Monday, December 30, 2019

The Sociological Concept Of ‘Taste’ Allows Us To See How

The sociological concept of ‘taste’ allows us to see how our styles and mannerisms directly define and structure the societal groups we inhabit. In Stewart’s book ‘Culture, Taste and Value’ (2013) he defines taste, from a common sense perspective, as a purely subjective, private matter (Stewart, 2013). However, in this essay, my aim is to inform the reader of the substantial implications ‘taste’ has as a theoretical framework for explaining societal structures and understanding everyday life. The concept can be seen as more than just a subjective entity drawing upon private matters and should be analysed in as much detail and with as much reverence as other major sociological frameworks. From understanding the implications that the†¦show more content†¦53). It is only when we apply thought to objects and/or people that we believe demonstrate beauty, that the judgement can then become universal. This presumes, per Kant, sensus com munis; a consensus of state. When telling others our judgements of taste, it is seen as universal as they ought to share it on pain of making a judgment which is incorrect or inappropriate. (Zangwill, 2014) This would be why we do in fact look to others to share our judgment. Kant attributed the notion that judgements of taste can be applied to everyone to a priori and posteriori knowledge. ‘It is an empirical judgement [to say] that I perceive and judge an object with pleasure. But it is an a priori judgement [to say] that I find it beautiful, i.e. I attribute this satisfaction necessarily to everyone.’ (Kant, 1790, p. 165) Therefore, Kant believed, when we say something is beautiful we are using a priori knowledge to create this judgement, and we also expect the majority to agree with our judgement. Hume’s analysis, however, in ‘Of the Standard of Taste’ (1742), would argue against universality. This is because taste is the source of our judgement of natural and moral beauty, leading to the foundations of what we consider should be praised, and consequently, what should be criticised. Society craves the ability to confirm specific sentimentsShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Sociological Imagination1389 Words   |  6 PagesMy personal condensed definition of â€Å"the sociological imagination† is that it is the idea one should be aware of the societal structures around themselves, and how those structures can influence a person and vice-versa. In addition, I think that having a â€Å"sociological imagination† also involves a deep appreciation for the importance of society and culture. Consequently, for a person that has completed a basic introduction to sociology college course and actually paid attention, I would hope thatRead MoreA Sociological Co nceptual Framework Of Genetically Modified Organisms2893 Words   |  12 PagesConstance Senior Seminar Sociology Fall 2014 Abstract In this paper I employ a sociological conceptual framework with a qualitative methodology to interpret the case of Genetically Modified Organisms in food to inform discussions regarding balancing economic development and social stability. This research topic is important because it brings awareness of the controversy in relation to genetically modified organisms. The sociological conceptual frame work focuses on the structural functionalist theory versusRead MoreThe Production of a Manga Culture in France: a Sociological Analysis of a Successful Intercultural Reception4707 Words   |  19 PagesTHE PRODUCTION OF A â€Å"MANGA CULTURE† IN FRANCE: A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF A SUCCESSFUL INTERCULTRAL RECEPTION Olivier VANHEE Communication à   la Confà ©rence Internationale Asia Culture Forum 2006 Mobile and Pop Culture in Asia Gwangju, Corà ©e, octobre 2006 Introduction Manga and anime are now part of the cultural habits of different generations of French readers, and they are a major cultural space where images and meanings about Japan and Asia circulate. From the end of the 1970’s, interculturalRead MoreEssay on Industry Analysis Chipotle1965 Words   |  8 Pagescompete based on a number of factors, including taste, quality, speed of service, price and value, name recognition, restaurant location, customer service and the ambience and condition of each restaurant† (Chipotle, 2010). The QSR industry is seeing growth due to the fact that today’s society is more strapped for time than ever. According to the American Sociological Review, â€Å"more than 50% of American families are dual earner household†¦multitasking allows parents to accomplish more within a limitedRead MoreSatallite Tv Channel6318 Words   |  26 Pagesaffecting the cultural life. Our culture based on some social value, norms, language, tradition which are getting affected to some worse due to these very satellite channels. To know how people of Dhaka are affected by satellite programs, which age of people are mainly affected by it, how satellite is changing our cultural norms, how it is having a bad impact in our society, to what extent it is liable to destroy our culture and affecting our lives not for good but for worse. Does it have only bad effectRead MoreThe Concept of Luxury Brands17890 Words   |  72 PagesTHE CONCEPT OF LUXURY BRANDS Contents I – LUXONOMY 1. The Basic Definition of Luxury 2.1. The Necessity-Luxury Continuum 2.2. The Relativity of Luxury 2.3. General Perspective for the Definition of Luxury 2. The Major Understandings of Luxury by Area of Research 3.4. The Philosophical-sociological Understanding of Luxury 3.5. The Micro-economic Understanding of Luxury: Luxury Goods 3.6. The Managerial Understanding of Luxury:Read MoreConsumer Behavior Study Notes7882 Words   |  32 Pagesand income, ethnicity, geography, and lifestyles Chapter 2: Perception Exposure Exposure: the degree to which people notice a stimulus that is within range of their sensory receptors Sensory Thresholds Psychophysics: the science that focuses on how the physical environment is integrated into our personal, subjective world The absolute threshold Absolute threshold: the minimum amount of stimulation that can be detected on a sensory channel The differential threshold Differential threshold:Read MoreTraditional African Family19679 Words   |  79 PagesPerspectives in a teaching context by offering practical classroom support for teachers. Three lesson plans are provided for each chapter. One of these is a glossary exercise that will help students come to terms with the conceptual base of the subject and allow them to build a running dictionary of sociology. The other two lessons focus on issues central to AS- and A-level specifications in that area and aim to help students develop the range of skills required for success. Many of the lesson plans requireRead MoreExplain How Psychological Perspectives Have Been Used to Criminal Behavior2641 Words   |  11 PagesExplain how psychological perspectives have been used to criminal behavior Biological approaches: (P1)The biological approach means that our behavior is the cause of biological factors. This approach looks at our genetics to construct a reason why we act the way we do and why we develop abnormal behaviors. The brain and nervous system are the biological approach and so are chemical changes in the body .This can mean chemical reactions in the brain. For instance, in eating disorders - twin studiesRead MoreCollective Behavior11901 Words   |  48 Pagestheir meaning can be grasped immediately, e.g. the family, deviance, politics or organizations. Collective behavior is not one of them. It includes an enormous array of behaviors, processes, structures and contexts. It encompasses parts of many sociological sub-fields. It tends to focus on a particular kind of  behavior, rather than on a particular institution such as schools, on abstract group properties such as social stratification or bureaucratic structure, or on a single social process such as

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Teen Smoking Education And Prevention Essay - 3239 Words

1 Teen Smoking: Education and Prevention Teen Smoking: Education and Prevention Virginia Western Community College Jessica Baise Assessment Public Health Problem Tobacco use usually begins during youth and young adulthood. Every day in the United States, more than 3,800 youth under the age of eighteen smoke their first cigarette. (Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults , n.d.) The progress of smoking occasionally to smoking every day is due to the highly addictive drug called nicotine. There are several reasons why teens start smoking and they are unaware of the issues or problems it may cause. The younger you start smoking the more likely you are to use tobacco for a prolonged period of time. Nearly 4.7 million middle and high school students were current tobacco users in 2015. (The Office of Adolescent Health , n.d.) Tobacco use in young adults has declined considerably in the last 40 years, nearly 1 in 17 high school students were a daily smoker in 2015. (The Office of Adolescent Health , n.d.) From 2011 to 2015, current cigarette smoking declined among middle and high school students. (Youth and Tobacco Use , n.d.) About 2 of every 100 middle school students (2.3%) reported in 2015 that they smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days, a decrease from 4.3% in 2011. (Youth and Tobacco Use , n.d.) About 9 of every 100 high school students (9.3%) reported in 2015 that they smoked cigarettes in past 30 days, a decrease from 15.8% in 2011. (Youth andShow MoreRelatedTeen Smoking : Education And Prevention1146 Words   |  5 Pages Teen Smoking: Education and Prevention Virginia Western Community College Jessica Baise Assessment Public Health Problem Tobacco use usually begins during youth and young adulthood. Every day in the United States, more than 3,800 youth under the age of eighteen smoke their first cigarette. (Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults , n.d.) The progress of smoking occasionally to smoking every day is due to the highly addictive drug called nicotine. There are several reasonsRead MoreTobacco Smoking1372 Words   |  6 PagesSmoking is an activity that has been around for many years for people to use and adapt into their lifestyle. It is a tool that many people use to help reduce the stresses of life and put them in a comfortable position that enables them to cope with the hectic lifestyle they are living. However, smoking has been scientifically proven to cause many types of cancer, the most common being lung cancer resulting in numerous deaths across the United States. According to WHO (World Health Organization),Read MoreDrug Abuse Resistance Education Program981 Words   |  4 Pagesdrug-f ree life. This education program is called Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program (D.A.R.E.) This program uses law enforcement officers to educate students from kindergarten to 12th grade about saying no to drugs and gang violence. It is the most widely used school based program in our country that focuses on helping tackle down this problem. However, between 1983 and 2009, scientific studies showed that this program was ineffective in reducing the use of drugs in teens. Back in 1994, TheRead MoreTeenage Moms That Are Still In High School Get Pregnant1391 Words   |  6 Pagestheir child. There were just under a quarter million pregnancies in women ages fifteen to nineteen in 2014. About eighty-five percent of these pregnancies are unplanned, which in any population can increase the risk for problems. The biggest risk for teen mothers is delaying prenatal care or worse, about seven percent received no care at all. According to CDC, In 2014, almost 250,000 babies were born to women aged 15–19 years, for a birth rate of 24.2 per 1,000 women in this age group. This is anotherRead MoreTeen Pregnancy Issues And How It Affects Our Teens And Their Children814 Words   |  4 PagesAn assessment of Teen Pregnancy Issues Tasha Arlen HUMS 390 Tracey Rollins May 1, 2015 Abstract Through this paper I will explain teen pregnancy issues and how it affects our teens and their children. I will discuss the physical/ emotional, medical and financial strain placed on teenage parents. Teen pregnancy can affect everyone in different ways. I will also so explain some programs to help with teen pregnancy. An assessment of Teen Pregnancy Issues For manyRead MoreSubstance Abuse : A Public Health Problem Among American Children And Adolescents1561 Words   |  7 Pagessome type of alcoholic beverage in the past month and more than one in five engaging in binge drinking in the past two weeks. Tobacco is not much of an issue as it was in the past with the rates declining. Only one in ten adolescents have reported smoking in the past month. Illicit drug use is a growing problem in the US. By the twelfth grade, nearly half of all students have tried illicit drugs with marijuana being the most used but also include prescription drug use and aerosols (The Office of AdolescentRead MoreThe Dangers of Smoking1037 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Every day, approximately 4,800 young people between the ages of 11 and 17 will smoke their first cigarette. Of these, almost half will become regular smokers† (Wagner, 60). Many teens do not fear the consequences of using tobacco. They view their use of tobacco as temporary and easily re solvable. Unfortunately, the nicotine in tobacco products is highly addictive, which makes quitting challenging. When and if they finally quit, the consequences to their health have already taken its toll. Read MorePrenatal Care For Young Women Essay1082 Words   |  5 Pagesdue to an unexpected pregnancy, not being educated on what to do, or not having resources to get care. Prenatal care is very important to a child’s early development. Prenatal care can mean several things like cutting back on caffeine and stopping smoking. It can also mean soon after conception beginning to care for yourself and the baby as well as starting to schedule regular checkups with a doctor. Healthy People 2020 wants to help mothers, infants and children achieve optimal preconception healthRead MoreA History of Tobacco and Smoking in America1174 Words   |  5 Pages Every year cigarette smoking is responsible for 500,000 premature deaths (Nugel), you do not want to be just another statistic, do you? America’s first cash crop was tobacco. That means that tobacco has been around for a really long time. It was not until 1865, though, that cigarettes were sold commercially. They were sold to soldiers at the end of the Civil War (Dowshen). From then, cigarettes spread like wildfire, and it was not until 1964 that anyone made a stand about the negative effectsRead MoreDrug Of Drug And Drug Abuse1538 Words   |  7 Pagesthe drug war of the 1900s, drugs have been a major problem in today’s society. â€Å"Use of drugs such as opium, morphine, and other byproducts were common in twentieth century America† (Dobkin, 1998). While most students in standard high school drug education know about the use of coca leaves in Coca-Cola and the opium trade in China, drug addiction during the century is much more expansive than recognized. â₠¬Å"It is estimated that by 1975, there were about 550,000 users of addictive drugs in the U.S† (Lee

