Culture debasing Essay

The mass media is constantly around us, through newspapers and magazines, the internet, television and film etc. these are used by us everyday in our spare time and academic work. So are we influenced by this form of secondary socialisation in our lives to create a ‘mass culture’? And does this ‘mass culture’ debase ‘ordinary culture’? In this essay I will use secondary research and my own opinion to answer this question. The media itself plays a big part in creating images through the way they report and advertise consumer products and moral panics. I feel that the type of media presentation demonstrated influences different subcultures into believing that what they are seeing is true, hence the change in their attitudes to different topics, music and fashion. Especially young people today can be nai ve and believe everything they see or hear on television or the internet, which could cause primary socialisation to change for the children, because of these views. This ‘mass culture’, I believe could destroy and make an ‘ordinary culture’ into extinction through too much influence of â€Å"babble† and consumer products on television. Although you could ask what is ordinary and normal? Normal does not have a clear definition; as no one is completely normal, but ordinary seems to be defined as routine or customary, so an ‘ordinary culture’ is considered the norm way of living. So what is mass culture? An extra- ordinary way people live, or is it a negative perception of some people’s choice of life? By using the textbook ‘seventh edition Sociology Themes and Perspectives’. I found that the â€Å"development of the media was debasing the culture of ordinary people, which could cause problems for western societies†. This comment could back up my opinion of a negative effect of media through a mass culture which could destroy the traditional thoughts and practices of western life. Dwight Macdonald had a theory about mass culture. He claimed that mass culture was very different from high culture and folk art. He states that mass culture is standardized and a commercial kitsch (popular culture which could be considered worthless) used by business to create a profit. This shows that Macdonald as well as I believe that mass culture is â€Å"kitsch†- worthless babble used to sell products, which also influences or â€Å"brainwashes† people into believing that anything merchandised is right or â€Å"sick† as teenagers of today say. Dwight also stated that mass culture takes ‘less mental effort’ and that it ‘tended to undermine high culture’. So basically he is saying that mass culture is maybe for a different class of person.

Trade Organization

Topic: Trade Trade routes and trade organizations have had an extensive impact on the worlds’ nations and regions. Many effects both negative and positive. Two trade organizations that have made a great impact are the organization of the petroleum exporting countries (OPEC) and the trans-Saharan trade routes of African kingdoms. The organization of petroleum exporting countries was established on September 10-14, 1960. It is an intergovernmental organization of 12 oil producing countries. The 12 countries are Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. These 12 countries depend heavily on oil revenues as their main source of income. The headquarters are located in Vienna. The OPEC was founded to unify and co-ordinate member countries in order to secure fair and stable prices for petroleum producers. The OPEC controls ? of the supply of oil in the world. The OPEC has both advantages and disadvantages. Some advantages are that it is more efficient to provide a regular supply of oil to consuming nations. They have better access to recourses to the producing countries. They have had a big influence on the international petroleum market by changing the petroleum policies according to the worlds demand and supply. Some disadvantages of the OPEC are that they can have too much control of the oil and the price because they are main oil producing countries throughout the world. They can hurt the members of the organization by limiting the oil supply.

Will Boots benefit from Treat Street or will it have a negative impact Dissertation

Will Boots benefit from Treat Street or will it have a negative impact on the perception of their loyalty card - Dissertation Example total sales as estimated in 2008 in the Health and Beauty sector worth 17.7 billion pounds out of which 36 % of the total was accounted for Boots. Boots being the largest single retailer in the cosmetic and health care division leads the market with innovative activities attracts the customers. In spite of being the leader in the sector Boots also was hit very badly during the period of recession. Due to the economic slowdown in the late 2008 consumers also became very price sensitive in the market. Along with this problem the competitive environment also forced the market leader Boots to rethink on its sales strategies and the discount and promotional campaigns to gain market share. For this reason the company implemented several strategies likes giving discounts and scheme cards to attract customers. Review showed that about 16% of the customers bought more and increased the sales during discount period. Loyalty Cards are introduced by Boots to encourage consumers to avail discount ed price and thus become a more loyal customer to the brand. With the change in society and consumers buying habit Boots introduced a more Advantage Card ‘Treat Street’ which gives the existing customer some extra benefits. This research is done in order to find whether Boots benefit from this Advanced Card or it has a negative impact on the perception of their loyalty card holders. About the Company Boots group, PLC is the leading beauty and health care retailer and one of the best known companies at United Kingdom. Boots is one of the members of Alliance Boots which is one of the leading international pharmacy-led health care and beauty group. Boots was established in the year 2006 when The Boots Company PLC was merged with the Alliance Unichem. As of 2010, the company operates in over 20 countries and is sold in over 130 countries around the world leads the market with about 3250 outlets at different locations. Though the company operates in pharmacy and cosmetic/toi letries but it is not known as the specialist in that section only, rather it is popularly classified as a mixed good retailer. With the growing trend towards self-medication the sales of Boots is mainly concentrated to three main products categories i.e. analgesics like Nurofen, Strepsils for cough and cold remedies and also skin care products like Clearasil. Though the company dominates in their own industry segment but they faced a lot of difficulties to grab the market share. As of 2008 the market share of Boots was about 35.9% of the total market. The main problems behind this difficulty are especially building by the competitive brands mainly the supermarkets with toiletries segment. Customers always prefer to have a single point to purchase all there needed products rather than going to different stores and buy different products of their need. This is the main reason for the huge development of the shopping malls and super markets. Though these supermarkets don’t have much variety in products but they attract the customers with good amount of discounts and offers. Along with this due to economic recession in late 2008 the health and beauty sector was very badly hit which affected the purchasing power of the customers also. Thus to gain market share Boots worked out on their sales strategies thoroughly and introduced several discount schemes (Brandy, 2010,

Power and Influence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Power and Influence - Essay Example Information power is based on personal attributes, and is closely related to expert power. Information power in the case of advertising the toothpaste is important in assisting a brand manager coordinate employees towards a common goal. Coercive power is the ability involved in controlling an individual’s way of making decisions (McShane & Von, 2010). Coercive power is usually sourced by taking something away as punishment or threatening to do something when someone fails to follow instructions. It may be a severe way to gain authority in the workplace, but it is necessary in cases where stubborn employees are involved. Coercive power is definitely not a perfect way to market a product (McShane & Von, 2010). Expert power is the ability to affect the decisions of other parties by use of knowledge and expertise. In an organization, it is power based on experience in specific areas or experiences (Zastrow 2009). Expert power is not limited to the authority and can quickly send a subordinate up the ladder. Finally, referent power relates to the authority of an individual to a team or followers. It is mainly affected by the respect or admiration of the holder of the power (Zastrow 2009). Mass leaders or politicians are good examples of people with the effect of referent power. Production departments. It would also help me win over the advertising agencies (McShane & Von, 2010). Earning respect in the workplace is important since the same colleagues will help me market my skills to the production departments. Expert power helps create admirers, thus making a product sell fast. Referent power, on the other hand, will enable me to use my authority to my team members (Zastrow 2009). Team members might have friends in the advertising agencies or production departments. The same friends will market my skills and will enable me to have higher chances of being picked by the advertising agencies or production departments. As a brand

Heather Fraser, Mae Shaw and Paulo Freires View of Communitarianism Essay

Heather Fraser, Mae Shaw and Paulo Freires View of Communitarianism - Essay Example From the report findings it is clear a community represents a high level of employing an elementary preposition of political and social contribution. Neighbourhoods, families and churches all form part of the entire community despite the political and moral interpretations. Despite many differences across the globe, a community constitutes shared values and goals that coincide with the individual interests. In addition, community members have an instrumental value that built a personal relationship for different members to enjoy a sense of ownership. Most importantly, members of a community enjoy a sense of identity that allows them to enjoy various present conditions. The paper states that friendship has been an instrumental factor in defining different relationships. On other hand, this has failed in many instances, as it does not converge solidarity. Arguably, this is because of communal concerns and other issues such as sexual practices as well as understanding of the universe. Above all, communitarianism remains a viewpoint that has significantly affected the community. Despite going through change from one community to another, the term community probably remains an umbrella words that has not change meaning but only use. In his book, Four different approaches to community participation Heather Fraser presents a theoretical orientation of communitarianism from different approaches.

