Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Homosexuality A Platonic Relationship - 1553 Words

One of the biggest debates when it comes to Shakespeare is if homosexuality is present in his works or not. This debate only began in recent decades when the term â€Å"homosexuality† was not seen as completely taboo. Many scholars debate that the â€Å"platonic† relationships between men were really participating in homosexual relationships, which were covered in many layers of English Renaissance language. These scholars also argue that women during this time were used for two reasons: 1) to cover up said homosexual relationships and 2) reproduction. Women were used for men’s personal gain. Women were considered manipulative and destructive. On the other hand, some scholars argue that these men were not in homosexual relationships with one another and really considered each other a brother. But really, it all boils down to which play/sonnet. In some cases, there are homosexual relationships shown and in others it is merely a platonic relationship. It all depend s on the story that is being portrayed. Theatre of the Renaissance consisted mainly of men – including the parts that were supposed to be portrayed by women. This created an inherently homoerotic environment that was widely accepted. Men had no problem dressing in women’s clothing, putting on make up, and acting as a woman during a play. In Thomas L. Martin and Duke Pesta’s article, â€Å"Redressing Cross-Dressed Shakespeare† they note that, â€Å"In this theater the attraction of men to beautiful boys—whether those men be on the stageShow MoreRelatedHow William Shakespeare And Carol Ann Duffys Subverting The Gender Roles Of Gender And Feminism1430 Words   |  6 Pageslove with the use of both philia (platonic love) and eros (sexual desire) in â€Å"From Mrs Tiresias† (â€Å"At first I tried to be kind† and â€Å"the slow caress of her hand on the back of my neck†). We see this in the two ‘lesbian’ relationships, the one between Mrs Tiresias and the fo rmer Mr Tiresias (strictly platonic, because of Mr Tiresias’ abhorrence of the conceptualisation of having any kind of non-heteronormative relationship) and the subsequent lesbian relationship between Mrs Tiresias and her â€Å"lover†Read MorePlatonic Love In Platos Symposium1415 Words   |  6 Pagesvaries in each narrative. Yet, in this dialogue of love, Plato presents a metaphysical approach to understanding the ambiguous meaning of love. Ultimately, Plato values the perennial quest for knowledge above all else. In Symposium, Platonic love is exhibited in the relationship between virtue and desire, as expressed in Diotima’s ladder. Desire is the vehicle, or the means to an end. The six Athenians ultimately present different ends in regards to the meaning of love. In Diotima’s ladder, these endsRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Poetry Of Sonnets1693 Words   |  7 Pagesgender both as a concrete and a metaphysical concept complicate this if the sonnets a re read as a single narrative. Furthermore, the ‘Fair Youth’ sonnets frequently blur the difference between platonic, homosocial (thus patriarchal) love, and eros — passionate, ‘romantic’ love. As Cady (1992) claims, homosexuality within the Renaissance period was a â€Å"relatively new historical ‘invention’† coded under the name of ‘masculus amor’ or ‘masculine love’ (p.3, 12). As a result, if the love between the speakerRead MoreAttraction, Gender Roles, and Homosexuality: an Analysis of Brokeback Mountain1306 Words   |  6 PagesAttraction, Gender Roles, and Homosexuality: An Analysis of Brokeback Mountain Professor Frattaroli P118D: Winter 2011 Introduction In this paper, I will identify examples from the film Brokeback Mountain that exemplify concepts of human sexuality – specifically, attraction; gender roles and socialization; and sexual orientation – in attempts to discuss the accurate portrayal of the concept within the scene, in concordanceRead MoreMain Theme Of Giovannis Room1219 Words   |  5 Pagesopinions. In Giovanni’s Room, the material sheds light on social adversity and alienation regarding homosexuality and race. The primary theme of Giovanni’s Room is homosexuality and the psychology behind the protagonist’s experience, the perception of society, and the spectrum of shame. David, the character of focus, becomes intimately enmeshed with a boy named Joey. Their commencing relationship was platonic; however, during an arbitrary night, the two boys kissed and shared a love that was â€Å"the act ofRead MoreFilm Analysis Of Strawberry And Chocolate1327 Words   |  6 Pagesand Juan Carlos Tabà ­o’s Strawberry and Chocolate is an internationally co-produced film by Cuba, Mexico, United States and Spain. The story takes place in Havana, Cuba in 1979 where David and Diego found one another and then developed a unique relationship. They are very different individuals because David is a young heterosexual Communist, and Diego, on the other hand, is a homosexual man struggling with sexual and cultural repression in the 70’s Cuba. The film uses a funny and casual way to te llRead MoreA Biblical Look At Marriage Essay1323 Words   |  6 Pagesdivorce, but not for the well-being or economic status of the wife. Only the Old Testament allowed for her re-marriage or return to her family (Deuteronomy 24. 1-4). Most world religions treat the woman as a slave to the husband in the marriage relationship; in Christianity and Judaism this is not the case. The writer goes on to say that â€Å"the Bible and Jesus†¦neither explicitly defines marriage as between one man and one woman.† Jesus says in Matthew 19.5 â€Å"And said, For this cause shall a man leaveRead MoreWhat Can t Be Changed During The 1900 S1349 Words   |  6 Pagesthought to be a disease. There they underwent shock therapy, one of the many methods used in conversion therapy. In 1920 Sigmund Freud began the practice of changing a person s sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. In the beginning homosexuality was also deemed as â€Å" a negative human characteristic caused by immaturity, pathology and family dynamic† (Scoolaid.net). Soon its popularity had scientists such as Eugen Steinach, Sandor Ferenczi as well as his daughter Anna Freud partake in theRead MoreThe Therapy Is Ineffective Or Unethical?1342 Words   |  6 Pagesbelieved to be a disease. There they underwent shock therapy, one of the many methods used in conversion therap y. In 1920, Sigmund Freud began the practice of changing a person s sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual. In the beginning homosexuality was also deemed as â€Å" a negative human characteristic caused by immaturity, pathology and family dynamic† (McCormick 171). Soon its popularity had scientists such as Eugen Steinach, Sandor Ferenczi as well as his daughter Anna Freud partook in theRead MoreThe Perks Of Being A Wallflower1390 Words   |  6 Pagesmore drastically, without ever having lived. The provider of basic drama Charlie, aunt, he looked up to and loved dearly, is a symbol of loyalty to death; those like you will inevitably betray you. This theme is presented again as a result of the relationship between Charlie and his girlfriend, Mary Elizabeth. Mary Elizabeth is internally defined as a sexual object; she wants to be to win coveted validation as a woman. This becomes clear to Charlie that Mary Elizabeth initiates various sexual situations

