Saturday, August 31, 2019

Deviance And The Factors That Influence Deviant Conduct

â€Å"Deviance is a wide-ranging term used by sociologists to refer to behavior that varies, in some way, from a social norm† (C. Livesey). Based on this definition, we can clearly draw out that deviance would mean a behavior that comes in the form of rule-breaking.Deviance is the recognized violation of cultural norms (geocites. com). Deviance therefore encompasses breaking of rules that are maybe criminal, social, formal and informal rules that have already been established in a certain locality or in a given situation.Thus, deviance is determined and measured against established standards. Such standards are therefore the point of reference for the evaluation of conduct or behavior. When it conforms, then it necessarily means it is not deviant. Otherwise, such is considered deviant.For example, the used of alcoholic drinks is not generally prohibited by law and thus by the basis of law is not deviant. As a social norm, some societies, especially those that are strict to rel igious norms, drinking alcohol is undesirable and is deviant.As a social norm, wearing of improper attire in certain occasions is deviant but under the law, such behavior is not at all deviant because there no law or rule that governs such conduct. Therefore, we can say that deviance is dependent on the established norms and laws in a certain society. Deviance encompasses a wide range of other acts of nonconformity, from variations in hair styles to murder.TYPES OF DEVIANCESocietal Deviance includes those conduct or behaviors that do not conform to the categories or standards that are generally accepted by a certain society.For example, to exhibit dirty finger to your teacher is socially unacceptable, and thus is socially deviant. The judge of one’s conduct is therefore the people in general and they based their judgment on what are the established social norms that they used to live with. Situational Deviance, as compared to societal deviance is said to be more localized, th at is, determining whether an act in deviant or not depends on a single situation. For example, in cases of cops and soldiers on field or in a battle situation are faced with situational deviance.These people need, by demand of duty, to kill their enemies. Killing is by religious and criminal norms not allowed, and therefore deviant. Criminal Deviance is by simple definition a deviance from juridically established norms. When we say, juridical, it has something to do with laws and legality.Any act that deviates or does not conform to and violates established laws are criminally deviant. For example, to be impulsive is not criminally deviant but impulsiveness that lead to inflicting physical injury to others or that of murder is criminally deviant because it violates established laws.Psycho-pathological Deviance implies a shifting from normality (S. Di Nuovo). Abnormal modes of behavior are not crimes but require sanctions as compulsory psychiatric treatments. Antisocial personality disorder which includes inability to conform to legal or social rules, dishonest behavior, being impulsive and aggressive and irresponsibility are deviant conducts that are considered psycho-pathological. Note that these deviant behaviors do not necessarily criminally deviant but these deviant conducts may lead to criminal conduct such as being impulsive may lead to fighting then to murder.Primary Deviance relating to activity that is initially defined as deviant (Edwin Lamert) Secondary Deviance corresponds to a person who accepts the label of deviant. Secondary deviance according to Erving Goffman begins when a person acquires a stigma. Stigma, according to Goffman, is a powerfully negative label that radically changes a person's self-concept and social identity.FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE DEVIANT BEHAVIORS BIOLOGICAL FACTORSGenetics has found out that there is somehow a biological factor that influences an individual’s deviant behavior.The connection between a specific pattern of chromosomes has been shown to be related to deviant behavior; however, there are still not enough studies that will prove that this statement is true. But there are disorders in children that directly influence a deviant behavior.Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a very strong indicator for future conduct disorders. Vaxa. com has provided a medical definition of ADHD as a â€Å"family of related chronic neurobiological disorders that interfere with an individual's capacity to regulate activity level and contributes to impulsivity, inattention and distractibility.† It is specifically a dysfunction of the Central Nervous System (CNS), most specifically the Reticular Activating System, which results in difficulties of maintaining attention and concentration, learning and memory, as well as involving an inability to process and sort out incoming information or stimulus from both an individual's inner (subjective) and outer (objective) worlds.This disorder therefore r esults to the child’s misbehavior such as being hyperactive and impulsive, which are behaviors that are far different from how he is suppose to act and apart from what is considered to be normal, and thus considered deviant.Another disorder called Oppositional Defiant Disorder medically defined as â€Å"a pattern of negativistic (skepticism), uncooperative, defiant, disobedient, and hostile behavior toward authority figures that continues for a minimum of 6 months† (axa. com). Deviant behaviors exhibited by individuals with this disorder include willful disobedience, defying instructions and requests and arguing with adults.PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORSPsychological explanations of deviance concentrate on individual abnormalities involving personality. However, subsequent studies found flaws on the psychological correlation of deviant behavior.Geocites. com enumerated three basic reasons why psychological factors should be ignored. First, most serious crime is committed by peo ple who are psychologically normal. Second, cross-cultural differences in what is deemed normal and abnormal tend to be ignored. And third, the fact that people with similar psychological qualities are not equally as likely to be labeled deviant is not considered.SOCIAL FACTORSAs has been stated earlier, deviance does not necessarily be criminal deviance because there are established social norms that measure an individual’s behavior as deviant or non-deviant.It is therefore but fair to conclude that both conformity and deviance are defined by society. The degree of deviance is determined by the society according to socially accepted behaviors existing in a certain society. The society therefore somehow dictates how an individual should behave.For example, in a religious community, smoking and drinking alcohol are deviant acts as these directly opposed by, in example, the Christian religion. So an individual who mingles with the Christian community will try to behave in confo rmity with the existing norm.On the other hand, communities which view smoking and alcohol drinking as an indicator of social status, as with the elites, consider these behaviors as non-deviant, and thus are normal actions.CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AND CRIMINAL DEVIANCECivil disobedience is a form of protest in which protestors deliberately violate a law (P. Suber). Originally, the main purpose of civil disobedience is to appeal to the public about certain issues through protests or public demonstrations. On most occasions, issues that drives civil disobedience concerns political and moral issues.For example, laws that legalize euthanasia and death penalty have brought about many protests and public demonstrations. In such instances, participants usually violate traffic rules and trespassing.Their violations therefore are covered by civil laws. On the other hand, criminal deviance is covered by criminal laws. Murder and the use of prohibited drugs are criminal violations and therefore are criminal deviance. Although both deviance and violations are punishable, they are distinguished as to what laws cover such deviance.Deviant behaviors are measured and defined by established rules in a certain community, whether they be formal or informal rules. These behaviors are influenced by biological, psychological and social factors to certain degrees.Deviance does not necessarily violates legally or juridically established rules leading to the conclusion that criminal deviance is inherently behavioral deviance but not all deviant behaviors are criminal deviance. Civil disobedience and criminal deviance are distinguished by the laws that govern such violations.

Friday, August 30, 2019

The Thread That Runs So True A Brief Summary

The vivid detail puts the reader into era that Stuart lived. He gives some information about his life, but most importantly he tells about the community in which he taught school and the ideas of the people around that time, and the emphasis they put on education. He talks about his sister and how that may have been the deciding factor that made him choose to teach. He talk about Lonesome valley and the people there, along with his long time friend Don Conway. Guy Hawkins is probably one of the most pivotal people in his career he came across.Some of the things Stuart had to do in his career would definitely not be acceptable in this day a time. The first chapter of the book tells how his decision to teach and where he chose as his first school was at. His sister had taught there a year earlier and one of the students Guy Hawkins had blacked both her eyes and beat her up pretty bad. He lied about his age to get the teaching certificate. His parents questioned his motive for teaching and choosing the school he chose. He assured them it was not for vengeance.Stuart was not intentionally looking for a fight but he was determined not to let them get away With hurting his sister. When he got the job he was shocked at the condition of the school house ND how the people in the area didn't make their kids go to school. He did understand in those times all members of the family had to help with the chores of the house. Once the crops were harvested then the attendance picked up. It was a one room school with grades one through eight. He was expecting the student who beat up his sister to in ideate the encode enter.One that Stuart was not looking forward to he was smaller than Guy. Late one day Guy came sneaking around the school looking for Stuart. In the school house he confronted him and told Stuart about beating up his sister and he was ongoing to do the same to him. Stuart had run this encounter through his mind more than once his preparedness gave him an upper hand . When Guy lunged for Stuart it was pretty much over from the start. Stuart was the victor he won the fight. But more importantly he won the respect of Guy and the whole community.Stuart was the only person to defeat Guy in a fight. Plus Lonesome Valley people lived with the mentality might makes right. The stronger your was the better. He cleaned up the school house and repainted it. The next year he had a better idea of what he had to do. The attendance picked up, he was involved in his kid's lives. And he showed a lot in the community how a proper education was worth its weight in coal. One of the people in the community came by with a wagon of coal. He had his students estimate its weight.When the man took it to market he was shocked to see he had been cheating himself for many years because he was inaccurately calculating how much he had. Jesse realized how politics and social structure played a part in the general lives. People judged everyone on just about everything where th ey went to church what they wore, or who they talked to. It was a very judgmental and politically motivated time. He became interested in a women in the next town, he tells about one night getting ambushed while walking to see her. He was egged and had gunshots fired over his head.He took his class out of this one room school and put them against a city school in an academic challenge and won. Shocking most of the people in the big city school who made fun of the group as they entered town. His way of teaching and figuring what needed to be done in the classroom was what got his students the achievements they did. His determination to succeed is what fueled his willingness to teach. From his time at this school he went on to be principal at Landlubbers High. He still walked to school because teacher salaries were not much.It took dedicated people to be teachers. He faced similar challenges as far as attendance goes. He started his career as principal walking to school five miles it was then he found out people were questioning if he died his clothes because they were discovered. That is when he learned of an unwritten rule about the principal having to live in town. When he moved to the local hotel e seen why he had attendance problems. His students were out all hours of the night. He observed them drinking, gambling and rebel rousing.He came across a game behind the school fence one day as he walked by he asked ‘ oho was winning† causing the students to scramble. He said nothing to them it was the anticipation that was torturing the students. But one thing he learned was if the POT was not in agreement he was not going to get anywhere with punishments. When they called a meeting and during the meeting he was accused of letting it go on he confronted them. Telling them exactly what he observed and what children were involved, many were prominent figures in the community.It was then that he was able to implement changes and make the school better fo r all the students at the time. Throughout Stuart career as an educator he had many trials and triumphs. What was amazing is how education was view at the time. The emphasis was not to educate but to give them something to do in the off season of farming in rural Kentucky. In the city it was not as much as the off season but the social standing was what decided whether the child was a success in life. It as interesting to see how much teachers got paid and how they were at the mercy of the people who sponsored them.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Edward Estlin Cummings Essay

