Founding fathers Essay

This paper seeks to explore whether America’s founding fathers were men of character and people who were not driven by personal political ambition. Some of the fathers examined in the study include Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams and James Madison (Ellis, 1- 2). Character can be looked at as the personal traits that are attributed to an individual and which guides his intentions. A man of character is that person who lives by principles and motives that are virtuous and desired by the people he is dealing with. These principles and motives should also be acceptable according to the ethical standards set by the society. Personal ambition is when a person sets and focuses on achieving targets which are aimed at individual satisfaction. One is said to be driven by personal ambition if these targets are the motivating factors behind his actions. In the book Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis, the founding fathers were politicians who pursued great ambitions through various avenues. The political rivalry, pride, jealousy and personal ambition however drove them into doing things that do not qualify all of them to be called men of character (Ellis, 10, 16, 23). Nonetheless, most of their activities yielded personal political gratification as well as contributing in some way to the creating of America as a nation. According to Ellis (75), it is due to selfishness and personal interest that the then former secretary of the treasury Alexander Hamilton and sitting Vice president Aaron Burr ended up in a duel that turned out to be fatal as Burr fired a deadly short that killed Alexander. The two men who were on both sides of the political divide: Democratic Republican vs. Federalists allowed their hatred to take charge of their thoughts. Alexander did not like Burr because the later captured a Senate seat from Philip Schuyler who happened to be Hamilton’s father-in-law (Ellis, 172). A man of character at this point would have accepted defeat and allowed democracy to prevail. In addition, Hamilton comes out as a nepotist who placed personal ambition before the interest of the nation for finding it had to accept that Burr defeated his relative Philip Schuyler. The â€Å"despicable opinion† expressed by Alexander against Burr which triggered the argument ending in the duel depicts him as a man who lacked character (Ellis, 113,140). A man of character uses his words wisely in away that does not harm the feelings of his audience but communicates the needed information. Instead of pushing Aaron Burr further in the New York Gubernatorial election by endorsing a candidate who ended up beating Burr and widening their differences, a man of character would have swallowed pride, buried their differences and offered his support or remained neutral to reconcile their differences ( Ellis, 160). This is because men of character appreciate differences of opinion and not taking things personal. However, Hamilton manifested good character by intentionally wasting his bullet and keeping his pre-duel promise by not shooting Burr. The spirited push for the establishment of permanent national capital along the Potomac River was a great fiscal policy that credits him with fighting for the welfare of the nation and not his personal political ambition. His support for Jefferson against Burr due to the latter’s ill intention shows his concern for the nation. According to Ellis (194) we can say with profound confidence that Aaron Burr was not a man of character based on his murder of Hamilton and treason accusation. He comes out as an arrogant man capable of doing anything to acquire power and retain power. Hunger for power is a vice that is not associated with men of character. Even after loosing his Vice-presidency in an election, he was still driven by personal political ambition to the extent of wanting to betray his own nation. This is evident in his conspiracy to steal Louisiana Purchase lands away from the United States and crown himself a King or Emperor (Ellis, 201) Before his election to presidency, Thomas Jefferson and James Adams forged a relationship that contributed immensely to the American nation. It is this good rapport that prompted Hamilton to prefer his candidacy to that of Burr. In spite of all these, his rebellion and disregard of other leaders for not working his way does not reflect his good character but he comes out as a person who prefers things to work out in his way. This can be illustrated by his opposition to George Washington’s policies which were regarded by many as being in the interest of the nation (Ellis, 240). He was also angered by John Adam’s win for presidency which made him to refuse Adam’s attempt to incorporate him into the cabinet. As a man of good character, he should have accepted the gratitude and acknowledgement extended by his friend to serve in the cabinet. This incident also shows that he allowed his personal political ambition to supersede the interest of the nation by refusing to serve in the cabinet. His acts of character assassination on John Adam reveal his hate and unethical conduct (Ellis, 343). However, Adam’s reaction warrants his consideration as a good man who was just trying to help the nation. From his policies and politics, Washington can be considered as a respectable politician who went beyond his personal political ambition to serve the nation. For instance, through the promotion of national unity and highlighting the danger of partisanship and party politics (Ellis, 256). On the issue of slave trade, all of these leaders stand accused especially Madison as a man who lacked character by promoting this form of oppression to develop their nation except Benjamin Franklin who spoke out against it while championing freedom for all (Ellis, 317) Conclusion. Looking at the early political days of the founding fathers, we can conclude that some of them had their personal political ambition that tarnished their good character while others maintained their ethical standards and respect while serving the nation. For instance, controlled by personal political ambition, Thomas Jefferson engaged in activities that eroded his character as a good man. This trend however changed in old age as he tried to repair his faults including reconciling with John Adams (Ellis, 406). From the above discussions, I can conclude that not all founding fathers were men of character who were not driven by personal political ambition. Work Cited Joseph J. Ellis (2001). Founding Brothers. New York: Wheeler Pub Inc.

Search of Identity in Society

Identity can be generally defined as the personal characteristics and traits which differentiate each individual from the other, however in â€Å"The myth of the Latin woman: I just met a girl named Maria† by Cofer, Judith Ortiz and â€Å"The joy of reading and writing: superman and me† by Alexei Sherman, both authors demonstrate the theme identity in a different manner. Judith Cofer portrays how the society often stereotype individuals into groups without a doubt, in this particular essay, the offensive stereotype of Latino women without any particular reason but merely due to their identity.Alexei Sherman in â€Å"The joy of reading and writing: superman and me† also describes how society can have an impact on one’s identity; however Alexei was determined to build himself and challenge the society despite of its expectations. Similarities in this particular comparison overcome the differences; the similarities which are clearly seen between these two sho rt stories are how the society belittles people and stereotype them simply due to their identity. Another common theme between both stories is multiculturalism and how it’s faced.The difference however is how each author dealt with this stereotyping and how they defined their own identity despite of how people interrupted it for them. Expectations can alter the way a person feels about living their life the way they desire. Society determines and expects a role that every individual must perform according to who they are such as: age, gender, race, ethnic etc. In the essay the â€Å"The joy of reading and writing: superman and me†, the author talks about his life as an Indian boy and how writing and reading shaped his life to what it is today.Sherman talks about how as an Indian boy living in a reservation in the United States, Indians were expected to fail and be uneducated; but because he was â€Å"smart, arrogant and lucky† he broke the mold and became a crea tive writer. In Cofer’s case there were no mold’s to be broken but merely society’s perception about Latinas. She collects all the misconceptions of Latin women, comparing them with her personal experiences Our perception of anything can change and the way we view our selves can sometimes be altered by the events that happen in our life, our self-image and self-esteem can be also altered by these events too.Cofer, in her autobiographical short story describes how she feels like an object of sexual desire and a person of lower class because of her Puerto Rican ethnicity. She starts the essay by reliving an incident which happened to her with a drunken man who re-enacted â€Å"Maria† from West Side Story even though she was aggravated, she tried to keep her cool when everyone around her was laughing and applauding. The author shows how the society degrades her because she is simply Latina regardless of the fact that is she an educated women seeking knowledg e from Oxford university.Later she states, â€Å"I do not wear my diplomas around my neck†- By this Cofer implies that there are many other women exactly like her, Latin women who do have the advantage of an education, however other individuals within societies racial misconceptions lead them to believe that every Latin woman is either a â€Å"housemaid† or a â€Å"counter girl†- which is obviously not the case. Cofer continues to subjectively analyses and defends the negative stereotypes that Latin women encounter.Since something can be natural in a determined culture and offensive in another, it is easy to find a variety of behaves that are misunderstood. This misunderstood is what promotes the existence of prejudice. She collects all the misconceptions of Latin women, comparing them with her personal experiences. Eventually the author tries to deliver a message, a â€Å"universal truth†, is to try to replace the old pervasive stereotypes, individuals s hould not be judged entirely due to their place of origin, â€Å"skin color, accent or cloths† but should be seen for who they truly are.Cofer emphasizes that â€Å"we cannot change this (the myth of Latina as whore, domestic or criminal) by legislating the way people look at us the transformation, as I see it, has to occur at a much more individual level†. Again this is something which is also seen in Sherman’s essay and it’s evident from his writing. Sherman says he saw the world in paragraphs, this is a metaphoric term he created.   

