School shooting and the media , video game violence Essay

School shooting and the media , video game violence - Essay Example This week we draw a distinction between victimisation and victimhood therea re various avenues for resisting violence: that is, violence is not a necessary outcome of being a particular type of person. For example, we will consider how teh rape scritmight be rethought so that women are not the inevitable victims and men are not the inevitable perpetrators of violence.   -Michel Foucault, "weother victorians and the repressive hypothesis,from the history of sexuality vol 1, reprinted in the Foucault reader,ed. (London:Penguin books, 1991),292-300,301-29.ISBN:9780140124866   Violence is a physical inducement of force that continues to be a controversial topic in the 21st century. Violence has many categories and has detrimental effects within society that continues to be the focal point of discussion. The use of pressure and abusing power itself is violence and is associated with psychology, retaliation, hatred and other human emotion. One cannot ignore the fact that violence is a decompression of an event that dynamically impacted an individual. This paper will discuss many aspects of violence with key insights and new details based on comprehensive research. In order to acknowledge and understand the true essence of violence, one must understand the root cause of violence. Violence is an issue that is directly associated with emotion and mental health of an individual. Behavioral violence is defined by a force of physical aggressive behavior against another person. In fact, scientist agrees that violence is embedded in humans. A prime example of this is retaliation from a particular incident that had a dramatic effect on psyche of a person. In a midst of a heated moment, violence can be exerted due to rage, anger and fury. Interestingly enough, most people at times acknowledge that they were at fault for conducting this type of behavior. As the author states, â€Å"Mr Wlasuk said: The kids who play these games know all about

1950's sitcom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

1950's sitcom - Essay Example In the 1950s, America experienced real effects of post wars and one such effect was the speedy economic growth. The effects emerged as a result of the wars that they were involved in and the wars included the cold war and World War 2. The war involved the United States nations and the Soviet Union. The wars were as a result of the nations struggling to gain power and be on the leading. These two wars, through unfolding events deteriorated, that is, after World War 2, America started experiencing a remarkable economic expansion (May, 2008). The level of employment went up. Before, women were major providers for their homes; this is because their partners left to fight for the nations. The post war period brought about the reoccurrence of prosperity and the American states, formerly known as the United States of American, acquired a position of the wealthiest nation in the world. The economic growth of the United States was due to several outnumbered sources. The Americans attained mor tgages in their new suburbs, they got new cars and they used their leisure and talents to the maximum. Due to this, the population in several districts in the United States increased incredibly. Rise in the United States economy after the post war boom led to discrimination, segregation and conflicts to the non-whites. The non-whites were discriminated in job positions, education and housing. The rights that were being granted to the white Americans were denied to them (May, 2008). The white Americans had privileges, they included; voting rights, immigration, getting loans and land acquisition. This discrimination made the Africans to be treated as slaves. The immigrants to the America suffered xenophobic segregations and ethnicity. This discrimination and racism was beyond comprehension, furthermore, no one was in authority to forward their grievances.

Rapid Migration Test

Rapid Migration Test The RMT involves subjecting a 4-inch (102- mm) diameter by 2- inch (51-mm) thick saturated samples to an external electrical potential to force chlorides ions to migrate into the specimens (NT BUILD 492 1999). To account for varying concrete resistances, the initial current flow through the specimen is measured and the applied voltage is adjusted accordingly. The samples are fit into silicone rubber sleeves where one of the sides of the specimens is immersed in a 0.3 N NaOH (1.2% NaOH) solution and the other side to a 10 percent NaCl solution. After a specified duration, the samples are removed and axially split into two pieces. A depth of chloride penetration is determined in one half of the specimen using a colorimetric technique; spraying silver nitrate solution on the freshly cut surface. The originally proposed method called for the concrete sample to be exposed to a voltage gradient for 8 hours, after which the specimen is sliced and sprayed with an indicator for chlorides, AgNO3 to determine the depth of chloride penetration. This time period makes the procedure difficult to fit into a normal working day of a laboratory. Consequently, Tang and Nilsson revised their method to use varying voltages and test durations depending upon the initial current measured (NTBuild 492). This improved test was standardized as a Nordtest procedure. The standardized method NTBuild 492 still presented further problems. The most critical is the extended time duration of the test (as long as 4 days in some cases) and the wide range of applied voltage that must be used. A simplified testing protocol was developed in which the effect of several different voltages and test durations were evaluated (Hooton, Thomas and Stanish 2001). Based on the results of their research, a fixed test duration of 18 hours was selected, with a varying applied voltage. The voltage selected for the test is based on the initial current values for that sample under a 60-volt potential. The new proposed voltage values were selected to avoid chloride breakthrough that would occasionally occur in the NTBuild 492 procedure 2.2.6   SURFACE RESISTIVITY TEST USING THE FOUR-POINT WENNER PROBE (FM 5-578) Concrete conductivity is fundamentally related to the permeability of fluids and the diffusivity of ions through a porous material (Whiting and Mohamad 2003). As a result, the electrical resistivity can be used as an indirect measure of the ease in which chlorides ions can penetrate concrete (Hooton, Thomas and Stanish 2001). The resistivity of a saturated porous medium, such as concrete, is mainly measured by the conductivity through its pore solution (Streicher and Alexander 1995). Two procedures have been developed to determine the electrical resistivity of concrete. The first method involves passing a direct current through a concrete specimen placed between two electrodes. The concrete resistance between the two electrodes is measured. The actual resistance measured by this method can be reduced by an unknown amount due to polarization at the probe contact interface. The second method solves the polarization problem by passing an alternating current (AC) through the sample. A convenient tool to measure using this method is the four -point Wenner Probe resistivity meter (Hooton, Thomas and Stanish 2001). The set up utilizes four equally spaced surface contacts, where a small alternating current is passed through the concrete sample between the outer pair of contacts. A digital voltmeter is used to measure the potential difference between the two inner electrodes, obtaining the resistance from the ratio of voltage to current (see Figure 5). This resistance is then used to calculate resistivity of the section. The resistivity Ï  of a prismatic section of length L and section area A is given by: Ï = A.R L where R is the resistance of the specimen calculated by dividing the potential V by the applied current I. The resistivity Ï  for a concrete cylinder can be calculated by the following formula: Ï€ .d 2 1 V â‹… Ï  = 4 L I where d is the cylinder diameter and L its length (Morris, Moreno and Sagà ¼es 1996). Assuming that the concrete cylinder has homogeneous semi-infinite geometry (the dimensions of the element are large in comparison of the probe spacing), and the probe depth is far less than the probe spacing, the concrete cylinder resistivity Ï  is given by: V Ï  =(2.Ï€ .a)â‹… I where a is the electrode spacing (see Figure 5). The non-destructive nature, speed, and ease of use make the Wenner Probe technique a promising alternative test to characterize concrete permeability. Current Applied (I) Potential Measured Concrete Surface a a a (V) to be Tested Equipotential lines Current Flow Lines Figure 5. Four-point Wenner Probe Test Setup. Results from Wenner Probe testing can vary significantly if the degree of saturation or conductivity of the concrete is inconsistent. Techniques to achieve more uniform saturation, such as vacuum saturation or submerging in water overnight, can be performed in the laboratory. However, the laboratory pre-saturation procedure still presents some inconsistencies. The known conductivity of the added solution changes when mixed with the ions (mainly alkali hydroxides) still present in the concrete pores after the drying process (Hooton, Thomas and Stanish 2001). To overcome this problem, Streicher and Alexander (1995) suggested the use of a high conductivity solution, for example 5 M NaCl, to saturate the sample so that the change in conductivity from the ions remaining in the concrete is insignificant.

D-day :: essays research papers fc

D-day One of the most important days during World War II was D-day, it became a â€Å"day† so important it changed a continent. Don't be mistaken by the word D-day it did not all happens in just one day but many days. D-day was just a code name for the day that Operation Overload started. D-day is very well known for the beginning of the end of the war in Europe and Hitler's rule over most of the ruined continent of Europe. Many say that if it were not for D-day Europe would have definitely fell to Hitler.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are a few terms used when people talk about D-day. One of them is D-day, which is a military term used telling the unknown date in the future when an attack will be launched. It is most commonly used for the invasion of Normandy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second term not often herd but, still is used is H-hour. H-hour is the hour that D-day is supposed to start. H-hour for the three Normandy invasion sites were varied, because of weather, as much as eighty-five minutes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The third term used is Overload. Which was the code name for the entire Allied plot to invade and free France and Western Europe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fourth term used when talking about D-day is Neptune. Neptune stood for the first phase of Operation Overload. Which was the planning of the Normandy assault, the movement of the armada across the English Channel, and the battle for the beaches.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fifth term sometimes used when talking about D-day is The Atlantic Wall. The Atlantis Wall was the German’s first line of defense in the west, which was along the English Channel coast of France. The wall was only partly completed by June of 1944. It had many guns placed on it, beach obstacles, and mine fields. The part of the wall directly across from England and manned by Field Marshal Rammel's seventeenth and eighteenth armies containing thirty-seven divisions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another word people use when they talk about D-day is landing craft. There are six different types of landing craft used on D-day. The first type is LCVP, which stands for Landing Craft Vechile and Personal; it took thirty-two men ashore. The second type is LCA, which stands for Landing Craft Assault; it was and armored wooden craft, which delivered troops. The third type is LCI, which stands for Landing Craft Infantry; it carried one hundred fifty-eight small landing craft, which individually delivered two hundred troops.

