Reading of Jane Austen(TM)s short stories Essay

‘From a reading of Jane Austen’s short stories what do we learn about women’s lives in the late eighteenth century?’ In Jane Austen’s a collection of short stories â€Å"Love and Friendship†, she shows us the lives of women in the late eighteenth century, and what they have to deal with. These short stories are written in epistolary (letter) form between women who were friends at the time, these letters show us what their lives were about and what was considered to be important to them. Jane Austen writes about marriage, status, personal views and the attitude to what she saw, she also uses humour in her letters showing us how shallow women were in that time. For young women in the late eighteenth century marriage was very important and a woman who did not get married was considered worthless, all women were expected to get married. There were many important reasons to get married for a woman living in this time, the most important reason being having money. If a woman had no money she would be considered as having a bad status, because women when they were with their parents had no possession of their own. In the three sisters Mary is not sure about marrying Mr Watts she does not like him but she still considers marring him because he has a lot of money. â€Å"He has a large fortune and will make great settlements on me.† â€Å"I hate him more than anybody else in the world.† This shows us the amount of money he has is more important than the relationship and how happy they will be together. She decides to marry him if he will give her all she wants, this shows us how shallow the women could be and what they will do for possessions, she demands â€Å"a new carriage hung as high as the Duttons’, and blue spotted with silver; and I shall expect a new saddle horse, a suit of fine lace, and an infinite number of the most fine jewels†¦must always let me do just as I please and make a very good husband.† This shows us all the things she expects to get in marring him they are all but one material goods. This shows us that women in the eighteenth century were very much focused on marriage and how much money they could get out of it. If a woman did not get married she would either have to live with her mother or a paid female companion. Another alternative was to be a governess to a wealthy family; this was not a good thing to be because you would be treated a little better than a servant, they would neither be on the same level as the servants or the family. Young women in the late eighteenth century were considered well educated if they had plenty of accomplishment, these were things like sewing, singing, reading and entertaining their guests at a dinner party. In ‘Lesley Castle’, Margaret Lesley was writing to Charlotte Lutterell tell her what they did to pass the time in Scotland and what they do is â€Å"we read, we work, we walk and when fatigued with these employments we relieve our spirits, either by a lively song, a graceful dance or by some smart bon-mot and witty repartee.† This shows us that they did not do any challenging or intelligent type of work. The women in the late 18th century were also polite this shows us that this mattered in this time; we can see they are polite because they write long pleasant letters to each other. ‘Lesley Castle’ demonstrates that it is important to have accomplishments in this time and it allowed them to get into a good marriage which was the most important thing in a young lady’s’ life in the late eighteenth century. Not many girls of the time attended school but the few that did attended boarding school, would not learn to be clever they would only learn things like sewing and singing. Margaret Lesley and Charlotte Lutterell both went to boarding school together, â€Å"it is four years since my removal from school.† School was mostly for boys, some girls went to boarding school but the education was not very good because they did not need lessons and the teachers did not know what to teach them. Women in the late eighteenth century did not own anything or have any property for themselves. A woman’s inheritance would be given to a distant male relative the woman would never be given the whole of the money. The only way women could get money was through marriage, Mary only wants to marry Mr Watts because â€Å"he has a large fortune and will make great settlements on me.† She also expects the pinmoney; two hundred a year.† Which Mr Watts only want to be â€Å"a hundred and seventy-five.† When Mary agrees to marry Mr Watts she expects him to build her â€Å"an elegant greenhouse and stock it with plants†¦ a room on purpose and a theatre to act plays in.† she also expects to be allow out of the house all the time she insists on spending â€Å"every Winter in Bath, every Spring in town, every summer in taking some Tour, and every Autumn at a watering place.† Mary’s mother is set on not letting â€Å"such an opportunity escape of settling one of my daughters so advantageously.† This shows us that money was not only important to the woman but also important to the rest of their family, to ensure that the family would stay with money. It would also be in a mans interest to marry someone with lots of money because some of the family money would be given to him for marring into the family. Marriage was based on material goods not on a relationship. If you did not marry you would have no money and possessions you could have from your father. In Lesley castle Charlotte Lutterell is worried what will happen if â€Å"by this second marriage sir George should have a second family, our fortunes must be considerably diminished †¦ those jewels which once adorned our mother †¦ Matilda would no longer sit at the head of her father’s table.† This shows us how easy it is to loose money and financial security. Female friendship in the late 18th century come over as shallow, because they are always judging each other Margaret Lesley calls her mother-in-law â€Å"an insignificant dwarf.† Where their mother-in-law Susan Lesley calls Margaret and Matilda â€Å"scotch giants† and continues â€Å"I am sure they would frighten you out of your wits.† This show us that women in the 18th century judge each other and think they look better than each other. There is also a lot of rivalry between friends Mary in â€Å"The Three Sisters†, says â€Å"how I will triumph over the Duttons† and the two families were friends; this shows us that was even rivalry between friends and even though they were nice to them to their faces they were horrible behind people’s backs. Manners and etiquette were more important than actual friendship; Susan Lesley and Charlotte Lutterell are only friends even though they are feed up with each other because â€Å"she is too polite and I am too civil to say† they still write letters which â€Å"are still as frequent and as affectionate.† This show us that women in the late eighteenth century are very selfish, and their lives were very shallow. We have learnt from reading Jane Austen’s short stories that women in the late eighteenth century had very little choice to what they could do because they had to marry to ensure that they would still have enough money to live. Life in the late eighteenth century for women was very much ‘everyone out for themselves’ and they all had to fight over having a rich man and material goods better than everyone else’s. Jane Austen did not like living in this time we can tell this because of the humour she uses with the women to show how important money was to them in â€Å"The Three Sister† Mary is very indecisive whether she should marry Mr Watts or not. Today we find it hard to compare with how they lived in the late eighteenth century because it is so different to how we live now. I am glad that we live in a society today which is more accepting to women and how both male and female should be treated the same. I also believe that Jane Austen would prefer to live in the society that we live in today because Jane Austen always humours the women in her collection of short stories.