Excellence in Customer Service & Organisations

BSBCUS501C Work Related Project Question 1 Excellence in customer service is the objective of all organisations wishing to be successful. However, there is often a gap between customer expectations and management perceptions of customer expectations. Organisations often fail to get close to their customers and correctly read their expectations. Other reasons for customer service problems include: not listening to or collecting information from customers * poor, or no, focus on the actual design of processes to turn identified customer needs into products and services * gaps between what the organisation intends to produce for its customers and what its systems do actually produce * gaps between what the system is intended to deliver for customers and what it actually does deliver * cost constraints, or failure to set and meet realistic performance standards, which affect what the organisation can actually deliver * poor staff attitudes, training levels and working materials * gaps be tween what salespeople promise and the actual service or product quality Source: Zeithaml, Parasuraman & Berry (1990) In approximately 2000 words comment on these statements. By implementing customer feedback strategies, the organisation will be able to discover the company's strengths and potential weaknesses, as set by the actual customer. Reacting on the feedback in a timely and appropriate manner will increase revenues and customer satisfaction.Although a customer feedback programs will be an added cost in the beginning, long term it will save money for the organisation, as it costs far more money to get new customer’s than keep a satisfied, existing customers. Understanding what customers think of the organisation will improve service delivery and quality of products leading to business sustainability. By conducting market research and analysis of customer’s needs and expectations, an understanding of what the customers think about the organisation can enhance the continuous improvement process within the organisation. Customer perceptions are a subjective assessment of actual service experiences. Customer erceptions and customer expectations play an important role in service marketing and are the standards of performance against which service experiences are compared, and often formulated in terms of what a customer believes should or will happen. Supplying reliability to the customer will have the highest influence on the customer’s perception of quality and ability to perform the promised service effectively with efficiency. Responsiveness from employee’s and the willingness of the organisation to help customers and to provide them with a prompt service to deal with their queries, concerns or complaints will determine how the customer perceives the organisation.Giving the customer assurance and inspiring trust and confidence in the product or service supplied will encourage and support the organisations objectives or goals. Showing the customer empathy, caring and individualized attention during the process will enhance the customer’s individual experience with the organisation. By not knowing what customers expect is one of the root causes of not delivering to the customer their expectations. This is the difference between customer expectations of the service and the organisations understanding of those expectations. Unwillingness to ask customers about their expectations will not address current issues, service providers may think that they know what is best for their customers but without research, information and data, they may well be misaligned.Feedback strategies may include electronic feedback mechanisms using intranet, internet and email, feedback forms, questionnaires, formal or informal surveys and interviews or databases and other controls to record and compare data over time. Market segmentation to understand the needs of the market are important. Market segmentation is the grouping of customers sharing similar requirements, expectations and demographic or psychographic profiles. Segmentation is usually done to understand the needs of customers more elaborately or distinctly. When asking customers for their input or feedback, they need to feel as if their opinions matter, they are more likely to continue supporting the organisation if they feel their feedback has been taken seriously and into consideration.Listening to the customer and acting timely on their feedback is important for the organisation, failing to understand a customer’s needs can result in widespread negative comments about the organisation and the loss of customers and potential customers. By not listening to customers and understanding what they need from a product or service will not allow the organisation to maintain its effectiveness in the market place, producing poor quality products or service and effecting overall profitability for the organisation. Each organisation needs to de velop and establish procedures, standards and guidelines for customer service requirements and communicate these to all staff. By establishing courses of action to accomplish specific goals, utilising information and data obtained through feedback will assist in identifying and acting upon the customer’s needs.These may be established through strategic or action plans that identifies the customer’s need, arranges for, and obtains resources needed to accomplish the desired goals and objectives. By collecting information and data, planning areas for improvement that will improve the final output, will increase the quality of the service or product supplied. Identifying and acting timely on these inputs will ensure a competitive edge is maintained for the organisation. Identifying existing and potential problems or issues and obtaining relevant information about the problem will ensure the specific or root cause of the problem is identified. Once this has been achieved re commendations and corrective actions can be developed and proposed for implementation.By performing a gap analysis to measure the organisations current performance against their desired outcomes can identify areas for improvement. Analysing data and quantifying the information will establish where the organisation currently is and where they need to be. Gaps may exist in various stages of the input process that affects the outcome. Poor quality raw materials or excessively priced materials will directly affect the quality and cost of the final product or service. Gaps may exist in the process and need to be identified promptly. Ensuring all customers internal and external are part of the review process ensures opportunities for improvement are identified and acted upon timely.Gaps or areas for improvement need to be identified so quality products or service can be maintained. Employee loyalty needs to be earned, rather than assumed and this is achieved through commitment and communi cation by the management team. Organisations need to express and act on a commitment to develop employee’s career objectives by introducing initiatives that make employees believe that their current job is the best path to achieving their career goals, delivering customer satisfaction and feeling valued within the workplace. By including opportunities for personal growth and investing in the professional development of people within the organisation will improve outputs.Identifying correct resources and developing well-defined career paths and conducting analyses of current practices will highlight these areas where training, mentoring, and coaching, or areas of improvement are required within the organisation. Establishing effective working relationships among team members and participating in solving problems and making decisions allows employees to be empowered and part of the process, increasing participation levels and drive to complete desired changes. Communication to employees and customers, expressing ideas and information clearly and concisely, sharing information will all assist with accomplishing the goals or vision set out. A common characteristic of successful services is teamwork. A feeling of teamwork is created when employees see other employees and management as key members of the team.The lowest-level employee must feel that management; from their immediate supervisor to the CEO of the company, cares about them and that they are a critical part of the organisation’s success. This is achieved when every employee is involved in the organisation’s decision process and committed to providing a high level of service to customers, the company and to other employees. Cost constraints can affect the quality or price of the final service or product. Good purchasing practices are integral to organisational success. Developing budgets and resource plans, managing materials, equipment or labour will create quality products for custo mers. During the planning process of resource procurement, identifying the need is the first step in the process.Organisations may be required to upgrade the current capacity of buildings or machinery used in the process to meet new orders or upgraded products. Investment funding may be necessary if new plant and facilities are needed. Skills of the workforce may need to be improved or obtained to operate new systems and produce the new product or service effectively. A raw material needs to be assessed for cost and quality as an input. If materials are too highly priced the end product would be too expensive for the consumer, equally, if the materials were of poor quality, the end product may not reach the customers expectation levels, in each case the consumer would be hesitant in purchasing the goods or product.Ensuring a timely supply of raw materials enables the organisation to supply a constant flow of service or product outputs. Healthy cash flow is essential if business is t o respond to changing demands and requirements in any production activity. Quality management of resources bring together all inputs, ensuring that these are timely and consistent that will achieve quality products and an effective, efficient workforce. Employee’s need to understand the needs of the customer and what they actually require. By understanding who the customers are, both internally and externally, and actively listening to the customers to identify their needs, the employees can then check that customer needs have been met.Proactively engaging with customers to understand their needs and gaining feedback will highlight areas for improvement. Employee attitudes can affect an organisation's growth and profitability. Early detection and resolution of employee attitude problems can minimize the effect of poor performance and strained relationships within the workplace. Recent organisational changes may have contributed to changes in employee attitudes that may not ha ve clearly described the role requirements. Employee’s attitudes may have changed based on the availability of resources necessary to perform their job functions or because of poor relationships with supervisors and managers. In some cases, the employee's job functions may be too challenging for their skill set.Training informally or formally utilising mentoring, coaching or external facilitation may be required. To perform their job role according to the organisational standards, employees must have the correct equipment and resources. The equipment needs to be in good condition and the employees must have the knowledge and training to properly use the equipment to enhance the quality of their work. Retaining customers through effective customer service enables easier growth, indirectly and directly by sustaining healthier volumes and margins, and by business expansion from word-of-mouth referrals. An improved level of customer retention through effective customer service al so improves staff morale, motivation and an increased productivity.Improved employee morale and motivation resulting from reducing customer attrition also positively benefits staff retention and turnover. Improving customer service, especially empowering and listening to customer service staff, offers many organisations a bigger return on investment. Employees who follow established procedures and guidelines for customer service and who are committed to customer needs, presenting themselves in a polite manner even under situations of high pressure can quickly attend to the customer’s requirements. Understanding the level of service required ensuring quality procedures are followed in providing services and taking corrective actions where possible to meet the customer’s needs will re-enforce the organisations commitment to service quality.Providing frequent and clear concise communication from management on what is expected and how the service is to be performed will su pport established policies and procedures. Providing employees with constructive feedback to help them understand how the service is to be performed and what management expects from the service, will provide employees with product and service knowledge so they can perform their jobs in a professional manner. Training employees in the correct methods of performing the service and how to communicate effectively with customers, supervisors and with other employees will enhance professionalism within the organisation.The quality of service delivers results in customer satisfaction and their retention, as it reinforces the perception that the value of the service received is greater than the price paid for it. Promises are made to consumers by organisations advertising using sales promotions and sales staff to promote products and services. These promises may be explicitly stated or they may be implied that the organisation can offer these services. If the organisation does not provide t he service that is promised, there is a gap between what customers expect and the service received. To increase customer exposure, organisations are tempted to make promises that may be difficult or even impossible to deliver.Communication through these channels tends to raise customer expectations and set certain standards to assess the service in the minds of customers. Any discrepancy between promised and actual service tends to broaden the customer gap. The tendency to over promise increases with pressure to achieve greater profits or to meet competitive claims. In both cases, severe damage to the organisations image can occur since it is unlikely the organisation can fulfil the service as promised. Each organisation should ensure that what they say they can offer, they will give to the customer as promised. This forms the backbone of the service bundle established by the organisation to achieve expected customer service.

Visual Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Visual Analysis - Essay Example The picture comprises of four groups of human elements. These are: Batman, Batkid, a policeman and people on the street. Non-human elements in the photo include trees, buildings, batman’s motor vehicle, a bicycle and another motor vehicle. In the picture’s foreground we see Batman, Batkid and an automobile. Batman is seen to be standing and encouraging Batkid in the picture. In the picture, Batman is portrayed as wearing his â€Å"Batman’s† costume as is usually the case in sci-fi movies when he is fighting villains. On Batman’s side we see Batkid who seems anxious and somehow agitated. Batkid has worn a costume that is similar to the costume that Batman is wearing. However, Batkid has put on black shoes with orange laces unlike Batman who is wearing black boots with black laces. From Bat kid’s left side there is a motor vehicle, the vehicle has Batman’s emblem engraved on its hood. The vehicle in the picture seems to be a sports car, most probably a Lamborghini. It is assumed that this is Batman’s automobile. In the picture, it seems as though Batman and Batkid have just alighted from Batman’s automobile. In the background of the picture various objects are visible. The background of a picture can indicate the location of a picture (Lester, 2006). The picture shows Batman’s vehicle as having stopped at a passenger crossing on a street. Behind the vehicle there are trees which have green leaves. This shows that the picture could either have been taken during summer time or the start of the autumn. From the picture, we are also able to view a block of buildings. The buildings are behind the trees and are made of concrete. The buildings seem to be modern and thus we can conclude that the picture was shot on a city street. In the background of the picture we are also able to view an audience that seems very elated to see Batman and Batkid. Many of the audience in the picture are wearing coats. T his could be because of cold weather and thus we can conclude that the picture was taken during autumn. From the picture we can also observe a policeman behind Batman and Batkid. The policeman is in a vehicle that is opposite Batman’s vehicle and is seen to be peeking outside the vehicle’s window. Focal Point Batkid is the focal point of The Batkid picture. The main point of focus in an image is its focal point (Lester, 2006). From the picture it is evident that the main point of focus was on Batman and Batkid with a lot of emphasis laid on Batkid. While taking the picture, the photographer seemed to have focused more on Batman and Batkid as compared to events happening in their background. The photographer seems to have especially paid greater attention to Batkid, trying to bring out the finer details of Batkid. The photographer is able to capture Batkid’s belt which has Batman’s emblem. The photo also lays some emphasis on Batkid’s gait. Colors T he most abundant color in the picture is the black color. Various elements in the photo are colored black or have black adornment. Batkid has a black costume which is also the case for Batman’s costume. The vehicle that Batman and Batkid seem to have alighted from is a black vehicle. From the background of the photo we are able to see a fan of Batman, behind the vehicle, who is wearing a black coat. Many of the audience in the photo are also dressed in black coats. The tarmac on which Batman’