Different between large city and small city Research Paper

Different between large city and small city - Research Paper Example Apparent differences between New York City and Terre Haute are mainly due to the people that inhibit those cities. Being a large and popular city New York City is home to many famous Hollywood celebrities and is in full swing from morning to midnight. New York City has a plethora of malls situated in its streets including Trump Tower, Kings Plaza Shopping Center and Marina, Manhattan Mall, and Queens Center just to name a few. Terre Haute may lack in activities however it also has numerous malls including Honey Creek Mall, Nancy’s Downtown Mall, and Shadylane Antique Mall while some are located far off. Also, transportation system and the way of getting to places are different in the two cities. For instance, having a large population traffic jams are quite common in New York City due to congestion. According to Aaron Couch, New York City dwellers experience at least 42 hours of delay per year (n.pag.). As a result people prefer travelling by public transport: bus, subway, tax i, etc. Terre Haute, on the other hand, has a relatively less occurrence of severe traffic jams as compared to New York City. Overall, there are so many activities a person could do and there are numerous places to go to in New York City while Terre Haute has a limited number of activities for recreation and entertainment. However, Terre Haute beats NYC to traffic congestions. One of the major advantages for a person living in Terre Haute is the cost of living there. It is significantly lower than the one for New York City. Apartment rents are way cheaper in Terre Haute. In New York City the monthly apartment rent for a one bedroom apartment ranges from $2370 to $3100 (Numbeo, n.pag.) as compared to $425 to $500 for a one bedroom apartment in Terre Haute. Also, the costs incurred due to restaurant, market, transportation, monthly utility bills, sports, leisure, clothing, and rent amounts to a huge chunk of the salary of a New Yorker. All these expenses are significantly low for a pe rson living in Terre Haute. If asked about people’s preferences then a person would prefer to live in New York City despite its high cost of living. The apparent reason is that Terre Haute is a small city and hence has lesser job opportunities and subsequently a lower pay rate. With the perks and benefits and the standards of living one would enjoy in New York City, these are almost absent in Terre Haute. Therefore, despite the low cost of living more people prefer to live in New York City. High crime rates have often been associated with New York City. The reason is quite straightforward. Being a large and populous city there are more opportunities of crimes including robbery, homicide, rape, motor vehicle theft, assaults, and so on. Also, since the city houses richer people demographically the crime rate is higher than any smaller city like Terre Haute. In fact, Terre Haute has a significantly low crime rate even though a prison is there for wrong doers. However, to not men tion the decreasing crime rate in New York City would be unfair. There has been a decline in the crime rate from 1999 to 2011 from 459.9 to 254.5 (City Data, n.pag.). Many consider this decline a mystery while others have put forward many reasons for this decline in the crime rate including the change in policies, growth in the number of police force, and so on. Even with this plummeting crime rate, Terre Haute still has a very low crime rate as compared to New York City

Medtronic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Medtronic - Essay Example Help analyse the underlying causes, strengths and weaknesses, market forces and factors that affect performance to determine the optimum objectives that the organization may target. Having briefly defined the role of the Board we look at how the Board of Directors of Medtronics has performed. Details provided in the case study paint a very positive picture of the proactive role that the Board has played in the success of the Company. It has done all that is required and gone several steps further. The role that the Board has played in strict adherence to the mission statement of the company and, in the drive of the company to excel in technology and quality initiatives is indeed commendable. The Board has been a friend and guide for management, evidenced by the comment of Bill George, "In addition to its traditional role of governance, the Medtronic board is very effective as a sounding board, to advise and consult with management on the challenges we face." (p1) or that of Earl Bakken, "As we have grown and evolved, we have leaned on our board of directors for their direction." (p3). The active interest that the Board has taken in the operations of the company, their focus on the long term, regardless of below par performance on the financial front, represent some of the peculiarities of the Medtronic board that may not be found in most companies. It is usual for boards to look at only financial performance for the quarter and stop at that. It is truly amazing to find a board that has such faith in the future of the company that temporary setbacks on the earnings per share (see performance results) have not led to the typical automatic reaction. As Bill George points out in his book "Authentic Leadership", the board was successful in grappling with the larger ethical issues of what an organization owes to the public and its employees beyond the narrow obligation to increase shareholder value. The relationship between the CEO, Bill George and the board are similarly cordial and mutual understanding and respect at a very high level exists. While the CEO handles operational management, he does not consider the careful watch that the board keeps

Wildlife and Forest Management in Kanbula National Park Term Paper

Wildlife and Forest Management in Kanbula National Park - Term Paper Example Wildlife and forest management is essential to preserve its natural beauty and to maintain the ecological processes within. However, there are many factors that affect the wildlife and the forest as industrialization is boosting in the realms of China’s borders. Despite the fact that the Liajiaxia Hydroelectric Power Station is producing clean energy, it ironically has caused several alterations to the ecological system of the Kanbula Forest. This paper aims to 1) provide an exposition about the characteristics of the Kanbula National Park; 2) determine the impact of Lijiaxia Hydro Power Plant to the ecological process within Kanbula National Park and; 3) propose several ways of wildlife and forest management while taking into consideration the present condition of the Kanbula National Park. Introduction Forest ecosystem consists primarily of trees and other naturally growing plants. It nurtures various types of wild animals and other species. The forest ecosystem, like the Ka nbula Forest, provides people with food, fuel, timber and fiber. Other than these, most people do not recognize the significance of forests among their lives. Forests provide protection of the hydrologic cycle. They also help in climate regulation because forests are basically natural sinks of carbon, which is one of the greenhouse gases that harm the planet (Espaldon et al, 2004). Kanbula forest is one of the most diverse across China. However, most of its flora and fauna are at risk of extinction. Major causes of forest destruction include industrialization, commercialism and weak enforcement of forest laws (Sajise et al, 1996). This paper will dig deeper into several issues that Kanbula National Park is facing, and how these issues or factors impact the forest’s ecological system. Characteristics of Kanbula National Park Geographical Position The Kanbula National Park is located in Northwest of Jianza County of Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous States in Qinghai Province, with t otal area of 15,054 hectares and altitude of 2,100 to 4,000 meters above sea level (Hong, Shi, 2009). The Kanbula forest is basically a subalpine forest as it is located in high altitude. The forest is also located in the transition zone from Loess Plateau to Qinghai Tibet Plateau. Thus, it is the warmest region in Qinghai Province. It borders on the Yellow River in the North and is adjacent to the Liajiaxia Hydroelectric Power Station. Huge mountains extend from the forest with trees covered resembling a sea of forest. There are deflated hills around the Kanbula Forest that are formed due to erosion from wind and sand. The hills are called red cloud landforms. Climate Characteristics Cold and warm weathers are the two general climate condition in the forest. Cold season is characterized by cold, windy and dry air, while dry season features monsoon and warm and humid air. According to meteorological data records, the average temperature of the forest is 1 to 2.9 °C (Wu, 2007). The warmest month (July) has a daily temperature of 11.5-13.4 °C. The coldest month (January) has average daily temperature -12-10.1 °C(Wu, 2007). From March to September month average is temperature of 7-8.4  °C; stable over time through 0 °C for 190 days; plant growing period mean diurnal temperature 13.l  °C, 2,622-2,900 hours of annual sunshine hours, global solar radiation 609-647 kJ / cm. Annual rainfall is 450-490 mm, annual evaporation 1,923 mm. Annual average wind speed 19 meters per second, more concentrated in the January to April (Wu, 2007). Soil Characteristics Kanbula forest’s soil has five categories. The first type is alpine shrub meadow soil that is found at the altitude between 3,600 and 3,900 meters. The second type is the

History of Medicine and Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

History of Medicine and Science - Essay Example To this end, medieval scholars such as Thomas Aquinas supported Aristotle’s theory concerning the material world ( Gribbin, 47).The theory stated that the world was made up of four elements such as water, fire, air, and earth. Moreover, the medieval scholars used the theory of the four elements to formulate the principle alchemy. In this regard, they believed that the four elements formed part of the human body to create the four humours. These were blood, yellow bile, phlegm and black bile. Furthermore, medieval civilization believed in the philosophy of a Greek astronomer known as Ptolemy ( Gribbin, 104). In this regard, the Ptolemaic system espoused that the earth was placed at the centre of everything in the universe. However, following the advent of the scientific revolution, these medieval lines of thought were challenged by eminent intellectual leaders. Notable scholars in the scientific revolution included people such as Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543). Evidently, Cope rnicus is credited with publishing â€Å"De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium† also known as â€Å"On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres† (Gribbin, 398). In this regard, Copernicus theorised that the Earth revolved annually, around through sun through its daily, rotational movements on its axis. This theory was a direct challenge on the long held theory that the Earth was situated centrally at the universe with all the planets, Sun and moon rotating around it. Galileo Galilee was another eminent Italian physicist, astronomer and philosopher associated with the scientific revolution (Gribbin, 298). To this end, he created a telescope which produced a magnification 30 greater than that seen by the natural eye. In this regard, he used the telescope to make numerous astronomical discoveries such as sunspots, valleys and mountains present on the moon’s surface, various phases evident on the Venus planet, and Planet Jupiter’s four greatest moons. To this e nd, he published the â€Å"Dialogues on the Two Chief Systems of the World.† Sir Isaac Newton was another great scientist of the scientific revolution engaged in the field of physics and mathematics. He is credited with publishing the â€Å"Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica† also known as the Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy† ( Gribbin, 476). Evidently, his findings exhibited how the gravity as a universal force was acting on all the objects within the universe. The scientific revolution scholars faced several obstacles that slowed down the progress of the scientific revolution. For example, Nicholas Copernicus was first afraid to publish his works â€Å"Concerning the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres.† Evidently, he was frightened at the possibility of provoking the theological views of the Church pertaining to the Church. On the other hand, Galileo’s work on the ‘Dialogues on the Two Chief Systems of the Worldâ₠¬â„¢ was challenged by the Church. It contributed to Galileo being placed under house arrest. 2) Explain the Scientific Method. Who were the pioneer thinkers who developed it in the 17th-18th centuries? Why was it a central concept in the growth

