Media : empowering women in globalize world Essay

â€Å"Women must not accept; she must challenge she must not be awed by that it has been built up around her she must reverence that woman in her which struggles for expression†. -Margaret Sanger â€Å"There is no chance of the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on one wing.† – Swami Vivekananda Media is a part of culture and society. It is widely accepted that media are transmitters of culture and engines behind globalizing cultures. We live in a globalizing age in which people around the world participate in a single information order. Because of globalization and the power of internet,  people from Caracas to Cairo are able to receive the same popular music, news, films and television programs. There is a clear intersection between women’s empowerment and media development in the globalizing world. Media were explicitly implicated in the second and third waves of women’s empowerment. The proliferation of media, the explosion of new technologies and the emergence of social media in many parts of the world have provided multiple sources for access to gender related information and knowledge. While inequalities and gender stereotypes exist in social structures and the minds of people, media have the potential to propagate and perpetuate or ameliorate these. S o, media workers can play an important role in opening up thinking of gender equality and gender-based stereotypes through media. Before discussing the topic â€Å"Media: empowering women in a globalize world†- it is important to define the concept of ‘media’, ‘empowerment’ and ‘globalization’ What is media? The term media is defined as a means of communication that operates on a large scale, reaching and involving virtually everyone in the society to a greater or lesser degree. Media feed the people with the latest information and create the need for change in contemporary society. Media plays a vital role in dissemination of information. Media is the today’s most powerful vehicle in molding of beliefs, attitudes, values and lifestyles. By becoming more gender aware in content and language, media can present a clearer and more accurate picture of the roles and responsibilities of both men and women in the society. It also paved the way for greater courage of human rights issues, and the condition of marginalized social groups. Media: Types and Influences Media has become an integral part of our lives and cannot be separated from our lives. The media include a wide variety of forms including print media, electronic media and new age media. Print media includes newspapers, books and pamphlets. Electronic media includes television and radio while the new age media include the internet and mobile phones. It is worth remembering  that there have been three recent revolutions in the history, i.e. agrarian revolution in farming, industry revolution & mass production and information revolution that provides global access. We are now in the midst of information revolution. Due to continuing developments in media technology, we are flooded by a huge volume of non-stop information. Media technologies allow us to take part ‘virtually ‘in occasions and activities in other parts of the world. Definition of empowerment of Women Empowerment is about people- women and men- taking control over their lives, setting their own agendas, gaining skills, building self-confidence, participating in decision-making process and solving problems. Empowerment requires having access to and control over resources and the benefits that are derived from development efforts. It is both a process and an outcome. Economic empowerment of women means – ensure women’s full participation in mainstream economic activities including decision making, implementation, access & control and enjoy equal benefits. Social empowerment of women means – the transformation of attitudes and beliefs about the rights, roles and capacities of women has enabled them to participate more fully in various spheres of life. Political empowerments of women means- take positive discrimination measures for women to ensure equal participation of women in politics. WHAT IS GLOBALIZATION? Globalization means to know about the social, political and economic empowerment of the women through their status. Globalization is a mode of sharing of the experiences, exchange of ideas, technology and network of the institutions and organizations through bilateral and multilateral arrangements. There are various means by which globalization mitigate the cross border problems with the help of air planes, telephone services, e-mails and instant capital flows. Globalization strengthening partnerships with civil society, particularly women organizations. It is the phenomenon of increased integration of the world economy as evidenced by the international trade and factor mobility. In the feminist analysis of  globalization, two views are existent regarding the impact of globalization on women and these reveal two divert directions: (1)The critics of globalization. These views identified four major criticisms. These include: The gendered division of labor Women’s marginalization in the informal sector of the economy The exploitative nature of Multi-National Corporations Negative impact of Structural Adjustment programmes imposed in the name of globalization. (2)The second believe that are many positives and advantages for women bringing about women’s advancement. These including: Enhanced employment opportunities for women Helping to ease the problem of poverty Strengthening women’s networks Improving the access of women to health, micro-credit, employment opportunities and information in general. Globalization and the Media Until the 1970s, the media industry was differentiated into distinct sectors-for the most part, cinema, print media, radio and television broadcasting all operated independently of one another. In the past three decades, profound transformations have taken place within the media industry. National markets have given way to a fluid global market, while new technologies have led to the fusion of forms of media that were once distinct. By the start of the twenty-first century, the global media market was dominated by a group of about twenty multinational corporations whose role in the production, distribution and marketing of news and entertainment of news could be felt in almost every country in the world. These are the six major shifts that have contributed to bringing about the global media order: †¢Increasing concentration of ownership: The global media is now dominated by a small number of powerful corporations. Small-scale, independent media companies have gradually been incorporated into highly centralized media conglomerates. †¢A shift from public to private ownership: In the past few decades, the  liberalization of the business environment and the relaxing of regulations has led to the privatizations of media companies in many countries. †¢Transnational corporation structures: Media companies no longer operate strictly within national boundaries. Likewise, media ownership rules have been loosened to allow cross-border investment and acquisition. †¢Diversification over a variety of media products: The media industry has diversified and is much less segmented than in previous times. Enormous media conglomerates, such as AOL-Time warner profiled below, produce and distribute a mix of media content, including music, news, print media and television programming. †¢A growing number of corporate media mergers: There has been a trend towards alliances between companies in different segments of the media industry. Telecommunication firms, computer hardware and software manufactures and media content producers are increasingly involved in corporate mergers as media forms become increasingly integrated. †¢Contribution to the women’s empowerment: Today, media has an important role to play – to create awakening in women to achieve their potential as the prime movers of change in society. Gender sensitive indicators for media 76% of the people heard or read about in the world’s news are male. The world seen in news media remains largely a male one.† –Who Makes the News, Global Media Monitoring Project, 2010 The aim of the Gender-Sensitive Indicators for Media (GSIM) is to contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment in and through media of all forms, irrespective of the technology used. The media are a channel to examine the right to freedom of opinion and expression. For empowerment efforts to be successful, women must be able to exercise their rights in the same manner and to the same extent as their male counterparts. Yet, being able to exercise a universally declared human right is insufficient for empowerment. Allowing women access to communication systems, such as media, does not guarantee that their opinions will be expressed equally or that their participation in the media will be mainstreamed: stereotyping and alienation of women by the media are still remarkably widespread phenomena (WACC 2010). According to the International Federation of Journalists (2009), â€Å"If we continue at the current rate of progress, it will take another 75 years to achieve gender equality in media.† Indicators pertaining to gender equality measure the extent to which women participate and are fairly represented in the media. Two main categories make up the gender sensitive indicators for media. These are: Category A: Actions to foster gender equality within media organizations Gender balance at decision-making level. Gender equality in work and working conditions. Gender equality in unions, associations, clubs and organizations of journalists, other media professionals and media self-regulatory bodies. Media organizations promote ethical codes and policies in favor of gender equality in media content. Gender balance in education and training. Category B: Gender portrayal in media content Gender portrayal in news & current affairs. Gender portrayal in advertising. Media’s Role in empowerment of women in a globalize world Communication is extremely important for women’s development and media play significant role. Growths of women’s education and their entries into employment have contributed to the growth of media. In all spheres of life whether for controlling population growth, spread of literacy or improving quality of life for vast masses, women have crucial role to play. However, women can be expected to play this role when they become conscious of their strength and are not deliberately marginalized by male domination. In this context, media has an important role to play – to create awakening in women to achieve their potential as the prime movers of change in society. In  today’s world, print, electronic and social media play a vital role in effectively conveying message that needs to be conveyed. Electronic and Print media: