Monday, December 30, 2019
Police Prejudice and Racism Essay - 3516 Words
There are many instances where minorities are not given the chance to prosper in American society. The same system that promises all men equal opportunity has turned its back in the face of minorities. We plan to examine some segments of this system, namely the media and the criminal justice system, exposing injustices burdening minorities in America. The media, in particular broadcasting news, has catered to stereotypes of non-whites by over-representing minorities as the assailants in violent crime. These types of practices are clearly detrimental to the advancement of those who have been handicapped by the ignorance of the past. In the first part of the paper we examine the effects of the rise of local news, charting specific studiesâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Despite the fact that television is still the dominant source, there have been shifts involving the consumption of news programming. There has been a significant fall in the reliance of the networks and their national newscasts for Americas news. Today more people are relying on the reports given by local news programs than on that of the networks. Several surveys have recorded this shift as early as 1993, denoting that much of America cites local news on television as their major source of information. An even stronger argument than media usage surveys is the relative share of viewing audience commanded by either network or local news programs. Based on Nielsen audience ratings from the countryââ¬â¢s two largest media markets (Los Angeles and New York), it is clear that the number of Americans who tune in to local news programs on a daily basis far exceeds those who watch national newscasts. Averaging across both markets, the cumulative audience for evening local news easily surpasses the cumulative audience for national news. (Iyengar Reeves, 1997) The immense audiences for local news show basic changes in television programming. All over the country today, local news programs air in the morning, afternoon, evening, prime time arid even late night. The weekly total of hours devoted to local news programming in Los Angeles and New York are 97Show MoreRelatedRacism And The South And Police Brutality1378 Words à |à 6 PagesRacism is prejudice plus power (influence, status and authority). It exists in many different forms and in almost every facade of society; from subtle discrimination in everyday life and scandals in politics, to occurrences like lynchingââ¬â¢s in the South and Police Brutality. Racism is complicated, systemic and institutional as described by researchers; (Jones, 1997): personal, which may be considered the same as prejudice (Allport, 1958); institutional, involving a set of environmental conditionsRead MoreThe American Civil War And The Civil Rights Movement1539 Words à |à 7 PagesIn elementary school, students study the Civil War, and the Civil Rights movement. Teachers speak about slavery and racism as if it were a thing of the past; and juvenile minds are lead to believe that Martin Luther King Jr.ââ¬â¢s dream has finally come true. But as these futile minds mature, they encounter different versions of this ââ¬Å"dreamâ⬠. Caucasian faces may live to believe the world is a blissful place, but scoff at the waitress who struggles to speak english. Brown faces may look at the homosexualRead MoreDefinition Essay On Racism1005 Words à |à 5 PagesFeminists? Christians? Islamics? Men and woman being shot by police because of the color of their skin or what they believe in? Throughout society, the definition of racism varies drastically. Some people would define it as its definition, one race against another, then there are the other uninformed members of society who would define it as blacks against whites, but in all reality itââ¬â¢s any race against another. Though racism is usually defined as antagonism directed against someoneRead MoreP1 ââ¬â Explain the Range of Meanings Attached to Citizenship, Diversity and the Associated Terminology1297 Words à |à 6 Pagesto citizenship, diversity and the associated terminology Racism Racism is prejudice or discrimination directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief. An example of racism in the public services comes from a news report on channel 4 earlier this year. The report tells how there has 120 racism cases in the Metropolitan Police over the past decade, but only one officer was dismissed as a result. This shows that racism is common in the public services but is not necessarily dealtRead MoreThe Media s Influence On Society s Attitude Toward Pointing Out An Apparent Ongoing Struggle Between Whites And Blacks1668 Words à |à 7 Pagesnewspapers? Many stories in the news relate to racism: police brutality, education, crime; the media has a way of portraying these matters or specific incidents to suggest that a vast majority of Americans are racist. What might happen if the media, specifically, and society in general, were to focus on the good aspects of our world and the positive sacrifices that individuals make to create a better wo rld? I wouldnââ¬â¢t be so naà ¯ve to say that racism doesnââ¬â¢t exist, or imply that racist-motivated incidentsRead MoreRacism Is Not A Physical Action1533 Words à |à 7 Pagesslavery, but also from institutionalized racism in the school system. Racism is more than a single person s actions towards another based on skin color. Racism is ââ¬Å" the belief that all members of each race possess certain characteristics that make them inferior or superior to another raceâ⬠. Racism is not a physical action, rather a mental thought process that often leads to violent physical actions. Racism can take many different forms on many different levels. Racism can result in a multitude of thingsRead MoreThe Ferguson Riots And Racial Profiling Essay1701 Words à |à 7 Pagesas to demonstrate that racism is still a very large problem in our society. The Ferguson riots were a product of a long period of discrimination towards and mistreatment of the black community in Ferguson and were ignited by the murder of a young black man named Michael Brown. Michael was shot and killed by a police officer who believed that the young man was a danger to his life. This is one of many of these killings that seem to be centered on racial profiling done by police officers, and fueledRead MoreRacial Prejudice And Crime And Criminal Justice1749 Words à |à 7 Pagesinterweave during a couple of days in Los Angeles. There is a African American detective who does not have a relationship with his mother and his criminal younger brother with a gang member; a Caucasian district attorney and his prejudice and pampered wife; a racist white police officer who dislikes his partner because he is so idealistic; an African American Hollywood director and his wife who have some problems with the racist white cop; a Persian-immigrant father who doesn t trust others and a hardworkingRead MoreA Sociological Concept Of The Movie Crash894 Words à |à 4 Pageseither victims of prejudice and discrimination or are guilty of it. America is a multicultural society and it is everyone s responsibility to examine their own heart and mind to keep from becoming what we as a society abhor...racists. This movie while controversial is also filled with heartfelt moments that will rip your heart out. Ultimately, it is a matter of doing and saying the right thing to avoid injury to others and becoming a monster in society. A conflict of racism and stereotypingRead MoreRacism And White Privilege Enforcement Essay1292 Words à |à 6 PagesPolice officers, who were once referred to as peace keepers, are now more law enforcement officers. Police agencies around the United States seem to be stuck more on quotas and creating revenue for their county or city. Making many officers strive for many unnecessary arrests. Which as a following result has brought up a lot of tension between the police and their citizens. With increasing violence in cities and states; police officers methods have slowly become more aggressive, bringing a rise in
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Social Problems That Are Occurring Within Schools And...
Schools and Education has been a social problem we face in the United States for some years now. This is a social issue that individuals go through that affects their education. This social issue involves people race, gender, and family income. In attention to those reason there are other reason that the school system is failing, such as the lack of parents involvement in their childââ¬â¢s education action, schools are being over crowded, and also the lack of diversity in school. This problem needs to get more attention so that every student can get the best and highest education that they deserve. In the book Social Problems: Continuity and Change, I studied Chapter 11: ââ¬Å"Schools and Educationâ⬠. This chapter is very informative about theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Familyââ¬â¢s race and income can affect the possibility of someoneââ¬â¢s attendance in college. The rate for dropouts in schools is highest for Latinos and Native Americans and lowest for Whites an d Asians. As for income, families with high income are more likely to attend college than families with low income. Gender also affects educational attainment. There is a gender difference today that females are more likely than males to graduate high school, and finish college and obtaining a degree. The United States are considered a credential society, which indicates if a person has the knowledge, degree or skill that they need to get numerous jobs. Another focus is how the United States education system compares internationally. The chapter goes into lessons from another society, which discusses the stressful schooling in Finland. The sociological perspective on education involves functional, conflict, and symbolic interactionism approaches. It starts with four functions of education. The most important function is socialization, and then leads to social integration. The third and fourth function of education is social placement and innovation. Education and Inequality is a conflict in the sociological perspective on education, because it targets different aspects that affect schooling. Some examples of social placement are, tracking, the quality of schools, and lastly has hidden curriculums. Schools teach a hidden curriculum that has a set of values and
Friday, December 13, 2019
How Huckelberry Finn Defines His Moral Character Free Essays
Defining a Moral Character The journey through life is broad, but early on, people learn values and morals. Often times, these characteristics are influenced by daily experience and contact with others. Although developing morals and values may be difficult at times, adequate time and experience brings gratification. We will write a custom essay sample on How Huckelberry Finn Defines His Moral Character or any similar topic only for you Order Now As it was for Huck Finn, the adventure through independence and experience brought knowledge of values including, responsibility, accountability, compassion, and gratefulness which ultimately helped Huck define his moral character. In most situations, Huck was able to make decisions based on his perception of right and wrong, and learns life lessons in doing so. No matter what trial or tribulation he encountered, Huck was grateful he was not subject to Pappââ¬â¢s abuse. When he was caught trying to be a girl by Judith Loftus, he learned compassion when she still accepted him in her home. Huck didnââ¬â¢t want to feel accountable for the death of the murders on the abandoned ship, so he did what he felt was necessary, and took on the responsibility of trying to see they were rescued. Stating, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦wishing I knowed who shot the man and what they done it for,â⬠Huck sought and found meaning in most circumstances and understands every choice has its consequence (133). Whether or not to turn Jim in was something Huck toggled with constantly throughout his adventure. He knew that Jim belonged to the widow Douglas who had done so much for him, but Huck still felt compassion for Jim, who he had developed a deep friendship with on account of their experiences together. Because of his bond with Jim, Huck did not want to feel guilty if something bad were to happen to his friend, but at the same time, he did not want to be held accountable for helping a runaway slave. Altogether, the lessons Huck learned on his adventure were a contributor to the definition of his moral character. In the end, Huck acted on what he felt was right according to his set of developed morals and values, regardless of whether it was accepted by society or not. He later affirms his decision by stating ââ¬Å"All right then, Iââ¬â¢ll go to hellâ⬠as he ripped up the letter to Ms. Watson (239). Huckââ¬â¢s influence and experience led him to be a loyal friend, and a virtuous individual. How to cite How Huckelberry Finn Defines His Moral Character, Papers
