Same Sex Marriages Essay - 1773 Words

Same Sex Marriages Introduction From the day we are born to the day that we die the one thing EVERYONE is looking for is that one person that they could spend the rest of their lives with. Each person dreams about their one true love, someone they can marry, have a family with and live happily ever after. We were all taught this at a very young age watching the adults around us, and Disney movies about finding our prince charming, but what if you fall in love with someone you never expected? What if it was even someone of the same sex? In the state of Texas gay marriage is illegal and we need to change this. According to â€Å"Should Gay Marriage Be Legal?† as of, â€Å"March 1, 2012 eight states (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New†¦show more content†¦Everyone should be able to be the person they want to be. †Should Gay Marriage Be Legal?† includes, â€Å"The UCLA Law School estimated the positive economic impact of legalizing gay marriage in New Jersey to be $248 million over three years, creating 800 new jobs and bringing in an additional $19 million in government revenues†(ProCon3). Also includes that, â€Å"Gay marriages can bring financial gain to state and local governments. Revenue from gay marriage comes from marriage licenses, higher income taxes (so called marriage penalty) and decreases in costs for state benefit programs the Comptroller for New York City found that legalizing gay marriage would bring $142 million to the city’s economy and $184 million to the states economy over three years† (ProCon4). These are showing the benefits we can achieve as a whole by accepting same-sex marriages. Then again there are many people that oppose same-sex marriage whether it is because of their religious beliefs, morality or them truly only thinking about themselves. â€Å"New Tune for Gay Marriage Fight† notes that, â€Å"Groups opposed to gay marriage have largely followed the same script, arguing that traditional marria ge provides children with the most ideal parenting environment. They also argue that the issue is not one of civil rights because homosexuality, they say, is a choice† (Lopez). I honestly believe that homosexuality isShow MoreRelatedSame Sex Marriage And Marriage948 Words   |  4 PagesSame-sex marriage and same-sex parenting are comparatively new controversial topics in today’s world and its â€Å"mainstream† morality. I was not exposed to any homosexual â€Å"lifestyle† while growing up. I know that I am strongly traditional in my theological views, nevertheless, I vigorously believe that traditional marriage and parenting are devotional commitments between a man and a woman. Therefore, same-sex marriage and parenting are to me, issues of a society with strong traditional cultural identitiesRead MoreSame Sex Marriage754 Words   |  4 Pages 11/8/06 Argument Essay Same-Sex Marriage: Not a Match for Society Marriage, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is â€Å"the legal relationship into which a man and a woman enter with purpose of making a home and raising a family† (358).Although most people in the United States, including myself, agree on that definition, there are a select few who do not. Some feel same-sex marriage should be legalized; I disagree! I disagree because of its effects on children, its unnaturalness, and its religious immoralityRead MoreSame Sex Marriage1418 Words   |  6 PagesGay Couples Should Have the Same Rights As Married Couples Professor PHI 210 June 6, 2013 Same-sex marriage is a topic that has become increasingly more debatable throughout time. America has been said to be the â€Å"land of the free,† but when it comes to homosexual couples, it is far from that. If same-sex marriage was legalized, many positive outcomes could emerge from it; the society would be closer to equality, adoption would increase, gained social support for families would developRead Moreno to same-sex marriage!894 Words   |  4 Pageseverything builds up. I Corinthians 10:23 Against Same Sex Marriage - The Six Point Case Each of these six points against same sex marriage will be explained in detail in the following articles. Click on each link for more explanation. Natural marriage is the foundation of a civilized society. Homosexual behavior is inherently destructive. The law is a great teacher, and it encourages or discourages behavior. Government-backed same-sex marriage would encourage and normalize homosexual behaviorRead MoreSame-Sex Marriage 962 Words   |  4 Pagescaucasian because of laws passing interracial marriages around the 20th century due to Loving V. Virginia (Melina Patria). By the 1960s, the women’s rights movement was in full motion switching male and female roles drastically(Human right’s watch). The home may have no longer been spacious and big with the stock market crash of 1929(First Member Century). Its 2013 and there may be another possible alteration; same sex marriage. Even though same sex marriage may be a sensitive issue with people, as aRead MoreSame Sex Marriage1152 Words   |  5 PagesBiological Sex-Marriage: â€Å"An Alteration to Humanity† Submitted by: Ellicia Jiona Candelaria Submitted to: Mrs. Joan Bataclan ABSTRACT Biological Sex-Marriage: â€Å"An Alteration to Humanity† This study describes the advantages and also the disadvantages of couples of the same sex being married. It aims to explore how it affects the society and most importantly the church. Same-sex marriage, popularly known as gay marriage, is a socially or legally reorganized wedlock between two persons of similarRead MoreSame Sex Marriage884 Words   |  4 PagesSame Sex Marriage Is the definition of marriage being threatened in the United States? President Bill Clinton signed the federal Defense of Marriage Act into law on September 21, 1996. This Act defined marriage at the federal level as between a man and a woman. The federal DOMA statute ensured that no state would be forced to recognize gay marriages performed in other states and prevented same-sex couples from receiving federal protections and benefits given to married heterosexual couples. OnRead MoreSame Sex Marriage990 Words   |  4 PagesSupporters of gay marriage argue around the concept of equality in America. Our country is said to be found on the principle that all men are created equal, so that make it hypocritical to deny the rights of homosexuals, as it was hypocritical to deny freedom to African Americans or to prohibit women s suffrage. Supporters also believe that Gays should be allows the same benefits as regular married couples. For instance, only through marriage do same sex couple s have the rights to their partnerRead MoreSame Sex Marriage1120 Words   |  5 PagesSame sex marriage has been a topic on the rise throughout the U.S. It is what some of us may consider one of the more important topics of discussion for this time period. So far 17 states out of 50 have declared same sex marriage legal (States, 2013). Same sex marriage should be legal throughout the U.S. because same sex couples have a civil right to get married, along with a right to have access to the same benefits as heterosexual couples, and to be treated as equals without fear of discriminationRead MoreSame-sex Marriage604 Words   |  2 Pages in the media, same sex marriage has been widely discussed and debated. Some feel it should be legalized, while others believe that it is a sin and should remain illegal. Their are many pros and cons on both sides of this argument, however there are main points leading to why gay marriage should be legal. Legalizing gay marriage will not harm heterosexual marriages or family values, and society will continue to function normally. This is a true statement, because when two people get

Into the Wild and Walden Free Essays

After reading Walden, by Henry D. Thoreau and watching the movie titled, Into The Wild, written by Sean Penn, I realized how similar and different both main characters were. Christopher McCandless, the main actor in the movie and, Henry D. We will write a custom essay sample on Into the Wild and Walden or any similar topic only for you Order Now Thoreau, the author and main character in Walden, share many things in common however, their views on the world and motives for going on their journeys are very different from one another. These two men share complex views on life and how one should live that life. They differ in regards to how they deal with and go about living their lives. Thoreau and McCandles live their lives doing what they feel makes them happy. McCandless quotes Thoreau and says, â€Å"If you want something in life, reach out and grab it† (sc. 167). Both of their journeys were beneficial for them and taught them a lot about themselves. Both of these men went out on a quest to find themselves and give insight into how they define and live with technology, finding spiritual freedom, the necessities of life, and living life to its fullest, but it is these similarities shared between the two that they also contrast each other greatly. Both McCandless and Thoreau deal with the advancement of technology in their journeys. McCandless is the Henry D. Thoreau of the 1990s. What sets him apart from Thoreau is his view on technology. Thoreau states, â€Å"The nation itself, with all its so- called internal improvements, which, by the way, are all external and superficial†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (119). This statement is the opposite of McCandless‘ view. McCandless uses the advancements in technology to get to his final destination of Alaska. McCandless travels by train, which would have made Thoreau absolutely sick. Thoreau clearly expressed his iscussed for the railroads in Walden. McCandless also relies of cars and trucks as he hitch hikes across the country. Now in Thoreau’s time there were not these elaborate highways and cars but Thoreau would not have been happy about this. If Thoreau had a problem with the railroads in the 1800s then there is no doubt he would have not agreed with the way McCandless chose to get to Alaska. They both had technology that they relied on. They both love to read and write. Ink and books were both made from the advancements in technology over centuries. They also both had tools while out in the ilderness that they heavily relied on. They both had knives that they used all they time for cutting and cleaning food. Thoreau had a wheelbarrow and a spade, where as McCandless had a gun, and a handbook on, what was edible in nature. McCandless and Thoreau both went in search to find spiritual freedom and escape society. Thoreau recorded his two year experiment to express what he has learned about himself and society. McCandless also recorded his escape from society on his two year journey. They both were out in the wilderness alone for two years as they connected to the earth spiritually. Unlike McCandless, Thoreau never mentioned problems within his family in Walden. McCandless had another reason to escape society other than to find himself, he was escaping the violence and troubles presented in is everyday life at home. A voiceover of Carine, McCandless sister, comes on and says â€Å"Worse yet was that it was Marcia to whom he was still legally married at the time. And it was Chris and I who were the bastard children† (sc. 53). This shows how McCandless had so much more to leave behind than Thoreau did. This scene also give us insight into McCandless’s state of mind nd how much his life at home effected him. Thoreau states, â€Å" I left the woods for as good of a reason as I went there†¦I had several more lives to live, and could not spare any more time for that on† (426). Thoreau’s statement tells us how he just went for the purpose to get away from society and live in nature and solitude. McCandless had emotional problems brought on him by the instability of his family. Both Thoreau and McCandless lived with the necessities of shelter and durable clothing. They both had shelters that were made by man. McCandless lived in a bus out in he Alaskan wilderness, and Thoreau lived in a cabin at Walden pond. Thoreau and McCandless had to deal with the airiness of their homes. Thoreau says, â€Å"This was an airy and unflustered cabin, fit to entertain a traveling god†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (110). Thoreau however did have a functioning cabin where as, McCandess lived in a bus that was converted into a house. Thoreau had a more room to move around as well as better protection from the weather. McCandless lived in more open and colder environment than Thoreau had to. Both men also relied on their clothing to be durable and able to withstand the elements. The harshness of their living conditions required them to have warm and durable clothing. They did not have enough room in their bags to bring every item of clothing they owned. It had to be functional year round as well as strong enough to hold over a duration of two years of hunting and gathering. Thoreau had did not have as much variety of clothing to chose from as McCandless did. McCandless was born in a generation that made clothes in mass quantities and clothes were more accessible to everyone plus McCandless had his parents to buy him clothes over the years. Thoreau and McCandless were both college graduates that lived their lives to the fullest. Thoreau graduated from Harvard and McCandless graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Both men were highly educated and were very knowledgeable in many aspects but prefer not to have a job. McCandless says to Mr. Franz , â€Å"I think careers are a twentieth century invention and I don’t want one. You don’t need to worry about me. I have a college education. I’m not destitute. I’m living like this by choice† (sc. 185). They both were philosophizers and knew about the uselessness of possessions. McCandless donated twenty-six thousand dollars to Oxfam, cut up his identification card, and credit cards. Thoreau however, did not give up his possessions, he just set them off to the side until his experiment was complete. McCandless lived the last two years of his life doing what he wanted and exploring nature. He died doing what he wanted to do, not what he had to do. Although Thoreau did not die during his experiment he lived his life the same way. Thoreau knew that for one to be happy, one must live their lives doing what they want. Both men lived their lives to the fullest and did what they wanted to do. McCandless and Thoreau have learned so much about themselves and about how the world works, whether its for the better or not, while out in the wild. As these two men have traveled and lived in their final destinations they have had to deal with technology, finding spiritual freedom, the necessities of life, and living life to its fullest, to make it there. Thoreau says, â€Å"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer† (430). Thoreau is saying that it does not matter how you match up to others or if you follow other people, only he or she can make their ife worth living and worth telling about. Both McCandless and Thoreau have similarities but because they are different people they also have many contrasts between them. They both benefited from their journeys and have taught us all something. The have both gained knowledge of the world and of themselves while out in the wild. They teach us that if one wants to be happy, do that which makes one happy. Their journeys are something we can all do for ourselves. And if we do go on a journey like this we wont always have the same answer for questions but will be faced with the same questions of life. How to cite Into the Wild and Walden, Essay examples

