Annotated bibliographies for 3 journal articles Bibliography

Bibliographies for 3 journal articles - Annotated Bibliography Example Annotated bibliographies for 3 journal articles It is time that we take a look at some of the old social issues that still continue to plague us, in a completely new perspective, in order to solve the problem once and for all. This article by Castle gives us an insight into the world of ‘forced migration’ and the effects that it may have had on the social changes that we see around us today. Forced migration may arise from displacements owing to ongoing wars, environmental disasters, ‘failed states’, or, even from ‘developmental projects’, which causes displacement of many people (mainly the poor and ethnic people), and illegal trafficking of men for bonded labour, and women and child for sex exploitation. Such forced migration which had seen an upward surge after the end of the Cold War, has remarkably changed the social demographics of many countries (in the northern hemisphere) in the twentieth century. A large number of immigrating crowds have led to a complete change in the sociological conditions in those host countries. The author in the article explores the main reasons behind these sudden immigrations, which has causes such huge changes in the social demograp hics, in the northern part of the world. The article does a close review of the topic of social transformation that we are seeing today in this globalised world, and links it to the issue of forced migration, which had showed a sudden spurt after the end of Cold War in 1991, with the breakdown of the then USSR, resulting in the supreme reign of USA as the world power.

Wholesalers in the business world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Wholesalers in the business world - Essay Example But they have certainly been around for centuries. The role they have played depended largely on the merchandise or service they represented. â€Å"Wholesaling includes all activities involved in selling goods or services to those who buy for resale or business use (Kotler 532)†. There are three main differences between wholesalers and retailers. Wholesalers are not concerned about the location of their establishment, the ambience or about promotion, because their customers are resellers and not the final consumer. The transactions of wholesalers are usually bigger than retail transactions, and they cover a much larger geographic area. Even governments treat wholesalers differently, in that the tax and legal parameters concerning them are different from those for retailers. As we will see later in this paper, there are different types of wholesalers, providing a variety of services. Some wholesalers provide selling and promoting services. These services complement the functions of manufacturers who cannot attend to these functions themselves for whatever reasons. Sometimes manufacturers are compelled to use these services of wholesalers, as local customers are more prepared to trust a local wholesaler, than some far away manufacturer. Wholesalers offer their customers a wider choice. By representing many manufacturers, they are able to offer customers the wares of all the entities they represent. Sometimes wholesalers buy in bulk, and offer their customer smaller units of a product – quantities that customers cannot buy - by approaching manufacturers directly. Wholesalers also offer inventory holding services and transportation. Wholesalers sometimes render financing services by offering credit terms to their customers. They also assist their customers by providing them market intelligence. In addition, they counsel their customers on such topics as inventory management, operational excellence and store layout and displays. There are

Design and cost analysis to build a 3 storey new offices with construction

Design and cost analysis to build a 3 storey new offices with construction 1.0 INTRODUCTION This report is presenting two vacant sites which are located at Aberdeen City, Grampian (the edge of the city) and the other one at Edinburgh City, Scotland (city centre). This report content is the design and cost analysis to build a 3 storey new offices with construction to start as soon as possible. This new office will be approximately 1,500m ² which included offices, reception area, all ancillary spaces to accommodate staff, a board room to sit 50 and five meeting rooms to sit 10 15 people. The facilities required is air- conditioning offices and CCTV protection, and the proposed construction is steel frame with pitched roof. 1.1 Aim This report is to: Ø Decide whether city centre or outskirts which more suitable for cost saving. Ø Provide an outline cost plan for the project site mentioned. Ø Advice on sustainability aspects of the proposed project. Ø Provide breakdown by comparing few location before any decision taken. Ø Achieve a firm price by looking into the design of the offices. Ø Recommend the strategic location to the client. 2.0 BACKGROUND OF PROPOSED OFFICE BUILDING Proposed 3 storeys high quality offices block together with external works including reception area, a board room to sit 50, five meeting rooms to sit 10 15 people, services, security and CCTV protection and site lighting. Besides, solar heating panels are proposed for this project. Slimdek steel system is selected for frame work with steel pitch roof with aluminium standing seam cladding is proposed. 3.0 BCIS DATA DISTRICT PROFILES Based on BCIS historical data, analysis and the details of selected six (6) similar project of (new office building) are as below: i) Elemental analysis number 24828, A-3-1,253, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including precast concrete and macadam paving, steel mesh fencing, brick walls, landscaping, services, drainage, site lighting, cycle racks and bollards at Wilmslow, Cheshire, Massclesfield. ii) Elemental analysis number 23877, 3-7,600, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including paving, enclosures, landscaping, services, drainage and minor buildings at Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil. 3.0 BCIS DATA DISTRICT PROFILES (Contd) iii) Elemental analysis number 25344, A-3-2,045, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including block paving, fencing, walls, landscaping, services drainage, site lighting, cycle store and bat roost at Banbury, Oxfordshire, Cherwell. iv) Elemental analysis number 25163, A-3 (2) -718, this is 2 and 3 storey office block together with external works including landscaping, services and drainage at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale. v) Elemental analysis number 22434, A-3 (4) -3,887, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including access roads and car parking, landscaping, services, drainage, bin and cycle stores at Oxford, Oxfordshire, Oxford. vi) Elemental analysis number 22437, B-3-6,652, this is 3 storey office block together with external works including macadam and block paving to provide 167 parking spaces, extensive landscaping, services and drainage at Uxbridge, Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon. Item Location Analysis Index/yr quarter Original Cost per m ² ( £) Preliminary (%) Contingency (%) GFA (m ²) /Storey Location Factor 1 Wilmslow, Cheshire, Macclesfield 247 / 2Q2008 1,125.98 21.68 2.93 1,253 / 3 Storey 0.97 2 Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil 221 / 1Q2005 1,607.93 14.52 3.04 7,600 / 3 Storey 0.98 3 Banbury, Oxfordshire, Cherwell 246 / 3Q2008 1,482.95 19.24 1.06 2,045 / 3 Storey 0.99 4 Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale 241 / 2Q2007 1,726.46 16.93 6.88 718 / 3 Storey 1.06 5 Oxford, Oxfordshire, Oxford 195 / 4Q2003 1,211.53 12.53 3,887 / 3 Storey 1.07 6 Uxbridge, Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon 200 / 1Q2004 1,290.13 15.79 0.37 6,652 / 3 Storey 1.15 3.0 BCIS DATA DISTRICT PROFILES (Contd) Note: i) Cost per m ² excluding contingencies. ii) The cost plan of the above 6 projects are enclosed in Appendix (I) and (II) (Analysis 1 and 2). iii) The detail specifications are enclosed in Appendix IV. 4.0 COST PLAN ANALYSIS AND PROPOSAL Based on this report, location factor below 1.00 is considered as outskirt of city and above 1.00 is considered as city centre. One of the BCIS data Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil is banned in this report for analysis and comparison due to the following reason: i. The cost per m ² is too high comparing to others project and the location factor is only 0.98. ii. Many element cost is undefined in details, example floor finishes, wall finishes, ceiling finishes, internal and external doors, roof, etc. iii. The preliminary is only 14.52% of the contract sum (excluding contingencies) compare to others 5 projects. Therefore, this elemental cost is not analytical. Price Design Risk is assumed as 7.0% and contingencies assumed as 2.5% for the two proposed project. 