Monday, September 30, 2019
Internet & Society Essay
The world is changing and many new technologies are being developed continuously. Our daily life is affected by these changes. The changes will become faster in future. Internet is one most important result of changing technologies. It has become a part of our daily life. Every new technology has its own effects. Some of them are positive and some may be negative. We should avoid the negative effects. Technology should be used in a positive manner, otherwise it will destroy us. Internet is an amazing creation of the technology. The whole world is affected by it and all people are directly or indirectly related with it. Internet is extremely helpful for numerous persons. Students take help of internet for their homework. Investors use internet for the information about stocks. Sport fans watch score and statistics. Internet has taken the place of television. Today internet is same as the television in 1940-50s. Internet is more useful and advantageous than television. But it is not possible for every person to use the internet. Internet also created an effect on the print media and it is gradually replacing the print media because a magazine or newspaper can be published at a very low cost on the internet. There is no need of ink and paper on the internet and fewer workers are required. Thatââ¬â¢s why print media is taking the advantage of internet. Internet is the main reason behind the revolution in society. Because of the internet, communication between the different countries, societies, communities became possible. Before the internet technology there was no other communication system being so vast to express the ideas and the feelings. Through internet data, voice, and video communication is possible. Mostly people avoid speaking to unknown person. Internet has proved very useful for such kind of people, because they talk with people without showing their age, looks and class. People find many friends through the internet. Many public sites provide this facility. People can gain many friends through these sites. Many young people are earning money with the help of internet by web designing, game construction, working as a freelance writer. It means internet provides many opportunities for the people. Internet has shrunk the world. Today each country is connected with another country with the help of internet. People of one country or society are becoming familiar with the culture of another country or society. With the help of internet the people who have knowledge got their position in the society. At present online shopping has become very popular. People are buying products from their home with the help of the internet. People buy products at low cost from the internet as compare to market because companies can save money of shops and workers in online shopping. United state based company Amazon. com is the best example of online shopping company. People can find each and every thing at lower cost on this website. In recent years some companies have allowed their employees to work at home with the help of internet because workplace has become very stressful and the pollution also increased in some last years. This is very advantageous because a person can save money and time by working from home. The Internet provides freedom of speech. The people who donââ¬â¢t have courage can convey their ideas with the help of internet without any fear. With the help of internet now people are globally connected. A person can communicate with the person of other part of the word at any time through internet. Now people are connected socially and professionally by the use of internet. Internet is very suitable and affordable medium of communication. Today we can place an order just by click a button. Now we can book hotels, flights and train tickets online. Internet made the communication easy. Now we can communicate with the help of e-mail, video conferencing, instant messaging, and Voice over Internet Proxy (VoIP). People can easily get information with the help of internet because there is a very huge database on the internet related with each object. People are finding jobs with the help of internet. We can submit many forms online, which saves time. On internet we can decide that which news or information we want to read. Internet is also playing an important role in the field of entertainment. We can play many games and solve puzzles. Songs can be listened online and we can watch videos on internet. There are some bad effects also, because of the internet on the society. Pornography is a very bad effect of the internet. Sexual material is easily available on internet and society is accepting this material without hesitation. Because of this interest of the people in sex is increasing day by day. As a result, sex-related crimes are increasing continuously. Because of the internet a lot of jobs have been lost, because a small number of people are required to run a site. Because of the online shopping people do not leave their home. This is a reason behind the many diseases such as obesity. Online shopping is not helpful for the local economy because most of these online shopping sites are international. Internet is not always reliable, because there is a risk of breaking the privacy. There is everything is in the form of binary information. On internet we are dependent on others for our privacy. We can not surely protect our information. With the help of data mining our information can be theft. Copyright problem has become a great problem now days. Identity of a person can be theft with the help of internet. There are many other bad effects of the internet such as meeting with the people whom you met online, giving personal information to a complete stranger, giving wrong information. A person can be easily cheated by the internet. Many terrorists are using internet technology for communication by using a wrong address. Child pornography, credit card frauds, espionage, online stalking, kidnappings are some other bad effects of the internet on the society. Now it can be said that it depends on us how internet affects society. Internet can be proved very useful if we use it in a positive direction. Many laws are made for preventing internet crimes, but these crimes are still there. There is a need of enforcement of these laws. Internet can be very useful for the society. It is the best medium of communication and it can be said a good platform for expressing your ideas. There are a lot of changes in the society because of the internet. Internet enhanced the status of the living. Today information and education about the safe use of computer has become very important. There are many disadvantages of the internet, but I think it has really improved our lives.There is a need of education and enforcement of the laws. References Cole J. I. The Impact of the Internet on Our Social,Political and Economic Life. The UCCLA Center for communication Policy. 2000. Cuizon, G. Internet Crime: How Does It Affect Our Society?. April 15, 2008. Retrieved February 24, 2009 from http://www. socyberty. com/Crime/Internet-Crime-How-Does-It-Affect-Our-Society. 109754 Nie, N. Study of social Consequences of the Internet. Stanford Institute of the Quantitative Study of Society (SIQSS). 2000. Pros and cons of the Internet in todayââ¬â¢s society. Retrieved February 24, 2009 from http://www. helium. com/items/779510-pros-and-cons-of-the-internet-in-todays-society Purdy, R. The Internet- Boon or Detriment to Society? Retrieved February 24, 2009 from http://iml. jou. ufl. edu/projects/STUDENTS/Purdy/INDEX. HTM Rajani, M. K. & Chandio, M. S. Use of Internet and its effects on our Society. Retrieved February 24, 2009 from http://www. szabist. edu. pk/ncet2004/Docs/Session%20VIII%20Paper%20No%202%20(P%20157-161). pdf The Internetââ¬â¢s Effect on Society. November 19, 2001. Retrieved February 24, 2009 from http://www. bbc. co. uk/dna/h2g2/A650684
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Nursing Home Abuse Essay
Approximately 1.4 million elderly people reside in long term care facilities, such as nursing homes. The families that admit their loved ones to these long term care facilities believe that excellent care is being provided to them. Many of the residents in nursing home settings receive adequate health care, but a numerous amount of other residents are subjected to abuse and neglect. It is believed that nearly one-third of all nursing homes have residents that are subjected to abuse either by staff or other residents (Masters in Health Care). Definitions of elder abuse vary. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what actions or inactions constitute abuse. Besides a variety of definitions, the major types of abuse that occur in nursing homes are categorized into physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, neglect, abandonment, financial or material exploitation. The solution to such nursing home abuse is rather simple. To prevent the inhumane treatment of the elderly in nursing homes, the nursing shortage needs to be addressed. The scandal of elder abuse in nursing homes appears to be new phenomena, but in reality this god forsaken crime has occurred for decades. Due to an elderââ¬â¢s physical and cognitive make up, they are not able to defend themselves from the heinous acts of abuse by their caregivers. Abuse in nursing homes is mainly thought of as physical aggression, but the elderly are subjected to psychological abuse also. One would think that no man or woman could commit abuse onto a helpless individual; however the issue of elderly abuse in nursing homes has been a growing problem. In 2003, there were 20,673 complaints of abuse, gross neglect, and exploitation on behalf of nursing home and ââ¬Å"board and careâ⬠residents (American Association for Justice). By 2010 the number of elderly abuse complaints rose to a number between one million and two million (National Center on Elder Abuse). A study prepared by the staff of the Special Investigations Division of the House Government Reform Committee found that thirty percent of nursing homes in the United States (5,283 facilities) were cited for almost nine-thousand instances of abuse over a recent two year period. The common problems of the study included untreated bedsores, inadequate medical care, malnutrition, dehydration, preventable accidents, and inadequate sanitation and hygiene. These common problems can be categorized into the major types of elder abuse in nursing homes. Physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, neglect, abandonment, and financial exploitation are considered the major types of such abuse. Physical abuse is defined by the use of physical force that may result in bodily injury, physical pain, or impairment. Physical abuse may include but is not limited to such acts of violence as striking (with or without an object), hitting, beating, pushing, shoving, shaking, slapping, kicking, pinching, and burning. In addition, inappropriate use of drugs and physical restraints, force-feeding, and physical punishment of any kind also are examples of physical abuse (National Center on Elder Abuse). Nearly sixteen-percent of nursing home abuse cases involve physical abuse (Brent & Adams). An article published by ABC news interviewed Helen Love, a 75 year-old grandmother of three that was a victim of nursing home abuse. Helen told ABC, ââ¬Å"He choked me and he went and broke my neck. He broke my wrist bones, in my hand. He put his hand over my mouth.