Changing the Conflict in the Workplace into Cooperation

Human relationships are an important question nowadays, especially, if they are related to the professional relationships, â€Å"It has become almost axiomatic that women live in a web of relationships† (Heim and Murphy 22). The book by Pat Heim and Susan Murphy In the Company of Women is written for women who have difficult relationships in the workplace with other women. Pat Heim and Susan Murphy are two leading experts on gender relationships.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Changing the Conflict in the Workplace into Cooperation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In their book, they explore the essence of women communication with their female and male colleagues and answers the question how indirect conflict (aggressive behavior) can influence on women’s career success and personal life. Thus, relationships among woman are rather difficult, especially, if these women are in conflict wit h each other. One should develop special skills and use different methods of communication with women in order to build successful relationships and friendly environment with female colleagues. So, the book consists of two parts which explore the nature of women relationships in the workplace. It is a guide which is aimed at educating women how to handle conflicts with female colleagues. The authors start with the description and exploring of women’s conflict behavior and the reasons of it. They explore the question of â€Å"hidden aggression† and the roots of it. The book also presents the differences in communication between men and woman. The second part is more analytical and critical than a first one. The second part of the book is a â€Å"guide† how to turn the conflict into successful collaboration, how to handle the conflict and how woman can become a successful female leader. In addition, the authors give an advice how to build a good team. A very impor tant and useful aspect of the book is that the target audience in not only female, men also can read it in order to be well aware of how to be a leader of the female staff and how communicate with women in order to avoid the conflict. Relationships between women have a special character and several aspects that differ greatly from men’s communication, thus one should be aware of these peculiarities and differences working with women. Woman’s behavior depends on her emotions. She greatly influenced by these emotions even in communication in the business world. A woman is sure that relationships can help her achieve a career success, â€Å"women often define career success by their ability to create affiliation with others and develop relationships in the work setting† (Heim and Murphy 22). However, the woman’s work relationships with other woman are tenser and conflict in the majority of cases. Women often gossip about each other and sabotage. On the contr ary, women’s work relationships with men are more friendly. What is the reason of this phenomenon? The thing is that women are socialized in a different way, they mix work and emotions.Advertising Looking for critical writing on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They cannot separate personal feelings in their communication with other people in the work place. Social communication and friendly relationships are very important for women. The authors of the book assume that the causes of it are the brain’s structure and evolution of women in the society. So, such relationships cab be the best thing in woman’s life or the worst one that greatly influences on her performance. Men are more practical and conscious, â€Å"work is work† and there should be no place for feelings in the work place. They focus their attention on professional goals while women are preoccupied with maintaining relat ionships with other workers. â€Å"The importance of social interactions in the workplace is the most significant difference between the genders† (Heim and Murphy 23). As it has already been mentioned, women’s career and professional life depend much on her emotions and feelings. If her relationships with the colleagues are good, her professional life is great. At the same time, if a woman in a conflict with another woman, both of them can reveal â€Å"indirect conflict† or â€Å"indirect aggression†, â€Å"women have been socialized to use indirect aggression to emotionally cripple those who are standing in their way† (Heim and Murphy 3) Women are great masters of it. There are several forms of â€Å"indirect conflict† women can reveal. Gossips and spreading rumors and divulging secrets are the most â€Å"popular† strategies to hurt another woman and another woman will not even know about it. These strategies are usually very effecti ve and something like â€Å"cold and hidden war† can continue for a very long time, until one of the opponents give in. The reasons of the indirect conflict can be quite various: envy, other’s success, competitiveness, etc. The authors of the book not only describe the conflict, aggression and their influence on women’s professional life, but also provide a great guide to solve the conflict and build successful relationships with female colleagues. The authors emphasize that learning to manage conflict situations is very important. Dealing with conflict and developing skills and peculiarities of communication is crucial for a successful functioning of every organization and for becoming a successful leaded. There are five ways to handle the conflict (competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding and accommodating). Each of them is useful in a certain situation. These situations are described in the book in the form of scenarios that present real life situatio ns to help the reader handling the conflict. Thus, one should develop corresponding skills. It is a hard work to handle the conflict, but it is possible. Woman should be more conscious if other woman tries to harm her interests, â€Å"that is the price we have to pay for the strong alliances we make with other women.† (Heim and Murphy 56) The authors also provide few other methods to prevent â€Å"woman-to-woman workplace conflict†. One should â€Å"find or become a mentor† (307), to start a woman’s group on the Internet or in person. By the way, starting a group is a very effective way to share personal problems, find like-minded people and gain valuable experience from other women.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Changing the Conflict in the Workplace into Cooperation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the book is very useful guide for those who have conflict work rel ationships with the female colleagues. It also presents a number of techniques which can help you learn effective methods of handling the conflict between woman and become a successful female leader. Obviously, it is very important for one’s professional life to be able to deal with the conflict. In order to manage these skills, first of all, one should understand the principles of woman-to-woman communication and become aware of the dynamics of development of relationships between women who work together. In addition, it should be mentioned that the problem of woman-to-woman work relationships is worth developing and exploring. The idea of creation of women groups on the Internet can greatly improve the theoretical and practical premises of the researches in the field of gender relationships. Works Cited Heim, Patricia, and Susan Murphy. In the Company of Women: Turning Workplace Conflict into Powerful Alliances. New York: Putnam, 2001 This critical writing on Changing the Conflict in the Workplace into Cooperation was written and submitted by user Brock Flores to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