E. E. Cummings is a poet who is undeniable unique and the majority of his work highly stylized, modern, and controversial. The bulk of his work is usually recognized and noted for his awkward use of letters, structure, and mislaid punctuation. While Cummings is most known for variation on form, his poetry has great depth and meaning. Cummings is the quintessential 19th century poet who stated â€Å"The day of the spoken lyric is past,† and warns that â€Å"The poem †¦ it builds itself, three dimensionally, gradually, subtly, in the consciousness of the experiencer† (Kennedy). Embodying transcendentalism completely, he understood that to live is to constantly be experiencing, changing, and growing. This theme is revisited in his work again and again. Therefore, E. E. Cummings is most strongly influenced, like so many other authors by, by events of his life. Eve Triem, in American Writers, explains that Cummings was born to Edward Estlin Cummings to Edward and Rebbecca Cummings in 1894, both of which were highly intelligent and respected in the community. His father was a professor at Harvard University and his research centered around studying people. He had also been trained as a minister and preached at a local church. Cummings mother, Rebecca, came from a very prestigious family and play a major role in all the social, political, and cultural ongoings in her community (Triem). Cummings had the luxury of the perfect childhood. They spent their winters in Boston and summered in the beautiful farms of rural New England. Triem explains it was here that Cummings, as a youngster, fell in love with nature. These beautiful childhood images would become so embedded in Cummings memory that they were the central images in many of Cummings’ most memorable poems. As explained in Contemporary Literary Criticism, Cummings’ parents encouraged him to study and read as often as possible and offered him their â€Å"full support†. Kennedy states that Cummings, as a young adult. kept a â€Å"journal† of his inner most thoughts at his mother’s request. His mother believed, almost from birth, that Cummings would become a great author and take his place among the ranks of Longfellow. She ensured that his bed stories were from the greatest writers of the time, Dickens and Stevenson. Cummings was highly educated. His home life was focused on literature. Cummings would memorize and recite pieces of stories, and poetry. In addition, he was also a very capable painter who enjoyed illustrating his own writings (â€Å"E. E. C ummings†). As an adolescence he became very involved in his high school newspaper and also the Cambridge Review. â€Å"While Cummings was in school he helped to found the Harvard Poetry Society. He and some of his friends in the society put together Eight Harvard Poets (published in 1917)† (Triem). The Cambridge Review would be the very first place to publish Cummings’ early writing. However, his poetry was still passive and not entirely well received. Though this initial experience of actually being taken seriously inspired Cummings to keep writing and to push the limits of what was considered proper and acceptable. After graduating high school, Cummings followed in his father’s footsteps and entered Harvard. He received a traditional education and earned degrees in Literature and the Classics. Cummings â€Å"was educated in public schools and at Harvard University where he received an A. B. , magna cum laude, and an M. A. for English and classical studies. † (Triem). His analyzing his skills were unparalleled. Much of his interest during this time centered around Shakespeare. He would closely with literary historians who studied Shakespeare’s use of narration and literary devices. It was during this time that Cummings became to experiment with allegory in his poetry. Kennedy asserts that Cummings utilized his formal education and his father’s religious writings to author many essays, short stories, and poems. His work was regularly published in the Harvard Advocate and Harvard Monthly. However, Cummings questioned his skill and wondered if his position in life had effected how people viewed his poetry. In the early 1900s, Cummings was exposed to Cubism and Impressionism. Both of which influence his writing style. He believed that his poetry had home within the modern art movement. â€Å"But by 1918 Cummings had created his own poetic style. Because he was a painter as well as a poet, he had developed a unique form of literary cubism: he broke up his material on the page to present it in a new, visually directed way† (Kennedy). It was during this time that he practiced and created his ever popular variation on poetic structure that he is famous for. He was inspired by the aggressively unique modern artists, specifically Czanne and Gaudier-Breska. Similarly, he looked to modern poets and particularly related to the work of Sandburg and Whitman. Cummings loved lyrical poetry and manipulated the standard structures – intentionally using words, punctuation, and syntax in awkward ways. Cummings’ goal was for poetry not to just sound a particular way, but also have a unique and meaningful visual style (Kennedy). His poetry became extremely tight and well built. He carefully constructed each poem with specific word choice and arrangement creating poetry which was both visually stimulating and meaningful. He visited Paris often and was constantly inspired by the European art movements. Kennedy explains that these â€Å"influences that appear in his increasing experiment with language and ventures into irrational modes of expression in his poem. † Cummings used repetition, extended songs, and words in written in lines to give the allusion of action. An example of his unique style is below: mOOn Over tOwns mOOn whisper less creature huge grO pingness (excerpt from Cummings poem No Thanks, as quested in Triem) Triem explains that Cummings uses this unique structure and style â€Å"to focus the reader’s attention a capital letter may be thrust into the middle of a word. In the opening poem of No Thanks capitals are used to imitate the roundness of the moon and to imply the eternity of the circle. † Though Cummings’ poetry was popular, he made his living in the publishing field. After graduation he took a desk job at a publishing company. This type of job allowed Cummings to focus almost completely on his poetry and prose. It was during his time here that he had the chance to review and be influenced by the world’s news events and read obscure history. Triem believes that this type of exposure produced his famous poem, Buffalo Bill s defunct. He was a prolific writer and continud to hone his skills as a painter. Contemporary Literary Criticism reports that as the first great war approach, Cummings, with the urging of his family decided to volunteer instead of being drafted. He served in a medical division in France. This particular assignment worked well for Cummings because he did not agree with war. â€Å"Cummings was completely charmed by the bohemian atmosphere of Paris and its abundance of art and artists† (â€Å"E. E. Cummings). In addition, France was a place he had never been and full of new adventures and people. Simply by accident his military paperwork was temporarily lost and he had some extra time to visits the streets of Paris. It was in Paris that Cummings, for the first time was away from the oppressive and prudish nature of American society (â€Å"E. E. Cummings†). Contemporary Literary Criticism reports that â€Å"during this period, Cummings eschewed upper-class Cambridge values and frequented circuses, bordellos, pubs, and vaudeville and burlesque shows† . Within the burlesque halls and streets lined with prostitutions, Cummings experience a sexual freedom which is well documented in his most controversial poetry. His time in the military was extremely tense. Cummings was intentionally obtuse and did not make an effort to fit in. Cummings was openly artistic and spoke openly about his political views. He often complained about the other men he worked with and was constantly writing to his family about his uncomfortable conditions (Triem). Cummings was so outspoken that the French government actually read and censored his letters home to his family and friends. He became a target of the authorities who watched everything he did and wrote very carefully. The authorities believed that Cummings might be some type of spy and he was placed in a French jail for a couple of months (Kennedy). Cummings found a common bond with the people he was imprisoned with this was the inspiration for his novel called The Enormous Room (â€Å"E. E. Cummings†). With the help of his prestigious family he was released and sent home in 1918. The Enormous Room is â€Å"considered a classic of World War I literature, this work concerns the preservation of dignity in a degrading and dehumanizing situation† (â€Å"E. E. Cummings†). Contemporary Literary Criticism reports â€Å"it also examines themes that Cummings would pursue throughout his career–the individual against society, government, and all forms of authority†. Cummings went to live in New York where he surrounded himself with friends and peers within the arts (â€Å"E. E. Cummings†). Many of which supported and encouraged Cummings to keep writing and painting. Cummings’ painted his most well known piece called â€Å"Traffic†. He continue to write and his uniquely structured poetry was published in local papers and was often debated (Kennedy). Cummings soon fell in love with Elaine Thayer. It was Elaine which is the basis for the majority of Cummings erotic and sensual poetry. His love and desire for her is undeniable. Elaine soon became pregnant, and was still married. The situation was extremely tense because Cummings could not openly father his baby daughter, Nancy. Years later, Elaine divorced and the couple was married in overseas (â€Å"E. E. Cummings†). Kennedy explains that their relationship lasted one year and then they divorced. Cummings separation from his daughter was related in much of his poetry and paintings. Cummings’ first novel, The Enormous Room, was about his experiences during the war. While the novel was not actually publish until 1922 and it received a great deal of positive feedback from the literary world because Cummings presented such a horrific subject in an unique and first person perspective. During this time his poetry was also gaining popularity. Cummings’ poetry was being published in the Dial,Vanity Fair as well as other literary journals. It was not until later 1923 that Cummings published his first volume of poetry called Tulips and Chimneys (â€Å"E. E. Cummings†). In the next two years he published two more volumes of poetry. With each volume of poetry he became more and more popular. The most intriguing part of Cummings’ works is that he is an author with many talents and tools. He had the ability not just to write poetry but also dramas, prose, satire, and journaling. He was a great painter and sketch artist. Cummings was witty and charming with a quick intellect which is obvious in his poetry. Puns, satire, and slang are often seen in his poetry to create humor while incorporating his comments about political, social, and cultural issues (Kennedy). Many of the themes Cummings developed and the literary tools he used set him apart of his peers during his time and throughout literature as a whole. Cummings have the ability to confront many parts of American life, especially Puritanism and Philistinism as well as a holistic approach to mankind. Contemporary Literary Criticism reports many of his poems preach independence and reliance which are the basis of transcendentalism. â€Å"Cummings effects a softer, more elegiac note, displaying his affinity with New England Transcendentalism and English Romanticism† (â€Å"E. E. Cummings†). Cummings asserts that man must live alone to be free and when man lives among other men, he loses his humanity and soul. However, many of his poems are just about the basics- nature, romance, and the seasons. Cummings is easily separated by his peers by his use of lower case letters. His name alone foreshadows that his poetry is something different. â€Å"Cummings made varied use of parentheses: for an interpolated comment or to split or combine words as a guide to his thought. Frequently they occur, in poem-parables, to clarify the relationship between two sentences that run simultaneously through the poem† (Triem). According to Kennedy, Cummings often used alternative methods to express his what he was thinking and feeling. Cummings concentrated on misuse of syntax, often the verb and nouns are transposed. Kennedy continues to explains Cummings also used broken sentences combined with strong street dialect and popular sayings to create poetry most people had never seen before and his poetry as a whole was a â€Å"gathering of work in traditional verse forms as well as in his newest unconventional forms of expressiveness†. He even used traditional poem structure combined with free verse which has become associated with Cummings. â€Å"Cummings is remembered for his innovative, playful style, his celebration of love and nature, his focus on the primacy of the individual and freedom of expression, and his treatment of, in his own words, â€Å"ecstasy and anguish, being and becoming; the immortality of the creative imagination and the indomitability of the human spirit. (â€Å"E. E. Cummings†). It is the combination of the topics as well as his unique style that has created a reputation for Cummings as a modern poet. His poetry is often copied by young poets who are trying to find a style of their own. American lyric poet, a typographical innovator whose contempt for modern, collectivized society and love individuality is reflected in the novel arrangement and punctuation of his poems.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Sustainable Management Features Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sustainable Management Features - Essay Example This change is evident from the increased use of social reporting and adhering to corporate codes of conduct. Oil companies in the world have embraced international CSR initiatives. Companies such as the SHELL and BP have become major players in the renewable energy industry in order to combat the fact the oil companies are the ones who are mainly held responsible for global warming. In addition to this the oil companies of the world have also taken initiatives that are aimed towards the development of community. It was estimated that back in 2001 the oil companies in the world had contributed $500 million towards community development initiatives (Frynas, 2005). Total Oil Company was formed after the First World War when the French Prime Minister rejected the idea of forming a partnership with Shell in favor of creating an entirely French oil company. Now with revenues of â‚ ¬189.5 Billion it is the 5th largest international oil company of the world as per 31st December 2013. The company produces about 2,299 kilo barrels of oil equivalent per day and with a network of 15,551 service stations serves about 3 million customers worldwide per day. If one analyses the stakeholders who are associated with the company then Total acknowledges the fact that due to the reason that the company operates in more than 130 countries across the globe the company has to face and live up to different expectations of different groups of stakeholders who are associated with the company. The company states that there is number of stakeholders of the company depending on the location in which the company operates and their expectations from the company also differ depending on the location. The company states that the key to its long term integration will depend on how well it can identify and address the expectations of these diverse groups of stakeholders. The company has both upstream and downstream operations that range from exploration of oil to its fractional

