A critical evaluation of contemporary leadership skills required for a Essay - 1

A critical evaluation of contemporary leadership skills required for a large multi-department organisation. 2,000 words - Essay Example Making decisions and implementing those in organisations is the responsibility of the managers and leaders. Organisations are facing intense challenge in the global market and they are supposed to create more strategies to increase compatibility. In the current study, contemporary leadership skills are critically evaluated on the basis of the multidepartment organisation. Globalised business activities are increasing competition among different firms. Multidepartment firms consist of employees from different backgrounds, so managers face various complexities in order to implement strategies among the team members. Therefore, leaders must implement cross cultural development strategies and increase interaction among the employees. According to Pinnington (2011), trustworthiness is one of the important factors of developing leaders. Some leaders think that trust among the employees will help in merging decisions and strategies for operations of employees. Leaders must treat the employees equally. Such trait of the leaders will remove workplace fatigue among the employees and they will feel more valued2. Dennis (2014) stated that humble behaviour is expected from the leaders so that they can guide employees and discuss strategic goals. However, ego and arrogance of leaders or managers will create complicacy in leading their peoples in multiple departments of the organisation. Dion (2012) has argued that leaders must communicate with the employees and team members to identify problems and develop solutions. Fluent communication will help leaders to reduce the gap between employees and management. Leaders must be activist in nature so that they can present a feasible solution to any problem faced by the organisations3. Allio (2012) stated that analytical skills are required to manage people or team members and different circumstances faced by a multi department firms4. Leaders are taking initiative

A Road to Life Movie Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A Road to Life Movie Summary - Essay Example The movie concentrates upon the activities of the orphan children, who are kept and looked after with proper care and concern in a rehabilitation camp. The movie shows that the camp commission provides them with comforts and trains them to learn various technical skills under an affectionate, nurturing and congenial environment, which is helpful for the socialization of the orphan boys; as a result a large number of boys learn how to behave like civilized persons while interacting with other members of society. Nevertheless, two of the boys keep on deviating from the rules and regulations, and commit the crimes, which create much disturbance and annoyance in the locality. It clearly demonstrates the bitter fact that there certainly exist some people in every society, which have natural inclination towards committing crimes.Since it was the age of black and white films, the director has sought support from shades, shadows and dark colors. For instance, the evening and night scenes of the camp life have been supported with the same techniques. Moreover, being the first sound film, the director has also applied the written words on the screen in order to demonstrate various areas and situations going to be displayed in the movie. The words appear on the screen in order to guide the audience in respect of the location, where the specific part of movie is being established. In addition, close and remote camera skills can also be witnessed in order to show distance between different characters. and objects and places as well. Establishing shot technique has been exercised in Zighan’s catching the shoes stolen by the deviant boy at the railway station. In addition, close up technique has been applied in order to reveal the face expressions and body language of the characters. The film takes the audience from one place to the other through the wonderful application of cross-cuts technique. For instance, the scene showing the main characters standing and wanderin g at the railway st

Complexity of the Concept of the Sacred

Complexity of the Concept of the Sacred Understanding the concept of the Sacred is a complex phenomenon. Assess keeping in mind over 4000 years of the sacred. Since the beginning of Humanity, Man has been trying to make sense of the world around itself, trying to fill in the pieces to questions it does not know the answer to. The human journey can be seen as a quest a search for knowledge, comfort and ultimately for understanding. Perhaps the greatest of humanities question have involved faith and the notion of a divine god/being. Beliefs about god have traveled a long road to todays understanding of the notion of God, the divine and sacred. God as a work in progress began first with the many gods of the polytheistic faith systems, with each god having limited domain of power and responsibility. For early human beings, such gods felt familiar and relatable. They didnt see a big gulf between the divine and the real, this is what made it so approachable, understandable and ultimately follow able. The concept of sacred was simply something that was beyond normal (Armstrong, 1993). According to Stormonth Phelp (1896) the word Sacred is derived from the Latin origin word Sacer, which means dedicated or consecrated to the higher beings i.e. gods or anything divine. The word is often used interchangeably with Holy; however there are minor differences with the concept of holiness in that it is primarily used in relation to relationships and persons, while sacred is used in relation to happenings, places or objects (McCann, 2008). This need for completion has led to various mythos to have formed over the years, culminating in the concepts of the Sacred/Profane dichotomy aptly explained by French Sociologist Emile Durkheim. The sacred is the boundless spirit of the religious and divine experience. Religions throughout their history have included very mixed beliefs and manifestations of those beliefs, but they all have something quite universal and explicit, regardless of their nature, through which the religious experience is differentiated from all others and that is that the sacred is something above and beyond the believers. Therefore, the sacred is highly subjective in its nature and Bastide concisely put it: if I were to give a definition of the sacred, it would cross my subjectivity, my own experience of the sacred and not a general definition (Desroche Bastide, 1974). To begin understanding the concept of the Sacred, it is best to understand what is considered Sacred and what is considered Profane. In Durkheims theory of Religion, both these concepts are the central tenant. The Sacred, according to Durkheim is an ideal, something that transcends everyday existence and is both awe-inspiring as well as fear inducing, and something potentially dangerous as well as extra-ordinary. Sacred in his view refers to things that have been set apart by man as requiring special religious treatment and veneration. One key point to note is that Sacred can be anything, from the earth to the moon, a bird, an animal, a rock, a tree to a god. The sacredness comes from a community marking them as such and once they have been established as a sacred, they are embodied in religious practices, sentiments and beliefs. The profane, on the other hand is anything that is simply ordinary, it embraces practices, persons and ideas that are in the end seen with everyday mundane attitudes of familiarity, utility and commonness. Both the sacred and profane are highly interrelated due to the extreme levels of emotions they invoke in the people that believe in them and according the Durkheim, the concept of Sacred and the profane varies amongst society to society (Durkheim, 1974). Durkheim expanded upon his notions and expressed religion as a management of the sacred, the means by which a system is generated to warrant the execution of the sacred in the community. Various sociological theories suggest that at the centre of any religion is the sacred and religion is nothing but a social phenomenon in its origin, content and purpose (Desroche Bastide, 1974). Sosis Alcorta (2003) are major proponents of the adaptive value theory of religion, having somewhat similar views as Durkheim, stating that religion evolved to enhance cohesion and cooperation between groups. Membership in a group setting allowed for a greater chance of survival and reproduction as well as advancement as a group. They also suggested that the costly-signaling theory suggested why rituals were such a major part of religious practice, stating that it was to ward of those trying to cheat the system i.e. be part of the group without offering anything of value. The reason why understanding the Sacred is such a complex phenomenon, is that the Sacred is highly subjective in its nature, malleable to suit the purpose of its time and context. Whenever a natural disaster occurred, such as an earthquake, flood, drought, the older civilizations took it to god/s being angry and their primitive understanding of nature took to slaughter being a worthy sacrifice to please the deities, resulting in the ending of their suffering. As our technologies advance, so does our understanding of nature and with it a steady decline in the extreme acts humans once used to do. However, humans, being the product of an evolutionary engine, are still quite prone to carrying out irrational behavior so as long as they believe and have faith in the sacred (Shermer, 1997). Armstrong (1993) was also quite clear in her works, stating that after having looked at over 4000 years of recorded human history that the notion of god was never unchanging, with what people considered god, going from polytheistic to monotheistic to atheistic, depended upon a multitude of factors. Today there are 12 classical world religions, those included in most religious definitions namely; BahaI, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism and Zoroastrinism, however if one was to delve further in, they would note that these twelve within themselves include numerous sects and factions with their adherents considering different things as sacred i.e. what might be sacred for a Shia Muslim, might not be for a Sunni Muslim etc. In todays information age of the 21st century where knowledge is expanding at an explosive rate, the words used to define ones understanding of the sacred is ever expanding, with countless expansion in our understanding of human consciousness and with religions ever changing due to the changing socio-political landscape, there is very little doubt that the notion of what is sacred is and always will remain a complex phenomenon. References: Desroche, H. (1975). Religion (Sociologie de la). La grande encyclopedie, 16th vol.. Paris: Libr. Larousse. Durkheim, E. (1974). Regulile metodei sociologice. BucureÃ…Å ¸ti: Ed. Ã…Å ¾tiinÃ…Â £ifică. Armstrong, K. (1993). A History of God. Ballatine Books Stormonth, J Phelp, P.H (1895). A Dictionary of the English Language, Blackwood sons. Retrieved March 19th, 2017 from https://books.google.com.pk/books/about/A_Dictionary_of_the_English_Language.html?id=NmogAQAAMAAJredir_esc=y McCann, C. (2008). New Paths Toward the Sacred Thus, Paulist Press Shermer, M. (1997). Why people believe weird things: Pseudoscience, superstition, and other confusions of our time. New York: W.H. Freeman. Sosis, R.; Alcorta, C. (2003). Signaling, solidarity, and the sacred: the evolution of religious behavior. Evolutionary Anthropology

Speech On Black Panthers :: American History

The purpose of the speech I will give today is to make you folks trust government less, any government. (tell them about Canada) I. How much do you guys know about the civil rights era? Well today I will tell you some startling news about the black panthers, one of the people that gave their life for the cause, and Cointelpro, the FBI program that killed him. II. I am not an expert, but have am in love with the topic. I. The Black Panther Party. A. The Black Panther Party was originally named The Black Panther Party for Self-defense. 1. The Black Panther Party was founded by Huey P. Newton, Bobby Seale, and Richard Aoki in October 1966. 2. The name came from a voting drive that was organized. Alabama law required that there is an emblem for illiterate voters, so the mascot for Clark Collage was chosen. 3. They started out in the California bay area as a reaction to the growing crooked cops, blacks not having rights, and the war in Vietnam. 4. They did not fallow passive protest like Martian Luther king; instead they modeled themselves after the Black Nationalism preached by Malcolm X. Also they separated from non-violence and took up arms, being influenced by Robert F. Williams book Negroes with Guns. 5. After Getting out of prison for an assault charge Huey P. Newton returned to Oakland city collage in 1965. He and Bobby Seale grew dissatisfied with the inertia of the Afro-American Association. They began to feel more and more that the political and social climate at the time called for militancy. B. The Black panthers created the ten point program and platform. 1. The program was a list of needs for the survival and advancement in the United States 2. One Survival Program was called "Breakfast for Kids." This program was one of the most effective, it began from a church in San Francisco and spread, the program fed thousands of children throughout the party's history 3. Other services offered were: Clothing, classes about politics and economics, medical clinics, and lessons on self defense. 4. The first draft was adopted in 1966 and went through several revisions the last being finished in 1972, near the end of the Black Panther Party. 5. The Ten Point Program was also adopted by White Panther Party, The Young Lords Party, and The Brown Berets.

