Saturday, December 28, 2019

The Negative Aspects of Easy Information Access in...

In the September 20, 2003 edition of The New York Times, Kate Zernike examines certain negative aspects of easy information ´s access by Internet. In the article â€Å"Students Shall Not Download, Yeah, Sure†, Zerkine focuses mainly on content plagiarism and free download of music and movies through the interpretations of series of interviews ´ extracts to youth people, college students, and university authorities about the Internet phenomenon. The main point of the article is that the new generations do not distinguish between right and wrong behavior regarding Internet. They transit along free downloading of music and movies, to copying and plagiarism of content without much concern. Because they born and raised in Internet’s era, where this†¦show more content†¦As well-said Kiss older generations were not more ethical, just less techno-savvy. However, the task of the educational authorities and the mass media is to teach people to respect intellectual property rights. I make an emphasis on the intellectual word, because that happens downloading music, movies or books, for example, is a little bit different from my point of view. When you download for free, from hundreds of thousands of Internet websites those kind of content, are being violated the rights of reproduction and commercialization of these content. Since the profits or gains of the music, movies or books, pass through many hands before reaching to their authors, and when they do it is through small incomes, and the large quantities are being taken by multinationals companies such as record labels, publishers, and film and television distributors and producers among others. Downloading a book for free versus paying, exorbitant amount of money for its physical or digital purchase, will always be my choice, but this does not mean that I will not give due credit to its authors. Moreover, it is evident nowadays music business for example, is not on selling CDs, but rather the business at this time is basically oriented on concerts, which I attend and pay money, because I value the live performance and aesthetics experience that concerts provides. But the most important aspect for me is I

Friday, December 20, 2019

Advertising Advertisements And Body Image - 1645 Words

This guidance note, approved by the EASA Board in 2009, is designed to assist the advertising industry and SROs in ensuring that women and men continue to be portrayed positively and responsibly in advertising. History - WOMEN IN ADVERTISEMENTS AND BODY IMAGE Authors have also attempted to correlate various demographic variables such as age and education, as well as geographic variables with preferences for role portrayals in advertising. Through the ages men have been considered to be financial providers, career-focused, assertive and independent, whereas women have been shown as low-position workers, loving wives and mothers, responsible for raising children and doing housework. Advertising I see does not show women as they really are 2 10 11 64 13 3. Advertising suggests women do not do important things 4 40 10 36 10 7. Informants also indicated, consistent with previous studies, that the appropriateness of role portrayals in ads often hinges upon the product being used. Social psychologists have argued that an individual s self-schema impacts the perception of others. Julie, while rejecting traditional sex roles for herself and her family, has no feminist self-schema. Advertising shows women mainly as sex objects 5 5 10 58 22 5. Also, while 82 per cent of the American respondents thought advertising suggested women did not make important decisions, only 63 per cent of respondents in this study agreed with this statement. If a product I buy is advertised in a way thatShow MoreRelatedWhy Advertisements Are Killing You Essay1078 Words   |  5 PagesWhy Advertisements Are Killing You Regardless of if they mean to or not, all teenagers of today’s generation are exposed to advertisements. Due to teenagers’ persistent attitudes, marketers know what to put in their advertisements in order for it to be successful. Teenagers and young children in today s society are easily influenced by the numerous advertisements they watch. In our current generation advertisements of the perfect body image have been shown, which places a toll on certain teenagersRead MoreThe Negatives Of Fitness Advertising995 Words   |  4 Pagesmany fitness advertisements promote; portraying unrealistic body images and displaying false results. Fitness advertising can be found in print and broadcast forms. While fitness advertising can be viewed as having both positives and negatives, I believe fitness advertising is negative. This paper will discuss the negatives of fitness advertising, to include creating negative body images and promoting false results. It will, also, address the counterarguments against fitness advertising being negativeRead MoreBeauty and Body Image in the Media978 Words   |  4 PagesReview Of Literature Beauty and Body Image in the Media ( Men ) Review – 1 From the , Journal of Marketing Communication Vol. 11. No. 1. 3-19. March 2005 Idealized images of the male body in advertising: a reader-response exploration BY- RICHARD ELLIOTT CHRISTINE ELLIOTT Warwick Business School. University of Warwick, Coventry. UK. Harris Manchester College University of Oxford. Oxford. UK Introduction : This is a study which particularly focuses on how men are beingRead MoreImpact Of Advertising On Female Identity Formation1592 Words   |  7 PagesImpacts of Advertising upon Female Identity Formation What does it mean to be beautiful? For the advertising industry, the standard of being beautiful is perfection. American culture is highly concerned with beauty. From magazine to television advertisements, women are bombarded with images of perfection—perfect figure, perfect hair, and perfect skin. Moreover, advertisements sell products that would help improve women’s appearance. The problem with these advertisements is the subjectivity of beautyRead MoreAdvertising Is Not Ethical?971 Words   |  4 Pages From the start of the medieval times the use of advertising has been in use, whether it was a way to inform the people, capture a thief or raise taxes. By the industrialization age of promoting new cars through advertisement, advertising has changed the way the whole world operates with the introduction of new and improved items. Today â€Å"United States has become the largest advertising market in the world (Statista). Advertising is a part of everyday life that can target different age groups becauseRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Advertisements On Children1278 Words   |  6 PagesEffects of Advertisements Advertisers seek viewers who will buy products based on the consumers’ need and desire to become perfect. Advertisers know how to push the right button to make people feel insecure and imperfect. They use this insecurity to make a profit. But what happens when a person is pushed too hard? Both genders and all nationalities are affected by advertisements. The negative effects of advertisements include low self-esteem, eating disorders, and depression. Advertisements have beenRead MoreDoes Advertising Affect Self-Image1116 Words   |  5 Pagesof inadequacy and insecurity to sell us their products. While these marketers believe that advertising only mirrors societys values and alerts them to new products and bargains, they are either oblivious to their detrimental effects on society, specifically the teenage and female markets, or are ignorant to the truth. The Media Awareness Network evaluates the self-perceptions we gain from advertising whether it be false or strictly informational and the subliminal messaging we receive from theseRead MoreAdvertisements are Mental Pollutants641 Words   |  3 PagesAdvertisements are Mental Pollutants In the article â€Å"Brands R Us,† Stephen Garey makes a powerful argument about advertising. We need to change our views of advertising and fully recognize its powerful and collective effects. Focus groups and other forms of testing have proven that the majority of ads are useless and unsuccessful. â€Å"It’s been estimated that 80 to 85 percent of all advertising is neither consciously seen or remembered by the consuming public,† yet it is still in our brains. NonethelessRead MoreThe Advertising Of Diet Plans And Supplements Essay1702 Words   |  7 Pagesmisrepresentations of the ideal body image through the advertising of diet plans and supplements. Companies in the fitness industry scam people into buying useless products or services by advertising with individuals that have, what the mass media sees as, the perfect body composition. In addition to getting consumers to buy into a product or service, these companies also aid society with the spreading o f this fake idea of what classifies as the perfect body. They portray a body image that is unattainableRead MoreDiscrimination Of The American Woman1043 Words   |  5 Pagesapproach the constructed gender in television advertisements in Europe, America and India. One of the pioneering activist and cultural theorist who wrote books, films about this topic, as an instance the film Killing Us Softly, and was invited as a speaker in Tedx (an organization that invite influential and successful speaker to give a talk/lecture on their effective ideas) to talk about the constructed identity of the American woman in advertisements is Jean Kilbourne. Jean Kilbourne disputes: Ads

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Optimistic or Numb free essay sample