In what ways do sociological and political economic theories of news Essay

In what ways do sociological and political economic theories of news production explain the relatively easy generation of popula - Essay Example This is a reflection of the general public disillusionment with the functioning of government institutions. More importantly, it is an indication of the distrust of mainstream media sources and the information (misinformation) being generated by them. Sadly, though, such expressions of disagreement and distrust only account for a politically aware minority, whilst a large majority of the population are subject to government propganda, orchestrated and implemented by major media institutions. Indeed, the ruthlessness and brazenness with which the Bush Administration went about achieving its strategic goals can be learnt from the following quote: â€Å"The issue of whether the Pentagon was waging an orchestrated domestic propaganda campaign was first openly acknowledged in the fall of 2002. Donald Rumsfeld was asked whether the Pentagon was engaged in propagandizing through the Defense Department's Office of Strategic Influence (strategic influence is military jargon for propaganda). Military officials said they might release false news stories to the foreign press, but they had to retract that when news organizations expressed concern that the bogus stories could be picked up in the domestic press. Mocking concerns about propaganda blowback, Rumsfeld informed the media on November 18, 2002, that he would eliminate the program in name only. (Goodman & Goodman, 2004, p.253) One might wonder why such a nexus between apparently two different kinds of institutions should exist and what benefits would its leaders attain in the process. There are a few sociological and political economic theories of news production that attempt to answer this most pressing question of modern democratic societies. The rest of this essay will try to encapsulate the essence of such theories and find out if they resonate in the case of the Iraq War. One of the major contributions to the subject of government-media propaganda is made by Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman. Their seminal work ti tled Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of Mass Media is perhaps the most illuminating work on this subject, alongside Ben H. Bagdikian's another path-breaking work 'Media Monopoly'. In Manufacturing Consent, Chomsky and Herman layout a template for how propaganda works. This they called the Propaganda Model. In it they identify a set of five key factors that contribute to the functioning of propaganda machinery. These are: 1. Ownership of the medium 2. Medium's funding sources 3. Sourcing 4. Flak and 5. Anti-Communist Ideology. (Mcchesney, 1989, p.36) It should be remembered that during the time of the book's publication, Soviet Union was still in existence and Anti-Communist ideology comprised the dominant American foreign policy paradigm. In the context of the ongoing occupation of Iraq, one could replace it with such contrived fears as Terrorism and Islamophobia. (Edgley, 2000) What follows is a brief overview of these five factors that helped propaganda efforts in the lead-up to the Iraq war to be successful. First, mainstream media outlets in the United States (a fact that is equally applicable to most capitalist countries) is largely privately owned. Let us take the case of Television news. The facade of diversity created by hundreds of news channels breaks down with the realization that most channels are owned by a few major media houses such as CBS,

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Social and Environmental Reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Social and Environmental Reporting - Essay Example This support from the various stakeholders is essential for the company in order to ensure that business continues to exist. Stakeholders of the company are varied – they are investors, lenders, creditors, employees, managers, the environment in which the company operates, government, general public and local community. The co-operation between the multiple stakeholders is essential condition for any company to reach excellence. Stakeholders have a direct effect on the decision of the management. Even if all stakeholders are on board but the local community is against a particular project of the company; productivity is likely to be effected as local community will influence government and the employees. Companies can no longer function in isolation. Their activities are likely to have an impact on various stakeholders and it becomes their duty to keep them informed. (Idowu, 2010) Legitimacy Theory Any organisation operates in a social environment which has certain values whic h are acceptable and certain others which are not. Every company seeks to establish congruence between the accepted social norms and the social values associated with the company or implied by their activities. (Rizk, 2010) When there is a disparity between the two; protests are likely to take place and this will be a threat to the organisational legitimacy. Every company likes to gain legitimacy among its stakeholders by performing one of the following activities – Educate public about its activities and the change in them Change the perception of public about the company Manipulate the perception by deflecting attention on to something else Change expectations of performance among the stakeholders. Benefit to the Business of SER – Strengthens the relation of the company with stakeholders Self regulation by the company reduces litigations and government interventions Identifies the risk associated with a business move and reduces the risks Improves profitability of th e company in long run Attracts positive PR for the company (Higgins, 2010) A company which is seen in positive light also attracts a lot of investment. Gives the company competitive advantage. Analysis of Rolls Royce according to Stakeholder Theory Rolls Royce operates in three basic areas – aviation, marine and energy. The main problem that various stakeholders can have in these areas is the pollution caused by the company. The company’s report recognises this problem and also states the various measures that they have taken or are proposing to take in order to mitigate the environmental concerns associated with the company’s operations. The company has mentioned three basic challenges in the sectors and has also come out with solution to the challenges – The Trent XWB engine which is being developed by the company will increase fuel efficiency in the aviation sector by about 16% and thus reduce the carbon foot print of the company. (Rolls-royce.com, 201 0) The Bergen mean burn gas engine emits almost no sulphur and reduces the nitrogen and carbon content in the atmosphere by 90 % and 20% respectively. This step is aimed at telling the stakeholders about the environmental friendly operations of the company in the marine sector (Rolls-royce.com, 2010). In the energy sector ; the company has developed gas turbines which will operate on either dry or

Monday, August 26, 2019

Creative PR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Creative PR - Essay Example Creative PR is a public relation company that was established by John Williams and Caroline Brown. Eventually, Margaret Sinclair and Fred Foster also joined them to establish the organization in the market during its developmental phase. According to the case scenario, the new employees were also motivated to become all-rounders pertaining to diversified work areas in Creative PR, which indicates to an informal culture in the organisation (Morgan, 1997). To be noted, such a structure is often argued as effective in the initial or foundation period of a business, as it helps in its proper functioning even with a limited number of human resources (Williams, 2008). Having knowledge about various specialized works enabled the employees to handle different situations efficiently. Such diversity in the workplace also enables the employees to manage their operations efficiently with minimum or no dependency on departmental structures making every individual efficient enough to take care of the given responsibilities (Lunenburg, 2012; Morgan, 1997). The organisational structure being followed was basically flattened and flexible in Creative PR. Each staff working within the organization developed reasonable competencies pertaining to all these key areas. In relation to the flexible organisational structure it represents the ability of an organisation to reactively embrace the change pertaining to its prevailing environment (Kirikova, n.d.). However, a theoretical perspective to the scenario revealed that due to the flattened work structure, employees used to be out of the work place for longer hours. This open structure and culture provided motivation to the employees in terms of diversified job responsibilities, but also added to perplexities within the organisational structure regarding the continuous interchange of job roles (Lunenburg, 2012; Morgan, 1997). Although the defined work culture proved beneficial in facilitating organisational development during the init ial performance, considering the later challenges and need for expansion, Williams and Brown were planning to change the prevailing organisational structure and culture in a more organised manner, applying a multi-layered matrix framework (Aguilar-Saven, 2004; Miles & et. al., 1978). Subsequently, Williams and Brown decided to follow the ‘Adhocracy’ organisational culture (Lunenburg, 2012; Morgan, 1997). 1.2 Implication of These Structures In relation to the open or flattened structure, as was applied and favoured by Sinclair and Foster, the case study reflects that socially there was a close relation between the management and the staff members that contributed to the mitigation of these limitations by developing a cohesive work culture within the organisation. As per the case scenario, major clients of the company were also involved in company celebrations, which contributed to a good reputation of the firm adding efficiency to its way of operations. Clients used to p articipate in the parties and get impressed by the interpersonal association existing between the management and staff members gaining confidence on the employees who had continuous interaction with them. As a result of this particular organisational culture the morale of the employees were also identified to be high that further augmented the efficiency of the organisation in