The Increasingly Changing Immigration Policies Research Paper

The Increasingly Changing Immigration Policies - Research Paper Example The ‘Geneva Convention’ provided refuge to millions of Refugees in the post world war period until the Cold War of the 1980s and it set the basis of immigration policies and laws in most of the countries. But in the post-Cold War period till today it has been faced with a number of issues and as a result of a number of member states especially the European countries have begun straying away from the basic policy, in order to block the huge flow of migrants every year due to the insufficiencies of the convention. It is an undeniable fact that the ‘Geneva Convention’ was the foundation of the Refugee protection regime and was the one truly universal instrument that gave basic principles on which the international protection of Refugees was built. But the essence of disapproval of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention is that it is archaic. The treaty was formulated in and for a specific era. While Western countries' refuge structures might have managed well enough un til the end of the Cold War, they were not intended to counter the current mass refugee outflows and migratory activities. The United Kingdom had a long custom of migration. Due to its ownership of a large number of colonies all over the world, the UK has been the centre for asylum seeker, working immigrants and refugees. Despite the huge influx of refugees in the UK even in the post-cold war period, the policy system was rather reactive in nature and a decentralized approach was maintained to the refugee issue until 1993. Politicization of the migration policies in most of the European countries since 1970s was rather less intensified in the UK’s case.

Mentoring Programme Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mentoring Programme - Assignment Example The mentor believed that this element of experiential learning would assist the mentee in understanding how to communicate and respond during the important interview process. It was also believed, initially, that role playing would increase the willingness to engage and communicate with the mentor successfully. The mentoring program was also structured to include elements of transformational leadership, whereby the mentor leader utilises inspirational attitudes, role models desired behaviours, and impart a specific vision or mission to give the mentee a specific focus and goal (Fairholm 2009). The goal was to improve the mentee’s interest in strategic thinking to achieve long-term gains, however literature on leadership suggests that in order to motivate and encourage, change must be negotiated between two different parties (Grieves 2010). This is why there was significant emphasis on utilising contemporary leadership theory to better enthuse the mentee and make them intrinsic ally focused on achieving the mentoring program objectives. Increasing communications skills of the mentee was very successful and it is attributed to utilising the role playing exercises. The first method of improving communications was to remove noise that complicated receipt of positive feedback for the mentor. Noise is any specific factor that prevents a message from getting through to the receiver (Mullins 2010). During the first and second mentoring sessions, the mentor discovered that the mentee was quite reserved and her uneasy and anxious emotional state was preventing the message from being received properly, thereby serving as negative noise. By engaging the mentee through role playing, it seemed to establish a sense of trust that reduced anxiety and allowed the mentee to provide feedback illustrating that the concepts being taught and discussed were understood and could be applied practically to real-world business scenarios. The mentor realised, also, that the mentee ma intained many unrealistic perceptual filters that were serving to complicate the communications process. The mentee maintained many assumptions and expectations about the commercial environment, noticeable in the first three sessions. The mentee believed that job qualifications were not as important a how the job seeker presented themselves and communicated in order to find a job position. There seemed to be a culturally-developed set of beliefs, though not realistic, that the mentee could find employment without the necessary and listed credentials on job descriptions simply by creating an outstanding cover letter along with the CV submission. These perceptual filters were serving as noise and created moderate resistance to change when the mentor attempted to reinforce the absolute importance of having the proper credentials to achieve landing a position with a desired company. To overcome this element of noise, the mentor found many different research articles showing that it was absolutely critical to gain employability and educational skills to

Structured decision making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Structured decision making - Essay Example Disagreements, if any, are made transparent, thus enabling the stakeholders to use new perspectives or knowledge for re-evaluation. The process also helps come up with decisions that are of higher quality, transparent, informed and respond to the values of stakeholders involved. It also evaluates and identifies alternative options for resource management through the engagement of experts, stakeholders and decision-makers in the process while addressing the uncertainty in management of resources in a transparent and proactive manner. The scholars note that the results from associated technical, social and economic analyses that should predict the performance of a particular solution make more relevance when measured in regard to what makes the most sense according to the stakeholders. This makes it easier, over time, to make responses to changes within a system of management. This tool would be best used where there is difficulty in making a decision regarding a resource management, for instance improving water quality, the main end objective being the restoration of ecosystem health. The decision makers involved would explore other objectives such as the traditionally scientific like the maintenance of environmental health and the value based like creating recreational opportunities before coming up with the ultimate decision (Wilson & Arvai, 2011). Other objectives would include restoration of vegetation and also provision of habitat for

Managing Business Processes& Information Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing Business Processes& Information - Essay Example In the recent phenomenon, it has been widely considered that customers are among the biggest assets of any form of business in the modern day business scenario. The performance of any business unit is therefore largely dependent on the approaches and perceptions of the customers towards the business and its products and/or services (Brandi, 2001). Subsequently, the concept of customer service comes into being. Aspects, such as gaining customer loyalty and their retention over a long time-period, comprise the approach of the companies towards managing the customers effectively. Theoretically, customer’s services are referred to the provisions or the approaches followed by contemporary business units in serving their customers with the sole intention to augment their brand value and correspondingly, increase brand loyalty for the products/services on offer under the brand. It is the process that companies follow while dealing with the customers before and after the purchase of t he product to ensure highest possible satisfaction to the buyers. This not only facilitates companies to attain maximisation of their profit level but also ensures the overall sustainable development of the company, assisting it to suffice the stakeholders’ interests to a substantial extent. As per the principle of customer services, organisations are also directed to be responsive towards the complaints of the customers and their expectations from the business and strategize their move accordingly in alignment with the market trends (Slack, & et. al., 2011; Svendsen, 1998). This will make sure that the customers are satisfied, rewarding maximum loyalty to the business units, which further determines due compliance of the statement by Dr. W Edwards Deming - â€Å"Keep the customers coming back; not the products.† In this context, the paper intends to conduct an elaborate discussion on the statement of Dr. W. Edwards Deming with focus on its central theme. Furthermore, the paper also emphasises replicating the various dimensions of the statement by illustrating the case scenario witnessed in Tesco, a global retail chain that is currently dealing with the problem of weak customer services. Accordingly, certain recommendations for improvement will also be provided to the same. Explaining the Central Focus of the Statement – â€Å"Keep the Customers Coming Back; Not the Products† by Dr. W Edwards Deming It is evident that customers are one of the most prominent stakeholders for any sort of business and they tend to have a direct and strong impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the business through responding to the company’s operation. Thus, it is important that in order to attract the attention of the customers, companies need to come up with various diverse ideas in order to preserve the interests of the customers as intact towards the business for a longer period of time. Contextually, it can be

Definition of the Term Poor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Definition of the Term Poor - Essay Example The conversation inevitably turned to the suitability of this individual to handle the task at hand. Keenly aware of the fact that someone was being judged in this matter, I listened closely for any determination; fully aware that whatever was decided would impact me specifically. What I heard was my mother and father agree that the woman was not suitable due to the fact that she was incredibly poor. At the time this made a large impact on me; as I realized that people’s abilities and talents could be classified with respect to whether they were poor or not. Within our entire culture, the term â€Å"poor† has taken on a highly pejorative meaning. Individuals are summarily grouped between those that can be classified as â€Å"poor† and those that cannot. As with many pejorative words, the actual meaning behind the word â€Å"poor† differs significantly from what is connoted when this word is so carelessly and continually thrown around by the likes of politi cians, news pundits, and stakeholders at every level within society. In seeking to understand this term to a more full and complete degree, the following analysis will consider the direct denoted meaning of the word as well as the connotations that it espouses within the current culture. Firstly, it must be understood that â€Å"poor† in its most basic denoted meaning merely involves the state of being without; and/or having a very small amount of something. Generally, this denoted meaning involves money or financial instruments of some variety. However, within the connoted meaning of the word, the societal participant is lead to understand that this involves a lack of education, propensity to crime, oftentimes even a certain socio-demographic. From the connoted and denoted meanings that have thus far been defined, it can be fairly securely understood what specifically defines â€Å"poor† within the current culture and society. Yet, it must also be understood that the term itself is incapable of defining many of the connoted meanings that have been referenced. As was described, the traditional definition has to do with material want; not personality traits and/or a proclivity away from education. These connoted meanings only act as a disservice to the way in which people understand what poverty and poor actual means. As a direct result of this misunderstanding, the definition of poor has come to take on a life all its own. One thing that should be manifestly clear, a topic that is not often discussed, is the fact that even though poor has a level of impact with regards to material possession, it cannot begin to define the level of skills, talents, ideas, creativity, passion, work ethic, motivation, or intelligence that a person has. Merely because poor can help to define the net worth of an individual in monetary terms should not be misconstrued to mean that it is somehow equally useful for delineating the overall net worth of a person physically , psychologically, emotionally or spiritually (Hom 391). By their very nature, humans seek to define and categorize information into easily understandable facts.  Ã‚  

