The area of ethnic market segmentation has received little attention from practitioners or academicians of marketing since most minority groups immigrating to the United States have gradually assimilated the cultural norms and values, and thus the market behavior, of the American society as a whole. Preliminary investigation, however, indicates that Mexican Americans are an exception. To discover whether Mexican Americans represent a true ethnic market segment of economic significance, this study examines and analyzes several aspects. First, to determine whether Mexican Americans represent a true ethnic segment, the following aspects of their cultural norms, perceptions, and values are investigated: their distinct and unique identity, the continuity and consistency of their adoption and use, and the degree of their influence. Second, to determine whether Mexican Americans constitute an ethnic market segment, grocery shopping behavioral patterns are examined. Third, to ascertain whether Mexican Americans represent a substantial ethnic market segment in terms of the number of consumers and the amount of money spent, relevant demographic and socioeconomic characteristics are presented and analyzed. Fourth, the impact of an economically significant ethnic market segment on marketers and marketing institutions is assessed. Due to the nature of this study, emphasis is placed on the collection of primary data, which has been obtained through personal interviews with 115 consumer respondents and eighteen grocery store owners and managers. Secondary data, gathered from reports of the Bureau of the Census, various periodicals, journals, and books, are used to establish cultural, demographic, and socioeconomic trends.

This master`s thesis deals with a topic of literacy and mainly with teaching reading. The research phase of this thesis defines literacy, minority groups, teaching reading methods and acquisition of reading skills. The practical part is based on a long term research under the authority of the Czech Science Foundation between 2009 and 2011. The thesis describes only one part of the research namely in the Hanspaulka primary school in Prague. The research deals with readiness of children for learning reading in the beginning of schooling when the phonics approach is being applied. The level of reading ability of children at the end of the first class was compared. The level of the relation between the good or the risk readiness for reading and the reading level at the end of the first class of primary school was being examined.

This thesis examines the Swedish speaking minority in the area of Finland. Because Finland had been a part of the Kingdom of Sweden for some centuries, the Swedish language had a dominant position in Finland for quite some time. The Swedish language kept its high prestige even during the period of the Russian rule that began in 1809. In the 2nd part of the 19th century the status of the Swedish language weakened to a large extent and today it is considered to be a minority language of Finland. The purpose of this thesis is in the first instance to define the term of identity and the specifics of minority identity. Subsequently I will focus on the the Swedish speaking minority in Finland, its self- concept, history and literature. In the last part of my thesis I will investigate the work of the Finland- Swedish writer Kjell Westö, in particular his depiction of his own Finland- Swedish identity. KEY WORDS: identity, minority groups, the Swedish speaking minority in Finland, Swedish literature in Finland, Kjell Westö

This study aims to investigate whether perceived institutional discrimination among job seekers within minority groups in Sweden is higher than in Canada. Perceived institutional discrimination is argued to be determined by cultural differences, more specifically, cultural Tight-Looseness and perceived everyday discrimination. Questionnaires and interviews were conducted both in Swedish and Canadian work centres. The results were compared with views on the perceived openness of the labour market. Results indicate that higher perceived institutional discrimination is related to the labour market being perceived as more closed for minority groups in Sweden while the same results could not be seen in Canada.

This paper presents the results of a critical discourse analysis of a selection of Canada’s security texts and argues that the country’s security discourses construct Muslims as dangerous and different from the normative Canadian. The research relies on a social constructionist understanding of discourse and the recognition that our state’s representatives and agents, operating from positions of discursive power, wield disproportionate influence in directing the national conversation and managing the signals that shape our social attitudes and imaginaries. By persistently qualifying terrorism with Islam, portraying the terrorist figure as a religiously and ideologically-motivated actor opposed to ‘Western values’ and by casting suspicion on the ordinary behaviour of Muslims, Canada’s security discourses produce a mental model in which Islam and its followers are associated with a propensity for terrorist violence. The discourses also naturalize the idea that Muslims are in need of surveillance, not only by the state’s agents, but by the public itself. When examined alongside a body of research illustrating Canada’s ‘visible minority’ population continues to be negatively affected by dominant group discrimination, the results of the study raise questions about the culpability of state representatives in the reproduction of ideas of difference which continue to inform the country’s social imaginary and hinder the equality and inclusivity of minority groups within the national collective.

Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 47-06, page: 3551. Advisers: Florence J. Dallo; Raul Caetano. Includes bibliographical references.

