-old medical student Che Guevera and 29-year-old biochemist Alberto Granado across the South American continent. Along the way, Che is exposed to extreme events of poverty, vulnerability, and overall suffering. Originally, Che’s only goal in life was to become a famous doctor who would help fight off the leper disease invading South America. During the course of the journey, however, Che transforms from an innocent, simple-minded young man to a knowledgeable traveler, and finally to a powerful revolutionary that has his sights set much, much higher. Here are the events that helped to trigger this transformation in Ernesto Che Guevera. At the beginning of the journey, the only thing Che can focus on is the thought of becoming a doctor. â€Å"In the shade of the immense trees, we made plans to build a laboratory in this place, when we finished with our trip. Keep in mind, that at this point in the journey, he wasn’t even close to crossing the border of Argentina, let alone his final destination. This is the simple-mindedness of young Che Guevera coming out. He is constantly thinking about the final result, and by doing so, he isn’t able to fully appreciate what is going on around him. At this time, Che is only thinking of himself. But as he continues on his way, a few distinct events help begin to transform Che into the revolutionary that he is today. As Che progresses further to his destination, he begins to title himself as a leprosy doctor. As he stop sin towns along the way, he begins to provide medical assistance to those in need. At this time, it was mostly to practice for when he was to become famous later in life. But one town he stopped in began to change his whole perspective on what â€Å"helping people† was. â€Å"Soon the whole family was gathered around the article. And so, like this, basking in their admiration, we said goodbye to those people we remember nothing about, not even their names. †-pg. 59. He is basically saying that once he did what he needed to do, that was that. There were of people suffering in South America at the time. And he had helped only a few people. This event started to make Che think on a bigger scale, and gave him a little push in the direction of really making a difference in the lives of ALL those suffering people. As he reaches the end of his journey, Che has reached the final step of his transformation. Che has finally arrived at the leper colony, the much-anticipated end to his amazing journey. But Che has experienced things along the way that have changed his way of thinking. He doesn’t want the journey to end right here. He has figured out the way to truly make a difference in the lives of the South American people. Here is a quote that demonstrates what he has learned and how much he has transformed. â€Å"We must begin to erase our old concepts and come ever closer and ever more critically to the people. Not in the way we got closer before. Everybody has done that. But they have done it practicing charity, and what we have to practice today is solidarity. We should not draw closer to the people and say: Here we are. We come to give you the charity of our presence, to teach you with our science, to demonstrate your errors, your lack of refinement and knowledge. We need to go humbly to learn from the great source of wisdom that is the people. †-pg. 173 Che Guevera has gone from a narrow-minded individual to someone who is capable of caring for an entire population. He has grown into someone who can see through they eyes of the people who are suffering. He can see where things need to be improved. Che Guevera became the person he wanted to be at the beginning of the journey-a difference maker. But he has done so in a much different and more effective way. This is how Che Guevara grew over the course of the Motorcycle Diaries.

The Planning Process Example

The Planning Process Example The Planning Process – Article Example International Planning Process Task: Planning Process In the planning process, Phases II and I mainly center on sorting out. Mostly, a country that lacks reasonable potentials for advanced analysis is purged. Phase I accesses suitability of the Country by considering environmental factors and country’s character. If the country presents an overall compromised state, it is not preferred for investment (Cateora & Graham, 2007). A country with a weak economy that avails no potential of supporting business’s activities is avoided. Additionally, the country should be stable politically, and prospects should show future stability. Political instabilities affect the business and its environment hence providing a risky venture. Importantly, the country’s resources and industrial state should sustain the project under consideration (Grünig & Kühn, 2005). Competition forces in the country also provide a noteworthy measure tool. Country presenting stiff competitions implies that the new launch may fail to tap sizeable market hence investor feels that an endeavor is not profitable. Countries with official legislations that may undercut the product is also not preferred. Virtually, any factor posing challenges of poor market, low profits, unhealthy competitions, compromised stability, and unendurable legislations leads to dropping of a country (Doole & Lowe, 2008). Phase II exerts a more analysis examining the adaptability of products in the Country’s market. The stage surveys the cultural environment essential for the establishment of the product and dissects if probable cost is sustainable. The nature provided by the products should be acceptable in the country (Doole & Lowe, 2008). This means product’s adaptation, packaging, branding and warranty need to blend with country’s state. In addition, distributions requirements like logistics and feeds should satisfy the study criteria to ensure penetration and distribution of t he product. Lastly, facilities for fueling promotions need be accessible to enhance the product’s campaign. Failing to satisfy these conditions may lead to Country’s dismissal in Phase II. ReferencesCateora, P. R., & Graham, J. L. (2007). International marketing. Boston, Mass: McGraw-Hill.Doole, I., & Lowe, R. (2008). International marketing strategy: Analysis, development and implementation. London etc.: South Western Cengage Learning.Grünig, R., & Kühn, R. (2005). Process based strategic planning. Berlin [u.a.: Springer.

