Motivation Factor Toward Vitamin Supplement

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Background of the Research Vitamin supplements bring added nutritional values to people’s health. With their contents of the certain recommended amount of minerals and vitamins needed for staying healthy, vitamin supplements have become more and more popular especially for those with hectic and busy lifestyles. These people believe that daily or regular consumption of vitamin supplements helps to ensure the proper intake of nutrition needed—a compensation for what they might have missed or lost as a result of workload or lifestyle.Unlike medicines or drugs for any medicinal purpose, vitamin supplements are taken for various reasons. Strength, health, and energy seem to take the lead as the top priorities, while illusions of youthfulness, fear of lack of complete nutrients, or long term protection follow. As work life and lifestyle in the global community have become more dynamic and healthy meals with proper dining are rare, people have resor ted more to the help of vitamin supplements. Advertising plays a major part in creating more desire for vitamin supplements.Several marketing schemes of pharmaceutical manufacturers make a continued bombardment of publicity, using both soft and hard persuasion to convince consumers believe in the efficacy of vitamin supplements. These movements create motivational factors for consumers, and their reasons for consumption of vitamin supplements can be endless. Modern lifestyle and work behavior remain the catalyst for the market viability of vitamin supplements. While vitamin supplements aim to maintain the good health of their consumers, they could deteriorate health in many ways.Natural nutrition is certainly better than short-cut nutrition. The market, the manufacturers, and the consumers who live a fast-paced lifestyle should look for equilibrium of vitamin supplement exposure. The supplements should help enhance people’s wellbeing, instead of benefiting certain groups. 1. 1. 1 Consumption of Vitamin Supplements Nowadays, people are concerned about their health and they think that they do not eat proper, well-balanced, and nutritious foods which results in a lack of key vitamins, illness, and poor health.This is especially true of businessmen and office workers because, as the world is moving at a busy and faster pace, they spend most of the time working, which uses all their mental and physical energy, and sometimes they are very stressed and do not often eat proper food and rely instead on junk food or fast food because of its convenience. Therefore, these people purchase vitamin supplements to prevent nutritional deficiencies. People do not purchase and consume food supplements or health products as a cure.They purchase and consume then because they think vitamin supplements can help them improve their quality of life. There are several motivational factors that encourage business people or office workers to purchase vitamin supplements which creat e the demand in the market. The market for vitamin supplements has increased significantly because they have the need to consume vitamin supplements which play an important role in providing nutrition which supports and maintains their good health. 1. 2 Statement of the ProblemConsumers of vitamin supplements are mostly business people in the central business districts (CBD) of any of the big cities in the world. Bangkok is no exception. With increasing stress, workload, and the hectic lifestyle of many CBDs in Bangkok, Thai business people try to keep their health stable by consuming more vitamin supplements, rather than observing proper gastronomy. Vitamin supplements of imported and local brands flood the shelves of trendy drug stores like Boots and other popular dispensaries.GNC, an American brand of vitamin supplements, has started to appear around downtown Bangkok’s shopping malls. Competition among manufacturers of vitamin supplements has become fierce, while several c onsumers have started to realize the side-effects of long-term intake of vitamin supplements. The issues of both the pharmaceutical market’s competitiveness and growing awareness of natural nutrients seem to be intertwined within the consumers’ minds.This study therefore aims to identify the motivational factors of the consumers in CBD Bangkok in their purchase intention of vitamin supplements. Recognizing the motivational factors reveals the consumers’ rationale and the impact of marketing techniques that have brought vitamin supplements to their present status. Manufacturers—both at home and abroad—will benefit from realizing consumers’ motivational factors, so that they are able to plan their research well and develop the technical and marketing sides.Surely Thailand, as a tropical country where herbs and pharmaceutical ingredients are found in abundance for making good vitamin supplements, can partake in this fierce competition with succ ess, while the imported brands are ready to compete in any overseas market. However, if vitamin supplements are to become an essential food for people in CBD, all parties concerned need to use studies of consumers’ motivational factors to determine directions that not only yield a healthy result to the consumers but help them avoid risks too. . 3 Research Questions 1. What motivates business people in central business district (CBD) to purchase vitamin supplements? 2. What characterizes the profile of business people of central business district (CBD) in relationship with their consumption of vitamin supplements? 1. 4 Research Objectives 1. To identify motivational factors of business people in buying vitamin supplements; 2. To describe characteristics and behavior of business people in relation to their decision to purchase vitamin supplements; and, 3.To describe the characteristics and behavior of business people in relation to their decision to consume vitamin supplements. 1. 5 Scope of the Research This research aims to understand motivational factors affecting purchase intention regarding office workers and vitamin supplements. The research will break down into four main variables which constitute Individual Characteristics, Situational and Attitudinal Factors, Motivational Factors, and Purchase Intention of vitamin supplements. The target population was around the Silom area which it is the center of the business area and the most crowded place in Bangkok.The respondents were executive managers, senior managers, and managers or work in lower positions. 1. 6 Limitation of the Research This research was conducted in the Silom area because it is a central business area of office workers. Hence, the result of the research might be different if data are collected from other areas because of difference in demographics and individual characteristics. 1. 7 Significance of the Research The importance of this study is primarily focused on understanding what motivates office workers in terms of the benefits of, and their intent to purchase vitamin supplements.The outcome will be able to help people concerned about the need to consume vitamin supplements through studies of the motivational factors to determine the directions that provide a healthy result to office workers as well as to characterize their individual profiles regarding the intent to purchase vitamin supplements. It will also be useful for marketers to help them analyze and evaluate this study to assist marketing management in marketing decisions and formulating strategies to increase efficiency. 1. 8 Definition of Terms Central Business District (CBD) – the central district of a city or it is office or retail center of the city. In this study, the survey was conducted in the Silom area as it is the center of the business area and suitable for understanding motivational factors on purchase intention of office workers which are the target of this study. * Vitamin sup plements – vitamin supplements help provide a consistent source of necessary vitamins and nutrition. People who are busy in their working life and do not eat properly would benefit from taking vitamin supplements.CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 1 Theories 2. 1. 1 Individual Characteristics Individual characteristics can be classified in many ways such as age, gender, educational level, income and personal appearance. It can refer to a set of personal traits of individuals (Schiffman and Kanuk, 2000). Individual characteristics can be described demographically or physically. Individual characteristics are unique. Some people may have the same characteristics in some areas just as some people may look Asian but no one person is identified to another.People will have different characteristics. According to Beatty and Smith (1987), and Mitchell (1993), demographic factors can fall into one category of individual characteristics which gender and age are mostly described as factors that usually affect consumer behavior. Additionally, we can include other individual characteristics such as educational level, working position and income, household size and time that spent on groceries shopping as factors that affect consumer behavior as well. Educational level can strongly affect consumer behavior.People with a higher education tend to spend more time searching for information and are willing to try something new in the market. Some products are designed for and required by highly-educated person such as laboratory equipment, international textbooks, etc. A Less educated person may seek and consume ordinary or routine products. They tend to have less awareness of new innovative products. Working status and income are perfectly related to each other. People cannot gain an income if they do not work. Income levels vary according to working status and position.Working status and income are usually used as influential factors that could affect consumer behavior. The re is no market when there is no income. Income is required by profitable markets. What people can afford affects the products that people are likely to buy. Therefore, income is often one of the most popular demographic factors used to study the effects of consumer behavior. A household is an individual who lives alone or a group of individuals living together in a common dwelling, regardless of whether they are related.Households can be cohabitating couples who are unmarried and the opposite sex, same sex or simply roommates. Household size is determined by the number of people who live in the dwelling. Household size could affect buying decisions and consumer behavior. Logically, each household is likely to buy and consume different products at different quantities. Lastly, for individual characteristics, time spent on groceries is the number of hours spent grocery shopping per week. According to the study of Goodman (2008), over 32 million American adults shop at a grocery store on a typical day.That is a large population density in grocery shops which could be a potential market for marketers. The time spent grocery shopping may affect the buying behavior of consumers in terms of buying more other products. 2. 1. 2 Situational and Attitudinal Factors Consumer behavior of individuals could be affected by the individual’s needs, benefits sought, attitudes, motivation and purchasing situation. Since people have different attitudes, beliefs and situations, consumer behavior of each person will be expressed differently as well.Situational factors are all those factors related to the time and place of observation which do not require the knowledge of a person. These factors could strongly affect consumer behavior (Beck, 1975). People may act and consume differently in different purchasing situations. Time influences a purchase situation. Attitudinal factors are related to an individual’s tendency toward a specific thing and it is also a personâ₠¬â„¢s propensity to be persistent and consistent.Attitude encompasses general knowledge and constitutes the cognitive, emotions, and actions. When an individual holds a positive attitude toward a target, he or she will hold the same attitude toward a similar target (Ajzen & Fishbein, 2005). According to the study of Kim and Chung (2011), health consciousness and appearance consciousness could affect consumer behavior. People who are at the stage of health and appearance consciousness do care about the desired stage of well-being and are willing to put in hard effort to maintain this.People with high health and appearance consciousness tend to spend more time searching for information on healthy living and they are likely to buy more vitamin supplements and other related health products. According to the Oxford English Dictionaries, a special diet means a special course of food to which people restrict themselves with either the purpose to lose weight or for medical reasons. It impli es a specific intake of vitamin supplements or nutrition for weight management and health purposes. Grocery shopper can be used to measure motivation regarding consumer perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors.The more involved grocery shoppers go shopping by themselves and are more likely to employ purchase strategies that will enhance their purchase intention (Smith & Carsky, 1996). A meal planner is also the same, according to Moore and Lehmann (1980), who found that an individual who is a meal planner or who prepares food seems to be more involved in purchase intention. Hence, they will be concerned about their food and nutrition and if they think they may lack benefits from their meals, they will be more likely to purchase vitamin supplements. . 1. 3 Motivational factors and product class involvement factors Consumer motivation is described as the influences that lead a consumer’s behavior toward a goal (Wang, 2001). Motivational factors are identified as a set of specific factors that influence motivation to individual needs. According to Drichoutis, Lazaridis, and Nayga Jr, (2007), this study defines price, nutrition, ease of intake, brand, and advertisement as variables in a measurement of product involvement, referred to by Moorthy (1997), which in this case is vitamin supplements.In addition, Rose (1994), and Thayer (1997) both concluded that these factors are important in consumer purchase intention. Price has a psychological impact that is used to influence consumer purchasing power. Nutrition can be defined as food or nourishment that is needed to keep growing, healthy, and to support life. Ease of intake has an emphasis on the convenience and difficulties of taking vitamin supplements. Brand enables a consumer to easily identify products of a particular company and decide to purchase them.Advertisement reflects an increasing trend in which people are concerned about their health. 2. 1. 4 Purchase Intention Purchase intention is a measurement of the possibility that a consumer will purchase a product and if the purchase intention is high, there is more chance that the consumer is willing to purchase a product. Purchase intention indicates consumers will follow their experience, preference, and motivation to collect information then evaluate their choices and choose alternatives so they can make a decision to purchase a product (Schiffman and Kanuk, 2000).Purchase intention also leads consumers to not just purchase a product once but to repeatedly purchase or repurchase a product and to recommend it to others. Customers repurchase intention depends on the value obtained in their previous transactions (Wathne, 2001; Kaynak, 2003; Bolton, 2000). So purchase intention is based on that value with a relationship with expected future benefits. Recommendation in purchase intention is consumers who are willing to recommend others to purchase the same products that they bought (Olaru, Purchase, & Peterson, 2008).CHAPTER 3 FRAMEWOR K AND METHODOLOGY 3. 1 Theoretical Framework 1. Figure 3. 1 – Drichoutis, A. C. , Lazaridis, P. , & Nayga Jr, R. M. (2007). An assessment of product class involvement in food-purchasing behavior. This study aims to use the following framework to access the factors affecting the importance of different aspects such as price, taste, nutrition, ease of intake, and brand name of products (which in this study is food). The overall involvement with food, based on attribute importance, is affected by attitudinal factors and Socio-economic.In this framework, it provides different profiles of consumers who are not involved or more involved with food based on specific aspects. 2. Figure 3. 2 – Kim, H. Y. , & Chung, J. E. (2011). Consumer purchase intention for organic personal care products. The proposal of this framework attempts to study the effects of consumer values and past experience on consumer purchase intention of organic products and to consider the effect of perceived behavioral control on the attitude intention relationship by using the theory of planned behavior. . 2 Conceptual Framework Individual Characteristics * Age * Gender * Education * Work position * Income * Household Size * Time Spent on Grocery Shopping Figure 3. 