â⬠Two days after the interview, Helen Love died. Nursing home officials did not report her beating to a state official who was at the nursing home at the time. Ultimately, though, Loveââ¬â¢s attacker served a year in prison. An investigation revealed that he had been fired by two previous nursing homes for aggressive behavior. A report by the Senate Select Committee on Aging found that many nursing home abuse cases are not immediately reported to law enforcement official (Robinson). In fact, a recent report indicated that one in fourteen incidents of elder abuse where not reported to the authorities (American Association of Justice). Emotional or psychological abuse is defined as the infliction of anguish, pain, or distress through verbal or nonverbal acts. Emotional/psychological abuse includes but is not limited to verbal assaults, insults, threats, intimidation, humiliation, and harassment. In addition, treating an older person like an infant; isolating an elderly person from his/her family, friends, or regular activities; giving an older person the ââ¬Å"silent treatmentâ⬠and enforced social isolation are examples of emotional/psychological abuse (National Center on Elder Abuse). Almost twenty percent of reported elder abuse cases involve emotional abuse (Brent & Adams). With emotional abuse being the most abundant, it is also the most difficult to define. Emotional abuse is purely subjective which therefore is difficult to reprimand nurses against these crimes. The other major crimes however are objective, and are more easy to identify, such as neglect. Neglect is defined as the refusal or failure to fulfill any part of a personââ¬â¢s obligations or duties to an elder. Neglect may also include failure of a person who has fiduciary responsibilities to provide care for an elder (e.g., pay for necessary home care services) or the failure on the part of an in-home service provider to provide necessary care (National Center on Elder Abuse). According to Brent & Adams, twelve percent of abuse cases involve caretaker neglect. Neglect typically means the refusal or failure to provide an elderly person with such life necessities as food, water, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, medicine, comfort, personal safety, and other essentials included in an implied or agreed-upon responsibility to an elder (National Center on Elder Abuse). The Federal Bureau of Investigation published an article in May of 2012 about a case of nursing home neglect. The owner of three Georgia nursing homes, George Dayln Houser, was convicted in Atlanta of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid for $32.9 million dollars. To receive Medicare and Medicaid payments, Houser agreed to provide his residents with a safe and clean physical environment, nutritional meals, medical care, and other assistance. Houser not only failed to maintain a nursing staff sufficient to take proper care of the residents but did not pay food suppliers or providers of pharmacy and clinical laboratory services, medical waste disposal, trash disposal, and nursing supplies (FBI). Neglect, alongside physical abuse, are the most detrimental to a residents health. Not only do caregivers subject their residents to the atrocious crimes of neglect, but they also exploit them financially and materially. Financial or material exploitation is defined as the illegal or improper use of an elderââ¬â¢s funds, property, or assets. Examples include, but are not limited to, cashing an elderly personââ¬â¢s checks without authorization or permission; forging an older personââ¬â¢s signature; misusing or stealing an older personââ¬â¢s money or possessions; coercing or deceiving an older person into signing any document; and the improper use of conservatorship, guardianship, or power of attorney (National Center on Elder Abuse). In 2009, a Chicago nursing home worker faced financial exploitation and aggravated identification theft charges for allegedly stealing $4,008 from a Illinois nursing home. The criminal remained free on bail and was fired from the Illinois nursing home. Authorities acknowledge that the criminal had a previous criminal conviction for forgery (Nursing Home Blog). The major types of nursing home abuse have a direct correlation to inadequate staffing levels. A recent statistic by the American Association for Justice, found that ninety-percent of United States nursing homes had staffing levels too low to provide sufficient care. Residents of those nursing homes falling below minimal staffing standards are much more likely to develop bedsores and experience excessive weight loss than those in other nursing homes. This is because enough staff must be available so that all residents who cannot eat by themselves receive help. Also, unless immobile elderly residents are repositioned frequently, they may develop bedsores. To add to the problem, understaffing contributes to low morale and frustration among employees, decreasing their ability to deal with residents patiently and respectfully. According to the American Association for Justice, a series of reports revealed that many nursing homes do not have enough staff to meet the levels recommended by federal officials (3.45 nursing hours per patient daily) and nursing home experts (4.55 nursing hours per patient). Insufficient hours per patient hosts all sorts of potential problems for nursing care, the most problematic being neglect. Many nursing home residents need constant nursing attention to ensure that they do not develop medical problems. In many cases, residents need to be turned, moved, or given skin assessments to avoid developing pressure ulcers or from forming deadly blood clots. John A. Fisher, Ph. D, said there have been an alarming amount of recent cases in which New York nursing homes have been found liable for elder abuse after a resident died or was injured due to inadequate care. In every case, inadequate staffing was named as a contributing factor to the cause of the abuse. With inadequate staffing being the undeniable cause of nursing home abuse, how does the projected nursing shortage effect this issue? The projected nursing shortage in the United States is expected to intensify as baby boomers age and the need for health care grows. ââ¬Å"In the July/August 2009 Health Affairs, Dr. Peter Buerhaus and coauthors found that despite the current easing of the nursing shortage due to the recession, the U.S. nursing shortage is projected to grow to 260,000 registered nurses by 2025. A shortage of this magnitude would be twice as large as any nursing shortage experienced in this country since the mid-1960s. In the article titled The Recent Surge In Nurse Employment: Causes And Implications, the researchers point to a rapidly aging workforce as a primary contributor to the projected shortage (American Association of Colleges of Nursing).â⬠In some instances today, nurses are forced to attend to 20 patients at a time, and that is at the lower part on the nurse- patient spectrum. Federal law requires Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing homes to have an registered nurse (RN) director of nursing (DON); an RN on duty at least 8 hours a day, 7 days a week; and a licensed nurse (RN or LPN) on duty the rest of the time. However, there are no minimum staffing levels for nurseââ¬â¢s aides, who provide most of the day-to-day care. Instead, nursing homes are required ââ¬Å"to provide sufficient staff and services to attain or maintain the highest possible level of physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident. (Elder Law Answers)â⬠If a nursing home met only the federal nurse staffing requirements described above, a resident would receive 20 minutes of nurse time per day. In 2000, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reported that the preferred minimum staffing level was when nursing home residents received three hours of total staff time per day ââ¬â two hours of nursing assistant time and one hour of licensed nurse time. The optimum staffing level, according to the CMS, is one hour of licensed nurse time and three hours of nursing assistant time (Elder Law Answers). Most states have standards that are higher than the federal requirements, but still fall short of the levels recommended by the CMS. According to a recent study, the key to improving nursing home staffing levels is increasing state standards. The study by Charlene Harrington, a UCSF School of Nursing professor, found that states with the highest standards for nursing staff levels are the only states where nursing homes have enough staff to prevent serious safety violations. According to the study, the act of raising the state minimum staffing ratio has a direct impact on the quality of care nursing home residents receive. With such an impact that state and federal standards have on quality of care, how can the state enforce nursing homes to follow such mandates? According to an article published by nursing home reality endorsed by Aaron Delurey, the best way to ensure that residents are receiving an ample amount of care is for state officials to introduce these three procedures: Have each state mandate an increase in the percentage of surprise inspections that must take place outside of regular business hours on weekdays. Second, require management personnel to work staggered shits all the time, not just when the state is in their building. Why require this change? When the management is out of the building the quality of care given often suffers. Third and foremost, when the state shows up for an any kind of inspection, the inspectors should immediately seize the payroll data to verify staffing levels for the 14 continuous days immediately prior to the inspection. The inspectors should also insist that while they are in the building that no additional staff can be called in. These procedures would ultimately address the nursing shortage, therefore depleting the abuse within nursing homes.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Research Paper on Employee Loyalty
Employee loyalty is defined as an affective commitment of the employee towards the firm. When the employee possesses this affective commitment it gives him/her the devotion to sustain his/her association with the certain firm. The amount of devotion and loyalty of a simple employee can be a great advantage of the company. When an employee is loyal, he/she will have a greater ability to properly do his/her job as well as reduce the probability of the company to fail. Hence the employees of a business are critical components for a certain business to properly progress.A business may possess inferior employees but the huge amount of loyalty would have can send a very insignificant business to amazing heights. Likewise, those employees with unsubstantial amount of loyalty may cause tremendous business to collapse. DuPont being one of the largest chemical company in the world, it is a necessity for them to continue to work as effective and efficient as possible. To help them with such we have conducted a study on employee loyalty. With this study, we aim to come with an output that will be able to assist DuPont to design different programs to help improve the employee organizational loyalty. Through this we as well want to prove that the amount of loyalty of the employees of a business plays a significant role in the success of the corporations.Theoretical FrameworkJohn Meyer and Natalie Allen proposed the Three Components of Commitmentà model, which explains how organizational commitment is a psychological-related idea. They suggested three factors that affect how an employee sees his/her organization. With this knowledge and better understanding, one can increase not only the engagement of the employees, but their well-being and job satisfaction as well. By using these components together with various appropriate approaches, a manager now has the ability to effectively motivate and work with his/her team. The first type is the Affective Commitment. This type of loyalty occurs when one is emotionally attached to oneââ¬â¢s organization or when one genuinely identifies with the goals and values of the organization he/she works for.Unlike any other types of commitment, an affectively committed employee actually enjoys and is satisfied with his/her work. The second type of commitment is Normative. This component deals with people who stay in the organization because they have this feeling of obligation that they need to stay for whatever reason ââ¬â external or internal ââ¬â even if they are not happy nor satisfied with their jobs. Normative Commitment may hinder one from seeking greater opportunities, but still remains in the organization because ââ¬Å"it is the right thing to do.