Globalization & concept Essay

Globalization is a concept that has emerged over recent past that have gained a lot of attention from the global people. Globalization is not anew concept because it has developed over time due to the interaction of people from ti me to time. The definition of globalization takes new direction every time because of its usage and transcends all spheres of life (Oregon State 2008). According to Robertson (1992) socialist define it a the comprehension and intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole unit. It has been elevated by the fact that the world has become more interdependent than before as from 20th century. The term is loosely used to symbolize meaning of consciousness, receptiveness and understanding of cultures, appreciation of the world socio-economics and ecological aspects. The term global village emerged in early 1960s to mean a shrinking world which was popularized by the media. The media has also tried to emphasize on the global community concept. The subject of globalization has shaped its objectiveness and subjectiveness. The evolution of globalization has been triggered by events such as wars and conflicts, the emergence of third world countries, expansion of international and supra international corporations and organizations. This is also accelerated by the idea of global economy(Robertson 1992). Globalization cuts across all academic disciplines and have implications on morals and values of people in the world. This is a problem that has generated other terms as deglobalization and globalism. Deglobalization attempts to reduce the impact of globalization while the globalism used used negatively to mean one worldism and cosmopolitanism (Robertson 1992). According to Scott (1997) globalization is visible and powerful order that directs the former concern to the geopolitical stage. It can be measured across the globe by consumers taste identity and by its homogeneity of taste. In the context of global culture it is evident in the distribution of the product. Globalization can also be defined as the historical structures established by societies over time that has exponentially increased in the present time. This has been achieved through mobility of goods and services necessitated by infrastructural development. The idea is largely cordoned by the elites terming it inevitable but the masses view it as danger to traditional life, livelihoods and values (GPF 2008). Herman (1999) emphasize it as the active process extending beyond borders, cross border structural facilities and link of corporate organizations. He adds that it is an ideology that wants to surpass its resistance and uphold it as beneficial and unstoppable. The emergence of globalization has led to theories defining its relevance and importance to world inhabitants. This has been ans issue of international systems that make demarcation of countries l which systematically create and partition separated by economic and process factors. These form the basis of global events that bring a perspective of the world as a systematic entity. This is virtually so because of given set of societies that dictate world unity trends and systems. This is referred to the capitalistic advancement of nations like America to which is characterized by division of labour, political and military relations that accompany economic trends while religion and culture follows simultaneously (Robertson 1992). Instability in the domestic and foreign structures have caused the rise of globalization as seen by the growth of communication and cultural academies, rise of movements, organizations and special interest groups. Globalization has therefore grown through several stages such as universalism, natural sociologies, internationalism, indigenization and later globalization (Robertson 1992). In this context universalism refers to scientific provision to humanity of basic principles and laws where ideas human fraternity is adhered to. While national sociologies emphasized on the professional academies that held intellectual products with high esteem. This is followed by the concept of making all countries follow the systems through internationalism as depicted by the third world creation. This was fostered by the indigenization stage that made such countries to adapt to methods and systems. Thus globalization emerged as the interaction of nationalism and internationalism which is punctuated with problems and conflicts at different life stages. The causes and mechanism behind this are the ones driving up globalization (Robertson 1992). Global issues as refer to in the context of culture have varied significance and measures. First Soules (2002) define culture as knowledge, acts, beliefs, laws, customs and aspirations of inhabitants in different settings around the world. This is identical to certain group of people. However mass culture which appeals to world wide audience is generally referred to popular culture. Any change in the traditional values, norms and daily order raise eyebrows of which is considered deviation from the normal life. But as people move there is interaction of cultures that fuse and transform into new culture that is can be described as global culture (Soules 2002). Therefore, popular culture is symbolic of globalization because of its persuasive nature which cuts across all national cultures. The popular culture referred to here represents popularity of certain personality in areas of music industry. These include stars, products and infrastructure associated with it commonly described as global communication (Scott 1997). Although globalization affects politics it has not received much attention as popular culture but film industry has been discussed at international level whether to be associated with it. It is paramount to not that though politics has not extended beyond its national jurisdiction it is much important in the global culture. Politics is limited by its weak structures at international level than popular culture that is advanced by its network of transnational corporations (Scott 1997). However, global culture may not be a definite evidence that it exists across the world because of its dependence on time, space and distributional mechanisms. But it passes across all nations based on several factors such as global production and global distribution. Whereby global production is brought about by the presence of transnational corporations which control 70 percent of the entertainment industry such as Sony and Tristar Corporations. The global distribution of this popular culture products signify the extend by which it reaches world wide audience. Technological advancement such as use of television cinema and satellite communication media channels have made popular culture received to wide audience in the world (Scott 1997). However, global culture just like the popularity of English language has received its share of criticism. For instance the spread of world single culture as advocated by the entertainment industry does not necessarily mean that the audience practice the same. It can only lead to global multiculturalism where diverse culture can be integrated in order to appeal to popular audience. Although this may lead to cultural plurality but their merger could lead to the a synthesized global culture (Scott 1997). More so the availability of the product does not mean it used for the intended purpose. For example the Soviet Union abused it as such spreading capitalistic ideology of Americans. Most view popular culture as the Americanization of the world. Hence it cannot be received globally without struggle and negotiation through the political and national structures. Global culture also faces a couple of restrictions that is largely dependent on the institutional frameworks, policies of governments, and levels of operations. Institutional frameworks play crucial role in the supply and distribution regulatory structures, education, industrial and economic climate for its operation. Policies that regulate broadcasting, copyright rights and taxation or subsidies play a significant role in the advancement of popular culture (Scott 1997). Most governments do not have cultural policies but have several that indirectly implicate culture within their national jurisdiction. this reflects their priority is promoting culture in their own country. Therefore, global culture faces an uphill task to be accommodated institutionally and into the policies of the respective governments(Scott 1997). Herman (1999) states that globalization is an ideology that is perpetuated by corporate organizations for their own interest. This is seen in the deregulation of several government on its budget, entitlement and free trade.. it does affect the nationalistic protection of indigenous companies while allowing the entry of international multinationals. This ideology has significant impact on economic status of weaker countries. Although it yields economic benefits its impact of whole society is detrimental (Alston 1998). Globalization is argued as one that weakens democracy in several countries. This is a result that governments are forced to enact regulations that give due advantage to the business community. For instance international agreements signed like the4 North American Free Trade Agreement and European Monetary Union. This has been used under the disguise of democracy to weaken the country’s ability to fight for improved wage salary of its workforce. Instead they are supposed to cut labor costs in order to obtain investment from the corporations giving the business community an upper hand to make huge profits (Herman 1999). Through such agreement most countries have fallen victim of deteriorating welfare standards of its citizens. Countries with high cost of labor have lost foreign investment because of relocation to cheap labor countries. Labor movement have also been weakened as opposed to the democratic freedom given of bargaining. This has med policy makers to make business friendly policies at the expense of state welfare. This countries have also advanced restrictive legislation that has tight grip national budget so as to absorbing inflation shocks hence accelerating unemployment and underemployment (Herman 1999). The ideological campaigns advocated b y the business community has reduced government responsibility to support its public hence making its citizens vulnerable to the corporation demands. Also limited financial sources by the individual government have accelerated their dependence on global sponsors that devise policies more favorable to them. It far negates the ability of leaders to develop mechanisms that favor its masses (Tabb 2002). This is evident in the efforts advanced by IMF and World Bank together with media support. This organizations developed conditions that were supposed to be met before funds are released to the countries in need. For instance, IMF developed structural adjustment programs to third world countries outlining conditions such as lean government and privatization. The implications was loss of jobs, increased poverty, increased wealth gap between the rich nations and poor nations (Herman 1999). Globalization in its basic fact is the ideological concept of business elite that send strong signal to people that it cannot be brushed away easily and it is better. Although it has the benefit of increasing interest rates in the stock market and income, inequality rise is more across all countries. For example in the United States productivity rose by 35 percent while underemployment, job security, loss of benefit and lean production system increased in bigger margin (Herman 1999). CONCLUSION Globalization is a new concept that cuts across a all spheres of life such as culture, academic, political, economic and socially. In this paper i have discussed mainly how globalization influenced global culture and its implications. Global culture is defined as mass culture that appeals to world wide audience. It is particularly advanced by popular culture through different media channels. Globalization also touches political and economic aspects of several countries this has a direct effect on the democracy, economic status and welfare of its citizens. Globalization has beneficial impact on the government and citizens with varied margins. REFERNCE Alston, P, 1998, ‘Statement’, UN committee, Available at: http://www. globalpolicy. org/globaliz/define/unstate. htm Global policy forum, 2008, ‘globalization’,Global policy forum, Available at; http://www. globalpolicy. org/globaliz/index. htm Herman, E, S, 1999, ‘Treat globalization’, New politics, vol. 7, No. 2, Available at: Oregon State, 2008, Definition, Available at: oregonstate. edu/instruct/anth370/gloss. html Robertson, R, 1992, Globalization, SAGE, London. Scott, A, 1997, Global culture, Routledge, London. Soules, M, 2002, ‘Culture’, History, Available at: http://www. mala. bc. ca/~soules/media112/culture. htm Tabb, W, 1999, ‘Progressive globalism’, Monthly review, Available at: http://www. globalpolicy. org/globaliz/define/progglob. htm

