Marketing Plan for HIV drug Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Marketing Plan for HIV drug - Essay Example Promotional aspect of marketing mix is usually considered to be marketing communication. It is all about conveying a common message across different media channels so as to ensure that it reaches target audience. Marketing communication is a strategic approach adopted by a company in order to reach target audience. In this study a product would be outlined which is losing significance in modern world. HIV or AIDS is regarded as a global problem. In its early years it was an incurable disease but in present scenario it is a health problem which can be effectively addressed. The percentage of death rate is considerably falling due to introduction of various treatment and retroviral drugs. However the problem is linked with lack of awareness program about HIV drug. Young people often do not remember about these drugs or are not determined to consume HIV drugs. Through this study a marketing campaign will be designed that could influence target segment to purchase HIV drug and prevent su ch diseases from spreading. HIV is a global issue that has contributed towards death percentage rise. Modern treatments had been introduced by government and healthcare agencies to prevent this disease. There are new drugs being introduced which can eradicate this kind of disease from its roots. HIV drugs are being developed at a faster rate and it is inclined towards saving lives of HIV victims. There are few issues associated with marketing of HIV drug. Firstly it has been observed that individuals are less likely to accept their disease. This in turn restricts drug makers or health care agencies to efficiently reach out to target audience. Death rate due to HIV aids have been decreasing over the years and negligence has been main cause for this issue. On the other hand, individuals who agree to purchase this drug at times are not able to afford such high priced drugs. Affordability is a major area of concern for HIV victims. There are individuals affected by HIV

Compare and contrast Essay Example for Free

Compare and contrast Essay People are always looking forward to their vacation period. There are many options where to choose. I think that the three most common places people choose for taking a vacation are the beach, mountain, and an amusement park. All three places offer a variety of fun activities. The beach offers activities that the mountain or amusement park cannot offer and vice versa. All three places are totally different. The purpose of this essay is to contrast the climate, types of activities and locations of beaches, mountains, and amusement parks. First of all, the three aspects I’m going to discuss about the mountains are climate, types of activities and location. Climate is always important in order to enjoy vacations. If a person dislikes cold weather, he or she might have a hard time in the mountains. The cold climate in the mountains is the first barrier to enjoying them. As I said before, many people don’t enjoy cold temperatures. The climate and the temperature of these zones are what determine the types of activities they offer. Snowboarding, mountain climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and skiing are some of the activities people can enjoy when going to the mountains. There are many regions that have mountains where people can go and have a great vacation. Canada is a country located in North America and full of mountain vacation sites. Inside Canada there are many interesting places where people can go and have fun. Second of all, the three aspects I’m going to discuss about the beach are climate, types of activities and location. Warm climate is one of the most important features that the beach has. Sun and fun are two words that describe the beach. The temperature in those places is always hot. The sea and the warm climate determine the activities that are available at the beach. People can swim, play volleyball, play soccer, and ride water bikes. In most of the coastal sites, there are discos and restaurants where people can dance or party throughout the night. Mexico offers many amazing coastal sites to visit. Acapulco and Cancun are two of the most beautiful and famous beaches in the world. Last but not the least, the three aspects I’m going to discuss about amusement parks are climate, types of activities and location. The climate for an amusement park is almost always hot. If a person doesn’t want to go home with sun burns then the amusement park would not be the place for them. Finally, it doesn’t matter what place a person decides to choose. The fun is 100% guaranteed. People often choose one of these three options to spend their vacations. Depending on what the person likes is what he or she will choose. I like amusement parks better than the mountains or the beach, but sometimes it is better to take a risk and try different places to enjoy.

Cause and Effect of Anorexia Essay -- Health, Diseases

â€Å"I look like a normal, well-adjusted 15-year-old high school sophomore. I like talking to friends on the phone, riding my bike, watching TV, and spending time with my boyfriend. I make above average grades and like math and science classes the best. However, about a year ago, my weight dropped to 72 pounds. I lay in a hospital bed with unkempt hair, fragile limbs and a sunken face. I was seriously ill. The villainous disease was not cancer or AIDS. I had anorexia, a condition which afflicts many teens and young adults, especially young women.† Holly (Caringonline.org) Anorexia is a type of eating disorder who has an intense fear of gaining weight. They severely limit the amount of food they eat and can become dangerously thin (1). Anorexia affects both the mind and body and can even become deadly. Anorexia usually starts in the teen years and can go into adult hood. Untreated anorexia can lead to starvation and serious health problems, such as osteoporosis, kidney damage, and heart problems. Some people die from these problems (1). The cause of anorexia is not fully understood. It is thought to be from a mix of physical, emotional,, and social triggers (2). Extreme dieting changes how the brain and metabolism work, and it stresses the body. Genetics play a big part in anorexia. A combination of certain personality traits such as low self-confidence along with perfectionism and cultural and social pressures can play a big part in anorexia. For some teens, anorexia can be a way of coping with stressful events, such as moving, divorce, or t he death of a love one (2). People who have anorexia will often deny that anything is wrong. Almost half of people who have anorexia will eventually develop symptoms, binge-purge behav... ...at" on her legs and her stomach. She adamantly refused to see a doctor until she fainted while boarding the school bus. In the fall, she cut her forehead; her parents took her to the emergency room. Appalled by her emaciation, the physician said Anne suffered from anorexia nervosa and immediately admitted her to the hospital (library.thinkquest.org). Anorexia is a deadly disease if you don’t catch it early. Physically and psychologically anorexia will destroy your body and your mind. You get so consumed on limiting your calorie intake and ignoring your health by depriving your body from nutrients and malnutrition. Mentally by starving yourself you think you are in control but the disease ends up controlling you. Anorexia starts at a young age affecting teen but it can also affect adult hood. Anorexia does not only affect females but also affects males.

Madonna the Goldfinch

Henry Kutilek Grinvalds Humanities (A8) 10/31/12 Emotions From the Finch 100 years ago the first car was made. This created an entirely new form of transportation that was innovative to that generation. Similarly, the 100 year difference between the end of the Medieval Era and beginning of the Renaissance Era showed amazing changes in the form of art. The painting â€Å"Madonna the Goldfinch† by Raphael Sanzio was created in c. 1505-1506. This was the very beginning of the Renaissance Era, and the painting strived for perfection unlike any of the paintings created before it.Madonna the Goldfinch portrays a sense intrigued curiosity, but to those who analyze it will find a guiding informative response with a deep understanding of symbolic foreshadowing. This essay will discuss the visual, expressive, and associative responses experience from Raphael’s painting, The Madonna the Goldfinch. The responded will be ordered by when chronologically experienced. The primary respo nse I feel is visual. The first thing that catches my eye is the pale face of the woman (Mary) and her blue and red clothes. Her face is close to white, its large, and located at the top of the painting.She is looking down, and the expression on her face looks close to surprised, with a faint smirk on her lips. This makes me think she is curious, yet knowing of the situation at hand. Next I look at the two children on the left and right (John the Baptist, Jesus) below Mary. I immediately notice the clothed John and naked Jesus, and then the bird that John is holding. He is offering it to Jesus, and Jesus strokes the top of its head with assurance. He is also being held tightly between Mary’s knees, and she has an arm around John, which makes me feel like she is encouraging him.These three bodies make a near perfect triangle, which balances the painting to a tee. Also, the colors on their bodies contrast the green landscape in the background. I noticed this, and then saw that there is a city very far in the distance across a river (Florence, Italy). If I had been another foot away from the painting I wouldn’t have noticed this, and without the zoom in feature on the google art galleries I would not have known it was a city. Either side of the bodies show two different landscapes, and they are both of equal size.On the left side shows trees in the distance, along with a bridge. The most impressive showings of detail are found in the bird, John’s hair, and the city in the background. This had to be truly amazing for the people in this time period. Not only is this painting artistically impressive, it is expressively impressive. The first feeling I get when looking at this painting is security. Mary is holding Jesus tightly between her knees, and holding an arm around John. Along with this, John is gently holding on to a bird that he is offering to Jesus.Mary’s face looks similar to a teacher watching a student try something new they ju st learned, and her holding the book adds to this. All of this makes me feel guidance, and gives me a motherly feeling of love that can push me along with whatever troubles I have in my life. The aspect of motherly love is exactly how I relate to this picture. I associate this painting with a favorite picture in my house of my mother watching my two oldest brothers play when they were just a few years old. It struck me early on in the viewing of the picture how similar it is to my young family.My mom is watching over them while they are sitting down in the yard, and my oldest brother is offering my other brother a toy to play with. The similarities between Mary’s face and my moms is shocking. These similarities make me think about what is actually happening in the painting, and the story that is being told. This is called the intellectual response. One main theme I see is actually a Renaissance Concept, that that is Emulation of the Classics. Art made in Europe in the Medieva l Era was all mainly funded by the church, and in turn it was made to glorify god.It is obvious this painting is doing something similar, but just with a perfected brush stroke that had depth and balance. Also, the idea of Humanism comes into play. Mary is holding a book that she seems to have just been reading, and in the Renaissance Era people were just beginning to not be afraid to learn. Maybe Raphael was trying to portray that reading is an okay and safe thing to do by having someone as idealistic as Mary reading. I noticed how both Mary and John have halos above their head, but Jesus does not.I was very confused by this at first, and it made my question whether the bird had something to do with it. Upon researching I learned that this bird is a Goldfinch, a bird that eats primarily off of throned plants. The legend is that when Jesus was carrying his cross to become crucified he had a thorn painfully poking at his head, and a Goldfinch flew over to him and removed it from his head. The Goldfinch is often used as a symbol of resurrection, so there is no doubt in my mind that the bird is used as a symbol of John foretelling Jesus about his future. Madonna the Goldfinch† is a truly amazing piece of artwork, with incredible attention to detail. It made me think about how good Raphael is as an artist, but also what he meant to portray. In my eyes, it shows the guidance of a mother and the wonder of two children. It really made me interpret the painting in ways I never have before, like considering facial expressions and what they mean. If I had to rename this painting it would be â€Å"Wisdom of the Goldfinch†. This is because the bird is the focus of the painting and it is causing the emotions of all of the people in the painting, through which wisdom is being passed.