For years, poverty is one of the pressing issues that India faced, and being the country that have one third of the world’s poor, most Indians are leading a life that people in the modern society can never imaging. They never had ample food to satisfy their hunger, nor a place to sleep and of course, not having clothes to wear and tear. Dangers were always around them and people would be killed so easily like if one is crushing an ant. And because of this, most of them give up hope and stop struggling to improve their lifestyle, and it is to the extent that they became too adaptable to misery and give up their rights of pursuing happiness. In the story â€Å"The Grass-Eaters† by Krishnan Varma, the main couple, Ajit Babu and his wife, Swapna are depicted as the poorest people in the Indian society, they lived a refugees life and are constantly on the move, even though Ajit Babu was a school master and is well educated, he was not leading a stable life. We will write a custom essay sample on Optimistic or Numb or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Despite the optimism attitude that Ajit Babu adopts towards the poverty and miseries he suffered, there actually lies a deep sense of despair underneath it. In order to comfort themselves and the couple forced themselves to give up some human nature for adapting the environment. This is why he is able to grow so accustomed in seeing the darkest side of society that he is able to watch it in peace and contentment. The author used symbolism to emulate the reality behind those contradictions, and to create a couple like them, â€Å"grass-eaters†, â€Å"home†, â€Å"railway† and â€Å"night blindness† (167-170) are a few symbols the author used to offer a distinctive angle of interpretations of this short story. Firstly, the most obvious symbol, the grass-eaters and since it is sets as the title, the author must have his own reason to this. This symbol plays an important role in the story development, as generally Grass-eater is use to define a type of animal rather than a person who is vegetarian. By using â€Å"Grass eater†, the author is trying to covey the idea that these people living in poverty are no longer living in conditions fit for human survival, but reduced to animals instead. In the later part of the story, the author describes Swapna as fang bared, claws out(167), which depict that she possess animalistic instincts. Secondly, in a good story, there is at least an important idea that the author is trying to convey and usually there will be hints running through the whole story. In this story, several repeats of the word home can be found easily. They refer to different places, or in this case, solid objects which plays different roles, but overall they share a similar meaning, that is to symbolize the incapability to control of ones fate, especially for the poor. Commonly when it comes to home, most of us will link it with words like stability, security, family, privacy, comfort, memory and the most important, your roots. But, in this story, home does not represent this at all. Since the couple is constantly on the move, it shows the instability their life, from the start, they have to leave their own state, where their roots are and travel miles to Calcutta to avoid the riots in East Bengal (167). In their first â€Å"home†, which is nothing more than a footpath, it is so crowded that once you leave your place at night, you will not be able to find your place again (167); and there is no privacy, as sharing one home with strangers is very common, not only that, there is no security at all, since one might lose an ear by spending a night at such a place (167). In their second â€Å"home†, which is a wagon, even though they manage to get all the privacy they want, it is very insecure, since â€Å"That was not the only we went to bed in Calcutta and woke up in another place(168). While privacy is very important to us but it is something we take for granted, but to the couple it is a heaven-sent gift. In order to let their fourth kid, Prodeep to be born in a proper place, they move to a â€Å"cement concrete pipe† (168), and it actually make Swapna feel very comfortable. As seen, the poor are very contented with such small improvement. This show they have when through a great deal of torment. In their last or most current home, the roof, Ajit Babu is pleased with the surrounding as the rental is cheaper as compare to other tenant yet they have much more space for their son to play (169). In this story, perhaps the author creates the absence of the common meaning of a â€Å"home† to show that, the places they live in badly lack stability, security, privacy, comfort and memory and only death will then grant the couple a place with all the things they lack of. As seen in the story, there is an eternal home to the couple, which is their tombs, the phrase We have a son to do our funeral rites when we died(170) appeared twice, and from this we can infer that the place can serve as a stable, secure, private and comfortable home for the couple. Since this is what the realistic world cannot give, so they resort to the reincarnation and hope that in their next life, life will be much fairer to them. This show that to the poor, maybe death is better than life in this real world. Thirdly, most of the couple’s homes are near a railway, which have a long, endless shape, and at some point of time make one feel like it is an never-ending way, just like life is endless, since you never know when will it endless and watching the approaching and departing train as though it’s a cycle, which is just like life. In the story, the couple are Hindus and Hinduism is a religion that holds the belief in reincarnation, where souls are being evolved through many evolutions. Therefore the railway has a meaning of being rebirth by linking the present and future. And since the couple are travelling to and fro the railway, it might symbolize their process of being rebirth into a better life, which we can see, that they are able to improve their living conditions as the story progresses. Finally the last symbol, night blindness, the author described as the couple as â€Å"nightblind† (169), there is three different interpretation to this, first, it could be refer as an illness, which is results from lack of certain necessary nutrition, since the couple are so poor, they are not able to afford food that can provide enough nutrition. Second, one can interpret night-blindness as a result of no electricity, because they can’t afford the electricity bills, thus they are unable to navigate themselves around in the dark. Both inferences are a subtle highlight that poverty is one of the pressing issues and people are suffering from illness and diseases because of it. However, night-blindness can also be interpreted being optimistic, in this case being blind to the darkness in life and the obstacles that they may experience, as the only way to survived in this realistic world, is to be numb to the sufferings that occur even if is against their own will. In this story, the author showed the reality of the poorest people in his society, through a way of symbolism. The optimism that Ajit Babu has is in fact a kind of escape from reality. He chooses the easier way out by ignoring the sufferings he face, rather than facing them and fight for his own happiness. Poverty certainly is awful. But what really matters is to try whatever means possible to fight against it, rather than pretend to be â€Å"enjoying† the poverty and believe in the so-called optimism. Works Cited Varma Krishnan. â€Å"The Grass-Eaters. † 1985. Rpt. in The International Story: An Anthology with Guidelines for Reading and Writing about Fiction. Ruth Spack. New York: St. Martin’s, 1994. 167-170

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Women and Revolution The Peoples War in Nepal

Quesion: From 1996-2006, civil war based on a Maoist uprising served to rupture the existing social order and recreate the political landscape in Nepal. This week we examine a conflict driven by ideology rather than religion, ethnicity or nationalism. We examine the participation of women in the Maoist revolution, the peace process and in the new social and political order following the end of the civil war in 2006. The participation of women in the conflict opens new questions such as can women truly be equal to men in militarized societies? what happens to power relations when the existing social and political order is upturned - do marginalized identities fare better or worse? and finally, what kind of justice can we envisage for a society that has experienced political revolution? Answer: Manchanda R, 'Maoist Insurgency In Nepal: Radicalizing Gendered Narratives' (2004) 16 Cultural Dynamics This article by Rita Manchanda explores the changes with regard to gender inequalities that have arisen as a result of the political challenges in the Maoist Revolution taking place in the country of Nepal. The article further explores the existing tension due to the presence of women folk in the Maoist Movement and the dominant male leaders who are too hesitant to discover the new intricacies of gender relations. Manchanda puts an effort to recognize how the revolutionary struggles witness the increasing mobilization of women in the armed forces and she also questions on how the translation may be conducted to incorporate a more gender specific program agenda.[1] The article provides data on the percentage of women in the in the heartland of the Maoists. It states that almost 30% of the Maoists are women.[2] Manchanda further argues on the vision of the Maoists in the revolutionary country of Nepal which opens opportunities for expressing the possible transformation in politics without any inconsistencies. Manchanda very elaborately examines the condition of women who are compelled to join the Maoists. Women guerilla happens to be extremely primary in the projection of this movement. The author further reflects the power of women in the Maoist movement with regard to the leverage facilities and the amount of space available to them.[3] The women who participated in the propaganda were exploited and they even further exploited the general people by spinning folklores about the well known women guerilla leaders such as Kamla Bhatta and Shanti Shrestha. They were depicted as self sacrificing and heroic in their deeds. The article reflects on the actual reason for the women folks in joining the Maoists movements. Thousands of women were trafficked, many were diagnosed with anemia and others were suffering from illiteracy, poverty, miscarriages and other unhygienic conditions. Even though women pay a very important in the agricultural industry in the country they are generally neglected in the feudal system. They do not receive any property from their parents even though it is the women who run the household. Further in case the men marry other women the previous wives have to leave the households. Hence it is evident that the women face a lot of injustice in the country that compels them to join the revolutionary armies. Manchanda also explores the issue of sexuality in the article and its relevance in the country. Generally it is the young girls who participate in the armies and who are widely discriminated.[4] This article primarily deals with the impact of the Maoist movement on the country and on the women folk in the country. It states how this impact is observed from the existing proposals of reforms which have been put forward by the government when the cease fire negotiations were taking place in 2003. The article has further explored the various questions with regard to the development of freedom, the accountability regarding the human rights abuse in the country and its relative impact on gender relations. References Manchanda R, 'Maoist Insurgency In Nepal: Radicalizing Gendered Narratives' (2004) 16 Cultural Dynamics Manchanda, Maoist Insurgency, 237 Manchanda, Maoist Insurgency, 238 Manchanda, Maoist Insurgency, 241 Manchanda, Maoist Insurgency, 250

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Why birmingham Essay Example For Students

Why birmingham Essay In the midst of racial tensions, a conscious decision was made to make Birmingham, Alabama the target to aid the civil rights movement. Why? Because the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) had a deeply organized center there, because of the impulsive police commissioner, and because the Ku Klux Klan had one of its most violent chapters located in Birmingham. These reasons in addition to forty percent of the citys population being black (Hampton and Fayer, 124) contributed to the careful selection of Birmingham to aid in the hard struggle of the civil rights movement. The SCLC was particularly well-organized in Birmingham. With a budget of roughly one-million dollars, and divided in to different departments such as the Citizenship Education Department and the Department of Operation Breadbasket, the SCLCs organization was compared to that of General Motors by Reverend Wyatt Walker in 1963 (qtd by Morris, 253). The organization staged such acts as instituting economic boyco tts opposing businesses that discriminated against blacks. In addition to money and organization, the SCLC also had experience on their side. The people who headed the separate departments had taken part in many of the civil rights protests.(Morris, 253). Possessing all of these traits, the SCLC proved to be a strong force in the progress of the civil rights movement. We will write a custom essay on Why birmingham specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Another reason that Birmingham was chosen was because they had a racist, impetuous police commissioner by the name of Eugene Bull Connor (Morris,252). He was easy to infuriate and his violent responses to the non-violent protests served as good publicity to expose the injustice that minorities endured at the time. During a Freedom Ride in 1961, a riot broke out between protesters and those against the movement. The police were slow to arrive, according to Connor, because it was Mothers Day (Fairclough, 112). Blatant apathy towards the many violent and unjust acts that occurred during this time proved Eugene Bull Connor to be ignorant enough to fall into the SCLCs intricate plan for equality in the south. A third reason for the choice was the fact that one of the KKKs most violent klaverns was located in Birmingham. One of its members, Robert Chambliss, took part in bombings so often that he was known as Dynamite Bob. Chambliss and his fellow Klan members undoubtedly helped Birmingham become known as Bombingham (Hampton and Fayer, 124). The Klans ominous presence in the city was a brutal reminder that things had to change. These and many other reasons contributed to the selection of Birmingham, Alabama as the mark for the advancement of the civil rights movement. Without these factors, the effort to change the south from an ignorant and racist sector to the integrated south that we see today may have been impossible to achieve, and future efforts to progress this ongoing movement would seem a nagging impossibility. Bibliography:Fairclough, Adam. To Redeem the Soul of America. Athens: University ofGeorgia, 1987. Hampton, Henry, and Steve Fayer. Voices of Freedom. NY: Bantam Books,1990. Morris, Alan. The Origins of the Civil Rights Movement. NY: The Free Press, 1986.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Gentrification