3 – Motivational factors on purchase intention of vitamin supplements Purchase Intention * Purchase * Repurchase * Recommend others to purchase Motivational Factors * Price * Nutrition * Ease of Intake * Brand * Advertisement (trend) Situational & Attitudinal Factors * Health Consciousness * Appearance Consciousness * Special Diet Status * Grocery Shopper Meal Planner After clearly understand two theoretical frameworks, the conceptual framework in this research aims to study motivational factors on purchase intention of vitamin supplements regarding office workers in the Silom area. First of all, it is necessary to study individual characteristics of office workers and how these affect purchases of vitamin supplement s. Second, the study aims to identify situational and attitudinal factors that effect on consumer motivation leading to purchase of vitamin supplements.Third, the study aims to consider motivational factors of office workers and their effect on purchase intention of vitamin supplements. 3. 2. 1 Individual Characteristics The demographic factors are included in the individual characteristics category. Gender and age are factors that affect consumer behavior. Moreover, this study used education, working position, income, and household size as factors to further evaluate consumer characteristics to indicate how this effects their motivation and purchase intention of vitamin supplements.This research suggests these factors are crucial to profile consumers that intend to purchase vitamin supplements. 3. 2. 2 Situational & Attitudinal Factors This research defines health consciousness, appearance consciousness, special diet status, grocery shopper, and meal planner under situational and a ttitudinal factors. People who are concerned about their desired state of well-being or require a special course of nutrition are likely to make an effort to maintain a healthy life, and are interested in caring about their appearance, by purchasing vitamin supplements.People who go shopping and prepare meals themselves are more likely to purchase vitamin supplements because these situational and attitudinal factors can influence and motivate an individual’s perception about nutritional values. 3. 2. 3 Motivational Factors Motivational factors are identified as factors that influence motivation of office workers to purchase vitamin supplements. The perceived importance of price, nutrition, ease of intake, brand, and advertisement are included in the model in which these factors are defined to effect consumer perception of the benefits of vitamin supplements and influence their purchase intention.The researcher would like to determine if these factors create a positive or a ne gative relationship toward their purchase intention. 3. 2. 4 Purchase Intention This research defines purchase, repurchase, and recommending others to purchase under the purchase intention category. People are motivated to take action based on their behavior, attitude, and perception so they intend to purchase vitamin supplements for health benefits. They may intend to repurchase in the future based on their previous expectation in products and they may also recommend others to purchase vitamin supplements. . 3 Hypothesis H1o: There is no relationship between situational & attitudinal factors and motivational factors for vitamin supplement consumption H1a: There is a relationship between situational & attitudinal factors and motivational factors for vitamin supplement consumption H2o: There is no relationship between motivational factors and purchase intention of vitamin supplements H2a: There is a relationship between motivational factors and purchase intention of vitamin supplemen ts 3. Operationalization of Variables Variables| Concept of Variable| Operational Component| Measurement Scale| Situational & Attitudinal Factors| – Situational factors are related to the time and place of observation that do not require the knowledge of a person and situational factors could strongly affect consumer behavior (Beck, 1975). – Attitudinal Factors are related to an individual’s tendency toward a specific thing and it is also a person’s propensity to be persistent and consistent (Ajzen & Fishbein, 2005). – Concerned about health and diet all the time- On a special diet due to a health problem – Worried about physical shape and appearance- Do most of the grocery shopping- Always plan all family meals| Interval ScaleQ1 – Q5| Motivational Factors| Motivational factors are identified as a set of specific factors that influence motivation to individual needs (Wang, 2001). – Pay attention to price- Pay attention to nutri tional value – Pay attention to convenience and ease of intake- Pay attention to the brand- Pay attention to popularity, advertisements and social trends| Interval ScaleQ6 – Q10| Purchase Intention| – Purchase intention indicates consumers will follow their preference, experience, and motivation to collect information then evaluate their choices and choose alternatives so they can make a decision to purchase a product (Schiffman and Kanuk, 2000). – Intend to purchase vitamin supplements- Recommend others to purchase- Intend to repeat purchasing| Interval ScaleQ11 – Q13| Individual Characteristics (Personal Information)| Individual characteristics can be classified is many ways such as age, gender, educational level, income and personal appearance. It refers to a set of personal traits of an individual (Schiffman and Kanuk, 2000). | – Gender- Age- Education level – Work position- Household size- Income- Time spent grocery shopping| Ord inal and NominalQ14 – Q20| 3. 5 Statistical Treatment of DataThe research used a quantitative research method to prove the findings. Quantitative research is used to measure how many people feel, think or act in a particular way using surveys or questionnaires. Quantitative research also provides numerical data or can convert data into numbers for a statistical review. The research used a questionnaire for collecting data because it is the most proper way based on the number of questions to be answered and to get reliable data and information from the target population. 3. 5. 1 Respondents Sampling Procedure 1. Target PopulationThe target population was office workers in the Silom area, which we considered to be the suitable location in the business area because this area is very famous, crowded, and at the center of the business area. 2. Sample size and unit The data were collected from 384 sampling units as this is the minimum sample sizes required from the population of of fice workers located in the Silom area. The population of office workers from this area is numerous because Silom is the center of the business area and many people from different areas work there. 3. Sampling ProcedureThe sampling method in this study is non-probability sampling because it is the most appropriate sampling method for this research as the target population are selected at random. Thus the research used the following type of non-probability samples technique in order to get questionnaire completed – Judgmental or Purposive sampling – This sampling is based on the assumption that the researcher can select elements which represent a typical sample from the appropriate target population: office workers in the Silom area. 3. 5. 2 Research Instrument and Questionnaire DesignThe researcher used a self-administered questionnaire which is a tool that helps the respondents to complete the questionnaire. The questionnaire design was based on the conceptual framewo rk and was divided into four parts as follows – Part 1 (Situational & Attitudinal Factors) – this part of the questionnaire is about understanding the situational and attitudinal factors regarding office workers and vitamin supplements. Part 2 (Motivational Factors) – this part of the questionnaire is about understanding the motivational factors of office workers toward vitamin supplements.Part 3 (Purchase Intention) – the researcher wanted to understand office workers purchase intention of vitamin supplements. The researcher would also like to know if they think vitamin supplements are very important in today’s business world. Part 4 (Individual Characteristics) – this part consisted of questions that acquired individual data of the respondent: it helped the researcher to understand what a characteristic profile of office workers are and their attitudes toward vitamin supplements. Questionnaire Scale A 5-point Likert Scale was used in the q uestionnaire. = Strongly Agree 4 = Agree 3 =Neutral 2=Disagree 1=Strongly Disagree 3. 5. 3 Collection of Data The researcher can collect 384 sets of questionnaires from respondents who are office workers in the Silom area. The questionnaire was carried out only during business hours. The researcher spent two weeks collecting questionnaire and the researcher had two assistants to help distribute questionnaires for obtaining data. The researcher collected all questionnaires and analyzed the data using the software package Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). 3. 6 Reliability TestReliability Analysis of Research Instrument To test variables in the questionnaire using Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient scale and if the alpha test result from the calculation is above . 6 or equal, it means that all questions in the questionnaire are reliable and consistent and can be applied as research instruments in this study. Situational and Attitudinal Factors Reliability Statistics| Cron bach's Alpha| No. of Items| .800| 5| Motivational Factors Reliability Statistics| Cronbach's Alpha| No. of Items| .727| 5| Purchase Intention Reliability Statistics| Cronbach's Alpha| No. f Items| .907| 3| Overall Reliability Statistics| Cronbach's Alpha| No. of Items| .895| 13| Table 3. 6: The Summary of Reliability Test Analysis Variables| Alpha test| Situational and Attitudinal Factors| . 800| Motivational Factors| . 727| Purchase Intention| . 907| Overall| . 895| The reliability test results of research instrument according to Table 4. 8 indicate that all variables in the questionnaire are greater than . 6. Therefore, all questions are reliable and consistent and can be applied as research instruments in this study. CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTThe researcher used Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) to analyze the data using the following analyses – Frequency Analysis – To point out the individual characteristics of business people or office workers Descriptive Analysis – To test attitude, motivation, and intention of office workers and point what is the factor that they believe is the most important for them Correlation – To study the relationship or correlation between variables 4. 1 Frequency Analysis Table 4. 1. 1: The Analysis of Gender Levels using Frequency and Percentage Gender| Frequency| Percent| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| Valid| Male| 122| 31. 8| 31. 8| 31. 8| | Female| 262| 68. 2| 68. 2| 100. 0| | Total| 384| 100. 0| 100. 0| | Table 4. 1. 1, indicates that 68. 2% (262) of the respondents were female and 31. 8% (122) were male. Table 4. 1. 2: The Analysis of Age Levels using Frequency and Percentage Age| | Frequency| Percent| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| Valid| 20 – 30 years old| 153| 39. 8| 39. 8| 39. 8| | 31 – 40 years old| 121| 31. 5| 31. 5| 71. 4| | 41 – 50 years old| 78| 20. 3| 20. 3| 91. 7| | 51 – 60 years old| 32| 8. | 8. 3| 100. 0| | Total| 384| 100. 0| 100. 0| | Table 4. 1. 2, indicates that the highest percentages of respondents 39. 8% (153) were 20 to 30. 31. 5% (121) were 31 to 40, 20. 3% (78) were 41 to 50, and 8. 3% (32) were 51 to 60. Table 4. 1. 3: The Analysis of Educational Levels using Frequency and Percentage Educational levels| | Frequency| Percent| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| Valid| Bachelor’s degree or lower| 212| 55. 2| 55. 2| 55. 2| | Master’s degree or higher| 172| 44. 8| 44. 8| 100. 0| | Total| 384| 100. 0| 100. 0| | Table 4. 1. 3, indicates that 55. % (212) of respondents held a bachelor’s degree or lower and 44. 8% (172) held a master’s degree or higher. Table 4. 1. 4: The Analysis of Work Position Levels using Frequency and Percentage Work position| | Frequency| Percent| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| Valid| Manager or lower| 214| 55. 7| 55. 7| 55. 7| | Senior manager| 131| 34. 1| 34. 1| 89. 8| | Executive manager| 39| 10. 2| 10. 2| 100. 0| | Total| 384| 100. 0| 100. 0| | Table 4. 1. 4, indicates that the highest percentages of respondents worked as a manager or a lower position: 55. 7% (214), 34. % (131) were senior managers, and 10. 2% (39) were executive managers. Table 4. 1. 5: The Analysis of Household Size Levels using Frequency and Percentage Number of family members(household size)| | Frequency| Percent| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| Valid| 3 or less| 104| 27. 1| 27. 1| 27. 1| | more than 3| 280| 72. 9| 72. 9| 100. 0| | Total| 384| 100. 0| 100. 0| | Table 4. 1. 5, indicates that most households contained more than 3 people 72. 9% (280), and 27. 1% (104) contained 3 people or less. Table 4. 1. 6: The Analysis of Income Levels using Frequency and Percentage Income per month| Frequency| Percent| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| Valid| Up to 30,000 baht| 217| 56. 5| 56. 5| 56. 5| | Greater than 30,000 baht| 167| 43. 5| 43. 5| 100. 0| | Total| 384| 100. 0| 100. 0| | Table 4. 1. 6, indicates that the highest percentages 56. 5% (217) earned up to 30,000 baht while 43. 5% (167) earned greater than 30,000 baht. Table 4. 1. 7: The Analysis of Time Spent Shopping Levels usuing Frequency and Percentage Total amount of time spent shopping per week| | Frequency| Percent| Valid Percent| Cumulative Percent| Valid| 2 hours or less| 171| 44. 5| 44. 5| 44. 5| more than 2 hours| 213| 55. 5| 55. 5| 100. 0| | Total| 384| 100. 0| 100. 0| | Table 4. 1. 7, indicates that most respondents 55. 5% (213) spent more than 2 hours shopping, and 44. 5% (171) spent 2 hours or less. 4. 2 Descriptive Analysis Table 4. 2. 1: The Analysis of Situational and Attitudinal Factors using Average Mean and Standard Deviation Descriptive Statistics| | N| Mean| Std. Deviation| I am concerned about my health and diet all the time | 384| 3. 85| . 911| I am on a special diet due to a health problem| 384| 2. 96| 1. 207| I often worry about my physical shape and appearance| 384| 2. 8| 1. 269| I do most of the grocery shopping myself| 384| 3. 65| . 985| I always p lan all family meals| 384| 3. 55| . 979| Valid N (listwise)| 384| | | As indicated in table 4. 2. 1, the researcher found that the highest average of situational and attitudinal factors is 3. 85: those concerned about health (health consciousness) and the lowest average is 2. 96: those on a special diet. The highest standard deviation is 1. 269: those who worry about physical shape and appearance (appearance consciousness) and the lowest standard deviation is 0. 911: those concerned about health (health consciousness).Table 4. 2. 2: The Analysis of Motivational Factors using Average Mean and Standard Deviation Descriptive Statistics| | N| Mean| Std. Deviation| I often pay attention to price when I go shopping| 384| 3. 67| . 989| I often pay attention to nutritional value when I do grocery shopping| 384| 3. 75| . 822| I often pay attention to convenience and ease of intake of medicine and vitamins| 384| 3. 63| . 858| I pay attention to the brands of vitamins and supplementary food| 3 84| 3. 42| . 902| I pay attention to popularity, advertisements, and social trends of vitamin consumption| 384| 3. 0| . 958| Valid N (listwise)| 384| | | As indicated in table 4. 2. 2, the researcher found that the highest average of motivational factor is 3. 75: those who pay attention to nutritional value and the lowest average is 3. 20: those who pay attention to the popularity, advertisements, and social trends. The highest standard deviation is 0. 989: those who pay attention to price. The lowest standard deviation is 0. 822: those who pay attention to nutrition value. Table 4. 2. 3: The Analysis of Purchase Intention using Average Mean and Standard Deviation Descriptive Statistics| N| Mean| Std. Deviation| I intent to purchase vitamin supplements| 384| 3. 14| 1. 145| I want to recommend others to purchase vitamin supplements| 384| 3. 28| . 936| I intend to repurchase vitamins and supplements continuously| 384| 3. 09| 1. 156| Valid N (listwise)| 384| | | As indicated in table 4 . 2. 3, the researcher found that the highest average of purchase intention is 3. 28: those who recommend others to purchase vitamin supplements, and the lowest average is 3. 09: those who intend to repurchase vitamin supplements. The highest standard deviation is 1. 56: those who intend to repurchase vitamin supplements and the lowest standard deviation is 0. 936: those who recommend others to purchase vitamin supplements. 4. 3 Inferential Analysis Table 4. 3. 1: The Analysis of the Relationship between Situational & Attitudinal Factors and Motivation using the Person Correlation (Bivariate) Correlations| | MeanSAF| MeanMF| MeanSAF| Pearson Correlation| 1| . 638**| | Sig. (2-tailed)| | . 000| | N| 384| 384| MeanMF| Pearson Correlation| . 638**| 1| | Sig. (2-tailed)| . 000| | | N| 384| 384| **. Correlation is significant at the 0. 1 level (2-tailed). | According to Table 4. 3. 1, the results from the inferential analysis using the Pearson correlation show that the significant is equ al . 000 which is less than . 01 (. 000

