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Examining the Impact An Evaluation of the Call Me Mister Program
Examining the Impact: An Evaluation of the Call Me Mister Program
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Introduction
The Call Me Mister Program, short form for the Mentors Instructing Students toward Effective Role Models, is an institution-based program geared towards providing more teachers from a wider background, particularly the more underrepresented minority groups such as Hispanics and African Americans (Nixon, 2013). The lack of enough male teachers in the country is especially reflected within the minority groups, some of who did not initially have requisite opportunities to pursue worthy education. As stressed by the program administrators in different states, the program is especially focused towards promoting greater participation of African American scholars, since this particular group is significantly underrepresented compared to other groups (Martin, 2011). The success of this program has been the subject of several researches, most of which have focused on the background and rolling out phases, and justification for the enactment of the program, progress and current status (Nixon, 2013). However, Nixon (2013) noted that many more researchers have given the issue of minority representation a more general look, incorporating their analysis of the Call Me Mister program amongst other similar programs in the country. However, the current study is particularly concerned about the impact that the program has had with regard to the goals set at the inception stage.
At this point it is essential to outline how this program has been rolled out nationally. A birth child of the Clemson University of South Carolina, the Call Me Mister program was rolled in the year 2000. At the time, only four institutions participated: Clemson University, Benedict College, Claflin University and Morris College (Nixon, 2013). As of February 2013, twenty colleges within South Carolina had taken up the program, while more colleges in some other eight states had joined in. Initially, the program was intended to see more African Americans join the elementary school to teach at this level (Lee, 2011). This followed an observed lack of adequate representation of this group at the elementary level of teaching despite the growing diversity of the schooling population (Kunjufu et al, n.d.). Different institutions of higher learning offer varying sums of money per academic semester to program participants as stipends for sustenance when on program mission. At the same time, participants are required to meet specific GPA scores, on top of being required to be accomplished scholars or pursuing university studies at the undergraduate or post-graduate levels (Nixon, 2013; Ahmad & Boser, 2014).
Background and Justification
By 2010, African Americans constituted only 2% of all teachers in the country, against a total 12.2% African Americans in the country (Nixon, 2013). This indicates a huge disparity between the two figures – it is apparent that some other racial groups enjoy a higher ration of teachers compared to their actual population. For instance, Whites (who constitute 63% according to the 2010 population census) comprise 87% of the teacher population in the US (Nixon, 2013; Martin, 2011). On the ground, this inequality means that persons from minority groups, especially the African Americans complete a fraction or the whole of their academic lives without meeting teachers/ lecturers of African American descent. This is the inequality that the Call Me Mister was instituted to address. Evidently, a trade-off between racial background and employment into teaching positions is a reality in the current setup.
Unfortunately, the current setup does not provide the best environment for African Americans to study in. Research shows that students from the minority groups are unable to relate well with environments that are predominantly White, including where teachers/ instructors are not exclusively White (Martin, 2011). This paints a picture to the effect that since no more schools retain the old, backward policies of “Whites only”, every teaching institution should have teachers of all racial backgrounds represented in the country at the moment. Research has been carried out to document the successes of the program. Part of the successes of the program can be attributed to the increased success of African American students in the academic fields compared to their past performance. Specific success has been noted amongst students of the minority groups who have had mentors from their respective racial groups (Ahmad & Boser, 2014). Therefore, it is paramount that research into the quantification of the successes of the program is carried out. This study investigates the impacts of the program, in a manner that has not been done before. I will examine the academic progress of African American students in schools where mentors from the program have had contact with students, against the performance of students of majority racial groups.
The Research Problem
However, the results and the praise that the program appears to have gained do not correspond with the reality on the ground. For once, the onset of teachers of color in our institutions must have had some impact on the performance of White majority students. Having been used to environments where teachers are predominantly White means that these students could have taken a dip in their performances. What about the African American students? Has the program really led to an improvement in student grades over time? Evidence of higher retention rates of African American students remains unclear, largely because it is not straightforward whether African American mentors have led to higher retention rates of students of their descent within the education system. This far, the auditing done to the program appears to give a weak picture of its status. This lack of proper auditing of the Call Me Mister program will continue to present a picture that closes avenues for challenge and further betterment. This setting must be challenged, and more diverse views allowed into the program. While my research aims at providing a fair picture of the status of the program, I hope that I will provide authentic results and new dimensions that will open up the program to more varied methods of scrutiny in future.
Deficiencies in the Evidence
As noted above, the evidence available towards the achievements of the Call Me Mister program is largely in its support, and the methodologies employed so far seem to favor presentation of advantages over disadvantages. This research takes the deliberate position that the program is faced with many weaknesses, not just in rolling out, but also in the way it contributes to students’ grades where rolled out already. For instance, does the program provide equal opportunities for all majority and minority groups? How does the program safeguard against eroding the gains already accumulated by the White majority without necessarily presenting undeserved advantages to this group? These pertinent questions remain unanswered. Equally, the theoretical framework within which the program is founded lacks intervention through such popularly strong and deterministically effective frameworks as the life course theory, the critical race theory and so on.
Further reflection shows that there has not been prioritization of the kind or extent of efforts needed to roll out the program nationally. For instance, good documentation could present more funding options and intervention by the government which would shift the financial burden born by the educational institutions to the government. So where is the weak link? The weakness again lies in the provision of credible evidence that could influence government decisions and present the advantages of the program to the whole nation. Again, the way in which cultural interaction and integration are taught to the mentors is not clearly outlined in the program’s long-term plan. Lastly, the despite this program being launched to respond to the plight of boys in the more White-staffed schools, there is no clear research to show why boys of African American descent deserve the intervention more than the girls. These pieces of weaknesses could not have gone unnoticed, and this could be the reason why some potential stakeholders have not yet shipped in.
Audience
The importance of this research underlines reason why it nets a wide audience. Racial inequality is a national problem that affects the image of the country. More so, it affects the self images of individuals belonging to the minority groups, including their ability to remain within the education system till completion of basic or college education. Secondly, the four academic institutions of South Carolina where inception of the program occurred are a steady party of interest since they would like to keep track of the progress of their birth child at any time. Whether this program is adopted nationally, it would, in fact, be necessary to recognize the role played by Clemson University, and perhaps station the headquarters there. The management of the university must be considering this position and that highlights their position as the number one interest group. All institutions of higher learning would be viable avenues to coordinate the progress of the program nationwide. It is therefore worthy recognizing that as much as all universities and colleges must have learnt about the program and many even considered adopting it, they must be interested in knowing the progress of the program. The government and several of its institutions, including the Department of Education are among the obviously interested party. In line with this last interest group’s interests, foreign governments and policy formulators would like to capture the best the US government or its institutions succeed in implementing.
