The Burberry Company Marketing Report

Executive Summary The Burberry brand is an icon in the British fashion industry. But in for many decaes it is a company that no longer mattered when it comes to the new generation of consumers. Their problems were exacerbated by the over-licensing of their brand, global recession that severely affected the fashion industry and the work of counterfeiters.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Burberry Company Marketing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, their most seriously challenge was their inability to correctly apply marketing tools. But when they decided to hire experienced business leaders who knew how to deal with the new economy and the new generation of shoppers they were able to turn things around. Some of the most effective steps taken were the segmentation of the market, marketing mix, and utilisation of digital commerce. But the firm cannot rest on its laurels. They still need to improve their market mix and the way their segmentation of the market. There is also a need to look into their use of digital technology to ensure that the hype they created actually translated into sales. The bottom-line is still the true measure of success. Introduction The global luxury goods market is multi-billion industry. This is comprised of apparel and other accessories. The Burberry firm is taking a significant slice of this market but this is not the only type of business that it is into. The Burberry brand is also a significant player in the fashion industry. In the United Kingdom alone the fashion industry is already worth  £20 billion. However, the recent recession has negatively affected the global luxury goods market as well as the fashion industry. This is not the only problem that the company is facing it is also trying to solve the challenge of stiff competition from other producers of high-end apparel. There is also the problem with counterfeiters. The struggles of the Burbe rry brand cannot only be blamed on the recession and counterfeiters. There are also issues with regards to how they had marketed their products and developed their image in the past 150 years of existence. They had problems when it comes the over-licensing of their name and their failure to evolve and adapt to changing times. But in recent years the world has seen a major comeback from Burberry. The secrets of its success will be detailed in this report. It has something to do with their knowledge and application of marketing principles. This includes market segmentation, positioning, marketing mix, and digital commerce.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Findings Background Information Burberry is a company that was established in 1856 in the United Kingdom but today boasts of sales outlets as far as the United States and Japan. It became an iconic brand in the 20th century b ecause it was popularised by celebrities and foreigners who were enamoured with a no nonsense British style as well as the Burberry check that has become instantly recognisable all over the world. But in recent years the brand had fallen on hard times due to intense competition, negative effect of counterfeits goods and the mismanagement of the licenses that were given out to business partners. Today, the Burberry brand is on the rebound thanks to perceptive business leaders that were brought in to fix the problems that ail the company. The following is a more detailed view of what occurred in the past and the changes that were made to make Burberry relevant even after 150 years of existence. The Environmental Factors that Affected the Marketing of Burberry Environmental factors played a major part in the transformation of Burberry from a fledgling company into a global brand. But before going any further it is important to point out what it means. According to experts, environmenta l factors comprise the marketing environment and it is â€Å"the range of external and internal factors that affect the way in which an organisation interacts with its markets.†[1] Another way to look at a company’s marketing environment is to see the actors and forces that affects its ability to develop and maintain successful transactions with regards to its target market.[2] Burberry’s marketing environment consists of a macro-environment and a micro-environment. Macro-Environmental Analysis A company’s macro-environment is composed of all the complex and uncontrollable variables that when taken together forms a framework within which it is able to conduct business.[3] This includes government regulations, current events that indirectly or indirectly affected the operations of the company and a host of other issues that are mostly beyond the grasp of the corporate leaders of Burberry.[4] One aspect of this firm’s macro-environment is the fact th at it operates within a global luxury market. In recent years Burberry’s macro-environment is greatly affected by the recession. It has been reported that the global luxury market declined by around nine percent. This is a direct result of the economic downturn that forced many customers to develop austerity measures and as many are aware, in the event of cost-cutting measures, the first thing that consumers can live without are luxury goods. Since Burberry is not the only company that sells premium products the recession has created intense competition among the players in the luxury global market.[5] This is an environmental factor that Burberry has limited or zero control and the best way that the company can do is to adapt to the changes that occurs externally.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Burberry Company Marketing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Finally, the firm was greatly affected by the proliferation of counterfeit products. According to company representatives the actions of counterfeiters is damaging to the reputation of the company and will erode confidence in the Burberry brand in the long run. This is because a customer will buy an item that they believe is an authentic product coming from authorised dealers of Burberry products and will later experience problems commonly associated with shoddy manufacturing practices. As a result they will no longer trust the Burberry brand. Even if this happens all over the world this is an example of a macro-environmental factor that the company has some control and they deal with it by partnering with other firms that sell luxury goods to prevent counterfeiting. They also partner with government agencies in countries where counterfeiters are doing brisk business. Not all of the macro-environment factors that directly affected Burberry was necessarily bad for the firm. The weak pound was beneficial to a struggling firm whe n consumers suddenly discovered that Burberry products are priced competitively as opposed to other luxury brands. A major consequence of that is the influx of overseas visitors to the United Kingdom because these shoppers can see that the products are priced cheaper. This was made possible by the fact that the firm continuous to create products that are classic in design and therefore these items can still be used for a very long time and added to the benefit of buying the Burberry brand. Micro-Environmental Analysis The firm’s micro-environment on the other hand is composed of all the variables that are closer to the firm and to some extent it can be controlled.[6] One example is the decision to create different product lines to cater to different segments of the luxury goods market. Another example is the target market that the firm chooses to serve and the kind of distribution system that they will utilise to increase the efficiency and lower overhead costs. Another aspec t of the micro-environment is the way the company developed its image. It came to a point when British and American consumers saw Burberry as an Asian brand therefore lowering its perceived value in the eyes of these consumers. They also saw the firm as nothing more than a raincoat company. The apparel produced by the company became widely accessible even to average consumers that the clientà ¨le belonging to the upper middle-class bracket began to look at Burberry with a certain level of disdain. If that was not enough mismanagement of the company’s resources and neglect in terms of taking care of the image of the company led to over-licensing and soon the iconic check brand began to flood the market. People began seeing the Burberry brand stamped on many products from court shoes to baby buggies. Since these are part of the micro-environmental factors that are affecting the firm, the company has relative control over it. This means that they can do something to minimise th e negative impact to their business.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company was able to hit two birds with one stone when it pulled back and became more conservative when it comes to giving licenses to business partners. As a result the market is no longer flooded with Burberry products. It suddenly became a premium brand once again in the eyes of the customers both the new and the old. By dealing with the licensing problems the company was also able to focus more on developing their products. This proved to be beneficial when the firm decided to segment the market and focused on their target market. Criteria and Segmentation Methods Used Segmentation is the deliberate process of not looking at the market as a whole but breaking it down into groups of people that share similar needs, characteristics and aspirations.[7] It also means knowing the target market well in order to give them what they want or may want in the future.[8] This means that a firm utilising this strategy is not overly concern with mass marketing and trying to get their produ cts into the hands of as many people as they can. It is now clear that consumers have a wide array of products to choose from and they will definitely buy something that fits their needs and not some generic product created for everyone. The segmentation method that was adapted by Burberry was to look at their traditional source of revenue and the type of customers that were loyal to the brand. They were able to determine that the Burberry brand was known for its iconic check but at the same time limited its appeal to customers who belonged to a bygone era of waterproofed raincoats and love for everything that is British. They realised that they need to change and transform its image if it wants to penetrate other markets especially those outside Europe and the emerging markets that can be found in booming China, India, and Russia. Segmentation Strategy Over Time In the case of Burberry the segmentation evolved through time. Not a long time ago Burberry focused on producing a luxury ready-to-wear and accessories line that will serve consumers within UK. After a major success of repeatedly doing the same thing, the company began to realize that it made money from foreigners coming in as tourists and attracted to the the cultural aspect of the brand and buying some as some form of a souvenir. But that was all that there is into their segmentation process. However, in the late 20th century up until the early part of the 21st century the urgency to create segmentations in the market could no longer be denied. As a consequence there is now a product and brand hierarchy. In the past there was nothing similar to this strategy but today one can find that there is such a thing as a Burberry Prorsum, Burberry London, and the Burberry Brit.[9] The Burberry Prorsum is the high-end of all three. It is the byproduct of the fashion shows held annually and created for the purpose of providing fashion forward items that were on display in the catwalk to paying customers who ar e eager to have a piece of the collection. The image of this brand was enhanced when it was made known that celebrities like Victoria Beckham, Liv Tyler and Gwyneth Paltrow were some of the clients that pay good money to acquire products under the Prorsum line.