Sunday, December 29, 2019
A Case Study of Online Social Networking at Workplaces in...
A CASE STUDY OF ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING AT WORKPLACES IN GHANA Kwabena Adom Asiedu ID: 2760206 Submitted To the Regent University College Of Science And Technology In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For The Degree Of Bachelor Of Science In Management With Computing 2010 1 ABSTRACT This is descriptive study which adopts a case study strategy to identify the perceptions of employers and employees in Ghana about productivity and online social networking at the workplace. A number of Tigo staff, top management and customers, IDEG staff and top management and a few friends were interviewed to solicit information about their perceptions on the use of online social networking at the workplace. Some of the resultsâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦15 2.3. 2.4. 2.5. 2.6. History of SNSs ......................................................................................................................... 17 Features of SNS ......................................................................................................................... 18 Applications and Trends ............................................................................................................ 21 The Workplace Controversy.......................................................... ............................................. 26 5 CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................................... 35 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 35 3.0. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 35 3.1. Choice of Research Approach ..................................................................................................... 36 3.2. Choice of Research Strategy ....................................................................................................... 36 3.2.1. Case Study Design ................................................................................................................... 37 3.3. Population and Sample SizeShow MoreRelatedImpact of Ict on the Performance of Banks. a Case Study of Barclays Bank Ghana17017 Words à |à 69 Pagesimpact of ict on the performance of banks. A case study of Barclays Bank Ghana Table of Content Declaration i Abstract II Ackowledgement.............................................................................................................III Dedication.............................................................................................................................IV Table of Content v Preamble 7 CHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT OF ICT ON BANKS 12 1.1 ElectronicRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words à |à 1573 PagesOrganizational Behavior Comprehensive Cases Indexes Glindex 637 663 616 623 Contents Preface xxii 1 1 Introduction What Is Organizational Behavior? 3 The Importance of Interpersonal Skills 4 What Managers Do 5 Management Functions 6 â⬠¢ Management Roles 6 â⬠¢ Management Skills 8 â⬠¢ Effective versus Successful Managerial Activities 8 â⬠¢ A Review of the Managerââ¬â¢s Job 9 Enter Organizational Behavior 10 Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study 11 Disciplines That Contribute toRead MoreFactors Affect Choice of Bank Services23387 Words à |à 94 PagesADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE BANK SELECTION DECISION: FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CHOICE OF BANKING SERVICES By: Goiteom W/mariam June 2011 Addis Ababa BANK SELECTION DECISION: FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CHOICE OF BANKING SERVICES A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Addis Ababa University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Accounting and Finance By: Goiteom W/mariamRead MoreThe Body Shop14072 Words à |à 57 Pagesagreement (British Broadcasting Company. Available at [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4815776.stm]. [Accessed at 31/05/2006]).à à Successful Factor à à à à à à à à à à à What does it take to become a successful entrepreneur?à In Dame Anita Roddickââ¬â¢s case, what are the factors that lead for her and her businessââ¬â¢ success?à à Success is measured according to sales growth, income, employment trends and satisfaction Solymossy (2000).à à à à à à à à à à à à à The reason why she came back to England while travelingRead MoreManagement Course: MbaâËâ10 General Management215330 Words à |à 862 PagesMorinâËâJarrell Leadership, Fifth Edition HughesâËâGinnettâËâCurphy The Art of M A: Merger/Acquisitions/Buyout Guide, Third Edition ReedâËâLajoux and others . . . This book was printed on recycled paper. Management http://www.mhhe.com/primis/online/ Copyright à ©2005 by The McGrawâËâHill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in anyRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words à |à 656 Pagesperspectives on the past) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-4399-0269-1 (cloth : alk. paper)ââ¬âISBN 978-1-4399-0270-7 (paper : alk. paper)ââ¬âISBN 978-1-4399-0271-4 (electronic) 1. History, Modernââ¬â20th century. 2. Twentieth century. 3. Social historyââ¬â20th century. 4. World politicsââ¬â20th century. I. Adas, Michael, 1943ââ¬â II. American Historical Association. D421.E77 2010 909.82ââ¬âdc22 2009052961 The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Essay on Nick Bottom in Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights...
Nick Bottom in Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream Rogetââ¬â¢s thesaurus defines the word ââ¬Å"assâ⬠as ââ¬Å"one deficient in judgment and good sense: a foolâ⬠. In William Shakespeareââ¬â¢s A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream, the ass is undeniably tied to the character of Nick Bottom on many different levels. As the play is a comedy, Bottomââ¬â¢s central role is to provide laughter. At the same time, however, through his role as the Ass, he acts as a sort of symbolic center-piece that ties all of the action in the play together. Throughout the play, Shakespeare has various characters making word-plays on the Ass, in relation to Nick Bottom and otherwise. These many references combined with the physical Assââ¬â¢ head that Bottomâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Therefore, his use of the word ass several times is not only comical for the audience, but also serves to ironically point out the fact that Bottom is an Ass, in all meanings of the word. He does it again later after Titania has fallen in ââ¬Å"loveâ⬠with him: ââ¬Å"...for me thinks I am marvelous hairy about the face, and I am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratchâ⬠(Shakespeare 62). Two other important references occur during the ill-fated performance of Pyramus and Thisby. Demetrius and Theseus both have something to say. When it is mentioned that the lion is speaking, Demetrius says, ââ¬Å"No wonder, my Lord. One lion may when many asses doâ⬠(Shakespeare 78). The reader may also take this comment figuratively, implying that many men are fools and that they speak with foolââ¬â¢s mouths, as in the case of Bottom. Theseus also exclaims later, after Pyramus has killed himself, ââ¬Å"With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover, and prove an assâ⬠(Shakespeare 84). This follows a pun on the word ace, but it also serves as yet another poke at Bottom, this time as Pyramus, on the part of Shakespeare. Bottomââ¬â¢s head is mentioned literally quite a few times by Puck and Titania. ââ¬Å"Titania waked and straightway loved an ass,â⬠says Puck (Shakespeare 42). ââ¬Å"Methought I was enamored of an ass,â⬠says Titania (Shakespeare 64). And she was, literally and figuratively. The very fact that Puck chose to give Bottom the head ofShow MoreRelatedDefining Nick Bottom in a Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream Essay754 Words à |à 4 PagesDefining Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream Perhaps one of William Shakespeares greatest plays of all time, A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream is a play intended to be watched, rather than read, with an imaginative mind. It is a play that is in the genre of romantic comedy. The romantic aspects of the play are made possible with the characters of Theseus and Hippolyta, Lysander and Hermia, Helena and Demetrius, and Oberon with Titania. However, the comedy that is involved in this masterpiece is mostlyRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s A Midsummer Night s Dream830 Words à |à 4 PagesWilliam Shakespeareââ¬â¢s A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream weaves stories of social ranks in the commedia dellââ¬â¢arte and some of its easily recognized stock characters. Shakespeare uses commedia dellââ¬â¢arte characters in A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream to capture our imagination and amuse us. Commedia dellââ¬â¢arte includes three classes of characters in its performances. These characters are the vecchi, innamorati, and the zanni (McCarter.org). The vecchi are usually the nobility or masters. The vecchi in A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢sRead MoreEssay on A Midsummer Nights Dream: Comedy650 Words à |à 3 PagesA Midsummer Nights Dream Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream is a comedy that is full of mischief. Instead of having a main plot, it seems to be about random thoughts and emotions (much the same as dreams are). In fact, I have to wonder how much of the whole play is really supposed to be a dream Ãâ" as Puck even suggests toward the end of the play. There is no real protagonist to latch onto in this play, probably because there are three main groups of characters, but many peopleRead MoreA Midsummer Night s Dream Essay854 Words à |à 4 PagesA Midsummer NIghtââ¬â¢s Dream A ââ¬Å" Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dreamâ⬠is a classical play written by William Shakespeare. It is one of his more eccentric piece of work. The play is about the struggle of love between four essential characters: Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius , and Helena. However, it is not quite that simple. The play is quite confusing. In ââ¬Å"Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s dreamâ⬠the play take place in two realms fairy realm and human realm, two of the three main settings. Another one of the settings take placeRead MoreEssay on Analysis of Rationality In A Midsummer Nights Dream1058 Words à |à 5 PagesWilliam Shakespeareââ¬â¢s A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream is not simply a light-hearted comedy; it is a study of the abstract. Shakespeare shows that the divide between the dream world and reality is inconstant and oftentimes indefinable. Meanwhile, he writes about the power of the intangible emotions, jealousy and desire, to send the natural and supernatural worlds into chaos. Love and desire are the driving forces of this playââ¬â¢s plot, leaving the different characters and social classes to sort out the resultingRead MoreA Midsummer Nights Dream Research Paper (with Cited)1161 Words à |à 5 PagesThe play, A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare, is about four lovers and their dreamlike adventure through a fairy ruled forest. There are many different characters in this play and they each play their own individual role in how the play is performed and read. Three main characters that showed great characteristics are: Puck, Tom Bottom, and Helena. The play, A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare, uses characters and their conflicts to give meaning to this piece of literatureRead More Midsummer Nights Dream: Shakespeare vs. Michael Hoffman Essay1423 Words à |à 6 PagesMidsummer Nights Dream: Shakespeare vs. Michael Hoffman A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream is one of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s most popular and frequently performed comical plays (Berardinelli). The play transformed into a cinematic