Recycling Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Recycling - Research Paper Example s a man makes impact on his personal and family lives at present, and threatens future life of his next generations, who will not be able to live the same life as this man does. To prevent such results, the concept of sustainable development emerged. This concept became popular in the 80-es of 20th century. The main idea of it is that a man should live in such a way, so that he will not prevent his future generations to live at least in the same way, as he does (Bartlett 2012). Some of the principles of sustainable development state, that a man should be careful with using resources, and should not just spend them irretrievably. It became important to find new methods to compensate and displace the used resources to preserve ecological system. The idea to process the waste products and use them as secondary materials became very popular among the supporters of the sustainable development concept. Thus, recycling became one of the instruments for communities how to get to the sustaina ble development path. Recycling is a process of reusing waste products and garbage or retrieving them back into operation. This process is considered to be one of the methods to restore all the waste generated (Tam 2006) The importance of recycling today is significant and is of global value. Recycling helps to solve ecological and resource-saving problems. First of all, the resources on the Earth are limited and cannot be compensated as fast as they are being used (some of them require the time of life of several generations). Then, when waste is thrown into environment, it usually becomes its pollutant. It takes several centuries for some materials to decay in natural environment. Besides, product waste and other products, the useful life of which is over, are usually (but not always) a cheaper source of materials than natural sources. Using secondary material resources can save the costs for waste utilization, new resource purchase, transport and labour costs etc. New jobs for

Population of China and Gender Imbalance Essay Example for Free

Population of China and Gender Imbalance Essay Chinas one child policy was established by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1979 to limit Chinas population growth. It was designated as a temporary measure, to limit couples to just one child. Those who fail to follow the law are subjected to fines, pressures to do abortion, and forced sterilization. In 1979, the Chinese government embarked on an ambitious program of market reform following the stagnation of the economy after the Cultural Revolution. At the time, China was home to a quarter of the worlds people, who were occupying just 7 percent of worlds arable land. Two thirds of the population was under the age of 30 years, and the baby boomers of the 1950s and 1960s were entering their reproductive years. The government saw strict population containment as essential to economic reform and to an improvement in living standards. So the one-child family policy was introduced. The policy consists of a set of regulations governing the approved size of Chinese families. These regulations include restrictions on family size, late marriage and childbearing, and the spacing of children (in cases in which second children are permitted). The State Family Planning Bureau sets the overall targets and policy direction. Family-planning committees at provincial and county levels devise local strategies for implementation. Despite its name, the one-child rule applies to a minority of the population; for urban residents and government employees, the policy is strictly enforced, with few exceptions. The exceptions include families in which the first child has a disability or both parents work in high-risk occupations (such as mining) or are themselves from one-child families (in some areas). The policy has been estimated to have reduced population growth in the country of 1. 3 billion by as much as 300 million people over its first twenty years of existence. However, this rule has caused a bias against female infants; abortion, neglect, abandonment, and even infanticide have been known to occur to female infants. The use of IUDs, sterilization, and abortion are Chinas most popular forms of birth control. However, over the past few years, China has provided more education and support for alternative birth control methods. This shift in focus on implementing this family planning policy was partly in reaction to what happened in 2007 when there were reports that in the southwestern Guangxi Autonomous Region of China, officials were forcing pregnant women without permission to give birth to have abortions and levying steep fines on families violating the law. As a result, riots broke out and some population control officials may have been killed. The result of such family planning policy has resulted in the disparate ratio of 114 males for every 100 females among babies from birth through children four years of age. Normally, 105 males are naturally born for every 100 females. When the Chinese government introduced the policy in 1979 to alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems in China, authorities claim that the policy has prevented 250 million births from its implementation to 2000. However, the policy is controversial both within and outside China because of the manner in which the policy has been implemented, and because of concerns about negative economic and social consequences. The policy has been implicated in an increase in of forced abortions and female infanticide, and has been suggested as a possible cause behind Chinas significant gender imbalance. Despite these negative reports, favorable feedback from this policy is heard from the families themselves. Since the introduction of the one-child policy, the total fertility rate in China has fallen from over two births per woman to approximately 1. 