Role of the mass media in creating moral panics about crime and deviance free essay sample

The news media are one of our main sources of knowledge about crime and deviance. Often the media will create a moral panic surrounding crimes and criminals or deviants. Moral panics can lead to a range of responses by the public, by agents of social control and by the criminals or deviants themselves. Over-representation of certain types of crimes may lead to heightened fear of these crimes by the public. In some cases, moral panics may also result in a change in the law. 01. Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess sociological explanations of the role of the mass media in creating moral panics about crime and deviance (21 marks). The Media are often the subject of claims that they cause crime and deviance through their devotion to exaggerating the truth in order to have a â€Å"newsworthy† story. Often it is the case that the media will play an important role in what Durkheim would say is maintaining the boundaries of society, reaffirming what is socially acceptable, and what is not. We will write a custom essay sample on Role of the mass media in creating moral panics about crime and deviance or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Durkheim would also say that all change starts with deviance, and the media highlighting this deviance on the world stage helps to excite and increase the rate of social change, which as suggested in the item, can lead to changes in law. Examples of this have been seen with public displays of homosexuality in countries where homosexual marriage is illegal, or disallowed. This kind of deviance is picked up by the media, and projected on a world stage in the name of news, and appeals to the world’s sense of equality and liberalism. So, while Functionalists would say the news plays an important function in society as a tool to catalyst social change, others would argue that it actually victimises a lot of people. This is seen with Cohen’s work on Folk Devils and Moral panics, in which a person with new norms, values or morals- or even all three, comes along and challenges societies accepted ones. This kind of challenge is met harshly and the new group, or person, is outcasted. They’re cut off from society as a folk devil and victimised for being different. This was seen in the study of the Drug Takers by Jock Young. The Hippies he undertook a participant observation with were using drugs as a peripheral activity, in which nobody was being hurt and nobody was using them too often. The media picked up this criminal and deviant activity, and called for a tough crackdown. The authorities and agents of social control, as mentioned in the item, such as the Police for example, then respond by targeting the group, leading to more arrests, and the label of â€Å"junkies† and â€Å"druggies† being applied to the group. Over time, the once peripheral activity has morphed into being a centralised underground activity which the group subscribe to as part of their self fulfilling prophecy, or as Lemert would say, they subscribe to secondary deviance. In this example, the peripheral drug taking was a primary act of deviance, and the acceptance of the label and underground centralisation of drug taking has become the secondary, societal reaction to the act of deviance. In this way, the media has had a negative impact on crime and deviance by increasing the frequency of the acts of deviance, and raising the official statistics of drug related arrests due to police targeting, among other agencies of social control. But that’s only part of the story. The media have contributed in an even more detrimental way in the past. Particularly in the case of the Mods and Rockers at Clacton. In this case, acts of violence between two groups were reported on by the media, and the police were called upon to crack down on the deviance and misbehaviour. They went as far as to predict the next time that the event of mass-deviance/criminality between the two groups would take place, and thus invited unknowingly, more participants to the violence. The following event, as with the prediction, was far worse, far bigger, and better covered. Thus, the effect was seen that the problem was bigger than first thought and that the behaviour of the mods and the rockers was categorised and reported on in such a way that others, who were fence-sitters, or indifferent to the typification were asked, or sometimes forced, to subscribe to one of the two groups. Both groups were then stigmatised by society and outcast, and frustration repeatedly came out as violence thereafter. Once again, the media has caused a moral panic, and in this case deviance amplification spiral. The main criticisms of these arguments however are as follows, Durkheim is criticised for being naive to crime of the wider power structure by Marxists, in that he ignores who decides what is criminal and not. Neo Marxists would go as far as to say that some crimes however, are aimed at political/social change too, and would agree with Durkheim in that sense. Durkheim is also criticised for saying that a certain amount of crime in society is inevitable and useful, or functional, because it performs that boundary maintenance which the media help to propagate, however he does not say how much is enough, and there’s no set point where it ends. Cohen’s amplification spiral is criticised on that very point too, in that the amplification spiral by his description should carry on forever, and not be stopped, yet in reality news stories die down due to one of the characteristics of the news being immediacy, or how recent something is. It is my opinion, that the media are a cause of moral panics as the evidence seems overwhelming. There have been cases where the media has had a positive effect, that’s true, but in my opinion it’s a generally negative effect they display. They seems to thrive off demonizing and victimising deviants, which perhaps some realists, particularly right realists would agree with. However, I believe labelling has a much larger effect on societal crime and deviance than first estimated, and as such my conclusion is that the media plays an important role in creating moral panics about crime and deviance.