production by Michael Hoffman has not changed in its basic plot and dialogue, but the setting and some character traits have. The play setting has been gracefully moved from 16th century Greece to 19th century Tuscany (Berardinelli). The addition of bicycles to the play affects theRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s A Midsummer Night s Dream924 Words à |à 4 Pages A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream: Too Much of Something Is A Bad Thing In any history textbook, there will most definitely be at least one example of a royal leader overthrown by their citizens. But why is it that some royal leaders, or any very powerful leaders, have trouble controlling their power? The answer is found in the amount of power the leaders possess, and how they choose to control it. The historic leaders found in history books often lose control of their power because their amount of powerRead MoreSimilarities Between Hamlet And A Midsummer Nights Dream1324 Words à |à 6 Pages One of the re-occuring plot-drivers in the plays, Hamlet and A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream, is the concept of a play within a play. This concept helps create suspension because both plays critically involve the topic death, but they also shed light unto Shakespeare as a poet because it plays with the idea of meta-theatre. Another similarity between the two plays is that they include a message regarding absurd love. ââ¬Å"Pyramus and Thisbeâ⬠focuses on tw o doomed lovers in a comical way, whereas ââ¬Å"The Mousetrapâ⬠Read More Comparing A Midsummer Nights Dream and Romeo and Juliet Essay1176 Words à |à 5 Pagesto one another, two stand out from the rest as sharing a great deal in common. Specific, solid parallels can be drawn between Shakespeares plays A Midsummer Nights Dream and Romeo and Juliet. The themes and characters are remarkably similar in many aspects. Firstly, both plays highlight the stereotypical young lovers - Hermia and Lysander in A Midsummer Nights Dream and Romeo and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Secondly, both plays are very ambiguously categorized. By this I mean that each
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Government Policies on Australian Aboriginal Health free essay sample
A look at past and present Australian government policies that address the issue of Aboriginal Health. This paper examines past and present Australian Government policies which have impacted and been implemented to address the issue of Aboriginal Health. The author also examines issues such health issues, substance abuse and the high rate of youth suicide. The status of Aboriginal health in Australia is currently at critical levels much money needs to be injected and considerable work needs to be done to tackle such important health issues as diabetes, mental disorders, substance abuse and the high rate of youth suicide. Along with this, many other related issues need to be addressed, such as the stolen generation, native title, preservation of cultural identity and the topic of reconciliation. The outlook for the future is improving however, in that the government and Aboriginal groups are working together towards a positive outcome through the implementation of innovative government policies aimed at tacking the core issues affecting Aboriginal communities around Australia. We will write a custom essay sample on Government Policies on Australian Aboriginal Health or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Amy Tan Biography Essay Example For Students
Amy Tan Biography Essay Amy Tan was born in 1952, in Oakland, California to Chinese immigrants John and Daisy Tan. Her family eventually settled in Santa Clara. When Tan was in her early teens, her father and one of her brothers died of brain tumors within months of each other. During this period Tan learned that her mother had been married before, to an abusive husband in China. After divorcing him, her mother fled China during the Communist takeover, leaving three daughters behind who she would not see again for nearly forty years. After losing her husband and son, Daisy moved her family to Switzerland where Tan finished high school. During these years, mother and daughter argued over what Tan should do in college and afterwards. Tan eventually followed a boyfriend to attend college in San Jose, where she earned Bachelors and Masters degrees in English and linguistics, despite her mothers wish that she study medicine. After Tan married her boyfriend, Lou DeMattei, she began to pursue a Ph.D. in linguistics, but she abandoned this endeavor to work with developmentally disabled children. Later, Tan struck out as a freelance business writer. Although she was successful, writing for corporate executives did not fulfill Tan. She began to write fiction as a creative release. Meanwhile, her mother suffered a serious illness. Tan resolved to take a trip to China with her mother if she recovered. In 1987, after Daisy Tan returned to health, they traveled to China to visit the three daughters that Daisy had not seen for several decades and the three sisters Tan had never met. The trip provided Tan with a new perspective on her mother, and it proved to be the key inspiration for her first book, The Joy Luck, a collection of sixteen interlocking stories about the conflicts between Chinese immigrant mothers and their American-raised daughters. Soon after its publication in 1989, The Joy Luck Club garnered enthusiastic reviews, and it remained on the New York Times bestseller list for more than six months. It won both the National Book Award and the L.A. Times Book Award in 1989. Tan continues to publish popular works. She often emphasizes that she writes primarily to create a work of art, not to portray the Chinese-American experience, that her bicultural upbringing is the source of inspiration for her work, not the end product. Kaitlin Stump Contemporary Literature Amy Tan The Joy Luck Club The Joy Luck Club contain stories about conflicts between Chinese immigrant mothers and their American-raised daughters. The book mainly talked About Jing-meis trip to China to meet her half-sisters, Chwun Yu and Chwun Hwa. Jing-meis mother, Suyuan, was forced to leave her twin babies on the roadside during her flee from the Japanese invasion of Kweilin. Suyuan intended to recover her children, but she failed to find them before her death. Finally, a after her mothers life long search her mother received a letter from the two lost daughters. After Suyuans death, her mothers three friends in the Joyà Luck Club, a weekly mahjong party that Suyuan started in China and later revived in San Francisco, urge Jing-mei to travel to China and tell her sisters about their mothers life. But Jing-mei wonders whether she is capable of telling her mothers story. Lindo, Ying-ying, and An-mei, members of The Joy Luck Club, do fear that Jing-mei might be right and that their own daughters may not really know them either. The book tells different stories of each characters life, and in each story teaches a lesson or tells of the Chinese culture. For example, Chapter Two talks about An-meis grandmother raising her because she disproved of An-meis mother becoming a concubine. When Popo, An-meis mother is on her death bead, An-meis mother makes a soup and cuts a chunk of her skin off her arm and mixes it in with the soup out of respect for her mother although they didnt get along. In Chapter Three it speaks of how Lindo was promised in marriage to Huang Tyan-yu when she was only two years old. They married when Lindo was sixteen years old, but the candle that is supposed to stay lit all night in order to symbolize lifelong loyalty even if her husband were to die was distinguished during the night so they were able to annul the marriage. .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5 , .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5 .postImageUrl , .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5 , .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5:hover , .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5:visited , .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5:active { border:0!important; } .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5:active , .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5 .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0d484f727e57c3f776a7417c4b5a9ef5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Music in the Biography of an Ex-Colored man EssayThe book also shows how things that happen in childhood effect adult life. For example Rose, An-meis daughter was always responsible to care for her little brothers growing up. At the beach one day three of her brothers were fighting so she was told to break it up, but at that same time her youngest brother, Bing fell into the water without a trace. They looked everywhere for him but they gave up. They ended up finding Bings body the next morning. Later in her life Rose came to her mother telling her that she and her husband Ted were getting a divorce. They dated for many years before resulting in the both of them clinging to each other. Ted made all the decisions, but after he lost in a lawsuit he started to push Rose to make some of the decisions and said that she resisted in taking on any responsibility and blame. Her marriage was a result of her brothers death and thinking although it was not her fault that it was her fault. Also another example of this is that Suyuan pushed her daughter, Jing-mei to become things that she was not. She wanted Jing-mei to become a pianist so she made her take lessons but Jing-mei never practiced. Suyuan and the piano teacher entered Jing-mei in a talent contest, but Jing-mei did very bad. As a child Jing-mei felt that she could never live up to her mothers high expectations. Suyuan did not realize how much her disappointment affected Jing-mei as a child. The book also speaks about how children take after their parental figures and internalize, even without meaning to, what their parent hasà taught them. An example of this is that Lena, Ying-Yings daughter has been married to her husband Harold for eight years and they split the cost of everything equally, although Lena consumes far less than Harold. Lena got Harold to open his own business and worked there as a project coordinator. She also gave him the idea of opening up a restaurant. When Ying-ying goes to visit them she notices the list of shared items on the refrigerator has ice cream on it. She also knows that Lena does not like ice cream and tells Lena that they must not share ice cream, so Lena tells Harold that and he agrees, but Lena picks a fight anyway. During the fight Ying-ying breaks a vase on the table and asks Lena why she didnt stop it. Lena is silent in her marriage because she saw her mother silent in hers. Ying-ying tires to teach her daughter that expressing her wishes is not selfish on her visit because she does not want her daughter to make the same mistake she did. Another example of this is that a few months before her death, Suyuan cooked a crab dinner for the Chinese New Year. There was eleven people coming, but Suyuan hadnt counted one. The guests chose the best crabs, and when Jing-mei went to choose a crab she was going to pick the one with a missing leg, but her mother insisted that she choose the better of the remaining two. This shows that Jing-mei is different than the others, but the others had to have the best just like their mothers. Another part of the book touches on how the mother shows her daughter how to grow beyond her innocence without losing hope. It also shows how when a mother learns from her mistakes how she tries to teach her daughter without having to make the same mistake. Also this book demonstrates that the older generation can and does learn from the younger generation. An example of this is that due to Lenas marriage trouble it forces Ying-ying to confront her painful first marriage. .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44 , .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44 .postImageUrl , .