7 births today. In total, China estimates that it has three to four hundred million fewer people today, with the one-child policy, than it would have had otherwise. The reduction in the fertility rate and thus population growth has reduced the severity of problems that come with overpopulation, like epidemics, slums, overwhelmed social services (such as health, education, law enforcement), and strain on the ecosystem from abuse of fertile land and production of high volumes of waste. Another favorable feedback as a result of this policy is that it is reported that the focus of China on population control helps provide a better health service for women and a reduction in the risks of death and injury associated with pregnancy. Increased involvement of women in the labor force is also another positive feedback. Women have traditionally been the primary caregivers for children; however, with fewer children, they have more time to invest in their careers, increasing both their personal earnings and the national GDP. Another feedback that appeals to environmentalists is that, with the policy, there is decreased environmental impact. Chinas one child policy has the indirect consequence of reducing Chinas total ecological footprint and thus reducing strain on ecological resources. Despite these successes, however, the one-child only policy draws criticisms from many quarters. First, the one-child policy has been criticized by human rights advocacy groups and Western religious groups, including some evangelical Christians, as well as by pro-life advocates. Within China, criticism tends to be focused on potential social problems caused by the policy. A second type of criticism has come from those who acknowledge the challenges stemming from Chinas high population growth but believe that less intrusive options could have achieved the same results over an extended period of time. One very important concern was the human rights factor. The one-child policy is challenged in principle and in practice over violating basic human rights. Reported abuses in its enforcement include bribery, coercion, forced sterilization, forced abortion, and possibly infanticide. Even though in 2002, China outlawed the use of physical force to make a woman submit to an abortion or sterilization, it is not entirely enforced. In the execution of the policy many local governments still demand abortions if the pregnancy violates local regulations. Some critics also point to the possible economic and emotional costs the policy may bring to the people. As the one-child policy begins to near its next generation, one adult child is left with having to provide support for his or her two parents and four grandparents. This leaves the older generation with more of a dependency on retirement funds or charity, rather than their children in order to have support. If a child cannot care for their parents and grandparents, or if that child cannot survive, the oldest generation could find itself destitute. Another social problem seen is when some parents may over-indulge their only-child. The media referred to the indulged children in one-child families as little emperors. Since the 1990s, some people worry this will result in a higher tendency toward poor social communication and cooperation skills among the new generation, as they have no siblings at home. One important focus among sociologists is the issue of gender imbalance. China, like many other Asian countries, has a long tradition of son preference. Many argue that the one-child policy induces many families to use selective abortion, abandon female infants, and even kill female infants under the influence of the son preference. Some families even kill or starve the female infant and then try again for a male child. The commonly accepted explanation for son preference is that sons in rural families may be thought to be more helpful in farm work. Sons are preferred as they provide the primary financial support for the parents in their retirement, and a sons parents typically are better cared for than his wifes. In addition, Chinese traditionally view that daughters, on their marriage, become primarily part of the grooms family. Becaue of this gender bias the sex ratio at birth (between male and female births) in mainland China reached 117:100 in the year 2000, substantially higher than the natural baseline, which ranges between 103:100 and 107:100. It had risen from 108:100 in 1981 at the boundary of the natural baseline to 111:100 in 1990. According to a report by the State Population and Family Planning Commission, there will be 30 million more men than women in 2020, potentially leading to social instability. The correlation between the increase of sex ratio disparity on birth and the deployment of one child policy would appear to have been caused by the one-child policy.

The Rise Of Facebook In Vietnam Media Essay

The Rise Of Facebook In Vietnam Media Essay Reading Public Relations at university, I am always fascinated by the art of communicating with and persuading people. Being a heavy user of Facebook, I am amazed how the social network since its birth has brought about so many changes to the ways people share and communicate. This research paper is my attempt to investigate the marketing communications role of Facebook in my home country, Vietnam. A survey targeting at 100 Vietnamese internet users and interviews with two industry experts were conducted and analysed. I was able to sit in the positions of both users and marketers to view the issue. Findings showed that Facebook marketing communications in Vietnam is currently at its young age however has had a very interesting journey of development. The young internet community and marketing practitioners in Vietnam love Facebook. Nevertheless, that is not enough to secure future success; the social network has to do much more in order to increase its digital influence in a highly competitive market. Chapter 1: Introduction Overview There have been a number of studies on effects of social media on marketing communications, a few of which have a specific investigation on the social network giant Facebook. However, most of those only focus on cases in the West where the emergence of social media first happened and most of the marketing trends originate. I am thus keen on doing a research on how social networks and Facebook specifically have found its ways and been used as a marketing communications tool in the other side of the world. Vietnam is one of the fastest growing internet populations worldwide with around 30 million users, making up a third of the total population. The Facebook block issue which caused difficulties logging in the site starting since late 