[10] The second tier is labelled as Burberry London and it is comprised of apparel that are priced in the mid-range and in addition these are designed to be used in week day or work wear. Obviously this is more affordable than the Prorsum line but it caters to people that wanted quality but less expensive clothing that can be used in the offices or in their businesses. It has to be smart and yet at the same time with enough substance and style to capture a particular segment of the market, specifically the professionals who needed a work wear that is of high-quality and yet more affordable than those found in the Prorsum product range. According to Burberry the Burberry London product line is composed of the more tailored prod ucts and at the same time uses beat check and tonal check branding strategies.[11] The segmentation of the market also prompted the firm to delineate the biggest apparel segment and thus giving rise to Burberry Brit which is a product range that caters to those looking for more casual wear. In the case of the Brit the company decided to be more innovative and thus created a more contemporary version of the core iconic check of the said brand.[12] The main reason for creating these changes is to target a segment of the market and a company spokesman said that their goal was to attract a new group of luxury consumers that are new to the brand and yet at the same time maintaining their connection to the old way of doing things and this means using the iconic check. Another consequence of segmentation is to develop new markets outside the UK and even outside Europe. Thus, in 2010 European sales accounted for 44% of sales while the Americas accounted for 27% and Asia Pacific follows with 24% in sales.[13] In addition emerging markets added to the revenue by pumping in 10% this includes sales coming from China, India, Russia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.[14] Marketing Mix Variables A company controls four important elements of marketing and these are: product, price, distribution and promotion.[15] If the firm is able to combine all four together to create a potent market mix then it will result in a matrix that will enable the company to reach a particular target market.[16] In other words consumers are not going to buy a particular product simply because of its quality but as a result of a well-crafted market mix. Surely the quality of a particular product figures highly in the decision-making process, however, that is not the only consideration or the only factor that will make a consumer decide to buy a particular brand. The corporate leaders at Burberry realised that it is not enough to produce a high-quality product like the Burberry check there is a ne ed to determine the correct price and the proper way to market it so that the people who can afford will go out of their way to buy their products. Aside from that the Burberry brand also made the decision that it is now time recreate the firm so that it will not only be known as a producer of trench coats and apparel linked to British culture. Thus, they began to focus more on their segmented markets and as a result of that came up with different products such as men, women, and children’s wear. They also sell shoes, perfumes, and accessories like handbags, leather goods, and scarves.[17] Rationale of Marketing Mix Variables The purpose of creating this marketing mix is to increase revenue by tapping into markets that was not possible with the old set-up. By being creative when it comes to product offerings, pricing, marketing and even the logistics behind the distribution of the said products can easily increase Burberry’s slice into the luxury goods market. Their de cision to change their marketing mix yielded results in 2010 based on the number of global retail stores. They had 139 retail stores located all over the globe as well as 140 concessions, 44 outlets and 97 franchise stores.[18] The company scored big when it made the decision to modify the way they sell their products. Instead of relying on traditional direct retail stores they now added digital commerce by selling items online. They also created a system wherein they can sell wholesale to prestigious department stores such as Harrods and Selfridges. At the same time the market mix is made more interesting by licensing deals that allow other companies to tap into the Burberry brand when manufacturing and selling products such as perfume, eyewear and watches. The company makes money in a different way and this is done through royalty income coming from licensing channels such as firms that are located in Europe, North America, and Asia. The best example of applying the principles of creating a marketing mix can be seen in the firm’s decision to develop the Burberry Brit. In this product range the company made available more affordable and at the same time sporty apparel. In 2009 the company started selling jeans and casual wear. However, there is still no mistaking the fact that these products came from Burberry because one can expect quilted jackets and over-sized wool duffel coats for women and for men there are chinos and cotton tees.[19] Digital Marketing Tools One component of e-commerce is the use of computer software and hardware to deliver â€Å"advertising content† to consumers. Traditionally, the job of advertisers centered on the use of TV and radio ads. The problem with the old method is cost-efficiency. Companies can spend a lot of money for TV ads, without realizing that consumers can easily change channels or go to the bathroom during commercial breaks. The use of technology in marketing will eliminate this wastage because â€Å"ad vertising content† can be delivered where consumers are sure to focus on the message. Advantages of Digital Marketing Tools In a global business environment competition is intense. The only way to survive is to ensure that the Burberry is always one step ahead of its competitors and in order for the firm to do that it has to develop a quick and effective decision-making process.[20] There is only one way to achieve that and it is to have access to all the pertinent information regarding sales forecast, market conditions, sales, production data and other information that is required by business leaders most especially the CEO to make crucial decisions.[21] Burberry quickly understood the importance of an information system that will keep leaders well informed.[22] On the other hand it was easy to understand the challenges in moving from one method of doing business to one that is more technology based.[23] According to experts in the field, â€Å"In the past, companies have st ruggled to make decisions because of the lack of data. But in the current environment, more and more organisations are struggling to overcome ‘information paralysis’ – there is so much data available that it is difficult to determine what is relevant.† [24] This clearly explains the need for more intelligent data management systems even if executives are having a hard time adjusting to technological changes. Nevertheless, they have to adapt or perish. On the other hand it is imperative for senior executives to learn how to use IT without having to spend time going through the fundamentals on how to use the PC or learn the intricacies of software and hardware. The solution that was adapted by the company was to use supply chain management software. This was complemented by digital marketing schemes using Facebook, YouTube, and podcasts. They also launched the social networking website called the Artofthetrench.com.[25] This is where people come to share phot os of themselves wearing the Burberry’s trademark trench coat.[26] They also have their own YouTube channel and developed an iPhone app that allow their customers to buy online. In the short-term the company has already seen a 60% growth in e-commerce. This means that there is tremendous potential but much has to be seen in later years of the company is able to capitalise on new technology and new way of marketing their products using the World-Wide-Web. Disadvantages of Digital Marketing Tools The disadvantages of using digital marketing tools is the significant cost that are added to their system. Aside from the expense there is no way of efficiently maximising the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of unique visitors to the site. It may seem like they have created something significant but without the ability to translate these activities and the hype it generated into sales then the company is simply wasting resources for something that does not affect the bottom-l ine of the company. Conclusion The Burberry brand is an icon in the British fashion industry for more than a century. It has suffered setbacks because of mismanagement and the inability of past leaders to properly apply marketing principles. But when perceptive business leaders were hired to correct some of the glaring mistakes the company was able to reverse its fortunes. One of the best strategies used was the segmentation of the market. This was followed up by the cration of product ranges like the Burberry Prorsum, Burberry London, and the Burberry Brit. This allowed the company to offer a wider set of choices for its clientà ¨le and as a result were also able to penetrate markets that were inaccessible in the past. Recommendations The firm has to continue looking into improving the way they delineate their products to be able to take a bigger slice of the fashion industry. This means that when it comes to the Prorsum line they should create luxurious items that will give them the ability to make in roads into the market currently dominated by brands like LVMH and Gucci. At the same time they should create products that would allow them to improve their casual product lines. There is also a need to take a closer look at their digital marketing and determine if they are converting website visits into actual sales. It is simply too early to celebrate victory in terms of the way they were able to increase awareness of their products. The bottom line is still the measuring stick for success. References Botha, J., Strydom, J., Brink, A. (2007). Introduction to Marketing. Cape Town, South Africa: Juta and Co. Ltd. Carr, N. (2004). Does IT Matter?: Information Technology and the Corrosion of Competitive Advantage. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Ennew, C. Waite, N. (2007). Financial Services Marketing: An International Guide to  Principles and Practice. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Gabriel, H. (2010). Come back Burberry Again and Again. Khosrowpou r, Mehdi. (1997). Managing Information Technology Resources and Applications  in the World Economy. PA: Idea Group Publishing. Leondes, C. (2005). Intelligent Knowledg-Based Systems: Business and Technology in the  New Millenium. MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Nemati, H., Barko, C. (2004). Organizational Data Mining. PA: Idea Group Publishing, Pathak, J. (2005). Information Technology Auditing: An Evolving Agenda. New York: Springer. Platner, M. F. and Smolar, A. (2000). Globalization, Power and Democracy. Baltimore, Maryland: The John Hopkins University Press. Pride, W., Hughes, R., Kapoor, J. (2010). Business. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning Roberts, J. T. (2000). From Modernization to Globalization. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers Ltd. Weinstein, A. (2004). Handbook of Market Segmentation: Strategic Targeting for Business.  New York: The Haworth Press. Footnotes Ennew Waite (2007), p.70. Kotler Armstrong (2010), p.129. Botha, Strydom, Brink (2007), p.185. Roberts (2000). Platner Smolar (2000). Ibid. Weinstein (2004), p.4. Ibid. Gabriel (2010), p.1. Gabriel, p.1. Gabriel, p.1. Gabriel, p.1. Gabriel, p.1. Gabriel, p.1. Gabriel, p.1. Pride, Hughes, Kapoor (2010), p. 348. Gabriel (2010), p.1. Ibid. Case study p. 3 Carr (2004). Khosrowpour (1997). Leondes (2005). Pathak (2005). Nemati Barko (2005), p.2. Gabriel (2010), p.1. Gabriel, p.1. This report on The Burberry Company Marketing was written and submitted by user Damari Herman 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.