Monday, December 23, 2019

Essay on Biography of Malcolm X - 1317 Words

Biography of Malcolm X One of the most influential men of his time, not only with the black community, but also with other people of every community. His beliefs for many people are hard to understand and probably thought as if his beliefs are wrong, but until someone actually reads The Autobiography of Malcolm X, then people will not really understand the complexity of the man Malcolm X. His autobiography takes you on a tour of probably lots of black men of this time and shows all the hardships and struggles that they had to go through. Showing the misleading teachings of the honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam, and how Malcolm learns the real truth of his religion. All should study the journey of Malcolm Xs†¦show more content†¦An example of this is in The Autobiography of Malcolm X where Malcolm says but still the image of him that made me proudest was his crusading and militant campaigning with words of Marcus Garvey. (9). Malcolms father leaving him was very influential bec ause he never had that guidance that a father gives his children, but more importantly that his father was killed by the white Black Legion. The Black Legion was a hateful group much like the Ku Klux Klan, but they wore black robes instead of white robes. The killing of his father by the Black Legion stood in Malcolms head as he gets older and affects the way he thinks of white people. The fact that the insurance company would not give his mother the money that she deserved because they found his father on the streetcar tracks. So he obviously bashed himself in the head and stumbled over to the tracks to commit suicide. This was just another reason in Malcolms head why the white people are the devil. The way that his father was laid half dead on the streetcar tracks by white people who just let him suffer half dead. The event of his fathers death just put more and more aggression towards white people in Malcolms life. One of the most important events that shaped Malcolms life was when Mr. Ostrowski, his eight-gradeShow MoreRelatedBiography of Malcolm X Essay2268 Words   |  10 PagesBiography of Malcolm X On May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, Malcolm Little was born to Reverend Earl and Louise Little. Rev. Little, who believed in self-determination and worked for the unity of black people. Malcolm was raised in a background of ethnic awareness and dignity, but violence was sparked by white racists trying to stop black people such as Rev. Little from preaching the black cause. The history of Malcolms dedication to black people, like that of his Read MoreA Brief Biography of Malcolm X698 Words   |  3 PagesMay 19, 1925 in the small town of Omaha, Nebraska. Malcolm Little was born to Louise Little and Earl Little. Little did they know that their son would change the future for African-Americans. Malcolm had a rough childhood due to the fact that he lived during the time of racism between African-Americans and Caucasians. Malcolm was treated a little different, because the color of his skin. Malcolm was lighter than his other siblings. Malcolm was treated badly by African-Americans, because theyRead MoreMalcolm X Biography Essay1085 Words   |  5 Pageslife to the advancement of the African American race. Few of these people created as much controversy during the 1960’s then the man who would be known as Malcolm X. Unlike many of the civil rights leaders of the time who promoted non violence, Malcolm X believed in the use of aggressive tactics in his battle for equality. Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska to Earl and Louise Little. His father, a minister and devout Christian, was known for being an outspoken followerRead MoreA Brief Biography of Malcolm X920 Words   |  4 PagesMalcolm X, born in 1925, didn’t have the easiest life. His family was not the wealthiest family and they went through the ups and downs of life more than anyone could ever imagine. After his father passed away a lot of things became harder to deal with. It was he, his mother, and his brothers and sisters. Life became harder to go through. Malcolm and some of his siblings were taken away from their mother and put into other homes while they sent his mom to a psychiatric hospital. Things were goingRead MoreDr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement Essay1269 Words   |  6 Pagesmovement had many influential leaders and events. The overall importance of the movement was the profound impact it had on American life. The Civil Rights Movement had many important leaders, like Martin Luther King Jr., The Black Panthers, and Malcolm X, whose actions largely influenced the movement. Of the leaders involved in the Civil Rights Movement, one man stands alone; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King is known best for his contributions to the civil rights movement, for instanceRead MoreEssay on Malcolm X1238 Words   |  5 Pagesis living every night in fear, the burning down of your home by the Ku Klux Klan and the â€Å"accidental† death of your father who’s head was detached from his own body? This is the only memory that comes to Malcolm Little from his childhood. Malcolm Little who is famously recognized as Malcolm X was born into a world of hatred on May 19, 1925 in Omaha Nebraska. His father was a freelance Baptist Preacher who incorporated the teaching of Black Nationalist leader Marcus Gravey. With continuous threatsRead MoreThe Significance of the Role of Malcolm X on African American Activists1634 Words   |  7 PagesTo what extent was the role of Malcolm X significant in the rise of radical African American activism (1965-1968)? A. Plan of the Investigation To what extent was the role of Malcolm X significant in the rise of radical African American activism (1965-1968)? This investigation will assess the significance of Malcolm X’s significance in giving rise to African American activism. Malcolm X’s motives, involvement in the civil rights movement and his leadership will all be discussed in order toRead MoreThe Death Before Disunity : Malcolm X, Civil Rights Activist And Muslim Leader1173 Words   |  5 PagesDeath before Disunity Malcolm X, Civil Rights activist and Muslim leader, was an advocate of unity by all means necessary. Throughout history, people have often pondered what X intended to obtain before his tragic death at the hands of Talmadge Hayer, Norman 3X Butler, and Thomas 15X Johnson (â€Å"Biography†). Several people downplay X’s achievements in comparison to the accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Majority of activists such as Mohandas Gandhi, Rosa Parks, and Cesar Chavez are notoriousRead More The Black Community Essay1212 Words   |  5 Pageswhich addressed his dislike for how blacks are being treated in Alabama which was in a violent manner(Martin Luther King Jr. Biography, , The letter from the Birmingham jail section, para. 1).On August 28, 1963, he led 200,000 people on a march towards equality in Washington, D.C. On this day he also read his famous â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech(Martin Luther King Jr. Biography, , The letter from the Birmingham jail section , para. 1). In his speech, he spoke about his hopes that one day everyone wouldRead MoreMalcolm X was a Symbol of the Civil Rights Movement1573 Words   |  6 Pagesprepare for it today.† Malcolm X The 1920’s, or the â€Å"Roaring Twenties†, was a time in American history described as the â€Å"Wild West†. Prohibition brought controversy and anarchy to the once civilized American society, with mobs and gangs at the peak of their power with leaders such as Al Capone supplying alcohol and guns to the public. This was also a time of heightened racial segregation, with boundaries being set such as only white bathrooms and schools. Malcolm (X) Little was born in this

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Be human or victorias secret Free Essays

Victorians Secret is a famous company of lingerie and beauty products, which was founded in 1977 by Roy Raymond n Ohio, United States. The company’s slogan is the sale Of beauty, being sexy, fabulous and perfect. Since 1995, in the last weeks of November the company Victorians Secret presents the Victorians Secret Fashion Show in which it presents the new collections for the year. We will write a custom essay sample on Be human or victorias secret or any similar topic only for you Order Now Famous singers will attend this show as well as the supermodels of the company, who are called Angels. Victorians Secret Angels are selected supermodels for the company’s campaigns. All angels are extremely beautiful and fit a mannequin size 36. In November 2014, in GLAMOUR magazine showed that Victorians Secret munched the newest bra campaign â€Å"Body by Victoria Secret† the advertising picture has 10 of the most beautiful Angels models, including models with blonde, brunette and black hair. All Angels are using the new collection of lingerie with possession, confidence and sexy poses. The slogan in the picture is the â€Å"Perfect Body. Perfect Fit. Perfect Comfort. Perfectly SOFT. † In addiction at the end has â€Å"Explore the Collection† followed with the names of the new ten types of bras. GLAMOUR is a women’s magazine focusing on fashion, beauty, relationship, sex, lifestyle and services. The magazine targets women teen the ages of 18 and 40, both single and married. These women may be at any stage of their lives, such as going to college, working in jobs full time or part time, caring for a family. Health and fitness, in search of beauty and well-being are also involved. The target audience is women who are focused itself, and on the world, blobs and internet. These tend to speak of the hottest issues and show all the new trends emerging for the female consumer. The primary ads are new patterns and fashions that come soon. The Perfect Body is a new line of bra Victorians Secret afford to its customers in a huge variety: Rasa and push-up, perfect shape, new perfect comfort deem push up, and others. The variety that most consumers appreciate is the opportunity to choose the best type of bras that fit them. Another purpose of this campaign is that with new bras Victorians Secret you get â€Å"The Perfect Body’, Perfect Fit, perfect Comfort and Perfectly Soft. † In reality does everything come together with just a bra? How not to buy? The advertisement for this seems a little be promising with all this perfection in just a bra, we can see clearly the marketing game in the advertisement. The word â€Å"perfect† is ones of racketing games that misleads consumers, and make them purchase the product in search of the perfect. Because consumers are always seeking the best and perfect, and this propaganda ends up attracting them. For example, this new collection of the bra names is the â€Å"PERFECT SHAPE†; can you have the perfect shape with this new bra? Does â€Å"perfect† by Victorians Secret is perfect? It is one of the facts that everyone would have to examine in advertisements. Another word used in advertising is â€Å"NEW. † Why does everyone want what is new? Just because it is new, is it means better? We now that many times what is new is not better than old, but we live in a consumer’s world. We just want what is new, just to keep with the developments and commercial growth. Another type of marketing used to attract consumers are the BEA dutiful models that are confirming the proposal of the campaign. All of them are posing and showing confidence, resourcefulness, and are still being sexy and powerful with panties and bras. What looks interesting in the first time, but which captures the majority of consumers. Who does not Want to feel confident and powerful using only panties and bra? I think that everyone wants to feel good wearing only panties and bras because it is virtually impossible. That is what the companies like Victorians Secret presents and convinces consumers, using in advertising to reach consumers and have succeed in their new collections. Victorians Secret does not just sell lingerie and beauty products it sells sensuality set, power and the female’s fabulous side. In the new campaign â€Å"Body by Victorians Secrets†, 10 angels are positioned as a front line ready for battle, as an army battalion ready to fight. However, battle in this direction is different; he battle is against the consumer. They are showing that this is the body of Victorians Secretes, perfect and ready. When you look yourself and see the new collection and the Angels, you already feel lost and out Of context, and see the need for the new product. This is how propaganda â€Å"Body by Victorians Secret† appeal to the emotional side of marketing, showing that with the new products you can purchase the â€Å"Perfect Body. † Another way that advertising eludes the side emotionally are the features that the models are shown. The Angels are pictured are sexy, confident, uninhibited and happy. Something that appeals to the popular side, people living standards indicated by the media, and to see an advertisement like this in GLAMOUR magazine very consumers believe this is the key to all problems. Furthermore, these advertisements often end up backfiring on a population. Advertisements as this â€Å"The Perfect Body† causes many consumers to rebel by not fit the pattern that company shows. Victorians Secret shows a variety of ethnicity in the photo templates, but has not done the same in the body shapes. This makes many consumers give up the product and even the company. The emotional did ‘Body by Victorians Secret† can take depends on the consumer, and the success of this new collection can be committed only for fit in Angels’ size by Victorians Secret. Victorians Secret Angels use their campaigns to attract attention and consumers. The Angels of Victorians Secret are the top models in the fashion world, as Giggles Bunched, the Brazilian model that is one of the top on the fashion world and well paid, was an Angel. The benefit and aim to have them as Angels is very marketing. Because having the best models in the world fashion wearing Victorians Secrets products, not only attracts nonusers, but also magazines, reports and all media. It is a fact that some consumers will only purchase the products Victorians Secret, because they are the top models in the fashion world. In addition, many news companies will only show advertisements for having the hottest Angels. Victorians Secret is a company that sells dreams and achievements, where the products promise to transform the buyer on being sexy, fabulous, charming and perfect. One of the companies is liable to generalize, by imposing a standard of beauty. The advertisement â€Å"Body by Victorians Secret† with the slogan â€Å"The Perfect Body† s one of the advertisements that would never come through the media. I wonder what the company Victorians Secret wins to continue with advertisements and campaigns that link to a â€Å"perfect model†. Of course it has its consumers â€Å"perfect model†, which still make a profit. In a developing world in which we live, we must take action against companies imply that standard, a standard that does not involve half the world’s population. We all should stop dreaming about the promises that Victorians Secrets presents. Each has its life; each has its shape, size, color, and so on. Everything is different; we deed to have something perfect to follow? Who said that the perfect is The Perfect by Victorians Secret? How to cite Be human or victorias secret, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Customer and Organizational Complexity in Organizations

