New Book of Knowledge Online Essay

Since the year 1912, the New Book of Knowledge has been in print and has remained as an authoritative, informative and educational modern encyclopedia for children. It provides balanced, appropriate, and engaging coverage of a wide range of topics for students in grades four through six. The New Book of Knowledge has long been the leading source of accurate, accessible, and fun-to-read information for use in homes and libraries. It contains thousands of articles, written by over 1,880 authoritative contributors and also has many other special features. The key aspects of the New Book of Knowledge Online are its appealing features, illustrations, and maps complement encyclopedia entries. The more recent 2003 edition boasts of 51 completely new articles; among them African Union; Chirac, Jacques; Grief; Giuliani, Rudolph; Mesopotamia; Snails and slugs; and Zoology. With about 1,200 new images, photographs, and works of art, the New Book of Knowledge Online devotes nearly one-third of the content to illustrations. This is a key feature which appeals to its target market of children from grades four (4) to six (6). Several interactive features also make this edition more appealing and entertaining for the children as well. Under the NBK News section there is SummerScoops which is a fun section that currently links to the Great Outdoors, Sightseeing. com, Rainy Day Fun, Summer Reading, and more. There are also other regular features, such as Wonder Questions, Literary Selections, and Projects and Experiments, which are also found in the print set. Web Feat is a fun-and-games approach to learning and adds entertainment to education. The strength of the New Book of Knowledge Online is the fact that the information is very thoroughly updated. The replacement article on Afghanistan is current into June 2002 and Hamid Karzai’s election as president of the Transitional Authority. Terrorism, war on is a new entry, and Bush, George W. and Terrorism were replaced. The Bush entry notes his address to the United Nations in September 2002, and the new entry on Tony Blair mentions the prime minister’s support for Bush’s plans to disarm Iraq. The post deadline Columbia space shuttle disaster made it into the entries for Space exploration and travel and Space shuttles. These current facts make this an ideal encyclopedia not only for children but for parents as well. It is not only useful for school reports and research papers but has all sorts of information that appeal to almost all the scholarly endeavors. Another major selling point for the New Book of Knowledge is its relative ease in facilitating searcher. Each volume of the New Book of Knowledge has its own index with blue pages, which makes it easy to locate, and there is a well-constructed comprehensive index volume for the set. It also identifies items such as pictures, maps, and in the index entries. A Subject Browse, Alphabetical Browse, and Advanced Search are available in addition to a full-text Quick Search. Being able to retrieve articles and updates in a single search is a great feature, making Quick Search very user-friendly. In both its print and online version NBK is well suited to its young audience, a group generally underserved by reference publishers. Its many appealing features encourage children to explore and to develop good research skills.

Effective pain relief in postoperative patients Essay

Pain is physiological mechanism and a means of the body alert the person about either currently present or impending damage to it. It can be defined as the â€Å"unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential damage† (Gelinas, 2004). Consequently, the words discomfort has also been used interchangeably with pain in the past and can be defined as a â€Å"negative affective and/or physical state subject to variation in magnitude in response to internal or environmental conditions† (Gelinas, 2004). Pain is a very important component in care of the surgical patients, both preoperative and post operative. Surgery itself afflicts large amounts of trauma on the patient. The pain that the patient has to incur afterwards adds his anxiety levels and stresses the body. Lack of or inadequate amounts of pain management by the staff, impacts the patients healing process. Their mobility and in the long terms their duration of hospital stay is also affected. It is important that, for optimal patients health management and care, a means tool must be available to measure the patients pain assessment and relief requirement through pharmacological and non pharmacological means. Little research has been done to properly assess and document the prevalence of pain and its management protocols in post operative patients. The pain scoring systems are available to attempt to quantify pain and manage it accordingly. These subjective ones include the categorical rating scales (CRS) in which patient rates pain from â€Å"No† to mild moderate or severe. Another one is the â€Å"Visual Analog score (VAS) where the individual scores are placed on a 10-cm line where the left anchor point is labeled â€Å"no Pain† and the right anchor point is labeled â€Å"worst possible pain†. Since every patient has a varying threshold for pain, and requires varying levels of drugs, to over come the pain, it is better for there to be both a subjective indicator for pain as well as an objective one, that is to say, that the nurses an also assess how much pain the patient is in, by using a tool she is provided with. Cardiac surgery is a major thoracic surgery and patients post operatively require lot analgesics to manage pain so that their morbidities associated with pain (like pain in breathing, walking etc) can be eliminated. Usually morphine is used for the purpose of pain relief but there are indications that Fentanyl can perform a similar relief without much of the side effects associated. There needs to be some focus into this theory. This can be achieved by placing 2 similar populations of adult cardiac patients who have just undergone cardiothoracic surgery on morphine or Fentanyl. As is the standard procedure nowadays, quality indicators, both subjective and objective can be used. The VAS pain scoring card can be provided to the patients for them to record the different levels of pain that they feel. The nurses would be provided with indictors to record objective findings which can indicate pain. â€Å"These can be physiological and behavioral indicators. The physiological indicators can be clustered into cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebral responses† (Gelinas, 2004). Pain associated responses would include tachypnea in respiratory, tachycardia and increased blood pressure in cardiac and raised ICP in cerebral responses. After assessment of the pain levels with the quality indicators, the pain management drugs will be administered and later the subjective and objective pain assessment will be repeated to see which drugs effects were greater and lasted longer. A study conducted by Celine Gelinas on critically ill incubated patients, to find out what are the protocols and tools used to assess pain management are and if the patients were being given effective relief. He used subjective as well as objective tools. The results revealed that physicians placed no role in documenting pain in patients. Most of the reporting was done by nurses and the patients. It was also noticed that nurse’s assessment of pain was much less than that reported by the patients themselves. The research concluded that the documentation overall about the pain and its management was incomplete in general with little attention being given. The research also noted that even after being notified about the pain, its effective management only took place 60 percent of the time. (Gelinas, 2004). In and interventional study conducted by Francoise Bardiau in 2003, the quality indicators e. g. VAS were introduced in the surgical and anesthesia department. After a survey of assessment of knowledge of nurses, VAS to assess pain was the nurses worked to improve pain management. After further surveys, it was noted that initiation of programs to setting of quality indicators improves the overall pain management system. (Bardiau, F. , M, 2003) Idvall E tested a 5 point scale to measure the effects of quality indicator maintain pain relief measurements. â€Å"The results suggest initial support for the new instrument as a measure of strategic and clinical quality indicators in postoperative pain management, but it must be further refined, tested and evaluated†. Idvall E 2002) a multidisciplinary program development was introduced based on evidence based medicine to focus on construction of proper management protocols to implement clinician as well as patient based pain relief programs â€Å"The results suggest that addressing pain management through a variety of strategies targeted at the level of the institution, the clinician, and the patient may lead to desired changes in practice and better outcomes for patients. .† Bedard, D (2006). A survey conducted on post operative cardiac ICU patients, about their pain experiences revealed that despite the pain management regimes in place nowadays, the pain frequencies, and intensities were the same as they were more than a decade ago. Pain management is a vital component of patient care. Quality of pain management can only be assessed through proper indicators. These can be multimodal. The patient populations on which these indicators can be applied are preoperative and postoperative patients. Post operative cardiac patients under nursing care can benefit well from implementation of quality indicators such as VAS. In the nursing profession subjective scoring by the patients themselves enables the nurses to manage the pain properly. This will lead to quicker recovery by the patients and earlier discharge. In the long term this means leads financial implications on the patients due to reduced hospital stay. Also nursing work load gets reduced as the patient tern over is increased. The healthcare cost gets reduced. A Post operative pain management (POP) project was conducted in 2003. A nationwide survey was done to see the implementation of quality improvement projects in the field of pain management, it was noted that more than 70% of the hospitals were reportedly satisfied with the implementations and the outcomes of the quality improvement programs. Based on the analysis, it is noted that on the positive side, proper implementations of the quality indicators and improvement programs in the healthcare system and especially in the ICU and surgical wards, the patients stay can become quite comfortable. The stay can be reduced and the cost of healthcare to the system, the insurance companies, and the patient themselves can be reduced. In the other hand we can clearly see that by using the indicators we in effect are placing more workload on the nurses. If the subjective VAS and the objective physiological changes in the patient has to be monitored regularly just to assess the pain levels, a lot of quality time will be wasted. This time could have been used to tend to more critical patients. Now the question arises if it is worth the effect to implement the QI programs. The answer would lie in Force field analysis and the Lewin’s theory. If the benefits out way the set backs, we can implement the system. The idealistic thing would be that we assess the pain management needs of each department of the health care system and implement the QIs in the ones in which the implementation benefits out way the costs.