4.1 Element cost adjustment The rational adjustment for element cost as below: i. 2A Frame Proposed steel column and beam frame for this building. This element is cost 5.36% of the project and 2.30% lower if compare with Merthyr Tydfil project. ii. 2C Roof Proposed steel pitched roof with single ply waterproofing membrane for this building. This element is cost 4.43% of the project and 1.44% lower if compare with Merthyr Tydfil project. iii. 2G Internal Wall / Partitions Proposed metal stud and cubicle partitions is because a board room and two meeting room are required by client. iv. 2H Electrical Installation The percentage distribute to this element is 12.43% and is the highest compare to other five projects. Therefore, we proposed to cut down the uses of electricity to this building by 5.97%. 4.2 Cost analysis plan for city centre Edinburgh City, Scotland Refer to the above BCIS data, location factor above 1.00 is Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale, Oxford Oxfordshire, Oxford and Uxbridge, Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon. According to the current cost index of 212 (1Q2010) for the Proposed 3 Storey New Office Block at Edinburgh City and location factor is 1.09. The updated cost per m ² for Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale is  £ 1,561.69, Oxford Oxfordshire, Oxford and Uxbridge is  £ 1,341.77, Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon is  £ 1,296.19. Oxford Oxfordshire, Oxford and Uxbridge and Greater London, London Borough of Hillingdon is not selected because the updated cost per m ² is lower than Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale. The low price for these two areas may be due to the location that nearby the edge of the city and it is unable to achieve a high class office building. However, the updated cost per m ² of  £ 1,561.69 for Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale is selected for budgeting purpose only and this is current cost and not includes construction inflation and interest rates. The current cost limit is  £ 2,322,729 and the projected tender amount is  £ 2,300,817 as apply  £ 1,401.38 as current cost per m ² in analysis 3. 4.3 Cost analysis plan for outskirts of city Aberdeen City, Grampian Refer to the above BCIS data, location factor below 1.00 is Wilmslow Cheshire, Macclesfield, Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil and Banbury Oxfordshire, Cherwell. According to the current cost index of 212 (1Q2010) for the Proposed 3 Storey New Office Block at Aberdeen City and location factor is 0.96. The updated cost per m ² for Wilmslow Cheshire, Macclesfield is  £ 956.47, Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil is  £ 1,510.97 and Banbury Oxfordshire, Cherwell is  £ 1,239.27. Wilmslow Cheshire, Macclesfield and Banbury Oxfordshire, Cherwell is not selected because the updated cost per m ² is lower than Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil. The low price for these two areas may be due to the market condition and the competitive between them make the tender price on lower side for this two projects. Nevertheless, the updated cost per m ² is adjust to  £ 1,510.97 for Merthyr Tydfil Mid Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil is selected for budgeting purpose due to the market condition is buoyant and not competitive that mean the tender price will on high side. The current cost limit is  £ 2,045,718 and the projected tender amount is  £ 2,026,419 as apply  £ 1,234.25 as current cost per m ² in analysis 3. 4.4 Cost comparison for city centre and outskirts of city Based on the cost plan for this 3 storey new office building at Edinburgh City and Aberdeen City, the projected tender amount for 2Q2010 is  £ 2,300,817 and  £ 2,026,419 respectively. The cost between this two distinct is  £ 274,398 or 13.54%. 5.0 SUSTAINABILITY OF BUILDING Building owners, designers and builders face a unique challenge to meet demands for new and renovated facilities that are accessible, secure, healthy, and productive while minimizing their impact on the environment. The main objectives of sustainable design are to avoid resource depletion of energy, water, and raw materials; prevent environmental degradation caused by facilities and infrastructure throughout their life cycle; and create built environments that are livable, comfortable, safe, and productive. In UK, Green Building, also known as green construction or sustainable building, is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a buildings life-cycle: from sitting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction. 5.1 Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emission In UK, annual CO2 emission is 568,520 in thousands of metric tons. Buildings are responsible for more than 70 percent of electricity use; therefore, reducing electricity use in buildings directly affects carbon emissions in electricity production. Therefore, solar panels and heat exchange system are proposed in this project for space heating and air-conditioning. 5.2 Whole life cost of the building Solar energy is renewable and essentially free. There are two factors that influence the amount of money solar panels will save you on your electricity bills: 1) the amount of money you spend on your current electric bill, and 2) the amount of electricity your solar panels will be providing. The demands of solar energy get well known because of the high prices for electricity bill using conventional source. The worldwide of demand for solar energy is greater than its supply. This is due to it will cut energy consumption and pollution sources like they have lower heat loss, less air leakages, warmed window surface that improve comfort and minimize condensation. Automatic lighting and air conditioning control system is proposed, example it will automatic off and / or change to some low voltage lighting after working hour. 6.0 COST SAVINGS PROPOSAL The cost plan is for estimation budgeting only but not final contract sum for this project, so to control the final cost within budget and / or gain additional profit from the saving, the following cost savings for this project are proposed: i. Proposed Slimdek extends the range of cost-effective steel options for modern buildings. Ease of planning and servicing, combined with a reduction in building height, gives significant cost and speed of construction benefits. Slimdek is especially economical for highly serviced buildings. Flexibility of routing services without constraint and the ability to accommodate services between the ribs can lead to substantial savings in the cost of services. ii. Proposed to commence work at month April 10 because the frame work and roof covering able to finish when winter season, this help to save additional cost when construct in winter season, examples heating for curing concrete, protection of new work (concrete and brickwork), etc. This assist contractor to save additional cost and will reflect to overall development cost for client. iii. Solar heating panels is a the usage of solar energy to provide process that depends on the solar radiation, surface area, surface reflectance, surface emissivity, ambient temperature, and thermal convection from wind. 7.0 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO ACHIEVE A FIRM PRICE We required additional information which will have impact on costs in order to prepare a firmer estimation cost as below: i. Ground condition ii. Site topography iii. Site existing structure, accessibility and protection iv Market condition v. Type of contract for the project 8.0 CONCLUSION / RECOMMENDATIONS The quality of the building is more important for offices than for other development like retail. It should provide necessary services and enable flexible sub-division of floor space. While location (address) is important, congestion is reducing efficiency and encouraging out of town office parks. Therefore, Proposed 3 storey office block at Aberdeen City, Grampian instead of Edinburgh City due to the following reasons: i. Based on the comparison, the cost is too high build at city centre, i.e.  £ 274,398 or 13.54% higher rather use the money for upgrade the building quality. ii. Office building is encouraging to build at outskirts of city due to the congestion is reducing efficiency and the quality of office building is more important than location. iii. The land value at Edinburgh City is more expensive compare with Aberdeen City, Grampian. This 3 storey small office cant fully utilize the land value at Edinburgh City. iv. according to CB Richard Ellis, Market View Scottish Office H1 2008, completion of office at Edinburgh City are set peak in 2009 when 611,400 sq ft (56,799 sq m) is anticipated to be delivered mean the market of office development at Edinburgh City is competitive. 9.0 COST PLAN SUMMARY Appendix I Aberdeen City, Grampian (Proposed to develop) Appendix II Edinburgh City, Scotland Note: Each Appendix including Analysis 1, 2 3. Cost comparison for Aberdeen City, Grampian and Edinburgh City, Scotland