Patriotism Is an Outdated Notion

To say that patriotism is outdated is to imply that the concept of nation is outdated. For me patriotism is a word, nothing more nothing less, when I feel patriotic I don't call it patriotism, I call it being human. It is perhaps our disguised patriotism that we fight today in the world, and it will be our disguised patriotism that will lead us into world destruction. Again like I said, patriotism is a word defined differently by diff people. Who define it the better way, I salute you and hats off to you, those who do it the wrong way, well I can't do nothing much about it. Patriotism is not something that should be on display only on the 15th of August and the 26th of January or when the country is facing a war. We need to be patriotic in our everyday life. We can be true patriots by becoming good citizens. Simple things like keeping your streets clean, following the traffic rules, refusing to bribe or be bribed. ll these go towards the construction of a better nation. This is patriotism for me – or at least, this is the patriotism that should be shown by a mature country. The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. † So in order for us to be free then patriots must exist because without patriots the tree of liberty will dry up, and wither away. Leaving us bare, alone and as slaves. Perhaps the people who said patriotism is an outdated concept, said it while thinking about a lot of different things, that you and I do not see when we read such stuff. In one sense they may be questioning the definition of patriotism as thought by many patriots. Be the change that you want to see in (India) the World. –MAHATMA GANDHIA man's feet must be planted in his country, but his eyes should survey the world. – George Santayana Let me end by saying, as Lord Byron said– He, who loves not his country, can love nothing.

Free Essays on The 1848 American Purchase Of Mexican Land

How Mexico Lost An Enormous Territory to the U.S. in 1848. Henry Polk was President of the U.S.A. from 1845, and was an imperialist. He wanted his country to expand by seizing Mexico's land. His goal was to try to make the States stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Polk first offered 30,000,000 dollars to Mexico for California and New Mexico, but they refused. As relation between the two continued to worsen, it was in fact true that The U.S. had no real legal claim to those territories, and there were only seven hundred Americans compared to the 75,000 Spanish- speaking people living in the California and New Mexico territory. The Amerindians, of whom had a population of 300,000 in 1821, diminished when the Mexican government sold the church lands, at which they lived and worked in, to ranch owners. Amerindians were required to work under exceedingly harsh conditions, and 60,000 had died. By 1870, the population of Amerindians was only 17,000. The decision for Mexico to sell its land resulted in a war by the U.S.A. against them- President Polk decided that war was the only way his country could acquire the land. The 19th century philosophy included the idea that war was a way of solving a dispute, and whoever won it would obviously acquire what they wanted. Troops were sent to the land between the Nueces and Rio Grande Rivers. General Taylor was ordered to protect the Grande River. When in 1846, Mexican troops attacked them, war had commenced. Though Mexico believed they would win easily, they were greatly wrong. The capturing of Mexico city by the U.S. made them the conquerors over their enemy. In consequence, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was made in 1848. Mexico was to give up California and New mexico for only 13,000,000. It was the Manifest destiny that had started the war. U.S.A. now had what it focused on territorially, and thus Manifest destiny had been fulfilled. ... Free Essays on The 1848 American Purchase Of Mexican Land Free Essays on The 1848 American Purchase Of Mexican Land How Mexico Lost An Enormous Territory to the U.S. in 1848. Henry Polk was President of the U.S.A. from 1845, and was an imperialist. He wanted his country to expand by seizing Mexico's land. His goal was to try to make the States stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Polk first offered 30,000,000 dollars to Mexico for California and New Mexico, but they refused. As relation between the two continued to worsen, it was in fact true that The U.S. had no real legal claim to those territories, and there were only seven hundred Americans compared to the 75,000 Spanish- speaking people living in the California and New Mexico territory. The Amerindians, of whom had a population of 300,000 in 1821, diminished when the Mexican government sold the church lands, at which they lived and worked in, to ranch owners. Amerindians were required to work under exceedingly harsh conditions, and 60,000 had died. By 1870, the population of Amerindians was only 17,000. The decision for Mexico to sell its land resulted in a war by the U.S.A. against them- President Polk decided that war was the only way his country could acquire the land. The 19th century philosophy included the idea that war was a way of solving a dispute, and whoever won it would obviously acquire what they wanted. Troops were sent to the land between the Nueces and Rio Grande Rivers. General Taylor was ordered to protect the Grande River. When in 1846, Mexican troops attacked them, war had commenced. Though Mexico believed they would win easily, they were greatly wrong. The capturing of Mexico city by the U.S. made them the conquerors over their enemy. In consequence, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was made in 1848. Mexico was to give up California and New mexico for only 13,000,000. It was the Manifest destiny that had started the war. U.S.A. now had what it focused on territorially, and thus Manifest destiny had been fulfilled. ...

Theoretical Orientations in Race, Class and Gender in Adult Learning

Theoretical Orientations in Race, Class and Gender in Adult Learning Introduction The adult education concept has become popular in the 21st century setting especially on the backdrop of increased importance in education. Adults who do not possess any formal learning experience have the chance to go through a specially designed curriculum that equips them with the literary skills necessary for communication and even employment.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Theoretical Orientations in Race, Class and Gender in Adult Learning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Departments of adult education are now considered a necessity as many authorities implement strategies to combat illiteracy. Like the normal education curriculum, adult education has its trends and theoretical orientations that seek to define its place and role in society. Throughout its development education has been plagued by issues such as race, gender and class. The education system has been characterized by offic ial segregation where learners from different racial backgrounds could not freely use the common education facilities. Sadly the trend is still noticeable today in some learning institutions that the media refers to â€Å"Historically or dominantly black or white. Class too has permeated the education system where some institutions are considered prestigious than others hence breeding such titles as â€Å"Ivy league† where learners thought to be from affluent backgrounds attend. Finally, gender issues also characterize education. Though not as prevalent in the US like in other part of the world, women have historically been disadvantaged in accessing education because of some deeply rooted traditions that fronted the idea that they are inferior to men. The above issues though not in the formal education proportions have found their way to adult education as well. Theoretical orientations Adult educators have identified an overwhelming need to address glaring inequalities thr ough fostering cultural diversity and inclusive approaches to adult education (Hayes Colin, 1994, p. 2). DAmico (2005, p. 49) refers to demographic data on adult learners in the second half of the 90’s decade that point to an explicit link between low literacy and low economic status among adult learners in the US.Advertising Looking for critical writing on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More She further says that the study pointed to a disproportionate representation of people of color in adult education programs. She further refers to the effect of race gender, race and class on the adult education especially sexual racial and sexual orientation that she cites as major influences when relating the adult learners’ prior and current experiences in learning. This therefore can be taken to be an acknowledgement of the existence of the trend that needs to be addressed. There is as a result of the a bove apparent phenomenon, an increase of literature that addresses race gender and class in adult education. These issues according to Hayes Colin reflect the existing prejudices brought by power, privilege and cultural orientation. These according to (Mostaghimi, 2006, p. 67) brings to the fore the theoretical orientations in the field of adult education. One of the dominant trends in adult education that has its roots in the formal education system is the theoretical proposition to create learning environments specifically for different classes of adult learners. This approach will include the strategies and approaches best suited for that particular group. The main question here is whether such separate approaches will effectively address the issues of gender, race and class in adult education. Some scholar support distinct approaches that are based on the above categories. However, Sheared et al (1993, p. 43) says that many advocates of adult education support the opinion that learning institutions should be restructured to accommodate all kinds of learners regardless. According to Sheared et al (1993, p. 45) this should be done in a manner that acknowledges the existence of differences among adult learners and how their intersection is critical in shaping adult learners thinking. Besides, there are major efforts to institute discussions and about race, gender and class within power relations and structures contexts on a larger scale. According to DAmico (2005, p. 33), there is rampant perpetuation of racism and sexism in the field of adult education. He further says that there are numerous racists, sexists and class related presumptions I adult education’s knowledge base. The presumptions have also permeated themselves in staff development, the field of graduate education and professionalization of the field of adult education.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Theoretical Orientations in Race, Class and Gender i n Adult Learning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Portrayal of different races, classes and gender in adult education literature is also a major theoretical orientation in the field. (Mostaghimi, 2006, p. 70) says that women, gays/lesbians and African Americans have been portrayed in a particular manner in adult education literature. The portrayal borders on the subtle stereotypes that are commonly associated with these groups of people. Additionally, (Mostaghimi, 2006, p. 72) says that there is an apparent deliberate lack of deserved attention on issues that deal with race, multiculturalism and gender in the adult education literature. Conclusion There are many perspectives through which theoretical orientations in class race and gender in adult learning can be looked at. However one thing is clear from the above analysis. There is an undeniable effect on the outcomes of adult education because of the current trends as dictated by the facto rs under discussion. In this era of globalization, further division of people along any lines in order to conform to their classes in the education system will be ill motivated. It’s therefore necessary for adult education scholars to devise programs that enhance integration and foster unity in a way that overlooks the perennial issues of race, gender and class in education. References DAmico, D. (2005). Race, Class, Gender, and Sexual Orientation in Adult Literacy: Power, Pedagogy, and Programs. NY: NCSALL. Hayes, E., and Colin, S. A. J. (1994). Confronting Racism and Sexism, New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, no. 61 (Spring 1994). Mostaghimi, L. I. (2006). Philosophical orientations of part-time faculty-practitioners in Adult Education. NY: Routledge.Advertising Looking for critical writing on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sheared, V. et al. (1993). African American Adult Education Research Proceedings: A Link for Community Development and Empowerment. University Park: Pennsylvania State University.