Empowerment of women Electronic media such as radio and television as well as print media such as books play a vital role in empowering women. In this context, media has an important role to play – to create awakening in women to achieve their potential as the prime movers of change in society. In today’s world, print and electronic media play a vital role in effectively conveying message that needs to be conveyed. â€Å"Family, society and workplace – women journalists have to deal with all three – the family allows them to work as pilots or doctors, but not as journalists† – Participant at roundtable in Dhaka, Bangladesh In such a rapidly changing environment, women in media have a large responsibility in not only changing attitude towards women but also shaping public opinion. In today’s world, with women holding responsible position in newspapers or electronic media, their competency is extend to a wider area and a range of issues. More importantly, a woman journalist is expected to show more sensitivity to issues relating to women and to more meaningful insights and perspectives. A significant number of women journalists are very successful in magazines dealing with various problems of women and child. With sensitivity and skill for analyzing events in depth, issues such as women abuse and exploitation, harassment of women at workplace and the trauma of HIV infected women, female infanticide in rural areas find a prominent place in such magazines. The magazines deal with the issues more in depth compared to newspapers and women are considered competent to handle such stories. As per a study in the NCR there are around 900 women journalists and even in cities like Chennai the number is impressive 200. Journalism is no more a male domain. This new trend has also led to a change in the portrayal of women in the media in general and newspaper in particular. It is important to mention here the success of ‘Khabar Lahariya’. A group of eight women belonging to backward class bring out this paper from the Bundelkhand region. This paper which is being funded by an NGO was started with an aim to encourage women to fight for their own rights. Such kinds of initiative are required in every nook and corner of our country, so as to empower the women at grass root level.  But on the other hand, the risks women in the media face, both in the urban and rural areas, have also to be seriously considered. As we move down, from the metropolitan towns and the state capitals, the risks increase. In remoter rural areas a woman journalist and particularly a reporter is a novelty not easily accepted and assimilated in the social milieu. Zakia Zaki, shot dead in her home in Afganistan Nadia Sharmeen was attacked and hospitalized in Bangladesh. She was harassed because of our religious fundamentalism. Despite these environments, It is noticed that more and more young graduates are joining the journalism degree and diploma courses, with an ambition to make a mark in the profession, and quite a good proportion of them are girls. With the rapid expansion, almost a proliferation of the electronic media through satellite channels, with the popularity of the FM on the radio and with the growth of the print media, notwithstanding the electronic media, now there is a good scope for absorption of both men and women qualified journalists in various media outlets. Women, young and old, are prepared to weather the risks. The society, therefore, must make arrangements to provide adequate security to the vulnerable section of women in the media to promote their participation at all levels. At last, it can be said that, now-a-days both electronic and print media play an extremely significant role in spreading awareness, promoting alternative-empowered images of women, breaking down stereotypes and shaping mindset. Women entering the labor market are at its peak, there is increase in the number of educated women, and heightened awareness of their mobilization to fight against the unjust and discrimination. Social Media: A tool for Women Empowerment Social media play a vital role for empowering women. Social media could enhance women’s participation in economic and political life, and allows them to increase their self-expression and promote social change, and this is a strong belief that has risen up in the society. For example, large segments of the population have been empowered by the sweeping societal and political transformations in the Arab region, where women became the main drivers for regional change and more engaged in civic and political actions  and took over a leading role in the historic changes sweeping over the region. However, at the regional and global levels reached a debate about the role of social media in these transformations, making it to the policy making circles. This graph shows to what extent the following statements (below each bar) regarding women and social media are valid- Fimage When analyzing the graph, it appears that the most popular use for social media as a tool of empowerment being communication and self-expression is followed by civic participation and social change. It was found at that more men (65%) than women (62%) believed that social media can be used for the political empowerment of women (Dubai School of Government Report, 2011). Women advancement through the blogosphere Blogging has become a solitary platform for free speech in the world. Many female bloggers in the world face a unique challenge: to speak out about women’s issues often means going against the grain of family and society, but there are well-known female bloggers discussing issues unique to women. Being part of the blogosphere will create a psychological support for women who are hesitant about starting their own blog. This is a key factor in advancing women’s courage to take their own personal initiatives. Against oppression and injustice in their communities, women can freely speak out with no censorship of their voices, through their blogs. Blogs are used as public diaries where women discuss personal and public issues in their life and development. Storytelling used by women in blogs to introduce their thoughts has been proven to have its major effect. The image of woman portrayed in mainstream media is that of a submissive stereotypical image. Alternative media concept originally aroused from the mainstream media’s black out of alternative opinion. It can be defined by rediscovering the purpose of mass communication. Alternative media are media inclusive of newspapers, radio, TV, magazines, movies, internet, etc. which provide alternative information to the mainstream media in a given context, whether the mainstream media are commercial, publicly supported or government owned. The main characteristics of alternative media are: †¢ Small scale and oriented towards specific communities, possibly disadvantaged groups, respecting their diversity; †¢ Independent of state and market †¢ Horizontally structured, allowing for the facilitation of audience access and participation within the frame of democratization and multiplicity †¢ Carriers of non – dominant discourses and representations, stressing the importance of self-representation. The main objective of alternative media towards woman’s empowerment is to support social struggles, awaken women’s consciousness to their subordination, advocate and defend rights. It also aims to promote various groups reflection and popular communication.  Alternative media provides an alternative platform to voice the plight of woman against various marginalization and it connects amongst the weaker sections of the society who are deprived of their will to fight against their basic human rights. Various alternative media practices in the world: Woman’s community radio: It is a kind of alternative media effectively nurtures equality, diversity and promotes democratic values amongst women. It help in promoting the grassroots activism and gives a whole range of platform to a â€Å"feminist public sphere† and serve as tool for woman’s empowerment. World pulse magazine: It was founded in 2003 and a nonprofit NY media organization in which ground level initiatives network of people has grown into an international network connecting women across borders and building and rising pulse of women’s empowerment across the globe. Such media help woman to become voice of change. GAMCOTRAP: It is a movement organization which is abbreviated as Gambia committee on traditional practices that affect health of women and children is a space where women speak in their own language – the very personnel and intimate experiences to express the challenges they face and share the coping strategies they have employed. NYC grassroots media coalition: It is the coalition which works to build the capacity of diverse communities to communicate, collaborate and strategize ways to increase awareness and participation in independent media and social justice movements. Democracy now: An alternative news service hosted by Amy Goodman. It plays a more subtle role which serves to sow powerful seeds of misinformation in a way that the ‘compromised’ mainstream media cannot. Black music radio or pirate radio: a form of alternative media that defies narrow definitions focused on radical content and social movement. Indy media: It is the Independent Media Centre â€Å"is a network of collectively run media outlets for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate telling of the truth.† AlterNet is news-magazine and online community that challenges the right wing media in the United States. OneWorld.net: It brings together the latest news and views from over 1,600 organizations promoting human rights awareness and fighting poverty worldwide. Jay’s Leftist & â€Å"Progressive† Internet Resources Directory is a vast site. Check on the Alternative Media topic, (under Subjects), which includes magazines (such as the New Internationalist, Third World Resurgence and Resurgence), publishers, e-zines and radio/TV. Community Broadcasting Online: It provides background information and links to Australian community radio and television. Alternative Radio is a source for public affairs programming which is made available without charge to all public radio stations. The Common Dreams News Center: It provides â€Å"news & views for the progressive community† as does Z-Net and the Alternative Press Review – all are American. Z-net also has an Alternative Media Watch page. Global Voices Online: It scans the international community of bloggers to bring attention to news that otherwise might go unseen. Conclusion â€Å"If you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman you educate an entire family†. – Mahatma Gandhi So, education is also one of the prime needs of women towards its development and empowerment in the society. With education, media can act as a platform or bridge to surpass the barrier of essential communication and