Lifestyle Overview Essay

The term was originally used by Austrian psychologist  Alfred Adler  (1870-1937). The term was introduced in the 1950s as a derivative of that of  style  in  modernist art. The term refers to a combination of determining intangible or tangible factors. Tangible factors relate specifically to  demographic variables, i. an individuals demographic profile, whereas intangible factors concern the psychological aspects of an individual such personal values, preferences, and outlooks. (4sk content) Peoples‘ lifestyles are affected by different factors, such as Individual Identity, Health, Environment and Technology. (5sk Individual identity) A lifestyle typically reflects an individual’s attitudes, values or  world view. Therefore, a lifestyle is a means of forging a sense of  self  and to create cultural  symbols  that resonate with personal identity. Not all aspects of a lifestyle are voluntary. Surrounding social and technical systems can constrain the lifestyle choices available to the individual and the symbols she/he is able to project to others and the self. The lines between personal identity and the everyday doings that signal a particular lifestyle become blurred in modern society. For example, â€Å"green lifestyle† means holding beliefs and engaging in activities that consume fewer resources and produce less harmful waste (i. e. smaller  carbon footprint), and deriving a sense of self from holding these beliefs and engaging in these activities. Some commentators  argue that, in  modernity, the cornerstone of lifestyle construction is consumption behavior, which offers the possibility to create and further individualize the self with different products or services that signal different ways of life. Lifestyle may include views on politics, religion, health, intimacy, and more. All of these aspects play a rol e in shaping someone’s lifestyle. In the  magazine  and  television  industries, â€Å"lifestyle† is used to describe a category of publications or programs. (6sk Health) An individual’s health depends a lot on their lifestyle. Maintaining physical and mental health are crucial to an individuals longevity. The more time spent on hygiene, physical fitness, and diet regulation, the healthier lifestyle they have. Those who chose to participate in any kind of physical activity on a weekly basis are generally healthier than those who don’t. Mental illness may occur through various variables. For example, depression may promote mental illness through stress and anxiety. Reasons for being depressed can be due to a number of things including job loss, recently widowed, divorce, etc. Depression may lead to or increase the frequency of poor habits not promoting physical health. Poor habits may eventually lead to a poor even dangerous lifestyle. More interestingly, a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle will most likely to be transmitted across generations. According to the study done by Case et. l (2002), it discovered that when a 0-3 year old child has a mother who practices a healthy lifestyle, this child will be 27% more likely to become healthy and adopt the same lifestyle. For instance, high income parents are more likely to eat organic food, have time to exercise and provide the best living condition to their children. On the other hand, low income parents are more likely to participate in unhealthy activities such as smoking to help them release poverty-related stress and de pression. Parents are the first teacher for every child. Everything that parents do will be very like to be transferred to their children through the learning process. (7sk environment) There are two types of environment for a lifestyle: nature and social. Natural environment is the conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates. an individual dedicated to this prefers to walk to close places, recycles plastic, papers, cants, etc. In an individuals lifestyle some of this natural environment is needed, fresh air, clean water, clean home, clean neighbourhood and a clean example for those at home. Those who are nature involved decide to plant flowers, vegetables and other crops in their backyard and are extremely strict on how to organize their household waste and uses positive and proactive ways to environmental sustainability. Social environment is totally different. Social Environment includes an individuals living and working conditions, income level, educational background, community and religious beliefs if they have any. In a social environment there are certain expectations from one self or from those around. expectations like success and wanting the best. Along with  success  come a lot of stress. If there is failure, then there may be mood swings and disappointment. In order for this not to happen, there are better ways to avoid disappointment and failure; organization and structure is the main key element. (8sk technology) Technology and diversity have greatly changed the lives of people in society. Technology has positive and negative effects on our daily lives. However, the positivity and negativity of technology depends on how much we use it and how much we are exposed to it. In other words, our lifestyle controls our use of technology, while technology influences our lifestyles. To begin, technology has changed the fields of agriculture, manufacturing, warfare, transportation, information, medicine, communication, among others. Technology has also made it easier for other factors to affect our lifestyles, such as the media. All in all, technology has made our lives much easier, therefore we no longer are required to live vigorous lifestyles that, in the past, contributed to the decline in our health. On the other hand, technology has complicated many lives and has many negative effects. Technology has the power to deliver media to us that can change our values and views on the world, which in return will change our lifestyles. Also, technology has negative effects on the environment such as pollution. Because of technology such as the computer and the television, Americans have a much more  sedentary lifestyle, which leads to health complications and issues.

Generational Differences Essay Example

Generational Differences Essay Example Generational Differences Essay Generational Differences Essay A generation Is a group of individuals who are born at a specific time period. Generations range from every alphabet letter known to man. I myself, am from generation Y. This Is the generation that has become victims to so many trends and fads of this world. The Y generation differs in many things from the baby boomers generation. A baby boomer was born between the years of 1946 and 1964. They were given this name because of the soldiers coming home from war, and making love to their wives/significant other. This was the biggest population period of humans known to mankind. One In every four Americans Is a baby boomer. According to statistics, a baby boomer turns 50 years old every 18 seconds and 60 years old every seven seconds. Baby boomers political views were a mixture of liberal and conservative. According to statistics, 74% of baby boomers are favor of more environmental regulations, 57% support legal abortions, 55% believe in stem cell research, and 26% of them support gay marriage. Also 75% of baby boomers are in favor of school prayer, 70% support the death penalty, and 65% agree that civil berries should be curbed because of terrorism (Davis and Love, 2002), During the baby booming period new schools had to be built due to the Increasing population. Also more people started to be farms and ranches. Strip malls also were being built and becoming a main attraction. In the sasss, movies were the 35 cents. Drive in theaters became part of the young family social scene, primarily owing to cheap tickets. : The main movie genres were melodramas, westerns, horror films, comedies, and action-adventure films (Baby Boom Generation, n. D. ). Musicals and science fiction became popular at a later time In the ass. Popular kids shows would be play at the theaters on Saturday afternoons (Baby Boom Generation, n. D. ). Popular television shows consisted of Buffalo Bob and Callable, Captain Kangaroo, Lassie, Leave it to Beaver, and I love Lucy. Popular music artist were Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Battles, Rolling Stones, The Who, and Pink Floyd. Baby Boom Generation, n. D. ). The Y Generation differs from the baby boomers In many ways. Movies now dont cost 35 cents anymore. The price of movies has Increased rapidly. Most members of the Y generation dont go to a movie with their family anymore though. They would rather go with a few of their friends. Music differs much more too. Popular artist to generation Y consist of Ill Wayne, Gucci, Drake, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Beyond, and ot her artist. A lot of music contains much profanity and suggestive lyrics, but most of generation Y children listen to It. Video games have become a big thing too other than watching television shows and popular movies that the generation Y watches are nothing Like the movies of the baby boomers. According to www. Alleviations. Com, generation YKs values are: Self-expression is more important than self-control. Marketing and branding self is important. Violence is an acceptable means of communication. Fear living poorly?this is related to lifestyle enjoyment, not wealth. Respect must be earned; it is not freely granted based on age, authority or Y, n. D. ). Generation Yes attributes are: Adapt rapidly. Crave change Ana canalling. Create constantly. Exceptionally resilient. Committed and loyal when dedicated to an idea, cause or product. Accept others of diverse backgrounds easily and openly . Global in perspective(Generation Y, n. D). The baby boomers generations values and attributes are: Individual choice, community involvement, prosperity, ownership self-actualization, health and wellness, adaptive, goal-oriented, focus on individual choices and freedom, adaptive to a diverse workplace, and had positive attitudes(The Baby Boomer Generation, n. D). According to statistics, 88% of baby boomers completed high school, and 28. 5% hold a bachelors degree or higher. High school completion rates are decreasing by the years now, and these are because of generation Y children. Clothing styles are much more important to generation Y too. From the reportable phase, to the north face Jackets, to the Sperry shoes, once they break in everyone Just has to start wearing it. The baby boomers didnt really care about what they wore. As long as they had clothes on their backs, it was okay. Not everyone had cars in the time of the baby boom generation, but now-a-days, if you dont have a car, you must be broke or something isnt right with you. Having a car now is much more important to generation y than it was to the baby boomers generation. These things though are Just norms that generation Y has. Having a car is the norm, being scalable is the social norm, being stylish is a norm, and their are many other norms that would have went against what the generation of the baby boomers considered to be a norm. No generation is the same in any way, shape, matter, or form. Both generations have their different ways of living. Both generations have made a change in our modern day world. Both generations have made many attributes. Both generations have brought something different to this world.

Learn About the Science of Marine Biology

Learn About the Science of Marine Biology The field of marine biology or becoming a marine biologist sounds fascinating, doesnt it? Whats involved in marine biology, or becoming a marine biologist? First, its important to understand what, exactly, makes up the marine biology branch of science. Marine biology is the scientific study of plants and animals that live in salt water. When many people think about a marine biologist, they picture a dolphin trainer. But marine biology is so much more than making a dolphin or sea lion follow commands. With the oceans covering over 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and providing habitat for thousands of species, marine biology is a very broad field. It involves a strong knowledge of all science along with principles of economics, legal matters, and conservation. Becoming a Marine Biologist A marine biologist, or someone who studies marine biology, can learn about a variety of organisms during their education from tiny plankton only visible under a microscope to the largest whales that are over 100 feet long. Marine biology can also include the study of different aspects of these organisms, including the behavior of animals in the ocean environment, adaptations to living in salt water and interactions between organisms. As a marine biologist, one would also look at how marine life interacts with different ecosystems such as salt marshes, bays, reefs, estuaries, and sand bars. Again, its not just learning about things that inhabit the ocean; its also about conserving resources and protecting a valuable food supply. Plus, there are many research initiatives to discover how organisms can benefit human health. Marine biologists have to have a thorough understanding of chemical, physical, and geological oceanography. Other people who study marine biology do not go on to conduct research or work for activist organizations; they can wind up teaching others about the vast scientific principles that make up the field. In other words, they can become teachers and professors at universities and colleges. Tools to Study Marine Biology The oceans are difficult to study, as they are vast and foreign to humans. They also vary depending on geographic locations and environmental factors. Different tools used to study the oceans include sampling mechanisms such as bottom trawls and plankton nets, tracking methods and devices such as photo-identification research, satellite tags, hydrophones, and â€Å"critter cams,† and underwater observation equipment such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).   Importance of Marine Biology Among other things, the oceans regulate climate and provide food, energy, and income. They support a variety of cultures. They are so important, yet there is so much we don’t know about this fascinating environment. Learning about the oceans and the marine life inhabiting them is becoming even more critical as we realize the importance of the oceans to the health of all life on the planet.