Final Exam Essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Final Exam Essays - Essay Example â€Å"Use Immunity† is a bit narrower in its classification in terms of what can be used within the trial and what the Fifth Amendment Privilege protects. In use immunity, statements made by the witness cannot be used against the immunized person. At the same time, the persecution is not in agreement that it will not persecute the person given use immunity. This type of immunity does not give definite protection under the Fifth Amendment privilege; at a later date, the court under independent or untainted types of evidence may persecute the person. Finally, testifying without asserting one’s right against self-incrimination wouldn’t receive transactional immunity, but is a viable candidate for use immunity. These are two of the three different types of immunity classified under ones Fifth Amendment rights. â€Å"Sovereign Immunity† is the immunity that says that the state or government entity cannot commit legal wrongdoing. It is based in the English roots of our country, generally exalting the concept that the crown or higher governmental power is always right. For this reason, it is sometimes called â€Å"Crown Immunity.† Much like the name, sovereign immunity holds a state or federal entity immune from any or criminal prosecution unless they expressly consent to waiving this right. This is true in many cases where the United States, the concept of sovereign immunity is waived by the government or the government gives its consent to suit. The differentiation between federal and state sovereign immunity is defined and explained, though it isn’t the most clear-cut outline and is constantly being debated. in the eleventh amendment, it describes suits between the federal government and states, between states themselves and between individuals in different states. Fe derally, the government prefers to

3 Ps Self-Assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

3 Ps Self-Assessment - Assignment Example These were due to unavoidable circumstances that were explained to respective lectures in advance. My interpersonal relations with both lecturers and students have also been good without even a single reported case of conflict. This is because I always respect people’s opinions and personality and I have excellent communication skills towards approaching people (Lambert, p. 3-6). My level of preparation for class work has similarly been outstanding with a 46 points rating. This includes my readiness with respect to assignments, presentations, and class readings. My assignments and presentations have always been done and reviewed in time, before submission time, a fact that has facilitated my excellence as I have always had time for revision and editing of my work. Both lectures and classmates have also recommended my preparedness for class readings (Lambert, p. 3-6). My participation is similarly highly rated at 45 points. While I am always ready to participate in discussions and class exercises, I normally allow other people to participate and only engage when called upon. The relatively lower score in my participation can be explained by my passive nature (Lambert, p.

Morality and the crucible Essay Example for Free

Morality and the crucible Essay Morality is the distinction between right and wrong. It is the determination of what should be done and what should not be done; or what is right and what is wrong. Morals deal with behaviors as well as motives. All humans live by some set of morals especially religious people. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, this is clearly evident. It is about the puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts and the hunt for witches. Many people are falsely accused of witchcraft. Throughout this account of history key characters have to make choices that challenge their beliefs and ethics. They must decide whether to do what is right, and fight against a lie, or do what’s wrong and give in to the lie to save their own lives. Elizabeth Proctor is one of those who fought for the truth, therefore she; in my opinion is the most moral character in the story. Elizabeth is the wife of John Proctor; reserved, honest, slow to complain, and dutiful. She and her husband share a similarly strict adherence to justice and moral principles. She has great confidence in her own morality and in the ability of a person to maintain a sense of righteousness even when this principle conflicts with strict Christian doctrine. She is well known throughout the village for being a very Christian woman, knowing all her commandments. Whenever her husband is confused or indecisive about something, she leads him onto the path of justice. For example, she urges him to stop the witch trials by revealing the truth about Abigail’s sinful, deceitful ways. When Her husband has to decide whether to be killed or confess to witchcraft, she doesn’t want him to give into a corrupt and unjust society. Although she doesn’t wish to lose her husband, she still doesn’t sidestep her morals and beliefs. Even at the end, when Proctor decides to die instead of signing a confession that would have been a lie, she doesn’t try to fight his decision but shows respect for his righteous choice when she says, He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him! † This shows that not only her own, but her husbands morals as well, were important to her. Out of all the characters in the Crucible, Elizabeth proved to be the most moral. In a society where it’s either, accuse or be accused, she chose to stick to her morals even if it meant her demise. She made a decision that was righteous in her eyes. â€Å"Often in true tests of moral character where people are tempted to deceive, be dishonest, or take advantage of each other, there are few who truly succeed. † This statement proved true, especially during the witch hunt, but Elizabeth Proctor was able to come out as one who succeeded in standing her grounds and protecting her morality.

A Study On Hookes Law Mechanics Essay

A Study On Hookes Law Mechanics Essay HOOKES LAW: Hookes lawof elasticity is an approximation that states that the extension of a spring is in direct proportion with the load added to it as long as this load does not exceed the elastic limit. Materials for which Hookes law is a useful approximation are known as linear elasticor Hookean materials. If a metal is lightly stressed, a temporary deformation permitted by an elastic displacement of atoms in space takes place. Removal of stress results in a gradual return of metal to its original shape. Mathematically, Hookes law states that Where, xis the displacement of the end of the spring from its equilibrium position; Fis the restoring force exerted by the material; and kis theforce constant(orspring constant). DIAGRAMATICALLY:- When no weight is applied to the spring, the strain is zero, And, we can measure its length,. and when we apply a force F to the spring It stretches And it extends length,x, that is, the strain, caused by the stress is F = mg. Also, In terms of mechanics hooks state that:- â€Å"For an elastic material stress applied on a body is directly proportional to the strain produced† That is, à Ã†â€™ ÃŽÂ ± e Or à Ã†â€™ = E e Where, à Ã†â€™ is the stress applied e is the strain developed E is the YOUNGS MODULUS OF ELASTICITY Now STRESS it is the force causing the deformation. It is measured in units of force per unit area of cross-section (N.m-2) denoted byà Ã†â€™(sigma). That is à Ã†â€™= F/A Units of stress are Pascal Strain is the deformation that takes place in the body. It is the ratio of the increase in length,DLto the original length (L), Represented by symbolÃŽÂ µ(epsilon) or e. That is e=DL/L It is dimensionless. And according to hooks law: à Ã†â€™ = E e Or, E = à Ã†â€™/e Putting values of stress and strain in above equation we get:- E = FÃÆ'-L/AÃÆ'-DL Youngs modulus of elasticity (E) is defined as the ratio of unit stress to unit strain . GENERALIZED HOOKS LAW: The generalized Hookes Law can be used to predict the deformations caused in a given material by an arbitrary combination of stresses. The linear relationship between stress and strain applies for The generalized Hookes Law also reveals that strain can exist without stress. For example, if the member is experiencing a load in the y-direction (which in turn causes a stress in the y-direction), the Hookes Law shows that strain in the x-direction does not equal to zero. This is because as material is being pulled outward by the y-plane, the material in the x-plane moves inward to fill in the space once occupied, just like an elastic band becomes thinner as you try to pull it apart. In this situation, the x-plane does not have any external force acting on them but they experience a change in length. Therefore, it is valid to say that strain exist without stress in the x-plane. STRESS-STRAIN CURVE:- Thestress-straincurve is a graphical representation of the relationship betweenstress, derived from measuring the load applied on the sample, andstrain, derived from measuring thedeformationof the sample, i.e. elongation, compression, or distortion. The nature of the curve varies from material to material. ELASTIC LIMIT: The elastic limit is where the graph departs from a straight line. If we go past it, the spring wont go back to its original length. When we remove the force, were left with apermanent extension. Below the elastic limit, we say that the spring is showing elastic behaviour: the extension is proportional to the force, and itll go back to its original length when we remove the force. Beyond the elastic limit, we say that it shows plastic behaviour. This means that when a force is applied to deform the shape, it stays deformed when the force is removed. YIELD POINT: Theyield strengthoryield pointof a materialis defined in engineering and material science as the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically . Prior to the yield point the material will deform elastically and will return to its original shape when the applied stress is removed. Once the yield point is passed some fraction of the deformation will be permanent and non-reversible. True elastic limit: The lowest stress at whichdislocationsmove. This definition is rarely used, since dislocations move at very low stresses, and detecting such movement is very difficult. Proportionality limit: Up to this amount of stress, stress is proportional to strain hookes law so the stress-strain graph is a straight line, and the gradient will be equal to the elastic modulus of the material. Elastic limit (yield strength): Beyond the elastic limit, permanent deformation will occur. The lowest stress at which permanent deformation can be measured. This requires a manual load-unload procedure, and the accuracy is critically dependent on equipment and operator skill. For elastomers such as rubber the elastic limit is much larger than the proportionality limit. Also, precise strain measurements have shown that plastic strain begins at low stresses. Offset yield point (proof stress) This is the most widely used strength measure of metals, and is found from the stress-strain curve. A plastic strain of 0.2% is usually used to define the offset yield stress, although other values may be used depending on the material and the application. The offset value is given as a subscript, e.g., Rp0.2=310 MPa. In some materials there is essentially no linear region and so a certain value of strain is defined instead. Although somewhat arbitrary, this method does allow for a consistent comparison of materials. Upper yield point and lower yield point Some metals, such as mild steel reach an upper yield point before dropping rapidly to a lower yield point. The material response is linear up until the upper yield point, but the lower yield point is used in structural engineering as a conservative value. If a metal is only stressed to the upper yield point, and beyond rubber band can develop. NUMERICALS:- Q1) When a 13.2-kg mass is placed on top of a vertical spring, the spring compresses 5.93 cm. Find the force constant of the spring. Solution: Mass = 13.2 kg Weight = 13.2ÃÆ'-9.8 = 129 Compression (x) = 5.93 = 0.0593 m From Hookes Law: F = kx The force on the spring is the weight of the object, i.e.(F) = 129 N Putting values of force and compression in above equation; 129 = (0.0593) ÃÆ'- k Or, k = 2181 N/m Answer Q2) A 3340 N ball is supported vertically by a 2m diameter steel cable assuming cable has a length of 10m, determine stress and strain in the cable. Youngs modulus for steel is 200N/sq.m. Solution: Force (F) = 3340N Diameter = 2m Radius (r) = 1m Length of cable = 10m Youngs modulus (E) = 200N/sq.m Now we know, Stress (à Ã†â€™) = F/A Area = = 3.14ÃÆ'-1ÃÆ'-1 = 3.14 So, à Ã†â€™ = 3340/3.14 à Ã†â€™ = 1063.69N/m.sq Also, strain (e) = à Ã†â€™/E Putting values e = 1063.69/200 e =5.3184 Answer Q3) If a spring has a spring constant of 400 N/m, how much work is required to compress the spring 25.0 m from its undisturbed position? Solution: spring constant (K) = 400 N/m compression (x) = 25m we know, force required for compression:- F = kx i.e. F = 40025 = 10000N and work done = force x compression w = F x X w = 10000 x 25 w = 25,000 Joules Answer Q4) On a of steel rod of length 15m and diameter 6m a force of 60N is applied. Calculate the extension and new length of the rod. Youngs modulus of steel is 250N/m.sq. Solution: : Force (F) = 60 N Diameter = 6m So, Radius (r) = 3m Length (L) = 15 m Youngs modulus (E) = 250N/m.sq. Now, Area (A) A = 3.14 x 3 x 3 A = 28.26 sq.m Also, , E = FÃÆ'-L/AÃÆ'-DL Or, DL = FÃÆ'-L/AÃÆ'-E DL = 60ÃÆ'-15/28.26ÃÆ'-250 DL = 0.127m SO, new length = 15+0.127 L = 15.127m ANSWER REFERENCES:- 1) www.physicsworld.com 2) www.wikipedia.org 3) www.123iitjee.com 4) www.physicsforum.com 5) www.matter.org.content/HookesLaw 6) www.webphysics.davidson.edu/hook 7) www.scienceworld.com