Sunday, August 25, 2019

WheelWorks Business Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

WheelWorks Business Case Study - Essay Example Therefore, employee needs are used to motivate employees across organizations universally. Maslow’s need hierarchy can be explained as below: This is the basic need of every individual. It is concerned with satisfying the primary needs such as food. Until these needs are satisfied, no individual would look forward to satisfy his/her other needs. A famous saying ‘man can live on bread alone if there is no bread’ suggests that human beings first try to acquire necessities for their survival. At Wheel Works, for example, the employees are being given highest possible wages along with bonus and sick pay. Once primary needs are satisfied to a reasonable degree (which is mostly subjective), the second level of needs comes. This need is concerned with the safety of an individual from danger or self-preservation. It is to be noticed that human beings will think of safety of their lives only when their need for food is met. In an organization, safety needs can be met by establishing safety system that ensures employees are free from danger and accidents. In the Wheel Works factory, for example, employees are assured sick pay, health plans. These needs in the ladder of Maslow’s need theory represent the desire for belongingness, which is concerned with human desire to be accepted and appreciated by others. When it becomes dominant, individuals try to create meaningful relationship with others. In an organizational context, where employee supervision and control are stringent, informal groups may be formed to interact among one another in the group. For example, the sales force has the freedom to do the correct job. The esteem needs are concerned with self-respect, self-confidence, a feeling of personal worth and feeling of being unique and recognition. In the context of Wheel Works, employees are given the freedom to work and excel in their work. It is the need to maximize one’s potential, whatever it may be. This is

Saturday, August 24, 2019

CCC project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CCC project - Essay Example I could have written down my ideas at the same time writing down the suggestions the other group members were voicing out. This way, I could have listened efficiently to what others were saying while keeping track of my own ideas. I want to effectively confront people when they make mistakes without causing them to be offended. I would like to accomplish this with people whom I know personally and those who I don’t know well. In this way, I can point out their mistakes to help them improve in turn, I can learn from their mistakes as well. These people include those who I already know and those who I will be acquainted with in the future. I would like to perform this skill only when it is under the appropriate and necessary situations. 1. I would not always confront others immediately after they made a mistake instead I will tell others about their mistakes in the most appropriate time or situation. This will give time for me to think of the approach I will use on the person and to give time for the person to think over what he or she has done wrong. 2. In dealing with new acquaintances or other people I don’t know well, I will take time to observe them to determine their behavior and attitude before confronting them with their mistakes. Learning how they react and interact will give me an idea on how to tell them their mistakes in the most suitable way that will not offend them. 3. For people that are older than me and whom I don’t know well, I will try my best to relate and befriend these people to easily tell them about their mistakes. Befriending these people will cause them to value my opinion and not treat me as a critic nor an enemy but a friend who cares and wants them to improve. 5. I will learn how to speak to other people about their mistakes in the best way and most appropriate way in accordance to their attitude or character. This way I

Friday, August 23, 2019

Economic Concepts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economic Concepts - Assignment Example Eventually, the importance of trading with each other will be realized as both parties become better off as a result of such trade. Economic Concepts 1. What is Michelle’s opportunity cost of producing potatoes? 200 potatoes = 50 chickens --> 200/200 potatoes = 50/200 chickens --> 1 potato = ? chicken or 0.25 Opportunity cost of producing one potato is ? chicken or .25. 2. What is Michelle’s opportunity cost of producing chickens? 50 chickens = 200 potatoes --> 50/50 chickens = 200/50 potatoes --> 1 chicken = 4 potatoes Opportunity cost of producing one chicken is 4 potatoes. 3. What is James’ opportunity cost of producing potatoes? 80 potatoes = 40 chickens --> 80/80 potatoes = 40/80 chickens --> 1 potato = ? chicken Opportunity cost of producing one potato is ? chicken. 4. What is James’ opportunity cost of producing chickens? 40 chickens =80 potatoes --> 40/40 chickens = 80/40 potatoes --> 1 chicken = 2 potatoes Opportunity cost of producing one chicken is 2 potatoes. 5. Which person has an absolute advantage in which activities? For Michelle: Opportunity cost of producing one potato is ? chicken. And opportunity cost of producing one chicken is 4 potatoes. For James: Opportunity cost of producing one potato is ? chicken. And opportunity cost of producing one chicken is 2 potatoes. ... This means that Michelle has the comparative advantage in producing one potato because it is cheaper for her to do this. 7. Which person has comparative advantage in chicken? For Michelle: The opportunity cost of producing one chicken is 4 potatoes. For James opportunity cost of producing one chicken is 2 potatoes. Hence, James has the lower opportunity cost for producing one chicken. This means that James has the comparative advantage in producing one chicken because it is cheaper for him to do this. 8. Suppose that they are thinking of each specializing completely in the area in which they have a comparative advantage, and then trading at a rate of 2.5 pounds of potatoes for 1 chicken, would they each be better off? Explain. Yes, both Michelle and James will be better off if they specialize in the area in which they have a comparative advantage and trade at a rate of 2.5 pounds of potatoes for 1 chicken. Michelle will specialize in producing potatoes while James will specialize in raising chickens. If Michelle will specialize in producing potatoes, she will produce 200 potatoes which when traded at a rate of 2.5 pounds for 1 chicken will produce 80 chickens (as shown below) as opposed to 50 chickens she would have produced if she specialized on raising them. 200 pounds of potatoes/ 2.5 pounds = 80 chickens. If James will specialize in raising chickens, he will produce 40 chickens which when traded at a rate of one chicken for 2.5 pounds of potatoes will produce 100 potatoes (as shown below) as opposed to producing 80 potatoes he would have produced if he specialized on planting them. 40 chickens x 2.5 pounds of potatoes = 100 potatoes. 9. How would you extend the above narrative to businesses, society as a whole or nations?

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Søren Kierkegaard Essay Example for Free