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Concentrating Innovation and Business Development
Question: Discuss about the Concentrating Innovation and Business Development. Answer: Introduction: Value proposition is one of the major segments of the Business Canvas Model. Starbucks is mainly concentrating on involving people who maintain the commendable work efficiencies. Moreover, the company tends to focus on the employees who are much committed towards accomplishing the business goals. In order to improve the satisfaction level, the company transfers the knowledge as well. It is noted that Starbucks has established the effective relationships with some of the key partners. For example, the company is tied up with some of the efficient coffee growers worldwide to grow farmer and eco friendly coffee beans. The key partnership is a term used for representing the buyer-supplier relationship (Kindstrm Daniel and Christian 2014). Starbucks is also paying the closer attention on acquiring the key resources. The customer relationship is also one of the major focuses of the company to structure their business model canvas. Starbucks has made the partnerships with specialised coffee machine makers that will supply the innovative machines for the shops (Foss, Nicolai and Tina Saebi 2015). The procedure is much helpful for Starbucks because, the company spend very less capital on infrastructures, manpower, and RD Departments (Martins et al. 2015). While structuring the business model canvas, Starbucks has paid the full attention on the partnership process since the partners already hold the expertise skill on this area. These partners of the company even receive the opportunity to deal with the steady buyers, which is essential for establishing a string brand value (Voigt, KOana and Kathrin 2016). The taste of the coffee and the innovative business process are the major value proposition strategies that the company has implemented to draw the attention of the customers. 10 Types of Business Innovation The impactful business innovations usually follow ten basic types, which ensure growth opportunity for the organisations. Similarly, Starbucks is also following such innovation types that can help the company to sustain the competitive position in the business market (Keeley Larry et al. 2013). The ten types of innovations are: These innovations are necessarily needed to be implemented by the organisations. However, the study is mainly focusing on Process and Structure innovations of Starbucks. Structure: Structure innovation is mainly concentrating on assimilating the tangible and intangible resources altogether. From managing the internal functionalities to build up the heavy capital equipment are considered as the organisation structure (Keeley Larry et al. 2013). The human resource management of Starbucks is much innovative and remarkable. The company is committed to provide the healthy and hygienic workplace for the associated workers. The human resource management provides the efficient training session to the employees to perform the organisational activities in a better way (Orta et al. 2015). On the other hand, Starbucks maintains an extended network for the operational and finance department. In order to make the most demanding restaurant chain, the company is focusing on investing more capitals on the technological resources (Letizia Paolo and George Hendrikse, 2016). The company even conducts the employee development programmes to involve the efficient workers in the opera tional activities. Apart from these activities, the company is also concentrating on the effective promotional process to spread the brand awareness among the potential customers (Ali 2016). The resource structure of Starbucks is thus much appreciable for managing the sustainability in this competitive scenario. Process: Process innovations are mainly involving the business activities that can produce the primary offerings of a company (Keeley Larry et al. 2013). The unique capabilities and value added processes are determined to bring more innovations (Starbucks.com 2014). Starbucks has also undertaken several innovative approaches in the business process. The company produced some of the innovative coffee types that are effective enough in drawing the attention of the customers. Teavana Oprah Chai Tea is produced by Oprah Winfrey. It is a distinctive blend of tea features along with the bold infusion of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. A portion of the sales profit is invested for the benefits of young leaders. The company even introduced the Fizzio beverages, which are individually handcrafted for the potential customers. The use of the innovative technologies to produce such products is much commendable. The company even restructure the business process by making the mobile pay available f or the customers (Gassmann, Karolin and Michaela 2016). In current times, the company is focusing on becoming the leader in the mobile space (Starbucks.com 2014). Therefore, the company introduced the digital tripping, which enables the customers feedbacks in each store (Mateu et al. 2016). Apart from this, Starbucks has also introduced the Mobile Truck for moving into difference campuses. It becomes easier for the faculty to grab the beverages or snacks. References Ali, Syed Ahtsham. "Directions to Explore the Principles of Service Innovation: With Various Companies Case Study."Journal of Research in Business, Economics and Management6, no. 3 (2016): 971-978. Carayannis, Elias G., Stavros Sindakis, and Christian Walter. "Business model innovation as lever of organizational sustainability."The Journal of Technology Transfer40, no. 1 (2015): 85-104. Foss, Nicolai J., and Tina Saebi, eds.Business model innovation: The organizational dimension. OUP Oxford, (2015). Gassmann, Oliver, Karolin Frankenberger, and Michaela Csik. "Innovation Strategy: From new Products to Business Model Innovation." InBusiness Innovation: Das St. Galler Modell, pp. 81-104. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden, 2016. Keeley, Larry, Ryan Pikkel, Brian Quinn, and Helen Walters., "10 Types Of Innovation: The Discipline Of Building Breakthroughs". John Wiley And Sons. (2013). Kindstrm, Daniel, and Christian Kowalkowski. "Service innovation in product-centric firms: A multidimensional business model perspective."Journal of Business Industrial Marketing29, no. 2 (2014): 96-111. Letizia, Paolo, and George Hendrikse. "Supply chain structure incentives for corporate social responsibility: An incomplete contracting analysis."Production and Operations Management25, no. 11 (2016): 1919-1941. Martins, Luis L., Violina P. Rindova, and Bruce E. Greenbaum. "Unlocking the hidden value of concepts: a cognitive approach to business model innovation."Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal9, no. 1 (2015): 99-117. Mateu, Jos M., Jos M. Mateu, Isidre March-Chorda, and Isidre March-Chorda. "Searching for better business models assessment methods."Management Decision54, no. 10 (2016): 2433-2446. Orta, Miguel, Otto F. von Feigenblatt, Edel Lemus, and Orlando Rivero. "Starbucks Corporation: Leading Innovation in the 21 st Century."Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences7, no. 1 (2015). Starbucks.com., "10 Starbucks Innovations Of 2014" (2014). Starbucks Newsroom. https://news.starbucks.com/news/10-starbucks-innovations-of-2014. Voigt, Kai-Ingo, Oana Buliga, and Kathrin Michl. "Globalizing Coffee Culture: The Case of Starbucks." InBusiness Model Pioneers, pp. 41-53. Springer International Publishing,
Thursday, November 28, 2019
How To Become Successful With A Social Network
How To Become Successful With A Social Network The biography of Camille Hearst is probably one of the interesting you may hear. Her path started a long time ago, as she finished Stanford with an engineering degree, and joined Apple Company during the era of genius Steve Jobs. That timeframe was very interesting and important since the iPod was introduced and changed the whole world of music. Such start can be a serious boost to any career. Camille continued to climb to success, as she later became one of the first managers at iTunes, working there from 2005 to 2010. It was an important part of her career, because iTunes was only the number eight music retailer in 2005, and grew to the top one in 2010. It did not stop her to achieve her goals, as she continued to work with giants, such as YouTube, Google, and Hailo (U.K.-based taxi hailing app that was not successful on the U.S. market). The Kit Project and New Wave of Success The structure of successful careers always reminds a roller coaster. You reach the highest results, and it is ok if you fail at some point, which makes you only stronger to know how to become successful again. The story of Camille is not an exception. Even after such failure with launching an app for the US, she later started her new project. Now, she is a co-founder and CEO of Kit, a famous social recommendation platform, where many people can share products they like. As the company started to grow fast, she also announced that seed funding had reached $2, 5 million, which is a great result for such project. This moment has become an important basis for her career, and she joined a list of African-American women ever to raise more than $1 million to grow a startup. This new project already made a strong impact, and some people make money through Amazon.com using and testing Kit. Moreover, it was successfully launched and perfectly works with Alexa Bot and Twitter, where many users can ââ¬ËAsk Kitââ¬â¢ questions related to many products. Since the launch of Kit, a lot of the people are giving positive feedbacks, using this platform to start or reboot their business by increasing the number of potential customers or audience. Even the stars of social networks use Kit to share with their fans what type of gear they use, and it only increases the popularity of Camilleââ¬â¢s project in a good way. The modern usage of many famous social networks increase the overall people interest in making money, and some good examples are showing how it is easy to achieve high results if you do not stop pursuing your goals. The Success of Camille Hearst is the best example for young people, which should be spread among many universities. Her career path is the best example how you can climb to success and never stop pursuing your dream.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Definition of Conditional Tense
Definition of Conditional Tense Definition The verb tense that is used to indicate that an action or state of being is dependent on the occurrence of a condition. Also Known As This tense in Spanish is also known as the futuro hipotà ©tico, tiempo potencial or tiempo condicional in Spanish. Explanation In the sentence Si lo encuentro, serà a un milagro (If I find it, it would be a miracle), the first part of the sentence (Si lo encuentro or If I find it) is the condition. Serà a and would be are in the conditional tense because whether they refer to an actual occurrence depends on whether the condition is true. In both English and Spanish, the condition does not need to be explicitly stated. In the sentence Yo lo comerà a (I would eat it), the condition is not stated but is implied by the context. For example, the condition might be something like Si lo veo (If I see it) or Si lo cocinas (If you cook it). In English, the conditional tense is formed using the auxiliary verb would before the base verb, although would also has other uses. In Spanish, the conditional tense for regular verbs is formed by adding the following endings (in boldface) to the infinitive: yo comerà a (I would eat)tà º comerà as (you singular would eat)à ©l/ella comerà a (he/she/it would eat)nosotros/nosotras comerà amos (we would eat)vosotros/vosotras comerà ais (you plural would eat)ellos/ellas comerà an (they would eat) In Spanish, the conditional tense has historical ties to the future tense and is often known as the hypothetical future tense. The ties between the two tenses can be seen in their formation from the infinitive rather than the verb stem. Also, if the future tense of a verb is formed irregularly, the conditional is usually irregular in the same way. For example, I would want is querrà a in the conditional and querrà © in the future. The conditional perfect tense is formed by using the conditional of haber with a past participle. This compound tense is shown in the final two examples below. Examples of the Conditional Tense These sentences show how the conditional tense is used: Serà a una sorpresa. (It would be a surprise.)Si pudieras jugar, à ¿estarà as feliz? (If you were able to play, would you be happy?)Si fuera posible, me gustarà a verte. (If it were possible, Id like to see you.Llegamos a pensar que nunca volverà amos a grabar una nueva cancià ³n. (We concluded that we would never again record a new song. Note that the English translation here isnt a literal one.)Creo que te habrà an escuchado. (I believe they would have listened to you.)Si no te hubiera conocido, mi vida habrà a sido diferente. (If I had not met you, my life would have been different.)