Question: Discuss about the Customer and Organizational Complexity in Organizations. Answer: Introduction The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of compensation management system in Tesco Company. The report describes the significance of job analysis and job description in the organization. It further explains the significance of job evaluation in the company Tesco, along with a comparison between planned and standard performance appraisal process in the organization. Tesco Plc. is a British multinational company dealing in retailing sector. The company is running since 1919 and is based in London, UK. Further, it shall be noted that Tesco is large scale company efficiently placed in the global market (Tesco, 2014). In order to successfully run in the market, the company also requires managing its human resource and gaining competence in the target market. For this purpose, the human resource manager needs to analyze the job profile for which they want to hire the person, after that the manager needs to assess the person description as well. Person description includes the type of the person with skilled aptitude and qualities which can satisfy the job requirement. Another major aspect which is equally important in initiating efficient human resource management is performance appraisal and basic pay, these are the two factors which help a person to get self-motivation to work in the company and help the company to reach its target (Our tesco, 2016). Further details about the task are discussed below. Job analysis refers to the process of identifying and determining in detail about the particular job duties and the requirements. It is basically conducting a research on the type of job which the management of the company wants to create to fulfill their requirements. It is an important task for the human resource manager to initiate job analysis because with this information only the recruitment and selection process shall be conducted in the company. Furthermore talking about the job analysis process in the company, it shall be taken into accounts that on the initial basis the manager retrieves and collect accurate and authentic information about the type of work and required capabilities to do the job (Peng, Sun, Markczy, 2015). This process is held in the internal management of the company as it is the descriptive part thus this process is implemented by the human resource managing team of the company. Like, in Tesco if there is vacancy for an administrative clerk, then the fir st and foremost thing which the manager has to do is to analyze the task which is performed by an administrative manager of the company. Further after analyzing the duties the manager of Tesco needs to initiate the recruitment and selection process. Job analysis is the initial step of the whole human resource planning process; also the performance evaluation program is also done through this process in the organization. Lastly, job analysis is initiated by the management of Tesco in order to get better and clearer understanding of the job and person description required by the team (Mohapatra, 2015). Significance of job description in compensation management For the compensation manager, it is an important task to evaluate the job description accurately for the proper working of the management. The company Tesco believes in assigning the right to the right person to avoid confusion and increase efficiency. Thus, job description is required by both employer and employee in the company, as job description helps the employer to assign the duties to the employees according to and it is required by the employees as it helps them to understand the need of their job. Further job description refers to the statement which identifies and describes the scope and functions of a particular job. A good job description eliminates the partial stress of recruitment process; and it defines the duties and clearly mentions the requirement of the company from the employee. Due to which only interest people apply for the job. Job description plays a significant role in the compensation management process of the HR manager as it clarifies and assigns duties to the employees (Bryce, 2017). It makes them obligated towards the certain job and provides responsibility and authority to fulfill it. Significance is that it clarifies confusion among the employees related to their job. According to the job description, only compensation which is to be paid to the employees is decided by the management. Some of the items included in the job description are job standard, job title, job status, job code, job summary, job introduction, responsibility, job specification. Further job description gives purpose to a particular job as it defines the main obligation of the job which tells the employees the work which they have to prioritize in their job. Also, it defines the performance standards which indicate the performance of the employees in the organization. The managerial team of Tesco evaluates the performance of employee on the basis of their job description only. Further, it assists the employee and tells them how to work and to whom to they shall respond in the organization it defines the duties of the employees along with the supervisors as well (Gupta, Shaw, 2014). Job evaluation refers to the process of rating the jobs in the organization. In the organization Tesco, it refers to the process of establishing value or worth for the organization in the job hierarchy. Job evaluation is part of the performance appraisal process of the organization. The values designed for the job under this process are later on converted to monetary benefits which are to be received by the employees. Thus, it shall be understood that the job evaluation process is initiated to implement the performance appraisal program by the compensation management (Reiche, Mendenhall, Stahl, 2016). Job evaluation provides the basis for developing the hierarchy in the organization and it also serves basis to the process of fixation of pay in the organization. It shall be noted that job evaluation is dependent on relations and is not absolute, that is why it is not the sole factor which determines the pay structure of an employee in the organization. It provides objectives to the compensation team to fix the pay structure of an employee and provide them appraisal. The initial point of job evaluation is job analysis. The main objective of job evaluation is to value the job according to its profile (Shields, et. al., 2015). This process increases the satisfaction of employees and reduces internal miscommunication with management as well. It helps in fixation of salary structure due to which the employees do not fight for their pay every time when they receive their salary. It also distributes the employees according to their work capabilities in the company, an employee who is paid more means that they are in the higher post than the employee who is paid less in the management. This process reduces the confusion in salaries due to which a good employer-employee relationship is maintained in the organization. Apart from that pay is the major factor which motivates the employees and keeps them retained in the job (Aswathappa, 2013). Methods of performance appraisal There are two types of performance appraisal methods mainly quantitative and non-quantitative. The further quantitative method also includes two types of job evaluation procedure which are discussed below: Factor comparison Method: the job of employees is based on several factors; also the jobs of employees in an organization are compared with each other as well. So the initial step in the factor comparison method refers to the process of determining the jobs to be measured. This means the process of choosing the job which usually exists in all types of organizations and similar company labor market. The second step of this approach relates to the acknowledgment of compensable factors in the jobs, these factors shall be evaluated under this process (Johnston, Marshall, 2016). The factors used in this process are mental requirements, skill requirements, responsibilities, physical requirements and job conditions. Afterwards each main task is ranked on the basis of compensable factors. Under this process, the decision is made under which each task which is to be done by the employees is ranked on the basis of information received. The initial task of this process is to arrange the compen sable factors according to their priorities. Like, in the company Tesco for the position of product examiner the main compensable factors are knowledge about the product, physical capacity, evaluating abilities. After this process apportioning of the pay rate on each of the compensable factor is done. As discussed earlier the salary of the employees is based on the compensable factors and more of these values increase the compensation of the employees in the organization. Then ranks are given to the tasks according to the salary scale, beginning from the highest to the lowest paying job in the company (Katzenbach, Smith, 2015). Point method: the point method is used in the organization to analyze the job factor present in a particular job of the employee. Under this method, the initial step which the compensation manager has to do is to determine the job group which is to be evaluated in the organization, like the front line, administrative, clerical work etc. Later the manager chooses the compensable factors for the evaluation of the jobs (Schmitz, Ganesan, 2014). After the compensable factors are chosen then the manager needs to acknowledge these factors according to their importance against relative factors present in the same job group. Then apportioning is done from the job groups only. After all, such evaluation is done; the manager shall rate the compensable factors according to their importance and then add multiplier on the compensation of employees. It works in such a way that, the employees are given certain points which multiplied with the compensable factor per cent which they conduct in their job process. And on the basis of points given according to the compensable factors, the appraisal is conducted for the company (Phillips, Phillips, 2016). Further, the non-quantitative methods are discussed below: Ranking Method: this type of method is the simplest one to perform in the organization as it evaluates and arranges the jobs according to their importance in the management. Jobs in an organization are arranged on the basis of general assumption made by the manager in an organization. However, the above-explained compensable factor shall be used to determine the importance of the job and their ranks as well. The ranking method uses the index cards to rank a particular job. The index cards include notes which describe the jobs which are to be evaluated. This card gives ranking to the jobs from highest to lowest according to the hierarchy of the organization. And according to his ranking, only the compensation is divided among employees (Sauaia, 2014). Classification method: this method of appraisal works in particular group which is called classes or job grades. Listing is the necessary information which explains the compensable factors needed for each job grade in the organization. Further, the jobs are evaluated by comparing the job description of each job present in the organization with the job grade notes (Isa, Noor, Johari, 2012). Then job notes are being matched with the closest job description done in the organization. It is done to determine the job classification. Lastly, the management needs to check the jobs that they are being inserted correctly in the same class which they follow as it is the most important aspect of this process. The manager shall classify them on the basis of similarities present in their job description (Lewis, House, 2015). Sample of performance appraisal The scheme which the organization is currently operating benefits the organization, but the employees can be rewarded in a better. As performance is a major aspect which determines the motivation level of employee in an organization (Armstrong, Taylor, 2014). Further, the performance appraisal method for the job title of sale executive in Tesco is discussed below: The goal implemented shall include the SMART features (Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Results-focused, and Time-bound). According to this only ranking shall be given to the employees in the organization. The compensable factors shall also be concentrated while evaluating appraisal of the employees (Bernardin, Wiatrowski, 2013). The employee in the organization shall be evaluated on the basis of the following table. Goal 1 Description of goal: The main objective of the sale executive is to meet the given target and increase the sale volume of the company. this goal relates to the dedication compensable factor of employee in the company Tesco Being an existing employee of the organization, the executive shall achieve atleast 70 per cent of the target defined by the management to be considered under the appraisal criteria. Ranking: Comments: Goal 2: The second goal of the executive is to manage interpersonal relationship with all the stakeholders of the company. This factor relates to the attitude and behavior compensable factor of the employee. Reviews shall be taken from all the stakeholders of the company regarding the behavior of the employee in and outside the organization. Ranking: Comments: Goal 3: The third goal which the executive shall fulfill is to communicate effectiveness to create good impression of the company on the customers. Feedback forms shall be filled by the customers of the company explaining the negative and positive aspect of the sale executives in the organization. Ranking: Comments: Goal 4: The fourth goal of the executive is relates to their focus on their job. This factor shall explain the level of their focus in the organization. Reviews shall be taken from employer of the employee as they can judge them better. Ranking: Comments: Goal 5: The fifth goal of the executive is the experience and knowledge which the employees possess in the job. Also it relates to the compensable factor team work. The evaluator shall evaluate the contribution f executive in different activities performed in the organization and then appraise the performance accordingly. Ranking: Comments: The ranking shall be given from one to five under which the following remarks shall be given: Rank 1: results are better than job standards. Good job! Rank 2: consistently achieving the objectives and the employee effectively manages obstacles as well. Rank 3: consistent in performing well but can work better to achieve the target. Rank 4: minimum standards are met by the employee, inconsistent success. Rank 5: need improvement, insufficient growth and lack of skills as well (Kampktter, 2017). Lastly according to the ranks the appraisal shall be given to the employees in Tesco. Standard performance appraisal The company Tesco optimizing the 360-degree performance appraisal method in their organization for the sales executive job profile. The below mentioned is the format which Tesco follows to provide them appraisal. Criteria: the survey assessed determines the knowledge, abilities, skills, and behaviors which they possess in the job. The knowledge assessment tells that how well the manager understands the job, company, work and the market on a whole. In the skills and abilities aspect, the evaluators of Tesco rate that efficiency the executive work and complete the task; they judge the efficiencies and qualities of the executives. The behavior accepts signifies the interpersonal relationship of the executive with the employees of company. Apart from that they also judge communication of the executives with the internal management and external environment of the company (Wisner, Tan, Leong, 2014). Benefits: as this process evaluates the skills and capabilities of the sales executive, thus it provides benefit to the company to adequately reward the employees by appraising their performance. Also, this system helps the company to collect multiple reviews from the stakeholders of the organization due to which performance appraisal is also based on multiple perspective and unanimous response. The process currently used by the company also focuses on the customer's definition of good sales representative, thus, an honest feedback is delivered by all the stakeholder of the company and the appraisal of executive is based on that response (Li, et. al., 2014). Consideration: the employee of the company must accept the feedback given by the management of the company, they shall assume that the response is true and fair and is based on the efficiency of the employee only. As this method of performance appraisal adequately work in an organization where employees regularly collaborate which each other to other. Warning: the organization needs to spend time gathering information, then analyze and evaluate the performance of the executive in the organization, and then provide them compensation accordingly (Landy, Zedeck, Cleveland, 2017). Thus in this way, the 360 degree performance appraisal program is applied in the management of Tesco. Although the standard performance appraisal method implemented by the company is adequate but is shall be reinvented to appraise the performance of the employee in a better way. Thus, on comparing both the analysis the facts that came into existence is that the sample provides a better understanding of the compensable factors and it also gives the job description with help of which the evaluator can determine the performance of the employee in the organization. Also, ranks will motivate the employees and initiate them to work effectively so as to achieve the target (DeNisi, Smith, 2014). Conclusion Thus, in the limelight of above mentioned statement, it shall be noted that the aspects of job analysis, job description, and performance evaluation plays significant role in initiating management in the organization. As these factors help the compensation manager to analyze the job and then pay them accordingly. So, it shall be noted that it is an important factor to understand the type of job which the person performs and pay them accordingly otherwise the employee would not get satisfied with the company (Tracey, 2016). And it will result in demotivation of employees and inefficiency in the organization. Thus it is an important aspect to keep the employees motivated and increase the effectiveness as well. Apart from that the company Tesco shall apply adequate performance appraisal process in the organization to pay them. And for this purpose, it is important for the manager to analyze the entire factor and then evaluate the pay which the employee shall get. Apart from that, the manager of the company shall fix the pay according to the hierarchical system of the organization. An organization receives clarity after applying such aspect in the management process. Reference Armstrong, M., Taylor, S. (2014). Armstrong's handbook of human resource management practice. Kogan Page Publishers. Aswathappa, K. (2013). Human resource management: Text and cases. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Bernardin, H. J., Wiatrowski, M. (2013). Performance appraisal. Psychology and Policing, 257. Bryce, H. J. (2017). Financial and strategic management for nonprofit organizations. Walter de Gruyter GmbH Co KG. DeNisi, A., Smith, C. E. (2014). Performance appraisal, performance management, and firm-level performance: a review, a proposed model, and new directions for future research. Academy of Management Annals, 8(1), 127-179. Gupta, N., Shaw, J. D. (2014). Employee compensation: The neglected area of HRM research. Human Resource Management Review, 24(1), 1-4. Isa, M. F. M., Noor, W. S. W. M., Johari, J., (2012). Compensation Management. Open University Malaysia. Johnston, M. W., Marshall, G. W. (2016). Sales force management: Leadership, innovation, technology. Routledge. Kampktter, P. (2017). Performance appraisals and job satisfaction. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 28(5), 750-774. Katzenbach, J. R., Smith, D. K. (2015). The wisdom of teams: Creating the high-performance organization. Harvard Business Review Press. Landy, F., Zedeck, S., Cleveland, J. (Eds.). (2017). Performance measurement and theory. Taylor Francis. Lewis, I., House, R. (2015). Chief Executive. Li, F., Minnis, M., Nagar, V., Rajan, M. (2014). Knowledge, compensation, and firm value: An empirical analysis of firm communication. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 58(1), 96-116. Mohapatra, M. (2015). 360 Degree Feedback: A Review of Literature. Research Scholar of Management KIIT University Bhubaneswar Orissa, 2(1), 112-116. Our tesco., (2016). The Big 6. Viewed on 26 June, 2017. From, https://www.ourtesco.ie/2015/06/03/the-big-6/ Peng, M. W., Sun, S. L., Markczy, L. (2015). Human capital and CEO compensation during institutional transitions. Journal of Management Studies, 52(1), 117-147. Phillips, J. J., Phillips, P. P. (2016). Handbook of training evaluation and measurement methods. Routledge. Reiche, B. S., Mendenhall, M. E., Stahl, G. K. (Eds.). (2016). Readings and cases in international human resource management. Taylor Francis. Sauaia, A. C. A. (2014). Evaluation of performance in business games: financial and non financial approaches. Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning, 28. Schmitz, C., Ganesan, S. (2014). Managing customer and organizational complexity in sales organizations. Journal of Marketing, 78(6), 59-77. Shields, J., Brown, M., Kaine, S., Dolle-Samuel, C., North-Samardzic, A., McLean, P., ... Plimmer, G. (2015). Managing Employee Performance Reward: Concepts, Practices, Strategies. Cambridge University Press. Tesco, P. L. C. (2014). Annual report and financial statements 2014. TESCO https://www. tescoplc. com/media/417/tesco_annual_report_2011. pdf. Tracey, W. R. (2016). The human resources glossary: The complete desk reference for HR executives, managers, and practitioners. CRC Press. Wisner, J. D., Tan, K. C., Leong, G. K. (2014). Principles of supply chain management: A balanced approach. Cengage Learning.