Porters generic strategies

Porters generic strategies Introduction Porter’s generic strategies were designed to explain how firms achieve competitive advantage. Numerous industries have applied the three generic approaches, and thus illustrated that Porter’s model was accurate in explaining how firms become successful in their industries. Nonetheless, a few exceptions do exist.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Porter’s generic strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Explanation of the model Firms may adopt one of three generic strategies: cost leadership, differentiation or focus. Cost leaders are organisations that sell their goods or services at the lowest price in their industries. Companies can become cost leaders by acquiring and continually investing in capital so as to create or sustain a large market share. High capital investments also create large economies of scale that allow firms to minimise unit costs of production. As a result, the se businesses can pass on production savings to their consumers through low prices. They need to keep up with the latest developments in technology in order to control process-related expenses. Many cost leaders also have closely monitored overhead. They tend to reduce labour costs through commission-based pay. Others can negotiate low prices for raw materials with their suppliers. Organisations may choose cost leadership because it can protect them against powerful buyers and suppliers. Furthermore, it hampers potential entrants from entering the market because they cannot match their economies of scale. The differentiation strategy refers to provision of unique services or products to one’s clients. Some organisations may achieve differentiation through addition of certain qualities in their products. Others may simply work on brand perception while some may dwell on product design. Even the use of technology can become a source of differentiation. Companies may choose such a strategy because it allows them to enjoy high profit margins. Customers tend to be loyal to differentiated firms, so they hardly pay attention to price adjustments among competitors. Differentiation also reduces buyers’ choices hence their power over the concerned firm. In order to achieve this feat, companies need to invest heavily in research and development. They should also market their services or products effectively. In other words, they need to communicate to consumers the exceptional qualities of their products. Differentiated firms ought to have a fixed pay structure that enhances employee loyalty. Innovation and creativity are central features of this strategy. However, businesses in this category do not enjoy a large market share because the strategy focuses on exclusivity.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The last approach is called the focus strategy. Here, a company tailors its products or services to one market group. It can select a particular market segment on the basis of its geographical location, product preference or demographic factors. In this category, organisations can either be cost-focus strategists or differentiation-focus strategists. When they select one of the latter, then they can create competitive advantage in their industry. Porter (1980) explained that firms cannot select a hybrid of the three strategies and still be successful. The generic strategies are contradictory in nature, so trying to implement more than one of them would cause firms to be stuck in the middle. For instance a company that wants to pursue both cost leadership and differentiation would need to cut down on overhead, but still invest in research and development. Achieving these two objectives simultaneously would be close to impossible. Such firms have to contend with low profits because they lack the features needed to compete with low cost competitors or differentiated organisations. They also confuse customers who cannot identify one distinct feature about them. Unless a company employs different generic strategies across very separate and distinct business units, then it would not succeed in using a hybrid model. Application of Porter’s generic strategies in various industries Companies in the hotel industry have applied Porter’s generic strategies successfully and those who have not have ended up recording immense losses (Bordean et al. 2010). In the hospitality industry, companies achieve cost leadership by offering only basic services. They focus on attracting a large market segment by keeping their rooms inexpensive. Perhaps one of the most popular strategies pursued in the hotel industry is differentiation. Companies may provide unique services such as wifi access, transportation from the airport, superior room furnishing and many more to create value. They eventually let travellers and visitors know that their services are superior, which leads to business success. In the hospitality industry, most firms choose to pursue a differentiation focus strategy rather than a cost focus strategy because it is difficult to meet the needs of a certain