Gamification of the Workplace Essay Example for Free

Gamification of the Workplace Essay The paper examines a new trend in workplace design called â€Å"gamification†. Gamification is defined as using concepts derived from video games and applying them in businesses to enhance motivation, raise productivity and lower turnover. The areas of effect discussed are motivation, cooperation, productivity and employee happiness. The text looks at which characteristics of video games make them so engaging and translates them into examples from the workplace. It presents real examples of companies that have implemented similar techniques. Gamification in the Workplace: A New Way to Think About Work Georgi Ivanov American University in Bulgaria The workforce of today is composed of young, talented and creative people, who despite their potential are less loyal and are always on the lookout for the job that better suits their qualification. As managers continue to search for ways to attract, motivate and keep them they ask themselves what makes this generation different from the previous. One of the things that separate us from other generations of workforce, video game addiction, has become increasingly relevant in the last decade. The college graduates that enter the labor market have played them since kids and consider them a hobby. The older generations learn about them as because of the app store which is a platform for easily accessible casual games. There is something in video games that makes people play them and create them and that something has made the video game industry the fastest growing entertainment industry today. With millions of people playing video games and investingmoney in their hobby, many companies implement video game concepts in an effort to make work more engaging, raise productivity and motivation and lower turnover. The process is known as â€Å"gamification†. To understand why managers would look to video and computer games of all things to improve the work life of their employees we have to understand what makes a video game so appealing to the modern employee and what part of that appeal is relevant to their productivity and satisfaction on their job. We know that some games have bigger audiences than prime time television shows, which means that these people prefer to do something, to be involved, than just sitting there and taking it in. In his book The Game of Work: How to Enjoy Work As Much As Play (1984) Charles Conrad leans on the fact that people will often work harder or even pay money to improve their performance outside of work. He outlines five principles that would transfer part of this to the business environment and empower employees – better scorekeeping, clearly defined goals, frequent feedback, better scorekeeping and consistent coaching. When the book was issued video games were not the object of the author’s discussion, however the concepts are present in today’s most popular video games. It is common have a score number in a corner of the screen showing how you are doing and every action you take changes that score. Taking this one step further is a ladder system that shows your score in comparison to other people’s score. With the popularity of video games today it is evident that people are respond very well to such a system. Through extension, if people are willing to devote so much time and energy into improving their game scores so they can climb the ladder and win intangible rewards, then, if they knew where they stood among their colleagues, they would be more motivated to do better. In her WSJ article Latest Game Theory: Mixing work and play (2011), Rachel Silverman gives a couple of examples of successful â€Å"gamification† of tasks. Live Ops Inc. runs a virtual call center. Th e company awards employees with virtual badges and points for keeping calls short and closing sales with leader boards that allow agents to compare their achievements. According to the vice president, since the system was implemented call time was reduced by 15% in some employees and sales have gone up by between 8% and 12%. I saw this in myself when I worked as a sales representative. When I joined the company it was evident who the top sales people were. Everybody’s numbers were available every day for everyone to see. From the first day that I saw that I imagined my name on the firs position of the day end report on the cash register screen just like I did on my computer screen while playing a favorite game of mine. It helped. I was always eager to keep track of my sales and strive to improve and my boss nurtured that friendly competitive atmosphere in which I thrived. This helped me in the beginning a lot because I did not feel intimidated by the more experienced members’ numbers. One of the most popular types of games today is the Massive Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game (MMORPG). The model is basically putting millions of players from all over the world in one universe and to let them progress in this world by developing their skills and handling challenges alone or in teams of other players who have diverse skill sets for different situations. There are player rankings and guild rankings. To climb up the ladder, players need to accomplish tasks or â€Å"quests† and apart from the regular points, they get badges, if they complete the quest not in an efficient or creative manner. As you play your character increases in strength by gaining levels. Each level requires more effort to achieve than the previous and the conditions that have to be met to advance are set in stone and they never change. You know ahead of time what you need in order to progress. Every task you’ve made has an effect on the completion and your progress is clearly visible. If we take this concept to the business world, we’d have a clear employee ranking system and a company ranking system. Each employee will aim for the top places on the scoreboard, but keeping in mind that success is only possible with cooperation. This would motivate employees not only to do their best but also to be more accommodating to newcomers because they know that the better the people in your team/ department are doing, the better they would do. We do have a leveling system in the workplace – raises and promotions – but the conditions are not always as clear. If employees do not know what the requirements are and they have no guarantees that they would reach that threshold why should they work harder? Vendor invoice transactions are a tedious task, but now, with the new reward system, employees can earn points and raise their status among other SAP teams. At the end of the month, a dollar amount is awarded to a charity of the winning team’s choice. This is all done through an upgraded version of their clerk software. It adds extrinsic value to the work, makes employees contribute to a cause they can relate to. We play games because they are fun. Play is not the opposite of work as entrepreneur Steve Keil tells us in his speech â€Å"A Manifesto for play†. It is also supported by Byron Reeves, a communications professor at Stanford University and author of the book Total Engagement (2009), who says that â€Å"The idea that work is work and play is play and never shall the two meet is melting quite a bit†. Games are fun which makes them engaging and we want our employees to be engaged in their work. One of the ways we can do that is by taking down factors that restrain and choke the individual. Once our goals are clearly defined and a scoring and reward system is set up as a frame, why do we need to keep restrictions in the workplace? Changes like making workday more flexible and eradicating fear by establishing an atmosphere of trust and cooperation instead of an authority. Like the millions of gamers around the world we want our employees to feel good when they come to work because that is going to translate into better quality of work, customer service and engagement. In a MMO there is always a comfortable social network system. No matter what they are doing, a level 1 player can contact level 60 players and ask questions. There is a strong sense of community and presence, because it is easy to form contacts. When there is a task that requires 5, 10 or 20 people, the task is divided into smaller tasks and everyone’s progress in visible from start to finish. That accessibility and transparency is not always available in businesses but they would go a long way to improving communication. In his book, Byron Reeves takes this one step further saying that some people will soon do their jobs inside a game. He draws a scenario where a woman would sit on her home computer and log on to a virtual world, in which she is represented by an avatar which she herself customized with badges and clothing, earned as rewards for completed tasks. Then she would take a look at her team’s progress by meeting their avatars. This is gamification in the modern business. When implementing the strategies from above, however there are a couple of things to be mindful of. First of all, managers have to make sure that the atmosphere of friendly competition does not go out of hand. With regard to the company’s mission statement, they have to recognize at what point employees stop working for the company and start working for themselves. The goals to reach thresholds have to be balanced. A task is engaging when it is challenging, yet accomplishable with the skill set that the employee possesses. Some business may not be well suited for gamification concepts. The data on employees will make promotions and layoffs more fair and transparent but it may also undermine the importance of a manager. Certainly the concept of gamification is still young, the interest that companies show towards implementing them points to a new trend. In her article, Silverman quotes the tech industry research firm saying that â€Å"by 1214, some 70% of large companies will use the techniques for at least one business process†. What was until recent years though to be a massive waste of time now changes the way we think about our jobs. Works Cited Rachel Silverman (October 10, 2011) Latest Game Theory: Mixing Work and Play; Retrieved from online.wsj.com Charles Coonradt (September 1, 1984) How to Enjoy Work As Much As Play; Steve Keil (January 2011) â€Å"A Manifesto of Play†; Retrieved from tedxbg.com Byron Reeves (November 2, 2009) Total engagement: Using Games and Virtual Worlds to Change the Way People Work and Businesses Compete