Food and Hunger Essay

The most pressing factor now limiting the capacity of the earth to support life is the supply of food. Man’s need for food and his current nutritional requirements are all important for his survival. Nutrition is defined as the science of food and its relationship to health. Some of these nutrients are considered to be essential while others are considered to be non-essential. Essential and Non-essential Food Nutrients Essential nutrients are nutrients that cannot be synthesized by the human body and therefore must be derived from food sources. Essential nutrients include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids and some carbohydrates as a source of energy. Non-essential nutrients are nutrients which the body has the ability to synthesis from other compounds, as well as, from food sources. Nutrients are generally divided into 2 categories, macronutrients, and micronutrients. People are heterotrophs. A heterotroph is a creature that must ingest biomass to obtain its energy and nutrition. All heterotrophs have an absolute dependence on the biological products of autotrophs for their sustenance—they have no other source of nourishment. 1. Macronutrients are fats, carbohydrates and proteins. All three can serve as source of the energy that we need to survive. These nutrients are generally needed in large quantities. Organic. 2. Micronutrients are the substances that an organism must have in its diet in small quantities because it cannot make them for itself or because it cannot make them as fast as it needs them. The nutrients can be divided into vitamins which organic compounds, and minerals which are inorganic. [pic] Malnutrition and Diet. About 20,000 people die of starvation everyday, and at least 10 million children in the world are so malnourished (poorly fed) that their lives are in danger. 1. Starvation means death from lack of food. Most people who are inadequately fed do not actually die because they take in too few calories to sustain life. 2. Some 45 compounds and elements found in foods are considered essential nutrients necessary for the life and health of human beings. 5. General Categories of Nutrients a. Carbohydrates – is an organic compound that consists only of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen b. Proteins -are large biological molecules consisting of one or more chains of amino acids c. Lipids – constitute a group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, phospholipids, and others. d. Vitamins – is an organic compound required by an organism as a vital nutrient in limited amounts e. Minerals are the chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen present in common organic molecules. 3. Human nutritional diet can be met by eating some foods from each of the four groups daily. 4 Food Group Categories a. Milk and dairy products are for calcium, proteins and other minerals. b. Meat, fish, poultry or egg for protein, fats and vitamins. (luxury food) c. Grain and starchy vegetables are for carbohydrates, vitamins and proteins. (staple food) d. Fruits and vegetables are for carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and some proteins. World Food Preference The traditional diet of various people in the world differs tremendously. East Africa – berries, grains, vegetables, milk and blood from cattle. Polynesian – coconut, fish bread fruit, taro, tropical fruits and occasional pork and poultry American and Europe – bread, turkey and beef Filipino – boiled rice, fish or meat with vegetable The Politics of Hunger â€Å"The problem of hunger is largely the problem of poverty† The existing nutritional deficiencies results either from insufficient supplies of some or all these foods, or from poverty to ignorance. To comprehend nutritional problems, one must be aware of the problems of: a. Agricultural development and production b. Food distribution and pattern c. Agricultural economics d. Cultural food preferences e. Public health situation Issues in Nutrition Nutrition is the substrate upon which growth and development feed. It is the basic precondition for the maintenance of good health because of its role in the fight against diseases. It remains to be fundamental issue in health. Quite apart from overt diseases due to or abetted by malnutrition, the profound effects on physical and mental development in growing children and work capacity and performance in adults give rise to corollary problems that are difficult to quantify. How, for example, does one measure a lost opportunity due to mental retardation or decreased productivity in the workplace brought about by marginal or borderline nutritional status? The Current Estate of Nutrition in the Philippines: Children in Focus 16th National Nutrition Survey Pedro MRA. Et. al Food and Nutrition Research Institute Department of Science and Technology Conclusion and Implication of the Program? Under nutrition (underweight, thinness, shortness and increasing prevalence of anemia and VAD) affects a significant of Filipino children; the rate of prevalence of undernutrition to children needs to be accelerated. ? Inadequate infant and young child feeding practices including: †¢ Low prevalence and short duration of exclusive breastfeeding †¢ Decreasing consumption of milk and products ? Usual food intake of young child beyond breastfeeding is inadequate in energy, iron, calcium and vitamin A particularly after 12 months of age when milked intake has by then decreased and intake of other food is not sufficient. ? The only day per capita of Filipino household in 2003 was deficient for the most of the nutrients (iron, calcium, vitamin A, riboflavin a, vitamin C) in spite of the consumption of most food groups except fruits and vegetables, legumes and eggs. ? Under nutrition of children are more prevalent among households and mothers with experiences of food security, relation of poverty and nutrition†¦ Philippines Food and Nutrition Program (PFNP) Provides the mandate, political support, overall program design, manpower, strategies and mechanism. Department Of Health (DOH). Its part has embarked specifically targeted supplementary programs. Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) The institute continues to provide relevant technologies and scientific information on food and nutrition. National Nutrition Council (NNC) This is the country’s highest policy-making and coordinating body on nutrition. Nutrition Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. (NFP) This is a Philippine private, non-stock, non-profit organization engaged in improving the nutritional status of the Filipino community. MALACANANG M a n i l a PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 491 June 25, 1974. CREATING A NATIONAL NUTRITION COUNCIL AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHEREAS, malnutrition is seriously affecting millions of our people; WHEREAS, malnutrition retards mental and physical development of our children, weakens their resistance to infections resulting in unnecessary loss of human lives through high infant and child mortality rates; WHEREAS, studies indicate that infants and young children, pregnant women and nursing mothers are most vulnerable to malnutrition; WHEREAS, there is a multiplicity of government agencies engaged in various aspects of nutrition activities; WHEREAS, there are various food programs in the country such as the Green Revolution, Masagana 99, Palayan ng Bayan, Masaganang Maisan and others which are aimed at providing for food sufficiency; WHEREAS, there is a close interlinking relationship between food, education and nutrition; WHEREAS, Executive Order 285, series of 1971, vested in the National Food and Agriculture Council the responsibility to coordinate all nutrition programs in the country; WHEREAS, coordination has proven to be of great value in integrating the food and nutrition efforts of the various agencies; WHEREAS, one of the objectives of the New Society is to bring about social, economic, and political reforms to eventually improve the quality of life of every Filipino; WHEREAS, the nutrition program, being concerned with human resource development, is a vital and integral part of social reform and economic development; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution do hereby adopt, approve and make as part of the law of the land, the following: Section 1. Title. This decree shall be known as the Nutrition Act of the Philippines. Section 2. Declaration of Policy. The Government of the Philippines hereby declares that nutrition is now a priority of the government to be implemented by all branches of the government in an integrated fashion. Section 3. Philippine Food and Nutrition Program. An Integrated Four-Year Program involving the government and private sector shall be drafted by the National Council is hereby created. The program shall be approved by the President to be implemented by all concerned. Section 4. Creation of a National Nutrition Council. There is hereby created an agency under the Office of the President, the National Nutrition Council, hereinafter referred to as the council, to be composed of the following officials; The Secretary, Department of Education and Culture The Chairman-Coordinator, National Food and Agriculture Council The Secretary, Department of Health. The Chairman, National Science Development Board The Secretary, Department of Social Welfare The Secretary, Department of Local Government and Community Development The Chairman of the Nutrition Foundation of the Philippines President, Philippine Medical Association One other representative of the private sector to be appointed by the President of the Philippines. In the event that any cabinet member cannot attend Council meetings, he shall be represented by an Undersecretary or Assistant Secretary. Section 5. Functions and Powers. The Council shall have the following functions and powers: (a) To formulate an integrated national program on nutrition. (b) To supervise, coordinate and evaluate the implementation of the integrated Philippine Food and Nutrition Program to be implemented by all agencies and instrumentalities of both the government and the private sector concerned with improving the nutrition of our people. (c) To coordinate and integrate policies and programs of all agencies and instrumentalities of the government charged with the prosecution of existing law, policies, rules and regulations concerning nutrition. (d) To coordinate the release of public funds for nutrition purposes in accordance with the approved projects and programs. (e) To coordinate all requests for loans and grants by the government agencies involved in the nutrition program. (f) To call on any department, bureau, office, agency and other instrumentalities of the government for assistance in the form of personnel, facilities and resources as the need arises. Section 6. Officers of the Council. The Chairman-Coordinator of the National Food and Agriculture Council shall be the Chairman of the Council. He shall maintain a close link of the nutrition program with the food programs of the government. In his absence, the Secretary of Health shall be the Acting Chairman. An Executive Director shall be appointed by the Council. He shall implement the policies, programs, projects and decisions of the Council. One or more Deputy Executive Directors may be appointed by the Council and shall assist the Executive Director in the performance of his duties or take charge of special project assigned by the Executive Director. A Management Committee shall be formed, the members of which shall be a representative appointed by each of the members of the Council, which representatives should be the head of the nutrition unit or project of his office. The Executive Director, or in his absence, a Deputy Executive Directors, shall be Chairman of the Management Committee. This Committee shall perform such functions as may be assigned to it by this Council. The Council shall hire such other personnel as may be necessary for the performance of its basic functions. All positions, except the technical and professional staff and such other positions as the Council may declare to be highly technical, policy determining, or primarily confidential, shall be subject to Civil Service rules and regulations and the Wages and Position Classification Office: Provided that, all personnel shall be entitled to the benefits and privileges normally accorded to government employees, such as retirement, GSIS Insurance, leave and similar matters: Provided further, that in the appointment and promotion or employees, merit and efficiency shall serve as basis, and no political test or qualification shall be prescribed and considered for such appointments and promotions. Section 7. Nutrition Month. The month of July shall be designated as NUTRITION MONTH, for the purpose of creating greater awareness among our people on the importance of nutrition. Activities thereto shall be approved and coordinated by the Council. This Nutrition Month of July shall be in lieu of the previously declared Nutrition Week in March. Section 8. Donations. The Council shall be authorized to received donations, grants, or gifts in whatever form and from whatever sources: Provided that, said grants, gifts or donations shall be terms of the grant or donations and in such manner as a majority of the council may in its discretion determine. Section 9. Appropriations. For the first fiscal year, 1974-1975, P3. 4 million pesos shall be appropriated from NFAC funds already stipulated for nutrition programs. Provided that, the sum of ten million pesos is hereby appropriated as operating funds of the National Nutrition Council starting fiscal year 1975-1976. Provided further, that said amount may be increased or deceased in the succeeding years by the Council in accordance with its financial position. This appropriation shall be included in the Annual General Appropriation Act beginning in Fiscal Year 1975-1976. Section 10. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed and/or modified accordingly. Section 11. This Decree shall take effect immediately. Done in the City of Manila, this 25th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-four. Factors That Affect State Nutrition Food security. The most basic solution to malnutrition that will assure adequate supply and universal access to food. Poverty & Rapid increase in Population The discrepancy was the population of increase for the same period coupled with the static expenditure on food by the average household. Education Lack of specific knowledge due to poor or deficient education may magnify an already existing state of poor nutrition. Prevalence of Disease Who comes first? Disease or Malnutrition? However, it is established for some diseases, the effect of nutritional status is a major determinant of morbidity. Parasitic worm Diarrhea Malaria Geography Isolated pockets of population may suffer from peculiarities of geography. Due to difficult access to these places, food supply may suffer from time to dip, which results in decrease in consumption. Most of these regions cannot also produce the quantity and variety of food needed for adequate nutrition. The only specific solution for malnutrition is the provision of more food to supply the deficient calorie and nutrient. Definition of Terms Legumes – edible crop Peculiarity – ambiguous Malnutrition – undernourishment Discrepancy – difference Diet – cut down Deficiency – shortage Collar (collary) – line of job Workplace – place of work Marginal/Borderline – medium Mandate- authorization Embarked – board Supplementary – additional Prevalence – occurrence Morbidity – death rate Isolated – lonely. References: http://www. nnc. gov. ph/about-nnc#mission http://www. chanrobles. com/presidentialdecrees/presidentialdecreeno491. html#. UQDU8lsW7Dc http://en. wikipilipinas. org/index. php? title=Food_and_Nutrition_Research_Institute http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Nutrition_Foundation_of_the_Philippines,_Inc. http://www. questformuscle. com/articles/nutrition01. asp http://www. ndap. org. ph/food-pyramids University of Perpetual Help System- GMA CAMPUS Brgy. San Gabriel, GMA, Cavite COLLEGE OF ARTS, SCIENCES AND EDUCATION Environmental Science [pic] [Written Report] Submitted by:Submitted to: Jose Mariano A. EpinoMr. Prony Adrales III – AB PsychologyProfessor.

The Street Hawker

Street hawkers are very common in India. They can be found here, there and everywhere. There is hardly any village, town or a city without street hawkers. They have been there for countries. They go from one town to another town and street for selling their various articles. A street hawker comes with his basket full of fruits, vegetables, sweets, and articles of general use. He may come with a big bundle of clothes or shawls on his back. He is very useful. He brings the bazaar to our door-steps and makes life easy and convenient. He is welcomed by all, particularly by ladies, old men and children. He has no fixed hours. If he is there in this colony in the morning, he will be in the next street in the evening. He has his own way of selling goods and calling the customers. The things he hawks are cheaper. On seeing him come children and ladies flock him to purchase things of daily need. He can also liked by schools during recess time. His eatables are liked by school children as they are cheap and tasty. There is a lot of haggling. Sometimes a hawker has to come to terms with his old customers and sell things on reduced rates. Sometimes hawkers cause nuisance by distributing the peace of the locality by their loud cells. They often throw wrappers, fruit-skins and leaf-plates here and there. Many a time a hawker may indulge in theft or stealing. An anti-social element may also be there in the guise of a street hawker. It is not safe to purchase things from unknown hawkers. Hawkers should be registered and licenced to check cheating and mal-practices. They may cheat small children and supply cheap and harmful eatables. Sometimes a hawker may turnout a child-lifter. Thousands and thousands of poor people earn their daily bread by hawking. It is a very useful self-employment which can be started with a very small amount of money. There is no harm in earning one's bread and butter by hawking. Government should try to help them by giving loans on cheap rates of interest. Their lot should be improved as citizens of the country. As hawkers, they render a useful service. Instead of becoming a burden on the society, they support themselves and their families by adopting this profession. So far no social group or government agency has done anything to organise them.