Quotes for Zorba the Greek

Journal Entry #1 Quote: â€Å"the only way to save yourself is to endeavor to save others? † Page: 5 In life there are times when people cannot only focus on themselves. In order to move on, and fulfill life’s destiny you must help those that surround you. One cannot truly understand who they are and why they were brought to earth unless they consider helping those around them. Helping others teaches you to become more understanding patient, and sympathetic toward others. You initially free yourself of any conflict between others and help them as well. Journal Entry #2 Quote: â€Å"I’d believe in God, and I’d believe in the devil, too† Page: 54 God is considered a supernatural creator and overseer of the universe, while the devil is considered a powerful entity and the epitome of all things evil. Life is never completely perfect; there will always be a glimpse of evil. In order to believe in God you have to believe there is a devil. When I first saw these words I was taken a back; how can one believe in God yet still follow the devil. I then realized that though the God and Devil are completely opposites they both combine to make on just like the yin and yang. Journal Entry #3 Quote: â€Å"I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness† Page: 80 Today in the 21st century we are easily amused by what money can buy us even if it costs a fortune. Yet when you take a break from all the money spending and spend time with friends, nature, and family it is easy to see that you can find happiness everywhere especially the smallest things. You do not have to be economically viable in order to find happiness. Journal Entry # 4 Quote: â€Å"Woe to him who wants to please others! † Page: 182 Today in the 21st century we would read this quote as ‘warning to him who wants to please others. ’ Too often does one get teased upon for helping those in need. This quote further proves that when one person tries to please everyone they get overwhelmed with despair. Another way to read this is that when you constantly try to please others you never help yourself or make yourself happy so you continuously thrust sadness upon yourself. Journal Entry # 5 Quote: â€Å"That’s the road to take; find the absolute rhythm and following it with absolute trust. † Page: 233 As teenagers we are always told that everyone has a talent, when we grow older everyone tells us to pick a job that will support you financially. Sometimes ones talent will not support you financially such as an artist, photographer, or dancer. Yet this quote tells us to find our talent find something we like to do and stick with it. In other words go with your gut feeling. Zorba the Greek Poem: Narrator’s perspective Night had fallen, The sky was pitch – black. Thinking to myself It’s over. God is no longer with us. Laying down in a bunk next to a man, Once a complete stranger is now considered family. I was afraid of finding myself alone one evening I lay down in my new bed, reflecting on my new life. I remember the books and how they comforted me, I remember my precious Friend. Never shall I forget the last moment we shared. Whenever I happened to dream of a better world I imagined myself in the hands of my friend surrounded by life. Awakened from such a beautiful lie, I tell myself don’t let your self be overcome by lies. To believe meant I was weak. Everyday I knew an adventure was waiting for me. The nights were unbearable. Every night was filled with silence. Silence that broke my heart. Night. It was my time to think, To think of my books and my friend. To think of Zorba, and our spontaneous friendship. Most of all to think of what I will become. Night had fallen The sky was pitch – black Laying in a bunk next to a man, Thinking to myself. I am no longer who I used to be. I am no longer the awkward bookworm.