The requirement for employers to allow maternity leave under United Kingdom law is a disadvantage to women in the workplace. The WritePass Journal

The requirement for employers to allow maternity leave under United Kingdom law is a disadvantage to women in the workplace. Introduction The requirement for employers to allow maternity leave under United Kingdom law is a disadvantage to women in the workplace. ). As Samantha mangwana, an employment lawyer says many big organizations are part of this prevailing discrimination against pregnant women and frequently engage in out of court settlements. â€Å"I see the same major companies again and again and again, writing out these cheques – accompanied, of course, with a confidentiality clause†(McVeigh 2013). A more recent survey conducted by OnePoll on 1000 women who availed of maternity leave revealed that 30% of the women who rejoined felt that they did not fit in with their work environment anymore and that more than 40% felt that they had lack of support and only 3% of them sought legal assistance over maternity discrimination (McVeigh 2013). These surveys clearly point to the existing trend of maternity discrimination in the workplace. An early qualitative study by the ‘Equal Opportunities Commission’ reported that women on maternity leave were subjected to discrimination in various ways. Some women involved in this study reported that their employees withheld salary increases and bonuses simply because they were on maternity leave. Similarly, several women reported that their employers used the maternity leave period to create changes to their job including demoting them upon return. For instance one of the women in the study said, â€Å"I went from being a regional m anager to a store manager and had to take a  £5,000 pay cut. While I was on maternity leave they advertised â€Å"my† job and gave it to a man just as they had joked they would† (Davis et.al 2005). Evidence from these reports and surveys clearly project a worrisome picture of maternity discrimination and how availing authorized maternity leave could actually be a stumbling block for women in terms of their career prospects, promotions, pay increases and more seriously, how it could actually engender the risk of losing one’s job. A more exact picture of the prevailing scenario is the fact that since 2007 there have been more than 9000 pregnancy discrimination cases against employees across the UK. Speaking of the trend, Maria Miller, the minister for ‘Women and Equalities’, said, â€Å"It’s unacceptable that women suffer from discrimination when they become pregnant and yet many are saying that they are treated unfairly at work because of it† (DCMS, 2013). A new national research at the cost of  £1m has been commissioned to assess and to address the systemic problems that have resulted in the plight for women. It is expected that the findings from this research and further policy reforms would contribute to improving the situation for pregnant working women (DCMS 2013). However, already there is some good development from the legal policy perspective that would ease the situation for women. New Parental Leave (More Choice) Given the existing problems and the resultant gender bias in the labor market it is clear that providing maternity leave and benefits as social welfare scheme , though absolutely essential from the health perspective of the newborn and the mother, has only added to the woes of women in the job market. A new and potentially improved social care policy is the proposed ‘shared parental leave’ policy which is slated to come into effect from April 2015. Under this scheme newborn baby care could be easily shared between the father and the mother. This new policy permits fathers to take paternal leave just as mothers could up to 50 weeks and also permits them to take the leave in a discontinued pattern so that mothers and fathers can alternate in caring for the newborn baby while at the same time balance their work and family. This provides an opportunity for women who want to return to work a little early not to be overly concerned or stressed out about the baby care as the fa ther could equally share the care of the newborn. Conclusion Maternity leave and maternity benefits are indispensable provisions from a pure social care perspective. These policies are in place to provide support to working women and to improve the health standards of the child and the mother. However, employers who are under pressures of poor economy are often discriminatory against pregnant women as the cost of maternity payments and the long leave of absence from work are considered to be unnecessary and avoidable costs to the company. This has resulted in women availing maternal leave to be left redundant and replaced by others. Those who return back to work are also forced to compromise their work status and compensation resulting in poor career prospects for the woman. Though maternity benefits are government policies and legal recourse is an option against maternity discrimination, barely a small percentage of affected women take that route to justice. The government has however instigated more research and has also come up with a novel and well balanced solution to the problem with the introduction of the draft for the ‘shared parental leave’. This new provision is certainly a positive step in not only balancing the gender divide but also in avoiding discrimination against women at the workplace as it provides more options for the parents to balance their time between work and baby care. References Davis S, Neathey F, Regan J Willison R; 2005. Pregnancy discrimination at work: A qualitative study, Pregnant Productive. Working Paper Series no 23. Pub by The Institute for Employment Studies. [Online] Available at maternityaction.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/eocpregnancydiscrimqualitativestudy.pdf [Accessed March 25th 2014] DCMS; 2013.  £1 million to help tackle pregnancy discrimination at the workplace, [online] Available https://www.gov.uk/government/news/1m-million-to-help-tackle-pregnancy-discrimination-in-the-workplace [Accessed March 25th 2014] McVeigh T; 2013. One in seven women are made redundant after maternity leave, [online] Available at theguardian.com/law/2013/mar/09/women-on-maternity-leave-illegal-discrimation [Accessed March 25th 2014] ONS; 2011.   2011 Census: Population Estimates for the United Kingdom, [Online] Available at ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/population-and-household-estimates-for-the-united-kingdom/stb-2011-censuspopulation-estimates-for-the-united-kingdom.html [Accessed March 25th 2014] The Telegraph; 2014. New Parental leave: What’s on offer for mums and dads? [Online] Available at telegraph.co.uk/women/mother-tongue/10482940/New-parental-leave-Whats-on-offer-for-mums-and-dads.html [Accessed March 25th 2014] Ward R; 2011. Health and equality impacts of well-paid parental leave, Pub by WHEC and MA. [Online] Available at whec.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/10/HealthandEqualityImpactsofWellPaidParentalLeave20111.pdf [Accessed March 25th 2014] Working Families; 2009. Report of Working families helpline and Alliance against pregnancy discrimination in the workplace. Pregnant women and new mums at risk of redundancy. [Online] Available at fawcettsociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/PRENANCY-DISCRIMINATION-2.pdf [Accessed March 25th 2014]

Affecting Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Affecting Change - Essay Example From these trends, it is clear that the traditional model of child protective services (CPS) has failed in its bid to successfully protect many children who require help (American Humane Association, 2005). Traditional child protective services lay more emphasis on investigations of probable maltreatment to establish whether or not children have been or are exposed to risk of being harmed. In general, this model is governed by legal obligations established in every state in the United States of America (Ortiz, Shusterman & Fluke, 2008). Child protection services has care for the children as its main concern but the stipulated laws do not clearly spell out all that has to be carried out to help families and children. However they just offer a framework within which appropriate steps can be taken. Consequently, it is important to point out that the traditional model of child protective service system is not adequately safeguarding the welfare of children. In many occasions, a conflict between the need to protect children and the aspiration to engage and maintain families has been within child welfare services. Professionals within the child protection services, especially the social/ welfare workers probably encounter this tension most. Among others in the field, they endeavor to respond to questions such as: when are the signs of neglect and abuse so severe among children that they have to be taken away from their homes? How can partnership be built with parents in areas of substantiated or suspected child maltreatment. What is the best approach to assist families change to ensure that children’s welfare is well taken care of in the best interest? The traditional model has put more pressure on many welfare workers due to the volume of work hence making it difficult to investigate allegations and engage parents. Further, the approach complicates issues as research has indicated this deficit-focused

Which trade theories can help us understand the distribution of car Essay

Which trade theories can help us understand the distribution of car production in the world economy - Essay Example Some of the characteristics of the automobile industry can be described as under. †¢ Automobile industry is highly capital and labour intensive. †¢ There are hundreds and thousands of components, which are outsourced from other ancillary industries. †¢ The big auto manufacturers do manufacture some of the parts but they cannot produce each and every part. They have to rely on other suppliers, which can give assured and quality supply consistently. †¢ Replacement of the parts is a huge and lucrative market. (The Industry Handbook: Automobiles) Current Economic Scenario World demand of the cars is now coming from the rapidly growing developing economies. The countries like China, India, and Brazil are growing at the average rate of 7-8 percent. China is registering even double digit growth rate for last several years. Such a high rate of growth creates a huge demand for automobiles in those markets. Automobile market is now driven through these new markets while the demand in the old traditional market of U.S. and Europe is more or less stagnating. (The Wall Street Journal- Auto Sales 2010) It will be pertinent to note that in 1960, companies like GM, Ford, and Chrysler sold almost 90% of the cars in the US market; currently their market share is about 47%. It can be deduced that most cars that Americans bought were not manufactured by the big three. (Manzi 2008)

The Death penalty versus Life Without Parole Research Proposal

The Death penalty versus Life Without Parole - Research Proposal Example Such people argue that life sentence without parole is far better than death penalty since death penalty is immoral and highly expensive compared to other means of punishment. In my opinion, capital punishment is not suitable for a civilized society like America and I would like to research this topic further in order to help my readers to better understand why life sentencing without parole is better than capital punishment. â€Å"If we execute a person, what is the difference between us and the criminal who has committed the horrifying crime of killing another individual?†(10 Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment). The criminal justice system normally give capital punishment to the criminals for taking the life of innocent people, citing the reasons that nobody has the right to take the life of others. However, by giving capital punishment, the criminal justice system is also repeating the same mistake done by the criminal. â€Å"According to a study by the Indiana Criminal L aw Study Commission released in 2002, executions cost the state 38 percent more than the costs of keeping an inmate incarcerated for life† (Capital Punishment - The Costs of Capital Punishment). Capital punishment is highly expensive because of the complexities in the trial procedures in such cases.

