Labour Market Issues in Saudi Arabia

In today’s business environment, globalisation has created many challenges in the hospitality industry particularly how to manage the increasing culturally diverse workforce.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Labour Market Issues in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Diversity has become a significant factor in the human resource management of the tourism industry as tourist organisations across the globe have become more diverse as a result of differences in race, culture, ethnicity, national origin as well as dispositions and personal characteristics in the workforce (Baum, Devine Hearns 2009, 1). Managing diversity in a workplace requires that the workforce comprise of diverse population which includes both the visible as well as the non-visible differences so as to harness such differences to create a productive working environment where each individual feels valued and free to engage their t alents in contributing towards the organisational goal (UNESCO 1999, 23). The cultural diversity in Saudi Arabia has had a huge impact on the country’s labor market. The essay is therefore an attempt to assess labour market issues in Saudi Arabia. In particular, the essay examines how cultural diversity in Saudi Arabia has impacted on its workforce. The benefits attained by the labour market and organisations in Saudi Arabia due to cultural diversity are addressed, in addition to an examination of the challenges facing the success of cultural diversity in the workplace. Finally, the essay suggests various solutions that could help improve cultural diversity in the workplace in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabian culture is built around strict Islamic religion as well as ancient social customs which often clash with modern technical realities (Needle 2004, 76). The country has increasingly relied on the foreign workforce particularly in the private sector such that about 60% of its wo rkforce is foreign (Al-Dosary, Shahid Rahman 2005, 1).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Most of their foreign workforce is from Pakistan, India, Philippines, Kuwait, Sri Lanka and the East European countries like the UK, Germany and France (Guirdham 2005, p.5). Diversity in the workforce within the hospitality industry in Saudi Arabia enables the hospitality organizations effectively provide for customers from a wide social as well as economic spectrum. The country’s tourism industry has majorly depended on pilgrimage season (Gatrell Kreiner 2006, 765). Diversity within the hospitality organizations in Saudi Arabia has significantly changed the behavior of the native Saudis. Generally, Arabs undertake their tasks in less hurry and are not very active during the day in the month of Ramadan; this has sometimes affected their service delivery. Inclusion of employees fro m other countries especially the Christian countries enable them achieve continuous functioning and speed in service delivery in the hospitality industry. Foreign workers in the industry have made it possible and easier for tourism organizations to provide for religious tourism especially for the large number of Muslims who travel for the Hajj. They provide the workforce needed during the month of Ramadan as well as for the leisure tourists (Gatrell Kreiner 2006, 769). Diversity in the workforce within the hospitality industry in Saudi Arabia enhances quality service to customers as it gives them the capacity to understand the cultural diversity among customers (UNESCO 1999, 37). Managers are therefore better placed to identify the uniqueness of customers from different countries or regions in terms of styles, practices, expectations as well as processes. With this knowledge, they can adapt complex ways of dealing with the various visitors that tour Saudi Arabia including the domes tic tourists.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Labour Market Issues in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They are also able to avoid stereotyping of cultures. According to Henderson Sadi (n.d, 95) the international tourists have been increasing at the rate of 4.3% and the trend is predicted to increase. This has been attributed by many factors and among them being workforce diversity in the tourism industry (Mustafa 2010, 46). Cultural diversity enhances marketing research for the tourist organizations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Managers also use the cultural framework to manage the workforce. It is used to enhance cross-cultural training in the workforce to develop skills and provide experience which can enable them better meet the expectations of the culturally diverse customers. The training has been used in most hospitality organizations in Saudi Arabia to develop culturally-sensitive workfo rce that is able to effectively deliver services to the culturally diverse customers that they meet everyday. Diversity in the workforce has enabled the hospitality industry to adopt flexible labour strategies particularly in the tourism industry. The foreign workers provide the necessary public relations needed to neutralise the fears expressed by the international communities especially towards the Arab countries concerning security matters (Saudi Commission for Tourism Antiquities 2010, 5). According to Henderson and Sadi (n.d, 98) selling to non-Muslims internationally has become quite challenging mainly because of cultural sensitivity (Henderson Sadi n.d. 98) In terms of social composition, the main ethnic group in Saudi Arabia is the Arabs, who constitute 90 percent of the population. The remaining 10percent is made up of the Afro-Asians (Al-Dosary, Shahid Rahman 2005, p. 2). The county is 100 percent Islam.