Microeconomics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Microeconomics - Coursework Example Keeping the cash will mean there will be no gain, but one enjoys a high liquidity preference of their cash. However, the future of the market performance is oblique. In the event inflation hit the economy, the money will have greatly lost its value and one would have wished making an earlier investment on either stock or bonds could have been a better option. Investing their money in either stock or bonds is always dilemmatic. An individual is ever sure of safety of money value invested in government bonds than in corporate stock. The value of government bonds depends on the performance of GDP; it could either decrease or increase annually. Assuming a GDP of 7%, the value of the bond that year would be similar to GDP. In such cases, the stock value is always higher than that of bond by 1% or 2%. A person who decided to invest in corporate stock that year will enjoy accrued savings of their investment at either 8% or 9% while one who invested in bonds will only enjoy 7%. The differenc e of the two becomes the risk premium. Risky situations have a high attached risk premium. There are many mechanisms an individual can explore to minimize risk. To begin with, one can just say no. For example, uncertain luxurious investments to improve one’s status in the society can be avoided. One may have a strong desire to purchase the most coveted natural Cornflower Blue Sapphire.There are two possible outcomes: purchasing a genuine sapphire or duped with a copy. Bearing in mind that one lacks the capacity to distinguish between a genuine and a counterfeit, there are two underlying benefits of varied proportions. If one goes ahead and it is a genuine one, he becomes $ 120 rich otherwise, $10 richer. In such scenario, saying no would avert possible looming risk. Secondly, one can obtain factual information before making a decision. An investor who is interested in a particular corporate stock and lacks information or have scanty facts regarding the stock performance can i nquire before putting life savings into it. Information gathered in light of the corporate stock performance in the past few years or quarters may lead one to make informed decisions. A clear indication of a possible decline in the stock value that particular period would deter one from investing because at the end of the day everyone wants to see the value of their assets rising and with great stability. When one obtains information about something whether it has monetary value or not, the decision made will ultimately avert risk associated with it. Thirdly, an individual can diversify the risk. This can be done when the two events are perfectly negatively correlated (Perloff, 2011). A perfectly negatively correlated event according to Perloff refers to an event where one of the two possible outcomes must happen with great certainty. Assuming the government wants to give the tender to either IBM or Apple to supply its various departments with computers and other accessories during the next financial year. There are two possible outcomes: a win and a loss. It is absolutely clear one company must win the tender. When an individual purchase the shares of the winning company, each share value is $50 otherwise $10. One may then decide to purchase an equal share of each company just to be at the fair edge. Assuming a purchase of 5 shares, the total

Punk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Punk - Essay Example The musical and lyrical features of the punk rock, reflected in songs such as â€Å"Anarchy in the U.K.† by the Sex Pistols and â€Å"White Riot† by the Clash, distinguish this genre from the popular music of the period. Therefore, the essential features of the punk musical aesthetics contribute to an understanding of the difference between the punk rock and the other popular rock music styles of the time such as the style of the Beatles. Significantly, â€Å"Anarchy in the U.K.,† the first single of the Sex Pistols, as well as â€Å"White Riot,† the first single of the Clash, divulges the crucial musical and lyrical features of the punk which, in turn, illustrate the distinction of the punk music to the popular music of the day. One notices the quality of fast and bare organization of music in them which reflects the style of the garage rock of the 1960s. The relatively shorter songs of â€Å"Anarchy in the U.K.† as well as â€Å"White Riot,† accompanied by stripped-down instrumentation also indicate the musical elements in the punk rock. These features set the punk rock bands apart from the popular music of the time and the decisive result of this music was undeniably f ar-reaching. As Frith and Horne suggest, â€Å"Punk rock was the ultimate art school music movement. It brought to a head fifteen years of questions about creativity in a mass medium, and tried to keep in play bohemian ideals of authenticity and Pop art ideals of artifice†¦ It ushered popular music into postmodernism.† (Frith and Horne, 124) The short but passionate song of the â€Å"White Riot,† along with quality of its lyrics, which deals with the controversial issues of class and race, illustrates the musical aesthetics of the punk rock in common. The effect of these musical bands, unlike that of the other popular bands such as the Beatles, was visible in the cultural milieu of period. Focusing on the musical elements in the punk rock music, it is illumining to

Management skill Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management skill - Personal Statement Example The celebration of birthday states how old a person would be. It is the way of being thankful for what we have in life and a time to celebrate the joy of life i.e. birth itself. A surprise birthday party may sound exciting but is not an easy task. Being a part of event planners, I have already been organizing birthday parties in the past, so I was given the responsibility of planning and organizing a surprise birthday party for my best friend which was to be held in October. For this I took help of my other friends to organize and manage this event. With the beginning of the preparations I was faced with conflicts among my two friends over the responsibility of making the list of the guests, both were of the point that he can make the list better, so in order to face this situation I allotted both of them the responsibility but for different areas so that they both can do the same work in different manner. Both friends started with making list of her friends, family, relatives and co -workers to be invited in the party. This is how I handled this conflict and made the work progressed. This was started fifteen days prior to the birthday date. The overall work was divided between five of us who were organizing the party with me leading and managing everything (Devney, 2001). One friend was given the work of selecting and sending the birthday invitation cards because he was good at attending and communicating with people. It was started two weeks in advance of birthday so that guests can R.S.V.P. thus giving a confirm status of who all will be attending the party. My house was chosen as the venue for celebration. After getting confirmation of people who would be attending the party I then started with making list of food, beverages and party supplies etc. which would be required in the party. Two friends were given the responsibility of decoration and booking of band while other two were to take care of party supplies and catering on the day of the party. My friend s were nervous due to their participation in first such surprise event, so I motivated them by telling that everything will be alright as they are doing extremely well and are on the right track. I was deciding the food menu for the party and gift to be given to her. The budget for party was preplanned by me and was divided between all 5 friends and activities as per the requirement and need for each activity, I have taken this responsibility because I am quite good at handling finances. The work given to other four friends of decoration, booking of band, taking care of party supplies and catering was done by them. I being from event organizer’s background had various contacts in all the fields and departments. So I advised my friends about where to get the decoration done so that they may go and finalize the theme of decoration. I also suggested them few orchestra and bands for the party to be booked. The catering was finalized and booked and also the party supplies were ord ered well I advance. The food menu for the party was to be decided by me, which I after considering everybody’s taste opted for Chinese and Italian food along with soft drinks and juices (Devney, 2001). The catering was booked from a renowned hotel where we placed the order keeping in mind the gathering we were expecting, though an issue of home delivery was raised by the hotel but I somehow managed it by increasing the pay to them and made them forced to deliver at the party venue. A dark

International Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

International Criminal Justice - Essay Example The question then goes on to ask if there is a difference in the national and international repercussions for a state embarking upon the use of armed force or the divide is merely an arbitrary one .After definitions and analysis the essay then discusses the application or rejection of these laws in the light of recent and historical events. From the perspective of international law the sovereignty of the states confers upon them a right to conduct their affairs free from the interference from other states.This is also known as the doctrine of non-intervention in the sovereign affairs of the other states. In Nicaragua v United States1( The existence in the opinio juris of states of the practice of non-intervention is backed by established practice.It has moreover been presented as a corollary of the principle of the sovereign equality of the states. "dictatorial interference by a state in the affairs of another state for the purpose of maintaining or altering the actual condition of things .Intervention can take place in the external as well as the internal affairs of a state.But it must be emphasised that intervention proper is always dictatorial interference not interference pure and simple" 2 In the modern international scenario, the mention of intervention has become synonymous with armed conflict. In the Corfu Channel Case(Merits)1949 ICJ Rep 4 it was said by the court that, "the court can only regard the alleged right of intervention as the manifestation of a policy of force such as has in the past given rise to most serious abuses and such as cannot whatever be the present defects in international organisationfind a place in international law ." It should also be noted that before the First World War there was not much of an international effort to regulate and prevent armed conflict involving war crimes and aggression. This has been noted by an eminent academic as follows, "International law has no alternative but to accept war independently of the justice of its origins as a relation which the parties to it may set up if they choose and to busy itself in regulating the effects of the relation"3 However the Post World War II era has seen a heightened concern by various international organisations to prevent armed conflict. In the recent decades the principle of non interference has been reinforced by the General Assembly Resolution 2131 (XX) of December 14 1960, The Declaration on the Inadmissibility of Intervention in the Domestic affairs of States, General Assembly Declaration On the Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among the States In Accordance with The Charter of the United Nations,GA,Resolution,"2625(XXV) of 24 October 1970.4 The legality of Aggression Of particular importance is the way the International Law treats War of Aggression.Customary international law makes it an international offence to wage a war of