Friday, November 29, 2019

The Iran-Contra Affair Essays - IranContra Affair,

The Iran-Contra Affair The tangled U.S. foreign-policy scandal known as the Iran-contra affair came to light in November 1986 when President Ronald Reagan said yes to reports that the United States had secretly sold arms to Iran. He said that the goal was to improve relations with Iran, not to get releases of U.S. hostages held in the Middle East by terrorists (although he later agreed that the arrangement had in fact turned into an arms-for-hostages swap). People spoke out against dealings with the hostile Iranian government all over the place. Later in November, Att. Gen. Edwin Meese discovered that some of the arms profits had been used to aid the Nicaraguan "contra" rebels at a time when Congress had prohibited such aid. An Independent special prosecutor, former federal judge Lawrence E. Walsh, wa appointed to investigate the activities of persons involved in the arms sale or contra aid or both, including marine Lt. Col. Oliver North of the National Security Council (NSC) staff. Reagan appointed a review board headed by former Republican senator John Tower. The Tower commission's report in February 1987 criticized the president's passive management style. In a nationaly televised address on March 4, Reagan accepted the reports judgement without serious disagreement. Select committees of the Senate (11 members chaired by Democrat Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii) and the house of representatives (15 members, headed by another Democrat, Lee Hamilton of Indiana) conducted televised hearings in partnership from May to August. They heard evidence that a few members of the NSC staff set Iran and Nicaragua policies and carried them out with secret private operatives and that the contras received only a small part of the money. Former national security advisor John Poindexter stated that he personally authorized the diversion of money and withheld that information from the president. William J. Casey, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, who died in May 1989, was implicated in some testimony. His testomony still remained in doubt. Clearly however, the strange events shook the nation's faith in President Reagan and ruined U. S. prestige abroad. Special prosecutor Walsh continued his investigation. On March 11, 1988 Poindexter's forerunner as national security advisor Robert McFarlane pleaded guilty to criminal charges of witholding information from Congress on secret aid to the contras. A year later, Peter McFariane was fined $20,000 and given two years probation. On March 16, 1988, a federal grand jury indicted North, Poindexter, and two other persons on a number of charges including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government. The trials were delayed by legal maneuvering that in part involved questions of releasing secret information. In May 1989 a jury convicted North of 3 of the 12 criminal counts he was ultimately tried on. In July the court fined North 150,000 and gave him a three- year suspended sentence. The North convictions were later set aside by a federal appeals court, which found defects in the trial procedure. On April 7, 1990, Poindexter was convicted on 5 counts of deceiving congressional investigators and sentenced to six months in prison. In July 1991, Alan D. Fiers, Jr., CIA chief of covert operations in Central America in 1984-86, admitted that he had lied to Congress and that there had been a CIA Iran-contra cover up. Shortly after, his CIA superior Clair E. George was indicted.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Writing and Publishing Resources