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44 , .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44:hover , .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44:visited , .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44:active { border:0!important; } .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44:active , .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44 .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucca3949a52b944ec8529f7e9b1634d44:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Andy Warhol, Prince of Pop: Biography EssayAnother major point this book touches upon is the fact that the American-raised daughters are Chinese not just through genes, but in personality, culture, loyalty, and respect. As a teen, Jing-mei refused her Chinese heritage and didnt even want to believe she was Chinese at all until she went to China after her mothers death to meet her half sisters. While in China Jing-mei finds out that she did appreciate her mother although she was worried that she didnt and knew nothing about her. She also realizes that she did not have to prove her Chinese identity to her two half sisters, that she belongs to their family automatically becau se of Suyuan. After her trip to China she found her mother and stops feeling doubt of her and Suyuans relationship with each other. In The Joy Luck Club each mother and daughter learned different things from eachà other. Also, it talks about the transition from China to America and how the Chinese raised mothers must raise their daughters in America but keep their Chinese values. Jing-meis story represents her mother to her two half sisters as well as the struggle of relationships between mother and daughter.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Motorola Mobility Holdings
Table of Contents Primary stakeholders Secondary stakeholders Motivation plan Challenges to the motivation plan Overcoming these challenges Conclusion References Motorola Mobility Holdings is a company that is based in the United States of America. The company deals in mobile phones and mobile devices, as well as data delivery and end-to-end video. The company is listed in the NYSE market. The parent company for Motorola Mobility Holdings is Motorola, but the two separated in the year 2011.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Motorola Mobility Holdings specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is important to note that the Motorola Mobility Holdings is currently owned by Google Inc. A new logo for the company was unveiled in June 2013 following its acquisition by Google Inc. Since then, the company can simply be referred to as Motorola-a Google Company. Motorola Mobility Holdings has shareholders who contribute to its investment capital and making major decisions for the company. Its stakeholders have either direct or indirect effect on the performance of the company. This term paper will focus on the primary and secondary stakeholders of the company and evaluate how they can help the companyââ¬â¢s CEO in implementing changes and improving the performance of the company. Primary stakeholders These are stakeholders who are internal to the company and they have a direct effect on its operations. They are stakeholders who are directly involved in the economic transactions of the company. They include employees, customers, stockholders, creditors, as well as suppliers. The stockholders of an organization can also be referred to as the shareholders. They contribute the investment capital for the organization. In other words, they are the legal owners of the company. Therefore, they are specially privileged depending on their shareholding capacity (Lawrence Weber, 2011). The main aim of any co mpanyââ¬â¢s shareholders is to maximize their wealth. Therefore, they play any role that can help the organization improve its performance and profitability simultaneously. Shareholders are involved in the decision making process of the organization. The decision making capacity depends on the number of shares held by each individual. For instance, the person with the highest number of shares has the highest say when it comes to voting and decision making. Shareholders are also involved in the communication process of the organization. This is done through an elected communication agent. In addition, shareholders of Motorola Mobility Holdings are also involved in corporate social responsibility of the company.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is important in that it improves the companyââ¬â¢s image in the community, in addition to improving customer loyalty (B ustin, 2004).à The other class of stakeholders is the employees. These are involved in the day-to-day operations of the organization (Lawrence Weber, 2011). Employees of Motorola Mobility Holdings facilitate innovation and use of technology in the organization. Customers are also an important part of the companyââ¬â¢s stakeholders. Customers determine the profitability of any organization. When an organization has a high number of customers, its possibility of making high profits is also high. Creditors are the stakeholders who give credit to the organization. They finance the organizationââ¬â¢s operations. Creditors are important since they boost the money available for investment. Finally, the suppliers of Motorola Mobility Holdings are the people or parties that supply the companyââ¬â¢s goods and services in its supply chain. Suppliers avail goods for sale to the organization. They are important since the quality of goods and services they supply determine the loyalty and trust that customers have on the organization. Secondary stakeholders These are usually external to the organization and they are not involved directly in the companyââ¬â¢s transactions. However, they may have an effect on the firmââ¬â¢s performance. These stakeholders are also affected by the organizational actions (Lawrence Weber, 2011). Secondary stakeholders of Motorola Mobility Holdings include the general public, media, as well as business support groups. The actions of secondary stakeholders may affect the organization in that they can improve its profitability or reduce it. For instance, more people will be willing to buy the products if the general public has trust on the companyââ¬â¢s products and services. In addition, chances are that many people are likely to trust the organization if the media are positive about the company. The actions of the organization can also affect the secondary stakeholders. For instance, production of quality products, corporate social responsibility and satisfactory services will improve stakeholdersââ¬â¢ loyalty to the organization. Motivation plan Topic Timeline Purpose Rationale Message CSR adaptation decision The company should first inform the market of its intention to adopt CSR approach through an official speech or in its website To create awareness among the companyââ¬â¢s stakeholders about the intended change and find an appropriate way of executing the modification. This is important since it will ensure that all the concerned parties are involved in the process and that they fully participate, thus the process will be smooth. The company should communicate its intention to implement change, and the benefits associated with the change. There should be a discussion with the stakeholders on how the modification is to be implemented. Experts in the company who have knowledge regarding the intended change should give the best period to make viable proposal. To expand the innovation pla tform and bring more members on board. To establish genuine costs, as well as make decisions in a timely manner This will communicate to the stakeholders of the approach and the intention for the actual change process. Communicating to the public the intended change This should be done after the stakeholders accept the change. To create awareness to the public about the change. An accurate report and plan about the change should be presented. Explain why the company decided to make the changes and the rationale behind the decision. Challenges to the motivation plan Implementation of a change in the organization does not come without challenges. For instance, there are some stakeholders who may oppose the implementation. Such a process is likely to reduce profitability in the short run, and shareholders are likely to oppose the move.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Motorola Mobility Holdings specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, the process may be costly, further reducing profitability and stimulating resistance from shareholders. Some employees may feel insecure in that they see as if they might lose their positions following the changes since a change might completely alter the way business is done at Motorola Mobility Holdings. Overcoming these challenges One of the major ways in which challenges can be overcome is through effective communication about the intention to make changes and the impact of the change (Devito, 2006). This will ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the changes and that they are in agreement. The other way that the challenges can be addressed is by involving all stakeholders in the process. This makes them feel part of the change and support it. Conclusion Stakeholders are an important organ of an organization. Therefore, it is important for the CEO to involve the stakeholders for an organization to make any effective changes in the bid to im prove its performance. Any change to be implemented at Motorola Mobility Holdings should involve all stakeholders. References Bustin, G. (2004). Take charge: how leaders profit from change. Reading, PA: Tapestry Press. Devito, L. (2006). Human communication: New Zealand edition. Auckland, New Zealand: Addison Wesley. Lawrence, T. A., Weber, J. (2011). Business and society stakeholders, ethics, public policy. New York, NY: Wiley and Sons. This term paper on Motorola Mobility Holdings was written and submitted by user Amber F. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Eating disorders and the Media essays
Eating disorders and the Media essays It almost everywhere you look. Pictures running rampid on magazine covers, advertisements, billboards: everywhere. Standing in the line at the grocery store, flipping through a magazine, or just glancing at the advertisements on television. It is quite evident by looking at the emaciated pictures of young women and surprisingly men too, what the media considers as the "ideal" figure. This perception society has created, plays a major part in our countries obsession with thinness and extreme dieting. America's obsession with health and diets and the fashion industry and television exhibiting waif thin models as "sexy and voluptuous", gives a distorted notion sending many young women the wrong idea about body image. In today's society these eating problems, such as anorexia and bulimia, are becoming all too common. Yet, the question still remains, what are the causes and factors contributing to this destructive behavior, and what kind of impact is the media contributing to these problems? Although there are only a few quantitative studies on the issue of eating disorders and the link between the diseases and the media: the research that has been done is quite informative and interesting. Hopefully though, in time more research will fill in some of the links to the enigma of eating disorders. The fashion industry, television, and society's norms have all promoted not only a distorted perspective of what a "beautiful" person is defined as, but influenced many to deception therefore leaving many with an eating Looking at the television one can easily notice all of the ads and diet commercials claiming to have to newest and hottest diet. With these ads and societies norms, many are led to believe once the weight is lost, we they will be happy. Surely everyone has noticed the magazines while standing in line at the grocery store. Most of them claim to also have the latest and best diet. What ha...