Management report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Management report - Essay Example The information derived will thus be used by the company to formulate its marketing strategy to enter the developing markets. The company has decided to cater to the need of a specific customer target (niche market) as this will assist in entering and penetrating that particular market. First and foremost task of Connection will be to envisage its corporate goal and this will later on be segregated into SMART objectives which will have to be achieved within the predetermined time period. Later on, the marketing strategies will be developed to achieve the corporate goal. The management of the company will then formulate a development plan to decide the manner in which the marketing process will be conducted in the target market. Operation plan will then be framed to decide the marketing activities. This will be followed by the cost related activities after which the marketing budget of the company will be finalised. Connection is a company that plans to operate in the mobile manufacturing sector. Though UK is its country of origin, it is more focussed on the developing markets. A proper understanding of the needs and demands of the target customer base is thereby required so that the product range can be modified accordingly. The mission statement is framed in alignment with its vision. According to it, the company will produce such handsets that possess high economic value. The technology used in such handsets will be of international level. The company will ensure that quality is not compromised at any cost and that the products are friendly and easy to operate. Connection strongly believes that environment is one of the vital stakeholders in the company; hence the products and the technology used by Connection will be environment friendly. The mission statement of the company is also focused in developing an organisational culture where the employees will feel themselves to be an integral part of the

The stages of the product life cycle and the marketing strategies Essay

The stages of the product life cycle and the marketing strategies - Essay Example Moreover, product life cycle ends with the removal of that product from the specific market place. Product life cycle can be characterized by several stages, such as research, development, introduction, growth, maturity, decline and obsolescence (Moore, Palich and Petty, 2006, p.312). Each and every stage is generally linked with the changes in the streams of parts, raw materials and distribution of the products. Generally product life cycle includes four traditional stages, such as introduction, growth, maturity and decline. These four stages of product life cycle are described below. Low sales growth rate of the products is the major characteristic of the introduction stage. In introduction stage the organizations launch or introduce new products in the market. Monopoly can be developed by the organizations depending upon the need and efficiency of the products to the customers (Saaksvuori and Immonen, 2011, p.103). During this stage the organizations generally accrue losses rather than business profit. It is true that if the organizations introduce products of new product class, the target customers may not be aware of true effectiveness and potential of these products. It is important for the organization to transfer information about the product among the target customers through several Medias in order to achieve potential competitive edge within the market place (Kumar and Korb, 2005, p.21). Introduction stage has two major characteristics namely low market competition and incurring loss rather than profit. Major characteristics of the growth stage are customers become responsive towards new products and growth of sales. This growth comes through the innovation’s acceptance by the target customers. Organizations generally enjoy significant business profit through their new products in this growth stage (Stark, 2011, p.32). If the organization can maintain the monopoly, they can experiment with innovation and several new effective ideas to maintain the sales growth. Growth stage is the appropriate time to introduce other new effective products in the competitive market place (Soenen and Olling, 2003, p.54). It creates an effective product image among the target customers and its competitors. During maturity stage, the sales and growth rate of the products gradually slowdown as the products have already achieved huge acceptance in the competitive market place (Wang and Gupta, 2011, p.239). New organizations start to experiment by innovative product models and strategies in order t o compete in the saturated market place. Competition for the target customers get fierce due to existence of many organizations, despite the increase of sales and growth rate at the initial phase of this maturity stage (Roebuck, 2011, p.76). At the beginning of this maturity stage, the business profit decreases due to aggressive competition within the market place. In addition, maturity stage of the product development is very much essential for the organizations to avoid decline stage of the products. Several products die and get wiped out from the market place in this decline stage due to the low sales’ growth rate of the products. Several organizations share the same competition. It makes difficult for all the entrants to control and maintain the sustainability of the sales levels (Frenken, 2006, p.133). Product category and efficiency of the organization become important factors in this decline stage as the target customers and market may perceive the specific product as the old product may lack potentiality and effectiveness. Lower demand of the products is the major characteristic of the decline

Business information system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business information system - Essay Example have tried to define criteria of successful IT project. According to them successful IT projects must satisfy following specifications. 1-The project should comply with technical performance specification. 2- The project should deliver solution to problem statement. 3-High level of satisfaction should be achieved among various stakeholders such as management team of parent organization, people of client organization, users and last but not the least project management team. Many researchers (such as Rook in 1986, Selin in 1989, Weitz in 1989, Redmill in 1990 and Wallace in 1990) have pointed out that cost, time and user specification as success parameter for IT projects. Other researchers (such as Might and Fischer in 1985, Larson and Gobeli in 1989) have found that IT projects need to fulfill criterions such as cost, technical performance and time in order to get successful. Meanwhile Baker in the year 1983 argued that success criteria for IT projects should not be restricted to var iables such as timescale and cost. According to Baker successful IT projects need to focus on fulfilling technical specifications and client satisfaction instead of focusing only on timely completion and saving cost. To put an end to this argument research scholars (DeCotiis and Dyer in 1979, Morris and Hough in 1987, Turner in 1993) have specified following criterion for successful IT projects (Wateridge, 1996). 1-The project must fulfil the business purpose. 2-The project must provide benefits to owner. 3-The project should satisfy needs of stakeholders. 4-The project should meet predefined objectives. 5-The project should be completed within specified time period. 6-The project should not exceed allocated budget. 7-The project should satisfy needs of all the stakeholders. 3.0 Organizational Perspective Delivering successful IT project depends on following organizational perspectives. 3.1 Contextual Facet Exogenous factors play crucial role on deciding the outcome of implemented I T project. In 2002, Lipshitzet has pointed out environmental uncertainties such as change in management, bankruptcy, labour disruption and other contingency situations can halt the progress of IT project. 3.2 Policy Facet Many organizations change their business policy in accordance to demand of the situation. For example business unit planning to expand their business in foreign shore might need customized IT project in comparison to business unit planning to diversify product portfolio in domestic market. 3.3 Psychological Facet Psychological drive of employees and stakeholders plays crucial role deciding the dynamics of IT projects. For example after implementation of IT project managers need to provide training to employees in order to handle implemented system without facing difficulties. In this phase there are possibilities of failure such as employees refuse to learn new things, employees get de-motivated to participate in the project, idea coalition between project manager and employees and others. Ultimately acceptance of the IT project among employees decides the success criteria (Chan, Cooper, and Tzortzopoulos, 2005). 3.4 Cultural Facet Learning organization concept plays cordial role on decidi

Compare and contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

Compare and contrast - Essay Example th mountain locations and beach locations are accustomed to having a large number of visitors each year so there are plenty of good hotels and restaurants to go to. Mountain locations will have hotels that cater to their environment, meaning more chalet-style architecture and an attempt to create a sense of isolation within the woods. Decorations are often dark because of the blinding white of winter snow, their busiest time of year, but this can sometimes feel oppressive during the summer months and the world is shaded by the leaves of giant trees. Beach locations have the opportunity to perfect their look as a tropical retreat since their weather stays relatively similar all year through. Decorations are often light on the outside because of the tendency of the sun to bleach out colors and as a means of keeping things cooler inside, but interiors are often full of color and life, always making it seem ready for a party. Restaurants in both places will offer good food, but mountain restaurants will tend more toward beef and a mixture of food while beach locations tend to offer more seafood because they can get it fresh. Although beach locations can offer many of the same activities year-round, both beach and mountain locations need to work with the seasons to offer widely different activities. In the mountains, the seasons will very strongly dictate what you can and cant do. You cant go skiing in the summer in most places and its very difficult to find wildflowers in winter. In the mountains, you can also go hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, hunting, freshwater fishing, or just enjoy the services provided by the hotel of your choice. At the beaches, activities are also limited a bit by the seasons, but less so. It might be cold, but you can still go swimming in the ocean in winter and it might be hot, but you can still go sailing in the summer. At the beach, you also have the option of going water skiing anytime as well as kite-boarding, wind-surfing,

Analysis of Personal Finance Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Analysis of Personal Finance - Case Study Example    The Share Portfolio of Ms. Joan Watterson comprises of 2500 Telstra & 1000 AMP shares which she has been holding for more than a year. However, it may be noted that Ms. Watterson is not a very keen equity investor and these investments were accidental. The Capital gain that Ms. Watterson can earn (if these shares were sold now) is equivalent to $3000. Company Numbers of Shares Share Price (as on April 27, 2012) Value of Shares Telstra 2500 3.511 8775 AMP 1000 4.252 4250 All shares were bought and have been held for over one year. The total value of shares: $13025. Telstra paid a dividend worth 0.14 (both 100% franked)3 twice during the last one year, which is the period Ms. Watterson was holding its 2500 shares. During the same period, AMP paid a dividend worth 0.15 (30% franked) and 0.14 (50% franked)4. We can compute the franking credits for Joan Watterson as follows: Franking Credits = Dividend * (3 / 7) * Franking Percentage5 Franking credits for Telstra = $300 and Franking credits for AMP =30 + 19.28 = $49.28 Total Franking Credits = $349.28. 1.3. ... Disposable Income Value Notes Taxable Annual Salary $62000 Dividends received $990 2500 * 2 * 0.14 = $700 1000*0.14 + 1000*0.15=$290 Franking credits $349.28 Interest on cash 4% of $4444 4.25% of $4500 Balance in Holiday account- $4444 (puts in $200 per month at 4%). Balance in Common Wealth Bank (CBA) account- $4500 (interest rate 4.25%)6 Taxable Income $63025.19 Tax Payment $4650 + 0.3*(63025.19-37000) = 12457.55 For taxable income $37,001 - $80,000, the applicable tax is $4,650 plus 30c for each $1 over $37,0007 Disposable Income $50567.63 1.4. Total Expenses per annum Expenses Value per Year Notes Mortgage payment $9050 $7200 (actual fringe benefit per annum + additional $600 per month) Laundry $300 Food & grocery $8400 $700 per month Clothing & shoes $1000 Electricity & gas $660 $110 per two months Phone & Internet $1800 $150 per month Municipal Rates $1000 Water $600 Car Expense Licensing $500 Comprehensive insurance $500 Running cost & repair $2500 Car Loan 0 Medical expense $ 1200 $100 per month Holiday expense $ 5000 Entertainment $4800 $100 per week Gifts $1920 (of which $633.6 is tax deductable) $40 per week (33% of which is in donations to community aid and tax deductable) Other expenses $2400 $200 per month Superannuation Expense $1380 Additional contribution made into West State per month (from taxed income) Total Expenses $50,210  Ã‚  

Business Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Business Letter - Essay Example Dear Lauren, First, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you into the company. I have heard a number of your great accomplishment working as a chief financial officer and director of accounting for different firms. I am excited and looking forward to meeting you in the meeting scheduled for Monday, October 14 even though it will be a busy day for me. Tech-shield is a wonderful company, and the great success has always been a result of dedicated employees and teamwork and I believe that your expertise will propel the company too much greater success heights. Your supervision will be beneficial to my colleagues and I, following the success stories I have heard about you. Although the company has been doing well, some important issues are affecting the employees and may even affect the company at large. Some of the challenges the employees are facing include working for long hours and working over the weekends. There are serious consequences for working long hours and may have a negative impact on the company. I am looking forward to discussing this matter with you in the meeting scheduled for Monday. I believe we will find a way forward for the problem. I would also like to bring to your attention a presentation we discussed earlier this year with the former supervisor. The company had suffered a big loss. The team came up with a number of suggestions for the way forward, which included ways of lowering the expenses. Installation of auto sensors for the lights was a suggestion made to help cut electricity bills.