A22 Churchill Tank in World War II

A22 Churchill Tank in World War II Dimensions: Length: 24 ft. 5 in.Width: 10 ft. 8 in.Height: 8 ft. 2 in.Weight: 42 tons Armor Armament (A22F Churchill Mk. VII): Primary Gun: 75 mm gunSecondary Armament: 2 x Besa Machine GunsArmor: .63 in. to 5.98 in. Engine: Engine: 350 hp Bedford twin-six gasolineSpeed: 15 mphRange: 56 milesSuspension: Coiled SpringCrew: 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, co-driver/hull gunner) A22 Churchill - Design Development The origins of the A22 Churchill can be traced back to the days prior to World War II. In the late 1930s, the British Army began seeking a new infantry tank to replace the Matilda II and Valentine. Following the standard doctrine of the time, the army specified that the new tank be capable of traversing enemy obstacles, attacking fortifications, and navigating the shell-cratered battlefields that were typical of World War I. Initially designated the A20, the task of creating the vehicle was given to Harland Wolff. Sacrificing speed and armament to meet the armys requirements, Harland Wolffs early drawings saw the new tank armed with two QF 2-pounder guns mounted in side sponsons.  This design was altered several times, including fitting either a QF 6pounder or a French 75 mm gun in the forward hull, before four prototypes were produced in June 1940.   These efforts were halted following the British evacuation from Dunkirk in May 1940. No longer needing a tank capable of maneuvering through World War I-style battlefields and after assessing Allied experiences in Poland and France, the army retracted the A20 specifications. With Germany threatening to invade Britain, Dr. Henry E. Merritt, director of Tank Design, issued a call for a new, more mobile infantry tank. Designated the A22, the contract was given to Vauxhall with orders that the new design be in production by the end of the year. Frantically working to produce the A22, Vauxhall designed a tank that sacrificed appearance for practicality. Powered by Bedford twin-six gasoline engines, the A22 Churchill was the first tank to utilize the Merritt-Brown gearbox. This allowed the tank to be steered by changing the relative speeds of its tracks. The initial Mk. I Churchill was armed with a 2-pdr gun in the turret and 3-inch howitzer in the hull. For protection, it was given armor ranging in thickness from .63 inches to 4 inches. Entering production in June 1941, Vauxhall was concerned about the tanks lack of testing and included a leaflet in the user manual outlining existing problems and detailing practical repairs to mitigate the issues. A22 Churchill - Early Operational History The companys concerns were well founded as the A22 was soon beset with numerous problems and mechanical difficulties. Most critical of these was the reliability of the tanks engine, which was made worse due to its inaccessible location. Another issue was its weak armament. These factors combined to give the A22 a poor showing at its combat debut during the failed 1942 Dieppe Raid. Assigned to the 14th Canadian Tank Regiment (Calgary Regiment), 58 Churchills were tasked with supporting the mission.  While several were lost before reaching the beach, only fourteen of those that made it ashore was able to penetrate into the town where they were quickly stopped by a variety of obstacles. Nearly canceled as a result, the Churchill was rescued with the introduction of the Mk. III in March 1942. The A22s weapons were removed and replaced with a 6-pdr gun in a new welded turret. A Besa machine gun took the place of the 3-inch howitzer. A22 Churchill - Needed Improvements Possessing a significant upgrade in its anti-tank capabilities, a small unit of Mk. IIIs performed well during the Second Battle of El Alamein.  Supporting the attack of the 7th Motor Brigade, the improved Churchills proved extremely durable in the face of enemy anti-tank fire. This success led to the A22-equipped 25th Army Tank Brigade being dispatched to North Africa for General Sir Bernard Montgomerys campaign in Tunisia. Increasingly becoming the primary tank of British armored units, the Churchill saw service in Sicily and Italy. During these operations, many Mk. IIIs underwent field conversions to carry the 75 mm gun used on the American M4 Sherman. This alteration was formalized in the Mk. IV. While the tank was updated and modified several times, its next major overhaul came with the creation of the A22F Mk. VII in 1944. First seeing service during the invasion of Normandy, the Mk. VII incorporated the more versatile 75mm gun as well as possessed a wider chassis and thicker armor (1 in. to 6 in.). The new variant employed welded construction rather than riveted to reduce weight and shorten production time. Additionally, the A22F could be converted into a flamethrower Churchill Crocodile tank with relative ease. One issue that did arise with the Mk. VII was that it was underpowered. Though the tank had been built larger and heavier, its engines were not updated which further reduced Churchills already slow speed from 16 mph to 12.7 mph. Serving with British forces during the campaign in northern Europe, the A22F, with its thick armor, was one of the few Allied tanks that could stand up to German Panther and Tiger tanks, though its weaker armament meant that it had difficulty defeating them. The A22F and its predecessors were also renowned for their ability to cross rough terrain and obstacles that would have stopped other Allied tanks. Despite its early defects, the Churchill evolved into one of the key British tanks of the war. In addition to serving in its traditional role, Churchill was frequently adapted into specialist vehicles such as flame tanks, mobile bridges, armored personnel carriers, and armored engineer tanks. Retained after the war, the Churchill remained in British service until 1952.

British petroleum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

British petroleum - Essay Example Some of the brands of the company are ARCO, Castrol, and Wild Bean Cafà ©. When companies show balance sheets for the group and for the company they are reporting the income of a subsidiary that is part of a parent company. The group balance sheet is the result of the entire company. The company is a subsidiary that reflects the result of a business segment of the firm. The financial statements of British Petroleum illustrated in its latest annual report only reflect the results of the group or the parent company. The assets minus liability equation can be interpreted as a liquidity ratio. A more specific evaluation of short term liquidity would occur by subtracting the current assets against the current liabilities. The accounting equation states that assets equal liabilities plus stockholders equity (Cliffnotes, 2012). The straight line method is calculated dividing cost minus salvage value by depreciation time. â€Å"The declining balance depreciation method uses the depreciable basis of an asset multiplied by a factor based on the life of the asset† (Assetaide, 2009). The use of an alternative method of depreciation such as double declining would increase the expenses of the company in the early years, thus the profitability of the company would be lower in the short term. Stewardship accounting refers to, â€Å"A traditional approach of accounting that places an obligation on stewards or agents, such as directors, to provide relevant and reliable financial information relating to resources over which they have control but which are owned by others, such as shareholders† (Williamson, 2002). There are several factors that affect the price of common stocks. The prices of stocks are influenced by the general state of the economy, the financial performance of a company as illustrated in its financial statements, and by political factors among other reasons. If I was a potential investor of British Petroleum I would be very satisfied with