Cultural phenomenon in African-American History from the Colonial Era Essay

Cultural phenomenon in African-American History from the Colonial Era to Reconstruction - Essay Example Her sisters were sold away from the family. Her mother held the rest of the family together with a determined resistance which was an inspiration to her daughter. Ben was freed from slavery at the age of forty-five, but continued to work as a foreman for his former owners. The family was helpless to fight for the freedom which his wife and children were later entitled to. (Biography.com). The young Harriet’s childhood was marked by harsh conditions: she inserted her toes into the smoldering ashes of a fire at night, in order to avoid frostbite. She received severe whippings even as a small child, working at various jobs, including weaving, housekeeping and baby-sitting, by the age of six. At the age of 12, she was seriously injured by a blow to the head, inflicted by a white overseer for refusing to help him tie up a runaway slave. This injury continued to be the source of life-long seizures, severe headaches and narcoleptic episodes. In 1844, at the age of 25, Harriet married John Tubman, a free Black man, who did not share her dreams of escaping to freedom in the North (Williams).    In 1849, Harriet’s owner died and she feared being sold to the South. This impelled her to make a bid for freedom. She was initially accompanied by her two brothers, but the men lost their courage and returned to their slave life. Guided by the North Star, penniless and friendless, Harriet hid during the day and walked across strange country by night. Her determination is seen in her words, â€Å"I had reasoned dis out in my mind; there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty, or death; if I could not have one, I would have de oder† (qtd. In Simkin). She secured aid from white abolitionists. Harriet’s escape bid included being covered in a sack and carried in a wagon, using a succession of ‘safe houses’ and finally crossing the Mason-Dixon line (dividing the free states of the North and the slave states of the South) to reach Phi ladelphia. In a poignant tribute to her freedom, Harriet says, â€Å"When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything† (qtd. in Biography. Com). Harriet then embarked on the next stage of her life, which was to make her one of the most remarkable women in African-American history. Harriet took on a job in Philadelphia, worked tirelessly, and used her pay to help other blacks follow her path to freedom. She made the acquaintance of William Still, who was one to the most active ‘station masters’ of the Underground Railroad. The UGRR was the route to freedom along which slaves were transported from the South to the North. In order to maintain secrecy, the routes were called ‘lines’, the safe-houses were ‘stations,’ the slaves were ‘freight’ or ‘packages’ and the agents who guided them were the ‘conductors.’ With Stillâ₠¬â„¢s help, and that of the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society, Harriet became an official ‘conductor’ of the UGRR. When the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made the North dangerous for runaway slaves, who faced the threat of recapture and return to their former masters, the UGRR made Canada the destination of the people it guided. In 1851, Tubman moved to St. Catharines in Canada and used the city as the base for her activities.

Evaluation of tasks conducted at work placement Essay

Evaluation of tasks conducted at work placement - Essay Example Such meetings involved discussions on eating habits, exercise period, etc, which allowed the team to understand the condition of athlete in a better manner. It was an observation that athletes’ flexibility training was another key indicator in allowing the team to keep the athletes away from any injury throughout the season, and more the athletes involved themselves in the training, the more they avoided any muscular fatigue or soreness. In addition, analysis indicated that honesty was one of the major factors that played a vital role in monitoring them and managing the database, and I am glad that the players were very truthful and cooperative in submitting their information on weekly basis. Another important phase of the task was to record the data on weekly basis and monitor the RPE training loads of the athletes. The database required submission of every information regarding the athlete, which would result in their weekly rating after various calculations. Such rating helped the department in preparing rating chart of the whole team for every week, as well as the group average, which enabled us to issue a red flag to players in case of their higher rating on consistent basis. In brief, higher RPE rating of players was an indication of lack of energy, lower performance, chances of any injury, etc. Such monitoring enabled us to keep in contact with the players, and discuss with them any reasons of possible injury. In addition, it allowed the department to collaborate with the medical department to formulate a plan to ensure optimum level of fitness of the players. Moreover, this weekly process included competition of players with each other based on the coach’s ratings where the player with eight would be the lowest scorer, and ‘thirty-two’ would be the best scorer. Subsequently, both coach’s and RPE’s ratings were

Theseus and the Minotaur by Antoine-Louis Barye Essay Example for Free

Theseus and the Minotaur by Antoine-Louis Barye Essay The idea of Theseus fighting the Minotaur was a popular neo-classical subject among sculptors. Although, Antoine-Louis Barye (1796-1875) finished his sculpture about 1850 that is in the late part of what is meant by neo-classicism, Baryes modelling of the surfaces has a vibrancy and movement characteristic of the French romantic sculpture. Barye is well-known for his animal production and Theseus and the Minotaur is only one of a series produced by Barye from the early 1830s onwards. The sculpture reproduces King Aigeus and the god Poseidons son, Theseus, they both visited princess Aithra the very same night, that is Theseus had two fathers holding his knife over Minotaur, a monster having the head of a bull and the rest of the body human, devouring human flesh. However, according to tradition Theseus killed Minotaur by means of King Minos daughter Ariadne. Add to this that Minotaurs mother was King Minos wife his father a bull. CONFUSED!!! However, tradition says that Minotaur was locked up in a maze in Knossos on Crete. He was nourished by a compulsory tribute of young men and women from Athens. Therefore Theseus and Ariadne decided to kill him. Now, why did I choose to write about Theseus and the Minotaur? Well, first of all Victoria and Albert Museum is big very big! I therefore had to decide by which department I wanted to improve my knowledge. In many ways the 19th century was a time of unrest and upheaval: a neo-Platonic philosophy of life arose, an interest for classical antiquity penetrated, citizens acquired a considerable place in society etc. Consequently I darted into the department containing subjects from America and Europe in the period 1800-1890. Though I had now reduced my options I still didnt know exactly what to go more thoroughly into. Nevertheless, I know a little of Greek mythology a very little! so I determined to deepen with Theseus and the Minotaur. Greek mythology was a very common subject for scultors and artists in general in the Romantic Movement. In fact reproducing old classical  subjects is very significiant to Romanticism. Where the 18th century attached importance to common sense, the 19th century that is the first part of the century set great store by feeling. We see this in the sculpture: The feelings for tradition, old things etc. is obvious. On the other hand it isnt very reasonable to make sculptures of antiquated things.