U07d1 Boxes in our Lives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

U07d1 Boxes in our Lives - Essay Example Our offices or professional settings are also boxes, which confine us. Boxes, which are very small in size such as congested buildings, also appear as confinements such as prisons. Professional settings should have to be open and should have better landscapes around them as there should be natural environment there. For examples, there should be plants and trees in offices and there should be attached lunching places that are outside the offices. The attitudes of administration and other people working should be friendly in order to lessen the confinement felt. As far as prisons are concerned, they should be constructed with big rooms with doors and not cages. It will give a sense of openness and broadness. Friendly atmosphere will also allow us to think that we are not confined and will give us a homely look. Therefore, it is clear that we have to remain in boxes but sense of confinement and security depend on different situations. It is our own understanding that drags us to consider a box as a confined entity or a secure

(Exam questions) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

(Exam questions) - Essay Example "When the environment audit is undertaken, the objective is to develop a finite list of opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses. Here the word finite list is emphasized because the job of the manager is not to make an exhaustive list of all the factors that may affect the organization. But focus should be on key environmental variables that could influence business"1. The importance of the environmental analysis is mostly realized by organizations but the depth of the analysis is often compromised. For example in Toyota Corporation, there is a management concept "to go to the roots". The meaning of this concept is that, when we are collecting information for analysis, the information should be collected from the source or in other words from the origin. When an external environmental analysis is done with information collected from the sources and decisions are made based on such in-depth data, the applicability and durability of strategic plans are considerably increased. The information from the external environment should be used to tune up the internal environment to meet the challenges and make good of the opportunities. When an organization needs to possess a competitive advantage its focus should be internalized rather externalized. The ability of a business concern to focus on its strengths and potential areas of improvement will lead to formulation of workable plans. Hence, the conflict between where we are and where we want to go does not arise. Wastage of time and money on formulating strategies which have to be later sacrificed to carry out day to day operations can be avoided. Many a times in a business organization, managers are faced with the challenge to modify the day to day operations to achieve the long term strategic goals and vice versa. This may be due to the gaps between the aspirations and actual business environment. The organization may aspire to achieve the mission and vision, but the ground reality faced by the company may create hurdles in the path. In an organization, long term strategic plans are useful to tune up the operations to achieve future objectives. But, it is often hard to follow the preplanned course of actions. This may be due to various reasons and mangers are often at the cross roads. Assigning priorities and making decisions becomes a challenge for the business managers when they have to decide the sacrifices that have to be made to get along in business. When we argue that often operational priorities derail strategic plans, it denotes that the culture in an organization is not oriented towards the strategic plans made. Th e external environment is ever dynamic and the strategy formulated should be flexible to accommodate the changes. When the strategists bring this concept into the strategy formulation right from the nascent stage then the situation of trade off of strategies can be avoided. When a person wants to achieve something in future the attitude, personality, values and other psychographic factors should be matching with what he/she wants to achieve. In an organization there are so many people working who have different kinds of needs. When different people work together to contribute towards the success of the organization, then the pattern in dealing with problems and the behavior of the employees should be assessed. This pattern of behavior is often called as the

Annotated Bibliography Essay Example for Free

Annotated Bibliography Essay An Annotated Bibliography: Stereotypes in Advertising August, Eugene R. Real Men Dont: Anti-Male Bias in the English Language. The University of Dayton Review Spring (1986): 336-347. Web. In Real Men Dont: Anti-Male Bias in the English Language, Eugene August states that men have been victims of negative bias equally if not more than women through gender restrictive language, which limits the roles men have, gender exclusive language, which excludes men from any type of consideration, and negative male stereotypes. Throughout the article August gives examples of ways in which males ave been forced to fit a certain role and if deviated from, they would be criticized and ultimately excluded from that party they were formerly attached to as an example of gender restrictive language. I agree with August in his arguments, but I would be a little more generous when finding victims on this subject. Women have been made victims Just as long, if not longer than men have. I feel as if the male community is lashing out against the women, almost I a way on giving then a taste of their own medicine. Yet in reality I shouldnt be structured as a war of the sexes, but ather an attempt on the part of all sexes, to acknowledge and condemn gender stereotypes. Berger, John. Ways of Seeing. 1972. London, Penguin, 1990. In the book, Ways of Seeing Ch. 7, John Berger tells us that the role of publicity has evolved from oil paintings. Publicity images draw on the visual language of oil paintings, but their purpose is to manufacture glamour. This is due to the fact that the spectator-buyer is always changing, publicity aims to sell us something, and in order to do this it must make the spectator-buyer appear incomplete to his or herself. It must make us think we are in need of something more. The more, is a dream that is created from the spectator-buyer, using the mystique and lure from what publicity has given them of how they can become more derisible, by imposing a false standard of what and what is not desirable. I have a similar opinion to that of Berger. I feel that publicity is not natural, but the product of a culture that defines an individual by what they possess. This idea of identity has been prostituted to a culture that tells an individual that they are no one if they do not buy the life publicized. The interesting point that Berger makes is that publicity never paints the full picture for the consumer. It only provides the tools and a canvas for which to paint. Publicity allows the spectator-buyer, to paint for his or herself of what he or she could be. It is not obscence to suggest that this has become the lifeblood of our publicity promise of transformation. Fowles, Jib. Advertisings 15 Basic Appeals. Mass Advertising as Social Forecast. Santa Barbara: Praeger, 1976. (16-27). Print. In the article, advertisings 15 Basic Appeals written by Jib Fowles, we learn that dvertisements make an attempt to reach out to one or more of our 15 basic emotions as outlined by Fowles. These are the fifteen basic emotional appeals that we as humans need, and if crafted correctly, might result in us engaging in the advertised product. As we learn of these essential needs, we learn that advertisements are not so thoughtless as we may have previously assumed. We learn that it is an art. The emotional appeals made in these advertisements act as the thin end on a wedge, when driven in to our conscious it then allows for the true message o flow in without almost any defense, thus accomplishing its purpose. I completely agree with the claim that Fowles made in his article. Advertisers seek to highlight and ultimately tap into our emotions to use them to persuade us into using the given product. One such emotion that is highlighted is the need for affiliation. Despite the fact that recent statistics have shown that people are doing things on their own more than ever before, the majority of advertisements are linked to this basic and fundamental emotion. This is because, Just as we as a people have an inner desire to chieve things on our own, we also need Just as much if not more than our independence, people to share in our achievements. Fowles does a great Job in highlighting this fact as well as many others in his article based on our 15 basic emotions. Kilbourne, Jean. Bath Tissue Is Like Marriage: The Corruption of Relationships. Cant Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel. New York: Touchstone, 1999. (76-94). Print. In the article, Bath Tissue Is Like Marriage: The Corruption of Relationships, Jean Kilbourne speaks out about how advertisements sink into our deepest needs for love and nurturing, and transfer them onto any given product. In order to accomplish this, advertisers must be able to capture our attention with something that the consumer yearns for, and then make the underlying message about how their product will achieve this goal. We learn that the roles of an advertiser not to care about the potential buyer, but to make the consumer feel as if they are loved. When an advertisement is able to lull us into a false sense of security, then it has ccomplished its Job. Kilbourne concludes with exposing that advertising has come to the point of promising that a product can deliver that which can only be given given by Kilbourne. In her article she sates that that advertisements exist to exploit or very real and inner human desires. As we look at advertisement in any medium, we find out that until we have associated ourselves with a certain product or brand, we are not enough. Whether it be ads replacing human relationships, men dominating women, or even that one cell phone is superior to another, all tug at the need to be n top, and without these products we are found wanting. But the hang up with the promise of accomplishment from a product is that it only last as long as the ads. Every time we turn on the television or the radio, we are exposed to hundreds of ads that dissect everything that is human about us and assigns a product to it. We shall ever be found wanting in the eyes in the world, the only escape is for us to search for what truly matters and stick to it. Wall, David. It Is And It Isnt: Stereotypes, Advertising And Narrative. Journal Of Popular Culture 41. (2008): 1033-1050. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Sept. 2013. In the article, It Is And It Isnt: Stereotypes, Advertising And Narrative. by David Wall, is claimed that stereotypes in advertising are still being used because they are still a viable way for advertisers to move a product because of familiarity. A point that Wall makes is that consumers see through the stereotype and the false climas made by advertisers, and the advertisers know this. So what the advertiser does is then play on manipulation of the mixed emotions of desire and anxiety. The product then ecomes, by the consumers own doing, the essence of happiness, freedom, and the channel to an altered paradisiacal reality. I agree with the claims made in this article. Interestingly enough Wall makes the accusation stereotypes will tell us much more about those doing the representing than those being represented(1037). This is interesting because in the rest of the article Wall discusses the fact of stereotyping and the reasons behind it, political, historical, cultural, and so on. But he never really comes back to his very strong comment. I would go a step further with this remark nd say that not only do stereotypes in advertisements reflect what the presenters think about different situation, but what the presenter believes the viewer-consumer believes about different situations. For the viewer not to be overly effected by the stereotypes they are exposed to, they need to learn, what Wall calls the language of analysis. Which is to allow those whom are targeted to see beyond smoke and mirrors of it all and understand stereotype as a form of cultural advertisement for the self that is inseparable from the wider cultural narratives that create it(1049).