Gentrification Jeremy Hudson TURB HHH. GentrificationDowntown living can be a convenient and exciting way to live one's life. People obviously have been doing it for many years. Because people have been doing it for so long it leads to inevitable wear and tear and break down of structures and this leads to gentrification and overdue remodels of multi-unit living quarters. "Rumford's importance to the history of technology is due largely to his pioneering attempts to apply scientific reasoning to an aspect of home life". (Rybcynski 1987: 131) Rybcynski was illustrating how gentrification was introduced and importantly how people recognized the need for improving existing structures. I feel that gentrification and city governments of downtown living need to take more concern for homelessness, displaced residents, and making sure that the mixing of market rate housing with affordable housing is done with fairness and equality.Homeless people are a major population of a downtown urban community, theref ore, they should be considered more carefully when major city reforms are made.HomelessnessThe conditions they live in should be improved and the help they need should be given to them. A problem with some cities today is that homeless people are seen as a major threat to the everyday life of people and how the homeless are handled is endangering them. Pushing the homeless out of an area forces them to relocate and their relocation may not be to a place that is life sustaining. A solution that is common is building a multi-unit facility for them or using an existing structure to house them. The problem that is currently happening is that they are allowed to continue with their bad habits which include but are not limited to: excessive drinking, drug use, prostitution, violence, not taking or even abusing prescription medication. "For example, 39...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Employment law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Employment law - Essay Example The focus of this analysis is to evaluate how far the law goes to strike an appropriate balance between legal certainty and â€Å"just decisions† in context of the central legal areas of unfair dismissal, employee status and discrimination law. If we firstly consider employee status, section 230 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) defines an employee as â€Å"an individual who has entered into or works under (or, where the employment has ceased, worked under) a contract of employment†. The section 230 definition has been criticised for being ambiguous1 and it is necessary to refer to the common law test for defining the status of an employee, which isn’t without its limitations. The starting point for determining whether an individual is an employee is the â€Å"control† test2. This was established in the case if Yewens v Noakes3, where Bramwell LJ asserted that â€Å"A servant is a person subject to the command of his master as to the manner in which he shall do his work4†. However, socio-economic developments in the labour market have changed the shape of employment status, thereby undermining the suitability of the control test as a sole determinant of employment status5. This was further acknowledged by the Court of Appeal in the case of Walker v Crystal Palace FC6, where the control test was given a different slant by focusing on whether the employer had the right to control the background arrangements for the work such as when and where the work was done, payments and holiday entitlements. However, the Walker extension of the control test was further developed into the â€Å"integration† test as propounded by Lord Denning in the case of Stevenson Jordan and Harrison v MacDonald & Evans7 â€Å"†¦under a contract of service, a man is employed as part of the business and his work is done as an integral part of the business; whereas under a contract for services, his work, although done for

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Education As The Cornerstone Of Success Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Education As The Cornerstone Of Success - Essay Example Many opportunities come because of acquiring education. From the basic standards of formal education, it ensures that individuals acquire life skills from the starting point. A person develops knowing the basic requirements of him from society. It is interesting to note that the definition of success in life depends on what the society believes in. Therefore, by learning what society requires exposes people to the path of fulfilling their destiny resulting in success. The curriculum then provides all the skills available to the individual as it awaits him to develop an interest in his own areas. By providing all the skills, education gives the individual an opportunity to choose what he is interested in partaking. The curriculum defines each an every skill and puts measures to see them grow into success. By so doing, it helps to shape the individuals’ interests without influencing them into taking something else. Its basic role is to shape their interests and nurture them. Education plays a role in enlightening people. As noted earlier, education involves the acquisition of knowledge and skills. This knowledge improves the mode in which the brain works. The brain receives a lot of information, after which it sorts and arranges them in a way that an individual is conversant with many things that occur daily. This knowledge broadens the way of thought and arguments. An argument entails a manner in which a person is capable of reasoning with the issues and being able to separate facts from mere propaganda. It is only because of acquired knowledge that someone is able to reason out consciously. In addition to this, a person with an average education is able to think in a higher level as compared to another average uneducated person.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

M1A3 - Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

M1A3 - Conflict - Essay Example Struggle for control and dominance within a social setting such as corporate environment will lead to a stalemate in the interpersonal relationships among the individuals. Some behaviors that are associated with power struggles include feelings of deception, manipulation and defeat (Deutsch, Coleman & Marcus, 2006). However, positive power behaviors such as persuasion will minimize the interpersonal conflicts within a group. Another element of interpersonal conflicts is the differences in perceptual and cognitive factors. Human beings tend to attain distinctiveness and social identity within the social group thus individual who fail to conform to group values are discriminated against in social interactions (Rahim, 2011). High social dominance orientation will promote the group-based hierarchies in favor of the high powerful individuals in the group (Deutsch, Coleman & Marcus, 2006). Social group factors such as the level of cohesiveness, group identity, conformity pressure and decis ion-making methods will influence the effectiveness of conflict resolution among the group members. All individuals within the group strive to attain a higher social esteem and group identity. However, group dynamics such as intensity hostility between the members, fear, deception and mistrust will escalate the level of conflict within the group (Deutsch, Coleman & Marcus, 2006). PSDM model of interpersonal conflict resolution The PSDM model of decision-making and problem solving is integral to conflict resolution within a group. According to the model, conflict resolution entails four phases that include diagnosis phase, identification of alternative solutions, evaluation and selection of acceptable alternative and finally decision making and implementation phase. The diagnosis phase involves identification of the source of the conflict. The parties must cooperate in identifying the conflict sources (Deutsch, Coleman & Marcus, 2006). In addition, the parties must avoid any destruct ive behaviors such as blaming others during this phase. The second stage is identification of alternative solutions through brainstorming. A checklist is used in brainstorming sessions in order to stimulate creativity. The third phase is evaluation and selection of an acceptable solution (Rahim, 2011). This phase entails consideration the various alternatives and determining the most effective in resolving the conflict (Deutsch, Coleman & Marcus, 2006). The parties can utilize a reference frame such as ability to attain social cohesion, ability to attain group objectives and fairness to all parties. The last phase is decision-making and implementation of the solution through changing the values, attitudes and communication channels within the group. Theory of cooperation and competition The theory was advanced by Morton Deutsch and later elaborated by David W. Johnson. The theory emphasizes on the interdependence of the goals of the parties to the conflict. The goals of the parties must be positively correlated in order to foster cooperative conflict resolution (Rahim, 2011). Goal interdependence is then combined with psychological processes such as attitudes, substitutability and inducibility (Deutsch, Coleman & Marcus, 2006). The theory aims at controlling destructive competition within the group and fostering cooperation through enhancing group cohesion and problem cognition. The