â⬠The last component or type is the Continuance Commitment. This type of commitment happens when a person always weighs the pros and cons, both of leaving the organization and of staying.The only reason behind why people who belong to this category s tay is because there is a higher risk, cost, or more losses when they leave the organization compared to when they stay. Another theory supports the Continuance Commitment ââ¬â Beckerââ¬â¢s Side-Bet Theory. Becker (1960) as cited in Cohen and Lowenberg (1990) suggests that the longer an individual stays with his/her organization, the greater number of losses he/she will have when he/she leaves the organization, which in return makes it hard for the individual to leave in the first place ââ¬â this then becomes the reason for an employeeââ¬â¢s commitment to the organization. Becker used the term ââ¬Å"side-betsâ⬠to refer to the investments, usually material things, which one will lose when he/she decides to leave the organization.Statement of the Problem Are there a correlation and a significant difference between the employeesââ¬â¢ monthly salary and organizational commitment?The factors affecting an employeeââ¬â¢s commitment to an organization, specificall y the effect of an employeeââ¬â¢s monthly salary to organizational commitment.Hypothesis Null Hypothesis: There is no correlation and significant difference between the employeesââ¬â¢ monthly salary and organizational commitment?Researcherââ¬â¢s/Alternative Hypothesis: There is a correlation and significant difference between the employeesââ¬â¢ monthly salary and organizational commitment.Significance of the Study In an organization, there are many different factors that may affect an individualââ¬â¢s loyalty to his/her company. With this, the study aims to establish the relationship between organizational loyalty and the employeesââ¬â¢ monthly salary. This proposed study will help the managers, if not the owners, to be aware of what motivates their employees to be loyal to them. Furthermore, it will help the managers to know what they can do to help their employees. On the other hand, employees can use the results of this study to work more efficiently and effecti vely.METHODOLOGYResearch Design The research design that the researchers used can be classified as Descriptive. Descriptive research is used to show correlation, associations, or relationship between or among things. By using Descriptive research, the researchers can demonstrate the relationship between organizational commitment and the employeesââ¬â¢ salary, since this study aims to find out if there is a relationship or correlation between the two.By knowing and understanding the relationship between the two, it will be easier for the researchers as well as the managers and employees to make an effective approach that may benefit everyone. Given this, it was the most appropriateà method to be used by the researchers in conducting their study on the loyalty of the employees in an organization, specifically in Du Pont.Participants The study focused on the employees of Du Pont. Out of (total population), 73 were randomly chosen by the researchers based on their availability, sin ce the survey was conducted during work hours. The respondents are (part) of the total population of the organization.Instrument For this study, the Survey technique was used and the instrument utilized was the questionnaire. This instrument was used because it is the fastest way to collect data from a number of respondents. Furthermore, it was more convenient for both the researchers and the respondents.Data Gathering Procedure The questionnaire was given to 73 Du Pont employees for them to fill up. The survey questionnaire was composed of 35 questions which revolved around the attitudes and loyalty of the respondents to the organization. A scale from 1 to 5 was used in each question to see if the respondents agree or disagree with the statement/s. A number of copies of the questionnaires were distributed to some respondents through electronic mail (e-mail) by the researchers due to time constraint. After receiving only half of the responses (through e-mail), the other copies were distributed personally by the researchers to the respondents (employees). The researchers collected the copies personally as well after two working days.Statistical Treatment The responses made by the respondents describing their gender, civil status, age, monthly salary, religious affiliation, educational background, work designation, work status, and length of service were presented. For easier analysis, the researchers used the following representations:Gender 1 ââ¬â Male 2 ââ¬â Female Civil Status 1 ââ¬â Single 2 ââ¬â Married Monthly Salary 1 ââ¬â Below 15,000.00 2 ââ¬â 15, 000.00 ââ¬â 19, 999.00 3 ââ¬â 20, 000.00 ââ¬â 24, 999.00 4 ââ¬â 25, 000.00 ââ¬â 29, 999.00 5 ââ¬â 30, 000.00 ââ¬â 34, 999.00 6 ââ¬â 35, 000.00 ââ¬â 39, 999.00 7 ââ¬â 40, 000.00 ââ¬â 44,999.00 8 ââ¬â 45, 000.00 ââ¬â 49, 999.00 9 ââ¬â 50 , 000.00 ââ¬â AboveReligious Affiliation 1 ââ¬â Roman Catholic 2 ââ¬â Non-Roman Cath olic Educational Background 1 ââ¬â Non-BS Degree Holder 2 ââ¬â Bachelorââ¬â¢s Degree Holder 3 ââ¬â Masterââ¬â¢s Degree with Doctoral Units 4 ââ¬â Full-Fledged Masterââ¬â¢s Degree Holder 5 ââ¬â Bachelorââ¬â¢s Degree with Masterââ¬â¢s Units 6 ââ¬â Full-Fledged Doctoral DegreeWork Designation 1 ââ¬â Top Management 2 ââ¬â Middle Management 3 ââ¬â Rank and File 4 ââ¬â Others Work Status 1 ââ¬â Permanent 2 ââ¬â ProbationaryLength of Service 1 ââ¬â Below 3 years 2 ââ¬â 3-5 years 3 ââ¬â 6-8 years 4 ââ¬â 9-11 years 5 ââ¬â 12-14 years 6 ââ¬â 15-17 years 7 ââ¬â 18-20 years 8 ââ¬â 21-23 years 9 ââ¬â 24-26 years 10 ââ¬â 27-29 years 11 ââ¬â 30 years or moreResponses by the employees were statistically analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics such as the mean. Furthermore, Pearson R and T-Test for Significance were utilized to know if there is a correlation and significant differenc e between the independent and dependent variables.Analysis of Data Statistical Tools The factors affecting employeesââ¬â¢ commitment to an organization, more specifically the effect of the employeesââ¬â¢ monthly salary Mean Pearson R t-test for significanceRESULTS AND DISCUSSIONThe table below represents the summary of the data, where in x is the employeeââ¬â¢s corresponding monthly salary and y is the mean of the employeesââ¬â¢ answer to the 35 questions that relate to organizational loyalty. Answers are rounded off to the nearest hundredths.Given this data, the Pearson product-moment correlation can be used. It was developed by Karl Pearson and is considered to be the most robust method in measuring the correlation and regression. The formula for rxy is as follows:Using this formula, the rxy can be derived, which results to -0.27; this can be interpreted that employeesââ¬â¢ monthly salary and organizational commitment has a low correlation as shown in the table belo w:Parameters Interpretation (+,-) 1.00 Perfect Correlation (+,-) 0.81-0.99 Very High Correlation (+,-) 0.61-0.80 High Correlation (+,-) 0.41 ââ¬â 0.60 Moderate/Fair Correlation (+,-) 0.21 ââ¬â 0.40 Low Correlation (+,-) 0.01 ââ¬â 0.20 Very Low Correlation (+,-) 0.00 No CorrelationFurthermore, the amount of contribution or variances explained by the employeesââ¬â¢ monthly salary about the employeesââ¬â¢ commitment can be derived; this is called the coefficient of determination (COD). Also, given this data, the amount of variance left unexplained and is attributed to other factors or to the sampling error can be computed ââ¬â this is named as coefficient of alienation (COA).COD= (r)2 = 0.0729 or 7.29% COA= 1.00 ââ¬â(r)2 = 0.9271 or 92.71%Lastly, the significance can be tested using Dimaanoââ¬â¢s (2001) formula:with degrees of freedom: N-2This formula is used to determine whether the two factors (employeesââ¬â¢ monthly salary and organization loyalty) ha ve a significant relationship. Having computed the following, the group has arrived to a value of a t-computed of 2.136, and t-critical value of 2.002; hence, it can be inferred that theà decision is to reject the null hypothesis and the conclusion is to accept the researcherââ¬â¢s hypothesis.CONCLUSIONThat being said, the group has been able to establish a low correlation between the two given factors, which are the employeesââ¬â¢ monthly salary and the organizational commitment. Moreover, 7.29% is the amount of contribution or variances explained by the former factor about the latter, and 92.71% is the amount left unexplained by the former. Lastly, based on the computations showed, there is a significant relationship between the two factors.
Friday, September 27, 2019
Report Lab Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2
Lab Report Example in feeding as it has different mouth parts and mainly feeds on nutrients whereas the adult is specialized in the process of reproduction and dispersal. The type of food consumed between the larva and the adult is entirely different, and this, therefore, enhances their survival. The adult has the secondary characteristics of flying, walking and crawling and therefore even the type of diet it consumes is entirely different from the larva (Kay 3). The organism had both the crypsis and aposematism coloration as a defense mechanism. In crypsis, as exemplified by Kay, 1969, the camouflaging is as a result of the background as was evidenced in the experiment. The phenotypic aspect of the organism in terms of behavioral change in the environment must come into play before coloration occurs. The aposematism effect referred to as warning coloration was observed when there was a striking contrast in terms of background color. The organism died after a period of two weeks as a result of exposure to direct heat from the sun. This in turn led to the destruction of the newly formed chitin that could have provided the protection of the internal organs. The presence of chitin is vital in the life of the organism as this feature offers protection and helps in reproduction through molting process (Kay 5). The death of the organism may result due to different reasons. For instance, improper feeding or harsh environmental conditions minimizes their chances of
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Risk Management Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1
Risk Management Plan - Essay Example Another area of concern is research and development process. There are of course many problems, for example, the project may soon be made obsolete by technical developments, or a change in taste by consumers or a competitors new ideas; the policy of the company could also change. Vast amounts of money may be spent on research and development but the projects can be later cancelled. This problem is closely connected with funding and lack of resources on further R & D (Marrison 2002). Staff changes can threaten the project and lead to information disclosure and lack of security issues. Staff is the key to all security measures and is the most vulneraà ble aspect of IT security issues. Most frauds require an operative in another organization or collusion with existing employees. Segregation of staff duties and accurate documentation of programs is essential. The strict control of operations is vital, especially where satellite devices are connected to a central processor, allowing easy access to information. Physical plant security issues are connected with bomb threat, breaching of security barriers and lack of control and monitoring facilities (Frame 2002). As the needs of the orgaà nization change, managers can contract with external vendors to perform specialized services that the organization cannot perform internally. Still, in come cases vendors can deliver low quality spare parts and raw materials which create a risk for the project and schedule. It is important for the project management to agree all deliveries and specifications with vendors in order to avoid delays faults issues and delays. Suppliers should continually monitor product requirements, factory scheduling, and commitments of their customers against their own schedule to ensure that enough inà ventory will be available. Once these systems are in place
The United States 5th Marine Regiment WWI-WWII Research Paper
The United States 5th Marine Regiment WWI-WWII - Research Paper Example Major General Commandant of the Marine Corps, George Barnett, was well aware of these shortcomings. Barnett, who also enjoyed prominent social and political connections in Washington, was desperate for participation of the Marines in the ongoing war in France to overcome those flaws. He sought reorganization of the scattered small detachments into more structured battalions and regiments. Due to his incessant efforts and determination, President Woodrow Wilson directed the Secretary of War on May 29, ââ¬Å"In pursuance of the authority vested in me by law, it is hereby directed that you issue the necessary orders detaching for service for the Army a force of Marines to be known as the Fifth Regiment of Marinesâ⬠(Camp, 26). Commandant Barnett assembled Marine detachments scattered across United States and Caribbean into the 5th Marine Regiment with battalions at Philadelphia and Quantico, which was officially activated on June 08, 1917. On June 14, the regiment, under the comma nd of Colonel Charles A. Doyen, USMC, started sail towards France on the escort fleet comprising four groups. The first groups embarked in naval transports such as HENDERSON and DE KALB sailed on the same day. However, the last group including HANCOCK sailed three days later. The first groups also encountered submarines on the way, but were not hit. The regiment arrived at harbor of St. Nazaire, France, on June 26, where it was assigned to the 1st Division, American Expeditionary Force, under the command of Major General John J. Pershing, USA. The 5th Regiment was the first marine regiment having the honor to serve with the Army in Europe (McClellan, 30-32). Pershing did not keep the regiment intact. Many of the regimentââ¬â¢s units were deployed as line of communication troops performing non-combat duties, which spread dismay among men and hampered the training. In words of the 2nd Battalion Commander, Major Frederick M. Wise, USMC, ââ¬Å"We were pretty badly split up â⬠¦ O ne battalion in St. Nazaire, half a battalion in England, and my battalion a few miles from Menacourtâ⬠(Camp, 32). Training of some elements was conducted as part of the First Division (regulars) in the Gondrecourt training area. However, it was soon realized that 1st Infantry Division already contained its full complement of four regiments. The regiment was thus reassigned to Fourth Infantry Brigade under the 2nd Division. From September onwards, the available units of the Fourth Brigade as a unit of the Second Division of Regulars started training in the Bourmont training area (McClellan, 31). The Fourth Brigade of Marines was composed of the 5th Marine Regiment, the 6th Marine Regiment, and the 6th Machine Gun Battalion. After his promotion to Brigadier General, Col. Doyen became the first commanding general of the 2nd Division on October 26th, 1917. The command of the 5th Regiment was temporarily handed over to Lieut. Col. Hiram I. Bearss, USMC, until Col. Wendell C. Nevil le, USMC, reported on duty on January 01, 1918. The 5th Regiment consisted of three battalions containing four companies each, the 84h Machine Gun Company, Supply Company and Headquarters Company. The 1st Battalion commanded by Major Julius Turrill, USMC, was comprised of 17th, 49th, 66th and 67th companies, the Second Battalion commanded by Major Frederick Wise, was comprised of 18th, 43rd, 51st and 55th companies, and the 3rd Battalion command