Fighting for a Better Health Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fighting for a Better Health   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As of today, America has undergone many issues involving health like diabetes, heart disease, and lung cancer. Many of the health issues are caused by components very well known to us such as pollution, alcohol, drugs, sexually-transmitted diseases, and so forth. Little was known about the fact that food, being an important necessity for human life, has started America’s major epidemic among children and teens -- obesity. With more than 50 million youths attending schools everyday (HHS 1), it’s scary to think of the fact that three-fourths of the adolescents don’t eat a healthy diet. In order to fight against the trend of obesity, we must take action with methods to reduce the rate in which obesity is growing among adolescents. The voice of the people has already gotten government officials working together with school and state officials to develop ways to reverse the trend of obesity in teens starting with schools. With one out of seven students being obese (Brownlee 1), high schools are the main targets to fight obesity. For this reason, government nutrition inspectors sought to find out what America’s children were eating; to their surprise, they found that the majority of students only consumed high calorie snacks and chips along with a high volume of carbonated drinks rather than the school cafeteria lunch. The foods that are consumed by the students have lower nutritional values than that of the government standards. Several students were asked why they would eat low nutrition foods other than that of the cafeteria; many said it’s because of the long lunch line while others responded that the cafeteria food tasted horrible. Nicole Talbott, a student from Fremont High in Oakland, Califor nia, said, â€Å"Lunch for me is chips, soda, maybe a chocolate ice cream taco. Everyday, just about the same thing. That’s all I eat – the bad stuff† (Egan 1). â€Å"Most of it’s a time issue,† â€Å"claims Mary Ann Weber, assistant director for the division of Child Nutrition Services for the Ohio Department of Education.† â€Å"Kids don’t want to stand in line† (Vail 2). Through my experiences in high school, I remember that many students don’t have the patience to wait their whole lunchtime in line, especially when several schools on... ... 2002: 1+.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  SIRS Researcher. SIRS Knowledge Source. San Bernardino   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Valley Coll. Lib., San Bernardino. 22 Sept 2002   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  . Kiefer, Francine. â€Å"Bush Joins New War: Battle of Bulge.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Christian Science Monitor 20 June 2002: 1+.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  SIRS Researcher. SIRS Knowledge Source. San Bernardino   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Valley Coll. Lib., San Bernardino. 27 Sept 2002   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  . Khoo, Adrianna. â€Å"Food for Thought: What Parents Can Do To   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prevent Childhood Obesity.† Children’s Advocate   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Newsmagazine Mar/Apr 2001: 1+. SIRS Researcher. SIRS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Knowledge. San Bernardino Valley Coll. Lib., San   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bernardino. 27 Sept 2002 . Vail, Kathleen. â€Å"Insert Coins In Slot.† American School   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Board Journal Feb 1999: 28-31. SIRS Researcher. SIRS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Knowledge Source. San Bernardino Valley Coll. Lib.,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  San Bernardino. 23 Sept 2002 .