Friday, November 15, 2019

Examining Motivational Strategies in Multinational Organisations

Examining Motivational Strategies in Multinational Organisations Motivation is next to directing/leading. Managers can motivate their subordinates while guiding them. Motivating means encouraging people to take more initiative and interest in the work assigned. It is an art of getting things done willingly from others. Motivation avoids clashes and non-cooperation and brings harmony, unity and co-operative outlook among employees. Managers have to work as motivators of their subordinates. For this, effective communication, proper appreciation of work done and positive encouragement are necessary and useful. Motivation is inspiring and encouraging people to work more and contribute for achieving the objectives of the company The creation of the desire and willingness to perform the job efficiently is known as motivation Motivation is a psychological and sociological concept as it relates to human behavior and human relations. It is the most fundamental and all pervasive concept of psychology. For motivation, sweet words are useful but are certainly not adequate. Motivation basically relates to human needs, desires and expectations. In other words, these factors suggest the measures which can be used for the motivation of employees. In motivation, efforts should be made to satisfy the different needs of employees so that they will be satisfied, happy and away from tensions. This creates favorable environment because of which employees take more interest and initiative in the work and perform their jobs efficiently. Motivation is a technique of creating attraction for the job. It is encouraging employees for better performance in order to achieve the goals of an Organization. The process of motivation is a continuous one (circular one) and is beneficial to both employer and employees. It is a key to improve work performance of employees. The term motive is derived from the Latin word emovere which means to move or to activate. Motivation is the act of making someone to act in the desired manner through positive encouragement. It is through motivation that employees can be induced to work more, to earn more and to give better results to the Organization. 2. Definitions of Motivation. According to W. G. Scot, Motivation means a process of stimulating people to action to accomplish the desired goals. According to Michael J. jucius, Motivation is the act of stimulating someone or oneself to get a desired course of action, to push the right button to get a desired results. 3. Features or Characteristics of Motivation. Psychological Process: Motivation is a psychological process useful for encouraging employees to take more interest in the work assigned. It relates to human relations. Initiative by Manager: The initiative for motivation is by the manager by offering guidance and also by other methods like appreciation of good work or offering incentives. Management has to adopt special measures for motivating employees. They include monetary as well as non-monetary. Continuous activity: It is a continuous and circular process. Subordinates need motivation in a continuous manner as their needs and expectations change from time to time. A manager has to study the needs of workers and use the technique of motivation accordingly. The process of motivation must be made a regular and continuous one. Goal-oriented and action-oriented: Motivation diverts human behavior towards certain goals. Attainment of organizational and individual goals depends on the motivational plans. Broad concept: Motivation covers needs, human relations and satisfaction of employees. For employee motivation, monetary and other incentives need to be offered. Job satisfaction is one such need and is useful for their motivation. Essence of management process: Motivation is an essential function of a manager. He has to motivate his subordinates for achieving organizational objectives. Motivated labour force is an asset of a business unit. Motivated employees bring prosperity to a business unit. Beneficial to employees and management: Motivation offers benefits to employees and Organisation. It avoids crashes and encourages cooperative outlook among employees. Motivation leads to cordial labour-management relations. It provides more profit to management and better welfare to employees. Varied measures available for motivation: For motivation, various monetary and non monetary incentives can be offered to employees by the management. Attractive wages, welfare facilities, job satisfaction, appreciation of good work, encouragement to self-development, job security and fair treatment are some measures of motivating employees. Motivation is different from satisfaction: Motivation implies a drive towards a result while satisfaction involves result already experienced and achieved. When desire is satisfied, employee is motivated. Related to a person in totality: An employee is motivated in totality and not in part. Employees basic needs are interrelated. Management must fulfill all the needs through monetary and non-monetary incentives. 4. Importance of Motivation. Motivation occupies an important place and position in the whole management process. This technique can be used fruitfully for encouraging workers to make positive contribution for achieving organizational objectives. Motivation is necessary as human nature needs some sort of inducement, encouragement or incentive in order to get better performance. Motivation of employees offers may benefits to the Organisation and also to the employees. This suggests the importance of motivating employees. Motivation acts as a technique for improving the performance of employees working at different levels. Motivation of employees is one function which every manager has to perform along with other managerial functions. A manager has to function as a friend and motivator of his subordinates. Motivation is useful in all aspects of life and even our family life. The same is the case with business. This dearly suggests that motivation is extremely important. It is an integral part of management process itself. 5. Advantages of Motivation. (A) Advantages to Management or Organization: Increase in the efficiency and productivity of employees. Motivation ensures a high level performance of employees. Better co-operation from employees and cordial labour-management relations. Reduction in the rate of labour absenteeism and turnover. Reduction in the wastages and industrial accidents. Improvement in the morale of employees. Quick achievement of business/corporate objectives and favorable corporate image. (B) Advantages to Employees or Workers: Employees get various monetary and non-monetary facilities/benefits which provide better life and welfare to them. Security of employment and other benefits due to cordial relations with the management. Job attraction and job satisfaction. Higher status and opportunities of participation in management. Positive approach and outlook of employees towards company, management and superiors. Reduction in the rate of labour turnover which is harmful to employees and management. Better scope for improvement in knowledge and skills of employees. 6. Motivational Factors or Motivational Incentives. (A) Monetary or Financial Incentives: Monetary incentives are offered in terms of money. Such incentives provide more cash or purchasing power to employees. Monetary incentives are extremely attractive to employees (particularly those working at lower levels) as they get the benefit quickly and in concrete terms. At the higher levels of management, non-monetary incentives are more important than monetary incentives. Workers prefer monetary incentives as compared to non-monetary incentives. Managements also offer liberal monetary incentives to all categories of workers. Monetary incentives may be further classified as following:- Individual Monetary Incentives: The benefit of individual monetary incentive is available to concerned worker only. For example, F. W. Taylor suggested differential piece rate system which offers different wage rates to different workers as per their production efficiency. Different incentive wage plans are the examples of individual monetary incentives as the benefit is offered individually to every worker. Here, a worker is paid as per his efficiency, productivity or as per the production given by him. Efficient/sincere workers give more production and get higher reward in terms of wage payment. Group Monetary Incentives: In the group monetary incentives, the monetary benefit is not given individually but to a group of workers or to all workers in the Organisation. Workers have to work jointly/collectively as a team in order to secure the benefits of group monetary incentives. Bonus payment, pension, P.F, production/productivity bonus, profit sharing, etc. are the examples of group monetary incentives. For the employer/management, group incentives are more important as they offer many benefits to the management. (B) Non-monetary Incentives for Employee Motivation: Job security and job enrichment: Job security is useful for the motivation of employees. Such security keeps the employee away from the tension of becoming unemployed. Job enrichment provides an opportunity for greater recognition and advancement. Job enrichment refers to redesign of jobs. Fair treatment to employees: Employer should give attention to the needs, difficulties and grievances of employees. Small work groups and effective communication are useful for solving the problems of workers. Employees must be given decent treatment. They will be co-operative only when they are treated with sympathy and love, affection and dignity. Employees should also be given help in personal matters. Recognition of good work: Recognition of good work at an appropriate time gives encouragement to employees to show better performance in future. As an appreciation of good work, prizes, rewards, promotions, etc. should be given. Encouragement to self-development and career development: Employees should be given varied training facilities. Training facilitates self-development and also provides opportunities for career development. Every employee has a desire to grow, develop and rise higher. This desire should be exploited fully for motivating employees. For this, training as well as management development programmes should be introduced. Delegation of authority: Due to delegation of authority, a subordinate employee feels that superior has faith in him and also in his ability to use authority in a proper manner. Employees get mental satisfaction when authority is given to them. They take interest and initiative in the work and try to prove that they are competent to work at the higher levels. Thus, delegation of authority becomes a motivating factor. Congenial working conditions: It is a non financial incentive for motivation. Employees should be given various facilities and conveniences at the work place. The work environment should be pleasant and safe. This creates desire to work efficiently. Helpful attitude of management: The helpful attitude of management towards its employees creates a sense of affinity for the Organisation. Fair treatment to workers creates better understanding among workers. Cordial industrial relations also motivate employees. Thus, enlightened and pro-employee attitude of management acts as a motivating factor. Fair opportunity of promotion: Fair opportunity of promotion to all eligible workers is one more method useful for motivating employees. They take interest in the work as they feet that they will be rewarded in the form of promotions. Training facility should be provided to employees in order to make them eligible for promotion. Labour participation in management: Labour participation in management is useful for the motivation of employees. Workers get higher status and better scope for expressing their views through such participation. Even the formation of quality circles or joint management councils is useful for motivating employees. Designation and status: When an employee is provided with a better designation, it adds to his status. Employees are proud to reveal their attractive and high-sounding designations. 7. Theories of Motivation. A. H. Maslows Need Hierarchy Theory. Hertzbergs Motivation Hygiene Theory (Two Factor Theory). Douglas McGregors Theory X and Theory Y. McClellands Achievement Motivation Theory. 8. Elton Mayos Hawthorne Experiments 1927-1936. The most famous of all human relations movement and research were Hawthorne Experiments. So named because they were carried on in Hawthorne plant of western Electric Company of Chicago in USA. Dr. Elton Mayo led a team from Harward University which cooperated with western electric co. in the period 1927-1936 to carry out Hawthorne Experiments. They identified following details. Recognized the importance of employee attitudes such as understanding voluntary co-operations and willing dedication in accomplishment of organizational goals. Found that employee performance is very much influenced by his attitude towards his job, associates and management. Proved that organizational firm can gain only when its employees are satisfied contented in their jobs. Pointed out that any change to be should be made should be explained and its meaning should be clear to employees. The fact that change is logical is not enough because employees may not appreciate the logic. Explored much of information on group behavior. Thus have provided the basis for much of what we know about getting along with all, problem employees in particular. Employee Motivation: Theory and practice The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this the manager should be able to motivate employees. But thats easier said than done! Motivation practice and theory are difficult subjects, touching on several disciplines. In spite of enormous research, basic as well as applied, the subject of motivation is not clearly understood and more often than not poorly practiced. To understand motivation one must understand human nature itself. And there lies the problem! Human nature can be very simple, yet very complex too. An understanding and appreciation of this is a prerequisite to effective employee motivation in the workplace and therefore effective management and leadership. These articles on motivation theory and practice concentrate on various theories regarding human nature in general and motivation in particular. Included are articles on the practical aspects of motivation in the workplace and the research that has been undertaken in this field, notably by Douglas McGregor (theory y), Frederick Herzberg (two factor motivation hygiene theory,) Abraham Maslow (theory z, hierarchy of needs), Elton Mayo (Hawthorne Experiments) Chris Argyris Rensis Likert and David McClelland (achievement motivation.) Why study and apply employee motivation principles? Quite apart from the benefit and moral value of an altruistic approach to treating colleagues as human beings and respecting human dignity in all its forms, research and observations show that well motivated employees are more productive and creative. The inverse also