A Reedsy Success Story Matt Biebers Life in the Loop

A Reedsy Success Story Matt Biebers Life in the Loop A Reedsy Success Story - Matt Bieber’s Life in the Loop We launched Reedsy 6 months ago. Since, we’ve had an incredible amount of authors working on a daily basis with our fabulous editors, proofreaders, designers and illustrators. But we haven’t really followed up on their success. So when Matt Bieber dropped us a line to thank us and tell us about his book, we thought we’d give him a spot on our blog!  My name is Matt Bieber, and I’m the author of Life in the Loop: Essays on OCD. The essays in this collection are an effort to come to grips with life as an obsessive-compulsive. Some of them deal with big, dramatic stuff – sex, religion, death – while others are about the million mundane-but-excruciating facets of OCD.Writing about this stuff is helpful to me, but publishing is always a challenge. I’m fairly tech-illiterate, and my forays into the blogosphere have provided OCD with endless freak-out opportunities: â€Å"Did I save those changes on WordPress? Why does it keep formatting that way? Is this post even gonna be legible if readers re-size their browsers?† And so on, forever.When I decided to collect my OCD writing into book form, then, I knew that designing a cover and an interior layout were way beyond me. â€Å"If I just stick to the writing and let a pro handle the rest, this’ll be doable.†I shared my plans with a friend, and he pointed me toward Reedsy. (He’d been a fan of Reedsy’s own design for some time.) I agreed to check it out, but I was nervous; was this gonna be yet another frustrating, overwhelming platform, a web world with nonsensical navigation and no way out?Merely arriving at the site, then, was a relief. It was straightforward! And kind of pretty! And you could find stuff! After a long print publishing career, Jason knows how to work magic with fonts, headers, and spacing. In just a couple of weeks, he turned my Word manuscript into a beautifully laid-out volume.The one glitch in the project, however, was that Jason didn’t know how to make an e-book. (He’d told me this from the outset, and we’d agreed that he’d explore it as we moved along). As he discovered, though, creating an e-book isn’t just a matter of converting file types: in his words, it’s a bit more â€Å"like designing web-pages; it’s a different animal altogether.† Thankfully, Jason was willing to call a buddy named Mick in Scotland, who handled the final conversions. (Thanks Mick!)Here was the best part: Jason didn’t treat my book any differently than those of his higher-profile clients. At every stage of the process – from our first contacts in mid-December through completion and publication at the end of March  œ Jason was incredible: professional, responsive, and straight-up cool. He anticipated my questions, took stuff off my plate before I even realized it was bothering me, and stayed patient through a long series of tiny edits and adjustments.The pace of the process varied: sometimes, we each retreated to our tasks for a week or two. Other times, we exchanged several emails per day. And at a certain point, it dawned on me: he cared – about the book, about the process, and about me. Instead of chasing down some elusive freelancer, I was working side-by-side with a generous partner.So it was the journey, then – but it was also the destination. Because at the end of the process, we had this book in our hands (and on our Kindles) – this thing that, by some miracle of text and color, reflected the hazy vision that had been floating around my brain for so long.So now the sucker’s up on Amazon and selling nicely, and the reviews are starting to come in. This feels great, of course – but it feels even better to know that my work with Jason will help this little volume reach folks who can really use it.Matt Bieber is the author of Life in the Loop: Essays on OCD. He blogs at mattbieber.net and coaches young writers.Learn more about book layout design and book cover design on Reedsy's design page.Read our other success stories here!

Organizational Strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizational Strategy - Assignment Example The level of input and the outcomes is also a major factor to be considered. The second stage is to think of how to change the current situation. Discover all areas that change requires implementation, and how to go about it. The final stage is to think of where one would want to reach and within what period. This creates a motivation to put more effort in implementing the change. Ones the changes are being implemented, there is a need to evaluate their efficiency and if they are competent, they should constantly be implemented (Kaufman, 2003). Celebrating the hard work is done once the desired outcomes are achieved. Change requires commitment and persistence. Organizational changes are usually painful and, especially, to those with the status quo, therefore, there is a requirement for all those involved to accept the need for change. Many are the time people involved persist the change and tend to be confused with the happenings (Plas, 1999). Organizational management is a big task and therefore, there should be sponsors and advisors who will advise according to change implementation. In today’s market, organizations need to implement changes due to the completion and the technological changes that are occurring in the

Recommendation Report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Recommendation Report - Case Study Example Investigation is done by conducting a survey on a selected group of workers based on which recommendations are made. The survey was done on a certain group of employees that included both Production Workers and White Collar Workers. The outcome and the recommendations are made based on the employee response. About 63% of the production workers and 82% of the white collar workers think that the drug testing should be done right when the employees are hired. The response suggests that maximum number of the employees want that the drug testing should be done before employment is given. There was a mixed response among the employees when they were asked for random testing. Very few that are about 16% of the production workers and 42% of the white collar workers feel that it is right. The response suggests that the workers do not support the proposal of random testing. The reason may be that they feel some may escape due to this type of random sampling. Hence this may not be an effective method of testing the usage of illegal drug. About 46% of the production workers and 39% of the white collar workers feel that drug testing should be done at the time of physical examination or upon returning to work. This response suggests that the employees are not giving so much importance to the drug testing during physical examination. When asked about drug testing after the employee has met an accident, about 31% of the production workers and 30% of the white collar workers supported the suggestion and said yes to it. But since the response was less than 50% so it can be assumed that the plan may not work. This step was highly appreciated by the employees. About 62% of the Production workers and 72% of the white collar workers feel that this step should be executed. Majority of the workers say yes to implementation of the policy. However 12% and 4% of the production and white collar workers respectively

Adaptive Supply Chain Co-Management manual Essay

Adaptive Supply Chain Co-Management manual - Essay Example Collaboration and competition have often been regarded as incompatible concepts especially as evolutionary biology became well-known in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It was presumed that only the fittest can survive if those with the most desirable traits are naturally selected over those that did not possess these ideas. This mentality spilled over into business literature and led to the manifestation of certain laws such as the Sherman and Clayton Anti-trust Acts (Zeiltin, 2007). However, time illustrated that sometimes certain kinds of cooperation and competition did not necessarily have to replace each other as seen through the formation of professional associations, cartels and business groups. Individuals may participate in a cartel in order to enhance the quality of output or their safety; this may also be done for reasons of efficiency. Some forms of collaboration such as the inter-firm network came about due to rising complexities of organisations. However, they took relatively long periods of time before they came to be accepted as cultural norms; a lot of ambiguity exists on the need for collaboration or cooperation; all of it depends in the nature of acceptance in the concerned nation (Zeiltin, 2007). Businesses today have now moved from the anti-trust mindset of yester years; in fact, it is not uncommon to find some form of collaboration between competitors in almost all industries of the economy. New technologies are becoming more complex and require huge capital investment to develop; markets are getting more turbulent, and the time needed to deliver products to the market is also increasing. Additionally, time and geographical boundaries have shrunk thus indicating that operating business internationally is a critical factor. Government policies are not particularly favourable in conducting business and so are other issues within

Merge of Southwet and Air Tran Airways Case Study

Merge of Southwet and Air Tran Airways - Case Study Example By January 26, 2013 codesharing has already begun and this allowed the two airlines to share itineraries. It is expected that by 2015, the more dominant brand in the merger which is Southwest Airlines will be adopted as the common brand thus removing the Air Tran brand from the merger with its operation being absorbed by Southwest. II. Introduce the companies involve Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines is the world’s largest carrier that caters to the lower end segment of the aviation industry and services to 79 destinations in 39 states in the United States. It is also the biggest operator of Boeing 737 worldwide with over 550 planes in service. It employs more than 46,000 employees and manages more than 3,400 flights a day. Air Tran Airways Airtran Airways was founded by Airtran Corporation which operated as Northwest Airlink carrier in Minneapolis and Detroit which later purchase Conquest Sun. The company grew and acquired 11 Boeing 737’s and served 24 cities in th e East and Midwest region catering to the lower segment of the market. It was later spun off by Mesaba and formed its holding company Airways Corporation which was later acquired by ValuJet Inc. and was later renamed to its AirTran Holdings. The name AirTran Airways was retained after the merger with ValuJet Inc. Before the merger with Southwest Airlines, AirTranAirways served more than 70 cities coast to coast. It also cater to the Carribean and Mexico market and flew 700 flights per day with over 8,500 crew catering to almost 25 passengers per year (AirTran Airways). III. Identify the period the company went through the merge  and reasons for the merge. give figures if possible.   The merger between Air Tran Airways and Southwestern airline is more of a takeover of Southwestern to Air Tran to expand the coverage of Southwester Airlines. By acquiring Air Tran, Southwest Airline would be able to cover flights that were not previously available to Southwestern Airline such as Atl anta - Hartsfield route that is also the world’s largest airport. Having Air Trans Airways would enable Southwest Airlines to have an access to Air Tran’s Atlanta hub and therefore a beachhead in the market that it covers (CBS News). Services previously unique to Air Tran will now be available to Soutwest Airline among those are flights in Dayton, Akron-Canton, and Washington National. In effect, the acquisition would give Southwest Airlines â€Å"a leg up in the market† by having an access to major city airports from alternate airports. As Bob Jordan, Chief Commercial Officer at Southwest Airlines and President of AirTran, said in a statement issued to The Democrat and Chronicle. "With a connected network, we can offer customers more itineraries, more destinations, more low fares, and a taste of what's to come once the integration is complete† (Trejos). IV. Brief description of the changes made   By having an access to airports and services unique only to Air Tran Airways, Southwest Airline is now able to add service to cities and airports it did not previously cover such as Dayton, Akron-Canton, and Washington National. Consequently, the merger also enabled Southwest Airlines, being the dominant entity in the merger, to remove service areas that were previously exclusive to Air Tran. The cities that were removed from their route were Allentown, Pa.; Asheville, N.C.; Atlantic City; Bloomington/Normal, Ill.; Charleston, W. Va.; Dallas/Fort Worth; Harrisburg, Pa.; Huntsville, Ala.; Knoxville, Tenn; Lexington, Ky.;