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Media Representation in Lgbt Free Essays

Media and its representation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual (LGBT) themes has been prevalent throughout time. According to the collections of studies and stories by Meem, Mitchell and Jonathan (2010) concerning LGBT individuals, it is important to represent such themes because it is able to enlighten people on how our society as a whole, has become dynamic. The Media can be seen as a â€Å"central source† where negative perceptions can be created. We will write a custom essay sample on Media Representation in Lgbt or any similar topic only for you Order Now As a result, stereotypes can be either created or perpetuated about this group, negative or otherwise. Media as a medium, therefore, is an extremely powerful tool in our society, and can be used to change or create people’s perceptions about this particular segment of our world (LGBT). Stereotyping people can be harmful and have long lasting effects on us as a society, â€Å"It can transform slight assumptions on people and make them perceived realities† (Meem, Mitchell; Jonathan 2010). Such stereotypes are capable of perpetuating inequality and social prejudice in society. However, it is imperative to note that stereotyping through the media is sometimes inevitable. In the case of television, stereotyping occurs through advertisements, news bulletins and entertainment. For films, stereotyping has been used as a form of marketing. The stereotypical codes give television and film audiences a common and quick way of understanding a particular person. In most cases, stereotypical codes focus on ethnicity, social roles, sexual orientation, occupation, race and gender. Most often, the groups being stereotyped may not defend themselves. They are usually the minority and raising their voices may make little or no impact. However, there are some measures, which have been instituted to help reduce stereotyping. For instance, media campaign against this vice has become useful in reducing stereotypes in society. However, the vice is still rampant in some sections of the media. â€Å"There are those who have a common tendency of thinking that the way people think and can be uniform across the globe† (Carroll, 2009). This is not true people are diverse and their mindsets also vary. This is mostly applicable in homosexuality whereby gays and lesbians are viewed to be outside the mainstream or dominant culture. With the emergence of gothic culture, it is probable to categorize them as being weird or abnormal. The dominant culture in this case refers to marriage and love relationships between people of different gender. Same sex marriages and behavioral patterns are prevalent in virtually all cultures. As Carroll (2009) documents, â€Å"same sex behavior is found in every culture, and its prevalence remains about the same† (p. 290). The media is a viable source of information in society such that televisions and films are very influential due to both sound and visual effect. These two mediums of communication are crucial in symbolic annihilations of lesbians and gays. According to Vollmer (2003), films and TVs tend to avoid integrating gays and lesbians in their programs for fear of offending advertisers, target audiences as well as investors. This kind of portrayal is not desirable because it denies them their human rights. The fact that they belong to a new generation culture does not mean that they should not enjoy their rights. With their visual effects, the two mediums of communication cultivate a perception that homosexuals are bad elements in society. They should not be given a chance to be heard if they have views to express. Due to fear of loosing audience and revenues, these two mediums of communication edit their programs to extent that audiences place homosexuals under the category of abhorred people. This has extended even in the ways they are covered in television news. â€Å"The issue of sexual orientation has been used as an indicator of villainy and deviance in children’s movies† (Vollmer, 2003). If children were to be shown movies that portray homosexuals as bad characters in society, then, they would grow up hating them. A negative perception is cultivated in such children. Such kinds of stereotypes can instigate violence in society. For example, a gay male may not be welcomed in a party due to his sexual orientation. It is only a question of ethics. Homosexuals are also put as either victims or villains in movies. They are depicted as belonging to a weird or foreign culture that cannot be tolerated. It is rare to have a movie that has the main character being gay or lesbian. If a girl begins to demonstrate some signs of male characteristics, she is referred to as a ‘tom-boy’. It is like a taboo to show such kinds of signs in a girl. On the other hand, if a male does not have masculine features, he is seen as an outcast. All of these perceptions are obtained from the media, and especially televisions and movies. According to Mehta and Hay (2005), media houses have for a long time helped to construct and reinforce stereotypical ideas about masculinity and men. From what is portrayed in the media, it is possible for people to dismiss others on the basis of whether they have masculinity or are feminine (Ferrey, 2008). Televisions and movies through their visual effects help define ‘a real man’. During advertisements, there are some particular aspects of man that are portrayed. A man who fails to have certain forms of male features may not be shown on TV or may not be considered for a film (Cohen ; Hall, 2009). Moreover, the marketing companies have started to objectifying men in the same manner women have been objectified. The fitness of a man, his muscles and general outlook count a lot in determining whether he is to feature in a program or not. Men are so used to this behavior, they do not see the need to object. Therefore, the media will never stop giving what one considers ‘good or real’ men airplay. Forming a type of segregation. A research study titled, Attitudes toward stereotypical versus counter-stereotypical gay men and lesbians indicates that six hundred and sixty two confessed gays, lesbians and bisexuals had contended with victimization in the society (Cohen ; Hall, 2009). Of those, 20% reported to have been attacked or abused because of their sexual orientation. In the year 2005, Federal Bureau had reported 1,171 of hate crime offenses took place because of homosexual orientation. This is the kind of segregation that has existed in the society for centuries. The major problem is because media and mostly electronic media show homosexuals as people who have undertaken ‘abnormal’ directions of life. They are not part of the mainstream culture. The only solution is for governments to create institutions that can help people understand that everybody should enjoy unlimited human rights. Forums can also help eradicated the notions cultivated by the media, about gays and lesbians and institute a culture of tolerance. In summary, no particular person should be segregated or discriminated on the basis of their sexuality. However, gender pre-judgments are still present in all media, the best remedy to help integrate all people no matter their sexuality, is to spend resources on education. Young people need to be taught tolerance and understanding in order to accept all kinds of people, regardless of their sexual orientation and direction. References Carroll, J. L. (2009). Sexuality now: embracing diversity. Belmont: CengageBrain Learning. Cohen, T. R. ; Hall, D. L. (2009). Attitudes toward stereotypical versus counter-stereotypical gay men and lesbians. Retrieved on 17th November 2011 from http://findarticles. om/p/articles/mi_m2372/is_4_46/ai_n35656044/ Ferrey, P. A. (2008). Gender Stereotypes persist. Retrieved on 17th November 2011 from http://www. nytimes. com/inc_com/inc1211198677212. html Meem, D. T. , Michelle A. G. , ; Jonathan A. (2010). Finding Out: An Introduction to LGBT Studies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Mehta, V. P. ; Hay, K. (2005). A superhero for gays? Gay masculinity and green lantern . The Journal of American Culture, 28(4), 390-404. Vollmer, M. L. (2003). Gender transgression and villainy in animated film. Taylor ; Francis Journal, 1(2), 89-109. How to cite Media Representation in Lgbt, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Jaw Crusher Crushing Cavity Design Problems free essay sample

Crusher Jaw crusher crushing cavity design problems Jaw crusher crushing cavity consists of moving jaw, jaw plate and two side wall lining. The crushing cavity is the shape of size of feeding mouth, bite Angle, dynamic jaw plate and fixed jaw plate and two lateral wall plate arrangement. And lining board is determined by factors such as the shape of the longitudinal and transverse section. Crushing cavity of the cavity shape is the direct main economic and technical indicators of impact crusher, such as productivity, energy consumption, product of granularity, grain shape, and the service life of the lining board, etc. thus taking the attention of the scholars at home and abroad to carry on amount of research work. With the continuous development of the crusher, especially in recent years putting forward more crushing less grinding increases crushing ratio and improves the quality of products, whether it is design a new crusher or exist old crusher, modification, design the best crushing cavities are very useful. We will write a custom essay sample on Jaw Crusher Crushing Cavity Design Problems or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page According to the moving jaw plate trip to calculate each point on the surface of the actual level of rectilinear crushing cavity, and assumes that the moving jaw balance compared to calculate the rectilinear crushing cavity can be seen that the first crushing cavity in the feeding mouth is productivity much, crushing cavity bottom, about a third smaller height in productivity and discharging mouth productivity as both. The reason is that crushing cavity feeding mouth horizontal stroke, greater than the discharging mouth of the horizontal stroke, and in the crushing cavity. About one-third lower height has a minimum level of schedule. Therefore, in order to improve the discharging mouth production crusher and raise productivity, curvilinear crushing cavity can be used in order to get the best crushing cavity shape, variable bite angle of crushing cavity design, and from the discharging mouth to bite angle value Feeding mouth is gradually increasing, but must ensure that the feeding mouth bite angle value is less than the limit angle of autophagy. In addition, in order to make sure the plate to turn around, the crushing cavity will be made from both ends of symmetry. In short, when designing the crushing cavity jaw crusher, we should strive to eet the requirements of such: increase production, for liner wear rule, try to extend the service life of lining board, reasonably determine the crushing cavity height, reduce machine weight. jaw crusher:http://www. jawscrusher. org impact crusher:http://www. impactscrusher. com raymond mill: http://www. impactscrusher. com/mill-series/Raymond_Mill. asp ball mill: http://www. impactscrusher. com/mill-series/Ball. asp sand washing machine:http://www. vipeakpulverizer. com/XSD_Sand_Washing_Machine. asp powder Grinder:http://www. vipeakpulverizer. com/HGM_Series_Micropowder_Grinder. asp grinder:http://www. vipeakgrinder. com