Sà ¸ren Kierkegaard Essay 1. Some existentialist do believe in God and some do not. Being an existentialist does not necessarily involve denying the possibility of a higher power. Existentialism is a philosophical position that advocates 1) the individuals absolute freedom and full capacity to determine its place in the world; 2) the individual as indefinable, as outside of all systems and totalities. The individual is only defined on the basis of what they do, and with each action they change who they are. For Sartre, at least, we can only define what a person is when they have died. Existentialism is said to begin with Soren Kierkegaard, who is a Christian existentialist. For Kierkegaard, the human individual is outside of all systems, and is irreducibly singular. He is a Christian existentialist because he claims that a personal relationship with God is the highest accomplishment of human existence. As an existentialist, he opposes what he calls Christiandom, which is basically organized religion in which the individual loses itself in a group mentality. Religion is a personal event for Kierkegaard, not a communal one. Christian existentialism relies on Kierkegaards understanding of Christianity. Kierkegaard argued that the universe is fundamentally paradoxical, and that its greatest paradox is the transcendent union of God and humans in the person of Jesus Christ. He also posited having a personal relationship with God that supersedes all prescribed moralities, social structures and communal norms, since he asserted that following social conventions is essentially a personal aesthetic choice made by individuals. Kierkegaard proposed that each person must make independent choices, which then constitute his existence. Each person suffers from the anguish of indecision until he commits to a particular choice about the way to live. Kierkegaard also proposed three rubrics with which to understand the conditions that issue from distinct life choices: the aesthetic, the ethical, and the religious. 2. In this scenario, the essence of humanity, including both its end or purpose and the means to that end are all predetermined by God. Even though humans have free choice, they cannot change their God-given essence. A person might try to change his or her divine purpose of knowing and loving God by finding her true happiness in the purpose of such things like a talent or a habit. But if there heart is made in the image and likeness of God, there heart will be restless until it rests in God. Furthermore, if one accepts there true purpose as the knowledge and love of God but then tries to make up their own means or design for reaching that goal, that attempt will also likewise fail. The essence is God-created as to both the overall purpose of humanity and the general means to that goal, and human freedom cannot change human nature. Sartre uses this example of the paper-knife in order to explain the difference between existence preceding essence and essence preceding existence for everything else. Because the paper-knife has a pre-decided essence of opening letters or cutting apart the pages of a book, its useless when there are no books around. Man, on the other hand, can never be put in this position, since man has no pre-determined essence. So human beings can never be useless because they never had a previous defined use. 3. If God has created man and his nature, man cannot claim the primacy of his existence. Therefore, if existentialism makes human life possible in the aforementioned sense it cannot treat the question of God as a purely theological or academic issue. On the contrary, the way how we resolve the question whether God exists or not will determine the character of human self-understanding and the general condition of man in the world. Sartre says that the problem of Gods existence is not the issue for existentialism. What he means by this is not that existentialism is not interested in the question but that it has already resolved it given the need of man to regain himself as the creator of his own world. Or better to say, human reality proves that man is responsible for himself. In other words, nothing can save him from himself, not even a valid proof of Gods existence. On the other hand, if we believe that God has created man in his own image then, according to Sartre, we have to admit that human essence, as conceived by God, precedes existence. The reasoning will have the following pattern: If God exists, the essence precedes existence. God exists. Therefore essence precedes existence. 4. Sartre explains the priority of human existence in this way: Man first exists, turns up, appears on the scene, and only then defines himself. Sartre does not want to say that eating and sleeping is more important than anything else which is a kind of luxury in life. He admits the biological priority of basic functions but claims that what is built upon it is by far more decisive. As Sartre says later on, every man performs an absolute act in breathing, eating, sleeping or behaving in any way whatever, but this act does not constitute human essence who we are, only a configuration within which an already present existence shapes its own essence. To be sure, man exists like a configuration before he can be defined by any concept and hence his existence should be the basis for any posterior definition of his nature, not the other way round. But his nature is that he does not have a nature, at least initially when he appears in the midst of other beings. Therefore biological life does not equal human existence nor essence. The point here is that what man is (the traditional nature of man) is not determined by any pre-existing essence, not even the biological nature. Man himself decides whether he is going to be a grumpy and nasty person or a kind and caring infividual, a miserable creature or an energetic and optimistic human, a murderer or an artist, an obedient subject or a free spirit Sartre phrases the statement (a) existence precedes essence as synonymous with (b) subjectivity must be the starting point. This is obvious from the fact that he accompanies the former with an or: existence precedes essence, or, if you prefer, subjectivity must be the starting point. 5. Sartre phrases the statement (a) existence precedes essence as synonymous with (b) subjectivity must be the starting point. This is obvious from the fact that he accompanies the former with an or: existence precedes essence, or, if you prefer, subjectivity must be the starting point. There are several difficulties with this though. First, even if we follow Sartres expectation to accept his or between the two propositions as indicating a synonymous meaning it remains questionable . Subjectivity is obviously taken in the Hegelian sense, as the core of autonomy and self-reflection. Second, while the contention (b) is really faith blind, (a) is not. On the contrary, theists cannot accept it if it entails the non-existence of God. 6. Sartre calls this Subjectivity but explains his meaning to avoid misunderstanding. Subjectivity –We mean that man exists first and he is capable of realizing this. He uses his â€Å"will† to make conscious decisions and he is held responsible for his actions because his existence and free choice precedes his essence. Subjectivism can mean that an individual chooses and makes himself . In the second sense, it means that â€Å" it is impossible for man to transcend human subjectivity. † 7. The anguish results from the direct responsibility toward others who are affected by our actions. ANGUISH. It is in anguish that we become conscious of our freedom. My being provokes anguish to the extent that I distrust myself and my own reactions in that situation. We must make some choices knowing that the consequences will have profound effects on others like a commander sending his troops into battle. In choosing for ourselves we choose for all humankind. We experience anguish in the face of our subjectivity, because by choosing what we are to do, we ‘choose for everyone’. When you make a decision you are saying â€Å"this is how anyone ought to behave given these circumstances. †Many people don’t feel anguish, but this is because they are â€Å"fleeing from it. † If you don’t feel a sense of anxiety when you make decisions, it’s because you are forgetting about your â€Å"total and deep responsibility† toward yourself and all of humanity. 8. Our choices are a model for the way everyone should choose. If we deny this fact, we are in self-deception. If we say, Everyone will not act as I have done, then we are giving a universal value to the denial. There are no omens; there are no signs by which to decide. We are responsible for ourselveswe are the sole authority of our lives. We cannot give up this responsibility except through self-deception or bad faith. Because man is free and at the same time responsible. A man who involves himeslf cannot escape the feeling of immense, deep and total responsibility for his actions and for other men. Man is responsible not only for the person he chooses to be but also for other men. He stakes himself out by choosing both himself and all mankind. His actions are inevitably actions of a lawmaker. Man is constantly in anguish not because he makes daily trivial choices but, as Sartre stated in the discussion following the lecture, (a) because his original choice is constant but uncertain and (b) there is no justification for the choice made. 9. Quietism is the attitude of people who say, â€Å"Let others do what I can’t do. † The doctrine I am presenting is the very opposite of quietism, since it declares, â€Å"There is no reality except in action. † Moreover, it goes further, since it adds, â€Å"Man is nothing else than his plan; he exists only to the extent that he fulfills himself; he is therefore nothing else than the ensemble of his acts, nothing else than his life. One of the biggest objections was that it was a pessimistic philosophy that encouraged people to dwell in quietism of despair . In his essay, Existentialism is a Humanism, Sartre attempts to prove that existentialism is probably the most optimistic doctrine available to modern man by attempting to answer other objections brought against existentialism. However, I do not believe that Sartre is completely successful at presenting his doctrine as optimistic and giving valid responses to the many objections. 10. Sartre writes, Values in actuality are demands which lay claim to a foundation. (Ibid. p.46) But if the foundation of values were found in facts, then what would be valuable would be determined by facts and my will would not be in control of its own values; my will would not be master of itself. But if my will is the source of values, then this foundation is a foundation that can be changed at any time and it is possible for me to have no values whatsoever. It follows that my freedom is the unique foundation of value and that nothing, absolutely nothing justifies me in adopting this or that particular value, this or that particular scale of values. As a being by whom values exist, I am unjustifiable. My freedom is anguished at being the foundation of values while itself without foundation. You can’t judge sincere choices, but you can judge self deceit. For example when someone blames their actions on their passions or determinism, implying that they could not help what they did and so are not responsible. Or when someone says that certain values are ‘incumbent’ on us, i. e. the values, or duties, impose themselves on us so we have to follow them, we have no choice. If someone chooses to deceive himself you can’t judge this morally, but can judge it as an error. Furthermore you can judge it morally, because freedom can have no end but itself. To value anything is to choose it. So if we were not free to choose anything there could be no values. So freedom is the foundation of all values. So to value anything we are thereby valuing freedom itself. But we cannot value our own freedom without valuing others’ freedom. So if someone else denies that they are free, they are denying something that we value, and so we can judge them morally. Satre argued that existentialism was a kind of tough optimism. First to realise that there is no god taking care of our action or guiding us. Subjectivism leads to a forlornness and then the despair of being responsible for our own actions and probabilities gives way to freedom. The realization that what we achieve for ourselves is up to us. When we realise and accept this state of existence we are left with only possibilities. What we do with them can become a kind of despair but hope and change is always possible. The fact man is condemned to be free. It is from this existence that we create an essence for ourselves and not the other way round. It is a anti-fatalism and pro-determinism. By asserting that human action is futile, if not impossible, existentialism invites people to remain in a state of desperate quietism, resigned and passive. Existentialism itself ends up in a kind of contemplative bourgeois philosophy (just observing the world) lagging behind the demand of Marx 11th Thesis on Feuerbach which stipulates that philosophy should change the world not only look at it. The word bourgeois in the charge was linked to luxury in the sense of being redundant and unnecessary.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The Team That Wasnt Essay Example for Free

The Team That Wasnt Essay Fire Art is a family owned business in the glass making industry based out of Indiana. The company has an 80 year history of producing high quality and high priced glass merchandise. About 18 month ago, sales and earnings bottomed out which drove the need to implement a strategic realignment plan to have the business running and winning within six months. The problem in this case is building a collaborative team with various backgrounds and skills to create a strategic realignment plan in the glass industry to take on the competition, build brand loyalty, increase sales and maximize earnings. Assumptions The assumptions in the case are the employees lack of knowledge of the family business being in trouble due to flat earnings and sales, participation in a team environment now needed versus contributing individually, the Directors of each division needs help with learning how to collaboratively operate and co-exist together to achieve company objectives, the company is not technologically savvy with the necessary tools to compete, and the company is not known nationally or global in their industry. Some of the key issues in the case are Team Dynamics, Team Development, Leadership Styles, Managerial Decisions, and Industry Competition which are discussed in further detailed as follows. Team Dynamics Team Dynamics plays a key role when forming a team because it is important to ensure the team is cohesive with positive energy. The team would need to reflect not only individual ideas but be mutual and complementary as they reach the goals set for the team. Team base activities are becoming standard in todays business environments. Having a team establishes a way for businesses to collaboratively reach their objectives and hold each other accountable for the tasks at hand. Teamwork is everywhere. More than ever before organizations are recognizing the types of situations for which group work can provide a key competitive advantage (Miller, 2003 p 121). Eric, the Director of Strategy had experience working in a team environment in his previous job function, however he lacked the experience needed for team development not utilized in a family business. Team Development Various reasons, such as different objectives, priorities, personalities, perceptions, methods and styles get in the way of having effective members on a team (Adkins, 2004). Teams are very conventional in new management thinking and have become a main stay in many businesses for collaboration of ideas, goals, and strategies. However, when having a team, there may be members who are not accustomed to a team environment and cause division within the team as they try to reach their objectives. To maintain team performance, it is increasingly important to ensure each individual on the team have high emotional intelligence. The premise for linking emotional intelligence to team performance is that high emotional intelligence enables team members to manage and be aware of their own emotions and the emotions of other team members (Jordan Troth, 2004). Emotional awareness and emotional management are essential attributes for team performance because they cultivate effective relationships with fellow workers to enhance team dynamics. Leadership Style Leadership skills are integral to team dynamics and development in order for the team to perform proficiently. Leadership encompass many styles and variations based upon several factors that make up the individual leader. Forbes magazine highlights four key styles of leadership, which are Visionary, Empathetic, Humble Servitude, and Moral or Ethical (Karlgaard, 2009). These key leadership traits work together when running a major business like Fire Art. Jack, the CEO, ran the company based on his family values and lacked the vision needed to forecast changes in the glass industry. To know and understand yourself is fundamental to knowing and understanding others and motivating them to follow your vision as a leader (Youngblood, 2010). There are several leadership resources available to develop oneself not only at the CEO level but at all levels in order for the company to achieve its objective in the marketplace and within their own businesses with employees. What family businesses value and believe about people, work, and money shapes their behavior toward their business and their employees. Without shared values, it is difficult to create a sense of direction for the business. Managerial Decisions The decisions that managers make when running a business, forming teams, or creating strategies are very important for the overall health of the business. Fire Art limited itself strictly in the Mid-Western region and did not embrace expansion outside of it current market area. This decision may have worked for many years in the company but it restricted its growth which allowed competition to gain market share in their industry. It is also imperative that management from a Senior level ensure their employees are aware of the direction the company wants to take in regards to increasing market share, sales and earnings particularly if they see a downward trend in those areas. Hence, the CEO vision for their business or company becomes increasingly important along with the belief the company has a viable product or service the consumer wants. A manager with strong beliefs about the right course of action will attract subordinates with similar beliefs. This alignment of beliefs between managers and workers in the same company gives direction to the firm and affects incentives and coordination (Wen Zhou, 2009). The CEO of Fire Art believes he can turn his family business around with a comprehensive plan for strategic realignment in the glass industry. He has made a key decision by tapping into his subordinates resources and skills along with bringing in a consultant to facilitate the process. Every business has to examine its own situation and decide what constitutes the critical aspects of its own environment (Heller, 1972). The Fire Art is a family own business without any mass production or national distribution. The business did not embrace current technologies or market strategies for their current industry and therefore needs to reexamine its needs in the marketplace. The use of information technology and the Internet between small family businesses and their economic environment enables resource exchange and electronic interaction inside the company, with their client base and vendors (Niehm, Tyner, Shelly, Fitzgerald, 2010). Fire Art has to fine tune their business in the technology area to keep ahead of their competition and remain competitive in the glass industry. Industry Competition Constant changes can be expected in products, in product lines, and models of existing products in a competitive society (Cassady, 1964). With the evolution of various products, todays technology plays an intricate part in how a business competes with their competition. Design, Manufacturing, and Distribution are all key roles that are intertwined together to put out the best product to the marketplace. Its imperative that businesses stay abreast of the new technologies as it relates to their industry in order to stay ahead or compete against their competitors. Fire Art is a family owned business that has stood the test of time for about 80 years as a high end glass manufacturer. Because of this, their Brand has longevity against the competitors in regards to standing out in the industry. In modern times, brands and brand management have become a central feature of the modern economy and a staple of business theory and business practice (Desai Waller, 2010). Fire Art can utilize their brand to propel them forward as realign and restructure their business to take on the competition in glass industry. Recommendations The plan of action is for the CEO to hold a companywide meeting to address the trouble the company is facing and why strategic repositioning needs to take place now. In order for the strategic repositioning to be effective and provide impact to the earnings and revenue, the CEO needs to incorporate senior level management in the newly formed team. Because the CEO has already brought in a Strategic Director for the job, he should allow Eric to interview the potential team members before forming the team to ensure the goals and objectives can be met. Once the team is formed a monthly report should be provided to the CEO to assess the progress of the strategic realignment. The CEO has requested the strategic repositioning to be done in six months. The recommendation here is to have a comprehensive plan in place in six months and then implement the plan in next six months to give the team time to work out any issues or factors that may prevent the team from reaching the ultimate objective of repositioning the company. In order to mitigate any problems that may arise during team development, it is recommended the selected team participants undergo the Stages of Group Development Model by Bruce Tuckman. Training and development is recommended for all employees to increase and maintain their current skills so they continue to be a valuable mployee to the company efforts to reposition. The company as a whole needs to invest and implement new technologies to have their product put to market faster to keep abreast of the competition. Currently Fire Art is limited to the Mid-Western region for their glass products. It would be advisable to look at expanding nationwide in the United States and then Globally. A market analysis should be conducted in regards to new design trends, pricing, manufacturing, distribution and other factors in regards to re-branding the family business beyond the Mid-Western footprint.