Infant Car Seat Products Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Infant Car Seat Products - Essay Example The company uses great fabric such as cotton and lycra that washes and wears. Tchou Tchou offers functional infant car seats at affordable prices. The company offers infant car seats at great colours and styles for kids. For more than seventy years, Tchou Tchou has been committed to providing the highest levels of quality, service and safety in day-to-day business. Tchou Tchou has a history of excellent employee retention and employee loyalty. About ninety percent of the company's factory workers speak English as a second language. This free replacement campaign is meant to help meet customers' high expectations of Tchou Tchou's products. Kathy Dolan, Tchou Tchou CEO states that "the responsible handling of product defects is an integral part of our customer service." Tchou Tchou is actively seeking out wholesalers, supermarkets, specialist traders and retailers who received infant car seats with between 1st January 2008 and 31st April 2008. For this purpose, we have established a special service hotline and service email address. All issues concerning recall procedure can be clarified at +43 4524 500 1777, 7.00 am - 5.00 pm, CET and service.infantseat@tchou.com. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, Tchou Tchou is America's leading brand in infant car seat. The company has extension offices in Canada, Mexico and Australia. In 2008, Tchou Tchou employed 6,000 American workers and paid US $ 20 million dollars in taxes. The company is an equal opportunity employer. Contact person for press enquiries: Terry Calloway Tchou Tchou PR Group 6112 Pittsburgh, PA Tel.: +43 (0) 4524 500 1777 terry.calloway@tchou.com Rationale of the Press ReleaseThere are several issues I had to consider while composing the press release. The first one is the integrity and goodwill of Tchou Tchou. I had to safeguard the integrity of the company by stressing that it is a good corporate citizen: it has provided many jobs and paid taxes. The second issue is I had to highlight that the company is known for employee retention and loyalty. This shows that it is a caring company. The third issue is the emphasis on consumer safety and protection over and above the company's profitability. The company presents a voluntary recall and product replacement program. The company assigns persons to attend to complaints and inquiries. The press release states that the company is more than seventy years in existence. The fourth issue is the importance of presenting a positive outlook on this company defect. I had to include the basic facts in the press release such as the pieces of glass that are included in the product that resu lted in this voluntary product recall. I excluded the data on an irate customer who called up to bring our attention on the defect. This was unimportant and it does not help in coming out a press release with a positive tone. I also excluded the data on pinpointing the exact store which sold the product which had pieces of glass on it. This was unimportant and it will just generate negative press for the retailers whom the company also needs to protect. The fifth issue was to present a helpful

Merge of Southwet and Air Tran Airways Case Study

Merge of Southwet and Air Tran Airways - Case Study Example By January 26, 2013 codesharing has already begun and this allowed the two airlines to share itineraries. It is expected that by 2015, the more dominant brand in the merger which is Southwest Airlines will be adopted as the common brand thus removing the Air Tran brand from the merger with its operation being absorbed by Southwest. II. Introduce the companies involve Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines is the world’s largest carrier that caters to the lower end segment of the aviation industry and services to 79 destinations in 39 states in the United States. It is also the biggest operator of Boeing 737 worldwide with over 550 planes in service. It employs more than 46,000 employees and manages more than 3,400 flights a day. Air Tran Airways Airtran Airways was founded by Airtran Corporation which operated as Northwest Airlink carrier in Minneapolis and Detroit which later purchase Conquest Sun. The company grew and acquired 11 Boeing 737’s and served 24 cities in th e East and Midwest region catering to the lower segment of the market. It was later spun off by Mesaba and formed its holding company Airways Corporation which was later acquired by ValuJet Inc. and was later renamed to its AirTran Holdings. The name AirTran Airways was retained after the merger with ValuJet Inc. Before the merger with Southwest Airlines, AirTranAirways served more than 70 cities coast to coast. It also cater to the Carribean and Mexico market and flew 700 flights per day with over 8,500 crew catering to almost 25 passengers per year (AirTran Airways). III. Identify the period the company went through the merge  and reasons for the merge. give figures if possible.   The merger between Air Tran Airways and Southwestern airline is more of a takeover of Southwestern to Air Tran to expand the coverage of Southwester Airlines. By acquiring Air Tran, Southwest Airline would be able to cover flights that were not previously available to Southwestern Airline such as Atl anta - Hartsfield route that is also the world’s largest airport. Having Air Trans Airways would enable Southwest Airlines to have an access to Air Tran’s Atlanta hub and therefore a beachhead in the market that it covers (CBS News). Services previously unique to Air Tran will now be available to Soutwest Airline among those are flights in Dayton, Akron-Canton, and Washington National. In effect, the acquisition would give Southwest Airlines â€Å"a leg up in the market† by having an access to major city airports from alternate airports. As Bob Jordan, Chief Commercial Officer at Southwest Airlines and President of AirTran, said in a statement issued to The Democrat and Chronicle. "With a connected network, we can offer customers more itineraries, more destinations, more low fares, and a taste of what's to come once the integration is complete† (Trejos). IV. Brief description of the changes made   By having an access to airports and services unique only to Air Tran Airways, Southwest Airline is now able to add service to cities and airports it did not previously cover such as Dayton, Akron-Canton, and Washington National. Consequently, the merger also enabled Southwest Airlines, being the dominant entity in the merger, to remove service areas that were previously exclusive to Air Tran. The cities that were removed from their route were Allentown, Pa.; Asheville, N.C.; Atlantic City; Bloomington/Normal, Ill.; Charleston, W. Va.; Dallas/Fort Worth; Harrisburg, Pa.; Huntsville, Ala.; Knoxville, Tenn; Lexington, Ky.;

Concert report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Concert report - Essay Example Seven pieces were played in the concert, of which Salve Venere, Salve Marte, and Sonata were played before the intermission whereas Apres un Reve, Improvisation XIII in A Minor, Nuit dà ©toiles, Eccentric Dances, and Pearls III were performed after the intermission. Since it was a concert centered around tuba, the program’s overview was performed in a low tune. In this concert, I happened to experience some very good Baroque style of music. Bruce Broughton’s Sonata was the best piece among all in the concert. I particularly liked it more because that piece combined tuba with piano. In that piece, I could figure out a variety of element that we were taught before in the class. Kathy started the piece by playing piano in a low volume that gradually rose as she started playing the key harder. Piano was followed by tuba that although was played in a low moderato tempo, yet its deep and grave timbre blanketed the sound of piano. The example that Kate and Kathy set during the piece’s coda was second to none which was why, the piece had had such a lasting effect on me, and I am sure, on most of the audiences too. I found Salve Venere, Salve Marte by John Stevens relatively boring and mismatched with the energy level of the rest of the pieces. I would not regret if that piece was not included into the concert. The reason I didn’t like it was because it was a tuba solo with a moderato tempo and that too, continued for full 8 minutes. Particularly, the deep timber of tuba made a not-so-pleasing sound. Perhaps, it would have played the effect of a break had it been shorter in time-span. The high pitch of the piece by Bruce Broughton was quite overwhelming and sent pleasant goose-bumps down my spine as I listened to that wonderful music. I could feel the rise in the energy level of the audience as they listened to the music. John

Illinois and Audience Essay Example for Free

Illinois and Audience Essay In the start of President Obama’s speech, he starts out by using the term Anaphora†Hello, Colorado! (Applause.) Thank you! Are you fired up? Are you ready to go? (Applause.) Are you fired up?† This helps him to get the audience ready for his speech, and it creates a good atmosphere which also helps him to make a great speech In his speech Barak Obama uses a lot of pathos laden phrases to help him engage his audience and persuade them to agree with him. We see this in his speech when he introduces some good friends â€Å"Weve got some good friends here today. Youve got your outstanding governor, John Hickenlooper†¦And all of you are here, which makes me excited.†This is an example of pathos because, Barak Obama appeals to the audience emotions by referring to other important political people who is from Denver, and by finishing up his sentence by saying that the audience makes him exited. By evoking this sentiment in his audience, Obama manages to get the audience going, and ready to hear more of what Obama has to say. Which is a very important why to start off, because then he knows that the audience is listing to him. We also see this in his speech when he starts to talk about Romney’s politics† It turns out its not a five-point plan Governor Romney has got, its a one-point plan†¦ And weve been working for four years to clean up this mess that these policies left behind.†This is an example of pathos because, when Obama talks about Governor Romney’s politics he tries to connect to the audience emotion, and he also tries to convince them that his politics is the right one. Obama thereby achieves to get his audience to agree with him, when he criticizes Governor Romney’s politics. He succeeds in doing it, when he tells about that Romney has a five point plan, when it’s only a one which they already tried before Obama took of fice. And that plan took America into the worst economic crises since the Great Depression. In his speech Obama uses logos by appealing to the audience sense. We see this in his speech when he talks about voting† Don’t boo vote. (Applause.) Vote. That’s the way to show your opinion, is to vote† This is a clear example of logos because he clearly appeals to the sense of the audience. By appealing to the sense of the audience, Obama succeeds in getting his message out; that it is important that you vote, instead of just complaining about the other parties view. He is telling that the only way you can get your opinion out, is to vote. A little later in Obama’s speech, he appeals to the audience sense again, we see this in his speech when he talks about the symptoms of romnesia, and tells what the cure is.†But, Denver, I want you to know this: If you feel any symptoms coming on†¦ There’s a cure, Colorado, as long as you vote. (Applause.) Ther e’s a cure.† This is an example of logos because; Obama is again appealing to the audience sense that they need to vote for him. By appealing to the audience Obama achieves, to make sure that they know that he is the cure for Romnesia. By the word Romnesia, Obama uses the term pun; this helps him to create a negative feeling of the work, when you compare it to his own healthcare package â€Å"Obamacare†, with this term he also uses a pun just in a positive way, which creates a good feeling about the word. But the most important part of this quote is, that he makes sure that the audience, see him as the cure. You can say that he is using logos and pathos in this quote, because he is also trying to reach out after the audience emotions. During president Obama’s speech he uses a lot of different terms, the two I have concentrated about is pathos and logos. I find these two terms very important, because it helps him construct a good flowing speech, while he also gets the audience or the ones watching it in TV to agree with him, that’s how he uses pathos. For the once who isn’t sure of what they are going to vote or if they are going to vote, here he uses logos to reach out to the sense audience and tries to help them decide on voting for him.