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Agriculture and Farm Innovations and Inventors

Agriculture and Farm Innovations and Inventors Farming and farm machinery were basically unchanged in Europe and its colonies for over a thousand years until the Agricultural Revolution  beginning in the late 1700s. Modern agricultural machinery has continued to evolve. The threshing machine has given way to the combine, usually a self-propelled unit that either picks up windrowed grain or cuts and threshes it in one step. The grain binder has been replaced by the swather which cuts the grain and lays it on the ground in windrows, allowing it to dry before being harvested by a combine. Plows are not used nearly as extensively as before, due in large part to the popularity of minimum tillage to reduce soil erosion and conserve moisture. The disk harrow today is more often used after harvesting to cut up the grain stubble left in the field. Although seed drills are still used, the air seeder is becoming more popular with farmers. Todays farm machinery allows farmers to cultivate many more acres of land than the machines of yesterday. Famous Agriculturists Luther Burbank - The Idaho Potato: Horticulturalist patented many cropsGeorge Washington Carver: Agricultural chemist who diversified agriculture and promoted crop rotationJethro Tull: Inventor of the seed drill Milestones in Farm Machinery The following inventions and mechanization led to an agricultural revolution in America in its first two centuries as a nation. Corn picker:  In 1850, Edmund Quincy invented the corn picker.Cotton gin:  The cotton gin is a machine that separates seeds, hulls and other unwanted materials from cotton after it has been picked. Eli Whitney patented the cotton gin on March 14, 1794Cotton harvester:  The first cotton harvester was patented in the U.S. in 1850, but it was not until the 1940s that the machinery was widely used.  Mechanical cotton harvesters are of two types: strippers and pickers. Stripper harvesters strip the entire plant of both open and unopened bolls, along with many leaves and stems. The cotton gin is then used to remove unwanted material.​  Picker machines, often called spindle-type harvesters, remove the cotton from open bolls and leave the bur on the plant. The spindles, which rotate on their axes at high speeds, are attached to a drum that also turns, causing the spindles to penetrate the plants. The cotton fibers are wrapped around the moistened spindles and then removed by a special device called a doffer; the cotton is then delivered to a large basket carried above the machine. Crop rotation: Growing the same crop repeatedly on the same land eventually  depletes the soil of different nutrients. Farmers avoided a decrease in soil fertility by practicing crop rotation. Different plant crops were planted in a regular sequence so that the leaching of the soil by a crop of one kind of nutrient was followed by a plant crop that returned that nutrient to the soil. Crop rotation was practiced in ancient Roman, African, and Asian cultures. During the Middle Ages in Europe, a three-year crop rotation was practiced by farmers rotating rye or winter wheat in year one, followed by spring oats or barley in the second year, and followed by a third year of no crops. In the 18th century, British agriculturalist Charles Townshend aided the European agricultural revolution by popularizing a four- year crop rotation with rotations of wheat, barley, turnips, and clover. In the United States, George Washington Carver brought his science of crop rotation to the farmers and save d the farming resources of the south. Grain elevator: In 1842, the first grain elevator was built by Joseph Dart.Hay cultivation:  Until the middle of the 19th century, hay was cut by hand with sickles and scythes. In the 1860s early cutting devices were developed that resembled those on reapers and binders; from these came the modern array of fully mechanical mowers, crushers, windrowers, field choppers, balers, and machines for pelletizing or wafering in the field. The stationary baler or hay press was invented in the 1850s and did not become popular until the 1870s. The pick up baler or square baler was replaced by the round baler around the 1940s.In 1936, a man named Innes, of Davenport, Iowa, invented an automatic baler for hay. It tied bales with binder twine using Appleby-type knotters from a John Deere grain binder. A Pennsylvania Dutchman named Ed Nolt built his own baler, salvaging the twine knotters from the Innes baler. Both balers did not work that well. According to The History of Twine, Nolts innovative patents pointed the way by 1939 to the mass production of the one-man automatic hay baler. His balers and their imitators revolutionized hay and straw harvest and created a twine demand beyond the wildest dreams of any twine manufacturer. Milking machine:  In 1879, Anna Baldwin patented a milking machine that replaced hand milking - her milking machine was a vacuum device that connected to a hand pump. This is one of the earliest American patents, however, it was not a successful invention. Successful milking machines appeared around 1870. The earliest devices for mechanical milking were tubes inserted in the teats to force open the sphincter muscle, thus allowing the milk to flow. Wooden tubes were used for this purpose, as well as feather quills. Skillfully made tubes of pure silver, gutta percha, ivory, and bone were marketed in the mid-19th century. During the last half of the 19th century, over 100 milking devices were patented in the United States.Plow:  John Deere invented the self-polishing cast steel plow - an improvement over the iron plow. The plow was made of wrought iron and had a steel share that could cut through sticky soil without clogging. By 1855, John Deeres factory was selling over 10,000 stee l plows a year. Reaper:  In 1831, Cyrus H. McCormick developed the first commercially successful reaper, a horse-drawn machine that harvested wheatTractors:  The advent of tractors revolutionized the agricultural industry, freeing agriculture from using oxen, horse, and manpower.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Howard Zinn Essay Example

Howard Zinn Essay Example Howard Zinn Essay Howard Zinn Essay When he returned home, he turned in all of his medals he earned and wrote Never Again. Howard Zion really had three major accomplishments in his life. His civil rights move meet, his anti war movement, and a publication of A Peoples History of the United States. Body Zion was very passionate about being part of history and did so by helping In the call rights movement. A. He became an Adult Adviser to the Student Nonviolence t Coordinating Committee and marched for call rights with his students. B. He Ana many meetings Witt call RL sharecroppers and children who were involved in the movement. Ants leaders Ana C. He took many notes on what happened today and recorded the history being made. Howard Zion opposed to militarism. A. He dedicated half a century opposing at home. He practiced what he preached and Joined many picket lines of striking workers. B. He endorsed and worked with the anti war movement to build the strongest opposition to the Iraq invasion and other colonialists wars. C. One of the most remembered dates he marched he w rote I will be marching March, 17 with my wife, with friends, to express our solidarity with those people all over the country who demand that the United States bring our troop s back from Iraq. We need to make clear that the democrats in congress that we expect bold action from them to stop the war, to save lives of Americans and Iraqis, and use the enormous sums wasted on war to serve the needs of people. Howard Zion wrote a history textbook A Peoples History of the United States. A. This book provided other perspectives of American H story and was a finalists for the National Book Award in 1981. B. Let depicts the struggles of Native Americans gains European and U. S. Conquests and expansion, slaves against slavery, unionists and to her workers against capitalists, women against patriarchal, and African American civil RI sights. C. The Zion Education Project was started because of the is book. It was launched to support educators using A Peoples History of the United Sat sees. Conclusion Civil rights were eventually established. People are still trying to get the troops brought HTH home to this day. Zions works and publications are read all the time. Howard Zion heel peed in being a big part of many great movements and works. He was a great man many Poe plea appreciated and adored. Zion influences millions who have read his work and have been inspired by his action s. He left us with these encouraging words: We dont have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an endless succession of presents, and to live now as we think humans would live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Do The Right Thing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Do The Right Thing - Essay Example However, the younger son of the Pizzeria owner, Vito, is different, because he is friend with Mookie (Lee, 1989). Everybody in the neighborhood is going about their business, on a hot and sunny day. The conflict in the movie revolves around the Sal’s Pizzeria, where he refuses to include any pictures of a black man in his list of the wall of fame. Buggin' Out is the character who sparks off the conflict about the wall of fame, by demanding that Sal should include some blacks, since he sells Pizza in a black neighborhood to the black people (Lee, 1989). However, Sal refuses and asserts that he is proud to be an Italian-American, and thus his wall of fame should only consist of the Italians. This argument degenerates into a confrontation, with Sal threatening to bash Buggin' Out, who has no support, except that of Raheem and Smiley. The whole activities of the day degenerates into chaos with the involvement of the police, with Buggin' Out starting a fight with a white man, while Mookie and Pino stages an argument regarding which race is better between the blacks and the Italians, which involves a lot of racist insults. However, the greatest of the fight occurs between Radio Raheem and Sal, who fights physically, and their fight spills into the street, which attracts all in the neighborhood, the police inclusive (Lee, 1989). The police appear and apprehend Radio Raheem, with one officer killing him, while Buggin' Out is arrested. Even after Radio Raheem is dead, the police continue to beat him up, demanding that he stop pretending. When the crowd of onlookers realizes that the police had killed Radio Raheem, they turn against them, and the police run away. Their anger is then turned against Sal’s property, which is then destroyed by the black community. The riot breaks in the whole neighborhood with the residents fighting against the police and the firefighters. Eventually, Smiley, who had set Sal’s Pizzeria on fire then creeps into the remain s of the burning building and hangs a picture of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., on the remains of the wall of fame. Nevertheless, in the first scene, both Mookie and Sal, who are the major representatives of Races end-up reconciling (Lee, 1989). Discussion Racism rears its ugly head through the expression of the discontent regarding the wall of fame. Despite the fact that there were other racist sentiments amongst the characters such as Pino in the previous scenes, the actual reality of the racisms breakout with the demand by Buggin' Out, that Sal should include pictures of blacks who were considered as heroes in his wall of fame, considering that he was running a Pizzeria in a black neighborhood, and selling the Pizzas to the blacks (Lee, 1989). This demand activates the racism in Sal, who responds by saying he is an Italian and is proud of that, and thus should only include the pictures of the Italians in the wall of fame. Sal threatens to bash Buggin' Out with a baseball bat, which then attracts both Radio Raheem and Smiley to support Buggin' Out (Lee, 1989). The whole issue degenerates into a major confrontation, which spills over the streets, and becomes the subject of the property destructions in the neighborhood. Mookie is another character who is a racist, and he