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Free Trade benefit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Free Trade benefit - Essay Example Also when countries trade their specialties, nearly all the stakeholders receive the benefits. Free trade theory claims that economic competition with minimal government intervention will lead to greater efficiency, productivity, and innovation; will reduce costs for consumers; and will free up more capital for further investment. First of all, the role of free trade is removal of trade barriers such as tariffs which should promote economic growth, foster a cooperative spirit among nations, help developing nations into becoming independent economies, and end poverty around the world. Free Trade benefits developing countries because it provides economic opportunities, improves working conditions, and advances their technology, becoming more globally conscious. Free Trade provides developing countries different opportunities for economic growth. If free trade becomes a universally acceptable economic system, provisionally wealthy countries and developing countries both gain a number of benefits to grow the worldwide economy. Trade is the greatest factor that leads to economic growth. When trade occurs as a result of true demand and supply, the economic growth that occurs also truly reflects the increase in economic welfare. Thus, free trade brings about increased economic growth, which means better and more jobs; advanced standards of living and so on. Free Trade is not only beneficial for wealthy countries, but also developing ones. The growth is the solution to world poverty. Additionally, free trade improves working conditions for workers in the developing nations. Free trade can help global workers who are working under torrid conditions. If my friend told me ââ¬Å"I feel bad that workers are laboring under life-threatening condition s to produce the goods I buy. However, I donââ¬â¢t know how to change my consumer habits.â⬠I agree we all feel difficulties in changing our consumer habits. Even though
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Analysis of Vocational Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Analysis of Vocational Leader - Essay Example It resulted to people becoming more preoccupied with maximization of wealth than serving the common good. To avoid this tendency, the book Vocation of a Business Leader: A Reflection prescribed that leaders should be more preoccupied in producing goods and services that addresses human genuine needs, that they should be more responsible in conducting themselves and their businesses. The issues covered in the book is very much related to Accounting because the recent corporate scandals that rocked America and slid this country into recession was caused by the issues tackled in the book- too much emphasis on wealth maximization rather than producing goods and services that serves genuine human needs. Companies such as Enron and Worldcom cheated on their financial reports so that their company would appear good and attract more investors and continue to receive financial rewards (i.e. fat bonuses). If the prescription in the book will be seriously taken, managers and executives would instead look after the welfare of the community at large before their own. This issues is not limited to companies but also on a personal level. Young people now tend to think how their acts would benefit themselves first before being motivated to do it. For example, when one starts a business, it is the profit that is being considered first before creating a product or service that would serve its customers
Monday, November 18, 2019
Cause and effect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4
Cause and effect - Essay Example Childhood obesity also increases the risk of psychosocial problem among children such as low self-esteem, bullying, teasing and are underestimated by their peers. This is a cause and effect essay exploring childhood obesity in USA. One major cause of childhood obesity in US is excessive consumption of calories, for instance,à many children take many too much calories, and they do not engage in physical activities to burn them since they engage in minimal physical exercises. Most children in US and other developed countries do not take the right and healthy food. Increased intake of energy dense meals and soft drinks leads to childhood obesity. Children consume many calories, but participate less in physical activities (Murphy, 5). Lack of physical activity participation in children is caused by environmental factors such as lack of enough space to undertake different exercises like cycling, running among others. Furthermore, parents do not create time to help their children engage in physical activities. Continuous consumption of fast food and living sedentary lifestyles put them at risk of diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes, and increased cholesterol among others. Researchers have pointed out sedentary lifestyle to be one of the major causes of obesity in both adults and children (Rippe and Angelopoulos 29). Parents are too busy to prepare healthy and nutritional meals to allow their children carry packed lunch instead of consuming fast food. More so, physical inactivity contributes largely in increasing cases of obesity because they spend most of their time playing video games and watching television. Theyà spend less time exercising, but they do spend many hours watching and playing video games, this way, they are more likely to become overweight as opposed to those who spend less time playing video games and watching. Children and teenagers should engage in physical activities for at least sixty minutes daily (Murphy 14). Even though physical edu cation has been introduced in many schools and kindergarten, many children do not actively participate in physical activity (Moreno, Pigeot and Ahrens 12). Obesity affects negatively on childrenââ¬â¢s lives. Firstly, obesity increases the risk for certain serious health problems such as diabetes, high cholesterol as well as high blood pressure, and musculoskeletal among others. Different studies cite obesity to be the major cause of premature death among children. Today, these serious health conditions are found among children due to unhealthy lifestyle because for a long time these diseases have been exclusively associated with adulthood. Secondly, obese children are at a higher risk of experiencing psychological problems such as bullying, underestimation, teasing, and low self-esteem among others (Rippe and Angelopoulos 39). Moreover, obese children are prone to depression and other medical conditions such as bone and joint problems and may experience breathing difficulties esp ecially when they are engaged even in the slightest physical activity. Most obese children are not happy with their condition and are not comfortable to interact with their peers. In addition, obese children have the tendency of maturing earlier, that is, they seem to grow old faster as opposed to their colleagues who are not overweight. More so, overweight and obesity reduces childrenââ¬â¢s lifespan and causes premature death of most children in America. In conclusion,
Friday, November 15, 2019
To What Extent Were Gorbachevs Reforms A Failure Politics Essay
To What Extent Were Gorbachevs Reforms A Failure Politics Essay The second half of the 1980s was marked as the fundamental change in the Soviet era. The era of reconstruction, Perestroika had gone into history, with the main purpose of introducing the new Soviet Union, which was the creation of the legal social state and democratisation of a new country. It is considered the most dramatic event in political economy to happen since the Great Depression of the 1930sà [1]à The research question: To what extent could the political and socio-economic consequences of Gorbachevs reforms be considered a failure? adopts a critical and evaluative approach of the Soviet reforms such as, perestroika, new political thinking and glasnost, during the mid 1980s, assessing negative as well as positive consequences of the reform. This investigation explores the question of whether the socio-economic and political changes caused by Gorbachevs reforms can be either justified as a complete failure, contributing to decline in socio-economic development and political factors, or on the other side viewed as a successful policy, that brought freedom to East Europe. For answering the question it is essential to examine the political and socio-economic conditions and address the necessity of such changes that was caused by a profound crisis in the of the Soviet-Union pre-Gorbachev era prevailing in late 1970s. Regardless of the conclusion, this topic will remain under controversy causing different judgments among the historians, as an Emeritus Professor of politics at Oxford University said: The extent to which he [Gorbachev] is regarded a success or a failure will long remain a matter of controversy. There seems no doubt, though, that both in Russia and outside he will be regarded as a figure of decisive importance, regardless of whether his activities are viewed positively or highly negatively.à [2]à During the investigation a wide range of sources was used, representing polar opposite perspectives of the West and the East, from both the time of Perestroika and in hindsight. The sources used can be separated into three groups. The first group were those who believed that the initiative and perseverance of Mikhail Gorbachevs reforms made the first step to ensure the transformation of the country to a civilised state of the Western world. The second group- evaluates Gorbachevs reforms more negatively, believing that his imperialistic policy has led to serious irreversible consequences of the country. Finally, the third group includes political scientists and economists like Marshall I. Goldman and who combine their studies in both approaches, considering both positive and negative aspects of Perestroika. Therefore, the essay will be divided into Political and Socio-Economic reforms of Perestroika during 1985 and 1991 according to these identified groups. 2. Conditions in the Soviet Union prior to Perestroika The necessity of Perestroika and such radical changes were caused by the profound crisis of the Soviet system that were formed in the late 70s including the fall of Soviet authority in the eyes of public opinion in the Soviet Russian and in the Eastern Europe, a so-called socialist camp, where new democratic ideas were forming and demanding more human and political rights, as well as a rejection of the totalitarian regime. Therefore, for Mikhail Gorbachev, his reforms were seen as the best solution to the urgent political and socio-economic problems, which were aimed to strengthen and develop the Soviet Union. Furthermore, he was not anticipating that Perestroika would lead to a complete collapse of the system and USSR. a) Political Between 1980 and 1984, the changes in leadership have had a great impact on destabilising the government. Moreover, USA USSR relations were getting worse every day. After the Yalta Conference and Churchills Iron Curtain speech all contributed to the growing fear of the Soviet Unionà [3]à and the beginning of the Cold War. The rivalry of two sides, has increased the military budget of the country, while not helping its economy. Additionally, in the mid 1980s, the Soviet Union was demonstrating its military might in the Afghan war that has also turned against it.à [4]à b) Socio-Economic Prior to perestroika, the Soviet economy was marked by the extensive economic growth in the late 1960s that began to pull to the economical development backwards. In the consequent 20 years USSR has experienced a rapid decline in growth of industry from 8.5% to 3.5%. There was also a problematic situation in consumers market which was also linked to the drop of oil prices. According to the economists, the prices of raw materials were comparatively cheap to other products, which caused inefficient and wasteful usage of these raw materials.à [5]à Between 1970 and 1980 USSR has earned 170 billion US dollars from the petroleum export. However, again, this money was invested into the military expansion and purchase of new machinery which was inefficiently used and did not enrich the country in the long run.à [6]à The agricultural situation in the Soviet Union was also rather complex. The money earned from petroleum exports was used for food imports, instead of introducing new efficient agricultural reforms substituting the old collective system. The economic problems reflected on production in both agrarian and industrial sectors of the country. The harvest fell from 237 million tons from 1978 to 158 million tons in 1981, depicting a very radical change. Similarly, the production of steel fell from 151 million in the 1978 to 147 million in 1982, which is particularly surprising as it always has been constant apart from the World War II period.