Birmingham :: essays research papers

Establishments      Today is a significant day for myself, just as every single African American despite everything battling for our fundamental human rights that were illuminated in the Constitution very nearly 200 years back. We no longer need to be known as uneducated or auxiliary residents. It is time that we are perceived as an equivalent race of individuals, and not just similarly as â€Å"niggers.† The oppressor will never free the persecuted; it is up to the abused to free themselves. In this way, the individuals of color will stop to be stayed silent and will start to make an assembled remain against the racial hindrance that exists in the United States, particularly in Birmingham.      Under the administration of Dr. Martin Luther King our kin will consistently work to make mayhem until the alleged â€Å"elite† hears us. His unmistakable vision has, and will keep on managing us through the obstructions that disrupt the general flow of accomplishing political, practical, and social correspondence in this country. A country that was established by men of numerous countries and foundations; it was established on the rule that all men are made equivalent. Human rights are the establishment for human presence and concurrence, and when one man’s rights are compromised, each man’s rights are reduced.      Through Dr. King’s mental fortitude, responsibility and penance, African Americans in Birmingham will have the option to viably fight an inappropriate doings and difficulties of the previous two centuries, trying to pardon We presently decline to be held down or aggrieved against by loathe gatherings and those in chose positions. On the off chance that you decide not to battle with us, at that point you are a piece of the issue and not part of the arrangement †may God show leniency toward your spirit. Nothing will hold us up to shield us from achieving our objective of opportunity. In any event our endeavors will work to accomplish capacity to bear the contrasts between the greater part and the minority. Achievement will be the main satisfactory outcome.      However, an unmistakable arrangement will be followed to achieve this result, and this arrangement that has been formed by Dr. Lord himself doesn't include the utilization of brutality.

Choose one of the following Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Pick one of the accompanying - Essay Example These camps proceeded onward when the food flexibly at one spot had lessened and made instruments that would support their chasing and assembling roused by the horns and teeth nature had given the creatures from stone. In this way the human cerebrum procured what it had not been given naturally and helped humankind endure the time of mammoths and buffalo for example the last virus spell of the Ice Age (Gascoigne). The social structure of these migrant clans depended for the most part on kinfolk transport, and these were in correlation a lot littler to the settlements of the Neolithic time frame as a result of the agitated idea of the previous (D.Erdal and Whiten). These clans anyway were not headed by a solitary chief; rather different occupations entitled more than one gathering pioneers. Along these lines the men didn't govern over the ladies, the ladies were self-sufficient in their own claims to fame for example assembling and raising youngsters, while the men brought home meat (Dahlberg). The meat acquired by the men was additionally in some cases traded and shared among the individuals from the clan (Gowdy). The finish of this spell, around 10,000 years from today, denotes the start of the Neolithic Revolution in numerous spots far and wide, which can assist us with hypothesizing the components behind the difference in way of life among the people of the Stone-Age (Gascoigne). The creatures that the men chased had either gotten wiped out or had moved to colder districts (Gascoigne). This constrained the trackers to follow, yet the finders found the plenitude and assortment in the flexibly of palatable plants and various creatures that made due on these plants moreover. Liquefying of ice prompted development of life in lakes and lakes, in this manner giving the homo-sapiens simpler other options and motivations to remain. The emphasis on plants and the conditions required for their endurance enlivened the human mind to advance their chasing rehearses into

Pakistan and Afghanistan Essay -- Politics, War, Turmoil

From the 1980’s onwards, Pakistan and Afghanistan have been at the cutting edge of various socio-political occasions relevant to the ascent of Islamic fundamentalism. The diverse elements included structure a confounding trap of contending stories that oppose direct clarification. This article will dig into the milieu, looking for elective hypotheses to build a fitting postulation for the development of fundamentalism. In doing as such, it will look at the Islamisation strategies of Pakistan’s Zia-ul-Haq organization and its coinciding with United States interests at that point. Specific center will be given to the Afghanistan †Pakistan dyad and how the ongoing return of worldwide powers sustains the conditions that permit Islamic fundamentalism to thrive. As an express whose head raison d'ã ªtre is for the insurance of Muslims, Pakistan had generally battled with characterizing what its Islamic order involved. Showing up in power by means of an overthrow d’ã ©tat, Zia-ul-Haq utilized religion to accomplish well known authenticity, coordinating Islamic change as a beguiling affectation for making sure about force (Kennedy 1990: 73). Correspondingly, the Soviet attack of Afghanistan set the job of Islamic legislative issues, with Zia-ul-Haq showing an unmistakable inclination for radical gatherings as a stabilizer to socialist belief system (Fuller 1991: 11). The most obvious indication of sneaking strictness showed up in 1982 with the presentation that â€Å"national dress† and Islamic investigations were obligatory for government representatives (Cohen 1988: 314). Basic this transformation, the legislature subsidized the extension of an inexorably extreme madrasa based instruction framework - with the goal to change th e constituent scene and lift support for Islamic gatherings (Nasr 2000: 147). Through th... ...ndamentalists who challenge at the state’s very presence, we can opine that Pakistan may as of now have crossed the Rubicon. This paper has clarified that Pakistan and Afghanistan are a state of combination for a reiteration of fizzled, seemingly foolish strategies by both the central heroes and outside interests. All things considered, the ascent of Islamic fundamentalism speaks to the sensible endpoint for a variety of strategies that prepared radical strict authoritative opinion to accomplish geostrategic destinations. Vitally, the degraded disappointment of all required to disband and reintegrate those powers into an authentic Afghan state has demonstrated catastrophic in its outcomes. With ongoing global intercession reinforcing the ideological wellsprings of fundamentalism and with the nexus of shakiness spreading profound into Pakistan, the proceeded with unmistakable quality of Islamic fundamentalism seems unavoidable.

The Hours-Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Hours-Critique - Essay Example What hues the entire film is the information that Virginia Woolf will end her own life toward the finish of the story because of her psychological maladjustment (Ehlen 45). These thoughts and numerous others warrant a closer assessment and explanation of the considerations present in the film. Accordingly, this paper will look to recognize and concentrate on the thoughts of the film â€Å"The Hours†. In the first place, as the three primary characters keep on looking for a significance in their lives, they assess self destruction to be a methods for maintaining a strategic distance from the issues they experience. Laura, Clarissa, and Virginia have a high believability towards their discernments and affectability with respect to their general surroundings. Each snapshot of their lives, navigates with their assessment of how they feel about living. In this manner, they every now and then consider passing to be an answer for their issues that is the reason they continually consi der ending it all (59). Given her dysfunctional behavior, Virginia considers demise as the main way out of her severe perspectives throughout her life. As we break down the film, we find that she at long last closures her life towards the finish of the story. Since we realize Virginia ended her own life, it is justifiable that her thoughts concerning Clarissa are mostly her very own impression singular battle and endeavor with the possibility of self destruction. Moreover, while in a similar general investigation of the artistic work of Cunningham, the possibility of people captivating with the possibility of mortality spins around the three primary characters. Virginia takes her own life because of her parts of abuses following her psychological maladjustment. Laura Brown then again, encounters sentiments that makes see her caught by the imperatives of her capacity as a rural homemaker. Because of these sentiments, she thinks about self destruction as the main conceivable departure . At right now, closing the uproar and babble of living tempts this character. Be that as it may, since she is an educated person, from the start, she discovers her interest with ending it all is an intrigue, which has a scholastic goal. Thus, the idea of not having the option to continue with the slaughtering enters her thoughts continually (66). Despite her idea and dreams, the sentiment of requirements occurs for her more and she begins assessing killing herself with a genuine note. The possibility of Laura’s self destruction plan is not, at this point speculative when she remains at the mirror while gazing at the resting pills. The obligation of Michael Cunningham to Virginia is excessively self-evident. Subsequently, a few pundits made plans to utilize the term pastiche with the perspective on portraying his novel. For example, as Mrs. Dalloway opens and as Clarissa gets ready for a gathering in one fine morning in June, she withdraws from home to get a few blossoms. Thi s portrayal discovers its reverberation when the second section of The Hours opens. Extreme explanation of this film calls attention to that, a depiction that appears and portrays what the crowd as of now expects is excessively self-evident. By and by, we see the ladies inside this film attempting to characterize the condition of their lives inside the jobs that society set for them without giving up their individual personalities (81). Every so often, ladies, for example, Clarissa believes that she is excessively household and Laura feels caught inside the existence she ends up living. This is an unmistakable sign portraying that ladies of The Hours have changing degrees ameliorating their separate jobs. Examination of this circumstance realizes oblige of cultural jobs where trappings and family life of ladies outlines its

Magnetic Therapy :: Medicine Medical Papers

Attractive Therapy As we keep on creating as a general public, an ever increasing number of individuals are searching for more up to date strategies to assist themselves with turning out to be and remain sound. One of the manners in which we have done this was to copy cures of the past. A genuine case of this would be the utilization of magnets. Magnets were utilized in early human advancements over the globe. The utilization of magnets has been found in clinical diaries of the early Chinese. The Ancient Greeks utilized attractive rocks, lodestone, as a mending instrument (http://www.magicnet.net/~daw/html/modern.html). Up till today the ubiquity of magnets has developed hugely. The possibility of attractive treatment has gotten the enthusiasm of the open for the most part due to its capacity to treat torment without the utilization of medications or the obtrusive methods of medical procedure. How accomplish they work? There have been numerous consistent clarifications with respect to how the magnets work. One clarification for the accomplishment of attractive treatment has been the way they use the cell’s attractive field. At the point when an infection attacks the body, it disturbs the attractive fields making them become bewildered inside the cells. Magnets help realign these fields making them be a significant factor in checking the sickness (http://www.healthy.net/hwlibrarynewsletters/update/magnets.htm). Magnets likewise increment blood flow by pulling in and repulsing the charged particles inside every cell. The improved course builds the measure of warmth created inside the body and permits the quick entry of supplements and oxygen to the influenced site, accelerating the recuperating procedure. (http://www.healthy.net/hwlibrarynewsletters/update/magnetsports.htm). The warmth delivered additionally lessens expanding in the influenced zones of the body All the clarifications hold nature as the establishment supporting the recuperating forces of magnets. They work with our body to instigate common recuperating without reactions, which may represent its developing notoriety. Dr. H.L. Bansal brings up that the body contains roughly 4-5 grams of iron; in the blood, in a section called hemoglobin, and in muscles, in a section called myoglobin. Utilizing a magnet builds the development of hemoglobin, which additionally quickens blood stream. While the blood stream expands, stores close by veins are diminished and in the end disappear. Causing these stores to evaporate makes blood stream easily additionally decline your hazard for hypertension (http://home.