Writing and Publishing Resources Roundup of Writing and Publishing Resources Here at Reedsy, we’re fortunate that we get to work with some of the finest talent in the publishing industry - and these experts have shared their experiences and knowledge with us in the form of interviews and how-to guides. In fact, we’ve published articles on so many topics that it’s hard to keep track of them all.In this post, we want to share some of the best Reedsy articles so far, sorted in a way that mirrors the publishing journey taken by most authors. Check out Reedsy's roundup of writing and publishing resources! #amwriting To make this information even easier to digest, we've compiled it into our beautiful Book Launch Checklist! You can simply download it for free below, then follow the steps to publication! How Do You Write Your Book?If you have any questions or topics you’d like to see covered on the Reedsy Blog, post them in the comments below.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Taxation - Assignment 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Taxation - 2 - Assignment Example Correspondence audits usually entail a single issue such as dependent exemptions. Regardless of the three types of audit, IRS tax examiners make decisions as to whether to commend changes to the reported tax or to the audited tax issues. After the tax examiner recommends a change, the taxpayer has the right to appeal or agree with their tax change. The outcome of the taxpayer appeal determines whether the auditor’s recommendations may or may not be collected or assessed. The law states that an assessment of tax must be made within three years from the date the tax return was filed. However, there are circumstances under which this rule does not apply. i) If a taxpayer omits more than 25% of their gross income from their tax returns documentation. From a government point of view, an audit seeks to verify and ascertain the details on taxpayers’ return documentation. This would ensure that every individual is accountable for their tax obligations to the government. Persons at high risks of audits include households and individuals who list their deductions, especially if the deductions in specific categories such as charity or medical expenses are more significant than average. Another group of individuals at a higher risk of audit is professionals who run businesses such as doctors, and lawyers. These professionals often run their businesses on their own and are in charge of accounting functions of the business activities. As such, they are at high risk of IRS audits. b) This would be tax avoidance. Mr. P is considering the time period variable to reduce the burden of tax. It makes good business sense to for MR. P to record the sale of the asset in the previous year where the tax rate is less by

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Consumer Compliance- week 5 Discussion Post Responses Assignment

Consumer Compliance- week 5 Discussion Post Responses - Assignment Example A mortgage and a Deed of Trust helps in making sure that the loan is paid back by the lender. They secure the loan’s repayment by placing a lien on the property (Bevans, 2009). In a mortgage, the lien gives the right to the lender to sell the property and recover money while a Deed of Trust gives a lien to a trustee. In case of default, a mortgage requires that the judicial foreclosure which is often costly while a Deed of Trust allows for non-judicial foreclosure which is often faster and less costly (Haupt & Haupt, 2006). Both the documents help in securing a loan and provide mechanisms for recovery the loan incase the borrower defaults. A mortgage gives foreclosure rights to the lender while a Deed of Trust gives the rights to the trustee. Even though Deed of Trust seems to be the most efficient method because it allows for faster foreclosure time than a mortgage, it complicates the process because it has more parties involved (Haupt & Haupt, 2006). However, incorporating a trustee facilitates the foreclosure process because that is their area of specialization. They have the necessary man power to easily foreclose. Nevertheless, a Deed of Trust requires that proper notices be posted and rules followed, which makes it equally time-consuming (Bevans, 2009).Bottom of

Monday, November 18, 2019

Marketing Challenges of Sony Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Challenges of Sony Company - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Sony continuously conducts product researchers making its customers constantly in wait for whatever new development it has and these activities primarily help it to be positively pushed to its competitive advantage. However, there should be other major important information that should be clearly elaborated in order to understand the prevailing challenges that the company faces. This primarily includes the various changes in the marketplace which particularly should always involve political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors and more. Under political factor, it is always common to look at the government’s conservatism when it comes to dealing with business. One perfect example would be the case of privatisation. In every government, there is always a strong stand on controlling the rise of certain organisation. In Japan for instance, various organisations are faced with remarkable challenges becaus e the government is trying to protect the interest of small organisations in their respective industry. However, the ability of Sony to leverage its core competencies together with other organisation is a proof that there is always the right timing in politics. For instance, Sony’s intent to leverage its core competencies with a Swedish telecommunication company in order to beat Nokia resulted to the birth of Sony Ericsson. This joint venture is a remarkable proof that finding the right place for each organisation is needed in order to enhance its core competencies. This at some point has specifically involved the prevailing political stand of a nation which basically has great impact on the entire business process of an organisation. For instance, a government saying no to privatisation may significantly create an impact to those organisations planning to leverage their core competencies through it. This is a proven trend in the whole business industry of electronics. For in stance, every profit organisation in this industry is simply trying to be a cut above the other by reaching its competitive advantage. Competitive advantage is something that needs to be worked out because it serves as something that will enhance core competencies. The Sony Ericsson merging is an act of enhancing the core competencies of the companies involved. However, the main point is to actually consider having a high level of competitive advantage. In the same way, politics is involved in here and this is the reality, to beat the opponents and be the market leader in a specific industry. Sony Ericsson is attempting to beat Nokia and many other market leaders n the mobile phone industry. In reality, Sony is highly affected by the ever-changing trends and the market share of its competitors. Sony is a diversified company covering different market segments for its diversified products. Its diversification from purely an electronic firm reminds its potential to grow. However, all o f these are fueled by the ever-changing strategies conducted by its competitors who have certain focus in their respective industry. For example, the varying strategic moves of Nokia, Samsung, LG Electronics and Apple Incorporated triggered Sony to do more and try its best much even harder. This is due to the fact that each competing organisation tries to create their own competitive advantage in order to become the key player in its industry. Each of these competing organisations has specific core competencies that differentiate it from the other.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Effect of Culture on Marketing Strategy