Abolitionism and the Uplift Movement

Justin Schenck March 7, 2013 Abolitionism Prof. Price The Uplift Movement and Origins of the â€Å"Black† Church In the late 18th century after the end of the revolution many new opportunities and hopefully thinking caused African Americans to start fighting for equality through the Uplift movement. This was an era where the Great Awakening and Enlightenment were becoming much more popular nationwide. Secret abolition societies and organizations were sprouting up all across the new Republic.These free thinkers and new anti-slavery organizations called for the need of a place to gather without racial discrimination and where the members could feel comfortable. I believe that the solution for this problem was the development of African American churches where racial segregation was not present and the black community along with white activist could gather comfortably for worship, opportunity, social/scholastic education, and held as a place for various activist meetings.The firs t of the churches was founded by two former slaves, Richard Allen and Absalom Jones. The African Methodist Episcopal Church was established in 1792. These churches created many leaders in the fight for racial equality and the abolishment of slavery. The churches were open to both free blacks and slaves. White slave owners would bring their slaves to church with them and justified slavery by saying that the church is teaching them Christianity even though they experienced very little access to a quality service.These new â€Å"black† churches gave African Americans the chance to decipher the bible in their own way and spiritual traditions which have carried on still to this day. Along with these new traditions created leadership roles in the church which were nonexistent in the mainstream churches. Not only were these churches a place for comfortable worship but also served as a â€Å"headquarters† for meetings among the anti-slavery and racial equality groups. Without these places for opportunities like jobs, petition rives, activist meetings, and schools the racial discrimination wouldn’t have gotten any better any faster. The schools created the knowledge to understand how to make it as a free person in the white society. Freed blacks were becoming much more literate which helped them learn how to fight for equality along with the religious side of equal rights for all men. Of course there were struggles along the way. The churches suffered violence from white denominations but the â€Å"black† churches would not fail under strong leadership.These preachers encouraged economic growth through community member’s donations and drives. This economic growth funded the schools and literacy programs. Also, Black leaders began to focus on politics and setting political goals. This was a time of growth all across the board and was the foundation of building a strong community, economic growth, and possibly most of all creating oppor tunity for leadership that had not been seen before.

