STONEHENGE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

STONEHENGE - Essay Example As Lord Byron succinctly remarked in his poem Don Juan â€Å"The Druid’s groves are gone so much the better, Stonehenge has not but what the devil is it?† (Byron, Canto 11) Although many theories exist about who built it, and the purpose for which it was built; latest archeological research points to its being built by the Britons of the Stone Age. However, given that the time frame for building the monument is so long, it was probably built in stages by different peoples, some of whom may have migrated from other areas. The builders of Stonehenge too, may have evolved from hunters and gatherers to farmers and tradesmen. It seems to be have been a highly sophisticated society, and the purpose of Stonehenge too would have evolved, from purely a burial site to include healing, using it to predict seasons, as well as for religious rites and ceremonies. A megalith which literally means large stone slabs, was a conspicuous form of expression among people of the Neolithic age. Stonehenge is a Megalithic monument, different from other such monuments due to the unique trilithons towering over the landscape and visible for miles around the area. A henge is a monument built in a circular area, of stone or wooden pillars surrounded by a ditch and ostensibly used for religious rituals. Stonehenge is situated on the Salisbury plain in Wiltshire, England. An engineering marvel of pre-historic times, Stonehenge is a tribute to the ingenuity, labor and determination of the people who built it. Stonehenge consists of layers of stone circles and horseshoe patterns. Extensive archeological research has ascertained that Stonehenge was built in three stages between 3100 and 2500 BC. â€Å"We know from modern scientific dating methods that the prehistoric people who lived in Southern Britain before 3000 BC began construction, by building a small ea rth circle called a henge, with a bank, surrounded by a ditch. Different phases of the monument were

Globalization and Local cultures Essay Example for Free

Globalization and Local cultures Essay The present scenario represents a highly dynamic environment, where transnational advertising, globalization and local culture are found to be closely linked with each other. This essay discusses and critically evaluates some of the major issues that are involved in the relationship between transnational advertising, globalization and local culture. Issues Some of the significant issues that are linked with transnational advertising, globalization and local cultures are as follow: ? Communication: As a result of globalization, the need for transnational advertising in an effective manner has increased. Globalization has led to the proliferation of huge number of products and it is through advertising only that the consumer can be made aware of the uniqueness present in the product. Transnational advertising requires creativity along with the quality of being magnificent depending on the firm. Critical evaluation: The critical evaluation of the issue of communication depicts that advertising should be based on the proper research and well planned groundwork. Advertising should communicate a specific message to target audience in a persuasive and believable manner and also it should not hamper the cultural values of targeted audience and others (Fowles 1996). Globalization has prompted the evolution of advertising agencies, which conduct market research for the clients. Market research deals with the commercial adaptation of standard social science methods in a qualitative and quantitative manner, which should be interpreted in a realistic form. Production of advertisement should not be restricted to just as a business relation between the agency and client; rather its content and practices must be subjected to some self regulatory codes. For instance, cigarette advertising on TV and radio, magazines and newspaper is banned due to federal acts. On the other hand, lack of representation of people in the advertising of cigarette is the result of self- regulatory code (Sinclair 1991). ? Creating consumer: Advertisers usually focus on some repetitive themes such as contentment, youth, achievement, status, lavishness, fashion and attractiveness. As a result of this, Social Opposition and differences among the class get concealed and workplace conflicts are not revealed. Global campaigns propose that remedies for the human problems can be found in the individual consumption, which depicts a perfect channel for mass energies. Critical evaluation: Critical evaluation of the above paragraph states that Consumer democracy serves as a substitute for establishing political democracy. The transformation in the U. S. Pepsi ad campaign, for use in Brazil, which was ‘Join the Pepsi Revolution’ describes that numerous people are left with no other alternative for expressing their requirement for social modification. The only viable option includes changing the brands and enhancing their consumption. Globalization has caused an increase in the transnational advertising and it is one of significant reasons for the enlargement of transnational culture and collapse of traditional cultures. In French or English, the foreign lifestyles of a blond jetsetter are related with the Western products and resemble a sign of modernity. Not only this, they also believe that the elements, which are modern, are superior. On the other hand, traditional elements are absolutely unpleasant. Thus, it will not be wrong to say that transnational advertising and globalization strive towards the removal of local cultural variations. The strategy of global marketing is highly effective as it rarely requires conscious subversion. The message, which states that ‘we will sell you a culture’, has greatly accounted in the global advertising campaign that acts as a particular advertising message utilized in all the countries. The reason behind an increase in preference of worldwide advertising is that it is extremely economical and more effective despite of the fact that it may wildly clash with the local environment (Stravens 1996). Virtue of respect: This is another major issue which represents relationship between transnational advertising, globalization and local cultures. The process of globalization involves principles and motivation of people. Therefore, it is necessary to make modifications in the global strategy and specific marketing concepts must be directed towards the identified groups. Critical evaluation: Critical evaluation of the above stated paragraph reveals that the virtue of respect can be protected from the infusion of foreign culture, if the government takes effective measures to make this fact clear that although they might have an global outlook, yet traditional values will also be given due consideration. The government of Singapore has done it effectively. Here, government formulated a list depicting good and bad aspects of the Asian and western values. This list assisted in the adoption of good systems from both the Asian and western values. In Singapore, it is very essential to understand the family for understanding the consumer behavior. This is so because family has a huge influence on making the decision related to the product’s purchasing and consumption (Stravens 1996). Economic management: In order to maintain a smooth relation between transnational advertising, globalization and local cultures, it is necessary to focus on the aspect of economic management. Values can play both the positive and negative role depending on the developmental stage of a country and extent of preference given to the Asian values. Not only this, international context is also very important. Critical evaluation: From the above paragraph, it is clear that in a world where goods and services move freely across the national boundaries, Asian values can become a part of liability if they do not understand the significance of transparency and accountability. For instance, Singapore is among the developing country that maintain a right blend between the Asian and western values. On the other hand, in South Korea, grouping of traditional and military cultures has led towards extreme dependence on enterprise system. As a result to this, issues like lack of transparency and failure in rationalizing the business structure have aroused (Sung-Joo 1999). Increase in the Decision makers: Globalization and transnational advertisement has brought about a revolution in the decision making capability. Not only this, it has also increased the number of decision makers in a family (Restall 1997). Critical evaluation: Globalization has led to formulation of developed means of technologies for advertising in an effective manner. In a survey, it was found that children in Australia have greater access over the television and computer. This reflects that marketers should give due response to the kids as they also play a significant role in decision making, especially in toys, games, fruit drinks and home PCs (Winton 1998). Not only this, globalization has reappeared as a rational projection of the digitalized revolution. Globalist theories are promoting the idea that people across the world can share widespread common culture (Watson 1997). The only aspect which an advisor should keep in mind that it should not hamper the local culture and must depict any vulgarity and sex. Dignity should be maintained while portraying a male or female in an advertisement. For instance, lee jeans (1987) depict two males and one female draped across bicycle. It is necessary to justify the extent of openness in such advertisements (Wernick 1994). Conclusion From the above detailed discussion, I would conclude with the note that a close relationship exists between the transnational advertising, globalization and local cultures. In order to make the process of globalization successful, it is necessary for the leaders of the globalization to practice the virtues of esteem for religious and cultural values and also surrender their economic self-centeredness for the betterment of the people enduring poverty. This serves as a challenge in front of the world leaders to pay attention to the dimensions linked with the religious and cultural aspects. Globalization portrays a culture of global mass, which is influenced by the contemporary means of cultural production such as Internet, movies, TV, advertising etc. Developing countries are required to understand the significance of globalization. A right blending of Asian and western values is required to gain the benefit of globalization. On the other hand, globalization and transnational advertising should not hamper the local culture, which can be done by effective formulation of rules and regulations by the government. References A. Wernick â€Å"(Re-) Imaging Gender: The Case of Men†, from Promotuional Culture. London: Sage, 1994, pp. 48-66. ISBN 0803983913 B. Restall, â€Å"ABreakthrough in the study of women†, from Production of Culture/ Culture of Production, (ed) P. Du Gay, London: Sage, 1997, pp. 225-232. ISBN 0761954368 Felix Stravens, â€Å"Advertising in Singapore†, in Advertising in Asia, (ed) K. Frith, Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1996, pp. 273-291. ISBN Hang Sung-Joo, â€Å" Asian Values: An Asset or a Liability? †, in Changing Values in Asia, (ed) Han Sung-Joo, Singapore:Institute of Southeast Asia Studies, 1999, pp. 3-9. ISBN 9812300635 John Sinclair, â€Å"Advertising† in the media in Australia, 2nd edition, (ed) S. Cunningham and G. Turner. St Leonards. NSW: Allen and Unwin, 1991, pp. 267-276 ISBN 1863733434 Jib Fowles, â€Å"Deciphering Adverstisements†, from Advertising and PopularCulture, London: Sage, 1996, pp. 167-183. ISBN 0803954824 J. Watson, â€Å"Transnationalism. Localization, and Fast Foods in East Asia†, fromGolden Arches East: McDonald’s in East Asia, (ed) J. Watson, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1997, pp. 1-38. ISBN 0804732078 K. Winton, â€Å"Pizza and tech talk but hold the veggies†, Communications update, No. 147, September 1998, pp. 10-11. Noreene Janus 2007, â€Å"Cloning the Consumer Culture†, viewed 30 April