Thursday, November 21, 2019
What is the result of the credit crunch, a recession or a depression Essay
What is the result of the credit crunch, a recession or a depression Recession of 2007-2009 and Great Depression - Essay Example The effects of credit crunch were considerably destructive for the financial institutions. Most of the investment banks were suffered a lot. They had no choice either to reduce the value of their assets or to file for bankruptcy. For many investment banks, even the value reduction of assets did not prove to be sufficient enough to protect them for the severity of the global financial crunch. It looked as the investment banks were struggling to fight for their existence; they were trying to stay alive and remain a part of the financial world. But, for many banks, their lives saving attempts were insufficient to protect them from the effects of the credit crunch. As a result, many investment banks had no choice left in the period of 2007 to the year of 2009; willingly or unwillingly, many declared their bankruptcy. In the initial face of the credit crunch, the financial and investment banks faced the harshness and severity of the financial crisis, the entire situation was so disappoint ing that many disappeared from the international financial circle and mergers, acquisitions, liquidations, bankruptcies and nationalization were the only options left for them (The WTO Doha Round and Regionalism, 2009). ââ¬ËRecession is when your neighbour loses his job; depression is when you lose yoursââ¬â¢ (Ronald Reagan (1980) as saying, quoted by Eslake, 2008). Interestingly, there is no official or generally accepted criterion to identify a difference between a ââ¬Ërecessionââ¬â¢ and a ââ¬Ëdepressionââ¬â¢. ... On the face of it, the period of recession is comparatively less than the period of depression. For instance, some economists are of the view that the recession may occur and last for two to three quarters. And its impacts could be limited to some particular sectors of an economy. As a result, recession could put negative impact on the index of employment and may trigger some sort of unemployment in some specific economic sectors of the economy. On the other hand, the period of depression tends to be larger and wide spread. The Great Depression of 1929 did not continue for one or two years; rather it constantly showed its pressure on the economy throughout the decade on the 1930s. Additionally, depression tends to be wide spread in an economy. It almost hit negatively to each economic sector of an economy. Causes of the Great Depression The decade of 1920s considerably experienced consumers taking on more debt in America. In this period of decade, according to Bernanke (1983) the out standing amount of real estate mortgages sharply increased from the level of $11 billion to the level of $27 billion. The debt instalment also saw a sharp increase due to a wide spread availability of consumer goods. Due to the facility of credit and other forms of debt, many consumers facilitated their needs by increasing their purchases of household appliances, cars, homes and other basic necessities that they liked (Parker, 2007). This cause came from the consumer side that were mostly showing their consumer confidence on the economy of the America. On the other hand, the stock market was touching new psychological heights. And on each passing day, the stock market had something more than the previous day
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Various Mechanisms Used by the Nervous System to Guide Axonal Growth Essay
Various Mechanisms Used by the Nervous System to Guide Axonal Growth - Essay Example Congress 1990). The end of each growing axon is called a growth cone, and functions as a sensing device, interacting with molecules in the environment in order to reach the correct target (Schatten 2005; Bean 2012). The growth cones can be described as expanded ââ¬Å"sensory-motileâ⬠tips of the growing axons that respond to various attractive and repulsive molecular signals in order to direct and guide axons to their synaptic targets (Myers & Gomez 2011, p. 13585). Thus, axonal growth is guided with the help of guidance cues in the environment. As the nervous system matures, about half the neurons die and only those that have grown properly and are connected to the available synaptic sites survive (U.S. Congress 1990). A study of the mechanisms behind axon guidance to the appropriate targets is necessary in order to better understand the development of the nervous system and to elucidate the formation of the neural network. Mechanisms Underlying Axonal Guidance The guidance of axonal growth is a result of interplay of four types of guidance forces, namely contact attraction, contact repulsion, chemoattraction and chemorepulsion (Tessier-Lavigne & Goodman 1996). ... At the leading end of the growth cone, actin is polymerized and then moved to the rear for depolymerisation (Bean 2012). This continuous cycling of polymerised actin from the leading end to the rear end and then back to the leading end leads to a ââ¬Å"tank-treadâ⬠kind of movement that enables the guiding of the growth cone (Bean 2012). Santiago Ramon y Cajal first described the movement of growth cones in 1880 (Zheng 2000; Bean 2012). He described that growth cones move towards their synaptic targets in a circuitous route, thus providing evidence that growth cones themselves have an active role in the guidance process (Bean 2012). However, the first live microscopic observations of growth cones were not made until Ross Harrison developed modern tissue culture (Vitriol & Zheng 2012). Later on, Roger Sperry upon observing the optic nerve lesions of frogs showed that retinotectal axons could regenerate and find their targets, subsequently making precise synaptic connections (Bea n 2012). It thus became evident that specific surface markers exist and are used by growth cones for the recognition of targets. This was further demonstrated through studies on zebrafish, drosophila, grasshopper and chick, which showed that guidance of axon growth followed specific and similar pathways in different species, indicating that the mechanisms are conserved across species (Bean 2012). Studies by Gomez et al., Renaudin et al., and Robles and Gomez have shown that point contacts are formed by growth cones using various focal adhesion-related molecules like ?1-integrins, paxillin, FAK and vinculin (Myers & Gomez 2011). Extrinsic Environment-Related Mechanisms Apart from the intrinsic mechanism of growth cone movement, extrinsic
Monday, November 18, 2019
Procter & Gamble in Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Procter & Gamble in Japan - Essay Example 1. Proctor & Gamble during the 1970ââ¬â¢s and 1980ââ¬â¢s utilized a centralized marketing approach in which the US headquarters had full control of the marketing initiatives both in the United States and abroad. The company felt that this strategy was more effective because it provided a simple method that could be transferred elsewhere which provided savings and helped the company achieved benefits associated with economies of scale. The reality of this strategy in Japan was that the company was not doing poorly in this international market. The company by 1985 after being established in Japan for 13 years was losing nearly $40 million a year (Hill, 2007). Along with the obvious monetary losses the disadvantages of the centralized marketing strategy in Japan was that the company was not able to fully meet the consumer needs. The culture of Japan and the consumer taste were much different than in the United States. The strategy was inflexible and did not provide room for the ne cessary changes based on market research and consumer trends. à 2. After years of struggling in the Japanese market with various products after 1990, the company decided a new approach. It created products based on the specific cultural profile Japan. A product that was introducing utilizing this new decentralized marketing approach was Joy detergent. The country-specific research showed that the Japanese people were changing their cooking habits towards the higher volume of fried foods which meant that the people needed a product that was more powerful cleaning up grease dishes. The company also considered other key stakeholders in its design in the process in order to ensure success. The packaging of the product was tailored made to ensure supermarkets and other stores could maximize its shelf space. The strategy provided many benefits for the company, but there were some drawbacks.
Friday, November 15, 2019
Mass Media Always A Powerful Tool Media Essay
Mass Media Always A Powerful Tool Media Essay Introduction From the past until today, mass media is always a powerful tool and having a big influence among the peoples. No one can assert that mass media was bring zero effect to the peoples. On the 18th century, the first theory about mass media theory was being introduced. The theory is about how strong the media can directly influence the people perception and action. Over the years, there are many theories are being introduced. Mass media theories are commonly used at the age of propaganda and one of the most successful propaganda is Nazis propaganda during World War 1. Propaganda is to influence public opinion through the use of media. Nazi Propaganda was generated in many different forms of media such as radio, cinema, speeches, visuals, events, brochures and etc. Besides that, there are also many famous mass media theory being introduced like magic bullet theory, freudianism, behaviorism and etc. There are a lot of arguments about the mass media theories from the past until today. Some philosopher disputes that media are bringing negative influence to the public, and they claim that media should be under control. However, there are also some theories explain that it brings positive effect such as libertarianism theory says that people are good and rational. So that, they support the media should have the freedom to report on everything and let the public to judge by themselves. Although there many debates about the usage of mass media, but no one can deny or underestimate the power of mass media. Mass media play as an important tool in nowadays, and there are no advanced countries banned the media. In fact, this means that every advanced country also rely on the media to communicate with their citizen. Media work as a tools for government to spread the news and promote their latest policy to the public. The mainstream media in Malaysia has always been perceived as an important agent of change for most of the governments policies. The mainstream media are newspaper, television station and radio station. The mainstream media are used to encourage the acceptance of the concept by the citizens of Malaysia. On 16 September 2010, Malaysia the sixth Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was introducing 1Malaysia concept to all corners of the nation. The concept is about the culture of excellence, perseverance, acceptance, education, integrity, meritocracy, humility and loyalty. One of the main objectives of this concept is unity and integration. 1Malaysia aims to improve the relations among Malaysians, regardless of racial, religious or cultural backgrounds. As we know, Malaysia is a multi-racial country and the three main races of Malaysia are Malay, Chinese and Indian. Besides that, Malaysia also forms by several minority races such as Baba-Nyonya, Kadazan, Ibans, Eurasian, Orang Asli and etc. The concept of 1Malaysia is to achieve all races living together hand-in-hand in harmony. In addition, 1Malaysia is also the concept to achieve the goal of Vision 2020 which introduced by Malaysia 4th prime minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohammad. Vision 2020 is about evolution Malaysia to a fully develop country in the year 2020. 1Malaysia concept aims to strengthen unity, rejuvenate the spirit of unity and camaraderie among people of Malaysia. The current prime minister said the concept would be implementing in a systematic and organized manner to ensure that no community was isolated from development of and kind. He said the concept was shored up by two main principles, which were mutual respect for one another and trust in one another. When we have respect for one another, it means we have the open attitude of appreciating the concept of unity in diversity. The trust for one another will not come about all of a sudden. It has to be developed in an organized and determined way. he said. To achieve development for the country, the people must have a positive attitude of acceptance among the different races that will lead to unity. In short, the concept is to improve race relations in Malaysia and the mainstream media play as a key in order to achieve the goals. Propaganda Propaganda aimed to changing the attitude of a group toward some cause or position by presenting only one side of an argument. Propaganda is usually dispersed and repeated through the several of media in order to create the chosen result in audience attitudes. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political or religious agenda. Moreover, propaganda also can be used as political warfare. One of the most successful propaganda is Nazis propaganda during World War 1. The propaganda being use after Hitler took power in 1933 Richard Alan Nelson define that propaganda is a systematic form of purposeful persuasion that attempts to influence the attitudes, opinions, emotions, and actions of specified target audiences for political, ideological or commercial purposes through the controlled transmission of one-sided message via mass and direct media channels. A propaganda organization employs propagandists who engage in propagandism to apply the creation and distribution of such forms of persuasion. By focusing on the 1Malaysia concept, the theory was been used commonly in Malaysia. The people can always get in touch with 1Malaysia concept in Malaysia. The government is always propagandizing the 1Malaysia concept to Malaysians. Common media for transmitting propaganda messages include news reports, historical revision, government reports, books, movies, radio, television, posters and etc. For example, we can always see the poster that Najib with the 1Malaysia significant pose and the significant pose was been recognized by the Malaysians. Other than that, Malaysian also can find out 1Malaysias logo everywhere. Moreover, 1Malaysia is also come out with a theme song, and the lyric is kita satu bangsa, satu negara, kita satu Malaysia and it means we are one nation, one country and one Malaysia. This all action is also trying to influence the public opinion through the use of media. They want people to remember the 1Malaysia concept and they remind people every day and want people to change their attitudes. Political Economy Theory Political economy theorists study elite control of economic institutions, such as banks and stock markets, and then try to show how this control affects many others social institutions, including the mass media. Political economy is the interplay between economics, law and politics and how institutions develop in different social and economic systems. It also says that to understand the media, ones must look at the whole picture which includes the ownership of media and the control group of media. In Malaysia, the elite will be the government and most of the mainstream media are privatization but all the media are related to the government and political party. In fact, Fleet Holding, a company which is under the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has the 80% share of the News Straits Times Press and majority share in Utusan Melayu Press. These two presses are also producing the newspapers which have the largest readership in Malaysia. Moreover, the company also owns the share of 40% of Malaysia television station, TV3. In the other hand, Huaren holding Sdn. Bhd which link to Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) have the share 58% of the other Malaysia English paper, TheStar Newspaper. From this we can found out that the Malaysia mainstream media have a close relationship with the political parties. It was easy to reach a large audience by promoting 1Malaysia concept. The government or political party can show the benefits of the concept bring at the newspaper. People are more tend to believe what the newspapers carry. For example, 175 1Malaysia clinics by year end are reported on the TheStar newspaper on September 15, 2012. In fact, when the newspapers always carry the positive news of 1Malaysia concept, it helps to gain supports from Malaysia citizens. Authoritarianism Authoritarian theory defined that all forms of communications are fully under the control by the government. Authoritarians are necessary to control the media to protect and prevent the people from the national threats through any form communication. As we know, Malaysia is an authoritarian country and all the media are fully control by the government. Basically, the government has all rights to permit any media and control them through the licensing. If the government found out that any media had violated the government policies against the license, then the government has the power to cancel their license and revoke it. In fact, Malaysia also comes out with a law which is Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984. This is use to control the usage of printing presses in Malaysia. Under the law, all printing presses require a license granted by the Home Affair Minister and require to renewing the license. Besides that, Malaysia government also makes certain censorship. Censorship is a suppression of any communication which may consider as harmful to the king, the government, the citizen and the country. The censorship helps to protect and prevent the rulers and authorities from the sensitive issues. It used to protect the government to avoid been criticize by the media. The government has all right to restrict any sensitive issues from the press to maintain the peaceful and security of the country. This was a powerful ability for the government and it helps to promote the 1Malaysia concept. Agenda Setting Theory The idea of agenda setting began in 1922 with Walter Lippmanns Public Opinion book. The originally suggested that the media sets the public agenda, in the sense that they may not exactly tell you what to think, but they may tell you what to think about. The three consequences of agenda setting effects are forming opinions, priming opinions through an emphasis on particular issues and shaping an opinion through an emphasis on particular attributes. First, it studied by the researchers, media use issues to influence the people what they should think about. And then media focus on the characters of issues how people should think about. The agenda setting theory are commonly used by the politician. The gatekeeper plays as an important role in this theory and usually the media is the one who play as a gatekeeper. Gatekeeper controls over the selection of content discussed in the media. The media only show you what they comprehend as an important issue. Due to the Malaysia was an authoritarian country and the media are fully control by the government, the government can use the media to publicize the 1Malaysia concept. When the media publicize the 1Malaysia concept and it will become agenda setting theory. The media will indirectly tell the public what they have to discuss and what they have to focus. When the issue becomes a discussion among the Malaysians, it will strengthen the acceptance of the concept by the citizens. Marxist Theory Central to Marxist theory is an explanation of social change in terms of economic factors, according to which the means of production provide the economic base which influences or determines the political and ideological superstructure. Marxism encompasses an economic theory, a sociological theory, a philosophical method and a revolutionary view of social change. Marx argued that the hierarchical class system was at the root of all social problems and must be ended by a revolution of the workers. He believed that elites dominated society primarily through their direct control over the means of production, the base, or substructure, of society. But elites also maintained themselves in power through their control over culture. The inequalities between social classes are still happening in today society. For example, the riots happened in Malaysia on 13 May 1969 was an important incident in Malaysia history. The incident make the government emphasizes on the economy balance between the races and it come out with a policy which is New Economic Policy. Although this incident happen many years ago, but the problem of social classes are still remain in Malaysia today. The government member and royal family of Malaysia are call as the aristocrat in Marxist theory. In order for the government to maintain their status quo, the elite own the capitalism with their base. For example, Malaysias second privatize TV station Metrovision, the four share holder company was closely related to UMNO. The companies are City television Sdn.Bhd, Melewar Corporation, Utusan Melayu and Medanmas Sdn. Bhd. 1Malaysia concept aims to improve the citizens living standard to escape from poverty. In fact, the government is the one who control of the superstructure which are the media. 1Malaysia concept is also helps the government to maintain their status and their power. The government wants to maintain their status and also achieve the peaceful among citizen or bourgeoisie and proletariat in Marxist theory. 1 Malaysia concept is the best way to achieve the goal for the benefit of country or benefit of the elite through the ownership of mainstream media and control of the message production-ideology. Conclusion In conclusion, the media was always a powerful tool from past to now. In 21th century, media are becoming more powerful in this digital era, because people nowadays cant avoid getting in touch with media. Media was able to directly and also indirectly influence the people. So, the government should always use the media in a correct way. In fact, the mainstream media in Malaysia has always been perceived as an important agent of change for most of the governments policies. Malaysia government was able to make full use of the media and skillfully use the media to promote the 1Malaysia concept. In short, government make good use of media is one of the key to lead our country evolve to an advanced country to achieve the vision 2020 and also the 1Malaysia concept.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Managers, Programming, Web Source and Technology :: essays research papers
Why should managers become better acquainted with programming issues, web source and technology? Abstract Summary Now more than ever, the marketplace has created a strong connection between information technology and managers due to the markets in depth involvement with technology. This is the reason why thereââ¬â¢s been a recent requirement for managers to have somewhat of understanding of information technology, basic programming knowledge, and familiarity with source codes. The abstract clearly explicates how due to alterations in the dynamic market, it is essential for a multi talented manager to deal with updates and modifications. In return, they increment their skills and add programming and web technology to their skills. Programming argument The overall concept of this argument is that programming skills will eventually improve project management team analysisââ¬â¢s and enhance the management decision-making which results in better management. According to statistics, approximately one out of five people in the U.S. population have to deal with programming issues and program writing. In the long run, everyone will eventually need to learn some type of programming regardless the field their affiliated with. Programming Simplicity and Programming and language problems This Section explains how the basis of programming hasnââ¬â¢t really changed for nearly fifty years; perhaps a few words here and there have been changed, but in essence programming has been kept pretty simple. For example, a program is a set of instructions telling the computer what to do. Programming consists of three foundations, Sequence, decision-making, and repetition. These steps are known as the control flow. A waterfall can be used as an example to have a better understanding of what programming really is. A waterfall that starts at the top and flows directly to the bottom is the sequential control flow, where there is only one path. If the water reaches a point where it will change its direction, this point is referred to as decision. When the flow returns to the top, Software engineering Focuses on how an overabundance in programming resulted in web chaos and anarchy. This eventually led to software engineering paradigms. This was in essence a software crisis. Y2k Compliance Managers who had insufficient knowledge of programming and other technological aspects had caused a drawback in the authority of managers. Not only did programmers instruct managers on what to do, but programmers with no managerial training were running the show. WEB CHAOS, SPAM, SPIM SPIT Refocuses on how you can regulate and prevent web disasters from occurring.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Art Appreciation Essay