Facts and Values in Social Science

Facts and Values in Social Science It is not possible to separate facts from values in social science research. Discuss this statement by using empiricist and interpretative approaches Introduction The most complicated study in the realm of knowledge is the behaviour of human beings. It is always relative and unpredictable, the thought pattern always moulds with respect to time, space and circumstances. The social structure and embedded traditional fabric guides the human behaviour accordingly (Harris, 2001). So if we are into research we ought to consider the valve system as a major variable. The social science research methods are thus incomplete if we ignore the role of values. It is not possible to separate facts from values in social sciences because of the huge impact factor of the social structure over a phenomenon, for instance doing research in Indian society and ignoring the caste structure; would not bear considerable results. To work in Saudi Arabia it is mandatory to study the Arab traditional way of life and the blend with Islamic fundamentals. The empiricist school follows purely scientific tools of research; which is not influenced by social orders or value syst ems (Barton, 1999). On the contrary the interpretative school take in to account the value structures; this school is also known as hermeneutic approach (Barton, 1999). The laws of pure science arent concerned with the traditional ways of life; they are same in all parts of the world. But on the other hand social sciences such as anthropology, sociology, political science, economics, international relations, psychology involves the study of human behaviour that is not value free (Harris, 2001). In these soft sciences the importance and impacts of social life cant be ignored out rightly. This is not because the research work is not rigorous or lacks in objectivity or validity but the subject matter is human attitude and behaviour which includes norms and values. Both these norms and values have different forms and manifestations in every particular society. Historically the study was known as humanities because of the mode of inquiry and approach to the methods of discourse towards t he realm of knowledge (Harris, 2001). Explanation With the development of the subjects of social sciences the need emerged that empiricism must be applied for more effective and problem solving generalizations. The growth patterns in research lead to the development of different variances while following these traditions, the nature of empiricist tradition has been mathematical and value less which is only based on empirical data that is regardless of the fact that there is deviation in human behaviour and circumstances. This deviation may cause disorders in the data which is only reflected through positivist traditions. Therefore, while dealing with human behaviours through this approach it is a far possibility to arrive at a value free theory. Critical theorists have come up the assumptions that there is always a circumstantial reason behind every school of thought, power structure govern the body of knowledge according to its interest needs that cater the policies of powerful in the world where chaos is the only political order ( Harris, 2001). The realist school of thought is the greatest justification of status quo for the powerful nations of the world; the liberal school is thought to be coined for the interests of capitalists and their free trade paradigm. The idea of clash of civilization by Samuel P Huntington caters the foreign policy of US in the later decades of 90s, so as the theory of the End of History by Francis Fukuyama which says that liberal world order is the only solution for the global governance (Ritzger, Smart, 2001). Thus coming to the definitions of the phenomenon of facts and values, online dictionary implies that the fact can be defined as something that actually exists; reality; truth or something known to exist or to have happened. A fact can be known as the truth known by actual experience or observation; something known to be true. On the other hand values can be defined sociologically as the ideals, customs, institutions of a society toward which the people of the group have an affective regard. These values may be positive, as cleanliness, freedom, or education, or negative, as cruelty, crime, or blasphemy. From the above definitions it can be deduced that value is an ideal and fact is the happening or the practical manifestation of the value. Values are intertwined with facts and give meaning with the help of facts (Harris, 2001). With out values facts are meaningless and vice-versa. Answers regarding the simple facts regarding a river or pollution level in the air can be given through scientific research but when it comes to sociological facts values becomes the guiding principles or the driving force for the facts. In social sciences behaviouralism brought a fundamental transformation in the thinking process which took turn after the age of reason and enlightenment in between 1600 (Ritzger, Smart, 2001, p371). It started with the study of the natural world and spread to the study of social sciences or soft sciences. People now believe that most of the natural and social phenomenon is under the jurisdiction of science. Social scientists gather data through specialized techniques. These techniques include participant observation, key informants, focus group discussion and sampling. The empirical data includes the evidence which people have felt through their sensory perception. This thing creates confusion among researchers as they cannot employ their senses directly to observe things like intelligence, opinions, attitudes, feelings, emotions, power and authority (Ritzger, Smart, 2001, p371). This thing also creates confusion in the research world and gives birth to debate that it is not possible to separate facts from the values. For instance, the difference between the cure, prevention and ones attitude towards disease is called cancer. In other example the approach would be different while a researcher would measure the attitude towards economic systems applied in different societies. The German sociologist Weber is the creator for freedom from value decision in the social sciences, an ideal he referred as Werturteilsfreiheit (value-freedom). He says that there is a rational distance; its not a matter of quantity, separating the causal premise and empirical generalizations of science from value judgments. It is more of moral, political, and aesthetic first choice. Social scientists keep the two sides, fact and value. Thus it can be argued from the Weber, that this separation is not observed by anyone. Weber seized that values affect the way in which research is done in the social sciences and that the values are also affected by the research results. Facts can be brought to bear on values, affecting ones holding of them. On the research side of the human disciplines, evaluations enter into the subject matter. Using understanding explanation that is, the subjects evaluations seen in relation to the conditions of his or her action, the researcher can hope to sort out the decisive motives of the actor studied. In research, the scrutiny of values permits a discussion between investigators that can clarify the points of view each brings to bear. Values serve the science by an empirical treatment. Values ultimately come into view, in practical situations the implications of values are judged in particular terms. In addition new values can be revealed and their factual consequences can be judged (Weber, 1949). Value is not determined by any fact for instance and is necessarily free (Weber, 1949). It is free because it is a value (Weber, 1949). And it is because there are a lot of values and they are at odds, and according to Weber these are warring gods in the modern world. Humans are cultural beings and are caught in the chains of the culture, values, norms and traditions. Both the researcher and the respondent cannot get rid of the cultural implications. Taking the culture as the object social scientists must recognize the prerequisite for a cultural science is as cultural beings, humans take up behaviour to the world and give it meaning and significance. Values permit this. Core cultural values in cultural science change with culture over time (Weber, 1949). Webers idea of value-freedom is of extreme importance that research cannot be conducted in space. Hence the cultural values are enveloped in the cultural facts. Values and facts are interrelated and interdependent. No value in culture is out of context of facts (Weber, 1949). Infact cultural facts give meaning to values and norms. Thus it cannot be separated from the cultural context. Thus this idea gives that Weber is positivist and facts be studied for scientific purposes and only science cannot save the human beings only. The empirical researcher asks for the objectivity in the research keeping in view the apolitical environment (May, 1993). However the interpretative research looks for the reflection of personal point of view. It infact does not ask for the value freeness, rather it sees the values and meanings fused together (May, 1993). The empiricist approach tends to say that all the social research is based on the empirical data and evidence. All the knowledge is empirical in nature and intensity. Social research is based on rationale and empirical observations. Social research involves the contact between thoughts and evidence. Ideas help social researchers to give sense to the evidence and the researcher use this evidence to support ideas. Research has attempts to influence the real world. No laws in social science are parallel to the laws in the natural science; whereas law is a universal generalization about a fact and fact is an observed phenomenon and it means it has been seen, heard or otherwise experienced by researcher (Barton, 1999, p232). Thus the researcher holds a relationship with the society directly. Empirical school is all about data collected through sensory perception and all that. This term was used for certain ancient Greek practitioners of medicine who rejected following to the basic principles, preferring to rely on personal experience and observation. Building further, empiricism became a theory which refers that knowledge arises from experience and evidence gathered using senses (Barton, 1999, p232). Scientifically, the term refers to the gathering of data using only evidence that is observable by the senses or in some cases using calibrated scientific instruments. The investigator tries to descr ibe the interaction between the human senses and the unit being observed. The researcher is expected to adjust tools by applying it to known standard objects and documenting the results before applying it to unknown objects. Thus in short it can be analyzed in empirical school that the facts and values are part and parcel of any culture and society (Couvalis, 1997, p40). Facts give meanings with the help of values and values through facts. Both are pre requisites of each other. When the word scientific comes in vogue than it means that only scientific and systematic methods of inquiry are applied to understand and investigate the social phenomenon that includes interaction among more than two individuals. The values and norms are the guiding principles of this interaction. Values are a set of ethics or standards of behaviour and are held in high esteem and sough-after by a particular society in which a person lives (Couvalis, 1997, p45). Without values, life is confusion, signifying nothing. It is the pre-requisite to be human. Everything in this world is relative, truth is not truth but it is being made truth, constructed as a truth, thus perceived to be truth, so it is the perception which makes our impression which we except as a truth and the only truth in this time frame is that only the creature is absolute. So facts are actually truths about social world driven under the umbrella of values. Relatively speaking neither Earnest Najel is wrong nor Longino or Karl Marx. But every phenomenon has some critique, which is valid to considerable extent. For this reason not totally disagreeing with any one I would just highlight some angles upon which light could be thrown. It is not against the use of scientific method to apply to social research, no doubt science has developed a lot it has revolutionized our lives and mechanized as well, here the stress is at, mechanized our lives, when it comes to human thoughts the development means a lot but as man is social animal so his social world tends to be developed the world around him and the world in which he lives. For this reason objectivity of using scientific methods in social fields is sought. But prior to check whether there is any similarities between natural science and social phenomenon, for using them simultaneously they must be identical in subject matter, in terms of application and generalisation. Are the patterns to the theories similar in these respects? Social science is based on rules while natural science is based on laws. Social theory need to be reduced to natural theory. Replicating a social phenomenon for the sake of experimental study might be possible in some cases but not in all cases, thus behavioural, cultural, and the normative order could make difference. Anatol Francis said that the difference between animal and human being is like literature and lying. Scientific approach has been very rigid as far as the conclusion are concerned either right or wrong while on the other side it not the same case. Social scientific thesis is not compatible and universal, that is not applicable every where and could not be tested or verified universally as values very society to society and same as the facts. Science approach cannot give you perceptions. It can tell a person what s/he can do, not what s/he should do. Put another way, treating the ideas as a coherent system of thought, science can point out to an actor what is possible within his or her value system, and what would be contradictory to that value system. Social constructivists urge that understanding the production of scientific knowledge required looking at all the factors causally relevant to the acceptance of a scientific idea, not just at those the researcher thinks should be relevant. Science is thought to be the knowledge of elites. Authoritative explanation of knowledge makes difference, while tradition also plays its part in your knowledge system. Problems of social policy are not based on purely technical considerations of specific ends, but involve disputes about the normative standards of value which lie in the domain of general cultural values. This conflict over general cultural values does not occur solely between class interests but between general views on life and the universe as well. The non-scientific world information is accepted on trust, so in science, knowledge grows by depending on the testimony of others. What are the implications of accepting this fact for our conceptions of the reliability of scientific knowledge? Until recently, apart from a few anomalous figures like Caroline Herschel, Barbara Mcclintock, and Marie Curie, the sciences were a male preserve. Feminists turned to Marxist models of social relations and developed versions of standpoint theory, which holds that the beliefs held by a group reflect the social interests of that group. As a consequence, the scientific theories accepted in a context marked by divisions of power such as gender will reflect the interests of those in power. Alternative theoretical perspectives can be expected from those systematically excluded from power. (Rose 1983; Haraway 1978). Objective science must distinguish between value judgments and empirical knowledge, and try to see factual truths. However, value-judgments of the practical interest of the scientist will always be significant in determining the focus of attention of analytical activity. Interpretative social sciences go back to the German sociologist Max Weber and another German philosopher Wilhem Diltey. This is related to the word hermeneutics that originated in the nineteenth century. This employs that making the obscure plain. This thing refers that true meanings are rarely simple or obvious on the surface. One absorbs that scanning through the complete text. In this method the researcher uses participant observation and field research method. The interpretative researcher lives for year among the respondents to collect data. This is the organized analysis of the social actions through direct and detailed observation of the people in the natural world. The goal of the social research is to deep down understand the social life and discover how people construct meanings in the natural setting. The basic aim of the interpretative social science research is to discover social reality. Conclusion All the social sciences studies and researches are conducted to find out the meaning and truths behind the values. All the facts give explanations to the prevailing values in short. The purpose of the research is to give scientific explanation to the facts and to dig out the universal laws about human behaviour (Weber, 1949). It is not the motive to separate values from the facts. As I have previously mentioned that both are interlocked. In our society the correlation of values with daily life holds a clichà ©. The above debate can be concluded that values and facts are interlinked and phenomenon and concepts which give meaning while combined (Barton, 1999, p232). All research is empirical in nature and holds roots in the society that is composed of human beings. Research is an ongoing, evolving, moving process. The current knowledge and paradigms are not perfect. The only aim is construct scientific laws about human behaviour and when the word behaviour is used, the term values aut omatically jumps in. facts in any cultural, societal and communal reflection explains the values and norms of that particular society. Social scientists gather and explain data accordingly. Thus it can be concluded that generally established objectivity and subjectivity or simply reality versus values that is applicable to individual cultures only. In their own conclusion, the authors state that it will be the theory of argumentation that will help develop what pure logic could not, the justification of the possibility of a human community in the sphere of action when this justification cannot be based on a reality of objective truth. (Bizzel and Herzberg, 2001, p. 1377) Bibliography Barton, E. (1999). Review of Strategies for Empirical Research in Writing. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 13, 2, p. 232. Bizzel, P. and Herzberg, B. (Eds.) (2001). The Rhetorical Tradition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins. Caws, Peter (1972). An Immense Density of Systematicities. The Archeology of Knowledge. By Michel Foucault. Translated by A. M. Sheridan Smith. http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/comm/steen/cogweb/Abstracts/Foucault.html (retrieved 11/23/08) Chalmers, A (1999). What is this thing called Science? Open University Press. p19-26, 27-58. Couvalis, G. (1997). The philosophy of Science. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. p36-61. Harris, M. (2001). The Rise of Anthropological Theory. AltaMira Press. Kuhn, T. (1962). The structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Ladyman, J. (2002).Understanding the Philosophy of Science. New York: Routledge. p93-123. MacNealy, M.S. (1999). Overview of Empirical Methodology. In Strategies for Empirical Research in Writing. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. May, T. (1993). Social Research: Issues, Methods and Process, Buckhingham: Open University Press. p27-41. Neuman, W Lawrence, Social Research Methods, Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches , University of Wisconsin at Whitewater. Ritzger, G Smart, B. (2001). Handbook of Social Theory. London: SAGE. p371-385. Weber, Max. 1949. Max Weber on the Methodology of the Social Sciences. Trans. and eds. Edward A. Shils and Henry A. Finch. Glencoe, IL: Free Press.