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Discussion Board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Discussion Board - Essay Example Four issues have arisen regarding the criminal justice system and its relation to individual rights and social control – restorative justice, retributive justice, psychiatric imprisonment and transformative justice. Restorative justice assumes that the victims can be restored to a condition â€Å"just as good as† before the criminal incident and that penalties for wrongs include community service, restitution and other alternatives to imprisonment. Psychiatric imprisonment, on the other hand, treats crime nominally as illness and, therefore, could be treated by psychoanalysis, drugs and other techniques. Transformative justice, meanwhile, does not consider the life of the victim and the offender, nor make any comparison about it before or after the criminal incident. It assumes that all people can be transformed and not to re-offend nor avenge. (Criminal) It is in my opinion that the United States criminal justice process follows the retributive model. That is because our system uses punishment to â€Å"pay back† wrongful deeds. When we say pay back we do not necessarily mean primitive forms of vengeance, but imprisonment, capital punishment and other punishments that the law deemed proportionate to criminal acts done against other human beings and the society as a whole. Our retributive system does not advocate vengeance per se, but justice in response to the wrongs committed against the victims and innocents. (Maiese) There are three important features in the United States criminal justice system. First, the US criminal jurisprudence is designed to protect the rights of the accused. Second, it is an open system where the court responds and reflects to its environment and therefore, is inevitably connected to the political process. And finally the third feature is the interdependency of the agencies within it – the police, courts and correctional departments. Currently, the US criminal justice

Monday, November 18, 2019

ADVERTISING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ADVERTISING - Essay Example Failure to come up with a well-planned advertising strategy could cost the company lots of money. Advertising contribute a lot to the economy. Advertising is now a 250+ billion dollar industry. Advertising is a substantial part of the income of mass media. Advertising creates jobs in the economy. Advertising has been the ingredient that has made many firms successful. Disallowing advertising would cause failure of many of those firms. Failure of firms hurts the economy (Taylor). On the contrary, successes of business enterprises have a positive impact on the overall economy thus creating more jobs. Advertising has become the prime source of marketplace information for consumers (Taylor). Many readers are grateful for advertising because it lets the vendor speak directly to the consumer about the product, without the editorial filtering evident in most reviews and resource articles (Hegener). Paid commercial advertising can be viewed as a gesture of faith in the readers ability to weigh the arguments provided and to make an informed decision. Many readers purchase magazines speci fically for the advertising they contain, and travel, hobby, computer and fashion magazines are only a few categories where advertising routinely makes up a large percentage of the overall content (Hegener). However, today’s advertising field is like a jungle, advertising media in any form are being bombarded with huge amount of advertisements. In order for businesses to attract a customers attention to their particular advertisement, the ads need to be eye-catching and perhaps make use of the psychological effects of color (Advertising). One main disadvantages of advertisement is that consumers may tend to be more familiar with a whole brand, as opposed to individual products (Advertising). Moreover, the process of advertising has made the consumer associate values with products that may not have a real connection to them - for instance, Nike has always

Friday, November 15, 2019

Mcdonalds Corporation Is The Worlds Largest Chain Marketing Essay

Mcdonalds Corporation Is The Worlds Largest Chain Marketing Essay McDonalds Corporation is the worlds largest chain of fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily through more than 31,000 restaurants in 119 countries worldwide. McDonalds sells various fast food items and soft drinks including, burgers, chicken, salads, fries, and ice cream. Many McDonalds restaurants have included a playground for children and advertising geared toward children, and some have been redesigned in a more natural style, with a particular emphasis on comfort: introducing lounge areas and fireplaces, and eliminating hard plastic chairs and tables. Each McDonalds restaurant is operated by a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself. The corporations revenues come from the rent, royalties and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants. McDonalds revenues grew 27% over the three years ending in 2007 to $22.8 billion, and 9% growth in operating income to $3.9 billion.  [1]   History analysis: The business began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald in San Bernardino, California. Their introduction of the Speedee Service System in 1948 established the principles of the modern fast-food restaurant. The original mascot of McDonalds was a man with a chefs hat on top of a hamburger shaped head whose name was Speedee. Speedee was eventually replaced with Ronald McDonald in 1963. The present corporation dates its founding to the opening of a franchised restaurant by Ray Kroc, in Des Plaines, Illinois on April 15, 1955 , the ninth McDonalds restaurant overall. Kroc later purchased the McDonald brothers equity in the company and led its worldwide expansion and the company became listed on the public stock markets in 1965. With the expansion of McDonalds into many international markets, the company has become a symbol of globalization and the spread of the American way of life. Its prominence has also made it a frequent topic of public debates about obesity, corporate ethics and consumer responsibility.  [2]   Vision To be the best and leading fast food provider around the globe Mission McDonalds brand mission is to be our customers favorite place and way to eat, and improve our operations to provide the most delicious fast food that meet our customers expectations. Values Our values summarized in Q.S.C. V.. Provide good quality, services to customer. Have a cleanliness environment when customer enjoys their meal. The value of food product makes every customer is smiling. Suppliers Substitutes Buyers Potential entrants Competitive rivalryThe Five Forces Framework The Threat of Entrants Large established companies with strong brand identities such as McDonalds BKC, YUM, and WEN do make it more difficult to enter and succeed within the marketplace; new entrants find that they are faced with price competition from existing chain restaurants. Bargaining Power of Buyers Low bargaining power of buyers. Bargaining power of suppliers Bargaining power of suppliers within the fast food industry would be relatively small, unless the main ingredient of the product is not readily available. Threat of Substitutes This could range from a competitive fast food restaurant to family restaurant to a home cooked meal. Competitive Rivalry The strength of competition in this industry is very high; the main rivals are BKC, YUM, and WEN. They compete with international, national, regional, local, retailers of food products (restaurants, quick service, pizza, coffee shops, and supermarkets). PESTEL Framework: Political: The international operations of McDonalds are highly influenced by the individual state policies enforced by each government. Economic: McDonalds has the tendency to experience hardship in instances where the economy of the respective states is hit by inflation and changes in the exchange rates. Market leader. Very high target market. Low cost and more incomes. The rate at which the economy of that particular state grows determines the purchasing power of the consumers in that country. Social: Working within many social groups. Increase employments. Technological Advanced technology development. Quality standards. Environmental: Quality packing. Local manufacture using foreign supplies. Legal: Legislation for product. Sustained logo. SWOT ANALYSIS Opportunities Threats Growing health trends among consumers Globalization, expansion in other countries (especially in China India). Diversification and acquisition of other quick-service restaurants. Growth of the fast-food industry. Worldwide deregulation. Low cost menu that will attract the customers. Freebies and discounts. Health professionals and consumer activists accuse McDonalds of contributing to the countrys health issue of high cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity. The relationship between corporate level McDonalds and its franchise dealers. McDonalds competitors threatened market share of the company both internationally and domestically. Anti-American sentiments. Global recession and fluctuating foreign currencies. Fast-food chain industry is expected to struggle to meet the expectations of the customers towards health and environmental issues. Strength Weakness Strong brand name, image and reputation. Large market share. Strong global presence. Specialized training for managers known as the Hamburger University. McDonalds Plan to win focuses on people, products, place, price and promotion. Strong financial performance and position. Unhealthy food image. High Staff Turnover including Top management Customer losses due to fierce competition. Legal actions related to health issues; use of trans fat beef oil. Uses HCFC-22 to make polystyrene that is contributing to ozone depletion. Ignoring breakfast from the menu. COMPARISION McDonalds Burger King Yum Brands Wendys Critical Success Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Price 0.15 4 0.60 3 0.45 3 0.45 3 0.45 Financial Position 0.08 4 0.32 3 0.32 3 0.24 2 0.16 Consumer Loyalty 0.10 4 0.40 3 0.40 3 0.30 2 0.20 Advertising 0.10 3 0.30 3 0.30 4 0.40 2 0.20 Product Quality 0.10 4 0.40 3 0.40 4 0.40 2 0.20 Innovation 0.15 3 0.45 3 0.45 3 0.45 2 0.30 Market Share 0.10 4 0.40 2 0.20 3 0.30 2 0.20 Management 0.07 4 0.28 3 0.21 3 0.21 3 0.21 Global Expansion 0.15 4 0.60 2 0.30 3 0.45 1 0.15 Total 1 3.75 3.03 3.20 2.07 External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix Key External Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Opportunities Growing health trends among consumers 0.08 3 0.24 Globalization, expansion in other countries (especially in China India). 0.12 4 0.48 Diversification and acquisition of other quick-service restaurants. .04 3 0.12 Growth of the fast-food industry. .10 3 0.30 Worldwide deregulation .04 2 0.08 Low cost menu that will attract the customers. .08 2 0.16 Freebies and discounts. .08 1 0.08 Threats Health professionals and consumer activists accuse McDonalds of contributing to the countrys health issue of high cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity. 0.10 3 0.30 The relationship between corporate level McDonalds and its franchise dealers. 0.09 3 0.27 McDonalds competitors threatened market share of the company both internationally and domestically. 0.12 4 0.48 Anti-American sentiments. .07 2 .14 Global recession and fluctuating foreign currencies. .04 3 .12 Fast-food chain industry is expected to struggle to meet the expectations of the customers towards health and environmental issues. .04 2 .08 Total 1.00 2.85 Financial Ratio Analysis 12/2007 Growth Rates % McDonalds Industry SP 500 Sales (Qtr vs year ago qtr) -3.30 4.20 -3.80 Net Income (YTD vs YTD) 84.70 47.90 8.40 Net Income (Qtr vs year ago qtr) -22.60 -59.90 -94.80 Sales (5-Year Annual Avg.) 6.53 8.14 13.26 Net Income (5-Year Annual Avg.) 23.39 15.30 14.45 Dividends (5-Year Annual Avg.) 32.36 22.36 12.30 Price Ratios Current P/E Ratio 14.7 14.2 13.0 P/E Ratio 5-Year High N/A 9.5 12.5 P/E Ratio 5-Year Low N/A 4.7 2.0 Price/Sales Ratio 2.62 1.88 1.47 Price/Book Value 4.62 3.54 3.00 Price/Cash Flow Ratio 11.20 10.00 9.00 Profit Margins % Gross Margin 36.7 32.1 39.4 Pre-Tax Margin 26.2 17.2 13.2 Net Profit Margin 18.3 12.0 9.1 5Yr Gross Margin (5-Year Avg.) 33.9 33.3 39.1 5Yr PreTax Margin (5-Year Avg.) 19.8 14.2 16.6 5Yr Net Profit Margin (5-Year Avg.) 13.7 9.8 11.45 Financial Condition Debt/Equity Ratio 0.76 .80 1.03 Current Ratio 1.4 1.2 1.4 Quick Ratio 1.3 1.1 1.1 Interest Coverage N/A 1.2 29.9 Leverage Ratio 2.1 -5.3 1.9 Book Value/Share 12.00 10.00 19.75 Investment Returns % Return On Equity 32.2 44.4 27.9 Return On Assets 14.9 11.3 8.1 Return On Capital 17.0 13.7 11.2 Return On Equity (5-Year Avg.) 19.7 22.8 20.6 Return On Assets (5-Year Avg.) 10.0 8.98 8.5 Return On Capital (5-Year Avg.) 11.4 11.0 11.5 Management Efficiency Income/Employee 10,783 9,401 91,499 Revenue/Employee 58,806 98,207 1,000,000 Receivable Turnover 23.7 44.7 15.8 Inventory Turnover 125.7 98.7 12.3 Asset Turnover 0.8 1.1 1.0 Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix Key Internal Factors Weight Rating Weighted Score Strengths Strong brand name, image and reputation. 0.12 4 0.48 Large market share. 0.10 4 0.40 Strong global presence. 0.04 3 0.12 Specialized training for managers known as the Hamburger University. 0.04 3 0.12 McDonalds Plan to Win focuses on people, products, place, price and promotion 0.12 4 0.48 Strong financial performance and position. 0.08 4 0.32 Introduction of new products. 0.06 4 0.24 Customer focus (centric). 0.06 4 0.24 Strong performance in the global marketplace. 0.08 4 0.32 Weaknesses Unhealthy food image. 0.08 1 0.08 High Staff Turnover including Top management 0.04 1 0.10 Customer losses due to fierce competition. 0.04 1 0.04 Legal actions related to health issues; use of trans fat beef oil. 0.04 2 0.08 McDonalds uses HCFC-22 to make polystyrene that is contributing to ozone depletion. 0.04 2 0.08 Ignoring breakfast from the menu. 0.06 1 0.06 Total 1.00 3.16 SPACE Matrix Financial Strength Rating Environmental Stability Rating Return on investment 4 Rate of inflation -3 Leverage 4 Demand Changes -3 Net Income 6 Price Elasticity of demand -1 EPS 5 Competitive pressure -3 ROE 5 Barriers to entry new markets -3 Cash Flow 4 Risk involved in business -2 Average 4.67 Average -2.5 Y-axis 2.17 Competitive Advantage Rating Industry Strength Rating Market share -1.00 Growth potential 5 Product Quality -1.00 Financial stability 5 Customer Loyalty -1.00 Ease of entry new markets 4 Control over other parties -2.00 Resources utilization 4 Profit potential 5 Demand variability 3 Average -1.25 Average 4.33 X-axis 3.08 Directional vector point is 🙠 3.08, 2.17) Conservative Aggressive Competitive Defensive FS IS CA ES Grand Strategy Matrix Quadrant II Quadrant I Quadrant IV Quadrant III Rapid Market Growth Strong Competitive Position Weak Competitive Position Slow Market Growth The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix Question Marks Cash Cows Dogs Relative Market Share Position Industry Sales Growth Rate Stars MCD The Internal-External (IE) Matrix The IFE Total Weighted Score Strong Average Weak 3.0 to 4.0 2.0 to 2.99 1.0 to 1.99 III II I High 3.0 to 3.99 VI V IV The EFE Total Weighted Score McDonaldsMedium 2.0 to 2.99 IX VIII VII Low 1.0 to 1.99 The Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) Strategy 1 Expand further in Asia by adding 500 restaurants Strategy 2 Applying 0 grams Trans fat in all worldwide McDonalds restaurants Key Internal Factors Weight AS TAS AS TAS Strengths   Strong brand name, image and reputation 0.12 4 0.48 4 0.48 Large market share 0.10 4 0.40 2 0.20 Strong global presence 0.04 4 0.12 2 0.08 Specialized training for managers known as the Hamburger University 0.04 McDonalds Plan to Win focuses on people, products, place, price and promotion 0.12 4 0.48 4 0.48 Strong financial performance and position 0.08 4 0.32 4 0.32 Introduction of new products 0.06 Customer focus (centric) 0.06 1 0.06 4 0.24 Strong performance in the global marketplace 0.08 3 0.24 1 0.08 Weaknesses Unhealthy food image 0.08 1 0.08 4 0.32 High Staff Turnover including Top management 0.10 Customer losses due to fierce competition 0.04 3 0.12 1 0.04 Legal actions related to health issues; use of trans fat beef oil 0.04 1 0.04 4 0.16 Uses HCFC-22 to make polystyrene that is contributing to ozone depletion 0.04 SUBTOTAL 1.00 2.34 2.40 Strategy 1 Expand further in Asia by adding 500 restaurants Strategy 2 Applying 0 grams Trans fat in all worldwide McDonalds restaurants Key External Factors Weight AS TAS AS TAS Opportunities Growing health trends among consumers 0.08 1 0.08 4 0.32 Globalization, expansion in other countries (especially in China India) 0.12 4 0.48 1 0.12 Diversification and acquisition of other quick-service restaurants 0.04 Growth of the fast-food industry 0.10 4 0.40 4 0.40 Worldwide deregulation 0.04 4 0.16 1 0.04 Low cost menu that will attract the customers 0.08 Freebies and discounts 0.08 Threats Health professionals and consumer activists accuse McDonalds of contributing to the countrys health issue of high cholesterol, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity 0.10 1 0.10 4 0.40 The relationship between corporate level McDonalds and its franchise dealers 0.09 4 0.36 1 0.09 McDonalds competitors threatened market share of the company both internationally and domestically 0.12 4 0.48 4 0.48 Anti-American sentiments 0.07 Global recession and fluctuating foreign currencies 0.04 Fast-food chain industry is expected to struggle to meet the expectations of the customers towards health and environmental issues 0.04 1 0.04 4 0.16 SUBTOTAL 1.00 2.10 2.01 SUM TOTAL ATTRACTIVENESS SCORE 4.44 4.41 . Conclusion McDonalds faces some difficult challenges. Key to its future success will be maintaining its core strengths-an unwavering focus on quality and consistency-while carefully experimenting with new options. These innovative initiatives could include launching higher-end restaurants under new brands that wouldnt be saddled with McDonalds fast-food image. The company could also look into expanding more aggressively abroad where the prospects for significant growth are greater.   The companys environment efforts, while important, should not overshadow its marketing initiatives, which are what the company is all about. Recommendations Expand further into Asia markets over a 2-year period by adding 500 restaurants per year at a cost of $4 billion annually, and applying 0 grams Trans fat in all worldwide McDonalds restaurants.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Enrollment in Institutions of Higher Education :: Teaching Education