Definition of Terms
Important terms and phrases used in the study are highlighted and defined below.
The Call Me Mister Program (Mentors Instructing Students toward Effective Role Models): This is a program set up by Clemson University alongside three other South Carolina universities in 2000 to bring onboard more African American male teachers into the elementary schooling system for the purposes of inspiring more students from the group into academic excellence.
Minority groups: Racial-ethnic groups within the US other than the Whites. Examples include the Asian Americans, African Americans and Hispanics.
Majority group: This group is usually used to refer to Whites since they occupy a significantly large section of the population. In line with this assertion, this study identifies Whites as the lone majority group. Further, a distinction is drawn to distinguish White Hispanics from Non-Hispanic Whites.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impacts of the Call Me Mister program – to highlight some of the impacts associated with investment into the program. To highlight these impacts, I will assess the effectiveness of the program in sustaining the intention for which it was intended at inception, and the impacts it has had on other students who experience change of balance when African American male teachers and mentors enter into systems that were initially largely dominated by White teachers. These aims will be evaluated across the following criteria:
Test whether the student performance of African American students in schools where the Call Me mister program has been rolled out has improved significantly compared to the time period immediately before the program initiation.
Compare the performance of White students before and after the launch of the program.
Seek if there is a relationship between the number of mentors introduced in a school and the overall change in performance of the African American students.
Seek whether a significant relationship exists between the performance of White students and the number of African American mentors in any particular elementary school.
Seek for region-specific performance improvement, based on region’s and consequently school’s total enrolment of African American learners
Seek for region-specific performance improvement, based on the location of the school and the length of time the program has been operational in the particular institution.
Examine whether the performances of boys ranked more favorably against those of girls in the same classes after going through the program.
Literature Review
Theoretical Framework
This research study uses the life course theory (LCT) as a framework to examine the impacts of the Call Me Mister program. In context of the current study, the LCT is a framework through which the entry of life changing events into the lives of individuals can be examined alongside such factors as environmental setup and its influences, the relevance of historical events on the current lives of individuals, and the influence that interdependence with other members of the society has on current and future decisions (Mus & Eker, 2011). There are five principles of the LCT applicable to this study.
Interplay between Historical Times and Human Lives. This principle is founded on the premise that the historical background of the individual is an influential factor of who they are today, and what we observe them do (Mus & Eker, 2011). In light of the current study, it is the African Americans’ history that should be viewed as an influence on their academic achievements and how they relate with and view teachers of White descent in their schools. This principle forms the basic background from which we can examine the current number of African American male teachers, and the status of the African American elementary school male learner and the dilemma he faces in institutions in which he lacks role models he can clearly relate with, especially those he considers to be of his descent.
Timing of Lives. This principle asserts that certain behaviors are closely related to the biological, social and physiological age of the individual, and that this impacts the change an important event has on the lives of individuals (Stansbury & Victor, 2008). It is estimated that the earlier a child’s life path (for instance, altering who they think they are and influencing what they think they can achieve) should happen in their formative years (Mus & Eker, 2011). This places the necessity of implementing the Call Me Mister program on the much younger generations, especially kids at the elementary school. Obviously, African American boys in the elementary school who need this intervention but cannot get it are bound to take a relatively less assured path towards academic excellence.
Human Agency. The principle insinuates that the actions that people take at any point in their lives have implications on their future life trajectories (Stansbury & Victor, 2008). These choices are partly influenced by the opportunities presented to the individual prior to making the decisions (Mus & Eker, 2011; Stansbury & Victor, 2008). For instance, if a child is presented with the opportunity to believe that they can perform like a role model they know, the boost in confidence will almost certainly see them more determined to perform well in school. This forms part of the thinking behind the Call Me Mister program, but is hardly ever acknowledged so.
Diversity in Life Course Trajectories. This principle stresses the impact of cohort variations, gender, and social class among other factors on the path that an individual’s life takes (Stansbury & Victor, 2008). For instance, many African Americans are considered to be relatively poorer than their White colleagues (Henfield, 2013), which places members of the two groups in different social classes. Stansbury and Victor (2008) noted that such classifications have implications on how the group generally views life events. We can imagine a child growing up seeing and believing that her parents are poor because they are Black would be less likely to work towards getting as rich as members of the more distant White community. This trend is also adaptable to the educational path of the Black child.
Developmental Risk and Protection. This principle focuses on the risks and protection factors that certain environments offer (Stansbury & Victor, 2008). Practically, these factors affect the life trajectories of the individual. Risk factors include being brought up in an environment that actively inhibits success, exposure to violence and diseases, and other factors capable of undermining ones belief in academic excellence. Protection factors are any actions or measures that actively inhibit manifestation of the risk factors. These factors usually come as interventional measures (Mus & Eker, 2011). One such factor is the introduction of mentors for the African American male children, who statistics show as being more prone to joining criminal gangs, dropping out of school early, and underachieving in school.
Synthesis of Findings
By 2008, 16.9% of teachers in all public schools in the country were form minority groups. However, this figure presents a sharp contrast to the 44% documented population of students from minority groups (Martin, 2011). Lee (2011) provided further details of the face of disparities in academic achievements of students of color and their White colleagues. According to him, 70.7% of Asian Americans had at least an associate degree, compared to Whites’ 49% and a further disparaging 30.3% of African Americans. To that effect, Littles Bowers and Gilmer (2007) observed that the US education policy has not been effective in ensuring retention of African American students. Further research shows that only 25% of all teachers in the country are male, a figure that worsens to 10% at the elementary level (Johnson, 2008).