While it is and can be said that what art is truly up to the viewer to interprete is true; it is up to the artist to display his definition of art. Thru his skills of observation, imagination, he displays to his thoughts and feelings condensed. Whatever their medium maybe it be painting, sculpture, or any of the many others. The world may or may not agree what art is, but the saying is true. It is with in the eyes of the beholder. The definition of Art has been a long debated topic I society. Some say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. These being the case several people have tried to put a definition of it into words. One definition listed is ââ¬Å"an occupation requiring knowledge or skillâ⬠, and goes on to say ââ¬Å"the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects; also: works so producedâ⬠(Merriam-Webster, 2012). Also a far more simple worded, yet complex in thought definition is ââ¬Å"Art is form and contentâ⬠(Shelly Esaak, 2012). While both say two seemingly different things, they are part of the ever evolving definition and essence of Art. There are several types of art; with in this paper I will cover eight types. They include painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, printmaking, conceptual art, installation art, and performance art. While these are a small cross section of art, they are important pieces. The first example is painting. While there are several noticed painters and examples of their work, the example I chose to give is ââ¬Å"The Adoration of the Shepherdsâ⬠, painted by Andrea Mantegna (1450). This piece is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. While this piece does fit the definition of works so produced, what about the rest? While painted in the Middle Ages, Mantegna couldnââ¬â¢t have been able to witness the birth of Christ. He draws from the biblical tale of the birth and his own imagination to paint a portrait of the adoration of the lord, as well as his parents doting over him. He uses his skill to not only paint the adoration in the foreground, but also the landscape for miles. The way Mantegna paints the entire picture, while he could not have been there having happened centuries before, displays he posses the skill and imagination to product a true masterpiece even though he was only in his early twenties. One of the most widely known sculpture pieces is ââ¬Å"The Thinkerâ⬠by Auguste Rodin (1902). The painting was originally made to be a piece included in his ââ¬Å"Gates of Hellâ⬠, a mass door made for the Paris Museum of Art (www. statue. com, 2012). While Rodin completed the sculpture he saw something greater in the form and made it stand alone piece. Rodin applied his skill and creative imagination to craft and see the greater potential within the sculpture. Although not talked about as paintings and sculpture Architecture is a form of art as well. One of the most highly noted Architects is Frank Lloyd Wright. Applying his personal motto of ââ¬Å"Form follows functionâ⬠(Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, 2012), he applied the artist eye to everything he created from building to furniture. One of his most noted pieces, the house at Falling Water. Wright used his skill and experience to craft the large stone house at the familyââ¬â¢s request. Although the family originally wanted the home to face the falls; Wright chose to have it located on top of the falls as an integral part of the structure (http://www. fay-west. com/fayette/fallingwater, 2005). Ansel Adams integrated his keen observation and use of skill to capture the rugged land of the western United States during the period of 1916 to his death in 1986 (http://www. anseladams. com/ansel-adams-information/ansel-adams-biography, 2012). He took several photographs of the west, but is most famous for his photos of Sierra Nevada Mountains. Adams took photos of the wildlife and terrain, and using his skill and depth of knowledge of the medium he was a major contributing factor to the conservation of Yosemite National Park and the Serria Nevada Mountains. Although famous for numerous reasons, Andy Warhol was also a highly commended Printmaking Artist. Using his highly creative imagination and skill he took everyday objects such as soup cans and even people and made art of them. He refined a process involving projection photo images to a silk screen thus speeding up his production process (http://arthistory. about. com/cs/namesww/p/warhol. htm, 2012). This gave the public a new outlook on ordinary things. Joseph Kosuth is one of the most famous artists in the realm of Conceptual Art. His piece aptly name ââ¬Å"Three Chairsâ⬠is currently on exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The exhibit has a blank and whit picture of the chair, the actual chair, and lastly the printed definition of the word chair (http://www. moma. org/collection/browse_results. php? object_id=81435, 2012). While this may seem strange on the surface the artist is trying point out our lack of observation and is trying to make use want to study and dive deeper into his intended meaning (The Museum of Modern Art, MoMA Highlights, New York: The Museum of Modern Art, revised 2004, originally published 1999, p. 257). Ilya Kabakovââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"The Man Who Flew into His Pictureâ⬠Installation Art piece displays a look inside the artist true mindset. He displays true creative imagination and skill. It is a room modeled after a Soviet apartment and has a miniature version of the artist flying thru the fog on the white board. Possibly look for outside validation (http://www. moma. org/collection/browse_results. php? object_id=81057, 2012). Lastly is Performance Art. This style of art is defined by a piece of performance art must be centered on an action carried out or orchestrated by an artist (Kyle Chayka, 2011). ââ¬Å"The Mirrorâ⬠that has been created by Iselin Bruff and Torsten Klimmer aka Omananda, Liquid Crystal Vision is a current example of performance art (http://www. omananda. com/movies/performance-art/143-neon-pink-mangas-emerge-from-pyramids-into-qthe-mirrorq, 2012). The performers use light, projectors, film, dance and other mediums to explain the Star of David. While I personally feel this is the strangest of all art forms, it does fulfill the definition of art. While it is and can be said that what art is truly up to the viewer to interprete is true; it is up to the artist to display his definition of art. Thru his skills of observation, imagination, he displays to his thoughts and feelings condensed. Whatever their medium maybe it be painting, sculpture, or any of the many others. The world may or may not agree what art is, but the saying is true. It is with in the eyes of the beholder. References http://www.musee-rodin.fr/
Friday, November 8, 2019
The Federalist Papers essays
The Federalist Papers essays In The Federalist Papers, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay argue in support of the Constitution. One of the more influential articles is Federalist 51 by Madison. In the article Madison discusses the separation of powers and the theory of checks and balances. He contends, If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In stating this, Madison says that men are not angels and are therefore subject to wrongdoing and poor decision making. He continues to say that because men are governed by other men there must be controls on government. Madisons assertion can be summed up; since we are a nation governed by other men, internal and external controls must exist to prevent leaders from making improper and inadequate decisions. Madisons assertion refers to the concepts of federalism, separation of powers, and checks and balances. Federalism is the division of power between a central government and regional units. The Constitution divides power between the states and a central government, but it put more power with the national government at the expense of the states. According to the Constitution, the powers given to national and state governments are derived from the people, who are the ultimate sovereigns. The two governments can regulate the people and property within their jurisdiction, but the people can also restrain both national and state governments if necessary to preserve liberty. The principle of federalism exemplifies Madisons belief that internal and external controls must exist toward the government. The ability of the people to restrain the use of power by the national and state governments represents the controls that Madison described. The principle of separation of powers also represents Madisons view on the role of government in the ...
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Free Essays on Multinational Corporations
, goods could be produced and sold within the EEC as domestic products, and not as imports with tariffs. However, the reasons for foreign investments are not as simple as that. MNCs usually have a headstart in the development and initial production of new products, and according to the product-cycle theory, foreign expansion is in fact a manoeuvre aimed at suppressing foreign competition. Once the technology or know-how required for manufacturing a new product becomes widespread, MNCs relocate production facilities abroad. On page 197, Table 7.4 shows the rankings of the 100 biggest economies and revenues in 1996. By examining the list, you will be able to see that there are numerous MNCs whose revenues are hi... Free Essays on Multinational Corporations Free Essays on Multinational Corporations By: h MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS What are MNCs? Multinational corporations (MNCs) are another type of nongovernmental actor and are private businesses headquartered in one state that invest and operate extensively in other states. They are sometimes called transnational corporations or international corporations. Much controversy surrounds MNCs. There are many individuals and organisations who have critical and negative views about MNCs, and then of course there are those who support them. MNCs generate enormous global sales ââ¬â approximately $5.2 trillion pa. A conservative estimation of the number of jobs associated with MNCs is 150 million. Transnational Banks (TNBs) have played a major role in the expansion of MNCs. TNBs have made capital highly mobile and their contribution to globalization has led to worldwide financial integration. MNCsââ¬â¢ Global Reach and Economic Power Before WWII, most MNCs established foreign operations to secure sources of raw materials. After 1957, w hen the EEC was created, large numbers of MNCs began investing in Europe, mainly in manufacturing. It was advantageous for US firms to build production facilities in Europe, where they too could be protected by the tariff wall of the EEC. In other words, goods could be produced and sold within the EEC as domestic products, and not as imports with tariffs. However, the reasons for foreign investments are not as simple as that. MNCs usually have a headstart in the development and initial production of new products, and according to the product-cycle theory, foreign expansion is in fact a manoeuvre aimed at suppressing foreign competition. Once the technology or know-how required for manufacturing a new product becomes widespread, MNCs relocate production facilities abroad. On page 197, Table 7.4 shows the rankings of the 100 biggest economies and revenues in 1996. By examining the list, you will be able to see that there are numerous MNCs whose revenues are hi...
Monday, November 4, 2019
US Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Coursework
US Public Opinion and Foreign Policy - Coursework Example US Public Opinion and Foreign Policy While many believe that public opinion can and does matter to policy makers, others contend that public opinion complicates or is of relative importance to policy making. If the issue is of great importance to the public and there is a common consensus as to how the problem may be resolved between a majority of the public and policy makers, policy makers are likely to be facilitated in their foreign policy aims. The most recent and significant example of this is the US incursion into Iraq in 2003. When an issue is of lesser importance, resulting in a less educated public, the policy making process can be complicated. Needless to say foreign policy making is the most difficult when it concerns issues of great importance and little common consensus. To ensure political success, presidents and other policy makers must use an understanding of public attitudes to structure their foreign policies for presentation to their constituents. Public opinion is not as malleable as some believe it to be. We only have to point to various examples of American politicians attempting to coerce public opinion on issues that are unpopular with the American public and their lack of success in doing so. One of the major underpinnings of representative democracy is the belief that government policy, both foreign and domestic, is controlled by public opinion and the power of the vote. Whether or not this is a reality with regards to foreign policy has been a question of debate between various theories of international relations over the course of the twentieth century. While most students of the topic admit that public opinion can have some sort of affect on military, economic and political practices abroad, the extent of this impact is fiercely debated, most notably by the realist and liberal camps. Realist theory claims that public opinion is unpredictable and ever changing. Because foreign policy often has its affect in places that are so far removed geographically public opinion has an irrational edge to it. Although Realists do admit that public opinion can have a considerable impact on foreign policy making in democracies, it is for this reason that it is most often "erratic and incoherent" and they conclude that "a good foreign policy is incompatible with the democratic process and therefore the decision-making process should be isolated from the vagaries of public opinion." 1 Foreign policy is far too remote and complex in its issues and very often the public is not well informed enough for it to respond rationally. From the liberal point of view public opinion is seen as a positive element which could bring about a more reasonable and peaceful foreign policy.