Hobbes, Machiavelli and Moral Relativism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hobbes, Machiavelli and Moral Relativism - Essay Example The morality that The Prince espouses has immortalized the famous notion that the ends justify the means, that a ruler should not concern himself with abstract concepts of virtue and ethics in the effort to hold power. In this realist construct, since the ruler is power, the idea of sacrificing power in the interest of the virtuous rule is not only an irrelevant idea, it becomes illogical. In this perspective, Machiavelli argues that the ruler must â€Å"learn to be able not to be good and to use this and not use it as necessity dictates.†1 â€Å"Necessity† is the operative word in this idea, and emphasizes the â€Å"real-world† morality of Machiavelli’s invention. â€Å"The Prince must govern in the real world with men as they are, and not in some ideal world where men behave as they ought to.†2 To Macchiavelli, actions bear an intrinsic â€Å"virtue† of their own, regardless of whether those actions can be identified as â€Å"evil.† In other words, if the ruler, by his actions, is able to solidify his power and thus keep his rule secure from those who seek to supplant him, then he has, by definition, done good. Though Thomas Hobbes disagreed with Macchiavelli concerning the role of the state, the two agreed on this 2 point: â€Å"In stressing the power of the sword and the inefficacy of mere words, Hobbes was following Macchiavelli.†3 Both Hobbes and Macchiavelli concur in the political â€Å"virtue† of fear and power, and that â€Å"there should be no limitations placed upon the rights of rulers.†4 For both Hobbes and Machiavelli, metaphysics has no place in the real world of men, the world in which power is the only real currency. The effective ruler is never one who would consider virtue to be anything more than an abstraction, which can in no way aid him in wielding and maintaining power. Morality has a slightly different meaning for Hobbes, who proposes a â€Å"natural condition of ma nkind,† in which there is chaos, a condition devoid of political organization or power.5 In this natural state, Hobbes argues that there is no possibility of morality because there is nothing to give it context and meaning. Hobbes counters that in a commonwealth, the organized political state in which all have a place, it is essential, and the individual’s bounden duty, to obey those who hold power. Hobbes may have followed Machiavelli in the fundamental beliefs concerning the primacy of power and authority over ideas and moral ethic, but he diverges from Machiavelli over the doctrine that morality is something that not only exists within the bounds of the political state, but is something that the individual must concede to the state for his own well-being and that of society. Hobbes was writing from firsthand knowledge about religious warfare, specifically, the horrific experiences of the English Civil War, the outcome of which had forced Hobbes to flee England to avo id Cromwell’s wrath over his proposition that obedience to unrestrained royal authority must be absolute. 3 Hobbes postulated a form of human equality for which Machiavelli does not allow. Yet Hobbes’ â€Å"equality† is not in the same vein as that of the ancient Greeks, or the great philosophers and writers of the Enlightenment. In Hobbes’ view, â€Å"men should be seen to be equal politically because of a decisive point of equality: every human being, even the strongest and smartest, is susceptible to being killed by others.†

Write about the role of a social worker in corrections Research Paper

Write about the role of a social worker in corrections - Research Paper Example Similarly, probation or parole officers from social workers are better equipped to deal with correctional population. The services of social workers are essential not only in corrections but also in the rehabilitation of released prisoners. Consequently, there is a great demand for trained social workers â€Å"who have knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to work with correctional clients† (Correctional counselors: roles, work environments, conflicts, and challenges, n.d). As part of their correctional roles, social workers need to interact with the family members, community, staff in the correctional facilities, and other social service agencies for the well-being of their clients. Social workers in corrections play a number of roles including counselors, mediators, psychologists, coordinators, advocates, evaluators, and persuaders. Besides, they need to quip themselves with the specialized knowledge and specific skills required for a correctional social worker. However, there is a shortage of correctional social workers in the judicial system of many nations due to their increased demand. This paper seeks to explore the different roles and interventions undertaken by social workers in various correctional settings. It is worthwhile to understand the meaning and depth of correction with regard to social work practice. Kumar and Devasia (2009, p. 229), in this regard, view correction as part of social control-â€Å"a social process by which modern society deals with officially identified lawbreakers.† The ultimate aim of correction is to identify and prevent delinquent or criminal behavior of the offending population. Correction by social workers is possible in the case of all types of offenders. However, offenders who are placed on probation and parole are more likely to benefit from correctional social work. Social workers who

Grades inflation in colleges in the USA Research Paper

Grades inflation in colleges in the USA - Research Paper Example The concept of evaluation promotes retention and promotion of lecturers and professors. In this regard, lecturers are usually compelled to please their students Colleges have also shifted more focus towards enrollment in order to meet their budgets. This has been successfully undertaken by awarding higher grades to students in order to create a positive image among people intending to join colleges This issue has been investigated by various governmental and non-governmental organizations. Harvard University is one of the institutions that have pioneered this investigation. It is learning institution that has been affected by this issue thus its results are more credible The institution has also made a suggestion that entails introduction of a grading policy where a student is graded alongside the average grade of that course. In other addition, facilitating proper marking and awarding of grades among lecturers and professors is also another solution that has been proposed. The first suggestion may not be quite effective owing to the fact that it would not necessarily depict lower level of standards. On the other hand, comparison of a student’s performance may also not be accurate, especially when the rest of the class is wrong Provision of quality education is pertinent in any society that aspires to succeed academically. Grade inflation is a challenge in the current education system majorly due to confusions ascribed to it. It does not only affect colleges in the United States, but also in other parts of the world. Undertaking this research is crucial as it facilitates identification of causes of grade inflation as well as probable solutions The research shall focus of grade inflation in colleges in the United States. It shall explore issues associated with it such as: Causes, effects and solutions that have been suggested by Harvard University to reduce grade

How true is that the United States have a responsibility to protect Essay

How true is that the United States have a responsibility to protect human rights in other countries - Essay Example The United Nations A number of culturally diverse countries make up the world. To ensure that these countries will be protected against any unjust and unfair treatment by each other, there is a need for a global or international community that will stand as a world government. The United Nation is one of the major organizations that make up the international community. It is an â€Å"international organization designed to make the enforcement of international law, security, economic development, social progress, and human rights easier for countries around the world† (Briney, 2011). According to Briney (2011), this international organization is composed of 193 member countries and its head office can be found in New York. The fundamental purpose of United Nations includes saving future generations from war, protect human rights and establish equality for all persons (Briney, 2011). In Briney’s (2011) article entitled The United Nations, other principles of this international organization include upholding justice, freedom and social progress for all the citizens of all the member states. Thus it can be said that this international organization is one of the best that created or established in the world community. With the goals or purposes that the United Nations aim to do, the world is protected against any harm or threat from any countries. ... Thus economic progress can also be achieved by ensuring that all member states comply with the rules and regulations especially about fair competition and trade responsibilities. Aside from this, each person is granted the protection of his rights in the national and international level. Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights or UNDHR is described as the â€Å"foundation of international human rights law, the first universal statement on the basic principles of inalienable human rights, and a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations† (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: a Living Document, 2007). The Preamble of the UNDHR includes the following: Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which h ave outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people, Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law, Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations, Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger

Police corruption Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Police corruption - Assignment Example It is marked by simultaneous occurrence of mishandling of official capacity and mishandling of personal attainment. It is carried out by violation of state or federal laws or the constitutional rights of the individual. Corruption may also involve material benefit or a profit gained through abuse of public authority. Police corruption is a pervasive phenomenon, yet it is not bound by ranks. It is typified by such acts as bribery, extortion, receiving or selling stolen property and aiding or abetting or carrying out drug pedaling. Broadly, it may also include indulging in such acts as violence and brutality, fabrication or destruction of evidence, racism, or favoritism. Knapp Commission describe three basic kinds of corruption; bribery, shakedowns and mooching . Police may use subtle to extreme methods to indulge in corruption. However, no single reason can be ascribed to the existence of police corruption (Gainer and Miller, 2008). Wicershkam Commission was appointed by President Herbert Hoover in 1929. George W. Wicershkam headed the National Committee on Law Observation and Enforcement, which was popularly called the Wicershkam Commission. Wicershkam Commission was charged with investigating the causes of widespread criminal activity and finding causes of violations of national prohibition policy. It was the first of its kind national level enquiry into the causes of crime and law enforcement. The commission presented its report in 14 volumes in a study carried out from 1931 to 1932. The commission handed out a severe indictment of police thus confirming the presence of misconduct and corruption in its functioning. Apart from the use of violence and brutality it also pointed out the instances of bribery, corruption, coercion, fabrication of evidence and entrapment. Knapp Commission or the Commission to Investigate the Alleged Police Corruption was appointed under the chairmanship of Whitman