Extent to Which Social Stratification Is Usefull and Inevitable in Society Essay

We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal. With these familiar words of the Declaration of Independence, the founders of America established social equality as a guiding principle. Yet for almost a century after the document was signed, slavery was common in much of the United States, and legal infringement of the rights of women and black Americans continued for almost two centuries. Today,the â€Å"Inalienable right† to â€Å"life,liberty,and pursuit of happiness† is still not equally awarded. For generations now there has been the American Dream of unlimited opportunities for all. The reality, however, has been closer to the underlying principle of the barnyard society in George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’: â€Å"All animals are equal,but some animals are more equal than others. † Therefore the essence of this paper is to critically discuss the extent to which social stratification is useful and inevitable in society. It will start off by providing definitions of technical terms. In order to arrive at a clear understanding of the subject under discussion,the concept of social stratification shall also be explained. In addition,the main systems involved in social stratification will be highlighted. Afterwards,the main subject matter will be discussed and in line with this,examples and theories that apply shall be given in support. Finally,a conclusion will be given. According to Harris and Scott (1997),social status is the position or positions occupied by individuals or groups of individuals in relationship to other groups or individuals in society. Each person occupies a great number of statuses and at the same time are continually changing. For example,one person may occupy the status of a husband,father,skilled worker and so on. However,the bottom line is that status can either be ascribed or achieved. Social mobility refers to the movement of individuals or groups from one status in society to another . Since there are several dimensions to social standing or status,people are able to change position by gaining or losing wealth,prestige and power. Upward mobility refers to movement up the social ladder,or a gain in status;downward movement refers to a movement down the social ladder,or a loss of status. Upward and downward mobility,collectively is what is called vertical mobility,an example of this type of mobility is an individual being promoted from a secretarial position to a management position,hence moves from the lower class to the middle class. Another is the horizontal mobility,this refers to movement within a social class. This happens when an individual moves from one job to another job of same social ranking,for example,an accountant moves from one firm to another. Individuals can also have a higher social status than their parents,this is referred to as intergenerational mobility (Coser 1983). Social stratification is a system by which society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. The word stratification is derived from the word ‘stratum’ which is a geographical word meaning a layer of rocks of which each layer lies between similar layers of different texture. Sociologists use the term to describe a hierarchical ordering of people or groups as though were arranged in horizontal layers,one above the other. It means that people exist in layers of prestige,power and wealth. It is a structural ranking of people that perpetuate unequal economic rewards and power in society. Social inequality is an inevitable result of social stratification in that certain groups of people stand higher in society,control scarce resources,yield power and receive special treatment. Therefore,a stratified society comprises of members who are either rich, poor, powerful, powerless, high or low (Kerbo and Harold 1991). Social stratification is universal except that it varies from society to society. This means that the hierarchical arrangement takes place in all societies in the world but the criteria used differs from society to society. This is so because every society has its own norms and values hence different culture. For instance,most African societies value marriage or family life while European or American societies encourage working towards the obtaining of wealth. The differences in values and culture differentiates a society from another. Subsequently,in some societies,age and sex are used as systems of social stratification. Nevertheless,the most commonly used include the caste,the class,the colourbar and the estate systems of social stratification. (Ibid). The caste system is also called the closed system of social stratification. In this system,social stratification is based on ascription. It is closed on the sense that birth alone determines one’s social destiny with no opportunity for social mobility based on individual effort. People in this system are ranked in a rigid hierarchy and It is more concerned with religious roles and rituals and is practiced in Hinduism and Indian societies. There are five groups of people in this system namely:the Brahmin,comprising of priests;the Kshatrya, comprising of landlords;the Vaisya,made up of farmers;the Saundra,who are the peasants and the least group being that of the Harijans or the untouchables. In addition,this system is characterized by endogamy. Meaning that marriage outside one’s group is not allowed (Maines and David ,1993). The class system is called the open system. This system is so open that people who gain schooling and skills may experience social mobility. This system was looked at and recognized by Karl Marx and Marx Weber in their Conflict theories. In this system,social mobility drives class distribution. Everyone is believed to be entitled to equal rights and social position,therefore it is based on achievement rather than ascription. In both the cast and class systems people remain unequal but the class system rests on talent,opportunity and effort unlike the caste system which is by birth. In the class system, careers are an issue of individual choice and not moral duty. Consequently,individual freedom is allowed in the selection of marriage partners. (Ibid). The colourbar is another system of social stratification,this system is based on skin colour or race. People in this system are arranged hierarchically on the basis of their skin colour. An example of a colourbar society is South Africa before its independence. There were four main categories of people in South Africa,they were hierarchically categorized as follows;at the top were the Whites,the Colourds,Asians and at the bottom,the Blacks. In addition,colourbar societies are characterized by high levels of segregation,slavery and racism (Goode ,1994). The last system of social stratification is the Estate system. This was a system created by law. Henceforth,laws provided clear distinctions between people. This system acknowledged only three categories of people in society. These were; the Nobles or landlords who owned land and means of production,the Clergy who were men of God and the Commons who worked on the farms of the Nobles in exchange for wages. (Ibid). Ordinarily,social stratification is inevitable in society because it is a characteristic of each and every society and not simply a mere reflection of individual differences. In all societies,people rarely control destinies but rather people’s lives are shaped by the prevailing system of social stratification. For example, children born in wealthy families enjoy better health, food, shelter, clothing, education and succeed in life and live well into old age than those born into poverty. Therefore, social stratification being part of society and not a reflection of personal talents and effort,is inevitable (Shapiro and Thomas, 1998). From the functional perspective,social inequality is both inevitable and necessary for allocating individuals to important social roles. The most persuasive argument for the functional theory of stratification was made nearly forty years ago by Kingsley Davis and Wilbert E. Moore. They contended that people are motivated to perform demanding or difficult roles through the unequal distribution of rewards. If surgeons did not have such high occupational prestige and incomes,Davis and Moore argued,not enough people would put up with the long years of training,life-and-death responsibilities or personal sacrifices that the surgeon’s role requires. On the other hand,Plumbers fulfill a social role that demands less effort and training,make less money and enjoy less prestige. Social inequality according to Davis and Moore is thus an unconsciously evolved device by which societies insure that the most important positions are conscientiously filled by the most qualified persons. Hence every society,no matter how simple or complex must posses a certain amount of institutionalized inequality (Coser ,1983). Further,the unequal distribution of power,prestige and wealth in society motivates individuals to aspire for significant jobs and to work hard and longer,leading to productivity in society. Because the significant jobs are limited,meritocracy is promoted in society. Meritocracy is simply the leadership by people based on quality abilities to do so,the term is derived from the word ‘merit’ which in this case is the quality of being particularly good at something and worth a social reward in terms of wealth ,power or,and prestige. Meritocracy implies excellence in the execution of services. The pursuit for meritocracy promotes equality in terms of opportunities and at the same time encourages inequality in rewards. For example,the zambian Ministry of Education only allows teachers with degrees to teach in high schools. As a result,teachers are compelled to advance their academic qualifications in order to be given a chance to work in such schools and for them to enjoy higher salaries. Because of this,pupils benefit quality education from highly qualified teachers. Societies that use meritocracy hold out rewards to develop the talents and encourage the efforts of everyone. In other words,a pure class system would be a meritocracy,rewarding everyone based on ability and efforts. Such societies would have extensive social mobility and varying social categories as individuals move up or down on the social ladder depending on their performance, (Ibid). Social stratification is necessary because it promotes a culture of corporation between people of the the same category. People tend to want to work together with those in the same position as them. For example,those who are underprivileged tend to work together in coming up with community initiatives for the betterment of their conditions (De Beer ,2000). While the functionalist perspective succeeds in explaining the importance of social stratification,several flaws are pointed out. Melvin (1953),argues that functional importance does not explain the high rewards certain people enjoy. Income and rewards seem to have little to do with functional contribution to society by the individual. For example,Hollywood actors earn millions more of dollars compared to Doctors and military personnel. Another critic is that it is impossible to say which social positions are more important than others. Which society would function better,the critics ask,one with no surgeons or one with no plumbers? Furthermore,it is quite possible that some unrewarded positions such as garbage collectors and ousewives contribute more to society than some highly rewarded positions like professional athletes and movie stars (Coser ,1983). Another critic is that,although societies reward individual achievements,it also allows families to transfer wealth and power from generation to generation. For example,the royal family in Swaziland ensures that its line of leadership is maintained by appointing only members of the royal family as supreme rulers of the nation. (Ibid) While functional theorists ar gue that inequality benefits the society as a whole,conflict theorists point out that it benefits some people more than others. According to this perspective, stratification exists because certain groups are able to exploit and dominate others through force or through traditional inherited privileges. Modern Marxists see classes as conflicting groups;rulers against ruled, haves against have nots. The conflict ideas depend heavily on the ideas of Marx and Weber. The dual contributed greatly to the study of social stratification. The scholars however had different views on social class and inequality. Karl Marx saw class as related to the means of production. Primarily,Marx viewed the structure of society in relation to major classes and the struggle between classes as the engine of change . According to Becker and Howard (1973:278),Marx defined class in terms of ownership of property, â€Å" ownership vests on a person with the power to exclude others from the property and use it for personal purposes. † In relation to property,there are two classes in society that Marx identified; the Bourgeoisie who own and control the means of production and the Proletariat who own labour and sell it to the bourgeoisie for a wage. According to Marx class is thus determined by property and not by income or status. Further,Marx saw the development of class conflict as confined to individual factories. Therefore,the maturing of capitalism,the growing disparity between life conditions of bourgeoisie and the proletariate as well as homogenization within each class, struggles become generalized across factories. Increasingly,class conflicts manifest at societal level. Hence, class consciousness is increased, common interests and policies are organized and the use of struggle for political power occurs. Classes become political forces. The distribution of political power is determined by power over production. Capital confers political power which the bourgeoisie use to legitimize and protect their acquired property and consequent social positions. The State business is that of the bourgeoisie. In other words, the state rule, power and its distribution are all in favor of the ruling class (Garfinkel and Harold,1967). Meanwhile, Marx Weber agreed with Karl Marx but added that social stratification is more complex and based on three factors that are inter-linked. These factors are;class which is a person’s economic position in society, based on birth and individual achievement. Weber differs from Marx in that he does not see this as the supreme factor in stratification. Weber noted how managers of corporations or industries control firms they do not own; Marx would have placed such a person in the proletariat. The other factor is status, this is a person’s prestige, social honor, or popularity in a society. Weber noted that political power was not rooted in capital value solely, but also in one’s individual status. Poets or saints, for example, can possess immense influence on society with often little economic worth. And lastly is the factor of power, which is a person’s ability to get their way despite the resistance of others. For example, individuals in state jobs, such as an employee of the Office of the President (O. P) or a Member of Parliament (M. P) may hold little property or status but they still hold immense power. Unlike Marx,Weber claimed there to be in fact four main classes: the upper class, the white collar workers, the petite bourgeoisie and the manual working class. Weber’s theory more-closely resembles modern western class structures. The conflict theory also takes a one-sided approach to stratification. One of its major shortcomings is that it fails to recognize that unequal rewards are based partially on differences in talent, skill and desire. Not everyone is suited for every social position in the social structure. Consequently,society must have some way to argue the proper individuals into positions that are vital to the smooth operation of society. In conclusion, this paper has critically discussed the extent to which social stratification is useful and inevitable in society. As is alluded by the functionalist theory and the Davis Moore thesis,it plays a vital part in the operation of society and as such has beneficial consequences as discussed. And as alluded by the conflict theory that it is not entirely beneficial to the society as a whole but provides advantages to some people at the expense of others,hence brings about exploitation and increase in inequality. Therefore,it can clearly be concluded that firstly social stratification is inevitable as it exists in every society and secondly that it is to some extent useful as well as not to another because it has its advantages and disadvantages.