Corporate Sustainability Reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Corporate Sustainability Reporting - Essay Example Some of the issues that concern CSR are discussed below. CSR are generally prepared by independent agencies based on the guidelines laid down in 1997 by the Global reporting Initiative (GRI). The GRI has tried to develop objective criteria that can become the basis for universally accepted reporting standards as in the case of audited financial statements. In 2006, a second set of guidelines was issued known as the G3 Reporting Framework. As of now however, companies are free to observe the GRI guidelines, as per their convenience and at different levels of accordance. As of July 2006, "just over 20 % of organizations issuing CSR reports using GRI guidelines did so at the [maximum] assurance level". Observance of GRI guidelines thus, though desirable is not enforceable and the discretion of following them in 'letter and spirit' rests with various organizations. The absence of any audit by an independent body reduces the value of a CSR, just as an un-audited financial statement of a company is of no value. However, there are many aspects of a CSR pertaining to non-financial aspects that are either, "qualitative statements about risk management and performance [or] quantitative measures that are not reliable enough to audit". Hence this aspect of a CSR is more of an opinion expressed by the company as well as the auditors, appealing more to emotion and based on individual perceptions. It is to remove this anomaly that the new G3 Reporting Framework has been compiled. Challenges of Providing Auditor Assurance The challenge of providing credibility to any CSR rests on firstly, the criteria that the management uses to prepare the CSR and secondly, the standards the auditor uses to assess the CSR. Adding to the difficulty of assessing a CSR is the fact that these reports are based on facts and figures that may be outside the area of expertise of the auditor(s). For any report to have credibility, it must be based on facts and figures and appeal to common sense. Quantitative aspects such as accident rates or amount of carbon dioxide emitted can be commented upon objectively and without bias. However, there are many other performance measures which cannot be audited, "with a high enough level of assurance to provide an opinion". In such cases, an element of subjectivity or bias in favour of the company being reported upon is likely. This probably stems from the fact that it is in the auditor's interests to seek the continued patronage of the company. More and more companies are disclosing their social and environmental performance as part of their annual financial reports. CPAs will increasingly play an important role both in preparing as well as analyzing such reports. Interestingly enough, a survey of investors and analysts revealed that as many as 90 % of the people wanted companies to include aspects such as environmental sustainability and corporate governance as part of their annual reports. This only underscores the importance of having objective criteria for measuring performance in non-financial fields in order to arrive at a true and fair view of a company based on facts and

Scholarly vs. Popular Media Focused articles Essay

Scholarly vs. Popular Media Focused articles - Essay Example Both these articles provide insight about previous research, for example: Cerny and Janssen have reported a study conducted by Rieger in their own research and Tuller has reported a study that was published in Archieves of Sexual Behavior. Both provide opinion on a specific issue and both are published for example study conducted by Cerny and Jannsen state that bisexual males are highly aroused by bisexual adult content and Tuller states the males are aroused by both the genders. The list of similarities between popular and scholarly articles is quite small but there is a huge difference between these forms of articles. In popular articles different sub categories of an issue and the issue are tried to be explored in a limited amount of space and in case of scholarly articles, specific part of an issue or topic is discussed and in-depth information about that particular topic is provided, for example: the article on the study conducted by Cerny and Janssen is 10 page long and discuss es the sexual arousal patterns of males who have different orientation, where as the article written by Tuller is less than 1000 words long. There is a difference between the audiences of both the articles, popular ones are targeted towards everyone who may be and may not be educated, scholarly ones are targeted towards a specific audience who have an academic background related to the area being studied in the article For example: Cerny and Janssen’s article is for those students who study sexual behavior and the article written by Tuller is for the general population. The terminology and vocabulary that is used in scholarly articles is very technical and can hardy be understood by illiterates and those who do not belong to a specific field of education, for example: Cerny and Janssen have used terminologies such as psychophysiology. In case of popular articles, the vocabulary is easy to understand and any individual can understand the topic that is being