Friday, November 1, 2019
A literature review paper on adoloscent suicide. The paper needs to Essay
A literature review paper on adoloscent suicide. The paper needs to have an argument that perfectionism is the primary factor and then there needs to be an arg - Essay Example rticle written by Fleischmann, Bertolote, Belfer & Beautrais, 2005 they reexamined past research that showed the presence and distribution of mental disorders in cases of completed suicide among young people worldwide. A second research study was investigated that performed longitudinal studies to see if traits in adolescents and adults were similar to one another pertaining to suicidal behavior. The research was completed in a five-year span. In the research study performed by Goldston, A third research study by Douglas, Belfrage, Edens, Herbozo & Poythres (2006) was completed to investigate if specific behavioral aspects of psychopath, such as interpersonal-affective, manipulative ness and lack of remorse, are related to suicidal behavior. Adolescent Suicide has been an increasing health problem throughout the world. In many countries, suicide rates have been gradually increasing. Since the 1950s, adolescent suicide has tripled. Multiple factors seem to be related to self-harm in adolescents. Some examples include depression, hopelessness, psychological pain, aggression, and anxiety. In this paper, the task of finding common personality traits is investigated. It is hypothesized that there are certain personality characteristics in adolescents that are contributing factors when the adolescents attempt to self-harm or commit suicide. The following three research studies attempt to illustrate and support this hypothesis. In a research article written by Fleischmann, Bertolote, Belfer & Beautrais, 2005 they reexamined past research that showed the presence and distribution of mental disorders in cases of completed suicide among young people worldwide. The authors studied information received from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, from 1982 to 2001. The authors reviewed 894 cases and found that 88.6% of the subjects had a
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Financial Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Financial Statements - Essay Example Financial accuracy and transparency is necessary for them as they would base their decision depending on the reports of the financial statement. The accurate representation of the financial statement would motivate an investor to invest, banks to lend money and the government to calculate the right amount of tax for the company. It also benefits the company by spreading their good name and increasing their goodwill in the market. Table of Contents Significance of Accurate Financial Statement for Outside Business Interest 5 Conclusion 7 References 9 Bibliography 10 Introduction The major motive behind creating a financial statement is to analyze the financial position of the company at the end of the year. It is very important to ensure that the financial statements are accurate, as the financial health of the company can be determined through the financial books of the company. It is a critical aspect for the business to create accurate statements because it is not only important for internal requirements of the company but also for the purpose of external reporting and expectation of the investors (Elmaleh, 2005, p. 105-106). The financial statements are the accounting reports which are used to communicate the financial information of the company to the external parties such as banks or the investors. If we consider it from the technical side, we can say that the financial statements help to summarize the processes in accounting and it provides a detailed tabulation of the accounting titles, and the amount of money. It not only indicated the financial position of the company, but also indicates the changes in the financial position from time to time in the organization (McCrary, 2009, p. 83-84). In the recent times, the two major areas that have been identified as the sources of inaccuracy are dishonesty and incompetency. So it can be said that if the organization wants to present a true and accurate picture of the firm, both to the internal and external stake holders of the company, then it must take measures to remove both of the aforementioned inaccuracies from the financial statements. Financial statement which lacks accurate data because of data collected from unreliable sources would be considered incompetent. Financial accuracy begins right from the time of recording the financial statements. Compromise should not be done at the time of recording the information, as it really becomes difficult for the auditor to analyze and detect the actual figures. This may also lead to miscalculations and misinterpretation of data. It is the duty of the audit firm to conduct an audit of the financial statement and ensure the accuracy of the books. During the auditing process the accounting books and the financial statements are thoroughly checked, the inconsistent recording of financial transaction and record of the entity is also ascertained according to the principles of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or International Financia l Reporting Standards (IFRS), in the accuracy test. It is very important for companies to present an error free financial report to attract investors. Internal control system should be adequate to present a transparent image of the firm in the market. The internal control system would include the policies that organizations would adopt to prevent fraud, safeguard the assets of the firm and insert accuracy in the financial analysis. An
Monday, October 28, 2019
Examine the Concept of the State and Election Essay Example for Free
Examine the Concept of the State and Election Essay Robert Rosen wrote: I will begin by stepping back a bit, by supposing that we do not yet have a notion of state at our disposal. In effect, I will retreat to the level of percepts and perceptions and treat the self as a pure observer. The idea of state, being a concept and not a percept, thus does not yet enter the picture at all. Thus, all we have is the self looking out at its ambience. What does it see? All the self can see is a sequence of percepts, ordered by its subjective sense of time. We suppose that the self can choose which percepts it will look at (in more sophisticated language, which variables it will measure) and whether it will look continuously or sample at discrete intervals. (Subjective) time is itself a complicated concept (see AS), but it is a primitive that we can take for granted at this level. Thus, the result of the self looking at its ambience is only a tabulation; a list of what is seen, indexed by when it is seen. Such a list we shall call a chronicle. Chronicles can thus be completely arbitrary things, at least insofar as what is tabulated in them is concerned. Weather bureaus, stock exchanges, census takers, and a host of other familiar institutions provide endless streams of them. In the scientific realm, they are data. To the historian, entirely concerned with what happened when, they are the very stuff of existence.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Exile :: Literary Analysis, Julia Alvarez
The poem ââ¬Å"Exileâ⬠by Julia Alvarez dramatizes the conflicts of a young girlââ¬â¢s familyââ¬â¢s escape from an oppressive dictatorship in the Dominican Republic to the freedom of the United States. The setting of this poem starts in the city of Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, which was renamed for the brutal dictator Rafael Trujillo; however, it eventually changes to New York when the family succeeds to escape. The speaker is a young girl who is unsophisticated to the world; therefore, she does not know what is happening to her family, even though she surmises that something is wrong. The author uses an extended metaphor throughout the poem to compare ââ¬Å"swimmingâ⬠and escaping the Dominican Republic. Through the line ââ¬Å"A hurried bag, allowing one toy a piece,â⬠(13) it feels as if the family were exiled or forced to leave its country. The title of the poem ââ¬Å"Exile,â⬠informs the reader that there was no choice for the family but to l eave the Dominican Republic, but certain words and phrases reiterate the title. In this poem, the speaker expresser her feeling about fleeing her home and how isolated she feels in the United States. The poet uses four line stanzas or quatrains, and this is a narrative poem because the speaker tells a story. The speaker seems a little odd in a way because she does not know what is happening; ââ¬Å"Worried whispersâ⬠(6) is an alliteration, and it also symbolizes the speakerââ¬â¢s anxiety. Both her uncle and father do not tell the truth to the speaker, instead they ââ¬Å"Sugarcoatâ⬠it. This is similar to Emily Dickinsonââ¬â¢s poem ââ¬Å"Tell all the truth but tell it slantâ⬠because the children might get scared if they learn the truth right away. In the line ââ¬Å"What a good time sheââ¬â¢ll have learning to swim,â⬠(11) the poet again emphasizes how adults lie to children so they do not hurt them. The speaker feels as though her parents are lying to her; however, she just trusts them because she believes that what adults do cannot go wrong. Also, ââ¬Å"A week at the beach so papi get some restâ⬠(15) sounds as if the speakerââ¬â¢s fath er has to leave the Dominican Republic because he is some kind of danger. The speaker struggles throughout the poem because she is leaving everything she has known behind, and she is going to a new land that she knows nothing about.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Bernard Shaws Mrs. Warrens Profession Essay -- Bernard Shaw Warrens
Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession In Mrs. Warrenââ¬â¢s Profession, Shaw presents prostitution as a result of few economic opportunities for lower class women (rather than of hedonism, laziness, or depravity, as was commonly believed at the time this play was written) through the characters of Mrs. Warren and her daughter Vivie. When Vivie initially finds out her mother was once a prostitute, she responds in the typical Victorian fashion: with scorn and indignation. The prevailing mindset of the time was one that lauded personal responsibility. It assumed agency in each citizen that, if not complete, was at least enough so that any respectable person could avoid unrespectable vocations. When confronted with the information that her mother was, at least at one time, involved in the epitome of unrespectable vocations, Vivie says, ââ¬Å"Everybody has some choice, motherâ⬠¦ People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I dont believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they cant find them, make themâ⬠(Norton 1831). However, Vivieââ¬â¢s mother responds to her daughterââ¬â¢s very Victorian assumption by showing just how much choice her ââ¬Å"respectableâ⬠half sisters had. She says, ââ¬Å"One of them worked in a whitelead factory twelve hours a day for nine shillings a week until she died of lead poisoningâ⬠(1831). The other one married a drunk. Her full sister Lizzie, on the other hand, became a prostitute and, as such, quite successful. When the two sisters ran into each other at a restaurant where Mrs. Warren was ââ¬Å"wearing out [her] health and [her] appearance for other peopleââ¬â¢s profitâ⬠(1832) being a waitress, Liz explains to her that h... ...aying economics, rather than some personal, moral flaw, as the cause of prostitution, Shaw challenges the status quo belief that sees it as a self-contained immoral phenomenon. Without excusing its vices, he explains that it is neither a cause nor a result of hedonism and moral depravity, but rather that these are all effects of a common cause: an economic system that provides women with so few opportunities that they are forced to use their femininity as a commodity, something that hypocritical British society did not mind at all. A patriarchal society that is accustomed to wielding power over women through money and marriage, as Crofts puts it, ââ¬Å"doesnt ask any inconvenient questionsâ⬠(1843). Works Cited Shaw, Bernard. "Mrs. Warrenââ¬â¢s Profession." The Norton Anthology of English Literature.7th Ed. Vol. 2. Ed. Abrams, et al. London: Norton, 1962. 1810-1856. Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession Essay -- Bernard Shaw Warren's Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession In Mrs. Warrenââ¬â¢s Profession, Shaw presents prostitution as a result of few economic opportunities for lower class women (rather than of hedonism, laziness, or depravity, as was commonly believed at the time this play was written) through the characters of Mrs. Warren and her daughter Vivie. When Vivie initially finds out her mother was once a prostitute, she responds in the typical Victorian fashion: with scorn and indignation. The prevailing mindset of the time was one that lauded personal responsibility. It assumed agency in each citizen that, if not complete, was at least enough so that any respectable person could avoid unrespectable vocations. When confronted with the information that her mother was, at least at one time, involved in the epitome of unrespectable vocations, Vivie says, ââ¬Å"Everybody has some choice, motherâ⬠¦ People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I dont believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they cant find them, make themâ⬠(Norton 1831). However, Vivieââ¬â¢s mother responds to her daughterââ¬â¢s very Victorian assumption by showing just how much choice her ââ¬Å"respectableâ⬠half sisters had. She says, ââ¬Å"One of them worked in a whitelead factory twelve hours a day for nine shillings a week until she died of lead poisoningâ⬠(1831). The other one married a drunk. Her full sister Lizzie, on the other hand, became a prostitute and, as such, quite successful. When the two sisters ran into each other at a restaurant where Mrs. Warren was ââ¬Å"wearing out [her] health and [her] appearance for other peopleââ¬â¢s profitâ⬠(1832) being a waitress, Liz explains to her that h... ...aying economics, rather than some personal, moral flaw, as the cause of prostitution, Shaw challenges the status quo belief that sees it as a self-contained immoral phenomenon. Without excusing its vices, he explains that it is neither a cause nor a result of hedonism and moral depravity, but rather that these are all effects of a common cause: an economic system that provides women with so few opportunities that they are forced to use their femininity as a commodity, something that hypocritical British society did not mind at all. A patriarchal society that is accustomed to wielding power over women through money and marriage, as Crofts puts it, ââ¬Å"doesnt ask any inconvenient questionsâ⬠(1843). Works Cited Shaw, Bernard. "Mrs. Warrenââ¬â¢s Profession." The Norton Anthology of English Literature.7th Ed. Vol. 2. Ed. Abrams, et al. London: Norton, 1962. 1810-1856.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Expressions in Horror: Dr Caligari and Nosferatu Essay