Taxonomy of Love

Do you know about the Taxonomy of Love? The Taxonomy of Love is a theory that practices belief in five types of love Eros, Ludus, Storge, Mania, and Pragma. The great William Shakespeare wrote the tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet, which can perfectly be related to the Taxonomy of Love. Because Romeo is an Eros lover and Juliet is a Mania lover they are more likely to become tragic heroes. I believe Romeo is an Eros lover because he is indeed ready for love in all of its aspects and idealizes and almost fantasizes about his life with Juliet. Juliet on the other hand is what I would say fits into the description of a Mania lover.Juliet is a Mania lover because she wants to see Romeo daily, even when he is banished from the town, and because she becomes fiercely preoccupied with thoughts of Romeo and needs his love. Two examples that support Romeo being an Eros lover are the fact that he killed himself for Juliet’s love and the sheer idea that he even after being banished from the town an being threatened with death if he returned still snuck inside the village to see Juliet. Two examples that support Juliet’s love for Romeo being Mania are her not only wanting to see Romeo daily but the Idea that if she didn’t see her dear Romeo she became vastly upset nd never wanted him to leave her presence. The second reason that supports Juliet being a Mania lover is the fact that she was completely aware of Romeo’s banishment from the town she still could not simply end the forbidden relationship. My first quote from Romeo and Juliet that I feel explains Why Romeo is an Eros lover comes from (Act V, scene III, lines 68-73. )In lines 68-73 lies the battle between Romeo and Paris That leads to Paris’ death. The battle begins by Paris saying â€Å"I do defy thy conjuration/ and apprehend thee for a felon here†. / Romeo then says â€Å"Wilt thou provoke me? Then have at thee, boy! / Page says â€Å"O Lord, they fight! I will go call th e watch. / Paris then utters the words O, I am slain! If thou be merciful,/ Open the tomb, Lay me with Juliet†. After those words Paris dies. The quote listed above shows pure implications that Romeo’s Love is indeed that of the Eros style. This shows implications Because one of the guidelines that goes along with being an Eros lover are that you have to be ready for love and all of its risks. That being said, Romeo took the ultimate risk of fighting Paris who is The kinsman to the Prince who threatened Romeo with death if he were to step foot in the town.Also, the very fact that even after Page said he was going to get the watch Romeo still stood his ground with Paris and risked being apprehended and put to death. The second quote comes from (Act V, scene III, lines 191-120 Romeo says â€Å"Here’s to my love! Drinks. O true Apothecary! / Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die†. This also falls under the guidelines of being an Eros lover Because Romeo once again, takes a risk for love. The risk Romeo took this time was the ultimate risk in which was his life. Being that he took his own life for Juliet shows true Eros loveBeing that he would not only die for her but would even go to hell for her. I will now give two quotes as to which support Juliet being a Mania lover. My first quote comes from (Act V, scene III, lines 175-176) Juliet says â€Å"This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die. / She stabs herself and falls on Romeo’s body. This is the perfect example of Mania love because Juliet basically Implies that seeing Romeo dead and not being able to be with him Might as well be death. She then kills herself and falls across her dear Romeo’s body. This goes with the guideline of Mania love because the guidelineIs the idea that the person becomes convinced that life without the partner’s love is hardly worth living. My second quote that supports Juliet’s love as being that of the Mania kind is f rom (Act III, scene V, lines1-3. Juliet says to Romeo â€Å"Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day. /It was the nightingale, and not the lark,/ that pierc’d the fearful hollow of thine ear. † This quote goes along with the guideline of Mania love: Wants to see the partner at least daily, and is easily upset By delays and postponements. I firmly believe that this perfectly fits into the guideline because Juliet was not ready for RomeoTo leave her presence and began to become disappointed When Romeo protested and said â€Å" It was the lark the herald of the morn† Romeo and Juliet are tragic heroes because of their love styles. Romeo being a Eros lover leads to his downfall because of his risky behavior out of love. Juliet being a Mania style lover leads to her downfall because she Believes life without Romeo is insignificant and is no longer worth living for. In Conclusion, Romeo and Juliet are tragic heroes and any other Lovers who share the same love styles as them are apt to becoming tragic heroes.