Engineering Inspection free essay sample

Before 1990, they was a small but highly successful company that offers machinery and insurance services. After years of above average growth and profits, they are moving backward from the industry average, policy delivery times are excessive and morale is low. They need to change their current strategy as it is no longer effective. The issues they are facing is not only internal but also face the challenges from the external environment. Analysis and discussion Critical Operation and Strategic problems A. The increasing of employee turnover rate at 17% in 1990 is the sign of company dysfunction in EIIC. It caused the rising of sentiment of being undervalued in underwriters who feel deprived of relevant decision making power. They receive a monthly salary of $2,250 over $27,000 yearly income. The career advancement among underwriter and acquisition of the other jobs aside to the job at EIIC. At this moment, employees experience the dissatisfaction in company even the slightest can immediately resign to go for another jobs. We will write a custom essay sample on Engineering Inspection or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page B. Beside the turnover rate among employees, EIIC also realise the grow of disputes and conflicts between branch managers and the chief inspectors which is raised from the ineffective company structure. The decision was made by chief inspectors instead of bank managers ensure the certain risks. But the tasks of chief inspectors is oversee inspection activities instead of monitoring their inspection staffs. This structure is the source of internal confliction in organisation. The branch manager is responsible for the all the losses and failed goals instead of chief inspectors. Another problem is the late delivery of insurance policies. They usually complete in 14 days on the average. However, it is only able for small policies and a large policies always take at least 43 days to finish. In details 26 days for First Inspection Order to be completed, 10 days for the supervisory inspector to approve the completed FIO, 5 days to underwrite the risk after the supervisory inspectors approval, and 2 days for filling, recording data and other miscellaneous tasks. D. At last, planning and coordination of activities between engineers and inspectors are also the problem encountered in EIIC. They are making the process slower and unreliable causing the loss of teamwork and services quality. From a CEO view point, the internal problem is need to deal with first. Reducing turnover rate of employees is the most serious thing to do in order to maintain the workforce quality as they are all high level of experience and trained practical. Underwriter should be placed in more important goals and objectives in order to inspire their morale along with inspectors to improve the coordination. Secondly, the branch manager need to be given more authority and less responsible. These responsible have to be share for the chief inspectors as well as they are also involving in process. Restructure the organisation is essential to speed up the writing and submission of insurance policies but it seems to be a long-term solution for EIIC. Evaluate company pattern of decision in structural and infrastructural Engineering inspection activities is the base of insurance policies in EIIC. It ensures the services offered by engineering department are perfect, supervised and efficient. Furthermore, EIIC developed a elaborate evaluation scheme which leverage the quality of checking and validating inspection in engineering department. Field inspectors approach the supervisory inspectors first instead of chief inspector. Aside the efforts, EIIC also employs experienced, highly trained practical engineers and licensed machinery inspectors. In each branch, a special agents is employed to deal with independent agents who have direct communication with the clients. Their multi branches given them the ability to response to customer in one hour maximum. It is the reason for customer to stay with EIIC as it is very dependable. Implied performance objectives Dependability: Experienced and highly trained employees in EIIC delivered a good services in term of quality and dependability. Flexibility and cost: They inspected and insured a wide range of equipment at various coverage. However, time for policies preparation is so long and insured only the machinery equipment is the weaknesses has lowered their competitive advantage in the market compare to other competitors. Redesign the business Short-term solution EIIC need to speed up the writing and submission of insurance policies. They need to shorten the time for each stage in the process. From inspector to  underwriting, the number of inspection requirement need to be cut down specially on smaller policies instead of following the same process as the large policies. Inspectors do not have to inspect whole area of property and industry area but concentrate on the demand of customer inspection. They should have more authority to make decision without having interruption from the managers. Insurances policies need adjustment to remove the unnecessary stage in evaluating level in certain situation. Although it will speed up the process, it will reduce the level of competitive advantage as EIIC lies on the inspections services. Aside from speed up the process, EIIC can increase their profit and competitive advantage by increase the numbers of customer stay with company. In order to archive this goal, they should develop a marketing department or program to sell the service directly to customers in each branch instead of going through independent agents . This way can causing problem as the service policies is not approach to customers directly. Long-term solution A permanent solution for solving the problem of high turnover rate is create a culture within organisation. Employees is treasure resource of the organisation, they should treat them with better employees incentives as increasing the compensation packages and extend the implication to wider range of position within the company from the top to each branch. Certain position as inspectors and underwriter need to be empowered their authority for certain areas to offer them more freedom and independent in making decisions. Therefore the process is more flexibility, faster and could undertake a larger amount of work if it is necessary. Sometimes, this solution can make the workforce become more playful and losing concentrate of working. The organisation need to be restructured as the older one is so obsolete. By this way, the structure can remove a certain unnecessary positions in order to make the company more simple and efficient. In management level, function will be relocated in different way as well as relationship between managerial level. For example, branch managers will have more authority to make decision in activities of inspections instead of taking responsibility for chief directors. Further than that, the supervised control, reporting activities and monitoring need to be reduced from the top head as well as inspiring the communication between departments to  increasing speed of process. There could be risk in restructuring the organisation as it need a long time to take place and considered carefully. It may lead to several destruction in functions and management. Conclusion EIIC was struggling with internal confliction within the workforce, existing structure is inefficient as they are not satisfy employees and customer need. They need to relocate their resourced for better use because it is wasted time and money of company. There are no best strategy for organisation but only the most matched strategy for organisation in certain situation.