Phenomenological Perspective And Theoretical Framework Sociology Essay

Phenomenological Perspective And Theoretical Framework Sociology Essay The aim in this chapter is to offer the foundations on which I base my methodological approach and data analysis. In this section I will clarify theoretical issues which I have examined and informed my work. I outline a framework that highlights the interconnectedness of the macro and micro in explicating the actions and policies of local government in implementing the renewed race relations approach. In this regard, the chapter covers a range of important issues and introduces a number of theoretical concepts relating to race relations and equality. For work of this sort to have meaning it has to embody a rigorous conceptual analysis which underpin a critical theory approach. These definitions are located in a broader theory of oppression and intrinsic discrimination and inequality. Below are the concepts which have informed my approach, these concepts will allow me to examine and understand the complex situation. Phenomenological perspective To state that research doesnt happen in vacuum / isolation acknowledgement of historical and social influences will shape the research Objectivity/subjectivity Positionality Structuration theory Through social action that structures and agency are shaped. Rejects Parsons functionalism subjectivity And also hermeneutics approach on agency He argues his theory of structuration reveals how the micro (personal) is shaped by the macro (social systems) Read Positioning chapter in 1984 book. Social practices ordered across space and time refer to the actions of individuals and groups understood in their social, cultural and historical context. A key element of this theory, therefore, is the attempt to understand reality in terms of structure the significance of social divisions and other aspects of social organisation and agency the exercise of choice. While many forms of social theory address either structure or agency, structuration theory is characterised by a focus on structure and agency and the ways in which they are intertwined. In understanding the ability to participate in community matters what is needed then is an appreciation of both structure and agency. It is not a matter of either or, nor is it an underemphasising of the role of agency by concentrating on the social structures to the almost total exclusion of issues of choices, intentions, wishes, fears and aspirations, or an overemphasising of the role of agency, failing to recognise the power role of social structure in shaping, enabling and constraining the actions of individuals and groups. Our agency is rooted in the complexities of social systems but is not determined by them. Racism, discrimination and oppression are also imbedded in those social systems. Power Power is a central feature of the struggle to promote social justice and equality. It is envisaged power in this study will be played out in many ways. In a practical sense, it is the local government who holds the power both with policy and resources (staff, time, organisation, money), in this case the dominant party, to eliminate the inequalities faced by minority groups. Power analysis is useful in identifying resistance to change as this does not rely solely on the While in the workings of organisations power is transparent in the formal decision-making process, work by Hunter study of decision makers and places of net-working , Mills study of power elite, Bachrach and Baratzs power is,exercised by containing the scope of decision-making to relatively safe issues (p. 6). Steven Lukes (1974) three dimensional framework of power identify other ways in which power may operate. In this study I am informed by Lukess three dimensional framework of power as it illuminates the different dimensions where power operates. Lukes theory is built on earlier theories on power which he addresses in his book Radical View. Dahls one dimensional model of power is conceived of as intentional and active in the political arena by political actor groups, and power consists in defeating the opponents preferences. The focus is on decision-making behavior on issues where there is an observable conflict of subjective interests as revealed by policy preferences. Criticism of this view, is that power is not only reflected in concrete decisions. Individuals can limit decision-making to non-controversial issues by keeping certain topics off the agenda and argued that power should be analysed by two-dimensional model of power. According to Lukes, the two-dimensional view of power is limited in that it focuses only on observable conflicts, whether overt or covert. Lukes claims power can also by influencing, shaping, or determining his wants and preferences. Another second criticism is that this view is too committed to behaviorism, that is to the study of concrete decisions, whereas inaction can also be the outcome of socially structured and culturally patterned collective behavior. The third point on which this view is seen as inadequate is in its claim that non-decision-making power only exists where there are grievances which are denied entry into the political process in the form of issues. However, Lukes argues that power can be also exercised by preventing grievances by shaping perceptions and preferences in such a way as to secure the acceptance of the status quo since no alternative appears to exist, or because it is seen as natural and unchangeable. This he refers to as the insidious/invisible third dimension of power, through which the relatively powerless came to internalise and accept their own condition, and thus might not be awa re of nor act upon their interests in any observable way. Lukes third face of power was inspired by Gramscis ideas about hegemony and manufacture of consent as the means by which the willing compliance of workers is secured in capitalist societies. In practical terms, Gramscis insights about how power is constituted in the realm of ideas and knowledge expressed through consent rather than force. Lukes contrasts two meanings of hegemony: the first as an unconscious psychological process that is cultural and internalised, and the second a more conscious, wilful and coordinated strategy of domination. Hinson and Healey (2003, 4) further write that [Invisible power] is exercised in part through control of the institutions that shape and create meaning: religious institutions, the media, mass consumer culture, popular ideas about government, etc. Although the concept of power is used, it is itself is highly contested. What accounts for the highly contested nature of the concept of power? One explanation is that how we conceptualize power is shaped by the political and theoretical interests that we bring to the study of power  Lukes 2005, p63.   Some theorists define power as getting someone else to do what you want them to do (power-over) whereas others define it more broadly as an ability or a capacity to act (power-to). Many very important analyses of power in political science, sociology, and philosophy presuppose the former definition of power (power-over). As Steven Lukes notes, Dahls one-dimensional view of power, Bachrach and Baratzs two-dimensional view, and his own three-dimensional view are all variations of the same underlying conception of power, according to which A exercises power over B when A affects B in a manner contrary to Bs interests (1974, 30). Similarly, but from a very different theoretical background, Michel Foucaults highly influential analysis presupposes that power is a kind of power-over; and he puts it, if we speak of the structures or the mechanisms of power, it is only insofar as we suppose that certain persons exercise power over others (1983, 217). Feminists refer to this kind of relation as a specific kind of power-over relation, namely, one that is unjust and oppressive, they also refer to this kind of relation as oppression, patriarchy, subjection, and domination to those over whom power is exercised, this oppressive power will be discussed below. For the above section should I include Huner and Mills ways in which way power is used to manage people , manipulation and coercion see separate document how power works Global effects local While this is local community study, I am drawing upon the study of international developmental work by Gaventa and colleagues. Firstly, they contend that effects of globalisation have changed the spatial relations of power, therefore, power increasingly should be understood not only at the local, national or the global level, but also in their inter-relationships p4 (ESRC undated). The ripple effects of 9/11 in the US and the increase in Islamophobia, the renewed race relations can be seen in this context. Places where power is held Although in the past it was the local government who controlled and made the decisions in the city and neighbourhoods, governance is now characterised by multiple intersecting actors, arenas and networks. The decision making arenas in which power may be found have become increasingly more varied and porous. Especially with the increase in arms-length-companies, social enterprises (joint private and public projects). Therefore attention to the decision-making in such spaces require equal focus in the study of power and decision makers. Who says they have become more porous? Gaventa There are different approaches to understanding and analysing power, I will use the powercube approach offered by by Gaventa and team which is based on Lukes three faces dimensions of power three faces. The power cube is an analytical device, which can be used along with other approaches to reflect on and analyse how strategies for change in turn change power relations: The approach, developed over the years is largely based on studies of community groups based in southern hemisphere. The theoretical approach grew originally as a way of exploring how powerful actors control the agenda through and the ability of less powerful actors to build their awareness and action for change.   The powercube is a framework for analysing the  levels,  spaces  and  forms  of power, and their  interrelationship.   It is useful in exploring various aspects of power and how they interact with each other.   The  levels  dimension of the powercube refers to the differing layers of decision-making and authority held on a vertical scale, including the  local,national  and  global. The  spaces  dimension of the powercube refers to the potential arenas for participation and action, including what we call  closed,  invited  and  claimedspaces. The  forms  dimension refers to the ways in which power manifests itself, including its  visible,  hidden  and  invisible  forms. The powercube can build on and be used to further explore the  expression of power:   power over, power to, power with, and power within. In the study, where the dominant group have to bring about change for minority groups, expressions of power such as power-over by actors who are instructed to make changes. The power lens will also help to identify partnerships which help to generate power-with across wider range of actors/ groups. The empirical work should highlight power-within as minority communities self-determine within the community to work towards improving their lives. In this respect, the power lens will illuminate sources of claimed space by the mobilisation of networks and supporters within the neighbourhood. John Gaventa takes invisible power further. In the powercube, invisible power need not be limited to intentional acts of thought control by the powerful, but can also be seen as self-reproducing social processes in which the thinking and behaviour of the powerful and powerless alike are conditioned by pervasive norms. Invisible power in the powercube can therefore embrace both meanings of hegemony its structure and agency and points to the need for appropriate strategies for engaging with both forms of invisible or internalised power. This third face of power is likewise treated by VeneKlasen and Miller (2002) as a multidimensional barrier to effective citizen participation, requiring well-designed tactics for building self-awareness, self-esteem and power within to challenge dominant norms such as gender and racial discrimination. Their practical methods are grounded in experiences of womens organising and empowerment, and recognises the direct links between gendered norms in society and the fragile condition of womens power within. Invisible power in this sense bridges agency and structure. The use of power analysis is effective in uncovering/ identifying resistence and compliance to changes rather than relying solely on the formal decision-making process. Critical race theory Relationship to other movements Critical race theory builds on the insights of movements such as anti-racism and radical feminism to which it owes a large debt. CRT also draws from certain European philosophers and theorists such as Steven Lukes, Antonia Gramsci, as well as from the American radical tradition exemplified by such figures as Sojourner Truth, W.E.B. Du Bois. race equality policies are developed by white people/the oppressors themselves. CRT also shares a sympathetic understanding of group empowerment. Racism/Discrimination The term race is problematic The term race itself is problematic, a clear understanding of the term race is paramount in understanding what is racism and what impact this has on institutions and people. While the term race is used, Miles and Phizacklea (1982), have suggested that race should be dispensed with as an analytic category because the very use of the term reproduces and gives legitimacy to a distinction, existence of different human races, that has no scientific status or validity. Thus, an analytic category helps to perpetuate and legitimises the notion that race is a meaningful term (Miles and Phizacklea 1984). Although this may be the case at one