Rostrum, As Used in Marine Life

Rostrum, As Used in Marine Life The term rostrum is defined as an organism’s beak or a beak-like part. The term is used in reference to cetaceans, crustaceans and some fish.   The plural form of this word is rostra. Cetacean Rostrum In cetaceans, the rostrum is  the upper jaw or â€Å"snout† of the whale. According to the Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, the term  rostrum  also refers to the skull bones in the whale that provide support for the rostrum. Those are the forward (anterior) parts of the maxillary, premaxillary and vomerine bones. Essentially, it is made up of the bones we have between the bottom of our nose and our upper jaw, but the bones are much longer in cetaceans, especially baleen whales.   Rostrums look different in toothed whales (odontocetes) versus baleen whales (mysticetes). The toothed whales have a rostrum that is usually dorsally concave, while baleen whales have a rostrum that is ventrally concave.   More simply put, the top part of a toothed whales rostrum is shaped more like a crescent moon, while a baleen whales rostrum is shaped more like an arch. The differences in rostrum structure become pretty evident when viewing images of cetacean skulls, as is shown in the FAO identification guide here. The rostrum in a cetacean is a strong, relatively hard part of the anatomy. Dolphins can even use their rostra to   Crustacean Rostrum In a crustacean, the rostrum is the projection of the animals carapace that extends forward of the eyes. It projects from the cephalothorax, which is present in some crustaceans and is the head and thorax together, covered by a carapace. The rostrum is a hard, beak-like structure.   In a lobster, for example, the rostrum projects between the eyes. It looks like a nose, but it is not (lobster smell with their annentules, but thats another topic). Its function is thought to be simply to protect the lobsters eyes, especially when two lobsters have a conflict. The Lobster Rostrums Contribution to History In the 1630s, European warriors wore a lobster tail helmet that had overlapping plates hanging from the back to protect the neck and a nasal bar in the front, modeled after a lobsters rostrum.   Oddly enough, lobster rostrums have also been used as a cure for kidney stones and urinary diseases.   In shrimp, the rostrum is also known as the head spine, which is a hard projection between the animals eyes.   In barnacles (which are crustaceans but dont have visible eyes like lobsters do, the rostrum is one of the six shell plates that make up the animals exoskeleton. It is the plate located on the anterior end of the barnacle.   Fish Rostrum Some fish have body parts that are referred to as a rostrum. These include billfish such as sailfish (the long bill) and sawfish (the saw). Rostrum, As Used in a Sentence When the minke whale surfaces to breathe, its rostrum usually appears first, followed by the top of its head and its back.I needed to pass a kidney stone, so I roasted a lobsters rostrum and then mashed it up and dissolved it in wine. (Yes, this was purportedly a cure for kidney stones in the Middle Ages and Renaissance).   Sources American Cetacean Society. Cetacean Curriculum.Accessed October 30, 2015.Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Crustacean Glossary. Accessed October 30, 2015.Perrin, W.F., Wursig, B. and J.G.M. Thewissen. Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Academic Press.  p.1366.St. Lawrence Global Observatory. American Lobster - Characteristics.  Accessed October 30, 2015.The Lobster Conservancy. 2004. Lobster Biology.  Accessed October 30, 2015.University of Bristol. Crustacea.  Accessed October 30, 2015.

Wk5(22) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wk5(22) - Essay Example 168) until he can come to terms with what happened. One indication for this weakness is that he is more involved with alcoholism and feeling hopeless. A therapist would need to practice unconditional positive regard with him and set the intention that they would be able to relate to Patrick in a positive way. I would think it might be difficult for him to get into his deepest feelings and explore them--these feelings may be difficult for this approach which would also make this situation a weakness. One strength of using this approach may be that Patrick would need a counselor who was empathetic and not directive in their approach. This may be the way for him to start talking about his grief. Patrick would be allowed to discover what he needed as he progressed which could be both a strength and a weakness. As a strength, it may help him gain confidence in himself again. As a weakness, this could have him trying to figure things out a lot longer because he may feel so undirected. It is my opinion that Gestalt Therapy would be the best choice to use with Patrick. He is so far down in his feelings that he may need a redirection to something more pleasant. Patrick seems to be presenting a host of problems that are happening because of his experience in 9/11. He is not functioning at a place where he can self-regulate himself just yet and this would be an important goal of therapy for him. Patrick is currently living in the past. He may be drinking to stay in his bad memories or to try and forget; this would be something that needs to be explored. He could be experiencing PTSD and he has pulled away from other friends or potential friends because he does not want to get close again just to lose them. It is time for him to move into the present and put the past behind. I would begin by listening to him and asking questions. I would want to know why he is drinking and what it is doing for him. I would

Red Sorghum by Zhang Yimou Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Red Sorghum by Zhang Yimou - Essay Example 2. The cultural significance of femininity in China is highlighted in the article. The idea of the feminine becomes one that is in controversy because of the several clashing belief systems of the film. The Confucian ethics and Buddhist traditions first define the feminine of China in one specific way. This is combined with the class structure that is a part of the feminine, which is defined by the expectations of Chinese culture. The Chinese culture is defined first by the history and memory that defines the feminine into the yin and yang roles. The mythical elements are defined by this as well, which creates different feminine roles that are within the culture. After the traditional roles are defined, the movie moves into ideas of the feminine through the different belief systems in the culture. The movie specifically defines the idea of yin and yang as a part of the cosmic order, which is a part of the traditional roles and the feminine. The controversy is created with this by defining the clash of culture and how it changes between different memories, times and cultural meaning in China. The idea of the feminine, from a cultural context, is based on spiritual meanings that come from history and memory and which are passed down between different generations. In the movie, there is a conflict with the cultural significance of the feminine with the definitions of the feminine becoming controversial with the memories, history and social implications. 3. The idea of the Bakhtinian carnival is one that shows the basic needs of the community and culture. The carnival is represented as an idea of basic needs that humans have, including food, water and shelter. The carnival moves from this to a celebration of the basic human needs that are a part of life in China. The appearance of the carnival and the way that it relates to the culture is one that depicts the basic culture, expressions and acceptance that is a part of

International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

International Marketing - Essay Example It is one of the most powerful elements in international marketing. It is stated that advertisement though impersonal in character, could create profound influence in persuading prospects to become customers. It is true that advertisement carries only a message to the consumers and does not substantiate the consumers with any physical attributes. Nowadays, advertising is becoming exceedingly important in everyday life. The use of the Internet has augmented the importance of advertising as advertisements about a specific brand or product reach people easier. Many advertisements have deeper meanings than when seen at first sight especially in magazines where the main goal of the advertisement is to convey a message to the readers through the use of text or symbols. Central to much of modern day advertising in glossy magazines is the use of the metaphor. (Proctor et al, 2005). Metaphors are often used to broaden the way of understanding things. They also lead to a high level of ambiguit y in the metaphoric form.

Audience Reading Popular Cultural Text Research Paper

Audience Reading Popular Cultural Text - Research Paper Example The team is comprised of two Air Force officers, an archaeologist and an alien that joined them on one of their travels. The US Air Force coordinates their travels, and that of other teams, to make friends with 'people' of other planets, and to procure technology that will aid in the defence of Earth from the threat of the alien race, the Goa'uld, who are a parasitic species who take human bodies as hosts, set themselves up as gods, and enslave the people of the planets they invade. Earth's Stargate was found within Egyptian ruins, and it took the Air Force 50 years to work out how to use it, drawing on the knowledge of our best archaeologists, physicist and engineers. I will investigate an audience reading of this text by using a focus group. The aim of this paper is to present the results of an audience analysis of Stargate SG1. Firstly, I will present my own reading of the text. Secondly, my investigation method will be explained. Thirdly, I will provide the results of the focus group discussion in regards to humour; stereotypes; and the ideology of Stargate SG1. Fourthly, I will apply different theoretical approaches to the text in regards to the key themes. Fourthly, I will highlight the implications of this text. Finally I shall present a conclusion that will synthesise the main points of the paper, and makes recommendations for future audience analysis of the Stargate series. I will now present my own reading of the text. ... especially in the USA and other Western nations, such as defending ourselves, interactions with those who are 'other' than ourselves, and the moral dilemmas involved in intervening or not intervening when another group of 'people' are at war or oppressed on their own planets. The show is very reliant on hard science to provide explanations for how the Stargate works, as well as the workings of extra-terrestrial weaponry, healing devices, and other cultural artefacts. This provides a clear mediation of the text with our present knowledge in quantum physics and human psychology, making the show more believable as I am not disengaged from my viewing through incongruent information. The series also delves into spirituality, particularly Buddhism, to provide an overall meaning to the universe, and a purpose to the lives of all who dwell within it. I find this interesting and of value to myself as a viewer, as Buddhism is a philosophy that provides many answers to me in my life.Especially, the humour within the series is salient. One of the lead actors, and he is also one of the producers, being Richard Dean Anderson from the 1970s series Amcgyver. His flip attitude is particularly amusing, given his character's role as a colonel in the Air Force, I expected the stereotypical behaviour of discipline, restraint, and authoritarianism. I admire that the series attempts to break down stereotypes, as the physicist/engineer on the team is a woman, who spends her leave time working on her motorbike, and is an excellent lock-picker, although she remains feminine.The ideology of the series is 'respect for others, and what's potentially out there'. A primary mission of SG1 is to peacefully seek out other life-forms to establish diplomatic ties. This engages me to