Effect of Culture on Marketing Strategy Current cultural diversity in Sri Lanka is evolvement from its rich history and commenced from the civilization of Yaksha and Naga tribes and more importantly nourishment from the Buddhism. Further, Sri Lankan culture is influenced by Indian invasions and from going through Portuguese, Dutch and British rules; Sri Lankan culture is diverse like its natural heritage.   In the early 19th century, the British rule introduced democracy, modern education, legal and commercial agriculture system. Now Sri Lanka is a mirror of its own ancient and modern cultures which is diverse from its cities to far villages across the island. Sinhalese and Tamil are the most widely spoken languages in Sri Lanka, with around 74% of population can speak in Sinhalese, while more than 18% can speak Tamil. Muslims also speaks Tamil as their main language. The colonization started with the Dutch followed by the Portuguese and finally long standing ruling by the British had an impact on the languages, as well as opening the history to the international trade. In addition to Sinhalese and Tamil, English is also used by the Sri Lankan population which was concentrated to urban areas initially are now expanding to rural areas with the more prominence to English is given in the education system and increased IT literacy. English is maily used for commercial and official purposes. Sri Lanka is a multi-religious and a multi-ethnic country and Buddhists account for approximately 69% of the population, followed by the Hindus with around 15% of the population. Also inherited from India, Hinduism too has a long and rich history in the country. Most Hindus are Tamils and they account for a majority in Northern Sri Lanka, as well as in the Eastern, Western and Central regions (up country) of the country. Islamic community accounts for around 8% with a majority are domiciled in the Eastern and Western regions; as well as around 8% followers of Christianity. Having a healthy literacy rate of around 90% (source: United Nations Development Program Report 2009) and around 83% of the population having secondary education ranks Sri Lanka on top among other developing nations. The complex ethnic and religious mix of Sri Lankan society and also traditions and rules inherited from colonization have given rise to a mixture of laws which include Roman-Dutch Law, English common law, , Kandyan, and Jaffna Tamil law (Thesawalamai Law). Accordingly, Sri Lanka is a country rich with culture and cultural diversity. Its people live their daily lives very close to their religious beliefs, adherence to traditional norms, family orientation (close bond with their families in all aspects of life from birth to death), mother centric society and attachment to native foods (mainly rice) and etc. can be considered as main cultural values. Hence, whatever the product or service that marketers are confronted of promoting, they will have to consider the Sri Lankan culture and cultural values to be a major influencing factors to the success of the product or service. Further, the fact that the culture is not static (dynamic) and change over time and people get adjusted puts the Marketer in a more challenging situation as he needs an understanding of all aspects. Cultural Values Societies have values that are shared by its members. As stated above, values serve as guiding principles for culturally acceptable behavior. It defines what is right? What is wrong? What is important or unimportant?. The values emphasize those objects, conditions that those members consider important. Values are more related to the norms of a culture, but can be more abstract than norms. For example raising of the national flag during nationally significant occasions or even in the case of a wedding or singing the National Anthem in national ceremonies and also government establishments (including some private entities) prior to commencement of work are values. Further, they reflect the value of patriotism. In the recent past in Sri Lanka patriotism has taken a new wing particularly in the aftermath of successful war and now it has extended to trading and commercial world with the theme Buy Ours (Ganna Ape De). Therefore this new trend has bearing on consumer behaviour. As an exampl e, recently launched KIK COLA (Elephant House) advertisement features that till the last drop Sri Lankan with primary focus on Coca Cola. Even Lanka Bell advertisements mainly based on the theme 100% Sri Lankan. Why are cultural values so important? The cultural values of a community give it a unique identity of its own. People are the driving force of this uniqueness. Culture is shared among the people in the community, society or sub group. Culture is passed down from one generation to the other and gets evolved over time. It links people of a region or society together. The customs and traditions the society follow, the clothing they wear, the festivals, the food they eat, and importantly, the cultural values they follow, binds them. Analysis of how Sri Lankan Cultural Values Affect the Consumption of Selected Products and Services First we will get a brief understanding of Sri Lanka as a Customer. According to the Annual Report of the Central bank of Sri Lanka (2009) the population statistics can be summarized as follows, Mid-year population (000) in 2009 : 20,450 Mn Age distribution (000) in 2009 0 14 years: 5,378 Mn 15 64 years: 13,784 Mn 65 years and over: 1,288 Mn Also the Per Capita income is in the rage of USD 2,000 and is expected to double corresponding to the GDP growth by 2016. Having an understanding of what culture is, what cultural values are in general and the Sri Lankan culture and cultural values, we will now evaluate how those aspects have influenced the consumption of several products and a service in the Sri Lankan market. Herbal Soaps Sri Lankan culture is very much related to the nature. All most all the aspects of the Sri Lankan culture are linked with the wonders of the nature. Ayurvedic medicine is a treatment method unique to Sri Lanka and all Sri Lankans (irrespective of what religion they belong to) know and have faith on its healing capabilities. We did not see herbal soaps in the market at the beginning and until recent past only a few manufactures saw the opportunity in herbal products. Then we saw even foreign brands like Lux and Lifebuoy taking up the herbal route since the herbal soaps prove to be profitable and attract a larger target market segment because herbal soaps are very much in line with our values and beliefs particularly it reflects our attachment to nature. Generally Sri Lankans value old things. Ayurvedic medicine has been practiced in Sri Lanka for thousands of years and people still have faith in it and values it. This has been used by various marketers and now we can almost get anythi ng in its herbal format. Child Milk Powder The bond between the mother and her child is cherished and valued in almost in any civilized culture. When considering the modern era, generally the state of that bond in Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries much more stronger than in any other country. The bond between the child and the mother is built mainly through the nurturing aspect of that relationship. In the Sri Lankan context (mother centric culture) it is deeply believed that there is nothing more vital to child than the love and warmth of a mother and mothers milk (breast milk). Breast feeding is fading away in many European countries and getting used to supplement formulas, but in Sri Lanka it still holds strong. Sri Lankan mother generally breast feed their children for at least for two to three years. In this context child milk powders have an enormous challenge because it is widely believed that there is no replacement for breast milk. Hence, what the marketers approach has been to place the product as a suppleme ntary which provides the nutrition and protection from deceases. If it were to come as a replacement for breast milk, the product wouldnt have survived for long. This situation also facilitated with the increase in working women in Sri Lanka but culturally Sri Lankan women are mostly supposed to be housewives and to take care of the children. The Brands like Anchor Pediapro, Cow Gate, Nan, Enpro Grow, Enpro Lac are some of the child milk powder available in Sri Lanka market. Automobiles Sri Lanka has been using automobiles since the period in which British were in power. First automobiles seen on the Sri Lankan roads were European made. But now we can see automobiles from India, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan and various other countries and also the assembly of vehicles was commenced in Sri Lanka in the recent past. At first, European vehicles were used by the higher end of the society and now also European vehicles are driven by upper class people in the country. Those vehicles are priced higher and can be afforded by only those people. But when the Japanese entered the market (in 1960s), they came up with economical vehicles that can be afforded by the middle class people as well. There is strong belief among the Sri Lankans still that if someone wants to buy a good vehicle with quality, economical fuel consumption, durability and moderate prices they would first select the Japanese vehicles among other countries which offer same features. This belief a nd attitude is further proven by the high prices in the second hand market for Japanese vehicles and people prepared to pay more for Japanese vehicles. European vehicles are relatively less valued in the second hand market. Hence the demand for Japanese vehicle is geared by the beliefs among the Sri Lankan people (adherence to traditional norms) that a Japanese vehicle is economical and gives value for money and trustworthy. However, we have recently seen Indian brands promoting their vehicles to be the most economical but still we cannot see the trust on Japanese vehicles going down. Pain Relief Balms Sri Lanka having a rich heritage in Ayurvedic medicine, people were used to applying Ayurvedhic oils and pastes to their every day bruises. The recipes and formulas have been passed down through generations and some recipes are household known facts. During the last decade or two we saw the market bombarded with various balms to be used for bruises and to relive pain. Wintegino, a famous UK brand, can be highlighted for usage among the people and now sprays (other than balm) with the same effect can be seen in the market. However, it is a known fact that Siddhalepa a brand which has its roots in the Ayurvedic medicine tops all such balms and oils in the market by sales, and it has been doing this for decades. The secret of this success is the faith/beliefs that Sri Lankan people have on Ayurvedic medicine which the effects have being proven over centuries. The people still has the faith (beliefs) that Ayurveda is the safest way of medication with minimal or almost no side effects. Si ddhalepa is proven product with real Ayurvedic essence. Unless it is to be used in quick and convenient manner (in a sport event to be treated to injured players, where most likely a spray would be used) Ayurvedic balms are preferred by Sri Lankans where the demand is directly linked to cultural beliefs and rich heritage. Pawning of Jewelry The provision of financing for immediate money needs by pawning jewelries has become a prominent business segment for financial services sector including the banks (formal banking sector). However, traditionally pawning business was dominated by the village merchants (Poli Mudalali) and despite the high interest rates and also the low security of jewelries pawned the people still used to go these village merchants simply due to reason that culturally the pawning were deemed as a sign of severe economic hardships and economic mismanagement of the particular person and family. Particularly in rural areas and areas close to Colombo, the people have a very close relationship with their families, relatives and neighbors and hence the negative points of view formed by others are considered to be very critical and long lasting. Therefore people used to go in times (especially night times) to the money lenders to ensure the confidentiality and did not turn up at banks. However, the money circulation on pawning is considered to be very high and which provided a new perspective to finance sector to expand this business segment. Accordingly, in the recent past all financial institutions are heavily promoting the pawning business as it is risk free (due to security in terms of gold) and profitable. For this purpose, the first initiative was to have separate areas for pawning customers to confidentially attend to the matter which was major relief from a severe cultural burden. This situation coupled with low interest rates and high security for the customers reduced the negative trends or beliefs towards pawning in Banks. In fact today the all banks and other financial institutions use advertising heavily and also sales promotions are in place to attract customers namely providing the highest amount per pound, facility to settle the amount in installments, giving gifts on each pawning, raffle draws and etc. Analysis on How Cultural Values are Important for Marketing Strategic Decisions Based on preceding sections it is obvious the impact of culture and cultural values on consumer behavior. Accordingly, cultural values has to be considered in marketing and developing marketing strategies as they have a significant impact on the purchasing behaviour of the consumers. How culture and cultural values could influence the buyers/consumers buying decisions? This is not a simple process which someone could easily conclude but rather it requires a detail examination. Since the consumers are culturally different, the processing of information in a cursory and spontaneous manner reflects culture-based differences. As an example when you go pass a roadside billboard or when you watch a TV advertisement, they will influence/persuade you provided it in line with your cultural values or norms. When coming up with a marketing strategy for a product, it is important to understand the level of the culture of the market since behavior at different levels of the culture varies. From the marketing perspective four levels of cultures could be identified and according to Srnka (2004) they are Supraculture, Macroculture, Mesoculture and Microculture as shown in Figure 1 in next page. Four Levels of Culture Based on a Marketing Perspective Source: Article by Dr. Katharina J. Srnka on Cultures Role in Marketers Ethical Decision Making: An Integrated Theoretical Framework 2004 As we move down the cultural levels the approach of the marketer needs to be customized to the target market, because when we move down the number of people in that level comes down as well as the detail of their preferences increases. It is not possible to assess the impact of a respective consumers cultural background on marketing strategies in general, because the specific elements of the marketing- mix, i.e., 1.price, 2. place, 3. product and 4. promotion strategies are all more or less affected by culture and hence each component of the marketing mix should be compatible with the cultural context as non compatibility of even one component may result in products or services being rejected by the target market. Pricing, which is the first element of the marketing- mix, refers to decisions about the actual product or service price the consumer has to pay and considers production costs, as well as the consumers willingness to pay, which might especially be affected by his or her cultural background. The willingness to pay represents the valuation of products. Since consumers learned during the process of which products they should approve of and which they should not, the culture influences the appreciation of certain products as well as the willingness to pay. On the other hand, decisions concerning pricing interact with the economic development of a country. Hence, cultural background might serve as a determinant of the target market and pricing mechanism. In the context of distribution policy (place), culture might also be important to differentiate between several target markets, even if the characteristics of the culture do not have a direct impact on decisions concerning product distribution. Nevertheless, different cultural values have to be considered when distributing products because consumers from different cultures have different buying habits. For example, in Sri Lanka liquor is prohibited to be sold near any religious places due to the strong religious foundation followed by Sri Lankans. Thus, cultural background has to be taken into account in determining the distribution channel of products, but the differences between cultures that are of interest for decisions on distribution policy are observable, which makes it easier to consider these differences in product distribution. The third element of the marketing- mix, product development, is much more affected by the consumer s cultural background. As the product attributes are expected to bring about solutions which should satisfy different cultural background of consumers, culture has to be considered in the development of products. Otherwise, products may not be in accordance with what the consumers expect the products to be. Moreover, products which are preferred in certain usage situations such as religious ceremonies vary because of culture and as an example in a Hindu wedding which mostly conduct in Hindu Kowil are served with vegetarian foods. The PIZZA HUT had pizzas made out of all meats namely chicken, beef, pork and mutton. However, Muslims due to their religious preaching do not eat pork and also do not turn up in places where pork is served. Also having Halal certification is a must for Muslims to have chicken. Accordingly, PIZAA HUT has now stopped serving pizza made out of pork and got certi fication from All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama Committee for Halal Certification. The fourth element of the marketing- mix is the development of communication strategies (promotion) which broadly consists of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) tools such as advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, direct marketing and publicity. It is argued that even the branding and packaging also form part of IMC. IMC are very much culture sensitive and hence should be designed properly. As an example, Anchor always uses the theme Trusted by Mothers for its milk powder and it is a powerful communication strategy. Whereas once Nespray (full cream milk powder) had an advertisement featured by famous Actress Sriyani Amarasena and in that it was emphasized that she was given Nespray milk by her parents which she did for her daughter and now same milk is given for her granddaughter. But this advertisement was not popular as it was considered as an insult to motherhood. Further, if a Marketer wants to communicate that its product is particularly appropriate to certain usa ge situations, it is not satisfactory to only observe consumption patterns, it is also necessary to get to know the reasons for culture specific consumption habits. Hence, in order to convince consumers of the appropriateness of certain products, it is of major importance to know the reasons why consumers prefer some products over the others. Generally IMC strategy should consider differences in religions, languages, differences in infrastructure and legal parameters. The interdependency between culture specific buying motives and the development of communication strategies is due to the main elements of culture such as symbols, heroes, rituals and values. As advertising plays a major role in a companys communication strategy (IMC) and is affected by all kinds of cultural dimensions and hence advertising especially has to consider cultural values and cross cultural differences. As an example the Avenger mens perfume advertising included that after applying the perfume the person appeared for the advertisement become violent or very emotional with girls. However, this promotional strategy was not successful as it was not culturally acceptable in the Sri Lankan context. Also the recent advertisement on Provado, an agro chemical produced by Heyleys Agro Products Limited, has an advertisement for which famous musician Sunil Perera appeared and it had double meaning phrases and there were many complaints against this from all levels from agricultural community and hence certain parts were edited/deleted and the new version is probably acceptable. Further, the Ceylinco Insurance which uses negative approach in advertising is not culturally viable though the norm that all things including human lives are uncertain since culturally we are still not prepared to accept or think of a death or other form of hazard. Conclusion If a marketing strategy is able to influence the behaviour of a potential customer in manner that makes potential customer convert to an actual customer (makes him to buy) the marketing strategy can be judged to be a success. To do that effectively it is required to understand what makes people behave in the manner they do especially their buying behaviour. Many studies have proven the behaviour of a person is mainly influenced by that persons culture and the cultural values that person holds. According to this study it is clear that the demand for products and services are created by the influences of cultural values pertaining to the respective culture. Further it can be stated that a successful marketing strategy adopted in Sri Lanka needs to address and consider the cultural diversity and uniqueness aspects in the Sri Lankan culture which influence the Sri Lankan customers purchase of products or use of services in a continuing manner.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