Can One Be Moral and Not Believe in God? Essay

The argument set forth is best understood by the first line given by Hamlet in Act 3, Scene 1 in this 1600 play, â€Å"Hamlet,† written by William Shakespeare (1600). â€Å"To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Believing in a spiritual entity or a supernatural supreme being can play a role in one’s moral beliefs, but it is not necessary. The argument will start with breaking down what it is to be moral with the definition of moral, which is â€Å"of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior,† (ethically speaking) â€Å"conforming to a standard of right behavior.† (Merriam-Webster, 2011) With that in mind now, one can be moral and not believe in GOD, because it is up to the person to choose to be moral, hence â€Å"To be, or not to be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This argument will consist of a brief history in a few religions, church and state, moral education, ethics, and Plato’s and Aristotle’s take on living morally. Again, believing in God is not necessarily needed for one to be moral; all that is needed is good ethics, belief in oneself, and knowledge. The origin of religion, experts think, arose from the fear and wonder of natural events (i.e. storms, earthquakes, and the how babies were born). Experts believe that the explanations of death were the outcome of supernatural powers greater than one’s self and the world around them. Religious activities, prehistorically, involved the most essential elements of existence, like adequate rainfall and or a successful hunt for food. Prehistoric people were also believed to have performed rituals intended for good fertility of women, for animals, and for succeeding in hunting as well as making sacrifices for all good fortune. The major religions of today may have been originated between 1500 B.C. and A.D. 600. (Fontaine, 2011) As time progressed, there came a new understanding with religion being involved in one’s life. The justification by faith, the actions of an individual can be justified by their faith as it assists moral goodness and faithfulness to duty. Through Christianity, Christ died for their sins to sit before God’s judgment in their place so that they cannot be found guilty. As an example of justification by faith, believers are led to be more loving towards God, their neighbors and to do good works. For instance, treat others the way you would like to be treated. The understandings of justification by faith, good acts towards others, are justified by people using their faith as justification for their actions. (Edwards, 2011) Religion also has a code of conduct, a set of moral teachings and values to uphold when conducting the business of living. From these morals and values, one should treat others how one would like to be treated, whom one may marry, what jobs may be held, how to dress, and what foods may be eaten. (Fontaine, 2011) Now let us look at church and state. The understanding of church and state is that each should not be involved in the others development. In other words, government should operate non-religiously and churches should operate outside the boundaries of the government system. This was disagreed by many, because many believed that religion improves the moral character of citizens and should be actively promoted by government. Many others believed that government should support and fund some religious activities so long as any religion is not favored over another. From these oppositions, arose intense debates in the United States of America for issues involving prayer in public schools, government funding for religious schools, government support for religious charities, and the display of religious symbols on government property. (Ivers, 2011) The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees that â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibit the free exercise thereof†¦.† Freedom of religion is still an issue today, for it is interpreted by many court rulings â€Å"that the government may not promote or give any special treatment to any religion.†(Morgan, 2011) Plans, which called for government financial aid for religious schools have been denied and courts have ruled it unconstitutional to many programs to teach the  Bible and or recite prayers in public schools. Yet, church and state are not totally separate, because (1), many of the nation’s people are Christians, (2), the nation’s motto is â€Å"In God We Trust,† (3), sessions of Congress open up in prayer, (4), witnesses in court swear oaths on the Bible, and (5), Christians governed the United States since its existence. (Morgan, 2011) Moving along, morality in both religion and government is a major concern and work together when and if their moral goals desired are with the same intentions. It, of course, is the exact opposite when both entity’s desires and views of morality are different, like the belief in abortion. Where religiously it is viewed as morally wrong and governmentally allowed in some states. Moral education is focused on what is right and what is wrong to develop the standard values by which people judge what is important, worthwhile, and good. Moral education is received from many angles of sources one may encounter, beginning with their family, church, friends, teachers, and television. Moral education lessons were given in schools either intentionally or unintentionally in the United States in the 1970’s by developing special teaching methods in assistance with dealing with moral questions. These methods if given in a combination approach were called comprehensive moral education. Inculcation was the effort to teach values which educators believed to lead moral behavior to children. Values in moral behavior such as honesty, compassion, justice, and respect for others were taught by appropriate praise and punishment and reflected in whichever desired value in the teacher’s behavior. Values clarification was designed to assist in developing one’s own values and morals by stress setting goals, choosing thoughtfully from alternatives, and acting on their own convictions. Moral development assisted in the development in the abilities to judge moral questions. That which is based on the theory that moral reasoning progresses from lower to higher stages in people: (1) self-interest, (2) seeking approval of others, (3) to following rules, (4) respecting the rights of others, and so on to where opposing laws of society if it conflicts with moral principles that are even higher. An example of moral  development would be putting one in a moral dilemma with a question like, â€Å"Would you steal to feed your starving family?† or allow the principles of fairness and justice up to the students to govern. Lastly, value analysis teaches the application of logical and scientifically investigative techniques to matters involving values, where the importance of exploring, gathering, and evaluating facts and logically made decisions are highly stressed. (Kirschenbaum, 2011) Opposition to the teaching of moral education in schools believes it is a matter for the family and church to handle. In addition to their argument, it takes necessary time away from what should be taught in class, like reading, writing, and mathematics. In surveys though, parents have indicated that some forms of moral education in schools are needed. Their argument is that families need help in teaching moral behaviors consistent with values such as hard work, honesty, fairness, cooperation, tolerance, and respect. (Kirschenbaum, 2011) All these values are built from character education including responsibility and caring. The goal, which was set forth here, was to develop a more responsible and caring society by implementing and emphasizing on such programs dealing with ethics and responsibility. The core basis in character education has to be established for it to be integrated into schools and in the community. Character education is introduced in early grades, which emphasizes on behavior skills and in later grades, which involves topics such as reducing prejudice and resolving conflicts. These character education programs have been widespread throughout the United States to nonprofit organizations, universities, and school districts; thus giving all these organizations strategies on how to effectively incorporate character education into their curriculums. Building character comes with ethical choices. â€Å"Ethics is a branch of philosophy that attempts to help us understand which ways of life are worth following and which actions are right or wrong. Ethics addresses questions of right and wrong using reason rather than faith or tradition.† (Hunt, 2011) Upholding high ethical standards can be complicated, because some decisions are difficult to make. For example, Joe has been in-trusted with  a secret from a friend, John, that he stole some money from another friend. Thinking about doing the right thing, Joe realizes their friendship can be jeopardized, because Joe and John are closer than the other friend is. Keeping the secret though, can damage Joe’s integrity and his moral values. Conflicting thoughts can be very difficult to comprehend which direction to take. Ethical theories have been made to direct a person in making the right choice and they also guide us when and where conflicting ideas apply and do not apply. Ancient ethical theorists such as Plato and Aristotle are two influential thinkers who have brought order into thinking about ethical problems. They have defined a sort of life that is worth living and the sort of people who can live such lives. (Hunt, 2011) Plato believes that wisdom, courage, temperance or self-control, and justice are virtues that one should have. Plato has also acknowledged that wisdom is the most important of these virtues, for it is the knowledge of what is truly good. Having this wisdom will direct one to do what is right and this will bring harmony to them, thus building the virtue of justice. Plato wrote a book, which described the life and death of a man who understood goodness, his teacher Socrates. Both believed that people did not know how to be moral, because they did not have the knowledge of moral ideas to act morally. Plato’s ethical theory is based on the belief that one desires happiness and that moral virtue can bring that happiness within the soul of a person; resulting in a healthy state of the soul. (Soll, 2011) Aristotle, Plato’s student, had similar beliefs, but added more traits needed to live a moral life. â€Å"These traits are friendliness, generosity, gentleness, truthfulness, and wit.† (Soll, 2011) He believed in one trait that brings out all of the virtues discussed, which he called phronesis, meaning prudence or good judgment; the ability to know what one should do by figuring out what choices would direct one to lead a good life. The study of practical knowledge, knowledge that enables people to act properly and live happily, Aristotle argued that people do this to find their function in life. Function like how one’s eye functions, which is to see; believing that a happy life is governed by reason. Believing also that moral virtue is finding the medium between the extremes, example, â€Å"the virtue of  generosity is the mean between stinginess and wastefulness.† (Soll, 2011) From these two ancient theorists, the belief of ethics differs from modern ethical theories. The difference is ancient ethics related a theory of normal life and offered no solutions to the dilemmas facing very critical decisions. Like the example of Joe’s dilemma. There were no rules or guides set in assisting us in making those difficult choices, whereas modern ethics is a theory of life in crisis. Modern ethics is directed towards helping one sort out the conflicting reasons for different choices of action to take. It also assists one’s decision-making in which, one will choose which reasons that hold more value and which ones hold lesser value. Modern ethics involve considerations of benefits and of obligations. Joe might feel obligated to keep John’s, a close friend, secret and what benefits will arise from him not keeping his considered obligation, like closer ties with the other friend, who is not a thief. Modern theorists have reached the conclusion that giving equal importance to both obligations and benefits is difficult. They have also divided its ethical theory into two chains of thought: (1) deontology, holding what really matters (ethically) and to what obligations one has, (2) teleology, claims to what really matters in which, one’s actions or policies would best benefit the people. (Hunt, 2011) In conclusion, to live as righteous as one can be, does not need GOD or a supreme supernatural being to do so; even though many of the teachings of how to live morally consists of values of spiritually related beliefs, building character comes with ethical choices. These choices develop or build one’s personal strength in believing in one to do right as to wrong by educating on and building knowledge of moral values to which ethic standards one wants to live by. Again, moral education, ethics, and belief in one’s self to do what is right are all one needs to live morally without GOD. â€Å"To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Shakespeare, 1600) References Edwards, M. U. (2011). Luther, Martin. Web: World Book. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from World Book Encyclopedia Ashford University. Fontaine, C. R. (2011). Religion. Web: World Book. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from World Book Encyclopedia Ashford University. Hunt, L. H. (2011). Ethics. Web: World Book. Retrieved August 25, 2011, from World Book Encyclopedia Ashford University. Ivers, G. (2011). Church and State. Web: World Book. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from World Book Encyclopedia Ashford University. Kirschenbaum, H. (2011). Moral education. Web: World Book. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from World Book Encyclopedia Ashford University. Merriam-Webster. (2011). Moral. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/. Morgan, R. E. (2011). Freedom of religion. Web: World Book. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from World Book Encyclopedia Ashford University.