Billy Budd Essay: Moral Shades of Grey -- Billy Budd Essays

Moral Shades of Grey in Billy Budd    Vere's decision, according to the Wartime Acts under which he was subject, was lawfully justified. To do anything else would be a direct violation of the law, and thus, the position in which he was placed. The captain could not follow any twinge of conscience that he felt, for it was not his position to do so. As Vere put it, "But do these buttons that we wear attest that our allegiance is to Nature? No, to the King." He and the judges were forced to follow their duty, which was to carry out the law. As officers of such a law, the morality of the decision was not their choice, as that same law dictated what they were to choose. The decision fell finally to Vere as he gave the speech which condemned Billy. "Our vowed responsibility is in this: That however pitiless that law may operate, we nevertheless adhere to it and administer it." This was, however, not the only factor to be looked after. What options they had does not dictate the morality of an act, it is only one part of a larger whole. Law is, in itself, morality, by nature of the fact that to defy law results in chaos. Originally the law was created to serve as a means of carrying out Justice, but the sheer nature of the fact that it has since, as in this case, acted in some way other than to uphold such a concept proves that it is a separate entity unto itself. Rather than considering the morality of a decision in the administering of Justice, it is now reasonable and required to consider the law as a factor in determining the morality of a decision. When the virtue of the decision is determined, then can Justice, and thus punishment, be considered. It is important to understand this concept: law is no longer a means of carry... ... choice, his decision is justified. Justification is as close to virtue as can be expected in this case. Life is not black and white, as theories of morality would dictate, but merely a complex set of shades of grey. Vere's final choice was only the highlights on a painting, the end of a process, and the selection among a set of distasteful colors on a palette of grey. Works Cited and Consulted: Chase, Richard. Herman Melville: A Critical Study. New York: Hafner Publishing Company, 1971. Melville, Herman. Billy Budd, Sailor and Other Stories. Ed. Frederick Busch. New York: Penguin, 1986. Richards, Lawrence O. The Bible Reader's Companion. Wheaton: SP Publications, Inc., 1991. Stern, Milton R. The Fine Hammered Steel of Herman Melville. Urbana: U of Illinois P, 1968. The Holy Bible, New King James Version. Dallas: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1979.