Cuba’s Environmental Problems

When socialism was introduced to Cuba, the idea was that it would be more eco-friendly than capitalism. Instead, the Revolution to quickly controlled two major factors that eventually led to environmental problems in developing countries: population growth and poverty. Contributing to the issue of poverty in Cuba are the financial, economic and commercial blockades imposed by the United States. In order to preserve the environment in Cuba and combat these issues, serious action was necessary. The amount of environmental damage falls into two categories: a) small-scale environmental destruction committed by individuals through illegal hunting, deforestation, dumping of waste into aquatic ecosystems, etc. ; or b) large-scale environmental destruction resulting from major projects and industries approved by governmental agencies and owned by international companies, like hotel chains and mining companies after the Special Period, and agriculture before the Special Period†. [1] The opportunity for Cuba to protect its environment came after the fall of the Soviet Union and the strengthening of the US blockade in 1990. This period, referred to as the Special Period (1990-2000), witnessed a decrease in many environmentally damaging activities both by choice and by necessity, but also resulted in many decisions to resuscitate the Cuban economy. After the Earth Summit in 1992, following Fidel Castro’s speech regarding the condition of the environment on a global scale, Cuba designed and implemented a variety of programs, administrative structures, and public awareness activities to promote sound environmental management and sustainable development. What is most important is the damage that ahs already been done and the efforts to reverse these conditions. Currently, there are many efforts to bring the Cuban environment to a sustainable level. When the former socialist countries of Eastern Europe ended trade and financial relationships with Cuba, the island was forced to make severe adjustments. The emergency measures implemented by the Cuban government aimed at preventing the total economic collapse of the regime, have been referred to by the leadership as the â€Å"special period in peacetime. † This Special Period brought about â€Å"the creation of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (CITMA) in 1994 [which] provided an important impetus for environmental policy and management on a national scale. †[2] In 1995 the National Environmental Strategy (EAN) was designed, but was not approved by the government until 1997. Since then the EAN â€Å"is the guiding document of Cuban environmental policy, establishing the principles upon which the national environmental efforts are based. †[3] The strategy identifies the main environmental issues in Cuba and proposes ideas and various methods to prevent, solve or minimize these problems. The strategy goals are to improve environmental protection and the use of natural resources in an attempt to meet sustainable social and economic development objectives. Evaluations of Cuba's environmental record in comparison with Eastern European records shows â€Å"that environmental deterioration in Cuba over more than three decades of socialist rule responded to specific conditions not usually found in developing countries†¦ but were present in the former Soviet Union and the former Eastern European socialist countries. [4] As a result of this, Kirwin Shaffer states that: Consequently, central planning ignored local environmental concerns. Also, the absence of private ownership and the lack of citizen input in decision making meant that all decisions affecting the local level were made with regard to how they fit with the overall national plan. Results and impacts at the local level were secondary. Which leads to these conclusions: Cuban agricultural and industrial development following the Soviet models have had similar consequences for water, soil and air pollution as found in Europe. 5] The current Cuban stance that attempts to blame the USSR for these effects in Cuba benefits Cuba’s political system because it takes the blame away from the state, but it is not served by the historical record. The glorified â€Å"greening† of Cuba during the 1990s has beneficial impacts over the short term, but, according to Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez, economic costs and turns toward a development model based on tourism may soon erode those short-term gains. Cuba's pollution and contamination problems are widespread, and not completely the result of Soviet-style development projects. Yet, there is no doubt that many of the current environmental problems in Cuba result mainly from sovietization of the Cuban economy. Soil erosion and soil degradation are the main problems in agriculture. These problems started primarily due to the intensification of mechanized agriculture and the use of petrochemical herbicides and pesticides. [6] Agriculture is just one of the many environmental issues the island faces. In terms of the land, â€Å"the harm caused by permanent crops to these lands is primarily due to a lack of crop rotation causing soil depletion, poor agro-technical management and insufficient fertility measures. †[7] In 1970 La zafra de los diez millones, took place, in which the Cuban government attempted to break all historic sugar production records by producing a ten million ton sugar harvest. [8] The government fell short of their goal by two tons, but by this point the damage was already done. Because crops take so much nutrients from the land, farmers alternate crops each year to allow the land to recover. During la zafra de los diez millones crops were not alternated which took a heavy toll on the land. In Cuba, poorly designed and implemented agricultural development policies have been a major contributor to the degradation of the country’s soils: Soil degradation continued apace with the agricultural practices that came to prevail in Cuba during the first half of the twentieth century as more and more virgin islands were brought under sugarcane and livestock production. There is mounting evidence that the pace of soil deterioration intensified during the second half of the century, principally because of the widespread adoption of modern agricultural practices, particularly from the 1960s to the late 1980s. As in the Soviet Union and other socialist economies, the collectivization of the rural sector was regarded as necessary for achieving the goals of a centrally planned command economy. Collectivization would make possible economies of scale and bring the advantages of mechanization and modern scientific agriculture. 9] After the collectivization of land agrarian reforms were implemented to return the land to the state and to its’ citizens. But this shift in land ownership could have major environmental implications, especially after the fall of the Soviet Union. After the Soviets left Cuba, Cuban farming suffered a shortage of imported agricultural goods; leaving Cuban farmers to use traditional farming practices and some more modern techniques (such as rip irrigation) that are more environmentally friendly: The post-Soviet agricultural model is less dependent on imported agricultural practices that had been abandoned for their alleged backwardness: the large-scale use of beasts of burden, increased reliance on organic fertilizers and biological pest controls, the abandonment of marginal soils that had been brought under cultivation and made productive only by the intensive use of agricultural inputs, and a shift of urban labor to the countryside. [10] According to Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez, more important than this change in agricultural practices, is that transferring the control of lands to farmers who are closely tied it, â€Å"and whose economic well-being will depend on the stewardship of the natural resource base, there is the expectation that the trend of soil deterioration†¦. may at least be slowed down†¦. [but] it is too early tell how successful the new agricultural policies will be. †[11] At this point, many of Cuba’s natural resources are in danger of extinction. Because Cuba has exported sugarcane as its main commodity, sugarcane has replaced natural flora and fauna. There was a time before 1959 when over 30 different kinds of bananas grew on the island, but most of the banana trees have been replaced by sugarcane. Cuba’s crops and animals have been affected by pests and diseases introduced from abroad; coastal pollution and excessive hunting also present severe threats to wildlife populations. [12] Water aquifers have been contaminated by pollutants (and saltwater on the coasts) and their levels are declining due to nearly unrestricted use. Similarly, waterflows reaching the coasts are also highly contaminated, which constantly hurts coral reefs and breeding grounds. Dam and reservoir construction has hurt coastal lagoons and mangroves: Cuba’s fresh water system (rivers/lakes/aquifers) has very serious problems. Under Castro’s policy of voluntad hidraulica, which called for not a single drop of fresh water to â€Å"be lost† to the ocean, the government has built over 1,000 large and small dams throughout the entire island, covering 1. 4% of Cuba’s territory. Although the benefits to Cuban agriculture are clear in terms of increased irrigated land (close to 1 million hectares), the ecological effect has been quite negative in terms of lowering the water’s oxygen level and increasing salinity. Dams have also blocked the dispersal of sediment and fresh water runoff over mangrove areas, contributing to a 30% average reduction of mangrove coverage and biodiversity loss[13] In fact, â€Å"the bays of Cuba are some of the most polluted in the world. Industrial, agricultural and human discharges into the sea, as well as deforestation for strip mining, have contributed to the pollution. [14] Water diversion to reservoirs is linked to the â€Å"virtual destruction of the oyster bed and major decline in the fish catch in the Casilda coastal region of southern Santa Clara Province. †[15] These factors, along with the excessive use of aquifer waters and wells used for sugar and citrus irrigation are contributing to the salinization of the water in Cuba. â€Å"Extensive water logging of coastal aquifers has lead to salinization and soil erosion. It has been estimated in 1991 that 600,000 ha have light to modest salinization levels, while the remainder show high levels of salinization. [16] The main source of water pollution lies in the industrial facilities, warehouses, and workshops and service entities located around the bay. Fifty-three industrial facilities are located in the immediate proximity of the bay, and another 84 industries produce waste that indirectly discharges into the bay through tributary streams. [17] These industrial areas include the port and the nickel industries that add to the contamination of the water supply. The port activity itself is also one of the major sources of contamination for the bay. It is estimated that the ships served in the port generate 150,000 tons of refuse per year. 18] Deforestation is also a factor contributing to the poor state of Cuba’s environment. Forests have not suffered nearly as much as the land, with conservation efforts bringing Cuba's forests back to their 1945 levels, but conservation of forests has not meant saving all woodlands. One of the main problems environmentalists have with deforestation in Cuba is the fact that many of the available estimates regarding how much of the original forest cover remained before the revolution are based on rough figures made by observers with no credible statistical information. According to Eudel Eduardo Cepero: The irrational use of forests has become common practice under the Castro regime. As no current data are available on the actual total area of cover forest, the value of Cuba’s forest resources is unknown. Most of the remaining natural forests are in poor condition from being overexploited. An average of 200 forest fires occur each year, affecting some 5,000 hectares of forest. Reforestation has been precarious, due to poor quality seeds, a low survival rate of plantings, and a narrow range of forest species utilized. 19] The National Environmental Strategy offers statistics to support Cepero’s claims by offering statistical information, but not listing sources to verify its facts; it also states that the forests in Cuba have grown over the last few years, but that there is still much work to be done with regards to improving the forest cover in Cuba: Although the forest cover has increased constantly in the recent years – in th e last 43 years increasing to a total coverage of 2, 696, 587. 9 hectares, bringing us to a forested index of 24. 54% in 2005 – after-effects still persist from years of irrational exploitation of Cuban forests which practically eradicated our most valuable woodland resources†¦. Problems persist with the quality of most native forests as a consequence of prior mismanagement and exploitation – particularly in the most important watersheds. Problems also exist in the nation’s seedbed sources, which do not meet productivity or quality expectations. In addition, a lack of updated forest management plans, insufficient silviculture of forested areas, and insufficiencies and deficiencies in management plans continue to present challenges[20] The EAN suggests that more work be done to investigate invasive plant species that re threatening the native plants. It says that the survival rate of tree plantations and the success rate of trees growing to full maturity have improved over the last few years, but that the numbers are still substantially low when compared to the anticipated numbers. Also, the range of forest species used in â€Å"forestry activities† has been inadequate. Also suffering from the effects of sovietization and the special period is the biological diversity of the island. â€Å"A substantial, unquantified loss of biodiversity exists, due, among other reasons, to improper management of certain ecosystems, the application of intensive farming, the marketing of endangered species, as well as conditions making it easy for important genetic resources to leave the countryâ€Å". 21] Coral reefs, mangroves, the original forest (which used to cover most of the island) and rainforests are ecosystems that are suffering in Cuba. According to the EAN, the leading causes of this loss of biodiversity are: [1] Changes, fragmentation, or destruction of habitat/ecosystems/landscapes due primarily to changes in land use and inadequate practices employed in fishing, harvest, and agricultural soil preparation, among others. Overexploitation of resources, for example fishing and forestry resources. [3] Degradation and contamination of soils, water, and the atmosphere. 4] Introduction of exotic invasive species that displace or affect the functioning of ecosystems and native species. [5]Insufficient regulatory and control mechanisms to prevent and punish illegal activities, including unlawful hunting and fishing, trade in threatened species and other natural resources. [6]Climate change and the resulting intensification of dry periods, the incidence of torrential rains, temperature increase, sea level rise, in addition to the intensity and frequency of extreme natural disasters such as hurricanes. [7] Forest fires. [22] The EAN lists the goals it wishes to achieve and the necessary steps that should be taken in order to achieve these goals. Among these goals are increasing the amount of forest coverage to 26. 7% of national territory; have one million hectares of forest maintained by the National System of Criterion and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management; complete National Forestry Planning in 2007; reduce amount of lands affected by forest fires; 69% of forest cover used as a buffer to protect coastal areas, soils, water and conservation forests; management program for invasive plant species. 23] Before the Special Period much of the air pollution in Cuba was the result of its’ dependence on Soviet and Eastern European vehicles and factories that were contaminating the air: Urban pollution, could be partly traced to Cuba’s extreme reliance on inefficient and highly contaminating Soviet and Eastern European-built vehicles and factories. In the agricultural sector, a practice that resulted in much environmental damage was the promotion of Sovietstyle, large-scale state farm production model based on widespread mechanization, heavy chemical inputs (e. . , fertilizers and herbicides), and extensive irrigation[24] Air pollution in Cuba has increased significantly in the years since the Soviets left the island. â€Å" The absence of mitigation measures for emissions, inadequate control measures on the levels of noise generated by different activities, scarce information about the harmful effects on health and social behavior, the poor technical state of transport, and a lack of standards for emissions are also present. [25] There are few environmental reports available to the public that are based on analytical information that is collected systematically in the field and processed in laboratories. Cuban scientists state that: The two main sources of sulfuric gases within the city limits are the old thermal power plants of Tallapiedra in the Old Havana neighborhood and the Antonio Maceo plant in Regla, across the Bay of Havana. In both of these neighborhoods they recorded the highest level of environmental pollution, measuring up to 7. milligrams of sulfides per square decimeter per day at the Tallapiedra Power Plant†¦. Three secondary sources in the metallurgic, chemical and construction ind ustries were also associated with air pollution, all of them located in the environs of Havana Bay. [26] The Ministry of Public Health, better endowed for this purpose than other branches of government, has produced or published few precise documents dealing with health conditions and environmental degradation. Sulfur oxides, undesirable residues of combustion that are produced mostly in power plants when sulfur-rich fuels are burned, create respiratory problems and cause acid rain. Cuba replaced part of the vanished Soviet fuel imports of the late 1980s with domestic crude containing roughly six percent sulfur. It is used mostly in power plants and to run cement factories. [27] Diaz-Briquets and Perez-Lopez point out that the means of transportation in Cuba are getting old and, due to poor maintenance and inadequate resources to obtain parts, they are polluting and becoming harmful to the environment. Their conclusion is that â€Å"As long as the economic crisis continues, Cuba will not be able to modernize its fleet of cars, trucks, and buses (other than for those few vehicles serving the tourist industry)†. [28] If the Cuban government would allow media to spread environmental education to the citizens of Cuba and to the rest of the world, not only would it help efforts within Cuba to protect and improve the environment but it would also help efforts to improve the environment on a global level. The strategy points out that Article 27 of the Constitution of the Republic says: The state protects the nation’s environment and natural resources and recognizes their close relationship with sustainable economic and social development to make human life more rational and to ensure the survival, well being and security of present and future generations. It is the responsibility of proper governmental agencies to apply this policy. It is the duty of the citizens to contribute to the protection of the water, atmosphere, and the conservation of soil, wild flora and fauna and all the rich potential of nature. [29] Since Cuba has declared a national sovereignty over its natural resources and is actively working to restore and protect them, the state must also exercise rights over the country’s environment and resources. Similarly, Cuba must develop a national tendency towards â€Å"integrated natural resource management, commercial environmental management, and urban environmental management as fundamental traits of Cuban environmental management. †[30] The current embargo the United States has placed on Cuba keeps the island from growing economically. Which means that , since the economy is not changing or being stimulated, the people of Cuba are suffering. Meaning, because man poor, urban people cannot afford daily necessities, they resort to alternate ways to get everyday goods; even if it means depleting the natural resources. With the current government in Cuba and the restrictions caused by the embargo, it is hard to think that the Cuban environment will improve much in the next decade or two; but the National Environmental Strategy offers hope to the idea that Cuba’s environment will improve. The â€Å"National Environment Strategy 2007-2010† is dedicated to improving the environmental conditions of Cuba and finding a way to meet sustainable social and economic development goals. The eradication of extreme poverty is an achievement rooted in the very foundations of the revolutionary process. Achieving this is essential to the pursuit of environmental sustainability, first and foremost because extreme poverty cannot coexist with a healthy environment. The solution to this challenge is one of the principal achievements that Cuba can effectively show to the world. 31] The future of environmental reforms in Cuba will be influenced by a variety of cultural, economic, social, and political factors. Ultimate success or failure, however, will likely depend more on thorough laws, money, human capital, public involvement in environmental decision making, use of incentive-based tools, and international support. Strong environmental laws are a necessary foundation for sustaina ble development, but success will only occur with the continuing political will to implement and enforce them.