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More All the citizens of Saudi Arabia speak Arabic, as well as about half of all the immigrants in the country. The Koranic, modern standard and high literary classical Arabic finds use in religious rituals, prayers, lectures, poetry, broadcasts, speeches, and written communication (Al-Dosary, Shahid Rahman 2005, p. 2). With regard to architecture, in 1950, approximately 40 percent of Saudi’s population led a nomadic life. As such, tents were the main residence, in otherwise highly dispersed patterns. The population led a nomadic form of life, moving from one place to another in search of pasture and water for their animals. The other 40 percent of the Saudis led an agricultural life, in the rural areas. Only 20 percent of the population lived in the old cite of Medina, Mecca, Taif, Jeddah, and Riyadh. However, by 1992, two thirds of the Saudi population lived in the urban areas. This was as a result of major changes that were taking place in the Saudi Arabia, buoyed by rapid exp ansion of the oil industry (Guirdham 2005, 56). Older cities expanded very rapidly, and new ones sprung up very fast. The new cities in Saudi Arabia are a sharp contrast of the old cities. The local citizens and guest workers in Saudi Arabia are characterized by a key social division. Temporary immigrants form the largest part of the working class. This is the same group that occupies few positions in the Saudi’s upper class, with the rest occupying the middle-class positions (Guirdham 2005, 57). The different social classes in Saudi Arabia experiences diversity in terms of wealth accumulation. Individuals across diverse social divides share common beliefs, practices, and attitudes. This common sharing is further strengthened by the strong religious and kinship ties in society. The nature of employment relationship in Saudi Arabia is unique. As the number of foreign workers increase in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the private sector including the tourism industry have been ab le to diversify their operations and nature of jobs as organizations hire workforce from different regions and societies who come from different backgrounds and with different attitudes (Pizam 1978, 10). The tourist organizations as well as other organizations respect the diverse cultures and have put in place policies and strategies which ensure that employees from different backgrounds work hand in hand no matter their cultural beliefs. In an attempts to effectively handle cultural diversity in employment, the government mostly employs local managers to run public organizations including parks and to manage the locals and the firms in an efficient manner. In private organizations, foreign workers are employed on the accounting approach so that they can deal with performance management, systems as well as control of individual’s activities to enhance efficiency of the organizations (Guirdham 2005, 57). The mission statement of most tourist organizations in Saudi Arabia artic ulates their commitment to diversity in the workforce as well as the customers they serve. Individuals are designed roles which enable them utilise their cultural expertise to achieve the organisational goals. The co-workers are aware of the cultural diversity that exist in the workplace and are therefore respectful of that (Gee 1997, 32). Cultural diversity has enhanced social cultural exchange as well as understanding among employees and different committees during their meetings (Gee 1997, 32). This has helped in preserving the cultural identity of the Saudis. There are a number of challenges that face the issue of cultural diversity in Saudi Arabia. Human resource management practices in Saudi Arabia are heavily influenced by religion as well as tribal and family relationships. This limits the ability of foreign workers to provide their all to the organizations particularly in decision making. The Saudi cultures also limit women’s participation in workplaces or even in ac quiring employment opportunities. Tribal and family’s influence in the workplace create authoritarianism to foreign workers as well as to other tribes which are not members of the tribe or clan. The tribal culture of Islam also limits their tolerance to new ideas or initiatives in the workplace. Exploitation of oil in Saudi Arabia has led to increasing influx of foreign workers in the country seeking to get employment opportunities. According to Al-Dosary, Shahid Rahman (2005, 1) about 60% of Saudi Arabia’s workforce is foreign, but at the same time, Saudi Arabia experiences unemployment rate of about 30%. This has made the government rethink its strategy on employing foreign workforce. The government announced in 2003 that it will have had a significant cut on foreign workers by 2013. This has started limiting the number of foreign employees in organizations and thus reducing the level of cultural diversity in the workforce. The influx of foreign workers has also aff ected the salaries and wages paid to workers in Saudi Arabia. Foreign workers provide cheap labour as compared to the salaries demanded by the Saudis themselves. Foreign workers who have come from countries of lower economies easily accept these salaries; however, managers from Saudi Arabia and Oman demand higher salaries. Besides, the government has increased the cost of work visas as a strategy for limiting the number of foreign workers. This has raised the cost of maintaining foreign workers thereby impacting on the advantages which come with cultural