Server Deployment Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Server Deployment Proposal - Essay Example This is because Server 2008 is flexible, secure and has a scalable server management. It gives a consistent user experience including that of mobile workers. It also gives an opportunity to consolidate multiple servers onto fewer physical computers, as well as third party applications (Smyth 105). The two servers in Tucson and Phoenix will be installed with server 2008R. The configuration will include DNS, DHCP, AD DS, Security policy, Backup and recovery and continuity plan. The acquisition of two 64-bit machines should be done since windows server 2008R2 can only run on this platform. To allow smooth migration from window server 2003 to windows server 2008, the applications and hardware must remain operational throughout the migration process. This will enable the organization to maintain computer system uptime during the entire process. It will further enable the IT department to continue meet the requirements of both users and the organization at large. Some of things to be considered during the migration process include what plan exists at present for hardware replacement. What are the current hardware maintenance supports? What opportunities are there for consolidation of server through virtualization? In the deployment of windows server 2008R2, the implementation team will follow Microsoft Operation framework (MOF) that is based on IT infrastructure Library (ITIL) standard in order to ensure that they achieve a successful deployment of windows server 2008R2. There is a need to acquire two new 64-bit server because windows server 2008R2 only runs on 64bit to replace the current domain controllers. The servers, however, should support virtualization. Thus a x64 CPU, AMD-V or (AMD) VT (Intel) hardware extensions, No eXecute (NX)/eXecute Disable (XD), and full BIOS support for hardware virtualization. Although one server (virtualized and running enterprise edition) could suffice for redundancy, two will be ideal (Technet). Active directory Domain

Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 49

Art - Essay Example The lighter to darker shades and the use of the colors like blue and green evolves a vision that gives a watery impression to the eyes along with a motif, which places the piece of art close to the nature. Half twigged animals, especially the images of the ancient and extinct animals, add an extra surrealistic vision to the painting. The popping of sky blue colors in between and the thin lines of white and crystal images gives a feeling that the animals are made of some transparent elements. The trick of the art suggests many figures, which require a minute observation for the sake of actual comprehension. Only then can an observer identify the dual meaning of the images present within the figures, both virtually and literally (Art Heritage Program, â€Å"Vance Kirkland: 1904 – 1981 American Painter†). The picture truly bears many traits, which make the name for the picture appropriate. The tree line is evident within the picture; it also denotes scanty vegetation as the tree has strong barks but less branches and leaves. The front lying long twigged creature that attracts the attention of the viewers at the outset resembles a human body. The other twigged creatures have resemblance to animals like goat, vulture and dragon maintaining similarity with fairy tale creatures. Also, a sense of diversity in ecology and nature can be traced in the picture where the leaves arising from the same bark at different twigs are different in shapes and sizes. The leaves of the tree bears different shades of green and yellow while the background of the tree bark laded with twigged creatures have a flowing water body and mountains. Both the mountain and the water body has a sky bluish tinge inherent within them but the shades of the mountain and water body, as physical feature, is strikingly diffe rent, which has enabled them to make themselves distinctive. The land is also mountainous and resembles miniature valley and highlands

Boring but Paid Well Job Essay Example for Free

Boring but Paid Well Job Essay Would you take a really boring job if it paid well? Or are you the type of person to stay in a job that stimulates you even if the money is bad? Many people face dilemma when they choose their jobs: what they really want are high salaries. If one chooses what one really wants, one can be happy with a job but how much one earns from a job cannot be ignored either. However, given a choice between those two, I would definitely lean more towards whether I am happy with my job than having a high salary since happiness cannot be gained by money and satisfaction with a job that brings even more success. To my opinion job satisfaction is paramount. Much of a person’s life is spent at work. The job has to be done. It is the way of getting the salary. In a perfect world a person has the job they love with a salary they dream about. Very few of us live in this very perfect world. So why is job satisfaction more important than the salary? First of all, being happy with a job is more important than having a high salary because money cannot buy happiness. If we cannot enjoy working and indulging in what we do, it means we gain nothing even though we are earning a high salary. Most people spend about or more than half of a day at work. It would be a torture to be stuck in a load of job which we never enjoy. On the other hand, one can gain self satisfaction if one is doing what one really wants even if one does not make a lot of money. Secondly, being happy with a job can bring even more success. If one works for one’s goal or dream, not for money, one would put a lot of effort into one’s work. Then, there is not doubt that outcomes or results coming from one’s work will be more successful. For example, the famous Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, forsook his safe way of getting a stable job when he decided to quit Harvard because he knew he was happy with life in the university. So, he chose a difficult way only to pursue what he really wanted and the belief that he would change the world. Without his brave decision, Microsoft would not have been born. Is money important? Certainly. However, it is important to note that money doesn’t buy happiness. Money does buy opportunities. These opportunities may or may not turn into a good thing, so it is a gamble. Job satisfaction is not a gamble. It is a constant everyday process. There are some days one likes their job better than others, but overall job satisfaction is fairly consistent. Money can not replace those hours, feelings and expectations. In conclusion, I strongly agree that being happy with a job is more important than having a high salary since money cannot buy happiness and sometimes people can be more successful when they are happy with their jobs. Nowadays, more and more people too often consider money as the most important factor when they choose something. A recent UK survey found that British workers were now ranking job satisfaction lower than money when it came changing jobs. That might be a trend created by the global financial crisis, as people become more aware of their financial circumstances. However, I believe people should listen to what they are really keen about in their hearts, especially when they make important decisions like choosing their jobs which might influence their entire lives. It may not be true for every individual, but for most, it is more important to love what you are doing than it is to make more money than necessary. Money is simply one rung in the job satisfaction ladder.

The Medias Stereotype Of Women Media Essay

The Medias Stereotype Of Women Media Essay The media is an indispensable part of our lives.  It is not only a form of entertainment, but also a powerhouse which has been granted the authority to influence our environment. And its no wonder, because through television we know, for example, the characteristics of the classic criminal: ugly, dirty, drunken voice and a pistol in hand, or the classic model: fashionable, beautiful, hateful, dull,  and possibly even anorexic. These two representations are examples of what is known as stereotypes the process of applying categorization to groups or individuals. The use of stereotypes is a normal process, seeing as how it reduces the complexity of our environment to a manageable size. It allows us to identify different attributes of people such as happy, sad, well-intentioned, malicious, etc., which in turn reduces the need to look at the particularity of each person. Basically, stereotypes relate one thing with another, and by doing this, they provide a basis by which we interpre t what happens around us. However, not everything is hunky-dory.  Unfortunately, the media has focused on programs and content, which portray a number of stereotypes that only make our society a bit more ignorant. In the course of time, the media has associated the male stereotype with values such as independence, aggressiveness, competitiveness, and strength. All of these concepts are clearly associated with males. Meanwhile, women have been linked to concepts such as affection, dependency, fragility, and concern for others. All of these notions have contributed to the transmission of certain clichà ©s such as those of a wife, lover, or mother.   These stereotypes are almost always associated with qualities like beauty, seduction or attraction. Therefore, the women that are represented in the media, almost always appear as a subordinate of the guys. This sort of patriarchal system persists in many post-industrial countries such as the United States. It was not until recent years that women, somehow, began their integration into society. In todays society, the female role originates and spreads mainly from the media. The media integrates roles, values, norms, and symbols. This process is co nsidered an important instrument in the transmission of values. In some cases, these values become a way to reference certain groups of society. The Medias stereotypes are intended to destroy or direct our desires. We can see examples of these on TV, where the role of men is to be charming, professional, and successful. In the case of soap operas, men are usually shown to be torn between the loves of two women. On the other hand, women are always shown to be more liberal, passive and submissive. People watch programs, series, or movies because they feel the need to identify with something. People with high cultural levels enjoy watching programs that are informative. Women who are housewives like to watch loving family dramas or soap operas while children want to be like superheroes. And so for every person, group, sex, or age the media will always find a stereotype to put them in. In this modern era television plays an important role in the development of stereotypes, including gender stereotypes. Television has the potential to create values and it has the potential to influence people. Among the many stereotypes that it offers is that of the ideal woman. Commercials show happy women who do not contradict what is said. Physically they have perfect features and are slender. Younger women are viewed as sexual objects, while adult women are portrayed in advertisements as housewives, mothers, workers, and patients. These stereotypes about women are transmitted every day on TV and are responsible for several negative traits that do not represent the female gender, except in the minds of men who think of these stereotypes as something natural. Examples of this can be seen in detergent, food, and other household article commercials that feature women as the typical housewife, who is weak, helpless, dependant, delicate and sensitive. Another widely used image of wome n is the vain female consumer, who buys anything just for the satisfaction. This image is widely used by sellers of beauty products and shopping center owners. Consequently, these images have had a huge impact in the way women see themselves and the way they portray their gender. It is important to note that all these stereotypes are false representations of what a woman is, but unfortunately most women accept this image given by the media. Most women believe that these images reflect societys standards about what an ideal woman is. The worst part is that due to the importance that they give to these standards, they comply with them, resulting in low self-esteems. Most women compare themselves with the idealized image projected by the media, which results into a life full of insecurity and discontent. All this dissatisfaction may ultimately lead some women to develop some sort of eating disorder. Fashion, and how its projected in the media, is always changing the attitudes of women, especially young women. That is why it comes as no surprise that the level of anorexia and bulimia have skyrocketed in recent years, especially when girls intend to fit into shirts and pants that are becoming increasingly smaller. Part of this problem is the stereotypes that the media has created. Women will only look good in clothes if they are thin and delicate according to the stereotypes. Consumers of clothes begin to follow the stereotype, and by doing so they gradually devalue their own features, planning to look like that sickly looking model that appears in clothing commercials or runways. The roles played by women in the media are limited to traditional roles like the housewife, the mother, the victim, or the sexual object. The roles of men in the other hand are that of the strongest players in public life. This, however, is not the reality of the situation and it does not help build equa lity in our society. The media has brought into the light the triumph of many female athletes and the stereotypical prejudice that we have against women in sports. Thanks to that, many stereotypes about women who go into sports have been eliminated. For example, the stereotype that all females in sports tend to lose their femininity is no longer seen as true. Or the stereotype that women are not anatomically designed for sports is also considered irrelevant nowadays. All of this was once held appropriate due to the fact that the media focuses more on the physical characteristics of female athletes rather than their level of performance. But now, its not uncommon to see Anna Kurnikova or the Williams sisters in the front pages of sports magazines. Although we live in a culture of gender stereotypes, which apparently puts men over women, the fat is that stereotypes have the potential of affecting society negatively. Some stereotypes can develop patterns which do not allow the development and expression of individual qualities. To avoid setting those kinds of stereotypes, one must analyze the information that the media communicates to us before creating a stereotype. By doing this, people will be able to realize that the ideas that the media feeds are far from reality. The use of stereotypes is convenient to some extent, but it is important to know the boundaries of the line that leads to prejudice and discrimination, a line that is crossed countless times by the media. The process of stereotyping allows people to interact with their environment, to understand it, and to develop their own interpretation of it. But what happens when the amount of information gained is digested without the right amount of evaluation and the stereo types begin to take the place of personal perception? Those stereotypes become our view of the world.