Conflict Resolution at General Hospital Essays

Conflict Resolution at General Hospital Essays Conflict Resolution at General Hospital Essay Conflict Resolution at General Hospital Essay Discuss the conflict that is occurring at General Hospital. In my opinion the conflict that is occurring in the General Hospital is the physicians are interested in obtaining personal benefits from representatives of pharmaceutical companies that distributes to the hospital. In most organization this is considered a conflict of interest. The physicians focus is not on their patients but on obtaining personal benefits. The Hospital pays each physician and clinician that is employed a very high salary and the pharmaceutical companies are aware that the physicians are interested in favors if they use products at the hospital. This problem has caused representatives of the pharmaceutical companies to easily get their products in the General Hospital which can sometimes be a difficult task for many pharmaceutical companies. Since the physicians have started this practice it has become a serious problem for the hospital. The ways to control the cost incurred in availing the desirable pharmaceutical resources in the Hospital are also facing some difficulties. Some pharmaceutical companies increased the prices of their products in order to provide some share to the physicians that support their company. Some professionals at the General Hospital have positive thoughts of the decision and others are and this has cause a conflict at General Hospital. 2. Discuss the conflict management styles that are evident in the case. The conflicts of interest at the Hospital is related to all business practices in the Hospital for example (1) the pharmaceutical companies are handled by the organization in an efficient way. The decisions that are being made are not in accordance with the primary interest but the secondary as well and I think it should be reversed with the primary and not with the secondary. The Hospital can implement duties on many business projects with the people such as pharmaceutical consultants. They should remember to remember the importance of maintaining a equal relationship between both parties the physicians and their supplier. 3. Discuss how General Hospital could have used teams to address the cost reductions needed to stay competitive. In my opinion I think the General Hospital can set guidelines concerning the salaries of, maintenance of the Hospital infrastructure, physicians, availability of high-tech machines, medicinal resources, availability of organs for transplant, hospital management etc and this will help the hospital maintain financial resources at all times and in the future. The Hospital should also implement ways to help offset high electric bills by checking the cost incurred in the wastage of electricity in those departments which are not currently under operation and combine the departments. All financial aids that is given to the hospital by the government as well as the other financial institutions should be monitored and utilized in an efficient way and controlled by a limited sources to show where the money is being spent. The hospital may develop ways by using different ideas to help strategies and stabilize their existence. This can be done by making offers to patients with unbeatable prices for some treatments and procedures. The General Hospital should investigate other hospital prices prior to making a final determination of their budget. 4. Describe how Hammer can use negotiation skills to get buy-in for the cost reductions. The negotiation skills are very important in any organization. To reach an administration that can produce great results at the General Hospital they must use their negotiation skills. The General Hospital is a huge and wide-spread organization and detail measures must be taken viewing the cost-reduction because of the size of the organization. Hammer should submit his proposal to negotiate the price of the artificial items that is needed by some patients. The manufacturer of these products can be contacted directly and the best price could be achieved and used to say the hospital money. The items purchased at lower prices from the manufactory can provide evidence that the product work when utilized for patient’s. The General Hospital could overcome the cost incurred in the treatment as well as the salaries of the doctors by negotiating with the suppliers. The hospital may find some of the suppliers not willing to lower the items at the offered price however if they refuse to negotiate or lower the price the Hospital should secure another company that is willing to negotiate the prices as a back-up plan.. 5. Recommend a strategy for Hammer to resolve the problem. In my Opinion I think Hammer should use a strategy to solicit the opinion of Hospital employees to help resolve the problem. He use an innovation awards plan. This plan will allow employees to submit their innovation on how to resolve the problem and the staffs that submit the top ten ideas are given a monetary gift. All employees’ opinion should be taken into consideration to help Hammer resolve the problem at the hospital. The risks and contingencies should also be weighed and taken into consideration prior to any final decisions actual being implementation. If there is a conflict is found between the opinion of the employees, the hospital should allow the employees to determine by using some form of voting procedure using upper or lower management. The advice of the people who have been exposed to this type of problem should be interviewed for information on how they dealt with the problem and what strategies that they used to overcome the problem. After identifying strategies that will help solve the problems they should be implemented to the hospital employees with a plan on how to measure results from the plan. References: Hellriegel, D. , Slocum, J. W. , Jr. (2011 custom edition (13thj ed. ). Mason, OH South-Western Cengage Learning. massgeneral. org/about/newsarticle. aspx? id=2252 massgeneral. org/surgery/assets/pdfs/surgicalsociety/surgery_2002spring. pdf

What function does religion play in human society Essay

What function does religion play in human society - Essay Example This paper is going to explore the possible function of religion that plays an active role in human society. Clifford Geertz opens his chapter on Religion as a Cultural System in a book called Anthropological Approaches to the Study of Religion, with a quote by George Santayana which explains the meaning of â€Å"living† and â€Å"healthy† religion as having a â€Å"marked idiosyncrasy† (Banton 1969). There is always a sense of security whenever one hears something about religion. It is like a belonging that one never wants to lose. At the same time, however, one feels apprehensive about it, especially in times of despair and hardship. In order to remain in touch with one’s religion, the American culture, which is said to be very religions, has developed the principle narrative technique, whereby it reflects moral deeds, illuminating the ways of living that have existed ever since a long time (Burton 2000). Hence, each individual of the society carries a narrative of his own, which allows him to embrace life through his own philosophy. Some people might tell a story with no mention of God/gods. They gear themselves for another life, probably after death. For some, religion clashes with medical interventions, which make them, doubt their own existence. They question whether religion will be of any help in these troubled times. A great political leader once said that it does not really matter what religion one follows as long as he is religious. To be religious has many possibilities and limitations. For humans to stay civilized they need to have a sense of moral duty towards their relative community. In a more philosophical speech, religion harmonizes â€Å"human actions† to a visualized â€Å"cosmic order and projects images of cosmic order onto a plane of human experience† (Banton 1969). Religion has a major role to play in human society. Society is