market segment without some form of differentiation. Some hotels have achieved this through focus on elite clientele, married couples or Islamic clients. Bordean et al (2010) carried out an analysis of the Romanian hotel industry by administering questionnaires to 69 hotels in the country. They had 26 strategic practices that participants needed to select. These findings would then be classified as cost leadership, differentiation or focus strategies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Porter’s generic strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The researchers found that several hotels utilised the differentiation strategy through brand identification , superior staff experiences as well as provision of certain technological advantages. They also found that others used the focus strategy by offering speciality services and establishing a strong reputation of excellence in the industry. Cost leadership was not found to be a strong strategy among most hotels because clients frowned upon cost-cutting measures. In essence, these findings support Porter’s assertions concerning the unfeasibility of hybrid approaches. Various industries have different manifestations of the three generic strategies because of the inherent characteristics within them. As described earlier, the hospitability industry rarely has firms that pursue cost leadership because of the nature of demand in that sector. However, other industries may be more inclined to cost leadership than others. Alternatively, they may depict differentiation strategies in different ways from other service industries. One such case is the health service industry. Lamont et al. (1993) found that differentiation in hospitals occurs through use of technologically sophisticated services, expansion of the nature of services offered and provision of rare services. For instance, hospitals with cardiac catheterisation laboratories and lithotripters are differentiated through the use of technological sophistication. Hospitals with rare services include those one that provide alcoholism services, birthing rooms or burn care. Conversely, hospitals may also pursue cost leadership by cutting down on their expenses. If the total operational costs per bed and the salary adjusted for each patient is low, then one ought to classify that hospital as a low cost facility. When Lamont et al. (1993) measured the financial performance of all hospitals (total margin and net operational revenue); they found that muddling organisations were the least profitable. These were companies who neither had low cost strategies or differentiation. Experts suggest that differentiated hospit als are better suited to discontinuous environment because differentiators give customers unique service. They use new technologies or foresee customer reactions and tailor services to meet those new needs. In a dynamic environment where factors alter frequently, hospitals pursing a differentiation strategy will be better able to cope with unpredictable occurrences. Cost leaders, on the other hand, thrive in predictable environments.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A dynamic environment creates diseconomies of scale and undermines attempts at cost control or efficiency. Furthermore, if the institution’s environment changes then the institution should consider changing its generic strategy. In the healthcare industry, firms’ strategic options are not curved in stone. They can be oriented to fit their environment. However, if a hospital already has a proper organisation-environment fit, then there is not need to alter its Porter generic strategy. Torgovicky et al. (2005) also carried out a study in the healthcare industry. They collected performance data from the Israeli ambulatory health care system, and compared this with the generic strategies pursued by the different businesses. It was found that organisations that did not fall neatly into any of the three categories were not financially viable. These findings further supported the assertions made by Porter. In the airline industry, one can also find instances of the Porter gen eric strategic models across the board. Cost leaders work by offering no frills; they only provide standard services. A good example of such an airline is Britain’s Easy Jet. The company merely provides clients with a seat and leg room, and thus cuts down on costs. It then eliminates the need to charge customers for any extra features. The strategy has built a large market share for the company and this has also increased its high income streams. Differentiators in the airline industry aim at providing additional features such as a diverse and satisfying menus, strong customer service and personal television viewing. Focus strategies in the airline industry are manifested through various ways. Some may dwell on offering differentiated flights in small airports. Alternatively, others may choose to fly to local destinations and may offer their services as low costs (Peters 2008). Several consumers in the airline industry will not pay high prices for