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Macroeconomic Situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1
Macroeconomic Situation - Essay Example As a result there are lesser incentives for the manufacturers to increase the production and so reduced industrial production is anticipated. The consumer spending, on the other hand, has increased rapidly (especially for food items), despite the fact that the household incomes had been reduced in the last quarter of 2009. Meanwhile, the inventories for the consumer goods and business supplies have reduced considerably in contrast to the inventories of different materials and equipment. Further, the inflation rate was anticipated to increase recently because of the increase in the oil prices. However, the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation has remained more or less the same as the previous year. (FRB, 2010) The overall GDP has risen 14204 billion dollars after an increase of 5.6% in the last quarter of 2009. At this rate of economic expansion the economy can easily recover within a few months. But that is not quite likely. Despite the fact that the economy has improved considerably since the last quarter of 2009, it is still important to consider the fact that the US economy has grown only 0.1% over the last one year. (Fedec, 2010) Since the percentage by which the output worsened in 2008 was 1.9%, a lot of economic growth is needed to cover up for the loss. Also it is pertinent that the government gives importance to the strong expansion of the economy. Out of the 5.6% of the increase in the GDP over the last few months, 3.9% has been due to the rebuilding of inventories. (Fedec, 2010) Once the inventories are created the production is likely to fall. As a result the overall output production may fall. Although the labor market has improved considerably, the unemployment rate still is the highest that has been recorded in the last 26 years. (Fedec, 2010) If nothing is done by the government in this regard the situation can worsen. The
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Is the UK economy out of recession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3
Is the UK economy out of recession - Essay Example The wealth of the households residing in UK had increased drastically mainly because of the housing bubble and an increase in stock market. Aggregate demand nurtured the level of employment with its major portion stemming from the public sector. However, the recent financial turmoil undermined the economy and it was forced to sink into a serious recession. The percentage increase in GDP of UK had been stable over the past decade. According to the data it has been observed that a recessionary phase has been experienced almost after 18 years; last time it was observed in 90ââ¬â¢s which is evident from Figure 1. As we know that, recessions are marked by a percentage decrease in GDP generally over two to three quarters thus we can draw a valid inference from the figure that UK plunged into the recession in year 2008. The crisis traces its root in the financial sector which is the flagship of the UKââ¬â¢s economy. Since the financial sector is closely interlinked to all the other sectors, it exerted a detrimental effect on the other parts of the economy. As we know that financial sector mainly assist individuals and businesses in borrowing and lending of funds therefore this crisis had its impact on the ability of households and businesses to finance their needs. Public finances were hit hard by this upheaval which limited the ability of UKââ¬â¢s government to use fiscal policy to monitor the situation. The current economic scenario is pointing an auspicious beginning for UK as the financial turbulence which swept across the world has subsided to a quite large extent. After six consecutive quarters of recession from April 2008 to September 2009, UK has finally unfettered from the recession since it has experienced a 0.1% growth in its GDP in the last quarter of the year (Figure 2) (Cook & Hayman, 2010). Technically, it is clear that UK has recovered from a recession. However, this financial turmoil has left a great deal of damage in its wake. Banks have become
Monday, September 23, 2019
How the Cameras Use Affects the Overall Production Essay
How the Cameras Use Affects the Overall Production - Essay Example Constant camera practice coupled with technical knowledge is key factors in developing the skills needed producing the best picture for media production. It is important that camera operators are highly skilled in operating and controlling the technical devices in a camera and know to focus the lens to obtain the desired shot. They must also know the techniques in taking shots, panning, tilting, zooming, dollying, image framing, and positioning to produce the best pictures. There are different approaches that a camera operator can use in taking shots depending on the type and purpose of a particular media outfit. For a realist, modernist, or formalist aesthetics, differentiation is presented in the skilled application of image depth. Image depth defines spatial continuity. Broad image depth, where there are wide ranges of objects in focus, produced a different perspective from that of a restricted image depth where an object is isolated from the other objects in the scene (Musburger, Kindem 261). Positioning the Camera Camera operators must determine the best position for the desired image. This requires knowledge in framing, distance, and movement. They must identify the objects or actions that must be contained in the camera frame, determine the appropriate distance and angle, and the best placement of the camera in taking a picture. Camera-mounting devices help in controlling camera movement.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Downtown East Swot Analysis Essay Example for Free
Downtown East Swot Analysis Essay Downtown East was well-known in Singapore as an entertainment hub as it provides a variety of services. Food, Drinks, Shopping and Entertainment, all under one roof. However, in every business or organization, it will certainly have its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, therefore, our group would give a detail explanation on each of these aspects, helping the company to focus on activities where it is strong in, and where the greatest opportunity lies. We would first start off with strength. Basically, strength refers to the good qualities or the strong points of the business. Downtown East is situated around many places of interest, therefore being able to create packages which will attract customers. Furthermore, it is currently the only theme park in Singapore where there is both water activities (Wild Wild Wet) and outdoor rides (Escape Theme Park). As Downtown East homes the only theme park in Singapore, Downtown East would definitely be the first choice that comes into the mind of people seeking for both thrills and entertainment. Not only that, it also have many indoor activities such as arcades for children, teenagers and even adults. Therefore, Downtown East not only have outdoor entertainment, it also have indoor entertainment as well, thus, even on rainy days, people going to Downtown East could also have fun. Weakness is an aspect where the business should spend time studying on it and then work out for solutions to overcome it. The limited land area is a weakness to Downtown East. As land in Singapore is expensive, Downtown East would find it hard to expand their land area to provide more entertainment for customers. Other than that, Downtown East is quite inaccessible. It is troublesome to get there because the only public transport to get there is by bus, thus, making it hard for the people in the west side of Singapore to go to Downtown east. Not only that, it is also expensive to maintain. For example, if equipment in the Escape Theme Park is faulty or spoilt, quite a large sum of money would be needed to either repair or even buy a new one. People might get bored if the attractions are not change constantly and changing the attraction would mean the requirement of new equipments and this would in turn increase the expense of the business. Opportunity refers to the chances available for the business to grow. The government is promoting Singapore as a city of entertainment which will help attract tourists. For instance, launching the F1 grand prix is a move by the government to ââ¬Å"broadcastâ⬠Singapore worldwide, thus, attracting people from other countries to visit Singapore. As Downtown East had many facilities and is entertaining, investors may be interested to work together with them. Furthermore, more and more places of interest are being built (e.g Integrated Resort) to attract tourists to Singapore. Although this may be seen as an act to steal customers from Downtown East, the tourists coming to Singapore would not only come for Singapore for a specific area of interest but the various kind of places of entertainment Singapore offers and Downtown East may be one of them, thus, this could be seen as an opportunity. Other than that, Downtown east is located at the east near the coast and the area there could be used to expand their business so as to introduce more facilities and entertainment so as to attract customers. Lastly, it is the threats. Threats would normally be seen as a pressure to the decrease of sales or revenue. Economic downturn is one of the threats which may result in people not willing to splurge on entertainment. As the economy is doing badly, salaries of the workers may be reduced and retrenchment would be common. Reduced salary or no salary (retrenchment) would mean that less money would be available for living expenses, thus, people would save money and visit such entertainment places less frequently. Also, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, more places of interest are built to attract the tourists. Although it can be an opportunity, it can also be a threat to Downtown East if the tourists choose to go to other places of interests rather than Downtown East.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button Film Studies Essay
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button Film Studies Essay In 2008, the short story was adapted to fit the big screen and unlike the short story the movie adaptation ran for almost three hours (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, n.d.) . Most people could read Fitzgeralds version three-four times over in that amount of time the movie took. The basis of both the book and movie was simplistic yet versions told the fictional life story of a man living and experiencing life as he is developing physically backwards and cognitively forwards. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a rarity because normal Hollywood/story adaptations lack well developed variations of the story in their respective ways. They both are designed to force the reader or movie goer to self- reflect on their own life experiences. Benjamin Buttons life was an incredible account of events and relationships that were discovered, created, built and lost throughout his life-span. However, while he accomplished so much he was unable to live a life in the normal development pattern, but it allowed him and the reader/movie goer to view life from a different perspective. However his love of life is always strong and he spends a lifetime experiencing events on the opposite side of the spectrum dealing with the frustrations and hardship of being different (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). The Curious Case of Benjamin Button demonstrates developmental stages in reverse in such detail that one might believe it is not a completely fictional story. The story demonstrates the life experiences and development in a graceful depiction of life, love, and the events we expect to happen but never absolutely occur in exact linear progression. Benjamin Buttons journey starts off with his birth at a hospital, during a non-traditional period where hospitals were unusual settings for birth (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). This depicts the framework for the awkward experiences ahead. A hospital delivering babies was not a American societal custom in the 1860s. It was assumed that children were better off being born in the home in a safe environment even if the environment did not include a doctor. The intrigue of what is different about Benjamin is generated as the story builds, the doctor and the nurses at the hospital are depicted as rude and cruel towards the parents and newborn child. The doctor states that his professional reputation is damaged along with the odd reactions of the nurses (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). The narrator describes apprehensive and petrified behaviors after the delivery of Benjamin Button, but the narrator does not mention why the hospital staff are reacting through trepidations descriptions. When the peculiarity of Benjamin is finally explained, it leaves one to ponder the developmental process Benjamin will go through. Benjamins father is mortified, with the circumstance of his sons condition and development. He even states that his son as an appalling apparition and expresses concern about the views of society and his culture will have when they meet Benjamin (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). While his father struggles to process the situation. The question his parents struggle with is trying to decide what stage of development Benjamin is developing in. As Erik Eriksons theory states, Benjamin should be in a basic needs stage and learning about parental trust (Berk, 2012). Erikson defines trust as a critical openness of believing in the compassion that your parents will provide you with fundamental basic needs, and building a sense of ones own trustworthiness of themselves and others. In normal case of development an infant depends on parents providing care and nourishment. Eriksons theory places a high significance on the mother, providing an environment of nourishment and safety (Berk, 2012). Benjamins development was not occurring in a trust or mistrust stage and not developing the need of parental influences, associated with basic trust and mistrust theory (Berk, 2012). Benjamins father demonstrated distant and apathetic feelings towards his son (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). If Benjamin was developing normally, his fathers behavior would severely impact Benjamins ability to develop trust in people close to him. A childs relative understanding of the world and society are largely modeled through parental interactions with their child. Benjamins mother was warmth, affectionate and loving towards Benjamin even though her son was very different (Berk, 2012). Benjamins father acts with detestation about the condition of his sons development (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). . Benjamin is in a stage of later life cognitive thoughts and his emotional stage is one of slow physical productivity and exploration of reflections of a life accomplished tasks and self-integrity determines (Berk, 2009). Benjamin did not have these experiences, but he was portrayed through the story as living a happy, productive and meaningful life (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). While his father develop a sense of despair and internalized his sons condition as a failure of his own life, he believed this lead to constant internal disappointment in himself and his son. Mr. Button was not intrinsically motivated to help his son achieve and did was not demonstrating a content parental attitude and was not happy about providing his son with basic needs. If Benjamin was a normal developing child his fathers lack of providing parental support, learning opportunities and experiencing would severely impair Benjamin (Berk, 2009). Mr. Button finds a costume suit, that he wants Benjamin to wear as normal clothes, Benjamin rightfully complains about the attire. Mr. Button is ferocious in his reply to his son and tells him he embarrassed him with his presents. Benjamin replies to his father in what could only be a learned response of offensive remarks towards his father and breaking the tension with a comical imitation of loving discourse towards his father (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). . His parents were still trying to feed him warm milk through bottles and he would joylessly shake his rattle to appease them. His parents were so confused about how to introduce him to socially appropriate activities, so they went with activities that were with children the same age as him. But Benjamin was establishing a taste of Havana cigars which he stole from his father, as he read the encyclopedia (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). His parents pushed his peer interacts even though his condition placed him in a much advanced development stage. Benjamin was starting to transition into a new stage as he digressed from late life development levels to middle age stage behaviors and thoughts associated with cognitive thought processes displayed in late and middle age stages (Berk, 2009). Benjamin would still try and appease his parents though age related behaviors such as breaking a window or break something to continue the age related behaviors that made his father happy (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). Benjamin and his grandfather became good friends and were able to relate and they spent much time together. However, Benjamin was sent to kindergarten when he turned five and fell asleep so often that he was removed. Benjamin knew where he was in the developmental stages and felt childish not being able to wear long pants. When he asked that he be allowed to wear long pants, his father replied with needing to wait until he was fourteen. So, Benjamin feeling the need to advance his ability to leave a positive impact on society applied and successfully enrolled at Yale. However, he was unable to color his gray hair and was thrown out of Yale because they felt that he posed a threat. Benjamin was still frail in stature, but they decided that not understan ding him was a danger. Benjamin went to Harvard and became a Harvard graduate instead (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). . Benjamin returns from war in 1880, as a twenty year old in a fifty year old body. His father looks more like a brother and their developmental cogitation parallel each other. Benjamin met Hildegarde Moncrief during a dance and reacts to her physically beauty, company and social equalities with instant adornment (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). She felt just as strongly because she assumes he is in his fifties. She and Benjamin are engaged within six months. Benjamin is in the early stages of middle age and in the late stages that play a role in ones quest for intimacy with a partner or being isolated due to rejection of intimacy (Berk, 2009). Benjamin and Hildegarde are at or around this development stage, neither one wants to be isolated from the affection of another. Both have established age related identities, and developed the ability to be in a long-term relationship, because they have formed intimate, mutual relationships that can include sacrifices and compromi ses needed in a healthy relationship require. Both of the characters understood this because of their cognitive development and knew what the other wanted (Berk, 2009). This could explain the lack of time it took Benjamin to ask for Hildegardes hand. Benjamin and his wife have children and over the years he starts to appear younger. His interest in his wife is a losing battle along with his marriage, but he regains an interest in rejoining the army when war is declared (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). . Benjamin leaves to fight in the Spanish-American War of 1898. Benjamin is moving from a development in the the Intimacy vs. Isolation confliction stage to a late stage development of commitment. Benjamin is starting to develop a confusion of identity. This may explain Benjamins desire to re-join the Army and go to war, and lose interest in his wife. When Benjamin returns he finds his wife aging quickly and her development is taking place in the later stages of life, her hair is gray and he realizes that he is developing younger behaviors while she is developing in the opposite direction. They have a son and Ten years after his son graduates, from Harvard Benjamin goes to Harvard to play football and when he plays against Yale, he single handily scored seven touchdowns and fourteen field goals as a freshman athlete (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). . Benjamin development starts demonstrating the competence stage and at fifty-seven he enjoys reading stories and playing with age related peers, and he is considered a playful child (Berk, 2009). His son Roscoe is disgraced with him and is made that he is no longer a man but a child (DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008). His son has a baby and he is a grandfather but they are attending kindergarten on the same day and in the same development level demonstrating autonomy abilities and feeling shame and self-doubt. Benjamin slowly develops into the infant that his parents long ago wish he was and tried to raise him as and slowly developed into nothing dying peacefully as an infant(DeFilippis, Weir, Cornell, Fitzgerald, 2008).
Friday, September 20, 2019
Wuthering Heights :: Essays Papers
WUTHERING HEIGHTS MAIN CHARACTERS Catherine Earnshaw ~ She is the daughter of Mr. Earnshaw and the sister of Hindley. She is also Heathcliffââ¬â¢s foster sister. Heathcliff and Catherine are in love, but she marries Edgar Linton instead. When Cathy died, she wanted both Heathcliff and Edgar to suffer because Edgar never understood why she loved Heathcliff and Heathcliff because he never knew why she married Edgar. Catherine Linton ~ She is the daughter of the older Catherine and Edgar Linton. Her mother Catherine died shortly after she was born. She married Linton Heathcliff and became Catherine Heathcliff. Then after her husbandââ¬â¢s death she married Harenton and became Catherine Earnshaw. Mr. Earnshaw ~ He was a farmer and father of Hindley and Catherine. He is a kind- hearted man who takes Heathcliff in after he found him lying on the street, although his family protested he still took him in. Edgar Linton ~ He is Isabellaââ¬â¢s older brother, who marries Catherine Earnshaw and is the father of there daughter, Catherine Linton. He is a gentle bred, refined man, a patient husband and loving father. Ellen Dean ~ Ellen is one of the main narrators. She has been a servant for the Lintonââ¬â¢s and Earnshawââ¬â¢s all her life. She knows all of them better than any one else. People that are close to her call her Nelly. Frances Earnshaw ~ She is Hindleyââ¬â¢s wife. She was a rather giddy woman. She displayed a great fear of death, which tells us why she died of tuberculosis. Harenton Earnshaw ~ Harenton is the son of Frances and Hindley Earnshaw. He marries young Catherine and grows up with his Uncle Heathcliff; his both mother and father die. He is ruff and uncultured having been kept from civilization from so long by Heathcliff. The Wuthering Heights belongs to Harenton even though Heathcliff runs the household. Hindley Earnshaw ~ Is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw, he is also Catherineââ¬â¢s older brother. He becomes a violent alcoholic after his beloved wife Frances dies. Also Hindley never got along with Heathcliff because Hindley felt rejected from his fatherââ¬â¢s affection, because Heathcliff the favorite child of Mr. Earnshaw. Heathcliff ~ He is taken in by Mr. Earnshaw and raised along with Catherine and Hindley. Catherine was a moving force in his life, and he hated all those who stood between him and his beloved Cathy. However, he was of unknown descendants and was found in Liverpool starving on the streets.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Attribution of Intentionality and Theory of Mind in Pre-school and Scho