diversity in the workplace. In addition to that, the increasing high cost of living also affects foreign workers stay in the country thereby reducing the level of cultural diversity in the workplaces (Pizam 1978, 12). (Pizam 1978, 12). On the basis of the foregoing arguments of the essay, a number of recommendations have been arrived at. First, there is need to educate the Saudis on the importance of national integration and respect for different cultures in order to achieve cultural diversity which is able to drive business organisations to greater levels. The awareness should be aimed at helping them overcome tribal and clan/family considerations in workplaces. Saudis have to learn to separate some aspects of their religion in the workforce so that they can effectively deal with gender diversity in the workforce and also be more receptive to creative ideas that employees contribute in the running of organisations. It is also important that the government develops mechanisms for dealing with the disparity that exists in the workforce in terms of the ratio of foreign workers to local workers. The locals have to be given more employment opportunities to help combat the increasing poverty levels in the nation. In conclusion, cultural diversity has significantly improved the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia. It has provided the necessary expertise needed to drive the industry into the global economy. The private sector has achieved efficiency that the government has also borrowed in public organizations. However, tribal and family relationships pose negative challenges that the country needs to overcome in order to realize greater cultural diversity in the workforce. Reference List Al-Dosary, A. S., Shahid, M., Rahman, S. M., 2005, An integrated approach to combat unemployment in the Saudi labor market. Journal of Societal Social Policy, 4(2): 1-18. New York: Casa Verde Publishing Baum, T., Devine, F. Hearns, N., 2009. Resource guide: Cultural awareness for hospitality and tourism. Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Network. Cincinnati, OH: South Western College Publishing. P. 1 Gatrell, J. Kreiner, N. 2006. Negotiated space: Tourists, pilgrims, and the Bahà ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ãƒ ­ Terraced Gardens in Haifa, Geoforum, 37(5), 765-778. Los Angeles: Kalimat Press. Gee, C. Y., 1997, International tourism: A global prospective; World Tourism Organization. New York: Guilford Publishers. P. 32. Gu irdham, M., 2005, Communicating across cultures at work, 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. P. 57. Henderson, J. c., Sadi, M. A., n.d, Tourism in Saudi Arabia and its future development. Dharam: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. pp. 95-98. Mustafa, M. H., 2010, Tourism and globalization in the Arab world. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 1(1): 37-48. Dubai: Department of Sustainable Tourism. Needle, D. (2004) Business in context. London: Thomson. P. 76. Pizam, A. 1978. Tourist impacts: The social costs to the destination community as perceived by its Residents. Journal of Travel Research, 16(4), 8-12. Chicago: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers Saudi Commission for Tourism Antiquities, 2010, Tourism investment in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh: SCTA. P. 5. UNESCO., 1999, Tourism and culture: Rethinking the mix. The UNESCO Courier, (July-August issue): 21-56. Florida: Harcourt Brace College Publishers This essay on Labour Market Issues in Saudi Arabia was written and submitted by user Shania S. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Caribou In the Canadian North essays

Caribou In the Canadian North essays Native peoples of the Canadian north have hunted barren plains caribou since long before the Europeans arrived in North America. Hunters and social groups relied heavily on the caribou for food, clothing and utensils, as well as a source of culture and spiritual beliefs. When caribou populations declined or migrated, indigenous peoples were forced to either move with the herd, or suffer from severe starvation. Today, the fur trade still takes place in the Canadian north, with roughly 100,000 people in total participating in Canada. Animals, such as the caribou, provide one of the few sources of income available to the natives in some regions, and the natural resources they provide are used to purchase food-stuffs, ammunition, and equipment from the south. The Indian, Inuit, and Dene ethnic groups in Canada all still rely on the caribou as a source of food, despite the fact that native cultures have changed as indigenous peoples have adapted parts of their lifestyle to the new technological advances . The introduction of rifles and snowmobiles into the northern economy have changed hunting and trapping methods, and native people are being forced to continually redefine their own culture as technology filters into the north. There is therefore an increasing need for native people to choose the way in which they interact with southern society, and the blending of traditional skills and modern technology to utilize resources seems to be the most common approach to this problem. Caribou in the northern regions of Canada are fairly plentiful in numbers, and travel in large herds through wide tracts of land in which they can be easily hunted by residents of local communities. Since barren plains caribou are so easily hunted, it is inevitable that they are the favoured meat resource in a renewable resource economy. It is important to note, however, that it is this very attribute that makes them so valuable to the animal market...