Research Assignment Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assignment - Research Paper Example It is worth mentioning in this regard that the company has taken several precautionary measures relating to environment by identifying and applying production processes imposing a minimum impact on the natural environment (Campbell Soup Company, â€Å"Nourishing Our Consumers, Neighbors, Employees, and Our Planet†). In order to combine the company’s efforts in attaining the predetermined objectives towards developing a sustainable environment, the company has established and divided its long term goals and targets into six basic areas which can be identified as water conservation, sustainable agriculture, carbon intensity, waste management, energy, and sustainable packaging. Thesis Statement The discussion conducted henceforth attempts to critically analyze the role of Campbell Soup Company in discharging its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) with due consideration to its performance over the recent years. Facts Related to the CSR Activities of the Campbell Soup C ompany In relation to its CSR activities, the primary goal of the company is to reduce the use of water and Green House Gas (GHG) emissions in the process of manufacturing products, i.e. various food products. The other supporting goals include reduction of energy usage upto 35% and augmentation of energy sources up to 40% utilizing the renewable sources of energy. Furthermore, the company aims to recycle 95% of wastes generated due to its global operations thereby reducing the use of water and mitigating carbon footprints upto 20% (Campbell Soup Company, â€Å"Nourishing Our Consumers, Neighbors, Employees, and Our Planet†). As per the recent facts, Campbell’s performance during the fiscal year 2011 (i.e. from Aug 1, 20110 to July 31, 2011) and its achievements in the fiscal year 2012 can be identified as listed below: The company has been constructed on 60 acres of a solar field with 10-MW power generating capacity In its largest manufacturing site, 24000 sun trackin g panels have been installed to generate at least 15 percent of the electricity needed for its operations The company’s donation to environmental control measures increased in the current fiscal year to $40 million The company has also introduced an innovative initiative titled as ‘The Way We Work’ in order to build safe and socially responsible working environment to ensure integrated results The company has also instigated school support programs by launching Campbell’s Labels for Education with an aim to generate environmental awareness amid the society The company has also declared a charitable commitment of $10 in its home town in New Jersey Corporate Social Responsibilities Issues Faced by Campbell Soup Company With due significance to Campbell’s worldwide operations, the company has been identified to witness four major issues related to its CSR activities. The issues majorly relates with nourishing consumers, neighbors or community members, employees and the planet at large. Nourishing Consumers The company plans to invest significantly towards the enhancement of innovation capabilities

H.W Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

H.W - Essay Example He further oversees the training and creating of awareness to other employees. 3. The control perimeters and the isolation zones need to well aerated and spacious to enable the affected victims gain fresh air as well as enough space to rest before they are taken for further medical check-up. 4. The process used by my department in the establishment of initial command and operations at a hazmat incident include on-scene response by the hazmat management officers through provision of technical help and advice on further treatment of the situation. The officers are able to conduct offensive-control actions such as hot-zone entry for stabilization and confinement of the products. 5. The shape of the container defines the type of risk that is associated with a given product. Different ranges of chemicals are contained in different types of container so as to avoid any form of confusion that may arise thus minimizing the risks that may arise careless handling of the product. Silhouetting exposes the characteristics of the material and not its contents. 7. The department has devised several means of handling unknown substances which include proper identification of the nature of the substances as well as handling them with necessary precautions. Factors that will assist in accurate determination is to consider substance qualities such as density, color smell and the melting and boiling points. The density, color and smell of the unknown substance can then be compared with other known substance. 8. The hazard and risk assessment is performed by first of all assuming that any mixture of chemicals is more toxic in comparison to other chemicals. All new components and unknown substances need to be considered as toxic before they are subjected to any form of tests. The manner in which the chemical is put into use must also be taken into consideration. 9. The department’s respiratory