The Role Of Franchising Tourism Essay

The Role Of Franchising Tourism Essay What is a franchise according to the American heritage dictionary franchising means using one that is granted to use a business model in a certain area for a fee. Well it does not matter how the transaction or agreements are done whether it includes license, joint venture, consulting and supply agreement, and dealership when these terms are included in the contract, its a franchise (Grueneberg Solish, 2010). Legally franchising is viewed as contractual arrangement between the two legally independent parties where the franchisee pays the franchisor for the right to sell the franchisors product or the right to use his trademarks in a given location for a specified time period (Francine  Lafontaine Kathryn  L.  Shaw, 1999). As franchising sector is growing at rapid pace franchisor should look for expansion in international market as the home market specifically developed countries like us Canada, Europe is becoming saturated. It is vital import for a firm to have a strategic pla n to successfully establish in global economy (Richard John, 2004). The global franchising prospect seems great as said by Hoffman and Preble (1993) after their global survey of global franchise association around the world. The survey came out true as according to the United States census bureau revels that in US total franchise business accounted for 1.3 trillion and total work force of 59 million the report also showed that Limited-service restaurants, sometimes called fast food restaurants, had the highest number of franchise establishments with paid employees (124,898), followed by gas stations with convenience stores (33,991), and full-service restaurants (30,130). Thus the data revels franchise in hospitality industry is observing massive growth (U.S.CensusBureau, 2010). The massive upward growth in information and technology and simple long distance travel has made the world a small and well interconnected. Organizations should and are taking advantage of these developments and trends to pursue a global expansion. As the global market around the world are opening up and the market in developed countries are at the point of saturation companies are trying to tap into these newly opened markets for example China with one quarter of world population and high number of mid income group is considered as most under-retailed country in the world (Richard John, 2004). The concept of franchise is flexible and basically suits service sector. Given that franchise relation are influenced to an extent to which the system can be transfer and sustain in local market in terms of product acceptance, local support and service (John, 1999). Thus due to consistent economic importance of franchise we can find lots of research and literature to help us understand the concept. Franchising is a major expansion strategy for hospitality firms into a global market, especially hotels and restaurants to name a few Marriotts, Hyatt, Hilton Accor, IHG, McDonalds, KFC are a very few examples. In global markets franchising add value to the chain by enhancing and understanding the local values culture and customs. Franchising is one of the two main types of operations of which the other one owning. Franchising provides restaurants and hotels with stable franchising revenue through royalties and fees regularly according to the agreement and the time frame of the period (Koh, Lee, Boo, 2009). Unlike most other service sectors, the hotel industry is generally capital-intensive and its logistics and supply chain can be as complex and difficult to manage as those in manufacturing operations. Thus for hospitality related organization, this can be a huge complication to an equity-based expansion model in various markets, particularly in the international market. Thus, it r aises the issue of the importance of the internationalization process through franchising as a non-equity-based expansion strategy(Alon, Ni, Wang, 2012). But as a matter of fact franchising in international market delivers a scope for rapid expansion and global presence and hotels do have potential to overcome the hurdles like cultural, linguistic, technical, legal, and employment problems commonly associated with franchising internationally. Hotel industry in particular is different among another service franchisee as it requires big financial investment to establish facilities to start the business. To give a rough idea the total investment required by Choice Hotels International ranges from $2.3 to 14.6 million, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) $2-20 million, Motel 6, $1.9-2.3 million, and Hilton 53.4-90.1 million due to such huge capital requirement makes acquiring and setup a franchise hotel a complex process (Alon et al., 2012). Franchising in Australia originated in a significant way in the early 1970s under the influence of the franchised US fast food systems KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonalds which commenced operations here at the time. Increased intensity in business competition during the 1970s and early 1980s resulted in the failure of many small and medium sized businesses and encouraged growth in franchising. Franchising continued to grow at an accelerated rate during the 1980s. This was attributed to an increase in interest from the financial and public sectors (Frazer, 2000). Over the last two decades franchising in Australia saw a rapid growth and has developed into a highly significant and dynamic business activity The Australian franchise sector with 71000 units and 1,100 business format contributes AUD $ 61 billion to Australian economy in year 2007 thus these sector is of vital important top Australian economy (Scott, Lorelle, Jeff, 2010). Comparing the franchising sector in Australia and New Zealand is not new for years there has been a friendly rival among the two countries for title of most franchised country in the world. When the survey carried out New Zealand was more franchised than Australia with 450 franchise system and around 24000 franchise system which was 17% higher than Australia on per individual basis (Lord, 2011). Franchising in New Zealand is not taken seriously enough compared to other business due to lack of legislation and treating franchise as just a business deal. The franchise sector is substantially larger than many people realize, says Graham Billings, GM of the Franchise Association of New Zealand (FANZ). Current estimates suggest turnover of between $15 billion and $20 billion, representing between eight percent and ten percent of GDP (Moore, 2009). Taking into consideration the various hotel franchises across New Zealand and Australia gives a clear picture about the franchise investments in the market. Australia has the following well Known International hotel franchise: Swissotel * Hilton Accor * Radisson Four Seasons * Best western Hotel Sheraton * Marriott IHG * Shangri- La Hyatt * Starwoods * Choice hotels (expedia.com, 2012). These are the some of the many brands which have presence in Australian market when compared to the brands present in New Zealand which are: *IHG *Accor *Marriot *Hilton (expedia.com, 2012). Thus when compared the hotel franchise sector in both the countries Australia definitely has much mature market for franchising then New Zealand as many big hotel organization are yet to tap the New Zealand market like Hyatt, four-season, Shangri-La, Starwoods. To get a better picture of comparison between role of franchising in hotel industry in Australia and New Zealand lets compare two cities in both the countries. Instead of comparing between the cities like Sydney and Auckland will not give fair information as Sydney is far bigger Metro than Auckland. Hence we will compare the role of franchising between Auckland and Brisbane as they are equal in many aspects and also they are known as sister cities. With parks and botany gardens and population, urban area and economy almost similar to each other helps to compare the role of franchising easier and comparable to each other. Thus when searching for hotels on www.expeidia.com for hotels in Brisbane there are 145 hotels listed on web site the result for hotels in Auckland are 149, the search result shows the hospitality sector are very similar in both the cities. But when we see the ratio of number of five star category hotels the difference is more than double as Auckland has around 20 five star hotels as compared Brisbane has only 7. After comparing the brands owned by franchise as mentioned above the number shows a slight difference of Auckland having more number(9) of franchised hotels as compared to Brisbane(7). Hence if we consider the various factors like Number of visitors, density of the hospitality market and economy franchise sector in New Zealand is much denser and bigger than compared to Australia. This shows despite size and regulatory environment franchising has much in common on both the sides. Also when consider the basic hospitality franchising and various local franchised restaurants franchising in New Zealand has much denser network of franchising. It also concludes that the franchising process is market-sensitive and as a result market characteristics play an important role in affecting franchising operations. These factors may include, among others, the market segment, the degree of control, either by the hotel industry sector or by government policy, the risks and costs of entry, and similarities of cultural norms and business. In addition, other situational factors which that affect how hotel franchising is carried out in a market such as Australia and New Zealand which ar e mature and stable in both the countries, the level of technology infrastructure development in the market, and the overall economic and financial conditions in the financial market of Australia and New Zealand (Alon et al., 2012).