Censorship of the Internet and Mass Media

Censorship of the Internet and Mass Media The conversation regarding censorship amongst states, meaning nations or countries in this context, has been a highly contested and conflicted debate for over a century.   According to The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, â€Å"censorship is suppression of speech, public communication, or other information, on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive,  politically incorrect  or inconvenient as determined by government authorities or by community consensus† (Merriam-Webster). Nearly all states, even those that are considered to be extremely free states, practice numerous forms of both direct and indirect censorship. Censorship is usually rationalized to protect from dangerous, obscene, and/or negative information from being released and exposed to certain audiences or the general public. It is important to be noted that self-censorship, where one or more individuals censor their own personal discourses and environments, is not the type of ce nsorship that pertains to this essay as it will focus on official acts of censorship. In her book, Censorship In America, historian Mary E. Hull defines official acts of censorship as official actions by a government or governing body that restrict access to certain information to their audience (Hull, 1).   For the purposes of this essay, the United States of America will be the main focus when discussing censorship and its effects and implications. If given the absolute power and ability, the censorship of the internet and mass media in America could produce detrimental effects amongst nearly all aspects of society. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that free, open, public, and uncensored access to the internet and medias across the United States of America must remain and be protected. Technology and increased globalization have interconnected states and their citizens more than ever which has led to the creation of the â€Å"global citizen†. Because of this, some governments have highly censored media within their states as freedom of speech and access to different thoughts and ideologies poses high risks. Across the globe, numerous non-governmental organizations research and work to determine the amount and ways-in-which information is censored in different states. Reporters Without Borders (RWB), a United Nations consultant, studies the freedom of expression and information in states and publishes their findings in the annual World Press Freedom Index. The World Press Freedom Index consults and surveys expert lawyers, sociologists, media professionals, and journalists on pluralism, media independence, environment and self-censorship, legislative framework, transparency, infrastructure, and abuses within their country. The 2018 report that surveyed one hundred and eighty states concluded that Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands are the most free and/or least censored states while Syria, Eritrea, and North Korea are currently the most censored and least free states (RWB, 2018). For reference, Canada is the eighteenth most free state, the United Kingdom is the fortieth most free, and the United States falls as the forty-fifth most free state. The United States fell two places from 2017 to 2018 which can be attributed to the actions of President Donald J. Trump and his administration. Trump notoriously declared the press an â€Å"enemy of the American people†, which has triggered attacks against journalists and their credibility using the fallacious and often erroneous term â€Å"fake news† (RWB, 2018). Reports and research like this help truthfully determine the freedom of speech, press, and information across the globe from a nonbiased perspective.  ­ Censorship in The United States of America Censorship in the United State of America is a highly controversial topic given how prominent and institutional the liberty of freedom of speech and the press is engrained into legislature and society. The First Amendment to The Constitution states, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.† (U.S. Const. amend. I). The freedom of speech in America is not absolute as it does not protect hate speech or obscenity, meaning that strongly offensive speech or speech that promotes hateful acts based on bias can legally be censored as they are not protected forms of speech (Hull, 3). The First Amendment can be attributed as the foundation for the popular American motto and saying, â€Å"land of the free†. This nationalistic saying has permeated American society as many Americans pride themselves on the thought of America being thee land of freedom and justice despite numerous ranking and studies pointing otherwise (RWB, 2018). Since the creation and implementation of the First Amendment, numerous laws and rulings have been instituted and repealed in order to restrict the freedom of speech and press. Notably, the Sedition and Espionage Acts, imposed under President Wilson in 1917, declared it illegal and treasonous for citizens to speak against the United States government, military, and flag. This act attempted to bend the First Amendment, however, it was repealed in 1919 as it clearly violated the freedom of speech and press clause. In 1971, The Pentagon Papers, officially titled  Report of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Vietnam Task Force, were classified United States of America military and government documents that were leaked. The Pentagon Papers detailed the involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War from 1945-1967 (Hull, 27). These documents revealed that the United States had gone against legislation and made official decisions without the aid or input from Congress, which is legally required. They were leaked, according to Hull, because â€Å"critics charged that the government resorted to excessive classification of documents in order to conceal activity from the public, whereas the government maintained that it was acting in the interests of national security† (Hull, 29). This leak was taken to the Supreme Court of the United States and was ruled legal as the Supreme Court determined that the general public has the right to these documents despite the government’s attempt to censor the press. Although the First Amendment has been tested numerous times, it stands generally true that individuals in the United States of America are entitled to freedom of speech and press so long as it does not fuel the occurrence of legitimate crimes. Internet Censorship in the United States Within the past few decades, the rules and guidelines set by the First Amendment have made the waters murkier than ever when discussing censorship and the media.   The internet has made news and media more accessible than ever which enhances the effects, debatably both positive and negative, censorship can have. Given the capitalistic nature of the internet, major new sources occupy a massive section of the internet and tend to circulate only chosen specific media and news stories that fit their agenda, this is known as corporate censorship.  ­Project Censored, a news source that publishes important news and media that was not reported by the mainstream mass media, works to eliminate corporate censorship as they see it as a blockade towards democracy and free press. (Jensen, 2018). Although corporate censorship is highly problematic, it is protected by the First Amendment as companies and individuals have the right to broadcast what they see as fit. The Internet Must Remain Free from Censorship Internet Censors and Blockers In the United States, the First Amendment protects against and prohibits majority of internet censorship involvement from the federal, state, and local governments. However, private companies have more leeway in their actions to censor content, particularly in regards to public spaces. There tends to be a steep crossover between these private companies and the state as the government or government officials often support and fund companies whose interest align with theirs. This is a classic incident of corruption with the government finding a loophole to overstep their rightful bounds. Internet censorship is typically performed by content blockers and removers that are created, installed, and programmed to block all content deemed obscene or unfitting. The major problem of these programs is determining what content is and is not okay†¦a process that can be easily corrupted. In the words of Mary E. Hull, â€Å"What is indecent in one persons mind may be decent in anothers; thus, regardless of the censors motive, the result of censoring is the denial of anothers freedom to choose.