2009 has not made this social network less attractive in Vietnamese users perspectives. Facebook marketing and communications in Vietnam moreover enjoys a boom when agencies have increasingly appreciated the power of the site in influencing audiences. This research paper attempts to study the nature of this development and its roles to marketing communications in the eyes of both users and marketers. Objective The aim of this study is to investigate the current performance and future potential of Facebook as a marketing communications tool in Vietnam. It is hence important to determine profiles of Vietnamese Facebook users and their behaviours towards the social network. Opinions of industry experts on how effective Facebook is and will be to approach and persuade audiences are also essential. Key areas of investigation include: What is the current place of Facebook in the Vietnam social web market? What is happening to Facebook in Vietnam? Is this really blocked? Who use Facebook most in Vietnam? How do they interact with the site? What are their concerns when using Facebook? How reliable Facebook content is compared to other media platforms? How effective is Facebook in terms of marketing communications in Vietnam? What is the future of Facebook marketing in the country? The study is in general to provide an insight of Facebooks performance in Vietnam, focusing on its marketing roles. It specifically aimed to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the social network as a growing marketing communications tool in this emerging economy. 1.3 Background The internet in Vietnam has had a fascinating journey of development, in opinion of Thomas Crampton, Asia-Pacific Director of Ogilvy 360Â ° Digital Influence. He believes that the rapid growth of the internet in Vietnam receives support of three main factors including a developing nation, young population and the Government (Vietnam News, 2010). In terms of statistics, a research in 2010 by TNS, one of the worlds biggest market research groups, showed that 45% of Vietnamese are highly engaged in digital activities. The countrys figure is ranked fifth in Asia-Pacific area and slightly higher than the United Kingdom (43%) and the United States (42%). According to the same source of statistics, Vietnam is known as one of the youngest internet populations worldwide with the average age of 27. Another significant feature of the internet in Vietnam is its growing mobility. Again, statistics proved it best when showing that Mobile internet in Vietnam saw a growth of more than 800 per cent last year, reaching a total of 110 million mobile subscribers in early 2010 (Vietnam News, 2010). All of these somehow draw an overall picture of Vietnams internet environment with a young, mobile-going and highly-digital community. Social Media in Vietnam Like the development of the internet, Vietnam social media has witnessed dramatic growth since its first day in the country. Social network usage increased significantly from 4% in 2009 to 64% in 2010 (Crampton, 2010). Social networking was ranked as the most important digital activity by 25% of Vietnamese internet users, just behind Emailing which was ranked first by 27% of the research participants (TNS, 2011). The social web market in Vietnam marked its first turning point in 2005 with the launch of Yahoo!360, a blogging tool which allows users to compose their writings, customise screens and socialise with friends. Before the emergence of Yahoo!360, the social web environment in Vietnam relied on a few dominant platforms. Yahoo dominated the instant messaging and emailing sectors while its searching function was relatively popular together with Google. Community pages varied when users tended to participate in their online local community such as school forums rather than a particular national-scale page. A similar situation happened to video/music-sharing sites when several providers shared the popularity. After Yahoo!360 came, it ruled the social media world in the country, possibly with the support of Yahoos early dominance in Vietnam internet services. Millions of Vietnamese enjoyed writing about their daily lives and gossiping celebrity news. They gradually created a mass online comm unity and a unique blogging style called Yahoo!360. It was not a tool specifically designed for Vietnam market, but the market took it anyway, with great passion and enthusiasm. (Nguyen, Ogilvy 360Â ° Digital Influence, 2010) Only people from Mars dont know about Yahoo, said Hoang An, 21, one of countless fans of the portal, which has one of the countrys most potent brands. (Russell, Asian Correspondent, 2010). The next turning point happening to the Vietnam social web community was in 2009. Yahoo!360 dominated social media in Vietnam however did not work well in other countries. The blogging tool failed to serve global customers, forcing Yahoo! global to close the service. The firm gave warnings about the closure several times since early 2009; however Yahoo Vietnam has seen a mix of trying to maintain the operation and investment versus tempting to close it down (Nguyen, 2010). The reason was as clear as the brand has achieved such a significant success in the country. Yahoo!360 users or in this case a majority of the Vietnam web community were strongly against this decision. Nevertheless, their efforts could not help prevent the closure of the site in 2010. Yahoo! Vietnam not long after that launched a local blogging service targeted specifically at Vietnam market called Yahoo!360 Plus. However, the replacement has not achieved such extreme success like its original version did. Since th en, the market has witnessed the emergence of a number of social media, both domestic and international brands. Facebook in Vietnam The number of Facebook Vietnamese users has reached more than 1.5 million in early 2011 (Social Bakers, 2011). The figure in 2009 was around 40,000 and impressively doubled in 2010. Facebook estimated a number of 1.9 million Vietnamese users in 2011. The social network has a Vietnamese-language version along with its English site; users thus have a choice of the language they want for their own pages. However, language has never been a problem preventing the popularity of social media in general and Facebook especially in Vietnam. English was the only language used in many social media tools; however, what really matters is that users can always propose their own content in Vietnamese or any other languages. Facebook is furthermore an international social network thus designed to reach international users. Chapter 2: Literature Review When researching the performance of Facebook as a marketing communications tool in Vietnam, I came across a number of concepts and facts which help build a better understanding of the topic. In this chapter, I will then explore these concepts and their relations to the study of marketing communications on Facebook Vietnam. They include the growing roles of social media in general and Facebook especially to marketing communications, the place of Facebook in comparison to its competitors and the internet censorship issue in the country. 