à [7]à The economic and political constraints in the country such as economic stagnation and corruption, contributed to the rapid decline in the social sphere. Budgets proportion that went to people was not simply enough. This has lead to various social problems such as low standards of living, health care and high levels of alcoholism. These three main factors have affected the ideological and moral values of the people in the country causing demoralisation of the society. That also affected the quality and efficiency of work, such as poor working habits and incentives. As a result, in the early 80s the income per capita has decreased three fold compared to mid 60s. Additionally, there were issues with income distribution, resulting in high inequality between the lower and higher classes. This, of course, all went against the communist ideology. People were deprived of the civil rights and as a result various dissident movements broke in USSR and Eastern Europe. 3. Analysis of Political Reforms a) Glasnost Glasnost was the main political reform introduced in 1986 by Gorbachev. After 50 years of silence and fear the society was finally allowed to speak and express its opinions. With the policy of Glasnost, which Gorbachev has referred to as the other side of the Perestroikas coin, the system became less strict in many aspects of the society. This has included media, reduction in censorship and freedom of speech, opening up USSR to the rest of the world. Only in the year 1986 more than 14 million new newspapers were printed. After Olympic boycotts, the 1986 Goodwill games were seen live from both sides of the Iron Curtain. In the period of two years Gorbachev has made the fear disappear, bringing pop-culture to the USSR, creating a new breed of young people.à [8]à The policy of glasnost was responsible for drastically changing the spiritual life for people. The government ceased prosecution of many key figures that were exiled under Stalins rule, like Andrei Sakharov, who was inà internal exile for seven years.à [9]à Gorbachev said that they need glasnost in order to ensure fulfillment of tasks of the Party Congressà [10]à or in other words Perestroika was used as the base for his reforms. Primarily it was aimed to criticise and expose the corrupt leadership and was an instrument to improve political activity. In his speech to the January 1987 CC Plenum, Gorbachev has said: there canà be no person beyond criticism or people with no right to criticise.à [11]à b) Intellectual Elite Natan Edelman, a well-known historian, wrote in 1989: that the intellectuals support for Perestroikaà is virtually unanimous.à [12]à All the great minds that were deprived during the Soviet Regime, has benefited from Gorbachevs reforms. Gorbachevs reforms have assured intellectuals of the right to free speech, unprecedented artistic freedom, wide access to the mass media, and a chance to be elected to the Soviet legislature and to serve in government.à [13]à These were the kind of thinkers who were essential for countrys future growth. c) Democratisation With the reform of Perestroika a general democratisation of life began in the country. Gorbachev publicly stated that Democratisation will not weaken our society but on the contrary, it will strengthen it.à [14]à Even though many were against the political reforms, the supreme Council has adopted two new laws changing and altering the Constitution of the USSR, and introducing voting system for peoples deputies. The final stage of the political reform which was the Congress of public Deputies of the USSR, has elected Gorbachev as the president of the USSR. Despite the numerous mistakes in the reforms, this was still a significant step towards liberation from the previous one-party system. d) US-Soviet Relations The slogan of the new political thinking, was a big change for the USSR and the world. The main idea of the concept was that any military conflict, is wrong. During the 1987 Washington Summit meeting between leaders of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev and the U.S. President Ronald Reagan, a disarmament treaty was finally agreed and signed.à [15]à Gorbachevs new thinking and non-aggressive policy improved the US-Soviet relations as well as the international situation in general. Weapons of mass destruction were reduced by 2000 warheads. USSR has refused to further confront the West and wished for an end of the Cold War, for which Gorbachev received a Nobel Prize. This breakthrough has not only brought relief to the American-Soviet tensions, but has also allowed Gorbachev to cut the military budget that was essential to reduce the inflationary pressure and improve the living standards.à [16]à e) Afghan War and The Brezhnev Doctrine During 27th Party Congress in February/March 1986 after confirming the Brezhnev Doctrine,à [17]à the failed operation in maintaining Afghanistan gave Gorbachev no other choice in than to abandon the Doctrine and follow the policy of Perestroika. By 1989 Gorbachev withdrew almost all combat personnel from Afghanistan.à [18]à After the free elections in Poland which were marked by Communist Partys defeat by Solidarity in 1989, Gorbachev has renounced the Brezhnev Doctrine.à [19]à His speech at the UN on Dec. 7, 1989 represents the abandonment of communism from the Eastern Europe. In the next two years, theirà numerical strength will be reduced by 500,000 persons, and the volumeà of conventional arms will also be cut considerably. [à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦]. By agreement with our allies in theà Warsaw Pact, we have made the decision to withdraw six tank divisionsà from the GDR, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary, and to disband them by 1991.à [20]à f) Conclusion of political reforms The results of Perestroika in terms of foreign policy and political freedom cannot be considered a failure. Due to the policy of glasnost, the media and formation of independent press could now criticise anyone they wanted. People were finally free to speak. Perestroika was a big step towards liberalism with multyparty system and elections.à [21]à Now, almost 20 years after Perestroika, Gorbachev himself, who has lost the political power to Yeltsin after Perestroika, does not regret his actions and marks the results of his reforms as success . Gorbachev claims: it was such a success as it launched the democratic process in the Soviet Union. After the break-up ofà USSR, Russia today is continuing to develop the market economy as well as pluralism in several domains such as politics, ideologies, religion, etcà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦Ã [22]à Collapse of the Soviet totalitarian empire and the formation of the 15 new states, some of which later became the members of NATO and a part of new Europe; destruction of the socialist camp and the Warsaw Pact with democratic changes in the political system can all be seen as examples of positive sides of Gorbachevs reform. It also had a further positive effect on economic reforms, that in the long-run has resulted in growth in Eastern Europe and Russia. Moreover, according to Gorbachev, another positive side was that they have managed to avoid a real bloodbathà [23]à in achieving these changes. On contrary, the radical changes were not welcomed by most of the older generation Soviet party members. They believed that the perfect Soviet regime has started to lose its totalitarian control and its isolationist character. For example, the control over media that resulted in a weaker censorship, has then opened many negative aspects of USSR that has been previously presented to be flawless. Gen. Valentin Varennikov, Chief of Soviet Ground Forces has stated that the social and military situation of the country was becoming worseà [24]à and Nina Anderyeva, a historian, saw the younger generations negative attitude towards the Soviet past as a moral degradation and a negative result of Glasnost.à [25]à The society has started to hear the problems in the Soviet Union such as poor living conditions, alcoholism etc. The nationalistic feeling and the strive to independence from the East European countries has increased. Many ethical problems which were previously sealed, have now opened into various riots, demanding for greater independence and stabilisation of the economy. 4. Analysis of Socio-economic Reforms a) Economic reforms The crisis in the economic development was a significant reason for the Soviet leadership in changing the structure of the economy. In July 1987, theà Supreme Sovietà has passed the Law on State Enterprise. It was seen as the key in conversion to a market economyà [26]à . The core of reform included the abandonment of the old planned economy and transition of the decision-making from state to private businesses. This has resulted in abolition of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and the GKES, which were involved in foreign economic operations before.à [27]à However, the initial process of privatisation was much slower than planned. A small number of vendors was the main reason for high prices on the market, and the prices of goods in cooperatives were always higher than the prices in state stores. By 1989, only after one year of Perestroikas inception there were 133,000 private ownerships. However, in comparison to Chinas ten million private enterprises in 1980,à [28]à it is only demonstrating the Soviet delay in the privatisation. Due to mistakes in reforms and social elements in the system, the transformation of the Soviet planned system into a free market economy has failed. The third economic change, was the Venture Law, that went into effect in June 1987 after Gorbachev and his leadership have decided to open the doors of the Soviet market to foreign firms. This was completely against the Marxist ideology and was viewed as an economic and political espionage by the Soviet party members, fearing that the capitalists would gain control over the Soviet market, exploiting their workers as well as stealing their ideas.à [29]à However, it was more the Soviet government and the newly bred mafia that took advantage of this, rather than the foreign companies which instead have brought advances to the Russian market. b) Agricultural reforms A similar situation was in the agrarian sector. In May 1, 1987 Gorbachev has authorised the establishment of individual farming and has introduced decollectivisation. However, again, this process was very slow. By 1990 there were only 20à 000 private farms in the Soviet Union, from that only 240 were registered in Russia and only 4 in Ukraine!à [30]à Many who did set up the private farms were subject to attacks and were classified as kulaks. In contrast, to compare with contemporary dynamics, the Chinese process of decollectivisation went at a much faster pace. By 1980 in China all farms were decollectivised.à [31]à c) Anti-alcohol campaign Perestroika has also introduced socio-economic reforms to tackle serious problems like alcoholism that also affected the economical growth. Gorbachevs anti-alcohol campaign was aimed to decrease the consumption of alcohol, improve health and increase the efficiency of the work force and production. However, the anti-alcohol campaign had a rather negative impact on the Soviet economy. As this was a great hit for the state monopolies, including the disappearance of vineyards in Georgia and other republics. It has decreased the tax income by 13% and was said to cost the Soviet Union 200 billion Rubles. It did not stop people from drinking, instead the policy encouraged black markets and increased the production of moonshine,à [32]à that were usually low-quality and harmful for health. Additionally, it had a side effect on the consumption of sugar as home-made vodka required large quantities of sugar for production. The increase in consumption was 10 kilograms per capita in only 5 ye ars, effecting the market and the prices. Both sugar shortage and the reduction in imports of consumer goods combined with inflation caused a buyers panic.à [33]à Moreover, the situation got worse as not only sugar disappeared from the markets but normal goods from sugar to furniture. As a result consumer behavior was to buy as many goods as possible to avoid future shortages, spending hours in queues for nearly everything.à [34]à . d) Conclusion of socio-economic reforms During the years of Perestroika nothing significant was actually done to reform the economic methods. There were many laws adopted that allowed small businesses and private corporations, however, none had any fundamental effect on the principles of the Soviet economy. The political reforms have lead to governments losing of control over the national economy that they had planned out for many years. Gorbachevs indecisiveness in his reforms might explain the fact that he did not know what he was doing. A rapid decline in production has resulted in 20% decline in national income. The consumption of new machinery and lower tax revenues contributed to a rapid increase of the budget deficit. Table 1 shows the estimate budget deficit of the country between 1978 and 1990. CIA states that in 10 years the deficit had increased from 16 billion rubles to 68 billion rubles and later on increased even further reaching three digit values. Although different sources have different values and estimations, it is a fact that the situation catastrophically affected the people. As a result, to decrease the deficit more money was printed which has additionally increased the inflation. As Gorbachev has stated in his speech in the 1990 We have lost control over the financial situation in the country. By late 1990 the inflationary prices of goods were increasing at a 20% rate per annum and few years later this value has increased to 70%.