level, to deny the significance of race this also obscures the ways in which it has real effects both in material and representational terms (look up this quote and amend) (Anthias 1990). While it is clear that races do not exist, in any objective scientific reality, it is clear that it does exist as a category /group which is reflected in political and popular discourse (Solomos). Race is a way of constructing differences (Anthias and Yuval-Davis, 1993, Cashmore and Troyna 1983, Gilroy, 1987). Race is a social category used in reference to divisions within a particular society. Cashmore and Troyna, suggest that race should be seen as a stigmatized identity forced on other people. Similarly, Modood (1988) proposes that race relates to mode of oppression, how a group is categorised and subordinated. Race theorists such as Bonnet 1993, Gilroy 1987, Brah 1996 and others understand the notion of races as a social construct. As Bhavani argues the development of race as a spurious scientific category is a consequence of imperialism and colonization. It is this scientificism which informed, (and still informs), prevailing ideologies of biological superiority and inferiority among human beings on the basis of race. Jackson and Penrose (1993) argue that race is so rooted in the way we think about the world that we tend to take the category for granted. It is through the apparent naturalness and immutability that racist ideology works. Although the terms race and racism are themselves contradictory, the terms are useful as a way of categorizing the systematic mistreatment experienced by people from black and minority ethnic communities and is used in this study. Donald and Rattansi (1992) suggest that instead of starting with the question as to whether race exists, it is more useful to ask how the category operates and how racial frames of reference are articulated and deployed, and with what consequences (p1). Race and ethnicity used interchangeably The terms race and ethnicity are often used interchangeably, the terms are generally distinguished in that race evokes a biological and genetic referent while ethnicity refers to cultural and religious difference and kinship (Gunaratnam).  The term ethnicity has been preferred in some quarters; however, ethnicity is also linked to liberal notions of multi-ethnic societies and multi-culturalism which have a tendency to obscure the force of racism with their celebrations of benign pluralism. Race theorists argue the markers and signifiers that racism uses need not be those of biology and physiognomy but can be those of language, territorial rights or culture (Anthias p24). P.262 Rolston ethnicity slowly became term used to discuss the internal conflict in Northern Ireland not its history, inequalities, structural policies or action. p.257 Rolston use of postmodernist language in policies, work etc. there is not any mention of historical legacies such as Thus the unequal relationship s, where the Irish and blacks were the oppressed by the British suppressers is ignored, in a way attempts are made to blank out the history . Racism works through oppression, and the form of oppression can be through discrimination, bias, prejudice and bigotry Bluemenfeld. Anti-racist theorists have drawn upon theories of oppression to examine how racism works, two key themes are prevalent. Firstly, there is the awareness is a system of oppression that not only stigmatises and affects the dominated group but also does psychic and ethical violence to the dominator group as well. The second theme is that racism functions not only through overt, conscious prejudice and discrimination but also through unconscious attitudes and behaviours of a society that presumes an unacknowledged but pervasive white cultural supremacy. The concept of unmarked and unacknowledged norms bolsters the power position of the dominant group. For instance, by group identities, the dominant group have positive value, while labelling the dominated groups as minorities. While in the UK, racism is popularly understood to be white people having power over black people, Rolston points to anti-Irish racism, which exists in the UK. Rolston argues there are similarities between black oppression and Irish national oppression. In both cases, the root cause of conflict and inequalities is not addressed but hidden behind a veil of multiculturalism which is articulate through the use of postmodernist language. Ethnicity, diversity, integration, tolerance, difference,cultural awareness is considered to be all that is needed. The study of racism has shown that it operates through systems of oppression. This often involves a dominant group who knowingly or unknowingly exploit and reap unfair advantage over members of subordinate or target groups (Johnson 2004). The dominant group also has economic, political or social, power over the subordinate group. (Essed and Goldberg 2002)suggests that racism is created through routine practices by people. They describe racism as both structure and process. It is structure because dominance and discrimination exists and is reproduced through the formulation and application of rules, laws, and regulations and through access to and the allocation of resources. As a process, it exists in the everyday practice where it is reproduced and reinforced, adapting continually to the ever-changing social, political and economic societal conditions. It becomes normal to the dominant group to see others as different and inferior particularly in relation to the colour of their skin (Bhavnani 2005). Everyday racism refers to forms of discrimination that manifest themselves in systematic, recurrent, familiar practices. Everyday racism is infused into familiar practices, it involves socialized attitudes and behaviour (Johnson 2004). Racism also serves to deny full participation in economic, social, political and cultural life by the essence that they posit (Anthias and Yuval-Davis 1992; (Gunaratnam 2003). However, there is not a unitary system of signification that can be labelled racist nor is there a unitary perpetrator or victim. This position requires addressing the ways in which the categories of difference and exclusion or the bias of class, gender and ethnicity incorporate processes of racialisation and are intertwined in producing racist discourses and outcomes Anthias (1992 (p3). Include different levels that racism can operate from SCIP (Pincus). There more ethnicity and culture matters the more its characteristics are represented as relatively fixed, inherent within a group, transmitted from generation to generation, not just by culture and education, but by biological inheritance (Gunaratnam 2003). Cultural difference has largely displaced the notion of biological difference, as a basis for excluding or inferiorising, both in discourse and practice (Anthias and Yuval-Davis 1992) and recently faith has been used as categorising difference (Cantle 2007). Anthias and Yuval-Davis (1992) argue that exclusionary practices that are formulated on the categorization of individuals into groups whereby ethnic or racial origin are the criteria of access or selection then they are endemically racist. They content that racism is not just about beliefs or statements, but about the ability to impose those beliefs or world-views as hegemonic, and as a basis for denial of rights or equality. Racism is thus embedded in power relations of diff erent types. Whilst it is known that racism is not only carried out by white people but also by black people, it should not be confused with the occasional mistreatment experienced by whites, with the systematic and institutionalized mistreatment experienced by people of colour (Anthias and Yuval-Davis 1992). The studies of oppressive behaviour, attitudes and structures have been studied by other oppressed categories such as feminists. Iris Young has oppression names a family of concepts and conditions, which can be divide into 5 categories: exploitation, marginalisation, powerlessness, cultural imperialism and violence (Young). Marxist explanations of racism is that class divide. In using the concept of race there is the danger of essentialising difference. There are difficulties and contradictions involved in working with the concept, as other concepts such as gender, class, sexuality, ableism also impact on how people live. Hall further argues that the interactive nature of racial or gender categories should be recognised as a complex process and a set of factors through which identity is formulated and contested. Constructions of race as of class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity interact, fuse with or displace each other in an on-going process of confrontation and negotiation (Hall, 1992). Culture Institutional racism While institutional discrimination had been recognised by anti-racist to exist, it was as significant marker in racism in that institutional racism was publicly exposed and put on the political agenda in the Macpherson Inquiry published in 1999. (Back et al 2002). For the purposes of the Inquiry the concept of institutional racism which was applied was The collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people 6.34 Oppression can also be structural. Its causes are embedded in unquestioned norms, habits, and symbols in the assumptions underlying institutional rules and the collective consequences of following those rules. Some groups suffer as a consequence of often unconscious assumptions and reactions of well-meaning people in ordinary interactions, media and cultural stereotypes and structural features of bureaucratic hierarchies and market mechanisms in short, the normal processes of everyday life Young. Need to bring social structures and institutional contexts under evaluation as these are at least partly the cause of patterns of distribution of jobs or wealth. Young has noted three primary categories- decision-making structures and procedures, division of labour and culture (p22). Young argued that Justice should refer not only to distribution, but also to the institutional conditions necessary for the development and exercise of individual capacities and collective communication and cooperation (p37 Power to omit The decision makers have the power to keep and control the topic on the agenda for discussion. Thus by not addressing issues which are pertinent to minority groups the decision makers collaborate in the discrimination. Impact of racism on BME and WHITE communities The impact of racism in British society can be seen in the racialised and gendered forms of class exploitation either as homeworkers or in low-waged occupations on employers premises (Amrit Wilson). Race significantly affects black womens experiences of treatment in areas such as education, the health service and the labour market (Brah 1991). The influence how black people are represented in popular culture and the mass media (Modleski 1986) Points to include in definition of racism From the discussion above, the following points have been identified as appropriate to include in the working definition of the term racism which will be used in this study. Although the terms race and racism are themselves contradictory, the terms are useful as a way of categorizing the systematic mistreatment experienced by people from black and minority ethnic communities (BME). The systematic mistreatment experienced by people from BME communities is a result of institutionalized inequalities in the social structure. In denying people from BME communities, full participation in economic, political and social power, a self-perpetuating imbalance occurs. This imbalance consistently favours members of some ethnic and cultural groups at the expense of others. The consequences of this imbalance pervade all aspects of the social system and affect all facets of peoples lives. The systematic mistreatment of any group of people generates misinformation about them, which in turn becomes the explanation of or justification for continued mistreatment. Racism exists as a whole series of attitudes, assumptions, feelings and beliefs about people of colour and their cultures which are a mixture of misinformation, fear and ignorance. Participation and citizenship Participation of general population Big Society Although the concept of participation or community participation as it is often known, has been around since 1970s?, in the UK it has re-emerged with renewed vigour in the last decade. Participation and engagement are terms used intermittently today. While there are differences in the meaning of these terms there is also a lot of overlap. These terms are associated with the importance of involving wider groups of people in decisions, services and design, it is often thought services should be client-led, user-led for the service to be more effective. Concerns about a democratic deficit in the accountability of public services, and an increasing view that lay citizens, members of the public and service users have an important contribution to offer to the improvement of public-service provision, have given rise to a variety of new initiatives in local government, health and social care, and other fields (see, e.g., Barnes, Newman and Sullivan, 2007). Race perspective Participation from citizens rights to citizens responsibilities Participation allows people to be part of the democratic process, sense of belonging, and part of the decision making. However, the process of racial discrimination excludes black people from fully participating in society and being equal members in all the structures of the society. It is often the case, black peoples role is limited to being the clients service-users. Black people are excluded from participating to a greater extent. The multiculturalism policies did not address the deep rooted racism epidemic within the UK. It was merely about steel drums and samosas. As discussed earlier, racism excludes black people from fully participating in societies.