The ability of understanding intentions of others is very important for social development of children (Feinfield, Lee, Flavell, Green, & Flavell, 1999). By means of understanding intentions children can make sense of that people and animates are different from objects (Feinfield, et al., 1999). According to Shantz (1983), this ability is the requisite to understand morality and responsibility. To understand plans and planning we also need to have the ability of understanding intentions (Feinfield, et al., 1999). In addition, Feinfield and colleagues stated that acquiring the ability of understanding intentions of others is also important for the cognitive development of the children such as theory of mind (ToM) that is ââ¬Å"the understanding that others have beliefs, intentions and desires different from oneââ¬â¢s ownâ⬠(Kelly, 2011; p. 5). For these stated reasons many researchers have conducted various studies about the ability of understanding intentions of others. Seve ral studies were carried out to determine when children begin to develop the ability of understanding intentions, which factors have an impact on this ability, how these factors influence the intention attribution and what the role of intention attribution plays for the associations between cognitive capacities and moral reasoning. One of the factors that are related to development of understanding intentions of others is theory of mind competence of the children (Kelly, 2011). Therefore, there are various researches that examined the development of understanding of intentions, its relations with ToM, direction of the relation and the role of the intention attribution as a sphere between ToM and moral judgment. In the present paper, the review of 9 studies that inves... ...ct Effect Theory of Mind and Moral Judgment. Psychological Science, 17(5), 421-427. Loureiro, Carolina Piazzarollo, & Souza, Debora de Hollanda. (2013). The Relationship between Theory of Mind and Moral Development in Preschool Children. Paidà ©ia (Ribeirà £o Preto), 23(54), 93-101. Phillips, W., Baronâ⬠Cohen, S., & Rutter, M. (1998). Understanding intention in normal development and in autism. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 16(3), 337-348. Shantz, (1983). Social cognition. In J. H. Flavell & E. M. Markman (Eds.), Handbook of Child Psychology, Vol. 3: Cognitive Development, 4th edition. (pp. 495ââ¬â 555). New York: Wiley. Smetana, J. G., Jambon, M., Conry-Murray, C., & Sturge-Apple, M. L. (2012). Reciprocal associations between young children's developing moral judgments and theory of mind. Developmental psychology, 48(4), 1144.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Free Essay on Macbeth - The Guilt of Lady Macbeth :: GCSE Coursework Macbeth Essays
The Guilt of Lady Macbeth Everyone is influenced by other people, including leaders or authority, to make the wrong decisions at some point in their lives. In the play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is responsible for the evil doings of Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is responsible for this by using his love for her to persuade him into killing King Duncan. Because Macbeth loved and trusted his wife, he was vulnerable to her opinions and suggestions. We also know that she is responsible for these heartless things because she has so much guilt that she commits suicide. Macbeth would never have done any of those horrible things if it were not for the murder of King Duncan, which was forced on by Lady Macbeth. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a trusted soldier, who is honest and noble. Unfortunately, he meets three witches who tell him three prophecies; that he will become thane of Cawdor, that he will become king and that Banquoââ¬â¢s sons will become kings. These three prophecies slowly change his opinions on life and turn him into a greedy, dishonest, tyrant, full of ambition. Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s thoughts change as well when she is told about the three prophecies that were told to Macbeth. In the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is ambitious, controlling and domineering. She is the one who encourages him to kill the king, she not only encourages him, she makes all the plans herself, which shows her determination and persistence."Yet I do fear thy nature, it is too full oââ¬â¢th milk of human kindness. To catch the nearest way thou wouldst be great. Art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it." (Act 1, scene 5). Lady Macbeth is the force behind M acbethââ¬â¢s sudden ambition and she tries to manipulate him into feeling guilty and unmanly for not following through with the murder, by using her husbands emotions, she manages to convince Macbeth to murder Duncan. After the death of King Duncan, Macbeth becomes the more controlling one, and Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s guilt eventually becomes too much for her to handle which leads to her death. Lady Macbeth is in fact the one that performs the preparations for the murder of King Duncan, but still shows some signs of humanity by not committing the murder herself because he resembles "My father as he slept". After the murder has been committed, she also shows signs of being a strong person because she calms Macbeth down in order to keep him from going insane.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Common sense in ââ¬ËThe Crucibleââ¬â¢ Essay
The Crucible ââ¬â How does Miller make vivid the triumph of superstition over reason and common sense?à In ââ¬ËThe Crucibleââ¬â¢, Miller creates an atmosphere in Salem where hysteria rules the village while reason and common sense are put aside. The superstitions of a few young teenage girls are taken seriously by the largely Christian village; to the point of a broken theocracy and where all reason is lost. In Act III, there are many dramatic scenes in the courtroom which show the power of the girlsââ¬â¢ overbearing superstitions. At the beginning of the play, Mary Warren joined in with the other girls in the forest with their hysteria and witchcraft. However, she converts to Proctorââ¬â¢s side and in court says ââ¬Å"It were pretence, sirâ⬠to Danforth. She tries to save Proctor by turning in the girls and admitting that Abigail had been telling lies. This comes to no avail and then Abigail, with the other girls, puts on an act and starts copying Mary Warren as if Mary had bewitched her. Mary gives in and turns on Proctor saying ââ¬Å"Youââ¬â¢re the Devilââ¬â¢s Man!â⬠Mary tried to have reason and common sense by defying the girls but the way she gave in to their act of hysteria shows how superstition triumphs over reason and common sense. As mentioned previously, Mary Warren initially testifies against Abigail and the other girls in Act III. To this point, Danforth was fully behind Abigail and believed her but now questions her to tell the truth. Abigail forcefully confronts him and says angrily, ââ¬Å"I have been hurt, Mr Danforthâ⬠¦To be mistrusted, denied, questioned like a -ââ¬Å". Miller describes Danforthââ¬â¢s retorts as ââ¬Ëweakeningââ¬â¢ in the stage directions and Abigail presses on to further threaten Danforth in the words ââ¬Å"Let you beware, Mr Danforthâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ . With most other people in the play, Danforth simply dismisses their stories but he is incapable of a rational argument against Abigail. Danforth is meant to be a man of reason and common sense; he is a judge after all but Abigailââ¬â¢s manipulation of him causes him to lose all reason and he lets her continue to wreck havoc. Abigail is the source of all the superstitions in ââ¬ËThe Crucibleââ¬â¢ so her control over Danforth signifies the triumph of superstition over good reason and common sense. Throughout the play, John Proctor is a respectful man; the only one with a sense of reason and not fooled by the witchcraft hysteria. In Act IV, Proctor chooses to die instead of giving away his good name to witchcraft. After choosing to die he says ââ¬Å"â⬠¦I see some goodness in John Proctor.â⬠If he had confessed, he would have lost his common sense and given in to false superstitions. In this way, Proctor not only keeps his name but doesnââ¬â¢t let superstitions get the better of him; one of the few parts of the play where reason and common sense prevail.à Salem is a community filled with hardworking people who have good reason and sense about them. A few lies and superstitions cause all their lives to crumble down and good values vanish. The one man not fooled by the witchcraft nonsense, John Proctor, keeps common sense alive in Salem but is hanged to die; leaving the village ruled by superstition.
Monday, September 16, 2019
Barry Glassnerââ¬â¢s The Culture of Fear Essay
The murder of thousands of Americans on their own soil on September 11, 2001 created a new era in United States History: the era of fear. That is the finding Barry Glassner, author of The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things. In the bookââ¬â¢s pages is found a thorough examination of why Americans are fearful, why they arenââ¬â¢t, and what this says about the average citizen. It is not to say that Glassner indicates that Americans do, or should, live in fear of unexpected terrorist attack. Rather, his purpose in writing is to illuminate why it is that Americans fear the wrong things and fail to act on the right fears: he cites examples such as fearing shootings on school grounds, but not limiting access to guns. In other words, he is attempting to describe what fear is like in the culture of America and what it says about reality and perception. That is his thesis. Summed up, Glassner writes that when it comes to fear, Americans live in a culture of false paranoia and irrational paradoxes. His methodology comes through clearly. He utilizes individual case studies to coherently and cohesively build a strong unified theory. Each story and topic becomes one more brick in the foundation of his thesis. In that way he easily compels and convinces all but the most cynical reader. Finally, it is Glassnerââ¬â¢s point of view that really works wonders. He acts as if he is but a casual, though analytical, objective observer. What Does the Author Have to Say? Fear can be created ââ¬â and manipulated. Time and again Glassner returns to the example of the events of September 11, 2001 for treasures with which to bolster his theory. It is indeed ripe ground for that. It seems to be the case study for just why American citizens are paranoid for all of the wrong reasons. Yes, the terrorist attacks were awful, and all the more so because 1) they were completely unexpected and unannounced, and 2) they targeted the innocent civilian populace. That being said, writes Glassner, they were also completely anomalous. The fear of such an attack in the future due to the fact that it happened once before is unjustifiable. It had been two hundred and twenty-five years from the beginnings of the United States for such an attack to occur, and as of this tenth anniversary edition of the book it has been another ten years without such attack. Sure, that is not to say that it couldnââ¬â¢t happen again. However, the point that the author makes is that it is just circumstances like this that are fertile breeding ground for manipulators. In this case, he cites the then ongoing efforts of President George W. Bush to convince the population that there was an active war on terror. This war, he reminded frequently, was directed at the American citizen, the mom and pop on the street. The war could reach every home, every business. The entire country was under various alert conditions at all times. This supports the first main point of The Culture of Fear. Fear can be a force of manipulation and creation. The second point of the book is closely related to its main premise. It is the ongoing effects of a mass media accentuating the most unlikely of crimes. Each and every day the media, including the press, the internet, and the television networks, blares out stories of kidnappings, murders and more. The chief aim seems to be that ââ¬Ëit could happen to you. ââ¬â¢ In fact, it probably will happen to you unless you take precautions daily. Fingerprint your children. Update your photographs and dental records. Plant microchips in your childrenââ¬â¢s skin. Anything to do to escape the boogeyman, because undoubtedly heââ¬â¢s out there. Never mind the fact that more often than not, the statistics behind the reports are skewed mightily to prove these points ex post facto. The announcements alone are proof enough for most people. The culture of fear is encouraged, and bought into. After all, the media is a powerful presence. When it comes to the third point, it becomes somewhat murky as to how some things come about. Glassner relates example after example of public policy responses to these scenarios ââ¬â and how they absolutely fail to deal with the actual situations that spawn the fear. In other words, ineffective public policy is the knee jerk reaction to fear. The author is quick to relate such failures. He points out the sheer number of dollars allocated to these efforts and the startling statistics that show the problem has not changed at all. Also, he is not shy at pointing out that this culture of fear and reaction provides great political opportunity for candidates that are ââ¬Ëtough on crimeââ¬â¢ to emerge, ready to raise the banners of various well-meaning causes. Once the candidates become elected officials, either the cause is dropped along with its passion, or new laws are passed that in essence are just excuses to spend money and advance political careers. Criticism of the Author I greatly enjoyed this book. I will be unequivocal about that. Perhaps it biases my review, but I do have points to support my response. To begin with, the book is well-paced. By that I mean to say that it reads well. Much of non-fiction ââ¬â particularly educated and researched non-fiction ââ¬â is dry, and fails to engage the reader in the sense that its subjects remain remote. Granted, Glassner has a subject that is much more accessible to readers than the typical