Uses Of Computer Technology In Education

Uses Of Computer Technology In Education Education is an astronomically important factor in life for everyone. An educated person has the ability to make practical decisions. Education not only enables individuals to put their potential to the best use and do something productive in the upcoming future, but also plays a main role in shaping an individual to be a better, responsible citizen and an active member of society. The latest and most advanced education is assisted by technology. All education levels across nations are embracing technology based education. There are studies, professors, students, and others who support the embrace, yet others, who read negative statistics, are against it. It is understandable why there are people against technology in education, because there are downsides to it. In a perfect world there would be no negatives or downsides, but a perfect world does not exist. However, the pros outweigh the cons and so I believe education would be at its best with the aid of tech. Technology improves education for the students and the teachers who instruct it, and the tax payers who fund education. Technology aided education goes by dozens of terms, such as hybrid learning, technology-based learning (TBL), mixed learning, blended learning, online aided schooling, information technology (IT) for education, and distance learning. Whatever term it is, its learning simply described as mixing the use of modern technologies to enhance students learning experiences and curriculum requirements (Blended Learning Poised for Takeoff in Schools). A report recently released, identified six emerging models for blended learning, ranging from guided online instruction in the classroom to self-blended models where students take courses a la carte. They defined blended learning as any time a student learns at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home and at least in part through online delivery with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace. The six models identified in the report included: the face-to-face driver model, in which a teacher in a traditional classroom instructs, while technological and online is available for additional instruction the rotation model, in which students move back and forth between online and classroom instruction the flex model in which the curriculum is delivered primarily through an online platform, with teachers providing onsite support the online lab approach, where an online course is delivered in a physical classroom or computer lab the self-blend is a model in which students choose on their own which courses they take online to supplement their schools offerings the online driver where the courses are primarily online and physical facilities are used only for extracurricular activities, required check-ins, or similar functions (Report: 6 Blended Learning Models Emerge). Education has come a long way since the one-room classrooms of former America: the evolution of education has come to the virtual world we currently reside in. It is unarguable that there is no generation as tech-savvy or at ease with the online environment than todays students who have grown up immersed in a virtual world. We exist in a generation where iPods, smart phones, and laptops have replaced notebook and pens, while inventions such as the Smart Board, LCD projectors, tutoring software, podcasts, video conferencing, and document cameras, among other education aiding tech, have been created for the educational setting (Chelley, 2007). Technology-based learning covers all learning done by electronic technology, including: Internet satellite broadcasts audio and video conferencing bulletin boards chat rooms Lance Dublin, a researcher of blended learning, said our generation is experiencing a kind of renaissance, with new technology prompting new thinking about how to enhance, extend, and enable learning and that technology and media are important for a students quality education, stating, new tools and technologies are opening up exciting new possibilities (Dublin, 2011). Many education facilities and programs have embraced the technological innovation of education. For example, free online public education is accessible for k-12 across the country. Colleges feel the pressure from competitor schools to offer quality online courses to their students. Some schools have made technological advances -and in rare cases completely adopted technology-based learning by offering online courses, funding classroom tech, and making the courses more tech and media friendly. Four States of the United States of America -Alabama, Florida, Michigan, and Idaho -require online courses from their high scho ol students (Board Approves Idaho Online Class Requirement). In Minnesota, school districts have thrown out the expensive, mass-produced, hardcopy textbooks for technology-friendly, online curriculum developed by their teachers on the web. The problems with hardcopy textbooks are that they are written to the requirements of Texas and California, the two biggest markets for the book publishers and can cost sixty-five dollars. That means a third of the books go unused in most states, plus they become outdated after only a decade. Buying new textbooks at least every ten years is very expensive, but if schools followed these districts examples the money saved would be unbelievable as one teacher puts it (Minn. Teachers Write Their Own Online Textbooks). Through the embrace already taken toward tech in the classroom it can be predicted that technology and education entwined is positively affecting education. In a study, most respondents believe that technology will become even more entwined into education learning. However, others hold opinion that blended learning is only a push for a technological advanced future without concern for the students quality of education. They argue that technology-based students are not excelling, but doing quite the opposite. They believe that there are not enough results to safely say that technology positively influences education. One teacher, who observed her schools effort to increase online instruction, said about the students, [the] poor kids are guinea pigs (Board Approves Idaho Online Class Requirement). However, Angiello Roanne, a professor who teaches online courses at Bergen Community College, New Jersey, analyzes one of the many studies done on internet influenced courses. She calls those who believe face to face education is the only way to teach traditionals. The key findings of the study are firstly, that students who took all or part of t heir classes online performed better, on average, than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction; and secondly, education combining online and face-to-face elements had a larger advantage relative to purely face-to-face instruction than did purely online instruction. It was also found that online learning is effective for all learner groups (Angiello, 2010). Another argument against blended education is the price that comes with it. It is true that all the new, shiny technology can put a hole in someones pocket, but its important to remember that in the long run the technology is paying for itself. Like the example of online textbooks, where they can be updated virtually, instead of buying new hardcopy textbooks every decade. Other opponents make claims that schools will replace teachers with computers and shift state taxpayer money to out-of-state companies to pay for the online curriculum and laptops. However, according to the article Achieving Effe ctive Learning Effects In The Blended Course: A Combined Approach Of Online Self-Regulated Learning And Collaborative Learning With Initiation students who become less dependent on instructors, even if their dependence on technology increases, are more likely to succeed with qualities that make them more independent (McFarlane, 2008). To address the shift of tax money to other states, the e-learning -electronically supported learning and teaching- market in North America is the fastest growing market, so money regulating throughout the states is beneficial for the nations economy (SulÄ iÄ , 2009). Education supported by technology is a topic that has caught the attention of many, and so this interest has developed the cause of many studies, usually performed by professors; and who knows better than professors on education? They first handedly see what the students need to succeed and how tech affects them in the classroom. Professors Pamela Lam and Sarbari Bordia completed an interview study model, concluded that e-learning, the term for TBL and computer-aided tools for education, offers a variety of advantages including, its flexibility in adapting to the educational needs of students, its cost effectiveness in opening educational opportunities to larger number of students, and its convenience in providing access to information (Lam, 2008). Dr. Chia-Wen conducted a study so that educators and education facilities would recognize the importance of technology integrated classes (Tsai, 2008). Four university professors wrote an article on blended learning. In it they stated, Bas ed on a growing body of knowledge, there is little doubt that computer and communication technologies can facilitate and enhance learning (Chelley, 2007). Blended learning creates the opportunity for educators, institutions, and students to attain their education beyond the walls of the classroom. Technological innovations have changed and benefited the way schools teach and students learn. In a 2008 survey, nearly two-thirds (63%) of the respondents voted that technology will have a major influence on teaching methods over the next five years. With those five years almost up, it is undeniable to say that technology has influenced education -and the next five years afterwards are only going to increases in technological advances in education. These technological changes will effectively change the skill-sets of the future workforce, as well as its approach to work in general. Its important to consider the question of what it will mean to be an educated person in the 21st century. Amy Lynch, who has studied Generation Y (individuals born between 1982 and 2001, also referred to as millenials), says that they are open to collaboration, have an enormous facility for multi-tasking, and are at ease with new technologies. Graduates are entering the workforce with high multi-sensory-p rocessing and technological abilities leaving employers expecting graduates to have accumulated most of the necessary technology skills before joining their organizations (Glenn, 2008). In the cases where schools require of their students to have taken blended learning classes to graduate, they say theyre giving their students the opportunity to have online experience for their rà ©sumà © and preparing them to succeed. Advocates for online and blended courses agree that the majority of todays workforce requires some sort of tech knowledge (Davis, 2008). Not only does the use of technology improve learning in the classroom, but it is essential to success after graduation. I understand how people would be against technology in education, because there are downsides to it. In a perfect world there would be no negatives or downsides, but, of course, a perfect world does not exist. However, the pros out weight the cons and so I believe education would be at its best with the aid of tech. People once asked if it was possible for students to learn from a distance, but now the question is how distance learning affects student outcomes. Since the use of computers the beliefs that distance learning was less effective than traditional learning has greatly decreased. Although e-learning has its drawbacks, it is the action that will help schools exceed. The majority of researches and studies support educational technology for students, and give evidence that it helps better their education. If education stays as it is currently, we are missing out on so much opportunity for improvement. The workforce and world in general will become more and more technology depen dent, yet graduated students may not have the skills and experience to be prepared for what awaits them after their education. The concept of blending learning is still evolving, but its potential is great and has proven itself to be effective. This important step in the evolution of education will not only benefit students in their learning, but also the students who are preparing to enter the workforce.

U.s. History 1920-1940 Essay -- essays research papers

U.S. HISTORY   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1920 – 1940   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During this time period of American history, the country could not have been more contrasting than from 1920 through 1940. The twenties were a period of fun, partying, and economic security hence the term â€Å"roaring twenties†. While the nineteen thirties were known as the time of the â€Å"Great Depression.† From 1920 to 1940 our country saw five presidents, the first flight around the world, the completion of the worlds largest dam, a depression, prohibition, women given the right to vote, and new musical expressions. The 1920’s began shortly after World War I when the Americans and the Allies defeated the Germans in 1918. It was a dawn of new politics in America when congress finally passed the women’s suffrage bill and the 19th Amendment became law, giving women the right to vote. Some twenty five million women had won the right to vote. This would play a major role in the up coming election. Many Americans were fed up with Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president from 1913 to 1921. The first election of the twenties saw Warren G. Harding win and become our nations 29th president. Unfortunately, Harding died before finishing his term and vice president Calvin Coolidge took over to become our 30th president. At the end of this term Coolidge was reelected in 1924. The United States had one of the greatest periods of prosperity ever during his presidency from 1923 to 1929. Great technological advances were also made in the 1920’s. Our nation witnessed the first flights around the wor ld. Inventions such as cars and radios improved the standard of living for the common man. These inventions as well as the conservative economic pollicies added to a huge economic boom. â€Å"The economy experienced growth of seven to ten percent in six years of the twenties† (Vanguard, facts on funds). Later, many of the economic procedures in the decade would lead to danger especially in the stock market. â€Å"The nations total income rose from 74.3 billion in 1923 to 89 billion in 1929.†(Vanguard facts) In the 1920’s, pop culture thrived. Radio became a large form of entertainment. Jazz developed as a new form of music. Louis Armstrong, a trumpeter from New Orleans among others, led the emergence of jazz. During th... ...ames over Lakehurst, New Jersey. After having made ten successful round-trips across the Atlantic Ocean, the Hindenburg exploded in flames as it came in to dock at the Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, N.J., on May 6. The craft was destroyed in just one minute, with 35 of the 97 people aboard perishing in the flames. The cause of the disaster was never identified, though there was speculation that a spark from the zeppelin's engines or atmospheric static electricity ignited highly inflammable hydrogen gas leaking from the craft, causing the explosion. The possibility of sabotage against Nazi Germany was widely rumored but never proven. In conclusion, the 1920’s were one of the most prosperous periods in American history because it reflected in every aspect how to enjoy life. The prosperity of the people influenced society, culture, and politics. The thirties were a complete 180 degrees from the twenties. During the 1930’s prosperity crashed with the stock market and the nation fell into an economic slump that took years to climb out of. I don’t know if our country will see such contrasting decades ever again, but one thing will definitely hold true â€Å"learn from your mistakes.†