holds true. The schematic below indicates the potential contribution the practical application of the principles this paper has on reducing work content in the organization. Motivation is the key to performance improvement There is an old saying you can take a horse to the water but you cannot force it to drink; it will drink only if its thirsty so with people. They will do what they want to do or otherwise motivated to do. Whether it is to excel on the workshop floor or in the ivory tower they must be motivated or driven to it, either by themselves or through external stimulus. Are they born with the self-motivation or drive? Yes and no. If no, they can be motivated, for motivation is a skill which can and must be learnt. This is essential for any business to survive and succeed. Performance is considered to be a function of ability and motivation, thus: Job performance =f(ability)(motivation) Ability in turn depends on education, experience and training and its improvement is a slow and long process. On the other hand motivation can be improved quickly. There are many options and an uninitiated manager may not even know where to start. As a guideline, there are broadly seven strategies for motivation. Positive reinforcement / high expectations Effective discipline and punishment Treating people fairly Satisfying employees needs Setting work related goals Restructuring jobs Base rewards on job performance These are the basic strategies, though the mix in the final recipe will vary from workplace situation to situation. Essentially, there is a gap between an individuals actual state and some desired state and the manager tries to reduce this gap. Motivation is, in effect, a means to reduce and manipulate this gap. It is inducing others in a specific way towards goals specifically stated by the motivator. Naturally, these goals as also the motivation system must conform to the corporate policy of the organization. The motivational system must be tailored to the situation and to the organization. In one of the most elaborate studies on employee motivation, involving 31,000 men and 13,000 women, the Minneapolis Gas Company sought to determine what their potential employees desire most from a job. This study was carried out during a 20 year period from 1945 to 1965 and was quite revealing. The ratings for the various factors differed only slightly between men and women, but both groups considered security as the highest rated factor. The next three factors were; advancement type of work company proud to work for Surprisingly, factors such as pay, benefits and working conditions were given a low rating by both groups. So after all, and contrary to common belief, money is not the prime motivator. (Though this should not be regarded as a signal to reward employees poorly or unfairly.) Motivation theorists and their theories (1 of 2) Although the process of management is as old as history, scientific management as we know it today is basically a twentieth century phenomenon. Also, as in some other fields, practice has been far ahead of theory. This is still true in the field of management, contrary to the situation in some of the pure sciences. For instance, Albert Einstein, formulates a theory, which is later proved by decades of intensive research and experimentation. Not so in the field of management. In fact this field has been so devoid of real fundamental work so far, that Herbert A. Simon is the first management theoretician to win the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1978. His contribution itself gives a clue to the difficulty, bordering on impossibility, of real fundamental work in this field concerned with people. In order to arrive at a correct decision, the manager must have all the information necessary relevant to the various factors and all the time in the world to analyze the same. This is seldom, if ever, the case. Both the information available and the time at the managers disposal are limited, but he or she must make a decision. And the decision is, therefore, not the optimum one but a satisficing one in effect, a satisfactory compromise under the real conditions prevailing in the management arena. Traditional theory X This can best be ascribed to Sigmund Freud who was no lover of people, and was far from being optimistic. Theory X assumes that people are lazy; they hate work to the extent that they avoid it; they have no ambition, take no initiative and avoid taking any responsibility; all they want is security, and to get them to do any work, they must be rewarded, coerced, intimidated and punished. This is the so-called stick and carrot philosophy of management. If this theory were valid, managers will have to constantly police their staff, whom they cannot trust and who will refuse to cooperate. In such an oppressive and frustrating atmosphere, both for the manager and the managed, there is no possibility of any achievement or any creative work. But fortunately, as we know, this is not the case. Theory Y Douglas McGregor This is in sharp contrast to theory X. McGregor believed that people want to learn and that work is their natural activity to the extent that they develop self-discipline and self-development. They see their reward not so much in cash payments as in the freedom to do difficult and challenging work by themselves. The managers job is to dovetail the human wish for self-development into the organizations need for maximum productive efficiency. The basic objectives of both are therefore met and with imagination and sincerity, the enormous potential can be tapped. Does it sound too good to be true? It could be construed, by some, that Theory Y management is soft and slack. This is not true and the proof is in the pudding, for it has already proved its worth in the USA and elsewhere. For best results, the persons must be carefully selected to form a homogeneous group. A good leader of such a group may conveniently absent from group meetings so they can discuss the matters freely and help select and groom a new leader. The leader does no longer hanker after power, lets people develop freely, and may even (it is hoped) enjoy watching the development and actualization of people, as if, by themselves. Everyone, and most of all the organization, gains as a result. Theory Z Abraham Maslow This is a refreshing change from the theory X of Freud, by a fellow psychologist, Abraham Maslow. Maslow totally rejects the dark and dingy Freudian basement and takes us out into the fresh, open, sunny and cheerful atmosphere. He is the main founder of the humanistic school or the third force which holds that all the good qualities are inherent in people, at least, at birth, although later they are gradually lost. Maslows central theme revolves around the meaning and significance of human work and seems to epitomize Voltaires observation in Candide, work banishes the three great evils -boredom, vice and poverty. The great sage Yajnavalkya explains in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad that by good works a man becomes holy, by evil works evil. A mans personality is the sum total of his works and that only his works survive a man at death. This is perhaps the essence of Maslows hierarchy of needs theory, as it is more commonly know. Maslows major works include the standard textbook (in collaboration with Mittlemann), Principles of Abnormal Psychology (1941), a seminal paper, A Theory of Human Motivation (1943) and the book, Eupsychian Management (pronounced yew-sigh-keyan) published in 1965. Maslows theory of human motivation is, in fact, the basis of McGregors theory Y briefly described above. The basic human needs, according to Maslow, are: physiological needs (Lowest) safety needs; love needs; esteem needs; and self-actualization needs (Highest) Mans behavior is seen as dominated by his unsatisfied needs and he is a perpetually wanting animal, for when one need is satisfied he aspires for the next higher one. This is, therefore, seen as an ongoing activity, in which the man is totally absorbed in order to attain perfection through self-development. The highest state of self-actualization is characterized by integrity, responsibility, magnanimity, simplicity and naturalness. Self-actualizers focus on problems external to themselves. His prescription for human salvation is simple, but not easy: Hard work and total commitment to doing well the job that fate or personal destiny calls you to do, or any important job that calls for doing. Maslow has had his share of critics, but he has been able to achieve a refreshing synthesis of divergent and influential philosophies of: Marx economic and physical needs; Freud physical and love needs; Adler esteem needs; Goldstein self-actualization. Frederick Herzberg Hygiene / Motivation Theory This is based on analysis of the interviews of 200 engineers and accountants in the Pittsburgh area in the USA. According to this theory, people work first and foremost in their own self-enlightened interest, for they are truly happy and mentally healthy through work accomplishment. Peoples needs are of two types: Animal Needs (hygiene factors) Supervision Interpersonal relations Working conditions Salary Human Needs (motivators) Recognition Work Responsibility Advancement Unsatisfactory hygiene factors can act as de-motivators, but if satisfactory, their motivational effect is limited. The psychology of motivation is quite complex and Herzberg has exploded several myths about motivators such as: shorter working week; increasing wages; fringe benefits; sensitivity / human relations training; communication. As typical examples, saying please to shop-floor workers does not motivate them to work hard, and telling them about the performance of the company may even antagonize them more. Herzberg regards these also as hygiene factors, which, if satisfactory, satisfy animal needs but not human needs. Chris Argyris According to Argyris, organization needs to be redesigned for a fuller utilization of the most precious resource, the workers, in particular their psychological energy. The pyramidal structure will be relegated to the background, and decisions will be taken by small groups rather than by a single boss. Satisfaction in work will be more valued than material rewards. Work should be restructured in order to enable individuals to develop to the fullest extent. At the same time work will become more meaningful and challenging through self-motivation. Rensis Likert Likert identified four different styles of management: exploitative-authoritative; benevolent-authoritative; consultative; participative. The participative system was found to be the most effective in that it satisfies the whole range of human needs. Major decisions are taken by groups themselves and this results in achieving high targets and excellent productivity. There is complete trust within the group and the sense of participation leads to a high degree of motivation. Fred Luthans Luthans advocates the so-called contingency approach on the basis that certain practices work better than others for certain people and certain jobs. As an example, rigid, clearly defined jobs, authoritative leadership and tight controls lead in some cases to high productivity and satisfaction among workers. In some other cases just the opposite seems to work. It is necessary, therefore, to adapt the leadership style to the particular group of workers and the specific job in hand. Victor Vroom Vrooms expectancy theory is an extension of the contingency approach. The leadership style should be tailored to the particular situation and to the particular group. In some cases it appears best for the boss to decide and in others the group arrives at a consensus. An individual should also be rewarded with what he or she perceives as important rather than what the manager perceives. For example, one individual may value a salary increase, whereas another may, instead, value promotion. This theory contributes an insight into the study of employee motivation by explaining how individual goals influence individual performance. We have discussed above only a selection of the motivation theories and thoughts of the various proponents of the human behavior school of management. Not included here are, among others, the thoughts of: Seebohm Rowntree labor participation in management; Elton Mayo the Hawthorne Experiments; Kurt Lewin group dynamics; force field theory; David McClelland achievement motivation; George Humans the human group; William Whyte the organization man. What does it all add up to? Back to square one? Yes, indeed, the overall picture is certainly confusing. This is not surprising, for the human nature and human mind defy a clear-cut model, mathematical or otherwise. In some of the theories and thoughts presented, however, one can see some glimpses of the person and how, perhaps, he or she could be motivated. This is rewarding in itself. But, as noted earlier, practice has been ahead of theory in this field, so let us now move to the practical side of management of human behavior and motivation in the workplace. Application of employee motivation theory to the workplace Management literature is replete with actual case histories of what does and what does not motivate people. Presented here is a tentative initial broad selection of the various practices that have been tried in order to draw lessons for the future. Stick or carrot approach? The traditional Victorian style of strict discipline and punishment has not only failed to deliver the goods, but it has also left a mood of discontent amongst the working class. Punishment appears to have produced negative rather than positive results and has increased the hostility between them (the management) and us (the workers). In contrast to this, the carrot approach, involving approval, praise and recognition of effort has markedly improved the work atmosphere, leading to more productive work places and giving workers greater job satisfaction. Managers motivation toolkit The managers main task is to develop a productive work place, with and through those he or she is in charge of. The manager should motivate his or her team, both individually and collectively so that a productive work place is maintained and developed and at the same time employees derive satisfaction from their jobs. This may appear somewhat contradictory, but it seems to work. The main tools in the managers kitbag for motivating the team are: approval, praise and recognition trust, respect and high expectations loyalty, given that it may be received removing organizational barriers that stand in the way of individual and group performance (smooth business processes, systems, methods and resources see outline team building program) job enrichment good communications financial incentives These are arranged in order of importance and it is interesting to note that cash is way down the ladder of motivators. Lets look at a couple of examples taken from real life situations. The Swedish shipbuilding company, Kockums, turned a 15 million dollar loss into a 100 million dollar profit in the course of ten years due entirely to a changed perception of the workforce brought about by better motivation. At Western Electric there was a dr