A Simple Proposal Essay -- essays research papers

A SIMPLE PROPOSAL   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Major League Baseball has probably some of the most exciting players in sports today. Players such as Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter make watching baseball fun. But there are some people in Major League Baseball that I have forgotten who display probably more talent than those 3 combined. The people that I am talking about, are the umpires.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You might be shocked when I say that but believe me, they are great athletes. Can you imagine working in the same conditions they do? To do this, you would need to be able to stand up to managers kicking dirt at you as well as dealing with players arguing at you for calls you have made that should have no controversy over. Working an entire season does wear d...

Monday, November 11, 2019

Critical Analysis: Martial Stability and Premarital Cohabitation Essay

The union of marriage has held a specific ideal in the minds of people since it was first instituted hundreds of years ago. However, over the decades, new ideas about the union have become changed, and the cohabitation of two people has become almost acceptable in the walk toward marital bliss. Most Western countries do not have issues with people living together as a couple without being married, and this has led to the concept becoming main stream for future generations (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). However, there is a dark side to co-habitation. Ronald Budinski and Frank Trovato conducted a study in 2005 on the assumption that premarital cohabitation would more likely end up in the dissolution of the marriage than those who did not cohabitate prior to marriage. They published their findings in the article, â€Å"The Effects of Premarital Cohabitation on Marital Stability over the Duration of Marriage. † It can be found in the 32nd volume, issue 1 of the Canadian Studies in Population journal. The results and findings create a new way of considering the stability of marriage in relation to cohabitation and non-cohabitation. The legitimization of cohabitation and the redefining of the term to be a â€Å"substitute for marriage† (Budinski & Trovato, 2005, pg 70) is seen in many Western countries and is the basis for a new brand of research into this new type of union on the fundamental union of marriage. The purpose of the study conducted by Budinski and Trovato (2005) was to find out if the â€Å"marital duration-dependent† existed in relation to cohabitation (pg 70). Their focus was on two main factors: the explanations for any fluctuation of the duration-dependent affect, and to find other factors that would influence the duration-dependency between those who cohabitate and those who do not cohabitate (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). The two researchers decided on two questions they needed to answer that took the main factors into consideration. The first part of the hypothesis is the belief that premarital cohabitation is more likely produce the dissolution of the marital union. The second phase of the hypothesis tests the theory that the risk of marital dissolution is reduced between the two groups the longer the couple is married. They noted five separate outcomes that could occur in regard to the stability of the marriage and cohabitation, but their real focus was on the event and causes of marital dissolution (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). Many believe that cohabitation is a short-term commitment. Researchers have created two theories in which to explain the phenomena of cohabitation. The first is the â€Å"selective thesis† (Budinski & Trovato, 2005, pg 72) which defines those people who prefer cohabitation as individuals that have a problem with staying or dealing with a stable relationship. The second theory is the â€Å"experience theory† (Budinski & Trovato, 2005, pg 72) that cohabitation can create negative views of marriage and positive views of divorce. Most of the previous research conducted supported one or both of these theories. However, in more recent studies, the convergence of equality in marital dissolution seems to be more of the norm than in previous years. This area is still quite new and still being scrutinized by researchers unable to acknowledge without proof that cohabitation is not a major factor in marital dissolution (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). Budinski& Trovato (2005) used a previously compile source of data in the 1995 Canadian General Social Survey: Cycle 10: The Family (GSS-95). The sample included all people ages fifteen and up in 10 Canadian provinces, excluding the Yukon and Northwestern territories. The response rate was 81% or 10,749 individuals. Once those respondents that did not have the necessary data were removed the total number of subjects included in the study numbered 7, 187 individuals that had the required data to conduct the study on premarital cohabitation and marital dissolution (Budinski & Trovato, 2005, pg 75). The study used a multivariate model analysis founded on the Proportional Hazards (PH) Model (Budinski & Trovato, 2005, pg 75). The first aspect of this model was the hazard function that valued the probability of the dissolution of the marital union in relation to time and other controlled variables. They used this function as the baseline to estimate the durations of time prior to marital dissolution. In essence, the dependent variable was the length of time a couple stayed married prior to separation or divorce, with covariates including age, religiousness, education, contraceptive use, region, as well as several other variables. It was assumed that each working in the equation to correlate with cohabitation and marital dissolution since each of the covariates had been previously associated with instability in the marriage union (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). The overall result of this study by Budinski & Trovato (2005) was the fact that there was not a significant difference in the dissolution of the marital union in relation to those how did not cohabitate and those who cohabitated prior to marriage. Because of this result, they focused on the covariates to see which created a significant relation between dissolution of marriage and cohabitation. The covariant of age has a definite relation to cohabitation and the dissolution of the marital union. In fact, women who were 5 years or older than their spouse were more likely to have a marriage end in divorce. This correlation tended to be 4 and ? times greater a risk than couples who were the same age. Education or lack of education was a predictor of dissolution as well. Eighty percent of men that had only a small amount of post-secondary education were likely to have a marriage end in divorce whether they cohabitated or not. Religion also proved to be a factor with 83-100% of those individuals that did not attend religious services on a weekly basis were likely to have a marriage end. The only time that cohabitation proved to correlate to the dissolution of a marriage was when the age and contraceptive use were excluded from the analysis. Only then was there a small but relatively significant relation (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). This study showed that there were only basic correlations between the concept of cohabitation and the dissolution of marriage. The fact that to gain any significant relevance requires the exclusion of two main covariates says much about how cohabitation and divorce or separation related to one another. There were five covariates that did show some relation. These include one or both of the individuals having experienced parental marital dissolution, living within certain territories, religion, spouse being in a cohabitational relationship prior to current relationship, and the use of contraceptive. However, cohabitation alone did not significantly influence the divorce and separation rates in Canada’s 10 territories that were part of this study (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). One factor that was discovered and not added to this or any study was the concept of â€Å"serial cohabitation† (Budinski & Trovato, 2005, pg 87) which is when an individual has more than one cohabitating relationship during adult life. This is a relatively new type of relationship and future studies will have to take this type of cohabitating relationship into account when looking at the union of marriage in relation to cohabitation and non-cohabitation (Budinski & Trovato, 2005). As the world changes and the societal values change, the old institutions of marriage and family will change as well. Life and society are not static, but they are predictable in some fashion. The emergence of cohabitation as a viable step in marriage started in force in the 1970’s. Today this concept is accepted and acknowledged as a legitimate union even prior to marriage. Not all cohabitational relationships will end in marriage, but many will and the chances of their remaining married in relation to those individuals who did not cohabitate is changing as well. The fact is that marriage and cohabitation are not really separate or relational. There are other factors that are more influential on the dissolution of the marriage and it are these variables that need to be considered in closer examination to have a better understanding of the factors of cohabitation, marriage, and the dissolution of a relationship. Bibliography Budinski, R. A. , & Trovato, F. (2005). The effects of premarital cohabitation on marital stability of the duration of marriage. [Electronic version]. Canadian Studies in Population , 32, 69-95.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Analysis of “Mississippi burning” Essay