The Gender Division Of Labour Sociology Essay

The Gender Division Of Labour Sociology Essay Functionalists put forward a structuralist view of the family and within that context, how they understand conjugal roles. Parson believed the gender division of labour was natural and desirable. He also suggested that men and women had biologically determined personality types. Parson suggested that the roles carried out by women were not inferior, just different. They complimented the role carried out by men. He believed that women were more expressive then men and children were best socialised when they live in a warm, caring environment. The expressive female was also essential to stabilise the adult male personality by meeting his emotional and sexual needs. As a result, the family benefits when women stay at home. Also, men are better at providing for their family because they have instrumental personalities. He also stated that in the industrial society, isolated nuclear families have become more dominant. These families have become isolated from their extended families becaus e of commitments such as work demands. The conjugal pair therefore looked to each other to provide for their needs. In recent years, Parsons view has been supported by a number of groups, including New Right Conservation. They believed traditional, segregated conjugal roles were best for the family and wider society. However, to their concern, they believe they have been threatened by family diversity and the changing roles and expectations of women, resulting in a number of social problems such as underachievement and delinquency. Therefore, suggesting that they see the family as a structure that influences the development and attitudes of its members. Looking at Young and Willmotts analysis of the symmetrical family, they suggest that families today are more equal than before and have moved from segregated conjugal roles. This movement was through the result of a march of progress. There are several reasons for this. The first is that women are in paid employment, giving them financial independence and leading to greater sharing of power and status within the family. Unlike before, there are also changing expectations of husbands and family life. Also, there is a change in the size of families today, which are smaller. This may be due to changes in lifestyle, contraception and abortion. With the loss of the extended family this meant that the conjugal couple depended on each other practically and emotionally, both contributing to the duties within the home and sharing decisions. As a result, marriage today is becoming an equal partnership. Gershuny supports the view of Young and Willmott, that there is a greater equality. The foundation of his work over the past three decades is through the use of time use diaries. Gershuny sustains that the division of labour remains unfair, not because of the work itself, but because of its relationship to longer-term power structures within a society. (The Guardian, 2008). Although there is some progress towards greater sharing, it is very slow. He suggested that it may take a generation for men to make an equal contribution, describing this as lagged adaptation. Post Modernists argue that the world is no longer predictable. Society has entered a postmodern phase where there is no dominant family type and where individuals have the opportunity to create family relationships that are more suitable for them. Families are much more diverse today. In todays society, home life is much better than it used to be. There are also an increased number of appliances in the home, making home life more desirable and more men are willing to stay at home and help with household duties and childcare. This is similar to Young and Willmotts view on changing gender identities, describing men as New Men, helping to emphasis a change in attitudes. Also, some women are content with staying at home, taking on parenting and housework duties. In short, Young and Willmotts and others have argued that while conjugal roles are not completely equal they have become more equal. However, Feminists have criticised Parsons image of society that too much emphasis is laid upon how social control within families can reduce the potential for underachievement and delinquency. Also, there is no evidence of the biologically expressive female. Critics of Young and Willmott suggest there is insufficient sociological evidence to clearly support their argument. Most evidence suggests considerable inequality, especially where women are in paid employment. Feminists argue that the gender division of labour is culturally created and that there is insufficient evidence that conjugal roles have become more shared. They portray that the division of labour works to the advantage of men, leaving women in a position of inferiority in both power and work. Feminists believe the family is patriarchal because women must do housework without pay, which exploits and oppresses women because they are socialised to be dependent on men. According to Ann Oakleys (1974) research, women still felt that housework and childcare was their responsibility, even when they are in paid employment they still take on the responsibility of childcare and housework, this is known as the triple shift. This also contradicts the argument of Young and Willmott that as more women take paid employment outside of the home men increasingly share the housework and childcare. They also disagree with the new rights view of separate roles and they disagree with the march of progr ess view, stating that society has not changed and it is still unequal. Feminists also reject the theory that there is one best family type, they embrace freedom and diversity. They also see the traditional nuclear family as the main reason for womens oppression, suggesting that family ideology makes problems such as domestic violence worse, as women believe they should stand by their man no matter what the outcome is. These women may blame themselves for being bad wives and see themselves as deserving to be punished. Feminists reject Parsons view that women were biologically determined and believe they are socially constructed. They blame the media for this construction of women, often portraying them as housewives, cleaners, domestic servants offering comfort and support for men and presenting them as a mans sex object to tend to his sexual needs, suggesting that these roles are natural and normal. This is therefore seen as an example of patriarchal ideology. Marxist feminists believe that female workers are taken advantage of at a higher level than males as they are seen as a source of unpaid domestic labour, benefiting capitalism. Interactionism criticise both functionalists and feminists because both assume that social structure determines gender roles. Functionalists believe that family meets the needs of the individual and the family and Feminists believe that family maintains patriarchy. Interactionism has a more micro theory focusing on relationships between individuals and outcomes rather than roles, including things like social class, ethnic, lesbian and gay differences. In short, there is little evidence of sharing of power and the cultural dominance of men over women persists. Critics say that women have hidden powers controlling the home and have sexual power. They also say that feminism has led to greater opportunities for women in education and the workplace and cultural change in female ambitions. Based on the above arguments and evidence, there remains considerable disagreement within Sociology over the dispute of conjugal roles. While Functionalists believe that roles are progressively equal in modern society, Feminists maintain that there is very little empirical evidence to support this. For them, there remains considerable inequality. However, Interactionists and Post Modernists are critical of both approaches for a presumptuous view of conjugal roles and for ignoring the diversity of family and household structures and outcomes.

Cold War - The Changing Relationship of the Superpowers :: American America History

Cold War - The Changing Relationship of the Superpowers The United States and Soviet Union, the single most important rivalry of the twentieth century, started as a partnership. This irony was caused by the fact that the Germans were taking over Europe, which forced them in this relationship. Once Hitler was eliminated and Berlin destroyed, the tensions began rising. These two nations had completely opposite ideologies from the economic system to the political system. The changing relationship has evolved from a forced partnership, a possible world war and now finally a steadying friendship. The entire world was watching as the Cold War went from moments of dà ©tente, to hours at the brink of world war three. The Germans and the Russian had an alliance at the beginning of the war but Hitler turned on the Soviets. This caused the Soviets to join the British and American side and led the advance on Germany from two fronts. The German war machine kept this alliance at bay only for so long before the two nations destroyed Berlin. The Soviets were already keeping control of all that was east of Germany, and this was causing the United States great anxiety due to the fact that communism was spreading. A great sense of relief came to the United States as the Nuclear Age began with the Manhattan Project and the Bombing of Japan. Stalin was now afraid that the United States would one-day force capitalist ideas upon Mother Russia, until the most intriguing aspect of the cold war came along, spies. A great change came when in the early 1950's the Soviets started testing their own nuclear weapon. The United States could not understand how they had their own nuclear weapon so quickly; the answer today is so simple the plans were stolen. All aspects of life for the United States and the Soviets were to beat each other. Tensions stayed high in the Olympics, the space race, ICBM's, the Korean and Vietnam wars. The highest point of tension during the entire Cold War was the Cuban Missile Crisis. Up until this point the Soviet sphere of influence did not reach into the Western Hemisphere except for the spies. Castro had now changed this paradigm, allowing Soviet missiles to be set-up in Cuba. This is the point at which most people believed we were closest to a total Nuclear War. The real protection from this possible total war was known as MAD.