Critical Incident analysis of a clinical setting

Critical Incident analysis of a clinical setting The purpose of this essay is to reflect and critically study an incident from a clinical setting whilst using a model of reflection. This will allow me to analyse and make sense of the incident and draw conclusions relating to personal learning outcomes. The significance of critical analysis and critical incidents will briefly be discussed followed by the process of reflection using the chosen model. The incident will then be described and analysed and the people involved introduced. (The names of the people involved have been changed to protect their privacy) and then I will examine issues raised in light of the recent literature relating to the incident. My essay will include a discussion of communication, interpersonal skills used in the incident, and finally evidence based practice. I will conclude with explaining what I have learned from the experience and how it will change my future actions. In accordance with the 2002 Nursing and Midwifery Council, the clients details and placement setting has not been disclosed in order to maintain confidentiality. Critical incidents are snapshots of something that happens to a patient, their family or nurse. It may be something positive, or it could be a situation where someone has suffered in some way (Rich Parker 2001). Reflection and analysis of critical incidents is widely regarded as a valuable learning tool for nurses. The practice requires us to explore our actions and feelings and examine evidence-based literature, thus bridging the gap between theory and practice (Bailey 1995). It also affords us the opportunity of changing our way of thinking or practicing, for when we reflect on an incident we can learn valuable lessons from what did and did not work. In this way we develop self-awareness and skills in critical thinking and problem solving (Rich Parker 2001). Critical incidents To be self aware is to be conscious of ones character, including beliefs, values, qualities, strengths and limitation. It is about knowing oneself (Burnard 1992). I am going to use Gibbs (1988) Reflective Cycle. This because Gibbs is clear and precise allowing for description, analysis and evaluation of the experience helping the reflective practitioner to make sense of experiences and examine their practice. Taking action is the key; Gibbs prompts to formulate an action plan. This enables the reflective practitioner to look at their practice and see what they would change in the future, how they would develop/improve their practice. Gibbs (1988) consists of six stages to complete one cycle which is able to improve my nursing practice continuously and learning from the experience for better practice in the future. The cycle starts with a description of the situation, next is to analysis of the feelings, third is an evaluation of the experience, fourth stage is an analysis to make sense of the experience, fifth stage is a conclusion of what else could I have done and final stage is an action plan to prepare if the situation arose again (NHS, 2006). Baird and Winter (2005, p.156) give some reasons why reflection is require in the reflective practice. They state that a reflect is to generate the practice knowledge, assist an ability to adapt new situations, develop self-esteem and satisfaction as well as to value, develop and professionalizing practice. However, Siviter (2004, p.165) explain that reflection is about gaining self-confidence, identify when to improve, learning from own mistakes and behaviour, looking at other people perspectives, being self-aware and improving the future by learning the past. In my context with the patient, it is important for me to improve the therapeutic relationship which is the nurse-patient relationship. In the therapeutic relationship, there is the therapeutic rapport establish from a sense of trust and a mutual understanding exists between a nurse and a patient that build in a special link of the relationship (Harkreader and Hogan, 2004, p.243). REFRENCE ON CONFRONTATION!! Description My reflection is about one patient whom I code her as Mrs. Adam, not a real name (Appendix I) to protect the confidentiality of patients information (NMC, 2004). In this paragraph I would describe on the event takes place and describe that event during my clinical placement. I was on a surgical ward nursing Mrs Adam under supervision of my mentor when during ward round I was asked to remove Ms Adams wound dressing so the doctor can assess the wound, therefore I removed it using aseptic technique and cleansed the wound. I stayed with the patient whilst my mentor attended to another patient. When the doctor arrived from visiting another patient I observed that he came directly to Ms Adams without washing his hands or using alcohol gel and was wearing loose watch and I was concerned this would infect Ms Adams wound. At that moment I was thinking to speak up and say something however I dismissed enough courage to confront the doctor and thought it was too late as the doctor already start ed examining Ms Adams. Feelings In this paragraph, I would discuss on my feelings or thinking that took place in the event happened. I was shocked that the doctor did not wash his hands or use alcohol prior examining Ms Adams especially with all the infection control guidelines and protocols in place. In spite of this I did not have confidence and felt intimidated due to the fact the doctor was more knowledgeable and experienced than I was as a first year student, also I did not want to make him feel uncomfortable. Furthermore I did not want the patient to feel alarmed and worried by challenging the doctor whilst Ms Adams was there. However soon after I had a word with my mentor and told her what I observed and she then recommended that together we confront the doctor, therefore the next day my mentor spoke to him in private and she asked him if before examining Ms Adams whether he washed his hands. The doctor seemed stunned by this conversation but admitted he did not wash his hands. He responded by justifying his actions and saying he was busy and was in a rush to remember. My mentor discussed the significance of infection control and hand hygiene and then the doctor promised her that he would make sure he follows the protocols and cleanses his hands prior examining any patient in the future. Evaluation This event was difficult and challenging for me as I felt disappointment for my lack of confidence in not confronting and challenging the doctor prior him examining Ms Adams, on the other hand I felt content in the way the doctor responded so positive and optimistic. Consequently I observed that doctor has now changed his practice as a result of this incident. I have learnt from this incident the importance of acting assertively with staff members in a sensitive approach in order to safeguard patients health. Analysis Nurses have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the interests of individual patients and Clients (NMC 2004). This responsibility include ensuring that his or her knowledge and competencies commensurate with the task being undertaken. Infection is responsible for increased morbidity and mortality, thus a comprehensive knowledge of infection control precautions and basic microbiology should be a fundamental requirement of all healthcare professionals. Hands must be decontaminated before every episode of care that involves direct contact with patients skin or food, invasive devices or dressings. Current expert opinion recommends that hands need to be decontaminated after completing an episode of patient care and following the removal of gloves to minimise cross contamination of the environment (Boyce and Pittet, 2002; Pratt et al, 2001) Hand hygiene is a crucial factor in the control of HAI because hands can easily transfer micro-organisms from one area or patient to another. Despite strategies promoting hand hygiene there still seems to be difficulty persuading staff to adopt good practice (Shuttleworth, 2004). Doctors are the worst offenders. According to NHS figures, 25% of them fail to follow basic hand-washing procedures, compared with 10% of nurses and 15% of ancillary staff. From The Sunday Times December 21, 2008 Royal College of Nursing (RCN, 2009)Studies show that uniforms may become contaminated by potentially disease-causing bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium difficile, Although it has been suggested that uniforms act as are servoir or vector for transmission of infection in hospitals, no evidence is currently available linking the transmission of bacteria to patients (Wilson et al., 2007).However, it is important to note that all clothing worn by all staff (for example, doctors, therapists and cleaners) has the potential to become contaminated via environmental micro-organisms, or those originating from patients or the wearer, and that nurses uniforms are not unique in that respect. This reinforces the need to ensure all clothing worn by staff in all clinical areas is fit for purpose and able to withstand laundering. Advocacy ranges from activities on behalf of patients, such as hand washing and proper identification before treatments, to arguing that an early discharge will harm her patients recovery. According to Arnold and Boggs 2003) assertive nurse is able to stand up for the rights of others as well as for his or her own rights. Some benefits of assertiveness identified by Rungapadiachy (1999) include being respected for being honest and fair, developing a sense of self respect and having the ability to establish good interpersonal relationships with others Becoming more self-aware seems to be a very important concept to nursing practice. Driscoll (2000, p17) states that reflective learning will help you become more self-aware in your clinical practice. As the student nurse caring for Mr Khan under my mentors supervision, this also applies to my own practice as a student nurse. Conclusion In hindsight I feel I should have confronted the doctor at that moment and acted sooner. I also should have made sure the doctor washed his hands prior examining the patient. I realise how I put Ms Adams heath at risk. Following conversation with my mentor acknowledged that I need to develop the confidence to challenge the practice of colleagues, understanding pressures that may be under but ensuring that their practice does not put patients at risk. If a nurse observes a practice or procedure she believes to be wrong, advocating for her patient demands she speak out even if that practice was carried out by her superior. This is not always easy and may have a cost for the nurse. I realise that I need to be supportive to colleagues, understanding the pressures that they may be under, but ensuring that their practice does not put clients at risk. Action Plan My action plan is always to work as part of a team, learn more about how best to communicate in order to contribute to good nursing care. I will aim improve and develop my assertive skills when working with staff members to ensure health and safety of patients is maintained. Therefore I will make this a goal for learning in my next placement and discuss with my mentor to work out strategies for how I can achieve this. If a situation arises again like this particular one I have learned that I have also gained knowledge on the effectiveness communication How does it work out? What happens next time you are in a similar situation?