Johnson (2008) underscored the implication of these low numbers of male elementary teachers, noting that the current situation undermines the democratic, equality, and egalitarian principles mandated to schools for propagation. Worse still for the system, the country is experiencing a high turnover of elementary school teachers. In the state of California, the state government has endeavored to retain these teachers by offering salary supplements to their salaries (Achinstein, Ogawa & Sexton, 2010). Ahmad and Boser (2014) noted that racial diversity is not yet achieved as far as employment of elementary teachers in the US is concerned. This racial imbalance in employment is contributes to underachievement of students of color. The researchers further acknowledge that students of color need models of their own racial background to inspire them to academic and professional success.
Evidence shows that students of color perform better when taught by teachers from their ethnic backgrounds (Ahmad & Boser, 2014). Regarding employment trends by the government, Gallavan (2013) noted that negligible difference has been observed in addressing the disproportionate ratio of African American teacher-student ration over the last 30 years. Notably, this period encompasses the fourteen years since inception of the Call Me Mister program. The researcher further notes that several socio-cultural factors inhibit potential success of White teachers with African American learners. Particularly, the researcher identifies the lack of will to work with multi-culturally sensitive classes as an obstacle to increasing success of learners of color. Acknowledging that empathy is variously defined in different research articles, Johnson (2008) acknowledged that many researchers have established that most White teachers lack empathy while handling African American learners. African American male learners were the poorest performing lot in our institutions up to 2012 (Henfield, 2013). Baghurst et al. (2014) noted that in order to bridge the gap in the African American teacher-learner ratio it is essential to sustain such programs as the Call Me Mister, and explore ways to utilize them nationally.
Nature of Further Research
Further research into the Call Me Mister program and the overall success in bridging the gap between the number of African American elementary teachers and learners should focus more on providing the audience with reliable statistics that present opportunities for replication. So far, most research has gone into theoretical discussions of the status of the problem. This methodology is void of hard statistics to support the success of the programs. This could be the reason behind the observed low responsiveness of the education department towards endeavoring to promote equitable employment of all racial groups. Furthermore, since there has been “enough” emphasis on qualitative research (which has the obvious advantage of being able to narrate actual events, situations and occurrences) into the impacts of the Call Me mister and related programs, it is essential that further research shifts to more quantitative approaches. The main advantage of quantitative research is the ability to present easy-to-relate-with statistics, which make the method more effective and understandable. More so, researchers can opt to adopt mixed-methods approaches, which employ both qualitative and quantitative methods.
Strengths and Shortcomings in Design of Previous Research
Cohort studies have previously been employed to interrogate the successes of programs similar to the Call Me Mister. The method is especially strong since cohorts provide essentially related narrations that easily shape a research and provide direction for presenting arguments in the research. However, the effectiveness of a study is also measured in terms of the ability to provide hard facts to readers at a glance. Statistical methods present this option, and they should be the new front for exploration of the impacts and performance of the Call Me Mister and related programs.
Critique of the Literature
As a precursor to beginning this research, I undertook to study the nature of literature on the Call Me Mister program. Remarkably, no literature criticizing this program was identified. Thjis implies that previous research has presented discussions in the form of monologues. This is partly unhealthy since no hard facts are presented to support the uni-dimensional discussions. Perhaps, this is the basis of the lack of rigorous evaluation of the program. However, as evidenced in the synthesis of findings above, all is not well in the education sector. The Call Me Mister program cannot be as effective as stated by several researchers including Achinstein et al. (2010), Baghurst et al. (2014) and Medford, Knorr and Cook (2013) yet more research underpins the inequality between teacher-employment for different racial groups. Further analysis shows that there lacks a suitable theoretical framework within which to address this issue. In response to this, my research intends to confine the evaluation of the Call Me Mister within the life course theory. Of course, adopting a more quantitative approach calls for greater utilization of mathematically recognizable variables. Some of the possible variables include performance (scores of students), numbers of student mentors in schools, and length of time since introduction of the Call Me Mister program in the particular institution.
Research Questions
Based on the aims outlined in the study purposes section, I will examine the following research questions in this study:
Have the performances of African American students improved significantly after the introduction of the Call Me Mister program?
Have the performances of White students improved/ deteriorated significantly after the introduction of the program?
Does the number of mentors (MISTERs) introduced in a school relate to the performance of African American students under the mentorship program?
Does the number of MISTERs introduced in a school have an impact on the rate of improvement or deterioration of the results of the White students?
Do schools located within regions with higher African American populations benefit more or less from introduction of the program’s MISTERs?
Do schools within regions that enrolled to the program tend to have better performances by African American students?
Do the performances of girls outshine those of the boys before undergoing the mentorship? How do the results of girls and boys compare after boys undergo the mentorship?
References
Achinstein, B., Ogawa, R. T. & Sexton, D. (2010). Retaining teachers of color: A pressing problem and a potential strategy for “hard-to-staff” schools. Review of Educational Research. 80(1): 71-107.
Ahmad, F. Z. & Boser, U. (May 2014). America’s leaky pipeline for teachers of color: Getting more teachers of color into the classroom. New York: Center for American Progress.
Baghurst, T., Murray, E., Jayne, C. & Carter, D. (March 2014). Leadership and management skills of junior college athletic directors. The Sport Journal. ISSN: 1543-9518.
Gallavan, N. P. (2013). Continuing the conversation: Sociocultural factors that contribute to the overrepresentation of Black males in special education. ARATE Electronic Journal. 4(2).
Henfield, M. S. (2013). Culturally responsive education for African American males: Merging theory, research, and practice. Interdisciplinary Journal of Teaching and Learning. 3(3): 132-203. ISSN: 2158-592X.
Johnson, S. P. (2008). The status of male teachers in public education today. Education Policy Brief. 6(4).
Kunjufu, J., Shelby, A., Potier, D., Lora, D. & Johnson, R. (n.d.). Educating the African American and Latino male child. Hip Hop Street – Curriculum.
Lee, J. M. (2011). The educational experience of young men of color: A review of research, pathways and progress. The College Board , Advanced Placement Program, AP, SAT. NY: Advanced Placement Program.
Littles, M. J., Bowers, R. & Gilmer, M. (2007). Why we can’t wait. A case for philanthropic action: Opportunities for improving life outcomes for African American males. A Report for the Ford Foundation. New York: The Ford Foundation.
Martin, J. (2011). Best practices in minority teacher recruitment: A literature review. Connecticut: Connecticut RESC Alliance.
Medford, L., Knorr, R. & Cook, M. (2013). Men missing from the PK-12 classroom – A discussion of research-based explanations. SRATE Journal. 22(2): 14-21.