Social Media and Social Relations

Introduction This paper is aimed at discussing the ways in which social media are contributing to changing social relations. This issue can be illustrated by examining profound transformations that were brought by new technologies, especially Web 2.0.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Media and Social Relations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, it is necessary to mention that currently people representing different social classes, religious groups, or cultures have more opportunities for interacting with one another in order to achieve certain goals. More importantly, an individual is better able to convey his/her views to a greater number of people. Additionally, these tools can be viewed as the platform which enables people to discuss the most important social, political, and administrative issues affecting the entire community. These are some of the main trends that can be distinguished. Thes e issues can be discussed by examining empirical data showing how people use social media and how their interactions with one another have evolved during the last decade. Additionally, it is vital to consider social media as one of the factors contributing to the transformation of social norms. This analysis should be based on empirical studies carried out by various researchers. For instance, one can look at the values of people who are active users of social media. Apart from that, it is possible to examine the statistical surveys illustrating how people’s attitudes have changed due to the influence of mass media. This quantitative information can throw light on the impact of social media on the relations within the community. In order to analyse these issues, one should apply different frameworks that can explain people’s behavior. In particular, it is possible to apply the theory of affordance and the theory of mediatisation. These models are particularly useful fo r explaining how social media transform the behavior of individuals and groups. They are particularly helpful since they demonstrate how social and cultural norms are changed due to the development of information technologies. This paper will include several sections. At first, it is critical to overview the main concepts and theories that can be useful for describing people’s online behavior and discussing their worldviews and perceptions.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One should also illustrate the empirical findings that can throw light on the application of these theoretical models. Furthermore, the second section will include the main argument about the influence of social media on the changing relations between individuals and groups. Much attention will be paid to the transformation of people’s attitudes and new forms of cooperation between various s takeholders. On the whole, this discussion can be important for understanding the main trends affecting various communities. Additionally, this analysis can be useful for identifying the origins of various social phenomena. Yet, it can only be a starting point for further studies that can increase people’s awareness about the specific impact of information technologies, especially the way in which they influence people’s actions. Key research, theories, and debates It is possible to distinguish several concepts that are useful for discussing the questions relevant to this topic. At first, one should mention such a notion as social media that can be viewed as the tools that enable individuals to create information and share their views or ideas with another (Scott 2011). So, users are not only the recipients of content; more likely, they can act as producers and publishers (Scott 2011, p 5). In this case, one should not speak only about such social networks as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and so forth. It is important to mention that conventional media also become more oriented to the needs of modern Internet users who can also create content. For instance, the website of such a newspaper as The Guardian enables people to comment on news and discuss the most important social issues. T his is one of the main changes that can be singled out. Overall, social media can take different forms such as forums, social networks, wikis, and so forth (Choate 2008). One should bear in mind that the rise of social media can be traced back to the late nineties at the time when Web 2 0 technologies were elaborated. These tools provided people with the opportunity to create or modify content (Choate 2008). In the previous decades, Internet users could act only as the recipients of information. So, this concept is critical for the discussing the way in which technologies can impact social relations as well as the norms or values accepted by the community. It is critical to mention that conventional media such as radio or television do not enable people to communicate with one another or create content without the permission of the mediators representing a specific organisation such as a publishing house or a broadcasting company that can determine what kind of content can be made public. Social media remove this barrier almost completely.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Media and Social Relations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is one of the main details that should be singled out. Admittedly, social media can also include some restrictions; for example, one can speak about the work of moderators. However, their use is not very widespread, and they can be overcome. It is also vital to mention that social media are extremely interrelated. To a great extent, these online resources facilitate the flow of information from one another. This attribute can be partly explained by the fact that people can use different mass media such as Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram at the same time. Such a concept as convergence is often used to describe this interconnectedness of social media and their links with other information technologies as radio or television. It is possible to apply different theoretical frameworks that can be applied to describe the impact of social media on the relations among individuals and groups. In particular, one should examine the theory of affordances developed by Ian Hutchby (2001). In this case, the term affordance can be described as the main quality of a certain medium such as the Internet or television. This model is often helpful for explaining how different media complement one another. Nevertheless, this approach is also useful for explaining the way in which modern media change social relations by providing a set of opportunities to users who can get access to more sophisticated communication tools. For instance, information technologies provide people with the opportunities for self-representation (Kuo et al. 2013). Furthermore, they can display their creativity on the Web. In turn, the researchers note that this attribute is one of the factors that contribute to the increased number of social connections. To some degree, this theory implies that technology is the agent that changes the behaviour of individual and groups. It opposes the premise according to which technological tools, including social media are shaped by the emerging needs of the community and separate individuals. Overall, this viewpoint is not sufficient for explaining the impacts of new information tools.  There are certain important concepts that are related to this theory, In particular, it is necessary to mention such a notion as polymedia which is supposed to describe integrated media environment that shapes the behavior of users. Social Web can be viewed only as the component of polymedia. This concept is important for showing that social media do not function independently of other technologies such as radio or television. However, at the same time, social media profoundly transform the behaviours of many people because they have specific affordances or attributes such as increased functionality that enables users to modify content.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is one of the aspects that should be taken into consideration by researchers who study the relations between social media and community.  Additionally, it is important to consider the theory of mediatisation introduced by Stig Hjarvard (2013). This model is aimed at explaining how digital technologies can alter social and cultural norms. These changes can be attributed to a wide range of factors such as increasing availability of information, new economic trends, and ability of a person to examine the same question from different perspectives. In this case, one should not speak only about the changing communication between people. More likely, it is important to focus on the transformation of people’s attitudes, values, and worldviews. In this case, technologies can also be described as the agent that changes the society. For instance, these media can make people more open to new lifestyles and behaviours. Moreover, they can question the key messages conveyed by the ma instream media such as television or radio. These are the main elements of this theory. The main assumptions of this model have been examined in empirical studies; for instance, researchers note that customers can rely on social media in order to evaluate different goods or services before making purchases (Barreto, 2014, p. 631). This trend is of great importance to producers and retailers. This example shows that social media enable individuals to examine the messages such as commercials conveyed by mass media more critically. Thus, their attitudes can also change profoundly. The theory of mediatisation is also supported by researchers who note that the users of social media can re-evaluate some of the values that could be viewed as the topmost priorities by previous generations. For instance, one can speak about the diminishing role of privacy in social networks (Young Jordan 2013). It should be mentioned that the users of social networks can openly display their photographs or state their marital status. Apart from that, the users of social networks are more willing to explore such issues as sexuality (Castaneda 2013). This behaviour was not a part of the norm before the arrival of Web 2.0. Researchers identify these patterns by examining the attitudes of people who actively use social media (Young Jordan 2013). These studies are important for identifying the changes in the behaviour of various social groups.  Apart from that, it is important to mention that social media help different stakeholders to discuss various questions related to politics or economy. In some cases, social media can also assist those people who may disagree with the policies of the state. This argument has been particularly relevant if one speaks about mass protests that are usually known as the Arab Spring (Jamali 2014). These protests were largely coordinated with the help of social networks. It is important to mention that these technologies facilitate the spread of informati on within the community. Thus, citizens can better mobilise their efforts and force the government to consider the needs or concerns of various social classes. In many cases, these people try to bring changes in the political and social agenda. For instance, social media are often applied by LGBT activists (Peterson Panfil 2003). Thus, social media lead to profound transformation in the life of many communities. Overall, these changes can take place at the global level. Additionally, it is necessary to speak about the creation of online communities or groups of people who have similar interests, values, or agendas. Much attention is paid to the online behaviour of adolescents and young adults who are more active users of social media (Solis 2010, p. 19). As a rule, researchers prefer to examine the lifestyles of people whose age is lower than thirty. In the past, online communities were made up of people who were very skilled in the use of technology (Warburton 2012, p. 4). Neverth eless, the situation has changed profoundly because information technologies have become more accessible, and modern social media can attract people with diverse educational and professional backgrounds. One should keep in mind that people who interact in online communities have more opportunities for anonymity (Farrington et al. 2014, p. 125). As a result, they can openly express their opinions that can seem provocative or even insulting (Farrington et al. 2014). Moreover, these individuals can become more critical of the assumptions that are often taken for granted. This opportunity is also vital for the re-evaluation of the existing norms. These are the main trends that attract close attention of various researchers who want to determine how the behaviours of individuals and groups have evolved due to the influence of social media. Argument Social media produce two important impacts on the relations between individuals and groups; in particular, they contribute to the transformat ion of the norms established in the communities. Moreover, they can create new forms of cooperation among individuals who may have similar interests. Nevertheless, these people represent different cultural groups or classes. These elements of the argument should be elaborated in greater detail. Although, social media enable people to make a more personalized use of technologies, they also create new ties between various community members who can interact without the use of intermediaries. As a result, people can establish social ties even though they did not know each in the past. There are several important trends that can be identified. In particular, one should mention that social media enable people to transcend the boundaries of the social class, religious groups and so forth. In fact, these barriers can become irrelevant to Internet users. In the past, these people could be deprived of this valuable opportunity. For instance, it is necessary to mention that on average, a Faceb ook user can have about 130 online acquaintances (Lee 2012, p. 18). Furthermore, the users of social may compete with one another in terms of how many friends they have (Bakardjieva 2014, p. 375). Certainly, one can say that such behaviours can deprive the word friendship of its meaning as well as value (Bakardjieva 2014; Vihalemm 2003). This is one of the short-comings that should be taken into account by people who are too optimistic about the role of social media. However, in many cases, these people can share values or interests, even though they may have different backgrounds (Lee 2012, p. 18). However, this evidence indicates that people have more opportunities for establishing social relations with one another. As it has been said before, conventional media such as television, radio and internet do not enable individuals to communicate with one another. These details are important for explaining the popularity of social media and the profound implications that they have for t he community.  There are other impacts that should not be overlooked. For instance, it is possible to speak about changing relationship between employers and employees who now have opportunities to work online (Daft 2012; Chehimi 2013). For instance, companies can encourage workers collaborate on joint projects with the help of Wikis or Intranet sites. Thus, social media can be useful for the creation of employment opportunities. Additionally, much attention should be paid to crowd-sourcing activities that are also facilitated by social media. This case is important because it illustrates new forms of cooperation between individuals and organisations. In some cases, these new forms of interactions can be important for the economic growth of the society (Daft 2012). This is why they should not be overlooked by researchers.  Much attention should be paid to the creation of the network communities in which people are able to discuss various issues in a more critical way. As it has been said before, these online tools promote political activism that is important for bringing changes into the social or political norms. In particular, they are critical for upholding the rights of people who could be previously marginalised or discriminated. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the increasing use of social media transforms the values of individuals, such as their perception of privacy. Additionally, one should also speak about the increased openness of people who are more willing to speak about such issues as sexuality (Warburton 2012). Such behaviours could hardly be possible in the communities that did not incorporate online environment. To a great extent, this argument is based on the theory of mediatisation introduced by Stig Hjarvard (2013). One can say that new technologies do not change only the process of communication; more likely, they influence social norms and create new forms of cooperation among individuals. Overall, it is possible to argue that socia l media produce a positive impact on the social relations. Admittedly, one should not forget about some negative impacts. For instance, researchers pay much attention to the changing meaning of such a concept as friendship and its devaluation (Lee 2012). However, these negative impacts can be mitigated. In this case, much depends on the actions of parents and educators. This is the main details that should be singled out.  On the whole, it is possible to agree with the theories of affordances and mediatisation because they explain the way in which social media influence both individuals and groups. They cannot be viewed as mere tools that serve the interests of the society. Such an assumption cannot fully reflect a variety of new trends influencing different social groups. More likely, they can be regarded as the factors that change social interactions. Certainly, the issues that have been discussed still require additional research. In particular, it is important to find empirica l evidence which may fully illustrate the theory of mediatisation. Researchers can conduct additional studies that can test the assumption according to which the values and the norms are shaped by social media. Nevertheless, despite this limitation, one should not reject this model because it is important for explaining the emerging social trends. Conclusion On the whole, the examples that have been included in this assignment indicate that social media have profoundly changed the interactions between individuals and groups. The main impact of these media is that they transform social norms accepted by community members who are able to take a more critical look at the assumptions that are often taken for granted. In particular, one should mention the diminishing role of privacy and the development of new political agenda. This is one of the main details that should be taken into consideration. Apart from that, it is important to remember that social media eliminate cultural, social, and religious barriers. Moreover, these information tools create new forms of cooperation between various individuals. For instance, it is critical to remember about new economic opportunities originating from this cooperation. To a great extent, these arguments are based on empirical studies examining the behaviour of people using social media. Overall, it is possible to accept the theory of affordances introduced by Ian Hutchby (2001) and the theory of mediatisation. In particular, they show that social media can act the drivers of change. The themes that have been identified require additional studies which can illustrate the impact of specific media on certain social relations such as employment or political activism. These are the main arguments that can be put forward. References Bakardjieva, M 2014, ‘Social media and the McDonaldization of friendship’, Communications: The European Journal Of Communication Research, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 369-387. Barreto, A 2014, à ¢â‚¬ËœThe word-of-mouth phenomenon in the social media era’, International Journal Of Market Research, vol. 56, no. 5, pp. 631-654. Castaneda, D 2013, The Essential Handbook of Women’s Sexuality, ABC-CLIO, Boston. Chehimi, N 2013, The Social Web in the Hotel Industry: The Impact of the Social Web on the Information Process of German Hotel Guests, Springer Science Business Media, New York. Choate, M 2008, Professional Wikis, John Wiley Sons, New York. Daft, R 2012, Organization Theory and Design, Cengage Learning, New York. Farrington, N, Hall, L, Kilvington, D Price, J 2014, Sport, Racism and Social Media, Routledge, New York. Hjarvard, S 2013, The Mediatization of Culture and Society, Routledge, New York. Hutchby, I 2001, ‘Technologies, Texts and Affordances’, Sociology, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 441-456. Jamali, R 2014, Online Arab Spring: Social Media and Fundamental Change, Chandos Publishing, New York. Kuo, F, Tseng, C, Tseng, F, Lin, C 2013, ‘A s tudy of social information control affordances and gender difference in Facebook self-presentation’, Cyberpsychology, Behavior And Social Networking, vol. 16, no. 9, pp. 635-644. Lee, N 2012, Facebook Nation: Total Information Awareness, Springer Science Business Media, New York. Peterson, D Panfil, V 2003, Handbook of LGBT Communities, Crime, and Justice, Springer Science Business Media, Boston. Scott, P 2011, Auditing Social Media: A Governance and Risk Guide, John Wiley Sons, New York. Solis, B 2010, Engage: The Complete Guide for Brands and Businesses to Build, Cultivate, and Measure Success in the New Web, John Willey Sons, New York, 2010. Vihalemm, P 2003, â€Å"Changing Media in a Changing Society†, Demokratizatsiya, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 587-600. Warburton, S 2012, Digital Identity and Social Media, IGI Global, New York. Young, S Jordan, A 2013, ‘The Influence of Social Networking Photos on Social Norms and Sexual Health Behaviors’, Cyberpsycho lology, Behavior and Social Networking, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 243-247. This essay on Social Media and Social Relations was written and submitted by user Jadon Brooks to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Froussart essays

Froussart essays The kingship was a position which bestowed great power and authority. During its peak, it was a status that commanded the utmost of respect, and entailed many characteristics that the average man did not have. Froissart wrote about many of the attributes of a king while he prepared for battle, fought in battle, and behaved afterwards. The communication of a king was also greatly outlined in respect to interaction with ambassadors, with their advisors and with civilians. While a kings actions during wartime and his communication with his empire were important, they were not the only traits which a king must possess to be considered successful. Froissart, having worked as a secretary for King John of France , knew a great deal about pinpointing exactly what these other qualities were. He also considered what it was that made a king inferior and inefficient. A king must have certain qualities if his subjects were to love and respect him. He must have a strong will to complete a task und ertaken, whatever the obstacles. He must be able to foresee the results of every step he took. The capacity to plan his work was one of the most essential qualities of a good leader. The king should also know how to deal with his enemies and how to earn the friendship of other kings. Some other attributes include the fact that a king must be charismatic and smart. Daring, bold and a good military strategist are just a few more of the important characteristics a king must possess. Froissart also believed that a king should be brave and decisive. Uncertainty and pettiness were some features he strongly disapproved of. All of these factors contributed to his opinion of each of the kings he wrote about, especially when he compared Edward the III to Philip the VI. Froissarts bias for certain kings is extremely evident in his writings. His differences of opinion between kings can most likely be attributed to the different governing characteristics...