The Effects of Biblical Violence on Readers' Behaviors Essay

The Effects of Biblical Violence on Readers' Behaviors - Essay Example Although studies from the American Academy of Pediatrics give a low rate on the effects of music on listeners’ behaviors, that lyrics are generally not given much attention or in the case of children, are not fully understood because of their limited understanding and experience, researchers are open to the idea that somehow songs suggest certain undesirable actions. In a world where violence abounds, it is not a wise action for a person to isolate himself or for parents to isolate their children only to avoid the evils of this world. It is then important for every individual to educate one’s self and others about the consequences of a certain thought or action. For instance, the last lines of the aforementioned psalm speak about revenge to those who have done the Jews harm. However if one examines the verse closely, it is not the Jews who want to avenge themselves but that there would be another who would stand up against their enemies. This reveals their belief in the golden rule, that those who have wronged them will get their just punishments somehow. Such understanding could lead people to avoid doing evil towards others. II Yes, the Liturgy of the Hours should include the end of Psalm 137 however; it should be with the explanation or interpretation like that of St. Augustine’s, Origen’s, St. Ambrose’s and the like. The Bible could be interpreted literally and figuratively so it could not be treated similarly to lyrics of modern music where promiscuity and violence are explicitly expressed. As it is always advised by professionals in the case of children, parents should guide their children in the choice of songs they listen to and clearly explain to hem what is good and what is not. Indeed, words have psychological effects on people so that even adults should choose their songs or meditate on the good implications of the songs rather than its evil suggestions. The Bible is actually full of stories of violence and promisc uity and surely, God did not like such stories to be exposed just for the sake of telling a story about a person rather have been narrated along with the consequences experienced by the people involved. They seem to be words from a parent saying, â€Å"Look, this is what happens to you if you do this and that.† This world is full of so many evils and that is just the way the God of the Bible wants people to look at it so that they would know how to prepare for the dangers they face each day. Therefore, preachers should do likewise, presenting all the truths and not just the things people want to hear from them. They have to send the people from the church to the world, armed with the necessary attitude and words of guidance that will keep them strong to avoid being involved in violent acts. III A group of students associated with campus ministry at CUA wants to have a liturgical service which includes a reading of Psalm 137, which they understand through the lens of St. Augus tine’s interpretation: Jerusalem represents the kingdom of God and Babylon represents the corruption of this world. Some students think the language at the end of Psalm 137 is too violent to be read or prayed, and point out that the Catholic Church has removed these verses from the Liturgy of the Hours.  

Horizon Human Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Horizon Human Services - Essay Example So far it relates to funds for services in the areas of housing, they receive assistance from â€Å"US Department of Housing, Urban Development and the Arizona Department of Housing† (Community Housing, 2013). In addition, they also accept donations from the public as well as corporate entities. How Does the System Serve and the Services they Offer: Any person intending to avail the services of Horizon Human Services can call their office for an appointment with a screening specialist and once screening is completed, he or she will be sent to the intake specialist who will assess the individual and provide initial counseling to â€Å"help address the reason† for which services have been sought (Getting Started, 2013). People who seek services will have to produce their ID document, proof of income, social security, and any documents relating the problem they wish to address with the help of the organization. Major services, as per information on the â€Å"services† section of their site, include: Adult Residential Services: It is a program for mentally ill or substance abusing adults, by providing â€Å"clean and tidy† therapeutic â€Å"environment,† as envisaged in quality social work practices, which is free of substances (Malley & Fernandez, 2010, p.561). Community Based Services: This is also a program targeted to mentally ill, within the community to help them cope with the problem. The services include counseling and monitoring of medication apart from a variety of other services that the patient requires from time to time. Domestic Violence Services: This program extends assistance to victims of domestic violence and includes services such as counseling, transportation, case management, referral services, advocacy etc. Habitation Services: It envisages habitation of individuals with developmental disabilities in collaboration with other agencies and includes a variety of services. Horizon House: Services under this prog ram comprise vocational services, extending support for housing, counseling, and integrating the affected into the community. Psychiatric Services: Horizon provides a wide range of psychiatric services including diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring as well as planning treatment etc. In addition, they also provide outpatient and residential substance abuse treatment. DUI Services: Horizon also provides DUI clinical and educational services and facilitates DUI treatment after assessment and evaluation. Community Housing: This consists of the provision of housing for those in dire need and certified as homeless â€Å"under HUD guidelines† or substance abusers apart from helping people in securing housing assistance and â€Å"identifying available units† (Community Housing, 2013). In addition to the above services, Horizon also provides a wide range of other assistance, the details of which are available on their site under the link ‘services’ which is accessible to all members of the public. Accessibility to Services/Eligibility Requirements: The organization has different criteria for determining the eligibility conditions for the services being rendered by them. As befitting the objectives of social work

Jet blue case study Essay Example for Free

Jet blue case study Essay The United States airline industry includes roughly 600 companies with combined annual revenue of approximately 170 billion dollars (bts.gov). The major companies include American, Delta, and United Continental (bts.gov). There are air operations of express delivery companies such as FedEx and UPS. This industry is highly concentrated with the 10 largest companies accounting for more than 75 percent of industry revenue (bts.gov). The global airline industry generates about $500 billion annually (tbs.gov). The major international companies include Air China, Deutsche Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, Japan Airlines, and British Airways (bts. gov). Discussion Questions 1. Discuss the trends in the U.S. airline industry and how these trends might impact a company’s strategy. Trends in this industry are numerous. This discussion will include the price of jet fuel, on-time performance, security, and cheaper substitutes. Oil price volatility is the leading player in airline strategy (jetblue.com). Fuel is probably the most significant element in an airline’s base cost (jetblue.com). The new fuel price average for the year 2012 is around 129.7 dollars per barrel (jetblue.com). The impact of this year’s fuel bill for the global airline industry is upwards of 32 billion dollars (jetblue.com). The causes for delays and cancellations of flights are reported monthly to The Bureau of transportation Statistics (bts.gov). On time performance has many factors; a few of these factors are air carrier delays, late arriving aircrafts, security delays, extreme weather, and equipment (bts.gov). Air carrier delays are within the airline’s control. This area includes maintenance/crew problems, aircraft cleaning, baggage loading, fueling, and such (bts.gov). A late arriving previous flight Read Full Essay View as multi-pages

Abc Book :: Free Essay Writer

ABC Book Agatha Christie, the author of "And then there were None" is called the Queen of Mystery by those who have read her books. In addition to, "And then there were None", Agatha Christie has written many books, which include "ABC Murders", "Body in the Library", Easy to Kill" and "Towards Zero". Brent, the family name of Emily, the 65 year old daughter of a Colonel, and definitely not happy with the way the world is going now. She liked every thing as it was 45 years ago, when children did what their parents told them to and when everyone respected their elders, but now †¦.. Coroner's inquest having turned her life upside down, Vera Claythorne has had tough luck so far in her life. She does not have a lot of money, and has had trouble finding a job after the inquest. Even though she had been acquitted, people still look at her funny when she walks down the street. Doctor Armstrong, a former doctor who likes time to think. Whenever he thinks about the past one of the first things to pop into his mind is the fact alcohol ruined his life. If only he hadn't had a couple of drinks before operating on his patient, he might not have accidentally killed him. Everyone was dead when the police got to the Island. Nobody could figure out what happened. The police did not find any suicide notes and searched the island a couple of times. The police found no-one in hiding and were left open- mouthed and clueless. Fred Narracott was the boatman who took everyone to the island on his boat. As he told the police, as far as he knew he was the only one who had taken anyone over to the Island. General Macarthur, loved war and was disappointed when he had to stop fighting on the battle grounds. War was his life. He loved the smell, the sounds and the feel of battle. In fact he craved to kill again. Helpless, the guests on the island were prey to the killer, they couldn't get off the island because there was no boat. Hiding was out of the question due to the bad storm, and they did not know who the killer was, so everyone was under suspicion. Indian Island was purchased under the name U.N. Owen and nobody knew who it was. All the tabloids were saying royalty had bought the island or some eccentric millionaire, but nobody really knew who it was. Justice Wargrave, was a judge. You could say he was a murderer, even though he Abc Book :: Free Essay Writer ABC Book Agatha Christie, the author of "And then there were None" is called the Queen of Mystery by those who have read her books. In addition to, "And then there were None", Agatha Christie has written many books, which include "ABC Murders", "Body in the Library", Easy to