tome, but he does not bore with statistics or inane stories. He moves the action right along by showing readers why this involves them, and why it should naturally interest them. Each chapter begins with a premise that is readily understandable. It also includes a counterpoint and then the fun begins. Every chapter delivers. There is a natural satisfaction to this and makes reading the book enjoyable. I never experienced a more well planned out book, in this regard. I was never left wondering why something was missing, or what the authorââ¬â¢s point was after all. He provides vignettes that most every reader either has knowledge of, or direct experience with. In that regard, the book almost reads like a continuous narrative, full of intrigue and personal connections. What surprised me in particular were the findings of the author. He clearly exposed the myths behind much of the countryââ¬â¢s fears ââ¬â fears that turn out to be nearly entirely fictitious or so improbable as to be nearly laughable. Then he does something important and which caused my surprise. He listed the fears that all Americans should actually be concerned with. These are the issues that most citizens will encounter on a daily basis and should be giving their attention rather than the stories at the top of newspaper headlines. Motor vehicle injuries, drowning, fires, head injuries to children from bicycle accidents, these are the realities of danger in America. And these can be prevented. Safer vehicles, more restrictive driversââ¬â¢ licenses, and bicycle helmet laws ââ¬â these are the tools of the fearful citizen that can bring some peace to life. I never thought that Glassner would make such a strong point out of such mundane information. It made me want to actually change my personal living styles, and not in the manner of investing in gas masks or bunkers. Naturally, the book is not perfect. Probably the greatest weakness is the ability of it to be dismissed as a big government bashing book. It could be accused of having an agenda. It is fairly heavy handed when it comes to discussing the media and the governmentââ¬â¢s efforts at propagating fears among the population. Perhaps Glassner could have helped himself some by providing statistical analysis of actual terrorist linked events over the course of the century. This may have more convincingly pointed out just how anachronistic the terror attacks of Fall 2001 really were, and remain. Rather than describe the governmentââ¬â¢s reaction to it, he could have simply left it at that and trusted the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. But that is a small point. One area that could have been covered differently is that chapter on Youth at Risk. With a subtitle of Faulty Diagnoses and Callous Cures one would expect that it would be a medically related chapter. Indeed that it is. However, I feel that the chapter rather disregards the pervasive depression and angst that this generation seems to be finding themselves in. It would appear at least from common experience that these troubles which are leading to more and more suicides and bullying are real and worth a serious look. It is not as if Glassner just glosses over these things, but I think that his overall take on the situation is not serious enough. He instead appears to have it out for the medical establishment. Some could say that this trivializes the problems that teens today are undergoing. I think that would be an accurate indictment. The chapter could either have been more aimed that direction, or perhaps could be eliminated altogether as a general fear among the United States population at large. Summation Barry Glassnerââ¬â¢s book The Culture of Fear is one to be read. It is quite easy to recommend. Primarily it is because the bookââ¬â¢s audience is also the general population. Every reader would know a potential reader in a neighbor, co-worker, relative. Glassner makes his point very clear ââ¬â the culture of fear is absolutely pervasive. We are all a part of this society that lives in near constant paranoia over things that probably will never happen; and we ignore what we probably should fear on a daily basis. That is what is so ultimately compelling about the book. It is nearly a handbook for peaceful living. The Culture of Fear makes promises through its introduction and its chapter titles, and it delivers. The prose is concise and clearly understandable. The scenarios, likewise, are situations in which nearly every reader can either imagine, or has actually experienced. This lends an instant authority and trustworthiness to the book. And after all, where there is trustworthy authority, there is careful consideration of fears itself.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Ebay Culture Essay
What is organizational culture? This indefinable combination of values, beliefs, and practice that a corporation posses, which makes the difference between surviving and thriving, succeeding and failing. Most large corporations typically have a strong culture with values and norms appropriate to the organizational purpose. In a big organization, sub-cultures also exist, division to division, office to office. In this part of this group assignment I will describe the organizational culture of one of the most famous internet companies in the world, which is also the largest marketplace in the internet ââ¬â EBay. Many articles and books have been written in recent years about culture in organizations, usually referred to as ââ¬Å"Corporate Culture. â⬠The dictionary defines culture as ââ¬Å"the act of developing intellectual and moral faculties, especially through education. This paper will use a slightly different definition of culture: ââ¬Å"the moral, social, and behavioral norms of an organization based on the beliefs, attitudes, and priorities of its internal community. Every organization has its own unique culture or value set. The culture of the organization is typically created unconsciously, based on the values of the top management or the founders of an organization. Organizational culture has been defined as ââ¬Å"a pattern of basic assumptions, values, or beliefs and norms of behavior. According to Oââ¬â¢Reilly, organizational culture defined as the values shared by members of an organization. These basic values may be thought of as internalized normative beliefs that can guide behavior inside an organization. If organizational culture is developed as an organization learns to deal with the dual problems of both external adaptation and internal integration, then values that enhance the organizationââ¬â¢s capability in these two functions should be useful for it. To the extent that members of an organization share the same sets of values, thought processes, and languages, they will have similar mind-sets and behaviors as they integrate their efforts inside the organization and adapt to environmental changes. Research has documented a variety of outcomes that are related to organizational culture. For example, organizational culture has been found to relate to organization growth and organization performance. Other studies have shown that its effect can be observed directly at the individual level, in outcomes such as commitment, resource allocation decisions, retention, and perceived attractiveness of an organization. Given the dramatic changes in both the external environment and the internal structure of worldwide organizations, organizations that emphasize cultural values that relate to external adaptation and internal integration should be more effective than those that do not. The character of any corporation or an organization characterized by set of values and principles by which the founders and the upper management run the company from its creation when itââ¬â¢s really begin to become part of the DNA of the company. I believe that companies form culture very early on and they get imprinted very early on with a sense of right and wrong. And it starts from the top. It started with the CFO, the President, and CEO. According to Whitman, sis he had innate sense that they needed at EBay to establish very early on what the code of behavior was going to be, what the code of ethics would be. EBayââ¬â¢s internal company culture was very dominant and strong. Even though its culture had great influence of its memberââ¬â¢s behavior, the culture encourages its members to feel more commitment. Employees were expected to be open and honest, to treat one another with respect, and to speak up if they believed they were not being treated in this manner. EBay functioned as being a nonhierarchical, democratic organization that encouraged ideas and feedback from all employees. The culture at eBay characterized as being open and low risk, where employees were encouraged to express their opinions despite their different points of view. Mistakes were acceptable, but employees were encouraged to truly learn from them. According to Whitman, unlike other companies where different views and opinions from the senior management were barely heard , at EBay they do not have ââ¬Å"punishesâ⬠attitude, meaning that there is no penalty for being on the wrong side of an issue or changing your mind in the face of better information. If an employee`s point of view contradict with his/her colleague when you end up convinced to be wrong, the culture is to appreciate your opinion and at the same time to come with the approach of: ââ¬Å"ok? hatââ¬â¢s smart. Youââ¬â¢re right. Letââ¬â¢s move on. â⬠In addition, As role models, senior managers had to act with a high degree of professionalism and respect. EBay does not encourage people who scream loud or pound the tables. At EBay, itââ¬â¢s pretty even-keeled culture. Sustaining its culture provide a better understanding of the strength of the culture. As EBay grew , in order to conserve the unique internal culture of the organization, EBay made sure it hires only individuals who fit with the culture of the organization. In order to emphasize the importance of its culture, EBay`s CEO Meg Whitman, met with new candidates and describe eBayââ¬â¢s values and to set expectations for how each employee would support and contribute to the companyââ¬â¢s culture. According to EBay founder Pierre Omidyar, experience was not the only quality they were looking in potential applicants, but for someone who really understands the significance of its both internal and external communities and that person should express its most respect to these communities. Moreover, measuring the community and organization very often represents a major challenge in terms of being sure the values and culture of EBay are being communicated correctly. Therefore, on the organizational side, they had to be sure they were hiring quality employees who fit with the culture; they could not afford to let that slip. Even though most well establish cultures resist changes, EBay was able to accept changes within its upper management and the way it works. For example, when Whitman arrived EBay she tried to make some changes because she felt they were needed the way the company goes and in order to adapt to these new changes. An example would be her trying to set up these meetings, but no one had a calendar. According to Whitman, at EBay this was a culture where appointments were not needed because of its small size ââ¬â there were only 35 people at the company. So she laid out a calendar and asked people to sign up for appointments. She did not appreciate the feedback; the employees did not like the changes. What ended up happening was that the employees who had previously worked in big companies signed up for multiple meetings, and the people who had worked primarily in start-ups didnââ¬â¢t sign up at all. Furthermore, EBay`s culture was designed to mirror its external community culture. Very important element of EBay`s culture is a respect for its community. It goes far beyond ââ¬Å"the customer is always rightâ⬠because eBay wouldnââ¬â¢t exist if it werenââ¬â¢t for its community The meetings helped Whitman realize just how special the chemistry was between eBayââ¬â¢s internal and external communities. EBayââ¬â¢s internal culture mirrored many of the characteristics of its external community culture in tangible ways: they were empowered to develop recommendations, and the company employed a nonhierarchical, team-based approach to problem solving. According to Omidyar this configuration was so important: Internally, EBay had to share the same values as their community because they indirectly influence the community in everything they do. Everything EBay put on the Web site, every press release, every utterance to the press, every corporate action, every deal, every partnership that happens in any part of the organization eventually trickles down to the community. EBay rely on all of its executives and then their managers to continue to communicate the culture. The message should trickle down to the very last employee, so that everyone really understands what weââ¬â¢re about and what our values are. EBay also encourage its employees to call the upper management if weââ¬â¢re doing something that is not quite right. EBay empowered everyone to be a guardian of the culture ââ¬â everyone.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Marketing Challenges in the Global Economy Essay
