Smartphones and law Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Smartphones and law - Coursework Example He further mentions other distractive acts such as rain drops of a vehicle window or even taking a cup of coffee while driving. He later points out a case where a driver has been charged with using a Smartphone map while driving; the driver as indicated by the author appealed to the court that the use of smart phone maps was not illegal in accordance to the law. However, the judge as depicted in the article considered the act illegal in relation to the Michigan Distracted Driving laws. Consequently, the author of the article points out a number of issues that need to be taken into consideration by legislatures when formulating traffic laws; he proposes a comprehensive approach that involves proper research before the implementation of any law. The author in the article also suggests that laws should not be formulated through unstudied opinions. Judge rules using smartphone maps while driving illegal - CNN.com. (n.d.). CNN.com International - Breaking, World, Business, Sports, Entertainment and Video News. Retrieved April 28, 2013, from

IKEA International Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

IKEA International Marketing - Case Study Example Those that can are part of an elite group that set a precedent for other retailers to follow. IKEA is one of those leaders. In less than forty years, IKEA has become a globally successful, multibilliondollar business, with stores on six continents and a very large customer following. Competitors constantly strive to imitate IKEA, but this company's secret to success is not easily duplicated. In Sweden in the 1940s, Ingvar Kamprad ran a small delivery business from his home using the local milk van. Needing a name for his business, he combined the initials of his name along with those of his family farm, "Elmtaryd," and the name of his village "Agunnaryd," to form IKEA (Appelbaum 1990). When the delivery service failed, Kamprad transferred his knowledge to mail order and soon discovered an untapped niche: furniture. By 1953 the first warehouse showroom of cataloged goods was opened. Soon to follow were stores in Norway and Denmark. Today Kamprad can boast of ninety-six stores in twenty-four countries, including the United States, France, Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Australia, Hong Kong, Hungary, and Saudi Arabia. The Swedish company is now the largest furniture retailer in the world. In total, these stores cover 14 million square feet and in 1990 had global sales exceeding $3.4 billion and served close to 90 million customers (Chandler 1990). What was Kamprad's form ula for success "IKEA shall offer a wide range of home furnishing items of good design and function, at prices so low that the majority of people can afford to buy them" (IKEA Home Page 2008). A simple formula it is, but one that has resulted in huge success ("IKEA in 2005", 2005). Current Business Structure Around the globe, IKEA stores are similarly designed in a Swedish style-blue and gold (Sweden's national colors), with the flag of Sweden waving proudly at the front. The stores are huge (100,000-250,000 ft), warehouses led with wide aisles for easy navigation. Products consist of assemble-it yourself furniture such as tables, bookcases, and shelves, and also china, plants, linens, wallpaper, flooring, carpets, beds, lighting, and cabinets, all at rock-bottom prices (IKEA Home Page 2008; Trachtenberg 1991). All stores are attractively merchandised with up to one hundred settings of fully decorated rooms. Store traffic patterns are designed so that the customer passes through all departments to pick up the knock-down merchandise and proceed to the checkout counter. Very little space is wasted ("IKEA in 2005", 2005). MARKETING STRATEGIES IKEA was founded as a mail order

A Report On Shirdi Tourism Essay

A Report On Shirdi Tourism Essay Shirdi Shirdi is a small town located in the Ahmednagar district in the western Indian state of Maharashta and is a religious destination of universal appeal Shirdi is perhaps one of those revered destinations that attracts devouts across all religions. Significance Unlike other holy cities in India that can trace their origins to thousands of years back, some cities were known places of religious importance as early as the pre Christian era, Shirdis rise to reverence and as a religious destination is quite recent. Shirdi has been home to Shri Sai Baba, one of Indias most revered saints. It is believed that Shri Sai Baba lived and gained spiritual awakening in Shirdi. Some devotees believe that he was an incarnation of Lord Shiva or Lord Dattatreya. His teachings combined the religious teachings of Hinduism and Islam and thousands of devouts converge on Shirdi each year to seek his blessings. Attractions The Sai Baba Temple: The Sai Baba temple is the principal attraction in Shirdi and is thronged by thousands of devotees each year, irrespective of religion, caste and creed. The temple, built to commemorate Sai Baba, is built at the spot where Sai Baba is said to have taken his Samadhi. The temple is professionally managed by the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan and devotees can offer puja services throughout the day and can also see the aarti ritual which happens five times every day. The most calming and spiritually awakening ritual is the Kakad Aarti that happens every morning with the opening of the temple. The penultimate aarti ritual is called the Shej Aarti and signals the end of the day. The temple remains open overnight only on Gurupoornima, Dassera and Ramnavami. The temple also has a massive hall that cam accommodate around 600 visitors. Within the mandir one can also find a personal museum of Sai Baba that showcases the things that Sai Baba used in his lifetime. Samadhi Mandir: This is another, smaller shrine that marks the exact spot of Sai Babas Samadhi that is built with while marble. The Samadhi is enclosed with decorated marble railings and is watched over by a statue of Sai Baba carved from white Italian marble. Dwarkamai: History records that Sai Baba left Shirdi for some years but eventually returned to Shirdi with a marriage procession and stayed at Dwarkamai, a mosque situated on the right of the entrance to the Samadhi mandir. The main attraction of Dwarkamai is the oil painting of Sai Baba sitting in a carved wooden shrine. How to Reach Shirdi is well connected by rail and road to the rest of India. The nearest airport is at Nasik, 75 km away. Shirdi is also slated to have its own airport by 2012. Shirdi also has a rail station and is connected by rail to other cities in India. A dedicated train service is available from Mumbai. Shirdi, given its religious importance, is also well connected by road with the other cities in India.

Environmentalists Essays -- essays research papers

Bill McKibben and Edward Abbey are both modern environmental writers who have had a noticeable impact on the environmental movement. One of Abbey’s novels, The Monkey Wrench Gang, was an inspirational piece for some of the founders of Earthfirst!, a far-left environmentalist group. McKibben’s most famous novel, The End of Nature (1989), is more widely read than any other nature book since Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring. Abbey, who is commonly associated with the Southwest,a has often been described as possessing a bitter but passionate attitude. A past including careers as a ranger and a firefighter indicate his attachment to the wilderness that he considers “our natural home'; is something very real to him. His concept of “Eco-Defense';, in which he gives environmentalists a right to protect their home, is an original and unique way of thinkng of environmental protectionism. McKibben shows us the damage we have done to the natural world and makes a plea fo r an end. He was born to two journalist parents, married a journalist, and wrote for and edited the The New Yorker . Abbey and McKibben write differently but they are bonded in that they both demand change. Abbey and McKibben would agree that something is wrong with America’s attitude toward the environment. However, Abbey’s writing invites doing battle with those who invade the forests while McKibben simply tries to point out that there is a problem and that something radical must be done to eliminate it at its base. Abbey’s essay, Eco-Defense, and McKibben’s essay, Not So Fast both ask the reader to act radically. However, Abbey writes as if to de-emphasize the radicalism of his solution while McKibben is blunt as he explains that the only sane option is something that is contradictory to societies current values. Both McKibben and Abbey’s audiences have proven them to be effective as persuasive writers. What is it about their writing that makes it work? Abbey’s writing is intended to stir the reader’s instincts. He begins his essay with an example of self-defense in the home. This is something that most people can come together and agree on. Abbey writes, “Self-defense against attack is one of the basic laws not only of human society but of life itself, not only of human life but ... ...rgy conservation are highlighted because they are applicable and are examples of the macro-environmental problem that most people fail to see. The emphasis is not that we have a moral issue to change but that we must. McKibben gives us a journalistic viewpoint, which cannot be ignored. He quotes an interview he had with Al Gore in which Gore said, “The maximum that is politically feasible, even the maximum that is politically imaginable right now, still falls short of the minimum that is scientifically and ecologically necessary.'; If this is true then why do so many people fail to recognize it? McKibben sums it up in one powerful phrase, “Change frightens us';. Abbey and McKibben have influenced the environmental movement in two different ways. Abbey gives those who are already involved some of his passion and has inspired many people to sacrifice for what they come to believe in. It is a hot-blooded brand of environmentalism. McKibben presents us with information that we should not be able to ignore with good conscience, attempting to change our minds without manipulating them. Either way, both writers have been successful in the purpose they are writing for.

Clause Worksheet Directions

Underline the adverb clause, labeling the subject and the verb of each clause. 2. Circle the subordinating conjunction in each sentence. 3. Identify the question that is being answered by the clause. 4. Draw an arrow to the word that each clause modifies. 1. I will not go to the movies with you unless you buy me soda, popcorn, and candy. 2. Eric will find the almanacs where the other reference books are shelved. 3. Erin goes swimming whenever she gets the chance. 4. After you have beaten the eggs, slowly add the dry Ingredients to make Mrs..Franken a batch of cookies. 5. The washer will stop if the door is opened. 6. Residents of the quiet suburban neighborhood have been urged by the mayor to conserve water until the shortage ends. 7. His pictures came out badly because the film was torn slightly. 8. We had a good time at the picnic even though we were attacked by an angry swarm of bumblebees. 9. No one may enter the studio while the red light Is on. 10. A tire blew out as the Jet ta xied to the runway. 1 1 . We arrived at the bus station as our bus was beginning to pull away onto the highway. 12.The movie, Spenserian and Superman: Best Friends Reunited, had already started when Mr.. Font arrived. 13. Because we had to get up at 4:30 in the morning, we went to bed before American Idol was over. 14. Whenever It was possible, the guide planted trees. 16. Will you move the couch when you have time? 17. Because the music in the stadium was so loud, Katie got a piercing headache that made her nauseous. 18. No one came to the party since Dave forgot to mail the invitations. 19. Did you see my sister at the mall when you were in Williamsburg? 20. My ride came before I had finished breakfast.