Life In A Medieval Castle

Life In A Medieval Castle Life during the middle ages began at sunrise, when one of the guards sounded the days start. Servants had already begun to make sure that the fires were lit in the kitchen and great hall. Breakfast was not served until mid day. During this time the servants got time to complete their chores while the soups were cooking in the kitchen. All floors had to be cleaned and wash buckets, which were called basins, had to be washed out. Once the lord and the lady of the house woke up, the maids entered into their quarters, and they cleaned and emptied chamber pots, washed the basins, and the laundry woman also began to do the days laundry. The lord and the lady got well dressed before leaving their quarters to go to mass. They always wore elegant clothing which showed their status but also kept them very warm. After a small breakfast was eaten and the lord and his family went to mass. Once the morning service was complete, the lord dealt with the days business. At mid-morning, dinner was serv ed. Dinner was the main meal of the day. During dinner there was usually entertainment and much food. When dinner was finished, the lord may take his knights or special guests hunting while the lady may do embroidering. Usually the lady did not because she oversaw the castle and did not have time. Supper which was different from dinner, was usually eaten right before bedtime. It marked the end of the day for everyone in the castle. After supper the lord and the lady would go to their quarters and the servants would retire to their quarters. This was the almost daily routine of life in a castle. However, life in a castle was not all work. Hunting and hawking were greatly enjoyed by everyone in the castle and when the lord hunted, delicious and sometimes rare animals were brought to the table as food. Some of the past times were quite dangerous. These involved tournaments and rough ball, which was similar to football. Adults and children alike, enjoyed games such as the blind mans blu ff. This game involved tying a players head with a blind fold, and he would chase the other players. To pass time indoors, people played board games and listened to musicians or storytellers. Storytellers would narrate the stories of heroes such as Arthur and his knights. Though life in the middle ages involved a lot of work, the people in the castle enjoyed great entertainment. In a castle, almost everyone had a specific responsibility. The lord was the head of the castle. The lady spent much of her time supervising their work, as well as overseeing the cooking of meals in the kitchen. One of her responsibilities was running the household, managing production, and maintaining adequate supplies. She had to know which rents and fees were owed to the household. The lady also supervised the embroiderers who had the responsibility of making the clothes for the people in the castle and keeping the lady company. In addition, the ladies were responsible for overseeing the education of the young pages. The parents of the children usually devoted little time to them and those children were quickly thrust in to the adult world. Children usually became part adults at age 12 and were allowed to bear arms. Aristocratic children usually had very little contact with their parents. They were usually raised by nurses. The boys had to perform various services for the lord of the castle such as protect the arms and care for his horses. When the boy reached majority, which was usually at age 15, the fathers rule over him came to an end and the boy was considered an adult with full rights. At that point, the boy was a free, responsible individual who set up their own household. Girls were responsible to learn how to run a household and to raise children when they were old enough. These kinds of responsibilities allowed a castle life to run more smoothly. Castles in the medieval times were very uncomfortable and hardships were plenty. A castle had no central heating. The main fireplace heat was saved for the lord and the lady. They were fortunate to have heavy blankets, mattresses made of feathers, fur covers, while the workers had to sleep in the towers which got unbearably cold and damp, especially at night time. The attendants were sometimes lucky to stay with their master or mistress. They slept on the floor but they were able to get some of the heat coming out of the fireplace. When it was summer, everyone enjoyed the warm weather outside because the castle was still cold inside. Workers wrapped themselves in covers which helped them stay warm during cold times. The castle was also a very busy place. Ship and pigs would roam freely around the castle. With the loud noise of all the people in the castle, it caused a busy atmosphere with a loud noise. Hygiene was normal for the people in the middle ages. They took bathes, washed the ir hands, and brushed their teeth. However, disposal of human waste was not as good. Most castles did not have any plumbing which meant that the waste would remain in one place until it was cleaned by the chamber maids. These conditions may seem bad but they were better than the conditions of a lower class citizen. The code of chivalry and courtly love had a significant influence on the life of nobles. The code of chivalry affected knights in particular. The code of Chivalry came to mean an idealization of the life and manners of a knight at home in his castle and with his court. Courtly love also had strict rules. It was practiced all over Europe. The rules of courtly love allowed nobles to show how they really felt for each other. This kind of event was common between nobles and ladies. The harshness of the castles made them less than desirable to live in but for the lord and lady it was better than the common peoples homes. The life of individuals involved hard work life for the average person during the Middle Ages was very routine but they enjoyed entertainment as well. Everyone in the castle had a specific responsibility which made life run more efficiently even though a castle was busy and very loud. The code of chivalry and courtly love also were a great part of life. They dictated how a noble should lead their lives and how to hold themselves when with others. This was life in the middle ages. Books Blackwood, Gary L. Life in a Medieval Castle. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 2000. Print. Bouchard, Constance Brittain. Strong of Body, Brave and Noble: Chivalry and Society in Medieval France. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 1998. Print. Brochard, Philippe, and Patrice Pellerin. Castles of the Middle Ages. Morristown, NJ: Silver Burdett, 1980. Print.. Gravett, Christopher. Castle. New York: Knopf, 1994. Print. Hinds, Kathryn. Life in the Middle Ages. New York: Benchmark, 2001. Print. Jordan, William C. Family. The Middle Ages. Vol. 2. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1996. 79-81. Print. White, T. H. The Once and Future King. New York: Ace, 1987. Print. Encyclopedias Castle The New Encyclopedia Britannica Macropedia. ed. 2005. Print. Jordan, William C. Family. The Middle Ages. Vol. 2. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1996. 79-81. Print.

The Rebirth of Ignatius in The Confederacy of Dunces Essay examples --

The Rebirth of Ignatius in The Confederacy of Dunces      Ã‚  Ã‚   "You learnt everything, Ignatius, except how to be a human being" (375).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chained to a dominant character who is so vast and yet so embryonic that he is not only protagonist but also, in many ways, his own antagonist, The Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole, has been called "a broad satirical view of the modern world" (Holditch "Introduction" The Neon Bible xi). Since this short definition fails to explain that the view presented is primarily that of the slug-like character of Ignatius Jacques Reilly, it also fails to take into account that one's view from the womb is, of necessity, somewhat limited. Although Ignatius is thirty years old and has a Master's Degree, he is so emotionally unprepared for life that he hides in the safety and sanctuary of his womb-like bedroom, anxiously peers out at the world around him, and condemns all that he sees. As observed from this view, the world does, indeed, appear to be a fearful place.    Having lost faith in modern religion at a young age, Ignatius claims to embrace a medieval worldview in which fate rather than free will is mandated. Like Oedipus, Ignatius attempts to evade his destiny, but rather than trying to run from it, and thus, running right into it as did Oedipus, Ignatius attempts to hide from his fate by refusing life, itself. Afraid of both life and death, Ignatius lives in a Limbo of his own devising. In his writings, Ignatius declares, "'I have always been forced to exist on the fringes of society, consigned to the Limbo reserved for those who do know reality when they see it'" (30). Of course, in rejecting his own possibilities to participate actively in determining the outcome of events in... ...res a jump-start--a massive jolt of terror-inspired impulses. Ignatius now reaches such a moment when his life is charged by this powerful psychological and physiological impetus.       In spite of the fear which propels him, there is finally hope for Ignatius. Waddling fearfully into the world, he can now learn to accept his common fate with the rest of humanity--his own humanness and inherent vulnerability in a world over which he has no control. In her frustration and resignation, Ignatius' little mother, an unusual Earth Mother at best, once sadly and plaintively tells her son, "You learnt everything, Ignatius, except how to be a human being" (375). Therein lies a lesson for us all.      Works Cited Holditch, W. Kenneth. The Neon Bible. Grove Press: New York, 1989. Toole, John Kennedy. A Confederacy of Dunces. Grove Weidenfeld: New York, 1980. The Rebirth of Ignatius in The Confederacy of Dunces Essay examples -- The Rebirth of Ignatius in The Confederacy of Dunces      Ã‚  Ã‚   "You learnt everything, Ignatius, except how to be a human being" (375).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chained to a dominant character who is so vast and yet so embryonic that he is not only protagonist but also, in many ways, his own antagonist, The Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole, has been called "a broad satirical view of the modern world" (Holditch "Introduction" The Neon Bible xi). Since this short definition fails to explain that the view presented is primarily that of the slug-like character of Ignatius Jacques Reilly, it also fails to take into account that one's view from the womb is, of necessity, somewhat limited. Although Ignatius is thirty years old and has a Master's Degree, he is so emotionally unprepared for life that he hides in the safety and sanctuary of his womb-like bedroom, anxiously peers out at the world around him, and condemns all that he sees. As observed from this view, the world does, indeed, appear to be a fearful place.    Having lost faith in modern religion at a young age, Ignatius claims to embrace a medieval worldview in which fate rather than free will is mandated. Like Oedipus, Ignatius attempts to evade his destiny, but rather than trying to run from it, and thus, running right into it as did Oedipus, Ignatius attempts to hide from his fate by refusing life, itself. Afraid of both life and death, Ignatius lives in a Limbo of his own devising. In his writings, Ignatius declares, "'I have always been forced to exist on the fringes of society, consigned to the Limbo reserved for those who do know reality when they see it'" (30). Of course, in rejecting his own possibilities to participate actively in determining the outcome of events in... ...res a jump-start--a massive jolt of terror-inspired impulses. Ignatius now reaches such a moment when his life is charged by this powerful psychological and physiological impetus.       In spite of the fear which propels him, there is finally hope for Ignatius. Waddling fearfully into the world, he can now learn to accept his common fate with the rest of humanity--his own humanness and inherent vulnerability in a world over which he has no control. In her frustration and resignation, Ignatius' little mother, an unusual Earth Mother at best, once sadly and plaintively tells her son, "You learnt everything, Ignatius, except how to be a human being" (375). Therein lies a lesson for us all.      Works Cited Holditch, W. Kenneth. The Neon Bible. Grove Press: New York, 1989. Toole, John Kennedy. A Confederacy of Dunces. Grove Weidenfeld: New York, 1980.

The Last Hung: Joops Mid-life Crisis :: essays research papers

The Last Hung: Joop's Mid-Life Crisis In Horst Stern's The Last Hunt, a man named Joop is portrayed as a professional worker in a very well known bank. Outside of being a banker, Joop enjoys to hunt wild animals. This has been a hobby of his since he was a young boy. Throughout the story many questions are raised about Joop's true feelings about his job, hunting, and his life. In the beginning of the story, a women walks in on Joop while he is staring at a picture on a wall in his office. The women is very embarrassed because she believes he is staring at the nudity part of the picture. This indeed is not true as the reader further examines the reason behind the picture. By looking at the picture, Joop realizes that he is going through a mid-life crises, which can only be resolved by exorcising memories of his wife, the bear, and the goddess of hunting, Diana. The solution to the first part of his mid-life crisis is to get rid of the memories of Mari that still resided deep within his mind. He does this by visiting the house where the majority of these memories take place. While touring through the house he remembers all the ways that Mari resembled the goddess of Diana. During the period that Joop was married to Mari, she portrayed herself in a few ways as being Diana. She did this by giving the name of "Worshipping Diana to the act of Joop kissing her. Her skin was white except for one violet-colored bruise just under her right collarbone; it never disappeared entirely during the hunting season and came from the kick of her hefty weapons. It pleased her that he liked to kiss this particular spot. She called it "Worshipping Diana" (Stern 112). By doing this, Mari therefore implies that she believes she is the goddess of hunting. Not only does Mari imply that she is similar to the goddess Diana, but Joop also feels very upset about her believing that she is a goddess and he is just one of her pawns. " Her solemnity always frightened him, since it seemed to suggest that his main role in her eyes was as high priest of her own cult" (Stern 112). In this case the high priest would be the hunter Joop, and he would be serving Mari in her own fantasies. Joop's departure from the house was very swift because he wanted to get the memories of Mari behind him. Joop climbed wearily into the car and told his chauffeur to drive .