Shouldice HospitalA Cut Above Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Shouldice HospitalA Cut Above - Assignment Example In order to increase its capacity, Shouldice Hospital can add a total of 30 operations on Saturday. By doing this, the number of operations would be increased from 150 to 180. However, the number of beds staying at 90 would mean that Shouldice Hospital’s available bed days would remain at 630. The decision to include 30 operations on Saturday would increase the number of bed days used in Shouldice Hospital to 540. This means that the bed utilization rate would rise from 71.4% to 85.7%. However, the surgeons in the hospital would perform 2.5 operations per day or a total of 15 operations per week. This means that the total operations per operation room, per week, would increase to 36. Performing 30 more operations on Saturdays increases their utilization rate and their capacity. This will work since the number of hours per surgeon, operation room hours, and available beds are not exceeding with the increase in Shouldice Hospital’s capacity. Below is a table showing the e ffect of adding 30 operations on Saturday; Shouldice Hospital can increase the number of their capacity by increasing the number of beds they have. However, so as to do so, Shouldice Hospital have to invest in capital expenditure so as to expand the facility. Increasing the number of beds by 50% will mean that the number of beds in the hospital will increase from the initial 90 to 135. Increasing the capacity of Shouldice Hospital with exactly 50% means that one room will only have one patient in it. Therefore, Shouldice Hospital may choose to increase the number of beds to 134 instead of 135. Through this increase, Shouldice Hospital would be in a position to perform a total of 45 operations per day or 225 operations per week. The available bed days, 135 days multiplied by 7, would be 945. Therefore, after the increase, Shouldice Hospital would have 945 total

Individual Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Individual Assignment - Essay Example The company chose to deal with water, a vital commodity over which, because of public interest, they could not raise prices too high without becoming the target of negative sentiments. This means that MIBW4A will be trapped perpetually in narrow profit margins. Underreporting is a real concern, because there is no way for MIBW4A to oversee sales. The revenue sharing agreement, where water vendors receive 20% and MIBW4A 80%, in unrealistic, given that the water which comprises the product is provided by water vendors, the cost they shoulder. MIBW4A will be more justified to charge a flat rate for rental. There is no reason why the vendors could not purchase their own filters and get 100% of their own sales, instead of turning over 80% to MIBW4A. Slow Sand Filtration is inferior to the 10-stage, or other multistage, standard water filtration system. There are more strategic, technological, and operational weaknesses in the business plans for MIBW4A, that there is greater reason to beli eve that it shall be more unfeasible than feasible. 2. What conclusions can you draw from your analysis of the financial statements? The financial statements are not realistic projections of the likely financial performance of the proposed business. On the following pages, the ratios of the pro forma financial statements, and the horizontal and vertical analysis of the balance sheet and income statement, are presented. Since the company shall not rely on short-term or long-term borrowings or liabilities, there are no liquidity or solvency ratios to speak of. All financing will be by equity (Atril & McLaney, 2008). This in itself is financially unsound, because the business does not explore the profit magnifying power of financial leverage. Fixed asset and total asset turnovers appear rosy, but this not being a manufacturing concern, reliance on these ratios is not significant. The firm has no major fixed assets directly related to its production except the filters, its contract, and its vehicles. Of these, only the vehicles are of real, tangible value, because the filters and contract are only as valuable as their perceived usefulness allows. Obsolescence and lack of market interest could drive the value of these assets to almost nothing very quickly. There being no cost of goods sold, there is no gross profit margin. The net profit margin is high at 59% and 61%, while the ROI (which is also the ROE since equity financed all the assets) is high for the second year at 96% but drops by 30 percentage points to 60% for the third year. Again, these ratios could not be relied upon because there appear to be significant elements which were not considered in the forecasting of revenues and costs. (Sources: Paramasivan, et al., 2008; Shim, et al., 2008) The common-size balance sheet (vertical analysis) on the next page shows each account as a ratio of total assets. A huge proportion of the assets are in cash, indicating that the company is under-invested. Keeping huge amounts of cash is unproductive; where these funds are not needed to be invested in the company’s business, it should be put in marketable securities such as safe government bonds or treasury bills. The horizontal analysis points to the

A Soldier's Home by Ernest Hemmingway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Soldier's Home by Ernest Hemmingway - Essay Example There are many different aspects in the story, as in its various use of comparisons from the view point of the narration of the main character, thus, creating a rather interesting transition in how I followed the relationship of the character to the settings involved in the story. Furthermore, I found that, the notion of having the main character clash with a variety of real issues was highly effective in harnessing the reality felt in the story, such as, in the encounter with the choices he makes concerning the values of sociality, sexuality, individuality and family. The opening of the story is especially interesting in my opinion, as it creates an immediate image in the compare and contrast of the two worlds involved around Krebs, which exposes us to his diverse social standards. These descriptions represent a vital point in the course of the story, as stated: â€Å"these snapshots introduce the double backdrop against which Harold Krebs’s story will unfold, and they prefigure the antagonism that will direct its narrative† (Baerdemaeker 56). In the first image, â€Å"There is a picture which shows him among his fraternity brothers† (Hemingway 111). In my opinion this picture portrays Krebs as a traditional American student who is full of masculine pride in the bonding of his fraternity brothers, but I felt that he was unsure of his identity as a man, for Hemmingway states that â€Å"He enlisted in the marines† (111) making this decision his choice only. Moreover, in the second image, â€Å"There is a picture which s hows him on the Rhine with two German girls and another corporeal† (Hemingway 111). This in my opinion was a rather interesting transition from Krebs’s education background to the militant background, which now consist of social norms involving politics and sexuality. As I read â€Å"Soldier’s Home† I felt a profound distinction in Krebs, in conjunction with the indifferences to the people in his home town, as to seem as if his decision to

No topic Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

No topic - Assignment Example A crucial conversation is a discussion between two or more people where stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong and the outcome greatly impacts their lives. To turn a potentially bad crucial conversation into a productive one, one would first need to consult their heart about what they want to achieve and what they don’t want. Everyone involved should have all the right motives and try as much as possible to stick to the goals of the conversation. Secondly, there is the aspect of taking safe steps, such that when the rest of the people involved in the dialogue resort to violence or silence, one should pull out of the discussion and only return when it is safe. Only then can one continue with the matter being discussed. Thirdly, it is important for one to master their stories. They should be in control of their story as they narrate it, and be able to understand their emotions and manage them in the best way during the course of the discussion. The fourth step i s to ensure that you stay your path when you are convinced you are right. Exploring other people’s paths may also prove useful as a way of eliciting feedback. The last step is to take action. Information interviews serve a number of purposes. One of the purposes of information interviews is that of fact-finding; seeking to find as much information relevant to a situation being studied as possible. An information interview can only be said to have succeeded if an environment or a climate is created in which the people being interviewed can volunteer information. In essence, nobody should be coerced into saying anything or providing any information they may not be will to share. The questions of an information interview should be made simple in terms of language use and content. The questions should be precise. The questions shouldn’t put the interviewee in a situation where they struggle to figure out what any

The Graduate Labor Market of The Banking Industry Of The United Essay

The Graduate Labor Market of The Banking Industry Of The United Kingdom - Essay Example cruiting fewer graduates now after a consistent increase over the past three years but it seams this trend has peaked and they are recruiting lesser numbers than was the trend before. They continue to point out that the UK’s leading graduate absorbers including the banking sector have had their intake vacancies increased by only 0.9% in the year 2012 unlike in 2011which witnessed an increase of 2.8% or 2010 which grew by 6.7%. Despite the slowdown, it is still plain to see there has been a steady increase of employment for graduates for three years in a row (King, 2012). The total number of graduates in 2011 rose but a third of all the available positions for most employers including the banking sectors; was taken by graduates that had prior association with working for the employers in question (King, 2012). This was either through sponsorships, industrial placements or vacation work. This trend meant that those that failed to secure these opportunities early ended up being l ocked out of these companies (Butcher, 2010). Big traditional banking graduate recruiters are not the only companies that graduates can work for. Smaller and medium sized banking related companies (SMEs) make up about 99% of UK businesses which is true for the banking sector as well and they offer a chance for graduates to secure employment as well. Another way out is to look for avenues where the graduates can put their skills into work for themselves and to make the most of their qualification and skills (Glen, 2007). Butcher, S 2010, ‘Yes, the Future of Banking Commission’s report is crazy, but it could be VERY good news for some jobs’. eFinancial Careers [Available Online] http://news.efinancialcareers.com/19711/yes-the-future-of-banking-commissions-report-is-crazy-but-it-could-be-very-good-news-for-some-jobs/ accessed on 25 October,