Enrollment in Institutions of Higher Education As the years go on, more and more students are enrolling in higher forms of education, including collages, institutes, technical schools, and universities. This rise can be from the increase of students due to the growth of population, or the realization of the importance of after high school education. The rise of students from 1992 to 1993 was from 281,000 students to 293,000 students, a 12,000 people increase. From 1993 to 1994, the rise was from 293,000 students to 295,000 students, a 2,000 people increase. Some of the businesses affected by the growth are construction companies, staffs, cafeterias, school supplies, public transportation, and areas of entertainment. The construction companies get business by the incoming students. They get jobs building extra dormitories, class rooms, cafeterias, and anything else the collages may need. Also, home owners can raise the prices of apartments and houses because of the rise in the demand for a close by campus home. The school staffs are greatly affected by the increase of incoming students. More teachers will be hired, as well as custodians to keep the campus a clean environment. Guidance counselors and secretaries will also be needed to keep the school organized. The cafeterias in or around the campus will have more customers every day, mostly from the students who live in or around the campus. Students commuting to the school are more likely to not use the cafeterias around the school. With the rise of students, the sales of text books, pencils, book bags, and other everyday school supplies are likely to increase. This is great for the schools bookstores, the publishing companies, the book authors, and large or small school and office stores in or around the campus. School supplies are a must in collage. Most students who live on campus do not have a car. Mostly because of the most of parking, students use public transportation such as trains, busses, and taxi cabs to get around. Also, maybe areas of study are in the city where having a car is not as beneficial as in suburban areas. Movie theaters, restaurants, and comedy clubs will have more customers from students who like to have fun. Also bars, strip clubs, and liquor stores will have more business from the collage student who likes to party and have fun. Many people gain from the increase of

Monday, November 11, 2019

The New Digital Era called “MP3 Technology”