Love and Death :: Essays Papers

Love and Death Love and death are often associated with each other in artistic depictions of human existence. In movies ‘love’ is sometimes said to be the only thing worth living for. In Christian literature death has been prophesized as the release from this hard world and the gateway to a world of ultimate peace and love. Sherwood Anderson in his book Winesburg, Ohio, changes the expected metaphor or connection between death and love. In both stories Tom Willard plays a minimal part. He does however give an example of the connection between death and love in his own distorted manner. Tom prides himself, falsely, on the notion that he is an important man around town. He has always envisioned himself rising up in the political scene in Winesburg, or even becoming Governor. His wife, Elizabeth Willard is like death to him. In his mind, she looms over his dreams casting a shadow that he blames for his meager existence. In the story mother, he describes her presence to be â€Å"ghostly† and when he thinks of her he swears angrily (39). Sometimes when he is out in the street he turns to look behind him suddenly as if her ghost and the â€Å"spirit of the hotel† were their casting their shadow on him even in the streets. Tom connects Elizabeth and the hotel to his inability to find success. His life is dominated by the affairs of the shabby hotel. The hotel is a legacy of Elizabeth’s father’s; she walks around in the hotel like it’s her coffin. So for Tom their presence is a reminder of his uneventful life. They are represent the death of his hopes and dreams. He at one point says, â€Å"Damn such a life, damn it† (39), in a context that places blame on Elizabeth and the hotel. It is as if with the death of Elizabeth you might see Tom picturing himself selling the hotel, and going to Ohio’s capital to become serious statesman. In Mother, Elizabeth is looking for a different kind of liberation. Elizabeth’s dreams for her own life have long ago died. Yet she clings to life for the sake of one thought. She is trying to ensure that her son (George Willard) does not become a lifeless thing like herself.

Case for Analysis: Work Redesign in an Insurance Company

Running Head: WORK REDESIGN IN INSURANCE COMPANY Case for Analysis: Work Redesign in an Insurance Company 1. Explain which core characteristics of the employees’ jobs will be changed if the consultant’s recommendations are accepted. Answer: The core characteristic that needs to be changed according to the consultant’s recommendation is the job range. Employees only had a job depth but very little job range. The consultant suggested the company to change operation structure to a client basis from functional orientation, in which each employee would handle every aspect of service as issuing policies, collecting premiums, change beneficiaries, processing loan application pertaining to a particular policyholder. This company has a great job depth; the manager of internal operation believes that, this is the key of success of the company. The job depth is considered as the source of knowledge base and expertise in the firm. The consultant has come to an opposite conclusion according to the information provided by the employees. He considered and concluded that if the job nature and dimension can be spread horizontally then monotonous nature of work can be changed and employees can be motivated. He added inclusion if electronic data management system will reduce the amount of manual task offered to individual employee and that will eventually cut off the labor cost to the firm. 2. Which alternative redesign strategies should be considered? For example, job rotation and job enlargement are possible alternatives. What are the relevant considerations for these and other designs in the context of this company? Answer: Job redesign is actually restructuring the elements of the job by making it more motivating to the performer. It enhances the motivational potential of the job by altering core job dimensions. Job redesign strategies that can be considered are job rotation, job enlargement and job enrichment. Redesigning a job by altering its job range can be performed by either job rotation or job enlargement. Job enlargement is considered a horizontal restructuring method, in which the job is enlarged by adding related tasks. In this case the organization has separate departments to issue policies, collect premiums, change beneficiaries and process loan applications. To enlarge these jobs or to convert it into a client basis, it can be redesigned such as one employee will be responsible for all transaction related to a particular policy holder. Job enlargement can also result in greater workforce flexibility. In this job enlargement design technique, the number of tasks associated with a job is increased to add greater variety to activities, thus reducing monotony. Employees are bored with monotonic schedule of jobs, so by implementing this technique it will be possible to regain employee satisfaction. A job design technique in which employees are moved between two or more jobs in a planned manner is known as job rotation. The objectives is to expose the employees to different experiences and wider variety of skills to enhance job and to cross-train them. In this Insurance Company the employees for different departments can be rotated within the organization. This one may be an alternative redesign strategy. From the employee perspective this can be another strategy that can be taken into consideration, as this will help to reduce repetitive nature of jobs. The other job redesign technique that can be used is for redesigning job is job enrichment; this is a process to redesign job depth. Job enrichment adds new sources of job satisfaction by increasing the level of responsibility of the employee. In this organization every employee is an expert in their own domain, so the organization is very efficient. Employees are already working in a much enriched situation, so employee grievances won’t be reduced with this technique. While job enlargement is considered a horizontal restructuring method, job enrichment is a vertical restructuring method by virtue of giving the employee additional authority, autonomy, and control over the way the job is accomplished. For this company the problem is the employees are interested in job redesign by changing job range while the manager of internal operation is more interested in job redesign by increasing job depth. The employees are getting bored by monotonic work schedule, they are feeling uncared by the authority and these may be the reasons of high absenteeism. 3. What would be your decision in this case? What should management be willing to pay for employee satisfaction? Defend your answer. Answer: In my opinion Total Quality Management (TQM) combining the ideas of job enrichment and socio-technical theory will be the best fit here. Managers who implement TQM design jobs that empower individuals to make important decisions about service quality. This empowerment process will encourage participative management, team-oriented task modules, and autonomy. The electronic data processing system is very much required for this organization. Before starting job redesign the authority should consider the following facts. * Assessing the need for job redesigning -It has centrally involved problems with motivation, satisfaction and work effectiveness. -Employees think that there is problem with design of the work. * Determining the feasibility of job redesign -How ready are the employees for the change? How hospitable are organizational systems to needed change? * Enabling conditions -Reward system facilitating implementation. -Organizational climate facilitating implementation. – Employee development program: Employees should be regularly taken through various development programs such as training, classes, short term diploma etc in order to set them to the highest standard of professional strength and to maintain a highly skill ed workforce. Employees should be able to participate in the program of their choice in their spare time to develop and manage their career. Reward metrics and evaluation against the metric: Management should come up with an attractive and challenging reward metric to evaluate performance of individuals. More challenging and realistic metric will extract better performance and satisfaction from human resource. – Team building events: Team building events such as outing, camping, sport events are the excellent options to tether work force under the organizational culture. Employees should be able to select their preferred mode of celebration and team building process. Team building events facilitate sharing similar culture and competition across peer teams. – Assigning higher responsibilities towards organizational goals: Employees should be assigned higher responsibilities with time. This enables employees to stretch more on their capabilities to take work load and also provides a feel of pride and ownership. – Employee reorganization: Employees should be recognized either as individual or as team for their periodic accomplishments and should be awarded accordingly. This will enhance their confidence level and create healthy competition across organization. Employee review program – Employee satisfaction level must be reviewed by management on periodic basis. Employee satisfaction should be evaluated on multiple concerns as their work life balance, perks, work place comforts etc. – Motivating work force through dynamic management team: Last but not the least employees must be lead by enthusiastic and pioneer management teams who can lead by example. Dynamic management brings new ideas to the team and provides new challenges to the work force to exercise their skill set. References Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, Konopaske, Organizations: behavior – structure – processes,  14th edition