Sport Obermeyer Case

Obermeyer Sport A Strategic Direction in Forecasting Introduction & Summary Klaus Obermeyer is an innovator in the high-end skiwear industry. The company began with down filled jackets and slowly began to diversify its product line with high-altitude suntan lotion, turtlenecks, nylon wind-shirts, mirrored sunglasses and more. In 1961, the first Sport Obermeyer factory warehouse opened in Aspen, and the innovations continued with â€Å"soft-shell† jackets, double lens goggles, and the first waterproof-breathable fabrics to be used in clothing. Sport Obermeyer is a high-end fashion skiwear design and merchandising company with its headquarters located in Aspen, Colorado. The company specializes in selling its products in U. S. department stores and ski shops. Although the company has a global supply network, most of its outerwear products are channeled through Obersport. [1] In the fashion skiwear industry – demand is very dependent on several factors that are difficult to predict. The inconsistent nature of the economy, fashion trends and weather create a significant challenge for a firm such as Sport Obermeyer. By actively applying a selection of appropriate forecasting methods and continuing to adapt to this fast-paced industry, Obersport would be able to remain competitive and retain or increase its 1992 high market share entering into the 1993/94 season. Analysis A joint venture was established between Klaus Obermeyer and Raymond Tse in 1985. This company gained the title of Obersport Ltd. This joint venture allowed Obermeyer to manage supply and production operations in Hong Kong and China. [2] Until the mid-1980s, Obermeyer followed a simple design-and-sales cycle: The first stage was to design the product, then fabricate and showcase samples to retailers in March usually at fairs/shows ? The second stage was to place production orders with suppliers in March and April after receiving retail orders from the fairs/shows. ? The third stage was to receive goods at Sport Obermeyer’s distribution center in September and October; and ship product immediately to retail outlets. During the mid-1980s, several factors rendered this approach obsolete: ? As sales volume grew, the company hit manufacturing ceilings during the peak ski wear-production period. Being unable to order sufficient quantities during critical summer months reduced the supply for ongoing demanded volume, to be produced after it has received retail orders. Therefore, the company begins booking production the previous November, or about a year before goods would be sold, based on speculation about what retailers would order. Processes and Strategies A ski jacket being distributed in the U. S. could be asembled in China from fabrics and findings (zippers, snaps, buckles, and thread) sourced from Japan, South Korea, and Germany. This global supply chain (Exhibit 1. 0) created more product variety and improved production efficiency, but at the same time greatly increased lead times. Reaction to the lengthening supply chains, limited supplier capacity, and retailers’ demands for earlier delivery were all prominent obstacles. Obersport began developing a variety of quick-response initiatives such as to shorten lead times to overcome them. First introduced were computerized systems to slash time in processing orders and computing raw-material requirements. This technology would anticipate what raw materials it would require and pre-position them in warehouses in the Far East because lead time for obtaining raw materials proved difficult to shorten. To shorten this time Obersport used air freight for delivery from the Far East to the Denver distribution centre as delivery due dates quickly approached. In the 1990s, these changes had reduced delivery times by more than one month. [3] Along with these changes, the Sport Obermeyer applied some other tactics in the 1990s. Obermeyer persuaded some of its important retail customers to place their orders sooner, providing the company with valuable foreword information such as the popularity of certain styles. Invited were 25 of the company’s largest retailer customers to Aspen each February offering them a preview of the new annual line and solicit early orders. This was called an â€Å"Early Write† which accounted for about 20 percent of the total sales. About half of production requests depended highly on demand forecasts still. An in-house buying committee approach was allocated to generate these forecasts. 4] Short life cycle Issues There are three topics in today’s business environment that are especially relevant to this case: ? Production planning for short-life-cycle fashion products ? Operational changes that reduce the cost of mismatched supply and demand ? Coordination issues in a global supply chain. The Bullwhip Effect (or Whiplash Effect) is an observed phenomenon in fo recast-driven distribution channels. Since the oscillating demand magnification upstream a supply chain reminds someone of a cracking whip it became famous as the Bullwhip Effect. For seasonal goods such as winter sportswear, which has a short selling season and long lead times, a firm can do several things to better match supply and demand: †¢ Additional events can be held before large trade fairs in order to secure orders further in advance. †¢ Supplier capacity can be reserved without specifying the exact product mix. This postponement of the final mix has benefits similar to those of postponing product customization until the distribution center. †¢ Common parts can be used in designs in order to pool some of the variation between individual demands. [5] Demand Forecasting The different types of forecasting include: †¢ Economic forecasts address the business cycle. Ie inflation rate, money supply, and housing starts †¢ Technological forecasts predict the rate of technology progress and impact the development of new products †¢ Demand Forecasts predicts sales of existing products and services. This is the type of forecasting relevant to the Obermeyer case. [6] The Importance of Forecasting [pic] Forecasts are based on statistics, and they are rarely perfectly accurate. Because forecast errors are a given, companies often carry an inventory buffer called â€Å"safety stock†. Moving up the supply chain from end-consumer to raw materials supplier, each supply chain participant has greater observed variation in demand and thus greater need for safety stock. In periods of rising demand, down-stream participants increase orders. In periods of falling demand, orders fall or stop to reduce inventory. The effect is that variations are amplified as one moves upstream in the supply chain (further from the customer). The causes can further be divided into behavioral and operational causes: Behavioral causes to forecasting Misuse of base-stock policies †¢ Misperceptions of feedback and time delays †¢ Panic ordering reactions after unmet demand †¢ Perceived risk of other players' bounded rationality Operational causes †¢ Dependent demand processing †¢ Forecast Errors †¢ Adjustment of inventory control parameters with each demand observation †¢ Lead Time Variability (forecast error during replenishment lead time) †¢ Lot-sizing/o rder synchronization †¢ Consolidation of demands †¢ Transaction motive †¢ Quantity discount †¢ Trade promotion and forward buying Anticipation of shortages †¢ allocation rule of suppliers †¢ shortage gaming †¢ Lean and JIT style management of inventories and a chase production strategy The information above (Importance of Forecasting) was provided by Wikipedia: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Bullwhip_effect Objectives Despite current forecasting strategies being used at Sport Obermeyer to satisfy the constantly changing consumer demands, goals and targets must be set in order to improve weak areas allowing the company to remain competitive for the upcoming season. The following objectives are used to further develop the company’s forecasting strategies for the 1993/94 season. 1. Find new ways to accurately estimate the quantity of each style required in the initial phase of production. 2. Implement operational changes that will improve overall performance. 3. Properly align current supply chain sources subject to supply channels in Hong Kong and Greater China. Recommendations The following recommendations have been created to ensure the company meets its required objectives. 1. Wally Obermeyer reflects the results from the buying committee meeting that is held in November, annually. This year Wally strayed away from the usual system of having six key managers make production commitments based on the group’s consensus, to having each member give a personal forecast retailer demand for each of the products sold at Sport Obermeyer. We recommend that he takes each manager’s forecasts and makes one forecast based on the other manager’s predictions. A good formula to use in order to accomplish this is ? i-k? i= 10,000 units. (refer to exhibit 3. 0)This formula takes both the mean of all of the other manager’s forecasts and the distribution of everyone’s forecast into consideration. By improving the internal forecasts by applying this forecasting model with the data used from past sales instead of a simple average made by the buying committee. [7] 2. The main operational changes that Wally should focus on in order to increase pro ductivity is to initially focus on splitting the seasonal orders into two lots: Speculative Order The first lot should be an order of 10,000 units placed approximately 10 months before the selling season. This order will be made through China, considering that they are less expensive and need more time for production. This order will consist of the quantities produced from the data attained through a weighted average method as identified above. Reactive Order The second lot should be ordered closer to the selling season, approximately six months, and should also be 10,000 units. The quantities in this order should be decided based on which items are popular in the Las Vegas fashion show. The Vegas fashion show should offer a better prediction of popular trends in the season. This order should be produced by Hong Kong manufacturers considering that they are faster, more efficient and more flexible. Although, it would be much less expensive to order through China, given the short time line for this second order it is essential to use Hong Kong. [8] 3. Due to lower costs, but longer lead times, Sport Obermeyer should make a majority of its speculative order to China. With strict quota restrictions limiting the number of units that can be imported from China into the United States, it is necessary to ensure the orders brought into the US before the quota has hit a maximum. Sport Obermeyer forecasts an annual demand for its product and as a result supply channel partners need to undergo change to develop and deliver new product lines annually. Therefore, Obermeyer retroactive order should be manufactured in Hong Kong to avoid the risk of declined imports (Exhibit 2. 0). The Hong Kong manufacturer also provides higher quality and quicker production times, but at a higher price. Conclusion [pic] Obermeyer did employ all of the recommended strategies (to some degree) to satisfy the three outlined objectives entering into the 1993/94 season. Although Obermeyer did increase their quality control functions to position themselves as one of the highest quality brands in the market, they continued to use essentially the same supply chain. The company has since evolved from its operations in the early 1990’s to investing highly in research and development as this is the only way to remain competitive as a premium brand supplier in the 21st century. Sport Obermeyer now follows the following strategy: â€Å"Obermeyer Product Technology defines our commitment to the demand of function and performance. Today, more than ever, we are designing garments that are pushing the boundaries of outerwear technologies. Introducing new systems of integrated synergistic components which create exceptional, high-performance winter gear: The Advanced Technology Series is way of the future. † Despite their fundamental changes in corporate strategy, effective operations management remains a critical part of the ongoing success of Sport Obermeyer Ltd. Exhibits Exhibit 1. 0 – Supply Chain [pic] Exhibit 2. 0 – Comparative Analysis |Hong Kong |Greater China | |Advantages |Disadvantages |Advantages |Disadvantages | |Workers 50% faster than Chinese |Shorter hours worked, less |Significantly lower wage/hour |Workers not as efficient | |counterparts |overtime allowance |(US$0. 6/hr) |Narrower range of tasks | |Higher weekly output/worker |Higher labour costs |Ample supply of manufacturing |Long production lines | |Trained in broader range of |Shortage of younger workers |human resources |Much higher minimum order | |tasks |Insufficient number of workers |Lower landed cost |quantity for same style | |Lower minimum order quantity for|Higher landed costs | |Slow repair rate (10%) | |same style | | | | |Fast repair rate (1-2%) | | | | Exhibit 3. 0 – Speculative Production Quantities Assumptions ? All ten styles are made in Hong Kong, and Obermeyer's initial production commitment is at least 10,000 units. Different unit costs of production are inapplicable |Style |Average Forecast ( µ)|Standard |2x Standard Deviation |Product Quantity | | | |Deviation |(? i) | | |   |   | |Isis |357. 24 | |Entice |832. 24 | |Assault |1804. 2 | |Teri |292. 28 | |Electra |1293. 52 | |Stephanie |2. 12 | |Seduced |2838. 28 | |Anita |1076. 36 | Daphne |905. 36 | Exhibit 4. 0- Product Life Cycle [pic][9] Project Management Group Three: Craig Brown, Evan Farquhar , Jay Maynard, Sarah-May Kilpatrick, Sean Vrooman The first step taken was to appoint a Project Manager for our group. We decided to appoint Sean Vrooman due to his background in Human Resources and having a strong understanding of Project Management. The first thing put into place was we created a plan for how we would structure this assignment. First we analyzed what the objectives were and how we could meet them over a timeline. We then devolved a work break-down schedule to split up certain tasks to individuals in the group. Our first meeting was Tuesday November 3rd, 2009. We decided to meet every Tuesday but with limited resources we decided to start meeting twice a week for the last three weeks to help us move at a faster pace through the project. In total we met seven times with emails back and forth discussing and analyzing each other’s work. After implementing a schedule based on our working methods we had a very strong and competent order of who was doing what part of the paper and how we were going to present our material to the class. No methods were required In genereal this group functioned very well together. Everyone contributed in a very equal and professional manor. We completed this project on time and did not need the assistance of any extra materials like Gannt charts or critical paths. ———————– [1] Janice H. Hammond, Ananth Raman, Harvard Business School, Sport Obermeyer, Ltd. [2] Janice H. Hammond, Ananth Raman, Harvard Business School, Sport Obermeyer, Ltd. [3] www. personal. umd. umich. edu/~drossin/class/gommo4 [4] courses. washington. edu/smartman/Ass3. htm [5] http://www. quickmba. com/ops/scm/ [6] Heizer_9_ch4 [7] [pic]678GOP’? E? †¢Ã‚ ±- = O f o iU?  §Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ¢â‚¬ ¦tcRcRcRcAcAc! hâ‚ ¬Uhz B*OJQJaJphy! hâ‚ ¬UhI? www2. isye. gatech. edu/~jvandeva/Classes/6203/†¦ /12Obermeyer. ppt [8] www. utdallas. edu/~metin/Or6366/Folios/scnewproduct. ppt [9] Heizer_9_ch4