Matthew Mazzotta Essay

In John Milton Cooper Jr’s â€Å"Why Wisconsin? The Badger State in the Progressive Era† he talks about why Wisconsin was the leading state in the progressive movement and if it was just by a freak accident or not. Wisconsin became known as the laboratory of democracy around this time period by leading the reform movements that became known as progressivism. Many people like to accredit this to its people’s naturally bright, creative, forward looking attitudes. Yet there was no good reason why Wisconsin should have been the state to take the lead with this movement. Urban reforms are what first made an impact in the change in Wisconsin’s laws. There were many municipal reforms in many of the larger cities and towns but none of them ever grew into full-fledged movements that made it to other cities and states. Wisconsin took the lead in this movement in 1900 when Robert M. La Follette won the governorship at the head of an insurgent republican party that wanted to reform railroad taxation, railroad regulation, and the direct primary. From that moment on Wisconsin would remain at the head of the movement. The timing of this was one of the big factors that contributed to Wisconsin’s success. There were state wide reform movements appearing all over the mid-west, Ohio or Michigan may have beaten Wisconsin to the punch if it wasn’t for La Follette’s election at that time. Historians like to say that a person does not a movement make. But without La Follette Wisconsin probably would never had advanced as far as it did. Another fact that helped Wisconsin enter the reform as early as it did was its relative weakness of the conservative business allied elements that held power in the Republican Party, there was no political machine that ran the state. So clearly Wisconsin’s leading role in the progressive movement was not all due to one man, but that doesn’t make La Follette’s impact in the state any less real. Wisconsin became the lead in this movement by being the first to enact laws on a state level, which would never have happened so fast if it wasn’t for La Follette.   Between his elections he made sure to keep his name out there in the people’s minds by tirelessly speaking about reform issues, he also contacted likeminded leaders in counties and towns across the state and kept their names in an elaborate filing system, talking with them through frequent letters and meetings. La Follette’s followers called themselves â€Å"progressives† one of the first times the word that would become the signature for this era was used. Thanks to Muck-raking journalists who were pointing to La Follette and his state as shining examples on how to make things better, Wisconsin become renowned as the flagship state for reform. The progressives in the state would have times where the â€Å"Stalwarts† took control of the state but after a few of those times the progressives help on to control for over 20 years. So in conclusion, there were many reasons why Wisconsin was the leading state in the reform policies of the progressive era. Some of the reasons are directly related to people and their actions, and some are thanks to good luck and amazing timing. La Follette was the main reason that Wisconsin was able to do so well for itself, his amazing charisma unrelenting drive for changed is what pushed Wisconsin to pass all the reform laws that’s it did so early in the era. Yet if La Follette didn’t get elected when he did Wisconsin may have been lost in the confusion because other states would have beat them to the punch. Another reason why they did so well was because of their lack of a strong political machine that ran the state making it easy to pass laws and change things that have been the same in the state for so very long. So all in all La Follette was the main reason that Wisconsin was the flagship of the progressive movement, but he had plenty of help from luck, good ti ming, and amazing circumstances.

Perlman, Selig. A History of Trade Unionism in the United States

Perlman, Selig. A History of Trade Unionism in the United States â€Å"A history of trade unionism in the united states† is a book written by Perlman Selig, one of the leading labor historians in the early twentieth century. The book is divided into three sections. The first part contains seven chapters that examine labor in the United States by commons and associates.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on Perlman, Selig. A History of Trade Unionism in the United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The chapters in this part of the book are divided into time sections of the period between 1827 and 1896. In these chapters, Perlman seeks to examine the introduction of colonial and federal rule, citizenship, trade unionism, humanitarianism, nationalization and upheaval and reorganization. The second part of the book has the chapters 8 to 11, which look at the larger career of unionism. This part contains four chapters, which look at challenges, reformations and developments that have taken place from 1897 to the present time. The third part of the book contains the remaining chapters, 12 to 15, which consolidate several ideas proposed by the history of labor unions. This part forms a conclusion of ideas expressed in the book. It also portrays the economic interpretation, explains the idealistic factor, elaborates on the absence of an American labor party, and explains the rise of a political and economic dictatorship by the proletariat and trade unionism. This book was released after â€Å"history of labor†, a book that Perlman co-authored in 1918. The second part of the book â€Å"a history of trade unionism† was written as a continuation of the book mentioned above, to cover the period after 1897. The similarity between the two books is evident since Perlman used material that was of a similar kind to that used in the preparation of the book â€Å"history of labor†. These similar materials include original sources, for example, proceedings of trade union conventions, labor and employer papers and government reports, among others. The book is a good read as it contains a lot of special history about the recent period in the labor movement. One particular area of concern is the history of unionism in individual trades or industries, to which Perlman intends to direct the reader to additional accounts of the various phases of the subject, which he himself was out of necessity obliged to treat, though temporarily.Advertising Looking for book review on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One concern about this book, which is similar to other books written by Perlman, is the conclusion. Like other writings, Perlman portrays American workers as being non radical. The author considers intellectuals in the US labor movement as outsiders, who aim at leading workers astray with the intention of acquiring communist visions. The motivation to write the book can be attributed to the author’s dislike of the duty assumed by intellectuals in the US labor movement. The author did not foresee the failure of business unionism, and its replacement with social movement unionism. As a result, most of the arguments by Perlman targeted at the outsider movement leaders were not true. The home grown intellectuals played a significant role in advancing the growth and development of labor unions. The views portrayed in the book are those of the author, and they may be influenced by his biases. Perlman is seen to be a racist, especially towards the Asians. As a result, his comprehension of the evolution of the labor movement may have been inhibited; therefore, shifting his focus to economics, as opposed to sociological factors such as ethnicity, race and status. Although Perlman is a significant person in the development of labor history, his theoretical blinders may have led him to centre his book on striking assumptions about the gro wth of labor unions instead of assessing and writing about the wider social, cultural and economic tendencies in play.

How Strategists Lead a Company

How Strategists Lead a Company According to Cynthia Montgomery, the key responsibility of a strategist as a leader is to act as an operator and a voice of reason. In addition, a strategist should provide a sense of meaning to a company.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on How Strategists Lead a Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A strategist, as a meaning maker, should give a definition of the future outlook of an organization, and the benefits future changes would bring to customers. A strategist, as a meaning maker, is also expected to make critical choices that will shape the identity of a company. The choices made by a strategic leader, should define the purpose of the company, future prospects, and the strategies put in place to attract, and retain customers. A strategist should also recognize the fact that after all is done; the leader of a company normally takes responsibility for all the decisions made. As voices of reason, strategi sts should have the vision, boldness, and confidence required to bring innovation, and set their companies towards achieving new goals. Confidence, in particular, plays a central role when it comes to leadership and strategy. However, strategists should take caution so that their confidence does not turn into overconfidence. Strategists, as voices of reason, should understand the competitive forces within their industry, and how these forces affect their operations in areas where there is competition. They should also understand the chances of their plans succeeding under such circumstances. Montgomery gives an example of the furniture manufacturing industry as one that has been fragmented by competition, which has resulted in low returns. Competitors in this industry kill innovation, and discourage customers by manufacturing products that greatly vary in terms of design. One of the ways of dealing with such extreme competition is to employ strategy in creating new economic model an d niche in the industry. Leaders become voices of reason, when courageous strategies to redesign forces within an industry, do not become a bother to them.Advertising Looking for coursework on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Strategists, as operators, should act as a link between the central plans in a business, market economics, and action. They should not be dreamers or propagators of arrogant ideas. An effective strategy should be based on clarity and pragmatic ideas, and steered by a leader with operational sensibility. Strategists, as operators, should also infuse their strategies with execution. Montgomery cites the Gucci Group as an example of a company that integrated its strategies and execution, in order to deal with poor sales and increased losses. The new chief executive of the Gucci Group used a pragmatic approach in tackling this problem by examining sales data. The sales data provi ded Gucci executives with consumption trends that enabled Gucci to align its products with the taste and preferences of its consumers. In addition, Gucci developed an integrated manufacturing, distribution, marketing, and pricing strategies that boosted its sales. A well conceived strategy, according to Montgomery, will smoothly transit into execution, and strategy can never be separated from execution. In order for a company to meet its goals, strategists should view themselves as operators. Lastly, strategist should know that attaining and keeping strategic momentum in a company is a challenging, and a never ending task. Most leaders in the corporate world will at some point in their career be faced with the pressure of changing the strategies used by their companies. Leaders, who are strategists, will find the process of overhauling a company’s strategies to be rewarding. The process can be a struggle to leaders who lack strategic visions.

Brand Loyalty A Two Dimensional Approach Marketing Essay

Brand Loyalty A Two Dimensional Approach Marketing Essay The ultimate goal of the research is to understand if brand loyalty may arise from participating in online brand communities. This section more specifically intends to provide an answer to the following sub-question: â€Å"Does commitment to online brand communities lead to members’ loyalty toward the brand?† Brand Loyalty: a Two-Dimensional Approach Nowadays, brand loyalty is considered as one of the most valuable asset of any company. Due to the higher cost of attracting new customers, companies have realized the interest of retaining existing ones by carefully developing and managing relationships with them. As explained Rosenberg and Czepiel (1983) (cited in Mellens, Dekimpe, indeed, if properly managed brand loyalty has the ability to provide companies with a sustainable competitive advantage. Companies selling brands with strong customer loyalty can enjoy valuable benefits including: â€Å"ability to maintain premium pricing, greater bargaining power with chann els of distribution, reduced selling costs, a strong barrier to potential new entries into the product or service category, and synergistic advantages of brand extensions† (Reichheld, 1996; cited in Gommans, Krismnan Mellens et al., 1996). Two main approaches in explaining the concept of brand loyalty have emerged in the landscape of the marketing literature, namely: the behavioral and attitudinal approaches. The former defines brand loyalty in terms of repeat purchases of a specific brand over time (Keller et al., 2008; Lichtlà © Sheth, 1968; Tuominen, 1999). The latter – often referred to brand commitment (Jacoby and Chestnut, 1978) – suggests brand loyalty is formed when customers demonstrate favorable attitudes, positive feelings toward a brand (Lichtlà © Fullerton, 1993; Jacoby Keller et al., 2008; Tuominen, 1999). Those partisans of the third approach argue that behavioral loyalty is a necessary condition but not sufficient to develop brand loyalty. I ndeed, customer may repeatedly buy a branded product/service out of convenience, or because she/he cannot afford to purchase another with her/his budget, or due to other reasons such as stock limitations. Such behaviors are referred to as purchase inertia (Bloemer & Kasper, 1995) or spurious loyalty (Dick & Basu, 1994) (Cited in Lichtlà © & Plichon, 2008). This implies that if, for example, the price increases or if an alternative product is available, the customer may turn to another brand. It is the reason why those authors speak of brand loyalty only when repeat purchase behavior over time is the result of positive feelings and attitudes to the brand (Lichtlà © & Plichon, 2008). Aaker (1991) and Keller et al. (2008) go a step further by explaining customers should not simply have positive feelings about the brand but they should feel a deep attitudinal attachment to the brand, leading to repurchase behaviors in the future. By viewing brand loyalty as a two-dimensional construct , limitations faced by the behavioral approach in explaining customer’s loyalty to a brand can be overcome.