† (Hull, 2). This exact problem was exacerbated in 1997 in a Virginia library that had installed a blocking program on its public computers. The intention of the program was to block and censor sexually explicit content from minors, which is perfectly legal and the decision was supported by the National Law Center for Children and Families (Hull, 35). However, this program, advertently or not, also blocked the American Association of University Women website and an AIDS website which is extremely problematic because this blocker is now restricting access and information from the public. The center of this controversy is not the use of a blocker, as individuals should have the right to knowingly censor content in private, but the fact that a publically funded device was censoring appropriate content. Given this incident occurred in 1997, it is unlikely that the censoring of those two specific websites was directly intentional, however, it remains unclear as numerous biases could lead a company to explicitly censor more than originally intended.   This incident, albeit small, shows how detrimental censorship of the internet can be and why the internet needs to remain publically uncensored.  Ã‚   It is extremely important that the First Amendment be rigorously upheld in the United States of America as it is the major piece of legislation that prohibits extreme censorship. For this reason, totalitarian control of the internet has not been observed in the United States but other countries can be used as examples of this. The People’s Republic of China is notorious for their strict censorship of the internet, especially social media, and suppression of news and information. According to the 2018 World Press Freedom Index, China is the one hundred and seventy-sixth (fourth worst) least free states as President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party implement extreme censorship and surveillance on the citizens (RWB, 2018). China has been very innovative to censor the internet by creating different apps and networking sites that resemble sites like Facebook and Twitter (Walker & Orttung, 77). China’s censored version of Twitter, called Sina Weibo, has a massive member base with over six hundred million users.   Key to their censorship is strict criminal punishments for publicizing thoughts, ideologies, and ideas that go against China and the Communist Party (Walker & Orttung, 78). China also restricts nearly all forms of media by requiring newspapers to register with the government and all television is broadcasted by government-run China Central Television. The extreme censorship in China has taken the voices away from the people and subjected them to only the thoughts and rhetoric provided by the government. This is extremely dangerous as nearly all forms of dissidence, personal expression, thought exploration, education, and legitimate news are deprived from the people so that they unintentionally surrender themselves to the country. In order for democracy and freedom to remain in the United States, it is absolutely essential that the internet and social media remain free from government interaction. The Importance of Social Media The growing accessibility and prevalence of the internet in daily lives has allowed for social medias to play pivotal roles in individuals’ personal lives, politics, and society as a whole. Both Facebook and Twitter have become major sources of news, information, and misinformation in America. Both of these sites have become hubs for people to share their personal opinions in reaction to the news, especially politics. Politics in America has become more polarized than ever which has increased greatly increased tensions and amplified party affiliations from the election of Barack H. Obama in 2008 to the election of Donald J. Trump in 2016. Misinformation, especially political misinformation, has become increasingly more prevalent and believed through platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Misinformation can be partially attributed to motivated reasoning, the illusion of objectivity, and partisan-driven motivated reasoning as they explain why voters cling to certain ideologies, misperceptions, and corrections (Thorson, 463; Berinsky, 7; Nyhan & Reifler). In short, motivated reasoning is a phenomenon where one will support a desired conclusion if they can rationalize it (Kunda, 482-483). A study researching the presence and diffusions on Twitter during the 2012 election showed that rumors were shared by polarized accounts that created â€Å"‘echo chambers’ defined by political homophily that were based on ideological attitudes not truth and merit† (Shin, Jian, Driscoll, & Bar, 1227). Social media sites harbor misinformation because they are highly polarized, therefore misinformation is more likely to become believed via motivated reasoning if it aligns with one’s belief system or party alliance. An extremely detrimental piece of misinformation began in 1988 when Andrew Wakefield published a report that incorrectly liked the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine to autism. This link has been extensively discredited yet still persists and has caused numerous recent outbreaks of measles. In a study conducted by Mark R. Joslyn and Steven M. Sylvester, they found the individuals’ belief in this myth became politicized and lead to faulty governance and policies that allowed outbreaks to occur (Joslyn & Sylvester, 17). Although this report was false, it is important for it to be noted that social media has enough power to influence politics and government. Social media also becomes an accessible intermediate that exposes its users to current news, political beliefs, and ideologies. Numerous studies show that social media becomes an environment where individuals can find like-minded individuals and share their thoughts, however, those same factors also nourish misinformation.   As previously mentioned, Donald J. Trump coined the term â€Å"fake news† when referring to news that is not favorable toward him or his administration, regardless if the news is actually true or false. This term is extremely problematic because it discounts journalists providing truthful information while diminishing that problem that legitimately false news poses. False news tends to spread faster and quicker, however, eventually, it tends to reach a much smaller audience. In 2016, a tenth of conservative Republicans accounted for consuming sixty-five percent of fake news (Carey, 2018). In order to tackle this problem, Facebook has embedded a fact-checking service into flagged articles so the consumer knows it is misinformation before they choose to share it (Hunt). Fake news and â€Å"fake news† are both very real problems as legitimate journalism is of value and should be protected. Censorship is a dangerous tool that should be used in a very selective manner as it can deprive individuals of necessary information. In the United States of America, it is incredibly important that the First Amendment is upheld as it provides all citizens with a voice and platform to both share and receive thoughts, information, news, and ideologies. Free speech and free press absolutely has its downsides as dangerous misinformation can easily be shared and believed but the benefits of freedom of speech and press are so much greater. Protection of freedom of the internet is essential in order for the United States to remain a democratic, liberated, and just nation. References Berinsky, A. J. (2015). Rumors and Health Care Reform: Experiments in Political Misinformation. British Journal of Political Science,47(02), 241-262. doi:10.1017/s0007123415000186 Censorship [Def. 1]. (2018, April 25). In The Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/censorship 2018 World Press Freedom Index(Rep.). (2018, April 25). Retrieved May 3, 2018, from Reporters Without Borders: For Freedom Information website: https://rsf.org/en/ranking/2018 Hull, M. (1999). Censorship in America : A Reference Handbook. Retrieved May 1, 2018, from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezp1.lib.umn.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/[emailprotected]essionmgr120&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_I&rid=0 Jensen, C. (n.d.). Censored News Stories. Retrieved May 3, 2018, from http://projectcensored.org/about-us/ Joslyn, M. R., & Sylvester, S. M. (2017). The Determinants and Consequences of Accurate Beliefs About Childhood Vaccinations. American Politics Research. doi:10.1177/153267317745342 Kunda, Z. (1990). The case for motivated reasoning. Psychological Bulletin,108(3), 480-498. doi:10.1037//0033-2909.108.3.480 Nyhan, B., & Reifler, J. (November 30, 2016). Do People Actually Learn From Fact-Checking?Evidence from a longitudinal study during the 2014 campaign. University of Exeter. Retrieved April 17, 2018. Shin, J., Jian, L., Driscoll, K., & Bar, F. (2016). Political rumoring on Twitter during the 2012 US presidential election: Rumor diffusion and correction. New Media & Society,19(8), 1214-1235. doi:10.1177/1461444816634054 Thorson, E. (2015). Belief Echoes: The Persistent Effects of Corrected Misinformation. Political Communication,33(3), 460-480. doi:10.1080/10584609.2015.1102187 United States Constitution,  § Amendment I (1787). Walker, C., & Orttung, R. W. (2014). Breaking the News: The Role of State-Run Media. Journal of Democracy,25(1), 71-85. doi:10.1353/jod.2014.0015