Mississippi Burning is a film directed by Alan Parker that was released in 1988. It depicts the case of Mississippi Burning, which took place in 1964, where three civil rights workers went missing. The FBI was notified only to find the sheriffs office linked to the Ku Klux Klan and accountable for the disappearances of the three boys. This film follows an investigation carried out by FBI agents into the disappearances of three civil rights workers, who campaigned for the rights of â€Å"blacks†. As the case unfolds, vital evidence, such as the workers abandoned car are found and turmoils are faced by the main characters, Agents Anderson and Ward. The case proceeds when more FBI agents are called in and the sheriffs offices involvement is discovered. As a last resort, Ward does things Andersons way and as a result, information is received from the Deputys wife, which leads to the bodies being recovered and the men involved, charged with violating civil rights. The film is set in the fictional town of Jessup County in Mississippi. Segregation is prominent in this town where many of the whites; live in the town, whilst the blacks; are shown living on the outskirts in rundown houses. The setting is also presented in a manner where the town is shown to be in the middle of nowhere in order to depict the belief that their crimes would go unknown due to its isolation to the higher authorities. Mississippi Burning is a fictionalised depiction of the events in Mississippi in 1964. The movie portrays a period in history during the 1960s, where segregation and racial discrimination dominated. It was a period when civil rights movements were held to fight for the rights of â€Å"blacks† such as the Freedom Summer Movements and The Watts Riots of 1965. There was also the strong presence of racial groups such as the KKK and the corrupted authorities, who possessed great influence in those times. Many people also voiced their concerns such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King in the struggle for their civil rights. The film â€Å"Mississippi Burning† gives an accurate account of the 1960s; however a few discrepancies can be identified through analysis of that historical period. In the movie, many scenes present the reminder of segregation and racial discrimination as seen in the 1960s. These include the first scene, where a contrast is shown between the two water fountains, at the restaurant, where coloureds were separated from the whites and the strong presence of the distinctive racial groups. Some of the discrepancies identified were that there was no representations of retaliation from â€Å"blacks†, an expression that the FBI were the heroes and a stereotypical view given to all locals, which was not the case. The film, â€Å"Mississippi Burning† contains a vast array of characters, but two main characters are Ward and Anderson, who are the FBI agents in control of this investigation. Agent Ward, acted by William Dafoe, is the more conservative type of person. He was described by Anderson as the type that crossed the t’s, implying that Ward only knew one approach. Ward’s role in the movie was also primarily dominating as he made all the decisions such as interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence; however, it was apparent that with this approach, the case wouldn’t be solved. William Dafoe portrayed Ward convincingly through his attire, where he was formally dressed at all times and the use of glasses to depict a compliant attitude. The way he spoke also brought about a convincing attitude where formal language was always used. However in contrast, Agent Anderson, acted by Gene Hackman, is the type of person that does things his way. Anderson’s method was demonstrated during the film when Anderson passively scrutinised the deputy’s wife to obtain facts required for the conviction. He also orchestrated other events, for instance, the scene when the KKK members turned on each other due to  Anderson causing an internal quarrel. It is obvious that if it wasn’t for Anderson, the case wouldn’t have been solved. Gene Hackman portrayed Anderson very convincingly as his attire was always casual and his use of language depicted his aggressiveness. His stature was also related to the attitude Anderson portrayed as well as the aggressive voice that accompanied it. â€Å"Mississippi Burning† was released by Orion Productions in 1988. At this time, segregation had been minimised in most communities and equality between races and gender were on the rise. Society had become modern where living standards and the economy had increased. The â€Å"Klan† had also gone into hiding and laws had been created in order to protect the rights of each individual no matter what race they were. There were still the groups/individuals that were prejudice in different aspects of life. But, the majority had started to treat each other as equal whilst others were treated like heroes for their efforts such as Martin Luther King Jr who received a Nobel Peace Prize that year. Much progress had been made since the 1960s in regards to racism, that many people saw this movie has a way to bring about awareness. Some organisation had praised it as it gave an insight into how â€Å"blacks† were treated, but still held their heads high. People also saw the film as a way to see the true extent of what life was like for a coloured during the 1960s and to understand their pain through startling images of the â€Å"Klan’s† acts. Criticism was also expressed towards the film as many critics claimed that the â€Å"blacks† had been portrayed as helpless scared people who didn’t help the civil rights struggle, but instead, needed whites to come to their aid. Critics also fault the film, for not representing the â€Å"blacks† who played vital roles and also for the stereotyping of all Mississippians as racists. Throughout the film, the angle of a low angle shot has been extensively used to convey certain moods and emotions. This technique consists of positioning  the camera below the figure, in order to obtain a particular effect. The low angle shot was used in the film to show power and vulnerability such as in the scene when the burning cross was shown where it illustrated the powerful symbol of the cross and the supremacy it had. The shot of the extreme close up was also used where a close up was given of an object. This technique was primarily used to display qualities of a person and the expressions manifested on their faces. An occurrence in the film was just before Frank shot the civil rights workers, where a close up of his face was portrayed. This was done in order to depict his expressionless face and the way he had no remorse for his actions. A lot of emphasis was also put into the lighting used in order to create a specific atmosphere. During the film, backlight was used create an eerie atmosphere as well as suspense due to the lack of light. This occurred in the scene when Lester was attacked in order to create a sense of anticipation as well as the kidnapping of he mayor. Lastly, the technique of sound was also used where diegetic and non-diegitic sounds were used. These types of sounds included voices, where as non-diegetic sounds covered mood music. This technique was expressed during many scenes in order to set the tone such as when the characters were speaking and the mood music of gospel singing being used. This gospel singing was used to create the sad and sombre atmosphere and to also engage the viewer’s emotions. Overall, this movie was a clear depiction of the events in the 1960s and is a successful text in keeping this history alive through the passing to future generations.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Right to Privacy essays

The Right to Privacy essays In the United States Constitution and its subsequent amendments, there is in no place a reference to the so called Right to Privacy. But in several Supreme Court Cases, the judges have ruled in favor of a certain decision by stating that people of the United States have a Right to Privacy. How do these judges make the conclusion that there is a right to privacy guaranteed in the constitution, when it is not specifically written? The answer is, that they imply the power based on several of the already predefined amendments. In the Supreme Court Case, Gideons vs. Connecticut (1965), the Court ruled that the Connecticut law stating that no contraceptive may be used. The plaintiff argued that they should not be penalized for something they do in there own home. When the case reached the Supreme Court, the Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, stating that there was a right to privacy in a mans home. In Mapp vs. Ohio, Police received an anonymous tip that there was a bomber inside the residence of a Mrs. Mapp. They came to her house, and she refused them in without a search warrant. The police came back later, handcuffed Mapp, and found several items of obscene material throughout her house. The supreme court ruled in favor the Mapp, stating the right to privacy in ones home, and the guarantees that the fourth and fourteenth amendments have. What gives the court the right to base a decision on the right to privacy? The first amendment to the constitution states that people have the rights of speech, religion, press, petition, and assembly. More specifically, freedom to associate. The court ruled that the disclosure of membership lists of a constitutionally valid association, was invalid. It also ruled that we have protection in the associations that are not political in the customary sense, but pertain to the social, legal, and economic benefit of the...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Why Do Students Cheat Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Why Do Students Cheat - Essay Example The major factors that have been highlighted by researchers as amongst the major causes of cheating are limited time available to students, the prevailing culture that encourages cheating, weak regulations and punishments that discourage students from cheating in future as well as getting the opportunities to cheat. These causes have been explored in greater depth and their strength in leading students towards cheating has been highlighted. Cheating, often termed as academic dishonesty, is a frequently reported academic crime by various colleges and universities. According to the statistics by Duke University, approximately 10% of students in their graduating year had been guilty of cheating (Conlin). Further research in this area has explained the fact that cheating is not the story of just one college or university; it is the story of most universities and colleges across the globe. So much is the frequency of cheating that it has been defined as â€Å"rampant† according to one study (Simkin and McLeod). Statistics have depicted a continuous rise in the percentage of college students who have cheated, from 60% to as high as 86% (Whitley). The phenomenon of cheating is a matter of great concern not only to academic institutions today but also employers because it has been observed that cheating at the college level translates to immoral behavior at the workplace. Researchers have found a link between cheating and unethical practices at work (Thompson). Cheating is, thus, rooted in individuals’ attitudes towards dishonesty and is less a superficial practice and more of a serious issue. Thus, dishonesty in academics translates to dishonesty at work. A less obvious form of cheating is the practice of individuals who, for a large fee worth several dollars, take the test for an individual (Simkin and McLeod). A significant cause of cheating is the access to technology, particularly the internet that has encouraged the practice of cheating. The interne t has boosted options for students to cheat; it provides various channels through which students can view solution manuals, test banks and quizzes (Simkin and McLeod). Exchange of solutions to future test questions amongst students is another major aspect of cheating. The mobile technology has also been used to take images of test papers as well as text the correct answers to students during exams. However, this has raised questions as to what are acceptable practices and what are not. If individuals are to succeed in managerial positions, they have to engage in sharing of information and resources as well as team work. According to some individuals, the practice of getting one’s exam written by someone else is seen as a sign of creativity on the part of students who look for new ways of succeeding (Conlin). According to these individuals, what matters is the concern that students have for getting the work done correctly, not the means through which it is done. Those who are against the practice of cheating, however, argue that cheating is looked down upon because it degrades the reputation of institutions, reduces the value of the degrees given to students, and results in dissatisfaction of employees who find that their employees are unable to perform the tasks that are depicted by their majors (Knowledge). In an interesting study regarding cheating in business schools, it was pointed out that business schools struggle to encourage ethical principles in students so that they display ethical behavior at workplace. This goes along with the expectation that business schools will put special effort to encourage ethical principles in students such that they will display true professionalism at work. The concern for cheating is especially high for business