Impact of Giorgio Armani on Fashion

Impact of Giorgio Armani on Fashion Introduction Giorgio Armani, the sole share holder, Chief Executive Officer, President and chief designer of Giorgio Armani SpA which is one of the most profitable fashion houses, is quite qualified for the interlocking work of design, management and marketing. Since the early eighties, he had been recognized as one of the most successful and well-selling designers in global fashion industry. Teri Agins (2000) stated that Giorgio Armani is one of the worlds best-selling designer, a creator who was equal parts steak and sizzle—fashion and marketing. In addition, once, it was published in Forbes (Richard Heller 2001) that ‘Armani is unique. Hes the only designer in the world who has been able to combine real creative genius with a tremendously astute business sense. As an icon to fashion newcomers, stars and fans, Giorgio Armani has created a super fashion empire which owns 10 lines (Armani Prive, Giorgio Armani, Armani Collezioni, Emporio Armani, AJ Armani Jeans, A/X Armani Exchange, Armani Junior, Armani Casa, Armani Cosmetic and Armani Hotel), more than three hundred stores in thirty-six countries, thirteen factories all over the world and approximately five thousand employees. He keeps perfect balance between the role of designer and director. Mr. Armani was chosen as the worlds most successful designer by Forbes in 2000 and honored with a lifetime achievement in a 2004s gala event organized by the Fashion Group International which is a global non-profit association with a membership of over 6000 professionals of achievement and influence representing all areas of the fashion, apparel, accessories, beauty, and home industries to commend his inapproachability talents and high status in fashion area. This article will be separated into three parts to wholly demonstrate Giorgio Armanis major contribution and evaluate his status and impact in the field of fashion. The Design Revolution Giorgio Armani brought Giorgio Armanis Unique Marketing Strategy Conclusion Design Revolutionary Giorgio Armani, one of the most famous fashion designers known by people of all ranks and classes in the world, is the undisputed genius of fashion. This Italian designer first made a name for himself by his menswear. Followed 1975s successful menswear fashion show, he started designing chicly womens wear in 1976. However, Armani lead the fashion trend at that time and indeed revolutionized the mens and womens dressing way, thus he was usually cited as the worlds best-recognized, most commercially successful, and personally wealthy designer. (Mary Lisa Gavenas, 2008) ‘Elegant, ‘Masculine and ‘minimal are the commonest words to describe Armanis style. All Armanis cuts are simple, clean and as straight as possible. It nullifies the conflict between dignity and sex, between dress and power. It also produces an aesthetic beauty on the level of the liberation of social minorities and sexualities; acquires public importance through diffusion and mass culture, while remaining open to the imaginary and the sensual; creates narcissistic commodities no longer determined only by functionality, but also by such models of symbolic identification as gender and status. ( Germane Celant , 2000) Iconic Design As a fashion master, Giorgio Armani has created a significant number of design classics, such as ‘Pantsuits for women, ‘Unconstructed Suit , ‘Ethnic Style and ‘Casual Luxury. But if we have to select one as his representative work, jacket, is the inevitable choice. It is generally known that Armani is dubbed as the king of jackets by mass media, not merely because he is the first person who designed the jacket in 1975, but also since he devoted to update it and make it iconic. For Giorgio Armani, one jacket was all it took to initiate his triumphant career and to change both the streetscape and the history of fashion. Certainly it was a special jacket, something new, which miraculously illustrated the needs and not merely the aesthetic of the moment. It was created to fit the restlessness and new authority of women, and to offer men the impetus to liberate themselves from the uncomfortable armor they had been using to protect their dignity and insecurities. (N atalia Aspesi, 2000) As mentioned in the Emporio Armani magazine, published in 1996, ‘when I began to design, men all dressed in the same way. American industry called the shots, with its technicians scattered all over the world†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ all impeccably equal, equally impeccable. The Mao Syndrome. Everyone wore the same uniform, a bit wider here, a bit more tapered there, but the substance was always the same. You couldnt tell them apart. They had no defects. But I liked defect. I wanted to personalize the jacket, to make it more closely attuned to its wearer. How? By removing the structure. Making it into a sort of second skin. Armani is bold in making innovations and he has never stopped his step. He exerted himself to develop his design around the jacket which was the staring pointing for his career. Armani renewed and redesigned the jacket almost each season. He illustrated that his small but crucial discovery lies in having imagined garment which falls over the body in a surprisingly natur al manner. (Giorgio Armani, 1996) The appearance of jacket offered a new way of dressing for both men and women. Germane Celant (2000) pointed that his jacket was a tool of unstable identity that could adapt itself to any bodily context whatsoever, thus satisfying the emotional and psychological requirements of a femininity tending to the masculine as well as a masculinity that aspired; it situated itself in the area of androgyny. However, jacket has been created for more than twenty years, but so far it has been widely updating in fashion industry. There is no exaggeration to say that, from mass market to luxury market, the iconic design jacket existed everywhere of fashion area. Mens Wear It is widely known that Giorgio Armani began his career by freeing men from the monotonous uniform and offering them varied ways to dress. From years to years, collection to collection, he increasingly designed casual luxury, comfortable but cool menswear on the basis of clear knowing mens desire. It is commented by Farid Chenoune (1993) that Armani initially designed clothes for sexy, thickest and broad-bottomed men, thereby shifting the center of masculine anatomical interest from the back (in contrast to the earlier fashion for tight, flat pants with their ‘exposed—beam look). As mentioned before, in 1975, Giorgio Armani caused a splash in fashion industry. His shocked-world jacket was endorsed by male fans who clustered round Armanis fashion concept. Through several years exploration and innovation, Armani became one of the best-selling menswear designers in the end of 1970s, but he didnt became dizzy with the successes already won, he continued to expand his impact in fashion trend, especially in menswear. In the beginning of 1980s, with the popularization of cinema and television, the whole society has liberate its male sartorial possibilities so they may often coexist and interpenetrate (Anne Hollander, 1994). Armani successfully caught the chance and established cooperated relations with Hollywoods movie industry. Paul Schraders 1980 film American Gigolo put Armani on the publics radar again. In the movie, actor Richard Gere dressed exclusively in Armani. Teri Agins (2000) suggested that the movie was a walking Armani fashion show. Indeed, from then on, mens dressing perception was absolutely different. Maetha J. Nelson (2000) also supported that the imagination that shaped a wardrobe so supple and seductive for Richard in American Gigolo that menswear in this country was never the same again. Giorgio Armani, whose design style was looked upon as sexy, elegance and good quality, was recognized as a progenitor of the Wall Street‘Yuppie. Womens Wear ‘Giorgio Armani changed the face of womens fashion beginning in the ‘70s. Thousands of confused women placed their confidence in him, and were overnight transformed to best dressed. said by Anjelica Huston, an actress. The famous architect Gae Aulenti also declared for this view. She explained that Armani is expressing with continuity a sense elegance that derives from both the intellect and the sense. According to female celebrities appreciation to Armani, it is easy to understand and conclude the status and influence of Giorgio Armani in womens wear design. Armani had cast the same spell over a new generation of executive women who were unimpressed with the fussy, figure-molding haute couture that was coming out of Paris. Armanis soft, comfortable tailoring went over big in feminist age (Teri Agins, 2000). As Anne Hollander (1994) mentioned in Sex and Suit: the evolution of modern dress, the modernizing clothes for women had meant copying mens clothes, directly or indirectly, one way or another. Giorgio Armani may not be the first or the sole one who borrowed menswears tailor to womens wear, but he may be the one who made the greatest impact. It is also supported by Farid Chenoune (1993) that Armani dressed women in fashions directly inspired by menswear and gave professional women the same kind of subtly powerful uniform that men had. In the 1970s, since women were allowed to share the job with men and assert themselves in office, the need of suitable and graceful working-clothes was pressing. Coward (1984) indicated that womens bodies and the messages which clothes can add are the repositories of the social definitions of sexuality, and women are always the defined sex and the display of those definitions. Giorgio Armani was aware of it and went in for designing what business women want. From 1970s to current, Giorgio Armani, whose pantsuits were the pinnacle of ‘power-dressing, has demonstrated a major contribution in working womens fashion. Fashion begins and ends with the consumer (Maria Costantino, 1998). Since Armani knew clearly his customers needs and satisfied them, his label has become synonymous with the power suit. Maetha J. Nelson (2000), the managing editor of In Style Magazine, criticized Giorgio Armanis contribution in womens wear that ‘The designer who showed women they could dress for the office without looking like men. UNIQUE MARKETING STRATEGY Giorgio Armani, who built the empire by himself, is not only a great designer, but also a marketing genius with astute business sense. Armanis marketing strategies always combine with his design. Armanis huge success is attributed to his fantastic design, creative marketing strategy and distinct business form. None of them could be ignored. From 1980 onward, Armani proved his business mettle by successfully sign license, expanding into allied fields, open his own stores, maintaining tight control of his distribution, and acquiring established manufacturing facilities (Mary Lisa Gavenas, 2008). He had the initiative of his empire by the 21st century, while his peers had sold their business. Celebrity Strategy The symbiotic and tight relationship between fashion designers and celebrities, especially the Hollywoods stars, could tract back to the 1950s. As Martha Nelson, the editor of in Style, concluded that celebrities work on another level because people think of them as real people more than models. There is no doubt that celebrities are symbols of fashion trend. Personal purchase bias of mass, paying close attention to what they wear, which brand they adore, may be influenced by celebrities, such as singer, actor, sport star, artist and socialite. Celebrity strategy, which was supported to carry out by Giorgio Armani, is of prime importance in Armanis promotion plan and plays a significant part in brand growing. Teri Agins (2000) proved that Armani was the first designer to milk his celebrity connections by developing a publicity machine to get his clothes on the backs of Hollywoods most influential and most visible A-list of actors, directors, producers and agents. Such headliners became an integral component of his master marketing plan to keep his trademark in lights Since 1980s, Armani has designed for celebrities to attend Oscars or other red-carpet events. For this Italian designer, Oscar night was regarded as a key marketing chance to publicize his brand. With the huge success of his celebrity strategy, Armani is widely favored by celebrities and regarded as the sure choice. Hamish Bowles (2000) pointed that Armanis intimate involvement with present-day Hollywood seems therefore an inevitable one. Diffusion Line It is difficult to confirm that Giorgio Armani is the first designer who put forward the concept of diffusion lines, but he must be the most successful designer who created his own sub-brands and diversified new product categories, created a coherent ‘branded environment'(Mark Tungate, 2005). From haute couture to ready-to-wear, from menswear to womens wear, from evening dress to home wear, from cosmetic to hotel, Armani offers varied products and Armanis featured lifestyle to different ranks and classes. After Armanis first attempt and success in brand extension, a significant number of fashion companies followed his step, develop their own sub-brand, which extremely changes the structure of fashion industry. Giorgio Armanis empire has developed 10 lines whose objects oriented are various. Followed section will simply introduce them. Armani Prive: Haute couture line. It is only available for the top part of customer pyramid. It is regarded as the sure dressing for celebrities to attend red-carpet events Giorgio Armani:The most expensive label for ready-to-wear. It is the most favorite brand for the elites who work in the Wall Street, and the executive women who are wealthy, confident and stylish. Armani Collezioni: The high end line for ready-to-wear, but cheaper than Giorgio Armani. The line is typically aimed at an older customer who does not desire trendy design, but places emphasis on high quality more classic items ( YourNewFragrance.com, 2008). Emporio Armani:The medium line designed for ambitious youth. This line is unique because it features products that more affordable than the products featured on high end lines, but also supplies items that cost more than the ones in cheaper lines (Paulagerie, 2009). AJ Armani Jeans:The special line for denim-related garments. A/X Armani Exchange: The lower-end line. It is geared toward older teens and young adults with a contemporary fashion style (YourNewFragrance.com, 2008). Armani Junior: A line designed for children. Armani Casa: Special high-end home lines, whose products include furniture, linens, home wear and so on. Armani Cosmetic: A special collection of Armani featured cosmetics, such as skin care, perfume, and cologne. Armani Hotel: Under this label, there are luxury hotels and resorts which smoothly give publicity to Amanas lifestyle. Conclusion If we considered the couture designer as an artist (Linda Welters, 2007), Giorgio Armani has done for fashion which Picasso has done for painting (Franco Maria Ricci, 1982). Colin McDowell (1997) commented that Armani look can be worn by all age group with confidence because like Chanels fashion for women, it eschews gimmicks, ignores fashion fads and springs from a philosophy based on an understanding of mens needs and a faultless technique which brings its own logic to everything the designer creates. It is indisputable to research and analyze in two direction  created a niche for himself with his elegant designs, mostly done in a neutral palette. Although his fashion house, , was much smaller than many other fashion houses, it was one of the most profitable. Another distinctive feature of the house was that Armani headed both the creative as well as the business sides, which was not the norm in the industry.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Jungle Analysis Paper -- essays research papers