Differences Between Jealousy Of Men Than For Women

Differences Between Jealousy Of Men Than For Women Research is growing to find if there is a difference among men and women when perceiving jealousy. Specifically emotional reactions to a romantic partners infidelity, with men being more upset by a partners sexual infidelity and women being more upset by a partners emotional infidelity (Bailey, Gaulin, Agyei, and Gladue, 1994; Buss, Larsen, Weston, and Semmekoth, 1992; Buunk, Angleitner, Oubaid, and Buss, 1996). However, there is an ongoing discussion as how best to interpret these gender differences, with theorists falling largely into one of the groups: 1) those that view jealousy as an evolved sexual adaptive solution of paternal uncertainty and 2) those who view jealousy as a general social cognition emotion. The main difference in the groups is that those in the first groups focus is on distal explanations of jealousy while those in the second groups focus on proximal explanations of jealousy. In addition, the groups differ in their apprehension of how the mind works, with those in the first group adopting a modular view (Toobey and Cosmides,1992) and those in the second group adopting a general processor view. Theorists in the first group share the conjecture that jealousy is an entity that evolved to explain the specific problem of mate preservation (Daly, Wilson, and Weghorst, 1982). They proclaim that different jealousy responses evolved as a consequence of the fact that ancestral men and women faced unique reproductive challenges. Due to concealed fertilization, men could never be certain that they were genetically related to any children born to their mate. This paternity uncertainty was the greatest reproductive challenge faced by ancestral men. Consequently, selection pressures favored ancestral men who responded with jealousy to signals of a partners sexual infidelity because by doing so they decreased their likelihood of being cuckolded. Women should be less upset than men to signals of a partners sexual infidelity because ancestral women did not face the problem of cuckoldry. However, ancestral women faced a unique reproductive challenge not shared by ancestral men, in that they had to eat a very high calorie diet to meet the energy demands associated with pregnancy and lactation. Consequently, selection pressures favored ancestral women who responded with jealousy to signals of a mates diversion of resources because by doing so they increased the likelihood that they would have the caloric intake sufficient to maintain a healthy pregnancy and an adequate production of breast milk. Buss et al. (1992) argue that the single most consistent indicator to ancestral women that they were in danger of losing a partners resources was if their partner was developing an emotional attachment to another woman, because this emotional attachment signaled his willingness to invest resources in this other woman and her offspring. This theory uses the support from the study that found the sex difference in jealousy evolved through anger or acts of aggressive displayed by men who were evoked by jealous tendencies (Daly and Wilson, 1988), men also use violence to control the sexual behavior of their partner (Daly and Wilson, 1988). In a critical report the findings showed that, when forced to decide if a romantic partners sexual infidelity or emotional infidelity upset them more, women were found to choose emotional infidelity over sexual infidelity, in contrast men found sexual infidelity to be more upsetting (Buss, Larsen, Weston, and Semmelroth, 1992). The results found by this study have been replicated and used the same forced choice method. Although the studies have been supported, there have been studies have reported the opposite results. Theorists in the second group direct their focus on the social cognition and are not limited to romantic partners. Such as, one could feel jealousy over a sibling receiving more affection from the parent or a coworker receiving more praise from a boss. Harris (2003) disputes that jealousy is trigged by the initial feeling a threat to a relationship but that the exact nature and extent of the emotional reaction is determined by the cognitive assessment of the threat. Using this perspective, sex differences can be determined by the cognitive assessments about threats to a romantic relationship. According to Salovey and Rodin, their domain hypothesis suggests that people will have greater feeling of jealousy of individuals that they see to be more superior to them in domains that are highly relevant (1984). A partners attraction to a rival not only points towards a potential of a relationship but also represents a threat to self-esteem, because a partners choice of a rival suggests his/ her superiority. Further research of social cognitive perspective suggests sex differences in jealousy are consequences of differences in logical inferences men and women conclude about the extent sexual infidelity implies the emotional infidelity or how emotional infidelity implies sexual infidelity. This idea is supported by research conduct by Harris and Christenfeld (1996) and DeSteno and Salovey (1996) that people perceive men are more likely than women to have sexual infidelity when there is a lack of an emotional attachment but think that men are less likely than women to form an emotional attachment in a nonsexual relationship. The research includes that these assumptions are what contribute people to believe that a womans sexual infidelity signifies her emotional infidelity while a mans emotional infidelity signifies his sexual infidelity. Consequently, the gender difference as to which type of infidelity is worse is based on a gender difference as to which type of infideli ty implies the occurrence of the other. The purpose of this study is to examine further the role of those who view jealousy as a general social cognition emotion as a proximal explanation for gender differences in jealousy. This study will combine both approaches presented above, but will change the person that the partners imagined infidelity occurs. If jealousy is a domain specific response designed to prevent cuckoldry for men and prevent resource diversion for women, then the person who the partner commits the infidelity should have no impact on jealousy. In contrast, if jealousy is a general emotional reaction to threatened relations based on social cognition then the person the partner commits infidelity should have an impact on jealousy. Methods Participants Participants will be roughly 200 women and 200 men enrolled at Central Washington University. The selection will be random. The demographics of Central Washington University include 10,282 first-time degree seeking students. 7556 White, non-Hispanic, 805 Hispanic, 642 Asian or Pacific Islander, 416 Race/ethnicity unknown, 349 Black, non-Hispanic, 286 American Indian or Alaska Native, and 228 Nonresident aliens. 4,555 men and 4,650 women. All these students are enrolled full-time. This information was gathered from the Central Washington University site for academic year 2009. Materials Following a method described by DeSteno, Bartlett, Braverman, Salovey (2003), participants rated on a 7-point Likert-type scale how much they felt each of six emotions (angry, jealous, calm, threatened, relieved, and hurt) in response to each scenario in the first test procedure. For the second test the forced-choice measure will be used and is similar to those used in previous research investigating sex differences in jealousy resulting from sexual and emotional infidelity (Buss et al., 1992; Buunk et al., 1996; DeSteno Salovey, 1996). Individuals were asked to indicate which of the following two events would cause them more distress: (a) finding out that ones partner had passionate sexual intercourse with another person or (b) finding out that ones partner had formed a deep emotional attachment to another person. Participants will also complete two versions of this scale that will ask for their responses to the same instances of sexual and emotional infidelity, respectively. On this measure, participants were presented with specific statements to which they responded using a 7-point scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), with the middle point indicating neither agreement nor disagreement. Procedure Participants will report in small groups of no more than twenty to an assigned room, once groups are in their assigned room, they will be informed that the study of the relation between personal character and habits that occur in the context of a romantic relationship. Similar to the procedure used by Buss, Larsen, Westen, and Semmelroth (1992), participants will be instructed to, Please think of a serious committed romantic relationship that you currently have, have had in the past, or would like to have in the future. Next the participants will be asked to imagine four separate scenarios in which this partner is unfaithful. The scenarios will describe either sexual infidelity, Imagine your partner enjoying sexual intercourse with someone else, or emotional infidelity, Imagine you partner falling in love with someone else. The wording in the scenarios will be modeled after items used by Pietrzak Laird, Stevens, and Thompson (2002). To measure more than the type of infidelity the per son with whom the partner committing an infidelity will be manipulated. Participants will be asked to imagine their partner falling in love with a close friend or falling in love with your boss. Equally, participants will be asked to imagine their partner enjoying sexual intercourse with a close friend or enjoying sexual intercourse with their boss. The next test will be presented to participants with two forced choice problem in which they will have to select one of two infidelity scenarios as more upsetting. In one problem, participants will have to choose between their partners emotional infidelity with an unknown person and their partners sexual infidelity with an unknown person. In the next present problem, participants will have to choose between their partners emotional infidelity with someone that is known (such as, friend, coworker, etc.) and their partners sexual infidelity with someone that is known.