An Analysis of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences Essay Example for Free

An Analysis of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences Essay The purpose of this paper is to explore Howard Gardner’s theory on multiple intelligences. I will focus on spatial and bodily-kinesthetic intelligences and how linguistic intelligence has an underlying effect on the other intelligences. Spatial and bodily-kinesthetic intelligences would seem to be very distant from linguistic intelligence, however I believe that they are more similar then one might expect. Spatial intelligence can be loosely defined as the ability to manipulate and recreated the physical work in ones mind. Artists often use this intelligence as they take an actual object and are able to manipulate it onto a canvas or piece of paper. Many IQ tests have a section that tests the ability of a person in their use of block design. Students who excel in spatial intelligence have the ability to recreate within their mind the things that they see visually. Gardner states, â€Å"The left hemisphere of the brain has, over the course of evolution, been selected as the pre-eminent site for linguistic processing, the right hemisphere of the brain, and in particular the posterior portions of the right hemisphere, proves to be the site most crucial for special processing† (Gardner, p. 181). Gardner is trying to show how separate in the brain spatial and linguistic intelligence really are. By isolating the intelligences, Gardner focuses on the idea of savants and brain damage to prove his theory that the intelligences are totally separate. Eliminating part of the brain would still allow for someone to be successful and intelligent at spatial abilities. His idea is that even if a person lost their ability to speak or the ability to use their hands, that their other intelligences could possibly still work at a high level. I agree with his theory, however I think the intelligences overlap more then he may believe. Linguistic intelligence seems to have a basis in spatial intelligence also. Many students might do just fine being able to read a word problem and then form the design in their head. Gardner gives an example, â€Å"Take a square piece of paper, fold it in one half, then fold it twice again in half. How many squares exist after this final fold? † (Gardner, p. 171). This idea shows how linguistic intelligence can be used when dealing with a student who has a greater spatial intelligence. Even without the student physically being able to fold the piece of paper they could still solve the problem due to their linguistic intelligence. Gardner shows this idea as he talks about people having distinct separate intelligences, but that each intelligence has the ability to overlap with another. I also decided to talk about his theory of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence because I feel this intelligence goes together well with spatial intelligence. Both of these intelligences are educated best by going away from the traditional teaching methods of reading and writing. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is the ability for a person to use their body to solve a problem. This can be seen in many athletes and other people who are very active. Some people are born with a higher bodily-kinesthetic intelligence then others. Tests on reaction time have shown that some people are born with almost superhuman reaction time ability. This reaction time allows them to hit a baseball with such success that cannot be taught. Parts of this intelligence can be learned by studying similar to some of the more the academic intelligences, however bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is not viewed as an academic intelligence. Wayne Gretzky said, â€Å"Nine out of ten people think what I do is instinct†¦. It isn’t. Nobody would ever say a doctor had learned had profession by instinct: yet in my own way I’ve spent almost as much time studying hockey as a med student puts in studying medicine† (Gardner, p. 231). Both a hockey player and a surgeon rely on their body to perform at a high level. Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is just not brute force but the ability to read what is happening, and then adapt. In football, a player will tackle another player, although before that happens the tackling player must read the play to get a path take on the ball carrier. A surgeon can have perfect skills in using their hands to operate but they also need the ability to learn the correct procedures. These ideas show that a person can be above average in more then one intelligence and that is in fact fairly common. The traditional way of teaching is through reading and writing that puts an emphasis on linguistic intelligence. Gardner’s theory is to separate the intelligences by showing that even a person who loses the ability to use part of their brain will still be able to function at a high level at some other intelligences. Gardner points out that he believes the intelligences are separate, but that they rarely operate separately and more often then not there are several intelligences working together. This is how linguistic intelligence is so important to the overall learning of a student. Most tests such as IQ tests put an emphasis on how well a person does on verbal section of the test. Gardner said, â€Å"I have already noted that many retarded children display a surprising ability to master language†¦ Even more striking are those rare children who, despite retardation or autism, prove able to read at an astonishingly early age† (Gardner, p. 84-85). This is apparent when talking about a surgeon who loses the ability to use their hands and so they cannot operate on patients anymore. They may not have the ability to physically do the operation anymore but they can still instruct someone else to do the surgery. This surgeon has lost their ability to use their hands but their brain is still intact so they can use their linguistic intelligence to instruct another person to perform the operation. Gardner does not think linguistic intelligence is more important than any of the other intelligences, but I believe that linguistic intelligence sets the basis for the other intelligences. Without this intelligence the student will not be able to understand what that teacher is trying to convey in class. Language is important for the student to get through school, however a student could get though school without fully realizing their full spatial intelligence. Linguistic intelligence allows a student to gain the ability to study the concepts and then apply them to the other intelligences such as bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. One cannot expect someone to just learn all the intricate details of boxing and then to go into the ring and win a title. This can only happen with some intelligence that is born within the person. Intelligences are within everyone but it is hard for a person to know exactly what intelligence they posses the strongest. Howard Gardner’s idea of multiple intelligences stems from his belief that each person has different intelligences that they posses. These intelligences are inherently separate due to the fact that because of brain damage, a person can lose an intelligence while still being able to perform at a high level on other intelligences. Gardner does not believe that linguistic intelligence is more important then the others, however in our society we put such a great emphasis on linguistic intelligence. A student can fall behind in their linguistic development and due to our societies testing and basis in teaching the student might not attain high grades. This does not mean the student is not smart, it just means that they might excel at a different type of intelligence. Overall, Gardner explains how each person has many different forms of intelligence that they could be above average in. An Analysis of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. (2017, Jan 05).

Sexual Harassment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Sexual Harassment - Essay Example Asking for sexual favors is a direct form of sexual harassment but in some cases indirect favors are also an important element of sexual harassment. The individual involved is either asked for the favor for a reward or he/she is put in such an environment that it becomes hostile for him (Lewis 2001). Many link sexual harassment to be a gender specific situation as most of the cases are seen to be following the women who are subordinating certain individuals. These sexual harassment situations not only lead to deleterious effects on health but they also affect the state of mind of the individual concerned. Sexual harassment is not only related to workplace environments but is also related to the people who are working in military and the service sector (Street et al 2008). Sexual harassment not only refers to the sexual favors but it also relates to the body language of the individuals. Behaviors that are unwelcome by individuals and can be clearly anticipated for making someone offen ded are said to be incorporating the broad definition of sexual harassment (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2013). Actions that are pervasive and considered hostile are also associated with the sexual harassment situations. It is also seen that sexual harassment can lead to post traumatic stress disorder in many people as the person undergoes anxiety and depression after undergoing these situations (Street et al 2008). More studies help to find out the correlation of race with sexual harassment as it can be seen that the African Americans are likely to come under the situations of sexual harassment more often than their counterparts. Adolescence is also a factor for the increase in the cases of sexual harassment as found by a study conducted by Goldstein (Goldstein et al 2007). The elements of sexual harassment that have not been reviewed properly are related to the sex

The relationship between organizational design and service behaviors Essay

The relationship between organizational design and service behaviors in the hospitality industry - Essay Example Literature suggests that customers are the most important stakeholders in the hospitality industry as all operations carried out primarily focus on gratifying the customers’ needs. As the name indicates, providing service profitably to people with consistence in quality and creating an atmosphere to make every individual feel exceptional forms the hallmark of the hospitality industry (Hogan 2008). It is said that this industry is itself a part of a larger group of industries called travel and tourism industry and together hospitality and tourism make up the largest industries in the world (Walker 2009, p. 4). As one of the biggest and fastest growing industries in the world, a vast amount of research is done as yet to evaluate the implications of organizational structure and service behaviors on the growth and success of this industry. â€Å"The hospitality industry includes the tourism lodgings, the catering companies, as well as the food and beverage departments operating w ithin the lodgings† (Kapiki 2012, p. 2247). In addition to this, other sources suggest that the transportation services which include airlines, cruises, and trains, retail stores, and recreational event planning also makes up giant blocks of the hospitality industry (Kasavana & Brook, 2007). ... helps in managing a smooth experience from check-in to billing (Reinhart 2012) and enables the employers to create a right impression on the community. It not only aids different organizations to maintain long-term success but also guides them to competitively struggle in the fierce marketplace as a way of meeting the customers’ dynamic preferences. Not only is the organizational design or structure the main factor influencing the organizational innovation (Lavado cited in Heydarinejad, Boushehri & Delfani 2011, p. 145) but also there is a growing need to incorporate flexible and organic structures where the personnel is especially trained to treat a diverse customer line and is given empowerment to participate in decision-making processes (Daft cited in Heydarinejad, Boushehri & Delfani 2011, p. 145). In the highly competitive present times, scrutinizing a range of organizational designs and approaches is critically important to retain success by any organization operating in the hospitality industry as a way of facing the competition and addressing the ever-growing demands of the customers (Caruana et al. cited in Heydarinejad, Boushehri & Delfani 2011, p. 145). Regarding the importance of service behaviors in the hospitality industry, it is claimed that â€Å"hospitality employees have the ability to affect the human experience by creating powerful impressions that may last a lifetime† (Walker 2009, p. 4). This is because since hospitality staff is under direct responsibility to serve people from diverse backgrounds, the customers’ future behavioral intentions are affected by the treatment they receive as they continue to get a taste of what the business is all about and how it is handled every time the staff interacts with them (Reinhart 2012). This essay

Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry Thoreau Debate Essay Example for Free

Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry Thoreau Debate Essay Fight For What is Right A cold, snowy winter night in Birmingham, Alabama: one of those nights where you would rather stay inside and sit by a fire while sipping on a cup of hot chocolate. Not everyone is doing that though, for many people walk in the cold all bundled up. Some of the more unfortunate ones stay stranded outside in the freezing weather with not nearly enough layers to keep them warm. In Birmingham, a lot of these people consist of African Americans who cannot afford somewhere to keep warm or are Just simply denied a place to stay based on their skin color. In this day and age, segregation exists between whites and blacks. A huge issue nationwide, but when it comes to Birmingham everything is taken to a new level. To ensure the separation of whites and blacks, you can see plenty of racial signs and other such tactics used by the city. Although between King and Thoreau, none of these resemble an issue; they both could stay warm under their nice winter Jackets, both had a place to go back home to and more importantly, one was a white man and the other a black man. Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. both made themselves very well known and idolized by many. They knew each other through a mutual friend but came into contact when they ran into one another here in Birmingham. The segregation in Birmingham continues to get out of control with constant bombings and killings of African American citizens, causing certain groups to want to take action towards reform in Birmingham. The group known as the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights called upon King to help lead them in non-violent reform, while Thoreau made his trip here to witness the reforms. Thoreaus time of non-violent reform came about years before King even began to participate. King actually learned Just about everything from Thoreaus writing, but Thoreau has no sense of that at this very moment. What King learned from Thoreau, he put to use more than Thoreau ever did. Right now the two men share the same non-violent beliefs and want to spread the word in their own separate ways. As the two men walk down the street they engage in friendly small talk. But then they come across a black couple denied entry into a restaurant. Both men look at ach other in disgust. They have seen it happen hundreds of times, but each time they see it, they have the same disgustful reaction. After what they Just witnessed, the two men started to state their opinions to each other on why they see this type of policy as a disgrace. Henry Thoreau spoke first with a scornful tone in his voice on how he cannot respect his government for allowing instances like these to occur. He continues speaking, l cannot for an instant recognize that political organization as my government which is the slaves government also (180). In response, King expresses to Thoreau, that you cannot put the entire blame on the government even though they could change the laws involving segregation. But would that change how the white majority feels, especially in southern states. Those people grew up witn certain opinions ot Atrican Americans. King goes on with another strong statement, saying Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly (214). With this statement, King tries to tell Thoreau that if they cannot change how people think, then segregation will not change either. After uttering such words, King goes quiet, neither one of them saying anything to each other. Both continue walking with their eyes facing forward, trying to fgure out what they are going to say next. After a few minutes of walking in the freezing cold with a light flurry of snow, the silence is broken. King ends this when he asks Thoreau how he plans on making a difference for racism and segregation. Thoreau does not respond right away, giving King the opportunity to answer his own question: Henry, we need to make a difference here in Birmingham. If we do something here then it ay affect the whole nation. And we need to do it in a non-violent manner. He continues, In any non-violent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action (215). King believes that these steps will lead them to a successful reform against segregation. Thoreau agrees with King that they should reform in a non-violent way, but questions who will Join him. He immediately states, They continue enjoying each others company, but ever since their heated discussions the two have not said one word or even batted an eye towards the other. They arrive at the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr. s apartment where he says one final comment to end the night, Henry, we have a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws (218). We are nere tor a reason; and that reason involves making a ditterence. So tomorrow lets get everyone in town together and move forward with this reform. Thoreau ooks at King with a blank face and continues his way. With his incomparable leadership ability, King leads a reform the next day in Birmingham. The reform in Birmingham took place in 1963, and was led by Martin Luther King Jr.. This action brought attention to the integration efforts in the city, and during these nonviolent riots the citys police brought out dogs which attacked the civilians. They would also spray the people with high powered water hoses. But the reform actions demonstrated led to the government changing the city of Birminghams discrimination laws.

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos :: Argument

Strength of Argument: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos bell hooks’s essay, "Keeping Close to Home", uses three important components of argument (ethos, pathos, and logos) to support her claim. hooks develops her essay by establishing credibility with her audience, appealing to the reader’s logic, and stirring their emotions. She questions the role a university should play in the life of a nation, claiming that higher education should not tear a student away from his roots, but help him to build an education upon his background. bell hooks gains the trust and credibility of readers through knowledge of the topic at hand, establishing common ground with the audience, and demonstrating fairness. Ethos is the distinguishing moral character of a writer that instills faith in the audience. bell hooks is a well respected writer and teacher known for her strong opinion and academic background. She establishes her credentials through her personal struggles with the university system and her efforts to maintain her own individuality and background. The reader gains respect for hooks as she courageously resists the pressure to adapt to her new academic life. For` example she says, "It [is] my responsibility to formulate a way of being that [will] allow me to participate fully in my new environment while integrating and maintaining aspects of the old" (hooks 92). bell hooks writes not only to help others find strength to hold on to their pasts, but for her own resistance as well. Her audience is assured by her motives to educate and inform. Whereas hooks’s personal experience srenghtens her ethos, a certain rigidity used in addressing the audience simultaneously weakens her credibilty. For example, hooks’s tendency to label academics and groups unlike herself pushes the reader to see her as self-righteous. She separates people into classes of those she percieves as right and those she sees as wrong. Thus, she creates a smaller audience of readers and weakens her message. This tendency causes her argument to sound one-sided and prevents a formation of common ground. hooks’s efforts to help others preserve the background that "enable[s] one’s self development in the present, that sustain[s] and support[s], that enrich[s]" however, prevents her voice and opinions from being ignored (91). bell hooks’s use of logical evidence is not as strong as her ethos. With the aid of facts and studies, an author’s

Compare how language

Compare how language is used to explore ideas and feelings in ‘Checking out me History' and one other poem from the Anthology. By dordafaye Compare how language is used to explore ideas and feelings in ‘Checking out me History and one other poem from the Anthology. Checking out me History is a poem about a Caribbean man's frustration at the teaching of history- he believes that he is only taught about white historical figures and argues that some important black icons are neglected. He argues for more freedom to learn about icons from other cultures- reflecting multi-cultural society more accurately.Singh Song is a poem written from the perspective of a newly- wed Indian shop-worker in Britain, and tells the reader about his relationship with his bride and how this affects his work. The poem explores ideas about cultural identity- particularly looking at how ethnic cultures fit into Western (British) society. In ‘Checking out me History John Agard uses a Caribbean d ialect â€Å"lick back†, and phonetic spelling â€Å"dem†¦ dat† which reflects the Caribbean accent, to create a clear character voice. He does this to emphasize that he is a black Caribbean man and therefore the issues he explores are relevant and personal to him.Agard is in fact half Guyanese and so the character of the poem could in fact be him; this could be auto-biographical. ‘Singh song is similar in that DalJit Nagra uses phonetic spelling â€Å"My vife is on di web† to reflect an Indian accent, and uses some humorous examples of language ‘lost in translation' such as â€Å"at di cheese ov her price†. Like Agard, Nagra uses a Voice' which is directly linked to his own, as he is a British born Punjabi Indian, and the character speaks in what is referred to as ‘Punglish' a Punjabi influenced version of standard English.The tone of the two poems is very different- ‘Checking ut me History has an angry and negative tone. He is using the dialect and accent to emphasize how different black Caribbean is from white British. The choice to write in non-standard English perhaps reflects his disapproval of the idea of ‘standard English'- linking to his cultural identity. He repeats the phrase â€Å"dem never tell me† which emphasizes that the accused â€Å"dem† are withholding important information, and depriving him of something.He directs his poem at â€Å"dem†- a nameless authority who he claims are leaving him in the metaphorical dark: â€Å"Blind me to me own identity'. We can assume that â€Å"dem† are white people that decide the curriculum, and the narrator feels show a very polarized view of history; you could say he is trying to show that they oppress him, an idea which is fuelled by the images of slavery and oppression of black people by others, and of escape: â€Å"freedom river†, that he depicts in his descriptions of his heroes.The fact that he doesn't gi ve â€Å"dem† names suggests he doesn't think very positively of them; they don't deserve a name. He Juxtaposes white icons with black icons, and often the white icons or histories are ridiculous Dick Whittington and ne cat† or linked to war and aggression â€Å"Lord Nelson and Waterloo†. This has the effect of making the black icons he mentions seem more important and impressive â€Å"Toussaint a slave with vision†. The presentation of the poem pushes this idea further- as the black icons are written in italics, whereas the white icons are written in ‘normal' font.This could be significant as often literature uses italics to stress of emphasize a word within a sentence, he is perhaps trying to present his history choices as important in contrast to â€Å"dem's† choices. However, ou could say that there are positive moments in the poem- when he is describing the people he would like to learn about he sounds as though he is inspired, using adje ctives like â€Å"see-far† and verbs such as â€Å"struggle†¦ brave† to show his admiration.His descriptions of the black historical icons use positive imagery referring to freedom â€Å"hopeful stream to freedom river† from slavery, and of positive role-models â€Å"A healing star†¦ a yellow sunrise†. When he describe the white fgures he is taught about he is matter-of-fact and very succinct, but discusses the black figures in longer and more expressive detail. His descriptions of black icons are also free' from rhyme schemes, enforcing the theme of freedom which runs throughout. ‘Singh Song has an overall positive and Jolly tone. Nagra uses phonetic spelling and mis-translations in an amusing way.He builds what might be called a ‘stereotypical' image of an Indian man. The stereotype is shown in that: he runs a corner shop, he eats Indian food â€Å"chapatti†¦ chutney' and he lives in an ‘indian' area â€Å"di whole Ind ian road†. However, rather than being angry about being a stereotype, the character is happy and content. When non-standard English is used, it isn't necessarily deliberate or rying to make a point like in ‘Checking out me History which I think forces a phonetic difference to create an atmosphere of them' versus ‘me (the narrator)'.I do still think that Nagra is trying to disprove the stereotype subtly, and show that them' and ‘me' can be harmonious. He does this mostly through the character of the bride' who is shockingly untraditional â€Å"effing at my mum†¦ stumble like a drunk†¦ a red crew cut†, but is still connected to her Indian culture: â€Å"in all di colours of Punjabi†¦ sari†. She is a more ‘modern' and westernised representation of an Indian woman.

Philosophy Of Education Paper Essay

As with any successful profession, there must be a strong foundation on which  to build upon. This foundation in the field of education is your personal philosophy of education. Successful teaching includes diversity of every student’s backgrounds, and levels of ability. Without losing sight of goals, my beliefs of teaching and learning are very specific. First, I believe every child deserves to receive an education. No matter their race or income, every child deserves to learn. The are innocent beings, and these children are going to be our future someday. More specifically, the philosophy that I would teach to my students would be Cultural Nationalism. â€Å"The cultural nationalist teacher focuses exclusively on the experience of the oppressed group as the center or pivot of the curriculum† (Asante, p. 4). I want to use what is going on in the world and focus on their cultural experience. This allows children from oppressed groups to feel nurtured in their school environment day by day. Another philosophy that I have is, I believe a teacher should make learning fun for his/her students. When children are having fun at school, It makes them want to come back and keep coming back. Regular curriculum can get pretty boring. Making the curriculum fun engages the students into learning, and helps them understand it better. Also, I believe in staying involved with professional development so we can continuously learn new things. It is important to me to keep using updated technology  in classrooms. â€Å"Matthew Arnold warned that faith in machinery was humankind’s greatest menace† (Postman, p. 36). I do not believe in what  Arnold stated. I think that new technology in the classrooms is constantly helping teachers and the whole education process. Next, I believe in striving to have positive relationships with students and parents. It is very important to have somewhat of a personal relationship with your students and their parents. It really shows that you care as a teacher. Developing positive relationships with your students allows you to understand them more. This allows you to figure out the best way to teach each and everyone of your students. There are times when we encounter students that require a little more effort than others. When we are faced with this type of situation teacher must reflect on the true meaning of teaching. This will enable the teacher to embrace the difference in the learning styles of students and allow the teacher to develop innovative strategies for reaching such a diverse population. Teachers should give all students the chance to let their creative juices flow. With a little nudge and some encouragement there is no end to what a student can do. Teachers must realize that the impact that we have on our students last a lifetime. I can always remember being told knowledge is power. This statement has been true for decades and surely will be true in the future.