Gun Rights, Gun Control, and Frequently Asked Questions

Gun Rights, Gun Control, and Frequently Asked Questions After nearly every instance of gun violence, talk of new gun control measures heats up. Here we will answer a number of the most frequently asked questions about guns and gun control and a conservative take on why conservatives oppose most new gun control measures. Many Conservatives want to allow school staff to be armed. Wouldn’t allowing guns in schools increase the chance of gun violence? The argument that letting certain trained and certified school officials carry guns will create a â€Å"dangerous† situation is without merit. After all, President Obamas own children go to an elite school with an armed security detail and the school itself has over a dozen guards, mostly made up of trained police officers. Given the elite nature of the school, it is likely that they are armed as well. Of course, there is the reality that we live in a â€Å"do-as-I-say† world where elite politicians send their kids to elite (and armed!) private schools on one hand while doing everything in their power to prevent the lower and middle class from doing the same, sentencing children to time in failing public schools. Beyond the hypocrisy of the ruling elites, gun control advocates argue that the presence of guns could force the escalation of a teacher-student argument into a dangerous situation. I’m not sure why escalation would be limited to a â€Å"gun.† If a school official was driven to the point of drawing a gun, what prevents them from losing it without a gun and attack students in a different way? Wouldn’t they just find a different weapon? Yet there does not appear to be an epidemic of crazy teachers violently attacking students. If our teachers are deranged, then what would stop them from bringing a gun to school even if it were a â€Å"gun free zone†? But this doesn’t happen. Responsible gun owners are rarely the problem with guns. This doesn’t mean we should arm every teacher. In reality, the need for a school official to take action is rare, despite what the media has us believe. But it might be nice in case they were needed. We are told to blame the person and not the gun, but then some argue to blame â€Å"Hollywood† instead. How does that make sense? Advertisers pay millions of dollars to run 30-second television ads and place products predominantly in movies and entertainment programming. Athletes, actors, and singers sign multi-million dollar endorsement deals to publicly support products. Why would a soda company pay for a popular TV character to simply drink from their can during a television show if it had no effect on consumer behavior? (And note that the â€Å"key demographic† for advertising is 18-34 year-old males because they are the most likely to be influenced such advertising.) It’s illegal to run a 30 second television commercial selling cigarettes because it might make kids want to smoke cigarettes. And television shows – and even car commercials – often come with a warning to â€Å"not try this at home.† Why? Because they know people will. Oh, and they will do it regardless of the warning. Now, this is not to say that Hollywood is at fault. But there is a dangerous element when you inundate and desensitize to violence an entire segment of the population. Mix the culture with a person with mental illness and it can become a dangerous situation. Ultimately, individuals are responsible. But we can’t on one hand say that the culture has no effect on behavior when we all know that is not the case. What responsibility does the NRA have in gun control? The NRA supports and teaches responsible gun ownership to people of all ages. They teach classes on gun safety, self-defense, and proper gun usage techniques. They do not promote violence. In fact, they speak out against the entertainment culture that regularly promotes guns and gun violence in a glorified manner. I’d also guess that the problem with gun violence is not among people who are members of the NRA. After all, if they were, we would hear about it. Why does it seem the conservatives’ solution to every gun-related problem is â€Å"more guns†? That can be answered simply by asking another question: Where does crime and mass shooting tragedies happen most frequently? Not surprisingly, in â€Å"gun-free zones.† Notice that mass shooters never head to a police station in hoped of killing or terrorizing people. No, they head to â€Å"gun-free zone† schools or movie theatres with â€Å"no firearms† signs posted everywhere. Criminals will always take the path of least resistance. If a criminal drove upon two streets, one where guns were outlawed and the other were it was mandatory every house had a gun owner, which neighborhood will the criminal rob? It can also be true that a law that mandates gun ownership – yet where no-one in the neighborhood actually owns a gun – can prevent crime as the robber doesn’t know who does and who does not own a gun. And perhaps a school that not only drops the â€Å"gun-free† premise but teaches classes on gun safety and has a shooting range will not be high on a deranged person’s list to go to. But again, it’s also important to stress that such occurrences are very rare in the first place.

buy custom Quality Improvement at MedStar Medical Center essay

buy custom Quality Improvement at MedStar Medical Center essay People who work in the medical sphere definitely put a lot of emphasis on customer satisfaction and continuous quality improvement initiatives and programs meant to help provide data that shows how those two concepts, the quality and level of satisfaction can be measurable and quantifiable (Kahan Goodstadt, 1999). MedStar Montgomery Medical Center is one of those institutions that care much about quality and patients satisfaction and the following paper discusses how it works. Headquartered in Olney, Maryland, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center has been serving as a communitys cornerstone since 1918. It has joined the MedStar family in 2008, and since then, the organization has started to operate as one of the largest non-profit healthcare delivery institutions in its area. For the moment, the hospital has around 140 inpatient beds and a newly reconstructed Emergency Department with other expansions. The hospital also has a fully operating MGH Health Foundation that raises funds for trainings building of new facilities and development of the special care programs for those patients who continue their treatment at home (MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, 2014). MedStar Montgomery Medical Center has been working hard to improve patients safety, and the report Quality Matters that has een an issue for many years is a proof to that. It includes certain programs, where the center is actively participating and yielding positive results. Thereafter, the key elements of the organization include concentration over strategy that covers hygiene, safety programs and specific projects that target improvements. Some of the improvements include compliance rates of the hand hygiene was very high; the number of the infections that are related to blood transfusion reduced by 50%; breathing device complications reduced for around 15%; reduced number of falls among the patients and other. Moreover, this institution has achieved zero rate in the Intensive Care Unit, in relation to blood infections already two years in a row and zero ventilator rate in relation to breathing deceases, such as pneumonia. The strategic plan of quality improvement includes the part icipation of certain programs and for MedStar Montgomery Medical Center those are Maryland Hand Hygiene Collaborative, IHIs Project Joint (former participant), MHAs Surgical Unit-based Safety Program and others. The president and the CEO of this medical center, Carmela Coyne, has been always emphasizing in her statements that quality and safety are the key priorities in the organization and the Quality Matters Report is the proof to that, as many have been accomplished already, but there is still no intenntion to stop. In addition to that, the strategy includes the cooperation with such institutions as Maryland Patient Safety Center, Maryland Hospital Association and others (MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, 2014). MedStar Montgomery Medical Center is a large institution in healthcare industry, which is why it gets to be accredited by many regulation bodies. Thereafter, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, the Joint Commission, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are the key institutions that provide the accreditation (MedStar National Rehabilitation Network, 2014). In conclusion, this is important to mention that the dominant position of setting the standards is given to the Joint Commission that sets the relevant measures to every healthcare organization and for the MedStar Montgomery Medical Center two key performance categories have been identified. Those are National Patients Safety Goals (it falls under category of the Behavioral Health Care) and National Quality Improvement Goals. The medical center that is being discussed in the following paper is not only accredited by the Joint Commission, in relation to the mentioned categories, but it has managed to achieve high rates among quality measurement indicators and the Quality Report is a proof to that (MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, 2014). Buy custom Quality Improvement at MedStar Medical Center essay

Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum

Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum China has a very rich heritage and history that dates back more than a thousand years. Apart from relics and various artifacts that can tell us about the past, museums are essential gateways in explaining what life was like some thousand years ago. The Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum keeps watch over a lot of China’s history. Many travelers and visitors do not flock the museum because of the notion that it is difficult to find. The trick is simply to plan your visit. You have to expect it might take you a long time to get there but it’s a trip you should not miss. There are two bus stops that can connect you to the museum. The Youanmenwai bus stop is closer. It is at least 500 meters or a 7-minute walk from the bus stop. Bus numbers 19, 48, 72, 88, 377, 454, and 474 can take you there. Another bus stop is the Caihuying or Daguanyuan and you can take any of these buses 19, 49, 59, 122, 361, 716, 717, 744, and 800. From this stop, you will need to walk 800-meters north. The building looks unassuming against the apartment blocks around it. It is made of gray brick with an arched glass window. The museum is built underground so it may be easy to overlook it against the other buildings surrounding it. It is open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 9AM to 4PM. Entrance is free. Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum is divided into two sections: the underground part and the historical displays. The underground part or the Shuiguan site is where the historic original water gate is located. The water gate goes as far back as the 12th century during the Jin dynasty. It is one of the very few gates that have been preserved and survived being burnt by the Mongolian troops. The museum is unique in this sense that it is built on an old aqueduct or water gate. This is why the Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum is a Beijing Cultural relic site. The water gate was primarily used as a means to enter the city walls, which were built to protect the ancient Beijing against invasion. Another part of the museum is the artifacts. Most of the displays are from the Liao and Jin dynasties. The first floor of the museum, though is dedicated to Buddhist artifacts and daily tools from the Han and Qin dynasties. Precious pottery and very detailed calligraphy from the Jin dynasty are also displayed. The museum has also displayed what has been excavated from the site, namely the roof ornaments, tiles, and tablets. One of the museum’s highlights is the gravestone of Lu Hui which is one of the best preserved white marble stones that had been dug up along the Liangshui River. The museum also boasts of solitary exploration since not a lot of tourists find their way there. Make no mistake it houses artifacts that you cannot see in other museums. It is worth your time.

360 Report of Guccio Gucci in China Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

360 Report of Guccio Gucci in China - Coursework Example These strategies include: advertising, craftsmanship, public relations, a touch of mythology, and word of mouth (Marketing Mentor, n.d.). In order to develop effective marketing campaing in China, it is vital to understand the luxry market in China and consumers’ behavior. The Chinese luxury market is huge and is projected to grow by 18% annually from 2010 to 2015, exceeding 20% of the global luxury market (GroupM and CIC 2011). Luxury buyers in China value the status they gain by wearing luxury goods. Chinese consumers like to show their off their shopping achievements and purchasing power. That is why sharing of shopping experience is common in the luxury segment (GroupM and CIC 2011). By developing a business expansion strategy in China, Gucci’s marketers have to focus on the top domestic markets by RMB 10 million-plus population. These cities inlcude: 1) Beijing, 2) Guangdong, 3) Shanghai, 4) Zhejiang, 5) Jiangsu, 6) Fujian, 7) Shandong, 8) Liaoning, 9) Sichuan, and 10) Henan (GroupM and CIC 2011). See the map below. Fast growing luxury market in China captures consumers with different motivations and behaviors. In order to develop effective marketing strategy for this Asian market, Gucci has to consider the purchase drivers common for Chinese luxury consumers. There are indentified four major segments of Chinese luxury consumers: aspirational buyers; quality pursuers; status seekers; trend setters (GroupM & CIC, 2011). Aspirational buyers are mainly white-collars and college students who are very sensitive to price and tend to purchase accessories of famous luxury brands. The purchase drivers include: brand awareness, style and design, and price (GroupM & CIC, 2011). For Qaulity pursuers quality and fine workmanship are the major criteria while purchasing the luxury brands. The purchase drivers include: quality, price, style and design (GroupM & CIC, 2011). The third category of Status seekers implies

An Organizations Performance and Macro-environmental Factors Essay

An Organizations Performance and Macro-environmental Factors - Essay Example The macro-environment of a business is understood through assessing the four factors, a process regarded as the PEST (Political, Economical, Social, and Technological) analysis (Thompson, 2002). This paper is a critique of Abercrombie and Fitch, which is a retail organization dealing with textile products such as men and women wear. It presents a PEST analysis as well as a competitive audit of the organization, with GAP Inc. Tommy Hilfiger Corporation and Urban Outfitters as the main competitors. The paper also presents an analysis of the threat of new entrants, the power of buyers, substitute products, bargaining power of suppliers and competitive rivalry, as well as an internal analysis of the organization. It highlights primary support services, as well as a SWOT analysis the firm. The organization has been faced with political influences although they have not affected its productivity. It operates under the UK employment laws that protect the rights of all people who have attained the age of employment. The organization has been faced with various cases involving individuals who feel that they have been marginalized in employment opportunities. Discrimination of potential employees can have negative impacts on the organization. Moreover, there are laws that protect consumers from unscrupulous businessmen, which are meant to prevent low-quality products from entering the UK market. However, the organization is not affected by government influence since its products are of high quality and it also adheres to the required quality. Employees are hired according to merit and therefore there are no cases. The organization has not fallen victim of terrorist activities or military  invasion since the UK is a politically stable nation (James, 1998). The organization operates under the protection of the WTO and it has experienced a steady growth.

Intercompany Profits Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Intercompany Profits - Case Study Example There are factors that the company considers in deriving the method to use, such as ownership and influence. In this case, the analysis of the subsidiaries is included in the consolidated financial statements. The principles of accounting state that the intercompany inventory transfers, such as a transfer between Verizon Wireless and Wireline, must eliminate all the revenues and expenses recorded by the involved parties in the preparation of the consolidated income statement. The profits or losses that are accrued in the transfer of inventory are deferred, to the point where the inventory is sold to a non-affiliate (Christensen, Cottrell, & Baker, 2013). The intercompany profits that are realized by Verizon and its subsidiaries are considered as a single entity to ensure that the only historical cost of the inventory is included in the business’s balance sheet. As such, the profits that may be realized by the parent company (Verizon) are eliminated until when the goods are sold to a non-affiliate. In preparation of the consolidated financial report, the gross profit that is realized by Verizon is only when the inventory has been sold to a non-subsidiary since the intercompany profit s are eliminated. Arguments are that, in the inventory inter-transfer, regardless of the price at which the exchange has taken place, no actual profits have been realized, from the consolidated perspective, but the profit is realized upon reselling of inventory to non-affiliates (Christensen et al., 2013). Verizon eliminates all the intercompany profits, as it no longer applies the provisions and regulatory accounting provided by the FASB 71 (1994). Harley-Davidson is registered as the parent company to two businesses. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC) deals with motorcycles and related products while the Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS) provides financially related services to other clients. In Harley-Davidson’s consolidated statements, the  entities are sourced from both company subsidiaries and other owned entities by the company.

Corporate Goveranance Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Corporate Goveranance Case - Essay Example Please note that the case study did not indicate the number of hours the employees of Tasty meals Ltd is being forced to work. It is incredelous to compare the conditions of employees of Tasty meals with that of the other countries. The economic condition is not the same between two countries the cost of living is likewise not the same. The wage commission of the Philippine Government have taken these factors into consideration in determining the minimum wage in the Philippines. As far as the wage is concerned Tasty meals Ltd is in compliance and in fact exceed the requirements of the government. Question 2: Tasty meals Ltd, CANNOT be held responsible for the problems caused by unhealthy junk foods and high-calorie if the company is complying with the minimum requirement prescribed by the law of the Government of the Philippines. However, Tasty meals Ltd has the fiduciary responsibility if not a social responsibility to provide healthy foods to its loyal patrons. Fiduciary responsibi lity is not prosecutable by law if it is not met. Question 3: It is NOT reasonable to demand from Tasty meals Ltd to give up ‘cost effective’ and ‘convinient’. The use of cost effective and convenient disposable tableware and containers is not against the law within the Philippines. ... Question 5: Overall I consider Tasty meals Ltd to be compliant to the corporate governance principles with the exception of its dealings with corporation of questionable background. Tasty meals Ltd is NOT AN ethically and socially responsible corporation. A company is considered compliant to Corporate Governance principles if it complies with the maximum requirement of the law in the countries where it is operating from. A company is considered to be ethically and socially responsible if it complies with the requirements of international standards where it belongs to. Question 6: The following are my answers for each of the recommendation if it is appropriate the answer is Yes, if it’s not appropriate the answer is No. Recommendation 1 – No, the current salary is more than twice the government mandated minimum wage. Recommendation 2 – No, Tasty meals Ltd have its own market that might not be receptive to other products. Recommendation 3 – Yes, Reducing tra ns fat in its cooking process will help its global corporate image. Recommendation 4 and 5 – Yes, complying with the concern of international environment groups will enhance the image of the company. Recommendation 6 – Yes, sponsorship of charitable organizations will enhance the corporate image of the company. Recommendation 7 – Yes, this is a requirement to enhance the global image of the company Recommendation 8 – Yes, this will enhance the image of the company Recommendation 9 – Yes, this will enhance and also show the commitment of the company to self reflect and improve its operation to comply with the requirement of the law and other international standard. Question 7: YES, Adverse publicity often times affects the