Bruce Dawes poems Essay

Bruce Dawes poems explore the impacts of consumer culture and are an indictment of the growing materialism in modern society. In Enter Without So Much As Knocking (1962), Dawe portrays a world dominated by consumerism, which has lead to `conformity, and eroded the individuality of many people. The idea that our view of the world can only be seen through television and that our experience of life is restricted and controlled by it is highlighted in the satirical poem, Tele Vistas.(1977) This idea is revisited in The Not So Good Earth.(1966) Television in consumer society is the prime source of information and entertainment. Dawe expresses his concern that we have become desensitized to human suffering because it is presented to us as entertainment. The central message of the satirical poem Enter Without So Much As Knocking by Bruce Dawe is that â€Å"you are dust and unto dust you shall return†. Dawe’s biblical allusion emphasizes that it doesn’t matter how many consumer items and materialistic things are bought, everybody ends up the same way, back to dust again. Society is portrayed as the product of the consumer age and human life is determined as a by-product, lacking in real value and soon rendered obsolete. Dawe suggests that contemporary society is false and superficial. The intertextual reference to ‘Bobby Dazzler’ epitomizes this: an empty smile behind the welcoming faà §ade reinforced through the superficial clichà © â€Å"all you lucky people† undercut by Dawe’s mocking tone in â€Å"and he really was lucky because it didn’t mean a thing to him†. The family is defined in terms of what they look like in advertising jargon: the mother is ‘economy size’. Consumerism now defines identity or lack of individuality. This brings the idea that in order to belong to a consumer based society, the individual must conform. This idea is reinforced through negative listing in â€Å"he was old enough to be realistic like every other godless money-hungry back-stabbing miserable so-and-so†. The derogatory labeling is a clichà ©d reference to the gossiping and derisive comments that characterize the materialistic culture Dawe is criticizing in his poem. Tele vistas (1977) is another satirical poem where humans are identified on the terms of brand names of communication companies, â€Å" Sanyo-orientated, Rank-Arena bred†. This use of metaphor reinforces how identity is shaped by  consumer culture – their character/personalization is determined by their choice of technology. The modern god is television and its viewing content is being satirized heavily by Dawe. This poem thoroughly ridicules the dominance of television media in our lives. Reality is defined by media constructs – relationships and human conversation comes second. Through Dawe’s indictment of consumer culture, he raises the issue that modern society lacks identity, individuality and purpose and that contemporary Australians are typically co-dependent on television for basic human interaction, †a faulty tube led to their meeting†. The romantic cliche’s juxtaposed with references to television suggest that the relationship of the couple would not have occurred without TV. The demise of the relationship is foreshadowed through the juxtaposition of ‘ever-faithful’ with an alliterative metaphoric reference to ‘’World at War’ in the final lines of the poem. Dawe suggests that relationships built on shared consumerism are ultimately shallow and unstable. The Not So Good Earth, like Tele Vistas, is centered on the commonplace activity of watching television. Dawe expresses his concern that individuals have become desensitized to human suffering because it is presented as entertainment. Vivid imagery of human suffering is juxtaposed with the upbeat tone to describe the satisfaction achieved by a good quality picture. This is made evident through the phrase, â€Å"using the contrast knob to bring them up dark, all those screaming faces†. Life footage is depicted as a product like a movie to be judged on its value to the consumer through, â€Å"on the quieter parts where they’re just starving away†. It is a very satirical poem that creates black humor. Through the characters’ complete insensitivity and absence of either empathy or sympathy, Dawe expresses amazement at the complacency of people in our society. A metaphoric and satirical reference is made by the poet commenting on the destruction of less privileged communities â€Å"We never did find out how it finished up†¦ Dad at this stage tripped over the main lead in the dark, hauling the whole set down smack on its inscrutable face, 600 million Chinese without a trace†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The light tone that focuses on the loss of the TV trivializes the loss of life referred to in these lines. By adopting the voice of a consumer Dawe parodies consumer culture and exposes the insensitivity that accompanies  shallow materialistic values. Enter Without So Much As Knocking (1962)outlines how consumer culture has eroded the individuality of people. This is also evident in Tele Vistas (1977) as Dawe portrays that life can only be seen through a television screen, not through common encounters. The Not So Good Earth (1966)is a very satirical poem that creates black humor through the idea that society has become desensitized to human suffering due to consumerism.

Health and Health Care Essay

The book â€Å"Health and Health Care 2010: The Forecast, The Challenge† by Roy Amara et al. provides detailed analysis of trends that will affect health care policies and practices by 2010. In particular, the authors have made an excellent effort to forecast stability and volatility of health care in the USA. The authors cover the following topics: health care forecast, demographic trends, health care demands, health insurance, children’s health, medical and information technologies, diversity and the workforce. Managers and staff members will find the chapters about information and medical technologies of particular interest. Nevertheless, the issue of ablation is paid too little attention. The authors argue that the primary purpose of the book is to make readers aware of critical factors that affect health care system in the beginning of the 21st century. When speaking about demographic trends and burden of disease, they claim that American population will be more ethnically diverse and older. Thus, such situation will be very likely to result in increased number of chronic diseases. One more important problem is that health care costs have increased meaning that less people can afford highly-qualified medical support. The authors predict growth of Medicare and Medicaid by 2010 due to changes in health care insurance systems. They say that â€Å"during the 1990’s, the managed care became the dominant health care insurance and delivery system, covering more than 60 percent of publicly and privately insured lives†. (p. XX) Managed care plays is argued to play important role in controlling national expenditures on health care, and people are provided with coordinated health care. Nevertheless, managed care is highly criticized by physicians, the media and consumers, but the government decided to make managed care an effective mechanism of controlling costs and delivering health care. The way the health care system is organized is swiftly changing, and surplus of hospital beds will contribute to consumer’s market. However, intermediaries will be entailed with a new role. The authors mention that the negative moment is that little changes were provided in the way the physicians practice medicine. Even the invention of the telephone, the computer and Internet didn’t significantly change medical practices. Of course, exceptions are present. It is physicians who are the central figures in health care, but surplus of doctors and new roles of health care providers are very likely to shift that paradigm over the next decades. New medical and information technologies are of particular interest for managers and staff members, and they are claimed to be the key driving force in organization of the health care system in the beginning of the 21st century. The problem is that health care industry is the last in implementing information technologies that would increase quality and effectiveness of health care delivery. The authors write that â€Å"beginning in the19th century, medicine has made great strides in verifying the germ theory, creating aseptic surgical techniques, discovering antibiotics, developing anesthesia, and imaging the inside of the body†. (p. 111) Of course, the impact of such innovations is undeniable and huge as physicians gained an excellent opportunity to improve public health, to extend the life span, and to improve the quality of life. Moreover, the quality of health care delivering was heightened as well. Nine medical technologies are argued to significantly affect the outcomes of patient care and health care delivering: rational drug design, advances in imaging, minimally invasive surgery, genetic mapping, genetic testing, gene therapy, artificial blood, effective vaccines, implementation of stem cells and xenotransplantation. Stem cells â€Å"can generate all other types of cells in the body and therefore hold great promise for replacing or repairing tissues and organs damaged by disease†. (p. 131) Researches of stem cells are nowadays one of the most interesting, the most promising and contradictive area of discussions and medical researches. Many researchers agree that development of the new method would open new doors before medicine. Some scientists say that creating of new human embryo must be prohibited, because it s morally unacceptable and religiously unethical. The authors continue that medical management is implemented sporadically nowadays. In particular, medical management is defined as an active management of the care of the population. Today, medical management fully depends on information systems that are used for monitoring and tracking medical processes and outcomes. Disease management programs positively impact medical practices and patient management. When speaking about public health, the authors admit that â€Å"over the past 30 years the public health system has operated under pressures of resource scarcity, limits in leadership, and organizational fragmentation†. (p. 9) Public health system is safety-net medical provider, and economic problems make its performance hardly bearable. Over the next decades global forces will the context in which public health systems will be very likely to operate. The authors conclude that global economies increase health risks and, therefore, public health system should be embedded in the context of global threats and opportunities. Cost-effective technologies should be developed for enhancing surveillance, screening and environmental health. Finally, public health strategies should aim at employing ecological strategies as ecology is human and structural determinant of health behavior. Managed care will remain dominant in health care insurance. References Amara, R. et al. (2003). Health and Health Care 2010: The Forecast, The Challenge (2nd ed. ). Princeton, NJ: Jossey-Bass.