Nowadays corporate governance

Nowadays corporate governance is seen as the key of attracting investors. Capital flow seems directed towards the companies, which practice fair and transparent ways of governing their organizations. With the changing global business scenario the need of understanding and effective practice of fair and technologically advance corporate governance has also increased. In my speech I will first explain the notion of Corporate Governance. ICAEW (2002) has explained corporate governance in a very effective and comprehensive manner as â€Å" Corporate governance is commonly referred to as a system by which organizations are directed and controlled. It is the process by which company objectives are established, achieved and monitored. Corporate governance is concerned with the relationships and responsibilities between the board, management, shareholders and other relevant stakeholders within a legal and regulatory framework.† Sir Adrian Cadbury (1992) defined corporate governance as ‘the whole system of controls, both financial and otherwise, by which a company is directed and controlled’. There are no hard and fast rules for corporate governance, which can be prescribed for all the countries. These rules can be different for different countries according to their needs and cultural settings. According to ICAEW (2002) with all the contrasts present in the rules and regulations of different countries emphasis is given to generic corporate governance principles of responsibility, accountability, transparency and fairness. Responsibility of directors who approve the strategic direction of the organization within a framework of prudent controls and who employ, monitor and reward management. Accountability of the board to shareholders who have the right to receive information on the financial stewardship of their investment and exercise power to reward or remove the directors entrusted to run the company. Transparency of clear information with which meaningful analysis of a company and its actions can be made. The disclosure of financial and operational information and internal processes of management oversight and control enable outsiders to understand the organization. Fairness that all shareholders are treated equally and have the opportunity for redress for violation of their rights. According to Meigs et al. (1999) this information meets the needs of users of the information-investors. Creditors, managers, and so on-and support many kinds of financial decision performance evaluation and capital allocation, among others. (P.07) Corporations resolutely focus on maximizing profits and a ‘legal obligation to act in the best interests of their shareholders. By and large, this excludes acting ethically or socially responsibly†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(Slapper and Tombs, 1999). (Shah, 2002) states that some Trans-national corporations make more in sales than the GDPs (Gross Domestic Product) of many countries. In fact, of the 100 hundred wealthiest bodies, 51 percent are owned by corporations. While this can be seen as a success story from some viewpoints, others suggest that these and other large corporations are largely unaccountable for the many social and environmental problems that they leave in their wake, and that their size means that their effects are considerable. It is not that every single corporation is inherently bad or greedy, but commonly, the very large, multinational corporations who naturally have vested interests in international development and trade policies (like any group) are able to deploy enormous financial resources in an attempt to get favorable outcomes. The political power that is therefore held by such a small number of people impacts the planet significantly. As a result a few of these corporations make up some of the most influential sources of political and economic power. Naturally, with such influence it is not clear   ‘who’ the regulator is. And as Clarkson’s (1999) earlier quote suggests money and power, in corporate activity, are paired. And where profit supersedes safety and power supersedes regulation there stands the conflict of interests, for the victims of corporate crime. These are for the most part neither wealthy nor powerful although, when they are liability is certainly applied copiously. For example in the case of Enron the former chief accounting officer, Richard Causey was indicted on charges of ‘ fraud, conspiracy, insider trading, lying to auditors and money laundering for allegedly knowing about or participating in a series of schemes to fool investors into believing Enron was financially healthy’ (findlaw.com). The ‘victims’ in this case were the investors who were identifiable and influential. Violations, which impact on financial systems, are subject to more scrupulous legislative administration, compared with social infringements (snider 1991 cited in Slapper and Tombs 1999:89). Increased attention to corporate crime would mean relating to large companies as ‘criminals’ (Slapper and Tombs, 1999). An issue, (Sullivan, 1995 cited in Clarkson, 1998) renders impossible on the basis that ‘crimes can only be committed by human, moral agents’. Media attention will focus on financial aspects of corporate crime due to its impact on a political scale and the sensational-factor that is the ‘respectable’ figures committing crime as well a the belief/knowledge that ‘scandal sells’. Scandal, is common reference for this financial aspect but noting the influence of language Slapper and Tombs (1999) note that this sets a’ scale’ for perceptions, rendering it uncommon/unusual. Another scale, which has been set in the last few decades, is the increasing complains of the least risk disclosure by the companies in their annual reports and financial statements. This is also accompanied by the misuse of the accounting techniques by the executive officers and managers of the corporations. As in case of Enron the technique of off balance sheet reporting was used in negative manner. Investors are often aware of the risks they take and in itself, off-balance-sheet financing is no vice. Companies can use it in perfectly legitimate ways that carry little risk to shareholders. The trouble is that while more companies are relying on off-balance-sheet methods to finance their operations, investors are usually unaware that a company with a clean balance sheet may be loaded with debt — until it is too late. (Morgenson, 2001) A change is required in the regulations. The accounting firm should not perform the consulting and auditing services both. The Companies should be required by the Government to increase their degrees of disclosure. The top-level management should be held more responsible by tightening up the regulations. They should also be held responsible in case of any frauds and regulatory violations of their subordinates. This in turn will give rise to the sense of responsibility in the people related at all levels. (Hanson, 2002) References Cadbury Sir Adrian, (1992). Report of the Committee on the Financial Aspects of Corporate Governance, Gee & Co Ltd., UK Clarkson, Max (Editor), The Corporation and Its Stakeholders: Classic and Contemporary Readings, University of Toronto Press, 1998. ICAEW, (2002). What is Corporate Governance? Institute of   Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Retrieved 30/10/2007 from Hanson, K., (2002). Lessons from the Enron Scandal, interview about Enron by Atsushi Nakayama, a reporter for the Japanese newspaper Nikkei, March 5, 2002, Retrieved 30/10/2007 from http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/ethicalperspectives/enronlessons.html ICAEW, (2002). Corporate governance developments in the UK, Institute of  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Retrieved 30/10/2007 from Meigs, Robert F., Williams, Jan, R., Haka, Susan F. & Bettner, Mark S., (1999). Accounting: The Basis for Business Decisions, Eleventh Edition, Irwin Mc Graw-Hill, p. 07 Moregenson, G., (2001). Are New Woes Lurking in Financial Nether World? The Associated Press, December 23, 2001, Retrieved 30/10/2007 from http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar/New_Home_Page/articles/isthisdebt.htm Slapper, G.,   & Tombs, S., Longman, (1999). Getting Away with Murder, Corporate Crime, Reviewed by Chris Moore, Issue 47, May 2000 Shah, A., (2002). Corporations and the Environment, Page Last Updated Saturday, May 25, 2002, Retrieved 30/10/2007 from               

Spanish Conquest essays

Spanish Conquest essays On November 8, 1519 Hernan Cortez landed in the great city of Mexico accompanied by six hundred Spaniards and a great amount of native allies. Cortezs arrival in Mexico City was welcomed by the friendly Aztec people, who mistakenly believed that Cortez was one of their gods, Quetzalcoatl, who was characterized by light skin, red hair, and light eyes. They were willing to share all their wealth and happiness with the Spaniards, but the Spaniards wanted more than what the Aztecs were willing to share, they wanted to rule their beautiful land. As Cortez and his men became more familiar with the land the realized that the Aztecs were less amendable than they thought. Hernan Cortez became determined to conquer the whole kingdom. The Spaniards were coarse, ignorant of local customs, and rude. Hernan and his men tried to convert the Aztecs to Christianity, but the Aztecs did not understand the language so many were brutally killed or enslaved by the Spanish. It didnt stop there though, the Spanish were killing Aztecs by the thousands, sometimes just for the fun of it. They brought down the Aztec Empire and brutally murdered their people with war and European diseases, such as smallpox. A large portion of the Aztec culture was destroyed in the battles they fought with the Spaniards. The Spanish had no right to destroy their whole population as well as their history, the Aztecs did not know of weapons or armor, they werent immune to small pox, and they devoted polytheist as well. The Spanish although outnumbered, had the technological advantage of steel weapons, armor, horses, and cannon. Upon his arrival in Tenochtitln, Cortez was initially welcomed and treated well, in part because the Aztec may have thought him to be a God. Soon Cortez decided to capture the Aztec ruler named Montezuma and held him hostage for a vast treasure in gold. The fighting was fierce, now both sides were clamoring for the blood...

E-mail-Whats Good About It essays

E-mail-What's Good About It essays The introduction of e-mail is by far one of the greatest things since sliced bread. E-mail has enabled us to be more efficient at work, home, and play. Before we were blessed with e-mail, we were reduced to using phone, fax or postage to communicate. All of these ways were very costly. E-mail saves us money on stamps, stationary, and phone bills. It is definitely quicker than using our current air and land mail system. On my job I am requires to read my E-mail daily. My higher headquarters is in Alabama and I am in Louisiana. It is much easier to reach them through E-mail than by telephone. If I call and no one is available to answer the phone because of meetings, I know that I can send an E-mail and when the recipient returns to the office and check their E-mail, my message will be there. It has been my experience that I get a faster response when I e-mail. Sometimes when I have called and got an answering machine, I was told that the message was never received, this dont happen with E-mail because I am notified when the message has been received by the person I sent it to. I am retired from the Army and have many friends all over the world. My husband has just returned from a year long deployment in Afghanistan. Sometimes using a telephone was nearly impossible, but I received e-mails messages from him on a daily basis. This by itself saved me many hours of worrying about his safety after hearing news reports of enemy activity in the area where he was assigned. I have other friends still deployed in E-Mail-Whats good About It 2 defense of our country. We communicate as much as possible through E-mail. I am able to help keep them motivated with my constant E-mails of encouragement Of, course I use E-mail sometimes purely for my enjoyment. I receive a variety of E-mails from friends with something to simply make me laugh. We are ...