Analysis of Article on Nursing Management Styles Essay

Analysis of Article on Nursing Management Styles - Essay Example ance of honing management skills in the nursing profession has created a demand for the development and institution of management styles and techniques in nursing. The response to the advocacy has been a significant increase in research to improve current management and administrative training, improving insights for not only nursing managers but the profession in general (Besner, 2006). In Mark Grzeskowiak’s (2005) article, Management Styles, he points out that one of the first tasks of developing management competencies is determine what management style is to be utilized. He develops this idea by highlighting how different management styles affect work outcomes. This implies the need to assess not only management competencies but also the characteristics of the organization it is to be applied in. According to Grzeskowia, there are two main management styles, knows as authoritarian and democratic and considers all other styles of management as a product of either. Authoritarian management is characterized by a high degree of control limited to one or a small group of individuals. It is a prescriptive or instructive in nature, allowing for limited discussion or alternative channels. Mandate and power is not reserved to the head of the organization but he has advantage over all other members of the organization. To create a contrast with authoritarianism, Grzeskowia presents democratic management as a counter-point. This is characterized as an egalitarian style, encouraging discussion and collaboration. Though there are authority figures, there is wider distribution of power. Furthermore, decision are developed from consensus rather that by instruction. As Grzeskowia (2005) illustrates through case scenarios, what works for one organization may not necessarily work for another. Managers should then be able to formulate and implement management styles that will be most beneficial and productive. In the context of nursing, some functions or operations may

A rhetorical analysis on How Society in the United States Views Research Paper

A rhetorical analysis on How Society in the United States Views Abortion and what impact the media has on that view - Research Paper Example 8 Works Cited †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 9 Abstract The aspect of imparting living status on the fetus has profound impacts on the abortion policies which, in most cases, are advocated through the media. The media, therefore, holds a specialized and centralized place in the heart of the abortion debate. US has one of the highly opinionated public on matters pertaining to abortion controversies. Abortion had already become a diabolical issue even before the famous landmark ruling on Roe v. Wade (1973) by the US Supreme Court. This ruling and other subsequent legislations only served to provide the impetus for polarization of opinions with no point of consensus. Many of the opinions that the public holds come courtesy of the media which is accused of being biased. Biased media leads to an influence of the opinions of the public wit hout necessary changing their attitudes. Preface The reason for choosing to do a rhetorical analysis on how society in the United States views abortion and what impact the media has on that view is because of the profound connection existing among media public opinions. The public usually relies heavily on the media to bring to its attention the different issues that happen and affect the country. In this regard, the media is very important in influencing how the public generates opinion on different issues of national interest. The abortion debate has been around for a long time and has become quite contentious due to a polarized public about the way forward. In any democratic society, such an outcome is expected since everyone is entitled to their own views. Much of this polarization is caused by the media which covers news disproportionately in a biased manner. This paper brings together an analysis of different resources that are borrowed from different fields so that the true a ssociation of the media and public perception of the abortion debate can be known. These resources are qualitative in nature and they trace the effects of how the media informs public polices through its partial way of information dissemination. As such, the paper employs a multidisciplinary approach of tackling the central issue of media influence on public debates along the continuum of time. Introduction The aspect of imparting living status on the fetus has profound impacts on the abortion policies which, in most cases, are advocated through the media. Many policies have been crafted to promote fetal rights, which have negatively impacted the women’s right to abortion (Iyengar and Hahn 23). As such, the media has played a crucial role in the analysis and communication of information to the public which has had potential bias. Previous research has shown that the presentation of information to the public impacts the public’s perception of different policies and thei r preferences. Bias in how media houses present information to the public is known to have been in existence for a long time now. Therefore, the public opinion on abortion is of two extreme positions and the media seems not to favor these two extreme groups according to research (Esacove 84). Way back before the famous landmark ruling on Roe v. Wade (1973) by the US Supreme Court, abortion had already

Analysis of Article on Nursing Management Styles Essay

Analysis of Article on Nursing Management Styles - Essay Example ance of honing management skills in the nursing profession has created a demand for the development and institution of management styles and techniques in nursing. The response to the advocacy has been a significant increase in research to improve current management and administrative training, improving insights for not only nursing managers but the profession in general (Besner, 2006). In Mark Grzeskowiak’s (2005) article, Management Styles, he points out that one of the first tasks of developing management competencies is determine what management style is to be utilized. He develops this idea by highlighting how different management styles affect work outcomes. This implies the need to assess not only management competencies but also the characteristics of the organization it is to be applied in. According to Grzeskowia, there are two main management styles, knows as authoritarian and democratic and considers all other styles of management as a product of either. Authoritarian management is characterized by a high degree of control limited to one or a small group of individuals. It is a prescriptive or instructive in nature, allowing for limited discussion or alternative channels. Mandate and power is not reserved to the head of the organization but he has advantage over all other members of the organization. To create a contrast with authoritarianism, Grzeskowia presents democratic management as a counter-point. This is characterized as an egalitarian style, encouraging discussion and collaboration. Though there are authority figures, there is wider distribution of power. Furthermore, decision are developed from consensus rather that by instruction. As Grzeskowia (2005) illustrates through case scenarios, what works for one organization may not necessarily work for another. Managers should then be able to formulate and implement management styles that will be most beneficial and productive. In the context of nursing, some functions or operations may

Evaluation of materials example Essay Example for Free

Evaluation of materials example Essay This article is relevant to our project as it identifies the various emotional problems after surviving the first five years of leukemia treatment. Shanon Guger and DAgostino Norma are authorized professors of the College of Psychologists of Ontario, which is a regulatory body for the profession of psychology in Ontario, Canada, which states that they expertise in psychology, and not only that, they specialises on children psychology, which gives credibility to their information on emotional problems of post-treatment leukemia patients. Another author, Oussama Abla is an associate professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto, which specializes on children, given his experience in treating children since 2005, it gives reliability to the article itself. Furthermore, he specialises on leukemia and has research interests in childhood leukemia, which lends credibility and accuracy to the contents. The articles publisher, AboutKidsHealth, is the worlds leading non-profit information source for childrens health, supported by the Canadian government , and is in collaboration with over 300 paediatric health specialists that also supports the publisher. Though published in 2010, the various emotional problems listed still relevant as according to the recently revised report in 2013 of emotional issues after treatment of leukemia by the official American Cancer Society2. The article mentioned that there are various problems after treatment of leukemia. They include re-experiencing the trauma; for example, troublesome dreams, or flashbacks during leukemia treatment, frequent problems with sleep, lack of concentration or phobia of places that remind the child of the experience with leukemia (for example, hospitals), which inspired me considering of solutions to these problems. To allow them to cope, they can undergo pet assisted therapy. Pet assisted therapy, could offer psychological and physical aid at the same time, where they can benefit mentally and physically, sleep better at night, maintain strength and circulation, lessen the side effects of treatments and keep the patients skin, muscles, heart and lungs in shape3. Children could play with the pets games such as fetch*. They also are allowed to walk the pets at parks. These allows the children to benefit psychologically in able to interact with the pet and benefit physically by playing with the pets. Some of these children may not have enough energy to keep such pets, as they have just recovered and undergone strenuous treatments, hence I propose that there will be a pet interaction corner in the void decks, where pet owners in the blocks are encouraged to bring pets down for a walk in the pet interaction corner, allowing leukemic children and normal children to interact with one another as well. The article states the only way of treatment is to allow the children to do a hobby or parents to watch their reaction. However, these children are not given proper care to cope with such effects and hence ended up in post-traumatic stress disorder. Therefore, to solve this problem, I propose video game therapy4. These activities allow movement and distract them from their pain, and also from reality. Research shown a facility in Children’s national centre, the video game therapy has allowed the children to cope with physical and emotional pain. Activities include simple sports games with Wii Sports, and dancing games with Xbox Kinect. This contributes to physiotherapy and psychotherapy as well, where children can get to exercise as well as play games to draw them away from reality, which helps them in their post-traumatic stress disorder. Hospitals could have a room specially for these children, where children can play and have fun before and after check-ups. Such equipment are not too high-cost and is manageable and feasible. 600 words