Managing Human Resources (Reflecting on the issue raised by the Sales Essay

Managing Human Resources (Reflecting on the issue raised by the Sales Manager) - Essay Example These are important in order to build a successful manufacturer - sales agent relationship". Sales representatives also give importance to product package, quality product lines that are competitive in terms of effectiveness and affordability. They are particular in the quality and delivery of the products and most importantly, sales people seek to represent organization that has proven integrity and are supportive of agents (Spiegel 2006). While looking at the factors mentioned, sales management can conduct teambuilding for the sales representatives. Sales people are so vital to the organization that it is important to invest in them. Management should make the sales people feel they are important. Bonding and trust in each other are created during team building and sales people always look forward to this kind of activity. Feeling a sense of belonging make them stay long in the organization. Sales planning should also be conducted in a venue outside the company. In this particular activity, people give their sales commitment with the corresponding action plan that they would take to insure the achievement of the sales target. Improvement in the sales performance is observed after a sales planning. A medium-size streamer is displayed conspicuously at the lobby on the way to the conference room where orientation for new employees takes place. The text on the streamer says, "At NL&C, you're in good hands. We insure your future through the 401 (k) Retirement Plans". At this stage when new employees have just begun an episode of their lives with NL&C, they will know that obviously the streamer is exclusively for their curious eyes and questioning mind. The streamer was placed along their path for them to see and feel the caring hands of NL&C from the start and through their stay with their newfound company. Apparently, as in-charge of employees' benefits, I think I was able to effectively put the message across. My purpose of putting 401 (k) retirement plans in the text is to stir the curiosity of the new employees. Many of them, especially the first timer or those who come from another company which does not offer the same privilege, would ask what 401 (k) is. I understand that although 401(k) will benefit them, there will be a lot of questions and some opposition. I have to give them advance information of what will be discussed during the orientation. I want them to be excited so that the appetite to listen attentively will prevail as soon as they enter the conference room. After some explanation of the company rules and regulations, its time for the new employees to hear why it is worth partnering with NL&C. 401(k) along with other benefits will be explained this way: First of all, there are protections and benefits that go with the new workers everyday while they work with the company. On top of them there is the 401(k) retirement plans which afford them of a long term benefit. A portion of their salary will be put aside for their

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Essay Example However, there are individuals who come up with original ideas for the future to gain huge profits. As a rule, these types of business look very interesting. How do you react when you are told that another millionaire made his millions on the sale of conventional jackets autographed by celebrities? But in fact this is the way Tanneberg Walter raised his capital in German city of Kiel. Selling jackets with autographs impressed rich people and they paid huge sums of money for these jackets. However, the business plan should be developed with regards to the investor's needs. The following steps should be taken: Summary. Every business plan summarizes data it contains. After reading the summary of the investor can "wake up" and invest money. Product. This section includes information about the product (product, service, project, and company): description, data – and a "unique selling proposition" (USP). It is very important to show confidence in the success of the project (Mintzbe rg, Ahlstrand and Lampel,1998). Market analysis. This part of a business plan includes information on the amount of the target market, its main trends. Such issues as market share and the actions taken are considered and a part of expenses is devoted to advertising and promotion. Manufacturing process. A description of all production phases of the project, a list of resources and tools (equipment, premises etc). Staff. The list of professionals involved in the design / development / promotion project (their skills, experience, qualifications etc). Project management. The list of project managers and the distribution of responsibilities between them. Cost management personnel, including the costs of the office (salaries, bonuses, rent, equipment, furniture, supplies etc). Sales plan. Projected revenues in the first months after launch, and after a year, three or five are considered. Examples of different scenarios for the project should be included in this section. Investment. The am ount of funds required to implement the project. You need to specify how much will cost borrowings, in which periods of activity and to what extent they are needed. Of course, there are many other issues, which should be taken into account, but, to my mind, the central innovative and a unique idea is a guarantee of further business plan success. My unique idea looks like this: I want to help my city in cleaning the roads from the used chewing gums. I plan to develop a series of posters with portraits of various celebrities - from politics to pop business starts. These posters can be placed on the subway while moving escalator, at the exit of the subway and bus stops and lamp posts and every 100 meters. The idea came to my mind after I noticed that people stick gum used for posters with images of people. Therefore, I plan to develop posters with the faces of famous people and write questions on them, such as "How do you feel about the legalization of marijuana in England?", "How do y ou feel about legalizing euthanasia?", "How do you feel about the banning of abortion?" And so on. Of course, people would like to vote in such an interesting way. Then personnel of my team will collect gums from two sectors of each poster: "for" and "against." Therefore, our community will get clean roads without any expenses on cleaning techniques, find out nation's attitude to critical social issues and enable me and my company to promote famous people and produce posters with their names. We can

Communication discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communication discussion - Assignment Example From that point you can be able to customize the way you address him/her. With time get the knowledge and experience on how different people like to be handled so as to create an environment where they feel welcome and hence they can be able to open up. According to Hood, (2013), the biggest barrier to communication is lack of humility. While addressing people of different ages, have empathy and show them that you know exactly how it is to be in their position. The people who are advanced in age are the most tough to deal with as they require a high sense of respect (Sullivan, 2013). Give it to them. Dealing with people of different gender can also be confusing. For instance, a certain patient may not be ready to open up to a nurse of the opposite gender and this may require introducing him/her to another nurse if they are totally uncooperative. Having the knowledge on how to address people is important as seen in the essay. This can determine the difference between a competent nurse and the rest (Bednarz, Stephanie, & Doorenbos, 2010). It is therefore important to observe the points

Curriculum Foundations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Curriculum Foundations - Research Paper Example The first part is to cover all the important events up to the end of the civil war while the second part to proceed with all the reconstructions through to the present. It aims and overcoming all the shortcomings of the old curriculum and ensure that students can effectively, understand and appreciate our heritage and the manner the country evolved. In this way, they will gain a better understanding of the current problems we face and develop a good strategy on how we should move to make the most desirable changes. This will be targeting all the elementary schools, the junior high schools and the high schools of Mesa Unified School District, Arizona. Firstly, the new curriculum aims at aligning with the standards set by the state, which is one of the major requirements since the curriculum must be compatible with the guidelines set by both the state and the federal government. Each instructor will be capable of measuring the standards of their lessons to ensure that the students get the right content effectively. Secondly, the curriculum aims at providing a detailed explanation of the significance of one historical occasion relative to the other events. This is to enlighten them to understand how one event contributed and shaped the occurrence of the other. Thirdly, it also intends to impart the required critical as well as creative thinking abilities as the students move to college to critically anslyse the events and make meaningful judgements. Lastly, the curriculum aims at ensuring that students can clearly understand how the past events shaped our present status and make excellent plans for our future. Although it is the oldest approach of all the existing approaches to curiculum development, the behavioral approach is the most relevant one to employ. The approach, according to Ornstein and Hunkins (2009) will pave the way for the specification of the goals as well as the objectives of the curriculum that we clearly, understand. The approach also

Franklin D Roosevelt's New Deal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Franklin D Roosevelt's New Deal - Essay Example First New Deal The First New Deal started functioning during 1933 and ended during 1935, during this period, various reforms were made to strengthen the institutions of US. These reforms include the AAA or Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, this act was passed with the aim of insuring minimum wages for the farmers. According to this Act, farmers were paid in order to produce less so prices of agricultural produce could increase. Another reform made during the period of 1933 was the NIRA or National Industrial Recovery Act, this act was proposed and accepted in three different parts. Under this act, PWA or Public Works Administration was created for the management of government projects. The administration hired huge number of people while spending a total of $7 billion on development of projects. The Administration even created various labour procedures for working hours, competition, banning of child labour and wages. Individuals hired by this administration were paid a minimum wa ge of $1.25/hour and they were permitted to work for eight hours per week. Another adjustment made under this act was related to membership of trade unions. This act allowed trade unions to participate in business matters and these unions were legally allowed to bargain on behalf of the employees. The president even passed the Emergency Banking Act due to which banks reopened and money and gold being saved by the public were deposited back to the banks. According to this act only the best banks of US were allowed to start functioning again, and that too under the supervision of the government and these banks were lend money under compulsory situations. Banks that were smaller in size experienced shutdown and merger with banks that were larger in size, depositor’s money was returned on the basis of 85 cents for each $1 deposited by the customers. Later Glass-Steagall Act was passed by the president; the purpose of this act was to restrict the participation of commercial banks in securities firms. The president even created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, though this corporation, deposits that were higher than the amount of $2500 were insured, and this move was made to decrease the risk of deposit getting out of banks. Second New Deal The second New Deal refers to the next 100 days of the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, during this period; he passed various acts and created various programs for correcting the relationship between the government and the public and to further strengthen existing institutions. One of the greatest acts passed by the president was the Social Security Act, under this act under which benefits were forwarded to those who were retired and to the children of those families that that existed without a father. The pensions and the benefits forwarded to the people under this act were to be financed by the taxes paid by the citizens of US. The president even created the Works Progress Administration which helped in prov iding employment to over 8.5 million individuals who worked on the development of government projects such as roads, highways, public offices, irrigation system and playgrounds. These projects not only helped in decreasing unemployment in US, these projects even helped in building the infrastructure of US

Real Estate Development, Construction, Economy Thesis

Real Estate Development, Construction, Economy - Thesis Example The correlation of real estate, construction and economy is so big that a downfall in the industry can jeopardize the whole economy for years. Japan has faced it in the eighties and economies of USA, Britain and many other are facing today. The real estate and construction sectors combined had of late been a booming business all over the world and make up one of the largest business segments in the U.S. economy. Real estate development takes place in three major areas: Residential, Commercial and industrial. In residential segment consumers are encouraged to buy houses on account of low interest rates prevailing in the market, Sub-prime lending, lower return from other segments or stock market investment. Home owners are interested in remodeling old houses that is also part of construction industry real estate According to 'The Economist' the total asset in residential property in developed economies was worth $48 trillion and in commercial property worth $14 trillion in 2002. This was 54% of the total assets in two classes of assets, Property and financial.1.(Wikipedia) From the sources of Bank of International Settlement and wall Street journal it has been found that over three years from 2001-2004 housing values have moved up 63% in Spain, 48% in France, and nearly doubled in South Africa. In single year in 2004 prices have rises 48% in Bulgaria, 19% in Hong Kong and scaled up in China, UK, Australia and India. 2. (Global Real Estate Boom) Real estate prices had unprecedented rise for so long and so fast in many countries of the world-America, Britain, Australia, France Spain, and China. Rising property prices helped to prop up the world economy after the stock market bubble burst in 2000" According to estimates by The Economist, over the last five years the total value of residential property in developed economies has gone up by more than $30 trillion. Over the past five years, to over $70 trillion. This is an increase of about 100% of the combined GDP of those countries. This dwarfs any previous house-price boom. It is larger than the global stock market bubble in the late 1990s or America's stock market Real Estate Dev..3 bubble in the late 1920s (55% of GDP). It is perhaps going to be the biggest bubble in history. There is a definite comparison between the real estate bubble of Japan in 1989 and that of 2005 in USA/UK Real Estate bubbles are created from time to time in some countries at certain intervals though it is not fixed and not forecast able. It occurred in 1920, 1980 and again they are threatening to raise heads in 2007-08 in USA, UK China and some more countries. This time the house prices have been rising up for long. More than 25% of homes bought in USA and UK are for investment purpose not for owner occupation showing that the investment in housing is for speculative motive. Majority of first time buyers did not make any down payment for the loan sanctioned. The home prices in most of countries have gone