Best Practices for Diverse Learners

Best Practices for Diverse Learners The society of the United States of America Is culturally diverse. This diversity reflects on the demographics that our schools have. Every school leader needs to understand the diversity that exists at their schools. Understanding the diversity will determine how professional educators meet the difficulties or handles everyday situations that school generates. Understanding this cultural composition is not enough. There must be a group of leaders, teachers, researchers and other stakeholders committed to deal with the educational processes that English language earners face.I selected this group because In my teaching career I have observed that many efforts have been made to reach this group, but ELLS continue to struggle to meet the standards. According to Miller (201 1), educators who create culturally relevant learning contexts are those who see students' culture as an asset, not a detriment to their success (p. 69). I feel passionate about th e potential and the richness that these students can bring to the classroom.Therefore, I have to peruse the following question: What strategies can be developed by leaders to engage ELL dents to become life long learners and ensure academic success? Leadership that fosters culturally diverse settings will result into a positive climate that will impact students' achievement. Future Focused Plan As a future focused leader I understand the great need of developing radical alternative that can represent an option for English language learners. Therefore, I suggest a strategic plan to develop a choice program.This choice program will be known as Dual Language Academy. This choice program will be a campus that will exclusively offers a two-way dual language model. This choice program will offer to English-speaking children and minority language speakers learn together in the same classroom, with the goals of bilingualism, bilaterally, cross-cultural understanding, and high academic achie vement for all (Landholding-Leary 2001). The first step of this plan is to assess the area demographics to identify the needs of parents, children and the community.According to Brandenburg (2009) approximately 20% of all public school students speak a language other than English at home, which accounts for more than 10 million students. Second, Identify and Involve key stakeholders. These stakeholders have an important role in order for the program to be successful. Here and Eifel (2007), provided a promising suggestion so that schools can help students succeed academically: expand stakeholder involvement beyond the school itself. During this process a leadership team will be established.Members of this team could consist of Superintendent, School Board members, school administrators, resource staff, teachers (bilingual and monolingual), and parents. Third, design and obtain an approval of a budget that supports the implementation of the program. The budget must include areas that are not typically noninsured in traditional schools. For example, testing materials in two languages, supplemental classroom and library materials in the target language, external evaluator, specialized professional development and marketing.Additionally, the Implementation of a strong parental Involvement Initiative, for example Parental and families still experience power differences and conflicts in their relationships with school personnel (Reynolds, 2010). It is important to involve parents and community from the beginning, and encourage them to volunteer in the classroom and learn as much as they can about the program. As Cummins (2000), argues, we do indeed need to transform bilingual programs from subtractive, deficit-oriented transitional programs to additive, enrichment-oriented dual-language programs that are desirable even to the most elite.A dual language program can offer an alternative for ELLS to develop critical thinking skill and simultaneously acquire the English language. An additional benefit is to offer a choice program to monolingual students to become bilingual, obliterate and bacterial in order to face the challenges of the global society. Forces, Detractors and Tensions In times that accountability and policymaking are presents in the educational system many forces, detractors and tensions can be encountered.According to Ackermann (201 1), the ability to communicate clearly, confidently, and compassionately and through a variety of media, during prolonged or recurring periods when finances and resources are diminishing, is an essential skill for supervisors in student services (p. 6). Clear communication with stakeholders is the key to implement a productive initiative. While conducting the literature review for this assignment an interesting detractor was identified. Researchers have identified as a possible trend of segregation as a consequence of a not well-balanced dual language program.As a future-focused leader this is an aspect that needs to be taken in consideration when developing the objectives of a two-way dual language program. According to Palmer (2010) we need to explore questions regarding equity of access, equitable delivery of services, and equitable treatment in the classroom (p. 110). Equity must be the primary principle in order to provide multidimensional realm of opportunities for diverse academic environment. Conclusion Finally, the educational field bases its decisions in the value that it is given to data that have been collected and analyzed.School leaders need to be able to develop the ability to balance their performance with what it entails to be an effective leader. Schools need to elaborate efforts that develop a conversation on the importance in acknowledging diversity as an essential tool to increase academic performance by the development of effective educational alternatives. A dual language model can be the key to reach the future academic success for all English language lear ners. Cummins, Jim. (02000). Language, Power and Pedagogy: Bilingual Children in the Crossfire.Cleveland, England:Multilingual Matters. Brandenburg, E. (2009). The Demographic Context of Urban Schools and Districts. Equity & Excellence In Education, 42(3), 255-271. Here, K. D. , & Eifel, A. (2007). Extending the responsibilities for schools beyond the school door. Policy Futures in Education, 5,567-580. Landholding-Leary, Kathy. (2001). Dual Language Education. Cleveland, England: Multilingual Matters. Miller, H. (2011). Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in a Diverse Urban Classroom. Urban Review: Issues And Ideas In Public Education, 43(1), 66-89.Palmer, D. (2010). Race, Power, and Equity in a Multivalent Urban Elementary School with a Dual-Language â€Å"Strand† Program. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 41(1), 94-114. Reynolds, R. (2010). â€Å"They think you're lazy' and other messages Black parents send their Black sons: An exploration of critical race theory in the examin ation of educational outcomes for Black males. Journal of African American Males in Education, 1(2), 144-163. Ackermann, T. (2011). Dynamics of Supervision. New Directions For Student services, (1 36), 5-16.

Services Marketing and Customer Relationship

Spring 2010 (Jan-Jun) Master of Business Administration-MBA Semester 4 MK0006 – Services Marketing and Customer Relationship Management – 2 Credits (Book ID: xxxxxxx) Assignment Set- 1 (30 Marks) Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions. Q. 1 a. What do you mean by physical evidence in services? Give examples. (5 marks) b. Write a note on service development. (5 marks) Q. 2 a. Briefly explain the terms â€Å"customer expectation† and â€Å"customer perception†. (6 marks) b. What are the different bases for segmentation? 4 marks) Q. 3 Recall the different services offered in a bank. Evaluate the different characteristics of services that you found excellent, average and poor in the particular bank. How do you think the bank can improve its services? (10 marks) Spring 2010 (Jan-Jun) Master of Business Administration-MBA Semester 4 MK0006 – Services Marketing and Customer Relationship Management – 2 Credits (Book ID: xxxxxx x) Assignment Set- 2 (30 Marks) Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions. Q. 1 a. Discuss strategy formulation and implementation in services. (4 marks) b. Explain the scope of CRM. (6 marks) Q. 2 a. What do you mean by CRM? What are the emerging trends in CRM? (5 marks) b. Write a note on service quality with an illustration. (5 marks) Q. 3 Determine a service marketing mix for an established airline. Assume that the airline operates in more than 30 different countries and its customers are mostly regular ones. How can it distinguish its services from other competing airlines, so as to attract newer passengers? (10 marks)

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a Heros Quest

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a Heros Quest "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: is a novel that illustrates the social limitations which American Civilization imposes on individual freedom (Smith.1985, p.47-49)."Huck is on a hero's quest of self-identification, and in the process, resisting the beliefs of his society. A mythic quest is what a hero is embarked upon in order to be humbled. In being so, the hero understands, have sympathy and empathy toward his fellow man. The mythic quest is divided into three main categories, the departure, initiation and the return of the hero. Within each of these stages, there are steps which the hero undergoes in order to change the hero from the person he is to the person he needs to be. To understand any particular part of the hero's quest, the entire quest must be discussed. Usually the hero is afraid to take part of the journey, refusing the call. A supernatural aid or sign is then necessary to be given to the hero, in order to make him realize that he has to embark on the journey.Hucklebe rry Finn Youth HostelThe crossing of the first threshold is when the hero metaphorically dies and is reborn as a new person or individual. The hero is then transported to his her destination, the belly of the whale.The hero takes parts in tests that are designed to test the hero's strengths and abilities, the road of trials. The hero also receives help, the meeting of the goddess, receiving encouragement to continue the quest. The hero is tempted by the temptress who tries to take the hero off course. As the hero successfully proceeds through the journey, he becomes Christ like, the Apotheosis. As the objective of the journey is achieved, the ultimate boon is obtained. The hero then becomes the master of two worlds, the one he has left...