Materialism in Pauls Case by Willa Cather Essay -- essays research pa

In "Paul's Case," Willa Cather manages to apply the emotions, feelings, troubles, and thoughts of modern society, allowing the reader to relate to the story. By incorporating the same heavy burdens that bother and aggravate people in their daily lives, Willa explores the pain and treatment unwanted people experience. Obviously, nobody wants to feel rejection or alienation from the world, but instead they desire to encounter acceptance and agreement with the world's standards. In the story, the main character, Paul goes through excruciating transformations and lengths to try and impress the people around him. Attempting to belong in a superficial society, Paul loses a part of his identity without acknowledging it and therefore he strays from his own personality. Blinding himself from reality, Paul succumbs to the materialistic requirements of society, which contributes largely to his peculiar behavior. The style of Paul?s wardrobe determines the attitude of Paul?s personality. During the meeting with the faculty of his school, Paul displays himself as a motionless, dead character. ?His clothes were a trifle outgrown, and the tan velvet on the collar of his open overcoat was frayed and worn, but for all that there was something of a dandy about him, and he wore an opal pin in his neatly knotted black four-in-hand, and a red carnation in his buttonhole.? Paul feels that the clothes he wears symbolizes his status in life and only the nice, fancy clothes seem to please him. When he reachers the theater at Carnegie Hall, the glow and warmth returns to Paul?s face and attitude. ?...Paul th[inks] it very becoming though he kn[ows] the tight, straight coat accentuate[s] his narrow chest, about which he was exceedingly sensitive... ...e[s]. Then, because the picture-making mechanism [is] crush[ing], the disturbing visions flash[ing] into black, and Paul drop[s] back into the immense design of things.? When Paul jumps in front of the train, he thinks it will take away his problems and help him escape the horrendous world forever. In Willa Cather's story "Paul's Case", the character Paul embodies how the desire of materialism can affect the mind and soul of human being. Paul, a very self-oriented and introverted boy designs and calculates his every move to prevent people from discovering the real him. Despising his life at Cordelia Street, Paul throws himself into the plot of obtaining money, wealth, and power. This ruins Paul?s life and distracts him from truly enjoying his youth and independence. The story presents that even riches, wealth, power cannot buy one?s happiness or sanity.

The Atomic Bomb :: essays research papers fc

The Atomic Bomb   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On July 16, 1945, the United States of America ushered the world into a new era with the successful detonation of an atomic bomb in New Mexico. That era was the nuclear age. Less than a month later, on August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan; the first use of a nuclear weapon against an enemy nation. Most of us know of these basic events, but many do not know of the complicated decisions and scientific breakthroughs that paved the way towards that fateful day in Hiroshima. Every day we are closer to having nuclear arms fall in the hands of someone who wishes to do harm with those weapons. Many question why we think the U.S. is justified in having our own atomic collection. This is why it is important to understand how the atomic bomb came about and why we decided it was necessary to use it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First reports of the bombs in Japan only reported that a â€Å"new type of bomb† had been used. Most had no concept of what an atom bomb was or why it was so powerful. The story of the atomic bomb opens with a series of new discoveries in physics that began near the turn of the century. The term classical is applied to the physics that scientists developed prior to that time (Cohen, 17). Much of it came from the work of the Father of Physics, the great seventeenth-century English scholar, Sir Isaac Newton. Newton was a scientific genius. Today, however, a competent student with a good high school physics course probably has a more accurate knowledge of the physical universe than Newton had. This is especially true concerning the most basic building blocks of matter, atoms. Newton, as did others before him, developed a theory about the structure of atoms. According to Newton’s theory, atoms were like marbles. They were solid and hard, but unlike marbl es, they could not be further divided. It was not until the latter half of the nineteenth century that scientific experiment began to prove otherwise. Thereafter, knowledge of atomic structure moved ahead very quickly (Cohen, 18). By the mid-1930’s, dedicated effort by British and other European scientists had revealed a new world of atomic structure, one filled with incredibly tiny systems of interacting subatomic particles containing electrons, protons, and neutrons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1938, two German physicists, Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman, were experimenting with uranium.

Humans and Nature: Treatment of Pollution with Technology Essays

Humans and Nature: Treatment of Pollution with Technology Humans are unable to live independent of nature. Human beings are forced to live by Mother Nature's rules. By destroying nature we are only destroying ourselves. But pollution does just that: it severely damages our natural environment, sometimes beyond recovery. The treatment of pollution is a complex science that has evolved greatly in the 20th century mostly due to the industrial environment we live in today. From the basic classification of today's pollution to developing a supplement to our ever so damaging fossil fuel, advances in technology have helped the human race protect the natural environment around us. Humans today create a wide range of pollution from basic trash to radio active petroleum. One of the first steps in implementing a plan to deal with pollution is to classify the wastes that are being dealt with. The primary purpose of a classification system is to facilitate understanding and simplify management of the multiple elements of a diverse system. A tension exists between two of the objectives of such a system: to simplify and have the least number of classes, and to include all the diverse categories to properly manage such a classification system.1 Since the nuclear age, focus on nuclear problems have centered more on the activities that generate nuclear waste than on the characteristics of the waste generated or on the disposal of those nuclear wastes. Often one would hear of the nuclear waste caused by a power plant, but never about the details of what type or even to what degree.2 The US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) classified wastes based primarily on operational and handling concerns. The first legal distinction between different r... ...n Through Emission Controls (Not published) University of Dayton 1972. Found in Roesch Library. 2.) IL, American Nuclear Society. Glasstone, Sammuel. Nuclear Power and its Environmental Effects. La Grange Park. 3.) Lowenthal, Micah D. "Waste-acceptance criteria and risk-based thinking for Radioactive-waste classification." Waste Management 18 (1998) pp. 249-256. 4.) Kjaer, Bruel. Noise Control Principles and Practice. 1st ed. Sweden: Arbetarskyddsfonden. 5.) Seidel, Stephen, Dale Keyes. Can We Delay A Greenhouse Warming? 2nd (Corrected) ed. Washington D.C: Strategic Studies Staff, Office of Police Analysis, and Office fo Policy, Planning and Evaluation. 6.) Warith, M.A., K. Kennedy, and R. Reitsma. "Use of sanitary sewers as wastewater Pre- treatment systems." Waste Management 18 (1998) pp. 235-247.

Automobile and Correct Answer Essay

3. If there are oncoming cars to the left of you and a child on a bike to the right, what is the correct action to take? Correct answer: Give the child a lot of room to your side, which may mean moving closer to the oncoming vehicles. Your answer: Enter into the bicycle lane in order to avoid being in between the oncoming cars and the child. 4. In order to avoid hazards on the road, it is advised to take in the whole scene around you and look at least _______ seconds down the road. This is about a one block when driving in the city and a quarter of a mile on the highway. Correct answer: 12 to 15 Your answer: 5 to 8 5. If you can not see clearly 100 ft in both directions when approaching an uncontrolled intersection, what should your rate of speed be? Correct answer: No more than 15 mph Your answer: No more than 25 mph 6. If a vehicle is approaching you head on when you are in the proper lane, what should you not do? Correct answer: Pull to the left oncoming lane to avoid the car Your answer: Slow down. 8. Of the six most common behaviors which cause accidents, which is indicated as the primary collision factor? Correct answer: Speed Your answer: Failing to obey stop signals and signs. 10. One person is injured every ____ minutes, as a result of a traffic collision. Correct answer: 2 Your answer: 5 4. The five abilities required for being a safe driver are †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Correct answer: search, identify, predict, decide, and execute. Your answer: scan, understand, predict, decide and execute 12. This sign is used exclusively for ____________ signs. Correct answer: Warning Your answer: Yield 20. When a car driving uphill on a one lane road comes across another vehicle coming downhill, who should back up? Correct answer: The car going downhill Your answer: The car going uphill.