The Political Principles of Thoreau Essay -- Politics Political Essays

The Political Principles of Thoreau Henry David Thoreau was, in many ways, ahead of his time in his political beliefs. During his brief life, he lectured occasionally and struggled to get his writings published. Gaining very little recognition during his lifetime, his death in 1862 went virtually unnoticed, and his true genius as a social philosopher and writer was not fully recognized until the twentieth century. Ironically, "Civil Disobedience," the anti-war, anti-slavery essay for which he is probably best known, has become a manual for social protest by giving support to the passive resistance of Mohandas Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other conscientious objectors (Paul 233). Thoreau’s "Civil Disobedience" was mainly a protest against slavery: "I cannot for an instant recognize the political organization as my government which is the slave’s government also" (854). On a deeper level, the essay was a general protest against any form of political injustice and an affirmation of the obligation of passive resistance, encouraging individuals to disobey any laws they felt were unjust. In 1846 while living at Walden, Thoreau demonstrated the doctrine of passive resistance when he was arrested for not paying poll taxes because of his opposition to Texas entering the Union as a slave state and his opposition to the Mexican War. He was robbed of the chance to test the tax when he was released from jail the next day after a relative paid what was owed. Desiring to make the public aware of the abolitionist cause, Thoreau composed an essay that considered the rights and duties of the individual in relation to government. He noted that man is not bound to a government that legislat... ...bove any unsatisfactory situation in life through the power of intellect. Thoreau’s summation of the role of government is eloquently stated in these lines from "Civil Disobedience." "There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly" (867). Works Cited Meltzer, Milton, ed. Thoreau: People, Principles, and Politics. New York: Hill, 1963. 80-88. Paul, Sherman, ed. Walden and Civil Disobedience. By Henry David Thoreau. Boston: Houghton, 1960. 231-233. Thoreau, Henry David. "Resistance to Civil Government." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Fifth ed. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: Norton, 1999. 852-867. "Transcendentalism." The World Book Encyclopedia. 1994 ed.

How Did the Europeans Affect the Native Americans? Essay

Anne Bradstreet Jonathan Edwards and Anne Bradstreet were both famous Puritan writers of their time. Each of their works, â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God† and † Upon the Burning of Our House† convey to their audiences the strong religious beliefs prevalent during that time period. Edwards writes to persuade his audience. On the other hand, Bradstreet writes to inform her audience. Edwards mainly talks about hell and damnation in his writings, however Bradstreet talks about heaven and hope. Although both Edwards and Bradstreet have similar outlooks and understandings of religious beliefs and attitudes and beliefs about human life, there are also distinctions that allow the reader to better understand each author’s purpose. Bradstreet believes that one should look to God and pray during times of hardship. On the other hand Edwards believes that one should always look God, but not in times of hardship, he thinks people must let God come to them. Bradstreet expresses her needing of help from God after her house burns down when she said, â€Å"Raise up thy thoughts above the sky†(Bradstreet41). Referring to this quote Bradstreet looks up to God for help while she is in the middle of a crisis or hardship. Edwards suggests that people should let God come to them when he said, â€Å"And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day where in Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide Motahari 2 open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners†(Edwards129). According to this quote Edwards is saying that God has finally come to the sinners in their time of need. Not only are Bradstreet’s and Edwards’s religious beliefs different, but they also have different attitudes and beliefs. Bradstreet is a positive woman who believes that everyone is going to heaven, on the other hand Edwards is a negative man who believes that everyone is going to hell. Bradstreet expresses her positivity and belief for heaven after her house burns down while saying, â€Å"The world no longer let me love, my hope and treasure lies above†(Bradstreet119). This reveals that that she will always believe something good will happen. Even though her house and all of her things burned to ash, she still is happy that she has another home that lies above [heaven]. Edwards show his negativity towards people when he said, â€Å"In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of†(Edwards126). Referring to this quote Edwards is trying to say that people do not have any escape from hell and damnation, also that there is nothing worth living for. Bradstreet and Edwards do not have the same views in the categories of religious beliefs and attitudes and beliefs of human life. Through her writings, Bradstreet explains that God is a kind loving person who is always there for us. However Edwards portrays God as a mean and angry person through his writings. I think that Bradstreet has a better view of God.

Functional Areas of Business Management Essay

Abstract A summary of the sales and marketing functional areas of an organization’s structure as an examination of the overall role and responsibility of the managers of each area. The sales manager’s primary goal is the development, implementation and evaluation of the strategic goals they desire to achieve with the sale organization to be able to meet the company’s overall goals. The marketing manager is responsible for indentifying of the market space with respect to the client, client’s needs and the ability of the product to meet the customer’s needs. Marketing managers are also critical for conducting and evaluating the results of a SWOT analysis for the company. This information is vital to the development of corporate goals of the organization. Functional Areas of Business Management There are a number of functional groups that make up an organization’s structure. Each of these business areas or internal organizations within the company provides a vital function or role to the overall success of the business. Some of these functional groups include; finance, human resources, marketing, operations, sales, customer service, research and development to list a few standard functional business groups. The two functional areas of business that will be reviewed and explored with respect to the manger’s roles and associated responsibilities are the sales and marketing functional areas or organizations of a company. There is a strong correlation to these functions within a business organization. Many organizations may separate these two functional groups and others may closely integrate these to ensure the overall goals are achieved through the cross functional interaction of these resources. â€Å"Sales management can be most easily defined as planning, implementing, and controlling personal contact programs designed to achieve the sales and fit objectives of the firm† (Gale, 2006,). As a sales manager the responsibility is instilled upon this person to be the leader of the sale team. As the leader you are responsible for the strategic planning and the overall process of setting the desired goals of the sales organization and it is a vital function of the sales manager. â€Å"Goal setting is usually based on a company’s overall sales objectives or targets† (Gale, 2007). These goals may be cascaded down from senior management in a large organization or be developed through the overall profit and growth that the company is trying to achieve. As the manager of the sales organization it will be important to examine the past history of the products you are selling as an initial assessment of the previous success. Once you have reviewed the revenue results you can compare these to the state of the economy and determine if these results were typical of the results that other competitor companies achieved in a similar market under these conditions. Also the manager will have to examine the resources that are available and determine if these resources are similar to that of the resulting period being evaluated. â€Å"The ability of the sales manager to set goals is strongly related to the desires to change past performance—by lifting all sales, high-margin sales, creating sales for new products, etc† (Gale, 2007). Implementing the strategic plans are the next key functions of the sales manager. Depending upon the overall size of the company, size of the territory to cover and the market to cover the sales department may be subdivided into regions. These regions would then have regional managers responsible for each region all working to achieve the overall sales goals and objectives developed within the organization. In developing the plans for implementing, the sales manager may have to answer questions such as â€Å"how should a sales force be structured? How large a sales force is needed† (Gale, 2006) etc. The sales manager will create strategies to be able to achieve the goals. The plans developed for implementation may also include such things as if training is required and if so then what training is required. They will also be concern with determining if there are requirements for new budgets or increases to old budgets to be able to implement the strategic plans and successfully execute the strategy. Marketing is the second functional area to be examined as a manager in the organizational structure. The overall function of the marketing department and the leaders of this organization can be viewed as the research group for determining the business needs of the client and indentifying the market place. (Moorman and Rust, 1999) â€Å"Define the marketing managers as the liaison between the customer and the product†. The marketing manager plays a vital role in understanding the client, understanding the marketing place the client represents and how the product best fits the overall needs of this market place. Once the marketing manager and the through the marketing team has identified the market space and the need for the product in it, they will then focus on creating a plan that best allows the company to successfully introduce or continue to succeed in selling the product in the identified market. The marketing manager will be responsible to set goals that will create a path for the identified product into the identified market and clients. The marketing manager will utilize the SWOT analysis to create the data that supports the need of a customer to buy and use a desired product. In the SWOT process the marketing manager will also typically identify if there is a market for a new product that the company may have interest in developing. This feedback will be relayed to the research and development organization to identify the economical impact of such a new design. This cost to develop the desired product will be evaluated against the potential revenue that can generate. With this information the company will typically decide if the investment will be made to develop the new product or if simply an old product can be modified to achieve the desired results to the client. Once a new product is developed or a current product is improved the marketing organization will determine the most beneficial way to introduce these changes to the desired client base. This method can vary from printed material in magazines, internet, client handouts or simply by the sale organization when directly dealing with the existing and new clients when they interact with them. There is significant correlation between the sale department and the marketing department in many industries today. Often it will be observed that the two roles of sales and marketing can be combined to a product marketing manager with sole responsibilities to a single product or product line. When the two functions are combined the manager will be responsible for the growth and success of the product. This manager will also be required to conduct the market research and develop the most successful path to market for the product. Whether the sales and marketing managers are reviewed individually or as a combined role they both play vital roles in the overall developing, implementing and evaluating of the companies goals. References Moorman, C., and Rust, R.T.(1999). â€Å"The role of marketing†, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 63, pp. 180-197 (special Issue) â€Å"Sales Management.† Encyclopedia of Management. Ed. Marilyn M. Helms. 5th ed. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 778-782. â€Å"Sales Management.† Encyclopedia of Small Business. 3rd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2007. 993-996