Long, Stephen Harriman

Long, Stephen Harriman Long, Stephen Harriman, 1784â€"1864, American explorer, b. Hopkinton, N.H. As an army engineer, Long was sent on several exploring and surveying expeditions. The first in 1817 was to the region of the upper Mississippi and the Fox-Wisconsin portage; it is recorded in his Voyage in a Six-oared Skiff to the Falls of St. Anthony (1860). A journey to the Rocky Mts. in 1819â€"20 provided much new knowledge of the mountains. He climbed several peaks, including Long's Peak, and explored the regions of the Platte and Arkansas rivers. Edwin James's Account of an Expedition from Pittsburgh to the Rocky Mountains (2 vol. and an atlas, 1822â€"23) tells of that journey. In 1823, Long led an expedition to determine the source of the Minnesota River and to study the United Statesâ€"Canadian boundary W of the Great Lakes. Some of his notes were used in W. H. Keating's Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of the St. Peter's River (1824). Chosen to select a route for the Baltimore and Ohio RR, he made a survey that resulted in an authoritative railroad manual, with tables of grades and curves. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History: Biographies

A Woven Conspiracy - Literature Essay Samples

Near the end of Thomas Pynchon’s 1965 novel The Crying of Lot 49, the protagonist Oedipa finds herself at a crossroads after trying to unravel the mystery of W.A.S.T.E., a conspiratorial underground postal system, without finding many tangible results. â€Å"It was now like walking among matrices of a great digital computer,† Pynchon writes, â€Å"the zeroes and ones twinned above†¦ Behind the hieroglyphic streets there would be either a transcendent meaning, or only the earth† (Pynchon 181). Earlier in the novel, however, this discrepancy is not represented as a simple binary. Just pages before, when considering the validity of her suspicions, Oedipa thinks to herself â€Å"Either you have stumbled†¦ onto a secret richness and concealed destiny of a dream†¦ Or you are hallucinating it. Or a plot has been mounted against you†¦ Or you are fantasying some such plot† (170-171). Oedipa equates the existence of W.A.S.T.E. with â€Å"transce ndent meaning† and â€Å"secret richness,† but given the later binary description, does this mean she considers the other three options as simply other mundane parts of â€Å"only the earth†? Even next to the possibilities of hallucination or an incredibly elaborate practical joke, is the only thing that can make the world more meaningful to Oedipa the existence of something so seemingly unimpressive as a secret mail system? Pynchon combines the arcane imagery of computers and the mundane imagery of much older and more transparent forms of technology to demonstrate the futility of searching for meaning in an increasingly technologized world, especially through technology itself. Oedipa evokes the imagery of arcane modern technology much earlier in the novel as well, while driving toward San Narciso. Lost in thought, she thinks of the time she had â€Å"opened a transistor radio to replace a battery and seen her first printed circuit,† and finds that the â€Å"ordered swirl of houses and streets†¦ sprang at her now with the same unexpected, astonishing clarity as the circuit card had†¦ there were to both outward patterns a hieroglyphic sense of concealed meaning, of an intent to communicate† (24). Here again appears the word â€Å"hieroglyphic,† representing this â€Å"intent to communicate† which she is unable to decipher. But while in this section she is comparing the layout of circuits to the layout of a neighborhood, by the end of the novel this comparison shifts, and the imagery of complex technology comes to be applied to a conspiracy centering around the postal system, an ancient and seemingly mundane form of techn ology whose functioning should pose little mystery to anyone. Even in the 17th century play The Courier’s Tragedy which appears in the novel, a character â€Å"masquerades as a special courier of the Thurn and Taxis family who†¦ held a postal monopoly throughout most of the Holy Roman Empire† so he can appear less suspicious, showing that if the postal system was thought of as such a normal part of life in the 1600s, it should be thought of as even more mundane in the novel’s time, when electronic computers were relatively new inventions (66). However, Oedipa still hinges the existence of â€Å"transcendent meaning† on, and even equates it to, the existence of a hidden system of mail couriers, even in the face of newer and more secretive technologies. It is also important to note that the postal service is not the first old technology to which Oedipa applies some form of â€Å"transcendent meaning† in the novel. The first, quite early in the novel, is an even older one, the weaving loom. Before going to San Narciso, Oedipa remembers a painting she had seen in Mexico City, â€Å"Bordando el Manto Terrestre† by Remedios Varo, in which there â€Å"were a number of frail girls†¦ prisoners in the top room of a circular tower, embroidering a kind of tapestry which spilled†¦ into a void, seeking hopelessly to fill the void† (21). This makes Oedipa realize â€Å"that what she stood on had only been woven together a couple thousand miles away in her own tower†¦ and so Pierce,† her ex-lover, â€Å"had taken her away from nothing, there’d been no escape.† Here, Pynchon sets a precedent for Oedipa’s later obsession with mail, relating the ancient and relatively simple technology of weaving to not only the idea of some hidden arcane meaning, but also to the idea of purposelessness, represented by the â€Å"void.† As the weavers in the painting attempt to fill it with their embroidery, Oedipa attempts to fill a void of meaning in her life with unraveling a postal conspiracy, perhaps something she too has woven for herself without knowing, but like the weavers’ attempts, Oedipa’s goals may be just as â€Å"hopeless.† The imagery of weaving, in fact, comes back later in the novel. When considering new information that she believes is evidence for the truth of the conspiracy she is chasing, Pynchon writes that â€Å"everything she saw, smelled, dreamed, remembered, would somehow come to be woven into The Tristero.† The choice to bring back the imagery of weaving strengthens the idea that Oedipa is â€Å"weaving† this conspiracy herself, to parallel the women in the painting and fill the void in her own life (81). To say that these things â€Å"came to be woven into† the conspiracy implies that they were not part of it before Oedipa made the connection herself, that Oedipa created this conspiracy herself rather than unravelling one that already existed independent of her weaving. Despite the comparison of the mysterious nature of modern technology to the perceived transcendent nature of ancient technology at the end of the novel, Pynchon more often describes ways in which modern technology makes life more meaningless instead of ascribing to it some â€Å"secret richness.† This further explains Oedipa’s constant attempts to find the same manner of transcendent mystery present in modern technology in older and less mysterious technologies. It also allows Pynchon to show that Oedipa is not the only person negatively affected by the progression of modern technology. For instance, a man Oedipa meets in a club tells her an anecdote about a man who was â€Å"automated out of a job,† eventually leading to a suicide attempt (113). When his wife and her lover discover him about to burn himself alive, the lover says â€Å"Nearly three weeks it takes him†¦ You know how long it would’ve taken the IBM 7094? Twelve microseconds. No wonder y ou were replaced† (115). Clearly the machine that replaced the worker removed meaning from his life by taking away his job and his wife, but the lover’s implications are more sinister than just that. The machine was superior to the man, according to him, because the machine would have more quickly arrived at the conclusion that life is meaningless and not worth living, implying that voiding meaning is not simply a consequence of modern technology. Rather, voiding meaning is one of its purposes. It is also important to note that, early on, on top of persistent references to â€Å"weaving,† Pynchon diminishes the possibility that Oedipa’s conspiracy is anything more than the delusion she is afraid it is by establishing her as having issues with mental health, specifically the hallucinations she mentions as one of the possibilities. While on the phone with her psychiatrist, he tells her â€Å"We want you,† in reference to an experimental drug trial (17). These words evoke an image of a grotesque looking Uncle Sam hanging above her on the ceiling. â€Å"I am having a hallucination now,† she explicitly tells her doctor, noting that she does not want drugs for it. This may similarly stem from the general negativity surrounding modern technologies throughout the novel. Her conversation reminds her of a time when the doctor made a face at her, believing it would have some medical effect, and this replaces the Uncle Sam hallucination with one of her docto r making the same face. The casual way in which Oedipa handles this situation on the phone implies that this is a relatively normal occurrence for her. Furthermore, the way the hallucinations shift shows that they can be influenced by what Oedipa experiences or thinks about, making everything she sees and gathers as â€Å"evidence† for her conspiracy less trustworthy. For Oedipa, the weaving loom, and the postal conspiracy she weaves for herself, at least offer the possibility of filling the void with meaning, even if that possibility is hopeless. She attempts to give her life meaning by turning herself into a form of weaving loom, whereas the man in the anecdote lost the meaning of his life by being an inferior form of the IBM 7094. Clearly then, to Oedipa, while older forms of technology may not necessarily help give life a meaning, they can at very least help provide an illusion that there is meaning, whereas the brutal efficiency of newer technologies eliminates that possibility. Oedipa, then, attempts to take the mysterious transcendent elements of these newer technologies and apply them to older, less apparently harmful technologies to negate the harmful nature of modern innovations and make them more meaningful. In the end, though, as Pynchon implies through Oedipa’s hallucinations, behind any delusion or projection of meaning one mi ght experience or create, there is â€Å"only the earth,† no secret meaning. As hallucination is offered as a negation to the possibility of having â€Å"stumbled†¦ onto a secret richness and concealed destiny of a dream,† if all Oedipa has found is simply part of a hallucination or fantasy, which is likely, then there is no real escape from the effects of modern technology, just as â€Å"there’d been no escape† from the tower in which Oedipa weaves all her delusions. Since modern technology is simply a natural progression from older technologies, no real meaning can be found there aside from distraction and delusion, which is precisely what Oedipa loses herself in throughout The Crying of Lot 49.