How businesses comply with legislations regarding sales over the Essay

How businesses comply with legislations regarding sales over the internet - Essay Example E-Commerce is the new way of doing business in today’s world of the internet. It allows vendors to utilize several convenient channels in order to deliver products and any necessary information directly to the customer. It does this at a lower cost than the conventional methods. The benefit to the consumer is the obtention of numerous choices for purchasing goods and services without restrictions of time and space. This new way of buying and selling has not only had influence on the people’s way of living, but has also made them to adapt to novel behavioural methods in order to use such technology in their day to day life. However, several legal issues have arisen due to the lacuna in many of the existing legislations, which had not been drafted with the considerations of electronic transactions that deal the buying and the selling of intangible products via non-physical border networks (Kwok, Yang and Tam, 2004). Distance selling regulations are those that protect people who make purchases by phone, e – mail, internet or digital television. The protection offered to consumers is first, the right to obtain unambiguous information about available goods and services; secondly, written confirmation of such information; thirdly, provision of a seven working day period within which a consumer can rescind the contract and lastly, protection from credit card fraud (The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000, 31st August 2000). In addition, E – commerce Regulations make the EC Directive on E – commerce into UK law. This Directive requires Member States to guarantee that contracts can be completed electronically. On the 21st of August 2002 The Electronic Commerce Directive & The Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002, brought into UK law most of the provisions of the Electronic Commerce Directive 2000/31/EC (The

REFLECT THOUGHT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

REFLECT THOUGHT - Assignment Example The main difference in these regards is the understanding that in these regions, strength is a more valued quality than intelligence, as the majority of work is farm or manual labor. It’s clear that this difference could lead to relativism as one culture places higher value than another on intellectual forms of intelligence. Even as difference value is placed on these elements, it’s clear that the different values are different because they have specific viability in the culture, leading to support of relativism. 2. Psychological egoism claims that whatever we do, we do out of self-interest. Give an example of an act you think is not done out of self-interest, and explain how the psychological egoist might try to interpret that act as selfish. One of the major acts that are claimed to be done not out of self-interest is charity work. Everyone from celebrities to billionaires to everyday citizens has regularly involved themselves in charitable activity as a means of contributing to world culture and helping disenfranchised individuals. Even as these acts are performed out of charity, a psychological egoist may claim they are done out of self-interest. The egoist could potentially argue that in performing these acts the people are not doing it out of a selfless interest to help others, but actually as a means of making themselves feel better. Similarly, the egoist might argue that these people are participating in these charitable activities to make themselves look better in the eyes of their peers and the general public. The problem of prayer in school is a hot-button issue. In the hypothetical dilemma John wants prayer, while Mary does not. One of the potential compromises that could be reached for this situation is to allow prayer in school for those individuals that choose to pray. Still, prayer must not be an institutionally sponsored activity; for instance, teachers would not be able to institute prayer sessions. This scenario

How businesses comply with legislations regarding sales over the Essay

How businesses comply with legislations regarding sales over the internet - Essay Example E-Commerce is the new way of doing business in today’s world of the internet. It allows vendors to utilize several convenient channels in order to deliver products and any necessary information directly to the customer. It does this at a lower cost than the conventional methods. The benefit to the consumer is the obtention of numerous choices for purchasing goods and services without restrictions of time and space. This new way of buying and selling has not only had influence on the people’s way of living, but has also made them to adapt to novel behavioural methods in order to use such technology in their day to day life. However, several legal issues have arisen due to the lacuna in many of the existing legislations, which had not been drafted with the considerations of electronic transactions that deal the buying and the selling of intangible products via non-physical border networks (Kwok, Yang and Tam, 2004). Distance selling regulations are those that protect people who make purchases by phone, e – mail, internet or digital television. The protection offered to consumers is first, the right to obtain unambiguous information about available goods and services; secondly, written confirmation of such information; thirdly, provision of a seven working day period within which a consumer can rescind the contract and lastly, protection from credit card fraud (The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000, 31st August 2000). In addition, E – commerce Regulations make the EC Directive on E – commerce into UK law. This Directive requires Member States to guarantee that contracts can be completed electronically. On the 21st of August 2002 The Electronic Commerce Directive & The Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002, brought into UK law most of the provisions of the Electronic Commerce Directive 2000/31/EC (The

The Implementation Imperatives and Critical Success Factors of Enterprise Systems Essay Example for Free