Frontpage - Microsoft’s Net Solution :: essays research papers

Frontpage - Microsoft’s Net Solution You know about the Vermeer story right? Never heard of Vermeer? Really? So the story goes, as I am usually lounging around with others who have migrated into the vast world of the web, these questions generally come up†¦ Vermeer was the company who silently pioneered FrontPage, and was quietly and expeditiously merged into â€Å"the empire† at Microsoft. It evolved into two key MS technologies, the Personal Web Server (PWS) and FrontPage, now widely utilized at homes worldwide as a key component of Office 2000.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alas the story continues, as I tread the waters deeper and find other so-called web developers around Cebu creating pages and sites for the vastness of the net. I usually silently snicker inside as they tell me how they learned FrontPage at â€Å"so and so† institution and have been a professional web developer ever since. Rest assured, I think to myself, they’ll be attending a class or two of mine soon†¦ However, not for nothing, us professional developers (you know these guys, the ones who are making integrated solutions for the guy next down AND several [er, thousand] kilometers away.) usually have little to do with FrontPage nowadays.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  FrontPage, long ago the â€Å"cream of the crop† silently sits in wait as we tear away with apps such as Ultradev 4, 1st Page, Flash 5, Adobe PhotoShop, XML-Spy, and the Top Style CSS editor. Us â€Å"big boys† are playing with such things as .asp, .php, ColdFusion, ActionScript, XSLT, and a myriad of other acronyms that will leave your head spinning. On top of that, we’re all scrambling to learn more Java (for server pages and COM building), PowerBuilder, and of course, XHTML. This is not to the fault of FrontPage , it still is functional, but has lost it’s functionality as we deal with interactive web sites and most (over 85%) of the servers in Cebu can’t run FrontPage’s Server Extensions (That’s what JavaScript is for anyway you say†¦). But don’t fret, they have just breathed life into this ailing creature, redirecting it’s path from the tangent path of obsolescence. Enter the next generation o f FrontPage, a powerhouse of fury packed under the soon-to-be-released Windows OfficeXP umbrella. XP standing for experience, something we’re all going to have to sit down and do ourselves†¦ but for now, here’s the primer†¦. What’s OfficeXP all about? Here’s the marketing pitch: Whether you are a small business user, a user in a larger organization, an IT administrator, or a user working from home, Office XP is the essential tool to maximize your productivity. Frontpage - Microsoft’s Net Solution :: essays research papers Frontpage - Microsoft’s Net Solution You know about the Vermeer story right? Never heard of Vermeer? Really? So the story goes, as I am usually lounging around with others who have migrated into the vast world of the web, these questions generally come up†¦ Vermeer was the company who silently pioneered FrontPage, and was quietly and expeditiously merged into â€Å"the empire† at Microsoft. It evolved into two key MS technologies, the Personal Web Server (PWS) and FrontPage, now widely utilized at homes worldwide as a key component of Office 2000.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alas the story continues, as I tread the waters deeper and find other so-called web developers around Cebu creating pages and sites for the vastness of the net. I usually silently snicker inside as they tell me how they learned FrontPage at â€Å"so and so† institution and have been a professional web developer ever since. Rest assured, I think to myself, they’ll be attending a class or two of mine soon†¦ However, not for nothing, us professional developers (you know these guys, the ones who are making integrated solutions for the guy next down AND several [er, thousand] kilometers away.) usually have little to do with FrontPage nowadays.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  FrontPage, long ago the â€Å"cream of the crop† silently sits in wait as we tear away with apps such as Ultradev 4, 1st Page, Flash 5, Adobe PhotoShop, XML-Spy, and the Top Style CSS editor. Us â€Å"big boys† are playing with such things as .asp, .php, ColdFusion, ActionScript, XSLT, and a myriad of other acronyms that will leave your head spinning. On top of that, we’re all scrambling to learn more Java (for server pages and COM building), PowerBuilder, and of course, XHTML. This is not to the fault of FrontPage , it still is functional, but has lost it’s functionality as we deal with interactive web sites and most (over 85%) of the servers in Cebu can’t run FrontPage’s Server Extensions (That’s what JavaScript is for anyway you say†¦). But don’t fret, they have just breathed life into this ailing creature, redirecting it’s path from the tangent path of obsolescence. Enter the next generation o f FrontPage, a powerhouse of fury packed under the soon-to-be-released Windows OfficeXP umbrella. XP standing for experience, something we’re all going to have to sit down and do ourselves†¦ but for now, here’s the primer†¦. What’s OfficeXP all about? Here’s the marketing pitch: Whether you are a small business user, a user in a larger organization, an IT administrator, or a user working from home, Office XP is the essential tool to maximize your productivity.

What are the worlds most important population problems?

The discussion of the world’s most important population problems is extremely necessary and timely. The essay correctly observes that the two most important population problems are population growth and international migration. The first problem endangers the environmental balance of our planet and puts excessive strength on resources. The second problem contributes to conflicts and tensions in many societies around the globe. The essay argues that social structures in poor countries are the cause of exponential population growth. It is true that industrialization makes labor more automated, thus decreasing the need for a constant supply of labor. However, no clear link is drawn between social structures and desire to have more children. The essay notes that poor countries lack essential social services, such as education, and families lack their own economic resources to equip children with necessary skills and knowledge. Paradoxically, this does not lead to a decrease in the number of births; the essay fails to explain this phenomenon. As concerns international migration, few reasons are given to support the claim that it is one of the world’s most pressing problems. The only reason cited is that immigrants are the burden on a country’s social service sector, resulting in increased costs for medical care, education, and other costs. Other negative developments associated with the influx of immigrants are left without attention. These developments include higher crime rates, interethnic tensions, and increased costs of providing multilingual services to immigrants from different ethnic backgrounds. More far-reaching implications, such as the danger to national identity and unity, are also not discussed.