U.s. Federal Campaign Finance Reform Proposal - 1630 Words

One main issue raised by presidential hopefuls revolves around campaign money received by candidates, donated by multi-million dollar corporations. Although it remains illegal for these corporations to directly donate large sums of money to political campaigns and political parties, the fear that political and judicial figures in the American political systems are being bought out by these affluent corporations still worries an inordinate amount of people in the United States. In 2009, the Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United v. FEC whether these wealthy companies had the constitutional right to air advertisements they paid for using company expenditures. Similar to Supreme Court cases within the past half-century, the case suggests that†¦show more content†¦However, it is not money they seek; rather favors and special privileges earned by donating the supplies and monetary funds necessary for the candidate to win. Albeit to some, these favors may be menial, but to others, it could mean permission to adjourn laws that may pertain to them. A corporation, for instance, may have inspectors and officials turn a blind eye to human and workers’ rights violations. Likewise, similar campaign finance proposals began to start limiting the regulation of campaign financing, however, the next notable campaign act Congress enacted did not happen until the latter portion of the 20th century. Before 1971, political figures still had leeway in the financing of their campaigns. However, Congress tightened down on campaign financing, and began to restrict the permissible activities candidates could expedite in, beginning in 1971. The first component of the bill demanded that all candidates running to fully disclose their full campaign finance report (Appendix 4). Before this, candidates could, for the most part, receive and spend contributed campaign money any way they seemed fit for the success of their campaigns, though previous acts had heightened the stipulations of this money. Furthermore, this act enacted restrictions on the permissible amounts of money candidates could spend on advertisements (appendix 4). Although advertisements had not

Gender inequality in Iran - 2299 Words

09147 The Question of Gender, the Question of Equality ! Gender inequality has been a constant facet of Iranian society for many years, as an Islamic state, the role and treatment of women is based on interpretation of Islamic law (Sharia). The change derived from the downfall of the Pahlavi regime and subsequent Iranian revolution of 1979 dramatically effected the nature and extent of the rights and quality of life experienced by Iranian women. The reign of Pahlavi as Shah saw womens rights reach new capabilities - for example in 1963, regardless to objections by religious clerics women were granted the capability to vote and run for parliament . While these laws saw great improvements in gender equality, they did not 1 guarantee its†¦show more content†¦If a woman files for divorce without evidence, any financial rights are automatically forfeited, for this to be possible the husband is also required to concede to the divorce . Protection from violence is another example 9 of ge nder discrimination in Iran, no laws exist prohibiting domestic violence, rape is classed as a criminal act and results in harsh penalties, however, the act must be witnessed by four male witnesses, or three male and two female, along with this martial rape is not recognised under Iranian law. Furthermore, honour killings do occur, and the penal code allows a man to murder his wife in the instance of adultery . The distinction in laws in regards to gender is a clear demonstration of 10 the vast extend of inequality in Iran, the fact that such laws are a product of government and institutional power results in gender inequality becoming common across many facets of Iranian life, and the creation of cultural predispositions that can lead some to believe women are inferior to men. The government influence and contribution to this issue, primarily through the induction of legal trends suggests the nature of gender inequality is ingrained into the fabric of Iranian life, that it is a soc ially constructed concept derived from Islamic ideology which is widely practiced and acts as a cultural distinction for Iran, as evident through Iran historically being a primarily patriarchal society. ! Differentiation in access toShow MoreRelatedPersepolis And The Kite Runner853 Words   |  4 PagesPersepolis through the eyes and journey of Marjane (Marji). One example of the social reality of Iran that Persepolis presents to readers is women’s mode of dress. In the beginning of the novel, Marji states, â€Å"Then came 1980: the year it became obligatory to wear the veil at school† (1.4). At this time, Marji is only ten years old, yet she still resists the veil and somewhat realizes the gender inequalities present in her reality. Although both boys’ and girls’ clothes change within their separateRead MoreGender Relations During The Iranian Revolution1664 Words   |  7 Pages The subject of gender relations in Iran has been a contentious social i ssue and has become more controversial since the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Mainstream news outlets such as CNN and BBC have reported that the â€Å"Islamization† that followed the Islamic Republic has led to a reversal of women’s rights in Iran (Nia 2010; BBC 2009). The policies pursued by the Islamic Republic have, however, â€Å"facilitated education, mobilization, and participation† for many women within the context of the countryRead MoreThe Complete Persepolis By Marjane Satrapi1552 Words   |  7 PagesPersepolis by Marjane Satrapi the idea of inequality is introduced through several examples. Marjane Satrapi uses the title to comment on inequality in all aspects of Marjane’s life, including gender, religious, economic, and racial status. Although there are several forms of inequality that the title attempts to highlight within the story, it focuses primarily on the issues of gender inequality by comparing the issues that Marjane faces due to he r gender and comparing it to issues faced by womenRead MoreAnalysis Of Persepolis And The Kite Runner 1023 Words   |  5 PagesErica Spry Professor Moore ENG 209 November 25, 2014 How Two Bildungsromans Challenge Gender Roles in Society In both Persepolis and The Kite Runner, readers are presented with two main characters in search for their own self-realization. According to Lukà ¡cs’s theory, â€Å"the self-realization of the individual ultimately sheds some light also on ‘social reality’† (22). Ultimately, readers are able to gain insight to the social realities of the characters’ nation states in both novels. PersepolisRead MoreGender Roles And Opportunities For The Persian Women1338 Words   |  6 Pageswomen wear to disguise their figures. She spent her entire adolescence under its heavy drape†. This was until she laid foot in Australia and freed herself from the gender roles and expectations of Iran, unveiling herself both theoretically and in practice. Similar to beauty ideals, my investigation also aims to identify whether gender roles and opportunities for power for Persian women have changed as a result of migration to Australia. Equality and opportunities for power has always been a blurredRead MoreWomen s Rights And Rights1010 Words   |  5 PagesThe women’s movement in Iran is well-known as a dynamic, powerful movement within a state under various levels of Islamic regimes. Beginning from the constitutional period from 1905-1911, women began to mobilize and organized acts of defiance such as boycotts, riots, and protests. Despite the numerous odds against them, including not being classified as â€Å"citizens† equal under the constitution, women’s movements in Iran grew steadily over the early 1900’s. Women’s organizations produced scholarlyRead MoreGender Inequality : What s The Right Thing?1283 Words   |  6 PagesRobyn Mendoza Ms. Bergen English 10- 2 26 April 2013 Gender Inequality Gender inequality is an on going topic in society today. Women continue to struggle in finding equality next to men. Women should have the exact same rights as men, no matter what the differences are between the two genders. In the book Justice: What s the Right Thing to Do, Aristotle’s theory of justice is â€Å"giving people what they deserve† (Sandel 9). Women should not be restricted or constrained from anything that menRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Marjane Satrapi1110 Words   |  5 Pagessubordination. Even as global societies grow more progressive, there are still parts of the world where women are stripped of their basic human rights, forcing women to fight for equality. Marjane Satrapi, author of Persepolis, depicts the political turmoil in Iran by including the degrading rights of women. In places where Islamic extremism exists, the strict fundamentalism affect the rights and societal views of women (Bobic et al., 4-8). Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite R unner, tells the story of a PashtunRead MoreThe Religious Views Of Women s Right1019 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Women’s right is a controversial and sensitive topic in today’s society. Gender inequality has been a great issue for decades and is closely related to the harmony of the society as well as the development of human civilization. Religion, as one of the most significant products of human civilization, is extraordinary influential in guiding people’s beliefs and thoughts. Therefore, different religious views of women’s rights play big roles in building people’s conceptions. Among theRead MoreThe Issue Of Workplace Inequality1255 Words   |  6 PagesThere are many origins to the issue of workplace inequality. Across the world, women are getting paid less and less. The gender wage gap now stands at an average of 22 cents between genders. It is common knowledge that women were often not allowed to work in the past, and if they did they didn’t have the best jobs. With women increasing their education and work experience, it shouldn’t stil l be an issue. On average, a woman who goes to the same college, gets the same job, and has the same amount

The Portrayal Of Families Throughout Contemporary...