The Jungle Analysis Paper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  America, by the turn of the twentieth century, was regarded as the â€Å"Land of Opportunity,† and lured thousands of immigrants. The foreigners that fled to the United States were in search of new lives; better lives. America was at the age of industrialization, and the economy was shifting from agriculture to factories. There were jobs in the factories available to un-skilled workers, which were the majority of the immigrants. And industrialists had no problem finding a way to exploit the workers lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The migration of Americans from farms to cities and the massive amount of immigration provided an abundant supply of cheap labor. Industrialists saw no economic sense in a hazardless workplace; an injured worker was easily replaced by another. Wages were kept low because there was always another worker willing to work for lower wages. The hiring of women and children as well as men created an excess  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  supply of labor; leaving every worker commanding low wages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Inadequate wages for workers forced all members of the family to work in the factories. Children as young as eight years old worked. Wages were paid hourly and there were few limits as to how many hours workers were allowed to work. A family’s income was still low considering the amount of hours they worked. As a result, multiple families shared small apartments and living con...

Monday, August 19, 2019

Who really wrote shakespeares work Essay -- essays research papers

Who really wrote Shakespeare's works? One of the most well-known writers in history is also one of the most controversial writers. William Shakespeare has been credited to thirty-eight plays, but did he actually write all of them. The debate whether he wrote all of his plays has been debated for generations. One of the main reasons was if his education level was high enough to be a world-famous writer. But if Shakespeare didn't write his works, then who did? One of the most controversial and accused writers was Sir Francis Bacon. Sir Francis Bacon was a great scientist and a great writer. He was a well-educated man and his educated level was higher and more advanced than William Shakespeare. He had enough education to write master pieces of Shakespeare's caliber. I think the reason he didn't write Shakespeare work was that his literature and writing style was more sophisticated. The way Shakespeare wrote was a type that couldn't be learned in school it was just talent that’s why it didn't matter how high your level of education was. Edward de Vere was another writer though to have written the work of Shakespeare. Since the 1930's de Vere has been strongly advanced as the true author of Shakespeare's plays. De Vere represents the social-elitist stratum of the theorists, who believe that a commoner could never have accomplish such genius. De Vere was a nobleman of Queen Elizabeth I's court. Charlton Ogburn an author thought that parallels of the Earl's life with material...

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Essay --

1. There is a very homoerotic/masculine feel from the opening scene of Rambo III. We are introduced to a ripped and glistening character that looks like he has been bathing in baby oil/tanning oil for the past 48 hours. There is nothing that seems to hurt Rambo as he takes every blow delivered to him in the opening scene. He is also willing to kill countless amounts of Russians in order to save the American general. The game that Rambo learns to play? It is only a physical game played with goat carcass. Rambo is made out to be un-stoppable and even God-like. When Trautman reveals that Rambo is coming to resue him, Zaysen asks Trautman who he thinks Rambo is†¦God? Trautman replies, â€Å"No, God would have mercy†¦he won’t.† Rambo would rather die than not fight for what he believes in. Even at the end, when all seems lost, he refuses to go down without a fight. His determination to fight is the greatest testament to his masculine identity. The Afghanis respec t this and in this sense, Rambo almost becomes a martyr to them. By the end, it almost seems like they aren’t fighting for themselves, but for Rambo! In relation to Jeffords, the â€Å"hard-body† physique is clearly present with Stallone’s character as are the narratives of heroism, toughness, strength, etc†¦ in the film which helps to clearly demonstrate the mastery over foreign enemies. 2. Orientalism is the way that the Middle East is depicted by its’ friendly acquaintances over in the West. In other terms, it is a â€Å"racist discourse which constructs the orient for Western aggrandizement.† The way that the Afghans are depicted in the film alongside Rambo makes the audience sympathize with them. The little boy also looks up to Rambo. He looks up to him a masculine father-figure. Using th... ...ew what we know now. If only they knew about how 9/11 and the actions the Bush administration took because of it. Furthermore, I wouldn't be surprised if the same question asked of Rambo â€Å"Where’s the honor here?† is asked today by Afghans/Pakistanis wondering where the â€Å"honor† is in unmanned drones? It was hard to figure out who to root for in the film†¦especially with historical bias†¦because the Taliban and entire nation of Afghanistan are made out to be heroes in the film. Back then, it may have been acceptable to insinuate that anyone fighting Russia was practically Christ. They are even referred to as â€Å"freedom fighters† in the film (President Reagan would use this term as well). Today though, we have to watch this film while knowing about the death and destruction caused by terrorists on September 11. Back then, our present â€Å"enemies† were our former â€Å"comrades.†