short-distance flights. Cons equently, cost leaders have taken advantage of this situation and dominated short-distance flights. Some airlines have suffered tremendously owing to poor application of the Porter generic strategies. British Airways recorded losses of approximately 300 million pounds owing to its insistence on offering frills in short distance flights. One may liken frills to differentiation generic strategies because consumers must pay more for certain in-flight perks. Conversely, short distance flights may be likened to the cost leadership strategy. Therefore, British Airways was trying to pursue two simultaneous strategies in this business unit, and failed dramatically. The company has since learnt that the two approaches should be separated in order to foster financial sustainability. Perhaps one of the most obvious depictions of Porter’s generic strategies is the basic industrial goods sector, such as steel making (Bennet Cooper 1979). It is preferable to employ cost leadership strateg ies in this sector owing to a number of reasons. First, the steel industry has minimal opportunities for differentiation. The goods being prepared are quite basic and will eventually be used to make other commodities. Therefore, organisations are only left with process manipulation as the only way of maintaining a competitive advantage. The steel making industry often relies on the use of technology in order to boost production processes; this is a symptom of cost leadership. One of the ways in which these companies have reduced production costs is through computer inventory systems, which ensure that no company resource goes to waste during manufacture. Steel makers also work hard to ensure that their purchasing, and sales management techniques are in order. This would ensure that they produce their goods at very low prices. The companies also struggle to improve economies of scale through joint ventures because the overall outcome is plain steel. Sometimes joint ventures may occur between firms within the same supply chain. In other words, vertical integration of suppliers and manufacturers often takes place in the steel industry. Companies that engage in these joint ventures aim at minimising the cost of acquiring raw materials like iron ore or steel shreds. The high capital investments in basic industries also explain why price wars are common in the industry. Since organisations invest so much in opening up their businesses, then they try as much as possible to cut down on costs. The same strategies in the steel industry are also applied in other industries such as aluminium, plastic or paper. Such organisations do not diversify their goods, so the only option available to them is the price alternative. Weaknesses of Porter’s generic model While Porter’s strategic model may have garnered wide application in a number of industries, reports also shows that some industries or organisations do not follow Porter’s recommendations to the le tter. It is possible for firms to become cost leaders through the use of differentiation. A case in point is the automobile industry. General Motors was recognised as a cost leader even during the same decade that Porter created the generic strategy model. However, consumer reports also indicate that the company’s large luxury vehicles were the preferred consumer brand between 1976 and 1982. Similarly, the organisation’s midsize compact category was also at the top of their list between 1977 and 1982 (Datta 1996). The compact and large luxury automobile was one of the most profitable car segments at the time. These findings illustrate that General Motors differentiated its product offerings despite being a cost leader. Its profitability came from its perfection of the two models and its pursuance of low prices. Some firms may pursue more than one generic strategy, albeit at a milder level with one of them. The latter assertions are supported by numerous studies; one su ch example was a research done by Chan and Wong (1999). The two authors sought to examine the relationship between the competitive strategies adopted by organisations in the banking sector and their performance. They found that companies with multi-strategy approaches were more financially successful than the ones who only chose on of Porter’s three generic strategies. Chan and Wong (1999) explained that these strategies were possible because those banks had ample resources to synergise seemingly incompatible generic strategies. The organisations achieved this feat because they had strong organisational capabilities. Most of their managers were committed to their companies and carefully analysed the relationship between business activities and the organisational system. Porter argued that firms may choose to pursue differentiation or cost leadership in order to garner success. He treats these two approaches in an equal manner and believes that they can both provide tangible r esults for companies that select them. However, some analysts have found that differentiation is a superior strategy to cost leadership. Customers and their