The Portrayal of Families in Contemporary Literature In sociology perspective, family is the basic social unit of society. It plays a variety of function as a governing body within a household. It is in-charge in shaping every single member of the smallest institution on proper values, morals and appearance, needed outside their respective homes. Often times, families are expressed through different aspects – by means of traditional and modernistic viewpoint. By convention, traditional families are often depicted with a male father, a female mother and their offspring, under a patriarchal government way of living; led by the father. In this stereotypical case, the father’s duty is to work and earn a living for his family while the mother’s main role is to be compliant to his spouse and most importantly, ensure the family’s needs are met and well-taken care of. On the other hand, modern-day media portrays the complete opposite of the basic institution. Thou gh the father and the mother still acquires the same duties, mothers can now partake in the workforce than the usual â€Å"stay-at-home† setup. Leadership Expert John Maxwell once said that â€Å"change is inevitable†, and thus to say, the family that everyone come to know about, changes just like everything around it. The typical family image has been reconstructed to suit the modern-day age, where the father and the mother does not have to be the gender that society associate them with. Instead, a male can stand as the maternalShow MoreRelatedManifestation of Latin-American Gender Roles in American Media1220 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Manifestation of Latin Gender Roles in American Media Objective The objective of this study is to examine the manifestation of Latin gender roles in American Media. Towards this end, this study will examine the literature in this area of inquiry. Introduction Gender roles are reported to be generally defined as sex-based categories that specify appropriate rules of conduct for males and females in a particular culture or society. Although grounded in biological differences between males andRead MoreGender Roles, Feminism, And Feminism855 Words   |  4 PagesCorrespondently to breaking down gender roles, feminism plays an important role in Chicana/o literature. In Lopez’s Real Women Have Curves feminism is defined in accordance to the Chicana/o community and differently from 60s and 70s white feminism that did not considered intersectionalities (Ruiz, Lecture, 4/5/16). In the play Ana tries to empower the women by preaching about the power of taking control of their bodies, sexuality, and ultimate their destiny; however Estela harshly stops her with:Read More William Faulkners Race Essay1358 Words   |  6 Pages1897. Although Faulkner was not a keen student in high school, which eventually lead to his dropping out before graduat ion, he was very enthusiastic about undirected learning. After years of studying independently, Faulkner allowed a friend of his family, Phil Stone, to assist him with his academic vocation. This relationship inspired Faulkner and after a short period spent with the Royal Air Force in 1918 he decided to go to university where he began writing and publishing poetry. In 1924 Stone’sRead MoreThe Representation of Rapunzel on Womens Role1613 Words   |  7 PagesDo I need help anymore? Throughout most of history, women were seen as inferior to men. Men were viewed as more capable and smarter than women: men worked while women stayed at home; men were given control of the household and their wives, and men obtained education while women learned how to do household chores at home. Many of these inequalities were displayed in early literature, such as Andromeda and the Sea Monster and â€Å"Rapunzel†, where women, dubbed Damsels in Distress, either made unintelligentRead MoreThe Evolution And Portrayals Of Family Sitcoms Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesThe Evolution and Portrayals of Family Sitcoms Family sitcoms have been the most popular and positively influenced television shows watched since the 1900s to today. Many of these shows have consisted of African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic families who all play a role that we as watchers look up to or perceive as the right way to run our household. Over time there has been an addition to biracial shows and family role changes throughout these sitcoms. For example, now observing single parentRead MoreEpistolary Novels and Mimetic Devices1256 Words   |  5 Pagesthe story. I discuss how these mimetic devices contribute to the story. In the 18th century, letter writing took on great importance as a new mode of communication. (Studying the Novel 2001) In Pamela by Richardson, letters between Pamela and her family are used to tell the story of Pamela’s resistance to seduction by her employer. The reader is puzzled by the sudden cessation of Pamela’s family’s replies to her letters, only to find that this is because Pamela’s employer has insisted on anotherRead MoreThe Mystery Of The Universe By Benjamin Alire Saenz1308 Words   |  6 PagesGuardian Angel by Xavier Garza demonstrate how positive male role models are part of the Latino culture in literature as well as in real life. Throughout these two books which target young adults, Saenz and Garza emphasize the constant presence of positive male role models and the importance of their impact on the characters. Similarities between Garza and Saenz indicate that contemporary Mexican-American fathers/role models can be affectionate, in volved, as well as morally and emotionally supportiveRead MoreComparison Between Frankenstein And Mary Shelley s Frankenstein1644 Words   |  7 Pagesunfortunately, all modern representations of the creature tend to be wrong. The creature’s physical characteristics, intellectual abilities, morals, and actions are all drastically different when comparing modern representations to Shelley’s actual portrayal of the being, and these changes can ruin Shelley’s depiction of who the creature is on the inside. The first difference that is noticed between Shelley’s novel and other representations of the creature is his physical appearance. Most illustrationsRead More Comparing Poe’s Fall of the House of Usher and Taylor’s Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time1069 Words   |  5 Pages Folly and Time† are two completely different narratives, both of these stories share a commonality of gothic text representations. The stories take slightly different paths, with Poe’s signifying traditional gothic literature and Taylor approaching his story in a more contemporary manner. Gothic texts are typically characterized by a horrifying and haunting mood, in a world of isolation and despair. Most stories also include some type of supernatural events and/or superstitiousRead MoreAlexie Visits His Family That Still Live On The Reservation938 Words   |  4 PagesAlexie visits his family that still live on the reservation every month, and has said, â€Å"In any small town, eccentricity is viewed as suspicious. In a tribally-controlled small town, eccentricities are viewed with much more suspicion. His family is the subject of much of his writing, which can be painful; but they will still come to hear him participate in a reading if it is close to the â€Å"rez†. Alexie’s books have been described as making the characters as odd and complex as anyone else (Campbell)

Financial Analysis Managing A Business - 1668 Words

Managing a business is a continual process of making various decisions. One of the most important decisions to facilitate accurate decision-making in the business is a financial analysis. The financial analysis of the business is an assessment of the efficiency of the company. It is useful not only for correct interpretation of the figures contained in the financial statements but also to make better use of resources and above all to improve results of operations to meet the needs of the market and the expectations of the owners. The financial analysis should make the decision making easier and ensure effective development companies in the future. The purpose of this work is to explain the essence of financial analysis and reporting as well as their importance in the decision making process affecting the company. Today I will be concentrating on Steiner’s Leisure Limited annual review. My work consists of two parts. In the first chapter I discuss the nature of financial decisi ons based on a company’s financial information. In the next chapter i will evaluate the financial performance of the business. Before I start the analyse of the Steiner Leisure Limited annual review analyse I would like to take the opportunity to answer two questions, which play a vital role in understanding of the topic i am writing about. The first question is what finance is? The dictionary says finance is â€Å"the management of large amounts of money, especially by governments or largeShow MoreRelatedThe Alcan Case Study1642 Words   |  7 PagesAlcan Case Analysis Executive Summary One of the most critical success factors for Alcan, the global leader in discrete and process metal production, selling and service-related businesses, is their supply chain. Sourcing the right materials, from approved suppliers, at the most economical price and having them delivered at the right time is a continual challenge for Alcan and members of the industry it participates in. Bauxite is one of the most critical raw materials there are to the productionRead MoreCase Study of Prostitution1406 Words   |  6 PagesJob analysis Finance Division Job profile Has overall responsibility and accountability for providing direction in the area of treasury services, accounting services, or procurement services. This position has discretion in establishing overall operating policies and procedures for assigned   QUALIFICATIONS Bachelors Degree in accounting, finance, business administration or related field. Relevant experience may substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis. Eight years of progressivelyRead MoreManaging Financial Resources and Decisions1091 Words   |  5 PagesUNIT 2: MANAGING FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND DECISIONS Unit 2: Unit code: QCF level: Credit value: Aim Managing Financial Resources and Decisions H/601/0548 4 15 credits The unit aim is to provide learners with an understanding of where and how to access sources of finance for a business, and the skills to use financial information for decision making. Unit abstract This unit is designed to give learners a broad understanding of the sources and availability of finance for a business organisationRead MoreExecutive Directors : An Effective Business Model731 Words   |  3 PagesExecutive directors have an obligation to act as financial stewards in managing and leading the organization to sustainability. Executive directors must ensure compliance with financial requirements and adherence to accounting principles. They are also responsible for ensuring fiscal responsibility and building public trust (Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, 2014). Leaders, including the board of directors have the obligation to ensure that financial resources accomplish their missions effectivelyRead MoreGrooming CFOs to be CEOs674 Words   |  3 PagesCFO as CEO Introduction Given the increasing complexity of business and the need to financially quantify risk and opportunities so options are clearly understood while also operating in uncertainty, the progression of CFOs to CEOs will continue to accelerate. Reviewing the two articles How a CFO can graduate to CEO (Brewis, 1999) and Do CFOs really make good CEOs (Picker, 1989) illustrate foundational points to support the contention that CFOs will continue to be promoted and excel in their rolesRead MoreGoogle vs. Yahoo Financial Analysis Essay1309 Words   |  6 PagesGoogle vs. Yahoo Financial Analysis Dee Wassenberg Columbia College FINC 350 Business Finance Instructor: Darryl Sanborn February 11, 2011 Liquidity ratios, like the current ratio, provide information about a firms ability to meet its short time financial obligations. Short-term creditors seek a high current ratio from prospective clients since it reduces their risk. For investors in a company, such as shareholders, a lower ratioRead MoreThe Four Types of Financial Statements695 Words   |  3 PagesTypes Of Financial Statements Introduction The four basic financial statements including the balance sheet, income statement, statement of retained earnings, and cash flow statement together form the foundation of financial reporting for a business. The intent of this paper is to define the purpose of these four statements, how these statements are useful for internal managers and employees, and how they are useful for those external to a company incouding investors and creditors. Analysis of theRead MoreZoom Snowboard Inc. : Overview1532 Words   |  7 Pagesfocus of the business is offering customized snowboards and it has recently expanded its business to the sports apparels. The company has seen tremendous growth in its new line of business but there are concerns regarding its pricing policies and the management has decided to set in place new discount and return policies that would be offered to the vendors. In the given case study, as an audit scenario, I need to analysis the significant risks of material misstatements at the financial statement levelRead MoreThe Business Ethics Of The Automobile Industry Essay917 Words   |  4 Pageshave avoided a multibillion-dollar mistake. Valuing Workforce Members and Partners One of the key points the Business Policy Seminar reiterated from my previous degree work was the importance of organizations adopting a stakeholder management approach if they are going to develop profitability and long-term profit growth. While stakeholder management was discussed in-depth in my Business Ethics (BUS340) course, it was from an ethical perspective- more of a delineation of why this type of strategyRead MoreInventory Turnover1096 Words   |  5 Pagesthe higher the inventory turnover rate the better it’s for the business. For Kudler Fine Foods the perished goods used in their stores had a high inventory turnover. Management makes sure to monitor all products, to make sure that all unsalable products were pulled from the shelves. The problem affecting kundler foods was that Kathy was the only appoint person to order their inventory, in her absence the company can suffered from managing their inventory. In the vision of keeping all goods fresh, inventory