10 literary terms (hyperbole, onomatopoeia, interjection,imagery, dialogue, alliteration, allusion, personification, simile, metaphor Essay Example

10 literary terms (hyperbole, onomatopoeia, interjection,imagery, dialogue, alliteration, allusion, personification, simile, metaphor Essay Example 10 literary terms (hyperbole, onomatopoeia, interjection,imagery, dialogue, alliteration, allusion, personification, simile, metaphor Paper 10 literary terms (hyperbole, onomatopoeia, interjection,imagery, dialogue, alliteration, allusion, personification, simile, metaphor Paper Essay Topic: Literature allusion A reference to another work of literature, person, or event personification attributing human qualities to something non-human, 2. acting as an example of simile A comparison using like or as metaphor figure of speech comparing two different things onomatopoeia A word that imitates the sound it represents. interjection A word that shows strong emotion or surprise imagery Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) hyperbole An exaggeration dialogue Communication between two or more people alliteration Repetition of initial consonant sounds

Critically evaluate the influence of stakeholders on encouraging Essay

Critically evaluate the influence of stakeholders on encouraging responsible business practices - Essay Example For most businesses, there are values, responsibilities and sustainability issues that are in consideration. As a result of these factors, business management comes up with a variety of ways to ensure responsible business practices as seen in the research study by Olson (2009). The business world has come under criticism that it is to blame for global warming, carbon dioxide emissions, deforestation and pollution. To prove the critics wrong, Cohen (2010) states that the stakeholders having begun a fight to reduce global warming and carbon emissions. The green movement has come in to promote the growth of trees. It also helps in educating the public in regard to emission of carbons. The stakeholders meet annually in Rio de Janeiro for the earth summit. Worldwide campaigns regarding proper business ethics are underway to ensure that businesses reduce pollution and global warming. Apart from the green movement, the stakeholders have stipulated strict rules within their businesses to ens ure that there is proper waste disposal. The stakeholders came together in 1997 to sign the Kyoto protocol so as to control the rate of waste disposal as stated in the research study by Kotler & Lee (2005). Stakeholders are now forming various groups to promote responsible business practices. ... conduct of employees and behaviour expectation, the stakeholders have come up with the code of ethics through a voluntary statement that commits the business entity to its values, beliefs and actions together with setting appropriate behaviour for employees. These codes of ethics have become increasingly common in most organizations, which most stakeholders promote since they ensure responsibility in carrying on their business activities. The codes of ethics are vital than the legal requirements of a business since the code of ethics addresses the need to guide individuals and develop a workplace which has considerable ethics. Responsible business ethics are presented by stakeholders through a statement of rules, a statement of core values and statement dealing with corporate philosophy. To ensure business responsibility, the code of ethics promotes respect for individuals. Respect of individual entails speaking to customers with exceptional terms even when the customer is hostile, t he employee should remain respectful. Fair treatment is also in the code of ethics since the employees do not have to undermine other employees on grounds of sex, gender, age or race. Employees should treat all customers and individuals in the same way. Honesty is vital in every business to ensure that there are no losses arising from dishonest employees. According to Horrigan (2010) the stakeholders especially the management ensure that there are rules and guidelines to promote honesty within the businesses. Through the code of ethics, integrity gets incorporated in the running of the business. Integrity is necessary when dealing with many customers who require fast services since when dealing with many customers there is a lot of money flowing, and employees may face the integrity

Investigation and evaluation of Organisation Value Strategies and how Dissertation

Investigation and evaluation of Organisation Value Strategies and how these are supported by modern Technology - Dissertation Example Any other person who uses this work should acknowledge it accordingly. Student's Signature: Date: Contents Introduction The success of an organization is highly dependent on its values and strategies used to attain those values. For an organization to be competitive, it must have a well- established business strategy that will be pivotal in helping it achieve its values. Values are the ones that guide the activities of organizations. Values can be defined as the good or worthwhile traits and qualities within the organization. They are indicators of the highest priorities of the organization. They are the ones that drive the organization towards achieving its objectives. Within an organization, value statements dictate the manner with which individuals will behave. It is worth noting that the behaviour of individuals has an impact on the performance of the organization. In addition, the way individuals behave with each other could be a motivating factor for employees. Organizational s uggests the value that the organization has put on customers, employees, suppliers and other stakeholders. Some of the most common values that can be embraced in an organization are; individuality, equality, responsibility, accountability, loyalty, credibility and honesty among others. The list of values that organizations can adopt is endless (Stein & Christiansen, 2010). Strategies can be defined as the approaches that the organization uses to achieve its values, goals and objectives. Developing strategies is very critical for any organization since this will draw the path through which the organization will attain its future success. Managers should invest enough time in defining the strategies that the organization will use to accomplish its values. For instance, value accomplishment can be facilitated by empowering employees. Employees have the ability to give the organization a competitive advantage. They are the once who facilitate the achievement of organizational goals and therefore they should be empowered. In the wake of the 20th century, technology has been advancing at a higher rate as compared to any other time in the past. Modern technology has the ability to support organizational value strategies. It offers a number of options that can be used as strategies to achieve its values. For instance, consumer value can be attained through innovation (Stein & Christiansen, 2010). In addition, accountability and loyalty can also be attained through innovation. Innovation is the lifeblood of today’s organizations. Organizations need to be highly innovative for them to survive in the economic environment. It is very difficult for any business to make it today without being innovative. Each of the businesses wants to have a large share of the market to maximize its revenue and therefore has to be creative in order to attract customers. Technology has led to emergence of businesses being conducted online which help in supporting the organizational v alue strategies. Modern technology is essential in supporting the organizational value strategies since it enables an organization to improve its innovation capability and hence gain a competitive advantage (Matheson & Matheson, 1998). Over the last couple of decades, academicians have focused their attention to modern technology. They evaluate how the technology can be used to help the organization attain a

Recruitment and selection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Recruitment and selection - Essay Example The process of recruitment begins with job analysis which entails collecting information about the job through tools such as questionnaires and interviews to ensure the right employees are hired for right jobs (Mullins, 2010). The results of job analysis are then used to design a job description and person specification. The job description shows the activities, duties or tasks to be undertaken while the person specification shows the requirements of the job holder and is the basis for selection (Searle, 2003). The job at hand is that of a social worker in the healthcare sector. The job description entails: providing care and interventions to promote health, conducting patient education, making patient referrals, organising support groups and counselling family members and also collaborating with other professionals so as to evaluate the condition of patients. They are also entrusted with disease prevention and ensuring access to healthcare. The person is expected to collect and reco rd information in written and electronic form concerning patients, analyse information and interpret results and ensuring it complies with standards. The person to be recruited as social worker needs to have at least a bachelor’s degree in social sciences and possess the following skills: good negotiation skills, be an active listener, be good at written and oral communication, and good in making decisions and judgements and good time management skills. The person should have knowledge in psychology, proficiency in the English language, knowledge of the law and government regulations as well as agency rules, knowledge in therapy and counselling, and good interpersonal skills. The knowledge of clerical duties such as keeping records and designing forms is an added advantage. The person should also be of high integrity and have great concern for others. He/she should be able to exercise self-control, be cooperative and be able to work under stress. Section 2: How Employment Leg islation Affects Recruitment While recruiting potential candidates, it is important to take into consideration the employment laws in place to avoid unlawful discrimination. The current employment law under Equality Act 2010 enforced by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender, sex, race, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and nationality (EHRC, 2013). This is aimed at ensuring equal opportunity in employment for all. It is very essential for the healthcare organisation to follow these laws while designing application forms or advertising jobs to attract potential candidates to avoid litigations which may destroy the reputation of the company as well as cause additional costs such as intervention fee to the company (HSE, 2013). For example, while putting an advert for a social worker, an age limit should not be stipulated unless it is objectively justifiable. The Equality and Human Rights Commission added new provisions to th e Equality Act 2010 extending a ban on age discrimination to cover services, and this has implication for social care workers. They cannot differentiate in treatment of service users in different age groups unless it is objectively justified (EHRC, 2013). Organisations are liable to third party offenders; hence, they must make sure to recruit individuals who can obey the law. In most cases, social work is considered to be

Reading Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Journal - Essay Example However, this only happens when the people involved can relate or interact in one way or another, subject to the language factor that brings them together. Without language, therefore, personal and social relations and interactions become crippled to some significant extent. The manner in which Hoffman captures these aspects is thrilling. Another interesting factor of language is the development of culture. Notably, Hoffman’s work demonstrates this by showing the relationship between her and Canada, and later the United States. On the same note, her family associates with Canadian culture through language and the sense of belonging that attaches this family to the new country of Canada (Hoffman 219). Every aspect of life exhibited by Hoffman and her family denote the presence and subsequent practice of language and culture. The theme of language and culture is further exhibited as the family gets used to thee Canadian life. This is a new country and a new environment for both Hoffman and the family. The language they knew is foreign in Canada. The culture they were used to is a new phenomenon that does not feature in Canada or the United States. Amid difficulties, Hoffman and her family find it easy to engage Canadian people in conversations due to their ability to overcome language and communication barriers. Persons who once encountered difficulties in language now encounter ease in expressing themselves. In order to fit into the Canadian system of social life, there was need for a change and/or shift in language and culture. Hoffman can now identify with her language and culture in the foreign land, and so does her family. Hoffman made a lifetime decision to have her accustomed to the Canadian way of life. Ultimately, her family took the same course of action. From the Polish way of life, Hoffman and her family undergo a state of language and culture change to embrace the