Consumer Behaviour Mobile Marketing Communication Media Essay

Consumer Behaviour Mobile Marketing Communication Media Essay This research, titled; how has new media technologies affected the advertising industry and consumer behavior? Shall focus on new media is and how it has impacted on advertising and consumer behavior. The mass media has always been with us in some form or the other for centuries and over the years technology has evolved to such an extent that the world has virtually shrunk in size before our very eyes, now people can communication with anybody wherever they may be and communication features are embedded in virtually everything produced these days, Game consoles are now internet ready and two people across the world can play the same game together in real time. This research shall look at these technologies and see how they fit into the world of advertising and its implications for the industry and how consumers are reacting to these changes. The research tries to determine how new media technologies have affected the kind of messages created and how people perceive them. I shall make use of Hierarchy of effects theories and technological determinism as the theoretical framework for this research, these theories make some interesting bases for this research. I however want to note that this is a proposal and every concept, theory used in this proposal shall be elaborated upon during the main research and final compilation of findings. Finally, I hope that by the end of this research, I would have made a significant contribution to the field of advertising, business and communications and helped form the basis for more research in this field. INTRODUCTION According to Wikipedia, New media  is a broad term in Media Studies that emerged in the later part of the 20th century to encompass the amalgamation of traditional media such as film, images, music, spoken and written word, with the interactive power of computer and communications technology, computer-enabled consumer devices and most importantly the Internet. New media has also been referred to as technologies of telecommunication and computing, new user devices (e.g., videodisc machines), and their practical applications in office, home, business, health or educational environments. (Williams, Rice, and Rogers, 1988: xi). However for the purpose of this research new media technologies shall be limited to mean any device, instrument or medium through which messages in whatever format can be communicated to mass or limited audience. Virtually everything has an IP address these days, from refrigerators, game consoles even to handheld games like PSPs, Nintendo DS and so on. Today with the emergence of some cutting edge gadgets and accessories everyday life has changed a great deal, people no longer have to leave their houses to get newspapers, buy hard copies of the latest novel from your favorite author, most of them can be downloaded to your Ipad or you kindle or even to your mobile smart phone. This opens up a lot of opportunities for businesses, but poses a problem to advertisers and advertising agencies. Now advertisers are faced with the problem of creating messages that are fast paced and can communicate effectively through the most available and likely most preferred medium the mobile phone and handheld communication devices. Mobile marketing is fast becoming one of the best means of reaching the audience. Anderson supported this claim in his assertion that the effectiveness of traditional, retail, broadcast and other media channels is fast reducing, due to the high level of fragmentation in traditional channels. He went on to say that with the emergence of new media channels other media like, newspaper, magazines, radio and television are rapidly losing their audiences or market (in Becker, 2005) The research shall focus on determining the effect of new media on advertising, taking into consideration the effect these new media are bound to have on the creative aspect of advertising and also the dissemination of the messages. In general there are a lot of books and research on new media technology, but because of the ever changing dynamic world of innovative technology it is important that a research into this field is carried out especially as it is concerned with advertising and consumer behavior. LITERATURE REVIEW Different books and journals shall be sourced and used for this research. The books should give the researcher better insight into progress made in this field and other similar and relevant researches that have been carried out in this field. DEFINITIONS OF NEW MEDIA Lev Manovich (2001:43) defines new media as cultural objects which use digital computer technology for distribution and exhibition. Thus, Internet, Web sites, computer multimedia, computer games, CD-ROMs and DVD, Virtual Reality, and computer-generated special effects all fall under new media. This definition is supported in Webomedia.net which defines new media to mean a generic term for the many different forms of electronic communication that are made possible through the use of computer technology. This clearly shows that new media is electronic and make use of computer technology. Teemu Leinonen (2011) gave a good illustration of new media and even its characteristics all in a single simple diagram, which he titled holy-trinity-new-media The diagram best describes new media and it is based on this summary by Teemu Leinonen that I would attempt a definition of new media that would serve as its meaning throughout this research. From the various definitions from different scholars, new media are media that combines the features of various electronic media such as internet, computers and traditional media that allows for instant communication and feedback and also gives the user a significant amount of control. DEFINITIONS OF MOBILE MARKETING Different scholars have defined mobile marketing differently, some scholars call it Wireless digital advertising, permission-based mobile advertising, Mobile or wireless advertising, etc the implication is that in most cases these terms are used inter changeably, though they might not necessarily mean the exact same thing when looked in broader and more detailed terms. Barnes (in Bruner II and Kumar, 2002) describes mobile marketing to be a permission-based mobile advertising that is a flexible, tactical medium suitable for short, time-based communication. Bulander et al (2005: 285) describes it simply as advertising that uses mobile terminals as its target platform. Yuan Tsao ( in Jaana Tahtinen, 2006) defines mobile marketing communications as, as a contextualized advertising that makes use of a medium to disseminate customized campaigns targeting users according to where they are, their needs at the moment and the devices they are using. Scharl et al. (2004) define mobile marketing as the use of a wireless medium to provide customers with individualized information about products, services, and ideas at any time and locations, which benefit all stakeholders. In the same vein, according to Advertising age (2006: 20) mobile marketing is defined as the use of wireless media as an integrated content delivery and direct-response vehicle within a cro ss-media marketing communications program. Leppaniemi (2008: 9) gave a very detailed list of what qualifies as mobile advertising or mobile marketing; he suggested five categories which mobile advertising can be classified into; web category which includes mobile internet, Broadcast category, narrow cast category, physical browsing category which includes divergent methods such as touching, pointing and scanning that can be used to distribute information to mobile phones and lastly a category which he labeled other that covers advertising formats that did not fit well into any of the other four categories listed. From these definitions, it is clear that mobile marketing is basically communication of marketing/advertising messages directly to the target audience through mobile devices over Bluetooth, mobile internet or GSM coverage/WIFI. Any kind of advertising that makes use of mobile phones, PDAs, Ipads or any mobile communications device to communicate the message qualifies as Mobile marketing, examples are; proximity marketing, sms marketing/advertising, Bluetooth advertising etc. The researcher therefore wants to find out how this increasingly popular medium is affecting the way advertisers create and communicate their messages and its impact on consumer behavior. CHARACRTERISTICS OF NEW MEDIA From the forgoing; we know new media is electronic, interactive, uses computer technology amongst other things. The researcher however wants to find out the distinguishing features of new media, what makes them unique and why they are called new. Martin Lister, et al (2003:13-27), in their book titled; New Media; a critical introduction, gave the characteristics of new media as; digital, interactive, allows for registrational interactivity which they described to mean the opportunities new media texts affords their users to write back into the text; that is to say to add text by registering their own messages, new media allows for Interactive communications. This is supported by Henry Jenkins (2006), when he asserted that new media, virtually removes the problem of geographical separation, it is Ubiquitous, new media is digital, it is space binding and Distance Insensitivity; new media is personalized implying that these systems can be instructed to customize, individualize information for each user. He went on to say that new media is interactive, it is convergent denoting that formally separated technologies are blending together with a digital common denominator, an example is Intercast; a blend of web pages and TV. From the characteristics of new media suggested by different scholars it is clear that communications technology has evolved and there is now a convergence or overlapping of different media to create new media. The realities of these changes are not farfetched and we experience them every day. Our mobile phones have combined features of calling, texting, typing, photo editing, surfing the internet, video calling, voice sms, social networking, e-book readers, camera, and recording sound, amongst other features. All these features used to be exclusive of one another, but todays technological advancements have seen a convergence in all these media into one media-mobile phone. HISTORY OF NEW MEDIA Media simply means communication channels through which news, entertainment, education, data or promotional messages are disseminated. It includes every broadcast or narrowcasting medium such as newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, billboards, direct mail, telephone, fax and internet. If this is true then the media has always been with us for years, centuries even; ancient African kings had town criers and roman empires of old had scribes, they all tried to pass messages to a target audience. Until the 1980s  media  relied primarily upon print and  analog  broadcast  models, such as television  and  radio. And since then it has been one innovation to the next; the internet was invented, computer games were created, books were written and sold without it ever being printed in hard copies; The last twenty-five years have seen the rapid transformation into media which are predicated upon the use of digital computers. Andrea Botero and Teemu Leinonen (2011) in their attempt to create a timeline for the evolution of new media suggested that there has been a convergence of communication and technology since as early as 1844, when the Morses communication innovation used electronic impulses, a key and a special code that sequences the impulses to letters of the alphabet, they trace this evolution from then till recent times when telephones using satellite signals were invented. Manovich (2001) explained the evolution of new media from 1800 when J.M. Jacquard invented a loom which was automatically controlled by punched paper cards, which later inspired Babbage in his work on the Analytical engine used for numerical calculations. He traced the history on to 1839, when Daguerre launched the new reproduction process in Paris. He continued tracing the history to the point when motion picture was invented in the 1890s. then in 1936 the universal Turing machine was invented which was capable of only four operations. Also in the same year Konrad Zuse invented the first working digital computer. In a nutshell Manovich considered the evolution and creation of new media as the meeting or overlapping of Daguerres daguerreotype and Babbagess Analytical Engine, the Lumieres cinematography and Holleriths tabulator-merging into one. From here on, new media became a combination of all this features. Today technology has evolved so much that it is almost impossible to separate everyday activities from them. Virtually everything we do uses some sort of fantastic technology, even switching on the bulb is not as straight forward as it was; it can be made much easier; just clap!!! NEW MEDIA, ADVERTISING AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR Consumer behavior in simple terms is the study of when, why, how, and where people do or do not buy a  product. Certain factors affect all the variables listed in the definition. It is clear that the way we perceive and get information has changed or is changing; people are no longer controlled by the media; now you can record live programs and watch it when you have the time! When, where and how we buy items have changed; virtually anything can be bought online these days. This position is supported by Lauren Maynard (2011) when she asserted that, television experience has changed in the past decade since we no longer into appointment TV; we no longer have to sit down at a specific hour to watch a specific show. She went on to state that, today, two significant behavioral changes in consumers are redefining the entertainment landscape. These changes require television networks and advertisers to evolve rapidly to keep their shows, content, and ad buys relevant to a demanding consumer set. People now consume television via time-shifted DVR, online (legally), online (illegally), mobile device, Internet streaming to TV, and a wide variety of other methods. Viewers now consume multiple forms of media at the same time, such as watching TV on a television while checking Face book on a computer. This is commonly referred to as two-, three- or multi-screen viewing. Because people are changing the way they get