How Cultural Environment Impacts the Marketing

How cultural environment impacts the marketing Culture Culture as described by Herks, M. cited by Rai University (n. d) â€Å"culture may be viewed as the sum total of man’s knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, loves, customs and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society†. It is the totality way of life for a man. The other definition by Hofstede (1980) cited by Jones, D. & McCarthy, J. (2004) states that â€Å"culture as the collective programming of the mind which distinguished the member of one human group from another†. Culture can be different from one group to another and can distinguish the way of living of the human from such groups. As different societies have different cultures as believes and values, these eventually shapes the people living and growing in that society (Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. 2008). A culture of a certain society for example can shape the way of clothing for that society. People growing and living in that society will have a belief and value on the certain type of clothing. A Masai tribe from the northern part of Tanzania for example maintains their culture of wearing, where they wear a single peace of red or blue drafted sheet by wrapping it around their whole body. Marketing According to Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2008) marketing can be defined as â€Å"the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return†. Marketing involves identify and satisfying customer needs and hence building strong relationship with such customers. Norris, B. 2006) describe marketing as a process of analyzing and identifying potentials buyers, attracting potential buyers, convincing or persuading them to accept and buy the products. Cultural impact on marketing As already described on the above paragraphs, cultural environment shape the way people do things which in turn has an effect on the marketing activities. Let’s take clothing as a case to analyze the impact of culture on marketing. Culture has a big influence on types of clothing that are used by different societies. The people in India have their specific type of clothing that has been built from their culture. If as well we look at Muslims societies, Chinese societies, the Masai societies, they all have their type of clothing that they believe in and have been adopting for years which is different from one another. It is imperative that marketers understanding these cultural environment before starting to conduct their marketing activities. According to Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2008), marketers â€Å"needs to predict the cultural shift in order to spot new opportunities or threats†. This implies that there need to be an understanding of the existing culture that can help in predicting the shift. If for example a company producing shirts and trousers intend to extend its market to the masai region, it will need an intensive effort to persuade the people in masai region to abandon their culture and accept the new product. Marketers in this case may face great criticisms and oppositions from those who are supposed to be the potential buyers. On the hand it would take less effort to market same products in areas where there are cultural shift or no cultural restrictions on types of clothing. Reference: Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2008) ‘Principal of Marketing’ 12th Edn. Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Norris, B. 2006) ‘What is Marketing? ’ [online] available from: http://www. briannorris. com/whatismarketing. html (accessed June 1, 2008) Jones, D. & McCarthy, J. (2004) ‘A model for Assessing Cultural Impacts on International Buyer-Seller Relationships for Key Accounts of Hotel Companies’ vol 28-425, [online] available from: http://jht. sagepub. com/cgi/reprint/28/4/425 (accessed June 1, 2008). Rai University (n. d), ‘lesson 8: Cultural environment and its Impact on International Marketing’, [online] available from: http://www. rocw. raifoundation. org/management/bba/InternationalMarketing/lecture-notes/lecture-08. pdf (accessed June 1, 2008).

Advertising Cannot Make Worse Appear the Better but Worsn!

(Pop culture) The philsopher Geroge Santayana wrote ‘Advertising is the modern substitue for argument; its function is to make the worse appear the better. ’ I disagree with it. Advertising is a multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry and advertisements are found everywhere today-in newspapers, online, on billboards, in magazines and even in school newsletters. They appear on the back of recepits, on taxis and on buses, and in MTR stations. The purpose of advertisements is to promote the prodeucts or services they showcase.Then the advertisers will use different strategies and selling points such as slogans, work through suggestion and exaggeration to attract viewers. Therefore, advertising nowadays is quite a debatable topic because there are many pros and cons. However, it is really make the worse appear the better? No, it isn’t. Advertising has distorted customers view towards a product or service. For example, some beauty products are exaggerated through advertis ing when in fact they don’t really work.Some slimming products and services have the same problem too. The slimming models appear super fit when they are actually not in person. The advertising company may make use of the computer technologies to adjust the fatness that shown on the advertisements. Besides, this slimming products may even result some side effects such as thirsty, a rapid heartbeat, slower metabolism, poor spirit and easy to get sick. As a result, its function is not make the worse appear the better but in fact the advertised products or services may hurt you.Apart from this, advertising makes the better appear the better on the surface only but not inner. Many skin-care products like face mask and moisturizing cream advertising attract women to buy them. Although they may have a more beautiful appearance after using these products, they have litter inner beauty. For instance, a lady has a beautiful appearance like a fairy. However, she has a vicious heart and fired by her bosses in many times. Therefore, it is why we say that ‘do not judge a people by externals’ because this people are shallow and ugly.In this century, it is not all strange to see fashionable celebrities in advertisements presenting how cool and glamorous it is. Such brainwashing effect will certainly encourage teens to follow suit. Actually, the original idea of fashion is good because it encouages innovation and the youngers have more choices and becomes more charming. However, with the enormous quantity of advertisements of new products, the young are just fashion seekers.They will try every means to buy whatever new products advertised on television they think are in the fashion, such as new types of mobile phones, clothes of a new style,ect. , discarding with no hesitation the ones in service although these are not old and work perfectly. Moreover, they don’t care the prices at all and sqandering like a billionarie. Then they may overburden with debts when they have credit abuse. In conclusion, it seems that advertising cannot make worse appear the better but worsn!

Relativism in ethics poses serious problems for Christians Essay

With reference to other aspects of human experience, comment on the claim that relativism in ethics poses serious problems for Christians. Justify your answer. [15] Ethical relativism is the theory that states morality is relative to culture and circumstance, meaning the same action may be morally right in one society but be morally wrong in another. For example, most societies believe the act of sacrificing either people or animals is wrong, but there are tribal cultures that perceive it as part of normal life. If one takes this approach there are no such things as moral absolutes, and this can pose problems for Christians. For most Christians ethics are dependent on rules recorded in the Bible. Paul instructs, â€Å"Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.† In the Old Testament especially there are many empathic statements such as, â€Å"Do not kill,† which do not leave much room for ethical relativism. They reject the idea that the ends could justify the means, because sin is sin no matter what the intentions behind it were. Slick wrote on this topic, â€Å"I consider moral absolutes to be real because they come from God and not because they are determined by the whims of mankind.† One of the main criticisms of ethical relativism from within Christian circles is how it leads to a subjective view on morality. If there are no fixed moral truths then that leaves the individual as the supreme moral agent. Under this theory it could be argued the Holocaust was moral – after all, it was the view of that culture that Jews should be exterminated. Anti-Semitism was a societal norm. Groothuis put forward this view: â€Å"Surely any morally sane person must ethically condemn Nazi atrocities as evil †¦ but relativism cannot permit such judgments. The morality of everything is relative — even genocide.† Humans are tainted by sin and therefore are predisposed to make poor choices. On the other hand, relativism does not necessarily mean that anything is acceptable. This is too simplistic a way of looking at it. For example, Peter Singer would describe himself as a believer in ethical relativity, but he wrote, â€Å"what has to be shown to put practical ethics on a sound basis is that ethical reasoning is possible.† He rejected the idea of moral absolutes but also rejected the idea that you could not criticise the choices of others. He stated that human reason is a major factor when it comes to decision making, and that it is not simply a case of choosing what pleases you most. Many Christians have no problem reconciling the Bible with a relativistic approach to ethics. After all, even the Bible contains things that modern day believers do not adhere to such as slavery. When the Bible addresses a topic it should not be compared against the sensibilities of the modern world, but rather against the culture of the ones to whom the Bible was addressed. The Bible was written a long time ago by fallible humans and Christian denominations such as the United Methodist Church in the USA hold a position of ethical relativism. This has led them to performing same-sex weddings and other things that set them apart from their conservative counterparts. They see relativism not as a problem for Christians, but something that can free them from legalism and allow them to be more loving. Strict adherence to Sola Scriptura when it comes to ethics can reject the believer’s own conscience and work of the Holy Spirit, which are also a necessary part of moral decisions. This is similar to those that espouse Christian utilitarianism and believe that God wants them to be happy, even if it requires breaking Biblical law. In the words of Zack Hunt, â€Å"Don’t let dogma and doctrine get in the way of practicing Love, who is God.†