perception of quality within a certain company make a company more competitively placed than a cost leader. This explains why many US-based firms in the electronics industry became bankrupt. They failed to innovate and paid minimal attention to the quality of their commodities. Differentiation is superior to cost leadership because it is more focused towards customer needs. These firms listen to their buyers and are keen on using technology or any other means needed to meet consumer needs. According to Porter, differentiation is not well suited to low cost. However, this statement may not always be true. Differentiation is often associated with high quality and value creation. Nonetheless, in an attempt to meet consumer demands through quality improvement, some companies may end up minimising costs, which may be passed on to con sumers through lower prices. For instance, in 1997, Toyota wanted to improve its Camry model by increasing its speed impact. However, after achieving that objective, the company found that the product had fewer parts and thus better performance (Krebs 1996). In the mobile phone industry, companies instated quality assurance procedures in order to boost mobile device performance. However, these quality processes, which were differentiation strategies, ended up reducing costs of the products. Therefore, differentiation and low costs may work hand in hand, contrary to Porter’s claims. Conclusion Porter’s generic strategies have an impact in numerous industries across the board. Most of these organisations tend to have low levels of differentiation and are relatively secure industries. However, other firms may challenge the assumptions in Porter’s model when they exist in dynamic industries such as international banking. References Bennet, R Cooper, R 1979, ‘ Beyond the marketing concept’. Business Horizons, June, p. 76-83. Bordean, O, Borza, A, Razvan, N, Catalina, M. 2010, ‘The use of Michael Porter’s generic strategies in the Romanian hotel industry’, International Journal of Trade, Economics and Finance, vol. 1 no. 2, pp. 173-177, Chan, R Wong, Y 1999, ‘Bank generic strategies: does Porter’s theory apply in an international banking centre?’, International Business Review, vol. 8 no 5, pp. 561-590. Datta, Y 1996, ‘Market segmentation: An integrated framework’, Long Range Planning, vol. 29 no. 6, pp. 797-811. Krebs, M 1996, ‘1997 Toyota Camry: Indeed, less is more’ New York Times, 26 October, p.15. Lamont, B, Marlin, D, Hoffman, J 1993, ‘Porter’s generic strategies, discontinuous environments and performance: A longitudinal study of changing strategies in the hospital industry’, Health Services Research, vol. 25 no. 5, pp.623-64. Peters, K 2 008, ‘Generis strategies: A substitute for thinking?’ The Ashridge Journal, Spring, p. 1-5 Porter, M, 1980, Competitive strategy: Techniques for analysing industries and competitors, Free Press, New York. Torgovicky, R, Goldberg, A, Shvarts, S, Bar, D, Onn, E, Levi, Y, Bardayan, Y. 2005, ‘Application of Porter’s generic strategies in ambulatory healthcare: a comparison of managerial perceptions in two Israeli sick funds’, Healthcare Management Review, vol. 30 no. 1, pp 17-23.

Barriers to Communication Essay Example for Free (#2)

Barriers to Communication Essay The communication topic that I have chosen to write about is The Barriers to Communication in the in the workplace. My focus will be on the Apple Organization as well as other organizations that have had communications issues. My interest in this topic stems from the fact that I’ve encountered many barriers to effective communication while in the work place. I understand personally how ineffective communication by all levels of an organization can lead to the decrease work morals, productivity etc. I am also interested in this topic in that as a Business Management major I would like to be as affective in my communication with the organization I will join as well as with the individuals that will comprise the company. Based on a research done In July 2011, a Maritz Poll, an annual employee attitude survey conducted by Maritz Research, reported that 25 percent of employees indicated having less trust in their management than they did the previous year. Bad communication breaks down trust. Barriers to communication in the work place can be very detrimental to the sustainability, longevity and success to the organization. There are numerous barriers that effect communication in the work place. According to skillsyouneed.com, these barriers range from nonverbal communication, lack of feedback and cultural differences. These barriers to communication may and can occur at any stage in the communication process. Barriers may lead to your message becoming distorted and you therefore risk wasting both time and/or money by causing confusion and misunderstanding. Effective communication involves overcoming these barriers and conveying a clear and concise message. References Barriers to effective communication. (n.d.). need.com/ips/barriers-communication.html Duggan, T. (n.d.). Communication problems in a business.