à [35]à There were shortages of various consumer goods and a rat ioning system was introduced. This resulted in a drop of living standards, the Soviet Union fell to 82nd place in the world in terms of living standards. Another problem that has elevated during the economical crisis, was a serious debt as the expenditures were 20-30 % higher than the income (GDP)à [36]à . The debt of the Soviet Union was estimated to be about 60 billion dollars. The Soviet Union had to sell its gold reserves to purchase the foreign currency. This is a very bright illustration that Perestroika has not only failed to improve the old system, instead it disturbed the old system and further deteriorated the situation. 5. Conclusion According to the existing evidence, it is clear that Perestroika has suffered a defeat in the form it was originally conceivedà [37]à from a socio-economic side and failed in achieving its main aims in improving the economic situation, instead had rather negative results and consequences. Gorbachevs reconstruction has weakend the social and economic conditions in the country. A further phrase by Aleksandr Zaychenko further proves this statement: Russians today [in 1989] eat worse than did Russians in 1913 under the Czars.à [38]à Even though elimination of the state monopoly in foreign trade was a positive sign in transformation to the market economy, as foreign corporations were able to show the Soviet system new and more advanced ways of doing business. This was a sign that He [Gorbachev] knew where he wanted to end up, with a more productive, consumer-oriented economy, but he did not know how to get there.à [39]à Between 1985 and 1991, ten new economic reforms have been introduced, and not a single one was ever implementedà [40]à no one went down that road before. As a result this half-measure in the economy has lead to an economic crisis. After the reconstruction of the old approaches to the economy there were no new methods that would replace the old ways, the Soviet economy was stuck in the middle between the planned and private economies, which are considered as an economic failure. As stated by Marshall I. Goldman, an expert on the Soviet economy, his book Went Wrong with Perestroika, clearly shows the fundamental problems in socio-economic sphere that were formed as result of Gorbachevs indecisive maneuvers and highlights their contribution to result in a total failure and the collapse of the whole system. On equilibrium, however, political factors seem to be more successful. Reforms like: Glasnost and New Political Thinking, played a crucial role in improving the U.S.-Soviet relations breaking the tensions and diminishing the possibility of a military conflict between the two military blocks, NATO and the Warsaw Pact, as well as finally opening the iron curtain and breaking the Berlin wall. Additionally, Mikhail Gorbachevs new thinkingduring Perestroika was the key in ending the Cold War. After 5 decades of hostilities, In the last few years, throughout the worldà people were able to heave a sigh of relief, thanks to the changes forà the better in the substance and atmosphere of the relations betweenà Moscow and Washington.à [41]à Additionally, after three decades of confrontation USSR became friends with China. This all was doubtlessly one of Gorbachevs successful achievements of his reforms. People take Gorbachev as a hero, others accuse him of causing a disasterà [42]à . Similarly Perestroika is considered as a failure because it has given way to the totalitarian control of the country and, on the other side, can be considered a success for giving freedom to people. Peoples conclusions are linked to their understanding of things.à [43]à These understandings will change with time and therefore change their whole idea towards the event. 7. Bibliography Books Charles Bukowski, and J. Richard Walsh, eds.,à Glasnost, Perestroika, and the Socialist Communityà (New York: Praeger Publishers, 1990) Peter J. Boettke,à Why Perestroika Failed: The Politics and Economics of Socialist Transformationà (New York: Routledge, 1993) Mikhail S. Gorbachev, 39 Address at the Forty-Third Un General Assembly Session, December 7, 1988,à The Soviet System: From Crisis to Collapse, ed. Alexander Dallin andGail W. Lapidus (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1995) Marshall I. Goldman,à What Went Wrong with Perestroikaà (New York: W. W. Norton, 1992) Ronald E. Powaski,à The Cold War The United States and the Soviet Union, 1917-1991, à (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998) Dmitri N. Shalin, ed.,à Russian Culture at the Crossroads: Paradoxes of Postcommunist Consciousnessà (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1996) Joanne Wright, 3: The End of the Cold War: The Brezhnev Doctrine,à Why the Cold War Ended: A Range of Interpretations, ed. Ralph Summy andMichael E. Salla (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1995) William E. Watson,à The Collapse of Communism in the Soviet Unionà (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998) Thomas C. Owen,à Russian Corporate Capitalism from Peter the Great to Perestroikaà (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995) Hunt, Lynn: The Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures. (Bedford/St. Martins, Boston and London, 2009) Magazine Peter Hylarides, Mikhail Gorbachev and Perestroika,à Contemporary ReviewAutumn 2008,à Questia, Web, 1 Jan. 2011. Journal Vanden Heuvel, Perestroika and After: Comrade Ligachev Tells His Side,à The Nationà 2 Dec. 1991,à Questia, Web, 1 Jan. 2011. Websites Structural Reforms, 1986 to Mid-1988 http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-12788.html Communist Party of the Soviet Union. CENTRAL COMMITTEE. MINUTES Of Meeting No. 2 of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU September 20, 1990, http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/soviet.exhibit/o2gorby.html Mikhail Gorbachev, former USSR Presidentà :Perestroika won, but politically I lost. Euronews Inerview 05/11/09 17:31 CET http://www.euronews.net/2009/11/05/mikhail-gorbachev-former-ussr-president-perestroika-won-but-politically-i-lost/ 1985: Anti- Alcohol Campaign http://www.soviethistory.org/index.php?page=subjectSubjectID=1985drylawYear=1985navi=byYear 1987 | Nuclear Disarmament http://www.austria1989.org/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=66Itemid=96 1988 | Gorbachev Ends the Cold War http://www.austria1989.org/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=67Itemid=97 Video Gorbachev, Glasnost, Perestroika, Arms Agreement , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=595W4JJHa2U
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Cabin in the woods :: essays research papers
Being invited to a friendââ¬â¢s house the other day, I began to get excited about the journey through the woods to their cabin. The cabin, nestled back in the woods overlooking a pond, is something that you would dream about. There is a winding trail that takes you back in the woods were their cabin sits. The cabin sits on top of a mountain raised up above everything, as if it was sitting on the clouds. As I began to walk this trail, I began to recollect the days of when I was a kid playing in the woods, the birds chirping and the squirrels running free. The trees interlocking each other as if I am walking through a tunnel with the smell of fresh pine and a hint of oak all around me; a hint of sunshine every now and then is gleaming down on the beat path. This path is not like your ordinary path, it has been used quite some time, as if hundreds of soldiers have marched this very path. As I walk even farther down the winding trail, I can see the cabin in the distance. It appears as if the sun is only shining on the cabin itself. As I get closer, I get the redolence of home made apple pie. This is the exact moment that I forgot about everything else that existed and began to wonder, ââ¬Å"Am I still on Earth?â⬠I finally arrive at the cabin, in amazement; something this beautiful sits so far back in the woods. After admiring the cabins for several minutes, I walk up to the door and gave it a light knock. The door opens and to my surprise, a beautiful brown hair, blue eyed girl was there to greet me. Her hair glistens in the sun, like fresh silk. Staring into her magnificent blues eyes, reminded me of the ocean. Smiling as she told me to come in, I entered the cabin. As I walk into the cabin to my astonishment not only was their one beautiful brown hair, blue eyed girl but there are two, both girls appearance closely resembling the otherââ¬â¢s. The second girl a little younger than the first but as beautiful, she is quieter but continues to smile, the kind of smile that melts your heart. I began to walk around the inside of the cabin and began to wonder if these two exquisite girls are here all by themselves.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Shale Gas
Shale gas is natural gas formed from being trapped within shale formations. Shale gas has become an increasingly important source of natural gas in the United States over the past decade, and interest has spread to potential gas shale's in the rest of the world. In 2000 shale gas provided only 1% of U. S. natural gas production; due to rising oil prices gas prices have also been affected by the rise therefore there was big demand for gas in the US which in 2010 it was over 20% and the U.S. government's Energy Information Administration predicts that by 2035 46% of the United States' natural gas supply will come from shale gas. I would like to mention that Chesapeake energy is the leading US company in producing Shale gas with a market cap of 13. 6 Billion US $ (which I think itââ¬â¢s a good choice of adding it to your investment portfolio). Starting as early as 2017 the USA will start to export LNG to other world markets.Recently a company called Freeport LNG Development LP, which opened a facility on the Gulf Coast to import liquefied natural gas four years ago, signed a 20-year contract with two large Japanese power companies (Osaka Gas Co. ; Chubu Electric Power) to export natural gas from it instead. Freeport LNG is in advanced talks with Royal Dutch Shell PLC for a similar export deal that would allow the energy giant to ship out natural gas to foreign end customers. The emergence of vast new supplies of natural gas from dense shale rocks has upended expectations that the U.S. would become a major importer of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, from overseas. Now, many industry officials believe the U. S. could emerge as a major exporter, a development that could have a significant impact on the U. S. trade deficit. Drilling Shale Gas wells is not an easy task thanks to introducing new technologies like the Horizontal drilling technology which is used to drill the shale gas wells, with lateral lengths up to (5,000 m) within the shale, to create maximum boreh ole surface area in contact with the shale.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Attitudes of women from the mid-nineteenth century essays
Attitudes of women from the mid-nineteenth century essays There are several factors that influenced the change in the behaviors and attitudes of women from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. Among these reasons is the economy escalating, Hollywood was created, and women began working and becoming more educated. During the Victorian era, people in the United States were very conservative in all aspects of life. The key element of the Victorian formula was moral autonomy, which is the control over one's instincts. The man would go out and work to support his family. While the wife would stay home and take care of the house and raise the children. Sexual activity was not performed for pleasure, only for pro-creation. They were also very involved with their community progress as well as national. They were not concerned with materialistic ideals or individual consumption. In fact, they combined religion, politics, work and home into one whole ideal. As the nineteenth century came to a close, the economy was growing due to corporations forming everywhere. As a direct result of corporate order, people received better wages and more free time. Incomes per capita rose from $231 to $793 annually between 1897 and 1921. With the extra income, people began to consume more personal goods. Husbands began to purchase more clothes, furniture, personal care items, cars, and applications as well as recreational services for themselves as well as their wives. In fact, personal consumption nearly tripled between 1901 and 1929. Another correlation to the increase in consumption was less time with the community and more time enjoying the personal goods that they purchased. People were indulging themselves into personal goods. Private life was now separated from personal concerns. Hollywood was created in the early 1900's. This changed the views of marriage and relationships of the U.S. citizens forever. Couples would see movies of beautiful people who were never arguing and always h ...