Communications Character Conflict Essay Essay

â€Å"I can’t believe you, all your gifts, all your powers, and you.. you squander them for your own personal gain. (Hal Stewart) ‘Yes! (Megamind) ‘No! I’m the villain! † this is the main conflict between characters’ Megamind and Hal Stewart in the hit motion picture Megamind. Megamind defeats the cities beloved super hero â€Å"Metro Man†, they had been enemies since grade school and Megamind has always been the bad guy causing trouble and Metro Man was always saving the day and the people from the evils of Megeminds treachery. But soon after this deafeat Megamind realizes he misses the way things used to be, there was no more excitement and rush of being the villain in an epic good vs. evil battle. So, Megamind has devised a way that he can give any normal human being all the gifts and powers that Metro Man himself possessed. He settles on a young man named Hal Stewart, a cameraman for a news station, which he filmed the news girl who he claimed to be in love with, but everyone thought she was with Metro Man because he was always saving her. So Megamind gives Hal all the super powers, and gives him a new identity of â€Å"Titan†. However, to Megminds Dismay, Hal starts abusing his powers and begins stealing from banks, and using his powers to get equipment, video games etc.. This is a great example of unproductive conflict. Instead of creating a new evil versus good scenario with Hal or â€Å"Titan†, Hal just commandeers the whole city and puts them all at his mercy. It has many negative impacts the two characters, their relationship, and the situation. The aggression between them and the situation in general becomes increases greatly and turns even hostile because of the flaws in their communication. Megamind has certain qualities about the way he communicates that it often gets him into trouble. In fact pretty much every idea he comes up with in the process, he always seems to get either seriously injured, or suffers in some other way, all because of his communicational handicap. Some of the functions of communication Megamind uses, is he begins a relationship with a character named Hal Stewart to achieve a specific goal premeditated so he could accomplish what he wished to have done. What he wanted done was to turn Hal into a super hero and give him all the powers that the late Metro Man possessed, so that he could resume his role as the villain once again, since he defeated the last super hero he longed for the epic battle of â€Å"Good vs. Evil. † First of all, Hal isn’t the brightest pick to turn someone into a super hero, but Megamind is determined he is the perfect pick after a misunderstood first impression of Hal. Megaminds best friend even shows in many ways, he does not approve of Hal as being the one who has the traits of being a good super hero, most of the ways non verbal. Megamind even changes his own identity as Hal’s â€Å"Space Dad†, for the purpose of guiding Hal into fulfilling his destiny as the city’s new found super hero â€Å"Titan†. So Megamind actually is affecting the situation and their relationship as two different important character’s in Hal’s life and will play play big parts in his decisions. Hal Stewart, aka â€Å"Titan† aka â€Å"Cameraman†, is a very interesting character because of how he expresses his own communicational traits, it is entertaining. His perception of what a â€Å"super hero† means, and what sort of privileges or advantages he believes comes with being â€Å"Titan† are affected by the culture he lives in. Some of his expectations, the most important towards the story and the one that makes the most dramatic influence is; the super hero always gets the girl. This thinking of Hal’s is a mindlessness perception and also selective perception of how he sees a super hero. Obviously he does not get the girl he claims he’s in love with, because the thing he is mindlessness about is that just because you can fly and have huge muscles doesn’t mean you will always get girl, its about what’s underneath, not on the surface, which I believe is the lesson â€Å"Life† is trying to teach him. Another misperception he has is what should be accomplished with the incredible new â€Å"gifts† that he has recently required. Instead of catching bad guys, and making sure justice stands within the city and her people, Hal actually robs banks, and other equipment, video games etc.. nd is determined that the powers mean â€Å"get rich, and get rich quick†. These are all things that Megamind does not anticipate before hand and turns into being the exact opposite of what he wanted, all because Hal’s misunderstanding, and the communicational barriers of Megamind. Although, there isn’t a whole lot of competent communicati on going on with Megamind and Hal, in the end he still gets an incredibly large amount accomplished. The things that were bigger then even his beloved epic good vs. evil battles. He grew in more important ways, he grew as a specimen, and became a happier person, which ultimately should be eternal goal of communication and the functions and steps that are not only necessary and basically impossible to accomplish anything without them, competent or incompetent, things still move forward and things get done. In the end Megamind finds his true purpose and a higher purpose, along the way falling in love and discovering a more meaningful life all thanks to communication, and the culture which helps him perceive and judge.

How to establish the communication Essay

Everyone has different needs and styles in which they communicate. There are also many different ways in which we may establish these communication needs, wishes and preferences. A good way to begin to understand a patient’s needs, wishes and preferences is to read their notes and history’s to see if this contains any relevant information. For example, if I read that a patient has hearing problems, I would then know to make sure that I speak to the patient clearly and slowly and look at them so they can read my lips. Other ways to establish communication needs, wishes and preferences is by interacting with the patient and through conversation I learn how to best communicate with the patient. It is also important to remember to be clear and concise in all forms of communication, especially when working with people with learning disabilities, where they might get confused if I speak too quickly or use too complex language. It may benefit, if this is the case, to use your body language to help explain what you are trying to say and to emphasise the tone of the conversation. Also, pictures can be used to help the patient and myself understand. For example, one of my patients uses cards that display what emotions they are feeling, they will use these to communicate how they are feeling. In the past, I have worked with a patient who is deaf. For me to establish what her needs were, I first spoke to the nurse in charge and they informed me she was deaf, however, could sign or write things down. As I could not sign, our preferred form of communication was writing, which after spending time together worked quite well.

Bentley starts Essay

Question 1: Bill visits a local car auction and is immediately attracted to a red car labeled ‘Ferrari 1979’ which he purchases from peter. Peter is not a car expert but he has borrowed a book from the library and identified the car as a 1979 model. Bill also sees a classic Bentley which is owned by James, a qualified car mechanic. James informs Bill that the Bentley is operating perfectly on the way to the auction. Bill wanders off to look at another car and in his absence, the engine of the Bentley starts emitting smelly black smoke. However, by the time Bill returns, the smoke has temporarily cleared and he pays James the full price for the car. Subsequently, Bill discovers that the Ferrari is a fake but he crashes it while showing off to his girlfriend. It is a total write of further. He discovers that the engine in the Bentley is faulty. His mechanic manages to undertake some minor repairs to keep the engine running temporarily but warns Bill that in the long run he will need a new engine. Advice Bill. Question 2: Gethin runs a hotel at a popular seaside resort. He decides to expand his hotel by adding an extension but his accountant warns him that it will only be economical if built in time for the summer season. His contract with Bob, a local builder, contains the following conditions: 1) The extension will be built by 1 April 30 to be payable for each day’s delay thereafter. 2) The extension must be built using local materials as specified in Gethin’s attached list of specifications. 3. The floor must be fitted by a specialist flooring contractor to be nominated by Gethin. On April 30, the extension is still attractive. He is extremely annoyed to find out that the floor had not been fitted by Unique Floor Ltd, the firm he nominated and there are now large cracks in its surface. He is distressed by the whole experience and in fit of anger, dismisses Bob and hires Jack to complete the work. Jack, seizing the opportunity charges Gethin with a double rate for the work. Bob and Jack are now demanding payment form Gethin . Advise Gethin Advice 1: As an initial move, Bill should approach James as soon as possible and inform him about the condition of the Bentley. As a merchandiser, it is James responsibility to address Bill’s query regarding the car and help him resolve the problem. In addition, James also has the obligation to provide a concrete description of the products that he is offering. He has to be honest in his service and he should not lie to customers for the sake of making more money or else he might suffer from consequences after. Even if the mechanic has done temporary repairs on the Bentley, the possibility of acquiring new engine and spending additional cost in the long run makes the situation harder for Bill. It is also not reasonable to say that James has no responsibilities on the car anymore since it is already bought because of the car has been damage even before it is bought. According to the law of consumer rights, the merchandiser has the obligation to sell products that are described correctly including the damages that the products may have. The consumer also has the right to return a product if the consumer discovered any failure right after the product’s purchase (ANL 2009). Applying to Bill’s case, James lied to Bill about the condition of the car prior to purchase so James has right to return the car and ask for reimbursement if ever the car’s engine is not changed. On the other hand, the case of the Ferrari is different. Bill should have informed Peter about the situation earlier so that the issue has been resolved. As a customer, Bill has the right to return the car but since the car has been damaged because of his fault, his right has been void (ANL 2009). It is true that Peter has lied and Bill can still pursue to take legal actions against him. However, the possibility of any reimbursement is low due to Bill’s mistake of damaging the car due to his irresponsible actions. Through a legal process, he can still acquire an amount of money from Peter as a reimbursement but it will not be the same amount that he paid due to the damages on the car that he also has to pay. Advice 2: Gethin can solve by having a negotiation with Jack about the rate of work. Even though Jack is selected to finish the work, it is his ethical responsibility to avoid taking too much advantage of the situation. As a professional, Jack has a duty to render service for the benefit of his and his client’s party. He should price the service based on its regular price and not based on other unreasonable reasons (Thomson Reuters 2009). Through a business negotiation, Gethin should explain the situation to Jack and convince him to agree with his proposed rate. Both of them should present their oown proposal of price and be able to defend it. Gethin should explain that since it is just a completion work, the rate should not be very high. He should also identify the conditions and present it clearly so that any misunderstanding can be avoided. However, if Jack still did not agree, then the best way that Gethin can do is to look for other company that can finish the work and agree with his terms. Since it will be just a completion work, other companies will surely accept the project given that Gethin offers a reasonable rate. Business will still be business and as an entrepreneur, Gethin should know his limitations in terms of offering rates so that he will not end up spending a huge amount of money for the project. On the other hand, Gethin can sue Bob for not complying with the contract. The fact that Bob agreed on the contract gave him an obligation to follow it and be subjected to rules. In any business, contracts are considered as legal documents and are subjected to agreement between two parties. Anyone who disobeys can be sued and will be subjected to penalties depending on the case (Thomson Reuters 2009). Bob, as a contractor, should know about the consequences of not complying with the contract. If Bob is proven to guilty, then he will be liable to pay a certain amount to Gethin to cover the damages that he made and he might also lose his work license. References: Thomson Reuters. 2009. Contract and the Law. Available at http://smallbusiness. findlaw. com/business-forms-contracts/business-forms-contracts-overview-law. html Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL). 2009. Consumer Rights. ThisIsMoney. co. uk. Available at http://www. thisismoney. co. uk/help-and-advice/advice-banks/article. html? in_advicepage_id=130&in_article_id=395991&in_page_id=90

Diversity wthn th SME Rtal Sctr Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8750 words