Binge Drinking on America’s Campuses Essay -- College Alcohol Abuse

Binge drinking is rampant on today’s colleges and university campuses. Binge drinking is defined as, five or more drinks for a man at any one time, four or more drinks for a woman (Thompson, J.J. 63). A recent survey revealed that almost half of college students engage in binge drinking, and half of those who binge drink do so regularly (McCormick, John; Kalb, Claudia 89). It is not the half that drinks responsibly that needs programs targeting them; it is the other half of students that engage in binge drinking. This paper aims to discuss both the scope of binge drinking on the campuses of America’s colleges and universities and techniques used to combat it. At the same time America has managed to keep the same percentage of its students from drinking entirely for the last five years, binge drinking has been on the rise (Thompson, J.J. 63). While 49 percent of college students binge, only 28 percent of their non-college counterparts do (McCormick, John; Kalb, Claudia 89), clearly illustrating the divide that exists between students and non-students. These figures are upsetting in that one would expect universities to be the breeding ground for new leaders and innovative thinkers in society while these figures make today’s college campuses look like nothing more than National Lampoon’s Animal House- a drunken debauchery. Consider these facts: For women, this study found that 80% of sorority house residents had binged during the last 2 weeks prior to this study compared with 58% of non-resident sorority women, and 35% of non-Greek women. As for the men, the study found that during the previous two weeks, 86% of fraternity house residents had binged compared to 71% of non-resident fraternity men and 45% for non-Greek men (Core Institute pars. 1-2). If there has ever been a clearer cut case for reformation of the Greek system, it has never been presented. This problem was tragically brought to light in 1996 with the media attention given to the death of a Louisiana State University student who died in the fraternity house from acute alcohol poisoning. Tragically, the numbers of students dying of alcohol related causes are rising steadily each year. With the ever increasing costs of higher education, one would think that students would be committed to gaining the best education possible; but a 1996 study leaves little doubt that a student’s GPA ... .../collfact.htm Colleges and Drinking. CNN Online. February 23, 1999. http://cnn.com/US/9805/02/campus.crime/index.html New Study Finds Bingeing. Core Institute. September 1, 1999. http://www.alphaomicronpi.org/Article/alcohol02.html Drugs- Indiana University. Indiana University. February 23, 1999. http://www.drugs.indiana.edu/publications/ncadi/primer/binge.htm Iowa State Daily. February 2, 1999. http://www.daily.iastate.edu/volumes/Fall95/Dec-01-95/fr3-hw.html LA Times Website. February 28, 1999. http://peele.sas.nl/lib/latimes030196.html McCormick, John; Kalb, Claudia. â€Å"Bellying Up to the Bar; binge drinking remains a major problem on many college campuses, according to a Harvard University study.† Newsweek 21 September 1998: 89. New UNC Initiave. February 28, 1999.http://www.cspinet.org/new/aluncorn.htm Thompson, J.J. â€Å"Plugging the Kegs: students benefit when colleges limit excessive drinking; alcohol abuse by college students.† US News & World Report January 1998: 63. Internet Sources Consulted Wechsler, Henry PhD. Binge Drinking on America’s College Campuses. Harvard http://archive.sph.harvard.edu/cas/Documents/monograph_2000/cas_mono_2000.pdf

Rolesof Media

INTRODUCTIONThe media plays a very constructive role in today’s society. Media play an important role in increasing of public awareness and collect the views, information and attitudes toward certain issue. Media is the most powerful tool of communication in emerging world and increased the awareness and presents the real stage of society.In this decade of Knowledge and awareness there is a huge and grand role of media, it is all around us when we watch on Television, listen to on the radio, read to the books, magazines, and newspapers, every where we want to collect some knowledge and information and a part of this media has to present a very responsible role for our society. Without the media, people in societies would be isolated, not only from the rest of the world, but also for the total formation of creditable world.WHAT IS MEDIAMedia is one of the most powerful instruments of communication. It can help to promote the right things on right time and gives a real as well a s strong aspects of the world about what is right or wrong also it also express that how can we store and distributes the views. The world is moving towards progress in every step of life. But we cannot refuse the real fact that we all are bounded directly or indirectly with the loads of social problems and issues, which are affected by the people of the people and for the people.Social issues or matters include so many types such as poverty, violence, corruption, bribery, suppression of human rights, rape, discrimination, and crime, killing in the name of honor. Today News Channels, Newspapers, radio, internet etc. help us to estimate the realities of live and focused on the every social matters with the pure and free effect, it has a chance to explore the issues of society more openly. Media refers so many links such as mass media broadcast media, print media and the web media.We know that television and radio are considered broadcast media while newspapers, magazines and journals are formatted as print media and internet news are called as the web media. The media is an important source of information through its news segments, entertainment and allows for exchange of our ideas, suggestions and views for related matters. There is huge variety of media. The media is not only an important source of news and opinions but also entertainment. Most young people usually turn on the television for movies, educational programs other entertainment programs.However, although most of us get our news through the media as many of us have little time to read books or journals, the news presented to us can be biased and one sided because news reported on websites appears most reliable and transparent though one has to be careful about the accuracy of the facts reported. However, there is still a degree of freedom in these countries' press compared to other more conservative countries. we have access to news from all around the world and readers are invited to send their vi ews and contributions to be published in the media.The term media is derived from Medium, which means carrier. Media denotes a links specifically designed to reach large viewers. The term was first used with the advent of newspapers and magazines. However, with the passage of time, the term broadened by the inventions of radio, TV, cinemas and Internet. In the world of today, media has become almost as necessary as food and clothing. It is true that media is playing an outstanding role in strengthening the society. Its responsibility is to inform, educate and entertain the people.It helps to know current situation around the world. The media has a strong social and cultural impact upon society. Because of its inherent ability to reach large number of public, it is widely used to convey message to build public opinion and awareness, it can be used to educate people with very little cost. Imagine a classroom in every city with thousands of students being taught by just one teacher. Bu t unfortunately, because of money-making approach of media and lack of interest by government, very less work is done in spreading the education.IMPORTANCE OF MEDIA IN SOCIAL AWARENESSThe media has got a vital role in molding a good society to develop our lifestyle and move it on the right path, because it always try to side with the truth and relevant factor. It is the best tool to spread awareness in the modern society either it be political, social or economic and giving us latest sight about what is happening in our world, making us aware about our rights, creating awareness against evils in our society, what new happening around us, exposing corrupt politicians and hardcore criminals by sting operations.There is correlation between media and society to share them self about the past, present and future event on need base method of the society. We know that a long time ago we see all news, views events all these things through Radio, Banner and Cinema slide show. But now a day w e have a power to see everything of the society and to share it among the people only the good approach of media. So Media and their function have been changed as because there is a competition among the Media also. Therefore apart from the service to the society they have to earn also.From this point of view several media are taking different steps to expand their business and sometimes they are deviated from the principles for which they are functioning. What society will decide for their existences and functioning is mainly depend upon the Govt. rules and regulations by limiting their scope of works in a particular field. In my opinion several sensitive international issues should not be published through Media for which tension among them increased. Otherwise media should come in front of the society with all truth.The main purpose of this studies to explain the real feature of growing techniques of information and used it to spread the social awareness. Its limitless connectivi ty and potential has open social order and system of interaction and communication which have been made a possible way to develop the communication technology and define the social situation of awareness. We can feel the impact of social networking in every step of life. Everyone wants information timely and to the point which can be possible through the help of social media. There is various types of social networking under the connectivity of media.Here we explore the FACEWOOK a social networking site, people can assess information easily through the help of this site and user can utilize these information to their personal and professional work and behavior. Social network is used to denote the huge number of blogs and intercommunication skills to provide online social networking service which can be focused and reflecting of social network or social relations among people who share interests and activities Most social network services are web based and provide means for users to interact over the internet.They interact, share and exchange resources by social networks. It promotes free flow of information and sharing of resources beyond boundaries. My point is not any of it said above. We had a nation with so much of events happening around, which but is escalated only on the whims and fancy of the people who rules us. Few of the examples are Ram Mandir issue, Lokpal Bill, 2G scam, CWG scam, Mining scam, Land Acquisition scam, Coal Gate, Delhi Rape Case, Godhra Riots, Mumbai Riots, 26/11 Mumbai Attack, Aarushi murder case, LPG subsidy, Fuel price hike etc.All of the above issues had its on relevance in political arena and accordingly had the coverage and importance across the media and discussed upon the nation till then until when it is to be fumed and exploited. Unfortunately none of the news had a chance to be there in limelight or discussions even until its natural closure of which many are due pending. Shattering fact is that even many of the above sta ted issues out of the many left out without mentioning are yet to have a judicial closure and the culprits yet to be booked and penalized.But at the brim of its flash we had all of the print and visual media, administration, intellects, social media and even stupid common man were there on the front to protest, outrage and even ready for a national cessation. Post shelf life of the issue hardly was there any movement on the same until either there is a reference by any for personal gain (other than the relative of the person involved) or on the occasion of anniversary reminder by the media who had to fill in the prime time slot. It is time for us, to do something better for our society.Any means the realism of a fact lies with the complete closure with justice delivered not only to the victim but to the society too. Until unless the limited time outrage and mongering of issue is protracted despite of what we are forced to think and react. May this sound a bit weird as we being respo nsible-sensible citizens, it is our bona fide birth right to react on anything and everything comes across. But will make a difference if it is made to prolong it despite of the shelf life tag come along with the issue.