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
28 Serious Quotes From British Comedian Charlie Chaplin
28 Serious Quotes From British Comedian Charlie Chaplin Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) became a star well before movies had sound. But his talent to turn the tragedies of everyday people into epic comedies has made him immortal on the silver screen as he played everything from a tramp to a buffoon dictator. The following quotes consist of Chaplins observations on his life, career, and the study of human nature. Charlie Chaplin on Laughter and a Positive Outlook A day without laughter is a day wasted.To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain, and play with it!Youll never find a rainbow if youre looking down.Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself. On Despair and Tragedy Despair is a narcotic. It lulls the mind into indifference.I always like walking in the rain, so no one can see me crying.Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.Nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles.The saddest thing I can imagine is to get used to luxury.We might as well die as to go on living like this. Chaplins Comedy and Career All I need to make a comedy is a park, aà policeman, and a pretty girl.I dont believe that the public knows what it wants; this is the conclusion that I have drawn from my career.I went into the business for the money, and the art grew out of it. If people are disillusioned by that remark, I cant help it. Its the truth.The basic essential of a great actor is that he loves himself in acting.Imagination means nothing without doing.Why should poetry have to make sense? On Human Nature A mans true character comes out when hes drunk.I am at peace with God. My conflict is with Man.I am for people. I cant help it.We think too much and feel too little.What do you want a meaning for? Life is a desire, not a meaning.We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each others happiness, not by each others misery. On Beauty and Understanding I do not have much patience with a thing of beauty that must be explained to be understood.If it does need additional interpretation by someone other than the creator, then I question whether it has fulfilled its purpose. On Politics I remain just one thing, and one thing only, and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.Dictators free themselves, but they enslave the people.Id sooner be called a successful crook than a destitute monarch.
Monday, November 4, 2019
Database Information Systems Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Database Information Systems Management - Essay Example It is good practice during this phase of development to endure that the IS progressed to endure the desired benefits and it is bad practice to progress with the development if these desired benefits have not been realized.1 Fortunately in our project the benefits of the stakeholders had been define and benefits realized. These are important aspects of application development because they determine actions of business and IT management. An example of bad practice in developing such a system is to neglect to define who owns the IS Development. This means the individuals who are or will be responsible for all of the factors encompassing the development of the IS. These individuals include the sponsor, the IT project manager and the users. In retrospect of our project, there was some ambiguity in dedicating ownership of the IS Development. However, after defining the stakeholders the ownership and benefits objectives became clear. This is why it is good practice to set forth who owns the IS Development before progressing. It is bad practice not to define the stakeholder's role and intended benefits. e IS. A stakeholder is an individual who has an interest in the IS development and the future outcomes it. Our project the intended outcome was that SM is then able to view this Data in information format through computer-generated reports. In analysis of the outcome of the project I found that our current IS was inaccurate and did not go into much depth at all to benefit the end user Senior Management, due to lack of quality and quantity input by students. I also found that the IS itself had great potential, if the recommendations suggested were put in place. This is a good example why it is bad practice not to clearly define the benefits to all of the users, including the end users. In order to avoid these kind of mistakes and bad practices when developing an IS it is important to think of the development as a process. It is good practice to break the stakeholders down into context when developing the IS. The process includes technology, task, people and the structure or culture. These are all related to one another and it is good practice to think of stakeholder in the context of each of these steps being dependant upon each other. The technology that will be involved in the change is relative to the task to be performed. These components of the system or process depend on the stakeholders in the activity and Organisation and the structure and culture of the Organisation is important to all of the previous steps. It s bad practice to leave out any of these components and not to recognize that one has to do with the other. If any of these steps are overlooked important benefits to the stakeholders will be neglected and it will result in a faulted IS. It is good practice to think ahead and include everyone and everything you can. As the development progresses these factors can be cut down or omitted. These good practices for approaches to use when discovering stakeholders could be implemented in an IS for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The approach that should be used would base its primary concern on patient satisfaction. An approach to
Friday, November 1, 2019
Problem Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Problem Organization - Essay Example This paper hereby describes the historical context of CBHF referring to its vision and mission along with various other factors to assess the actual problem inherent to its discontinuation suggesting remedial measures which could have assisted in neglecting such a consequence. Introduction Clinton Bush Haiti Fund (CBHF), which was established as a non-profit organization to rescue the victims of 2010 earthquake in Haiti, was on a verge of closing down its operations on December 31, 2012. The reason behind closing the organization of CBHF Bush Haiti Fund was reported to be the insufficiency of adequate funds for the development of individuals in the socio-demographic region of Haiti. It has also been observed that there is further requirement of nation building in the regions of Haiti; however, an insignificant numbers of members are observed to be interested in providing hard work for the organization. In addition, the inadequacy of funds that had been raised for the development of t he region and to execute other necessary operations of the non-profit organization can also be regarded as a threat to the sustenance of CBHF. Owing to its deteriorating financial stance, the organization also had to face bankruptcy risks which again caused severe threat to its existence and effectiveness or success in delivering the intended facilities to the community people in Haiti (Daniel, 2012). To make the matter worse, the organization has been disregarded to be eligible to acquire funds in terms of donations from its stakeholders since 31st December, 2012 thus contributing towards its financially deteriorating health (Foundation Center, 2013). Moreover, the organizational members were heavily criticized for inefficiency in providing effective decisions for the betterment of Haiti people in the society along with lacking any report for substantial progress which accumulatively caused the problems for CBHF (Weisbrot, 2013). With reference to this case example, the paper inten ds to discuss on the history, outcomes, law in practice, and solutions for the problems witnessed by CBHF. The paper also discusses on ethical issues of the organization providing rational recommendations for future avoidance of such problems. History CBHF is a non-profit organization established in the year 2010, with a vision and mission to assist the population in Haiti and therefore contributing towards building the country in a better way. As per its norms being a non-profit organization, CBHF has been utilizing the donation gathered through grants, loans and investments in equity for promotion of growth of job along with sustainable development of the entire economy. On its establishment, the organization envisioned towards fostering diversity and competitiveness of the economy of Haiti with the support of prevalent nonprofit organizations and focusing on partnering with profit entities (Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, 2010). Mission The mission of the organization had been to delive r consistent assistance to the people living in the society of Haiti in deprivation of adequate basic amenities. Moreover, promotion of economic opportunities was also considered as an important mission of the organization (Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, 2010). Key Individuals The key individuals, associated with the organization since its establishment, were reported to be the two former US Presidents, Mr. Bill
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Inventory Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Inventory Paper - Essay Example The modern context, nonetheless, opposes the form of influence that entails coercion. Instead, effective leaders seek to build relationships with their followers. In fact, just like Blake with his TOMS idea for providing shoes to the children in Argentina, modern day leaders need to put the interest of their followers before theirs. They then forge a win-win situation for both parties. Despite all leadership not being equal, such successful leaders exude unique leadership styles that identify them and seek to lead by example, having developed their inner selves first before instilling the same in their followers. This activity has been useful in appreciating my leadership style. I am democratic and would always seek to have the will of the people prevail. Perhaps, this style is supported by the activityââ¬â¢s acknowledgement of the need for selflessness for success as a leader. In most cases, I seek to lead by example, always doing what I would expect my followers to do. This has made me to cause people to take up tasks they never imagined they would undertake. I am not coercive. This could be a failure on my part because as learnt from the activity, some coercion could help a leader realize the set objectives. However, care should be taken to ensure that a balance between coercion and free will by followers is reached. By being democratic, I have had the undesirable will of the people carry the day. There was this one day when I was charged with the finances for our sports cheering team that accompanied players to a tournament. I proposed that we share the allowances at the end of the tournament. The cheerers wanted it before and I did as they wished. By the time the games started, they had spent all the money and some were even hungry already. They failed to cheer our team well, perhaps the reason we were beaten. Thus, I do not support the postulate from this activity that a successful leader should be defined by a specific style. Instead, a leader should
Monday, October 28, 2019
Two Party System Essay Example for Free