Franklin D Roosevelt's New Deal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Franklin D Roosevelt's New Deal - Essay Example First New Deal The First New Deal started functioning during 1933 and ended during 1935, during this period, various reforms were made to strengthen the institutions of US. These reforms include the AAA or Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, this act was passed with the aim of insuring minimum wages for the farmers. According to this Act, farmers were paid in order to produce less so prices of agricultural produce could increase. Another reform made during the period of 1933 was the NIRA or National Industrial Recovery Act, this act was proposed and accepted in three different parts. Under this act, PWA or Public Works Administration was created for the management of government projects. The administration hired huge number of people while spending a total of $7 billion on development of projects. The Administration even created various labour procedures for working hours, competition, banning of child labour and wages. Individuals hired by this administration were paid a minimum wa ge of $1.25/hour and they were permitted to work for eight hours per week. Another adjustment made under this act was related to membership of trade unions. This act allowed trade unions to participate in business matters and these unions were legally allowed to bargain on behalf of the employees. The president even passed the Emergency Banking Act due to which banks reopened and money and gold being saved by the public were deposited back to the banks. According to this act only the best banks of US were allowed to start functioning again, and that too under the supervision of the government and these banks were lend money under compulsory situations. Banks that were smaller in size experienced shutdown and merger with banks that were larger in size, depositor’s money was returned on the basis of 85 cents for each $1 deposited by the customers. Later Glass-Steagall Act was passed by the president; the purpose of this act was to restrict the participation of commercial banks in securities firms. The president even created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, though this corporation, deposits that were higher than the amount of $2500 were insured, and this move was made to decrease the risk of deposit getting out of banks. Second New Deal The second New Deal refers to the next 100 days of the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, during this period; he passed various acts and created various programs for correcting the relationship between the government and the public and to further strengthen existing institutions. One of the greatest acts passed by the president was the Social Security Act, under this act under which benefits were forwarded to those who were retired and to the children of those families that that existed without a father. The pensions and the benefits forwarded to the people under this act were to be financed by the taxes paid by the citizens of US. The president even created the Works Progress Administration which helped in prov iding employment to over 8.5 million individuals who worked on the development of government projects such as roads, highways, public offices, irrigation system and playgrounds. These projects not only helped in decreasing unemployment in US, these projects even helped in building the infrastructure of US

Goddesses of the Middle East Essay Example for Free

Goddesses of the Middle East Essay The mythical legends surrounding the Goddesses of the Middle East date back to around 2500 B. C and form a part of some of the earliest recorded literature about ancient civilizations. These legends centre around the Divine Entities worshipped and revered in various sub regions in what was once known as the Ancient Near East but today is known as the Middle East. Though the religious beliefs in these regions were distinctive and each Civilization followed their own Gods and Goddesses most of these divine entities reacted to human conditions and were a product of the cultures that created them. As these cultures evolved over time, so did the Gods and Goddesses who protected and created them. Some of the prominent religions and civilizations who’s Divine Entities were revered and worshipped in the region known as the Ancient Near East includes: (Gordon 1965) †¢ Assyro-Babylonian religion followed in most of Mesopotamia include Sumer, Assyria, Akkad †¢ Ancient Egyptian religion followed in Ancient Egypt †¢ Canaanite religion followed in most of the Levant region including Canaan, Ugarit, Ebla, Mitanni †¢ Hittite, and Hurrian Religions originating in Anatolia and followed by the Hittite Empire including Assuwa, Arzawa †¢ Minoan religion followed by the Minoan civilization including Cyprus and Crete among others. The goddess in early classical mythology has traditionally played the role of a creator. She is believed to have existed before everything and has been credited with creating both heaven and earth as well as giving birth to both other gods and subsequently to human beings. In nearly all early civilizations the Goddess symbolized noble and basic concepts such as birth, death, honour, and justice. She was revered for her divine beauty and also for protecting her husband and children. While the male gods were relegated the duties of guarding the underworld, it was the goddesses who were given the responsibilities of providing comfort and standing guard over the dead until they were given a funeral and send to the underworld. Most of the civilizations depicted above sprung up around great rivers in the Middle east including, the Nile, Tigris, Euphrates, and Ganges. The presence of these rivers nourished a rich agricultural landscape and provided sustenance to agricultural gave civilizations which were predominantly matriarchal societies. (Sasson 1995) These civilizations were heavily influenced by both the blessings and ravages of nature. The rivers that they depended upon for sustenance would both give them abundant crops and wreck immense havoc and destruction in the form of devastating floods. People in these civilizations believed that there was a link between their lives and the pattern of birth –maturity death and re-birth that they observed in the plants and animals around them. The religious beliefs of most of these civilizations compelled them to worship or hold sacred what they thought provided them life and sustenance and also protected them from ravages and destruction the importance of goddesses in the myths and religious beliefs of these civilizations reflected this. The myths and legendary tales of powerful beautiful goddesses who had magical powers and controlled the various forces of nature helped t the people of these ancient civilizations understand the mysteries that pervaded their existence, birth, death, seasons, floods, harvests and drought all made so much more sense when they believed that there was a Supreme or Divine Deity who controlled it all and who they could appease through worship and prayer. In most of these matriarchal societies, this supreme deity was the Great Mother Goddess, who personified all the blessings and peculiarities of Mother Earth. Though there are countless Goddesses who were revered and worshiped in the ancient civilizations of the Middle East the most popular and common ones who were personified in the role of being creators, sustainers and the universal source of nourishment include(Christ 1998) Asherah –This is one of the names of the Sacred Goddess worshiped by the ancient Semitic Civilizations. Other names of this Great Goddess include Goddess of the Tree of Life, Goddess of the Grove. Wet-nurse of the gods. among many others This Goddess worshiped widely in Canaanite religion followed in most of the Levant region was symbolized by a multi branched tree and considered the very force of life that could be found in flocks of cattle and among groves of trees. This Goddess was often worshipped before childbirth and at planting time to grant sustenance. In popular mythology Asherah sometimes appears as curly-haired Goddess riding a sacred lion often holding lilies. Ishtar: Another very famous and popular Babylonian Goddess often known as Light of the World. Righteous judge, Forgiver of Sins and the Framer of all decrees are also few of her other roles and names that she was worshipped by. This Great Goddess is often depicted in breast-offering pose and is also known as the Mother of the fruitful breast. Inanna – was a very powerful Sumerian Goddess who was believed to provide earth with its source of life-water. Often called the Source of the Earths life blood it was believed by the ancient civilizations that this Goddess filled the wells, rivers and springs of the land with her own blood Isis- a very popular and powerful Goddess worshipped by the Ancient Egyptians Isis is perhaps the most famous of all Ancient Middle Eastern Goddesses. Some sources claim that her name means: She of throne, while other sources imply that her name means: She of flesh. Isis’s was revered for using her powers of magic and healing to help humanity Ashnan – She was the ancient Sumerian Goddess of Grain who controlled agricultural sustenance for the civilizations that worshipped her. Belit-Ilani – Worshipped by the ancient Babylonian this Goddess was often held in esteem as the Mistress of the gods. In popular depictions she is portrayed as a woman bearing baby on her left arm and blessing a child with her left. Anath Worshipped by Canaanites, Amorites, Syrians, Egyptians, Hebrews and the Phoenicians. This Goddess symbolized the strength of Life and was the Queen of Heaven and also the Mistress of all the Gods. Anatu – She was the Great Mesopotamian Goddess, often considered the Ruler of the Earth and Queen of the Sky. Chaabou – was held in high reverence by the Semitic religion and relegated as Earth Mother responsible for sustenance and nourishment. Achamoth – Worshipped by the Early Gnostic Christians. She was the Mother Goddess, who was responsible for giving birth and was the effective creator of the material universe, Deborah – was the Sacred Goddess worshiped frequently in the Mycenae and Anatolia regions often identified with the Tree of Life. Erua – was the Babylonian Goddess often revered as the Queen of Heaven. She was responsible for controlling the birth of all creatures big and small in her land. Gula – was another popular Babylonian Great Goddess who was also known as the Fate Goddess and the Great Doctor who was believed to cure any kind of sickness or ailment . Lahmu- a famous Goddess in Akkadian mythology, who is considered to be the mother of Anshar and Kishar, who are credited to have fathered the first Gods of that great ancient civilization. Persian mythology which also plays a part of ancient Middle Eastern Mythology also held the Goddess. Rudaba† in great esteem. This Goddess gave birth to Rostam, the greatest hero in Persian mythology. Derceto –was the Babylonian Sea Goddess also known as the Goddess of Justice. Kadi –was a Babylonian Goddess believed to have the body of a Serpent and the head and breasts of a Woman. Mari –was revered as the Mother Sea, who gave birth to the gods, Shebat was worshipped as the Mesopotamian Moon Goddess responsible for bringing night after day. Tirgata – was revered as Fish Goddess of Syria who controlled the sea and all life within it As these Civilization evolved so did the role of their gods and goddesses. By 2400 B. C religious and devotional practices began to change as aggressive tribes with strong beliefs in worshipping a supreme male god began to invade the matriarchal communities whose supreme diets were Goddesses . New myths developed in which these goddesses were made evil, slain or made inferior to the patriarchal god of the conquerors. The goal in creating these myths was to defame and to dethrone the goddess from her traditional role of Creator and sustainers and to give this role to a new generation of patriarchal warrior Gods who ruled the world through valour and heroic endeavour. As a direct consequence the role of the Goddess in the Patriarchal societies underwent a change from being a loving supreme deity to a vengeful, spiteful Entity who had to be either slain or made subordinate to the male gods in order to control her powers. Many Ancient Babylonian and Mesopotamian Goddesses who were once revered as the Source of Life and Sustenance was discredited slain or made subordinate to a new patriarchal male warrior God. (Christ 1998) One example of how ancient myths of Goddesses changed in patriarchal societies is the legend of the Mesopotamian divinity Tiamat. Revered by the ancient Sumero-Babylonian civilization as a Serpent Goddess of the Watery Abyss a Mother, from whose formless body the Universe was born. She was believed to nourish all life and rule the ocean. Tiamat, in her role as Mother Goddess and Mother Earth, reflected the matriarchal civilization that created her. (Christ 1998) In a patriarchal society the role of Tiamat and the legend surrounding her changes drastically. According to these new myths The Goddess once credited with the creation of the Universe is upset when her husband Appu is slain and decides to destroy what she has created. She gives birth to a race of evil monsters to help in her quest. Together the Goddess and her army of monsters wreck chaos and havoc on all around them. There is no one who can stop Tiamat until Marduk accepts the challenge. In violent battle, Marduk manages to wedge open the mouth of the serpent goddess and fill it with winds of a horrible storm. While the serpent goddess is distracted he slains her by cutting her womb. After killing the Goddess the patriarch warrior feels glorified. He then desecrates the womb that previous mythologies and civilizations revered as the Source of All Life. The myth ends by establishing that the supreme deity is now male and that he and his cohorts of warrior Gods will now be responsible for protecting the civilization. In a patriarchal society the role of the God is relegated from giving birth and nurturing traditionally seen as motherly tasks to being the protector traditionally seen as fatherly tasks The roles of the goddesses in these societies were reduced to subservient status In the new patriarchal civilization, the myths regarding the Goddesses were recreated and often retold till they achieved credibility and became part of a new folklore designed to promote the religion of the new civilization. In this fashion countless legendary myths depicting the creative, nurturing and forgiving nature of the female goddesses were desecrated and in their place grew new myths propounding their evil deeds. In many of these myths the goddess is first discredited and then engaged in battle with the patriarch God. At the end the Patriarch God achieves victory over the Goddess and she is either slain or looses her powers. Another myth which was refashioned along these lines was that of Hathor an Ancient Egyptian Goddess. Hathor, in Ancient Egyptian mythology was revered as the goddess responsible for evoking emotions such as joy, love, dance and song. (Christ 1998) She is fabled to have provided her own nurturing milk to the living and also carried the dead to the underworld. But somewhere in mythology the Hathor who is revered for her very instincts of Love and joy is also painted as a demon that wrecks death and destruction on Humanity. Acting on the directives of the sun god, Ra, who was under the impression that some of his subjects were planning to Kill him Hathor was sent on a mission to destroy the plotters Hathor who also manifested herself in the guise of a lioness known as Sekhmet, attacked all the plotters killing them instantly. Ra was forced to intervene to stop the bloodshed by tricking Sekhmet into believing that she had killed a lot of people so by pouring a massive amount of pomegranate coloured liquid over the battlefield . Sekhmet mistook the liquid for blood stopped the slaughter and transformed back into her goddess form of Hathor. It is ironic in the least to observe that in cultures where the feminine spirit has always been seen as nurturing, loving and creative the role of goddesses of mythology is associated with evil deeds. Perhaps these mythologies have been restructured to assimilate in Patriarchal Societies where the god is associated with social order and discipline. But regardless of their role in mythology many famous Goddesses of the Middle East continue to live in popular imaginations even though the religions and cults associated with them have now been banished. Though the Middle East is now home to new religions such as Christianity Judaism and Islam and the age of idol worship and plural Gods is over, these deities have become part of the common folklore. The Worship of these Goddesses may now be defunct but their legend lives on and continues to pervade subsequent cultural practices in these regions. Works Cited Gordon, Cyrus. The Ancient Near East, 3rd Edition, Revised. W. W. Norton and Company, Inc. , New York, 1965. Christ Carol: Rebirth of the Goddess: Finding Meaning in Feminist Spirituality Routledge; 1st edition 1998 James. E. O. The Ancient Gods: The History and Diffusion of Religion in the Ancient Near East and the Eastern Mediterranean, 1960. Sasson Jack: Civilizations of the Ancient Near East. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1995. Morton Smith, The Common Theology of the Ancient near East, Journal of Biblical Literature 1952.