What Is American Dream Essay Example

What Is American Dream Essay Example What Is American Dream Essay What Is American Dream Essay Name: Instructor: Course: Date: The American Dream The American dream can be defined as the assurance of a perfect America filled with utopian objectives and endless possibilities (Schulman, 2008). This is regardless of racial background and social status. Life is believed to be better and comfortable for all and there is potential to become whatever you want. Everyone dreams of a life without stress and challenges, with never-ending supply of money and bliss. With enough money to buy anything, a good job, a great family and living in affluent places in America like Hollywood and Los Angeles. It is believed that all this is possible in America, hence the phrase ‘The American Dream’. This dream provides you with the perfect friends and family, who are always there for you and love forever. This is the reason why many people go to the United States of America. They believe that in America, they would achieve their personal goals, autonomy and impartiality, something they could not achieve in their countries. Those who come to America are promised a life full of money through hard work and fortitude. In addition, all Americans are provided with equal opportunities and rights to accomplish their dreams. Thomas Wolfe is noted to have said, â€Å"†¦to every man, regardless of his birth, his shining, golden opportunity†¦the right to live, to work, to be himself, and to become whatever thing his manhood and his vision can combine to make him† (Wolfe, 2011, 2). According to this quote, everyone is provided with equal opportunities on orders to achieve the American dream. However, this depends on the efforts put into making this dream come true. This means that there are those who will work hard enough and achieve their dreams while others will not be as lucky to realize the American dream. Everyone, in spite of ethnicity, race or religion, is given the same chance at success but only those who are strong will live to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Some examples of the American include owning a decent home, having a well-paying job, a beautiful wife or husband and having supportive family members and friends. These examples are painted to society and they have helped many people to move to America. The thought of having all these things is what attracts people to the United States. Some of the immigrants in America are currently living their personal American dreams because they worked to get to where they are. Some have been able to bring their families to America from their countries of origin. Higher education is another example of the American dream. Education in America is considered cheaper than that in most third world countries hence the reason why numerous students are opting to travel to America. This opportunity at higher education also provides them with chances at better-paying jobs and eventually living their American dream. The media plays an important role in portraying the American dream because of its grasp on society. Shows that are run on television and radio on how fast richness can befall individuals for example ‘who wants to be a millionaire’ are used to paint the perfect image of achieving the American dream. Those watching such shows are made to believe that one can become wealthy overnight. They think that by participating in the game and reality shows, anyone can get prosperous and prominent quickly. What they do not know is that these shows are created to improve ratings. Another example is the lottery systems. These are used to lure unsuspecting foreigners to America with the hopes of winning and consequentially achieving their American dreams. This has also created a notion in many people that it is better to become rich through fortune than through hard work. Not everything on television and radio is what it appears. Music videos, movies and international models portray a different picture of the American dream (Marchand, 2007). Through music videos, people are convinced that through becoming a rapper or singer, one can land himself millions of dollars. The lavish mansions and beautiful women on these videos lure young people to immigrate to America in pursuit of their American dreams. Many artists are seen throwing money and using expensive cars in their music videos. This is used to attract young to watch the videos; however, they are not told made aware of the struggle it takes to produce such videos. They are not aware of the amount of money it takes to own a mansion and establish musical careers in America. In addition, through music videos shown online and on television, people are made to believe that music can land themselves beautiful women and wealth. This is contrary to the reality in which it takes more than music videos to achieve the American dream. The international modeling industry exposes young men and women to things that they are not accustomed to seeing without offering proper explanations. Models in America and other developed countries are seen living exclusive lives and enjoying extensive riches. They are on billboards and television advertisements, they own expensive cars and enjoy the company of the most influential people in the world; living their American dreams. This has been used to persuade people to pursue modeling careers for a chance to have a taste of that life. What is hidden is the negative aspect of the modeling industry like the cases of anorexia and sometimes death of models because of pressure to stay thin. Movies also play a vital role in convincing people that the American dream is easily achieved. Movie stars are constantly seen living in luxurious mansions and driving customized vehicles, it is a vicious game of trying to stay ahead of each other. There are cases of achieving the American through social media. This can be viewed from social media celebrities who have attained their wealth through connecting people. These are people like Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook. Such celebrities spend all their time on the internet trying to create a connection between people in different parts of the world. Most times, they do not have to work eighty hours a week and they make unbelievable amounts of money. However, this seems unfair to those who have grown up in places where the internet is unheard of and those who do not have the required education to operate computers and the internet. Such people are forced to work extra hard just to get by because they do not possess adequate qualifications to land better-paying jobs. This means that their chances of achieving the American dream are slim, as their hard work does not always pay. The media plays an important role in trying to lure people to immigrate to America with hopes of living the American dream. Through music videos, movies and the internet, America is portrayed as the perfect country with money, fame and prosperity. It is paramount that the media exaggerates on the matter because their sole purpose is to attract and maintain an audience. Americans themselves are caught up in the American dream as most of them have accumulated huge debts in order to emulate their wealthy counterparts (Best, 2012). In their quest to experience the American dream, many people, American or otherwise, have resorted to criminal activities. Such include robbery, fraud and sometimes murder. This is encouraged by movies where crime is seen as the fastest way of acquiring wealth. Therefore, without the media the American dream would continue to be just that, a dream. It was easier for people to define the American Dream a few decades back, this is because many people were leading it. When people come to America looking for the American Dream, they hope to come to a country that is full of opportunity. In 1931, James Turslow Adams believed that the American Dream is land where people can lead a â€Å"better, richer and fuller life† for anyone in pursuit of this dream (Adams, 2012, 16). This is where the American Dream is and this where people want to live. As was defined many years ago, the promise of the American dream is today used by politicians to woo voters. Every political party strives to help its members achieve the American dream in one way or another. Democrats are in support of labor unions so that the meager-earning workers can have a slice of their American dream whereas republicans support an economic system that only looks into the welfare of the rich and successful in society and this is done at the expense of others. Nevertheless, this land flowing with milk and honey is not what Americans have been experiencing in the recent past. The American dream, it is believed, is long. People would now like to live in the past, where it was possible to own a house without the fear of losing it, where the economy was strong and people could feed their families if only they worked hard enough. When the concept of the American dream first came into being, it was because the economy was stable and life was cheaper. Owning a house was easy and job opportunities were available for anyone who was willing, regardless of educational qualifications. Today, the American Dream is no longer about the physical address or location in the town. Where do people want to live when they think of the American dream? They want to live in the past, the American dream that was promised by the founding fathers of the greatest nation. An example of the where the people want to live when they think of the America dream is where they have a big house, with a beautiful family in a peaceful suburban neighborhood. The hope that their houses will be surrounded by a white picket fence and that no one would think of jumping over it to do harm. People believed in owning a dog and having friendly neighbors. People want to live in a place where the education system is good and guarantees prosperity. For example, when one thinks of education in terms of the American Dream, they think of Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Princeton, Berkley, MIT, and Stanford among other great universities. These are examples of schools that exemplify the great American promise of prosperity. If one does not go to a good school, they are not likely to lead prosperous lives as expected. People look at the beautiful skyline of New York City and see that the American Dream is limitless and that everyone can have it. In New York, people enjoy a good life with good schools, good healthcare and good jobs. People are making money in Wall Street everyday. Money is the measure for success and the attainment of the American Dream. Therefore, when people think of the American Dream and they believe that they can achieve what the rich in New York can and enjoy the high social life that has been associated with the elite in the city. People come from allover the world to ensure that they lead such a life. Americans wake up every single day hoping that one day their lives would measure up to the American Dream. When people think of the American dream, they want to live in Los Angeles, the city of stars. People want to be rich and famous because Los Angeles is one of the few places in the world where one becomes rich and famous at the same time. Hollywood has been a shinning beacon for actors everywhere. A chance to act in a movie or even in a television series is a chance to pursue the American Dream of a person who wants to become a star. The American Dream promises a life that is devoid of suffering and epitomizes togetherness and equality of all races. Washington DC, the capital of America, is a beacon of hope for all who pursue justice and equality. People would want to come to America because they will be accorded justice and asylum from oppressive nations. These are just some examples of cities and places that embody the American Dream. What people pursue in the American Dream is a chance to be prosperous regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation and nationality. However, the prosperity of the nation is threatened by the tough economic times that have grappled the country. It is increasingly becoming difficult to sustain life in America given by the rise in living standards and the economic downturn affecting developed countries in the world. People, it seems, no longer believe that they are pursuing the American Dream. This dream is increasingly becoming difficult to pursue and the people who are believed to be enjoying the American Dream are only the rich. Those who are fortunate enough to own their own homes and drive luxurious cars are movie stars and other celebrities while the rest of America struggles to put food on their tables. While the rich continue to get richer, the poor continue to become poorer. This gap, it seems, can no longer be bridged because the rich do not want to share the secrets to their wealth and the poor are not willing to work hard enough to acquire wealth. Only a handful of Americans are said to be living the American dream and this includes those holding government positions, politicians and celebrities. The others are living below the poverty line, which is a grave situation because America is believed to be the land of milk and honey. The economic situation is affecting many people across America. People are therefore worried about where exactly in America the can achieve the American Dream (Hochschild, 2001).

Marketing Management - Assignment 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing Management - Assignment 8 - Essay Example Thus, functionality of a product is an element that should never be absent in anything that is sold in the market. This is very evident in a consumer behavior where a customer would immediately ask for a replacement or product service for any damaged or defective produce they have just bought. With this said, functionality is the end all and be all. Though a form of a product would attract people to buy things that may not be necessary, this is just mainly applicable to impulsive buyers. Furthermore, a product with just form without functionality could end up in a sale but not a sustainable relationship with a certain product or brand (Form vs Function: Design, Emotion and Profitability, n.d.). Once customers are not satisfied with a product, they would always immediately look to another brand that would not disappoint. However, there are still products which lack functionality and yet are still in the market because of the few who put aesthetic considerations over functional considerations (Smashing Magazine, n.d.). Pricing is one of the elements that affect a consumer’s purchase behavior. This is because all of us have to prioritize the kind of expenses we make for a limited budget. That is why we are all told to be practical buyers, only getting what we need and to spend within our means. With this said, the question of whether prices should reflect the value that consumers are willing to pay or if prices should primarily just reflect the cost involved in making a product or service comes into picture. In my own opinion, companies should have the right pricing, meaning reflecting the cost involved in making a product or service which translates into fair pricing as opposed to a price that reflects the value that consumers are willing to pay for. This is because the latter poses many issues such as isolating a lot of consumers that belong to the lower income bracket. When

Memory method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Memory method - Essay Example n states, â€Å"I make no more estimation of repeating a great number of names or words upon once hearing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  However this did not stop many ambitious individuals from attempting to engage in mental training for memory competitions. According to OBrien, Raemon Matthews had the notion of improving the art of memory despite popular belief (Page 37). Matthews established of a group of African Americans known as the â€Å"Talented Ten† to participate U.S Memory Championship. He made his students write an essay with more than to memorized quotations to while in class. This technique proved to improve the memory bank of the African American students at the time. Rote memorization was technique where students were expected to memorize geography and history of America. The basis of the technique was to add more information to the present memory of a student. John Dewey introduced the method of practicing of acquired knowledge rather than building on memory banks. The concept was referred to as experimental learning and replaced the previous rote memorization. Matthew argues that education is the simplest method of improving memorization. He says. â€Å"You make monkeys memorize, whereas education is the ability to retrieve information at will and analyze it.† Mind Mapping is memorization techniques created by Tony Buzan and borrows its concepts from old memory technique. Matthews provides an informative insight into how students can perform better in exams given that they education is significant factor. He argues that it enables the student to memorize information that will be memorized and can be accessed at any time. Tony Buzan is an example of student who began to read up on ways of improving his memory. Reading Greek and Roman reminders gave him the ability to remember information about previous studies. Buzan began to apply the technique when studying for exams. He began to use old memory techniques to teach student while operating as substitute teacher. The