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Cartoon Violence, Has it gone too Far Essay -- essays papers

Cartoon Violence, Has it gone too Far Aggression. Killing. Revenge. Sound like the latest Scream movie or Keanu Reeves thriller? You may be surprised to hear that this describes the average Saturday morning cartoon. One of the most surprising facts is that the level of violence during Saturday morning cartoons is higher than the level of violence during prime time. There are 3 to 5 violent acts per hour in prime time, versus 20 to 25 acts per hour on Saturday morning (Gerbner,1). Violence on television in general is damaging to society. But the specific targeting of the younger population through the use of cartoons to show violence is destructive and in no way helping to profit the upcoming generation. Violence in cartoons is harmful to children in many ways. Desensitizing children, increasing aggressiveness, and increasing their fear of becoming victims in real life, are all accredited to violence on television. â€Å"Myriad studies show that television violence affect children by desensitizing children to the horror of violence, teaching them to accept violence as a solution to problems, teaching them to imitate the violence they see on the television and leading them to identify with characters seen on television (and thus imitate the characters they identify with) (Parenthood Web).† The amount of violence in television programming is obviously directly related to the amount of violence witnessed by children. The more of a role that television plays in the daily activities the more of a role violence will influence that child. In 1985 alone, 85% of all television programming contained violence, with 92.1% of cartoons aired containing violence. These cartoons generally contain one violent act every three minutes ... ... and go straight to fighting. Children are becoming more desensitized, more aggressive and more afraid with the huge influx of violence on the glowing television set in all of our homes. Clearly, the children watching television all over the world are learning to embrace violence, often the wrong solution to any problem. Violence in television should not be banned, however, the frequency of the violence in television shows, especially cartoons aimed at kids, should be cut down significantly. Bibliography: Work Cited 1. Chen, Walter. http://interact.uoregon.edu/MediaLit/FA/MLArticleFolder/kalin.html, 2000. 2. Gerbner, George. http://www.4children.org/news/1- 97vtch.htm, 1999. 3. Liebert and Sprafkin. Violence in the Media. New York: Basic Books, 1990. pages 115-120. 4. The Parenthood Web. http://www.4children.org/news/1-97vtch.htm, 2001.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Romeo and Juliet Compare and Contrast Essay

Nowadays, it is almost impossible to revive old traditions from the past and appreciate them in our modern and exponential times. However, there still are possibilities to cherish some of the archaic literature today that were written so long ago. Celebrated as one of the greatest dramas of all time, Romeo and Juliet depicts a tragedy of two lovers who come from feuding families. The play was first written in the 1500s by William Shakespeare. Almost four-hundred years later, the tragic play was made into a movie in 1968 by Franco Zeffirelli.There are similarities in props and scenes, and distinctions between the original play and the 1968 movie considering the moods and plot details. Either way, the play and the 1968 movie both have glorious presentations. As for the mood, there a few differences between the two versions of the tragedy. In the dialogue of marriage in the play, Romeo and Juliet are serious and sedate. In Zeffirelli’s version of the play, the marriage scene make s Romeo and Juliet to look almost like fools of young love because they are constantly kissing and giggling.In a marriage, the bride and groom are to be calm and patient because it is an important step in their lives, and the play shows this kind of character. The movie does not portray this realistic kind of character. During the â€Å"funeral† ceremony for Juliet, the Friar Lawrence made a giggle because he already knew about the secret plan. This part destroyed the sad and mischievous mood of the scene. Nevertheless, I believe the play and Zeffirelli’s movie did a great job in explaining the tragedy, but the movie could have been a lot more enticing if it weren’t for those minor slip-ups.The play also could have used some help because it felt like the characters lacked some expression unlike the movie, but I cannot criticize which one was better because the play is the way it is to be. One thing that the movie and the play collaborated together, were the prop s and scenes. Full of old-fashioned dresses and rocky buildings, both productions have a very 1500s mood. Aside from the moods of the play, some of the plot details have been left out in both the movie production and the play. The play does a good job of explaining why Romeo was upset with Rosaline.The movie-viewers are confused up to why Romeo is upset. Besides, if it weren’t for Rosaline, Romeo would never have met Juliet in the first place. I believe the wedding scene in the movie was a good choice, which wasn’t shown in the play. The viewers would be confused at a point when watching the play because they would not know if Romeo and Juliet get married or not. Zeffirelli’s movie shows the marriage scene of Romeo and Juliet which made the plot clearer. One thing that seemed constant and realistic in the movie is the number of deaths in the tragedy.The play shows the tragedy of six deaths, while the movie shows only four deaths. One of the goals that most movie -makers have in order to make a successful movie is to leave the audience on happy note and not depressed. Unlike from Shakespeare, who wanted to express dramatic, tragic, and young love, Zeffirelli did what was best for the audience and plot of the movie by decreasing the number of deaths in his production. Plus, I do appreciate the fact that the movie actually follows the play, unlike other movie productions of stories. The plot details in the scenes seemed pretty constant overall.Unable to admire obsolete literature, we often tend to forget the old saying, â€Å"old is gold. † Romeo and Juliet is a tragic play written in the 16th century by William Shakespeare. The tragedy tells a legend about two young lovers who come from long-rivaling families. In 1968, Franco Zeffirelli made this play into a movie, after realizing the beauty of this tragedy. However, there are similarities and difference between the two production like mentioned earlier. Nevertheless, the original play and the 1968 movie tend to be some of the greatest classics to be told.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Gold Price In The Us Essays - Precious Metals, Gold, Inflation

Gold Price In The Us Essays - Precious Metals, Gold, Inflation Gold Price In The Us The largest demand for gold is in jewelry and investments. Gold is known as a metal that is easily used and has many industrial applications. Since gold is so durable and luxurious, many people invest in jewelry, stocks, and gold bonds. Considering the fact that gold is considered a world-wide valuable good, many economies have gold reserves to help protect themselves in times of need. Nevertheless, factors of supply and demand have contributed to the decrease of the price of gold, which has reached an all time low since 1978. This reduction has raised many concerns in the United States having them weigh the different factors of the price, supply and demand, and consumption that may be affecting the price change. The price change commands attention since gold serves to indicate price stability or inflation. Although, inflation is not as threatening in the United States because it is more industrialized, the bigger fear is facing deflation with our countries gold currency. Gold averaged 294 dollars per ounce in 1998, when at one time the prices were in the mid $400-500 per ounce. Due to fact that gold prices have been so low, Central Banks have threatened to sell their gold inventories fearing that gold is no longer considered the ultimate store of value. Regardless, prices have continued to fluctuate in both directions throughout the year, but it is important to weigh the different variables that are having an effect on the price. There are different factors associated with the supply and demand which have caused prices to decrease. First of all, the record low prices in the past year has caused investors to participate less causing prices to be determined largely on golds own supply and demand fundamentals and the economic environment. The supply of gold declined by less than 2% during 1998. The price reduction started to impact the mine production by slowing the rate of manufacture growth by the end of 1998. When prices began to weaken, this caused many mines to shut down, leaving low grade ore in the ground. This alone is effecting the mine output and the cost to produce more gold. On the other hand, the sales of gold jewelry are increasing at a record pace, since the economy is strong, there are low gold prices, rising consumption rates, the emergence of new discount chains, television shopping, and electronic chains (Haubrich, Joseph). The growing demand for gold jewelry helped push gold usage in the United Sates to a first time report of 428.4 metric tons in 1998, which is an 18% increase. Since consumption has been driven in the United States, our economy is expanding and consumers are spending more. During the past year, according to the JCK national poll, over 150 independent jewelers support the figures. They found that two-thirds of respondents (68%) said they had a sales increase over the past year, while the other two out of five (38%) claimed to have sales gains of 20% or more. Over all, the immediate gain for jewelry retail due to the lower prices was a 15 % increase. Using the statistics from the Commodity Price Index, for the last 12 months in 1998, it is evident that the second half of the years prices fluctuated. In the first part of 1998, the gold price ranged from $295.90 - 297.49, although it peaked in April reaching to $308.40, which was the highest for the year. The price increase was due to higher demand of consumers and the expansion in investments during that time period, in spite of the fact, prices did not continue to remain as high for the remainder of the year. In fact, the following month of May, dropped another $9.01, having the rate of gold at $299.39. As for the second half of the year, prices still dropped but managed to stay in the low $290s making retailers prosperous. Regardless consumers were happy with the lower prices, many investors and miners have been struggling to feel the same towards the lower rate. Stocks have lost over 90% percent of their investments in gold and have many investors wondering if the value of gold is depreciating. Miners too, are worried about the lower prices considering they have been the major producers of gold in the past and in future markets. The idea that central banks have discussed to sell partial amounts of their gold reserves has investors worried with hopes that demand will not continue to decrease. When evaluating

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Colonization In The Theme Of Conrads Heart Of Dark Essays - Fiction