Free Essays on The Mafia

The Mafia, also known as organized crime or the mob, began as early as the 9th century. By the early 1900’s every large state in the United States had its own Mafia sanction. They concentrated on protection rackets. Soon they expanded by racketeering in other areas such as gambling, prostitution, and bootlegging. But it wasn’t until Prohibition in the 1920’s that organized crime gained almost complete control of illegal bootlegging, narcotic trafficking, gambling, and many other illegal activities. â€Å"A clear line divided the underworld from the upperworld. Members of the Mafia spent most of their times in occasional spates of killing and stealing, as well as in all the mundane activities of any conventional life† (Fox 11). Somewhere between the killing, stealing, and conventional life, the gangsters made their own world. â€Å" It was a middle-earth of smoky nightclubs, the flash of chorus girls in a spotlight, a sprinkling of trumpet and saxophone, and time seemed to stop in a boozy moment of romance and glamour† (Fox 77). In the milieus the men of the underworld met to loaf and plot. Here too the people of the upperworld came to stand and gawk, to partake briefly of what they wanted only in small safe doses. â€Å"Because nightclubs, boxing matches, and racetracks had all been illegal or at least Curran 2 improper, they offered a natural habitat for these notorious gangsters. â€Å"The gangster’s presence made them all the more enticing to the upperworld, with a glistening edge of mystery and danger† (Fox 77). The Mafia participated in many illegal activities, but drug trafficking was one they seemed to flourish in. Their drug related activities posed a threat not only to the adult population who used drugs but also to the children involved as their agents. The trafficking of narcotics often led to many murders, which the Mafia never hesitated to partake in. Many gang wars took place throughout this period.... Free Essays on The Mafia Free Essays on The Mafia The Mafia, also known as organized crime or the mob, began as early as the 9th century. By the early 1900’s every large state in the United States had its own Mafia sanction. They concentrated on protection rackets. Soon they expanded by racketeering in other areas such as gambling, prostitution, and bootlegging. But it wasn’t until Prohibition in the 1920’s that organized crime gained almost complete control of illegal bootlegging, narcotic trafficking, gambling, and many other illegal activities. â€Å"A clear line divided the underworld from the upperworld. Members of the Mafia spent most of their times in occasional spates of killing and stealing, as well as in all the mundane activities of any conventional life† (Fox 11). Somewhere between the killing, stealing, and conventional life, the gangsters made their own world. â€Å" It was a middle-earth of smoky nightclubs, the flash of chorus girls in a spotlight, a sprinkling of trumpet and saxophone, and time seemed to stop in a boozy moment of romance and glamour† (Fox 77). In the milieus the men of the underworld met to loaf and plot. Here too the people of the upperworld came to stand and gawk, to partake briefly of what they wanted only in small safe doses. â€Å"Because nightclubs, boxing matches, and racetracks had all been illegal or at least Curran 2 improper, they offered a natural habitat for these notorious gangsters. â€Å"The gangster’s presence made them all the more enticing to the upperworld, with a glistening edge of mystery and danger† (Fox 77). The Mafia participated in many illegal activities, but drug trafficking was one they seemed to flourish in. Their drug related activities posed a threat not only to the adult population who used drugs but also to the children involved as their agents. The trafficking of narcotics often led to many murders, which the Mafia never hesitated to partake in. Many gang wars took place throughout this period....

Fogdog Essay Example

Fogdog Essay Example Fogdog Essay Fogdog Essay Donna De Verona represented women, but there Is no Information about her contribution to the company aside from her probable media connections. Id rather recommend inviting to the board more outside directors to make the decision-making process unbiased and transparent. The separation of the roles of the Chairman and CEO is one more condition that I would remain unchanged. The dominance of venture capitalist Investors has turned to be a complete failure for the company. As, on the one hand, they were passive and not willing to participate in strategic management. Investors dont take responsibility for the companys operations, they are merely participate in the profits. Venture capitalists were over-committed In terms of the number of board seats they held, which limited the amount of time they could spend with any one company [Case, p. 1 | On the other hand, when they faced the risk of losing capital and not reaching short-term profitability, they were not able to consider allowing the management team to proceed accomplishing their long-term plan, thus leading the company to the end of Its Independent existence. Its a Coos responsibility to nominate the board members, and shareholders have to appoint the nominees. So they equally can be blamed for the company not possessing the most effective board possible. : Moreover, Its a Tim Harrington fault n letting the board behave passively, as it was convenient for him to make strategic decisions practically alone. To draw the conclusion, to execute best practice board and composition It Is necessary to: Increase the number of outside directors (non-affiliated Leave the separation of Chairman and CEO; Reduce the number of PVC investors; Invite directors with extensive knowledge of product, of rapidly changing environment, with proved reputation and willingness to contribute to the long-term success of the company. . Two month before the crucial meeting it became clear for management team that there was not enough cash to achieve profitability: Fog needed an additional $15 million to $20 million. That was not possible due to the extremely tight financial environment for Internet companies at that time. [Case, p. 101 Tim Harrington and his team tried to work on the first option, determined by the board of directors, in order to save the company, wh ich included the amendment of Dustless model to conclave pronto TTY slung ten scans available. I nee consolable TN partnership with brick-and-mortar retailers as one of the ways out. One of the estates, I think, was the companys concentration on attracting capital. The CEO could have foreseen that challenging business climate would affect dramatically Fogs performance, and could put at least half of his forces to adopt to it. Besides this, as Ralph Sparks noticed, and I cant but agree with him, the operating expenses were too high, so that it was difficult for a company to show net income. Another mistake was in missing the opportunity to establish brick-and-mortar partnership, while the conditions were more favorable for Fog. Nevertheless, it can be said, hat Tim and his management team did a great work on revision of the Fogs business plan to amend it to reach profitability in the long run. Tim thought, that it was better to ask for forgiveness than beg for permission, because he didnt believe that anyone in the board besides him was able to make a substantive decision. He pretended to know the company and its needs best. He saw that the board lacks commitment and stimulus but, as a leader, made no attempt to correct the situation. As it was already mentioned, it seemed convenient to him to be responsible to make decision with no interference from the passive board. Thus if anything goes wrong he can ask for forgiveness, but he was self-confident and was sure that his direction is the right one. This overconfidence made harm to Fog, notwithstanding the fact, that Tim Harrington can be considered a respectable CEO. Moreover, the members didnt appreciate Times self-confidence in making decisions although his work was directed on a long-term success of a company. 3. As a venture capitalist Im interested to see the return of my investment. The long- term results about which CEO speaks every time are quite questionable and uncertain, as I see that the situation is getting worse every minute. And the evidence or it is the dramatically reduction of Fogs stock price from its $1 1 offering price per share in December, 1999, to less than $1 in the end of August. Concerning the financial environment affecting the Internet companies (and Fog is not the exception), it becomes too risky for a company to survive alone. I am quite anxious about shareholders interests, because as a board member, its my duty to make sure that nothing threatens their deserved benefit. It is too much obvious that it would be better to sell the company (and receive 0. 135 of a share of Global Sports common stock for each share [9]) rather that observe how it decays.