Disney vs. The Future of Men

Thesis: The constructs of masculinity found in most Disney movies create an environment of images that shape and define what young boys view as masculinity. By presenting sexist relationships, physical expectations, and violence and dominance to represent power, young boys are left feeling emotionally unattached and physically inadequate. How many Disney movies did you see as a child? How many of those movies did you watch over and over again? And how many of the songs you so lovingly watched over and over again can you still sing today?The Walt Disney Company has been a powerful force in creating childhood culture all around the world. Disney’s massive success is based on images of innocence, magic and fun. Its animated films in particular are praised as wholesome family entertainment. These movies are endorsed by teachers and parents, and are obviously immensely popular with children. The fun and innocence may have its value, but it is important to understand how these movie s are representing the moral characteristics that the children viewing them will eventually grow up to represent themselves.Most alarmingly is the representation of masculinity throughout many classic Disney movies such as Mulan, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast. These movies are presenting masculine complexes to young boys all over the world, giving them distorted images of what it means to be a man, and also how to relate to women. What is most dangerous about the way Disney movies represent masculinity is that the process is not a quick one. The means in which the media influences the way we think is less immediate, and has a much less straight forward impact on the way we think.Disney movies in particular create a certain environment of images that we grow up with and eventually become used to. An example of such a group of images is the constant representation of the male body in Disney movies as buff, and chiseled. After a while these images begin to shape what young bo ys know and what they understand about the world around them. This is not an immediate effect, but instead a slow accumulative effect that is much more subtle than we are aware of.One of the biggest problems with this process is that the Disney conglomerate has spanned over nearly five generations, so no one thinks to challenge the idea that an animated Disney movie is a great way to entertain children while simultaneously sharing with them a piece of traditional culture. One of the most destructive ways in which classic animated Disney movies are providing young boys with false and distorted images of masculinity, are the ways in which men are shown in relationship to women. Most Disney movies revolve around a heterosexual relationship containing a hero and heroine.Feminists have studied what these characters tell girls about themselves, but it is just as important if not more important to understand what these movies are telling boys about how real men interact with and treat wome n. Often the message to boys both explicitly and implicitly is that men should view women as objects of pleasure or as servants to please them. A perfect example of this misrepresentation is in the movie Mulan. In Mulan, and entire song called â€Å"A Girl Worth Fighting For†, explains what a man is looking for in a woman.Some of these traits include cooking, cleaning, and looking beautiful for her husband. This quote from the song shows exactly what type of sexist characteristics are represented in Mulan. â€Å"I want her paler than the moon, with eyes that shine like stars, my girl will marvel at my strength, adore my battle scars. I could care less what she’ll wear or look like, it all depends on what she cooks like† Another highly destructive construct that Disney movies present to young boys is the representation of the male body.Disney movies glorify one particular body type above all others. Chiseled abs, a barrel chest and massive arms are typical of a m ale Disney character. Men with any other body type are generally viewed as outcasts, weak or subservient. One of the most extreme examples can be found in â€Å"Beauty and the Beast†, where the contrast between the powerful male heroine figure, Gaston and his sidekick, LeFou is undeniable. The song entitled simply, â€Å"Gaston† is entirely dedicated to glorifying Gaston’s manly physique and strength.In contrast to this, LeFou is shown as short, chubby, and bucktoothed. In â€Å"Mulan†, when Mulan attempts to join the Japanese army by passing as a man, she is taught very quickly that masculinity is defined by strength and physical ability alone. In the song, â€Å"I’ll Make a Man Out of You† Mulan is taught that in order to achieve true manhood she must overcome strictly physical obstacles and challenges as opposed to any emotional ones. Other movies such as â€Å"Hercules† and â€Å"Tarzan† depict their main characters as buff , muscular men, with almost super human strength and ability.While Tarzan surfs tree branches and swings from vine to vine with ease that can be compared to an Olympic gold medalist, Hercules lifts giant boulders, and sleighs a three-headed mythological beast. Though the aspect of fantasy plays a role in these movies, the take home message is that characters like Tarzan and Hercules are men to be admired, imitated and idealized. Not only do most Disney movies glorify their characters bodies but also the level of violence and dominance they exhibit. Masculinity in relation to violence and dominance is very clear in most Disney films.Not only is the victory of a battle glorified, the unwillingness of a character to fight is often shown as pitiful or weak. An example of such an instance is in the animated movie, Beauty and the Beast. In a scene where Gaston has beaten the beast to the ground he exclaims, â€Å"What’s the matter beast? Too kind and gentle to fight back? † This is prime example of how movies such as these are teaching boys that violence is the answer, and that any challenge to that idea is thought of as weak or emasculating. The climactic scene in most films is a battle between two men.A violent battle to win the love of a woman or maintain pride and status is the most important scene in establishing which of these characters is the â€Å"better† man. There are two major problems with this idea. First, that boys are being taught that dominance and violence is something to strive for and respect. Second, that these types of behaviors are necessary if not mandatory in gaining the acceptance and love of a woman. Never in a Disney animated movie will you see the losing character of a battle win the woman in the end.Because a lot of the most popular animated Disney movies were created in the mid to late 1900’s a lot of the themes shown in them are completely sexist and have no validity in current society. So basically, as lon g as parents continuing showing their sons Disney movies in which a character has to achieve some physical task instead of showing affection, or an emotional connection, men will continue to have no idea what women want. Because we as Americans feel such a deep, loving connection to theDisney movies we grew up with, it is only natural that we sit our children down in front of the television in an attempt to share with them a piece of our own childhoods. However as much as Disney has become embedded in our subconscious as wholesome and magical, today the world is a different place with different people and different ideas. The harmful effects of showing a child a Disney movie, especially a young boy can leave a dangerous mark. From body distortion, to dysfunctional relationship issues, the potential these movies have to alter a child future is certainly enough to switch off the Disney channel and turn on Lifetime.

Features of the Aircraft Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Features of the Aircraft Design - Essay Example Although composite materials weigh less than aluminum and have more corrosion resistance, which will lower maintenance, composite materials also have more failure characteristics in high-energy crashes (Langevin, 2003). Composite materials are brittle, and lack plasticity following an impact, so that a change in configuration may be needed in an aircraft design to ensure that crashworthiness criteria are met. There are load-limiting devices that can be implemented so that the loads transmitted to passengers during a crash will be minimized. The structural assembly can also be modified to decrease transmitted loads. Aircraft subfloor systems can be developed with high-strength materials that hold the passenger seats during impact, and also contain a crushable layer that will absorb energy. The crushable layer is most important in the vertical direction, for improving human tolerance of the impact. This subfloor platform will also distribute loads across the fuselage evenly. Energy absorbing seats are also effective at reducing loads transmitted to passengers. A comparison of two similar real-life crash events shows that energy absorbing seats and restraint systems can mean the difference between walking away and not surviving (Langevin, 2003). Another aspect of an aircraft design’s crashworthiness is its ditchability, or its ability to emergency land in water. There is usually a great loss of life in ditching however; statistics show a 60% survivability during ditching (Kebabjian, 2006) - some sources list a much higher survivability rate. Intentional ditching of commercial aircraft is rare and often occurs after fuel exhaustion; small aircraft ditching is much more common. As far as aircraft design considerations go, large underwing turbofans have been seen as having problematic ditchability ("Fall-back System...", 1999). In our aircraft design, engines mount above or on the wing, and there shouldn’t be the same ditchability problem.

The Madoff Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Madoff - Essay Example the Madoff In some cases the companies around the world, collaborate and act in regards to each other so as to form a collusive or cartel kind of a behaviour and activity. This creates the scenario where the companies purposely cheat the common people or players in the market in regards to their money or other basic rights. In this case, the focus is on the securities fraud created by Bernard Madoff. Discussing about the origin of the fraud, it needs to be stated that the securities firm was started by Bernard Madoff in the year 1960 under the name of Bernard L Madoff Investment Securities LLC. The company was based in New York and was under the sole ownership of Bernard Madoff. Bernard Madoff also headed an investment advisory business which focused on taking billions of dollars from multiple wealthy individuals, institutional investors and middle class people. The middle class people were made to invest through feeder funds which belonged to that of Tremont Capital Management and Fairfield Gr eenwich Advisors. The performance record of Madoff was pretty impressive as well. Over a long period of around 15 years, he incurred a loss of around 13 months only. To keep a growth record which is clear of any suspicions from the investors, the owner of the investing firm Bernard Madoff kept showing annual gains of around 10 percent on an annual basis. It is important to note that under the facade of sterling performance of the companies owned by Madoff, the greatest Ponzi scheme that might have existed in the financial sector of the world till date was pulled off. The reality behind the sterling performance of the companies owned by Madoff is that a Ponzi scheme was being executed where Madoff focused on using the money provided by new investors to repay the obligations of the previous ones. All the highly profitable facts, figures and reports that were displayed by the companies held by Madoff were completely fake in nature. Reports from various reliable sources highlight that on the December of 2008, Bernard Madoff had a meeting with his sons, where he disclosed that the entire business is complete fake and the fact that he owes around 7 billion USD to multiple clients. In that meeting he also wanted to distribute the Christmas bonus of the employees earlier than usual. After the meeting, the Madoff Juniors consulted with their individual and private attorney who placed the call to officials of the federal government on the evening of December 10. On 11 December, 2008 Bernard Madoff was finally arrested for the execution of a 65 billion USD Ponzi scheme. As of March 2009, Bernard Madoff was pleaded guilty in connection to around 11 acts of felony, which included the fraud of securities. After the weeks, following the arrest of Madoff, investors who lost out on large sums of money filed a number of class action lawsuits under the Southern District of New York (Benson, 3). 2. Explanation of the Madoff Fraud While explaining the Madoff Fraud for this particular assignment, it needs to be stated the entire explanation can be done in regards to the five tragic truisms that are very essential to be discussed and properly related in the assignment. First Tragic Truism The first tragic truism belongs to the category of people. The truism that has been discussed here states that a majority of

Analyse and apply the appropriate marketing strategy in the context of Essay

Analyse and apply the appropriate marketing strategy in the context of the marketing planning process - Essay Example Through study of some important brands and their respective marketing strategies the overall position and pattern have been gauged in context of marketing strategies. Toyota Motor Corporation is a big player in the world of automobiles. It manufactures various types of cars, trucks, passenger cars and minivans. Under the brand name Prius it sells hybrid vehicles. The company also has a wide range of SUV or sport utility vehicles as well as other speciality vehicles. One of the company’s primary objectives is to manufactures such vehicles which would provide safety, security and comfort to the consumers (Company Description, May 2009; Toyotas ITS vision, 2009). Toyota or for that matter any company would set up strategies to achieve its business goals or objectives. Similarly it creates marketing strategies to achieve its goals in terms of marketing objectives. Marketing strategy as a concept caters to three parts, the internal factors of the company itself, the customer and the competitors of the firm. A marketing strategy of a firm focuses on the market in terms of segmentation, targeting and positioning. Segmentation is dividing the market into groups which have similar characteristics. This is used by the companies to target their products to cater to the specific segments. The company always focuses towards creating a higher position for its products in comparison to its competitors so that it can leverage this and sell more. One of the basic and most important concepts of marketing strategy is that of the 4Ps of marketing which constitute the marketing mix of an organisation. The marketing mix or the 4Ps are; product, price, promotion and placement. Toyota offers a wide array of automobiles. It produces trucks, minivans, luxury sedans and hybrids among many other cars. The company also offers various brands for its various offerings. The Lexus brand is its luxury offering. While the Scion brand