Komatsu vs Catterpilar – Comparative Essay

These key success factors can be categorized in three different roofs namely, manufacturing or production, distribution and brand image. First, manufacturing higher quality products was crucial since machine dependability and reliability was important for contractors. Many construction companies all over the globe operated under severe cost and time constraints and companies' main target was to schedule machine use efficiently and minimize downtime.High capital and energy costs made some construction companies to use their machines longer. Consequently, providing the replacement and spare parts on short notice and continuous Improvement of the parts were essential. Also, profit margins for parts ND attachments were significantly higher than for whole machines which encouraged most suppliers to pay more focus on providing these parts to their customers on a timely manner. Moreover, the ability to manufacture product capacity ahead of demand was Important.For Instance, Caterpillar's ex cess capacity policy served not only as deterrence to competitors but also as a mechanism enabling company to respond to the industry' wide swings in demand. This also helped companies to successfully maintain their low cost manufacturing position through higher scale of volume. In addition, a full and diversified product line was necessary or companies to gain completive advantage over others. Also, the ability to be a shock absorber provided some companies flexibility and ability to adapt to cyclical downturns more easily than others.Spare parts were much less prone to cyclical downturns and the vast variety of machines In the field provided a baseline of business. Next, heavy Investment In product quality and upgrading programs Like Total Quality Control (ETC) led to higher quality and efficient equipments where research and development programs provided the ability to produce great quality products with the use of new technology to meet customer needs and new trends. Second, dis tribution of high quality products and worldwide service through dealers was another vital factor.Internationally, the MME manufacturers sold through dealers, who provided direct and after-sales service. Although the sales were made direct, it was often the dealers who provided marvelous service to customers. The worldwide network of dealers was very crucial because these dealers were capable of providing service and spare parts backups to customers in no time. Being able to service and repair equipment and supply spare parts anywhere around the globe on a timely manner was a powerful strategy for the construction companies to be nominative.For Instance, 100 Independent dealers handled Comates products and were backed by the company's computerized parts supply system, which guaranteed a replacement part within 48 hours anywhere in the world. Also, the typical overseas 1 OFF were a major marketing asset and a valuable entry barrier in this industry. Third, brand image was another ess ential factor to attract loyal customers and respected dealers. Reputable name for high quality products and services in the construction industry provided the companies a competitive advantage over others. For instance,Caterpillar had built an unmatched reputation for its quality and services in the construction equipments where its loyal network of dealers in North America, Europe and Latin America were the important source of its strength. A survey conducted in the late asses showed that the reputation of a manufacturer and capability of its loyal dealers were the most critical factors that customers would take into consideration when selecting a supplier. With a great reputation and highly loyal network of dealers a manufacturer had a better opportunity to dominate the MME construction industry successfully.As for Caterpillar & Kumquat's nominative position in 1985, Caterpillar was the largest player in the MME industry with a market share of 43% worldwide, while Comates was the second largest player with a market share of 25% worldwide and 60% in their home country Japan. They both face competition from other established players like Clark Equipment, J. J. Case, International Harvester, Fiat-Allis, and John Deere, as well as specialized local players in North America and Europe. Generally, profit margins were substantially higher for parts and attachments than for whole machines.With the benefit of a labor cost advantage relative to U. S. ND European competitors, and of the postwar Japanese construction boom, Comates has managed to focus on extensive advertising, lower price and higher quality of their products to maintain their competitive position. Their products were priced 30% to 40% below the equivalent Cat products, allowing them to increase their market share very promptly; their cost reduction plans consisted in reducing the cost by 10% while still maintaining and improving product quality. Simplification was about reducing the number of parts. Va lue Engineering† re-designed the products to save cost and to increase added value, maintain low-cost ND high productivity. Moreover, Comates noticed that the Japanese domestic construction industry was leveling off in the sass's, and elected to aggressively expand abroad, developing several exclusive dealer networks where it saw potential future growth like in markets like USSR, China, Western Europe, North American, Asia, and Latin America. In Europe, as part of their geocentric strategy, their marketing subsidiary handled distribution and provision of field service.Comates used internal yen/dollar exchange rate to make them more profitable at the worst-scenario rate. In order to better compete against Cat's product line made of more than 120 products, Comates increased their product line as well, always applying total quality control to ensure the highest quality in every aspect of operations, and always making sure to incorporate the latest technology thanks to its own R&D laboratory – since these are some of the key successes factors in the industry – and launched customized lines with focus on markets with needs that were different from the Japanese market.Consumers' confidence was increased by the product's longer durability and double Engel of warranty period compared to Cat's, and by their efficient assistance service networks, another key industry key success. Caterpillar's competitive position in 1985 relied on their huge reputation due to high quality products backed by effective operating 605 branches worldwide, low dependence on debt and excellence at servicing/repairing equipment and supply parts anywhere around the globe and especially locations where these dealers were a major marketing asset and important entry barrier to its competitors.Hence, Caterpillar was able to charge a price premium of up to 20% over competitive products, while maintaining the low cost manufacturing position. Heavy investments were constantly made in R&D to assure product leadership, as well as widespread advertising in specialized magazines like the prominent Engineering News Record, since these are industry key success factors. Manufacturing wise, Cat was highly integrated backward – nearly 90% of its products were substantially the same and parts were made in-house, which facilitated flexibility and quality control.Therefore, their products were sophisticated, durable, reliable, and constantly adapted – they boasted 120 different machines serving almost as many market segments. Enabling all this depended on hiring high quality human capital, who was receiving higher wages than Comates, and who were trained continuously such as having to read newsletters emphasizing the importance of increasing productivity to meet foreign competition. Dealers were regularly taken care of as well: Cat helped them maintain inventory, and conducted regular training programs for them and product demonstrations for their customers .Based on the current state of Caterpillar, specific actions are needed to be taken immediately to help regain some of the sales and profits lost in the last three years. After extensive research, our group's initial recommendation is to not overreact. It is important to realize that this company has had an outstanding amount of success based on its classic strategic position instilled throughout the company of high- quality products and effective service. The company still has a 43% share in the industry and although this figure has dropped in recent years, it is still very respectable.Throughout Caterpillar's entire history, it now has four years where it incurred losses, which would be considered very successful by many companies worldwide. With that said, three of those four years of losses have happened these past three years so some changes are necessary to bring the company back to acceptable amounts of sales and profitability. The first order of business it to eliminate the recent communication issues with our customers. For years our differentiation strategy has led to our products being known for their exceptionally high-quality and reliability.Over the last half of the decade, the disconnection between Caterpillar and their consumers has become alarming. When our major competitor is sending out personnel to specific countries, specifically Australia, in an attempt to better understand their individual needs and create a product to cater to those needs. We have been charging a premium on all of our products and without any real value-added features. A bulldozer in America is the same bulldozer in India and in Australia. To maintain our differentiation strategy, we need to create individual products that cater more to the needs of specific customers.A Comates dealer is quoted as saying â€Å"When you are selling against number one, you need some price advantage. But we tell contractors we can give them 10% more machine for 10% less money. That's not selling price in my book†. That is a clear indication that we to send our employees to the construction sites to find out specifically what they need to succeed. The biggest task for construction companies are managing time. They are forced to meet deadlines and use their resources correctly.We have to take the same mentality, and create products that not only allow them to meet their deadlines in a more efficient way, but for us to utilize our resources in the most appropriate way. One final point to this topic comes from the current global economy we are in. Distressed economies and weak currencies are not likely to buy products eased on reputation alone. Our price premium can be a hindrance to these developing economies and unless we differentiate ourselves with product lines that appeal to their countries needs, it is unlikely they will choose us.Local differentiated products are the key to the future success of our company. The second order of business is to take a good h ard look at our company financial. The most alarming statistic we found was that Caterpillar has to sell $6. 8 Billion dollars a year in products Just to break-even. In 1983, we would have had to command 63% of the market Just to break-even ($6. /$10. 95 – Ex. 1 Comates). Our recommendation would be to reduce the production levels in the U. S. And spread it out across the globe. Although we have reduced the number of facilities in the U.S. In recent years, our current production levels are still too high resulting in high labor costs and foreign exchange issues and ultimately lower profits. The consistency of the company has been great, â€Å"All CAT products were the same, no matter where they were made†. This leads us to believe that the company can see the same type of success it has seen in the past while saving on costs. We have been hurt badly over the last couple of years because 68% of our non-U. S. Sales were manufactured in the U. S. And the U. S. Dollar has appreciated around 40%.This has resulted in our company receiving fewer profit margins in overseas sales, which is a major concern because our margins were much higher in the U. S. Before the recession (20% to 7%). Based on our recommendation, we would utilize the assembly plants we created in years past in countries around the globe and enhance their capabilities. This would allow for Caterpillar to maximize their production levels in certain areas of the world, as well s utilize the first recommendation and customize machinery as it pertains to a certain area of the world.This would not only lower export costs and mitigate foreign exchange risk, but it would also lower our exceptionally high labor rates to a more respectable level. When our labor costs are two-thirds of overall costs of the product, something needs to change. By increasing production in countries such as China, Japan, Indonesia, or India our company could lower the overall cost and gain a much higher margin based on our current differentiation strategy. Lastly, this would help eliminate some of the excess capacity issue the industry is currently experiencing.When the industry was experiencing great times, our capacity levels were less than 75% which could mean two things: either we have the capability to produce more if demand increases or we have too much capacity for the current industry environment. Clearly, we have seen that we had too much extra capacity which has resulted in our closing of ten U. S. Plants. By implementing this recommendation, we can gain more respectable levels of around 95% capacity as we enter the maturity stage of the industry. A third recommendation we would make involves the use of