2.1 Marketing Communications to Social Media and Facebook There are a variety of definitions of the term social media. Social media guru Larry Weber in his book Marketing to the Social Web suggested that The social web is an online place where people with common interest can gather to share thoughts, comments, and opinions. It includes social networks such as MySpace, Gather, and Facebook [] and branded web destinations like Amazon, Netflix and eBay. In summary, it is a new world of unpaid media created by individuals or enterprises on the web. (Weber, 2009: 4) Looking at another source, Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge (2009: xvii) defined social media as the democratisation of content and the shift in the role people play in the process of reading and disseminating information. In general, definitions slightly vary but all feature social media as new media platforms whose content is created on the web and by internet users. The term marketing communications meanwhile is widely agreed to consists of the promotional activities pursued by the firm and includes personal selling, mass selling, (comprising advertising and publicity), public relations and sales promotions (Monye, 2000: 11). It is the process of interacting with audiences or customers in a way that promotes a favourable brand image and helps build goodwill. Putting social media and marketing communications together, it then results in the concept of a new communications tool which is based on strengths of social web. Zarrella in The Social Media Marketing Book believes that the best way to define the term is to compare it with marketing on traditional media (including television, newspapers, radio and magazines). The author describes these traditional media as one-way static broadcast technologies while social media with new web technologies have made it easy for anyone to create and, most importantly to distribute their own content (Zarrella, 2010: 2-3). Marketing on the social web hence does not require huge sums of money to embed their messages but can make their own interesting content that viewers will flock to (Zarrella, 2010: 3). Supporting the idea of this growing power, Larry Weber believes that the social web has transmitted the way we do marketing: Rather talking at customers, marketers should talk with them. And the social web is the most effective way in the history of the world to do just that on a large scale. (Weber, 2009: 4) Among a number of different social media platforms, social network giant Facebook indeed makes up to the word giant. The review will focus on the marketing communications role of Facebook, which also seems to be one of the sites most significant social influences. The Facebook Marketing Book has a comprehensive summary of various marketing tactics Facebook. According to this, key strengths that make Facebook an effective marketing communications tool lie at its larger audience than old media and huge amount of personal information which has been volunteered by users to give the site then therefore advertisers (Zarrella, 2011: 3). From big brands to small businesses, anyone is able to use Facebook adverts, applications, and pages to communicate directly with audiences and leverage their brand image. It is suggested that the diversity of Facebook applications, from messaging and photo sharing to gaming, is beneficial to not only users but also marketers. Marketing people now have more platforms to engage with customers and carry out new effective strategies. For example, a Facebook Profile could make huge contribution as it represents how people share things with their large and very connected group of social connections. 500 million profiles on Facebook hence become precious sources of data for marketers to get use of: In fact, this is Facebooks biggest selling point: the site actively encourages users to fill their Profile with the type of information marketers are always trying to find all for free. (Zarrella, 2010: 33) Facebook Pages, Groups and Events are also believed to be the key to most social media strategies and will more than likely be the central point for most of marketers efforts and promotions. The popularity and importance of creating and monitoring Facebook page was emphasised as users nowadays look at the site much the way we look at the internet 10 years ago and are confused when they cannot find their favourite store or celebrity (Zarrella, 2010: 65). In terms of statistics, each of 500 million users on Facebook is connected to 60 Pages, Groups and Events on average. Overall, Facebook is considered as a highly competitive and fast-moving channel but amazingly cost effective, which if used properly can be an extension of your brand, helping you present the same personality, tone and visual faces as you would in any other materials (Zarrella, 2011: 7). 