Illegal Downloading Essay

Illegal Downloading Essay Illegal download of music can be best defined as use of free sharing programs such as LimeWire, Bit Torrent, Ares and E-mule to share or obtain copyrighted music or music software without due permission from the copyright holder. From the article, we can deduce and comfortably argue that the illegal download of music is indeed harmful and should be banned and discouraged at all cost. For one, illegal download of music denies musicians the right to profits and hence prevent them from earning their living. It also kills their morale when taken to the fact that it degrades and devalues their products i.e. the music files. On the argument that artists make more money from concerts, this needs to be explicitly clarified, because download of music can actually bring an artist more money than concert appearances. Take a scenario for instance where a musician has a hit song all over the globe which is all over the internet and media outlets. This will translate to more demand, and they will get invited to numerous shows and events all over the world. Whereas anyone in any place around the globe can download the particular song or other songs by the artist no matter the time of the day. The artist himself is limited in the number of shows or concerts he or she can attend hence he might end up making more money from this than actual concerts which requires his physical appearance. The value of musical compact discs (CDs) has been viewed by some as ridiculously high, as the article reports. It will be important to understand this vital point that when a consumer really needs and wants a certain product and appreciates its value the price notwithstanding. (Aksomitis, 2007) He or she would most definitely go out of the way to purchase it this is no different when it comes to musical CD sales. If the notion that downloading of music illegally is harmless and does not really cost the artist much should be dispelled and the following will act to disabuse any such thoughts in any potential illegal music downloader. Jupiter research -a UK based research firm published a report in 2009 titled the analysis of the European online music marketing development and assessment of future opportunities. The report came up with a final conclusion that illegal music downloaders were free loaders who had little or no will /ability to pay for music. This coupled with the fact that the United Kingdom trade value of the domestic music sales had fallen to a sobering twenty five per cent in the last decade is a clear indication of the ills of illegal music download. Another study done in Netherlands by a group called TNO/SEO/IVIR in 2009 established a direct link between a drop in music sales and downloading over the internet: ups and downs-economic and cultural effects of file sharing on music, films and games. The bottom line facts and figures all point out illegal music downloading over the internet, as one of the major culprits that has led to decline in revenue and sales in the music industry worldwide. This is because a seemingly harmless action of downloading a music file over the internet has caused a wide destructive ripple effect in the industry affecting more than one individual /musician. There exist many key industry players who are negatively affected by this. The music producer for one, music managers, record label employees, music promoters, disc jockeys (DJ) and other professionals. Who include video producers, dancers, event organizers and other affiliated industry players together with thousands if not millions of employees earning a living from music and music related products. When music CD sales drops due to illegal download of music, publishers naturally feel the pinch from losses incurred. Drop in album sales lead to firing and lying off of employees by record labels and music production houses. (Noah, 2011) The musician at the end of the line is cheated off their rightful earning by the same illegal downloading. It will be of great importance to note that music CDs are on their way to becoming obsolete and outdated. Therefore soft copy downloading is becoming a more and more preferred mode of music and music software Access Avenue by fans worldwide. This means music downloads are in the future going to be perhaps the only way a part from performances and product endorsements that a musician can earn a living and make sales from his/her music. All this is a clear pointer that illegal music download is indeed harmful and musicians therefore should declare an out and out war against these offenders. Who exhibits dishonest, unscrupulous, unethical and selfish practice which amounts to mass theft of intellectual property and copyright infringement not to mention theft. It is important that there exist legal and recognized channels for music downloading where there is a good and reliable system of music downloading. This is because there would be an important source of data whereby an artist can keep tract and do a self-evaluation of his/her music progress. Other key players such as producers and music promoters would also find this handy and useful in keeping tract if their artist progress in development while keeping tabs on sales and marketing data .Ranking and artist valuing can also be easily timelines and tracked down to minute details. The government would also heavily benefit from the same when it comes to the crucial issue of taxation and revenue collection. Where there is a legal and recognized mode of music download, tax deductions and revenue payment can be smoothly and flawlessly carried out which in turn will help the government to be able to protect the musicians and assure them of continued earning from their music. This will in turn lead to high morale in the musician who will continue churning out more quality and standard music for the fans to enjoy. It is however important to take in to consideration the issue of music previews where potential downloads review and sample music before downloading. The article argue that if allowed access to sampling and previewing of music prior to online purchase, the potential customers will not value the illegally downloaded music. Resulting, into temporally use of files then deleting without actually engaging in the actual purchase of the song. There should be such a platform streamlined such as in the case of movie trailers where a sneak preview of the song is availed without unnecessarily exposing much or the whole song to potential buyers. A small part of the song such as the chorus should be coded into the system with an expiry security lock for temporal use. We must keep in psyche that prior to one goes to download a song there must have been motivators and factors that lead to his or her action. (Johnson Broida, 2002) By this, we can take into account music previews and reviews in various contemporary music shows in radio and television programs. Also written music reviews by entertainment writers and critics who are well informed about music of various genres and types they report for therefore the downloader has a pretty good idea what he/she is going to download. Up to that point all will agree that illegal download of music does more harm than good. Therefore should be severely reprimanded and allow for musicians effort to be duly recognized and appreciated when protecting and appreciating copyright and intellectual property of the artist. Musicians should come out vocally and in numbers to condemn and fight this detestable vice. This can be best done by the formation of strong reliable and powerful artist associations and bodies which will have the mandate and tasks of monitoring and ensuring music download is done legally and they benefit from the same. There is a need for existence of independent and cooperate copyright agent monitors. Who will work closely for or with the government music bodies, record labels, music distribution companies media houses. (Johnson Broida, 2002) Additionally, music promoters and online marketers of music together with the website owners to ensure efficient tracking of music download. Enabling to keep the actions in the right track and eliminate illegal music downloading or keep it to a bare minimum. The government needs to step in the fight against illegal music downloads by setting up agencies and departments to monitor and control the same. Legal actions should be taken against those found engaging in illegal music download and heavy fines and penalties imposed on the culprits to punish them. Get legal settlements to compensate the musicians and deter and discourage other potential illegal music down-loaders. There should be also financial implications for any individual, company, group or institution whose members engage in this act with full knowledge of the relevant authorities. Disciplinary actions therefore should be taken against students in educational institutions where this practice is done at an alarming rate, mostly with impunity since the perpetrators hide under the veil of the majority of numbers and institutional cover. CONCLUSION In a nutshell, the long and short of it is that if allowed to continue, illegal music download will continue hurting musicians and also the perpetrators when stun action is taken against them. The eventual effect is the ruining of the music industry and killing of dreams, new talents and music. The question is if one loves music so much, why not go out and legally purchase it?

ROI in the Public Sector :: essays research papers

ROI in the Public Sector Interest in return on investment (ROI) by public sector organizations continues to grow. This interest is not isolated to large federal agencies. Myths regarding the use of ROI in government abound, prevents many agencies from developing a comprehensive approach to evaluating human resources, training, and performance improvement initiatives. The key is distinguishing what is myth versus what is reality. Efforts have been made toward more responsible performance management and measurement in the public sector. The Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 was enacted to improve the management practices of the federal government and to ensure the production of reliable and timely financial information for use in managing and evaluating federal programs. The government Management Reform Act of 1994 added to the Chief Financial Officers Act by requiring all federal agencies to prepare and make public annual financial reports. It also authorized the Office of Management and Budget to implement a pilot program to streamline and consolidate certain statutory financial management and performance reports into a single, annual accountability report. One piece of legislation that has had influence in enhancing accountability in government agencies is The Government and Performance and Results Act of 1993. GPRA (or the "Results Act") is the primary legislative framework through which agenc ies are required to set strategic goals, measure performance, and report on the degree to which goals are met. Basically it requires government agencies to develop performance plans that outline the link between strategic goals and day-to-day operations. ROI is not the first private sector practice to be applied to public sector organizations. Total quality management (TQM), zero-based budgeting, and the balanced scorecard all had their initial beginning in the private sector and to some extent have been applied in government. While the fundamental use of ROI comes from accounting and finance (earnings divided by investment), the process of cost-benefit analysis is grounded in welfare economics and public finance. Both account for the financial benefits of a program, project, or initiative compared to the costs. The difference in the two equations is that cost-benefit analysis results in a ratio comparing monetary benefits to the program costs (BCR); ROI results in a percentage that presents the net monetary benefits (earnings) compared to the costs (investment). For many years there has been a great divide between traditional program evaluation and evaluation coming from business. Program evaluators have long been concerned with the correctness of use of methodologies, expending whatever time necessary to ensure purity of research.