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Business In Internet Essay

1. Is Twitter just a bright idea or a real business opportunity? To what extent does Twitter’s situation reflect the past record of its founders? In my opinion, I think twitter is a good business opportunity. Like other internet service, twitter has a large number of users, which provide a potential revenue foundation. At present, twitter’s priority is to find a revenue model to transfer the abundant of users to money. If twitter finds thus a model, it will become another internet service giant in the world. At present, Twitter’s functional model is not original intention of the founder, William, which is an incident idea. After that, the founder notice that this model is suitable with people’s wants, allowing to disseminate information to others in real-time. The founder has a good idea for establishing company but not having a good idea to earn profit from the business. 2. A). what is Twitter’s Advantages and challenges given it chosen technology configuration? First, Twitter is easy to use. Twitter only focus on using text to communication. Users can easily to use twitter without learning or training. The challenge for the method is that text is dull. Some of users would feel twitter is not attractable. Second, web-based platform is another advantage for Twitter. Users can use Twitter service by accessing website from different systems. In my opinion, open source platform will bring twitter a great potential. Users can develop own application on Twitters according to their own interests. However, open source also has challenges that the malicious application can spread without proper supervision. B). what are the benefits and challenges for corporations looking to use Twitter internally and externally Benefit for internally using Twitter: the communication among employees or managers would be efficient because Twitter is just-in-time communication platform. Managers can use Twitter to transmit their order to the specific followers (employees); employees also can report work to managers by using the same method. Challenges for internally using Twitter: it is very different to organize the followers. And it is also danger to use Twitter to transmit business confidence. Using Twitter also can increase whisper or rumor spreading inside the corporates. Benefit for externally using Twitter: the customers can get new product information of the corporate on time, which is a good promotion and marketing method. The challenge for externally using Twitter is that marketing effect coverage significantly depends on the internet. 3. What has been Twitter’s marketing approach to date, and is it sustainable? Right now, in my opinion, Twitter has a very simple marketing approach to earn money, firstly, using abundant users to attract venture capital investors. Secondly, Twitter sells â€Å"@† (Twitter name) to big companies or big events. At present, none of twitter functions charge personal users. Most of its expenditure comes from the venture capital. For a long term, this approach cannot survive; however, the investors know the potential of Twitter. In the future, Twitter will provide difference revenue model to earn profit. 4. Can Twitter ever earn profits? If so, what are the best ways it can monetize? In my opinion, Twitter can earn profits in the future, if it does that: adopting advertising models would be a good method to earn money. Secondly, it is necessary to create paid content for users who want to have further service. Thirdly, Twitter can cooperate with publishers, job agencies, etc. collecting commission.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Healthcare Reimbursement

Phase One Individual Project Ernestine. Robles1 Colorado Technical University Online HIT201-1104B-02 Professor Sherry Miller November 21, 2011 (Microsoft Office Media, 1998) Healthcare Reimbursement Medical coding is an important process, in which descriptive information (patient medical records) is reviewed, and assigned detailed numeric, or alphanumeric diagnosis, and procedure codes’, for the purpose of reimbursing hospitals’, or physicians’ offices’, for services’ rendered (Ehow. com, 1999-2001; AHIMA. org, 2011). These codes are then translated into payment amounts, to be submitted to insurance companies’, for compensation (Ehow. om, 1999-2001). The hospitals’ and physicians’ rely on â€Å"complete coding accuracy†, or codes without â€Å"any† errors, or inadequacies (clean claims), to be submitted to insurance companies in a suitable time, in order to be processed, and reimbursed for services’ performe d (Campus. ctuonline. edu, 2001-2011). The more detailed information the coder provides, the more accurate the billing and coding will be (Campus. ctuonline. edu, 2001-2011). Accurate coding is beneficial to the financial business end of hospitals’, and physicians’ offices’ because, if the coding is not correct, insurance companies will not pay the costs for the claims’ (Ehow. om, 1999-2001; AHIMA. org, 2011). Therefore, this can result in thousands of dollars’ in loss revenue for medical organizations’. To date, there are no â€Å"National† standards to really determine medical coding productivity (Ehow. com, 1999-2001). Coding productivity is determined by each individual medical organization, establishing their own â€Å"principles of productivity†, based on record categories, such as â€Å"inpatient or outpatient status (Ehow. com, 1999-2001). According to the HCPro survey (1999-2001), twenty-nine per cent of facilities used a â€Å"three records coded per hour† system, as a â€Å"benchmark† (standard), for coding inpatient records’ (Ehow. com, 1999-2001). Furthermore, the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), established a certain amount of benchmarks, for coders to get claims in on time also (Ehow. com, 1999-2001); for inpatient charts, there was a benchmark of two to four charts per hour, and for outpatient records, standard coding time, was five to twenty records per hour, depending on the type (Ehow. com, 1999-2001). It is important coders meet the requirements, and work to minimize errors (Ehow. com, 1999-2001); the more accurate, and productive the coder is, the more the facility will be reimbursed for services rendered (Ehow. com, 1999-2001). It is crucial for coders to comply with State and Federal guidelines (Ehow. com, 1999-2001). Compliance guidelines are established in the â€Å"Internal Classification for Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) for coding and reporting, issued by the Center for Medicare, and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)† (Ehow. com, 1999-2001). Also, assigning diagnosis and procedure codes is required under the â€Å"Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA)† (Ehow. com, 1999-2001). Between the coder and the healthcare provider, it is important for both parties to work together, to â€Å"complete precise documentation, coding assignments, and reporting of diagnoses and procedures† (Compliance. uclahealth. org, n. d; Campus. ctuonline. edu, 2001-2011). There cannot be enough importance put on â€Å"accurate documentation†, because without accuracy, coding will not be successful (Compliance. uclahealth. org, n. d; Campus. ctuonline. edu, 2001-2011). In addition to this, under the â€Å"National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI), the consequences of inaccurate coding, or increased errors’, can result in criminal prosecution† (Campus. ctuonline. edu, 2001-2011). Some of the benefits of the â€Å"Outpatient Code Editor† (OCE) software, which helps maintain consistency, in processing claims for coders is, â€Å"editing claims for accuracy, assigning’ APCs, as well as assigning CMS-designated status indicators’, in addition to computing discounts, determining claim dispositions’, if packaging is appropriate, and helps’ determine payment adjustments, if necessary (Cms. ov, n. d. ). Coding references is an important tool, used to assist coders with more accurate coding by identifying minuscule differences between similar CPT codes from operative reports the first time (Medetrac. com, 2010-2012). The coding clinic is a resource newsletter that provides’ coding advice for HCPCS Leve l II coders (Casto & Layman, 2011). This newsletter is an important resource, because it â€Å"provides actual examples’, correct code assignments’ for new technologies, articles’, and a bulletin of coding changes’ and/or corrections† (Casto & Layman, 2011). The CPT assistant is a newsletter from the American Medical Association (AMA), used for coding communications, to keep coders up to date, clinical explanations’ for baffling codes, coding consultations’ to answer questions, anatomical illustrations, and information equivalent with the Federal Register (Medetrac. com, 2010-2012). Lab and drug dictionaries are used by coders to alert them to common spelling errors, pronunciations’, and words that are similar in form, and meaning (Medetrac. com, 2010-2012). Lab and drug dictionaries would eliminate errors’ coders’ could make, when two words sound the same, or have similar spelling (Medetrac. com, 2010-2012); in addition, the dictionaries would present what common abbreviations to use, and not use, in medical orders (Medetrac. com, 2010-2012). This is useful because it would eliminate primary mistakes on the reports. Medical dictionaries is a reference which list drugs, treatments, medical abbreviations, medical terms, definitions, translations, signs and symptoms of common disorders, and practical phases, used in daily communication with patients (Medetrac. com, 2010-2012). Lastly, anatomy references for coders are used to enhance, and interpret a coders understanding, of medical documentation, and correct code assignments (Codingbooks. com, 2011). After reviewing all the information gathered on the â€Å"coding reference, the coding clinic, and the CPT assistant, the lab, and drug dictionaries, the medical dictionaries, and the anatomy reference, the conclusion that has been drawn, is â€Å"all† of the references are equally important, when used together to guarantee coding accuracy for all coders. References AHIMA. org. (2011). Medical Coding. American Health Information Management Association. AHIMA. Retrieved November 17, 2011 from http://www. ahima. org/coding/ Casto, B. A. , & Layman, E. (2011). Principles of Healthcare Reimbursement. 3rd Edition. American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Illinois: AHIMA Press. Codingbooks. com. (2011). Anatomy and terminology for eyes and bars. Anatomy and terminology for coders elearning. Course Overview. Description. Coding Store. Contexo Media. Access Intelligence, LLC. Retrieved November 21, 2011 from http://www. codingbooks. com/books/coding_reference/Anatomy-and-Terminology-for-Coders-eLearning_25. html Cms. gov. (n. d. ). Outpatient Code Editor (OCE). OCE Purpose: Purpose of the OPPS I/OCE functionality. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved November 21, 2011 from http://www. cms. gov/OutpatientCodeEdit/10_Purpose. asp#TopOfPage Colorado Technical University Online. (2011). Course materials: Healthcare reimbursements: Regulatory issues and coding compliance. HIT201-1104B-02 Phase 1 Individual Project activity: Healthcare Reimbursement [Multimedia presentation]. Retrieved from Colorado Technical University Online Virtual Campus, November 21, 2011from https://campus. ctuonline. du/Classroom/Pages/multimediacoursetext. aspx? classid=260129&tid=130&uid=251269&HeaderText=Course Materials: HIT201-1104B-02: Healthcare Reimbursement Colorado Technical University Online. (2011). Course material: Processing physician office claims. HIT201-1104B-02 Phase 1 Individual Project activity: Healthcare Reimbursement [Multimedia presentation]. Retrieved from Colorado Technical University Online Virtual Campus, November 17, 2011 from HIT201-1104B-02: https://campus. ctuonline. edu/courses/HIT201/p1/hub1/14921. pdf Compliance. uclahealth. org. (n. d. ). ICD-9-CM official guidelines for coding and reporting. Effective October 1, 2008. Retrieved November 21, 2011 from http://compliance. uclahealth. org/Workfiles/PDFs/ICD_9_CM_Official_Guidelines_for_Coding_and_Reporting_Effect ive_October_1_2008. pdf Ehow. com. (1999-2001). Importance of medical coding for hospitals. Reimbursements. Written by Jacqueline Wilson, Ehow Contributor. Demand Media, Inc. Retrieved November 17, 2011 from http://www. ehow. com/facts_5918637_importance-medical-coding-hospitals. html Ehow. com. (1999-2001). Medical coding productivity standards. Productivity standards. Written by Cynthia Murphy, Ehow Contributor. Demand Media, Inc. Retrieved November 17, 2011.