ESL Lesson Plan - Present Perfect Simple and Continuous

ESL Lesson Plan - Present Perfect Simple and Continuous Students often confuse the present perfect and present perfect continuous. This lesson employs an imaginary biography to get students asking questions and speaking about completed accomplishments (present perfect) and duration of activity (present perfect continuous). The main difference between the present perfect and present perfect continuous that students need to acquire is the difference between the amount of time the current activity has been in progress, and the amount of activity that has been done. In the first case, we use the present perfect continuous to express how long the current activity has been going on. In the second case, use the present perfect to express how many or how much has been accomplished. These guides on how to teach the present perfect continuous and how to teach the present perfect can help with further exercises and teaching suggestions. Aim Correct use of present perfect and present perfect continuous, contrasted with simple past Activity Use of an imaginary chart of life events to elicit questions and answers using both the present perfect and present perfect continuous, as well as the simple past Level Intermediate Outline Review the present perfect and present perfect continuous with the class. Focus on the difference between present perfect to express an amount finished up to the present moment (Ive read three books by Hemingway), and the present perfect continuous to express the duration of the current activity (Shes been reading for three hours).Ask students to take a look at the sentences in exercise 1 and decide if they are correct or incorrect.Make a point of discussing the use of BOTH the present perfect and present perfect continuous with common verbs such as live, work, play, drive, etc.Ask students to read the life chart of John Anderson.Have students pair up and use the question cues. Ask students to use the present perfect continuous when asking about the duration of an activity.To check if students are doing the activity correctly, ask the students to write out the questions once they have finished. John Anderson: VIP 0Born 1954 6Started school 12Started magazine delivery service 13Started playing tennis 15Hired four other boys for magazine delivery service 17Sold magazine delivery service for $20,000 17Went to Harvard Business School 18Won New York State tennis championship 19Started Supersoft software company with roommate 20Sold Supersoft for $400,000 21Graduated with honors from Harvard 22Received Masters of International Business from Yale 23Started work for Brown and Bran Inc. in New York City 25Married first wife, Josine 26First son born, Josh 26Promoted to Vice President of International Sales 27Won New York Business Clubs International Businessman Award 28Left Brown and Bran Inc. 28Started New Media Associates Inc. in New York City 29Divorced Josie 30Won New Business Innovation award 31Met and married second wife, Angela 32Second son, Philip, born 33Won over-thiry tennis tournament of New York City

Lab report about prism spectrometer Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

About prism spectrometer - Lab Report Example Those colors emanated from the, white, Hydrogen and Mercury light sources. The main objective of carrying out this study on prisms is to learn the aspects of prism spectrometer theory so as to enhance the ability of explaining the practicability of its components. This was mainly achieved through observation of the mercury spectrum discharge lamp while taking subsequent angle of deviation records regarding the spectral lines. This hence creates the capability of determining the refraction index of the given glass prism for a number of wavelengths. It also gives insights on how to utilize the calibrated prism for the ultimate measurement of unknown wavelengths. Finally, it enables one to make a general observation regarding color sensation that is caused by the prevailing light of specific wavelengths. The main tool that is used in this lab experiment is the spectroscope. This is an instrument that is used for production an ultimate viewing of spectra. It is often comprised of three main parts that includes; a collimator for production of parallel light beams, a prism that is majorly responsible for light dispersion towards the spectrum, and the telescope that is ultimately meant for spectrum examination (GutieÃŒ rrez-Vega, Julio et.at, 2007). When there is transmission of light beam from air to the glass, the bending of the ray occurs with accordance to the Snells law. Therefore this can be summarized by an equation that is stated as sin q air = n sin q glass; whereby the subsequent measurement of subsequent angles is done on the normal surface in which n refers to the refraction index of the entire glass. The refraction index is hence a dimension-less value and is simply a clear measurement of the intensity in which the medium can bend light. The increase in the size of n is directly proportional to the increased bending of light. The usual refractive index of air is always 1. For a glass, n often varies from the value of between 1.3 and 1.8,

Comparing people income with college degrees and people without Research Paper

Comparing people income with college degrees and people without college degrees - Research Paper Example Carmel, Stanley, Nolan, and Young support this observation and identify a positive correlation between education level and income among individuals (67-77). While Sedat acknowledges a similar relationship between the variables, his study did not identify a significant relationship (62-72), a position that Lin, Gao, Zhuang, and Chen reiterate (n.p.). Wells however identifies a significant relationship between education level and income with economic independence (13-21) and the study seeks to ascertain validity of the proposed relationship. Academic qualification is one of the determinants in employment and dictates people’s positions. This suggests a relationship with income that also varies with type of job and an individual’s position in an organization. The study proposes to ascertain significance of proposed relationship between education level, whether a person has a degree or not, and level of income. The study will use data from Infoplease to obtain average income for a person with a degree across years and average income for a person without a degree across respective years. Test of hypothesis for difference between means will then be used to determine existence difference between the two secondary means and a significant difference would mean that education level affect income. Lin, Jing, et al. â€Å"Exploring correlation between education level, income level, and job satisfaction in Gippsland.† Agribusiness Gippsland. N.d. Web. August 21, 2013. . Sedat, Gumus. â€Å"Investigating the relationship between the quality of education and level of educational attainment in Turkish provinces.† International Journal of Education Reform 21.1 (2012): 62-72. Wells, Ryan. â€Å"Education’s effect on income inequality: A further look.† California Centre for Population Research. N.d. Web. August 21, 2013.

A Church as One of the Important Foundations of Community Literature review - 2

A Church as One of the Important Foundations of Community - Literature review Example The culture of consumerism, according to Brooks (2), is the main problem that has undermined the biblical model. Communities frequently view the classical church as archaic or oppressive. As a result, the church is viewed by the public as a provider of religious services only. Furthermore, churches of different congregations have come to inventing multiple creative ways of attracting people to them – attracting new ‘clients’, just like it happens in the corporate world. Churches compete among themselves to offer the most attractive array of programs to potential ‘clients’. People, in their turn, are free to move from one church to another depending on their individual needs or preferences. As a result, they do not form a single community of believers, because their interests and activities may be scattered across a wide array of different programs offered by different churches. So, the biblical discipline should be enforced in order for the communitie s to become more united. First of all, and it should be among the tasks of the church, it is necessary to deliver to the people the need for unity. Knowledge, intelligence and virtues are the foundation for making the church a community consolidation institute, instead of just a temporary community of parishioners (Hauerwas). Public and private moralities, as Stanley Hauerwas suggests, should be united in order for people to change their perception of churches. The society has to realize the very nature of the church as an institution.

E-Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

E-Business - Essay Example When it comes to business to business e-commerce, there is more to selling and profit making. The strategy is relationship driven. B2B businesses use marketing to inform different companies in the target market because the verdict to procure is typically a multi-step procedure involving more than an individual. For example, the aim of an email campaign for B2B is to make prospects to the net to find out more about ones goods and services. The sharing of educational and awareness business activities strengthens a business’s position in the market. The most difficult challenge in e-commerce is the issue on privacy. As much as online marketing and shopping sites have increased its private policies, it is becoming extremely tasking to be to deal with privacy issue. For a long time, hacking cases have hit major companies like the Master card and McDonalds which compromise data safety. To curb this, it is recommended to provide consumers with an easy way to comprehend private policy so as to, know what to share and with whom. This also provides the consumer with the knowledge of the depth of information they should share (Fletcher, Bell and McNaughton,

Cooperative Learning Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cooperative Learning - Research Proposal Example This may be due to the fact of clashing personalities and possession of strong ideas that may be hard to reconcile with others. In this regard, cooperation is hailed as a fundamental concern, not only of the educators but also in both local and global organization perspectives (Slavin, R. et al., 1985) The purpose of this paper is to present and exemplify some possible solutions that address to the emerging problem in the aspect of cooperation, as well as to cite possible ways in order to enhance the so-called cooperative learning among members of a team, group, an organization, or the stakeholders in general. "We are intelligent, but an intelligent human alone in the forest would not survive for long" (Slavin, 1985, p. 5). This quoted line from Robert E. Slavin (1985) exemplified the essence of cooperation with other individuals living in the society. In this manner, there must be a need to develop one's skills to cooperate and socialize with other human beings. Nevertheless, conflicts are also inevitable in due course of human group interaction. This may be due to the individual characteristics that could affect group interaction.

Project Management for Body Shop Products through Online Channels Research Paper

Project Management for Body Shop Products through Online Channels - Research Paper Example As to retail their strategies they believe in their stores instead of franchise marketing, however, however, an expansion of online shopping strategy may be a requirement for Body Shop as most of the international market is now shrinking into online shopping which is becoming a preference for most customers. Also, there are many websites selling similar products online. Websites do drag a number of customers because of their online marketing. For expanding their brand image and selling possibilities, Body Shop may opt for involving online, print and media marketing strategies which are supposed to provide uplift in the popularity and information of Body Shop and its products. They must also be keen to provide proper investments to online marketing strategies. Key Strategies for Market Expansion Over the last years most of the sale had been targeted to local natives buying from stores. Now, as the online sales have come under main suppositions, Body Shop has to focus on advertising th ough various print and media options enhancing the traffic on their websites. They have to understand that it is surprisingly rare for people to say that IT technology causes project failure or major difficulties, but it is usually project management - or a lack of it - that causes the grief (Roberts). Thus, a proper marketing strategy applied for marketing online, may require a project that bring a new brand image alive. There are a number of key points to be included in project: Body Shop has to look for establishing various hoardings and banners to drag the attentions of passersby and residents maintaining their range and facility to provide their products in the shortest period of time and within an economical range. For enhancing the range through online retailing, Body Shop has to generate their marketing websites including very minute detailing of their products attached with various online visual advertisements focusing the quality, key factors of their products and ease of their services. They also have to rebuild their content stressing their past records and their new strategies. Content is very important because it is chief factor to drag customers attention while online marketing has become a significant part of the marketing mix in many organizations (An introduction to Internet Marketing). To expose their products to new buyers, they have to including numerous options of news papers and magazines that will make their new strategies to expand through print advertisements. For expanding their range of delivery Body Shop have to include more representatives particularly for their online management. Over the recent analysis, Body Shop has to realize that scenario of market has drastically changed after 2005. Previously, most of the customers using Body Shop products were regular customers depending chiefly on their reliable shops and retail store. However, experimental nature is now quite common among the customers. Also there are many random custom ers who believe in ‘giving a try’ to numerous products. Therefore, Body Shop has to design its further planning and managements according to new definitions clientele and market scenarios. Key Plans for Managing the Reformation There are a number of steps to be taken in order to accomplish the renovation of overall market strategies of Body Shop. Even if they have to pay attention to common