Watergate Chronology :: President Richard Nixon

January 20,1969 Richard M. Nixon elected the thirty-seventh president of the United States 1969 Ehrlichman suggests to Caulfield that he leave the White House and set up a private security business that would provide security to the 1972 Nixon campaign. This project, Sandwedge, would be similar to the Kennedy security firm, Intertel. June 5, 1970 With the goal of increasing cooperation between various intelligence agencies within the government, a meeting was called in the Oval Office. Those in Attendance: Richard Nixon, J. Edgar Hoover, Richard Helms, and chiefs of the NSA and the DIA. Nixon aide Tom Charles Huston was assigned to work with the heads of these agencies to facilitate increased cooperation. early July, 1970 The Huston Plan sent to the President. This plan was an addition made by Huston to a plan endorsed by Hoover and Helms (NSA and DIA as well?). Huston's addition called for electronic surveillance, monitoring activities, surreptitious entries, recruitment of more campus informants, et al. July 14, 1970 Nixon endorses the Huston Plan July 27, 1970 Hoover visits John Mitchell. Mitchell hears about the Huston plan for the first time. Mitchell later goes to Nixon and urges the President to Stop the plan. Nixon later cancelled the plan. September 17, 1970 Mitchell met with John Dean. Mitchell discussed the poor job that the FBI was doing in the area domestic intelligence. This followed a conversation between Mitchell, Helms and others from the CIA on a similar topic. September 18, 1970 John Dean sends a memo to John Mitchell in which he offers a plan for intelligence gathering. "The most appropriate procedure would be to decide on the type of intelligence we need, based on an assessment of the recommendations of this unit, and then to proceed to remove the restraints as neccessary to obtain such intelligence." May 3, 1971 Following Nixon's decision concerning Laos, Anti-Vietnam activists attempt to shutdown Washington by blocking roads with stalled cars, human blockades, garbage cans, and other materials. The protests result in over 12,000 arrests. John Dean headed up the White House intelligence gathering during this protest. June 13, 1971 The New York Times begins publication of excerpts from "The Pentagon Papers". The Pentagon Papers was a 7,000 page document that was first commissioned by Robert McNamara in June of 1967 for future scholars to use. The Papers were leaked to the Times by Daniel Ellsberg. Although there were many crucial documents that were not included, the Papers did include documents from the Defense Department, the State Department, the CIA, and the White House. June 14, 1971 John Mitchell sends a telegram to the New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger President and Publisher The New York Times

General Electric Strategic Position – 1981

General Electric (â€Å"GE†), similar to many major corporations in the 1980s and 1990s, underwent a restructuring phase in line with the McKinsey Restructuring Pentagon. Through this restructuring, General Electric implemented a portfolio-planning model to manage the ever-increasing demands of a company involved in over 190 businesses. Ultimately, this model allowed GE to formally? GE set lofty goals of increasing earnings per share 25% faster than the growth of GNP. In order to achieve this the company needed to address productivity and possible realms of expansion, but the systems in place often led to a lack of focus. Reginald Jones attempted to create value and compete in the market by implementing strategic planning and then integrated strategic planning to address productivity. Through GE’s engagement of McKinsey & Co. they devised a structure of Strategic Business Units along with Portfolio Planning. The development of strategic business units allowed the company to stay competitive in their respective industries by acting somewhat autonomously from GE Corporate. In the restructured GE, the SBUs were responsible for identifying crossovers to expand their competitive position by utilizing the entire GE network. The Portfolio Planning Model allowed GE to allocate resources to each SBU based on Industry Attractiveness and Business Unit Strength. The allocation of resources focused development on specific projects instead of â€Å"sprinkling money across a variety of businesses. † This matrix later would be called the GE matrix, which allowed GE Corporate to quickly analyze a business plan by highlighting the potential industry growth (using a Five Forces-style analysis) and looking at the relative knowledge within GE to capitalize on the industries market share. After the allocation of resources, GE identified business unit strategy. This strategic planning was ahead of its time in terms of management theory. Strategic Planners were required at each business unit to assess the strategic positioning of opportunities (including potential divestment) and to identify portfolio balance. This portfolio assessment identified the overall business unit balance in terms of cash-flow generation and growth prospects. After these metrics were defined, performance targets were set based on the business strategy and perceived competitive position. When combined with the BCG Matrix, GE was capable of making allocation decisions readily, addressing the productivity issue while maintaining its competitive advantage in industries viewed with positive growth potential. One can say the creation of value at GE in the 1981 depended on its use of metrics to focus on specific industries and growth opportunities. This created value by allocating resources more effectively in order to predict market trends and anticipate demand within markets before customers were able to clearly identify what was needed. In addition, this created value in terms of the shareholder value maximization model as GE innovated in order to outpace growth in GNP. Returning to the McKinsey Restructuring Program, it stands that GE created additional value and became an even greater competitive force across their broad industry footprint by capitalizing on the linkages between their SBUs. Part of Reginald Jones’ theory on implementing Sector level managers exemplified this value creation through corporate linkages. In order to stay away from a Holding Company status, GE Corporate realized it needed to add-value from the top-down. The end results was a structure whereby SBUs developed new business opportunities by ‘extending into contiguous product-markets;’ Sectors ‘developed new SBUs by diversifying within their macroindustry scopes;’ and Corporate developed ‘new sectors by diversifying into unserved macroindustries. ’ This renewed focus allowed GE to add value across its hierarchy, competing quicker and more efficiently than competitors while leveraging the full breadth of resources available to a truly diversified company. Additionally, due to GE’s restructure hierarchy; corporate was able to focus on what Jones called â€Å"arenas. † These arenas extended into nontraditional management, integrating new developments in techniques, motivation, and measurement, but were designed to create a vision for the future, which then linked back to the portfolio planning model in order to more appropriately allocate resources. As a result, GE decided to focus on the following arenas – Energy, Communications, Energy Applications-productivity, Materials and Resources, Transportation & Propulsion, and Pervasive Services. These arenas drew direct linkages between organizations within GE, further leveraging the company’s resources to compete more efficiently while creating shareholder value. Additionally, GE said that planning helps a company focus, but implementation and execution is the key to success. To this end, they developed their people internally at a faster rate then competitors, often shifting managers to completely new organizations in order to provide a fresh perspective on innovation and market potential. Planning became a way of life, but implementation and execution were the breath of the company, even as they faced a dynamic and continually changing organizational structure. General Electric in 1981 created value and became more competitive due to their focus. GE executives realized the shifting dynamics within a diversified company and provided a formal framework to identify opportunities and to put money to work in those arenas. Additionally, their ability to capture leverage from linkages, both with products and human resources, helped the company remain competitive and quicker then each industry player within their respective units. The overall restructuring and portfolio planning provided a framework for their growth and value creation, which Jack Welch capitalized on after the departure of Reggie Jones. We believe that the strategic planning approach implemented by Reginald Jones, CEO of GE was revolutionary and necessary for the time but the methodology remained unchanged and ineffective as the company grew through the 1970s. Jones was a person who had a clear vision for corporate growth and effective performance during recessionary times in the United States. He believed in creating a change, recognizing the problems the company was facing and implementing strategies to reshape the decision-making process in the corporation. The focus of the corporation was to impose the creation of business strategic units in order to gain a broader view on corporate management strategies. The main goal was to implement the company’s vision across all business units across various industries. GE introduced a strategic planning system where management was expected to take strategic decisions and be involved pro-actively in the decision-making process. The corporate approach was to introduce clarity of the job functions in order to avoid ambiguity and miscommunication between the business units. Management was encouraged to strengthen their relationships with the team to integrate communication between the departments. Through the strategic planning system, the company recognized certain sectors that were less profitable than others and decided to prune the business units that did not grow rapidly or remain static. GE focused on further developing growing business units in new sectors by diversifying in unexplored industries. Overall, the corporation showed an average growth of 16% annually on their income statement for the decade between 1970 and 1980. GE delivered 26 consecutive quarters of improved earnings through two recessions; however, it faced some structural problems. The internal audit showed that strategic planning was slow and inefficient. Integration and cooperation between the business units was non-existent, which deprived innovation and opportunism within the corporation. The decentralized management led to the proliferation of 150 strategic business units. Additionally, financial analysis and control was rigid and did not promote cooperation between the business units. The strategic planning processes were heavily infringed by paperwork creating bureaucracy. In order to control the information, new management layers were created which resulted in expanding the staff of the organization. The paper-driven processes, in combination with the large staff at the business unit level, increased the costs and reduced the efficiency of personnel, reflecting the overall performance of the corporation. The large amount of paper reports slowed the decision-making process by the corporate management team that was inefficient to take action in search of further market growth. Due to these issues, the financial performance of GE was moderate and it matched the GNP index but did not outperform it. The corporate management focused on increasing growth while fighting inflation when the company was growing in size in both personnel and business units. We propose a different approach to confront the issues that GE was facing in their initial proposition for corporate strategic management. The company should focus on reducing the bureaucracy and improving the efficiency of the strategy decision-making process. This may be achieved by implementing regular face-to-face meetings with the corporate strategy management unit. GE could introduce more flexible financial controls to promote innovation and intrapreneurship while providing more integration across the business-level managers. A major problem to resolve was the excess cost of duplication and uncoordinated actions. GE’s focus should be on pruning less efficient business units that are not profitable and strengthening the SBUs that will provide the highest ROI. As mentioned above, the company was increasing its labor size while the SBUs remained inefficient. There are still some departments that are not as profitable as others but remained in operation. GE should concentrate in its comparative advantage in the industry to retrieve new rivals. Therefore, looking for new opportunities, along with undiscovered sectors, will provide the corporation with a greater competitive advantage in those industries.