Colonization In The Theme Of Conrads Heart Of Dark Essays - Fiction Colonization In The Theme Of Conrads Heart Of Darkness And Swift's A Modest Proposal Joseph Riley McCormack Professor Alan Somerset English 020 Section 007 Submission Date: March 22, 2000 Colonization in the Theme of A Modest Proposal and Heart of Darkness Starting at the beginning of the seventeenth century, European countries began exploring and colonizing many different areas of the world. The last half of the nineteenth century saw the height of European colonial power around the globe. France, Belgium, Germany, and especially Great Britain, controlled over half the world. Along with this achievement came a notable sense of pride and confident belief that European civilization was the best on earth and that the natives of the lands Europeans controlled would only benefit from colonial influence. However, not everybody saw colonization as positive for all those involved. Some of the most notable writers of the time produced works criticizing the process of colonization. Two of the most significant works in this area are Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness and Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal. Although these pieces of literature both criticize colonization, they have different themes. The theme of A Modest Proposal could be described a s the negative effects of colonization on the colonized, while the central idea in Heart of Darkness is the negative effects of colonization on both the colonized and the colonizers. The differences in these themes are significant to the strategies used by the authors to explore the adverse effects of colonization. Swift makes great use of irony and imagery, to accentuate the plight of the Irish. Conrad comments on the frightening changes that people involved with colonization can go through by exploring character development and detailing a narrative of oppression. Swift uses irony in A Modest Proposal because it allows him to highlight the emotional detachment felt by the colonizing British towards the Irish. It is this emotional detached feeling that lead to the atrocities committed against the Irish citizens. The irony in A Modest Proposal is evident right in the title. There is certainly nothing modest about the proposal of eating the infants of impoverished Irish citizens. The irony accentuates how cruel and uncompassionate the powerful British Imperialists were, towards the destitute Irish population. The reader must realize that Swift is operating independently of the narrator in a covert manner (Phiddian 607). He develops the persona of the proposer to say exactly the opposite of what he feels. While the proposer suggests eating poor Irish children is particularly proper at merry meetings, particularly weddings and christenings, this could not be further from the opinion of Swift. Nor does Swift actually believe that this plan will incr ease the care and tenderness of mothers toward their children. (NA 1052) Moreover, the whole topic of cannibalism, is discussed with tongue in cheek and is meant to suggest that the British were devouring the Irish. Images of cruelty and evil put, forward by the narrator, weigh heavily in the theme of A Modest Proposal. Throughout the pamphlet, the reader is bombarded with disturbing imagery of Irish people and their children being treated like livestock raised for consumption. The narrator refers to the parents of the children as savages (NA 1050) and breeders (NA 1051) and dams (NA 1048). Then he compares the children to roasting pigs (NA 1050) and continues as if he were writing a cook book. He speaks of how delicious he thinks these infants would be whether stewed, roasted, baked or boiled (NA 1049) or served in a fricassee or a ragout (NA 1049). He describes how the carcasses (NA 1050) of these babies could be nicely seasoned with a little pepper or salt (NA 1050) and will be in season throughout the year (NA 1050). Flaying the carcass and using the skin of these babies to make admirable gloves for ladies, and summer boots for fine gentlemen (NA 1050) is another suggestion he puts forward. He expands beyond just slaughtering the infants for food and leather products by suggesting the possibility of hunting the adolescents for sport. He dismisses this idea because he imagines the flesh of the adolescents would be too tough for eating and because hunting them would reduce the breeding stock. He also has concerns that some scrupulous people

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Compare and contrast media coverage Research Paper

Compare and contrast media coverage - Research Paper Example Making this news channel the home of the Democratic Party. Not to be outdone, Rupert Murdoch, a well known staunch backer of the Republican party set up Fox News to rival CNN in the cable and online news front. That rivalry of the two moguls was a given since politics has always been news fodder for Americans. A late comer to the cable and online news scene is MSNBC. A network known for trying to remain in the middle of the issues and never taking political sides. That is a representation for MSNBC that cannot be denied while viewing the news channel or reading the partner website. Basically, the three news websites exist as an extension of their cable news channel counterpart. With fast breaking news reports as collated from various sources and compiled into a comprehensive article that is available for reading anytime and for free. This compare and contrast essay hopes to be able to compare the three websites in order to help people decide upon which particular site best suits thei r tastes in terms of news reporting and information dissemination. Since the American troop pullout from Iraq is a very hot topic this election season, I decided to look further into the way that the three sites covered the news item on an almost real time basis. Pres. Barack Obama is expected to meet with his Iraqi prime minister counterpart soon in order to discuss the pullout plan and what America's role in Iraq shall be after the full troop pullout. It is of the utmost importance that the information regarding their meeting be as concise and informative as possible. Which is why I decided to begin our comparison testing of the sites by looking at the overall layout and presentation of information. The first thing that stood out for me was the way that the CNN website tried to keep the layout as clean and concentrated on the main news topic as best as possible. Cleverly using the â€Å"Story Highlights† tag on the left side of its news story, the reader no longer has to re ad the full article if they do not have the time to do so because the â€Å"highlights† are already spelled out for the reader. The most important parts of the news story is already on hand and that mere snippet contains almost all the important information that one needs to remain truly informed of the events on hand. Fox News tended to crowd their news page covering the troop pullout and discussions between Pres. Barack Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki with other links to news items that had no direct relation to the Obama - Maliki meeting. Instead their website directed you to links of news items which were localized in setting and content. On the other hand, MSNBC was the same as CNN in the sense that they concentrated their news item on the historical meeting between the president and prime minister. However, just like Fox News, MSNBC tended to insert different news items and links that had no relation to the story on hand and instead, concentrated on natio nal politics such as the elections and a supreme court justice under fire. In terms of how well these three news websites present their information, what becomes evident as one reads the report is that each website has the news of the meeting between the two leaders is that the coverage and theme of reporting has a tendency to show the political inclination of the news agency. CNN spoke highly of the way that the troop pullout happening in Iraq is the

Friday, November 1, 2019

Discuss the effects of MEMS on product design, giving detailed Essay - 1

Discuss the effects of MEMS on product design, giving detailed examples of at least two product histories - Essay Example product design in industrial application systems and in the manufacturing of accelerometers is very elaborate, being evidenced by developments in iPhone and TAHE refrigerators, as shall be seen in the discussion which ensues forthwith. The reason behind iPhone and TAHE refrigerators increased volume of sales is because of the integration of MEMS technology into their operating systems, since this approach highly promotes effective and finer product design. MEMS technology has greatly promoted iPhone technology and product design by incorporating the gyroscope technology into its product design, since 2008. A gyroscope is a device that is used for measuring and maintaining orientation, based on the fundamental principles of the conservation of angular momentum. The applicability of the MEMS technology when using the gyroscope in order to further iPhone product designs is underscored by the fact that these gyroscopes use spinning rotors at the centre, in order to read changes that have taken place in orientation. It is for this reason that this kind of gyroscope is referred to as MEMS gyroscope (ADI, 2013, 1). The MEMS technology specifically achieves this feat through the process of integration. Specifically, MEMS does this by integrating electronic and mechanical components, and embedding the same into the entire system, at a very small scale. This feat can easily be achieved through the use of micro-machined silicon sensors and ASIC. For instance, the AGDI 2022 FP6AQ chip is found in the iPhone 4 and it also serves as the MEMS gyroscope which is reputed for having been designed by STMicroelectronics (Kolesar, 1998, 1). There is also the use of chip work which helps embed the gyroscope into the entire MEMS system. The same chip work is found in iPhone 4 and is identical to an off-the-shelf STMicroelectronics which is known as the L3G4200D. Since 2008, the use of GK10A also came in handy, since it oscillates or vibrates when the drive signal is triggered or

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Case study 9B Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case study 9B - Assignment Example 1. The first word that attracts attention in the statement is â€Å"digging up†. The ways to â€Å"sig up† the information can be different and not always ethical. Also, persuasiveness of delivering the news the way it is put in the statement strikes the eye as well. The matter is that while some interpret the statement as it is, others may find implications there and use them for their own benefit and to the damage of others. Sometimes the desire to be persuasive while delivering information results in extensive appeal to reader’s emotions, which can lead to the distortion of the information perception. In this case, an aggregator may act as a watchdog over the information; however, this means that it performs tasks uncharacteristic of it, meaning it will act like a critic rather than content placer. 2. The main difference here is the fact that the Associated Press licenses the content and then sell it to the authorized parties, which means the work is paid for. The Huffington Post, in its turn, simply rewrites the content and buries links using quite an aggressive approach to news aggregation. 1. Despite the fact that today many people tend to speak about the ethical side of the problem, for example, the infringement of a copyright, for the long-standing cooperatives, such as the Associated Press, the issue is mostly of economic nature. The matter is that because of news aggregation, such cooperatives lose significant sums of money while aggregators, such as the Huffington Post or Google News, profit from the information other gathered at great cost. If the aggregators paid for content, that might eliminate the ethical side other problem; at the same time, other problems might appear, mostly those associated with the changed character of such projects. 2. News is everywhere and is free; in fact, no one owns the news. It is rather the medium is owned by certain companies. The media