Mus, E. & Eker, A. (2011). An analysis of life course theories. Turkish Journal of Police Studies. 13(3): 147-166.
Nixon, A. (2013). New book tells story of Clemson’s Call Me MISTER program. The News Stand. Retrieved from newsstand.clemson.edu/mediarelations/new-book-tells-the-story-of-clemsons-call-me-mister-program/. (Accessed: 19th June, 2014).
Stansbury, J. M. & Victor, B. (2008). Whistle blowing among young employees: A life-course perspective. Journal of Business Ethics. 85: 281–299.
Examining of Advanced Technology on employment
Examining the Impact of Advanced Technology on Employment Patterns in China
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Institution
Abstract
Technological advancement is an essential driver of industrial and economic development through improved efficiency and productivity. The development of a nation is, therefore, dependent on technological development. The advancement of technology in the industrial sector is categorized into periods of the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution has both positive and negative impact. This study seeks to evaluate the impact of technological advancement on employment patterns in China with the focus being on technological unemployment. The study used external secondary information from different Chinese publication sites including China Statistical Yearbook, Chinese national Bureau of Statistics, and scholarly articles, to extract information on industrial development in China between 2009 and 2019. The main focus was on the impact of industrialization on employment patterns with the emphasis on technological unemployment. The study findings indicate the importance of technological unemployment. In 2011, there were reported 21.6 million registered unemployed people. The figure had reduced in 2018 to 9.75 million in urban areas. However, the national unemployment figures remained constant at 4.1% as of 2019. Besides, the introduction of artificial intelligence in the coastal cities of china resulted in 30 to 40% job losses as of 2019. The estimated job losses as of 2050 will be 26%. Therefore, the introduction of automation technology has a negative impact on job opportunities. The study findings are vital in mitigating the future risk of introduction of robotics to the industry. There is a risk of job losses if the current trend persists. Therefore, the Chinese government must develop and implement policies to ensure the same technology can create job opportunities for the entire Chinese population.
Table of Contents
TOC o “1-3” h z u 1.0 Introduction PAGEREF _Toc44783892 h 11.1 Background Information PAGEREF _Toc44783893 h 11.2 Research Questions PAGEREF _Toc44783894 h 31.3.1 Main Objective PAGEREF _Toc44783895 h 31.4 Justification PAGEREF _Toc44783896 h 41.5 Dissertation Structure PAGEREF _Toc44783897 h 62.0 Literature Review PAGEREF _Toc44783898 h 72.1 Industrialization in China PAGEREF _Toc44783899 h 82.1.1 Industrialization Development Stages in China PAGEREF _Toc44783900 h 82.2 China’s Industrialization Achievements PAGEREF _Toc44783901 h 112.2.1 Economic Growth PAGEREF _Toc44783902 h 112.2.2 Employment Opportunities PAGEREF _Toc44783903 h 132.2.3 Industrial Challenge of Unemployment PAGEREF _Toc44783904 h 143.0 Methodology PAGEREF _Toc44783905 h 163.1 Secondary Information Search PAGEREF _Toc44783906 h 163.2 Data analysis PAGEREF _Toc44783907 h 173.3 Technological Changes Affecting Chinese Labor Force PAGEREF _Toc44783908 h 173.4 Impact of Advanced Technology on Chinese Labor Force PAGEREF _Toc44783909 h 173.5 Contribution of Advanced Technology on Unemployment in China PAGEREF _Toc44783910 h 174.0 Industrial Revolution PAGEREF _Toc44783911 h 184.1. The First Industrial Revolution PAGEREF _Toc44783912 h 194.2 The Second Industrial Revolution PAGEREF _Toc44783913 h 204.3 The Third Industrial Revolution PAGEREF _Toc44783914 h 214.4 The Fourth Industrial Revolution PAGEREF _Toc44783915 h 225.0 Data PAGEREF _Toc44783916 h 235.1 Total Employed and Unemployed Population in China PAGEREF _Toc44783917 h 235.2 Total Unemployed Youth in China PAGEREF _Toc44783918 h 265.3 Total Number of Rural to Urban Migrants in China PAGEREF _Toc44783919 h 285.4 Number of Employed People per Sector PAGEREF _Toc44783920 h 305.4.1 Agricultural Sector PAGEREF _Toc44783921 h 325.4.2 Manufacturing Industry PAGEREF _Toc44783922 h 335.4.3 Service Sector PAGEREF _Toc44783923 h 355.5 Technological Changes in in China PAGEREF _Toc44783924 h 375.5.1 Investment in Research and Development (R&D) in China PAGEREF _Toc44783925 h 376.0 Data Analysis PAGEREF _Toc44783926 h 416.1 The Relationship Between the number of employed people and advancing technology PAGEREF _Toc44783927 h 426.2 The Relationship between Unemployment and Technology in China PAGEREF _Toc44783928 h 436.3 Relationship between Technology and Total Unemployed Youth in China PAGEREF _Toc44783929 h 446.4 Relationship between technology and the Total Number of Rural to Urban Migrants in China PAGEREF _Toc44783930 h 456.5 The Relationship between the Number of People Employed in Agricultural Sector and Technology in China PAGEREF _Toc44783931 h 466.6 Relationship between the Number of People Employed in Manufacturing Sector and Technology in China PAGEREF _Toc44783932 h 466.7 Relationship between the Number of People Employed in Service Sector and Technology in China PAGEREF _Toc44783933 h 486.8 Comparison with R&D PAGEREF _Toc44783934 h 497.0 Findings and Discussion PAGEREF _Toc44783935 h 527.1 Findings PAGEREF _Toc44783936 h 527.1.1 Technological Changes Affecting Chinese Labor Force PAGEREF _Toc44783937 h 527.1.2 Impact of Advanced Technology on Chinese Labor Force PAGEREF _Toc44783938 h 547.1.3 Contribution of Advanced Technology on Employment in China PAGEREF _Toc44783939 h 567.1.4 Contribution of Advanced Technology on Unemployment in China PAGEREF _Toc44783940 h 577.2 Discussion PAGEREF _Toc44783941 h 597.2.1 The Demand and Supply of Labor Force in China PAGEREF _Toc44783942 h 597.2.2 Factors Contributing to Automation Need in the Industries in China PAGEREF _Toc44783943 h 617.2.3 Artificial Intelligence and Technological Unemployment PAGEREF _Toc44783944 h 637.2.4 Limitation of the Study PAGEREF _Toc44783945 h 668.0 Conclusion and Recommendations PAGEREF _Toc44783946 h 678.1 Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc44783947 h 678.2 Recommendations PAGEREF _Toc44783948 h 68References PAGEREF _Toc44783949 h 70