Justification for qualitative research in organisations

Justification for qualitative research in organisations Qualitative research is a field of inquiry in its own right. It crosscuts disciplines, fields and subject matters. A complex, interconnected family of terms, concepts, and assumptions surround the term qualitative research. These include the traditions associated with foundationalism, positivism, postfoundationalism, postpositivism, poststructuralism, and the many qualitative research perspectives, and/or methods connected to cultural and interpretive studies. qualitative researchers can access fascinating data by observing mundane settings or by finding everyday features in extraordinary settings. This essay provides a justification for the use of qualitative research methods in organisations. In the past, qualitative research methods have always been sidelined and quantitative research methods have been preferred for undertaking organisational research. One of the reasons for this is that qualitative research is always influenced by the researchers personal disposition. According to Creswell, Qualitative Research is a form of interpretive inquiry in which researchers make an interpretation of what they see, hear, and understand. Their interpretations cannot be separated from their own backgrounds, history, contexts, and prior understandings. (Creswell, 2009:176) Another reason for this is given by Silverman when he says that Policy makers and managers have been pushed away from ethnographic research because it takes a relatively long time to complete and appears to use unrepresentative samples. Even though some ethnographers are able to produce powerful arguments about what c an be read from a single, well researched, case, others muddy the waters by political posturing and by suggesting that they want no truck with conventional scientific standards. (Silverman, 2007:86) The pull of quantitative research for organisations is that it tends to define its research problems in a way that makes immediate sense to practitioners and administrators. (Silverman, 2007:86) More recently many organisations have started recognising the merits of using qualitative research methods to undertake research in the organisation. Qualitative research methods enable a thorough scrutiny of the researched topic which is not possible in quantitative research. Even within qualitative research, the researcher is provided with a vast range of options and opportunities for exploring diverse issues within the area of organisational research. What are the different methods used to adopt qualitative research? The most commonly known and most used method of qualitative research is ethnography which had its origins in social anthropology, with particular reference to the study of the culture of social groups and societies. The culture of a social group is made up of these complex networks of meaning and the key task of ethnography is to develop an interpretation and understanding of culture. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008) Ethnography can be described as a longitudinal research method that is often associated with participant observation, but can also draw on other research approaches such as contextual and historic analysis of secondary data published by or on the group being studied. The ethnographic approach to developing an in-depth understanding of peoples behaviour makes it well suited to studying organisations. (Marshan-Piekkari and Welch, 2004) But It bends reality considerably to imply that ethnography is today the main method of qualitative research and that observational material is the main data source. This is hardly surprising given the plethora of materials that invite our attention. These extend beyond what we can observe with our own eyes to what we can hear and see on recordings, what we can read in paper documents and electronically download on the internet, to what we can derive by asking questions in interviews or by providing various stimuli to focus groups. (Silverman, 2007:37) Grounded theory research, discourse analysis, deconstruction, content analysis, narrative method, action research (Humphreys, 2006), participatory enquiry, participant observation (Denzin and Lincoln, 2000), autoethnography, interviewing are just a few of the current approaches to qualitative data collection and analysis. All these methods are appropriately used in different forms of organisational research. I will be looking at autoethnography, grounded theory research, critical discourse analysis and the narrative approach towards qualitative research and will study the use of these methods in conducting organisational research. Autoethnography Ethnographers have started undertaking the observation of participation where they reflect on and critically engage with their own participation within the ethnographic frame thus giving birth to autoethnography. (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005:467) Karra and Philips have defined autoethnography as, the generation of theoretically relevant descriptions of a group to which one belongs based on a structured analysis of ones experiences and the experiences of others from ones groupIt is an attempt to produce sense from ones experience of a group that can be set down in a text and shared with interested others. It does not mean that the researcher studies only himself or herself, but that the researcher is an insider who can draw upon personal experience, cultural competence, and linguistic resources to frame and shape research in a way that an outsider cannot. (Karra and Phillips, 2008:547) Autoethnography has been very efficiently used by Karra and Phillips, in their article about internatio nal management researchers conducting studies in their own cultural context. They say that, autoethnography provides a methodological frame for understanding and managing their research. Even more importantly, it acts to sensitize the researcher to the importance of carefully managing the complex dynamics of this form of cross-cultural research including questions of authorial voice, role conflict, and power. (Karra and Phillips, 2008:543) Autoethnographic approaches have four important strengths- ease of access, reduced resource requirements, ease of establishing trust and rapport, and reduced problems with translation- but at the same time pose three important challenges- lack of critical distance, role conflict, and the limits of serendipity. (Karra and Phillips, 2008:541) The strengths of this mode of research are considerable and despite all the criticisms this method of qualitative research has acquired it can be used very successfully in organisational research where the need is to draw upon personal experiences. One of the uses of autoethnography is to allow another persons world of experience to inspire critical reflection on your own. (Ellis and Bochner, 1996:22) Experience is given a lot of importance in organisations and autoethnography enables the researcher and the organisation to use this experience in a positive manner and in a way which can be very beneficial to the organisation and its employees. Grounded Theory Grounded theory, developed by Glaser and Strauss, is a kind of theory generated from the data collected. The methodology refers to a style of conducting qualitative data analysis whose aim is to discover what kinds of concepts and hypotheses are relevant to the area one wishes to understand. Grounded theory, therefore, provides new insights into the understanding of social processes emerging from the context in which they occur, without forcing and adjusting the data to previous theoretical frameworks. (Cassell and Symon, 2004:242) Grounded theory is a method that is more appropriate for some questions than others. It is most suited to efforts to understand the process by which actors construct meaning out of intersubjective experience. Grounded theory should be used in a way that is logically consistent with key assumptions about social reality and how the reality is known. It is less appropriate to use grounded theory when you seek to make knowledge claims about an objective realit y, and more appropriate to do so when you want to make knowledge claims about how individuals interpret reality. (Suddaby, 2006:634) While the grounded theory approach appeared at a time when methods discourse was decidedly modernist, forty years of development reflect he paradigmatic plurality of current qualitative research. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008) The application of grounded theory in organisational research has been gaining popularity in recent times. This is because organisational psychology has been marked by a trend of moving from an individualistic point of view towards a more collective view. Grounded theory has been applied in studies focusing on organisational culture, organisational growth, change and innovation, team work and company survival to name a few. Grounded theory produces descriptions of organisational reality which elicit positive discussions around important themes in the organisation among the employees and, thus, form a basis for positive organisational development trends. (Cassell and Symon, 2004) Critical Discourse Analysis According to Cunliffe, Discourse analysis is a term covering a number of approaches to research that analyze language use. These approaches range from a focus on language itself, to a broader examination of the relationship between language use, social action and social theory. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008:81) Discourse analysis provides a theoretical and methodological framework for exploring the social production of organizational and interorganizational phenomena. (Phillips, Sewell and Jaynes, 2008:1) As a methodology, critical discourse analysis allows for the use of different kinds of methods in specific research projects. However, this kind of research in particular demands the ability to make sense of the linkages between specific textual characteristics and particular discourses on the one hand, and between the discourses and the relevant socio-cultural practices and historical developments on the other. This means that research of this type generally tends to favour in-depth scrut iny of and reflection on specific texts. (Marschan-Piekkari and Welch, 2004) Discourse analysis has become an increasingly popular method for examining the linguistic elements in the construction of social phenomena. It has been increasingly adopted by organization and management scholars interested in the social construction of specific organizational ideas or practices. (Varra, Kleymann and Seristo, 2004:3) There are three important problems facing researchers wishing to adopt a critical discourse perspective in their work. First, like ethnography, discourse analysis results in quite lengthy analyses that are often a poor fit with the requirements of journal editors. Second, discourse analysis often involves major data-management issues because of the volume of data that is often available. Finally, as this is a fairly new are of activity, there are few standard models available to follow. Developing innovative data analysis techniques for each study thus remains a final challenge facing researchers. (Phillips, Sewell and Jaynes, 2008) Narrative Approach According to Oswick, Narratives are an inevitable and unavoidable aspect of social life and, as such, are integral to the processes of managing and organizing. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008:141) Although the narrative approach is one with many merits which are being acknowledged by researchers, it is still a field in the making and is not very commonly used. Researchers new to this field will find a rich but diffuse tradition, multiple methodologies in various stages of development, and plenty of opportunities for exploring new ideas, methods and questions. (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005:651) A recognition that discourse is the principle means by which organization members create a coherent social reality that frames their sense of who they are has led to an increased interest in narrative approaches in organization studies. A narrative approach explicitly recognizes that, in organizations, language is the primary medium of social control and power, and that the analysis of linguistic practices is key to an understanding of how existing social and power relations are reproduced or transformed. (Humphreys and Brown, 2007) In the article, An Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility at Credit Line: A Narrative Approach by Humphreys and Brown (2008), the authors adopted a narrative approach to the analysis of organizational processes in a bank, Credit Line, in order to explore how individuals in a financial institution dealt with relatively novel issues of corporate social responsibility. The authors used narratives to successfully draw attention to the plurivocity of orga nisational life. Use of qualitative research methods to undertake organisational research in a public sector organisation Public sector organisations are those organisations which are managed by the government. The main aim of these organisations is not to make a profit but to provide a service to the people under the government. Some example of public sector organisations are airports, public hospitals, railway stations, government run schools and colleges. Governments nowadays are looking to privatize most of the public sector organisations in order to increase their efficiency and effectiveness. Thus most of the above given examples have now been partially or completely privatised in most countries. Public sector organisations are common grounds for research amongst qualitative researchers. This could be due to the fact that public sector organisations are more easily accessible than the private sector organisations. Many public sector organisations have also started coming up with their own research and development department which undertakes the organisational research. In my opinion participant observation and interviewing together make an ideal combination to undertake organisational research within a public sector organisation or for that matter any organisation. The shortcomings of participant observations are covered by interviewing and vice versa. Thus, the two methods complement each other perfectly. Participant Observation The methodology of participant observation is appropriate for studies of almost every aspect of human existence. Through participant observation, it is possible to describe what goes on, who or what is involved, when and where things happen, how they occur, and why at least from the standpoint of participants things happen as they do in particular situations. (Jorgensen, 1989) Participant observation is one of the most popular ways of conducting fieldwork in an organisation. This is because through observation of the participants going through their daily routine researchers pick up information which they might not have access to in a more formal setting, an example of which is interviews. Participant observation can be of two types. In the first, the identity of the researcher is known to all and the researcher has a choice of forming relationships with the participants or to stand back and eavesdrop. This form of participant observation is ethically correct but the researchers pe rsonal disposition and identity may influence the participants behaviour and this may have an effect on the research material gathered. The second type of participant observation is covert participant observation where the identity of the researcher is hidden. This form of participant observation raises many ethical questions and is just another form of deception. Thus, covert participant observation should be avoided. The researchers ability to build relationships and develop rapport with subjects is crucial in participant observation. The danger here is that the researcher may feel so embedded and sympathetic to the group being studied that interpreting events objectively becomes difficult. Another demerit of participant observation is the time-consuming and open-ended nature of this kind of research which means it often doesnt get done. In a cost-conscious research climate in which specific and often short-term, definitive objectives are required to secure funding, sustained part icipation is a risky strategy. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008) Interviews The qualitative interview can be seen as a conversation with a purpose, where the interviewers aim is to obtain knowledge about the respondents world. (Thorpe and Holt, 2008:118) The goal of any qualitative research interview is to see the research topic from the perspective of the interviewee and to understand how and why they came to have this particular perspective. (Cassell and Symon, 2004) Interviewing is the most popular method of conducting organisational research. The method has three important advantages. Firstly, interviewers allow the researcher to discover new relationships or situations not previously conceived. Secondly, interview based research may be optimal when there is a small population of possible respondents as interviewers offer an opportunity to acquire a richness of information from each respondent. Finally, interviews may allow researchers to develop a deeper rapport with informants which is necessary to gain honest and accurate responses and to add insights that lay the groundwork for larger or follow-up studies. (Marschan-Piekkari and Welch, 2004) But the interviewing method also suffers from three disadvantages. Firstly, developing an interview guide, carrying out interviews and analysing their transcripts, are all highly time-consuming activities for the researchers. Secondly, qualitative interviews are also tiring to carry out as they involve considerable concentration from the interviewer. Thus, no more than three interviews, each of the duration of one hour, should be carried out in a day. Finally, interviews are also time-consuming for the interviewees and this may cause problems in recruiting participants in some organizations and occupations. The latest trends in interviewing have come some distance from structured questions; we have reached the point of the interview as negotiated text. Researchers are not invisible neutral entities; they are a part of the interaction we seek to study. Interviewers are increasingly seen as active participants in an interaction with respondents, and interviewers are seen as negotiated accomplishments of both interviewers and respondents that are shaped by the contexts and situations in which they take place. (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005) Depending on the type of organisational research which the public sector organisation needs to carry out and its goals and aims, either participant observation or interviewing or a combination of both the methods can be used appropriately in acquiring the required research material. Conclusion Thus, I conclude by saying that qualitative research methods have formed a niche for themselves in organisational research. The importance of organisational research is growing day by day and qualitative research methods are now an important part of organisational research. Although many forms of qualitative research make the use of figures and numbers to support a point of discussion, thus incorporating a characteristic of quantitative research methods, they also provide an in depth analysis on the topic of research and use one or more of the methodologies of qualitative research which include participant observation, interviewing, autoethnography, use of secondary data, grounded theory, ethnography, discourse analysis, narratives and rhetorical analysis. In this essay I introduced qualitative research and outlined its increasing importance in organisational research. I followed this up by describing approaches to qualitative research specifically concentrating on autoethnography, grounded theory, critical discourse analysis and the narrative approach, and critically analysing their use in organisational research. Finally, I concentrated on public sector organisations and why I think that participant observation and interviews are the best methods of qualitative research to undertake organisational research in public sector organisations. In doing this I feel that I have justified the use of qualitative research in organisations. Word Count: 2969 words