This PhD research project views and examines the socio-economic environment of the urban Indigenous Australian entrepreneur. The proposed research project explores Indigenous entrepreneurs. As they experience enlightenment, empowerment and emancipation through success in business, do they identify less with Indigenous culture and more with the Anglo-European values of the dominant Australian or American culture? Do successful Indigenous entrepreneurs, in effect, need to take on or adopt values of the dominant Anglo-European culture to remain successful in business? Are there impediments/inhibitors existing that restrict business growth and subsequent success to the Indigenous entrepreneur? From case study analysis and literature review, is the Indigenous entrepreneur different in comparison with the non-indigenous entrepreneur? Does entrepreneurship free the Indigenous business person from the welfare system? These are the questions that this research attempts to answer. The project involved a case study analysis of twenty five contemporary urban Indigenous Australian entrepreneurs geographically spread from Hobart, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns and a few major regional centres. The Hawaiian study was similar with twenty five case studies from the major urban centres on the islands of Oahu, Molokai, Kauai, Hawaii and Maui. The Hawaiian study also included a control study of sixteen non-Hawaiian minority entrepreneurs to ensure that the Hawaiian findings were objective. Indigenous Standpoint theory was applied together with a Grounded theory approach to ensure that the research was based in an Indigenous epistemological approach to knowledge. Constant comparative coding was used to ensure the qualitative data was analysed using a semi structured format. The outcomes of the study provide a rich insight into the world of minority entrepreneurs who operate within post-colonial cultures of western dominance and negative stereotypes that have created welfare dependant societies. In summary the outcomes identify that the intrinsic motivator for Indigenous entrepreneurs is to provide for their family, to give their children a better life than what they experienced, and to escape the entrapments of poverty. Racism and discrimination combined with lack of capital and access to micro-credit were seen as the major inhibitors to business success. The Indigenous entrepreneurs are struggling to cast off the shackles of welfare, to no longer be at the mercy of successive government programmes. The study results indicate that success in small enterprise undertakings by Indigenous entrepreneurs is a move up from self management, success in entrepreneurial activity is self-determination for those entrepreneurs. The end result is one of micro-economic reform within the Indigenous families who benefit from the success in small business enterprise and entrepreneurial activity. Indigenous values in Hawaii were maintained with a strong connection to land and language, whether it be spoken or not by the entrepreneur. It was the values attached to language that included a strong work ethic, maturity and respect that were seen to be dominant issues. Within Indigenous Australia the result of genocide inflicted on successive Indigenous generations has not destroyed Indigenous Australian culture altogether. Strong views remain concerning protocol and ethics, what has evolved are contemporary Indigenous values that allow the Indigenous Australian to maintain cultural standards revolving around kinship in contemporary Australia.

This PhD research project views and examines the socio-economic environment of the urban Indigenous Australian entrepreneur. The proposed research project explores Indigenous entrepreneurs. As they experience enlightenment, empowerment and emancipation through success in business, do they identify less with Indigenous culture and more with the Anglo-European values of the dominant Australian or American culture? Do successful Indigenous entrepreneurs, in effect, need to take on or adopt values of the dominant Anglo-European culture to remain successful in business? Are there impediments/inhibitors existing that restrict business growth and subsequent success to the Indigenous entrepreneur? From case study analysis and literature review, is the Indigenous entrepreneur different in comparison with the non-indigenous entrepreneur? Does entrepreneurship free the Indigenous business person from the welfare system? These are the questions that this research attempts to answer. The project involved a case study analysis of twenty five contemporary urban Indigenous Australian entrepreneurs geographically spread from Hobart, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns and a few major regional centres. The Hawaiian study was similar with twenty five case studies from the major urban centres on the islands of Oahu, Molokai, Kauai, Hawaii and Maui. The Hawaiian study also included a control study of sixteen non-Hawaiian minority entrepreneurs to ensure that the Hawaiian findings were objective. Indigenous Standpoint theory was applied together with a Grounded theory approach to ensure that the research was based in an Indigenous epistemological approach to knowledge. Constant comparative coding was used to ensure the qualitative data was analysed using a semi structured format. The outcomes of the study provide a rich insight into the world of minority entrepreneurs who operate within post-colonial cultures of western dominance and negative stereotypes that have created welfare dependant societies. In summary the outcomes identify that the intrinsic motivator for Indigenous entrepreneurs is to provide for their family, to give their children a better life than what they experienced, and to escape the entrapments of poverty. Racism and discrimination combined with lack of capital and access to micro-credit were seen as the major inhibitors to business success. The Indigenous entrepreneurs are struggling to cast off the shackles of welfare, to no longer be at the mercy of successive government programmes. The study results indicate that success in small enterprise undertakings by Indigenous entrepreneurs is a move up from self management, success in entrepreneurial activity is self-determination for those entrepreneurs. The end result is one of micro-economic reform within the Indigenous families who benefit from the success in small business enterprise and entrepreneurial activity. Indigenous values in Hawaii were maintained with a strong connection to land and language, whether it be spoken or not by the entrepreneur. It was the values attached to language that included a strong work ethic, maturity and respect that were seen to be dominant issues. Within Indigenous Australia the result of genocide inflicted on successive Indigenous generations has not destroyed Indigenous Australian culture altogether. Strong views remain concerning protocol and ethics, what has evolved are contemporary Indigenous values that allow the Indigenous Australian to maintain cultural standards revolving around kinship in contemporary Australia.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1987. / "A research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirents for the degree ..."

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1987. / "A research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirents for the degree ..."