List of Figures
TOC h z c “Figure” Figure 1 A graph showing the GDP contributed by the three sectors of the industry in China. PAGEREF _Toc44783980 h 12Figure 2 A graph showing the GDP rise in China from 2010 until 2019. PAGEREF _Toc44783981 h 13Figure 3 A graph showing the estimated unemployed population in China. PAGEREF _Toc44783982 h 15Figure 4 A graph showing the rate of educated unemployment and low qualified proportion in the total urban unemployed population.. PAGEREF _Toc44783983 h 15Figure 5 An image showing different features of the fourth industrial revolution. PAGEREF _Toc44783984 h 22Figure 6 A graph showing the trend of employed people in China. PAGEREF _Toc44783985 h 24Figure 7 A graph showing the trend of unemployed people in China.. PAGEREF _Toc44783986 h 26Figure 8 A graph showing the trend of the proportion of unemployed youth in China.. PAGEREF _Toc44783987 h 27Figure 9 A graph showing migrant trend in China.. PAGEREF _Toc44783988 h 30Figure 10 A graph showing employment trend in China.. PAGEREF _Toc44783989 h 31Figure 11 A graph showing employment trend in agricultural sector in China. PAGEREF _Toc44783990 h 33Figure 12 A graph showing employment trend in manufacturing sector in China. PAGEREF _Toc44783991 h 34Figure 13 A graph showing employment trend in service sector in China. PAGEREF _Toc44783992 h 36Figure 14 A graph showing R&D expenditure trend in China. PAGEREF _Toc44783993 h 39Figure 15 A graph showing R&D expenditure trend in China.. PAGEREF _Toc44783994 h 40Figure 16 An image showing relationship between employment rate and advancing technology in China.. PAGEREF _Toc44783995 h 42Figure 17 An image showing relationship between the numbers of unemployment people and advancing technology in China. PAGEREF _Toc44783996 h 43Figure 18 An image showing relationship between the numbers of unemployed youth and advancing technology in China. PAGEREF _Toc44783997 h 44Figure 19 An image showing relationship between the numbers of rural to urban migrants and advancing technology in China.. PAGEREF _Toc44783998 h 45Figure 20 An image showing relationship between the number of people employed in agricultural sector and technology. PAGEREF _Toc44783999 h 46Figure 21 An image showing relationship between the numbers of people employed in manufacturing sector and technology in China.. PAGEREF _Toc44784000 h 47Figure 22 An image showing relationship between the numbers of people employed in service sector and technology in China.. PAGEREF _Toc44784001 h 49Figure 23 An image showing the relationship between the numbers of employed people in manufacturing sector from 2012 with technology PAGEREF _Toc44784002 h 51Figure 24 A graph showing work force estimations as at 2050. PAGEREF _Toc44784003 h 53Figure 25 A graph showing impact of technological changes in agricultural sector. PAGEREF _Toc44784004 h 55Figure 26 A graph showing the impact of technological changes in manufacturing industry in China. PAGEREF _Toc44784005 h 56Figure 27 A graph showing the proportion of unemployed people in China. PAGEREF _Toc44784006 h 58Figure 28 A graph showing the demographics substitution probability with automation technology in China. PAGEREF _Toc44784007 h 63
List of Tables
TOC h z c “Table” Table 1 A table showing the percentage of the total employed and unemployed people in China.. PAGEREF _Toc44197737 h 23Table 2 A table showing the number of the urban unemployed people in China.. PAGEREF _Toc44197738 h 25Table 3 A table showing the percentage of the total unemployed youth in China. PAGEREF _Toc44197739 h 27Table 4 A table showing the number of rural to urban migrants in China. PAGEREF _Toc44197740 h 29Table 5 A table showing the number of employed people in agricultural sector in China. PAGEREF _Toc44197741 h 32Table 6 A table showing the number of employed people in manufacturing sector in China. PAGEREF _Toc44197742 h 34Table 7 A table showing the number of employed people in service sector in China. PAGEREF _Toc44197743 h 36Table 8 A table showing the R&D expenditure in China. PAGEREF _Toc44197744 h 38
1.0 Introduction1.1 Background InformationAdvancing technology is a vital driver of industrial growth and rapid economic development through mass production. Technological progress results in increasing productivity, which boosts consumption and per capita income (Allen, 2009). Furthermore, technology influences the nature and quality of work in the industry sector. Therefore, the improvement of technology causes the development of the industry sector and society. Studies have shown that technology, society, and institutions have demonstrated to evolve together. The technological advancement has been gradual over time with slow improvement of the existing technology or innovation of new technology (Colombo et al., 2017). In other instances, the development has been rapid, causing the breakthrough that is experienced in various industries. The advancement of technology has resulted in the transformation of the economies and the organizational structure of societies. However, advanced technology has developed undesirable effects such as technological unemployment within society.
The technology supports the development history of humankind. Historically, the industrial revolution in the 1960s was characterized by the advancement of the machine industry from the workshop handicraft through technology (Hong, 2004). During the period of the industrial revolution, machines were used to replace the workforce to improve productivity. However, studies have shown that technological progress is characterized by improved production and reduced labor in production. The industrial revolution caused the hand factory to be replaced by the machine factory. The massive technological revolution deprived the manual workers of their labor. Hence, continuous technological improvement causes the labor force to experience low-skilled labor. The operation of machines requires high-skilled labor to improve the efficiency of production and reduce machine breakdown (Buera & Shin, 2013). The numbers of machine operators are few compared to handcraft. Therefore, the advancement of technology has resulted in a loss of employment for many people working in primary and secondary sector over time. However, advancing technology has led to creation of employment in the tertiary sector.