Impacts of the Pornography Industry

Impacts of the Pornography Industry Critically assess the case that the products of the contemporary pornography industry are both a cause of violence and discrimination directed against women and also ‘intrinsically harmful’. It is not the purpose of this essay to defend the contemporary pornography industry which to this day remains a ‘dirty’ and -to a large extent- a male-dominated, exploitative business, but rather to understand the reasons behind this sad reality. Pornography made its first prominent appearance in feminist discourse in the late 70s, when feminist groups such as ‘Women Against Violence in Pornography and the Media’ (WAVPM) embarked upon their anti-pornography campaign in the San Francisco Bay area. The so-called ‘sex wars’ of the 1980s brought about an unprecedented division within the feminist movement. Anti-pornography writers, such as Andrea Dworkin and Catharine MacKinnon -authors of the famous ‘Minneapolis and Indianapolis ordinances’ advocated the censorship of pornographic material, on account of its role as ‘a practice that is central to the subordination of women’. Other feminists put forth a liberal legal argum ent, invoking the First Amendment to the American Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech. Two decades later, the pornography debate has retained its relevance in feminist discourse. There is still heated disagreement over three interrelated issues: what is the definition of pornography? Does pornography cause violence and discrimination against women? What is the best way to deal with pornography in the policy and legislation arenas? While critically assessing the anti-pornography thesis, I will argue in turn that most sexually explicit graphic material is not the cause but can mirror the misogyny and exploitation that characterizes modern societies; and that far from being ‘intrinsically harmful’ pornography can in fact be employed in the service of feminist ideas. A necessary starting point if we are to understand pornography would be an analytically helpful definition. But this is itself one of the main points of disagreement between feminists. The pro-censorship side has emulated traditional definitions of pornography and equated sexual explicitness with violence and female subordination. Dworkin understands pornography as the platform where sexist ideology thrives by exhibiting male supremacy,   discernible in seven interwoven strains: the power of the self, physical power, the power of terror, the power of naming, the power of owning, the power of money and the power of sex’. Contemporary porn depicts women as the helpless victims of men: bound, tortured, humiliated, battered, urinated upon or ‘merely taken and used’. Evoking the Greek etymology of the word, Dworkin (1990:24) defines pornography as the ‘graphic depiction of whores’, (‘porne’ being the Greek for a cheap prostitute or sex slave ). Thus pornography is conceived as something sexist, violent and exploitative by definition; in other words, as an intrinsically harmful phenomenon. Even at this early stage, pro-censorship analysis seems to rest on shaky methodological grounds. First it involves a clearly circular argument which condemns pornography without trying to understand it, almost like arguing that ‘pornography is bad, because it is bad’. Second, the cross-cultural analysis of Ancient Greece is dubious, if not completely a-historical, since ‘pornography’ is not an ancient but a Victorian neologism, invented in the 19th century, thus reflecting Victorian sensitivities rather than ancient realities. Third, the definition of porn as a field of violence and sexism logically entails a distinction from other, sexually explicit material that is not violent, demeaning and exploitative, but is based on sentiments of mutuality and reciprocity. Defining this emerging category, usually referred to as ‘Erotica’, is a highly subjective endeavor and obviously unhelpful for an academic or a judge. Equating sexual explicitness to vi olence, misogyny and other value-judgments is not only counter productive to the search for a descriptive definition of pornography; it is also untrue, since it is often the case that ‘soft porn’ or even altogether non-sexual material can contain much more disturbing scenes of violence and sexism than pornography itself. Fourth, most of the anti-porn literature has applied its definitions of pornography in a vague and inconsistent manner, jumping from the ‘graphic depiction of whores’ to the more mainstream concept of porn as cheaply produced ‘smut’ for instant consumption; and sometimes to a more inclusive definition containing phenomena as diverse as fashion, TV commercials, sex toys and sex education.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Methodological concerns aside, anti-porn definitions of pornography entail positions that appear to contradict the very essence of feminism. Anti-porn pronouncements on ‘good, sensitive Erotica’ vis-à  -vis ‘bad, abusive porn’ are essentially pronouncements about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ sexuality. At the risk of caricature, this entails restrictions on sexuality of Orwellian dimensions, and is contrary to the fights of the feminist, gay and lesbian movements for sexual liberation and diversity. One anti-porn author opines that ‘erotica is rooted in eros, or passionate love, and thus in the idea of positive choice, free will, the yearning for a particular person, whereas in pornography the subject is not love at all, but domination and violence against women’. Statements like this one seem to imply an acceptance of old patriarchical stereotypes of the form ‘men are aggressive and polygamous by nature, while women are pas sive and monogamous’ and that women do not, cannot or should not enjoy sex in itself. Paradoxically, Dworkin’s (1990) synoptic treatment of the history of pornography exaggerates the passivity and helplessness of female victims and the violence of male domination to such an extent, that it unwittingly reinforces the very binary stereotypes that feminism has historically fought to uproot. Her presentation of women in pornography as ‘whores’, is at best patronizing, if not condescending and insulting towards female porn-workers, who often choose to follow that mode of subsistence. The choices of porn-workers deserve as much respect as those of women working in less stigmatized industries and, perhaps, even greater feminist solidarity.     Ã‚   Pro-censorship argumentation tends to revolve around two rhetorical devices. The first is the exaggeration of the amount and degree of violence contained in pornographic material, through the accumulation of undeniably disturbing images. The slide shows projected in WAVPM meetings and the material articulately described in Dworkin’s book have been handpicked for their shock-value and power to disturb. Drawn primarily from the underground cultures of Bizarre, Bestiality and SM, most of these images are largely unrepresentative of the mainstream market, which is both highly diversified and specialized. Specialization is a key-point because of the basic fact that different people have different ‘turn-ons’. Given that some people may find publicly disturbing, what others view as privately stimulating is no good reason to label porn in its entirety as intrinsically offensive. The second rhetorical device lies in the argument that pornography is not just a representatio n of imaginary violence but also a recorded reality or as put by MacKinnon, a ‘documentary of abuse’. Again this argument misleadingly conflates reality with representational fantasy. To claim that every woman -or man- that appears to be abused in a porn-movie is actually abused, is almost as naà ¯ve as claiming that every man shot-dead in, say, ‘the Terminator’, is actually dead. The anti-porn argument fails to take into consideration factors such as artifice, acting and role-playing. While genuine case of abuse are not absent from the porn industry, the vast majority of depictions of ‘violence’ occur in a role-playing context which carefully ensures the safety of the actors. My view is that understanding pornography requires a descriptive definition which, instead of passing judgments over the moral credentials and political consciousness of its participants, focuses on the realities of the porn industry. In this light, modern pornography, as we know it, is the graphic representation of sexually explicit material, mass-produced and mass-consumed with the purpose of sexual arousal. Although it is not ‘intrinsically evil’, this industry is morally no better than the society that produces it. The effect of sexually explicit material on its viewers and society at large is the second main component of the pornography debate. Anti-porn analysis has insisted on a theory of causality, whereby real rape, physical abuse and humiliation of women by men occur as a direct result of their exposure to the ‘hateful values’ of pornography. In Dworkin’s own words ‘at the heart of the female condition is pornography: it is the ideology that is the source of all the rest;’. By equating the representation of violence with injurious action, Dworkin evokes what neo-Aristotelian theorists of representation have termed as the ‘Mimesis-model’. Derived from the Greek word ‘mimesis’, meaning ‘imitation’ or ‘reproduction’, the model positions the real both before and after its representation. At a theoretical level the Mimesis-model can be sufficiently challenged by another Aristotelian concept, that of Catharsis. This would entail that far from reducing men to perpetrators of violence, exposure to the mock-violence of pornography -with all its artistic conventions and restrictions- would relieve them of the violent dispositions that lay ‘hidden’ in their psyche, in the same way that, say, a horror movie may give us pleasure without inciting violence and blood-thirst. The Catharsis-model fits particularly well to the very nature of pornography. Founded on a much-attested human desire for an occasional breach of taboo, porn tends to represent situations and feelings that may well be antisocial and very often remote from what the actual social practice is. Japan -a country with one of the lowest rape rates world-wide- sustains a huge pornographic industry that ‘specializes’ in violence and sexual domination. The anti-pornography perceptive fails to grasp this crucial distinction between social reality and harmless fantasy. In terms of empirical evidence, psychological experiments on the alleged correlation between exposure to porn and violent activity are, at best, inconclusive. Historical and cross-societal analysis is equally unpromising for the Mimesis-argument. Porn, in its modern sense, is a very recent creation. And yet, the exploitation of women by men had predated it by thousands of years. At the same time, political systems that adhered to the systematic suppression of pornographic representations, such as the Soviet Union or modern Islamic states, had not been less exploitative or violent. And yet, many anti-porn thinkers have insisted on censorship, despite the fact that this insistence has produced an awkward alliance with moral traditionalists from the Right. If passed, the 1984 Minneapolis ordinance would have reinvented ‘pornography’ as a criminal offence, distinct from ‘obscenity’. This would have allowed women to take civil action against anyone involved in the production, or distribution of pornography, on the grounds that they had been ‘harmed’ by its portrayal of women. In the passionate words of Andrea Dworkin (1990:224) ‘we will know that we are free when the pornography no longer exists. As long as it does exist, we must understand that we are the women in it: used by the same power, subject to the same valuation, as the vile whores who beg for more.’ If only, pornography was, indeed, the mother of all evil. Then sexism could be uprooted at one, simple, legislative stroke. But unfortunately, sexism, viole nce and exploitation are endemic to the economic structure of the modern society and pervasive of all our media. Pornography seems to have been singled out as a scapegoat for all forms of sexual prejudices in today’s world. The long-standing social stigma and visual honesty of the industry made it an easy target to right-wingers and left-wingers alike. Censorship has not worked in the past and there is no reason to believe that it will work in the future. I believe that the only viable solution to the pornography problem is the exact opposite of censorship, namely support for ‘the Politics of Representation. Women should try to ‘capture’ pornography, as producers, script-writers and directors, in a manner consistent with earlier feminist ventures into other male-dominated fields, such as literature, politics, media, religion, education and science. ‘Going legit’, would not only mean that society as a whole will take a less hypocritical stance to the realities of pornography   but also that regulation would guarantee better working conditions for female porn-workers (e.g. unionization, safe-sex, better security, health and cleanliness). Most importantly establishing a feminine perspective within the industry would counterbalance the male bias from which it now suffers. Following the example of ventu res such as ‘Femme Productions’ -launched by former porn-worker Candida Royalle and targeting a couple market- sexually explicit material written and produced by women can celebrate women’s right to pleasure without complying to sexism and exploitation. Pro-censorship feminists have been mistaken in defining pornography as problem. The explicit representation of sexual scenes is neither ‘intrinsically harmful’ nor a direct cause of violence. While men retain the reigns of an industry plagued with social stigma, porn will continue to be biased and exploitative. Yet, in the right hands, pornography can become an instrument for feminist action.   Ã‚  Ã‚   BIBLIOGRAPHY Barker, I. V. (2000): ‘Editing Pornography’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 643- 652 Butler, J. (2000): ‘The Force of Fantasy: Feminism, Mapplethorpe, and Discursive Excess’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 487-508 Carter, A. (2000): ‘Polemical Preface: Pornography in the Service of Women’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 527-539 Cornell, D. (2000): ‘Pornography’s Temptation’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 551-68 Dworkin, A. (1990): ‘Pornography: Men Possessing Women’, London: The Women’s Press Ltd C. A. MacKinnon (1988): ‘Pornography and Civil Rights: A New Day’, Minneapolis: Organizing Against Pornography Kilmer, M.F. (1997): ‘Painters and Pederasts: Ancient Art, Sexuality, and Social History’,in M. Golden and P. Toohey [eds] Inventing Ancient Culture: Historicism, Periodization, and the Ancient World, London, pp 36-49. MacKinnon, C. A. (1993): ‘Only Words’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 94-120 Rodgerson, G. E. Wilson [ed] (1991): ‘Pornography and Feminism: the Case Against Censorship’, Feminists Against Censorship, London: Lawrence Wishart Royalle, C. (2000): ‘Porn in the USA’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 540-550 Rubin, G. (1992): ‘Misguided, Dangerous and Wrong: an Analysis of Anti-pornography Politics’, in A. Assiter and A. Carol [ed], Bad Girls and Dirty Pictures: the Challenge to Reclaim Feminism, London: Pluto Press, pp 18-40 Russell, D. E. H. (2000): ‘Pornography and Rape: A Causal Model’, in D. Cornell [ed], Feminism and Pornography, Oxford Readings in Feminism, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 48-93 Sutton, R.F., Jr. (1992): ‘Pornography and Persuasion on Attic Pottery’, in A. Richlin [ed], Pornography and Representation in Greece and Rome, New York, pp 3-35.