Comm Reflective Essay Free Essays

string(64) " the local market might be taken over by the foreign investors\." Section 1 My Learning Journey†¦ in COMM101: Principles of Responsible Commerce Initially, before I learn this course, I have always thought that a â€Å"responsible commerce† is only important to balance the economic cycle. In my initial essay regarding â€Å"responsible commerce†, I mentioned about child labor being one of the biggest issue of irresponsible commerce, I thought the reason of it being such a big issue was because it would affect the whole economical cycle. And I did not realize that responsible commerce would involve different kinds of principles of ethics and elements in business, Through this subject I have learned that ethical principles and standards in business define acceptable conduct in businesses which underpin how management makes decisions. We will write a custom essay sample on Comm Reflective Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Business ethics reflects the philosophy of business, one of whose aims is to determine the fundamental purposes of a company. However, behaving ethically is not quite the same thing as behaving lawfully, because ethics are about what is right and what is wrong; while law is about what is lawful and what is unlawful. What is unethical does not mean it is unlawful, for example, if a driver sees a car crash while he was driving, ethically, he should have stopped his car to see if there is any help that he could provide to the victim, but, still, it does not violate the law if he does not stop to help. It is the same in business. It would be ethical to take up partial responsibility to take care of the unfortunate after earning so much profit from the people; but not taking up the responsibility does not cause them to violate the law either. Another thing that I have learned about ethics is that there are different principles to define what is right or wrong. I would consider myself as a utilitarian because I have always thought that whether a matter is right or wrong depends on its consequence. If a person tells a lie, so that he would not hurt somebody’s feelings, he is ethically right. However, Kant’s theory is in contrast with utilitarianism. Kant’s theory judges a matter regardless of whether the consequence is good or bad, the action, for instance, lying is wrong, and then it is ethically wrong. In the commercial world, Kant’s theory gives organizations firm rules to follow in moral decision-makings. To Kantians, â€Å"morality must be based on the categorical imperative because morality is such that you are commanded by it, and is such that you cannot opt out of it or claim that it does not apply to you. † (California State University) Corporations use Kant’s categorical imperatives to command unconditionally on what is right for their employees to do and what is wrong to do. Kant’s theory had also taught me â€Å"humanity as an end, never as merely a means†, which means a person has his own inner worth and shall not be used by anyone for his or her benefits. (Shaw et. al. , 2009) But in my opinion, this principle is fairly difficult to obey because, in reality, everyone is using each other as a means to benefit himself in order to survive. For example, at a private college, a lecturer is hired to teach students who have paid tuition fees to the college. The college is using the lecturer as a means to generate income. On the other hand, lecturer is also using the college as a means to generate income for himself when he receives salary after teaching the students. This example has taught me that the application of ethical theories is not constant and evolves from time to time. Like corporate responsibilities, they, too, evolve from time to time. In 1962, Milton Friedman argued that ‘there is only one responsibility of business, which is to use its resources and engage in profitable activities as long as it stays within the rules of the game’. He emphasized that when a business is increasing profits, it is being socially responsible and it is believed to be an â€Å"invisible hand† to create more employment opportunities, new goods and services for customers, profits for shareholders, and economic growth. Nonetheless, according to Friedman, business managers who maximize profits are also acting moral responsibility because they have an obligation as employees to serve their employers bona fide in the best interest of the company. However, in 2010, a professor at Melbourne Business School, Doctor Geoff Lewis, claimed that Friedman’s view was outdated because the argument was set in the mid-nineties to preach against socialism. Lewis argued that in the twenty-first century, where most economy has been capitalized, it is not enough for a business to be solely responsible for increasing its profits. Lewis says that ‘forty years ago social responsibility may have been seen as an act of, as Friedman described it, â€Å"hypocritical window dressing† – but in today’s world we think in terms of sustainability and of business playing a central role in our market-driven society’. In addition, Niall FitzGerald (2010) also opposes with Friedman’s statement where being socially responsible is against the company’s best interest as it imposes costs on the shareholders, because being socially responsible does not conflict the profitability of a business. A major part of the commercial world today has already been capitalized so that corporations could enjoy free competition with each other, while consumers would have better choices of products. I believe that is what every one of us would think of. However, through learning COMM101, I have realized that capitalism is good, but a market shall not be over capitalized. Capitalism centered upon individual self-interest and competitiveness. (Shaw et. al. , 2009) Competition without regulations in the marketplace would lead to alienation of the weaker competitors in the market and, hence, breeds oligopolies in the market. This would not be a good thing to happen in the poorer countries, where the local corporations may not be as strong as the foreign ones, and would most probably be isolated by the consumers, while the local market might be taken over by the foreign investors. You read "Comm Reflective Essay" in category "Essay examples" In order to protect these local corporations, this is when the government should regulate the market by adding certain principles of socialism to encourage co-cooperativeness between foreign and local corporations. Another topic that I have learned in this course is globalization. Globalization has been promoted all around the world. Usually, globalization is seen as an irresistible and benign force for delivering economic prosperity to people throughout the world, the rich foreign investors and traders and people in poor countries. However, it is also blamed as a source of all contemporary ills. International Labour Organisation) I have always thought that globalization only affects individuals in the commercial world. However, the phenomenon of globalization brings an impact to the world not only in economics but also the culture and social welfare of the countries. At many times, people like me tend to be more concerned about the economic and political impacts of the globalization and overlooked its impact on cultural and social welfare. Some feel globalization entails a deterioration of moral standards; a decline of religious scruples; a cultural breakdown. Kilgour, 2000) No doubt what concerns us the most is the â€Å"cultural homogenization† that globalization could generate, challenging our community and our unique identity, culture and traditions. Some even feel that globalization will turn people into spiritless robots. (Kilgour, 2000) But the fact is spiritual activities and experiences are deeply personal, it is difficult to see how globalization would influence them one way or another. (Kilgour, 2000) Overall, my journey of learning this subject has been quite fruitful. It has helped me to learn the world better. I have also learned about what kind of ethics principles to use in order to regulate one’s morality in the commercial world, and it has helped me to develop a better mindset. Section 2 Case Study Lara Stone’s Calvin Klein Jeans ad banned in Australia for being ‘Suggestive of Violence and Rape’ During this semester, while I was doing my assignment for another course, I have come across this case that had attracted negative media attention. This case is about a Calvin Klein Jeans advertising campaign for its Fall 2010 Collection, starring supermodel–Lara Stone, posing with three male models in the controversial image. Not only the image was being criticized that it was demeaning to women, the advertising campaign had been banned in Australia after the country’s Advertising Standards Bureau decided that it was ‘suggestive of violence and rape’. (Abraham, 2010) Advertising is an important social phenomenon. Not only has it stimulated consumption, economic activity models, life-styles and a certain value orientation; Advertising acts as a mean for companies to achieve business objectives to sell goods or services. It provides a medium to deliver information to consumers, in a way that would maximize the effectiveness of the message. Once the advertising message has been delivered to the consumers, it is up to the individuals to interpret the message, based upon previous experiences and pre-existing beliefs that differ vastly between cultures. Nonetheless, advertising also mirrors the society, because elements in effective advertisements combine with the individual cultures and societies. (Next Step Marketing, 2012) The Calvin Klein Jeans case caught my attention because of its abuse of the element of sexuality in their ad campaign which caused objections from the audience. Tom Reichert, professor and head of the department of advertising and public relations in the UGA Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication claimed that advertisers use sex to promote the products because it can be very effective, because it attracts attention and people are hard wired to notice sexually relevant information. (Sorrow, 2012) Reichert said this upward trend in erotic ads is a reflection of society. Today, it takes more explicitness to grab our attention and arouse us than before. Back in the early 1900s, exposed arms and ankles of female models generated the same level of arousal as partially nude models do today. Sorrow, 2012) In Kant’s theory, using women, as sex objects in advertisements to directly appeal to person’s emotional core, the advertisement taps into the primal desire of human beings to have children. It bypasses the moral constraints, which the society has ingrained into its members, mirrored as one of Kant’s categorical imp eratives, that prohibits using people, in this case women, as a means to achieve an end. It is these two internal opposing forces that trouble people when they are confronted with such advertisement. In reality, the women in such advertisements are most probably treated fairly and not exploited, but the internal battle between our basic instincts and moral intuitions do not consider this. We struggle with the primal sexual desire, against our moral intuitions that we should treat women as human beings with equality of rights rather than viewing them as objects to satisfy some internal, primal lust. In the Calvin Klein Jeans advertisement, it is represented by the four men having the power to sexually manipulate the woman; while it is not true in reality. In society, this would represent a regression in the form of moral degradation if women are not treated with equality and are unfairly taken advantage of. The concept of the Calvin Klein Jeans advertising campaign have also gone against the Rawl’s Justice of Fairness, in which women, who were unfairly treated in the past, be given more compensation in society now. The act of portraying women as sex objects is an uncivilized act, and it harkens back to a time where social liberties and rights were not as developed as they are today. Nonetheless, the use of sex in advertising can also negatively affect children. It was discovered that children watch more than thirteen-hundred hours of television annually, which resulted in exposure to more than twenty-thousand of commercials. † When advertisers use sex in their ads as a technique to increase sales, it can become misleading to children that sex is associated with products, while sexual activities can be exposed to public, instead of sex with love, which is a very personal matter that should be kept behind the door. The use of sexuality may indirectly cause to increase sexual activity among the young, which would lead to more unwanted pregnancies, more STDs and more children with self-esteem issues over body images. (Centrella, et. Al. ) References 1. Abraham, Mail Online, Lara Stone’s Calvin Klein Jeans ad banned in Australia for being ‘suggestive of violence and rape’ (2010), ;http://www. dailymail. co. uk/femail/article-1322815/Lara-Stone-Calvin-Klein-Jeans-ad-banned-Australia-suggestive-rape. html? printingPage=true;, viewed 20 September 2012 2. California State University, Kantian Ethics lt;http://www. csus. edu/indiv/g/gaskilld/ethics/Kantian%20Ethics. htm; , viewed 27 October 2012 3. Centralla et al. , Are governments doing enough to prevent the global expansion of the sex industry? ;http://www. feministezine. com/feminist/international/Globalization-Sex-and-Profits. html; viewed 26 October 2012 4. FitzGerald KBE and Cormack, The Role of Business: An Agenda for Action (2010) ;http://www. hks. harvard. edu/m-rcbg/CSRI/publications/report_12_CGI%20Role%20of%20Business%20in%20Society%20Report%20FINAL%2010-03-06. df; viewed 20 September 2012 5. Kilgour, Spiritual and Ethical Impacts of Globalisation (2000), ;http://www. david-kilgour. com/secstate/spiritglobe. htm; viewed 23 October 2012 6. Lewis, The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase Profits (2010) ;http://www. mbs. edu/go/centres-of-excellence/2010-debate/asia-pacific-centre-for-leadership-for-social-impact/news-and-links/net-impact/the-social-responsibility-of-business-is-to-increase-profits; viewed 20 September 2012 7. Next Step Marketing, Does Advertising shape society, or merely mirror societal trends? http://www. nextstepmarketing. com. au/articles/advertising/does-advertising-shape-or-mirror-society/ viewed 20 October 2012 8. Shaw, et al. , Moral Issues in Business, 1st Edition (Cengage Learning Australia Pty Ltd, 2009) 9. Sorrow, Magazine trends study finds increase in advertisements using sex (2012) ;http://news. uga. edu/releases/article/magazine-trends-study-finds-increase-in-advertisements-using-sex/; viewed 28 October 2012 How to cite Comm Reflective Essay, Essay examples