Downloading of music has been a long time subject of piracy. In the 1920’s, radio stations played records that are not tracked. It is a not-so obvious manner of piracy but did impact writers who were losing money due to public performance of their works without proper accountability. No one was making money through this procedure but only radio stations via their sponsors. (Wicknick, par. 1) With this, the performance rights societies including ASCAP and BMI worked with the Congress and the FCC to change legislation to ensure that radio stations will track airplay and pay blanket licenses that were given to writers based on airplay. (Wicknick, par. 1) It is impossible to copy a record before the invention of blank tape. Its either you bought it or borrow a copy and played it until the needle lost its tip. (Wicknick, par. 3) In the mid 1960’s, even after the invention of blank tapes, copying a record is sill a clunky process. (Wicknick, par. 3) In the advent of cassette tape, people learned to do dubbing. But marketing of these tapes are low because it is still evident that it is dub due to sonic integrity has been compromised. ASCAP and BMI, together with the FCC, they began to collect blanket license fees on the sale of blank media and give them to writers and publisher members. (Wicknick, par. 4) In 1982, in the faà §ade of CD in Europe, Japan and in the United States by 1983, it was read-only. Burning to a CD is impossible before. But advancement in technology made it possible. In the year of 2003, you can burn CD from mp3 and sources like iTunes. However, MP3 and iTunes do charge for licensing, worked out deals and propose duplication allowances. (Wicknick, par. 5) The onslaught of the digital wave in 1999 started with the newly created MP3 file sharing software called Napster, stated Catherine Edwards, in her article â€Å"The Napster Challenger.†Ã‚   Lee Bockhorn, in his article â€Å"MP3 and Me: How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Online Music File Sharing (sort of)† stated that on one side of the wave is the estimated 60 million MP3 Internet users that enjoy the advantages of ala carte collection choice, downloading these selections for free and testing music before purchasing. On the other side are the artists and recording companies making strong claims for illegal sharing of copyrighted material states John Healey and Jeff Leeds in their article â€Å"Tone Deaf to the Moral Dilemma?†Ã‚   The new MP3 file sharing technology has brought to us into a new digital age madness designed for music lovers.   Claiming violation of copyright laws, the greedy recording companies and music artists do not wish to give up the present business structure and refuse to embrace the exploding expansion of digital technology that will allow ‘ala carte purchases’. The start of this digital age software began with a 19-year-old freshman at Northeastern University in Boston in 1999.   His name is Shawn Fanning.   He revolutionized the music industry, developing a software program called Napster.   Napster allows music fans to share and download music files via the Internet for free.   Shawn received $15 million to start the corporation and is now a famous CEO (Edwards 160). Then, one and a half years later, in 2001, 2 famous bands, Metallica and Dr. Dre, sued Napster. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) sued as well, claiming Napster violated record label copyrights.   This case is still on appeal.   Since this time, Napster has joined with BMG Entertainment (a $50 million dollar deal) offering a new fee-based system (Edwards) The RIAA has been taking drastic measures to limit piracy. Consumers of music sees file-sharing or downloading as the wave of the future and legal in their own right. The lawsuits include a twelve year old for downloading contents online and an 80 year-old grandfather who were sued for his computer activity wherein he claimed that he don’t even know how to turn a computer on. Many of the grandparents bought computer for their grandchild as a treat whenever they come to visit their place. But a twelve year old may be well aware on the usage of the computer technology as well as a graduate student but doesn’t know or understand the violations of what they have done. (Wicknick, par. 2) The next approach for RIAA is to target college students and parents with further lawsuits alleging copyright violations.   â€Å"One goal is to persuade parents to crack down on their children’s file sharing before an entire generation comes to expect music to be free† (Healey and Leeds 175).   This may prove to be a futile effort with the millions of Internet users copying music for free on the new sites that have popped up, such as Kazaa or Limewire.   Also, many parents condone students’ downloading even though it’s unethical.   RIAA lawsuits will attempt to target the Internet account that is used to share the file (Healey and Leeds 177).   These lawsuits may change the attitudes of 12-22 year-olds, that when surveyed said that 70% of them would stop if at risk of a fine or jail (Healey and Leeds 178). According to the Pew Internet Project’s national survey of adult Internet users conducted last January-February 2005 resulted that about 7 million adults downloaded files from someone’s iPod or MP3 player. (Madden and Lee par. 2) Approximately, 10 million people get their music and video files through email and instant messages. But there are people who use both the same sources. Other alternative sources of downloading include music and movie websites, blogs and online reviews. There is also a legislation being pushed in Congress by the record companies.   If approved, it would use software to flood peer-to-peer sharing with dummy files, search public folders for illegally copies music and block users from downloading.   Even though it’s difficult to empathize with rich artists and greedy record companies, it is still, according to law, an illegal practice to share and download copyrighted music online.   Millions of people through MP3 technology are sharing files, making the concept of ‘fair use’ ridiculous (Bockhorn 163). Further in his article, Bockhorn writes of his personal exposure to the Napster era.   At the start of the Napster take-off he felt that it just wasn’t right to not pay an artist for his/her music.   He explains that his first temptation came after attending a Norah Jones concert.   He later downloaded her performance of the ‘Tennessee Waltz’ thru I-Tunes. His justification was that he had paid to see the concert and had bought previous albums (Bockhorn 162).   In a forum done by eight graders, some students thought that the music industries have huge incomes and it would not hurt if they will get a song or two from an album through the internet. A student said that the artist will still have an income because they are still buying T-shirts and watch their concerts. (Hafner, par. 13) Curiosities about MP3 file sharing, lead to Bockhorn’s downloading of Limewire, a successor to Napster.   He agrees that it is unquestionably, great technology, without paying a fee.   Drawbacks to MP3 are availability of music, modem connection speed, and the guilt of acquiring music without paying.   â€Å"If I want to download My Cherie Amour, Stevie Wonder should get a cut of whatever price a true market . . . determines the song is worth . . .† (Bockhorn 162). Currently, Bockhorn’s primary concern is that MP3 technology has definitely warped the minds of users copying illegal files to build their music collection.   But, why does the music lover continue to partake?   Number one because of choice and number two because it’s free (Bockhorn 163).   Most people will agree that it’s illegal but will continue to do it.   â€Å"Like countless millions, Miriam Philips felt no guilt in downloading music from a shared campus folder† (Healey and Leeds 175).   Philips offers no sympathy for the artist and the record company, â€Å"They’re rich, they can deal with it†, (Philips via Healey and Leeds 175). According to a 13-year old girl, if you wanted a song or two in a certain album, it is not a big deal.(Hafner, par. 3) However, when someone consistently downloaded an artist whole CD, it might be the right time to call them thieves. Almost all of the houses here in the US have Internet-connected computers in their homes. A student even asked that if downloading of music is really illegal, why do PCs were sold with CD burners? (Hafner, par. 18) Downloading of music through CD burning is very convenient especially to students who were mostly doing it.   Just a few clicks away, they will be able to have the songs they wanted. (Hafner, par. 9) Though some of these people knew that they are violating the law, but they can’t afford to give up convenience and less expensive or the free copies of the recordings of their own choice. On the other hand, there are some advantages to the downloading frenzy.   This technology has prompted some users to purchase CD's based on a new interest in a particular type of music.   It is able to give a taste of a certain type of music or unknown band before purchasing an entire CD.   Users will find that if they’re downloading more than 2-3 songs they will probably go out and buy the entire album. Internet users will also argue that it is difficult at times to locate a particular piece of music that they’re looking for.   Also, this activity is for personal use, not resale (Healey and Leeds 176).   There is also no evidence that MP3 file sharing has dramatically hurt CD sales.   In 2001, sales dropped 10% and in 2002 sales dropped 7% (Bockhorn 163). There are news and write ups on lawsuits for music-downloading like the Napsters and Metallica lawsuits but possible loss of revenue for recording industry were not perceived. Music-downloading is hurting the businesses of music retailers. While downloaders are getting music for free through downloading it from internet or MP3s, it is a loss of income for massive music retail outlets. (Bestul, par. 5) People resigned from buying or purchasing music and switch over to downloading it from the computer instead. What they haven’t thought about is the income that music retailers or outlets will lose every time they download the music for free from computer or MP3 instead of buying a CD from retail outlets. In attempting to defend this illegal behavior, consumers will argue that corrupt record companies refuse to embrace technology that will allow ‘ala carte’ purchases.   Consumers wish to purchase the one or two songs from an album that are worthy of purchase.   This choice could lead to the extinction of great albums such as the Beatles’ Sgt. Peppers album (Bockhorn 163).   Bockhorn believes that people want to do the right thing, and hopes that record companies will provide us options for subscription or ala carte, but thus far they have been very reluctant.   If record companies would join the new technology, all of us could rest easier know that the artist got his/her share (Bockhorn 164). It is believe to be impossible to stop the downloading of music because it is the fad as of this era. Aside from the fact that many people are music lovers, the technology that we have today is unstoppable. Advancement in technology might be the reason why people can come up in this kind of technique in getting what they want for free or at a lesser cost with much ease. Maybe in the future, we might have other ways or means of downloading music or files in a more convenient way based on how technology progress on every generation. Future growth of MP3 digital technology is yet to be determined, with many changes to come.   Millions of Internet users each day have access to use of this technology, either through free or paid Internet sites.   Consumers do have a choice, the questions remains to be, how many will lean toward their obligation of legal choice.   Future enforcement of the free technology won’t be effective unless the music industry offers a legal alternative to file sharing. References Bestul, Michael J. (11 December 2003). â€Å"Lost in the controversy.† Blogcritics.com Retrieved last October 19, 2006. Websites: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/12/11/082220.php Bockhorn, Lee.   â€Å"MP3 and Me: How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Online Music File-Sharing (sort of).† The Weekly Standard 16 October 2002 Edwards, Catherine. â€Å"The Napster Challenge.† Insight on the News January 2001 Hafner, Katie (19 September 2003). â€Å"Is it wrong to share your music? (Discuss).† The New York Times Retrieved last October 19, 2006. Website: http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20030919friday.html Healey, John, and Jeff Leeds. â€Å"Tone Deaf to the Moral Dilemma?† The Los Angeles Times 2 September 2003 Madden, Mary and Rainie, Lee (25 March 2005). â€Å"Music and Video Downloading Moves Beyond P2P.† Pew Internet and American Life Project Retrieved last October 19, 2006. W Website: http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/153/report_display.asp Wicknick, Darcie-Nicole. â€Å"The RIAA Muic Downloading Controversy: Both Sides of the Record.† MusicBizAdvice.com Retrieved last October 19, 2006. Websites: http://www.musicbizadvice.com/a_little_history_on_music_piracy%20.htm http://www.musicbizadvice.com/the_music_downloaders_point_of_view.htm http://www.musicbizadvice.com/RIAA_Music_Downloading_Controversy.htm ; ; ; ;

Friday, November 8, 2019

The Government of US

The Government of US The US is the only state in the international system with the busiest elections calendar. This is because elections are held at state, federal, and local levels. This means that the American voter would vote more in his or her lifetime as compared to German, Japanese, and British voters. High-visibility elections are given much focus due to the intense lobbying and voter mobilization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Government of US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The senatorial, presidential, and governorship mobilizations are conducted by professionals, such as media advisors, pollsters, speechwriters, and political scientists. Presidential mobilization emphasizes more on mass communication. In this regard, television adverts are often utilized to access voters. Furthermore, high-visibility elections are based on issues rather than ethnicity and partisan politics. At the local levels, elections are waged on sm all scale because local politicians do not have enough resources to launch formidable elections. It is surprising to learn that even judicial offices are contested in the US. In other parts of the world, judicial officers are simply appointed by governmental agencies, such as the judicial service commission. The main aim of contesters is to reach potential voters. Individuals seeking political offices are faced with a dilemma of balancing scarce resources with the demands of voter mobilization. The author reveals some of the astonishing factors that are considered when designing a campaign structure. One of them entails the steps that would be taken when formulating campaign policies while the other factor relates to cost-effectiveness (Gerber and Green 37). Cost-effectiveness and restructuring of campaigns are the two useful factors that influence voter mobilization in any voter recruitment process. The two factors influenced the electorate in the just concluded US presidential ele ctions in a number of ways. Regarding cost-effectiveness, it is always important to consider the number of votes that a single dollar would bring before spending. In a densely populated region, making phone calls would be ineffective because few voters would be reached. In a densely populated region, a door-to-door campaign would be effective. Door-to-door campaigns are costly, but they generate high number of votes as compared to making phone calls.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In particular, randomized door-to-door campaigns have higher chances of soliciting high numbers of votes as compared to any other technique. The technique is preferred in the US because of a number of reasons. One of the advantages is that it defines the observed population. The observed population consists of all individuals who will be sampled. Another advantage is that the sampled population i s divided into a number of groups. The sampling itself is random meaning that those mobilized would represent all groups in a sample. Another advantage is that an intervention strategy would be devised upon studying the group behavior. For instance, members from the treatment group would be contacted through emails, encouraging them to vote for the preferred candidate. The above technique was applied in the just concluded presidential elections. The Republicans and the Democrats had limited resources yet they had to reach many voters in the country. In regions considered that belonged to Republicans, Democrats employed randomized voter recruitment technique because it would help in identifying some of the behaviors of voters. However, each party had an effective method of reaching voters. It is because of advanced voter mobilization techniques that the pollsters predicted a cutthroat presidential competition. However, the party that had the ability to blend the various techniques em erged winner. Gerber, Alan and Donald Green. â€Å"Social Pressure and Voter Turnout: Evidence from a Large-scale Field Experiment.† American Political Science Review 102.2 (2008): 33-48. Print.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Biology Research Paper Topics