Journalism around the world Essay

Traditionally, the term â€Å"international conflict† referred to conflicts between different nation-states and conflicts between people and organizations in different nation-states. Increasingly, however, it also applies to inter-group conflicts within one country when one group is fighting for independence or increased social, political, or economic power (e. g. , Chechnya, Kosovo). (Ref. 1) Five years into the 21st Century a dark and sinister cloud hangs over journalism around the world. More editors, reporters and media staffs are killed, targeted, kidnapped and subject to violence than ever before. Independent media are under intolerable pressure. This pressure comes directly from ruthless terrorists, with no respect for civilisation and human rights, who have targeted and murdered journalists in all continents. In Iraq alone, more than 50 media staff have been killed by political extremists and criminals, in pursuit of a grotesque agenda of hatred. (Ref. 2) New York, May 28, 2004—Two Japanese journalists and their Iraqi translator were killed on Thursday night when their car came under attack by gunmen in Mahmoudiya, 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of Baghdad, according to news reports. Bangkok-based freelancer Shinsuke Hashida and his nephew Kotaro Ogawa, also a freelancer, had been traveling to Baghdad from the southern city of Samawah, where Japan has deployed hundreds of troops, when the attack occurred. Agence France-Presse (AFP) listed the translator as Mohamed Najmedin. The Associated Press reported that both men were working for the Japanese tabloid daily Nikkan Gendai covering Japanese troops stationed in the southern city of Samawah. Japanese station NHK reported that the two journalists had also reported for several other Japanese news organizations. The Japanese foreign ministry acknowledged the incident but has not confirmed the identities of those killed. According to some press reports, the journalists’ car burst into flames after the attack. Reuters news agency reported that the car was hit by rocket propelled grenade (RPG) fire. The driver, an Iraqi, who survived the incident and spoke with Japan’s NHK News said he was able to exit the car before it exploded after the assault. Thursday’s attack occurred in the same area where two Polish journalists were killed by gunmen on May 7 and two CNN employees were gunned down in January. Hashida was an experienced journalist who had covered several conflicts as a television reporter, according to Japanese media. At least 28 journalists (not including Hashida and Ogawa) have been killed in Iraq since the US-led war in Iraq began in March 2003. At least seven other media workers have (â€Å"International Journalism†) also been killed. In other developments, U. S. television broadcaster NBC announced Friday that insurgents in Fallujah released three staffers and an Iraqi freelancer–correspondent Ned Colt, cameraman Maurice Roper, soundman Robert Colville, and journalist Ashraf al-Taie who had been kidnapped by armed insurgents on Tuesday. All four were released unharmed, and NBC said in a statement that local Iraqi leaders had mediated the releases when it was clear that the men were working as journalists. (Ref. 3) NBC said it did not previously report the abduction for security reasons. New York, December 11, 2003—Two journalists working with the U. S. newsmagazine Time were wounded today in a grenade attack in Baghdad while accompanying U. S. troops. Senior correspondent Michael Weisskopf and photographer James Nachtwey suffered undisclosed injuries when unidentified assailants threw a grenade into a Humvee the men were traveling in, Time managing editor Jim Kelly said in a written statement. Two soldiers in the Humvee were also injured in the attack, which occurred at about 9:30 p. m. The statement described both journalists as being in â€Å"stable condition† and said they were awaiting transfer to a U. S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. CPJ is seeking more details at this time. (Ref. 4) It is not unusual in conflicts to find mass media recruited to support political objectives often at the expense of professional credibility. Indeed, this holds true for almost all wars. But as peoples of one country turn against each other in ethnic conflict, journalists find themselves facing the grotesque choice of respecting their professional commitment to truth-seeking or risk being branded a traitor. In conflict situations there is always the danger that the media are conscripted by undemocratic politicians to inspire, provoke and underwrite national fears and hatreds. Journalists who lend themselves to this process abandon their professional status and become propagandists. Ethnic conflict and strife are not a new phenomenon but in recent years we have seen an ever increasing fragmentation of human society. As Harold Isaacs put it in his book ‘Idols of the Tribe’: ‘We are experiencing (†¦ ) an ingathering of people in numberless grouping of kinds – tribal, racial, linguistic, religious, national. It is a great clustering into separateness that will, it is thought, improve, assure, or extend each group’s power or place, or keep it safe or safer from the power, threat, or hostility of others’. (Ref. 5) (â€Å"International Journalism†) Towards an accurate portrayal of all groups in society One of the most important challenges faced by the journalists during international conflicts is to portray groups on both sides of the conflict accurately. It is important for the journalists to be impartial while reporting aggression and human rights violations in the conflict affected areas. The journalists should become the voice of the suppressed and worst affected group during the conflict. The main objective should be to bring out the truth through reliable sources and create an atmosphere for compromise. Threat to life from various groups and anti-social elements In covering and reporting international conflicts and warfare, journalists face threat to life from various anti-social elements and extremist groups. In their process to expose the culprit, journalists receive threats on a daily basis. The assignments are sometimes very dangerous which may involve covering the warfare and battlefield where bullets are being sprayed everywhere and shells are raining. With the international news agenda controlled by the world’s major media giants, it has become crucial to develop and strengthen media at the local level to maintain diversity of opinion. As media in many developing nations, such as Indonesia, move away from state control towards private enterprise, it is essential for local media to find their own voice and professional codes. A well developed media system with professionally trained journalists usually benefits both global and local audiences and provides a vital link to the outside world during conflict situations.