Business Model Innovation and Logistics

Question: Discuss about the Business Model Innovation and Logistics. Answer: Introduction: Toyota Motor Corporation is a Japanese automobile manufacturing company having its headquarter at Aichi, Japan. In the year 2014 Toyota consisted of the 338,875 employees globally and by the end of February 2016 Toyota was considered as one of the 13th largest company worldwide in terms of the revenue produced ahead of Volkswagen and General Motors. Toyota automobiles were established in the year 1933 as the division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, which was centrally focussed on the production of automobiles under the direction of Kiichiro Toyoda. Toyota presently operates through dealership sales channel. It is primarily focussed on the production and selling of luxury sedan such as Toyota corona, Toyopet Toyo Ace truck. Toyota Dyna, Toyota Coaster, Toyota corolla are some of the major products, which are produced by Toyota. The executive management of Toyota comprises of Christian Ruben, Ivo Ljubica who are the directors of the company. The board of directors of Toyota allocates accounts based on the location of the registered offices of its relevant offices and groups. Vision and Mission: The mission of Toyota is to provide safe journey to its customers. Toyota is focused on developing new technologies with the intention of saving energy and diversifying the energy sources. Toyota is working with the vision of creating a prosperous society and clean environment by promoting the production of battery cars (Cusumano 2013). Value chain analysis of Toyota: Value chain analysis can be defined as the analytical theory, which helps in identifying the business operation by creating value and competitive advantage for the firm. Inbound logistics of Toyota consist of two separate activities first being the transport of parts from the local suppliers to the manufacturing unit and the second part consist of international inbound logistics to ship its parts from Japan to North America and European plant. Localization of the production is one of the central strategy undertaken by Toyota and 75.4% of the non-domestic sales were produced outside the territories of Japan for the calendar of 2015 (Backer and Miroudot 2014). In addition to this, Toyota has perfectly crafted Just-In-Time systems of manufacturing in order to eliminate the need for inventory which helps in saving considerable amount of cost. Operations: Toyota automotive operations support the promotion of conscientious manufacturing throughout its operational functions. On the other hand, lean manufacturing technology helps in promoting competitive advantage. Figure 1: representing Toyota assembly plant (Source Kilger et al. 2015) Outbound logistics: Approximately Toyota has more than 175 distributors and 8900 dealers outside the territory of Japan. The company employs carriers, railroads and trucks to transmit its vehicles from the manufacturing plant to the dealers. Toyota employs numerous distribution strategies in US, Europe and Japan (Diabat et al. 2013). Distribution of vehicles produced in North America: Once out of plant vehicles are shipped into the marshalling yard where it is prepared for transportation to its distributors and dealers. Distribution of vehicles produced overseas: Large number of vehicles produced in Japan are transported in North America and are further transported to dealerships. However, Toyota value chain represents that the delivery time should vary from three weeks to five weeks to those ports where dealers are located close to its manufacturing unit (Christopher 2016). Marketing and sales: Toyota puts more of its focus on innovating product and promoting efficiency of brand through brand integration practices. Toyota marketing strategy makes the use of print and media advertising to promote sales. It also focuses on public relations and direct marketing techniques with the help of television advertising for effective marketing and sales. Services: Toyota operates according to the value of serving its customers first. This principle is reflected in all the business processes and operational procedures in company (Backer and Miroudot 2014). Figure 2: Diagrammatic representation of Toyotas value chain (Source Backer and Miroudot 2014) Planning process of Toyota: Toyota has adopted intensive business strategy in order to succeed on selected market to develop its business. Toyota adopts the strategy of continuous improvement in order to create an impact on the level of quality product. Toyota adopts an integrating strategy of cross-functional business through gradual improvement and continuous business activities. Product strategy: The product strategy of Toyota is based on rendering high quality fuel efficient cars through the employment of innovating technologies through intensive hard work and creativity (Kumar 2015). Research and development: Toyota is considered as one of the leader of automobiles industries through advanced research and development technology. Business strategies adopted by Toyota is aimed at developing intelligence responses in order to challenge the automobile industry by presumptuous responsibility for future generations. Designing fuel-efficient engines: Regarding the problems of pollution and emission Toyota intensively makes the use of technology to design its car engines which are less polluting. It is committed towards developing hybrid car engines by undertaking the combination of different source of power units. Toyota designs its engines, which are technologically more advanced which helps in achieving the business mission of green machine. Brand Positioning of Toyota: Toyota develops a strategy of product positioning strategy to influence their positioning in the automobile market. For example, Toyota and Lexus are other competing automobile brand that has different positioning strategies. A Toyota Camry and Lexus IS may be comparable in terms of shape and size but the two models is designed and marketed intensively to reach two different groups of consumer. Toyota positions its product by formulating positioning strategy by appealing its targeted groups of customers. Toyota has the better understanding of its competitors such as Nissan, Lexus etc by identifying their unique selling point, which helps in determining the differences in their product (Simons 2013). Hence, Toyota uses low cost strategy by focussing more on the superior designing and quality, which helps in differentiating its product from its competitors. Manufacturing budgets of Toyota: Manufacturing budgets of Toyota potentially consists of capital surplus, retained earnings and earnings generated from the current year surplus. In accordance with the going concern approach, a significant part of the regulatory budgets complies with the minimum requirement of Toyota for covering the risk. In addition to this, a budgeted profit is also taken into the consideration under the going concept for determining the manufacturing budgets of Toyota. To comply with the risk requirement Toyota takes into the account only a prudent budgeted profit to promote its sales. Figure 3 representing the budget cost of component in manufacturing of Toyota (Source Rothaermel 2015) Controlling: Monitoring control: Indentifying waste: According to Rothaermel (2015) there is always waste or residual left out whatever be the process of production Toyota believes in improving its technology through better monitoring of manufacturing process. Toyota continuously aims to improve the process through vital tools by bringing out enhanced product or services. Toyota monitors the activities of its organisation by analysing the activities of department that are directly connected with the manufacturing unit. Analysing the waste and discovering the root cause: For each of the waste that is identified Toyota discovers the root cause for such waste. If a machine in production unit constantly breaks down Toyota identifies the real problem by providing adequate training to the operators who do not use the machine properly. Tools implemented to reduce waste: Once Toyota identifies the waste monitoring process in the above stated stages it employs the tools of reducing the waste through using Just-in-time (Simons 2013). In order to minimise the use of stock and resources Toyota only purchases materials and makes effective utilisation of the available resources to help production run smoothly and efficiently. Such strategies reduce the possibilities of poor engine quality in future batches of cars. Implementing balanced scorecard: Attaining productivity in business has always been an important requirement for continuous growth and expansion. Managers and directors of Toyota are under the responsibilities of assuring the success of business operations though using balanced scorecard techniques, which enables them to achieve their goals throughout their production level. According to Okongwu et al. (2015) balanced scorecard can be defined as the strategic management techniques used for communicating and evaluating the mission and strategy of a business firm. Toyota balance scorecard is divided into four categories to measure the performance of the company which are as follows; Financial perspective: The financial prospect of Toyota aims to answer the queries of its shareholders. Financial measures of Toyota emphasises on the profitability related measures as its shareholders verifies the profit level of the investment undertaken by Toyota. Financial measurement covers up the areas of Toyotas return on investment, cash flow, net operating income and growth in earnings. Customers perspective: According to Keyes (2016) this aspects covers up the ability of Toyota to offer quality cars and engine services by attaining the overall satisfaction level of customers. Toyota believes that if the customers are not happy then they might not return. Therefore, customers satisfaction is of critical importance in achieving the companys financial goals defined under financial perspective of the balanced scorecard. Toyota focuses on increasing the customers retention through improved customer relationship by responding to complaints of customers. Internal business process: The internal business perspective of Toyota is based on the internal business results, which lead to financial success and satisfied customers. To recognise its organisational objectives and customers anticipations Toyota identifies the vital business process such as internal business management, which helps the organisation excel in international automobile market (Sainaghi, et al. 2015). Internal business process of Toyota consists of cost of services, cost of conformance, process innovation are some of the vital measures aimed at increasing the level of production capacity. Learning and growth perspective: This perspective of Toyota looks into the employee performance as how they grow and learn within the organisation. Such measures examine the employees level of expertise and knowledge in support of organisational objectives. Managers of Toyota also identify the vision and mission by sustaining the ability of the employers to sustain and improve (Black et al. 2014). Decision-making: International product strategy standardisation: Toyota automobile revealed its plans by stating that it aims to invest $1billion for setting up new plants in Mexico and another $440 million to add up a new manufacturing line in china. The company has revealed its expansion plans in three years by highlighting its strategy, which aims to put high importance in the U.S markets and also aims to take up more measurable step in china (Tjader et al. 2014). Toyota has formed ambitious goals of doubling its sales and production by 2 million cars in the upcoming years. On the other hand, Toyota is considering catching up its rivals in china by making large sum of investment in building an excessive production strategy. Finding and facts: Planning: Toyota has adopted intensive business strategy in order to succeed on selected market to develop its business. The product strategy of Toyota is based on rendering high quality fuel-efficient cars to its customers. Toyota is committed towards developing hybrid car engines by undertaking the combination of different source of power units. Controlling: Toyota believes in improving its technology through better monitoring of manufacturing process. Managers and directors of Toyota are under the responsibilities of assuring the success of business operations though using balanced scorecard techniques (Abdulrahman et al. 2015). Furthermore, Toyota takes into the account only a prudent budgeted profit to promote its sales. Decision-making: The decision-making aspects of Toyota motors are focussed towards expansion of units in other parts of world especially in china and Mexico. Toyota has formed ambitious goals of doubling its sales by building an excessive production strategy. Conclusion: To conclude with this report it is noteworthy to denote that Toyota is currently looking forward to expand its operations by expanding its capital base by attracting more investment in its shares. The main goals associated with Toyota are to achieve the overall performance and make a profit from its operations. Several scholars have suggested that high tech automobile firms like Toyota should standardise their products by improving the performance of the engines by making improved innovation on reducing the fuel consumption. It is suggested that automobiles firms like Toyota should contribute more towards society and communities under which it operates. Toyota should effectively contribute in corporate social responsibility in order benefit the society far beyond the activates of law. It is recommended that high tech automobile companies like Toyota should become more positive towards adding up high intangible worth to its products by introducing high-tech battery operated cars. This will help in reducing the dependence on fuel and will add more value to its brand. Reference list: Abdulrahman, M.D.A., Subramanian, N., Liu, C. and Shu, C., 2015. Viability of remanufacturing practice: a strategic decision making framework for Chinese auto-parts companies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 105, pp.311-323. Anderson, D.R., Sweeney, D.J., Williams, T.A., Camm, J.D. and Cochran, J.J., 2015. An introduction to management science: quantitative approaches to decision making. Cengage learning. Black, S., Washington, M. and Rasheed, H., 2014. Business Model Innovation and the Balanced Scorecard. Christopher, M., 2016. Logistics supply chain management. Pearson Higher Ed. Cusumano, M.A., 2013. The Japanese automobile industry: Technology and management at Nissan and Toyota (No. 122). Harvard University Press. De Backer, K. and Miroudot, S., 2014. Mapping global value chains. Diabat, A., Khodaverdi, R. and Olfat, L., 2013. An exploration of green supply chain practices and performances in an automotive industry. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 68(1-4), pp.949-961. Gereffi, G. and Sturgeon, T., 2013. 14 Global value chain-oriented industrial policy: the role of emerging economies. Global value chains in a changing world, p.329. Gibbons, R. and Kaplan, R.S., 2015. Formal Measures in Informal Management: Can a Balanced Scorecard Change a Culture?. Keyes, J., 2016. Implementing the IT balanced scorecard: Aligning IT with corporate strategy. CRC Press. Kilger, C., Reuter, B. and Stadtler, H., 2015. Collaborative planning. In Supply chain management and advanced planning (pp. 257-277). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Kumar, R., 2015. Impact of Promotional Activities, After Sale Services, Mileage and Resale Value on the Purchase Decision-A Consumer Behaviour Study in Automobile Industry. Journal of Commerce and Trade, 10(1), pp.86-95. Mitra, A., 2016. Fundamentals of quality control and improvement. John Wiley Sons. Nof, S.Y., Wilhelm, W. and Warnecke, H., 2012. Industrial assembly. Springer Science Business Media. Okongwu, U., Brulhart, F. and Moncef, B., 2015. Causal linkages between supply chain management practices and performance: a balanced scorecard strategy map perspective. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 26(5), pp.678-702. Petersen, J.A., Kushwaha, T. and Kumar, V., 2015. Marketing communication strategies and consumer financial decision making: The role of national culture. Journal of Marketing, 79(1), pp.44-63. Rothaermel, F.T., 2015. Strategic management. McGraw-Hill. Sainaghi, R., Phillips, P. and Corti, V., 2013. Measuring hotel performance: Using a balanced scorecard perspectives approach. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 34, pp.150-159. Simons, R., 2013. Levers of control: how managers use innovative control systems to drive strategic renewal. Harvard Business Press. Tjader, Y., May, J.H., Shang, J., Vargas, L.G. and Gao, N., 2014. Firm-level outsourcing decision making: A balanced scorecard-based analytic network process model. International Journal of Production Economics, 147, pp.614-623.