Love and Family essay

Love and Family essay Love and Family essay Love and Family essayThis book discusses the issue of family love, placing emphasis on the commitment between family members. The author’s main characters are two women and their three children. This book provides an example of the significance of love and trust in family relationships. This source of information can be used in the further research to assess the connection between love and family attitudes.   This source is reliable as many facts are taken from real life situations.This article explores family relations, providing the study of the key differences in love styles among four family life stage groups. The researchers use the Love Attitude Scale to identify differences that exist in family relations between the non-married and married groups. The researchers discuss the love attitudes and family relationship satisfaction at various life stages. This source is reliable and can be used in the further research. This source is a scholarly article that provides much i mportant facts on the issue of love and family relations.In this book, the author tells a story of a young boy’s journey into manhood. Special attention is paid to family relations and the role of family in the life of an individual. The tale of the main character Kikuyu is frustrating, but it demonstrates the significance of human values, family unity and mutual understanding. This source is reliable as the author uses true facts that reflect the identity of African people. The source is objective as the information is supported by historical evidence. The facts are well-documented. The author is a Kenyan writer, who is well-educated to write on this topic. This book can be used in my research as it provides much information on the topic â€Å"Love and Family†.This article explores the important role of father love. The authors assess cultural construction of fatherhood and the effects this construction may have as a motivator for understudying father love. The resear ch is based on demonstration of the powerful impact of father love on children’s development. Special attention is paid to social, emotional, and cognitive development of children and young adults. This scholarly article is reliable and can be used in the further research. The major facts are well-documented. The authors are psychologists and provide much important information of the topic, based on psychological analysis.This book discusses the relationships between parents and their children. The author of the book refers to the Fourth Commandment of God which says, â€Å"Honor thy father and thy mother.†   The author places emphasis on the role of religion in family relations and helps to better understand the nature of love that exists between parents and their children. Religion helps to keep family members together, educate children and prepare them for adulthood. This source of information is reliable and can be used in the further research. The author is qual ified to write on the topic of the role of love in the family. This book is a helpful source as it is focused on the analysis of the required issue.