Analyze how globalization has impacted political and economic systems Essay

Analyze how globalization has impacted political and economic systems and appreciate America's role within global, political, - Essay Example North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) etc are some of the regional trade blocs formed to exploit the opportunities of globalization. This paper focuses more on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) to analyze the impacts of these trade blocs on globalization. Impacts of globalization on political and economic systems The history and formation of the trade bloc Since the mid-1980s there has been a profound change in the structure of the international economy due to the widespread growth and internal enhancement of regional trading blocs in all parts of the globe. The World Trade Organization (WTO), for example, notes that almost all of its 134 members are signatories to regional trade agreements with other countries. As of February 1999 the GATT/WTO has been notified of 184 regional trade agreements of which 109 are currently in effect. These re gional trade groups, according to Fred Bergsten of the Institute for International Economics, account for approximately 60 percent of world trade. The United States, Mexico, and Canada created a free-trade area (NAFTA) that became effective in January 1994 (Reardon et al, 2002) NAFTA has proposals to expand the size of this trade bloc to the entire American continent. Same way, Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) was formed on January 6, 2004 at Islamabad, Pakistan during the 12th SAARC summit. The members of this trade bloc are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The role that the countries involved in the trade bloc play in the global economy â€Å"Regional trade blocs have the effect of lessening trade restrictions between members, while increasing or standardizing trade restrictions for non-members. In terms of worldwide trade, the net effect is arguable† (Reardon et al, 2002). One of the major barriers in increasing trade acti vities between different countries before the entry of globalization was the governmental trade restrictions imposed by countries. Globalization has brought the concept of free trade between countries and many of the countries which implemented globalization started liberalize the governmental restrictions on trade activities between countries. American economy has the ability to affect the entire global economy. Any fluctuations taking place in American economy is watched with lot of concerns by other countries because of the increasing interdependence of global economy and the trade activities many of the global countries have with America. However, most of these liberalizations of trade rules between countries were taken place between countries which have warm relationships. Countries in the same region with political and economic problems between them have failed to liberalize trade rules. Such problems created more problems to other countries also in doing free trade activities . For example, India and Pakistan are enemy countries and their enmity created problems in signing an agreement between Iran and India in establishing a gas pipe line from Iran to India through Pakistan. However, the formation of SAFTA helped these enemy countries to assemble under one umbrella and currently the problems in establishing the gas line is going to be solved amicably. In short, countries started to realize that the

Trafficking in Person's Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Trafficking in Person's - Research Paper Example Whereas the individual reader may be thoroughly familiar with the trade in illicit substances and/or narcotics, the level of knowledge that many societal shareholders have with respect to human trafficking is quite limited. One need look no further than the way in which popular culture and media portray drug smugglers, drug addicts, and each and every wrong of the supply and demand chain for narcotics to realize that this has primarily come to be the focal point of discussion and analysis with respect to the illicit/underground economy. However, according to 2011 statistics, human trafficking is a $35 billion a year global industry (Knepper, 2013). Moreover, from an ethical and moral standpoint, the trade of human beings and the buying and selling of these individuals as if they were merely a commodity to be consumed and disposed of as perhaps the most troubling aspect of all. Whereas it is true that the impacts of illegal drugs have far-reaching consequences that can harm any number of individuals in any socioeconomic strata in any country, human trafficking is unique due to the fact that it is one of the only exhibitions of slavery that currently exist within the world. Sadly, human trafficking is increasing with each and every passing year as the demands for cheap labor, sexual services, and healthy babies only continues to rise with the increasing population of the world. As a function of this sad reality, the following analysis will seek to analyze the scope, definition, impacts, policies, levels of governmental engagement, and factors that ultimately encourage the prevalence and continued exhibition of human trafficking around the globe. Although the greatest emphasis with regards human trafficking will necessarily be with respect to the way it is evidenced within the United States, it is impossible to engage such a topic without realizing and appreciating the global ramifications that the increasingly interconnected world demonstrates. Within such a mann er, global aspects of human trafficking will be discussed and engaged interchangeably with domestic concerns. The United Nations typically defines human trafficking as international organized transnational crime. For this very purpose, the United Nations reached an international agreement entitled â€Å"The UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime†; specifically targeting trafficking protocol is one of the first major issues that must be engaged. With regards to the actual definition of human trafficking, this particular analysis will refer to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a means of defining the way in which the reader should approach the issue throughout the course of this analysis (Onuoha, 2011). As such, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights defines human trafficking as the following: â€Å"†¦the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of the production, of fraud, a perception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or the giving up of receiving payments or benefits to achieve the consent that a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs†

Reform Program to Reduce Obesity in the United States Essay

Reform Program to Reduce Obesity in the United States - Essay Example But in the United States, the problem is getting worse. Obesity is not just people going fat – it is a disease that causes maladies like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and strokes. Old and young members of society are susceptible to obesity. Adults suffer economic harm as they become more inactive when their body mass grows. People with a weight control problem have a real and identifiable physiological and medical condition, and obese people have shorter lives than non-obese people. Preventing and addressing obesity has cost billions of dollars for the government, estimated at $110 billion a year, equivalent to 1 percent of the U.S. Gross domestic Product. (Burd-Sharps et al. 2008, p. 64) The Problem Statistics revealed that one American dies every ninety seconds from obesity-related problems (Burd-Shaprs et al. 2008, p. 64). In the late 1990s, 280,000 Americans died of obesity-related problems every year (Allison et al. 1999). The proportion of Americans who are over weight and obese has increased dramatically within the past two decades, and increases in overweight and obesity cuts across all ages, racial and ethnic groups (Bailey, 2006, p. 24). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that for the first time in history, there are more overweight and obese people in the nation than people of normal weight. An estimated 61 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese (Cooke & Wardle 2007, p. 238). Researchers stipulated that if the prevalence of obesity continues to rise especially at younger ages, the negative effect on health and longevity in the coming decades could be much worse. (Bailey 2006) Americans continue their way of life. Modern lifestyles characterized by inactivity are risk factors that will lead to diabetes and high-mortality diseases – insulin resistance, lipid disorders, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Food is cheaper, particularly high-fat foods. Changes in work habits and time pressure s in daily living have led to people gaining more weight. Lifestyles throughout the world have changed. This includes reductions in physical activity, increases in dietary intake, and the aging of the population. There is also the westernization of diet and of other aspects of lifestyles in developing countries. All these contribute to the dramatic increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (Shaw & Sicree, 2008). Risk factors linked with the modern lifestyle, including inactivity and obesity, are associated with insulin resistance, lipid disorders, hypertension, and vascular disease (Blaum, 2007). Moreover, concern has been growing over the increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes in childhood and among teenagers, attributed to inactivity and increasing obesity levels in childhood. Early appearance of type 2 diabetes appears to be a growing problem, particularly among minority groups in the United States, including Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and Native Americans (Blaum 2007). Survey studies conducted among patients and physicians have demonstrated that physicians are failing to adequately identify the overweight and mildly obese patients, although there is greater recognition for the moderately to severely obese patients, particularly when accompanied by co-morbid conditions (Cooke & Wardle 2007, p. 238). In diabetes, there is energy imbalance – more energy intake with less energy expenditure. Therefore, early assessment of energy imbalance should be taken to

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 12

Marketing - Essay Example Along with glamour and excitement, event planning requires hard work and dynamism. Even this marketing type requires creativity, professionalism and distinction and differs to some extent from marketing of conventional products. XYZ Company, that is analyzed in this essay has been asked to handle the launch of a new brand of PDAs later this year. This essay focuses on highlighting the marketing plan for the events and evaluates and analyzes the marketing mix for the launch. Traditionally event marketing was associated with sponsoring a sports event or an industry conference. The concept of event marketing has undergone change in the recent years. Event marketing is known by other names like experiential marketing, brand experience marketing or live marketing. The purpose of event marketing are also described in the essay and may differ across products or industries but the ultimate goal is to add value to any live event. Importance of event marketing is analyzed. The right event can open the prospects’ mind to the marketing message. For a well known brand event marketing becomes easy as any kind of advertisement is appropriate. Promoting brands for the youth through competitions or concerts is a popular approach to brand marketing. These help to increase the sales and popularity of the manufacturers. The objective of event marketing is that consumers must have a positive approach to the product and the brand. The launch of the product was also designed in the essay to raise the profile of the XYZ company.