An Overview of the Website Buying Process :: Sell Website Buy Web Site

An Overview of the Website Buying Process Buying a website: It's a brand new ball game Unless you've bought or sold a website in the past, you'll find that buying a website can be a confusing and even trying experience for the unprepared. That's why it's important for you to take the time to read this explanation of the process. Even if you're a veteran in website transfers, understanding the process will assist you in working with our firm. Getting Started: Questions and more questions The search for a website almost always starts with a visit to a web site like the one we host at Votan. Sometimes the prospective Buyer is a Corporation, Private Investment Group or a sophisticated Private Investor who has a very definite idea of the type of website wanted. But, often the website Buyer is a first time Buyer and is still in the formative or exploratory phase of the search. Many times a Buyer's first question is, "What kinds of websites do you have?" Well, we have lots of websites, so that's a tough question to answer without some idea of the Buyer's resources, skills and needs. In order for us to find you a match made in heaven, we need to uncover answers by questioning you and learning more about you. So the first and most important step is telling us about you. Be patient when we ask, "How many days per week are you comfortable working?" and "Do you like having employees?" and "How much cash do you have for a down payment?" and many other questions. We're not just asking: We're narrowing your search and saving you time and aggravation. Our web site Buyer registration offers a questionnaire that is a great way to narrow your search and help us help you find the business of your dreams. Defining the search: Non-confidential Summaries After we've talked for a while, we can probably begin narrowing the search to a few appropriate business opportunities. At this point, we communicate non-confidential summaries of our exclusive opportunities to you in a number of ways. Since you're viewing our web site you can see the non-confidential summaries of our exclusive listings by simply using the "Businesses For Sale" button. VR non-confidential summaries show our profile #, a description of the business, a summary of financial performance, the reasons why we think it may be a good opportunity and the asking price.

The American Civil War was Avoidable Essay -- American History

The American Civil War was Avoidable   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The explosion of the American Civil War was caused by a vast number of conflicting principles and prejudices, fueled by sectional differences, and set afire by a very unfortunate set of political events. Undoubtedly, the central theme of almost all of the events that led up to the Civil War was one way or another, related to the dispute of slavery. Throughout the nineteenth century, slavery-related tensions brewed to such an extent, that politicians often took accustom to avoiding the hot topic altogether, because they were too scared of either starting a big political feud, or losing votes from one side of the issue or the other. More specifically, three events that were most instrumental in bringing about the Civil War were the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 and the Presidential election of 1860. Because of such strong reactions to these events, the Civil War was practically unstoppable, however if the parties wanted to avoid a war altogether, they could have advoc ated more compromise and popular sovereignty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As previously mentioned, slavery was at the root of most tensions that arose between the North and the South, and the annexation of new land created much conflict concerning the status of slavery. Missouri Compromise dictated that the lands of the Louisiana Purchase north of the 36 ¢Ã‚ ª30 ¡Ã‚ ¯ parallel were to be free of slavery. Democratic senator Douglas, introduced a bill in early 1854 which proposed the division of the Nebraska Territory into two units, Kansas and Nebraska, and the application of his idea of  ¡Ã‚ °popular sovereignty ¡Ã‚ ± which would allow the territorial vote to decide the area ¡Ã‚ ¯s status concerning slavery. This proposal would, in effect, repeal the Missouri Compromise, which greatly angered abolitionists and Northerners. Douglas and Southern supporters won a congressional debate and shortly after, the bill was signed. With the passage of this bill, many conflicts arose. Much personal turmoil erupted in the territories with a lmost immediate tragic results in  ¡Ã‚ °Bleeding Kansas. ¡Ã‚ ± Also, the bill resulted in a complete realignment of the major political parties: The Democrats lost influence in the North and were to become the regional proslavery party of the South, the Whig Party, which had opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, died in the South and was weakened in the North, and a new Republican Party ... ...ecause of so many sectional differences, each region of America had its own intended President, creating a situation in which the losers of the election would already be organized for revolt. However, given that the parties were what they were, President Lincoln could have proposed a quick but strong compromise, right after he won the election, which would keep the Southerners and other non-supporters satisfied with the new political situation. Unfortunately, slavery-issues had been brewing for far too long for this situation to have an easy way out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The American Civil War was caused by an explosion of conflictions, provoked by regional and sectional differences and an unfortunate sequence of political events. As explained earlier, the central theme of almost all of the events that brought about the Civil War was related to slavery. The Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott Case, and the Election of 1860 were three events that played very instrumental roles in causing the Civil War, however each could have been handled differently by the parties involved. The approaches of the parties could have been more subtle, using compromises to settle disputes, in order to avoid a war.