Sociology and Durkheim Social Disorganization

SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION AND IT’S TYPES: DEFINITION OF SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION: Social Disorganization theory began around the late 1800s. Social Disorganization refers to organizations and institutions failing in communities or neighborhoods, preventing these areas from overcoming the crime and issues of the day. The social disorganization theory is a key component in the study of criminology. Theories under the umbrella of social disorganization seek to identify and predict trends in criminal or deviant behavior among groups within a social network.The effort is designed to address criminal activity and the variables that might predict undesired behavior within a community. According to Elliott and Merrill: â€Å"Social disorganization are the totality of human personalities and conscious and unconscious attitudes, their crystallized and uncrystallized ideas and institutions which in complex interrelationships make up the framework of human existences. Social organization refe rs to the way people relate themselves to one another. It also refers to the way in which person and groups making up a society are somehow held together.  Read also  Sociology and Social Integration.Social organization and social structure are interchangeable concepts both referring to any interrelated system of role and statuses. † Ogburn and Nimkoff said that: â€Å"When the harmonious relationship between the various parts of culture is disturbed, social disorganization ensues. Social disorganization implies some breakdown in the organization of society. It is a relative phenomenon. Social organization and social disorganization is the dual aspects of the whole functioning of society. The social disorganization theory attributes crime and delinquency to communities where failing communal institutions, such as family, church, local government and schools, are found. According to this theory, communal relationships reinforce positive behavior, a sense of community respo nsibility and concern for the social network within a close area. When these communal relationships are faulty or nonexistent, that social network loses a sense of organization and social responsibility, which can potentially lead to negative or even criminal behavior spreading through that neighborhood.Types of Social Disorganization: Types of social disorganization are as follow: 1. Individual disorganization 2. Family disorganization 3. Community disorganization Social disorganization is the theory that crime and dysfunctional behavior occur in societies for cultural, political and economic reasons. Established communities experience increases in crime when their way of life and the established order of how things are done changes. Generally, social disorganization is caused by lack of personal control, community control and public control.Cultural Social Disorganization: †¢Cultural social disorganization emphasizes that disorganization occurs through the failure of people t o keep up with the times. When housing, means of transport and methods of communication rapidly change in a society, beliefs, attitudes and habits do not change as quickly. Authority figures resist change and find it difficult to integrate the new circumstances into their lives. This lag can result in social disorganization and increased crime rates. Political Social Disorganization: When a country or neighborhood has a large influx of new populations, such as immigrants, or are dealing with social upheavals or wars, political corruption can threaten the stability of a society. Political social disorganization also occurs when a country becomes subordinate to another country. The subordinate country loses its ability to govern itself and develop its own institutions, leading to subsequent loss of societal values, which can result in more crime in the society. Crime rates are less prevalent in stable communities. Economic Social Disorganzation: †¢Social and natural crises can gi ve rise to economic social disorganization.Famines, floods, epidemics and other natural disasters can disrupt social balances. Disparity between desires and the money to attain those goals can also affect the rise of crime. Illegitimate means will be used when legal ways to acquire them are not available. Unfair division of labor and physical deterioration of neighborhoods were also found to result in social disorganization. Some sociologist believe that the introduction of commerce and high levels of industrialization lead to higher crime rates. With the demise of traditional norms of behavior, new forms of behavior — whether productive or not — are likely to increase.INDIVIDUAL: 1. Individual difficulties such as physical, social, mental handicaps which may or may not lead to social disorganization. 2. Certain handicaps as a result of which the individual becomes habituated to some social vice. This ultimately affects his life organization as well as others in the co mmunity bringing social disorganization in the society. 3. Biological and physical factors which without proper control through modern technology creates problem of mass disorganization. 4. Decay in the existing institutions whether educational, religious, recreational, family, etc which ultimately affects the community. . Change in values and conflicts in role due to the rapid spread of technology, industrialization, urbanization and mass communication creating problems of national disorganization. When a number of individuals suffer from a similar type of disorganization, a social problem is in existence. In other word, individual disorganization, social problem, and social disorganization are closely interrelated to each other. Here individual disorganization may arises because of various factors such as biological, environmental, loss of security crisis in life, there can be two possibilities: 1.Individual disorganization may grow independent of social disorganization. For insta nce, if a person has ill health or is unable to meet his social demands it may leads to his physical or nervous breakdown and upset his personal plans and life schemes. 2. Suppose an individual is a leader or occupies a strategic position in society, which is often the case, then any disorganization in him leads to social disorganization if not checked. Each such disorganized such individual affects other individuals and in so doing produces social disorganization.According to Elliott and Merrill all type of personal maladjustment represent in one way or another, the inability of the individual to achieve a satisfactory life organization from the point of view of the social definition of his social patterns. 1. The behavior of the disorganized person deviates from the culturally approved norms. 2. His behavior arouses social disapproval which may vary from mild to marked (and even violence one. ) 3. The disorganized person may respond to social disapproval in two ways, i. e. positiv ely or negatively. Individual and Society: Social disorganization in a simple society:The social change, social disorganization and personal disorganization have their genesis in the variant behavior of the individuals. In simple societies, however deviations in behavior is minimum. Therefore there is a little awareness of their existence by the group. New coordination is made both for the society and for the individual with a minimum of stress and strain. Social disorganization in a complex society: The functioning of three important factors is commonly held responsible for spontaneous variations in behavior. They are – the specialized functioning inherent in complex society.The family as a culture defining agency and cultural participation outside the particular social order. The result is the emergence of a wide variety of various response patterns out of which develops disorganization both in society and individual. Some innovations find ready acceptance because they are related to those aspect of culture which are found outside institutional pattern. Innovations in mores, ideas and beliefs often meet with social disapproval because they vary from the accepted pattern. In simple society people revamp the discordant elements to the degree that their variance is no longer apparent.Innovations which meet with organized resistance tend to result in marked social disorganization. All positive response to social disapproval does not result in attempts to explain the variant behavior in terms of the welfare of the group. Social disorganization is the inevitable result until such time as the new behavior pattern loses group support or becomes incorporated into the social order. When however social disapproval of variations is met negatively by retreat into a world of fantasy there is no corresponding social disorganization except to the extent to which the individual becomes a threat to the safety of society and its members.This point of view does not deny the causative role of social organization in the production of personal disorganization. All social change involves some social disorganization. It is important to think of social disorganization related to those aspects of social change which result in the disturbance and revamping of social institutions and of the patterns of interrelationship between them. In the same way the social responses of the individual are always in flux. But only when changes take place in the individual's pattern of adjustment to social situations which arouse social disapproval that one may speak of personal disorganization.Personal disorganization represents the behavior of the individual which deviates from the social norms. It results in social disapproval which may express itself in a wide variety of degree. The individual may also react in different ways. Social reality presents an endless confusion of social disapproval from time to time. It may be mild or violent. Accordingly individuals respond either positively or negatively to social disapproval. The most visible aspect of personal disorganization in complex societies is that in which there is mild social disapproval to which the individual responds positively.This kind of personal disorganization does not deeply disturb the social order. The second aspect of social disorganization is that in which there is violent social disapproval and yet the individual responds positively. In the third aspect in which the individual's response to social disapproval is subjective the person retreats into an individually defined inner world. His innovations lose their social character. He becomes enmeshed in the development of mechanisms which further isolate him from the normal influences of group life.This type of personal disorganization results in psychosis through which the individual tries to escape from the web of social relations and in suicide. Social disorganization consists of the co-ordination of individual responses as a result of the operation of consensus and control. Personal organization refers to the coordination and integration of the attitude systems within the personality. A change in the cultural context which destroys the functioning of coordination that constitutes the social order represents social disorganization.Similarly any variant behavior which disturbs the integration of the attitude systems within the personality represents personal disorganization. Social disorganization is the inevitable result until such time as the new behavior pattern loses group support or becomes incorporated into the social order. When however social disapproval of variations is met negatively by retreat into a world of fantasy there is no corresponding social disorganization except to the extent to which the individual becomes a threat to the safety of society and its members. This point of view does not deny the causative ole of social organization in the production of personal disorganization. All soci al change involves some social disorganization. It is important to think of social disorganization related to those aspects of social change which result in the disturbance and revamping of social institutions and of the patterns of interrelationship between them. In the same way the social responses of the individual are always in flux. But only when changes take place in the individual's pattern of adjustment to social situations which arouse social disapproval that one may speak of personal disorganization.Depression and Disorganization: There are many medical conditions that can contribute to a disorganized and chaotic life. The most common is depression. A depressed person is usually apathetic, lethargic, disinterested, and this can lead to disorganization. Mental Disorder: Other mental problems such as bipolar disorder, dementia, and schizophrenia are all included under the mental umbrella that can cause a chaotic life. Besides depression and mental disorders, grief and pain c an also lead to mounds of clutter. Emotional Clutter and Disorganization:Another reason why people suffer from disorganization is because their emotional and social lives are cluttered. The psychological feeling of being overwhelmed can lead to a disorganized life. In these cases time management and acknowledging priorities are two possible cures for eliminating disorganization. ADD and Disorganization: Attention deficit disorder plays a huge factor in a person's ability to get organized. People who have problems with organization and planning should be checked for ADD disorder. Organization and planning are two of the biggest challenges for those suffering from attention deficit disorder.Unfortunately, standard organizing practices normally don't work for those with ADD and specialized strategies must be developed so that a person can get their life in order. Misconceptions: Most people attempt to solve disorganization by purchasing products and tools, but the Institute of Living, located in Hartford, Conn. , says this may not work. According to the Institute of Living, disorganization is commonly not a house problem that can be solved with buying bins, organizers, hangers and other household accessories, but rather a personal problem that can only be solved when the individual fundamentally changes his behavior.Causes of Social Disorganization: According to Maclver and Page five main factors such as psychological, biological, physical, technological and culture bring about social change. When the changes brought about these factors in the social structure are so disturbing that the present institution and other means of social control are no longer able to control them by adjusting themselves to the new situations there arise social disorganization. Factors of social disorganization at a particular period are so interrelated that it is difficult to find which factor is predominant.Elliott and Merrill observe that in order to understand the full implications of a study of social disorganization we must keep in mind the complex nature of all social phenomena. Out of man's fruitless search for unique causes has come recognition of the multiple factors which account for such characteristics of modern society as the decline in the acceptance of revealed religion the changing structure of the family, the increasing importance of the central government, and the lowering standards of morality. Others would rely on a reconstructuction of the fundamental economic institutions to bring about the changes.Still another group insists that the basis of all human woe lies in the biological field. Each of these groups however ignore the selective nature of the interpretation while on the other hand any realistic social understanding must consider all the factors related to the particular manifestation of social disorganization which is under investigation. Elliott and Merrill has described the four main causes for the disorganization- †¢The social processes under the three main heads-cultural, political and economic †¢Cultural lag Conflicting attitudes and values †¢Social crises Social disorganization is mainly due to cultural degeneration of values in various spheres such as art, science, philosophy, religion, law and politics. According to Karl Mannheim unplanned capitalism and policy of laissez faire are responsible for social disintegration in the present age which Bertrand Russell