information, advertisers need to ensure that they create adverts for different communication platforms that would effectively communicate with the target audience. Technologies are changing consumer behavior, which in turn changes the type of message and medium that would appeal to the consumer, hence forcing advertisers to accept these changes and provide adverts to suit these new needs. Christina Spurgeon (2005: 1), argues that Debate about how new media will impact on advertising in the medium- to long-term future has focused extensively on the new technological capabilities that enable consumers to avoid advertising. the implication for advertisers is that they now have to come up with ways to ensure that their adverts are viewed by the target audience ( it can no longer be taken for granted that everybody watching the 7pm news would see the advert during the news break), Christina (2005) highlighted some ways advertisers are trying to cope with the new media trend, she posited that, Branded content, conversational interaction with consumers are some of the ways advertisers are trying to circumvent the problem of people intentionally not seeing the advert messages because of emergence of technologies that makes this possible. It is clear that in the very near future consumers would control the type of advert messages they are exposed to. In fact Our present technologies already allow consumers to provide information to retailers and manufacturers, voice their preferences, and communicate with other consumers, salespeople, and producers (Pavlou and Stewart 2000). Marketers are able to use the information provided by consumers to segment the market, generate ideas for future products or services, and personalize their advertising messages. Thus ads can therefore be targeted not only to a demographic or psychographic group, but also to a specific individuals wants and needs It is against this backdrop that I have decided to engage in this research. New media has created new ways for consumers to get information and of course this in turn has changed the way adverts are created and how they are communicated to the consumers. It is therefore imperative to determine how new innovative technologies in communication has impacted on advertising in terms of creativity, communication, market/product reach amongst other things and how the media and also the message has affected or changed consumer behavior and to what extent. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK I shall draw ideas and build around the following theories; Lavidge Steiners hierarchy of effects theory Technological determinism. Diffusion of innovations theory Barry and Howard (in Lapointe, 2006) assert that the Hierarchy-of-effects model is created to show the process, or steps, that an advertiser assumes that customers pass through in the actual purchase process. The model is based on seven steps. According to the Pat Lapointe (2006), The Hierarchy of Effects (HOE), was founded upon the assumption of a three-stage process underlying consumer purchase behavior: Cognition à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ º Affect à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ º Behavior Lavidge and Steiner (1961) write that the steps have to be completed in a linear way, but a potential purchaser sometimes may move up several steps simultaneously. The steps consumers go through before arriving at a buying decision are: 1. Close to purchasing, but still a long way from the cash register, are those who are merely aware of its existence. 2. Up a step are prospects who know what the product has to offer. 3. Still closer to purchasing are those who have favorable attitudes toward the product; those who like the product. 4. Those whose favorable attitudes have developed to the point of preference over all other possibilities are up still another step. 5. Even closer to purchasing are customers who couple preference with a desire to buy and the conviction that the purchase would be wise. 6. Finally, of course, is the step which translates this attitude into actual purchase. (Lavidge Steiner, 1961, p. 59) In short the stages are; unawareness, awareness, knowledge, liking, preference, conviction, and purchase. Using this theory, the researcher hopes to identify what has changed in consumers buying pattern since the emergence of certain technologies. Technological  determinism  is a  reductionist  theory that presumes that a societys technology drives the development of its social structure and cultural values. The term is believed to have been coined by  Thorstein Veblen, an American sociologist. Winston (in Chandler, 1994) defines it as the idea that the technology is the primary force that controls how individuals and society change. Chandler in an article written for The UK Technology Education Centre posits that Indeed, technological determinism, effectively the opposite of  social determinism, is a theory which points to technology as being  the  force which shapes society. He explained that Technological determinists hold that: Like the weather, technology is autonomous It causes social change By determining how new media has impacted on advertising and consumer behaviour, one can easily relate this theory to this research, since technological determinism focuses on how technology shapes society. Advertising has been a major routine in our life, every day we are bombarded by it; advertising in turn influences our buying patterns or decisions to a large extent. So it is the hope of the researcher to find out how new media has helped shape our society into what it is today. Diffusion research centers on the conditions which increase or decrease the likelihood that a new idea, product, or practice will be adopted by members of a given culture. Diffusion of innovation theory predicts that media as well as interpersonal contacts provide information and influence opinion and judgment. Studying how innovation occurs, E.M. Rogers (1995) argued that it consists of four stages: invention, diffusion (or communication) through the social system, time and consequences. The information flows through networks. The nature of networks and the roles opinion leaders play in them determine the likelihood that the innovation will be adopted. Innovation diffusion research has attempted to explain the variables that influence how and why users adopt a new information medium, such as the Internet. Opinion leaders exert influence on audience behavior via their personal contact, but additional intermediaries called change agents and gatekeepers are also included in the process of diffusion. Five adopter categories are: (1) innovators, (2) early adopters, (3) early majority, (4) late majority, and (5) laggards. These categories follow a standard deviation-curve, very little innovators adopt the innovation in the beginning (2,5%), early adopters making up for 13,5% a short time later, the early majority 34%, the late majority 34% and after some time finally the laggards make up for 16%. It is on the basis of these great works of very admirable scholars that the researcher as decided to focus his research. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The emergence of new technologies to enhance communication and simple everyday activities has seen an explosion of chatter and communication. Everybody is talking to somebody all of the time. So many gadgets and social networking sites are available and all trying to outshine themselves with some having as many as 500,000,000 (Five Hundred Million) members. This new community or country produced by technology has created a very rare opportunity for advertising and the advertising industry at large. It has however produced another problem for advertisers; now advertisers now have to redefine who their audiences are and how has their demographics changed, advertisers now have to create messages/adverts that communicate effectively through the various media available. Who exactly are our audiences? How best do we communicate with them? Which medium or combination of media should be used? What time should the advert be up? Where are our audiences? These are some of the questions advertisers would be trying to answer for a very long time. It is therefore the aim of this research to discover how the emergence of some unique media has affected advertising and what consumers responses are. SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY The findings of this study should help advertisers, scholars and practitioners in the field appreciate some of the innovative revolutionary technologies in the field of advertising and their influence on advertising and the advertising industry and also how they influence consumer behavior. Also it should help marketers and advertisers when planning their marketing campaign and strategies, as they would now have available empirical research to back up their proposals if the campaign would involve new media (which most campaigns would anyway). This research shall draw from the experiences of companies that have used some form of new media; proximity marketing, 3D projection, etc to provide recommendations on how to run an effective campaign new media. From this research, Business owners and advertisers can accurately predict the response of their audiences to their advert message and the medium through which the messages are delivered. This would help them develop messages that would appeal to the audiences and also ensure they communicate same message through the right medium. Finally, it is the hope of the researcher that this research shall serve as appoint of reference for other scholars pursuing research or knowledge in the same or similar field. SCOPE OF STUDY This research shall restrict its definition of new media to mean the following; web based advertising, handheld communication gadgets, 3D projection and Bluetooth proximity marketing. It is the aim of the researcher to categorize new media into sub groups and determine who their target markets are and how individual new innovative medium has affected the advertising industry and consumer behavior. The researcher shall geographically limit his research to the UK and Nigeria as they represent two very different economies, ways of life and general standard of living. METHODOLOGY AND DATA COLLECTION The research is aimed at finding out the effect of new media technologies on advertising and consumer behavior. Researcher shall therefore make use of a combination of the qualitative and the quantitative research methods, which shall include in-depth interviews and survey methods. 1,000 (One Thousand) questionnaire would be distributed to people through random selection around Wales and its surroundings, also an online questionnaire would be set up to give the researcher a global perspective of the issues researched. The researcher shall interview distributors and resellers of Bluetooth marketing devices and other new media, critics and professional analyst of some of these new technologies, in UK and Nigeria, also companies that use these technologies for their promotional and marketing activities shall be interviewed to get their opinion on the effectiveness of the medium they use or have used and the effect it has had on their organization as a means of passing across information and advertising. Also a recall test shall be conducted; volunteers shall be exposed to advertising messages on different platforms and their level of recall for each medium is tested and analyzed. This would help give the researcher an insight into which medium is most effective based on how easily people remember adverts viewed or listened to via the medium. In analyzing the findings found during the interviews the researcher has chosen to record the interviews to make it easier to go back and go through them again later on. The findings of the questionnaires distributed shall be analyzed using the frequency distributing table. RESEARCH QUESTIONS The research findings would try to answer the following questions; Are new media technologies generally more effective than conventional stand alone media like TV, radio and newspapers? Can new media help increase sales volume? How has these new medium affected the buying pattern of individuals generally? Has it increased consumers awareness and knowledge of what they buy? What are the limiting factors of this medium? What are the advantages of this medium over other conventional media like, TV, Radio and Newspaper? How do we determine whether or not a medium is effective? Who are the target audience of new media and why? AIMS AND OBJECTIVE OF THE RESEARCH The aim of this research is to determine the following: To provide empirical evidence as to the effectiveness of certain new media as advertising and publicity medium To determine the factors and attributes that makes these media effective or not To determine how new media has affected consumer behavior To contribute to knowledge in the field of integrated marketing communications. DEFINITION OF TERMS Below is a list of some terms that frequently occur throughout this dissertation and their definition from the context of this particular research; New Media: the term new media for the purpose of this research shall be restricted to mean any communication medium that uses internet, Bluetooth or new innovations in technology that can effectively communicate with a mass or targeted audience. Advertising: It is a collective term for public announcements designed to promote the sale of specific commodities or services. Advertising is a form of mass selling, employed when the use of direct, person-to-person selling is impractical, impossible, or simply inefficient. It is to be distinguished from other activities intended to persuade the public, such as propaganda, publicity, and public relations. Proximity marketing: Proximity marketing is the localized wireless distribution of advertising content associated with a particular place. Transmissions can be received by individuals in that location who wish to receive them and have the necessary equipment to do so. Consumer behavior: it  is the study of when, why, how, and where people do or do not buy a  product. TIMESCALES S/N ACTIVITY COMPLETION PERIOD REMARKS 1 Introductions, chapter one 6 weeks 2 Literature review 3 months 3 Core research: 3 trips to Nigeria to collate data and distribute questionnaires 3-5 months 4 Data collation and interpretation 3 months 5 Chapter 5 3 weeks 6 Cross checking for errors and editing 2 months 7 Binding and submission 1 month 8 Total period for project 15-17 months