Kill" and "Towards Zero". Brent, the family name of Emily, the 65 year old daughter of a Colonel, and definitely not happy with the way the world is going now. She liked every thing as it was 45 years ago, when children did what their parents told them to and when everyone respected their elders, but now †¦.. Coroner's inquest having turned her life upside down, Vera Claythorne has had tough luck so far in her life. She does not have a lot of money, and has had trouble finding a job after the inquest. Even though she had been acquitted, people still look at her funny when she walks down the street. Doctor Armstrong, a former doctor who likes time to think. Whenever he thinks about the past one of the first things to pop into his mind is the fact alcohol ruined his life. If only he hadn't had a couple of drinks before operating on his patient, he might not have accidentally killed him. Everyone was dead when the police got to the Island. Nobody could figure out what happened. The police did not find any suicide notes and searched the island a couple of times. The police found no-one in hiding and were left open- mouthed and clueless. Fred Narracott was the boatman who took everyone to the island on his boat. As he told the police, as far as he knew he was the only one who had taken anyone over to the Island. General Macarthur, loved war and was disappointed when he had to stop fighting on the battle grounds. War was his life. He loved the smell, the sounds and the feel of battle. In fact he craved to kill again. Helpless, the guests on the island were prey to the killer, they couldn't get off the island because there was no boat. Hiding was out of the question due to the bad storm, and they did not know who the killer was, so everyone was under suspicion. Indian Island was purchased under the name U.N. Owen and nobody knew who it was. All the tabloids were saying royalty had bought the island or some eccentric millionaire, but nobody really knew who it was. Justice Wargrave, was a judge. You could say he was a murderer, even though he

Life of Maya Angelou Essay

Maya Angelou was born an African American. One would feel the agony she went through to be born as such and in America. Her grandmother was raped and bore a child; this child later came to be her mother. Similar to the ferocity her grandmother experienced, she was raped as a child by her mother’s boyfriend who was later on killed by her uncles. Because of this, she didn’t speak for almost six years afraid that her words had killed the man. This must be the dawn of her path to being a writer, realizing that words are powerful. If it could kill then it could give life as well. When her parents divorced, her grandmother took good care of her and her brother Bailey, Jr. and it was him who called her Maya. She became many things: a dancer, a cable car operator, a singer, a waitress, and where she flourished, a writer. The turn of her career came when she went to Egypt and Ghana. She went back to America to support Malcolm X’s Organization of African American Unity but he was assassinated. The struggle of the race continued as she supported Martin Luther King, Jr. who was also assassinated defending the African American cause, this made Maya Angelou devastated. She never stopped working for the emancipation of the African Americans and continued writing for equal rights and liberty. And so, in 1993, she read ‘On the Pulse of Morning,’ at President William Jefferson Clinton’s inauguration at the White House. Her words are valuable to the nation. Her words influence men of power. Her life is interesting which produced works that are priceless to the American people most especially to the African Americans of whom she dedicated her efforts to for their emancipation. Angelou’s style of writing categorized her works in the genre of autobiographical fiction because of her writing styles in dialogues, characterization, development of theme, setting, plot and language. But for her, these are simply autobiographies. She speaks through her writing what she has learned or learning out of life. In her interview with Mike Schneider in Bloomberg TV, she talked to all women as her daughters for her book, â€Å"Letter to My Daughter†. She speaks to them how a woman surpasses an incident in life as she would, given a similar situation. She writes to all the women as her daughters, sharing with them her story like she was one with them. In the poem, â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing†, one would feel between the lines how an African American feels in the land called America. The words are simple and yet powerful in the sense that it deeply triggers emotions from the reader. These are deep sentiments of an enslaved race, wanting to be free but â€Å"the bird’s wings are clipped†. Feelings of being held while the other birds are free: is something that she has undergone while the whites enjoy the liberty of being part of their race. A critic named Lupton, considered Angelou’s writings as autobiographies for they contain the elements of such: written by a single author, chronological, and they contain character, technique and them. Although, there are parts that are fictional, the elements necessary for an autobiography are present. Angelou has the tendency to go to the direction against the convention of what an autobiography is. She used the first person singular, â€Å"I† in talking about â€Å"we†. She is placed among the African American autobiographists but other writers insist that she has created a different kind of interpretation of the autobiographical form. The