The Implementation Imperatives and Critical Success Factors of Enterprise Systems Essay Ever since the appearance of enterprise systems (ESs) for businesses in the 1990s, the research of this promising, highly-integrating software package for business solutions has never stopped. The first objective of implementation of ESs are focused on large organizations, e. g. companies of Fortune 500, as small and medium enterprises (SME) are considered to inappropriate for lack of resources to introduce the systems. Yet with the saturation in the market almost every one of those large enterprises was equipped with ES, the target began to change to SME, as a result the corresponding research started to develop. The design of ES is aimed to upport, manage and integrate all the resources, activities, and information flows of organizations. By eliminating redundancy and constructing uniformity across all the functional areas, ES gives organizations a vision of improving efficiency and reducing costs simultaneously. The definition of an enterprise system by Piccoli is â€Å"a modular, integrated software application that spans (all) organizational functions and relies on one database at the core†. However, ES is a double-edged sword which all managers should carefully ponder before starting to utilize it. The covering scope of ES may cross a number of corporations or industries. The resulting costs and efforts for adjusting to the system before, during and after the implementation process are tremendous. Time devoted will last for years. Most importantly, the impact of the failure of ES to the company is disastrous. As Davenport (1998) illustrated, â€Å"the growing number of horror stories about failed or out-of-control projects should certainly give managers pause. † In fact, based on a survey conducted by a consulting organization of 236 companies in which 36 percent had or were in the process of implementing ES, 51 percent of those regarded ES implementation as unsuccessful. In other words, half of the companies failed in this decision. While the benefits of ES are praised by the service providers and those equipped and successful organizations, strategists should see through its glory and be aware of the underlying limitations and drawbacks. This paper gives a summary and synthesis of the present literature for implementation imperatives of enterprise systems; a discussion about critical success factors (CSF) is included. Through the present literature, a well-constructed overview for the implementation of enterprise systems will be introduced. Influence of Enterprise Systems With the advent of ESs, more and more companies began to invest their resources into the installation of ESs. However, before the determination of the investment, organizations should first notice the consequences of ES implementation, including its benefits and limitations. Benefits There have been a lot of research and literature discussing the benefits and their classification of enterprise systems (Piccoli, 2008; Leon, 2007; Shang and Seddon, 2002; Murphy and Simon, 2002; Remenyi et al. , 1993). Piccoli (2008) summarized four advantages of introducing enterprise systems, including efficiency, responsiveness, knowledge infusion and adaptability, wherein the efficiency refers to improved efficiency by saving direct and indirect cost; responsiveness is about improvement of an organization’s ability to respond to external requests; knowledge infusion refers to immediate access to state of the art and best practices in the industry which are embedded in the code of ESs; and adaptability refers to well-adjusted ability to design the best appropriate enterprise system according to different contexts of organizations. Leon (2007) stated that investment in enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems can be classified into tangible and intangible benefits. The tangible ones include costs reduction of inventory and inventory carrying, manpower and material, improved sales and customer service, and efficient financial management. The intangible ones include several perspectives on reducing duplicated data entry in accounting-related systems, greater control over product and process design based on product structure database, establishment of realistic schedules accessible to and commonly shared by everyone to improve production and materials management, generating accurate manufacturing and delivery report to provide a strong cornerstone to customer service, and complementary and enhanced advantages on management information system function. Shang and Seddon (2002) listed five dimensions in an enterprise system benefits framework, which include operational, managerial, strategic, IT infrastructure, and organizational, and each of them includes several subdimensions. As to operational benefit, there are cost reduction, cycle time reduction, productivity improvement, and customer service improvement; as to managerial benefit, ES offers the benefits of better resource management, improved decision making and planning, and performance improvement; regarding strategic benefit, ES helps in business growth, business alliance, business innovation, cost leadership establishment, product differentiation, and external linkage establishment; with respect to IT infrastructure, the benefits include establishment of flexibility, IT cost reduction, and enhancement of IT infrastructure capability; and about organizational benefit, it is demonstrated in changing work patterns, facilitating organizational learning, empowerment, and common vision establishment. Murphy and Simon (2002) categorized the benefits into several frameworks through comparison: tangible vs. uantitative, temporal, external vs. internal, hierarchical, and based on organization factors and technology infrastructure standardization. In addition, by adopting Remenyi et al. ’s (1993) theory of intangibility and quantifiability into Shang and Seddon’s benefits framework of five dimensions, Murphy and Simon rated the degree of intangibility and quantifiablility for each subdimensions, and therefore provided an index of profitability to the organizations according to each subdimension. Limitations In contrast to the abovementioned, the implementation of enterprise systems may also bring inevitable risks and limitations to the organizations. Piccoli (2008) considered that the critical issues of enterprise systems are trade-off between standardization and flexibility, the limitations of best practice software, the potential for strategic clash, and the high costs and risks in the implementation process. The trade-off is whether the organization should accept the standard version of the ES by taking advantage of a faster implementation process, predictable cost, and easier transition from the original version to an updated one. With respect to the promising characteristic of best practice of ES, it is impossible to have a universal design for every organization, and the best practice in one company may become an impediment to another. For strategic clash, it is about securing a competitive advantage of the organization from the implementation of the enterprise system, which may not cover original strength of the organization, and result in a loss of superiority against competitors after the implementation. As to high costs and risks, obviously, the implementation of a large-scale system is costly and risky. It needs a lot of time and money to adopt, adapt and maintain, and a single error within the system may affect overall operation of the organization. Leon (2007) pointed three basic issues that will induce risks for the implementation of ERP systems, which are people, process and technology. The main people issues include change management, which is to properly manage transformation brought by the implementation; internal staff dequacy, which is to have employees within the company that have sufficient skills to construct the system to prevent additional cost of hiring consultants; project team, which is to find the best-fitted people in the team as well as to prevent assigning the one who is only available at that time; training, which is to ensure employees have sufficient training in order to take full advantage of the system and to prevent occurrence of error; employee re-location and re-training, which is to deal with the change of position or new skill required for employees from the ES implementation; staffing, which is to deal with the transition phase between leaving of trained employees and entering of new ones during the implementation process; top management support, which is to gain full and sufficient resources to sustain the implementation; consultants, wh ich are the ones who may bring potential failure for the company if they are not familiar with its culture and needs; discipline, which is to make sure all the people in the company from management to subordinates follow the plan; and resistance to change, which is to educate employees to adapt to the system and make them willing to use it. For process risks, the main concerns are program management, which is the lack of program management in traditional ERP since all organizations require up-to-date information integrity and availability at the right time and in the right way, even though some of this information is included in ERP scope, the rest about program management is not; business process engineering, which stands for tremendous change to almost every aspect of the organizations. If there is no appropriate and careful response to these changes, an organization will break down. Stage transition, it is the responsibility and roles transition from person to person; and benefit realization, which is failure to realize promised benefit after constructing ES if the operational phase is not planned properly. For technology risks, there is software functionality, which stands for proper selection of functionality and features of enterprise systems since equipment of unnecessary features could become an impediment and failure to the organization; technological obsolescence, which stands for selection of technology that will not easily become out-of-date; application portfolio management, which is to consider saving the rest and available resources in the organization for possible future projects; and enhancement/upgrade, which is to consider closing a vendors service or stopping support of upgrading the system before signing the contract. Markus and Tanis (2000) stated there are three major factors for not adopting enterprise system, or partial adoption or discontinuance of ES. The first one is lack of feature-function fit between firm’s demands and the packages available in the marketplace. According to the type of industry and in concern with size and scale of operations of organizations, there may not be suitable off-the-shelf software for them. The second one is a set of reasons including Company growth, strategic flexibility, and decentralized decision-making style. Those organizations which have their own unique growth rate and strategy may not be appropriate to incorporate normal enterprise systems. Additionally, the spirit of ES is to integrate the processes and centralize the decision-making of organizations, it will conflict with the style of decentralized decision-making and weaken the strength of these organizations. The third one is availability of alternatives for increasing the level of systems integration. For instance, data warehousing and re-architecting systems with middleware are alternatives for ES, both can reach an extent of integration without sacrificing as much limitations as ES has. In addition to the abovementioned factors, Markus and Tanis (2000) also pointed out other factors including cost, competitive advantage and resistance to change. From the above literature, we can find that each of them has its own emphasis on different perspectives. In terms of benefits, Piccoli (2008) listed four major advantages; he did not itemize all the related entries or functions. Instead, he stated four elementary and common results of implementing ES to synthesize all the details. Compared to Leon (2007) and Shang and Seddon (2002), although it looks shorted and simplified, Piccoli (2008) provided a clear overview for the readers to realize in first sight what effect ES will bring to the organization by four single-worded headings which are easily understandable for those who do not have professional knowledge in this field. Leon (2007) and Shang and Seddon (2002), on the other hand, provided a relatively precise classification of ES benefits. Leon (2007) categorized them based on tangibility and intangibility, that is, whether or not it is directly related to financial perspective. Nevertheless, he pointed out that intangible benefits can still be uantified in terms of cost savings. Generally, Leon (2007) stressed the perspective of cost. Shang and Seddon (2002) organized a sound framework which includes overall discussion of ES impact to the organizations from perspectives of human resources and elementary operational function to business strategy, infrastructure and vision. Even though classifications of the benefits in both of them may not be as readily interpretable as those in Piccoli (2008), they provided detailed, complete and in-depth analysis which may be useful as a reference for IT professionals. With regard to Murphy and Simon’s (2002) work, they combine two studies, Remenyi et al. s (1993) theory of intangibility and quantifiability and Shang and Seddon’s (2002) benefits framework, to create a further application for the management for evaluation and reference of profitability. In this respect, they came up with an evaluation chart for the management to examine through each subdimension and know which one plays an influential role in their organizational profitability based on marked scales of intangibility and quantifiability. In terms of limitations, Piccoli (2008) pointed out four basic points of implementing ES. He introduced a macroview impact to organization when running implementation, and a general consideration that the managers need to contemplate. Leon (2007), on the other hand, divided the risks induced by ES implementation into three categories and elaborated each of them in detail. Leon’s (2007) work analyzed the risks into three components that are an necessity to and composition of an organization. By emphasizing those risks, he gave a different point of view on where the limitations would happen. For example, in concerns of people risks, he mentioned that without top management support, the project cannot obtain sufficient resources to run ES implementation smoothly. It reversely pointed out that the implementation of the enterprise system is costly and risky. All the available resources have to be devoted accordingly. Markus and Tanis (2000), from another aspect, gave reasons for not, partial or stop adopting enterprise system. They especially indicated that even though organizations choose not to, or are unavailable to, incorporate ES, there are still some other options for them on the market by accepting certain defects and embracing benefits that traditional ES cannot have. Although each of them focused on a distinct aspect, there are still some consistencies among all the advantages and constraints of ES implementation. For example, it is good at cost savings, process integration and service improvement, yet with high risk and complexity in determination and selection, tremendous influence to organizations, and huge cost in implementation. These criteria show that the enterprise system is not an elixir to all the problems, one who does not examine its requirements carefully before deciding to take it will definitely undergo inevitable and unbearable loss and failure.