Identification of Relevant and Irrelevant Cost - Coca Cola Flavored Essay

Identification of Relevant and Irrelevant Cost - Coca Cola Flavored Milk - Essay Example In the mid of 2007, the company underwent some serious planning regarding the extension of current product lines. Carbonated drinks, mineral water, fruit juices and other non-alcoholic beverages were already there in company’s product portfolio, yet the company realized the importance of adding a new product in the form of flavored milks. The launch of this new product under the name of Coca-Cola’s brand name is one of the most challenging tasks for the product managers as well as the project managers of the company. The research and development department of the company undertook rigorous workings on the proposed launch of flavored milk. The whole research process followed the different stages including planning, development of the new product, testing, commercial viability, branding, initial launch of the new product and many other activities. Each of these activities had its own cost estimates which are considered as either relevant or non-relevant. Planning Stage Th e planning stage is the general stage for all those products that are intended to be launched. The costs arising due to this activity are always considered as irrelevant because the planning process always keeps going on irrespective of the fact whether a new product is launched or not in the current timeframe. The general expenditure of Coca-Cola on account of its planning activity amounts to around $1 million annually. However, this cost is the general expense of the company and cannot be allocated to the product cost of flavored milk. Development Stage Once a basic formula is identified for one or more products, then development stage is commenced in order to create a better product. However, this activity is carried out for every product that can be produced by the company irrespective of the fact whether it would be launched by the company or not. As a result, the expenditures pertaining to this particular stage are considered to be irrelevant and assumed to be accounted for as the general research and development expenditures of the company. The rough estimates of Coca-Cola under this activity, ranges between $1 and $3 million depending upon the level of estimates. Testing Stage After the products are developed, there comes the next stage in which the products are gone through rigorous testing activities such that the products are tested in a real environment and timeframe. The taste, quality, odor, and other characteristics of the product are tested by the consumers as how they rate those products as per their own taste preferences. Since this process also occurs on uniform basis for every developed product, therefore the cost pertaining to testing is considered as irrelevant. Roughly estimates of this cost ranges around $0.5 million to$2 million a year and is expensed out on general basis. Commercial Viability Testing stage leads to the stage where the products are checked for their viability as to whether a particular product would be liked and accept ed by the consumers, concerns of distributers regarding the effective transportation of the product as the product is at its birth stage and with many other issues. This cost is the piercing cost among the relevant and irrelevant cost. It depends upon the policy of the company whether to account for this cost as a relevant or irrelevant cost. Branding After it is decided as to which product is going to be launched in the market, effective marketing strategies are formulated

A History of Hesbulla Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

A History of Hesbulla - Essay Example The paper "A History of Hesbulla" has four parts. Part one is about the origins of Hesbulla. Part two outlines and explains the ideologies that led to the creation, development, and the current state of Hesbulla. Part three reports on its major developments since foundation to the present. Part four is an assessment of how to situate the organization and its plans in current international and domestic affairs. Trouble in the Middle East has been going on for centuries as Arabs and Jews fought over land that both claimed to be theirs. During the time of the Roman Empire some two thousand years ago, the countries that are now known as Israel, Palestine, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon have been a battleground among conquering and conquered peoples and nations. These conflicts reached a major flashpoint after the Second World War when the State of Israel was created in 1948 (Owen, 1992). Recounting this brief historical background is important to realize that the Middle East conflict is not r ooted in Islamic ideology, but something that is perhaps deeper and that goes farther back in time. However, Islam was a strong factor that provided a cultural and religious bond for differing Middle Eastern Arabic tribes to unite against a common enemy, the Jews, although Islam was not a guarantee of peace in itself as it too was racked by different streams of thought: Shi’a, Sunni, Salafi, Kurds, etc. For centuries and even before Israel was created in 1948, these Arabic tribes fought each other as vehemently as they now fight against Israel (Tarrow, 1994; Owen, 1992). Lebanon, which shares a southern border with the northern tip of Israel, received Palestinian refugees who were driven out by the newly created Israeli state in 1948. When these refugees, who were understandable in thinking that their lands were "stolen" from them by the newly erected Jewish state, attempted to regain those lands by committing acts of aggression and violence as a Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), the Israeli armed forces retaliated by attacking the PLO and expelling them from Jordan. The PLO settled in the southern part of Lebanon, where their guerillas were trained and from where they continued to mount attacks against Israel (Norton, 2007; Qassem, 2005; Shapira, 1988). In 1982, Israel began to attack PLO strongholds in southern Lebanon, where it remained until 1985. It was during this three-year period that Hesbulla was born as a resistance movement against Israeli occupation.