British Airways Cabin Crew Strikes

Question : A presentation covering the following points should be prepared: Provide a brief introduction to the organisation (it is acceptable to withhold the name of the organisation). 1. Describe the problem, as much as possible in terms of the observable or measurable symptoms it manifests, for example: employee unrest, frequent industrial action, high absenteeism, workplace bullying/harassment, low morale, loss of profit, sabotage etc. 2. The issue/problem should then be considered and analysed in terms of concepts/models/theories drawn from any two topics studied as part of this subject. To give some examples, your group may choose to adopt different negotiation tactics, change the existing recruitment and selection method, or re-design jobs, or arrange special training program and so on. Try to choose the topic that seems to offer the most useful insights into the problem. Topics must be taken from HRM course. 3. Design a change program or set of activities and procedures utilising some a spect or aspects of your analysis (actual action plan). The change program should beintended to solve or improve the situation. Answer : Introduction The British Airways (BA) is mainly comprised of British Airways Plc and other subsidiaries such as the British Airways Holidays Limited. At present, it is one of the leading airlines with a massive network across the globe. BA is catering to the needs of passengers and freight services in more than 72 countries through 149 destinations. The airlines carried up to 70 million passengers and almost 2000,000 tonnes of cargo. The UK based airline network recruits up to 85% of its employees from its own country. Details of the Cabin Crew Strike at British Airways An industrial dispute broke out in the spring of 2010 between the airlines and Unite. The latter is UK general union comprising more than two million members. Apart from the employers and employees, this dispute also involved political parties, media, government and the customers. Till today these strikes have been a concern for the company and is currently dealt by its management. An effective solution for the same has not been settled but the magnitude and occurrences of these strikes has reduced considerably. The review below shows an analysis of how the entire story started and how it has been going on till today. The British Airways has 13500 flight attendants out of which 12000 are Unite members. A whopping 81% of the cabin crew staff who were the members of Bassa, Unites cabin crew branch voted for industrial action. It occurred in February 2010 to oppose the proposed staffing cuts and change of working conditions. This entails a former ballot towards the end of 2009 that advocated 12 days of strike action. It was challenged by BA in the high court that granted the request for an injunction against this strike. It was based on a balloting error that violated the Trade Union Act of 1992 (The Guardian 2014). The mentioned ballot was basically a reply to the unilateral decision of the airline in reducing cabin crew by one person on long haul flights. It was to lower down costs based on a last year pre tax loss of 401 million. Unite replied to cabin crew with the claim that such ruling marks that extent to which law is used against the interests of the working population. It shows how a determined employer with limitless resources frustrates your actual right by withdrawing labour at the last moment in an effort to make sure your voice is heard. Despite large scale negotiations, no further progress touched the ballot in Feb 2010 for resolving such disputes (The guardian 2010). Analysing the key issues and fallout of the strike During March 2010, seven days of strike action occurred during two different occasions. The airline responded by taking a number of steps. Firstly, it withdrew the perks of discounted travel for air stewards that were a substantial benefit. Secondly, cabin crew from different airlines, used volunteer crew and chartered jet were borrowed. Some of BA pilots substituted for the striking cabin crew. After such actions, BA reported of the bill likely to be 45 due to the strike action. There also reports of carrying up to almost 400,000 less passengers compared to a year ago during same period which shows a decline of 15%. Another airline Ryanair reported a rise of 23%. BA hired planes and crew staff from rivals for operating 79% of long haul flight schedule and 58% of short haul trips during the seven days strike period (BBC 2011). The main cause of the dispute is related to the managements efforts in lowering the operating costs. It is due to fall in demand, rising competition and increasing non labour charges such as fuel prices. Labour costs form a major cost in the airline industry and is one of the key reasons for making profit. The cabin crew forms the biggest part of the workforce. For lowering the cabin crew costs by up to 140 m annually, BA management suggests on employing newer crew on minimal favourable terms and conditions. Theyll be on a separate fleet freed from costly and unaccommodating demarcation lying between cabin crew hired for short haul and long haul services. Reportedly, Unite grew insecure that new workers would be excluded from collective bargaining with existing employers. Thus, the workforce could be divided despite the permission to join the union. Theyve also suspected the new workforce of facilitating the integration of low paid workers, work intensification. There was also an insecurity that new fleet is a plan to occupy the best profitable routes for marginalizing existing workforce (Afed 2010). Even though these plans could be significant for workers, Unite wont participate in discussions on new fleet suggestions. This is due to fears of pre emptive strike likely to be inducted and serve a basis for legal action by the airline. BA also made further proposals for cutting down the operation costs. It includes doing away with seniority mechanism of promotion and reshuffle of cabin crew functionality. They also have plans to bring payment structure in line with their competitors who as per reports pay cabin crew less than BA (Eprints 2011). The claims and counter claims on the result of the strike action stood as a distinctive feature of the dispute. For example, BA had claims of support weakening for supposed industrial action. It was based on their observation that during the second of these two strikes, more of the cabin crew was busy working and more flights were also operating. Chief Executive of BA, Willie Walsh claimed that the airline had over 60,000 passengers across 470 flights on Saturday during the second strike. On previous Saturday, the numbers were 43,000 on 350 flights. Len McCluskey responded to such claims marking them a grand con trick of British Airways. He further said that BA is making these claims after spending millions of pounds bay dumping passengers on other carriers. Passengers expecting to go on their trustworthy BA airline will be transferred to carriers theyve probably never heard of. Theyll be serviced by a group of low graded pilots and managers pretending to be a crew. BA inflicts a trash on its brand in its desperation to divide the workforce, expressed McCluskey (Constant Contact 2011). The media has played a role here in structuring mass opinion. It has acted as an outlet where these claims and leaks of confidential information were pitched to solidify the position of respective parties. This strike also received the attention from the political quarters. It took place in a run to a general election in UK where Conservative Party chief David Cameroon attempted to gain political mileage. He expressed that PM Gordon Brown has displayed a weak point in his attitude to deal with a dispute. It is a failure to come in the aid of the non strikers and supporting the unions (WSWS 2010). Brown responded by calling the strike as deplorable and unjustifiable. He observed it not in the interest of the masses and urged to call off proposed strike action. As per some reports, the government was also afraid of the political consequences springing from this industrial action and their impact on election results. This was particularly with reference to the climate of rising unemployment .The vulnerability of job losses was clouding the public sector during the subsequent months. Due to these conditions, Brown had been reportedly desperate in his attempts to settle the dispute. An intriguing build up to the dispute was the claims of certain commentators. They said that the plans of the airlines management in terms of second fleet, responding to strike and approach to further negotiations lead to a planned effort to divide Unite by macho management. It was seeking to dissolve the strength of the union which has been a feature of fraught history of industrial relations in BA (Reuters 2010). BA was particularly accused of being forcefully intervening in their refusal to restore pre-strike peace offer. Unite said that it could have been forming the basis of a deal to finish the dispute but they provided a worse offer in order to regain the money lost in dispute by the new revised deal. According