2.2 Marketing Communications on Vietnam Social Media The phenomenon of Yahoo!360 blog in Vietnam resulted in the emergence of influencers who are called hot bloggers in Vietnam. Their blogs attracted several millions of page views at the time and many of them are journalists. The social media expert in her article described these hot bloggers as whom PR departments in various agencies incorporated into clients marketing communications and PR activities (Nguyen, 2010). In general, it could be said that from the very early day when social media marked its appearance in Vietnam, PR and marketing have already been strongly involved in and taken advantage of the social web. The social web environment in Vietnam after the age of Yahoo!360 has seen a rapid and diverse development, when a number of both local and international companies have joined the market. None of them seem to have made a phenomenon like what Yahoo!360 did; however more social media platforms are getting popular. Among those, social networks have especially marked a significant growth in the country: Those who like local social networks became members of Yume, ZingMe, Tamtay, i-pro, Henantrua, Vietspace, etc., while others who like foreign networks joined Multiply, WordPress, Yahoo Plus, Twitter, etc. However, none rules the market (Vietnamnet, 2010). The top influential social media sites in Vietnam was recently summarised in the below chart by the Ogilvy 360Â ° Digital Influence team. Figure 3.1: The landscape of Vietnam Social Media 2010 (Ogilvy, 2010) According to the research above by Ogilvy, social media tools listed in the smaller circle are evaluated as being more influential than those in the larger circle of the same sector. Vietnam overall is considered as a fast-growing country in terms of social web development. There are both local and international names operating in different sectors, ranging from blogging, social networking and music sharing to QA and online trading. In the sector of social networking specifically, Facebook is put behind three local sites in terms of digital influence. In other words, it is competing with local providers to be the top choice of online marketing communications tools. 2.3 Facebook Block Story Facebook is currently not the biggest social network in the country but growing fast in both number of users and influence on audiences. Its growing power has been proved after the blocking. The story started in late 2009 when it was getting difficult accessing Facebook in Vietnam, leading to a worry that the government would ban the social network. There were reasons for such claim because Earlier this year, Vietnams government tightened restrictions on blogging, banning political discussion and restricting postings to personal matters. Police have arrested several bloggers for writing about politically sensitive subjects (Russell, Asian Correspondent, 2009). The government and state-controlled internet providers did not respond to a request for comment. Private internet companies meanwhile blame the spotty access on technical issues, without offering an estimate for when the problems will be resolved (Ngo, CNET News, 2009). Facebook seemed to face its end in Vietnam at the time when local media started spreading the rumour that the site is going out of service and following the pathway of Yahoo!360: The Thanh Nien, one of the most popular newspapers in Vietnam, ran an article with the headline Facebook in grave illness. It hinted that this is similar to the process of what happened to the now defunct Yahoo360, suggesting maybe its time to look to other social Web sites. (Ngo, CNET News, 2009) The situation remained sophisticated since there has been no official statement regarding the problem logging in Facebook in Vietnam. The only obvious fact was that Vietnamese users could not access Facebook in their usual way. However, not the investigation of whether the government blocked Facebook and why they did so, state of the site after that is more the concern of my study. In relation to this, Global Voices had a comprehensive and interesting review of the whole issue: When Vietnam blocked Facebook, everyone was talking about a smaller China. One year after the governments endeavour, Facebook Vietnam tells another story. Not only does Vietnam remain on the list of 10 countries with the fastest growth of Facebook users. (Chip, Global Voices, 2011) The author explained a simple reason for the above fact: Because they can. If users in China have to pay for a VPN and go through a painful process to gain access to Facebook and other blocked websites, people in Vietnam just need to change their DNS settings and enjoy a full Internet experience for free. Information gathered from other sources showed an exactly same situation when Vietnamese users found and spread ways to access Facebook as if there had never been a problem logging in the site before. Some tech-savvy Facebook fans have found ways around access problems by readjusting their web browsers to a different configuration. They have been sharing instructions for doing so online. (Russell, Asian Correspondent, 2009) Trung, a 15-year-old high school student, taught me how to change the DNS: I figured it out myself, Trung said proudly, I just Googled it. Indeed, after a few Google searches, I found plenty of simple ways to bypass the ISPs DNS settings. (Ngo, CNET News, 2009) The commentator from CNET concluded: Blocked web sites are new to Vietnam. However, this seems to be the first time people are out in big numbers looking for ways to bypass. This shows the popularity of Facebook and the desire of young Vietnamese to reach out and stay connected with the rest of the world. 2.4 Facebook Vietnam to Marketing Communications Facebook which had been doing relatively well in Vietnam, after the block seemed to catch even more attention. Its popularity immediately convinced marketers and PR people to take the site as a growing powerful marketing communications tool. ZingMe, which is the biggest social network in Vietnam and once considered as more influential by the Ogilvy team, now seems to lag behind Facebook, in the opinion of an industry expert: We have tried some campaigns on ZingMe, but the results werent very good. Most of Zing Me users are under 15, and many of them log in ZingMe just to play Nong Trai (a game similar to Facebook Farmville). There are not many activities outside games. Facebook is still the most effective despite its being blocked, both in term of interaction and conversion rate. (Chip, Global Voices, 2011) Fan page which can be created by anyone on Facebook and allows users to become members of a group supporting a particular brand or person has increased significantly in terms of number and popularity. It proves the growing power of Facebook as an online marketing communications tool in the country: The largest fan page in Vietnam currently has 484,000 likes. For a market of 1.7 million users (and growing), the number means that this page has reached to almost 