Two of the earliest examples of German Expressionism in film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu are classics remembered as some of the best horror films of all time. These two films, directed by Robert Wiene and F. W. Murnau respectively, share several key aspects in common, while still retaining their own uniqueness that has left people debating which film is paramount, even nearly a century after their releases. This paper will examine these similarities and differences, and will seek address them in light of the German Expressionist movement they each resonate. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu both tell the story of a young German manââ¬â¢s subjection to the madness of a dark overlord with seemingly supernatural powers. In Caligari, a young man named Cesare, who is a somnambulist (or sleep walker) is controlled by the powers of a crazy doctor, who orders him to kill innocent victims. In Nosferatu, a young man named Thomas Harker is sent to sell property to Count Dracula, a vampire who comes to haunt his life and town after becoming obsessed with Hutterââ¬â¢s wife, Nina. Though while these films share some key components in common, no one could ever call the two films the same. Robert Wieneââ¬â¢s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is defined by the films stage-like quality, due mostly to the unique set it is shot on. An example of German Expressionism, the director creates a world of stark lines, sharp angles, darkness, and shadows bringing the viewer into a surreal world. Unnaturally angled houses line crooked cobblestone roads. Misshapen rooms contain demented furniture. Rooftops are acutely angled to the sides. It is radically warped scenery, and helps create a genuine expressionist set. F. W Murnauââ¬â¢s Nosferatu, however, is shot in real world environments, but employs shadows to make small rooms appear larger then life, adding suspense and a feel of supernaturalism to the movie. The Countââ¬â¢s castle perhaps best conveys the expressionistic form, with its gothic architecture and abundance of shadow. Or, better still, the Count himself embodies the expressionist form, with his exaggerated features. His ears, chin and teeth are all pointed, and his stature is unique, hunched and very thin of frame. His eyes, much like Wieneââ¬â¢s Cesare, are darkly shaded, and his nails are long giving him a distinctly monster like quality. Both films successfully impress a dark mood by exaggerating the filmââ¬â¢s dark aesthetic, drawing viewers into the mindscape of German Expressionism. The films also share in common a sleepwalking theme, and perhaps it was just Murnau paying homage to Wieneââ¬â¢s Caligari. Partway through Nosferatu, Harkerââ¬â¢s wife Nina is described as being in a sleepwalking trance, specifically calling it ââ¬Å"somnambulisticâ⬠. In fact, the character Nina looks surprisingly similar to how the character Jane looks in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. I donââ¬â¢t believe it is too extreme to suggest that perhaps Marnau played off certain motifs created by Wiene in wanting to create a horror film. However, Marnauââ¬â¢s depiction of Count Dracula is unsettling to this day, and many still believe that it remains the most terrifying portrayal of the character ever on film, perhaps only second to the iconic Dracula played by Bela Lugosi. Murnau certainly created his own sort of horror, so it could not be suggested Nosferatu is unoriginal. The use of shadows, especially when it comes to scenes involving the Count, create a horrifying imagine on the screen. While having never seen Nosferatu before deciding to write this paper, I immediately recognized a scene towards the end of the film, when the Count ascended a staircase to Ninaââ¬â¢s room. Perhaps one of the most iconic scenes of early horror films, you see the shadow of the Count as he makes his climb up the staircase, hunched form, long fingernails, offsetting movement and all. It is his shadow you see climbing the steps, never his actual form, which may possibly hint at a metaphor. The German Expressionist movement was born out of the anguish following the Great War and before the birth of Hilterââ¬â¢s Germany. Perhaps, as suggested by James Franklin in ââ¬Å"The Shadow in Early German Cinemaâ⬠, shadows acted as a sort of ââ¬Å"visual metaphor for evil or for the dark and threatening forces that allegedly lurked in the pre-Hitler German psyche or soulâ⬠. Both films use music to add suspense to the plot, however each film approaches itââ¬â¢s use in separate ways. Caligari is distinctively jazzy in nature, where as Nosferatu is more classical. Both films, however, create music that mirrors and changes with the action on the screen. In Nosferatu, music creates a terrifying feel to the movie, shaping the most horrific scenes remembered from the film. There are several instances throughout the film where silence is broken by a quite sound, almost like a heartbeat in the background, yet more off putting. While I am in no position to argue which film is the better, both have come to be the best examples of horror films to come out of this time period. Classic examples of German Expressionism at work, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu play with the presence of shadow, the distortion of nature, and the imaginations of audiences, even today.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Gender Issue and the Feminist Movement
Gender Issue and the Feminist Movement Gender issue has been a sensitive matter in the society since the period of feminism movements. Consequently, it has become a fundamental field of study for scholars interested in gender studies. Today many scholars discuss the issue of gender and its causes while the other scholars study the manifestations of gender at workplaces, homes and in society at large.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Gender Issue and the Feminist Movement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More That is why the story about a ââ¬Å"genderlessâ⬠baby Storm from Toronto has attracted the audienceââ¬â¢s attention and was widely discussed by scholars and by the public. Is it possible to determine a sex, but not a gender? Changes and developments in society have given new perspectives to gender studies. Gender should not be considered as a biological phenomenon like sex because it is the achieved status. Nowadays social scientists focus the ir studies on both relationships among people and individuals in order to know the various parts of gender divisions and social systems that result in different gender orientation of individuals in society. People achieve the status of gender through cultural, sociological, and psychological means (Risman, 2004). Stormââ¬â¢s parents insist on his or her right to decide what gender principles to follow or not as well. Fox notes that social scientists have not paid much attention to the area of parenthood despite the fact that it is a significant field for understanding gender differences and inequality (Fox, 2001). Gender roles are plays the main role in families. Moreover, the nature of motherhood in the society puts high responsibility on women. Fox also emphasizes that motherhood is the most gender-imposing activity in the lives of women. Nevertheless, the peculiarities of the relations between heterosexual parents and the division of their roles in families can influence great ly the childââ¬â¢s perception of the gender roles in the future (Fox, 2001). That is why it is rather difficult to prevent Storm from becoming interested in gender roles because it is one of the most important social effects which Messner described in his work with paying attention to childrenââ¬â¢s games with gender orientation (Messner, 2000). West and Zimmerman discuss the gender issue from a perspective of usual patterns fixed in peopleââ¬â¢s everyday relations (West Zimmerman, 1987). The authors set to differentiate between sex and gender in order to understand both perspectives accurately. The scholars studied such factors as the division of labor, social subordination of women, and formation of gender identity. They noted that people begin to acquire gender status starting from the age of five years.Advertising Looking for term paper on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Their study led them to conclude that gender is routine, methodological and recurring accomplishment. Thus, we can emphasize that Storm cannot avoid determining his or her gender in our society. West and Zimmerman state that ââ¬Å"gender is unavoidable because of the social consequences of sex-category membershipâ⬠(West Zimmerman, 1987, p. 145). Therefore, if a child has a definite sex, he will be perceived in society as having a definite gender. In his turn, Joan Acker notes with references to labor and organizational hierarchy that, though feminist scholars know that hierarchical organizations are male dominated, they can be gender neutral (Acker, 1990). Ackers article Hierarchies, Jobs, Bodies: A Theory of Gendered Organization refutes these claims by feminist writers. In fact, Acker affirms that organizations are not neutral in terms of gender orientations, but instead images of mens bodies and masculinity dominate organizations processes (Acker, 1990). This only serves to marginalize w omen. In addition, menââ¬â¢s occupations of higher positions enhance the maintenance and promotion of gender separations at workplaces. That is why Storm is at risk to be not admitted in society in which all the roles of dominance and substitution depend on the gender hierarchy. The discussion of the question of gender has a long history. Paula England looks at some of the gender revolutions that have occurred since 1960ââ¬â¢s (England, 2010). England highlights changes that have taken place and why gender achievements are not even. She notes that women chores have undergone some minimal changes. Consequently, women have had chances to enter into male jobs in the organizations. Nevertheless, men have no interest in entering female jobs or activities (Norman, 2011). It is the reflections of femininity and masculinity in society. As women continued to acquire status in society, some of them began to resist male dominance and imposed roles on them. It is the fact that a womanâ⠬â¢s body is her key weapon. That explains why feminists and social scientists like Rose Weitz can use, for instance, hair as a source of resistance and at the same time accommodation to gender issues (Weitz, 2001). Weitz notes that the body is particularly fundamental for power struggle between men and women. Men have always justified their dominance over women by claiming that women have inferior bodies and brains. In turn, this has created a unique set of activities that have created a submissive, feminine body. However, women are aware of society and cultural expectations regarding their bodies and minds. Women have realized that they can consciously seek power by accommodating or resisting cultural, and society expectations imposed on them. Occasionally, women may combine both approaches in order to get power (Weitz, 2001). Stormââ¬â¢s parents have declared that there are few people who know the sex of this child.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Gender Issue and the Feminist Movement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They have decided to complete this ââ¬Ësocial experimentââ¬â¢ because they do not what their child to suffer from any cultural and social expectations which can be imposed on him or her. Nevertheless, their child has the body which is of man or a woman. That is why all the expectations can be imposed because of the social tradition to divide people into men and women not due to their sex, but gender. In relations to the body issues, Willis, Miller and Wyn note that a theory gendered embodiment can explain the differences between men and women (Willis, Miller, Wyn, 2001). The authors argue that social construction of masculine and feminine as social practices creates a male who is more able to survive than his female counterpart. The authors established this through studying menââ¬â¢s and womenââ¬â¢s attitude towards death, career, body image and meaning i n life. The authors concluded that differences in attitudes between men and women were due to social organization of society particularly in the gender division. Ridgeway and Correll maintain that hegemonic cultural beliefs about gender are too strong in our society (Ridgeway Correll, 2004). These values and their impacts are what the authors refer to as social and relational ones. According to them, social and relational aspects are among the key components that influence the gender system. The authors take into account the cultural beliefs that have become embedded to include parts of gender relations. At the same time, they look into issues of bias and performance, and their effects on the individualââ¬â¢s lives. Therefore, Storm cannot grow as a person without paying attention to these cultural beliefs. Ridgeway and Correll analysis of the role of social and relational contexts reveals that it affects the differences and inequality, including race and class (Ridgeway Correl l, 2004). However, they tie these roles to gender system in society. The idea of gender relation once again features in this article by Correll and Ridgeway as expressed by Fox. However, these authors note gender is the part of everyone. However, they argue that gender is significant to the extent of defining social relational among individuals. Therefore, social, relational contexts influence gender systems. Feminist scholars approach gender matters from different perspectives, but they all revolve around the issue of male dominance over their female counterparts. The gender revolution of 1960s has enhanced the status of women in society. However, women movements have not achieved much. This is because gender systems and relations in society have deep connections with the cultural beliefs. This uneven success has led feminists to derive several ideas in attempts to explain what influence the progress of women.Advertising Looking for term paper on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Some scholars note that society imposes gender systems on people at an early age, which makes the gender relations embedded in this society. That is why it is a very difficult task for the parents to bring Storm up without references to a social gender. Today our society which is based on the division of definite gender roles is not ready to admit such an idea. Even when such a strict division can be rejected, it has an impact on society. References Acker, J. (1990). Hierarchies, jobs, bodies: Theory of gendered organizations. Gender Society, 18(4), 139-156. England, P. (2010). The gender revolution: Uneven and stalled. Gender Society, 24, 149-166. Fox, B. (2001). The formative years: How parenthood creates gender. CRSN/RCSA, 38(4), 374-390. Messner, M. A. (2000). Barbie girls versus sea monsters: Children constructing gender. Gender Society, 14, 765-785. Norman, M. E. (2011). Embodying the double-bind of masculinity: Young men and discourses of normalcy, health, heterosexuality, and individualism. Ridgeway, C. L., Correll, S. J. (2004). Unpacking the gender system: A theoretical perspective on gender beliefs and social relations. Gender and Society, 18(4), 510-531. Risman, B. J. (2004). Gender as social structure: Theory wrestling with activism. Sociologists for Women in Society, 18(4), 429-450. Weitz, R. (2001). Women and their hair: Seeking power through resistance and accommodation. Gender and Society, 15(5), 667-686. West, C., Zimmerman, D. H. (1987). Doing Gender. Gender Society, 1, 125-151. Willis, E., Miller, R., Wyn, J. (2001). Gendered embodiment and survival for young people with cystic fibrosis. Social Science Medicine, 53, 1163-1174.