USA Today: Innovation and Evolution in a Troubled Industry

1) What Opportunities in the marketing environment did Gannett seize in launching USA Today? How did the company learn about and respond to the opportunities? Answer these same questions for USATODAY. COM On its debut in 1982, USA Today was reckoned as America’s first National general-interest daily newspaper. Being the global information juggernaut that he is, Gannett managed to identify a gap in the market that he identified as an opportunity for the leading to-be newspaper of the united States. The opportunity was the void gap in the market. Attention to the business traveler was the least attended to which gave Gannett the opportunity to target such a sector and be the leading supplier of such traveler needs in terms of information. The launch of USA Today was based on two perspectives; the increasingly short attention span as well as the continuous hunger for more information. With both perspectives in mind, the paper was positioned to be a source of information that delivered â€Å"more news in less time†. In response to their customer needs, and the opportunistic gap in the market, USA Today was designed to be a unique paper with easy access to articles and concern for their time-pressed readers through the introduction of columns and snippets that presented the most salient topics of the story. In addition to their colorful contemporary look, USA Today’s ability to be dependably consistent added great value to the paper that lead to a stuttering over-a-million circulation in just seven months. In an era when most of the major media outlets were suffering from a decline in readership, USA Today enjoyed continuous growth. To offset the rising distributional and promotional costs, USA today ventured in introducing spin offs to increase demand of the print sector. USA. com was one of Gannett’s spin-offs of responding to the information market in relativity to the greater global market. When everyone considered the Internet boom to be the start of an end to the newspaper industry, Gannett managed to transform that threat into an opportunity. Due to an increase in the newsprint cost, associated with a decrease in the readership rates, USA online was a way to increase readership by offering more ways of satisfying the reader base and ensuring that the mission of USA Today was to be maintained. It capitalized and tried to keep pace with communication and technological breakthroughs to maintain its element of dependable consistency. In response to their commitment of â€Å"getting news and information into the hands of consumers faster than ever before†, USA. om endorsed blogs and podcasts to keep customers engaged as well as introducing I-phone, Blackberry and Kindle applications to keep up with the emerging trend of portable technology. 2) How has a continuous strategy of marketing innovation proved successful for USA today and USA. COM? Do you believe that USA today is well-positioned for the future? Explain Since USA Today’s launch, it has ensured the continuous consistency and dependability of the nature o f the material, as well as a commitment to continuous innovation. Ever since its start, USA today has been engaged in continuous improvement and betterment in what they offer to their readers. One of their main focus in their cycle of innovation was keeping the customer engaged in the reading process as well as listening and hearing for their demands. Regarding product innovation, they managed to keep the paper exciting and indulging to the reader in many different ways. For starters, their major innovative design was reducing the size of the paper from 54 to 50 inches, which made the paper more satisfying in terms of size and mobility of use. There was also a shift in the quality of news from a soft-focused newspaper to a more serious hard-focused newspaper. This was a very important move to the paper as it ensured readers of the quality of news they’re reading and also responded to the critiques of reporters calling USA Today â€Å"Mc Paper† which could have negatively affected the readership rates for the way readers could have perceived themselves as targets of â€Å"junk food journalism†. Further methods of keeping readers attached to the paper included the introduction of the two hotlines that erved to the queries of readers. Regarding their promotional efforts, after ensuring the success of USA today on a State scale, they aimed at increasing the awareness scope of USA today not only on a National level, but on an international level as well. They introduced the Buscapade to increase awareness in other states, while the Jetcapade was introduced to increase awareness internationally. Both approac hes were the start of profitability for USA today, where readership rates increased as well as awareness on both a national and international level. One of their most successful promotional efforts was blue chip circulation, which not only reaped profits from hotels, airlines and restaurants, but ensured exposure to a greater part of the target market and a raise in the level of awareness. Another move was advertising at the front page. Since its start, USA Today was based on untraditional aspects. Although criticized by many, it nonetheless appealed to its target market that continued to grow. Advertising on the fist page, although sacredly non-valued, and could have imposed a threat on the paper; sabotaging its image of credibility and consistency. Yet again, it acted as a leverage that further increased the profits of the paper Distribution was also one of the factors that would make or break the paper’s mission of delivering timely news. One competitive advantage the paper had over competitors was its ability to offer more up-to-date news three to four hours before competitors. That was because they permitted later deadlines which was further implemented when production became totally digital which gave writers and publishers greater flexibility and later deadlines, and at the other hand readers enjoyed earlier delivery times. In a market with threatening competitors such as The New York Times and wall street journal, USA Today was bound to failure if it weren’t for its innovative excellence in its product and promotion along with its dedication to keep engaging the customers in the paper experience by trying to cater for as many needs as possible, and competing with an edge that sets it apart from its competitors. One of USA Today’s product innovations later on became not an just another additional co-asset, but a leading internet-based companion to the USA Today print version. A threat can only be transformed into an opportunity among a number of competitors when one takes a lead regarding how to deal with such threat. Once you get a lead start, you’re in better opportunistic shape than the competitors. As much as the internet boom imposed a threat at the paper industry, co-opting with the decline in sales and advertising revenue, USA Today used the threat and transformed it into an opportunity by introducing usatoday. com, which was an online version of the print, designed in the same colorful, appealing manner. It yet had to maintain the same mission and vision of the print version in terms of the quality of material and framework, and respond in the same dedication to customer interests and further engagement. Although different from the original print version, usatoday. com ensured its existence and profoundness in the new market through continuous updates and innovative ways to stimulate readership and cut distribution expenses. It employed blogs and podcasts to ensure the relevancy of news to readers, as well as categorizing and aggregating news on the Internet. It also allowed advertisers to expand their online space by using â€Å"PointRoll† which acted as a leverage that helped advertisers direct consumers to merchants. To further cater for the readers needs, usatoday. com capitalized on the emerging trend of portable technology by launching applications that serve I Phone, Blackberry and kindle users. They also catered for social media tools fanatics which as indicated by internal sources were drivers for page view increases such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. To further nourish the reader’s needs, they made room from readers to search for their unique interests and further bond with similar individuals. For example, they introduced â€Å"network journalism† which was a tool that allowed readers to comment and make recommendations. The previous example shows the necessity for an entity to continuously satisfy its customers and think of more innovative ways to help users develop attachment and brand loyalty. USA Today, being the entity that it is, is apparently well positioned for the current period. Ever since its debut, it has managed to maintain a proper and sturdy positioning among its competitors, with its competitive innovation and continuous responses to the evolving market. But at such point, when Internet has taken over the greater part of our lives, one has to ponder over the validity of the current positioning of USA Today. If it maintains the way its positioned for another five to ten years, it will be bound to close down for the trend is going further towards a digitally internet based era, where there will be no room for the traditional print version to compete. Its positioning should gradually and not instantly completely shift to an internet focus. The reason it should be done gradually is due to the fact that there still is a great part of readership that prefers the print. Instantly shifting to the internet would result in losing a great part of customers which USA Today wouldn’t want. The shift should be gradual to allow customers to accept the shift and not look for another product for if customers perceive that USA Today is lacking their interest, it would be crucial for its popularity and acceptance. ) What are the SWOT implications for USA Today as it looks toward the future? What strengths and opportunities can USA Today leverage as it looks for competitive advantage in the distribution of news and information? Strenghts: * America’s first National general interest daily newspaper. This will be an important factor that USA today should leverage and take advantage of the fact of its established name in the field, giving it more perceived establishment and stability rather than its competitors. Part of the Global information Juggernaut Gannett Co, which autonomously gives it more credibility and makes more room for excellence in the future as opposed to single-unit paper with no backing up from stronger, further well established players in the media marketplace. * Buscapade/Jetscapade lead to the overseas success of the paper and lead to an increase in demand, which lead to a start of profitability. * It gives room for later deadlines, which gives it a competitive advantage over its competitors in terms of the quality of news and how fast it reaches readers. This could be leveraged in the future as a reminder of how dedicated USA Today was and has been to its readers, implying its consistency and how its different from its competitors. * USA Today has already leveraged the internet boom into its benefit by introducing one-to-many spin offs, one of which I believe will take over USA Today operations in ten years time; usatoday. com. Excellence is derived from experience, and since usatoday. com has been thriving among a list of other sites is an indicator of how efficient the site is and how with the right innovative combination could dominate the market. Being the first to realize the business traveler gap in the market, it would be very hard for new entrants to enter and try to steal a part of USA Today’s market pie. * Continuous growth is also a great indicator of the paper for ever since its start, its audience has been constantly growing to topple over WSJ and NYT. Thus when USA Today looks at the future, it will have more reason to attract customers than its competitors. Weaknesses: * It took USA Today no less than five years to start entering into the profitability stage, which further reduced its ability to generate enough cash flow for future investments. The re cession, although affected everyone, caused a slump in tourism which affected the business traveler market, causing a decrease in flights, which automatically lead to a decrease in demand by airlines, hotels and restaurants. * Its reputation as a â€Å"Mc Junk† paper during its start could have unanimously affected the papers reputation and determined not only how readers perceive the quality of articles, but who reads it as well. * At one point in the cycle, WSJ reclaimed its position as number one paper, circulation wise. Opportunities: The Internet boom is considered to be double barreled. It will either make or break usatoday. So far, USA Today managed to straddle it by introducing usatoday. com along with its multiple applications and reader-friendly engagement processes. The internet is the most vital opportunity for is USA Today doesn’t manage it properly, with the right innovation and research, competitors will gain more market share, and readers will prefer the more up to date way of getting info. * Technological advancements will make room for greater breakthroughs and eaves room for innovation and further updating products. * The technological and portable technology trend should be taken as an advantage, in integrating USA Today in the lives of readers. * Social network sites being one of the drivers for page view increases should be properly utilized to maintain page views and further increase traffic on the site. * The ability to use recycled fiber will improve the environmental background of the company as well as decrease the cost of newsprint, making production more efficient. Threats: * ) Based on USA Today’s experiences with the print and online news, evaluate the long term potential of printed news and the newspaper publishing industry. Do you believe printed newspapers will continue to survive despite digital competition? So far, USA Today has managed to maintain and keep up with the technological trends that have been leading the market place for years now. As for the industry itself, it has already been threatened excessively by the internet boom showing declines in sales, readership and advertising revenue. And that’s just for now. Who knows how technologically driven customers will be five or ten years from now? Prints might compose part of the market share which has been undoubtedly decreasing over the past couple of years, for the mere fact that elderly, more traditionally oriented readers would not make the switch. That is not to imply that elders are the only readers of prints, but the ones that are unlikely to make the switch. People in their mid thirties and forties will be able to make the change gradually, more smoother than sixty and seventy year olds. The only way to maintain its survival despite digital competition is to cater for the needs of the emerging youth. The only way to ensure existence is by guaranteeing that they can target the youth for without them, USA Today loses hope of ever having the slightest of a susceptible target market. As for the prospects of the industry, it seems as if there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Internet has now taken over our lives in so many different ways; being a viable source that ensures acquiring information in much faster and more efficient way. The whole idea is how to craft an imposing threat into an opportunity. Usatoday. om was an example, but with the rate of change, and how the trend is diffusing more towards a digitally based environment, prospects for USA Today from the print perspective has no hope. The youth, being a massive factor in how products are produced and marketed, is a reason why prospects for the print industry seem unlikely. Being Internet focused as t hey are, they will remain to evolve and with their evolvement comes the evolvement of their wants and needs which will be technologically based. Hence, ten years from now, its seem less probable that the grown up youth will demand anything less that whats technologically available at the time.