30 percent of Vietnamese Facebook users. Imagine this ratio worldwide, we would have a fan page with 100 millions likes. (Chip, Global Voices, 2011) The article on Global Voices emphasised another factor showing the rise of Facebook marketing in Vietnam which is the shift of hot bloggers from Yahoo!360 to the social network. Gao, real name as Vu Phuong Thanh, who was once a Vietnamese hot blogger on Yahoo!360 is now arguably the most popular Vietnamese on Facebook with more than 90,000 likes on her page. She is also working as the PR Manager for a new boy band in Vietnam. Regarding her media plan for the launch of the band, she shared that Social media, Facebook and YouTube, accounts for 60% of their marketing plan. Facebook is where people get to know about 365. She doesnt want to use ZingMe or other Vietnamese websites. The fan page of the band on Facebook had more than 7,000 members after three weeks. It could be said that the blocking issue has not had significant impacts on the users side since they are still able to access Facebook. The block of Facebook even somehow helped raise public awareness and promote the popularity of the site in Vietnam. Agencies have recognised the growing power of Facebook in marketing communications hence taken actions to develop this new effective tool. The current situation generally looks promising to Facebook Vietnam, yet requires further actions and support: 100% our customers are international brands. Social media is still new here, local companies dont allocate budget for it. But I think from next year there will be more Vietnamese companies interested in social media. Advertising agencies now understand the efficiency of social media, and they are the ones who advice and allocate budget for brands. said Vo Thanh Cuong, CEO of Click Media, an agency specialised in digital marketing and communications. (Chip, Global Voices, 2011) From the other party which is Facebook itself, the social network has also taken this as a serious issue that needs to be considered and dealt with thoroughly: Last October, Facebook put up a message on its career page that they are looking for someone that has experience in government relations work and navigating government agencies along with an extensive network of contacts in the government and the technology space. The recent visit of Javier Olivan, Head of International Growth of Facebook, to Vietnam suggested that Vietnam will be soon taken care of. They should- said Cuong Vietnam is not a small market at all. With a population of 90 million and Internet penetration rate of 27.5%, Vietnam is definitely not small. (Chip, Global Voices, 2011) Summary The statistics and information gathered above all in all shows an overall picture of the emergence and development of Facebook in Vietnam. A review of its marketing communications roles has also been covered through brief analysis and case studies. In summary, social media generally and Facebook especially are emerging powerful marketing communications tools. In Vietnam, social media has its own ways of developing and approaching users as well as an increasing power to marketing communications. The use of Facebook marketing is at its early stage but growing rapidly with positive figures and comments from both users and marketers. The censorship issue seems to remain sophisticated but not affect the growth of Facebook in the country in a short run. Meanwhile, government relations and further support from different parties is the key to a more sustainable development of the social network in Vietnam. The literature review however has shown a one-sided positive picture of Facebook marketing and communications in general. In order to investigate the issue thoroughly, further research and analysis on both advantages and difficulties of Facebook marketing in Vietnam is required. Chapter 3: Methodology In order to study the marketing communications roles of Facebook in Vietnam, I believe that a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods will be more helpful than using a single type. I decided to carry out a survey targeting at a variety of Vietnamese internet users and intensive interviews with local communications experts. The survey is expected to provide numbers and facts regarding Facebook usage from the audience side while the interviews aimed to bring an insight of its marketing roles and future development in the opinion of local industry professionals. Survey I conducted a survey which aimed to approach 80-100 Vietnamese internet users. As survey could be used to not only describe things but also explain them, data gathered from survey is expected to provide public behaviour, population characteristics and also measurements of variables between which relationships can be analysed (Gunter, 2000: 24). In this case, the purpose of doing survey is to find out who are using Facebook most in Vietnam, how they are interacting with the social network, and how reliable the content is to them. At the same time, it is expected to make comparisons of characteristics between different groups such as Vietnamese living in Vietnam and abroad, different genders and ages. Designing, delivering and managing a survey was said by Barrie Gunter as not just asking a group of people a few questions. It requires much planning and a high level of skill in its administration to ensure that valid and usable data are obtained (Gunter, 2000: 23). Firstly, questions were constructed using different types depending on the purpose and nature of research. For example, multiple-choice was used when specific information is needed and could be easily made while opinion-based questions required a rating function. Questions were put in logical order, from general to specific and all easy to understand. Furthermore, the survey length was also taken into consideration; the number of ten is believed to be reasonable enough as it takes participants less than five minutes to finish. Furthermore, diverse angles of the research topic Facebook usage in Vietnam were included, from time length, frequency, and means of access to content contribution and opinions on content reliability. Due to the fact that targeted respondents live in different parts of the world and all use the internet, I chose an online survey tool to carry out my quantitative research. Participants who