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 57

Philosophy - Essay Example Socrates was accused in corrupting new generations while he not only fulfilled his civil obligations conscientiously, but demanded the same from others. The main goal of his philosophic activity was to serve the society. This activity was directed on preparation of people with high level of intelligence, moral virtues and strong feeling of obligation and responsibility, which could bring much benefit to the society. He stated: â€Å"employ your time in improving yourself by other mens writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for† (Socrates). He wanted young people to become more educated making less mistakes and not wasting time for their correction. Socrates had a chance to stay alive. When he was considered guilty by the court, he had a chance to stay alive due to the fact that he was already old and if he had decided to refuse from his beliefs. But Socrates was not going to justify himself anyhow and to refuse from anything. This was a kind of sacrifice made in order to prove that he and his followers would keep revealing the truth, looking for the new â€Å"gods† and influencing new generations. He did not only refuse to excuse for his philosophic activity, but also made such arguments, which the judges simple could not treat nicely. He irritated judges by stating that he was not afraid of death. In the apology he stated: â€Å"to fear death, gentlemen, is no other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows what one does not know. No one knows whether death may not be the greatest of all blessings for a man, yet men fear it as if they knew that it is the greatest of evils†(Socrates). The phi losopher said that he had been living for 70 years and knew pretty well what he liked and what he did not liked and such statement testified about his wisdom. He considered death to be a blessing for himself (May, 2000). The conclusion can be made that Socrates may have been considered

Counter Culture Essay Example for Free

Counter Culture Essay Introduction From a moral standpoint, social problems harm people and from a democratic standpoint, social problems harm the well-being of citizens. In addition to that, from a societal standpoint, social problems threaten the productive functioning of society. A social problem is said to exist to the extent that some malfunction is observed in society. This malfunction might be an inequality (e.g:with the same education and experience women earn only about 80% of what men earn in the labor force), a poor allocation of resources (e. g: poor environmental stewardship), violence (e.g: domestic violence, rape, violent crime), or an inefficient organizational system (e.g: too much or too little being spent on social services). The social evils that are plaguing our society today could hardly be catalogued, they are uncountable in the true sense of the assertion. Among the prominent social problems are the escalating crime waves , religious intolerance , disrespect for elders , laziness and lateness of duty , widespread of diseases , ostentatious spending, abortion, pre marital pregnancy, elope (run off secretly to be married and usually without the consent or knowledge of one’s parent), disciplinary problem, psychological problem, slow down development of the country, and alcohol consumption . These are the effects of our social problem among Malaysian youth. Sociologists can identify many aspects of society that might be considered to be social problems. It is the values held by the majority of citizens (in a democracy) that define what is a social problem (e.g:Is denial of same-sex marriages a problem?). Social problems are identified as such partly with respect to their perceived effect on the productive functioning of society. Social problems can be difficult to identify (e.g:What is the scientific evidence that same-sex marriages or the prohibition of them will harm society?). Sociologists use the consensus, conflict, and interactionist perspectives to examine these conditions of potential social problems. Risk Factors for Social Problems Risk factor is defined as a factor which increases the chances of social  problems beyond control. There are different risk factors for social problems among youth such as biological, psychological and social. Social risk factors include unemployment, disturbed family environment, unavailability of educational opportunities, availability of drugs in locality, law and order situation. Environmental/social risk factors are increasing the chances of using drugs among youth. A youngster who is disturbed because of his family environment will spend time out side of his home, sitting with friends who can offer him drugs. Handling peer pressure will be difficult for him, as a result, he will be ready to use drug. A youngster deprived of educational opportunities and economic resources may be at great risk of using drugs. His disappointment from social problems will produce images of drugs in his mind as the suitable source of getting rid of his problems. Easy availability of drugs/substance in his locality will further serve to increase his craving for drugs. Also the principal and behavioural factors linked with youth violence are hypersensitivity, impulsiveness, poor behavioural control, attention problems, history of early aggressive behaviour and low educational achievement. Associating with delinquent peers has also been linked to violence in young people. Gangs and a local supply of guns and drugs are a potent mixture, increasing the likelihood of youth violence. Low level of social cohesion within community has been linked to higher rates social problems. Cultures that do not provide non-violent alternatives for resolving conflicts appear to have higher rates of social problems too. For most young people, the offending behaviour is part of growing up, of testing the limits, of taking risks, of asserting their independence. It may also be an indication of boredom and the absence of anything useful or meaningful to do. It may be a reflection of that awkward stage of life where one feels grown up but not able to participate fully in the world of adults. Generally, the offenses that they commit are relatively minor and decrease in frequency as they grow older, mature and find a way to participate in and contribute to society. Ways to overcome social problems The role of parents is crucial in giving serious attention to their children. Parents must consider the movements of their children. Parents should always know and identify the problems faced by their children and are willing to take the time to solve the problem. Parents also should know their child’s friends and always make sure their children make friends and socialize with those who have well in morally. In addition parents must spend part of daily time with children by giving them confidence, courage, creating positive attitudes towards issues, emotions and decisions. Another common set of prevention strategies addressing youth violence focuses on early intervention with children and families. Such programmes provide parents with information about child development and teach them how to effectively discipline, monitor and supervise children, as well as how to manage family conflict and improve communication. Parent and family -based interventions are among the most promis ing strategies for producing long-term reductions in youth violence. 2. Academic approach. This can be done by adding activities based on academic and semi-academics activities such as extra-curricular in schools. Similarly, the changes in teaching techniques such as use of computer, video, audio-visual aid equipment and techniques of teaching outside the classroom should be implemented. 3. Establishing legal system in the school. Provisions in the law school could create fear among students, in addition to reducing the burden and responsibility of the school and the parents in monitoring discipline. 4. Law enforcement authorities like the police. Jurisdiction of the existing police should be used by school administrators in the discipline of students. The administrator shall take the opportunity to refer their student’s problems to police. 5. Preventive measures should be held as appropriate counselling at school level. Counselling at school level is important in helping teenagers overcome their problems. This program will be more meaningful i f the counsellors are qualified and experienced elected. 6. Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) should play an important role more frequent meetings between parents, guardians and teachers should be held  especially for students that influenced in social problems. Parents should discuss student’s problem with teacher and get ready to receive and advice from a teacher with an open and positive attitude. If one considers that ultimately we are concerned with the healthy development of adolescents in transition to adulthood, we must be concerned with the issues that impede or impact on such transitions. Transition to adulthood includes simultaneous transitions across several domains including post-secondary education or other work preparation training, labour force participation (or unemployment) independent living, marriage or cohabitation, and community living. Transition success is affected by many factors including personal characteristics, gender, family influences, exposure to role models, economic status, cultural influence s, and the economic viability of the community in which the person functions. We also be mindful of the fact that adolescence occurs in a context with such factors as race, ethnicity, cultural customs, language, social views and practices, sexual orientation and physical or learning disabilities all combining to make the transition experiences of some adolescents very different from others. While there has been a fair amount of work done on identifying risk factors that, if present, may increase the likelihood of a young persons involvement in crime or other negative behaviour problems, there has also been some work done on the development of programs that build on the enhancement of protective factors which may reduce the effects of exposure to risk factors and thus lower the chances a youth will develop serious anti-social or other behaviour problems or become a victim.. Protective factors may also divide into: (1) Individual characteristics (i.e. high IQ, high level of resilience and flexibility and a positive social attitude); (2) Social bonds ( notably warm, supportive and affective   relationships with parents and other adults); and (3) Social support including positive social skills and socially acceptable pattern of behavioural norms. Possession of problem-solving, Life and communication skills. Sociability, Resilient personality or temperament A sense of belonging, secure attachments to positive parent(s) or family Positive relations with â€Å"pro social† peers Access to other caring supportive adults Appropriate discipline Limit-setting and structure from parents, Opportunities to experience success and build self esteem In the context of transitions from adolescence to healthy adulthood, it is important to consider the notion of resilience as a young persons ability to cope in the presence of major stress or risk factors. They go on to suggest that resilience is a source of strength in young people created or nurtured by caring and effective parents or other adult caregivers, positive learning environments in schools and access to community resources. What is the value of having an assessment to identify potential risks and needs of young offenders? By objectively identifying young persons who pose a higher risk of re-offending and the program interventions that are needed Assessments allow for a potentially more efficient and effective use of resources More objective and consistent decision making Establishing a baseline for monitoring a young offender’s progress Periodic reassessment of rehabilitative effectiveness Appropriate targeting of program intervention to address the social problems factors associated with offending (risk-needs assessment) such as: Use of appropriate modes of intervention based on social learning principles A multiplicity of available interventions to address differing individual needs Consistent application of interventions to ensure program integrity Quality assurance of program design and delivery including training and recruiting appropriate staff Strong theoretical base or mission for the program We should be careful not to suggest that a program has not been successful if a young person re-offends. While rehabilitative programs are designed with a goal of reducing recidivism, it is essential that other forms of program success are included in the mix and not totally rely on measures of recidivism to determine success. We can reduce occasional or temporary  offending by young people by helping them deal with the stress associated with the turbulence of adolescence and finding ways of involving young people in useful and meaningful activities. Educational and recreational activities to which all have equal access and which are designed on the basis of the varied needs and interests of young people are important. Access to social services can help some young people and their families deal with problems which may underlie the offending behaviour. Given what we know about the correlation between poverty, mental health and opportunities, the economic security of young people and their families should also be a priority. These measures are all primary prevention strategies ways of creating healthier and ultimately safer communities. Conclusion Though social problems are recurrent issues in many societies all over the world, they can be predetermined and controlled by use of social studies. When we think of the many settings that have evolved over time, it becomes apparent that there can never be a permanent solution to these social problems. Governments in affected regions try to curb socially unacceptable behaviour by regulating wealth and economy for citizens, thereby ensuring that money distribution is constant and fluent enough to avoid situations where some feel exploited. More measures can be taken to avoid socially unacceptable behaviour like crime and drug use, thereby maintaining law and order in society. Society is the place where young generations are brought up and nurtured for future. If social problems are left to come up and establish themselves, the upcoming generations would grow up to become savage and barbaric citizen, destroying civilization that was once prosperous.