Is terrorism a serious threat to international and national security The WritePass Journal

Is terrorism a serious threat to international and national security Introduction Is terrorism a serious threat to international and national security : 61). This essay then tackles the formulation presented by Ian Lustick, who maintains that the magnitude of the threat posed by terrorism appears to be much smaller than realised (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 66). The evaluation of both arguments will be made by referring to the ways in which the War on Terror has altered the manner in which states and the international community as a whole is dealing with the phenomenon of terrorism.   Terrorism as a continuing threat to national and international security James and Brenda Lutz put forward the view that terrorism actualises the threat it poses to the viability of nation-states by referring to the way in which extremist movements, such as Fascism and Nazism, managed to topple the existing order of things in democratic countries, such as Italy and Germany. In addition, the tactics of terrorism was successfully implemented by the liberation movements that ridded Algeria, Jewish Palestine and Cyprus of French and British colonial rule (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 61-2).   Nevertheless, the increased access to digital technologies that facilitate instantaneous communications and the wider availability of weapons of mass destruction magnify the scope of the threat posed by terrorism (Silverstone, 2007: 17). The authors also outline that the modern notion of terrorism differs from past manifestations as it can contribute to the profound alteration of the political foundations of the states that are compelled to deal with the phenomenon (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 64). It must be underlined that enhanced magnitude of the terrorist threat impels states to commit a large amount of resources to the fight against terror and; in some cases, enter into a diplomatic framework of negotiation which might result in bestowing a modicum of legitimacy to terrorist organisations (Elshtain, 2004: 96). States are forced to respond to the threat of terrorism by recalibrating their judicial systems in a way that reflects the changed nature of the crimes committed by terrorist organisations (Napoleoni, 2004: 70). These states of affairs can in turn lead to an enhanced perception of the threat posed by extremism and inject a measure of authoritarian legalism into the democratic system of states (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 65). The threat posed by Al-Qaeda in the context of the War on Terror exemplifies the augmented threat of terrorism. To begin with, terrorist organisations affiliated to Al-Qaeda do not abide by the international legislation regarding the conduct of war. These organisations target civilians as part of their grand political strategy, geared towards creating an environment of terror in democratic societies (Fotion, 2007: 77).   In addition, the War on Terror has resulted in the militarisation of the political discourse, by which the notion of the enemy is reformulated by including domestic ideologies that are hesitant to confront the phenomenon of terrorism. This situation has been outlined by the authors, who argue that the threat of terrorism compels states to react to extremist violence, as not doing so would eventually enhance the ability of terrorist organisations to inflict damage on the populations affected (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 65). These arguments seem to be quite persuasive in describing not only the threats posed by terrorist organisations, but also the dangers related to the fight against the phenomenon of extremism. In order to assess the validity of these claims, they will be parried against the opposite view regarding the nature and extent of the terrorist threat. Is terrorism a continuing threat to national and international security?   Ian Lustick poses the view that even if there is an acknowledged threat of terrorism, the magnitude of the threat presented by this phenomenon is much smaller than realised (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 66). The author maintains that the enhanced ‘perception of the threat’ has enabled the United States to articulate clear cut moral demarcations in the context of the War in Terror, in which the ‘enemy’ (Islamic extremism) is portrayed as a-moral and deemed to be extirpated. Furthermore, this stance entails that Washington claims the right use of pre-emptive tactics against terrorism, even if the threat is perceived as infinitesimally small (Crawford in Rosenthal and Barry (eds.), 2009: 41). Accordingly, preventive force has been deployed by the United States in Afghanistan (2001), of Iraq (2003), as Washington claimed that those states harboured terrorist organisations in their midst (Frum and Perle, 2004: 118). Citing the smal l occurrence of terrorist activity, the author emphasises the fact that the United States is committing a substantial amount of resources to defend itself from a threat which is relatively small in nature and magnitude (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 67).   Lustick also highlights the fact that the response to the terrorist phenomenon, marked by a visceral attitude on the part of the authorities, might serve narrow political agendas (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 69). In this context, it is important to underline that the War on Terror entails the possibility that the United States might utilise the fight against terrorism for the sake of ensuring that the process of globalisation remains firmly tied to the American ideations of liberal democracy, the rule of law and free market economics being spread to the wider world (Chan, 2012: 72). Lustick also underlines how the media is responsible for portraying the threat of te rrorism in an imbalanced way. To be sure, the mainstream media devotes more time to the coverage of news related to putative threats than to issues which affect citizens in a more visible manner. In addition, the author notes how ‘threat inflation’ is used as a political tool by the two parties of government in the United States, which have become accustomed to pinning the blame for the so-called pervasiveness of these threats to either the Republican or Democratic Party, as the case might be (Patterson, 2007: 38). The author argues that the augmented perception of the threat, which serves narrow political and economic interests, constitutes an additional threat to be imputed to the phenomenon of terrorism (Lutz, Lutz and Lustick in Jackson and Sinclair (eds.), 2012: 70-71). It is possible to argue that these views on the threat of terrorism relativise the claims put forward by James and Brenda Lutz. The existence of a terrorist threat has the potential to be magnified out of proportion and establish itself as an added political element to be borne in mind in the context of the war of West against Islamic extremism (Hewitt, 2008: 88). It is now incumbent upon us to draw some conclusions pertaining to the views espoused by the author and see which ones has a higher degree of validity. Conclusion In conclusion, it is possible to argue that whilst the threat of terrorism is an important phenomenon to be reckoned with in the grand political chessboard of the twenty-first century, its magnitude might not be as extensive as purported (Halper and Clarke, 2005: 73). The radical forces of terrorism that managed to induce change in the past did so for the sake of fighting for causes which were seen by many in the international spectrum as politically legitimate, as in the case of the PLO and the IRA. Whilst people condemned the methods used by these organisations, they questioned their political motivations less stringently. At the same time, since globalisation has created a convergence of ideas, there is a reduced scope for the type terrorist attacks seen in 9/11 (Held and McGrew, 2002: 119). Lustick rightly postulates that the spectrum of the threat posed by the phenomenon of terrorism has been artificially enhanced in order to serve narrow political and economic interests. Conseq uently, it may be posited that terrorism does not threaten the foundations of international and national security in the way depicted by James and Brenda Lutz. Bibliography Bobbitt, P. (2008)  Terror and Consent-The Wars for the Twenty-First Century,  Alfred Knopf, New York, NY Chan, D. (2012)  Beyond Just War: A Virtue Ethics Approach, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke and New York, NY Crawford, N. (2009) The Slippery Slope to Preventive War in Rosenthal, J. and Barry, C. (eds.) Ethics and International Affairs: A Reader, Georgetown University Press, Washington, DC Elshtain, J. (2004)  Just War Against Terror: The Burden Of American Power In A Violent World, Basic Books, New York, NY Fotion, N. (2007)  War and Ethics: a new Just War theory, Continuum, London Frum, D. and Perle, R. (2004)  An End to Evil: How to Win the War on Terror, Random House, New York Gupta, D. (2008)  Understanding Terrorism and Political Violence, Routledge, London Halper, S. and Clarke, J. (2005)  America Alone: The Neo-Conservatives and the Global Order, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Held, D. and McGrew, A. (2002)  Globalisation/Anti-Globalisation, Polity Press, Cambridge Hewitt, H. (2008)  The War Against the West: Crucial Conversations with the Most Informed Experts About Our Enemies, Our Defenses, Our Strategy and Our Leaders in the Long War Against Islamist Extremism, Townhall Press, New York, NY Lutz, B., Lutz, J. and Lustick, I. (2012) Is terrorism a serious threat to international and national security, in R Jackson SJ Sinclair (eds.)  Contemporary Debates on Terrorism, Routledge, London Napoleoni, L. (2004)  Terror Incorporated, Penguin Books, London Patterson, E. (2007)  Just War Thinking: Morality and Pragmatism in the Struggle against Contemporary Threats, Lexington Books, Lanham, MD Silverstone, S. (2007)  Preventive War and American Democracy, Routledge, London