Carnival Cruise Lines Today

Carnival Cruise Lines Today This document is based on the Harvard Business Case study about Carnival Cruise Lines Applegate, Kwortnik, Piccoli, 2006. It is written as a master thesis for the Master of Information Management (MIM) studies by Christianne Aussems, Nathalie Claes, Eric Janssen and Cornà © van Schaik, under the supervision of Piet Ribbers, Professor of Information Management, all at TiasNimbas Business School in Tilburg. 1.1 About this report This report describes the information management strategy for Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) for the period 2007-2011. It proposes changes in organization, management, systems, and governance structure for CCL and describes the implementation plan, including prioritization and a costs and benefits analysis. The target audience of the report is Myles Cyr, CIO of Carnival Cruise Lines, and in addition for the strategic management level of CCL. 1.2 Assignment description | Aim and Scope [Bob Dickinson informed the board about the goals for the next years. He wants Carnival Cruise Lines to stay the market leader and to improve the repeat guest rate. He is convinced that the potential value of customer data is growing. Therefore he is looking for a way to manage customer relationships more adequately. In the meeting he also mentioned the desire to reduce the gap between quality improvements and customer perceptions of the services. Myles Cyr agrees on establishing a new sales strategy for the years to come and on the necessity to know the customers better. He wants to incorporate an overall vision on and evaluation of the information architecture and the existing information systems. At this moment he and Dwayne Warner are thinking of starting the preparation an extensive revision (possibly a rebuild) of the shipboard systems (Property Management System and Point of Sale Systems) including the replacement of the Sail Sign card (with magnetic strip) by a chip card in combination with the introduction of portable equipment based on the IP protocol. Myles Cyr explicitly asks to elaborate on the opportunities of IS to contribute to the business and to the value chain. The board is expecting that the relative IT operating costs can be reduced in the next years. He expects an analysis and evaluation of the current state of IT/IS. What is good? What possible weaknesses are there? What problems have to be solved? Which improvements are opportune? He expects a balanced report containing your proposals to enhance the quality of data processing and information provisioning (including handling customer data). Carnival Cruise Lines can only resist and beat the market forces, if the company is innovative, acts agile and reacts fast and effectively to changes in the markets.] Topics to be incorporated in report: -Existing bottle necks that have to be removed. -Changes in organization, management, control concept and governance. -Changes in systems, data processing and data provisioning. -Change management process to meet the proposal. -Implementation plan including prioritization. -Risk assessment of the components of your advice. -Improvement of security and risk management (especially privacy protection). -Costs and benefits analysis of the proposed alternatives. 1.3 Structure Beschrijven van fase naar fase Cindy 1.4 Approach To gather extra information on IT in the cruising sector there was the opportunity to do qualitative research at another cruising organization being Royal Caribbean. Gekozen voor andere maatschappij om huidige bedrijfsvoering niet te verstoren/verontrusten? The research performed here was qualitative research trough semi structured interviews As described in the bookà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ p467. For this research the entire IT executive team (see appendix) was found willing and able to participate. Interview guides were created, for these interviews. These described the goals and topics of the interview and the questions to be asked. This gave the researchers a structure to ask the questions, not to forget important questions and not to get distracted from the goals of the interview. On the other hand this approach also gave flexibility to discuss unforeseen but relevant topics. On forehand it was not clear for all the interviewees what their role and responsibilities where and what to ask them . This approach also gave the flexibility to start the interview with just a few questions but in the end having gathered a lot of information. Being able to interview more than 10 different IT executives in different roles and on different levels also gave an insight on important topics on that moment. Interview guide interview minutes For the execution of the interviews there was a clear division of the roles between the interviewers, there was one interviewer in the lead for asking the questions, one checking whether all the questions were asked and one making notes for the meeting minutes. Ruimte Literatuur 1.5 Constraints Timing Tool selectie reeds gedaan 2. Carnival Cruise Lines Today Carnival Corporation plc is a global cruise company and one of the largest vacation companies in the world. Carnival generates all of its revenues from the cruise industry. The companies wide-ranging product offerings provide guests with exceptional vacation experiences at an outstanding value. The success in providing quality cruise vacations has made Carnival the most profitable company in the leisure travel industry. Carnivals stock is dually listed on both the New York Stock Exchange and on the London Stock Exchange under symbol CCL. Carnival is the only company in the world to be included in both the SP 500 index in the United States and the FTSE 100 index in the United Kingdom (Carnival Corporation PLC, 2012). Carnival Corporation operates a fleet of 100 ships, with another seven ships scheduled for delivery between now and March 2016. With approximately 200,000 guests and 77,000 shipboard employees, there are more than 277,000 people sailing aboard the Carnival fleet at any given time (Carnival Corporation PLC, 2012). For the purpose of our report it is crucial to understand how the Carnival Cruise Lines corporation works today. We need to understand how the various aspects of the business are set up and how they work together. Only after a true understanding of the current situation, we can come with proposals for improvement and indicate the impact on current ways of working. In literature one can fine many models that can be used to look at an organization with an internal perspective. In appendix X we provide an overview of some management models we have found in literature, with an explanation why, when and how it should be used. Since our report needs to cover the implementation of a new IT management strategy, we have decided to use McKinseys 7S model. This model, developed in the 1980s, involves 7 factors, which can be categorized as hard and soft elements. Hard elements can be identified and influenced more easily. They would be driven by the organization charts and reporting lines within the business and they may include the systems you use to get work done. Soft elements are, by their very nature, more difficult to manage and may be affected by the culture of the organization. But you have to apply yourself to these as much as the hard elements, as they provide the support structure for the successful implementation of any change, and they are al l interdependent on each other. Figure X 7S framework (McKinsey) The hard elements in the 7S-model are Strategy, Structure and Systems; the soft elements are Style, Shared Values, Skills and Staff. In order to understand the 7S-model better a brief explanation is given below. Hard elements:   Strategy by using mission and vision the organizations objectives become clear.   Structure how is the organization structured and which hierarchical layers are there   Systems all formal and informal methods of operation, procedures and communication flows Soft elements:   Style this is about leadership and management styles   Shared values the standards and values and other forms of ethics within an organization in which vision, corporate culture and identity are the key elements   Skills these concern both the skills of the organization and those of the employees   Staff this is about the employees, their competences and job descriptions 2.1 Strategy of CCL The mission of Carnival Corporation is to take the world on vacation and deliver exceptional experiences through many of the worlds best-known cruise brands that cater to a variety of different geographic regions and lifestyles, all at an outstanding value unrivaled on land or at sea (Carnival Corporation PLC, 2012). The vision statement of Carnival is the following: to consistently deliver fun, memorable vacations at a repeat value. Derived from this mission and vision, Carnival Cruise Lines has set up the following strategic objectives: to be the leading cruise operator in all segments entered and to maintain the most up-to-date fleet of cruise ships in the world to develop new cruise segments and innovative cruise packages to reach a larger number of potential and past cruisers employ sophisticated promotional efforts to achieve a greater awareness by the public concerning the availability and afford ability of cruise travel attract the first-time and younger cruisers (Carnival), experienced cruisers (Holland America), upscale cruisers(Seaborne), and cruisers wanting a sailing vacation (Windstar) promote cruises as an alternative to land-based vacations provide a variety of activities as well as ports of call be innovative in all respects of operations of the ship. BRON Dominant market share Carnivals biggest strength is its huge scale and scope. It is twice as large as its biggest competitor and competes in nearly every market and segment worldwide. This gives Carnival enormous power over the cruise industry as a whole. It enables the company to undertake projects that grow the industry, gives it a platform for continued mergers and acquisitions activity, and helps Carnival negotiate with major manufacturers of cruise ships (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011). Strong acquisition strategy Carnival has the ability to obtain companies through acquisitions. By using an acquisition strategy, the Corporation has been able to position itself in each geographical market in the world and rank itself as number one in the cruising sector. Comprehensive portfolio The corporation has a large fleet capacity and operates 11 of the most recognizable cruise brand names. Carnivals portfolio of brand names appeals to almost every niche market, from budget minded, contemporary to luxury cruises. Each cruise line operates globally and is targeted at one or more nationalities (see Appendix X). 2.2 Structure of CCL Carnival Corporation plc has two main headquarters, Carnival Place in the US and Carnival House in the UK. The constituent Corporation and plc are separate listed companies with different shareholder bodies, but they jointly own all the operating companies in the group. Carnival Corporation owns the majority stake. As part of the merger between Carnival Corporation and PO Princess Cruises in 2002, it was agreed that PO Princess would be relisted as Carnival plc in London, remaining a separate company with a predominantly British shareholder body. Both headquarters have their own management team, strategy, and IT organization. Uncoordinated business operations Historically, Carnival has been run by the Arison family as a coalition of largely independent businesses. Each cruise line largely manages its own customers, marketing, distribution, sales, ports, and logistics. This approach has had benefits: internal competition means that each line operates better than any would in isolation. The business operations of the cruise lines are not centrally managed. Better coordination of these business operations could generate additional benefits for Carnival (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011). Strong financial position Carnival is one of the most profitable cruising companies. The companys average net income (FY2005 to FY2009) amounted to 18.1% compared to the industry standard of 6.3% (Marketingteacher, 2012). The firm is dual listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange under the symbol CCL. Since the company is dual listed, it has the ability to raise more funds from investor than its competitors. With this also come greater stability due to different markets being affected by different economic occurrences, political issues, and societys views (Corporate information, 2006). Decreasing profit The profit of Carnival has diminished over the last years. The net profit was $1,790 million in FY2009, a decrease of 23.2% as compared to 2008. Another weakness is that Carnival reports their financial statements in dollars. About half of their revenue is generated in a non-US currency, but is reported in terms of US dollars. The value of the dollar against Euro appreciated from 1.60 in January 2010 to 1.53 by April 2010 against the Pound. If the dollar strengthens it would record a lower revenue than is actually earned (Marketingteacher, 2012). Clear focus cost leadership Carnival Cruise Lines has a clear focus on Cost Leadership, i.e. CCL offers its product to the mass market. Therefore the highest focus is put on the price and keeping the price as low as possible. Once the customer is on board the ship, additional revenue is created by having the customer pay for everything that was not covered in the base price. Carnival is such a large company that it has significant cost advantages over most of its competitors. Strong marketing Carnival invests explicitly and effectively in print and television media. Their promotions target the lifestyles of each group of customers (Marketingteacher, 2012). Over-dependence on US market Carnival derives a majority of its revenue (nearly 52%) from US customers. In 2009 the revenue from the North American market registered a double digit decline. The over-dependence on the US market makes Carnival vulnerable to the economic fluctuations of the American economy and this company is dependent on customers disposable income] (Marketingteacher, 2012). Poor safety record There is no public database of major cruise accidents, but Carnival has a notably worse safety record than other cruise companies. The Costa Concordia tragedy has been the most recent in Carnivals safety woes. The Center for Disease Control does track all major viral outbreaks on cruise lines. In the 2009-2011 period, Carnival-owned companies accounted for 56% of all viral outbreaks, compared to a 48% average market share. The company is also thought to have a worse safety record for persons lost at sea, especially in the Carnival brand: of the 179 disappearances since 2000, Carnival Cruise Line alone accounts for nearly 30% of them (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011). Incidents/Bad press In 2009, Carnival experienced bad press when three passengers fell off ships in a three week period. There were a total of 22 incidents of passengers falling overboard in 2009. In December 2008, passengers on the Carnival owned Oceania cruise ship were attacked by Somali pirates. Such events reflect negatively on the company and the industry. 