Industrialization and development are associated with the advancement in technology. New technology in China has improved economic development by raising national income through increased industrial output (Feng et al., 2017). Globally, policymakers pay attention to technological innovation and inventions. Similarly, Chinese economic policy has promoted science and technology in the past years. The recently released National Guidelines for Medium- and Long-term Plans for Science and Technology Development of China (2006-2020), focuses on the technological changes. The Chinese firms have embraced the promotion with the development of artificial intelligence (AI) machines (Maynard, 2015). The development of AI has caused major technological and production breakthroughs in China. However, these machines require few skilled personnel within the departments. The low skilled staff is laid down because of the reduced services required. Therefore, the advancement of technology has enormous breakthroughs in industrial production but affects the living standards of the people and increases the possibility of increased poverty.
Previous studies have determined that the advanced technology in industries potentially cause rapid and enormous developments. The revolution will become the driving force in future upgrading and economic development (Colombo et al., 2017). This dissertation focusses on the impact of advanced technology in the employment patterns in China. Past studies have different views on employment patterns resulting from advanced technology with different views on technological unemployment. The advanced technology has been demonstrated with the main objective being industrial efficiency (Dollar et al., 2003). However, the link between advanced technology and technological unemployment is not elaborate. Therefore, it is crucial to study the impact of advanced technology on employment patterns in China, with a special focus on technological unemployment. To do this, the employment patterns in China resulting from advanced technology were considered with a special focus between 2009 and 2019 (ten years). The results from this period will give an insight into the current trend, which can be used to provide a likely future trend with a continued trend of technological advances. The findings showed a significant unemployment trend to be caused by advanced technology. Therefore, at the industry level, the stakeholders should find the possible ways of creating employment using the same technology to realize industrial expansion and growth.
1.2 Research QuestionsVarious questions need to be considered for testing the study hypotheses. These questions include:
What is the importance of advanced technology in employment?
What are the changes in technology affecting the labor force in China?
What is the extent that advanced technology causes unemployment?
What actions can be taken to ensure the advanced technology creates employment?
1.3 Research Objectives
1.3.1 Main ObjectiveTo determine the impact of advanced technology on employment patterns in China
1.3.1.1 Specific Objectives
To evaluate the technological changes affecting the labor force in China
To examine how advanced technology results in unemployment
To assess the positive impact of advanced technology on the labor force in China
1.4 JustificationThe first industrial revolution was marked by introduction of machines that were mainly water powered. Besides, the second revolution was characterized by innovations in petroleum, iron, electricity, and steel production. The third revolution was marked by introduction of automation technology. The fourth industrial revolution, characterized by the extensive implementation of current advanced technologies, will result not only in income equity and labor markets but also in global market changes (Walker, 2014). However, the nature and consequences of the change are not established. Therefore, there is a need to create a balance between the labor force and advancing technology to ensure appropriate strategies are in place to avoid undesirable effects of the Industrial Revolution (Ruan & Zhang, 2009). The continued reduction of the need for human labor because of new technological innovation requires proper ways to mitigate the impact and create better ways using the same technology to allow the creation of new employment opportunities that will benefit the growing population. Research studies aimed at reducing the uncertainty due to advanced technology will ensure preparedness for future risks.
Globally, many countries and states suffer from an unemployment problem. The advanced technology enhances the process of development through efficiency in production (Maynard, 2015). Therefore, it is crucial for the countries embracing the new technologies to set up policies that regulate the technological function and labor force to ensure the creation of job opportunities and not cutting off the staff. Studies and research on the significant problems of unemployment are essential to provide proper guidelines and solutions to alleviate the world’s crisis. Effective policies need to be developed, such as reallocation policies in cases where the technology results in less income supply. Therefore, technology should be embraced and policies created to mitigate the effects it has at the country and global levels.
Technology has been identified as the main enhancer of the economy, with policies promoting advancement being put in place. Globally, many countries, including China, have set policies that encourage technological advancement through development and innovation (Feng, 2011). The advanced technology has brought many positive impacts in the industrial sector. However, the advancement of technology has a negative effect causing a significant rise in the number of unemployment cases. Besides, technological changes have affected mainly the manufacturing and the service sector. Moreover, the development of machines using advanced technology, such as the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI), has been associated with improved efficiency, cost reduction, and saving time (Buera & Shin, 2013). However, the different industries have replaced staff with machines that are managed and operated by fewer people resulting in a higher unemployment rate. The low skilled personnel is cut off, and their services replaced by robots to save time and cost. Therefore, both desirable and undesirable effects in the industrial sector accompany advanced technology.
On the other hand, advanced technology has desirable outcomes. The advancement of technology could result in innovations to improve production methods or increase the scale of production in the manufacturing sector. Consequently, the amount of required labor will increase with growing technology. China has a higher population and experience employment problem causing wastage of social labor and social stability of the country. The cost of unemployment is expensive, characterized by increased financial expenditure in the country. Advanced technology is the main priority that causes rapid and stable economic development with its success. Moreover, the advancing technology has created more employment opportunities in the service sector. The fourth wave in the industrial revolution is due to high technology, which becomes the central pillar for the national economy and the transformation of social and economic development.
1.5 Dissertation StructureThis dissertation has been organized into eight chapters. Chapter 1 is the introduction and covers background information, research questions, research objectives, and justification for the research study. The background information contextualizes the study, focusing on global impact and an introduction to the overview in China. The chapter also gives a brief outline of the methodology, findings, and recommendations.
Chapter 2 is the literature review covering the historical perspective of the technological changes through reviewing the literature on the industrial revolution. The section covers the four industrial revolution and the technological changes associated with each industrial revolution. The chapter also reviews research on industrialization in China. Furthermore, it covers the stages of industrialization and economic growth. Besides, the literature on the employment opportunities associated with the technological changes in China is reviewed. Furthermore, the challenge of unemployment associated with industrialization in china was reviewed.
Chapter 3 focuses on the methodology. The chapter focuses on how the secondary information was obtained on various aspects under study, including the technological changes affecting the labor force, the impact of advanced technology on the labor force, and the contribution of advanced technology on unemployment in China.
Chapter 4 focuses on industrial revolution, which is the basis of the technological changes. Technology has changed with time affecting mainly the manufacturing and service sector. Therefore, the chapter discusses the industrial revolutions that have initially and are currently affecting these sectors.
Chapter 5 and 6 focuses on data and analysis. The main areas are the employment and the unemployment trends between 2009 and 2019. The analysis done is main the descriptive analysis to show the relationship between the various variables with the changes in time. the analysis will be performed using Microsoft Excel 2019.