Trafficking in Person's Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Trafficking in Person's - Research Paper Example Whereas the individual reader may be thoroughly familiar with the trade in illicit substances and/or narcotics, the level of knowledge that many societal shareholders have with respect to human trafficking is quite limited. One need look no further than the way in which popular culture and media portray drug smugglers, drug addicts, and each and every wrong of the supply and demand chain for narcotics to realize that this has primarily come to be the focal point of discussion and analysis with respect to the illicit/underground economy. However, according to 2011 statistics, human trafficking is a $35 billion a year global industry (Knepper, 2013). Moreover, from an ethical and moral standpoint, the trade of human beings and the buying and selling of these individuals as if they were merely a commodity to be consumed and disposed of as perhaps the most troubling aspect of all. Whereas it is true that the impacts of illegal drugs have far-reaching consequences that can harm any number of individuals in any socioeconomic strata in any country, human trafficking is unique due to the fact that it is one of the only exhibitions of slavery that currently exist within the world. Sadly, human trafficking is increasing with each and every passing year as the demands for cheap labor, sexual services, and healthy babies only continues to rise with the increasing population of the world. As a function of this sad reality, the following analysis will seek to analyze the scope, definition, impacts, policies, levels of governmental engagement, and factors that ultimately encourage the prevalence and continued exhibition of human trafficking around the globe. Although the greatest emphasis with regards human trafficking will necessarily be with respect to the way it is evidenced within the United States, it is impossible to engage such a topic without realizing and appreciating the global ramifications that the increasingly interconnected world demonstrates. Within such a mann er, global aspects of human trafficking will be discussed and engaged interchangeably with domestic concerns. The United Nations typically defines human trafficking as international organized transnational crime. For this very purpose, the United Nations reached an international agreement entitled â€Å"The UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime†; specifically targeting trafficking protocol is one of the first major issues that must be engaged. With regards to the actual definition of human trafficking, this particular analysis will refer to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a means of defining the way in which the reader should approach the issue throughout the course of this analysis (Onuoha, 2011). As such, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights defines human trafficking as the following: â€Å"†¦the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of the production, of fraud, a perception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or the giving up of receiving payments or benefits to achieve the consent that a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs†

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 12

Marketing - Essay Example Along with glamour and excitement, event planning requires hard work and dynamism. Even this marketing type requires creativity, professionalism and distinction and differs to some extent from marketing of conventional products. XYZ Company, that is analyzed in this essay has been asked to handle the launch of a new brand of PDAs later this year. This essay focuses on highlighting the marketing plan for the events and evaluates and analyzes the marketing mix for the launch. Traditionally event marketing was associated with sponsoring a sports event or an industry conference. The concept of event marketing has undergone change in the recent years. Event marketing is known by other names like experiential marketing, brand experience marketing or live marketing. The purpose of event marketing are also described in the essay and may differ across products or industries but the ultimate goal is to add value to any live event. Importance of event marketing is analyzed. The right event can open the prospects’ mind to the marketing message. For a well known brand event marketing becomes easy as any kind of advertisement is appropriate. Promoting brands for the youth through competitions or concerts is a popular approach to brand marketing. These help to increase the sales and popularity of the manufacturers. The objective of event marketing is that consumers must have a positive approach to the product and the brand. The launch of the product was also designed in the essay to raise the profile of the XYZ company.

My Essays Essay Example for Free

My Essays Essay The following is an organizational announcement for Staples Advantage Corporate associates and  global Vice Presidents and above from   Tom Heisroth, SVP Staples Advantage Sales, and Steve Bussberg, SVP, Staples Advantage. To support Staples’ Reinvention efforts to turbocharge product-related services, we are excited to announce changes within our Staples Advantage Print business  that will increase efficiencies and reduce customer confusion around our offerings. Staples has unrivaled Print assets and we believe this reorganization will allow us to strengthen our position in the industry and become a true market leader. Jeff Crump,  VP/GM, Staples Print Solutions, will be responsible for Print operations, all aspects of Print field support, and ownership of the total Staples Advantage Print Pamp;L. Jeff will continue to report to Steve Bussberg. Geoff Eitland, Director, Procurement and Merchandising, will assume responsibility for all Print sourcing and vendor management. In addition, our customer implementation teams will now be centralized, with  Jamie Kapanka, Senior Manager, Sales Operations,  reporting into the Staples Advantage Print operations group. The following Associates will report to Jeff Crump: * Geoff Eitland, Director, Procurement and Merchandising * Jamie Kapanka, Senior Manager, Sales Operations * Gary Swanger, Director, Finance * Gretta Staskiewicz, Manager, Marketing * Jeffrey Holton, Director, Manufacturing * Lee Ann Holley,   Project Manager, New Business Development * Richard Campbell, Director, Integration Richard Martin, Director, Logistics * Robert Anderson-Ludrick, Director, PE Deployment Leader The Print sales teams led by  Millie Tarallo  and  Ralph Torres  will come together under the leadership of  Wayne Wilkinson, Vice President, Staples Advantage Sales, who is taking on a new role overseeing the Print and Vertical sales teams. Wayne will transition into his new role over the next few months and will con tinue to oversee the Central Region until further plans are announced. Wayne will continue to report to  Tom Heisroth, Senior Vice President, Staples Advantage Sales. Reporting to Wayne will be:   * Millie Tarallo, Area Vice President, Print * Ralph Torres, Area Vice President, Print * Susan Louis, Vice President, Healthcare * Judith Smith, Vice President, Federal Government * Jeremy Landis, Director, Vertical Markets Combining the Print sales teams under single leadership will increase sales productivity and uncover new sales and margin opportunities. At the same time, unifying the Vertical sales teams under Wayne will enable us to better focus on customers’ specialized needs in these segments. As previously announced, business development for Print has been unified under the leadership of  Kevin Moss, Vice President, Business Development and  Joe McDonald, Director, Business Development. This new structure and improved support capabilities will give our sales teams more time to sell, while providing our customers the seamless experience they expect. We look forward to transforming the Print business within Staples Advantage and driving meaningful growth for the company.