Essay --

James Eagan Holmes didn’t let six-year-old Veronica Moser-Sullivan out of that movie theatre that fateful night. Daniel Parmentors mom didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to him because of T.J. Lane. Mary Sherlack’s husband will not set the table for her after Adam Lanza entered her school. The actions of those three shooters were not to cause such small but widespread repercussions for so many other mourning people. They all suffered from various mental illnesses. 79% of recent shootings are attributable to mental illnesses. The U.S. should re-evaluate gun screenings to decrease the odds of another mass shooting by not allowing anyone with any mental or psychological problem to own or possess a firearm. While the Constitution states that everyone has the right to bear arms, the present situation is different from that past, when relations with Great Britain were shaky. Secondly, gun violence is on the rise, with 46 school shootings since 2010, compared with only 40 from 2000 to 2010. Finally, if gun screenings are modified, there will be many jobs available, while contributing to national security at the same time. Many gun owner argue that since the Constitution gives everyone the right to bear arms, that we should obey the law and allow everyone to own guns. While this is true, it does not mention that it was over a different time period that the law was passed. During that time period, relations with Great Britain were shaky, and the U.S. government wanted to ensure that each citizen would be able to defend themselves. It was essential that the country to be armed so that a part of it could not be taken over by another country that would have been greedy for power. Guns also made people feel safer, and therefore loyal to the... ...A lot of money? Yes it is. But that does not have tobe that only big change made by the government. If a fee of 50$ to own a single gun for a year was introduced, then the U.S. could make the U.S lots of money to pay for the program, and they would turn a profit at the same time.â€Å"There’s no perfect estimate of firearms in the U.S. because creating a national registry of firearms is prohibited by federal law,† noted Alex Katz, a spokesman for Mayors Against Illegal Guns. â€Å"But academics and interest groups across the political spectrum broadly agree on the 300 million figure.† And if the estimates that Katz gave are accurate, then the U.S. could have 15 billion dollars rolling in at the same time, and after staff expenses are paid, they can make nearly 2.5 billion dollars per year. This price tag that comes with the guns could even discourage some potential gunbuyers.

Validity: External, Internal, and Construct Essay -- Business Manageme

Validity In research paradigm, validity and reliability are the most basic characteristic issues used in qualitative and quantitative analysis. Validity as a psychometric standard is embedded in a positivist approach, which is relevant in reflecting on the qualitative point of view ascribed to the establishment of the truth. In view of this, definition of positivism ascribe to a theory systematic to validity. Additionally, other empirical conceptions culminating from resided validity include truth, deduction, universal laws, evidence, reason, and actuality among others. For any qualitative research conducted, validity as a concept is a determinant that measures the truth concerning the investigation. Validity is measured by researchers by asking questions and answers are retrieved from other people’s research work (Joppe, 2000, p. 1). Other researchers define validity in quantitative research as construct validity. Construct implies initial concept, hypothesis, notion or question determining data gathered and method of data collection. However, quantitative practitioners affirm the cause or effect interplay between data and construct for validation of investigation by applying test procedures or processes (Golafshani, 2003, p. 599). As a result, with regard to validity, researchers conclude that, it is whether measurements of the mean are accurate or they are measuring the intended features. Accuracy of the mean helps in relating the cause-and-effect relationship present in internal validity. The above definition is associated with quantitative research methodology. It summarizes that validity to be the extent in which instruments measure the exact thing it purports to measure. An example of validity in research is ... ...nformation provided during the course of study. In the case of project construction management, leaders need to be aware of the variables affecting internal and external validity to be able to convince the readers on aspects introduced and needing further research. References Creswell, J. (2000). Determining validity in qualitative inquiry. Theory into Practice, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 124-131. Cozby, P & Bates, C. (2012). Methods in behavioral research. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Golafshani, N. (2003). Understanding Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Research. The Qualitative Report 8 (4), 597-607. Scandura, T & Williams, E. (2000). Research Methodology in Management: Current Practices, Trends and Implications for Future Research. Academy of Management Journal 43 (6), 1248-1264. Trochim, W., & Donnelly, J. (2008). Chapters 1, 3, 5, 6, 7