Mod # BUStwo feedback loops in your organization (HP INC.) Essay

Mod # BUStwo feedback loops in your organization (HP INC.) - Essay Example In a move to improve profitability the company is planning to outsource PC manufacturing facilities worldwide. This would help the company to increase profitability by focusing on its core strengths which includes supply chain management, new products and services development and supplier management. (www.hp.com) Management Intent: The management believes that as everything as a Service evolves, there is an opportunity to reshape the computing industry forever and, more importantly, create more dynamic services that enrich our everyday lives and improve how we do business. To realize this potential, the technology industry must innovate at a higher level of intelligence into the next generation of devices, networks and software. When we are successful in providing better user experience, we will be poised for the next wave of growth. (www.hp.com) Feedback loops Employed by HP: Customer groups in various markets - Speed quality and flexibility are some of the requirements of the customer groups as far as technology is concerned. Manufacturers like HP would like to classify their customers as large businesses, individuals with home office and the younger generation. Further this would also give an insight to the market size and location, stage of the product life cycle in each of these consumer groups and characteristics and influences of the buyers (demographic details).Global marketers like HP will would resort to this method of feedback which brings into focus the basic information necessary for development of a strategic plan for production.Survey on Product technology - This form of feedback involves the markets being broken down into segments. Volumes of requirement are forecast to identify and explore the requirements for niche products and otherwise. This feedback would also give the companies required product mixes, c omplexity, differentiation and frequency of manufacturing required. The purpose of selecting these loops was to bring to attention that the major deciding factors of cost in production are related to these. Balancing feedback brings in optimum product quality at the lowest possible pricing leads to goal seeking behavior. Complex systems are composed of multiple feedback loops laid upon one another. How this can be used in OD Hp can make use of these loops by empowering the team of people involved in these activities, by which the results would be extraordinary. The company can help teams involved to manage culture, process, systems and relationships which in turn would be effective and would also reflect on Organizational development. People learn together by submitting their shared vision to testing. When complex dynamics exist, a shared vision allows organizational members to examine assumptions, search for leverage points, and test different policy alternatives. This level of learning often requires simulation, which is a much more specialized systems technique. (Larsen, K., McInerney) Effects of feedback loops on Org Effectiveness Long and Short Term: The effects of these feedback loops on organization effectiveness are as follows Long Term: Organizations strive to reach their potential by sharing this vision of worthy goals with employees. There is a Lifelong commitment to high quality work can result when teams work

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 40

Case study - Essay Example VR offer users with a leeway of performing tasks safely, unlike traditional rehabilitation programs that are repetitive and thus reduce patient’s motivation. It provides patients with specific environments to fit their needs as well as accommodate training in different phases. Re-learning of motor functions includes repetition as the task is connected to sensorial feedback that requires motivation that may take the form of game format during therapy. In addition, specialists have the ability to track and save data that is helpful for monitoring and managing a patient’s therapy. To test the hypothesis, the researcher developed the HYPER project for rehabilitating motor disorders by producing neurorobotics (NR) and motor neuroprosthetics (MNP). However, HYPER was limited to the use of many cables, prompting the use of Kinect, a wireless and promising technology, whose tracking has to be measured. Further, a combination of Brain Computer Interface and virtual reality possible creates a personalized environment that can study brain signals that help in assessing the progress of the patient undergoing therapy. From the case study, it is evident that the introduction of new technology that encompass games for therapeutic use offer numerous challenges, but perform better compared to traditional

Evaluating TQM of Emirates Airlines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Evaluating TQM of Emirates Airlines - Essay Example By providing a skeletal support for the strategies, it will be easy to allocate resources to the important goals respectively without wastage of precious resources. They also make the task easier for ever employee as it makes clear what they have to do or aim to do and they will be motivated towards a strategy. (Basil Henry Liddell Hart, 1967) Mission and vision of Emirates: The mission statement of Emirates is: â€Å"To become a leading airline with good customer relations by encouraging transparency and fair competition and adopting open skies policy.† The vision of Emirates is: â€Å"To become a leading airline by setting new industry standards that has focus on innovation, diversity and customer service.† Strategies and Goals †¢ To become a global airline and carrier of choice all over the world. †¢ To promote UAE especially Dubai as one of the safest, modern, technologically advanced. Progressive and modern commercial centers of the world. †¢ To encourage sustainability and economic efficiency through various programs †¢ To encourage diversity by having multi-cultural staff †¢ To develop and train employees and provide them opportunities to enhance their skills. To apply and develop new technologies internally as well as in the services and products that are offered t the customers. To expand and grow in the new markets. Core Competencies The core competencies of Emirates include its: Strong leverage to brands: Focus on marketing and promoting the brands by investing on them Competitive cost structure: Focus on low costs so as to offer low fares. Spoke and hub operation: The mega hub of Emirates Airlines is at Dubai International Airport that is the centre connecting the whole world. (Emirates, n.d.) Strategic Control Strategic control is very important to monitor the internal and external environment. It helps in evaluating the company’s programs from a long term perspective. For Emirates it is very important to systematically and continuously check the implementation of plans, monitor all the events that take place inside and outside the company in all situations. (Porter, 1996) Stakeholder analysis Government: Government of UAE is the major stakeholder of Emirates Airline as it is also one of the owners of the company. They have high power and are very much interested in the operations of the company. The government has the authority to build pressure and question the decisions. The government is so much involved with the company that it created a liberal market for the Airline to operate in Fast east Share holders: they are the people who have bought the shares of Emirates. They have high level of interest in the affairs of the business as they have invested their money, but they have low level of power. It is very important to develop engagement strategy for them and keep them informed about the activities. Employees: employees are one of the main stakeholders of a company as they have the power that can either make the company or break it. They are directly linked to the company. It is thus very important to keep them satisfied by providing training and development opportunities, good compensations and a good environment. Their needs should be catered and taken care of. Customers: without the customers a company cannot survive. Customers thus are very important and play a very important role. They have the power to influence the company and its success. Strategies should be made to keep the customers engaged and updated about the products and services. Public: on a larger scale the

Management accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Management accounting - Assignment Example 235 Â   Fixed overhead volume efficiency 378 Â   Fixed overhead volume capacity 516 Â   Â   ----------- ----------- Â   Â   2129.1 325.5 Â   Â   (2129.1) Â   Â   ---------- Â   Â   (1803.6) Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   ------------ Computation of the Unit Cost Units (Kg/Number of labour) Total cost (?) Per unit cost (?) Total Production (units) Units required for actual Standard production Units required for Standard Direct Material M3 1050 1680 1.6 2100 0.5 2130 1065 Direct Material M7 1470 2793 1.9 2100 0.7 2130 1491 Labour 525 3675 7 2100 0.25 2130 532.5 Variable production overhead 1260 2100 based on labour hours 2130 532.5 Fixed production overhead 4725 2100 based on labour hours 2130 532.5 Profit calculation of actual units: Sales (2100 x ?14.5) ? 30,450 Direct Material M3 (? 1,680) Direct Material M7 (? 2,793) Direct Labour (? 3,675) Variable production overhead (? 1,260) Fixed production overhead (? 4,725) Net Income 16,317 Profit calculation of budgeted profits: Sales (2130 x ?15) ? 31,950 Direct Material M3 (1065 x ?1.55) (? 1,650.75) Direct Material M7 (1491 x ?1.75) (? 2,609.25) Direct Labour (532.5 x ?7.2) (? 3,834) Variable production overhead (532.5 x ?2.1) (? 1,118.25) Fixed production overhead (532.5 x ?9) (? 47922.5) Net Income ? 17,945.25 From the detailed analysis of the computations of the operating statements and the information provided by the company, it is evident that the company is producing and selling units less than its budgeted figures show. The variance analysis is the most commonly used tool for evaluating the performance of a business by comparing its costs and revenues against the industry standards (Needles, Powers & Crosson, 2011) and ensure that right steps are taken for any kind of deviations or variances so that it can make necessary changes and reap...The main components of this statement are sales, cost of goods sold and expenses; the primary areas of focus are the revenue amount and expenses amount (Slater , 2012). Every organisation tries to keep a tight control on its expenses so that it can fulfil the requirements of its business effectively. Being a cost effective organisation allows the organisation to maintain a strong financial position and also with their savings they can work upon other business strategies such as expansion strategies and forming business units. For instance, if the equipment maintenance cost is increasing, then it can consider replacing it with a new one (Hansen, Mowen & Guan, 2009). Replacing with a new one may seem a heavy expense initially but when compared to the replacement costs on a constant mode, buying the new equipment would be a cost effective choice. In every business, there are two main classifications of costs or expenses i.e. variable and fixed costs and they need to be adequately monitored so that sufficient amount of profit can be earned (Tulvinschi, 2010). All costs and expenses in the business need to be carefully recorded and analysed so that further decision making is according to the current financial scenario of the business. In the manufacturing business like Ash PLC, the variable cost is of utmost importance as it has to ensure that it can produce the units according to the industry standards and within its budget range.