Cooperative Learning Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cooperative Learning - Research Proposal Example This may be due to the fact of clashing personalities and possession of strong ideas that may be hard to reconcile with others. In this regard, cooperation is hailed as a fundamental concern, not only of the educators but also in both local and global organization perspectives (Slavin, R. et al., 1985) The purpose of this paper is to present and exemplify some possible solutions that address to the emerging problem in the aspect of cooperation, as well as to cite possible ways in order to enhance the so-called cooperative learning among members of a team, group, an organization, or the stakeholders in general. "We are intelligent, but an intelligent human alone in the forest would not survive for long" (Slavin, 1985, p. 5). This quoted line from Robert E. Slavin (1985) exemplified the essence of cooperation with other individuals living in the society. In this manner, there must be a need to develop one's skills to cooperate and socialize with other human beings. Nevertheless, conflicts are also inevitable in due course of human group interaction. This may be due to the individual characteristics that could affect group interaction.

Black Death Cause and Effect Essay Example for Free

Black Death Cause and Effect Essay The Bubonic Plague or the Black Death has been in the history books since the medieval times. This deadly disease has claimed nearly 1. 5 million lives in Europe (Gottfried). The Black Death hit Europe in October of 1347 and quickly spread through most of Europe by the end of 1349 and continued on to Scandinavia and Russia in the 1350s. Not only did the plague effect the European population by killing one-third to two-thirds (Gottfried), it also hurt the social and economic structures of every European society. How it spread The Black Death actually first appeared in the Himalayan region around 1250 AD. There are several theories as to how the disease made its way to Europe. One theory is that since the plague is transmitted from a bite of a flea, that fleas that lived on marmots that were indigenous to the region were the original transporters (Clay,1). The first recorded appearance of the plague in Europe was at Messina, Sicily in October of 1347. It was believed to have arrived on trading ships that came from the Black Sea, past Constantinople and through the Mediterranean (Gottfried). This route was used to bring import items such as silks and porcelain, which were carried overland to the Black Sea from as far away as China (Gottfried). No one know the exact point of origin of the Black Death but what most scholars will agree with is that the disease reach Europe by rodents. The reason given was due to the climatic shifts in the area which caused a shortage of food. The disease ridden rodents’ migration put them in contact with human populations, thus, putting humans in contact with the disease carrying fleas. So many people were impacted because most people lived in very crammed and tight spaces. This also made waste disposal an issue, which caused people to just tip their waste out the window of their home, bringing the rats. Because everyone was so close, the fleas could easily infect hundreds of people in one day, so no one was safe (Gottfried). The people that did manage to escape death was due to the fact that their immune systems being able to withstand the plague (Gottfried). Types of Plague What killed so many wasn’t due to just one type of plague going around; The disease that devastated Europe was caused by three different types of plague: bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic. All three are bacterial infections caused by Yersinia pestis (Gottfried). The most common form was the bubonic plague. Fleas that lived on the plague-infected rats spread the bubonic plague (Gottfried). After 6 days people who were infected with this strain would develop flu-like symptoms and blood pressure drops, heartbeats faster, and a sudden fever erupts, accompanied by chills, weakness, and headache. Next, a black pus filled bump surrounded by an inflamed red ring shows up at the place that was bitten (Gottfried). The lymph node would begin to swell with pus. When the enlarged lymph nodes would burst they would also emit dark colored blood and pus. This is how the name Black Death came to be coined (Vunguyen). A second type of plague was that of pneumonic. This plague could spread with a sneeze and could quickly jump from person to person and though it was less common than the bubonic form, but more deadly. This form was contracted through breathing in a mutated, airborne strain of the bacteria. The infected person would experience fluid building up in the lungs. This very unfortunate circumstance would, in turn, cause suffocation of the infected individual. This particular form of the bacteria would cause death within a short time span, usually two or three days (Boeckl). The third type of plague was speticemic plague. Though it was the least common out of the three, it was the deadliest. Septicemic plague was carried in the blood and was contracted only through blood-to-blood contact. The person infected with this type would develop a high fever but they would not develop many outward symptoms that they had contracted the plague. The individuals who were infected with this final strain of the bacterium were usually dead within 24 hours. Almost all who contracted either the pneumonic or septicemic plague died from the infection (Boeckl). Causes of the Black Death The causes of the Black Death – the flea, the rat, and the bacillus Yersinia pestis– have been labeled the â€Å"unholy trinity† (Boeckl). The flea is able to live in environmental conditions of about 74 ° Fahrenheit and 60% humidity (Ibid). Before the Black Death reached Europe, they were experiencing those same types of weather conditions. The rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis and the human flea, Pulex irritans, are both capable of transmitting plague (Boeckl). Sometimes, an infected flea cannot ingest blood because Yersinia pestis obstructs its digestive tract. The blockage causes a flea to regurgitate into a bitten host rather than ingest the host’s blood, thereby infecting the host with plague (Boeckl). Unable to eat, the famished flea will bite with more frequency, accelerating the spread of plague. A flea can be carrying Yersinia pestis without it blocking the flea’s digestive tract, in which case the flea does not transmit plague when it bites a host. Also, Yersinia pestis can only enter a victim through a bite, as the bacilli cannot pass through intact skin (Gottfried). Social Changes The disease took a major toll on the population of Europe but as it wiped out communities it also caused changes in the social structure of European society. Europe was run by a feudal system (Vunguyen). As death took its toll, people started to question the way of life. When the Black Death swept over Europe and wiped out a third of its population, it also dismantled Feudalism. The feudal system was structured like a pyramid with the King being at the top and having complete control. The King owned everything; he had the power to decide who he would lease the land to. If he did allow a citizen to lease part of his land, before doing so they had to swear to an oath of loyalty (Vunguyen). People who did rent the King’s land were called Baron/Baronesses (Vunguyen). The leased land was called a manor, and the Barons were often called the ‘Lord of the Manor’ (Vunguyen). They were allowed to establish their own system of justice, mint their own money and set their own taxes. The Barons had to serve on the royal council, pay rent and provide the King with Knights for military service when he demanded it in return for the land they had been given (Vunguyen). When the King and his court travelled around the country, the Barons also had to provide lodging and food. The Barons kept as much of their land as they desired, then divided the rest among their Knights (Vunguyen). Knights were given land by the Baron in return for military service when demanded, and to protect the manor. The Knights kept as much of the land as they wished for their own personal use, and distributed the rest of it to serfs – although they weren’t as rich as the Barons, Knights were quite wealthy (). Serfs were given land by Knights in exchange for free labor, food and services whenever it was desired. They had no rights and weren’t allowed to leave the Manor. They had to ask their Lord’s permission before they could marry, and were often mistreated and poor (). The serfs or peasants were a key group in the population so when they started to die off, everything went downhill. The serfs served everyone on the pyramid and now Barons were willing to pay higher wages and offer extra benefits (Vunguyen). All their life they had lived off the serfs’ hard work, and were willing to pay them to stay on the manor to continue slaving for them. When the serfs died, the foundation on which feudalism relied upon was broken. The pyramid of power broke, and everything was a mess. Serfs left to find high wages due to the labor shortages. The land that had usually been the primary source of wealth was now worthless (Vunguyen). Entire estates were deserted as families fell to the plague and died, or fled in a vain attempt to escape its fury, were there for the taking (Vunguyen). As Europe evolved away from relying on land as the main source of prosperity, a rising middle-class claimed more and more wealth and prestige, as the once-noble began to quickly lose both (Vunguyen). The end of Feudalism had started and progressed each day as the plague claimed more lives. As the days went on people wondered, if they needed to change the way they lived or worshipped God. Many found that if they continued to live and worship as they had for centuries, the plague was not being pacified (Clay). This caused many people to abandon the way of life that they were accustomed to and chose a life that contrasted with social norms. A large group of people, desperate to point their fingers at someone, alleged and accused many different ‘groups’ which included ‘witches,’ lepers and Jews (Clay). In central Europe, the flagellants convincingly charged the Jews. On a tragic day in Strasbourg alone, over 8,000 Jews were killed for being the target of vain suspicions (). This quote shows just how the mind of Europeans changed: Many were uncertain about the cause of this great mortality. In some places, they believed that the Jews had poisoned the worlds, and so they killed them. In some other areas, that it was a deformity of the poor, so they chased them out; in others, that it was the nobles, and so they [the nobles] hesitated to go out into the world. Finally, it reached the point where guards were posted in cities and towns, and they permitted no one to enter, unless he was well known. And if they found anyone with powders or unguents, they made him swallow them, fearing that these might be poisons (Clay, 2-3)†. Someone who survived the plague wrote â€Å"Everyone appeared to be rich because they had survived and regained value in life. Now, no one knows how to put their life back in order(Clay, 3). No one knew how to put their life back together after the plague hit. When all the chaos died down and order was restored, the society was much different than what it once was. The disease did not discriminate; it killed people from all different social classes. The peasants now saw that everyone was made up of the same flesh, even though who once ruled over them. This epiphany led the serfs see the inequality of the system and they saw it as unfair and unjust (Clay, 3). Because of all the affliction and misery there was much lawbreaking and because most of the law enforcers had also been hit by the plague there was not much that was done about it (Clay, 3). † This quote shows just how their mentality was changing. Lawbreakers could not be stopped especially by the lords and so once peasants realized all ties could be broken, they gained a new level of freedom (Clay, 4). Peasants and lord relationships were not the only thing that changed; individuals in the same social circle were forced to interact with one another differently. As a result of so many deaths, women were now being served by male servants and it did not matter if they were of noble birth or not. Men serving women was something taboo and unheard of before the plague, but the disease made that change. Noble women had to a find a different lifestyle under normal circumstances, these women would have been dishonored and shunned but this was not the case. Economic Effects All the death that fell upon Europe created a major labor shortage. It was a dominos affect, if the plague hit an area or manor in the summer, there wouldn’t be enough serfs to harvest the crops in the fall. If it hit in the winter, there wasn’t enough workers to plant new crops in the spring (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). So inevitably there wasn’t any one left on farm and maintain the land. The one’s who did withstand the plague, moved else-where for better wages (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Not only did it affect the farms, it hurt businesses or building projects. Cathedral that usually were beautiful and performed weekly services were left eerily empty with no priests to conduct services. The barons did not have enough knights and serfs to cater to them and so many manors were abandoned. When someone dies normally, there would be a service and immediately be buried, well that didn’t happen during the Black Death era. No one was left to bury the dead. Citizens, lower and middle classes were scared, they stayed in the homes believing they would be safe. The shelter did not stop the disease from entering and since they were poor they did not get the care and attention they needed and most of them died (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Instead of suffering, many decided to take their own lives and committed suicide in the street; others died in their homes but only found because their neighbors smelled the decaying body. Dead bodies were everywhere on every corner and in every home that wasn’t abandoned (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). â€Å"Most of them were treated in the same manner by the survivors, who were more concerned to get rid of their rotting bodies than moved by charity towards the dead. With the aid of porters, if they could get them, they carried the bodies out of the houses and laid them at the door; where every morning quantities of the dead might be seen. They then were laid on biers or, as these were often lacking, on tables† (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Bodies upon bodies were brought to the church every day and almost every hour so it was impossible to give them a proper burial especially since they wanted to bury each person in the family grave, according to the old custom (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). â€Å"Although the cemeteries were full they were forced to dig huge trenches, where they buried the bodies by hundreds. Here they stowed them away like bales in the hold of a ship and covered them with a little earth, until the whole trench was full† (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Cultural Effects The plague not only affected humans it also impacted the arts. In the Medieval period, people had concentrated mainly on the Church, God, and personal salvation. The plague was evident in paintings, sculptures, and architecture, everything was centered on death. The arrival of plague â€Å"harkened in a new darker era of painting. Paintings were overflowing with tortured souls, death, dying, fire and brimstone† (â€Å"The Effect of Black Death on Art and Artists in the Medieval Period†). Thousands of painters, craftsmen, patrons of the arts died during the plague. The disease tore a hole in the heart of the cultural world. The effects of the plague were lasting, bringing a somber darkness to visual art, literature, and music (â€Å"The Effect of Black Death on Art and Artists in the Medieval Period†). Writers and painters imaginations became dark and gloomy. The unknowing survival created a atmosphere of gloom and doom influencing artist to move away from optimistic themes and turn to images of Hell, Satan and the Grim Reaper (â€Å"The Effect of Black Death on Art and Artists in the Medieval Period†). Many painters simply gave up art with the idea that it was hopeless to try and create beauty in a hellish world. The Decameron by Boccaccio, a collection of medieval tales and folklore is the most famous literary work that came from that time period (â€Å"The Black Death†). The collection is set in the Italian countryside where aristocrats, fleeing the Plague as it ravages Florence, are stranded without their usual entertainments. To pass the time, they tell each other stories, from which Boccaccio harvested a rich storehouse of traditional narrative. The Decameron eventually became the foundation for many other Renaissance works, including several of Shakespeares plays (â€Å"The Black Death†). Positive Consequences It’s hard to find positive in so much death but the plague actually helped in a few ways. First being manpower, because of the shortages, manpower had so much more value. Peasants weren’t readily available in large numbers so the ones still alive found themselves in high demand (â€Å"The Black Death†). The ones who had all the power, kings and dukes, now found themselves bargaining with laborers over working conditions, and also the lower class were able to demand better pay for their services (â€Å"The Black Death†). Also, serfdom was terminated, so those peasants that were slaves and tied to the land were no longer obligated to farm and serve. And one other positive result of the bubonic plague was the development of medicine as a science in the West. Islamic doctors had advocating general cleanliness and the value of studying anatomy but Western healers prior to the black death were still using practices like the theory of humors (â€Å"The Black Death†). But when Plague wiped out nearly all the doctors of Europe, because the doctors had to attend to the dying and because of this were exposed at a higher rate to the more virulent pneumonic form of Plague. With so many doctors dying, it created a change in both personnel and precept (â€Å"The Black Death†). Strangely, western medicine owes much to plague. Conclusion The Black Death started in 1347 and continued for a full five years, this devastating plague spread throughout Europe, leaving more than twenty million people dead. The consequences to Europe were profound. Besides immeasurable death, traditional medieval society broke, the economies were fractured, and art and literature took a turn from light to dark. Though it spread throughout Europe, the Black Death was world-shattering and shows how even the smallest of things, the microbial world, can at times steer the course of human civilization.