Biology Research Paper Topics A research paper in biology is one composed of data and other important information gathered by the researcher. Accuracy of the results and clear presentation of information and data are key features in a biology research paper. Standard biological research leaves little or no room for errors. Errors found make the work irrelevant and non-usable and such work can not be presented. Study of life and life forms is quite tedious and lengthy and keeping data is not easy. Usually, much of the work done is confined within laboratories and field work. Biology is a vast subject with many categories ranging from ecology to biochemistry. Choice of a biology research paper topic will depend on the scope of work you want to do. Some topics will require laboratory work and others a review of what has been done by other researchers. A lengthy topic is disadvantageous especially when the entire work is to be done in a laboratory. Some work may require use of sophisticated apparatus and expensive materials, availability of these things should be considered before choosing a topic.Techniques used in biology research are many and a mastery of these techniques is essential. Biology research paper topics that do not require laboratory work, the sources of information chosen have to be relevant to the topic of choice. There are a number of categories in biology that a student can choose from such as ecology, plant pathology, immunology, molecular biology and cellular biology. Some of the most popular biology research paper topics include; biological pest control, effects of global warming on marine life, prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, control of genetic diseases using gene therapy and ethical issues arising from the use of genetically modified organisms. Research questions, challenges and problems determine the choice of a biology research paper topic.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Heroin trafficking from Afghanistan Research Paper

Heroin trafficking from Afghanistan - Research Paper Example Hence, heroin production and trafficking from Afghanistan is a major threat to humanity. Thesis statement: An investigation to unearth the role of Afghanistan in Heroin trafficking to global market and possible preventive measures. As pointed out, heroin production and trafficking is based on poppy cultivation and opium based drugs. The opium markets distribute raw opium to traders and they refine it with the help of precursor chemicals and produce heroin. But these refinement workshops are located near to the border areas and poppy farms. So the government control over these areas become limited and it helps the heroin traffickers to form a parallel governing system. The refinement workshops make use of typical equipments for the basic processing of opium. But further refining needs technical expertise and it is provided by some foreign chemists. Morphine base, crude form of heroine is produced from opium. But it is difficult to produce heroin from morphine base. For instance, the heroin traffickers make use of mobile labs to overcome this trouble. Innovative methods like usage of large trucks for the production of heroin help the traders to keep themselves away from the authorities. Some Afghani districts like Nangarhar’s Achin are notorious for heroin labs and large scale heroin production. Frank Clements in the work ‘Conflict in Afghanistan: a historical encyclopedia’ opines that large scale refinement of heroin in Afghanistan helps to smuggle the same through borders without further difficulties (Clements 78). When the refinement process becomes more difficult, cost and demand of pure heroin in the global market shows increasing tendency. Earlier, refining opium was done in Pakistan or Turkey. But in 1995, the Pakistani authorities destroyed illegal workshops and it helped to hinder heroin trafficking from Afghanistan to Pakistan. But the heroin traders discovered an innovative way to handle this situation. They

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Management Control System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Control System - Essay Example superiors and subordinates) works together towards a goal. To work together requires every member of the organization to have a direct participation in every plans and actions that will be taken by the organization. Giving each member the right to speak out and express their views towards existing situations will eliminate the gap between superiors and subordinates, and will unite the two separate levels. It gives subordinates a feeling of satisfaction on their job by giving them a chance to play vital roles in administrative planning, thereby motivating them to be more productive on their work. Participative budgeting promotes respect to every member of an organization, thereby tightening working relations in the organization that is a key factor of an organization effort to attain their goals and objectives. Budget Allocation is not an easy task. A reliable budget proposal comes out from proper analysis of the strategic and operational plans, which are submitted by key people of an organization. These plans are based on the current situation and need of every level of the organization. If each member is given the chance to decide on the expense and income of the organization, it is much easier to formulate more reliable budget plans. The procedure may take time conducting open forums or debates, but it will surely lead to a well-synthesized budget plan. Operational plans will become effective by emphasizing priorities. Transparency Corruption is the biggest problem among organization. Through participative budgeting, there will be a clear statement of the allocation of resources, expenses, and transparent administrative procedures of how the plans are formed. Those who are in-charge of budget monitoring will be more accountable of their action to avoid mishandling of funds. Goal Congruence and Responsible Management Managers and members of an organization become more responsible for their departments as watchers of action plans, and budget analysts. Subordinate managers who are in direct control of everyday operation and who have direct knowledge of the every situation could enhance the planning process. By giving the subordinate managers to create their own budget, it opens the chance to subordinate managers to create a budget that would meet their department's goal resulting to higher degree of goal congruence. Complexity in the budget could be minimized when every member of the organization work together to provide alternative solutions to problems. 2. Identify deficiencies in Scott Weidner's participative budgetary policy for planning and performance evaluation purposes. For each deficiency identified, recommend how the deficiency can be corrected. Deficiencies 1. Appropriation of target figure is done by superiors. Managers are not allowed to participate in setting the appropriation target figure. Recommendation: Managers should be given the chance to participate in setting up the appropriation target. Managers are the one who knows the actual needs of their department, so they should be given the right to propose or give input for the setting up of the appropriation

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Abuse of prescription of narcotics in primary care and its prevention Dissertation - 1

Abuse of prescription of narcotics in primary care and its prevention - Dissertation Example The prescription of opioids to assist the patients with malignant cancers has proven to be beneficial, but the increasing misuse and abuse of these medications by patients suffering from non-chronic pain has served to overshadow the benefits of opioids, despite the wide variety of medications available to treat non-cancer associated pain (Potter et al, 2001). While theoretically, the constant prescription of opioids is necessary and effective only in the treatment of malignant cancer-related, significantly more serious pain (Becker et al, 2011), health practitioners seem to have favored the prescription of these drugs in cases of all chronic pain (Potter et al, 2011). The supposition is therefore that this more widespread prescription has led to NUPM and PUPD. But it is not only the increase in prescription of opioids that can explain the ballooning of the incidence of NUPM. It seems that the failure of health professionals to monitor their patients’ use of drugs may also be a significant factor arguing for restraint, and even the cessation of the practice of widely prescribing opioids (Liebschutz et al, 2010). What are the conditions, consequently, that should accompany the distribution if opioids to patients? Is the only available, effective option to ban these medications outright, or would it be possible to formulate and implement policies that would effectively prevent abuse and misuse of these narcotics? A. Trends in the prescription of narcotics The findings of studies suggested that the varied barriers to the use of opioids must be addressed before any mandates or guidelines regulating the prescription of opioids can be implemented. Primary caregivers are more likely to be frustrated by the barriers, than by conforming to sets of guidelines. Therefore the prescription of opioids for the treatment of chronic pain in older patients is widespread. Spitz et al. (2011) found that the majority of the participants in their quantitative study were prescr ibing opioids to older patients, but only as a second or subsequent line of treatment. This initial reluctance may be due to the possibility of causing harm; the subjective nature of pain; deficient education regarding the effectiveness and consequences of using opioids; and the stigma attached to opioid use. Family members and the patients themselves were reluctant to try opioid treatment due to concerns regarding possible opioid abuse or misuse. In the findings of other studies, it was clear that significant attention had been given to the probability of substance abuse in patients prescribed opioids on a regular and ongoing basis. The clinical significance of the association between opioid use and common mental disorders is often overlooked. The evident lacunae resulting from the overemphasis on substance abuse, and the underemphasized incidence of mental disorders must be addressed. The prevalence of high-risk patients, in the prescription of opioid treatments, is a vital consid eration. Patients on opioid treatment were found to be two to three times more likely to seek mental health assistance by Sullivan et al. (2006) despite their not reporting a higher requirement for substance abuse treatment. In this cross-sectional study, it was found that continued use of opioids in participants, over the period 1988-2001, posed an increased risk for common mental disorders. This study illustrates the link between common mental disorders, as well as substance abuse, with the continuous use of prescribed opioids based on evidence from a large prospective population based data study. Furthermore, a lack of confidence among physicians relating to the prescription of narcotics can be discerned. Nonetheless, urine toxicology screening was rarely carried out either