Ancient Chinese Contributons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ancient Chinese Contributons - Essay Example The top ten ancient Chinese invention and include paper, money, iron and bronze, gunpowder, printing press, umbrellas, clocks, compasses, porcelain, and alcohol (Van et al., 2010). Beginning with a close look at the invention of the clock, we find out that researchers claim the invention of the first clocks was the doing of a man who bore the name of Yi Xing. This man was a Buddhist monk and a mathematician belonging to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). History claims that Yi’s clock operated with water that steadily dripped on a wheel that made a full revolution every twenty-four hours. Prior to Yi’s clock, other inventors later came up with different ideas of creating clocks but still maintained Yi Xing’s clock design. However, an astronomer and mechanist named Su Song of the Song Dynasty (906-1272) years later created a more sophisticated clock that eventually developed into the modern clock. The other crucial invention from ancient China was harvesting silk and usi ng it to make clothes and paper (Van et al., 2010). The oldest silk discovery took place in Henan Province at around 3,630 BC. Silk invention did not only become a vital material for making clothes in China, but it also connected China to the outside world in terms of business. Processing of iron ore was another Chinese invention that dates back to the fifth century (Van et al., 2010). Archeological evidence confirms that iron makers used pig iron to make iron but later on advanced to steel melting. The first well-known Chinese metallurgist in ancient China bore the name of Qiwu Huaiwen of the northern Dynasty; he invented a more advanced process of making iron by using wrought and cast iron to make steel. Compass also tops the list of crucial Chinese inventions and contributions (Van et al., 2010). History claims that the ancient Chinese compasses were not specifically for navigation purposes but were rather meant to harmonize buildings and environments in accordance with the princ iples of Feng Shui’s geometrics. In addition, the ancient Chinese also invented Gunpowder in the ninth century (Van et al., 2010). The other common name of gunpowder is black powder, and it is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal and potassium nitrate. Gunpowder acts as a propellant in firearms and as a pyrotechnic composition in fireworks because it burns rapidly and generates a large amount of heat and gas. Paper was among crucial inventions made by the ancient Chinese. A man bearing the name of Cai Lun of the eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) was the man to invent the world’s first batch of paper using fishnets, tree bark, and bits of rope and rags, hence placing China in the forefront as a main contributor to the development of human civilization because paper is currently a crucial element in millions of people’s lives. Currency also originated from ancient China. The ancient Chinese did not invent currency instantly but rather used cowry shells as their means of excha nge. These individuals used cowry shells in trade until coins were introduced in around the fifth century (Van et al., 2010). Decades later, the coins advanced to bronze with a square hole and henceforth became a means of exchange all over China as well as in other countries. Porcelain is among the Chinese inventions and contributions whose main application was in the production of home ware and

Definition of the Word Family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Definition of the Word Family - Essay Example The paper tells that family means a number of different things to different individuals- family may cross a number of generations, change, as a result, of certain changes in life events such as remarriage, divorce and children relocating from their parental homes, and might even span several households. In most cases, people find it easier to define a family by not how it looks or how it is structured but by its roles and functions- supporting, loving, caring and protecting those in a family. In defining a family, it is essential to realize that children and marriage are not prerequisites for the formation of a family. In the past few years, there has been a development to a boost in the amount of childless couples and smaller families, as well as, lone- person families or households. It is also critical to remember that extended families might cross or span more than one household, and that individuals living by themselves are not necessarily living without families. More and more i ndividuals are forming more than one family across their lifetime, because of the greater rates of re- partnering and separation. A number of types of families, and families at certain points in the family life- cycle, may have different needs, strength and vulnerabilities. Some of these include one- parent families, jobless families, indigenous families, families from different, diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, families with responsibilities in caring, and families in remote and rural societies. It is clear from the points noted here that family is a complex unit that has no one specific definition (Forbes 2-34). The purpose of this article, consequently, is to draw attention to the different kinds of definitions of the family unit in regards to its functions, what it is, what it is not and according to how authorities define it. In addition to this, the paper will benefit exceedingly from examples derived from the book Journey by Sonia Nazario, which is a story about a certain family that will serve as an excellent example of what a family is and of different kinds of families. Family can be defined as the most fundamental unit. It represents individuals living together by ties of blood, marriage or adaption, therefore, representing a single household. According to sociology, the family unit as a key role of reproducing and expanding the society, both socially and biologically. There are numerous different structure of families based on the associations that exist between parents and children. There are different kinds of families present which are determined by who makes up the family. There are those families that only consist of the father and children; others are consisted of the mother and children. Other families consist of a mother, her children and other people who are in most cases derived from the mother’s family. Other families consists one or more mothers living together with their children, with other people and their spouses (Fine 65- 79). In this case, an example is the family described in the book the Journey, which at first was composed of the mother and her two children and member’s of Lourdes’ family. Relationships that exist between a family, and those that determine the type of the family, are those mainly between parents and children and they are different from culture to culture. One of the most common family types is the nuclear family. This family type is composed of the marital couple living with their children separate from other individuals. The joint family usually is the extension of the nuclear family, and exists when children of one sex stay at their parental home. In such a case, the children bring along their spouses to live with them in their parental home even after marriage (Fine 65- 79). These are only handful cases of the numerous types of families. Other kinds of families include only child families, large families, single parent families, blended families, gay an d lesbian parent