Repeat purchasers

The legal environment of foreign marketing takes an added dimension of importance since there is no single uniform commercial law which governs foreign business transactions. † – Comment. International marketers must be aware of the legal environments that they operate in. As there is no uniform international law regarding business transactions, companies can find themselves wasting money or in legal issues if they do not operate according to the laws in the specific countries they are in.The customs, politics, and geography vary greatly from country to country and are affected by the gal environment. It is extremely important that international markers are aware of this added dimension and are prepared. No single, uniform international commercial law governs foreign business transactions. The foundation of a legal system Profoundly affects how the law is written, interpreted, and adjudicated Laws governing business activities within and between countries An integral par t of the legal environment of international business .Four heritages form the basis for the majority of the legal systems of the world Common law, Civil or code law, Islamic law, and Marxist-socialist tenets Common law Derived from English law. England, U. S. , Canada and countries who were once under the English influence. Seeks interpretation through the past decisions of higher courts which interpret the same statues. Applies established and customary law principles to a similar set of facts Civil or Code law derived from Roman law.Germany, Japan, France and non-lilacs and non-Marxist countries. All-inclusive system of written rules (codes) of law: Legal system is generally divided into three separate codes 1 . ) Commercial 2. ) Civil 3. ) Criminal Ownership is determined by registration. Considered complete as a result of catchall revisions found in most code-law systems Islamic law Places emphasis on the ethical, moral, social, and religious dimensions to enhance equality and f airness for the good of society. The basis is the interpretation of the Koran.Islamic law defines a complete system that prescribes specific patterns of social and economic behavior for all individuals: 1 . ) Property rights 2. ) Economic decision making 3. ) Types of economic freedom Islamic law This system prohibits investment in a business dealing with Alcohol, gambling and casinos In order to comply with Islamic Law following are terms that are frequently use: Trade with markup or cost-plus sale and leasing. These practices enable borrowers and lenders to share in the rewards as well as the losses in an equitable fashion.The international marketer must know the religion's system of belief and understand how the law is interpreted in each region Marxist-socialist Tenets of Russia and the Republics of the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and China. Legal system centered on the economic, political and social policies of the state. Now more directly involved in trade with non-Ma rxist countries Differences among the 4 law systems Due process may vary. Individual interpretation may vary Fundamentalist interpretation of Islamic law. Combination of several legal systems. U. S. Sees both common and code law Marxist-socialist tenets strictly subordinate to prevailing economics conditions. Private ownership, contracts, due process and other legal mechanisms need to be developed. Russia and China differ because Each has taken a different direction in its political economic growth. Russia is moving toward a Democratic System. China is trying to activate a private sector within a mixed economy in a socialist legal framework Jurisdiction in International Legal Disputes No Judicial body exists to deal with legal commercial problems arising between citizens of different countries.Legal disputes can arise in three situations: 1 . ) Between governments 2. ) Between a company and a government 3. ) Between two companies Jurisdiction is generally determined on the basis of: Jurisdictional clauses included in contracts, Where a contract was entered into, Where the provisions of the contract were performed Jurisdictional Clause â€Å"That the parties hereby agree that the agreement is made in Oregon, USA, and that any question regarding this agreement shall be governed by the law of the state of Oregon, USA† Types of International Disputes Buyer refuses to pay.Product is inferior quality. Shipment arrives late Steps when a dispute arises†¦ Resolve the issue informally, Conciliation aka Mediation, Arbitration, Conciliation a nonbinding agreement between parties to resolve disputes by asking a third party to mediate differences. Sessions are private and all conferences between parties and the mediator are confidential. In all conciliation agreements An arbitration clause should be included The popularity of arbitration has led to a proliferation of orbital centers. Established by countries, organizations, and institutions.Inter-American Commer cial Arbitration Commission. Canadian-American Commercial Arbitration Commission (for disputes between Canadian and U. S. Businesses). London Court of Arbitration (decisions are enforceable under English law and English courts). American Arbitration Association. International Chamber of Commerce (select Arbitration) Arbitration clauses require agreement on two counts 1 . To arbitrate in the case of a dispute according to the rules and procedures of some arbitration tribunal. 2. To abide by the awards resulting from the arbitrationContracts and other legal documents should include clauses specifying the use of arbitration to settle disputes Problems with Arbitration Companies may refuse to: 1 Name arbitrators 2. ) Arbitrate 3. ) After arbitration awards are made companies may refuse to honor the award 4. ) In most countries, arbitration clauses are recognized by the courts and are enforceable by law within those countries Deterrents to litigation Fear of creating a poor image and dam aging public relations. Fear of unfair treatment in a foreign court.Difficulty in collecting a Judgment that may otherwise eave been collected in a mutually agreed settlement through arbitration. The relatively high cost and time required when bringing legal action. Loss of confidentiality 4 recommended steps for settling disputes Try to placate the injured party. Conciliate. Arbitrate. Litigate Companies spend millions of dollars establishing brand names or trademarks To symbolize quality and design. To entice customers Millions are spent on research To develop products, processes, designs, and formulas Lost sales from the unauthorized use of U. S. Tents, trademarks, and copyrights Amount to more than $100 billion annually Counterfeits anger from copies that have the same efficacy as the original to those with few or no active ingredients, to those made of harmful substances Inadequate Protection Failing to adequately protect intellectual property rights can lead to the legal loss of rights in potentially profitable markets A company that believes it can always establish ownership in another country by proving it used the trademark or brand name first is wrong and risks the loss of these assets It is best to protect intellectual property rights through registration In the U.S. , a Common-law country, ownership of intellectual property rights is established by prior use versus registration International Conventions Three major aspects: Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, Inter- American Convention, Madrid Arrangement All countries have laws regulating marketing activities Promotion, Product development, Labeling, Pricing, Channels of distribution Discrepancies across markets cause problems for trade negotiators – particularly for managers and their firms U. S. Does not allow the buying or selling of human organs. Some countries only have a few marketing laws with lax enforcement.Others have detailed, complicated rules that are st ringently enforced 0 Advertising comparisons in advertisements are always subject to the competitor's right to go to the courts and ask for proof of any implied or stated superiority Green marketing laws Focus on environmentally friendly products and Focus on product packaging and its effect on solid waste management Antitrust a lot of the 20th century it was Nonexistent and Not enforced in most of the world's countries (U. S. Was exception) U. S. Laws Apply in Host Countries Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, National security laws, Antibiotics law, Extraterritoriality of U.S. Laws and Antitrust laws 0 00 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Makes it illegal for companies to pay bribes to foreign officials, candidates, or political parties 0 00 National security laws Prohibit a U. S. Company, its subsidiaries, Joint ventures, or licensees to sell controlled products without special permission from the U. S. Antibiotics law U. S. Companies are forbidden to participate in any unauthorized forei gn boycott. Required to report any request to cooperate with a boycott Extraterritoriality of U. S. Laws Especially important to U. S. Multinational firms.Foreign governments fear the influence of American government policy on their economies through U. S. Multinationals What is illegal for an American business at home can also be illegal by U. S. Law in foreign Jurisdictions for the firm, subsidiaries and licensees of U. S. Technology Cybercafà © – Unresolved Issues Supersaturates (CSS), Taxes, and Jurisdiction of disputes and validity of contracts Taxes In the past, a company was deemed to have a taxable presence in a country if it had a permanent establishment there The E Commission Proposes value-added tax (VAT) Jurisdiction of disputes and validity of contractsThe EX. Commission has adopted an e-commerce directive that will permit online retailers to trade by the rules of their home country unless the seller had enticed or approached the consumer by way of advertising S upersaturates buy and register descriptive nouns, geographic names, and names of ethnic groups and pharmaceutical substances, and other similar descriptors and hold them until they can be sold at an inflated price Businesses face a multitude of problems in their efforts to develop successful marketing programs Varying legal systems of the world and their effect on business orientations Legal questions must also be considered Jurisdictional and legal recourse in disputes. Protection of intellectual property rights. Extended U. S. Law enforcement Enforcement of antitrust legislation by U. S. And foreign governments Q . International marketing research and market research are Synonymous, since the research process is basically the same whether applied in USA. , U. K. , Japan or India? † Critically examine this statement. Marketing research process Stage 1: Formulating the Marketing Research Problem Formulating a problem is the first step in the research process. In many ways, res earch starts with a problem that management is facing. This problem needs to be understood, the cause diagnosed, and solutions developed. However, most management problems are not always easy to research. A management problem must first be translated into a research problem. Once you approach the problem from a research angle, you can find a solution. For example, â€Å"sales are not growing† is a management problem.Translated into a research problem, we may examine the expectations and experiences of several groups: potential customers, first-time buyers, and repeat purchasers. We will determine if the lack of sales is due to: ; Poor expectations that lead too general lack of desire to buy, or ; Poor performance experience and a lack of desire to repurchase. What then is the difference between a management problem and a research problem? Management problems focus on an action. Do we advertise more? Do we change our advertising message? Do we change an under-performing produc t configuration? If so, how? Research problems, on the other hand, focus on providing the information you need in order to solve the management problem. Stage 2: Method of InquiryThe scientific method is the standard pattern for investigation. It provides an opportunity for you to use existing knowledge as a starting point and proceed impartially. The scientific method includes the following steps: 1. Formulate a problem 2. Develop a hypothesis 3. Make predictions based on the hypothesis 4. Devise a test of the hypothesis 5. Conduct the test 6. Analyze the results The terminology is similar to the stages in the research process. However, there are subtle differences in the way the steps are performed. For example, the scientific method is objective while the research process can be subjective. Objective-based research (quantitative research) relies on impartial analysis.The facts are the priority in objective research. On the other hand, subjective-based research (qualitative resear ch) emphasizes personal Judgment as you collect and analyze data. Stage 3: Research Method In addition to selecting a method of inquiry (objective or subjective), you must select a research method. There are two primary methodologies that can be used to answer any research question: experimental research and non-experimental research. Experimental research gives you the advantage of controlling extraneous variables ND manipulating one or more variables that influences the process being implemented. Non-experimental research allows observation but not intervention.You simply observe and report on your findings. Stage 4: Research Design The research design is a plan or framework for conducting the study and collecting data. It is defined as the specific methods and procedures you use to acquire the information you need. Stage 5: Data Collection Techniques Your research design will develop as you select techniques to use. There are many ways to collect data. Two important methods to co nsider are interviews and observation. Interviews require you to ask questions and receive responses. Common modes of research communication include interviews conducted face-to- face, by mail, by telephone, by email, or over the Internet.This broad category of research techniques is known as survey research. These techniques are used in both non-experimental research and experimental research. Another way to collect data is by observation. Observing a person's or company's past or present behavior can predict future purchasing decisions. Data collection techniques for past behavior can include analyzing company records and reviewing studies published by external resources. In order to analyze information from interview or observation techniques, you must record your results. Because the recorded results are vital, measurement and development are closely linked to which data collection techniques you decide on.The way you record the data changes depends on which method you use. Stag e 6: Sample Design Your marketing research project will rarely examine an entire population. It's more practical to use a sample-?a smaller but accurate representation of the greater population. In order to design your sample, you must find answers to these questions: 1. From which base population is the sample to be selected? 2. What is the method (process) for sample selection? 3. What is the size of the sample? Once you've established who the relevant population is (completed in the problem formulation stage), you have a base for your sample. This will allow you to make inferences about a larger population.There are two methods of selecting a sample from a population: probability or non-probability sampling. The probability method relies on a random sampling of everyone within the larger population. Non- probability is based in part on the Judgment of the investigator, and often employs nonviolence samples, or by other sampling methods that do not rely on probability. The final s tage of the sample design involves determining the appropriate sample size. This important step involves cost and accuracy decisions. Larger samples generally reduce sampling error and increase accuracy, but also increase costs. Stage 7: Data Collection Once you've established the first six stages, you can move on to data collection.Depending on the mode of data collection, this part of the process can require large amounts of personnel and a significant portion of your budget. Personal (face-to-face) and telephone interviews may require you to use a data collection agency (field service). Internet surveys require fewer personnel, are lower cost, and can be completed in days rather than weeks or months. Regardless of the mode of data collection, the data collection process introduces another essential element to your research project: the importance of clear and constant communication. Stage 8: Analysis and Interpretation In order for data to be useful, you must analyze it.Analysis techniques vary and their effectiveness depends on the types of information oh are collecting, and the type of measurements you are using. Because they are dependent on the data collection, analysis techniques should be decided before this step. Stage 9: The Marketing Research Report The marketing research process culminates with the research report. This report will include all of your information, including an accurate description of your research process, the results, conclusions, and recommended courses of action. The report should provide all the information the decision maker needs to understand the project. It should also be written in language that is easy to understand. It's important to find a balance between completeness and conciseness.You don't want to leave any information out; however, you can't let the information get so technical that it overwhelms the reading audience. One approach to resolving this conflict is to prepare two reports: the technical report and the s ummary report. The technical report discusses the methods and the underlying assumptions. In this document, you discuss the detailed findings of the research project. The summary report, as its name implies, summarizes the research process and presents the findings and conclusions as simply as possible. Another way to keep your findings clear is to prepare several different representations of your findings. Powering presentations, graphs, and face-to-face reports are all common methods for presenting your information.