Monday, October 28, 2019

Business and Virtue Ethics Essay Example for Free

Business and Virtue Ethics Essay Abstract For the purposes of this assignment we will analyze the Mattel case and discuss the actions of the company regarding the behavior and actions in conjunction with the Global Manufacturing Process that was implemented. Breaches of the two business ethics elements of integrity and egoism will be assessed. Within the discussion I have identified the virtues prudence, justice, fidelity, and courage that were largely violated by the Mattel organization and how it affected the employees of Mattel. We will discuss the implications of virtue, deontological, and utilitarian ethics regarding their potential usefulness in evaluation of the Mattel case. Introduction Mattel’s concept of Global Manufacturing Principles (GMP) was not a novel concept. The many forms of GMP including International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) have been around for decades and have worked to insure that specific industries are held to a standard that is industry wide. ISO’s model is â€Å"Say what you do, and do what you say†. When a company endeavors to become ISO qualified, it is required to document every activity (as a standard operating procedure, SOP) that occurs within the company and adhere to that process without deviation. ISO qualified companies are always subject to audit by other ISO registered companies and is initially audited by four such companies in order to acquire certification. Having been directly involved with ISO implementation at a former employer that supplied fasteners for manufacturing, I am fully aware of how involved the certification is. The company SOP was over 1000 pages. Additionally, another ISO company can and will come in and audit your company prior to electing to conduct business with your company. In some instances, ISO qualification is not enough to be awarded the business. The nutrition industry also adheres to the Good Manufacturing Practices, of which I was required to be certified in every year. Each department of the nutritional company I worked for had its own GMP standards that we were to adhere implicitly. The nutrition industry, while not regulated by the FDA, is controlled indirectly by the FDA. GMP is an FDA requirement. Having worked in two industries where the concept is not only expected, but required in some instances; I was not impressed by the fact that Mattel implemented GMP of their own volition for the sole purpose to improve public perception after misconduct was exposed by the media. Business Ethics Issue The one word that I found that resonates throughout the article, whether spoken or implied, is â€Å"integrity†. The incoming CEO stated that Mattel would behave in all actions with â€Å"unwavering integrity† and that the company’s commitment to the GMP remained unequivocal and undiminished. (Sethi, Shapiro, Emelianova, pg.490) Ironically, I identify the most noticeable and important business ethics issue as just that; a lack of integrity. Merriam Webster defines integrity as â€Å"the firm adherence to a code of especially moral value, the quality or sate of being complete or undivided, and the quality of being honest or fair. Mattel exhibited none of these traits insofar as where their GMP’s were concerned. In fact, there were numerous infractions regarding the non-enforcement of their GMP’s across the board in the Asia and Mexico based manufacturing facilities. The second ethics issue I identified was narcissism. Mattel implemented this GMP program with the attitude of ‘look at what we’re doing’ but with minimal effort to ensure the success of the program. According to Duchon and Drake (2009) extreme narcissistic organizations will establish these formal ethics programs but will not have much effect on hindering unethical behaviors. This was evident in that the supervisors at the factories knew what they were supposed to be doing; but found ways to circumvent the system and there were no reprisals as a result of their nonconformance. Ultimately, it was a program of words and not deeds. Three Virtues Prudence â€Å"Careful good judgment that allows someone to avoid danger or risks. † (M-W, 2013) In my opinion, a great deal of misfortune and hardship could have been avoided if Mattel would have practiced a modicum of prudence before ever moving their manufacturing to Asia. In a perfect world, and especially in a modern world we do not expect children to work. However, when dealing with underdeveloped countries; it is normal for children to work in conditions that would be an affront to any American’s moral nature having abandoned child labor decades ago. If Mattel had done due diligence, they would have known that the facility in Indonesia was operating in an unacceptable manner (Sethi, et al. pg. 486) and could have implemented working conditions and requirements from the get-go. Then the exposure by the media would have never been an issue. I have no doubt that the draw of paying lower wages and increased productivity was the catalyst to overlook the conditions in those overseas factories. Justice â€Å"The quality of being just, impartial, or fair. Conformity to truth, fact, or reason. † (M-W, 2013) The concept of justice was completely lost on Mattel. While the implementation of the GMP program was comprehensive; the execution and enforcement was unconscionable. The last paragraph of the GMP, exhibit 1 says that if â€Å"Mattel determines that any of its manufacturing facilities or vendors violate these principles, we may either terminate our business relationship or require that facility to take corrective action. If corrective action is advised and not taken, Mattel will immediately terminate current production and suspend placement of future orders. †(Sethi, et al.pg. 487). However, when audits were performed; the facilities were rife with infractions but there was no follow through when corrective actions were required. The facilities were allowed to continue to operate unhindered. Astonishingly, the 20 plus companies that were not owned by Mattel were allowed to operate without any disciplinary actions imposed by Mattel for infractions if any auditing was conducted at all. Considering the fact that both Mattel owned and vendor factories employ some hundred thousand plus employees; Mattel’s actions were nowhere near impartial, fair, or conforming to fact or reason. Fidelity â€Å"Quality or state of being faithful, accuracy in details. †(M-W, 2013) For this virtue, I am concentrating on the act of being faithful to the employees. Whether or not the GMPs were self-imposed or not, Mattel had an obligation to the people it employs. Throughout the article, it was found during audits that the employee’s time cards would systematically be incomplete where they were not being allowed to clock-out. This resonates that these people were being required to work overtime ‘off the books’. Employees were not being given the appropriate days off or vacation time. Some living conditions and canteen conditions were substandard. Fines were being imposed. (Sethi, et al. 2011) The list goes on and on. In my opinion, Mattel should have had impartial representatives on the ground in these factories to ensure that the rules for payment, working overtime, and work conditions were being upheld. There should have been constant supervision and vigilance on a corporate level. To think that audits that were being conducted every three years was comprehensive enough to get the job done was blind and narrow minded. Courage To go one step further. A virtue is an attitude. Courage is measured when there is risk involved; but also rationality. To be truly courageous there needs to be a clear picture of what a person’s values are. Courage does not need to be proven beyond a doubt. (Hartman, 2008) In the case of Mattel, I feel it was courageous to implement such a comprehensive GMP program although it was misguided and ultimately failed. An even more courageous act would have been to rehab the program and bring it to its full potential and fruition. The article does not mention whether Mattel experienced any loss of revenue as a result, but public perception is a fickle entity and once all of the attention over sweat shops and child labor overseas died down, Mattel was no longer under the microscope. Financially, Mattel was spending money it perceivably no longer needed to spend. Since their program was self-imposed; it is no surprise that Mattel just unceremoniously abandoned the GMP program after nine years. When some organizations implement and enforce codes as part of a self-regulation process and others do not, those who self-regulate invariably incur greater costs. These costs are usually passed onto the consumer who subsequently (and sensibly) choses the organization which offers the cheaper product. (Blackburn McGee, 2004) Virtue Ethics Virtues are attitudes, dispositions, or character traits that enable us to be and to act in ways that develop this potential. They enable us to pursue the ideals we have adopted. Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues. (Andre, Meyer, Shanks, and Velazquez. 1988) Virtue ethics indicates that business decisions should be made in a manner that attributes to the overall goals of the professional. It stresses activities and motives, what we do and why. Virtue ethics proffer that action and motive are connected to character and disposition. Actions are taken and decisions made because they are linked to a certain character. (Blackburn and McGee. 2004) â€Å"That â€Å"ought† does not imply â€Å"right† can be seen in another sort of case as well, namely, when what one ought to do in one’s circumstances results from one’s own prior wrongdoing. In such a case, doing what one ought to do may not be the same as doing a right act or a â€Å"good deed†. In fact, the same prior failure may both increase one’s level of obligation to do a given act now and decrease one’s level of praiseworthiness. † (Russell, 2008) The above quote is especially poignant in the Mattel case. Because Mattel implemented the GMP program on the heels of a media expose, the intentions were not solely based on the ‘right’ thing to do, but on what they ‘ought’ to do. Mattel probably did not get the recognition or good press they were looking for and therefore had no proclivity to ensure that the plan was a success. Utilitarian Ethics â€Å"Actions are approved when they are as such to promote happiness and disapproved when they have a tendency to cause unhappiness. † (Driver, 2009) We also know that utilitarian ethics work for the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Mattel directly employs over twenty thousand people throughout Asia and Mexico. If the happiness of those employees would have been considered; the pay, working conditions, time off, and canteen programs would have never been an issue. If the executives of the company would have experienced any of those adverse conditions, they would have cried â€Å"foul† all the way to an attorney. The employees are ultimately left without a voice and no recourse. Deontology â€Å"To act according to the maxim that you would wish all other rational people to follow as though it were universal law. † â€Å"Never treat a person as a means to an end. † (Pecorino, 2000) Kant contends that where morality is concerned, it is guided by law and therefore judgment is not necessary to fill in the blanks, because there are no blanks. He believed that people can conform to duty and not be morally limited. He believed that we could use indeterminate action-guidance for imperfect duties, and I’m paraphrasing; to weigh the moral options for decisions regarding duty towards others. Because that decision requires the minimum of our morality. Kant rejected virtue ethics. (McAleer, 2001) My opinion is that deontology would not work in the Mattel case. There are too many variables to consider in order to narrow down the maxim that will be comprehensive enough to include thousands of people over a number of cultural variances. Conclusion While the design of Mattel’s Global Manufacturing Principles may have been well intended and meant to improve the working conditions of the employees, the implementation was short-sighted and poorly executed. All too often when the few aspire to set standards for the many, the end result is a miscalculation. GMP’s are not a one size fits all type of endeavor. Each facility should have had a program that was custom to their country and working conditions. The ethical treatment of employees was the intention; but the ultimate governance was not enforced. The aftermath was the abandonment of the program due to the lack of interest and participation on the public and other companies in the industry. References Andre, Claire, Meyer, Michael and S. J. , Shanks, Thomas, Velasquez, Manuel. (1988) Ethics and Virtue. Issues in Ethics, V1 N3. Retrieved from http://www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/decision/ethicsandvirtue. html on November 4, 2013 Blackburn, M. , McGhee, P. (2004). TALKING VIRTUE: PROFESSIONALISM IN BUSINESS AND VIRTUE ETHICS. Global Virtue Ethics Review, 5(4), 90-122. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/235113539? accountid=28844 Driver, Julia. The History of Utilitarianism. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2009 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed. ), URL = . Duchon, D. , Drake, B. (2009). Organizational Narcissism and Virtuous Behavior. Journal of Business Ethics, 85(3), 301-308. Retrieved from ProQuest on June 1, 2012. Hartman, E. (2008). Socratic questions and Aristotelian answers: A Virtue-based Approach to Business Ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 78(3), 313-328. Retrieved November 19, 2012 from ProQuest. McAleer, J. S. (2001). Kant and virtue ethics. (Order No. 3019123, Syracuse University). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 336-336 p. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/304750337? accountid=28844. (304750337). Merriam-Webster. Retrieved on November 4, 2013 from http://www. merriam-webster. com/prudence Merriam-Webster. Retrieved on November 4, 2013 from http://www. merriam-webster. com/justice Merriam-Webster. Retrieved on November 4, 2013 from http://www. merriam-webster. com/fidelity Merriam-Webster. Retrieved on November 4, 2013 from http://www. merriam-webster. com/integrity Pecorino, P. A. (2000). The categorical imperative. Retrieved on November 19, 2012 from: http://www. qcc. cuny. edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/intro_text/Chapter%208%20Ethics/Categorical_Imperative. htm Russell, D. C. (2008). That ought does not imply right: Why it matters for virtue ethics. The Southern Journal of Philosophy, 46(2), 299-315. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/218153933? accountid=28844 on November 4, 2013.