Monday, October 21, 2019
How to Define Project Success
How to Define Project Success Introduction Projects pose new opportunities and new challenges that are defined by their peculiarities. Projects as a phenomenon could be described by the following words: ââ¬Å"limited, temporary, innovative, unique, and multidisciplinaryâ⬠(Ika, 2009, p. 6). It is not surprising that a whole branch of management is nowadays devoted to this phenomenon. One of the related aspects that remain unsolved is that of project success and its assessment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How to Define Project Success? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At the dawn of the project management, it was common to define the success with the help of the ââ¬Å"iron triangleâ⬠which consists of time, quality, and costs. However, as the scientific and empirical material accumulated, it became evident that these three characteristics, important as they may be, are not enough, and the perspectives from which a project can be as sessed are extremely numerous (Ika, 2009). Apart from that, some factors of project success can be described as ââ¬Å"implicitâ⬠, vague (such as, for example, customerââ¬â¢s satisfaction), and they are particularly difficult to assess (Ika, 2009). As a result, the question of defining projects success remains open. According to Welch-Devine (2012), one of the main problems that prevent scientists from creating valid guidelines for project evaluation is the absence of a clear, consistent definition of success in general. The author proceeds to point out that most works attempting to define success remain vague. Ika (2009) describes similar difficulties and, in fact, proceeds to explain the reasons due to which success as a notion is so challenging to define. At the same time, this problem does not appear to prevent researchers from attempting to suggest frameworks of project success assessment. In fact, recognizing the opinion that the notion of projects success leaves room for interpretation seems to be beneficial for studies: it encourages researchers to take into account a bigger scope of situations. The position of Welch-Devine (2012) is understandable since the vagueness of terms is not appreciated by science, and project success could certainly be defined as a term. However, it should be admitted that the multidimensional, complex nature of the notion makes it especially difficult to provide a valid definition of success (Ika, 2009). At the same time, defining success for particular projects seems to be a more manageable task. Definitely, the results of any project need to be studied from numerous points of view, but the scope of issues that is embraced by the general notion of success is much more extensive and much less assessable. It could be therefore concluded that defining the process of project success measurement may turn out to be more manageable and important than defining the notion of project success in general.Advertising Loo king for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Points to Be Criticized According to Ika (2009), it is not uncommon for project management researchers to assume that the meaning of the notion of success is obvious (p. 6). This means that the problem of its definition is simply ignored. Alternatively, it may be solved by bringing in the notion of failure, which appears to be just as vague and relative as that of success (Ika, 2009). At the same time, it should be pointed out that in the context of project management both the ideas of success and failure are not always sufficient to describe the projects outcome. This happens due to the fact that the success of a project should be regarded from different perspectives (Ika, 2009). The examples for this point of view will be provided further in the paper. Therefore, it is useless to deny that the notion of success is not defined and stays vague the time being. It is also understandable that vagueness is not scientifically appreciated. However, it should also be pointed out that the notion of success is not the only vague term that is used in scientific studies. The attempts at defining the concept are definitely worth attention. At the same time, the attempts at creating a framework for the assessment of the success of particular project can turn out to be just as useful, especially right now, when the general phenomenon is not completely defined. To prove that the studies of the process of project success assessment are just as challenging and important as those of the generalized notion of success, we are going to dwell on the relativity of the issue and the interrelation of the concepts of success and failure. Project Success Definition While the generalized notion of success is indeed extremely broad, the assessment of every project success cannot be limited to the iron triangle as well. Instead, it is a complicated issue that requires extensive research. The Relativity of Failure and Success One of the factors that complicate the process of defining any projects success is the fact that it should be regarded from different perspectives. It is obvious that the various groups of stakeholders have different aims, and the research by Davis (2014) provides a consistent illustration to this fact. According to this research, a project manager is first and foremost interested in the costs of the project, and only then in the quality, while it is of primary concern for the customer. Apart from that, according to the study, the levels of quality which can satisfy the managers do not necessary coincide with those expected by the customer. Besides, while the mentioned factors are the most important for the selected groups of stakeholders, they are not the only ones that matter.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How to Define Project Success? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, recent studies have underlined the importance of social and ecological outcomes which corresponds to the modern environmentalist trends and should be respected by a responsible company (Welch-Devine, 2012).à Apart from that, it could be useful to mention the difference between project management success and that of the project itself. Definitely, the two notions are interrelated, but the success of either does not immediately depend on or trigger the success of the other one (Bryde, 2003).à Still, the success of project management is, in my opinion, one of the components of the overall projects success that needs to be taken into account.à In order to provide the examples for this paper, Toyota Camry project is going to be described. Even though in 2008 Toyota officially left General Motors behind, becoming the largest car company in the world, that very year the company recalled more than 4 million vehicles. In 2010, another 2.3 million c ars were recalled, and the company admitted being in a crisis caused by the poor quality of its products (Andrews, Simon, Tian, Zhao, 2011). Technically, this crisis was caused by the mismanagement of a number of failed projects, for example, that of Toyota Camry, one of the models that were massively recalled because of acceleration problems. The first reports about these problems appeared in 1999, but the company denied being responsible for it. From the point of view of managers, at the time the project was a success: it was successfully carried out in accordance with the new cost-saving program (due to which the quality of the constituents was not exactly satisfying) and was being sold, bringing profit to the company (Andrews et al., 2011). However, such a project assessment was valid only in the short-time perspective.à From the point of view of the customers, a car with accelerating problems is a failure. Moreover, given the dangers connected to this particular kind of diff iculties, it is evident that the trust of the customers was reducing, and the reputation of the company was getting damaged. Later, Toyota further decreased customers satisfaction through a remarkably incompetent crisis management strategy. It appears, that the company refused to realize that while the success of a project can be assessed from the point of view of its management, other stages of a products life must also be taken into account. The Interrelation of Failure and Success While some of the aspects of the interrelation of failure and success have been mentioned in the previous section, there is more to be said in this respect.Advertising Looking for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The big picture. Taking into account the big picture does not presuppose an unjustified broadening of the studies limits. It is obvious that the contribution of the project to the companys development is an important part of its success. The problem of Camry car project was neglected by Toyota for more than seven years mostly due to the fact that the companys success made its managers overly optimistic (Andrews et al., 2011). The company is still recovering from the damage dealt to its reputation, partially because it failed to assess the level of successfulness of their products and compare the worrisome tendency to the big picture in a proper way. A consolation prize: learning the lesson. Still, as we know, Toyota Camry has not disappeared from the market, and nor did other projects that proved to be unsuccessful from the point of view of the 2007 recall. Having learned its mistakes, Toyota pays more attention to the quality of its products and to the customers satisfaction. It ca n be proved by the fact that last year Toyota recalled more than 6.5 m cars worldwide (Rankin, 2014, para. 2). Even though this does not sound like success, it should be pointed out that the vehicles were recalled because of the problems that have been detected by the company but that had not led to any kind of trouble. To compare, General Motors also has to recall a number of cars, but this companys negligence has allegedly caused 13 deaths (Rankin, 2014, para. 14). Toyota has obviously learned the lessons of its failures and implements the new knowledge for new projects. It should be pointed out that the analysis of a project success is particularly important from the point of view of gaining experience. Scientific Guidelines All the information presented above proves the fact that the notion of project success is an extremely relative and complex issue. At the same time, it does not mean that a projects success cannot be measured. Quite the oppose: a projects success can and shou ld be measured; it is the notion of success as a whole that does not necessarily require a static definition in the context of a particular case study. Such an approach could cause difficulties and vagueness which is never appreciated in the scientific circles. However, it does not prevent researchers from finding generalized and universal frameworks for project success. For example, TodoroviÃâ¡, PetroviÃâ¡, MihiÃâ¡, ObradoviÃâ¡, and Bushuyev (2015) suggest a framework that instructs a manager to take into account the key performance indicators that ââ¬Å"represent a set of measurable data used for evaluating and measuring performances in implementation phaseâ⬠(p. 774). While the authors do provide the examples of such factors, they do not attempt to enumerate them or to define the level of success for them. The resulting framework is not vague; it is schematic indeed, but it offers a structure of assessment for almost any kind of project. Being very flexible, it prov ides guidelines without constricting the researcher and encourages open-minded thinking. Conclusion Upon criticizing certain tendencies in project success assessment, the following points have been presented in this paper.à While the attempts at defining the notion of success have been made throughout the past decades, it appears that this problem has not been solved yet. Technically, the dichotomy of failure and success may be not a suitable framework for the assessment of a projects results. The assessment of every projects success is a complex process that is supposed to incorporate the investigation of its results perceived from numerous perspectives.à This does not mean that the success of a project cannot or should not be assessed. Quite the opposite: a consistent analysis of a projects success can provide the company with invaluable experience. It is obvious that if an existing framework is suitable for any particular case analysis, it should be used. Still, an analysis m ust not be limited to the usual guidelines. In case a company desires to learn and develop, its managers need to be open-minded about everything, including the assessment of project successfulness. References Andrews, A., Simon, J., Tian, F., Zhao, J. (2011). The Toyota Crisis: an Economic, Operational and Strategic Analysis of the Massive Recall. Management Research Review, 34(10), 1064-1077. doi:10.1108/01409171111171474 Bryde, D. (2003). Modelling Project Management Performance. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 20(2), 229-254. doi:10.1108/02656710310456635 Davis, K. (2014). Different Stakeholder Groups and Their Perceptions of Project Success. International Journal of Project Management, 32(2), 189-201. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2013.02.006 Ika, L. (2009). Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal, 40(4), 6-19. doi:10.1002/pmj.20137 Rankin, J. (2014, April 9). Toyota Recalls More Than 6.5m Cars over Steering an d Seat Problems. The Guardian. Web. TodoroviÃâ¡, M., PetroviÃâ¡, D., MihiÃâ¡, M., ObradoviÃâ¡, V., Bushuyev, S. (2015). Project Success Analysis Framework: a Knowledge-Based Approach in Project Management. International Journal of Project Management, 33(4), 772-783. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2014.10.009 Welch-Devine, M. (2012). Searching for Success: Defining Success in Co-Management. Human Organization, 71(4), 358-370. doi:10.17730/humo.71.4.y048347510304870
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