Does privacy actually exist online

Google is set to make a major change to their Terms of Service that will allow the company to use the user name and profile pictures of its Google Plus account members in reviews, advertising, and â€Å"other commercial contexts. † This, coupled with Facebooks recent announcement that they are removing a setting that previously allowed users to be undiscoverable through their Graph Search, raises the question†¦ oes privacy actually exist online? In the case of Google, the company says it plans to only share user names and profile hotos in conjunction with content users have chosen to help curate. For example, they may use the +1 you gave your favorite local bakery in an ad that the bakery runs through Google, or your rating of an album on your favorite band's Google Play page may she shared with those in your Google Plus circles.Although users will be able to opt out and control whether their image and name appear in ads via the Shared Endorsements setting, this is a majo r change for the platform that puts it more closely in line with Facebooks much scrutinized privacy policies. It's also a move that s likely to perturb users who flocked to Google from Facebook because of privacy concerns and raises the question of what Google may be planning for the future.Not to be outdone, Facebooks announcement that everyone will be searchable after the removal of an old privacy setting is raising many eyebrows†and rightfully so. â€Å"We're removing the setting because it isn't as useful as it was before,† read an announcement from Facebook when I recently logged in to my personal account. So, naturally, choosing to remove the setting altogether is better than attempting to mprove this tool which would enable account holders to control who can view their profiles? Apparently so.Both companies seem to be using the argument that users are in control of what they share, and therefore are presenting an implied endorsement of sorts that they believe the y have the rights to use for monetary or promotional gain. While it is true that status updates about a restaurant you like, a snapshot at an event you went to, or what you're listening to, watching, or reading are put there by the users themselves, shouldn't it also hold true that the information we hare about ourselves should still remain our information?Although there are laws, both state and federal, currently in place that are supposed to safeguard internet users, these controls are not assurance that we are sheltered from companies using our personal information in ways we did not intend. Frequently these laws, and most frequently the privacy policies of internet companies, put an increasing amount of control in the hands of internet users, who unfortunately, often have inadequate training in and knowledge of the digital landscape.This puts teens, the elderly, and other marginal web users at risk, as they are uninformed and uneducated to make the appropriate choices needed to protect their personal information on the internet. Even for more advanced internet users such as myself, it often difficult to understand my online privacy rights†not to mention that internet companies are not always transparent. As social media becomes more, well, social, companies like Google and Facebook should be taking the needed steps to make their privacy measures easier to comprehend and user friendly.In the example of Facebooks most recent privacy privacy shortcuts. † Okay, sure, but how? With the ambiguous nature of online privacy now and the Jargon of its top providers, digital literacy is an increasing must. Who should be responsible though? Should the command be placed on internet companies? Should it be left to the online user? Without a precise solution, the future of online privacy is clouded and the sole fix for the time being is to stay enlightened and precautious†otherwise your semi-private musings may turn up in a not-so- private place.

Crime and Society Crime Is the Result of Individuals Making Choices to Commit Crime Essay

Running Head: Crime and Society CCJ18 1 Crime is the result of individuals making choices to commit crime; it is not the result of their social circumstances. Discuss this statement. This paper will address sociological theories relating to why a person becomes a criminal. It has been suggested that a person may commit certain crimes for economic reasons and to provide for their families. Their personal circumstances and status in society might be the reason why a person feels their only option is to engage in criminal behaviour. Using empirical research demonstrating some reasons working class and upper-middle class convicted criminals have given for choosing to commit their crimes (Willott, Griffin, & Torrance, 2001) as well as identifying reasons why an individual may commit a violent street crime (Silverman, 2004), it will be argued that while society does influence the decisions a person makes, ultimately it is the individual’s choice as to whether they abide by the law or break it. Criminal offences can range from something as minor as a speeding ticket to more serious crimes like burglary, white-collar crime and violent crimes. In fact it has been said that minor crimes occur so frequently that they can actually be viewed as normal. (Howitt, 2009). Theories surrounding why a person may commit a crime range from genetic reasons such as Eysenck’s biological theory of crime through to learned processes for example Bandura’s social learning theory or Sutherland’s differential association (Howitt, 2009). Some criminologists have claimed that social factors are completely irrelevant and people choose how to behave. Mehlkop and Graeff (2010) for example, have cited Becker and his view that criminal behaviour has nothing to do with an individual’s social status and that choosing to engage in criminal activity is a rational process whereby a decision is made in order to benefit the offender one way or another. Conversely, Robert Merton has claimed that people living in low socio-economic environments may resort to obtaining money and basic Crime and Society CCJ18 needs through criminal means as legal opportunities are scarce (Bessant, & Watts, 2007). If it is to be assumed that a person’s  social circumstances do determine whether or not they become criminal then it can also be assumed that those who are more financially privileged would have no need to commit crime in order to meet their financial needs, but as Willott et. al (2001) have demonstrated, this is not the case. In their 1999 study, Willott and Griffin identified that working-class men excuse their criminal behaviour by claiming sole responsibility for providing for their families. In semi-structured group interviews with working-class offenders the men identified that legitimate ways to earn an income were scarce, they had been let down by the State, and that they were forced to engage in some types of crime to provide for their families. These men felt as if they are not real criminals, and it is the State and the government who are the real criminals by not providing them with opportunities to earn a legal income. They believed they were victims of circumstance. Interestingly, upper-middle class men who were interviewed in the same way excused their behaviour similarly. Willot et. al. (2001) discovered that these men used a similar excuse of having to provide for others, except in these circumstances the men felt that not only did they have to provide for their own families, but for the families of their employees too. Like the working-class men, they shunned responsibility off themselves and blamed the legal system for their criminal status, believing that they should have received some sort of special treatment and their trials should not have been heard in the same courts as ‘real criminals’. Like the working-class men, they believed they were victims of circumstance. Arguably, any adult with a family has a responsibility to provide for that family and would feel stress and pressure to provide adequately yet not everybody resorts to providing through criminal means (Slovenko, 2007). The men’s reasoning for their criminal activity 2 Crime and Society CCJ18 cannot be justified by their social circumstances. Both groups of men from different socio-economic backgrounds have chosen to engage in crime, no matter what their reasons are. Mehikop & Graeff (2010) identified rational choice theory where it is claimed that all crimes are thought through logically and specific laws are broken for very definite  reasons designed to benefit the offender. They have stated that ‘actors choose a certain action if they positively evaluate it and if they expect their peers to advocate this behaviour’ (Mehlkop, & Graeff, 2010 p.195). This appears to be the case with the men in Willott et. al.’s studies. and it can be argued that this type of crime is not the result of their social circumstances, but rather an active decision that the individual has made. While similarities in economic crime are apparent throughout different social conditions, other types of crime such as violent crime and property crime are more prevalent in poorer communities and these types of crime could occur more frequently as a result of social conditions. In the USA in 2000, violent crime made up around twenty-five per cent of all crime with the majority of these acts taking place in poorer communities. Silverman (2004), identified that the majority of these attacks were not for financial gain but rather for status. The offenders commit assaults and robberies in order to create a reputation that they are to be feared or respected thus becoming less likely to be victims of violent crime themselves. Silverman identified three personality types in these violent communities. The ‘Streets’ who are very likely to involve themselves in violent acts as they perceive these acts as being beneficial to their reputations, ‘Decents’ who would rather not be involved in these types of activities but may become involved in order to protect themselves from falling victim themselves, and the ‘Weaks’ who would never engage in any type of violent crime. 3 Crime and Society CCJ18 Silverman has noted that the Weaks simply cannot engage in violence and have no choice to make about whether or not they get involved. Although it is not stated directly, this implies that the Streets and the Decents choose how to behave and is indicative that although the social circumstances of these people does influence their decision to commit a violent offence, it is ultimately still a thoughtful decision that they make. Actively choosing to partake in criminal activity stands in direct opposition to Paternoster and Pogarsky’s (2009) claims that people who are able to think in a thoughtful and reflective way are able to make better long term decisions and therefore not likely to be involved in criminal  activity. They claim that those who take part in thoughtfully reflective decision making are able to see alternative options to an action they may be considering and therefore will chose to behave legally. The Decents in Silverman’s study do not demonstrate this reasoning. They understand that if they do not build a reputation of fear and respect for themselves then they will fall victim to crime regularly as the Weaks do, and a criminal conviction is favourable to this although they may not think that their behaviour is acceptable (Silverman, 2004). Additionally, this theory doesn’t relate to people who have committed traditionally higher-class crimes such as tax evasion or white-collar crime, which invariably take a lot of thoughtful planning and preparation (Mehlkop, & Graeff, 2010). Suggesting that every criminal act is a well thought out decision would be imprecise. Mundane crimes which have low visibility to the average person such as traffic offences or public order offences generally occur impulsively and may be due to genetic factors such as low self-control or learned behaviour (Gibbons, 1983). Claiming that a person becomes criminal by choice is quite a conservative view as demonstrated by law professor Ralph Slovenko (1999). He states that there 4 Crime and Society CCJ18 are many people who live in poverty and the majority of these people do not break the law for their own benefit, but more controversially suggests that one person might choose a criminal career in the same way another may choose a professional career. Both Willott & Griffin (1999) and Silverman (2004) have identified that some of the criminals that they studied would rather live a legitimate lifestyle and justify their actions as being a means to an end and they may not have broken the law under different financial or social circumstances. They do not believe they chose a life of crime as Slovenko has suggested. To say that a person’s social circumstances will determine whether or not they become deviant is too much of a black and white view. In Willott et. al.’s 1999 and 2001 studies, both working-class men and middle-class men cited the same reasons for committing economic crime although their social circumstances are very different. In addition, Silverman has claimed that  the Weaks in his study have no choice in their actions but the Streets and the Decents do, even if they do not like what they are doing. Perhaps the Decents would choose to behave differently in a less harsh social environment but there is no evidence in this paper to support this. Furthermore, Mehikop & Graeff (2010) have identified rational choice theory claiming that those who have broken the law have chosen to in order to benefit themselves and as Slovenko rightly points out, not everybody who is under financial pressure resorts to law breaking. This is not to claim that a person’s social circumstances do not influence their lifestyle in anyway whatsoever, but it is certainly not the penultimate factor in determining what has made a person criminal. 5 Crime and Society CCJ18 References Bessant, J., & Watts, R. (2007). Sociology Australia, 3rd edition. Crows Nest, Australia: Allen & Unwin. Gibbons, D. C. (1983). Mundane crime. Crime & Delinquency, 29(2), 213-227. Howitt, D. (2009) Introduction to Forensic and Criminal Psychology 3rd Edition. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. Mehlkop, G., & Graeff, P. (2010). Modelling a rational choice theory of criminal action: Subjective expected utilities, norms and interactions. Rationality and Society, 22(2), 189-222 Paternoster, R., & Pogarsky, G. (2009). Rational choice, agency and thoughtfully reflective decision making: The short and long-term consequences of making good choices. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 25, 103-127 6 Silverman, D. (2004). Street crime and street culture. International Economic Review, 45(3), 761-786. Slovenko, R. (1999). Criminals by choice. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 43, 248-249 Willott, S., & Griffin, C. (1999). Building your own lifeboat: Working-class male offenders talk about economic crime. The British Journal of Social Psychology, 38, 445-460. Crime and Society CCJ18 Willott, S., Griffin, C., & Torrance, M. (2001). Snakes and ladders: Upper-middle 7 class male offenders talk about economic crime. Criminology, 39(2), 441-466.