Diversity wthn th SME Rtal Sctr - Coursework Example Mrvr, mprcal nvstgatn f ths qustns s fraught wth dffcults snc thr ar many ntrvnng varabls btwn a dvrsty ntatv and a frm's prfrmanc (Cx, 1993; Ely and Thmas, 2001). Thr ar als cncptual dffcults n dfnng bth dvrsty and prfrmanc. The subject of diversity within the workplace can evoke an array of emotions, as some view diversity as something to be dealt with rather than a tool to be used to improve the organization. Many will agree that the results of a diversity-conscious organization add value to the organization, yet research evaluating diversity for the sake of developing training interventions does not exist (Dahm, 2003). The most fundamental term for cultural diversity is inclusion. Organizations that include employees ultimately make those employees feel valued. An "inclusion breakthrough," coined by F. Miller and Katz (2002, p. 2), is a vital element to the success of the organization. Employees, who feel they are part of the process, whether by providing input, sharing best practices, or being included in the decision-making process, are less likely to leave an organization. The differences that each person brings to the organization should be leveraged to strengthen the organization (Dreachslin, 2007a; F. Miller & Katz). Over the last 40 years, the landscape of the workplace has ... The most fundamental term for cultural diversity is inclusion. Organizations that include employees ultimately make those employees feel valued. An "inclusion breakthrough," coined by F. Miller and Katz (2002, p. 2), is a vital element to the success of the organization. Employees, who feel they are part of the process, whether by providing input, sharing best practices, or being included in the decision-making process, are less likely to leave an organization. The differences that each person brings to the organization should be leveraged to strengthen the organization (Dreachslin, 2007a; F. Miller & Katz). Over the last 40 years, the landscape of the workplace has changed somewhat the way people work together and the tasks required to make an organization successful are also changing, not to mention the world in which these organizations exist (Carr-Ruffino, 2003; Holden, 2007; Sparks, Faragher, & Cooper, 2001). The 1960s and 1970s ushered in technological advances that included the use of computers in the workplace. In the 1980s, there was a paradigm shift to globalization accompanied by mergers, acquisitions, and strategic alliances. The 1990s brought on the reconstruction years where organizations had to develop strategies to survive the recession up to and beyond the early 21st century (Landefeld & Whichard, 2006; Sparks et al., 2001). Statement of Study The problem is that organizations have a difficult time measuring the cultural climate as it pertains to the diversity between race and gender as well as salary level and generational differences (age). Given the lack of this information, organizations do not have the empirical data needed to ensure they are positioned to

Evil, a Challenge to Philosophy and Theology Essay

Evil, a Challenge to Philosophy and Theology - Essay Example As one of the giants of his field Ricoeur once again sets us thinking in his deep and mystical fashion which is so characteristic of his continental philosophy. His major works include masterpieces on existentialism, phenomenology, psychoanalysis, politics, religion and the theory of language. In Figuring the Sacred, Paul Ricoeur offers a "hermeneutic critique of different responses to evil,lament and blame,myth wisdom and theodicy."3 "Lament and blame ..Differentiates between evil as suffering and evil as wrongdoing if lament sees us as victims blame makes culprits of us Ricoeur observes that infact these two categories are always intertwined .We can feel guilty for committing an evil act while simultaneously experiencing seduction or invasion by an over whelming force outside us".4 Ricoeur's work discusses the entire intellectual and religious history of the west. In his essay "Evil, a Challenge to Philosophy and Theology" (1985) Ricoeur discusses how evil is symbolised and the problems behind such symbolisation. He has pointed out how the concept of "theodicy" becomes inadequate during such an analysis. Ricoeur deals with the haunting human dilemmas like guilt and lament and goes to profound depths making conclusions which are often subtle yet familiar to the seasoned critic who is almost always left speechless by his understanding of realms not yet explored in religious psychology and theology. The bo The book forms along with its essays a very thoughtful reading for religious people as well as the common lay people .Ricoeur reminds us of many things which we ignore like to the role of God in everyday philosophy and thought. With Ricoeur the title speaks for itself when life becomes the very tumultuous path to "figuring the sacred". The book constantly invokes a subtle awareness in the minds of the reader, reminding us to shield our thoughts from negativity and trivialization while we "figure the sacred" who actually lives within our hearts and minds. Bibliography 1. Book review by Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary,Decatur, GA available at http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/apr1996/v53-1-bookreview4.htm 2. Figuring the Sacred: Religion, Narrative, and Imagination ,By Paul Ricoeur,Minneapolis, Fortress, 1995. 3. On Paul Ricoeur: The Owl of Minerva By Richard F. Kearney,pp

What Is Omitted in the Controversy Surrounding the Issue of Drugs Lega Essay

What Is Omitted in the Controversy Surrounding the Issue of Drugs Legalization - Essay Example For the United States, the drugs problem today has assumed the shape of the controversy about whether drugs use should be legalized. In this debate emotions often rule, when appeals to the conservative values of the nation are made by the adherents of the continuation of the current "War on Drugs" (Inciardi, 1999, p.128). However, we will see that significant benefits can be obtained from the legalization of drugs and from the shift from the drugs-related prosecutions to harm-reduction policies. Let us explore this issue in detail and try to see why this is the case. One of the strong arguments for legalization of drugs stems from the inadmissibility of the continuation of the current state of affairs, when hundreds of thousands of people are arrested every year and kept behind bars for possession of illegal substances for personal usage, and not for sale (Inciardi, 1999, p.133). At the same time, realistically looking at things we have to confess that even under such a harsh regime there has not occurred a significant reduction in drugs use, and there seems to be no perspective for such reduction at all. Indeed, the real problem with drugs is that for many people they have a unique ability to satisfy one of the fundamental human aspirations that lies in the need to escape from the numerous unpleasant aspects of our reality, even though doing so in a perverse way that may finally only aggravate the problems that we are trying to get rid of. If we understand this then we have to concede that drugs, in one form or another, are to stay with us perhaps forever. In this light, the disputable successes that proponents of the maintenance of the criminal status of drugs use to allude to when they defend their position may be misleading. Indeed, the measures of prosecution and compulsory rehabilitation of drug addicts substitutes one evil for another as they only add to the unhappiness of people who depend on drugs by intensifying in them an atmosphere of psychological tension that may actually contribute to the drug-oriented behavior and addiction.  Ã‚  

Deontology and Utilitarianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Deontology and Utilitarianism - Essay Example He is attentive at school, does his homework, participates in class, is cooperative and cheerful, but he doesn’t have many friends. Jake may not have an active social life which makes him unhappy, but he is practicing good deontology. On the other hand, Utilitarianism is the idea that the moral worth of an action is determined solely by its outcome or utility in providing happiness or pleasure (http://wapedia.mobi/en/Utilitarianism). In Utilitarianism, if it benefits the majority, then it is the right choice. For advocates of Utilitarianism, the end justifies the means (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consequentialism). For this example, we will use Sheila, a classmate of Jake. Sheila is very pretty but does not perform as well as Jake academically. However, she has a lot of friends since she joins a lot of extra-curricular activities. Sheila allows most of her male friends to do things for her like homework and projects, which is mutually beneficial for both – with this, Sheila can be marked a bad deontologist but a good utilitarian. Now, applied to the office scenario, the basic premise should be that employees are expected to do their job in the workplace. A business enterprise will not succeed if personal agenda will take precedence over an employee’s duties and responsibilities. Personal matters can be done during breaks but not during business hours. Anything outside of this premise should be considered a breach of company policies and violator/s will have to be dealt with accordingly. The VP suggesting the installation of spyware and dislikes wasted productivity adheres to Deontological Ethics. Conversely, the VP who values privacy over productivity is a follower of Utilitarian Ethics. Although the respect for privacy is given more weight and is applicable to the majority, it does not necessarily mean that this choice is correct.

Does China threaten U.S. global economic dominance Research Paper

Does China threaten U.S. global economic dominance - Research Paper Example Some reports even said that China, as one of the E7 – emerging economies are projected to go beyond the G7 countries around 2032iii. But a lot of things could happen before 2030. Take the example of Japan who almost unseat the U.S. in 1980s, but speculations on this did not materialize due to excessive trade surplus similar to what China is in right now. What stands on the way of China for becoming number one, and being the world’s economic power? Let us take a look at the important demographics. Although China’s population today is 1,336,718,015, four times larger than the United States, its prime working age population of 20 to 35 years old continue to shrink because of its one child policy iv. Also, the vast majority of the population living in the rural areas is either very old or very young. Due to the large number of population, the huge cost of growth is expected to go up as demands for everything continues to go up. While it seems that China ranks close t o U.S. in terms of GDP, it cannot be said that it is a dominant power. It also shows that China is not necessarily richer, only bigger. In 2009, China has $9.872 trillion GDP while US has $14.72 trillion. In comparison, China has a GDP per capita of $7,400 and ranks 127th in the world, and it is dwarfed by the U.S. GDP per capita of $47,400, and is ranked as 10th in the world v. ... nges that should preoccupy the government aside from staking a claim of economic global dominance, such as: (a) reducing its high domestic savings rate and correspondingly low domestic demand; (b) sustaining adequate job growth for tens of millions of migrants and new entrants to the work force; (c) reducing corruption and other economic crimes; and (d) containing environmental damage and social strife related to the economy's rapid transformation† vii. It has been noted that development rests in the coastal provinces rather than in the interior; so much so that addressing the needs of 200 million rural laborers and dependents that have relocated to urban areas to find work is one of its problems Economic analysts view the China’s economic global dominance differently. Hugh Hendry,viii an economic adviser, argues that investors should not worry too much on the fallacy of China’s economic dominance. He said this will not happen because China, despite being the worl d’s largest creditor is also running a consistent trade surplus... It is recalled that this is the same scenario that devastated US in 1920s and Japan in 1980s so that investors are warned of the occurrence of same incident to China. There is no doubt that China’s exports have remained strong amid the difficulties of the global economy. In 2010, China’s exports grew to $1.506 trillion, as compared to its 2009 exports of $1.204 trillion and have further widened the trade surplus with U.S. by 46% to $28.7 billion. ix However, demand for Chinese goods is projected to decline because of the slow growth of U.S. economy and debt problems in parts of Europe. 20% of China’s products are exported to U.S., and the rest goes to Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Germany. China has not completely erased the