Business Essays Sustainability Business Corporate

Business Essays Sustainability Business Corporate Sustainability Business Corporate Executive summary Nowadays, the idea of sustainability has gained wider recognition by most corporates. And business operations are conducted mostly under the guidance of it, that is, satisfying our own needs without diminishing the chances of future generations. There is no denying that the term sustainability poses new challenges for business activities. Actually, any corporate expecting for long-term benefits must be responsible for environment and ecosystems and function in a ethical way. In the new sustainable era, more and more corporates have realized the importance of environmental policies and practices towards sustainability, expecting to reduce their footprints on environment. In order to better understand corporates sustainable development, the report will choose Nestle and Coca-Cola as study objects, both of which are famous food and beverage enterprises in the same industry. Through appropriate analysis and comparation in terms of their environmental policies and non-financial practices, the report is intent to achieve some conclusions summarizing their overall differences in the way they approach sustainability issues and provide certain kind of recommodations to improve their future sustainability performance. Introduction Business sustainability is a pro-active approach to ensure business long-term viability and integrity by optimizing resources, reducing environmental impacts while not compromising product quality, competitiveness and profitability. With the rapid development of business economy, environmental concerns have become of paramount urgency for all corporates, who are responsible a great deal for environmental problems. Quite simply, there are still many business having not taken ethics and social responsibility into consideration, thus destroying environment and their long-term benefits. Therefore, one of the greatest challenges today is to advocate sustainable forms of business and encourage all business assume social responsibility consciously. (Barry, N. P. 2000) Fortunately, when environmental crisis begin to affect business activities, when unethical behavirors begin to bring about side effects to business development, more and more corporates have realized the necessity to perform in a sustainable and ethical way, not only for its stakeholders but also for whole society, as well as for a sound future development space. And a series of polices and practices have been applied by corporates to thoroughly commit to doing more for society. Even though, it is not uncommon to see some corporates sacrificing potential of future generations , only to meet their present needs. Exactly, beyond meeting needs of customers and shareholders, corporates should function according to requirements of societal responsibility. Besides, business should acknowledge its societal role and can lead sustainability for both itself and society. Firstly, the report will review Nestle and Coca-Colas distinct environmental and ethical policies. Secondly, the report will analyze and compare the two corporates different sustainability practices. Then select another topicwaste disposal issues to futher discuss their special attention on corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. In the discussion, academic concepts, frameworks, industry standards will be used to support the views. Lastly, the report will give some suggestions and recommendations to Nestle and Coca-colas next-step sustainable development. Discussion and Analysis (1) Environmental and ethical policies Generally speaking, corporate environmental policies arise from urgent need of environment protection and improvement in social responsibility sense. Recently, most corporates have come to realize the importance of environmental and ethical issues in sustainable development. (Donaldson, T, Werhane, P.H. and Cording, M, 2002) Nestle and Coca-cola are two worldwide famous beverage corporates in food and agriculture industry. Though both of them set sustainability as one of development goals, either of them has distinct environmental policies. As the worlds largest food and beverage manufacturer, Nestle published Nestle Policy on the Environment in 1991 to state its long-lasting commitment on environmental issues for sound business practices. In business activies, Nestle complies with environmental businesss and regulations, participates in legislative and regulatory discussions, and fosters rational environmental businesss. On the basis of applicable legislation, Nestles internal rules are applied for the purpose of reducing environmental footprints and costs, for example, reduced energy consumption, fewer greenhouse gas emission and less water usage. To sum it up, basic principles in Nestle are in favor of long-term development commitments over short-term profits; respecting of diverse cultures; management based on ethical values and information recognition of consumers brand preferences and products requirements. And strict auditing and assurance standards are available to ensure ethical policies smooth application, with Corporate Business Principles, certified standards of ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and ISO 22000. For competitive advantages, policy priorities have been given to environmental issues concerning natural resources preserve ,waste minimisation and recovery. In a word, Nestles sustainability policies designs are environmental and sustainable ,which are fit for all its business activities, ranging from research and development, supply chain, information, communication and training. Chart one: Nestles environmental performance indicators in Latin America As for Coca-cola enterprise(CCE), the worlds largest marketer, producer and distributor Coca-cola products, in 2007, CCE formally established CRS as a pillar of Global Operating Framework, intergrating it into everyday business operations. And this framework outlines srategic priorities to guide vision achievement. Besides, CCE also sticks to external standards, such as 10 priciples of the United Nations Global Compact, international management systems standards for quality (ISO 9001), environment (ISO 14001), and health and safety (OHSAS 18001). (Environmental Sustainabilty Index.2001) Its ultimate objective is to achieved full certiication of quality, environment, health, and safety by the end of 2010. Meanwhile, in July 2008, it published its third company-wide Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CRS) Report, announcing commitments in water stewardship, sustainable packaging/recycling, energy conservation, product portfolio/well-being, and diverse and inclusive culture. Water, solid waste and packaging, and energy are its environmental priorities. In order to better implement environmental policies, CCE also cooperates with suppliers, customers, consumers, community leaders and employees widely. And Environmental Management System (EMS) has been implemented and maintained to fulfill environmental commitment. Other than adhereing to applicable local environmental businesss and regulations, CCE environmental policies put emphasis on establishing objectives to measure environmental impacts, pollution prevention, and efficient use of resources. Furthermore, environmental projects and initiatives with local communities have been consolidated as one of the sustainable development policies. (2) Non-financial reporting practices Environmental protection is an integral part of business strategy. (Esty, Daniel C., Marc Levy, Tanja Srebotnjak, and Alexander de Sherbinin.2005)To fullfill its commitiments, Nestle firstly integrates environmental principles and policies across whole business. Then Nestle Environmental Management System has been applied for continuous improvement of environmental performance. Compared with ten years ago, in 2007, Nestle reduced direct greenhouse gas emissions by 16% and overall water withdrawal by 28% and invested about 100 million in environment-related industries and 170 million in new sustainable production facilities. Secondly, a great number of water conservation methods and water treatment plants have been implemented. And top priorities have been given to water consumption toreduce the amount of water used per kilo of food and beverage, because maintaining good water quality is vital to business interests. Thirdly, along its life cycle, Nestle aims to source sustainableraw materials, reduce energy consumption and minimise air emissions. Its sustainableproduct life cycleensures eco-efficiency, especially in by-products and waste management. For example, innovative packaging materials such as Plantic a biodegradable alternative to plastic , have been developed to reduce volum of packaging material used in bottled water. In additon, Nestle provides thousands of farmers with free technical assistance and infrastructure for greater yields of higher quality crops with fewer resources. About half of factories in rural third world have a profound impact on family income and life quality. Supply of safe raw materials and better end products is undoubtedly to gain consumers credit and preference. Brand value forms. Anyway, Nestle helps numbers of consumers for easy access to a safe, healthy and enjoyable diet through a sustainable way to eliminate dangerous trends and is committed to environmentally business practices. Sustainability is central to Nestle strategies and corporate social responsibility is reflected perfectly, added up with vested interests of shareholders. Nestles stainable environmental practices and shared values benefit not only its shareholders but also society. When it comes to non-financial practices in Coca-cola Enterprise(CCE), firstly, around CRS efforts, stakeholder engagement is strengthened to help ascertain key targets and chanllenges. It is stakeholders that urge us to pay special attention to sustainability issues. Customers expect CCE to manage social and environmental matters. Through collaborating with suppliers, CCE develops technology to reduce environmental impacts in supply chain, while at the same time persuades them to perform in responsible practices. Employees are educated for CRS goals. In addition, faculty,specialists and students in universities are involved to deepen sustainability considerations in theory. Secondly, good governance is fundenmental to make sustainable development come true. Corporate responsibility and sustainability committee is an organization responsible for significant social, ethical, and environmental concerns. Confronted with sustainability chanllenges, policymakers are sensitive to changes and new development area. For example, durning 2007,CCE chaired British Food Industry Sustainability Strategy Champions Groups on Water, which gave suggestions for Sustainable Food and Farming strategies. And Social, ethical, and environmental risks can be managed and evaluated in time. Thirdly, in the fields where business has greatest impacts, to minimize environmental footprint is stressed. In view of finite water resource, it is necessary to protect water source, watersheds and to improve water efficiency. By 2001,CCE will reduce plant water usage ratio by 10%. Beverage packaging consisted of alunimum, glass and PET is reduced and recycled to realize sustainability. In munufacturing, fleet, sales, marketing facilities, CCE makes endeavors to reduce carbon emmisions, improve energy efficiency and explore renewable energy , such as electricity and natural gas. Last but not least, a highly talented and diverse workforce is essential to sustainable development. A variety of training and earning opportunities and programs are provided to develop employees sustainable performance skills. Besides, healthy lifestyles, fair workplace, and appropriate rewarding are available here. (3)Waste issues For a long time, Nestle has worked with FareShare community food network and Ron Hulla waste managementcompany and FareShare1st has been created to dispose of surplus foodin a environmentally friendly way, through which remaining waste is reused or recycled for good quality food redistribution. As for CCEs wastewater , disposal process is operating according to applicable businesss and regulations. In 2007,CCE discharged 20 gigaliters of wastewater into municipal treatment plant. When municipal treatment facilities are not available, internal on-site treatment systems function under guidance of stringent wastewater standards. Just as Cola describes, 98% of solid wastes source from bottling process. Production waste includes empty ingredient containers, secondary packaging, film, glass, plastic, etc. Statistics show that in 2004, 76% of solid waste were recycled and reused, compared with 74% in 2003. Improved solid waste ratio and improved recycling ability suggest that various recycling programs have been applied to reduce waste. For example, Latin A mercians first PET recycling plant operated in 2005, with 25000 tons of PET recycling ability. In all, apart from economic profits, both of them work to conserve natural resources and protect environment through appropriate strategies concerning waste issues. As for manufacturing waste in bottling plants, raw materials reduction, solid waste minimization, and recycling increasement are best chioces. As for packaging waste in the marketplace, waste collection, recycling and recovery mechanism has been established to deal with them generated in production. Conclusion In conclusion, Nestle and Coca-cola are in the same food and beverage manufacture industry, although both of them begin to put sustainability development on the agenda, and plan to reduce production impacts on environment, their attitudes towards dealing with sustainability issues are different from each other. On a large scale, the reasons why differences appear lie in their distinguished customers and target groups. When Nestle coffee aims to create a kind of comfortable mood for those who want to taste, Coca-cola plans to satisfy almost all peoples basic needs for Coca. After all, as a f oreign beverage, coffee is not likely to adapt to domestic tastes. In this sense, different consumer groups determine different business policies, including choices in environmental policies. In the vision of sustainable development, Nestle sees it a comprenhensive concept, and defines it as the process of increasing access to higher quality products, while contributing to long-term economic and social development for not only recent generation but also future generations. A healthy profit is no longer at the expense of long-term business development. In Coca-cola, on the other hand, commitment to good citizenship is part of its business practices. And sustainable growth depends on the success in areas of profit, planet, people, partners and protfolio, of which being a responsible citizen makes a difference. In the way how to perform sustainable practices and business strategies, there is a framework for Creating Shared Value in Nestle , which embraces societal value and Nestls shareholder value. While Coca-cola provides a citizenship framework to guide its business in areas of marketplace, workplace, environment and community.( Whetten et al. 2002) In focus of sustainability chanllenges, water, health and wellness, and HIV/AIDS in Africa demand Coca-cola heightest attention. While Nestle believes nutrition, health and wellness as key issues, added up with human rights,sustainable production and community support. (Friedman M. 1970) Certainly, both of them give special attention to water usage. In the field of environmental management, in 1996 Nestle Environmental Management Syste (NEMS) was created and implemented throughout whole company to manage all environmental activities with good results. And Coca-cola follows The Coca-Cola Management System (TCCMS) externally benchmarked against ISO 14001, whose environment portion is called eKOsystem. The function of this system ensures environmental concerns are incorporated into everyday performances for efficiency improvement and costs reduction. Hence, Nestle and Coca-colas successful business tells the inspiring experience of their efforts towards limited growth, reduced environmental impacts and support of social and ecological goals positively. As a result of different brands and products, there indeed exists a great many differences between Nestle and Coca-cola in concrete environmental practices. As long as they are fit for their sustainable policies and business strategies, it is no necessity to assess wether their practices are good or not. Recommendations However, in some developing countries, Nestles business practices have been controversial and thought as unethical, in particular baby formula marketing, which led to widespread boycott since the 1970s. The boycott could be attributed to 1.5 million babies death each year on account of contaminated water mixed with milk. And the same thing is not uncommon in Coca-cola. In 2003, its soft drink was found by Centre for Science and Environment to have 30 times the permitted amount of pesticide residues. In India, Coca-Cola has also been accused of excessive water usage. Nutritionists even argue excessive consumption of soft drinks is harmful to young children because they have a lower intake of calcium, magnesium, ascorbic acid, and vitamin. Although Coca-cola has responded that its products meet minimum health standards and are strictly tested to remove potential contaminants before distribution, criticism or controversy ultimately result to sales decline to some extent. The year 2003 witnessed Nestles transgenic storm, which explained its indifference of public health safety and lack of basic social responsibility. In 2005, Nestles excessive-iodine incident marked its failure in public relations crisis, because the case took place after colloboration with Coca-cola, it would reduce confidence of dealers and consumers towards their co-production of liquid coffee. It is obvious that both Nestle and Coca-cola has not fully perform in accordance with sustainable principles. As for corporates in pursuit of profits, accecptance of environmental protection sense and sustainability idea is no easy task. (Werhane, P. H. and Freeman, R. E. 1999) Above all, in future development process, for sustained competitive advantages, their attentions should also be addressed on sustainability performance improvement. It is of great necessity for both corporates to make efforts to improve environmental performance facing up with emerging environmental challenges. The followings are recommodations for both corporates concerning future sustainability development. For one thing, needless to say, sustainability is still a basic principle, in other words, all business activities should aim to minimise negative effects on environment and keep a balance between economic interests and social and environmental concerns. For another, along supply chain of raw materials sourcing, manufacturing , packaging, distribution, marketing , to meet environmental commitment should always be kept in mind. For example, they should encourages suppliers to adopt most efficient and appropriate packaging materials to satisfy consumer requirements without jeopardising products quality. Whats more, sustainability and environmental management system (EMS) must be implemented and strengthened throughout entire business operation to ensure effectiveness of environmental policies and programmes, and to achieve compatibility with international environmental management standards, such as ISO 14001, the European Union Eco-Management and Audit,etc. In the future, their attention should be paid on environmental management structure enhancement, key sustainability activities measurement, ongoing performance reports, manage and forecast, and reliable environmental information communication. Besides, practical, aspirational environmental goals must be established annually. In addition, responsible leadership is inevitable to coordinate economic, social, and environmental goals,which means integrating ethical considerations into decision-making process . From the perspective of good governance , enterprise risk management (ERM) approach should be intergrated for a scientific sustainability-oriented decision-making process. Then, a skilled and responsible workforce is vital to realize sustainable objectives. Only if employees perform to their full potential, it is possible to attain superior development and future sustainable growth. Training and education should be provided for them to adjust to new sustainable expectations. And a safe fair workplace where they are respected and valued is another way for a empowered, well-trained and professionally team. Besides, in brands collaboration, in order to avoid similar incidents(Nestles unethical behviors bring disaster to Cola) , brand values and performance research before cooperation is i ndispensable. Finally, to be successful, both Nestle and Coca-cola must understand clearly stakeholders concerns. In CSR efforts, stakeholder engagement and coorporation mechanism should be strengthened, including suppliers, employees, NGOs, consumers, customers, investers, governments and local communities. Through engagement , valuable feedback can be received to help us better understand their requirements and how we can perform. For example, most consumers prefer to environmental healthy products. And through collaboration with suppliers, corporations can ensure them understand sustainable development expectations and engage them into environmental performances in supply chain.