2.3 Systems in CCL Within Carnival Cruise Lines every brand is seen as a separate business unit, with its own profit and loss statement. Decentralized systems This decentralization translates into a decentralization of systems as well. Decisions arent always communicated from the one cruise line to the other, which leads to duplication of effort. This decentralization of the business organization translates to the IT organization as well. Every brand has its own IT department with own systems and infrastructure. Legacy systems There are many legacy systems, since there arent many players in the cruising sector, most of the strategic important applications are custom made. This leads to a spaghetti landscape in which integration is very difficult and which affects the speed to market significantly. No integrated CRM system Carnival doesnt use an integrated CRM system for the whole corporation. Customers from the one cruise line arent recognized as a repeat customer with a different cruise line within the group, this has an immediate effect on the pricing for repeat customers. The yearly capital planning of investments is done on US and UK Headquarter level as well as on the different cruise line level. This will most likely lead to lack on synchronization and duplication of costs and efforts. 2.4 Style within CCL The leadership style at Carnival Cruise Lines can be called family-like. People with the right skills are hired and are giving the support and room to do their jobs correctly. This family-like leadership style is a management style that Ted Arison already used when he was still steering the company. Ted Arison had a non-hierarchical approach to management, meaning that he delegated a lot of work downwards in the organization, allowing him to oversee the bigger picture. People are encouraged to be hands-on and take calculated risks. Taking risks also means that mistakes can occur, however Carnival uses a no blame culture through which people feel empowered (Managementparadise, 2012). Carnival has a separate training and development department set up in the organization. The corporation invests heavily in coaching of high potentials by giving them learning opportunities that are fit for their personal needs. 2.5 Shared values of CCL Derived from the mission and vision of Carnival (see 2.1.1) the company has set some company values that wear a high priority. These values are: Honesty, integrity, fairness, hospitality and teamwork. The values are deemed important to do their job in a correct manner. Carnival, as all other cruise lines in the industry, takes much proud in the focus they put on the environment. They invest heavily in health and safety, both for customers and for employees. There is a very strong focus on the environment and to work in a greener way. Charity is also one of the key components of their social responsibility strategy. 2.6 Skills at CCL Working in the leisure industry requires some specific skills that you cannot always learn. Most important skills that someone working in the leisure industry would need, are the following: Customer focused Empathy Team work Stress resistant Multi-cultural Service orientation Multi linguistic Since Carnival Cruise Lines wants to be seen as the cruise line that delivers fun, the attitude of the employees is very important as well. The employees need to be cheerful and enthusiastic. 2.7 Staff at CCL Cruise ships typically operate with three classes of crew. The first is the officers: these professionals are highly paid and given ultimate command of the ship. The second is entertainers and wait staff: typically lower-paid, but from the same countries as the cruisers that they serve. Finally, most of the ships crew is drawn from developing countries. While pay is low, the salary can represent an attractive opportunity for these workers, who often work 10-month contracts without being able to see their homes and families. Turnover is high, and few of the crew see working on a cruise ship as a viable long-term career. Staff remains 24/7 on board of the ship, have their own cabins at the lowest two decks of the ship. Only officers are allowed to mix between guests, this at special occasions and in formal attire. Other crew members have dedicated times during which they can be present on guest decks. Operational excellence experience Carnival has achieved below-industry-average costs and above-average revenue historically. This is largely due to the companys immense experience in owning and operating cruises, as well as some smart strategic plays. That advantage makes expanding into new markets vastly easier for Carnival than for a smaller player or upstart firm. Carnival has the largest pool of data to draw on to determine what does and does not work and has the most experienced marketers of cruises in the world. These soft advantages let Carnival potentially segment its customers more efficiently than competitors (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011). 3. Carnival Cruise Lines Competitive Position 5 forces model of Porter (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011) According to Michael Porter, the state of competition in an industry depends on five basic forces (Porter, 1980). These forces are: Bargaining Power of Suppliers, Bargaining Power of Buyers, Threat of New Entrants, Threat of Substitutes, and Rivalry among Competitors. The collective strength of these combined forces determines the ultimate profit potential of an industry. The following paragraphs are based on Levin et al. (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011) and interviews at Royal Caribbean. 3.1 Bargaining power of suppliers Supplier Power within the cruise line industry is moderately strong. Most of a cruise ships supplies are bought on an open, competitive market. The threat of integration by these suppliers is very low. One notable exception is Carnivals new builds. There are only 6 major shipyards that have recently built cruise ships, and 2-3 more that either perform conversions or have built ships before 2000. Capacity and capability at these main builders is also limited, so Carnival Corporation relies on a limited number of manufacturers for its new builds. The high supplier power within the shipbuilding is weakened because the relationship is symmetrical: cruising is a similarly concentrated market. Additionally, the massive purchase value of a new ship provides a sizeable incentive for ship suppliers to provide cruise liners with competitive pricing. Additionally, cruise ship companies such as Carnival face extensive switching costs, both in building and running a ship. Switching a ships manufacturer is hugely expensive for cruise companies because, typically, the shipbuilder owns the right over a ships design, which means that, in switching shipbuilders, cruise line companies have to incur high monetary and time costs in redesigning the ship. Such a switch can cost the cruise line company millions of dollars. Further, there is high input differentiation between ships, meaning that, while there are alternatives for the majority of supply components (both in ship construction and in cruise service), the cruise ship company markets specific ships and amenities to the consumer, thereby increasing switching costs and supplier power. 3.2 Bargaining power of buyers Buyer power within the cruise line industry is relatively low. By contrast to most other vacations, more than two thirds of cruises are still booked through travel agents. Further, customers are spread around the world and do not have any mechanisms through which they can express a collective voice or exert collective power, leaving them with minimal control. Additionally, customers do not have the ability or resources to create the cruise experience by themselves it is, by nature, a highly packaged deal. In addition, the experience offered by a cruise is very unique, and differs from other types of vacations enough that customers who prefer cruises are likely to choose them over other types of vacations, so long as the cost is not a substantial barrier. Buyer power is increased by internet search engines which enable comparisons of price and specifications across multiple locations, brands, and companies. In addition, the continued high reliance on travel agencies increases buyer p ower because travel agencies make volume purchases and can demand lower prices based on the volume of customers they refer to specific companies. 3.3 Threat of new entrants The risk of entry of new competitors to the cruise line industry that could provide a plausible threat to Carnival Corporation in core markets is low. Entry into the high-end cruise line industry requires capital of approximately $1 billion since it costs, on average, $400 million to build a ship. Further, large cruise ships employ hundreds of sailors and crew that are trained for sea duty, which creates an additional cost. Since brand recognition is very important in the cruise line industry, it would take a new competitor valuable time to build an identity and reputation in order to be able to compete with the incumbents. Lastly, there are strict government and international regulations that are involved with a cruise company. Obtaining proper permits to operate, as well as the political connections, would also cost a company a large amount of time and resources. In Asia, however, Carnival might be more concerned about new entrants. Asian operations, markets, and customers are much less defined than in the Americas or Europe, and expectations of cruise quality and scale are lower. There are numerous Asian entrepreneurs and companies that might be able to tap into this fast-growing market. 3.4 Threat of substitutes There are many substitutes, such as all inclusive, Club Med, and alternative vacation packages. However, market research indicates that cruise lines provide higher customer satisfaction than land based vacation packages. Cruisers express an overall 94.8% satisfaction rate with their experiences. Any vacation can be substituted for, and there is not a high cost to change, which makes the threat of substitution seem very high. This trend has fueled the continuing evolution of the cruise vacation experience. Over the years, cruise lines have expanded itineraries to include more diverse ports of call and have introduced innovative onboard amenities and facilities to compete with land based travel. These onboard experiences include cell phone access, Internet cafes and Wi-Fi zones which allow passengers to feel as if they are connected on land. They have also added onboard experiences such as rock-climbing, bowling alleys, surfing pools, multi-room villas, multiple themed restaurants and expansive spas, health and fitness facilities that easily rival land-based options (CLIA, 2012) Although there are many substitutes to the cruise line industry, they cannot replicate the cruise line experience. 3.5 Rivalry of competitors Carnival is the leading company within the cruise line industry due to its multiple fleets and significant international presence. There are significant barriers to entry and exit within the cruise line industry, which has resulted in a high concentration ratio. The cruise line industry is effectively an oligopoly market, where several major cruise liners make up more than 90% of the market shares. Carnival is constantly engaged in marketing and pricing battles with these competitors, making internal rivalry central to the industry. Additionally, cruise lines have historically been subject to heavy mergers acquisitions activity, and Carnival sometimes competes to acquire even more share. Overall, Carnivals branding is strong within the industry, and even stronger within its market category (contemporary). When compared to its competitors, Carnival continues to remain a formidable force in the cruise industry. Figure X: 5 forces model for Carnival Cruise Lines 4. Cruise Industry Developments We will use a PESTEL analysis to provide the context of the cruising industry as a whole, in order to understand the organizations role in relation to the external environment. The PESTEL analysis provides a context for the organizations role in relation to the external environment. The PESTEL analysis technique is often used in conjunction with a SWOT analysis to assess the situation of a business. PESTEL covers Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental factors. The analysis consists in carefully determining all factors and finding out exactly in what way and to what extent these factors influence the company. Each category of factors is of crucial importance to advanced strategic management (Marketingminefield, 2012). Figure 2 gives an overview of PESTEL factors for the Cruise Industry. The PESTEL analysis is further explained in the following sections of this chapter. Political Economic OPPORTUNITIES Growing market in Asia Multiple trade organizations and lobbyist: -Cruise Lines International Association -Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (trade organization) -International Council of Cruise Lines; Cruise industry lobbyist -North West Canada Cruise Association (trade organization for Hawaii and Pacific North West) -Passenger ship Association -International Maritime organization (IMO) part of the United Nations OPPORTUNITIES Profitable business; cruisers spend typically more on vacation then non cruisers Pricing based on data analysis Big market share to capture; cruising industry is the fastest growing branch of the total leisure industry THREATHS Global economic recession Decrease in growth for South of Europe due to bad economy High fuel prices THREATS Geopolitical instability -Terrorism actions Tax loopholes Social Technological OPPORTUNITIES Strongly favorable Demographics Changing consumer trends: more focus on health, spa arrangements, more diversity in dining and other selling points Changing role of travel agent Number of online bookings is increasing and increasing more every year OPPORTUNITIES Changing consumer trends: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), connectivity Technological development in satellite communication: -State of the art technology possibilities on the ship -Higher connectivity on the ship THREATHS Due to the exploding market in Asia, systems need to be set up in Chinese characters. This is a challenge for most systems Outsourcing level 2 b 3 support is difficult because the knowledge is very specific THREATHS Overblown media attention when something happens on a cruise ship Environmental Legal THREATHS Events in the outside world (9/11, Costa Concordia crash and Ash cloud Iceland) OPPORTUNITIES Complex diversity of environmental, health and safety legislation Figure X: PESTEL analysis Cruise Industry 4.1 Political Factors Political factors represent the way and extent to which a government influences the economy and the business. Specific areas are: labor law, tax policy, tariffs, trade restrictions and environmental law. Geopolitical Instability [In 2011, the Arab Spring revolutions ca