Routine Activities Theory (RAT) Analysis

Routine Activities Theory (RAT) Analysis Activity space consists of places people associate with in their daily lives. For instance, your home, work, school, places for entertainment and shopping areas are considered activity space. My activity space is a tri-county area which means that it is a large area that consists of smaller towns instead of a huge metro area. Since I commute to work my activity space consists of major travel nodes and pathways as described by Brantingham and Brantingham. These travel nodes and pathways would be interstate 80 (I-80) that runs West through my town and state route 422 which runs South of I-80 and directly into the city of Youngstown. During my routine I tend to use both I-80 and 422 because they are quicker routes which allow me to avoid passing through a bunch of smaller towns and is a straight shot to the city. Within my activity space the highest potential for the development of a crime hot spot would be toward the eastern portion of route 422 going into the city of Youngstown becaus e it is an area between the city and the suburbs that does not have a strong police presence. This particular area is residential and in close proximity to the high-risk areas (i.e. project/public housing development) and has a wide-range of crime generators and attractors such as businesses, homes, bars, gas stations, convenience stores, and heavy pedestrian traffic due to a nearby bus station. The location of travel routes in conjunction with environmental factors such as impoverished surrounding neighborhoods and the close proximity to major travel routes can be seen as an opportunity for offenders to commit crimes within this area. Brantingham and Brantingham (1999) state that crime generators are particular areas that attract people because of the large number of people that pass through them. this activity space, as described by Brantingham and Brantingham is between the major nodes of transportation and is close to districts in the city that could be seen as an opportunity, to a potential offender who has observed routine activities conducted by pedestrians, members of the neighborhood, and business owners in the area. The routine activities theory draws from Amos Hawleys theory of human ecology. Hawleys theory establishes three key aspects of collective human activities rhythm, tempo and timing which are factors in a life-course as well as the criminal lifestyle. Lawrence Cohen and Marcus Felson (1979) expanded on the principles of human ecology and introduced routine activities theory as an ecological perspective on criminal behavior. The routine activity theory states that there are three components in order for a crime to occur. The first component is a motivated offender or individual that is not only willing but seeking to commit offenses. The second component would be the presence of suitable targets. Suitable targets could be property or individuals that are seen as available or vulnerable. Lastly, the absence of a capable guardian which would be anything that could deter a potential offender (i.e. police patrolling, neighbor outside, alarm system). Cohen and Felson (1979) emphasize that these three components are conducive to a crime event and especially prevalent in the absence of capable guardians. An example of this would be a potential offender(s) attempting to burglarize a home but changes their mind after seeing a police squad car drive by. This type of guardianship applies to certain areas within the city especially those that are heavily patrolled by police or security (i.e. parking decks and high-risk areas). Furthermore, the capable guardian, whether it be an individual (police officer/witnesses/neighbors) or a device (home/store alarm) will reduce the suitability of a target, which in turn will decrease the likelihood of criminal events. Moreover, Cohen and Felson (1979) imply that a successful crime event doesnt require an offender who is motivated to engage in crimes, or act on their motivation for the criminal event, instead a motivated offender should be capable of carrying out their desires. According to the routine activities theory, crime opportunity emerges in the absence of a capable guardian as well as certain environmental factors. For instance, the offender also goes through a routine of sequential activites just like the law abiding citizen does. The combination of what is considered a crime template (the offenders routine intertwined with their prospective targets) and the decisions made by the offender can determine crime patterns. A crime is committed when a triggering event occurs. This triggering event is usually in place when a potential target or victim fits within the offenders crime template (or routine). Possible targets and victims will usually encounter the offender in some manner within their active location, resulting in sharing the activity space or the awareness space of the offender. The possible targets and victims end up being actual targets or victims once the offenders willingness to break the law is set off. This occurs when the nodes and pathways between these nodes are aligned with the offenders potential targets (at that place and time). When these activities are repeated on a daily basis they provide a rubric or template for the criminal to follow. During a criminals daily activity they make decisions that rarely vary from their routine and as a result, breaking the law would be no different from their normal activity and awareness space. Lifestyles or ones routine activities create criminal opportunity by increasing the frequency and intensity of contacts between potential offenders and suitable targets. When a motivated offender is ready and willing, they will seize the opportunity to engage in criminal activity if it is beneficial to them. A potential offenders suitable target is an individual or object that is attractive or vulnerable, such as, a piece of valuable property or someone who is wealthy might serve as a lucrative suitable target (i.e. ransom or extortion). In other words, factors that make a target vulnerable or attractive are crime specific and situational and may dictate a motivated offender(s) likelihood of criminal activity (i.e. an unattended running car a convenience store). I believe that the most likely hot spot in my activity space and based off of the course material, would be state route 422 east going into the city. I state this because this area is known for drug activity and has access to the highway and is within close proximity to a wide-range of businesses, churches, schools, and residential areas. References Brantingham, P. L., Brantingham, P. J. (1995). Criminality of place: Crime generators and crime attractors. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 3(3), 1-26. Brantingham, P., L., Brantingham, P. J. (1993). Nodes, paths and edges: Considerations on the complexity of crime and the physical environment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 13, 3-28. Cohen, L. E., Felson, M. (1979). Social change and crime rate trends: A routine activity approach. American Sociological Review, 44, 588-608. Cullen, F. T., Wilcox, P. (2010). Encyclopedia of criminological theory. Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE Publications.