Two Party System Essay It is commonly argued that political parties are becoming weaker and interest groups are becoming more powerful in America. à Keeping these changes in mind, is it possible that the United States will ever move away from the two-party system and have three or more strong parties? In 1992, Texan billionaire Ross Perot won more votes than any `third party` candidate for President ever had before. Coincidence, or will a smaller party ever become a strong enough force to rule the United States, or indeed have an influential presence in Parliament? à à à à à à à à à à à Statistics suggest that Americans are in favor of a third major force in their political scenario. à According to a poll conducted by Angus Reid Global Monitor: ââ¬Å"Many adults in the United States believe there should be a viable alternative to Republicans and Democrats, according to a poll by Princeton Survey Research Associates for the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 53 per cent of respondents believe there should be a third major political party in the country, up three points since June 2004.â⬠(Angus Reid Global Monitor, 2003). And according to VoteBuddy.com, 2006, more than two thirds of Americans want a third party because of the following reasons:à Most people are simply aware that government of, by, and for the Democrats and Republicans has not been working; they have little idea why. Part of the reason is that neither party really stands for what it used to. Instead, both of them have moved to the center in hopes of capturing the many moderate voters out there. A lot of people really miss having a party that represents the principles they believe in. Others have specific concerns that they believe have been abandoned by the one major party that ever showed any interest in them. (VoteBuddy.com, 2006). Indeed the voting trends of the past decade or two have perhaps been indicative of this new trend towards a third, independent party.à In recent years, Ross Perot and Ralph Nader, both representatives of independent parties, have gained a fairly large part of the vote over their Democratic and Republican competitors, not enough to cause worry to leaders of the two major parties yet, but certainly more than in previous years. Also worth noting is the low percentage of voter turnout at American polls.à Are those who donââ¬â¢t turn out to vote independent supporters who are just thinking that their vote will be wasted?à Or are they so happy with the system as it is that they donââ¬â¢t feel they need to vote?à Today, American voters give all kinds of reasons for not voting. The cost of being involved in the voting process is among them. On the one hand, many find it difficult to register and stay registered (moving means having to reregister), despite efforts like the federal motor-voter bill, which allows Americans to register while renewing drivers licenses, and popular pushes like MTVs Rock the Vote campaign. à (Hough, 2006) Others get turned off by the enormous time commitment needed to follow the race. This years presidential election, for example, saw candidates jockeying for position nearly two years before the actual election. Unfortunately, instead of giving Americans more time to absorb the issues, according to results from the Vanishing Voter Project, the long campaign has them tuning out. à (Hough, 2006) You can make an argument for a long campaign, acknowledged Patterson, but our data show its a disincentive. During the second week of the projects polling ââ¬â a full year before the election ââ¬â only 5 percent of Americans said they were paying a great deal of attention to the campaign. Roughly 60 percent said they were paying little or no attention. By week three, despite heavy news coverage, Americans interest in the campaign actually declined. à (Hough, 2006) Whatever the case is, a true representation of political feeling in America will only be obtained once voter turnout is higher. Another aspect which would make it hard for a third party to gain strength is congressional opposition to third parties.à Traditionally, according to Wikipedia, a two party system works as follows: A two-party system is a form of party system where two major political parties dominate the voting in nearly all elections. As a result, all, or nearly all, elected offices end up being held by candidates endorsed by the two major parties. Coalition governments occur only rarely in two-party systems, though each party may internally look like a coalition. Under a two-party system, one of two major parties typically holds a majority in the legislature (or a legislative house in a bicameral system), and is referred to as the Majority Party. The other major party is referred to as the Minority Party. The leader of the majority party may be referred to as the Majority Leader, assisted by the Majority Whip, and the leader of the major opposition party may be referred to as the Minority Leader, assisted by the Minority Whip. Two-party systems often develop spontaneously when the voting system used for elections discriminates against third or smaller parties, because the number of votes received for a party in a whole country is not directly related to the proportion of seats it receives in the countrys assembly/assemblies. (Wikipedia, 2006). We can see how a system structured in a way like this would make it very difficult for a third party to prosper. In addition, some reports state that Congress itself shows opposition to third parties, which, at least for the current time, would make it very hard for a third party to achieve any sort of effectiveness in Congress. In BC Politics, Kevin Surbaugh (2006), reports that he has read in a Green Party document. He states: ââ¬Å"This article is about the Democrats trying to pass a bill (HR 4694) that effectively seeks to ban any and all third parties, basically making it so only the Republicans and Democrats will have access to power. Its already difficult for an independent or third party candidate to gain ballot access, but this new bill would make it almost impossible. HR 4694 (Let the People Decide Clean Campaign Act) would mean that the official nominees of parties (i.e., Democrats and Republicans) that had averaged 25% of the vote for House races in a given district in the last two elections would get full public funding. All others (i.e., third party and independent candidates) would be required to submit petitions signed by 10% of the number of people who voted in the last election to get partial funding, and 20% petitions to get full funding. The press release gives an example of the 2nd district in Missouri, where 10% of that district would be some 35,000 signatures, just to spend anything at all, including your/his/her own money. This is a bill that people of all parties should be concerned about.: (Surbaugh, 2006). Surbaugh calls for actions from Americans to prevent this bill from occurring. Perhaps the best form of action they can take would be to present themselves at the polls and vote for the people that they want to vote for. Again, statistics show that Americans donââ¬â¢t vote for independents because they are afraid that they will be ââ¬Å"wastingâ⬠their vote.à Terry Mitchell commented on this in July 2006 in an article called ââ¬Å"Voters are to Blame for Bad Politicsâ⬠, as follows: ââ¬Å"One of our biggest problems is our unwillingness to vote for independent or third party candidates. These candidates generally do not have obligations to party bosses or quid pro quo relationships with lobbyists like the major party candidates do. Very often, we will vote for the lesser of two evils, rather than an independent or third party candidate who might be much better. Of course, when you vote for the lesser of two evils, youre still voting for an evil. Many people feel like they would be wasting their vote by voting for any of those other candidates. This is simply not true. A voter only wastes his/her vote when he/she votes for someone he/she does not really like. Instead, we create a voting catch-22 for ourselves, i.e., no one will vote for Mr. Independent because he has no chance; Mr. Independent has no chance because no one will vote for him. If enough people decided to start voting their conscience, we could break that vicious cycle.â⬠(Mitchell, 2006) When Americans go to the poll on 7 November 2006, there will not only be two parties on the ballot paper. Democrats and Republicans will be joined by the likes of the Constitution Party, the Liberation Party, interest groups such as the Green Party, and even the Peace and Freedom Party.à How will the 45% of Americans who want a third party in Government vote?à Indeed, will they vote at all?à Once before we have seen how powerful an effective third party vote can be.à Some have said that Perot cost George Bush the 1992 election. During the spring primaries in the big industrial states like New York and Pennsylvania, when attention might have been paid to Clinton and former California Governor Jerry Brown as they fought each other and debated a domestic agenda for the new administration, all the media covered was the undeclared candidacy of Ross Perot (Ieinsdorf.com, 2006). And did Nader cost Gore the election in 2000? A closer look shows if Nader wasnt a choice, the 2.7% who supported Nader would have split so Gore would have picked up about 2% more support and Bush would have picked up an additional 1%. In a non-Nader race, Gore would have prevailed over Bush 50% to 49%. (Mike Hersh, 2003). This is indicative of exactly how much impact the third party vote can have, and the fact that these two events occurred in close succession are indicative that the public is slowly beginning to vote for who they actually want to.à This suggests that while there is still huge opposition, in the end a third party will prevail. In conclusion, we can see that while it may be that Americans are in favor of a third major political party in their country (the votes for Ralph Nader and Ross Perot in recent years are indicative of this, and not purely mirage), some reform is needed before this can happen. Is this trend to continue?à The results of the upcoming election will be interesting. Americans themselves must actually go to the polls, and once there, they must vote for the candidates they actually believe the most in.à Congressional opposition to new parties also needs to be overcome and traditional two party system beliefs changed. While I believe that a third party will be prevalent in American politics in the future, I do not believe that it will occur very soon.à The three determining factors ââ¬â Congressional opposition, low voter turnout, and voters not voting for who they really want, need to be overcome first. Works Cited Angus Reid Global Monitor, ââ¬Å"Americans Want Third Major Political Partyâ⬠(2003), retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewItemitemID=11673 Hersh, Mike, (2003) ââ¬Å"Did Nader Help Al Gore in 2000â⬠, retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://www.mikehersh.com/Did_Nader_Help_or_Hurt_Al_Gore.shtml Hough, Lory, (2006) ââ¬Å"The American Voterâ⬠retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/ksgpress/bulletin/spring2000/american_vote.html Iensdorf, (2006) ââ¬Å"Perot Did not Cost George Bush the 1992 Electionâ⬠retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://www.leinsdorf.com/perot.htm Mitchell, Terry, (2006), ââ¬Å"Voters are To Blame for Bad Politicsâ⬠retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=11264 Surbaugh, Kevin, (2006) ââ¬Å"Congress Planning to Shut down Third Partiesâ⬠, retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/11/034246.php VoteBuddy.com, ââ¬Å"Our Vote is Held Hostageâ⬠,à 2006 retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://votebuddy.com/ Wikipedia, (2006), ââ¬Å"Two Party Systemâ⬠, retrieved 6 Nov 2006 from the website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-party_system
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