were my circle of friends, relatives and colleagues could start the survey whenever they wanted by clicking the link sent via email, Facebook message or Yahoo Messenger. The reason for using different delivery channels is to ensure that the research will approach both Facebook and non-Facebook users. This includes respondents who use other social networks rather than Facebook and who do not use social network at all. This is in attempt to minimise bias and make comparisons more accurately. I chose my circle of friends and relatives on the internet as my sample because higher rates of responses and honesty could be expected using personal relations. They also represent a random thus typical group of internet users fulfilling requirements of including different age groups living both in Vietnam and abroad. In terms of survey layout, the online survey provider was selected instead of sending an attached file via email to ensure professionalism and maximise the response rates. I also added an introduction which is short, realistically worded, non-threatening, serious, neutral and pleasant but firm because one way to increase the response rate in any survey is to prepare a persuasive introduction (Wimmer Dominick, 2000: 171). Receivers who fulfil the sampling characteristics and know the sender as well as purpose of this survey are believed to be likely to contribute. Finally, as a function provided by the tool, data was gathered in an easy-to-use format and valuable for comparisons and analysis. Reponses are available to be viewed individually and in group so that it is possible to compare respondents who belong to different age, gender and location groups. The survey link was available for one month during which reminders and following-up were regularly carried out in order to achieve the targeted response rate. Intensive Interviews If the research survey aimed to seek an overview of Vietnamese Facebook users profiles based on quantitative data, the interviews are expected to provide an in-depth evaluation on Facebook marketing in Vietnam. Evaluation on the effectiveness of something is believed to be best undertaken by people who create it. In this case, they are communications and digital marketing professionals whose work is to create efficient marketing tactics on social media. (See Appendix 2 3) Some expert comments on the issue have already been mentioned in the review of literature (Chapter 3), most of which however are relatively general. The intensive interviews were therefore designed and conducted in a way so as to provide specific, detailed and valuable opinions for further analysis. Since the objective is to obtain opinion-based responses, observational methods are not appropriate and intensive interview seems to be the only practical one. Areas of investigation include their opinions on Facebook development in Vietnam and its effectiveness as a marketing communications tool. The questions were constructed based on SWOT analysis model in attempt to evaluate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Facebook marketing in Vietnam. Especially, examples or real case studies are encouraged to be provided by the interviewees in order to back-up the statements. Interviews were conducted via email due to the fact that the interviewees live abroad and were too busy to schedule a long telephone interview. The lack of interaction and flexibility that this channel may result in was already taken into consideration. The interviews were therefore designed as a mini research paper which the respondent dealt with as an assignment. The positive side is that interviewees tend to take it more thoroughly with details and valuable back-up information than some thoughts that come up at the time she gives the answers face-to-face. The interviewees were given a reasonable length of time ranging from one to three weeks in order to provide the most comprehensive answers possible. Based on their responses, further questions were given to clarify an issue or develop an idea in more depth and generally increase interaction. All in all, the interviews receiv

Okonkwo as Epic Hero in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay

Okonkwo as Epic Hero in Things Fall Apart      Ã‚  Ã‚   Achebe’s work, Things Fall Apart, is an epic; it resembles stories about heroes found in many cultures. In these stories, the heroes are extraordinary individuals, whose careers and destinies are not theirs alone, but are bound with the fortunes and destinies of their society. They become heroes by accomplishing great things for themselves and their communities, winning much fame as a result.    Okonkwo fits this pattern. The first paragraph of Things Fall Apart is notable in this respect, for it describes Okonkwo as follows:    Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honour to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. Amalinze was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia to Mbaino. He was called the Cat because his back would never touch the earth. It was this man that Okonkwo threw in a fight which the old man agreed was one of the fiercest since the founder of their town engaged a spirit of the wild for seven days and seven nights. (3)    In an epic story, the hero undergoes many tests, which we can see as rites of passage. In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo undergoes such tests, including the wrestling match with Amalinze the Cat, his struggle with the negative legacy of his father, and the struggle to succeed on his own.    Praising heroes is a basic function of epics. As ... ... Hopes and Impediments. New York: Doubleday, 1989. Innes, C.L. Chinua Achebe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. Nnolim, Charles E. "Achebe's Things Fall Apart: An Igbo National Epic" Modern Black Literature. ed. Okechukwu Mezu New York: Black Academy Press, 1971, 55-60. Obiechina, Emmanuel. "Narrative Proverbs in the African Novel," Research in African Literatures, 24, 4 (1993), 123-140. Okafor, Chinyere Grace. "From the Heart of Masculinity: Ogbodo-Uke Women's Masking." Research in African Literatures, 25, 3 (1994), 7-17. Traore, Ousseynou. "Matrical Approach to Things Fall Apart; A Poetics of Epic and Mythic Paradigms." Approaches to Teaching Achebe's Things Fall Apart. ed. Bernth Lindfors. New York: MLA, 1991, 65-73.