Influence of IT on Organisational Behaviour

Influence of IT on Organisational Behaviour The Influence of IT on organisational behaviour Carr (2003) concludes that Information Technology (IT) has become the backbone of commerce and that IT empower companies to serve their customers better. IT can alter the basic nature of an industry (Luftman et al., 1993), and rightly so; IT has forever changed the world that we inhabit. With the use of computers and software, IT has altered how the finance sector operates, how the education system work, how companies conduct their business and how the healthcare sector can help their citizens. Ultimately, IT has been able to help every company and government institute alike to transform their daily operation by turning labour heavy and repetitive burdens into automatic and streamlined tasks that often require little to no human interaction. The use of IT in healthcare enables citizens, healthcare professionals, authorities and administrators to have access to real-time and relevant information through secure delivery without unnecessary barriers. With the help of online healthcare portals, citizens can schedule appointments with their general practitioner, check their patient journal, look up digital medical information such as X-rays or blood samples. Healthcare professionals can save time spent on paperwork and instead concentrate their valuable time on helping their patients. Authorities, such as Data Protection Agencies will be better equipped to help the healthcare to improve procedures, processes and patient safety. Finally, administrators will have access to data and information that could help them improve the decision-making in everyday operations. A practical example of an IT implementation that is showing to have a long-term positive consequence is the implementation of one (a single) centralised Electronic Patient Journal (EPJ) for the whole country of the Faroe Islands. While decentralisation may bring flexibility and fast response to changing needs, decentralisation also makes system integration difficult, presents a barrier to standardisation and acts as a disincentive toward achieving economies of scale (DeSanctis Jackson, 1994). Even though the Faroe Islands is a small country of only fifty thousand people, the country has three hospitals and around hundred general practitioners. With the centralised EPJ system, the healthcare sector has the basics in place to start exchanging digital medical information by integrating with other systems to receive descriptions and answers from a specialist (doctor). These other systems include computerised axial tomography (CAT) scanners, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, Lab oratory and blood systems and so on. On an entirely different subject, albeit all the positives social media might bring, one should not ignore the negative effects. Negative effects from social media include addiction and privacy concerns. The social media is comparable to drugs; once addicted it is hard to let to go. Griffiths (2010) mentions a research conducted on 415 medical technologists that Internet Abuse falls into three distinct categories: browsing, non-work-related e-mails and cyberloafing. According to Griffiths (2010), addition is related to Internet abuse and does have an impact on the workplace in regards to the loss of productivity. To conclude, information technology has spearheaded the digital revolution for some time and is moving companies, consumers and government ever closer to a constant change for globalisation. References Carr, N.G. (2003) Why IT Doesnt Matter Anymore Harvard Business Review. [Online] Available from: http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/3520.html (Accessed: 15 January 2016) Luftman, J.N., Lewis, P.R. Oldach, S.H. (1993) Transforming the Enterprise: The alignment of business and information technology strategies. IBM Systems Journal Vol 32 (1). p. 198 DeSanctis, G. Jackson, B.M. (1994) Coordination of information technology management: Team-based structures and computer-based communication systems. Journal of Management Information Systems Vol 10 (4). p. 85-110. Alder, I. (2013) How Our Digital Devices Are Affecting Our Personal Relationships [Online] Available from: http://www.wbur.org/2013/01/17/digital-lives-i (Accessed: 1. June 2016) Griffiths, M.D. (2010) Internet abuse and internet addiction in the workplace. Journal of Workplace Learning, 7, 463-472.

Philippine Attacks :: essays research papers

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP) - Philippine forces launched attacks on three southern islands in an effort to wipe out the guerrillas who held a U.S. couple hostage for more than a year, military officers said Sunday. The assaults, which started Saturday after one of the Americans and a Philippine captive died in a rescue attempt, are aimed at the top three commanders of the Islamic militant group Abu Sayyaf, said Philippine Maj. Gen. Ernesto Carolina. Martin Burnham, 42, and Ediborah Yap, 45, died in a shootout Friday when government troops ambushed their captors in jungles of the main southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Burnham's wife Gracia was shot through the thigh but rescued. "We're now operating with greater ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP) - Philippine forces launched attacks on three southern islands in an effort to wipe out the guerrillas who held a U.S. couple hostage for more than a year, military officers said Sunday. The assaults, which started Saturday after one of the Americans and a Philippine captive died in a rescue attempt, are aimed at the top three commanders of the Islamic militant group Abu Sayyaf, said Philippine Maj. Gen. Ernesto Carolina. Martin Burnham, 42, and Ediborah Yap, 45, died in a shootout Friday when government troops ambushed their captors in jungles of the main southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Burnham's wife Gracia was shot through the thigh but rescued. "We're now operating with greater intensity. We will not let them get away with this," said Carolina, head of southern Philippine forces. He said no clashes were reported as of Sunday morning. Carolina said 1,500 and 1,800 soldiers would arrive in the next three days to back troops already hunting the Abu Sayyaf on the islands of Jolo, Basilan and the province of Zamboanga del Norte on Mindanao. "We will have to finish this war because terrorism is a scourge on the Earth," President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Sunday. All three mountainous, jungle-covered areas stand in a 60-mile stretch of the Sulu Sea in the southwestern Philippines. It wasn't clear how many troops were already involved in the operations, but thousands of soldiers have been in the area for months - since the military launched its offensive after the Abu Sayyaf seized the Burnhams and several other hostages in May 2001. Carolina said soldiers on Mindanao were hunting Abu Sayyaf leader Abu Sabaya, who fled into dense jungle with about 40 men after the army attacked them during Friday's rescue mission. (AP) Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, right, extends her condolences to the family of slain.

The Liberal Arts and the End of Education Essay -- Philosophy Educatio

The Liberal Arts and the End of Education ABSTRACT: An international conference that takes Philosophy Educating Humanity as its theme does well to revisit the liberal arts tradition. Although the liberal arts are most often assimilated to studies brought together as the Humanities, the old usage included the arts which employed artificial languages in mathematics, music, and astronomy, as well as the literature and letters of the various natural languages. The current conflation of liberal education with the humanities does violence to the historical tradition in education, reducing it to fluff in the eyes of tough-minded scientists who know that only numbers deliver objectivity. The liberal arts of the traditional undergraduate curriculum provided the skills to liberate the student's linguistic powers so that he or she could read, speak, and understand natural language in all its functions. To educate human persons to master language is to encourage students to take possession of their natural powers so that they can expres s themselves, understand what others say, and reason together. The arts of natural language lead to mastery of the mathematical arts which use a language that is no one's mother tongue. Together, the seven arts rid students of the worst enemies of humankind: ignorance and prejudice. Since no one can be considered to have received a good education if he accepts uncritically the opinions of the educators of his own times, the student should encounter alternatives to these opinions. Samuel S. Kutler The past is always difficult to deal with. We are torn between the temptations of remaining within the comfort of a past we have become accustomed to and the equally dangerous alternative of fleeing an ... ...he arts of mathematical language teach us habits of rigorous, disinterested abstract thought. Post-moderns seem to be engaged in replacing philosophy, perhaps in the guise of logic, with rhetoric so that all becomes conversation or narrative, and privilege is problematic. Were we to resuscitate a version of the liberal arts tradition as pedagogy and a goal for our "post-modern" times, we would not be coaxing a dusty corpse of a bygone tradition back to life. Rather we would be putting our tradition into practice. The liberal arts live only in time, in some historical instantiation or another. Now may be the time to bring this curriculum back into our time. Rather than a person ill-equipped to do anything, the more traditionally educated liberal arts graduate could again be a person who is equipped by his skills to do anything. And, to evaluate what is worth doing.