Critically assess the relevance of self-esteem to achieve a Essay

Critically assess the relevance of self-esteem to achieve a consistently high performance in sport - Essay Example While this may seem easy for some, for most it is a matter of time and practice. Gaining sufficient self-esteem or self confidence normally takes months or years to develop; and this is in general compounded by achievements and fame that separates an individual from his contemporaries or peers. Although some might say that destiny or fate has something to do with having self-esteem, the actual truth is that athletes who excel in their chosen skills have a very supportive group in the person of their respective coaches and family (parents). In relation to the universal theory, self-esteem is likewise perceived from the expectancy value theory that best describes motivation or stimulus as the main result of a person’s personal principle about his or her actions and the importance they place on the consequence of such actions (Pajares, 1996). To make it simpler, the expectancy value theory regarding self-esteem is that an individual performs an action because he or she has a reas on for doing this. As such the result or outcome of the actions which an individual does is anticipated by the doer making it quite valuable and desirable. Hence the drive or motivation is a factor considered by most as the core behind why particular actions or deeds are sometime carried out. In connection to sports, athletes do their best to constantly perform to perfection or always aim to win in a game. The reason or core behind such motivation is that they will eventually achieve self-esteem by being proud of their performance since everybody who has seen them win their game or achieve a high score will praise them, making them adequately confident that they will win the next game again against their rivals or opponents. In most cases, having experiences in sports generally boosts self-esteem. These experiences often have an impact on the psychological and emotional aspects of athletes since sports does not only mean playing the game, but having social interactions with coaches, teammates, sport officials and parents (Health Promotion, 2008). Hence, self-esteem in addition to its theoretical definition is generally defined as the feeling of having self-respect and confidence. Undeniably, when one feels good about himself or herself, he or she is able to perform well and cope up with the stresses of having to win or lose after a game. Being able to deal with winning or losing in sports can have the positive effects: 1) reduced anxiety, 2) an optimistic perception of life, 3) deal with societal pressures, 4) avoid engaging in drugs, and 5) have lesser interpersonal dilemmas (Health Promotion, 2008). However, athletes or children active in sports who possess a pessimistic or negative self-esteem will usually end up engaging in drugs, have eating disorders, are bullied socially and are often depressed (Health Promotion, 2008). The coaches and parents as mentioned earlier play a vital role in the lives of individuals (children or young athletes) who are regular ly engage in sport activities. These people can help improve sports performance since they provide support and encouragement for the development of a skill and help build a positive social perception. A coach-athlete relationship requires shared respect that will aid in the development

Determinants of Job Perfomance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Determinants of Job Perfomance - Essay Example Once the employee possesses the basic requirement of knowledge and skills, the level of performance can be set against the standards provided by the office and, therefore, it becomes a determinant of job performance. According to the explanations by University of Human Resource Services (Feb. 2005), job performance is the kind of expectations for a particular duty of the employee. It is the expected outcome of how the job is to be done. It is the observed behavior of the personnel on how they performed the work assigned to them. Job performance is often described on the basis of results whether it is very satisfactory, satisfactory, unsatisfactory or very unsatisfactory. I believe that knowledge and skills are the primary requirements in determining job performance because it is the regular requirement expected from everyone. Knowledge and skills are the set of common standards and behaviors that are expected from all personnel. For instance, all supervisors or employees are expected to do similar work or everyone in the unit may be expected to perform similarly around several functions, sales agents are expected to make sales for the company, customer service agents or call center representatives are required to respond to customers, and they should have the basic knowledge in performing of what is expected of them. Knowledge and skills are in line with the expectancy theory that is based on the perceived effort relationship. Quick MBA (n.d.) explains work performance is based on past experiences, self confidence and difficulty of the performance goal. Sheridan, Slocum and Byung, (Feb. 1975) concluded in their study that the expectancy theory model is a valid indicator of job performance. When an employee believes that he is working at a significant project is and contributing to its successful completion, he is inspired to work better. Another author, A. Grant (2008), said in his study that the significance of the task increases work performance. This leads m e to conclude that mental ability to understand the work assigned to the employee is an indicator of job performance. Knowledge of the job is further divided into two categories. These are the declarative knowledge, and procedural knowledge. For instance, declarative knowledge includes knowledge of principles, facts, ideas, etc. (Turban, E., and J. Aronson, 1988). This becomes an indicator of job performance because the employee can apply to the work situations his particular knowledge of the principles. A manager should have the ability to see the big picture be able to create innovative ideas. A manager is expected to integrate concepts, apply different solutions, methods and approaches to the day to day operations. A manager thinks horizontally and simultaneously, and knows how to ask and answer questions. He should know how to challenge and to innovate strategies. In the same way, individual personnel are expected to give their utmost skills and competency in the process. As dif ferentiated from declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge is the type of knowledge someone has and demonstrates it by doing the actual job (Wise Geek, n. d.). For instance, as demonstrated in Wise Geek, procedural knowledge is knowing how to do things. In accounting, balancing of accounts has some procedures and is called procedural method that has a