Abstract This article discusses some challenges faced with product development in the global economy. Brief case studies of Apple, eBay, and Levi Strauss & Co., provide real-world examples of the challenges ââ¬â competition, reach of influences, infringement, etc. Embracing technological advances, such as social media, is essential for leveraging a competitive edge, provide the company can operate ethically. Marketing Challenges in the Global Economy Introduction The world is getting smaller, figuratively speaking, and companies must continually reinvent themselves to remain competitive in the global economy. A constant introduction of seemingly ever-changing variables create challenges for big businesses and start-ups alike, and while technology creates its own set of challenges, leveraging its benefits in marketing can propel a company to the leaderââ¬â¢s board. But while technology has created new marketing opportunities ââ¬â especially in engaging with consumers ââ¬â companies need to be ever cautious about maintaining an ethical marketing strategy. Challenges in New Product Launches Companies face various challenges when developing products in the global economy. Some of these challenges are more distinct to specific industries, while others are universal. Twenty years ago, the biggest challenges with product development in the global economy were communication with manufacturers, especially when dealing with manufacturers halfway around the world, and the speed of production. Rapidly evolving technology has on one hand eased these, but also created new sets of challenges. The same technology that brought the world 24-hour news service also meant greater access for scrutiny, as well as a greater consumer expectation for full disclosure of business practices. Increasingly, people want to know that companies are running ethical production operations (Pelsmacker, Driesen & Rayp, 2005). Environmental sustainability, fair trade and wages, and safe and healthy work conditions are issues that companies have to consider more than ever. While technological advancement has granted easier interaction with manufacturers around the world, it has not changed the fact that reach of influence is still a challenge. Independent start-ups now have virtually the same global market access as multinational corporations. Big businesses can no longer assume the competitive edge. And all of these companies, big and small, operating internationally, have to compete with local businesses. This is why operating across a spectrum of socioeconomic and cultural consumer bases requires an understanding of the psychographics for each target audience. Another challenge in product development, especially for technology-based companies, is the risk of patent infringement. More tech dollars are spent in the courtroom than on the research and development (Duhigg & Lohr, 2012). Technology firms make money suing each other back and forth. Case Study 1: Apple Under the direction of Steve Jobs, Apple seemed to have no problem delivering products to the global market that transcended cultural boundaries ââ¬â iPod, iPhone, iPad, Macbook. The key was simple, user-friendly products. Are Macbooks worth their price tags? Was the first iPhone worth $500? Product valuation has been a question largely irrelevant For Apple. It was able to defy the odds by creating a demand for the products, a key to pricing a product line (Guiltinan, 2011). Still, Apple, as with any tech firm, is at risk of being overshadowed by the next greatest innovation, as seen in the latest battle of the smartphone wars (Reuters, 2012). It is a back-and-forth war that extends beyond the front line that is the retail floor. Behind the scenes, Apple and every other tech device and software developer are engaged in costly patent litigation. Apple recently won more than $1 billion from Samsung (Pepitone & Goldman, 2012). Likewise, Samsung is taking legal action against Apple for patent infringement on the iPhone 5 (Musil, 2012). Other challenge that Apple provides a prime example is ethical oversight of offshore production. Appleââ¬â¢s Chinese factories, run by Foxconn, have received a lot of heat for work conditions and unfair wages that have resulted in mass suicide of employees, brawls, and halting production (Garside, 2012). Case Study 2: eBay Since 1995, the internet auction giant has been providing a consumer-to-consumer (C2C) service that revolutionized e-commerce, but its success has not been without challenges. Acting essentially as nothing more than an internet moderator between C2C transaction, eBay has not had to deal with all of the same issues as Apple, such as the controversy of sub-par factory conditions. But it has faced some of the other challenges synonymous with technology firms. Patent infringement has haunted eBay. For example, MercExchange sued eBay for unlawfully using its patented software to create the eBay ââ¬Å"Buy It Nowâ⬠feature (Larson, 2010). Likewise, eBay has had to compete with other e-commerce auctions around the world. It is the standard in most western markets, but could not win in China against TaoBao (Ou & Davison, 2009). After battling for market dominance eBay conceded to TaoBao, showing that even corporate giants are sometimes challenged in reach of influence. But eBay celebrates its failures just the same as its successes. With rapidly advancing technology, the minds behind eBay have sometimes had to make decision quickly, without conclusive research, and adjust later. If the decision resulted in a failure, they at least knew what direction not to evolve in (Ignatius, 2011). Case Study 3: Levi Strauss & Co The apparel industry is probably most notoriously associated with running factories in sub-par conditions (Brown, Deardorff, & Stern). Even iconic American denim brand Leviââ¬â¢s is not innocent of this. Competition in the 1990s forced the company to move much of itââ¬â¢s production offshore, where it was soon implicated along with dozens of other brands in sweatshop operations (Shenon, 1993). More recently, ease of access into the market has created a lot of competition for Leviââ¬â¢s. Furthermore, emerging fashion markets have been turning their focus to local designers, further challenging Leviââ¬â¢s reach of influence (Grail Research, 2009). To ensure survival, Leviââ¬â¢s has taken steps to reinvent its image through fresh marketing campaigns to match its fresh designs (Frey, n.d.), like its recent ââ¬Å"Go Forthâ⬠campaign. Technology and New Product Development Social media has radically changed the marketing landscape. Advertising used to be a one-directional conversation ââ¬â television, radio, and magazines told consumers what to buy, and consumers were limited in their ability to denounce these sales pitches. Now marketing is most certainly dialog that requires input from consumers. Technology: Facebook MySpace might have introduced the world to the concept of social media, but Facebook took it beyond peer-to-peer and created an environment where businesses and consumers can engage in meaningful dialog (Wilkinson & Thelwall, 2010). This has allowed companies to get direct feedback from consumers, while making consumers feel like they are part of the company. Companies of varying sizes have staged successful Facebook campaigns. Even anti-Facebook campaigns have found success on the virtual playground. As a tribute to Facebookââ¬â¢s IPO, the magazine Fast Company published what it considered to be the five all-time best Facebook campaigns (Iezzi, 2012). Technology: YouTube Celebrities like Justin Bieber and Soulja Boy have defined a new paradigm of stardom, achieving fame through the use of viral video. Social media users are always looking for their 15 minutes of fame, and companies have picked up on this. Numerous brands have launched user-generated content campaigns. This has allowed fresh vision to emerge, while build brand evangelism. One successful campaign of this nature was the Doritos Superbowl ad contest, in which the best user-submitted video was aired during the Superbowl. Technology: Google AdSense The ever-innovative Google developed a method for posting advertisements based on the userââ¬â¢s browsing habits ââ¬â that, is ads related to page content. Logging onto Gmail, it is no coincidence that the right-column ads share subject matter with the inbox emails. Even the Facebook ads reflect browsing history. While web ads, especially pop-ups, generally invoke negative connotations, they have a certain subliminal effect on consumers. Legal and Ethical Implications in New Product Development As previously stated, advances in technology have allowed easier access for consumers to see the skeletons in the closet, so to speak, of companies. This means companies should be on their best behavior, or expect to have their dirty little secrets discovered. Still, companies continue to engage in unethical, and even illegal marketing. This questionable activity can come in such forms as misrepresentation and misinformation, slander against competition, omission of facts, or outright lying. It can even involve deliberate manipulation of emotions to achieve a desired effect. Legal and ethical implications: Dannon Activia Despite inconclusive evidence in studies (Walker & Buckley, 2006) regarding the benefits of probiotics, Dannon chose to market implied digestive benefits of Activia and DanActive. In turn, the yogurt company found itself engaged in a lawsuit. This is a clear example of why companies should not mislead consumers for profit. Legal and ethical implications: Feed the Children The Feed the Children campaign releases videos that use techniques to deliberately elicit guilt, thus ââ¬Å"inspiringâ⬠the the viewer to donate. What they fail to include in the commercials is the fact that the majority of donations goes to administrative costs, that is, salaries (Defoor, n.d.) Legal and ethical implications: Techie trash talk If it isnââ¬â¢t enough to sue each other back and forth over patent infringement, smartphone companies have taken to slandering each other for the competitive edge. Samsung accused Nokia of this with its recent ââ¬Å"Blown Away by Luminaâ⬠campaign, in which it allegedly misrepresents the capabilities of the Nokia Lumina against other smartphones (Mukherjee, 2012). Conclusion The examples presented here provide discourse for the challenges of product development in the global economy, and the benefits of technology in marketing. While technological advancement brings along new sets of challenges, the benefits vastly amount to more. Leveraging these benefits in marketing is key for companies to succeed in an increasingly competitive global market. However, under the looming microscope of public scrutiny, companies need to be ever cautious about maintaining ethical marketing strategies. References Brown, D., Deardorff, A., & Stern, R. NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH, (2003).The effects of multinational production on wages and working conditions in developing countries(Working Paper 9669). Retrieved from website: http://www.nber.org/papers/w9669 Defoor, A. (n.d.). Who do they feed?. Retrieved from http://www.themarketingscene.com/index.php/site/topic/who_do_they_feed Duhigg, C., & Lohr, S. (2012, October 07). The patent, used as a sword. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/08/technology/patent-wars-among-tech-giants-can-stifle-competition.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Frey, U. (n.d.). Reinventing levi strauss & co. CalBusiness, Retrieved from http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/groups/pubs/calbusiness/stories/levi1.html Garside, J. (2012, March 29). Appleââ¬â¢s factories in china are breaking employment laws, audit finds. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/mar/30/apple-factories-china-foxconn-audit Grail Research. Integreon, Grail Research. (2009). T he global fashion industry ââ¬â growth in emerging markets. Retrieved from website http://www.grailresearch.com/pdf/ ContenPodsPdf/Global_Fashion_Industry_Growth_in_Emerging_Markets.pdf Iezzi, T. (2012). The 5 all-time best facebook campaigns. Retrieved from http://www.fastcocreate.com/1680811/the-5-all-time-best-facebook-campaigns Ignatius, A. (2011). How eBay Developed A Culture of Experimentation. Harvard Business Review, 89(3), 92-97. Mukherjee, W. (2012, April 11). Samsung: Nokia lumia campaign unethical. Retrieved from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/enterprise-it/strategy/Samsung-Nokia-Lumia-campaign-unethical/articleshow/12620894.cms Musil, S. (2012, September 10). Samsung will reportedly sue apple over lte use on iphone 5. Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57510080-37/samsung-will-reportedly-sue-a
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