Monday, October 28, 2019

How policies and procedures help children Essay Example for Free

How policies and procedures help children Essay Discuss how policies and procedures help children and young people and their families whilst the child is being looked after. In this essay I am going to discuss 6 policies and their procedures whist a child is being looked after. I am going to expand on why this is important for the child parent or legal guardian and also why they are put in place. Firstly I am going to discuss the Safeguarding Policy. Safeguarding Policy Safeguarding is the policy that describes the function of protecting adults and children from abuse or neglect. It is an important shared priority of many public services, and a key responsibility of local authorities.Safeguarding relates to the need to protect certain people who may be in vulnerable circumstances. These are people who may be at risk of abuse or neglect, due to the actions (or lack of action) of another person usually their parent or carer. In these cases, it is critical that services work together to identify people at risk, and put in place interventions to help prevent abuse or neglect, and to protect Safe guarding helps make sure the people whom are protecting the children are correctly checked for example a CRB is mandatory when looking after a vulnerable child. What is a DBS check and why is it needed? Since March 2002, the Criminal Records Bureau has enabled employers to check the criminal records of employees and potential employees, in order to ascertain whether or not they are suitable to work with vulnerable adults and children. For individuals working in certain positions, a valid DBS disclosure is a legislative requirement. The Disclosure and Barring Service also manage lists of individuals who are barred from working with children and adults. New safeguarding regulations introduced in October 2009 place an obligation on employers, social services and professional regulators to notify the DBS of relevant information. This obligation ensures that individuals who pose a threat to vulnerable groups can be barred from working with them. It also makes it a criminal offence for these individuals to apply to work with these groups and for employers to knowingly employ them. This makes sure the child is safe whilst being cared for by a  professional or a carer whom isnt their parent or legal guardian. It is also important so the parents or carers know the child is in safe hands whilst being cared for out of their control. Recording and Handling Information Policy Recording and handling data is important when looking after children for example whilst a child is in school all their documents must be kept confidential in case any of the other children or irrelevant staff members read or disclose any confidential information. The only time data or information about child should be revealed is if the child is at risk or in danger. Then the relevant person can inform the carer or relevant person to make sure the child is kept safe. Keeping childrens medical records safe is also important in case they ever need reviewed or used in case of emergency. Health and Safety Policy This policy promotes making sure the child is kept safe and in a safe environment for example there are a few policies put in place to make sure this is possible. They are RIDDOR  (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) This is an assessment that must be put in place and a report filed upon if a child is injured in school or any other official place of work. For parents or carers this makes sure it is dealt with and supported correctly it also keeps children safe. COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) This is similar to the RIDDOR policy I have expanded on above. All people taking care of the child must make sure all harmful substances are kept away from the child to prevent serious or injury or death. Risk Assessments. Risk assessments are carried out everywhere a child is looked after to make sure the environment and building is safe for the child to live or be taught in. This is a mandatory legal document especially in a school or care environment. This could put a parent or carers mind at risk knowing there child is safe. Health Policy It is a legal requirement that all children must get free healthcare throughout their childhood and adolescent life if needed for example medical care, dentistry care and mental support if needed. This helps support the child so they can stay healthy and get the right support they need. It also helps the parent so they don’t need to worry about the financial side as all this support is free. Education Policy Education is mandatory until you are 18 as of 2012. This is so children don’t fall out of education at 16. You can go down many routes when leaving school for example college, sixth form, training or apprentiships. There is also a legal standard of education in the United Kingdom that must be followed, there are 224 policies within 1 policy itself for education ranging from Reducing violent and gun crime to Reforming qualifications and the curriculum to better prepare pupils for life after school. Having policies in place makes sure that children get the right standard of education and that parents and carers can go out to work whilst their children are at school to make sure they can give their children the best standard of life. It also sets the child up for a good standard of life with good qualifications and life skills. Play Policy When children are in education especially primary school it is a legal requirement that they get break time and toys and equipment to use during this time. The best way for a child to learn is using exploratory learning and learning by trial and error. This is how a child learns life and social skills from a young age. When a child starts school this also gets them well adjusted to letting go from spending all their time with there parent or carer. Every Child Matters 1 Be Healthy 2 Stay Safe 3 Enjoy and Achieve 4 Make a Positive Contribution 5 Achieve Economic Wellbeing I believe that all they above policies shape a childs life and with the right guidance from parents, carers and education you can shape a decent outcome and setup for a childs life and development. Refrences. http://www.every-child-matters.org.uk/Framework_5_key_outcomes http://www.theguardian.com/politics/education http://www.playengland.org.uk/resources/national-play-policy.aspx https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-safety-advice-for-school https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check/overview

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Customer Driven Organization Essay -- essays research papers

THESIS SENTENCE A customer driven organization with detailed customer relations can result in optimal effectiveness and efficiency in the workplace. FORMAL OUTLINE I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maintaining an effective environment through a customer driven organization A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Empowerment – the ability to help people use their powers and truest potentials to extend themselves, rather than restricting themselves. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Involvement of the employees Staff Development via in-house training a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technical – train in the specifics of a particular job b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Quality – training in the principles of total quality combined with technical (i.e. computer programs) required to implement quality assurance and implementation. c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Specific Skills – specialized classes Financial – Accounting (A/R, A/P) Selling Technique Languages Interviewing skills d.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Activity - â€Å"Outward Bound† -Type of course in which people learn about leadership and teamwork by engaging in physical tasks such as rock climbing. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Personal growth and development a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Higher Education (continuing education) Managerial – provide expertise and knowledge in fields such as strategy, change of or implementing management. Identify and work on developing skills directly related to â€Å"REAL† corporate problems. b....

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Goodwill Industries Essay

1. Describe the three customer types mentioned in the video. What is each customer type looking for when they shop at Goodwill? What is most important to each customer type? The video mentioned 3 specific clientele for Goodwill Industries. The fashion shoppers, the bargain hunters, and the resellers. The Fashion Shoppers are most likely the frequent customers of Goodwill boutiques. Goodwill boutiques sells high end products with lower prices. These shoppers are what the Goodwill merchandisers are targeting when it comes to selling their trendier merchandise. These shoppers are the early adopters of trends and they put more value on style rather than the savings itself. Bargain Hunters are the more common clientele for Goodwill stores. These are the people that go to the stores with the mindset of getting more for their money. To this clientele, the focus is on how much discount they could get on an item in comparison to getting them from regular stores. They may care about the trends as well, but their focus is more on the psychological factor of getting a deal (buying something that is 80% off for example) rather than getting something that is trendy. Resellers are probably the shrewdest of all three. They are basically a combination of both of the latter customer types with an intent to sell afterwards. They are businessmen or women that understands trends and are also looking for the best deal for it. Resellers traditionally would buy merchandise at deeply discounted prices and then sell them for a profit. They would be the most frequent customers of the Goodwill outlet stores where the items that were not sold on regular stores are sold in bulk for much cheaper prices. Their sole intent is to make a profit, an d reselling Goodwill products is their means to do it. 2. What is Goodwill’s value proposition? Is it the same for all customer groups? According to the video, Goodwill’s value proposition is ‘used merchandise in deeply discounted prices’. (Pearson Education, 2013) No, I believe that it varies from customer to customer. A fashion shopper’s bargain would be different from what a bargain hunter would consider a deal. Also according to the video, social values define  what we see as a thrift; that is why they cater their stores to appeal to different demographics. 3. How do the four sets of factors affecting consumer behavior affect the buying behavior of Goodwill’s customers? Which of the four sets of factors affecting consumer behavior do you believe most strongly affects consumers’ purchase decisions from Goodwill? The four factors that affects consumer behavior are Cultural, Social, Personal, and Psychological factors. Each factor has a heavy effect on shaping a consumers buying behavior and so Goodwill makes their stores relevant by making sure to weigh in the most prevalent factor, among these four, based on location. The cultural factor makes it important to fill stores with items that match the culture of the neighborhood in which the store is located. The social factor make sit important to take into consideration consumers’ views of thrift stores. The personal factor makes it important to consider how concerned the target market for a particular store is with timing fashion trends, and the psychological factor makes it important to consider how a buyer’s perception of an item is linked to the item’s price. (Pearson Education, 2013) In my opinion, Cultural factors plays the biggest role in affecting the consumer behavior when it comes to Goodwill stores. As have been discussed last week, marketing affects the society it is found in and vice versa.If they are to sell products that does not fit the target demographics neighborhood, then the rest of the factors becomes moot. After all, the consumers has to be in the store for any of the other factors to kick in, and being culturally appropriate would greatly help in bringing in consumers. From my own experience as well, I only go inside Goodwill stores if it seem like it would be a safe place for me to buy things. If the place appear too musty, or to unclean, I would not even be tempted to go inside even if they have the best deals in the area. 4. What environmental trend(s) does the video discuss that significantly impacts Goodwill’s performance? What two â€Å"metrics† are affected and why does this affect how Goodwill markets its retail goods? The video talks in detail about the challenge of depending on customer situations and economic changes. The success of their whole operation rests on the ever changing economic times; specifically influencing consumer purchasing habits. When the economy goes through a slight recession, it drives customers to the stores. Less money to spend means, budgeting and bargain hunting for consumers, which happens to  be the forte of Goodwill stores. However, if the economy keeps turning bad, the company gets fewer donations. Fewer donations leads to fewer products to sell and fewer movement in the supply line. Some of their stores rely on the constant product cycles to reach their target demographic. Without donations, the cycles slows, stalling every aspect of their operation. These also results in the cutting back of employee hours, which greatly affects their mission to help people reach their full potential through learning and the power of work. (Goodwill Industries International, 2015) 5. How does Goodwill’s recognition of consumer behavior principles affect its marketing mix? It helps them in recognizing trends, leading to better strategies and helps them in optimizing their impact on influencing consumer behavior. First off, they tailor their stores in a way that it is very similar to private retail stores. The products, the way the stores operates, and the way everything is processed are like those of traditional retailers; they set themselves apart with their offering and the experience of shopping in the store itself. (Pearson Education, 2013) They have boutiques to sell the trendier products, they have outlets to sell items in bulk, and they have an online store as well to reach a global audience. Their prices speak for themselves. They offer very low prices in comparison to regular stores and they make sure that consumers know that they are getting a bargain. All the factors are being considered here: the neighborhood of the store, the perception of thrift stores by that neighborhoods’ populace, the buying power of the consumers, and the discounts that drives them to spend their money there. REFERENCE LIST Goodwill Industries International (2015) Our Mission http://www.goodwill.org/about-us/ Goodwill: understanding consumer and buyer behavior, produced by Cole Creative Group, Pearson Education (2013)