Richard Wright Essay Example

Richard Wright Essay Example Richard Wright Essay Richard Wright Essay Literary Distinctions through Ineradicable Scars His racial status, his poverty, the disruption of his family, and his faulty education allowed Richard Wright to grow into a novelist astonishingly different than other major American writers. Richard Wright was born on a Rucker plantation in Adams County, Mississippi. He was born on September 4, 1908 to Ella Wilson, a schoolteacher and Nathaniel Wright, a sharecropper. When Wright was about six years old, his father abandoned Ella and his two sons in a penniless condition to run off with another woman. This left Wright’s mother the difficult task of supporting herself and her children on her own, but left Wright with a humiliating kind of loss (Duffus). Soon after his father left, Wright and his mother moved to Memphis, Tennessee. His mother was forced to work as a cook in order to support the family; and during this period, Wright temporarily stayed in an orphanage. Wright’s mother became ill while living in Memphis, so the family moved to Jackson, Mississippi, and lived with Ella’s mother. His grandmother was a Seventh Day Adventist so she enrolled him in a Seventh Day Adventist school at the age of twelve. Wright went to a local public high school for a few years, but did not receive a higher-level education (Duffus). In 1925, he moved back to Memphis, Tennessee. He worked at menial jobs such as, carrying lunches for railroad workers, carrying firewood and trays for small cafes, delivering clothes for a pressing shop, sweeping floors, selling newspapers, doing chores for white families, etc. (Kinnamon, 6) He moved to Chicago in 1927 after securing employment as a postal clerk, he read other writers and studied their styles during his time off. Later in 1937, Wright moved to New York, where he began ties with Communist Party members there after getting established. He worked on the WPA Writers’ Project, and wrote the book’s essay on Harlem. Wright became the Harlem editor of the Daily Worker. Wright is considered the most esteemed spokesman for the oppressed African American in the 1930s and 1940s. Some of his several works include Black Boy, Uncle Tom’s Children, The Outsiders, Eight Men, American Hunger, and Native Son. (Duffus). His first fiction, Native Son, chronicles the effects of racism and bigotry in the life of Bigger Thomas, a young black man raised in the ghettos of Chicago. The narrator in Native Son speaks in a limited third-person voice that focuses on Bigger’s thoughts and feelings. Through this limited third-person voice, the narrator brings the reader into Bigger’s mind and situation, helping the reader gain a better insight on Bigger’s complex self. When Wright wrote Native Son, he expressed his belief that society was responsible for creating tragic characters like Bigger Thomas. Quickly, Native Son became one of the most controversial books during the 1930s. Native Son was a turning point in the evolution of black protest fiction (Moorer, 87). Richard Wright uses Fear, Flight, and Fate to explain Bigger Thomas’s inner-development through the themes of oppression, blindness, dehumanization, the illusion of freedom, and redemption. Ultimately, Wright indicates that the inner liberation will only come from within the self. THE INTELLECTUAL ENVIRONMENT: RACIST THOUGHTS Adams County was one of the most racist areas, of the most racist state in the country. Wright was subjected to racial discrimination and racial prejudice during his entire life in the United States. This is interesting because America has always been thought to be the land of freedom, where you can find happiness. However, it lacked in giving equality to African Americans. Many people wonder why most of his novels focus on social reality. Keep in mind that during his upbringing, racism was alive really live. In the early 1900s, suppression of black people was a dominant goal of Mississippi politics (Kinnamon,17). Many African Americans struggled to discover how to survive without fear in a world dominated by white men. Richard Wright’s unstable upbringing made him the novelist we admire today. A long-term irony of Wright’s life is that in spite of his belief in environmental determinism, he fulfilled his dream of success against all odds. In his essay How Bigger Was Born, Wright explains how he grew up surrounded by different types of Biggers, and that social reality determined his literary personality. (Applebee) Indeed, he was at different times in his youth an unstable child, but ultimately he became Richard Wright, and not Bigger Thomas. Fear- oppression and blindness Book One (Fear) of Native Son begins with an alarm clock ringing. We see Bigger, Vera, Buddy, and Mrs. Thomas in a small apartment in Chicago. Since the apartment only has one room, Bigger and Buddy are forced to turn around to avoid seeing his little sister and his mother getting dressed. Perhaps, the ringing alarm signifies a wakeup call, not only for Bigger, but for the readers and America as a whole about race relations in this era. Immediately, we are exposed to the unfortunate circumstances Bigger’s family live in when a huge rat runs across the floor, and Bigger is destined to wrestle the rat. During his struggle with the rat, Bigger smashes the rat’s head with a skillet, and then smashes his face with a shoe. The rat portrays fear book one is speaking about. The rat and Bigger immediately attack each other, hinting that they resemble each other and they fear themselves. In Fear, we also meet Gus, Jack, and G. H. after Bigger stands alone reflecting on the words â€Å"If You Break The Law, You Cant Win! † posted on top of campaign posters. Bigger and his friends have a tentative plan to rob a deli owned by a white man named Mr. Blum. They want to rob a white deli, because it would give them a challenge. They have always robbed black stores, because police do not focus on black-on-black crime. Here, Wright begins to develop the theme of racial oppression. We also start looking into Bigger’s thoughts and the theme of racial oppression when he tells his friend Gus that he could fly a plane if he were given the chance, but only if he had some money and were not black. Bigger complains that whites will not let blacks do anything, and he feels as if he were in prison. Bigger gets a job with the Daltons. The Daltons are a rich white family that offers Bigger a job as a chauffeur, because they feel that blacks deserve a chance. Mrs. Dalton is the blind wife of Mr. Dalton, and the mother of Mary. The Daltons portray themselves as supporters of black Americans. However, we see the reality when we learn that Mr. Dalton simultaneously benefits from keeping blacks like Bigger and his family in terrible housing by charging them high rents. On his first day of work, Bigger is a little nervous and fearful because he still sees whites as a threatening, powerful force that denies him control of his own life. On his first night on the job, Bigger secretly takes Mary and her communist boyfriend Jan to a restaurant. At the restaurant, Mary and Jan try to become close with Bigger, but Bigger is intimidated at the beginning, because no white person has ever treated him that way. Mary and Jan try to make a genuine effort in understanding racial problems in America, so they want to break the social barrier between them and Bigger. At the end of the night, they are all drunk, and Mary can’t make it to her room, so Bigger carries her. When Bigger finds himself in Mary’s oom, he knows that he has overcome the sexual separation between blacks and whites, and begins to kiss her. Bigger then feels Mrs. Dalton’s presence in the room, and is reminded of the whiteness that controls his life, leading to the accidental death of Mary. Richard Wright does not spare any of the gruesome details in Bigger’s disposal of Mary’s body. Through his disposal, we see the extreme pai n and rage that Bigger feels which would allowing him to do such thing. In Book One, Wright introduces the Fear that Bigger has obtained through oppression. We see that Bigger fears entrapment caused by the white glooming force. He is afraid that he will not be able to progress and escape his shameful circumstances because racism in Chicago will keep him down, and there is no way out. Interestingly enough, we see in Book One that oppression is caused by blindness. Mrs. Dalton is literally blind, but also metaphorically. Mrs. Daltons blindness plays a crucial role in showing the readers the vicious circle of racism in American society. Mrs. Daltons inability to see Bigger causes him to turn to violence, similar to the inability of whites to see blacks as individuals causes blacks to live their lives in fear and hatred. Mrs. Daltons blindness represents the inability of white Americans as a whole to see blacks as anything other than what the media portrays. Since they don’t see blacks as anything else than what the media portrays them to be, white intentionally or unintentionally keep them down. In Book One Bigger starts to realizes that, in a sense, even he has been blind, unable to see whites as individuals rather than a single oppressive mass. Flight- Dehumanization and illusion of freedom The opening of Book Two (Flight), opens up a new phase of Bigger’s life. Mary’s death is the key turning point in the book and in Bigger’s character. In Book One, Bigger is unable to analyze and understand his feelings or behavior. In Flight, Bigger begins to search for his new identity. Flight is an interesting book because we see Bigger’s life threatened by his actions, but he sees his life in a different point of view. His goal is to get away with the murder. Since Bigger’s goal is to get away with murder, he disguises his identity as a poor, uninformed, submissive boy. We start to see that he is manipulating his search for identity to his advantage. The Dalton’s do not suspect that Bigger is the murderer, because they don’t believe that Bigger can’t function as anything else but a chauffeur. In Flight, Bigger uses stereotypes for protection against whites. Earlier, in Fear we portray the alarm clock as a warning about the effects of racial oppression. This is becoming more evident. Bigger does not feel afraid to commit robbery against whites, as we saw in Fear, so he plans to collect ransom from the Daltons. This is working perfect for him, because his role-playing is leading others to believe that Jan committed the murder. Bigger begins to manipulate the anticommunist prejudices. However, this doesn’t play for long, after Jan confronts Bigger and the authorities find that Bigger is murderer of Mary Dalton. At this point, America is furious. America has been bombarding the newspapers, and news with anti-Bigger comments. Bigger is now on the run, and meets with his girlfriend Bessie at an empty apartment to hide. His girlfriend is terrified and paralyzes by fear, so Bigger sees no other option but to get her out of the way. Through Bigger’s flight, we see that his only way, ironically, of feeling complete and in control is through murder. At this point, Bigger’s innocence has been destroyed by racism, thus dehumanizing him. Wright shows Bigger’s dehumanization through the imagery of Mary’s murder. Biggers disposal of Marys body is atrocious, and Wright purposely does not spare any of the details. Wright wants to highlight the severe pain and anger Bigger feels that allows him to become insensitive and inhumane. After Mary’s murder, Bigger feels a sense of clear purpose. Even though Mary’s death was an accident, Bigger tries to convince himself that it was an intentional action, because this murder represents the ultimate rebellion against the white force that has been oppressing him. Fear supports the theme of dehumanization. Bigger Thomas is a product of the oppression in white society that has been caused and maintained through blindness. Dehumanization has caused Bigger to commit inhumane acts, but ironically, gives him an illusion on freedom. Bigger feels that Mary’s death gives him a new life, and self-control. In his eyes, he has become more human, because his life holds a purpose. Bigger feels free and in control of his life. However, this doesn’t remain for long. Fate- redemption Racism has limited Bigger’s prospects in life. The morass of racial discrimination prevented Bigger from feeling comfortable around whites. Because the environment he grew up in portrays whites as sophisticated and blacks as either subservient or savage, Bigger Thomas resented and feared all whites. He felt that the white society is an uncontrollable natural force. The one room apartment in which Bigger, his mother, sister and brother lived in was a tiny, dank, decrepit hole infested with rats owned by Mr. Dalton who was also white. All of these conditions made Bigger incapable to see (Jan, Mary, Mr. Dalton etc. ) as individuals. Bigger Thomas hid behind a wall, not allowing anyone to know and understand his actual feelings towards life and the cycle of racism in Chicago during the 1930s. The hate society brought into Bigger is an unavoidable part of his character. He doubted his own mind after being forced to be bad and live in bad conditions. Bigger tries to hide these emotions to the point where he becomes blind of his own persona. After Mary’s death, he felt empowered and relieved as though he has taken control of his own life and struck against whites. More specifically, it gave him an opportunity to truly evaluate himself in prison and figure out who he was on the inside after he had lost himself. Because he wanted to make his life mean something that he could claim for himself, he did not regret Mary’s murder. In Book Three, Bigger says â€Å"But when I think of why all the killing was, I begin to feel what I wanted, what I am†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (429). He realizes that in order to win the battle of his life on the outside, he must win the one in the inside. From there, he emerges from behind this barrier and begins to examine the world for what it really is. His new mentality gives him power to achieve victory within himself. During his first few days in prison, Bigger does not eat, drink, or talk to anyone. Jan comes to see him, and tells Bigger that he has taught him a lot about black-white relationships and offers him the help of a communist lawyer, Max. Bigger he decides to speak with Max and tells him the story of his life. Max learns about the sufferings and feelings of black people and Bigger learns about himself. He starts understanding his relationships with his family and with the world. He acknowledges his fury, his need for a future, and his wish for a meaningful life. He reconsiders his attitudes about white people, whether they are prejudiced, like Britten, or accepting, like Jan. Max is able to deeply understand Bigger’s emotions. Bigger then realizes that Max and Jan are really trying to help him. Bigger accepts his fate. When Max is leaving, he tells him to â€Å"Tell†¦. Tell mister†¦. Tell Jan hello†¦. † (430). He finally calls him by his first name. He begins to see whites as individuals rather than an intimidating mass of hate. Bigger now perceives himself and others in a way that he hasn’t before. Bigger has redeemed himself. Here, Wright indicates that the inner liberation will only come from within them. Native Son effectively portrays that in Fear, oppression leads to blindness, causing blacks and whites to reject and misunderstand each other. He then portrays in Flight (caused by fear), that oppression leads to dehumanization, causing Bigger to commit actions that gives him the illusion of freedom. Lastly, we see in Flight that his freedom is perhaps only an illusion, and that the only way to come clean and accept things for the way they are is through redemption. It is clear that redemption can only from within through understanding. In the end, Bigger sees himself equal to whites, and has looked past racism. [ 2 ]. Duffus, Matthew. Mississippi Writers Page. 26 January 1999. 12 April 2009 . 3 ]. Duffus, Matthew. Mississippi Writers Page. 26 January 1999. 12 April 2009 . [ 4 ]. Kinnamon, Keneth. The Emergence of Richard Wright. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1945. [ 5 ]. Duffus, Matthew. Mississippi Writers Page. 26 January 1999. 12 April 2009 . [ 6 ]. Kinnamon, Keneth. The Emergence of Richard Wright. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1945. [ 7 ]. Applebee, Flannery. Savannah Morning News. 29 March 2007. 16 April 2009 . [ 8 ]. Note that Double-consciousness is the actual term for the search of a Negro’s identity. This term derived from W. E. B. Dubois.