Chapter 7 focuses on the findings and discussion of the findings from the secondary sources mentioned in chapter 3. The main areas of focus include the technological changes affecting the labor force, the impact of advanced technology on the labor force, and the contribution of advanced technology on unemployment In China. These findings form the basis of a discussion of outcomes in the next chapter. The areas of discussion include the demand and supply of labor force in China, factors contributing to the need for automation technology in China, and the contribution of artificial intelligence (AI) in technological unemployment. The chapter also discusses the limitation of the study.
Chapter 8 is on conclusion and recommendation base on the study findings. The conclusion provides a summary of the main points discussed in the various chapters of the study. Besides, the recommendation section offers practical suggestions on the impact of technological advancement, especially on the technological unemployment challenge.
2.0 Literature ReviewThe advanced technology led to innovations resulting in improved efficiency. Many countries have experienced changes associated with technological advancement including development in different industrial sectors and changes in employment patterns. China is currently leading in research and development (R&D) compared to other nations. Therefore, the improved R&D has a huge impact in employment pattern.
2.1 Industrialization in ChinaResearch had shown that before the 20th century, China was utterly an agrarian nation, with 90% of the population living in rural areas. The industrialization process began in the 1900s, with an average of 8-9% annual industrial increase between 1912 and 1936 (Xu et al., 2018). In 1949, during the founding of the People‘s Republic of China, the country experienced different industrial progress through the development and implementation of strategies (Clark et al., 2017). These strategies included prioritization of the heavy industry, developing a balance between light and heavy industries, and re-prioritization of heavy industry. However, China faced setbacks in the process but was able to attain transformation from an agricultural economy to an industrial economy.
Industrialization in China has made tremendous progress in the past years. In 2000, studies reported that the share of the industrial sector on total GDP had increased by two-thirds. The agricultural industry’s contribution had registered a reduction from 42% in 1970 to 12% as of 2000 (Bloem et al., 2014). The industrial sector’s total output has continued to grow, and in 2017, the industrial sector contributed 46% of the country’s GDP (Xu et al., 2018). Currently, China has been recognized as one of the foreign investment-friendly economies, which is supported by the import-export industrialization model and the economic growth experienced in the country.
2.1.1 Industrialization Development Stages in ChinaThe development of industrialization in China can be categorized into three stages. Firstly, there is the period between 1953 and 1978, where China used the centrally planned economy to prioritize heavy industry (Allen, 2009). The country aimed at rapid industrialization to attain the level of other countries. The first five years of the period were characterized by the country’s focus on efforts towards the construction of the medium and large-sized industrial projects. The studies have reported 694 industrial projects with 156 supported by the Soviet Union. China was able to lay the primary foundation for the future industrialization providing technological and material support to build the national economy (Xu et al., 2018). A huge implementation of industrialization strategy characterizes a period between 1958 and 1960 (Li et al., 2017). The government mobilized a huge amount of workforce and funds investment to support industrial growth, with the major emphasis on the heavy industry, steel, and iron industry. The government’s focus was to utilize the cheap labor in high supply and avoid the expenses associated with the importation of heavy machinery. The period was characterized by failures resulting in material shortages and economic decline. The period between 1961 and 1965 was characterized by the development and implementation of the strategies (Knight & Xue, 2006). These strategies included coordination and balance in the development of agriculture, heavy industries, and light industries. The imbalance of economy contributed by the strategies led to the success and improvement of the economy in China. The period between 1966 and 1978 was characterized by the successful implementation of strategies and the division of the country into three fronts, the western, coastal, and central fronts. The division focused on the military strategy instead of the economic efficiency strategies. In this case, 95% of the construction investment was directed to the construction of the industries with defense orientation. The heavy industry share increased from 51% to 56%, but there was a registered difference between the heavy and light industries (Clark et al., 2017). Consequently, there was a regional imbalance in a different economic structure in production and industrial distribution.
The second stage was between 1979 and 1999, which was characterized by a balanced industrial development. China implemented the opening-up policy in 1979 and adjusted strategy promoting the prioritization of industrial development (Allen, 2009). Market and private businesses were encouraged and emphasized aimed at the promotion of industrialization. Furthermore, the country focused on obtaining balance and coordinating the development within the different industries, especially the light industry. Tremendous efforts aimed at the attraction of foreign investment and the Chinese government emphasized the importation of advanced technologies. These factors had advantages considering that China began industrialization late. The reports have shown an increased foreign direct investment (FDI) from 19.6 billion US dollars in 1991 to 52 billion US dollars in 1999. Therefore, China recorded success during this second stage of industrialization.
The third stage started in 2000, characterized by the reemergence of heavy industrialization in China. The economy retrieved back to the development phase of industrialization by heavy industry. The physical and financial resources were pooled together by many local governments to launch large-scale projects to ensure economic growth. The heavy industry experienced faster growth than the light industry between 2000 and 2012 (Bloem et al., 2014). During the period between 1999 and 2012, there was an increased proportion of heavy industry from 53.8% to 71.8% while the light industry dropped to 30%. The heavy industry contributed profits of more than 72% of the total profits in 2012. Therefore, the growth in industrialization during this period was dependent on heavy industry.
2.2 China’s Industrialization Achievements2.2.1 Economic GrowthIndustrialization in China has led to achievements in the past six decades. Firstly, there has been the completion of the industrial systems. The industrialization brought about the introduction of the large scale and technology concentrated manufacturing companies, an independent system. Research studies have shown that China overtook the US in 2010, becoming the leading manufacturing nation. In 2012, the reports showed that China contributed 20% of the global manufacturing output (Maynard, 2015). Therefore, China has become the most reputable nation regarding the global factory output. Secondly, China began industrialization later compared to other nations like the US. However, in the past sixty years, it has reported massive industrialization causing rapid economic advancement. The economic status had risen and experienced great transition since 1978 when the country shifted from its centrally planned economy. The economic growth has been consistent for the past 35 years, with the country registering an increased GDP from 58.7 billion US dollars reported in 1978 to 9.17 trillion US dollars reported in 2013. China is the second-largest globally concerning the economic state, with an average annual growth rate has been estimated to be 10%. The GDP per capita has been reported to increase from below 300 US dollars registered before the revolution to 6,807 US dollars registered in 2013, as shown in figure 1.