Queers :: essays research papers

In this age of liberation and relative morality it is no surprise that homosexuals have tried very hard to gain ground in the way of civil rights. Homosexuals say they want equal rights, and they want homosexual-marriages to be legalized. However, what they are asking for is not reasonable. They are humans; and therefore they already have the same rights as every other human living in America. What homosexuals want are special privileges and the acceptance of homosexuality as a natural alternative lifestyle, second, marriage is already clearly defined, and third because homosexuals already have the same rights, they want special privileges, and since homosexuality is not an innate quality they don’t deserve them. People who have been misinformed about what the homosexual agenda is think that homosexual marriage is natural and that it should be legalized. I however, am opposed to this because homosexuality is not a natural alternative lifestyle. First let’s define homose xuality. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, homosexuality is â€Å"having a sexual orientation to persons of the same sex.† Men and women are obviously biologically different. â€Å"People of the same sex having intercourse goes against what is biologically natural† (Baird 114). Part of the homosexual agenda is to make people believe that homosexuals are the same as heterosexuals when it comes to engaging in sexual behavior. This is absolutely not true. In Michelangelo Signorile’s book Cassel’s Rawlings 2 Queer Companion, a dictionary of lesbian and gay life and culture, he describes some of the sexual activities that homosexuals practice. These includes â€Å"fisting, when one partner shoves his whole hand up the anus of the other partner† (Signorile 96). In the essay Homosexual Rights: What’s Wrong, written by Brad Hayton and John Eldrege, they stated that â€Å"The U.S. taxpayer-funded Mapplethorpe photos. . . portraying typi cal homosexual behavior: fisting, urinating into anothers mouth, and andomasochism. The average homosexual has 10-106 different partners per year--300-500 in a life time† (Hayton 2). How can this be compared to heterosexual intercourse? How is this natural? It isn’t; this type of sexual behavior- even if it were practiced by heterosexuals- cannot be considered natural, in fact there are many states that have anti-sodomy laws though not enforced. As part of their agenda homosexuals not only want these things to be accepted and protected by the government, they also want them to be taught in public school as part of the sex education curriculum.

Legend Of Love :: essays research papers

Approximately 500 versions of the Cinderella story are in circulation, making it one of the most famous tales in the world. The plot in this timeless classic has been used as a model for writers for countless generations. Whether in print or on film, Cinderella is an inspirational story. It allows young girls to fantasize being swept off their feet by a sweet, handsome prince, marry and "live happily ever after." For over hundreds of years the story has been refined and reworked, whether as the French "Cendrillon" or as the Brothers Grimm's "Cinderella." Though each tale is revised in different ways, the plot remains a common ground between them. The most recent version is, Ever After: A Cinderella Story, a film by Andy Tennant. This version has a realistic element, which is told to "set the record straight." Like many great love stories before, Ever After: A Cinderella Story, has plenty of conflict between good and evil, right and wrong, and the charming versus the wicked. These conflicts are portrayed through the correlation between each character, and the relationship between the protagonists and the antagonists. The Protagonists Grand Dame Grand Dame is the narrator who is setting the record straight. She is also the Great-Great-Granddaughter of Danielle/Cinderella. While the Brothers Grimm has their version of the Cinderella story, the Grand Dame knows the truth. She summons the Brothers Grimm and explains her family's history as she knows it. As the narrator, her character is a mediator, stepping in when the conflict is elevated. Danielle When she was eight, Danielle's father unexpectedly died. Left with her new stepmother, Rodmilla, Danielle is forced to be a servant to the household. Her strongest link to her father is the book, Utopia that he gave her the night before he died. An intriguing mix of tomboyish athleticism and physical beauty, she has enough charm to capture the heart of a prince. This spirited "Cinderella" is certainly no victim; against all odds, she stands up against a forceful and scheming stepmother. While Danielle does own a gorgeous pair of glass slippers, the words "magic pumpkin" are not in her vocabulary. Prince Henry Prince Henry has a secret. He doesn't want to be King of France. The prince finds peace in running away from the castle to escape from his obligations, including an arranged marriage to the princess of Spain. Prince Henry doesn't recognize his potential until Danielle enters the picture and shows