to BA, these claims are unacceptable. They are of the belief that Unite and their cabin crew branches had many opportunities to reach an agreement on cost reducing programme. Unnecessarily, theyve opted to pursue strike actions, said BA. Unite floated warnings that the clash was watering the seed of a lengthy internal conflict in British Airways. After the settlement of the recent dispute, Unite expressed that a sense of mistrust and ill feeling will penetrate within the management, their members and within the employees. Similarly, it will also take place between the strikers and the ones who decided to pass the picket lines. This will also not spare the pilots who were filling in as the cabin crew during the industrial strike (Daily Mail 2010). Change Program or a set of activities to fight the Cabin Crew dispute In order to deal with this problem, the management has deployed several policies and underwent through various changes as per mutual agreed standards between the management and the cabin crew members. In order to ensure that the company does not get into similar problems in future, some of the possible recommendations to be abided by would include: Involve Cabin Crew in the decision making process: Management of British Airways has many a times been criticized for their rigid stand against the policies and implementation of changes without the consent of their employees. In order to ensure that they do not face stiff opposition to any changes which they wish to implement within the organization, the airline would need to take the cabin crew on board. Giving importance to the cabin crew and getting them in confidence for the decisions the management proposes would be very important (Socialist Party 2010). Empathy: British Airways would need its management to consider the qualities which make great executives and have the characteristics of being aggressive, tenacious personality which can create resolutions to all the labour disputes. It would need to create an environment where the cabin crew members are given the confidence that the management cares for their causes and addresses them with prime importance. Empathy can serve as a great touch for preventing strikes and the trained mediators would serve the organization well. Conclusion After evaluating the case of British Airways and the cabin crew strikes which had been a concern for the airline for many years now, it is well understandable that labour relations are a critical element for profitability of an organization. If organizations do not pay heeds to worker interest and try to enforce their decisions, it is more than likely to impact their progress and business efficiency. Further, British Airways seems to have responded in a stronger manner and has better measures in place today. The rate of such unrest have been brought down to the minimum and the company is constantly working on ensuring that such situations do not arise again. References The Guardian 2014, British Airways Strike Action Threat Pay Claim, retrieved on 13th January 2015 from https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jun/22/british-airways-strike-action-threat-pay-claim-ba The guardian 2010, British Airways Cabin Crew Strike, retrieved on 13th January 2015 from https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/mar/20/british-airways-cabin-crew-strike BBC 2011, British Airways cabin crew vote to strike again, retrieved on 13th January 2015 from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12882499 Afed 2010, BA Cabin Crew Strike Again, retrieved on 13th January 2015 from https://www.afed.org.uk/res/resist123.pdf Eprints 2011, Creating a Sustainable Work Environment in British Airways: Implications of the 2010 Cabin Crew Dispute retrieved on 13th January 2015 from https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/6144/1/Upchurc-Creating_a_Sustainable_Work_Environment_in_British_AirwaysFINAL.pdf Constant Contact 2011, Working Together A Joint Settlement Between British Airways and Unite the Union, retrieved on 13th January 2015 from https://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103933565912-9/Final+Joint+Agreed+Settlement+Stoke+Place+110511.pdf WSWS 2010, High court outlaws strike at British Airways, retrieved on 13th January 2015 from https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2010/05/brit-m19.html Reuters 2010, British Airways battles cabin crew strike, retrieved on 13th January 2015 from https://www.reuters.com/article/2010/03/20/us-ba-strike-idUSTRE62J01E20100320 Daily Mail 2010, BA suspends union militants for Facebook and email 'intimidation' of strike-breaking pilots, retrieved on 13th January 2015 from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1250377/BA-suspends-union-militants-strike-intimidation.html Socialist Party 2010, The truth behind the British Airways cabin crew strike, retrieved on 13th January 2015 from https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/9006/12-03-2010/the-truth-behind-the-british-airways-cabin-crew-strike

Why Effective Thought Leadership Pieces are Worth the Investment

Although thought leadership is one of the hottest buzzwords in content marketing today, it’s also a somewhat misunderstood term.While many companies are familiar with what it is (if you’re not, click here), there remains to be some confusion revolving around its overall benefit. So, we’ve decided to clear things up and break it down so you can utilize it effectively and competitively. Free Actionable Bonus: Looking to elevate your SEO strategy?We partnered with Jay Baer of Convince Convert to create this free ebook on 6 Ways to Fix Your Barebones SEO Strategy What Makes a Great Thought Leader? Successful thought leaders have three major strengths: Expertise. They don’t just talk the talk: great thought leaders have the skills and knowledge to back it up.Having this edge allows them to craft meaningful content that consistently delivers value. Passion.To be an effective thought leader, you must be passionate and excited about what you do, with a healthy dose of purpose and drive. This also helps with authenticity in your pieces. Authenticity.The best thought leaders have a strong and unique voice that sets them apart from the competition.Everything they say and do reflects their values and what they stand for – so make sure you’re prepared to do that. What’s in It for Me? Done right, thought leadership content can reap multiple rewards for your brand. TakeIT solutions provider Logicalis. They used a thought-leadership approach when they launched a new marketing campaign in the form of an Ebook, scrapping the typical sales-y stuff and focusing on helpful information. It then promoted the Ebook through a series of emails to share that information.By the end of the 12-week campaign, Logicalis had gained $8 million in new business. Content Marketing: Position your business as a leader in your field, and you will find your other content marketing efforts benefit as well. Yep, you can reap the rewards of good thought leadership content long after a piece is published.It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Conversions:Thought leadership content that’s rich in value can help you better connect with potential customers. Not to mention it could lead to a significant boost in conversions. SEO:Authoritative content reigns supreme in Google-land when it comes to SEO ranking. Consistently publishing quality content with your byline attached to it is crucial to building a great online presence for your brand. And, the Google gods will reward you appropriately. I Can Do This. But, How? Now that you’re convinced that your brand needs to jump on the thought-leadership bandwagon, you need to ensure you’re doing it right when you craft your content.That means next-to-no mistakes. According to one survey, 94% of respondents thought less of a company that shared poorly-written content. Here’s a few tips to boost engagement: Simple language:Keep your writing jargon-free, and stick to brief, yet meaningful sentences.If you go on and on without a clear message, readers will think you lack substance. Real solutions:Ok, so you’ve talked about a problem or issue in a meaningful and authoritative way. But, then what? Your readers need to know what to do next. Hot tip: try writing the end of the piece first so you can pack a powerful punch (and a solution). Competitor awareness: Consider subjects that your competitors are talking about. It could be an opportunity to bring a fresh perspective to a pressing issue – further establishing your authority in your industry. Free and easy sharing: Don’t be selfish with your thought leadership content; it should be freely available and easy to share among consumers. Think of it as knowledge-base pieces that educate, inform and deliver value. There’s no doubt that thought leadership – one of the most powerful aspects of content marketing – can be hugely beneficial to a business; that’s why nearly half of content marketers list it as their top business success goal. A strong combination of authentic, passionate and expert content will go a long way to enhancing your company’s reputation, taking your brand to the next level.