Negative Effect Of Nuclear Family Essay

The nuclear family is a term used to define a family group consisting of aheterosexual pair of adults; wife and husband, and their children. It can also be known as a ‘beanpole family’ and it can be, especially in middle-class families, child-centered; child-centered is defined as being actively involved by spending lots of time together as the child’s needs and wishes are the most important thing. Only 17% of families in the UK are nuclear families, and this statistic is on the decrease as it is more so a norm in the 21st century to cohabit (an unmarried couple living together and having a sexual relationship).In 2012 there were 18.2 million families in the UK. Of these, 12.2 million consisted of a married couple with or without children. It is in fact 50% of people in the UK who cohabit and the number of opposite sex cohabiting couple families has increased significantly, from 1.5 million in 1996 to 2.9 million in 2012. However, there are other types of families: extended family, unconventional families; single parent families, homosexual families and reconstituted families; step families. Single parent families and step families usually occur after ‘irretrievable breakdown’ of marriage, resulting in divorce. However, it could be that a martial partner or partner has died or left unexpectedly, and after this a new intimate relationship is formed and the couple is likely to procreate. Other characteristics of a nuclear family are: parents having high-paid or good occupations, living away from other family members; independent or privatised; they keep in contact with family via phone and mainly see family on special occasions, e.g. Christmas, Easter, marriages, funerals, and christenings. Despite this, the husband is actively involved in raising the children; ‘new dad’ and they are influenced by the media to be a ‘good father’ and perhaps their peers who are of t he same age as them. Also, they are likely to be called the ‘new man’, a term used to identify men who believe in equality, do house-work, spend time with family and children and do not use any offensive sexist language. There are five theories by sociologist that either support or resent nuclear families. The theories that resent nuclear families are: Marxist and feminist; the nuclear family is not a perfect family. The theories that support nuclear families are: functionalist, post-modern and new right; the nuclear family is the best type of family. Feminists believe: that the failures or ills of family life are due to men, in the family there is gender inequality as it has been proven that women do 3 times more house work than men, women are more likely to be victims of domestic abuse from males, children are more likely to be abused by men rather than women, 80% of divorce is women divorcing men, males are more likely to have addictions (drugs or alcohol or gambling) and men are more lik ely to have a career rather than have a strong focus on the children or housework. In contradiction to this, about two in five of all victims of domestic violence are men; and this is on the increase. However, men do not report domestic abuse from their partners because they are ashamed or embarrassed. Also in favor of men, it is apparent that all men are different, the research and statistics are a generalisation; perhaps not completely reliable. In addition to this, recently there has been an increase in female dominated families;matriarchy. Catherine Hakim (1996) suggests that feminists under-estimate women’s ability to make rational choices. It is not patriarchy (male domination) or men that are responsible for the position of women in families. She argues that women choose to give more commitment to family and children, and consequently they have less commitment to work than men have. Ann Oakleyargues that gender role socialisation is responsible for sexual division of labor. She also argues that there is still an expectation for women to take on the housewife and mother role. Because of this, it is more difficult for women to pursue careers as men do. Oakley also claims that employers expect women to play the role of housewife rather than pursue a career. This patriarchal ideology is justified by men through claims that women are more suited to caring roles because of their maternal instinct. However, Sue Sharpe said that not all women take on caring roles because of their socialisation. They may react against their socialisation, or pursue a career. Charlie Lewis (1980s) stated that fathers are playing a bigger role; they a more committed. Adrianna Burgess agrees with Charlie Lewis. He is a part of the ‘father institute’, a charity that supports fatherhood. A sociologist who wanted major changes was Charlotte Gilman. Gilman called herself a humanist and believed the domestic environment oppressed women through the patriarchal (male dominate d) beliefs upheld by society. She argued that male aggressiveness and maternal roles for women were artificial and no longer necessary for survival in post-prehistoric times. She wrote, â€Å"There is no female mind. The brain is not an organ of sex. Might as well speak of a female liver.† She also argued that women’s contributions to civilization, throughout history, have been stopped because of an androcentric (focus on male) culture. A Marxist view on the nuclear family looks at inequality. Similar to feminism, a Marxist approach to the nuclear family is cynical. A psychiatrist, David Cooper was critical of the nuclear family, and parents; they brought up children incorrectly, leading corruption! His views and research is clearly expressed in ‘The death of a family.’ He has certain beliefs about disciplining children; he believe that parents are obsessed with discipline; ‘control freaks’; children ‘cannot breathe’ and this it is not acceptable; parents should be liberal. He also thinks that this obsession is due to the past where parents were allowed to physically punish their children; violence and hitting. Rd Laing believes that the nuclear family is the cause of a person’s unhappiness; it should take full responsibility for depression or mental illness. It is in fact 50% of adults in Britain are depressedand about eight percent of children and adolescents suffer from depression.More specifically, he states that schizophrenia occurs due to the family. However, it may be un-noticed as mental illness is usually hidden. Edmund Leach; ‘A runaway world’ 1967. He believes that the nuclear family is isolated due to distant relationships with peers, and other family, which is caused by the location in which you live and the occupation you possess. The nuclear family should be outward looking, and it is not, it is inward looking. There should be support from other family members regardless of the situation as, apparently the nuclear family can’t cope with the stresses and strains of modern day society. In contradiction to the beliefs of the above Marxist sociologists: the family, or within primary socialisation play an imperative in teaching their children discipline and self-discipline, which is vital for future employment. It is therefore inevitable! With regards to the believes of Rd Laing, it has been known that when diagnosing mental disorders or illnesses, other factors are present. In addition to this, every individual deals with stress differently, so by assuming that the nuclear family can’t cope with stress isn’t compatible with every family. Divorce is also more likely to occur in the nuclear family, in comparison to the extended family. The functionalist view on the nuclear family is optimistic. They believe that the nuclear family is the norm in modern industrial societies, and it has major functions that contribute to the well-being of society: the family is the primary agent of socialisation; teaching norms and values; the family is central in creating consensus and order. Parsons (1955) argued that families are ‘personality factories’, producing children who have a strong sense of belonging to society. Talcott Parsons believes that the nuclear family provides key functions for society by learning morals, norms and values; primary socialisation, and it provides stability for children. It is described to be universal and functional. Parsons also argued that the family functions to relief the stress of modern day life. It can be known as the ‘warm-bath’ theory, in that the family provides a relaxing environment for the male worker to immerse himself after a hard day. Children or adolescences in nuclear families are unlikely to engage in crime, recr eational drugs, anti-social behavior, and violence. It is only a small minority who engage in this acts; majority have been successful indoctrinated to be a good citizen. Also, Children or adolescences do better in education, exam results, universities, health and career, in a nuclear family. Children in nuclear families are likely to achieve (academically, better health and career), whereas children in single-parent families have lower academic performance, are more susceptible to peer pressure to engage in deviant behavior, have higher dropout rates from high school, and have greater social and psychological problems.However, Kellaghan and this colleagues (1993) conclude that family social status or cultural background don’t determine a child’s achievement at school. They propose that for academic success, it is what parents do in the home, and not children’s family background, that is significant. Similarly, Sam Redding (1999) indicates that in relation to academic outcomes, the potential limitations associated with poor economic circumstances can be overcome by parents who provide stimulating, supportive, and language-rich experiences for their children. The criticisms of the functionalists perspective of the nuclear family is that: there thinking suggests that all members of the nuclear family are underpinned by biology, functionalist’s analysis on the nuclear family tend to be based on the middle-class; they don’t consider other influences such as wealth, social class or ethnicity and the harmonic view from functionalists on family tends to exclude social problems such as increases in divorce rate, child abuse and domestic violence. Ronald Fletcher, ‘shaking the foundation’ (1988) is also in favor of the nuclear family. He argues that people expect more out of marriage and family life than they used to. Couples are no longer prepared to be part of ‘empty-shell marriages’ (marriage without the partners being in love). Therefore divorce is becoming more popular; re-marriage is more successful and procreation is likely. Robert Chester; ‘the rise of the neo-conventional family’ (1985). He believes that the nuclear family has a positive impact on life; 80% of people will live in a nuclear family in sometime in their lives and 80% of people will get married- most people are also likely to become parents. He contends that the neo-conventional family that is characterized by joint conjugal roles and greater sexual equality has replaced it. Chester argues that the statistics only reflect one stage in a person’s life and the ultimately the majority of people will get married, have children and stay in this relationship. New right or traditionalists believe that the nuclear family is the best type of family to live in and that everyone should live in this type of family, on the assumption that, it is on a permanent basis. A relevant example of the New Right approach to the family can be seen in the view that there exists and under-class of criminals, unmarried mothers and idle young men who are responsible for rising crime. It is argued that this under-class is welfare-dependent, and that adolescence girls are deliberately getting pregnant in order to obtain council housing or state benefits. To hinder things further, this under-class is socializing its children into a culture revolving around crime, anti-authority, anti-world and anti-family values. The New right thinkers believe that there has been a significant amount of damage inflicted upon the nuclear family by, for instance, government policies. For example, they claim that government have encouraged mothers to get back to work, but this has resulted in maternal deprivation; lack of love resulting in psychological damage. There have been few taxes or benefits to encourage mothers to stay at home. The New Right argues that commitment to marriage has been weakened by divorce being made easier and single-parent families have been encouraged by welfare policies. It is apparently, more likely for those who are married and have children to stay together, which enables stability for children; children should only be brought up in the marriage by its heterosexual parents, both should be equal. The New right completely looks down upon divorce as in a unconventional family, children do not do as well, in terms of health, education, career etc. The New Right also perceives homosexuality as the symbol of moral decline, ‘unnatural’ and deviant. Many ‘New Right’ thinkers see the 1960s and early 1970s as the beginning of an attack upon the nuclear family; traditional family values. Specifically, the introduction of the contraceptive pill and the legislation of abortion in the 1960s have been associated with the family decline. The sexual freedom women experienced due to these changes apparently lessened their commitment to the family and equal pay and equal opportunities drifted women away from their roles as ‘natural’ mothers. Also, the 1969 Divorce Reform Act was seen as undermining commitment to marriage. Charles Murray (1989). Murray sees the traditional family to be under threat and Murray made this link to the idea of this ‘culture of dependency’. The ‘culture of dependency’ is the idea of people living off benefits rather than working for money. Patricia Morgan’s ‘Farewell to the family’ states that government policy has directly and indirectly contributed to the growth of the mother/child household. While looking to the needs of sole parent families, governments have overlooked or ignored the needs of intact families. Morgan states that the arrival of feminist advisers into governments has radically changed the way government benefits are d istributed. The burden of taxation has increasingly been shifted onto married parents to the benefit of the single and the childless. As a result, lone parents can end up with higher final incomes from any given wage than two-parent families. Also, more mothers are tempted into the workplace, and more children are pushed into day care, in order for traditional families to stay afloat economically. To contradict the beliefs of the New Right are: that the traditional nuclear family is still central to government plans; ‘key ministers have stated that children are best brought up by married natural parents’ andnew rights or legislation for children and women are aimed to strengthen the nuclear family as a whole, rather than weaken it! A post-modernist view on the family is more neutral; all families can face difficulties; any family can be unsuccessful or successful. Post modernists suggest that in the post modern era there is a wide variety of family arrangements people can choose from – nuclear, extended, reconstituted, cohabitation etc. They claim that not one type dominates and that family arrangements are diverse and fluid. Post modernists see such flexibility as a positive thing. Judith Stacey for instance, suggests that a single individual will experience a variety of family structures throughout their life span. Post-modernists argue that the post-modern family life is characterised by diversity, variation and instability. For example, women no longer aspire to romantic love, marriage and children. Cohabitation, single-sex relationships, economic dependence, pre-marital sex and childlessness are now accepted alternative lifestyles. Men’s role(s) are no longer clear, which has, apparently led them to redefining both their sexuality and family commitments. Others disagree with this view; they believe that the basic features of the family have remained identical to the 1950s. Also, the increase in single-parent families and reconstituted families indicate that there is a slow drift away from the nuclear family. Pakulskic and Waters (1996) believe that class can be seen as just one, not very important, division in society along with ethnicity, gender, age, disability, etc. They offer a number of explanations for ‘the death of class’. The development of welfare states and the institutionalization of class conflict have reduced the direct impact of class relationships. Property has increasingly moved from private hands to being owned by organisations and the division of labour has become more complex. Moreover, increasing affluence for the majority has meant that most people are able to choose what they consume and therefore they are able to create their identities. Class background no longer restricts people’s opportunities, confining them to a particular pattern of life and range of experiences. Judith Stacey argues that the greater choice for women gives them the ability to break out of there patriarchal oppression and shape their families to their needs. Therefore, women are the main agents of family change, by changing their role. For example, many reject the traditional house-wife mother role for a career or higher qualifications. Jeffery Weeks; growing acceptance of diversity. Weeks identified that there are shifts in attitudes since the 1950s. The shifts in attitudes are: sexual morality is mostly a matter of personal choice, Church and state have lost the potency to influence morality and there are favourable attitudes to homosexuality and cohabitation. However, despite these changes in attitudes Weeks states that family patterns are not changing; most people want marriage, children are mostly still brought up by couples and many people who divorce get re-married. To contradict this, the New Right and functionalists would disagree and say that the patriarchal nuclear family is the best family as it meets the needs of society. To conclude, I believe that the nuclear family can have a negative impact on its members, which feminist would agree. However, all types of families, e.g. reconstituted family can have a negative impact on its members also. But, the nuclear family is seen to be the traditional family which people have been living in for centuries, so it can therefore be suggested that the changes in society have negatively affected the nuclear family, e.g. equality legislation, and therefore promoted, discreetly, alternative families.