Developing Sustainability Indicators Monitoring For Enterprise Business Essay

Developing Sustainability Indicators Monitoring For Enterprise Business Essay The term sustainability refers to the human desire for an environment that would reap current and future benefits. Sustainability is not an absolute, independent of human conceptual frameworks. Rather it is always set in the context of decisions about what type of system is to be sustained and over what patio-temporal scale.(Allen and Hoekstra 1994) Monitoring process is an emergent and a major management response to the existing challenges in sustainability. It helps in understanding the sustainability systems and its values. Monitoring systems generally focuses on developing the various suitable tools that would help in gauging the relatedness of the sustainability practices. Basically, these monitoring systems reveal the trends and patterns of a sustainable system by constructing a good understanding of those systems. Comparison of future desired conditions with the current state of systems can be established. The changes in the entire system can be easily detected and can be used as an earlier warning against change. The growth and progress of the sustainable system in an enterprise can be effectively measured. Indicators can provide crucial guidance for decision-making in a variety of ways. They can translate physical and social science knowledge into manageable units of information that can facilitate the decision-making process. They can help to measure and calibrate progress towards sustainable development goals. They can provide an early warning, sounding the alarm in time to prevent economic, social and environmental damage. They are also important tools to communicate ideas, thoughts and values because as one authority said, we measure what we value, and value what we measure. Indicators of sustainability are different from traditional indicators of economic, social, and environmental progress. Traditional indicators such as stockholder profits, asthma rates, and water quality measure changes in one part of a community as if they were entirely independent of the other parts. Sustainability indicators reflect the reality that the three different segments are very tightly interconnected, as shown in the figure below: Segmentation of sustainable indicators As this figure illustrates, the natural resource base provides the materials for production on which jobs and stockholder profits depend. Jobs affect the poverty rate and the poverty rate is related to crime. Air quality, water quality and materials used for production have an effect on health. They may also have an effect on stockholder profits: if a process requires clean water as an input, cleaning up poor quality water prior to processing is an extra expense, which reduces profits. Likewise, health problems, whether due to general air quality problems or exposure to toxic materials, have an effect on worker productivity and contribute to the rising costs of health insurance. DESCRIPTION OF ENTERPRISE Sony Ericsson  is a joint venture established on October 1, 2001by the Japanese consumer electronics company  Sony Corporation  and the Swedish telecommunications company  Ericsson  to make mobile phones. The stated reason for this venture is to combine Sonys consumer electronics expertise with Ericssons technological leadership in the communications sector. Both companies have stopped making their own mobile phones. Sony Ericsson has strived to maintain the highest standards in our approach to sustainability. Sustainable development and production is considered to be important challenges for the future by Ericsson which demands an immediate action from responsible manufacturers. Sony Ericsson have put into effect a life-cycle approach to product development .Sony Ericsson mobile communications is a global supplier of high graphic and multimedia cell phones with various features along with accessories and pc cards. The products offer a combination of powerful technology with creative applications for mobile such as music, style, imaging, communications and entertainment. The net result is that Sony Ericsson is an enticing brand which opens up new avenues for growth in business for mobile operators and along with offering desirable, fun products to end users. In the nine years period, Sony Ericsson has been operating and it has maintained a rigorous approach to ensuring that it maintains the same standards across all chains. For Sony Ericsson, the approach to sustainability is based on the following principles: To safeguard the future profits in environmental friendly related issues. Improving the living and working conditions of all those who are involved in production of products. Not to make a negative  impact on the consumers. To improve the impact of our products and activities on the environment. Sony Ericsson have focused on low energy consumption chargers.Sony Ericsson will introduce chargers and phones with this interface well ahead of the desired industry timeline. Our portfolio of chargers is already one of the best in the industry in terms of efficiency and energy consumption. The handset was built with fully sustainable materials, the optional charger had minimal no-load power and the concept offered reduced packaging with the elimination of paper manuals. In 2008, Sony Ericsson observers were introduced. The global take back scheme and the green heart project bring us closer to our vision of being a leader in sustainability in the mobile phone industry. Constant improvising is being made by them so as to improve the working conditions and environment. Sony Ericsson set aggressive, absolute targets: Reduce the total greenhouse gas emissions from the full life cycle by 15% till 2015 (based on 2008 year levels) Reduce the total greenhouse gas emissions from So internal activities by 20% till 2015(based on 2008 year levels) Sony Ericson has continues dialogue with the parent companies on the subject of building more sustainable business. Listing Justification Of Indicators Relevant To The Enterprise ECONOMIC INDICATORS: The economic indicator refers to the system of production and consumption (including finance) and refers to the market based and to the unpaid economy. Economic prosperity is a very important element of sustainable development; it allows to combat poverty, to finance remediation of old burdens, to make changes in our development economic policy and market mechanisms must be applied in support of sustainable development, and not against it. Without denying the importance of tools such as legislation, public awareness etc., and the economy is a very powerful tool for sustainable development. Used in the right way, it provides efficient incentives to make choices for sustainable development. These incentives need to be on all levels of society, they must work in favour of sustainable development by: Making sustainable investments both in the public and private sectors profitable, Channelling research into knowledge and solutions for sustainable development Influencing consumption decision on all levels. Tele communication industry is very important for sustainable development as it generates employment wealth as well as it also provides economic benefits to the society. This all attribute raises concerns at both micro- and macro levels. The economic indicators and objective for the each specific indicator is mentioned below: Table.1 Objective Indicators Sufficient supply and goods and services GDP/ capita Efficient wealth creations Total factor productivity, cost, sales Economic systems evolution and Competitiveness Net investment, R D expenditures, Accumulated public and private debt GDP Per Capita: Gross domestic product (GDP) is nothing but the over all average of the increase or decrease of economic growth. GDP is nothing but the market value of all goods and services produced by the economy during the specific period which is often one year.2008 study by Sony Ericsson on the socio-economic impact of mobile communications in Sudan found that mobile phone access generates significant socio-economic benefits for gross domestic product (GDP), notably for people at the base of the economic pyramid. Total factor productivity, cost, sales: In simple language Productivity gives good ability to understand into inflationary pressures, and how much GDP can increase without affecting inflation. With high demand of Sony Ericsson mobiles and the company has decided to reduce operating costs, connectivity is expected to become economically viable for the local operator within three years. Net investment and capital expenditures: This indicator specifies the distribution to providers of capital broken down by interest on debt and borrowings and dividends on all classes of shares. Then Sony Ericsson describes how it has utilise its capital the level of company commitment to socially responsible investing. These are the mentioned sustainable indicators which help the Sony Ericsson, telecommunication industry to sustain in the market. ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS: Among the various sustainable indicators available in the monitoring system for the enterprise chosen, the prime importance moves to the environmental indicators as it drives the sustainability core concepts. These environmental indicators provide a measure of the companys impacts over the natural environment entities namely on the human, air, water and land ecosystems. The impacts of such practices can be a local or a global one depending upon the nature of the process. The ultimate target is the stake holders in common. Considering the enterprise of Sony Ericson, the threat is posed over the employees who work in the enterprise. Our enterprise corresponds to the telecom industry where by the scope of analysis for the telecom products and the facilities in Sony Ericson company is tremendous. Hence it is worth to develop indicators for the company to evaluate the effectiveness of its sustainable practices. The sustainability indicators relevant to Sony Ericsson Company are identified as below. Materials- (substances of concern) Energy- (power consumption) Products Transport Air emissions (carbon footprint) The above listed indicators are identified to be more crucial for carrying out sustainable monitoring framework for the company, Sony Ericsson. Materials (substances of concern): Considering the first indicator, materials, it refers to the various elements of concern that are used in the company. Being a strong player in the telecom industry, Sony Ericsson, produces mobile phones that incorporates brominates flame retardants (BFR) on its boards and casings. Moreover poly vinyl chloride (PVC) is also used in the chargers. Hence considering the usage of these materials in the company provides more concern over the sustainability issues in the company. Hence developing this indicator would help in the measurement of sustainability impacts of using such materials inside the company. Energy: For any industry or an enterprise, the usage of energy becomes very essential for its effective functioning. Sony Ericsson is not an exception and as it addresses the energy consumption issue through its chargers for mobile phones. This indicator provides effective measurement of the energy consumption that would help the company to incorporate processes that would lead to lesser energy consumption for the sustainable future. Products: Sony Ericsson continues its operations in the telecom industry through its various ranges of mobile phones and accessories that pose a question whether they are bio-degradable or not. The toxicity levels in the products and their environmental impacts can be measured using this indicator. Hence for a product based company like Sony Ericsson, this indicator becomes very significant for ensuring sustainable practices. Transport: Transport is an inevitable indicator in any sector as the movement of either goods or services becomes a mandatory process in the work areas. Considering Sony Ericsson, the usage of transport service, the kind of modes used, the frequency and intensity of transport processes involved in the company is really high which can affect the environment in many bad ways. Thus this indicator is more relevant to the company in identifying the impact that companys transport operations are projecting towards the environment. Air emissions With a large company like Sony Ericsson, the production capacities for their plants in various locations are tend to be generally larger. This results in the production of more carbon dioxide emissions across the nearby areas of the plant locations. So, careful monitoring of such emissions and controlling it becomes very important for the company to evaluate the amount of air emissions of the company. SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS Apart from having economical and environmental sustainability it is as much as important for the company to be socially important too. Since every company they are socially bounded, it is important for them to be connected with the society. For a company to be effective and sustainable, both the individual and community resources need to be developed and used within the context of four guiding principles equity, social inclusion and interaction, security, and adaptability. Telecoms industry is playing as a very important player in shaping up the economy. The five main indicators of Sony Ericsson for social sustainability are as follows: Stakeholder involvement Human rights and business ethics Equal opportunities and non- discrimination Health and safety Bribery and corruption Sony Ericsson maintains good monitoring systems on this sustainability to have better output. Stake holder involvement Stakeholders are those who have a direct relationship to, or are affected by, our business. They include investors, customers, employees, suppliers, industry partners, governments, end-users, non-governmental organizations and the media. So it is important for any organisation to have a good relationship with them. By having sustainable relationships with the stakeholder provide the company with long run benefits. Stakeholder involvement towards a particular company creates a good image for the company among the public. Human rights and business ethics Business engagement in human rights is not only a responsibility but also an opportunity. It is very crucial for any company to behave in a socially and ethically exemplary way and operates business in compliance with all national laws and regulations. This is a main indicator for company to find out whether it is sustainable or not. Equal opportunities and discrimination One of the main indicators that should be addressed in sustainable development requires companies to provide equal opportunities to all regardless of their gender, race and disabilities. Most of the research identifies that gender disparity as one of the important issues that need to be addressed by the industry, including attracting more women into professional jobs. By having equal opportunities make the company to have better sustainable