Comparative & International HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Comparative & International HRM - Essay Example This deal is the one that really worked out for the BMW in turning around the company fortunes. The company saw the strategic decision of involving workers in the factory as the key in improving the performance of the company. The workers were encouraged to come up with ideas of improving the company performance. This saw the group, who work mainly on roofs for the new version of the iconic car being rewarded for coming up with the best money-saving idea. The workers suggested a change in the design of the Mini that saw BMW saving up to 6M. The BMW Company utilised the Industrial relation approach which involved establishing healthy relationship between the employees and the management. BMW used trade union to strike ground breaking deals that resulted in improved performance on the side of the organisation. It is my sincerely advice to BMW company to use the principle of industrial relation as it prepare to consolidate its production and cost reduction stage this would facilitate smooth implementation of its future plans. Strategic human resource management (SHRM) involves linking the human resource functions with the strategic goals of the organisation. Human resource managers need to maintain good relationships within the organisation so as to improve performance and maintain talented employees. BMW used what is known as Continuous Improvement (CI) strategy to enhance organisational performance. CI emphasise the importance of customer focus, internal customer-supplier relationships, process management and control, empowered work teams and visionary leadership. BMW used all of these strategies in establishing processes for strategic or business planning, organisational and job re-design, cultural change and performance management (Hammond, 2001). BMW is an icon of a company that can use staff-company relations to improve firm production.BMW was determining to give the Mini firm a new face lift. This involved among other things involving the workforce whom the BMW absorbed from the old Mini firm. According to Werner Rothfuss, director of corporate communications at the plant, BMW is committed to the staff engagement in the running of the company. The BMW developed good staff- management relations. This is seen where the company engage the union in the dialogue so as to strike the new deals. Many Companies would shy away from this kind of engagement. However BMW believe that in order to succeed it has to pay whatever the price so as to improve the relationship with its employees. As the report exemplify, "...Union acquiescence was bought by promising a minimum bonus of 130, even if targets are missed, and one of the largest wage rises in the industry." (BMW Report). The organisational skills in communicating these changes the best way possible was mandatory in order to avoid workers unrest or resentment. This seems to be the area of expertise for MBW. The BMW was able to convince the workforce to strike a new working deal with workers union. The BMW hammered a new pay deal that reduced the evening entertainment hours for workers and make them more involved and creative in revamping the company. This way the company was able to cut cost and harness creativity on the part of the employees. BMW believe that 'Employees can make a difference' (BMW Report) Another

The James Bond Franchise Movies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 17

The James Bond Franchise Movies - Essay Example The movies produced in the James Bond franchise strongly reflect the changing American identity and experience. The start of James Bond Films began with the purchase of rights from Ian Fleming by the American CBS television network, to turn the novel, Casino Royale, into a television adventure that would last for one hour (Rubin 23). The television adventure was adapted for screen by Anthony Ellis and Charles Bennett. It starred the American actor, Barry Nelson, as Bond. The movie franchise then developed over time under the auspices of Eon Productions, expanding in terms of business revenues and performance. It currently takes pride as the world’s one of the most experienced and lasting film organization in the world. Most of its movies espouse the events that mark the American experience and identity (Rubin 27). A number of these movies are highlighted below to show how they show and strongly reflect the identity and experience of America. From Russia with Love (1964) was the second movie done by the James Bond Film franchise. It was produced by the Eon Productions. The producers of the film were Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman while the director of the movie was Terence Young. The movie was premised and informed by a novel that had the same title done by Ian Fleming. The movie’s story centers on the mission that James Bond is sent to accomplish, which is to help in the defection of Soviet consulate clerk in Turkey. SPECTRE has arrangements for revenging the killing of Dr. No by Bond (Dodd 125). Red tells Bond â€Å"The first one wont kill you; not the second, not even the third... not till you crawl over here and you KISS MY FOOT!† (Young). The film is quite informative about the experience and identity of America. An analysis of the film presents a picture of how America was during the days and the transformation that had taken effect in the movie industry by then.