book, â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings†, became an acclaim containing the sentiments of the black people. She wrote it out of a challenge by Robert Loomis, her editor, for her to write â€Å"high art†. African American literature is more challenged in such that the authors have to agree about the status of their writings on whether it’s â€Å"high art†. O’Neale considers Angelou’s poetry a â€Å"more expected ghetto expressiveness† and she also avoids a monolithic Black language. The bird was used as metaphor that is struggling to set itself free from its cage. The cage that incarcerates the creature represents â€Å"oppression† of the African American people. It must be emphasized as well that Angelou doesn’t intend to isolate the white people. She wanted to promote the relevance of diligence so as to change the concept of laziness among African Americans. At the latter part of the 1960s, one of her goals was to create a book that satisfied the criteria, â€Å"organic unity†. According to English literature scholar Valerie Sayers, her poetry and prose are similar because of the episodes which are done like a series of short stories, but they do not follow a chronology of events. Her prose and poems are both in â€Å"direct voice†, which are characterized by steady rhythms with lyrical patterns that use figures of speech (similes and metaphors). Hagen has mentioned that Angelou’s works were influenced by the African American community’s literary and oral tradition. She uses the â€Å"blues† music and literary characters in testifying about her life and hardships, with the use of metaphors, rhythms, and intonations. Angelou’s one of the most important themes are â€Å"kinship†, this has something to do with her parents abandonment of her and her brother, her relationship with her son, husbands and lovers all throughout her books. She discusses the value of family relationships of how it can affect development of a person. She spoke of her paternal grandmother who prophesied of her being a teacher when she intentionally went mute. Telling her that she would be a teacher someday but how could that happen if she does not speak. In most of her books, â€Å"motherhood† is predominantly manifested based on her experiences as a single mother, a daughter, and a granddaughter. Like in the book, â€Å"Letter to My Daughter†, she dedicated this book to all women pondering on their life experiences. She delivered words of wisdom to soothe and give directions to their souls. When asked if she would say the same things to her son or sons, she said it would be different. She would never know how it is to be a man. If she would write something for her son/sons, it would be through the perspective of a woman. Her plot often surrounds in this motif – mother & child. â€Å"The woman who survives intact and happy must be at once tender and tough. † – Maya Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing For My Journey Now (1994) She is an embodiment of strength and wisdom. This is where she gets her tenets from – the experiences she has gained from childhood up to the present which molded her to become a woman whom people listen to. For Scholar Mary Burgher, African American women autobiographers have rejected the stereotyping of roles as â€Å"breeder and matriarch† of their kind and they are being presented as â€Å"creative and personally fulfilling†. Maya Angelou also wanted to deliver the message that women are more than the purpose of bringing forth children. Women are valuable beings in society as much as men are. In her books, women are winners and are brilliant who have overcome hindrances of racial discrimination. She has been influenced greatly by her relationship with her grandmother who died early in her third autobiography, â€Å"Singin’ and Swingin’ and Getting’ Merry Like Christmas†. Momma (Angelou’s grandmother), is quoted in the whole book. â€Å"I write because I am a Black woman, listening attentively to her people†. Maya Angelou, 1984[87] She has greatly contributed to the emancipation of the black people in America working alongside with Malcom X and Martin Luther King, Jr. Went through devastation because of their deaths but continued on the struggle of her people. She continued to express the pains she goes through as a black woman through her music and poems. Using her gift in expressing through words her thoughts and struggles, unified the very same sentiments of all the black people in America. Her experiences especially from childhood gave her the foundation she needed to become who she is now. Everything that transpired in her life was a message she depicted in all her books. She resisted racial biases and protested outright to effect change in American society. She mentioned in her interviews when asked if she was angry, she said, â€Å"I am angry but I am not bitter†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , reiterating that anger was necessary to express indignation to the unjust treatment towards the black people. She emphasized, however, that she is not bitter. There is a difference between those two. She used anger to advance the cause of African Americans but made sure there is no bitterness in her heart. Works Cited Hagen, L. (1997). Heart of a Woman, Mind of a Writer, and Soul of a Poet: A Critical Analysis of the Writings of Maya Angelou. Lanham, Maryland: University Press. Lauret, M. (1994). Liberating Literature: Feminist fiction in America. New York: Routledge. O’Neale, S. (1984). Reconstruction of the Composite Self: New Images of Black Women in Maya Angelou’s Continuing Autobiography. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.