observes that â€Å"the lack of adjustment in institutions based on authority in the past is responsible for the present social disorganization. † G.R Medan has listed a few factors responsible for disorganization. †¢Psychological factors:- The cause of social disorganization is to be found in the human psychology itself. Psychological factors contribute to disorganization in two ways:- (a)Failure to maintain proper communication among fellow beings. (b)Failure to modify or change one's attitudes in tune with demands of t ime. †¢Cultural lag:- Cultural lag is the concept used by W. E. Ogburn refers to the imbalance in the rate and speed of change between the material cultural and non-material culture.Objects of material culture such as mode of housing, means of transport and communication, types of dresses, patterns of ornaments, technical and mechanical devices, instruments change very quickly. But ideas, beliefs, attitudes, taste, philosophies, habits, ideologies, institutional structures and such other aspects of non-material culture change slowly and gradually. Hence a gap or a lag arises between the material and non-material culture. This lag referred to as cultural lag invites the process of disorganization to set in. †¢Physical or geographic factors:-The adjustment of man and his culture to certain extraordinary physical or geographic conditions or situations may cause disorganization in society. This is especially true in the case of natural calamities such as storms, cyclones, hurr icanes, famines, floods, epidemics etc which upset the social balance and bring in social disorganization. †¢Biological factors:- Population explosion or extreme scarcity of population the instances of racial intermixture, defective hereditary traits and such other biological factors may also cause disorganizing effects upon society. †¢Ecological factor:-Social disorganization is related to environment in terms of regions and neighborhoods. †¢Social problems leading to social disorganization:- Social problems and forces such as a revolution, social upheaval, a class struggle, a financial or economic crisis, a war between nations, mental illness, and political corruption threaten the welfare of the society. †¢Degeneration of values:- Social values are often regarded as the sustaining forces of society. They contribute to the strength and stability of social order. But due to rapid social change new values come up and some of the old values decline.At the same time people are not in a position to reject the old completely and accept the new altogether. Hence conflict between the old and the new is the inevitable result of which leads to the social disorganization. †¢Disintegration and confusion of roles:- Members of society are expected to perform certain definite roles in accordance with their placements in society. Due to profound social changes these expectations also undergo change. Consequently people are confused with regard to their new roles. †¢Political subservience:- Political subordination of a country will result in social disorganization.The subordinate country is not permitted to develop its economy and institutions independently and is made as a means to serve the interest of the dominant country. †¢Conflict of goals and means:- Conflict of goals and means for achieving them may also cause disorganization. Most of the individuals share the dominant goals of the society and act accordingly. But lacking the means f or achieving the goals by legitimate means some may resort to illegitimate and illegal means resulting in vice, crime and other expression of social disorganization. †¢Decline of social control:-The declining control of religion, morals, customs, traditions and other institutions on the behavior of men has also enhanced the process of disorganization. There is an increase in interpersonal conflicts, crimes, tensions, divorce, delinquency, mental derangement etc. According to Thomas and Znaniecki the very decrease of the influence of existing rule of behavior upon the individual members of the group itself indicates social disorganization. †¢Extreme divisions of labor:- According to Durkheim social disorganization is often brought about by extreme division of labour.In normal course according to him division of labor leads to social solidarity may become disturbed. †¢Disruptive social change:- Society undergoes change mainly due to the operation of physical, biological , technological and cultural factors. Sudden and radical social changes may disrupt the stability and the organization of the society. The result is social disorganization. Prevention/Solution: According to the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization, a person who finds herself continuously surrounded by mess and should seek help and work with a professional organizer who is knowledgeable about disorganization issues.A person who is able to get organized can experience better mental and physical health. Organization places a person in a more productive environment that is conducive to enhancing his quality of life. Conclusion: Disorganization can cause havoc in a person's life. There are multiple reasons that a person can have a disorganized life. In some cases a disruptive life event is to blame for disorganization. Events like relocation, a new baby, or even a loss can all affect the organization of one's environment. Other times an emotional or mental disorder is contribu ting to the disorganization.Disorganization can also be brought on by something as diminutive as a change in mindset. The studies reviewed above indicate that social disorganization is an important predictor of youth violence and crime, and that social disorganization has its impact on youth violence and crime by affecting a number of mediating processes that facilitate youth violence. The findings also indicate that researchers and practitioners need to consider the linkages between economic deprivation and social disorganization when attempting to explain the genesis of youth violence.In attempting to attenuate youth violence, a number of policy implications are suggested by social disorganization theory. REFERENCES: http://www. sociologyguide. com/social-pathology/personal-disorganization. php http://books. google. com. pk/books? id=MXpiJWE7m5cC=PA32=PA32=INDIVIDUAL+DISORGANIZATION+in+india=bl=mLW-FbCxK5=BGnlIeTBCwenAz4t_NtYJykxu5c=en=X=bQJrUZbYLK6P7Ab874HgAw=0CEMQ6AEwAw#v=onepag e=INDIVIDUAL%20DISORGANIZATION%20in%20india=false FAMILY DISORGANIZATION Many marriages don't live up to high expectations, of people and families, so they break down or are violent.Some believe these are exceptional problems, but feminists believe it's because of male/female inequities. Family is the universal social institution, of all the institutions, it is most multifunctional, inspite of the fact that in some societies many of its previous functions have been partially taken over by other institutions. In many societies, including Pakistani society, the family is still the principal agency for social control and for educational, religious, protective, recreative and other institutional functions.Family: Sampson (1986) indicates that social disorganization may have an effect on youth violence through its effects on family structures and stability. He suggested that traditional social disorganization variables may influence community crime rates when taking into account the effe cts of levels of family disruption. This may occur by (1)removing an important set of control structures over youths’ behaviour, and (2)creating greater opportunities for criminal victimization (i. e. , through the lack of capable guardianship).Essentially, Sampson (1986) recognized the relationship of social disorganization theory to control theory and routine activities/lifestyle theory. To test his assertions, Sampson (1986) used three measures of family structure. First, he included a measure of the per cent of residents in a neighbourhood who were ever married and who were either divorced or separated. The second measure of family structure was the per cent of female-headed families. Finally, he included a measure of the per cent of primary or single-headed households.His analyses revealed that, independent of the traditional social disorganization variables, the family structure variables each had a direct significant effect on community crime rates. Thus, Sampsonâ€⠄¢s work identified an important and additional source of social disorganization (implicit in the work of Shaw and McKay) that had been previously overlooked by empirical studies. McNulty and Bellair (2003) also investigated the importance of family processes within the social disorganization tradition.This study integrates theory and research in criminology and urban sociology to specify a contextual model of differences in adolescent violence between whites and five racial-ethnic groups. The model presented views these differences as a function of variation in community contexts, family socioeconomic well-being, and the social capital available to adolescents and families. Data from the National Education Longitudinal Survey (1988 to 1992), which included information on 14,358 adolescents across 2,988 US locales, were matched with community-level data from the 1990 US census to test the resulting model.The white-black disparity in adolescents’ fighting is explained by highe r levels of disadvantage in the communities in which black children often live. The disadvantage index accounted for the largest reduction in the black effect on fighting, reflecting the well-documented concentration of disadvantage in black communities. Importantly, and in agreement with the importance of family processes for social disorganization theory, the results indicate that the effect of concentrated disadvantage on fighting is mediated by more proximate processes that are linked to family well-being.Tolan, Gorman-Smith and Henry (2003) employ data from a longitudinal study of 284 African-American and Latino adolescent boys and their caregivers, living in poor urban communities, to test a developmental-ecological model of violence. Six annual waves of data were applied to evaluate the relations between microsystem influences of parenting and peer deviance, macrosystem influences of community structural characteristics and neighbourhood social organization, and individual in volvement in violence. Structural equation modelling analyses showed that community structural characteristics significantly predicted neighbourhood social processes.Importantly, it was found that parenting practices partially mediated the relation between neighbourhood social processes and gang membership. Consistent with the above research that social disorganization may influence the level of youth violence through its effect on family processes, other researchers have found that family processes may be used to mitigate the deleterious effects of social disorganization. Burfeind (1984), for example, examined the role of the family, within a larger social context, as it relates to delinquency.This study focused on 1,588 non-black junior and senior high school students in the US. Burfeind analyzed the interactive effects of five family dimensions in relation to four other causal variables commonly associated with delinquency involvement: community social disorganization, delinquent friends, attachment to peers, and delinquent definitions. Analysis revealed that family factors influenced delinquency in different ways. The level of an adolescent’s attachment to the father was found to be independently related to delinquent activity after controlling for all other effects (independent and interactive).Paternal discipline had an interactive effect on delinquency, such that the type of paternal discipline influenced the effect that community social disorganization and the number of delinquent friends had on delinquency. Sampson (1992) has attempted to consolidate the empirical findings that relate social disorganization to family processes and then to delinquency and youth violence. In so doing, he has developed a community-level theory of social disorganization, which places primary emphasis on family management practices and child health and development.He notes that the embeddedness of families and children in a community context is a central feature of the theory. Prenatal care, child abuse prevention, monitoring and supervision of youth, and other family management practices are intertwined with community networks of social organization. Social disorganization directly and indirectly influences the care of children and other family processes, and ultimately, rates of delinquency and crime FAMILY DISORGANISATION This describes breakdown, due to functional failure and role failure. Causes and effects of disorganization include: Death, disability or serious illness. †¢Births outside marriage. †¢Divorce, separation, desertion of living in an empty-shell marriage (partners live together but really all over). †¢Conflict, including abuse/neglect. †¢Disruption caused from outside by unemployment, war, imprisonment or persecution. CAUSES OF AN INCREASING DIVORCE RATE †¢Big increase since sixties. One in three in divorce. reasons include: CONSEQUENCES OF AN INCREASING DIVORCE RATE †¢More one parent families, c ohabiting, remarriage, step-parents, and reconstituted families, where both married before and both bring children to the new union. Increased welfare dependence. †¢Disadvantaged children, a subject of debate. †¢Decline in the importance of family IS THE FAMILY IN DECLINE? Arguments predicting decline: †¢It failed, oppressive (Leach), encourages violence (Dobash and Dobash), exploits women (Bernard). Supporters of the nuclear family condemn decline of family values (e. g. Marslands attack on single mothers). †¢Arguments against decline (by functionalist supporters of the family). †¢Divorce is because of higher expectations, so people think more of marriage as an institution. Divorce is the failure of individual marriages, not families in general. †¢Remarriage suggests discontent with a person, not an institution. †¢Serial monogamy (multiple marriages over a lifetime) and reconstituted family are change in structure, not decline in the family itself . †¢Other Views †¢ Marxist: Family changes as capitalism develops but continues to reproduce inequality. Feminist: Family changes but continues to exploit women. You need to be able to tell the difference between family and household, reality and ideal, etnhic and other forms of diversity. DEFINING FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS No agreed definition. Common characteristics are: oliving together oeconomic cooperation oreproduction osocialization of children. †¢A household is a group who live together or share aspects of life eg. eating together. †¢Nuclear families, are parents and immature children. Murdock argues this this is universal. †¢Extended families, add kin. †¢Ideal family, approved model by society. Other types might be frowned upon. Feminists say ideal family been promoted to exploit women. †¢Attitudes and language change. Lone parent families used to be (disapprovingly) unmarried mothers and children.DIFFERENT TYPES OF FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD â₠¬ ¢Includes many one person, childless couples, unmarried with or without children, remarried sometimes with third outside person. †¢Many live in more than one nuclear family throughout life. Most live in variety of family and household arrangements during their lifetimes. IDEOLOGY OF THE FAMILY Ideology is a set of beliefs that forward a particular group, or their interests. Marxists and feminists referred to the ideology of the family. Increasing the pressure to have a happy family. ETHNIC DIVERSITYStudies often by outsiders confirming stereotypes. They do vary according to class, religion and individual factors though. Why are there distinctive patterns of family life? Economic influences – History of slavery may have encouraged female-led afro-Caribbean family. Unemployment may have encouraged persisting extended families. Cultural differences – more likely to persist if a group maintains a distinct language and religion. Discrimination and disadvantage â€⠀œ Racism encourages keeping distinct culture. Westwood and Bhachu (1988), say family is a main strength and resistance.