practices. Health and safety: Health and safety is one the most important indicator that production industry should concern about. Providing employees with health and safety standards must be addressed properly. The action plan included installing protective railings, improving processes and equipment for chemicals handling, and implementing health and safety procedures for corrective and preventive action. Bribery and corruption: Another main issue that should be addressed the companies is bribery and corruption. Sometimes as like human rights problems, is a large scale problem that cannot be addressed the companies. So companies must make careful consideration in regard to this problem which has a direct impact on sustainability of any company. CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF LISTED INDICATORS Justification For The Economic Indicators: China, India, Indonesia and Brazil are among Sony Ericssons 10 largest markets in sales share. Emerging markets represent around one third of global GDP, and network sales in emerging markets grew an estimated 15 percent in 2008, representing over half of network sales. High growth market: The above mentioned statistical data proves that the Sony Ericssons GDP is increasing to sustain in the market. Moreover, connectivity is an instrument to generate economic opportunity. In fact, a 2007 Deloitte analysis of sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, the middle east and Asia pacific confirms that a 10 percent increase in mobile penetration leads to a 1.2 percent increase in gross domestic product (GDP) in developing countries twice the equivalent impact in developed markets. Applying life- cycle thinking to telecom network helps reduce the total cost of ownership for customers by demonstrating how to optimize energy. Two studies conducted by Sony Ericsson in 2008 showed in the lowest segments, money transfer, learning and mobile applications in health are in high demand. This shows that the company is done the research and addressed the capital investments, profit and share holders value to sustain in the market. Table.2 categories of economic indicators: Provides information on /measures Economic issues addressed Stake holders directly affected Main customers, market share contribution to GDP Contribution to GDP and wealth creation Customers, national governments Financial viability of business and wealth creation Capital investments, profits, share holders value, wealth creation, revenue distribution Shareholders, creditors, insurers Types of product, sales, earnings, values added Sales, earnings and value added Employees, customers, creditors, shareholders. Thus the above mentioned Economic Indicators as provided information on measures and also addressed the economic issues and how the stakeholders are directly affected. The additional indicators include generally- applicable measures of economic performance such as earnings before interest and tax. The micro economic issues have traditionally dominated business decision making with a focus on short term returns, which is in the telecommunication industry often based on production volumes rather than on valued added products and services. ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS: Indicator material The material indicator provides information about the various substances and elements that are used in the products and processes of the company namely Sony Ericsson. The various chemical substances like PVC, BFR and lead in the manufacturing of mobile phones and its accessories are taken into account in this indicator. One of the main substances highlighted by the media is brominates flame retardants (BFR) that reduces the risk of fires in the mobile phones. The major risk of BFR is that it becomes a dioxin under uncontrolled incineration. The company also strives to removes this substance from its charger and cable cases. Thereby the company has phased out the BFR in most of its products. Moreover Sony Ericsson takes the pride of becoming the first mobile phone firm to eradicate the entire use of BFR in its products. The other major substance is the poly vinyl chloride (PVC) because it releases hydrochloric acid and dioxins that gets accumulated in the animal fat and causes cancer to human due to the various carcinogens. Sony Ericsson worked hard to find alternatives for PVC and finally from 2007 all new Sony Ericsson products were PVC free. Other substances of concern were the phthalates, beryllium and antimony were also found hazardous and hence as an attempt to go environment friendly, the Sony Ericsson products are now almost free from such elements which can be very well evident from the companys report over sustainability. Table.3 sustainable indicator framework for social sustainability Indicator Provides information on/ measures Environmental issue(s) addressed Stakeholders directly affected/interested Materials Use of substances of concern like PVC, BFR, beryllium etc. Use and depletion of resources Suppliers, contractors, NGOs, national governments Energy Energy use and efficiency, use of renewable resources of energy. Use of energy resources, contribution to global warming. Suppliers, contractors, local communities, NGOs, national governments. Product Environmental impacts of products life cycle Environmental impacts of products like product toxicity. Customers, NGOs, national governments, insurers and creditors. Transport and logistics Transport distances for products and with respect to employees Intensity of transport activity carried out, use of non-renewable resources etc. Contractors, suppliers, local communities and authorities, national government and NGOs Air emissions Contribution to air, water and land pollution Air effluents, carbon emission, related environmental impacts Local communities and authorities, national governments, NGOs, creditors, shareholders. Indicator -energy The indicator provides measures on the usage of the energy and its efficiency and the usage of renewable sources of energy. With respect to the company, Sony Ericsson the mobile phones and their chargers come into picture regarding the energy or power consumption. Considering the total energy life cycle impact of a mobile phone, there is a no load power consumption issue. Sony Ericsson tried to reduce this and achieved a 0.15 w of average no load power in its mobile phone chargers. Indicator product The product indicator provides information about the environmental impacts that happens throughout the life cycle of the product. It exhibits the other hazardous and toxic properties of the mobile phone products and its accessories of Sony Ericsson. The product gathers more importance in identifying the measure of the sustainability in a company like Sony Ericsson as the entire business rolls out of its products. The company has come up with the initiative towards the development of the mobile phone product that is environmentally sustainable. In 2008, the company initiated a concept called green heart. According to this concept, the entire life cycles of products are revised and the usages of various elements are identified to be environmental friendly. Indicator transport and logistics: The indicator provides information about the distances involved in the transportation of products and the employees as well in the company. This indicator throws light on the usage of the various non-renewable resources and the corresponding emissions that would pose a considerable threat to the environment. Sony Ericsson collaborates with the logistics companies so as to reduce the impact of transport on the overall carbon footprint. The company framed out a separate environmental friendly guideline in selecting the vehicles and fuels for its transport operations. According to the life cycle assessment made by the company in 2008, it was found that 3.7 kg of carbon dioxide emission resulted out of the transportation of which 90% contributed from the outbound transportation. Thus the serious efforts have to be made to join with Logistics Company and reduce the weight of packaging as well so that overall impact of transportation can be minimized. Indicator air emissions (carbon footprint) The indicator provides information about the amount of pollutants that the company introduces to the land, air and water ecosystems. It also defines the level and severity of the impact and the corresponding impacts on the environment. Sony Ericsson has been planning out for larger volumes of production because of business constraints and this causes a larger emission of carbon dioxide into the air. The three major activities were identified to contribute towards carbon emission namely factories, offices and travel. Table.4 Table.5 The impact of business travel is another problem accounting for higher carbon emission. Reducing the long distance travel by introducing alternative meeting arrangements like Tele-Presence systems, an advanced video conferencing technique have been initiated as an effective alternative to reduce business travels. These all techniques were thought for reducing the companys total carbon emission from its business operations. SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS: Companies are paying more attention to the social dimension of sustainable development, mainly due to an experienced shift in stakeholder pressures from environmental to social-related concerns. During the last decades of the 20th century, various significant steps were taken to draw the social dimension of sustainable development into open. Sony Ericsson has taken the following social issues for their sustainability in the market. Stakeholder involvement Human rights and business ethics Equal opportunities and non- discrimination Health and safety Bribery and corruption Table.6 sustainable indicator framework for social sustainability Indicator Provides information on/ measures Social issue(s) addressed Stakeholders directly affected/interested Stakeholder involvement The level of commitment to external stakeholder Stakeholder involvement All external stakeholder Human rights and business ethics The level of commitment to protecting human rights of all stakeholders, employees Human rights and business ethics. All stakeholders, employees, trade unions. Equal opportunities and non-discrimination The level of commitment to non-discrimination and to provide equal opportunities Equal opportunities and non-discrimination Employees, trade unions, national governments Health and safety Employee health and safety Health and safety Employees, trade unions, national governments Bribery and corruption The approach to avoiding bribery and corruption Bribery and corruption Local communities and authorities, national governments, NGOs, creditors Indicator stakeholder involvement Board participation is crucial for the implementation of underlying values for sustainable development and preservation of cultural values. Therefore, involvement of local communities and other stakeholders is crucial in decision making process. Sony Ericsson seeks to respond promptly to stakeholder concerns. They conduct an annual stakeholder survey identifying the top-ranked social, environmental and economic issues for customers and investors. They measure employees views in annual surveys and polls. In 2008, both investors and customers were particularly interested in supply chain management. Indicator -human rights and business ethics Protection of human rights is another relevant sustainability of the social concern that should be addressed when considering electronics industry. Sony Ericsson respects all human rights, including the right to freedom of expression of ideas and as tools for democracy. At times the telecom industry can encounter conflicts in realisation of these rights. Sony Ericsson is addressing the relevant issues to us and our market, but at present, considers that the main concerns in this area fall within the operators domain. As society understands of these issues evolves and the border between operator and vendor changes, Ericsson will reassess its position. Indicator -equal opportunities and non- discrimination Addressing sustainable development requires companies to provide equal opportunities to all regardless of their gender, race or disabilities. Sony Ericsson is making headway in a male dominated industry, and the number of women in the workforce increased worldwide from 12,000 in 2004 to more than 17,000 today. The number of women occupying the top 200 roles increased from 12 percent in 2007 to 13 percent in 2008, while those in line management positions remained steady at 18 percent. Our objective is to develop a management team in which the number of females is proportionate to the female workforce as a whole Sony Ericsson leadership development initiative for employees nurtures key capabilities and competencies and helps set clear goals. We seek to strengthen and deepen leadership qualities at all levels of the organization. During 2008, we launched 122 training sessions to support the initiative and 1,979 managers participated, compared to 78 sessions and 1,281 participants in 2007. To maximize learning opportunities, we mix classroom sessions with informal learning such as mentoring, job rotation, coaching, and interactive feedback. This provides employees with practical support in developing the skills to spearhead and service technological convergence. Indicator health and safety In addition to wages and benefits that are universally important, one of the employee-related issues related to occupational health and safety. Occupational health and safety (OHS) is a global priority for Ericsson. In 2009 we will align our existing locally tailored OHS approach with a globally coordinated system applicable to all markets. Unit heads will ensure that they set appropriate OHS standards that are realistic, attainable and consistent with local operating conditions and legislation. During the year we will finalize a group policy on OHS that will be rolled out throughout the business. . Indicator -bribery and corruption Corruption is one of the main obstacles in equal distribution of wealth. The Ericsson group management system, implemented and monitored wherever we do business, ensures integrity and high standards of conduct. A whistle blower procedure is in place for employees to report violations relating to accounting, internal controls and procedures or fraudulent practices. In 2008, all market unit employees took the anti-corruption e-learning. We also offer training courses educate employees on the code of business ethics and anti-corruption. CONCLUSION Sustainable development has become very significant especially in the telecom industry. In order to respond to the various sustainability challenges forced in the industry, sustainable development becomes very crucial. The framework for the monitoring system developed with the corresponding indicators; provide a comprehensive tool for measuring sustainability in the telecom industry. The proposed indicators in the above discussion, addresses to the key environmental, social and economic issues that are prevalent in the tel