Harold Lasswells Narrative Model

Harold Lasswells Narrative Model What is communication? According to G.G.Brown, it means the transfer of information to one person to another, whether or not it elicits confidence. But the information transferred must be understandable to the receiver. Therefore, in order to communicate, one can use the medium as a channel to pass over a piece of information to another person but whether or not the message gets through perfectly, it will be entirely up to the individuals interpretation. However, Lasswells model does not take the audiences opinion into account. This is one of the many weaknesses of the 64-year-old model. Communication is basically to provide and find information, persuade the readers and express our emotions. A model can help create theories and indicate the relationships between the elements. Lasswell came up with the model initially to answer five very important questions to ensure a smooth communication process which consists of who(Communicator), what(Message), which(Medium), whom(Receiver), and what effect(Effect). Lasswell was inspired by the earliest mass communication model that the famous philosopher, Aristotle initiated and tried to improve the model by adding the channel as a medium to replace occasion which was previously proposed by Aristotle. Aristotle mainly emphasized on the role of the audience in his model and public speaking rather than interpersonal communication. As for the occasion model, Aristotle suggested constructing speech for the different types of audiences at different occasion to obtain the response that are desired. The act of constructing the speech is done by the speaker. For every public speaking session, the speaker must be fully prepared by making sure he understands what the audiences interests are before speaking. What the speaker says should have some sort of an influence to the audience and try to convince the audience with his brilliant ideas. Thus, Lasswells model concentrates more on verbal communication just like Aristotles model. The model involves a speaker who passes on information to an audience through the media such as radio, television, newspaper, magazines, music and many more to successfully deliver the message. A model is usually used to explain the process of mass communication. As for Lasswells model, it is explained in words and not in diagrams. Who: Communicator(Control analysis) The first element of the model is control analysis which involves the communicator to control the messages that are being passed. This is usually the gatekeepers responsibility. In a way, a gatekeeper could be holding too much power as they can choose to hide information that could be important for the public to know but might not be helpful to their personal cause. Only what the media choose to publish is known to the public, thus making it unfair for the other party especially during elections where only those who possess greater political influence can benefit from. This principle is quite similar to the agenda setting theory. No matter how bias the situation may seem, gatekeeping is actually a very necessary tool to both the public and media. With crucial information that the media has, they would be able to educate the public so they would not be ignorant towards their surroundings and starts to be more aware about the current worldwide issues. The media would only broadcast what they think is newsworthy and interesting to attract more readers. Therefore, they tend to neglect the audiences safety and rights to all information. Even so, there are still many factors to be put into consideration before making a decision about what to publish, the gatekeepers actually go through a lot of trouble researching about the owner of the newspaper company, their goals, the effect they would have to face for posting about certain issues, their political commitments and many more. The communicators might seem irresponsible and selfish with their business decisions but that is just the way certain gatekeepers work. Says what: Message(Content analysis) The message is the subject of the content analysis. It could be a piece of news about the recent natural disaster in Japan or even gossips about whether or not Britney Spears is pregnant. Lasswell was particularly worried about what the mass medias response towards the message that was portrayed by the media. This led to the introduction to a new study called content research. Questions of representation were usually asked, it is especially to make sure the women, and the blacks were properly represented on television or tabloids. Other than that, Lasswell studied the role of society in the movies closely for collecting statistics purposes. In Lasswells research would involve calculating the number of occasions of a specific representation and evaluate the results with an objective measure like an official statistics to obtain accurate results. The formula can also be applied to our everyday life and improve our interpersonal skills without having to consciously think too much about our messages. From the clothes you wear to how you smell, your appearance can tell people a lot about your personality, taste in music and messages about you. All these analysis would be useful to the media to construct a message accordingly. The media must also be very careful with the content of the message so that the public would not be offended or angry. In which channel: Medium(Media analysis) The third element would be the medium that is also known as the media analysis. In media analysis, there can be more than one channel to pass on a message. These channels are researched in media analysis. Lasswell introduced an efficient way to study the mass media known as media content analysis(1927). It was previously introduced to study propaganda but it started being used to study the roles of communication that was becoming more and more prominent in movies during the 1920s and 1930s. Media content analysis then grew to be the main research method in social sciences and mass communication studies with the appearance of television in the 1950s(Barton 2012). It is also used to research about representations of racism, women and violence in movies, television programmes, newspapers and magazines. To whom: Receiver(Audience analysis) As the medias responsibility is to construct and influence the audiences, the receiver plays a very important role in Lasswells model. The first theory about the media and audiences is called the stimulus-response(SR) that was originated from behaviourism. The audience are perceived to be fickle-minded, easily influenced and needs to be protected. The vulnerability image of the audience that was created limits their use of media and content. This is a result of the communicator and mediums doing and not the other way around. Lasswell often pay attention to the media, their content and audience and the effects of the media on the audience(Nielson, 2004 ) Lasswell considered his audience to be the passive type that does not like to interact with others, and not likely to give in to the pressure just to fit into society. The second theory is functionalism that was originated from media sociology. Functionalism is the opposite of the stimulus-response theory as the audience are believed to be independent and capable of making their own decisions. The audiences here are of mixed culture and democratic so they are more laid-back about media content and use. In functionalism, in order to fulfil their sociological and psychological needs, they use media content. The relationship between the media and the audience are closely related as the media affects the audiences behaviour. This theory explains how important the mass media is to the society. It brings order, stability, change, culture and values and many more. Without functionalism, the society would not know how to behave or speak appropriately. With what effect(Effect analysis) According to Lasswell, there must be an effect at the end of every communication process. This is because then this will determine on whether or not the communicator was able to change or motivate the audiences attitude. The audiences reaction to the news would determine how successful the communication process was. The more believable the source is, the more likely it will influence the audience. The way the model works In 1948, Lasswell introduced an interpretation of the media on a macro-sociological level. Functionalism in media sociology explains social practices and institutions in terms of the needs of society and individuals. Specializations that carry on certain functions are : 1) The surveillance of the environment; 2) the correlation of the parts of society in responding to the environment; 3) the transmission of the social heritage from one generation to the next. The mass media do not just supply facts and data, they provide information on the ultimate meaning and significance of events. They act to confer legitimacy to advocacy groups and leaders of social movements, whose success is dependant on attaining wide mainstream attention. The media serves as a catalyst to accelerate issues onto public agenda. Lasswell theorized that society and the media were dependant on each other. He said that society used media as a surveillance tool to monitor salient information around their environment. Surveillance of the environment is the collection and distribution of information by the media. This function is easily seen on news programs and newspapers. For example, As mass media report illegal actions going in the society, it awakes the awareness of people. Also, the information is distributed to everyone in the society, stimulating equalitarianism. However, it has side effects. Reporting the international events of certain countries may endanger the political stability of these countries and may even stimulate over-tension among society. Lasswell states that When the stimuli receiving and disseminating patterns operate smoothly, the several parts of the animal act in concert in reference to the enviroment (feeding, fleeing, attacking). Correlation of parts of society refers to the interpretive or analytical activities of the media. It functions to interpret issues and give solutions to the public, which solutions eventually affects the formation of the publics attitudes. Columns, editorial articles, criticisms and explanations are examples. The correlation function differentiates itself from surveillance function by presenting subjectivity while the Surveillance Function supposedly maintains objectivity. Correlation function acts during editing process, deciding what kind of news to choose, which news to grant more importance, and where to emphasize. The side effects of this function is that it can announce news without fairness. The newspapers may exclude important social problems. This brings limited interpretation of information and blocks the development of social revolution. This also drops the individuals ability of self-interpreting and self-criticizing. Transmission of the social heritage refers to the ability of the media to communicate values, norms, and styles across time and between groups. It is the function that spreads the common norms and values among the public. This action is called socialization, which is helpful for the unification of a country. As citizens are being touched with common norms and new cultural traditions of others, they can grow social adaptation abilities. The function is also effective as an educational tool by providing valuable information to the mass, or as a regulation tool by preventing the exposure of information on crime suspects. People who arrive in foreign countries can get familiar with the new culture by this function. However, getting only the structured forms of information and the uniformed cultures may lowered cultural variability and human creativity. Pros and cons Pros: As for the benefits of the narrative model, it is said to be a very straightforward and simple model to understand that can be applied to many communication theories. Lasswell was one of the first few who came up with the concept and it is still being used up till today. Cons: The model only assumes that there would be an effect at the end but does not worry about whether the effect is good or bad. What the audience think about the message was not taken into account so the improvement of the communication process can be non-existent. Its strengths and weaknesses are also due to it being a linear model. As easy as it looks, it does not allow for a two-way communication where the speaker can get an immediate feedback. The audience can lose interest pretty quickly if they have to pay attention to the speaker for a very long time especially if the speaker has a monotone voice and is talking about a boring topic. Those who has a very short attention span and is not a good listener would face that kind of problem. Other than that, Lasswell did not think about the surroundings where the audience might be facing. For instance, audience that listens to the radio for daily news can face external distractions in the car such as thunder, sound of the car horn, or the sound from the car engine. These are noises that need to be addressed in order to obtain the accurate statistics of people who gave a desired response. There are also cases of those who might have a neutral stand on current issues, thus not producing an effect. A lot of assumptions are made without verifying the results first that the results obtained might not be very reliable. Therefore the model is not very realistic as it does not fully represent the physical reality. Application in real life According to Lasswell, there are usually three types of communicators in each society, the first type are those who are involved in politics such as the foreign media and diplomats while those who compare the states reactions to the society are called journalists. The last type of communicator are called the educators, these are the people that pass on information from the older generation to the younger generation(Lasswell 1948). Targeting a group makes it easier for the media to specialize through advertising. It saves them money and time to figure what the latest trend is through surveys in order to maximise their profits. With the advancement of technology nowadays, there are more satellite broadcast and Internet channels available unlike during Lasswells time where there were only a few types of media channels like television and radio. The public can easily obtain information that may seem limited on television from the Internet so it is now harder for the gatekeeper to enforce the agenda setting theory on the public and manipulate the audiences mind. This is because the group of audiences have become more separated due to their personal preference to the type of media they choose to pay attention to. The killings at the Batman premier in Colorado can be used as an example for the narrative model. The communicator would be the media, the message would be the information about the number of people who die d during the shooting, the medium would be Huffington Post(online newspaper), the receiver would be the public and lastly the effect would be feelings of shock by the people about the incident. Lasswells narrative model is one of the earliest forms of communication models and also the simplest. Lasswells model could also be applied to all manner of other forms of communication, from telephone calls to web conversations, etc. It serves as the basis of the development of future communication models. A lot of improvements can be made to this model. Firstly, it should take into account the way audiences may perceive and interpret the message that is being relayed to them, it should also take into account the difference in circumstances that the communication is taking place, and whether or not the message reaches the receiver at all, why would the audience want to seek out that particular information? It should also make references to concepts like context, noise (whether the message is received accurately and clearly and can be fully interpreted by the receiver), purpose and feedback.

Aspects of Materiality: A Continuing Education Report Essay -- Account

Introduction The concept of materiality provides a topic for continuing educational discussion that many firms across the country find essential to the development of their audit staff. Measuring and using materiality to obtain desired results during an audit becomes the responsibility of the staff member of a CPA firm. Partners and managers of a firm typically allow the staff member to use his/her judgment when applying this concept during the fieldwork of an audit. The overall success of an audit relies at least in part on the materiality concept; therefore, staff members’ continuing education on the concept becomes important and necessary. This report will define the term materiality, determine how to measure materiality, and explain the importance of the concept to the field of auditing. Defining Materiality The utilization of the concept of materiality in auditing dates many years. Varying definitions of materiality during the preliminary stages of utilization prove that auditors recognized a need for this concept but did not have a standard for defining the term. The recognition by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) of the need for this concept prompted a decision to determine a universally recognized definition of materiality. In the book, Auditing Concepts for a Changing Environment, the FASB defines materiality as, â€Å"the magnitude of an omission or misstatement of accounting information that, in light of surrounding circumstances, makes it probable that the judgment of a reasonable person relying on the information would have been changed or influenced by the omission or misstatement† (Rittenberg and Schwieger 2001, 92). In essence, the concept helps auditors determine the financial information that... ...ff must understand the definition of the concept, determine the process for measuring materiality, and have a concrete understand of the importance of the concept when auditing a company’s financial statements. Works Cited Rittenberg, Larry E., and Bradley J. Schwieger. Auditing Concepts for a Changing Environment, 3rd ed. Harcourt College Publishers, 2001. Sauer, Richard C., â€Å"The Erosion of the Materiality Standard in the Enforcement of the Federal Securities Laws.† Business Lawyer 62, no. 2 (February 2007): 317-357. Gordeeva, Mayya, â€Å"Materiality in Accounting.† Economics and Management 16, 2011: 41-47. Messier, William F., Jr., Nonna Martinov-Bennie and Aasmund Eilifsen. â€Å"A Review and Integration of Empirical Research on Materiality: Two Decades Later.† Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory 24, no. 2 (November 2005): 153-187.