The GDP in China is based on the contribution of primary industries, mainly agriculture, the secondary industry that is represented by the manufacturing and construction sector, and the tertiary industry represented by the service sector. In 2013, the manufacturing sector contributed to 23% of the total GDP. The data in 2017 showed that the secondary industry, mainly the manufacturing sector, contributed to 46% of the total GDP (National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2017). In 2019, the agricultural sector contributed 7.1%, while the industry contributed 40%, and the service sector contributed 54% (National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2019). Therefore, the manufacturing sector has contributed significantly to the sustained economic growth in the country. Furthermore, the manufacturing sector’s contribution to the GDP is higher than in other countries such as Japan and India.
Figure SEQ Figure * ARABIC 1 A graph showing the GDP contributed by the three sectors of the industry in China. Image retrieved from National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2013.The Chinas Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019 was reported to be worth 14200 billion US dollars. The GDP represents 12% of the world’s economy, according to the data from the World Bank and the projections made by the Trading Economics (Buera & Shin, 2013). The data has shown a consistent rise in the GDP, considering figures reported from 2010 until 2019, as shown in figure 2. Industrialization in China contributed to global economic growth. The country has integrated into the international economy and has driven the economic deve
Discussion On ‘I’ll Take My Stand and ‘1925 Scopes Monkey in
Discussion On ‘I’ll Take My Stand and ‘1925 Scopes Monkey in Dayton, Tennessee.’
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The 1925 Scopes Monkey in Dayton, Tennessee, is a tale about the trial of a twenty-four-year-old sports coach named John Scope, who was accused of teaching students the evolution theory. In February 1925, a law prohibiting teachers from teaching evolution in public schools was passed by the legislative council of Tennessee (Davinson et al., 1930). However, the American Civil Liberty Union ACLU did not support the bill and offered to finance the legal defense for any teacher in Tennessee who was willing to go against that law. John scopes, who was also a substitute teacher, volunteered to go on trial. As he was filling in for a biology teacher, he assigned students pages on evolution theory. For this reason, he was arrested and taken to trial.
The ACLU hired Attorney Clarence Darrow to lead the defense team and William Jennings Bryan, also known as the ‘The great commoner”, took the prosecution’s lead. The trial escalated quickly and became a contest between William and Darrow and not about John Scope. For publicity’s sake, leaders of Dayton staged the trial. Over five thousand people attended the trial on the first day hence forcing the trial to be held outside the court. It was the first trial ever to be broadcast on live radio. The local leaders of Dayton loved the turnout because the population of Dayton had been declining for years (Davinson et al., 1930). The Jury was made up of conservative Christians, and the judge decided to start the trial with a prayer to pierce off the prosecution team. This arrangement indicated that this trial was a battle of science against religion and bible-based teachings against the modern scientific theories. The judge further dismissed a testimony by Dr. Maynard Metcalf, a zoologist, that validated the theory of evolution.
Consequently, the defense team decided to challenge and attack Bible stories to offend the prosecution team. It resulted in the judge dismissing the confrontation between Bryan and Darrow. To appeal a verdict from the Tennessee supreme court, Darel requested the Jury to declare John scope guilty. Scope was fined 100 dollars for breaking the law (Davinson et al., 1930). The supreme court revoked the ruling one year later due to a technicality and dismissed the case. Because of this trial, only Mississippi and Akensaw implemented the anti-evolution bill among fifteen states. Bryan then passed away six days after the trial.
The Agrarian versus industrial book was written by a group of northern single men who had similar perspectives on various aspects of life. This particular book contained their responses to the Scope’s trial that happened in 1925. Their book all tend to oppose the American way and support the southern way (Innes, 2020). The group argued that the south was a minority group with its unique social, moral, and economic structure. Southerners should be proud instead of embracing American industrialization, which was the common way. They particularly noted that younger members of the south positively responded to the American way.
The book goes ahead to acknowledge that other minority communities are interested in maintaining their small economy and living by it. It then urges the southern people to form alliances with such groups in solidarity as members of the agrarian movement (Innes, 2020). This book criticizes how industrial apologists ignore the implications of science and call them optimists without direction. Applied science was draining their resources and has enslaved their energies to a point where it has become a burden. They continually channel their economic resources to this course without realizing how negatively it’s impacting their lives. They don’t realize that labor is the most valued human career, yet they are trying to eliminate it with applied science. The importance of applied science, which is to fasten production and make work easier, enjoyable and efficient, is not accomplished as initially anticipated. Instead, applied science is subjecting laborers to more work and less enjoyment. Unemployment levels have risen because of applied science.
In terms of production, applied science enhances the quality and quantity of produce and saves on time. The industrialists don’t realize that applied science is labor-intensive and negatively affects their lives (Innes, 2020). Eventually, they lose more than they’ve earned from it. The authors advocate for agrarian culture by stating their advantages to the people. They argue that humanism, which is a scope of how people live, think and act, is rooted in the agrarian culture of the old south. Agriculture is the main source of wealth, prestige, and leisure (Innes, 2020). It is portrayed as perfect because it gives the people free will in terms of labor provision. It does not exploit them.
Conclusion
from the discussion above, I think the Vanderbilt “Agrarians” expressing skepticism on what they term corrosion effects of science on traditional values is right. The effects of industrialization discussed are practical and factual. Science is felt all over the world. As much as it has improved living standards, its effects are felt by the same people who facilitate them. For instance, the establishment of factories to increase production and create employment is a good thing. However, the same industries destroy the environment by polluting water, air, and land. The ozone layer, which protects people from harmful rays, is disappearing by day because of industrialization. People are getting sick and dying because of pollution. Same science is used to control these effects without realizing they worsen the situation. I would say, industrialization is the main source of societal evils. Therefore, people should open their eyes and do something about it before it eats up the whole community and becomes irreversible.
References
Davinson, D., Fletcher, J., Kline, H., Lyle, H., Lytle, A., & Nixon, H. et al. (1930). Southern Agrarians’ I’ll Take My Stand, 1930. Ruhr-uni-bochum.de. Retrieved 23 October 2021, from https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/gna/Quellensammlung/08/08_southernagrarians_1930.html.
Innes, J. (2020). The 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial: why did so many people hate evolution? [Video]. Retrieved 23 October 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duLqycslpTw.