Institutional Discrimination

In the United States, institutionalized discrimination occurs everyday. According to Aguirre and Turner (2010) it is both subtle and complex. Because discrimination based on race is illegal, many acts of institutionalized discrimination are informal; a company, school, government, or other public institution does not formally write them in a policy. â€Å"Yet individual acts of informal discrimination are so widespread in many communities that discrimination is informally institutionalized even in the face of formal prohibitions† (Aguirre and Turner, 2010).Despite, being outlawed nationally, discrimination still exists. My first example of institutionalized discrimination exists in the public school system. There is a huge educational gap among urban public schools and suburban public schools, essentially, among white and minority students. In many states, educational systems have imposed standardized testing as a requirement for graduation from high school. I believe that the se implementations are a strategic effort to weed out minorities from achieving higher education and decrease the opportunity to move up in social class.Though state educational systems cannot formally institute discriminatory practices, they can subtly implement requirements such as these testing procedures. As a product of an inner city urban public school, I have experienced this first hand. Guiner and Torres (2009) discussed that a lack of education hinders social mobility, which essentially reinforces racial inequality. From third grade until passing the eleventh grade EXIT Level Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills exam, also known as the TAKS test, I was taught how to pass the TAKS test. I wasn’t taught the necessary skills needed to be successful in college.As a student who took all of the AP classes offered at my school, I was not taught to the level to pass these AP test to test out of college general education classes and I wasn’t taught on the college l evel, as the courses are designed for. As a result, upon entering college, although I had taken several AP courses during high school I had earned zero college credit hours. I was also not prepared for college level courses, I was not used to having homework, or test taking outside of the TAKS test, and didn’t feel that I possessed the skills necessary to be successful in college.This was true among many of my high school peers; many weren’t able to survive in college and dropped out after a year, some after a semester. As Aguirre and Turner (2010) put it â€Å"The school may not have intended his to occur—indeed, just the opposite—but the very nature of its structure and operation has worked to discourage students and, in so doing, has subtly and inadvertently discriminated against students†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 13) This contributes to racial inequality because statistically blacks are less prepared, and subsequently less successful in college than whites. A solution to this form of institutionalized discrimination in schools would be to eliminate standardized testing. Too much time is put into passing a test so that the school can have high numbers and not enough time is put into teaching students skills needed for achieving higher education. After talking to many of my white counterparts, I learned that their high schools spent little, if any time, teaching its students how to pass the TAKS test; they focused on college preparation.Standardized tests are not an accurate depiction of a school’s success; they unfairly hinder graduation rates and are sending young adults into society unprepared. In addition to eliminating standardized testing, schools should focus more on rigorous college level work and teaching time management skills. Because the differences in higher education preparedness is usually among Whites from suburban areas vs. Blacks and Hispanics from poor urban areas, these solutions would help close the gap. My se cond example of institutional discrimination is â€Å"steering. Steering occurs when realtors steer minorities to neighborhoods where the majority of residents are also minorities. Steering also occurs when realtors fail to inform customers of properties that meet the customers’ preferences or specifications. The purpose of this is to subtly segregate those of the same race in the same neighborhood. â€Å"The combination of growing urban Black populations and higher levels of segregation could only produce one possible outcome—higher levels of Black isolation† (Gallagher, 2009).As a result, racially segregated neighborhoods are either really nice, clean, suburban neighborhoods with low crime rates, good schools, grocery stores with healthy eating options, and shopping centers or dirty urban neighborhoods with high crime rates, low performing schools, grocery stores with bad produce and fast food restaurants with unhealthy eating options, and people having to go across town to go shopping for essentials. Racial steering not only reinforces racial inequality, it also hinders diversity.Racial steering must be stopped It would be very difficult to find a solution to eliminate racial steering. Housing acts already exist to eliminate housing discrimination but these laws may need to be expanded. The Fair Housing Act, a subsection of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 prohibits discrimination dealing with the sale, rental, or financing of housing based on race, sex, religion, or national origin. (Employment-discrimination. org) Real estate agencies should be required to show customers all housing options that meet their preferences.There should be a national database that provides realtors and real estate clients with all of the properties that meet preferences so that no available property is left out because the person is of a certain race. My third example of institutional discrimination is â€Å"redlining. † This is when banks deny or make it more difficult for people to get loans, health care, or insurance because they live in a certain area. The particular area is usually characterized by a specific race. Those who exercise red lining use â€Å"blacklists† to keep track of groups or certain areas to use for discriminatory practices.One of the most important solutions to redlining was the Fair Housing Act of 1968 which prohibited redlining that was based on race, sex, religion, gamily status, disability or ethnic origin (Wikipedia). To further the impact of this act, I think it would be important to require banks, insurance companies, and other institutions to keep information regarding their targeting of certain poverty stricken areas or racially dominated areas. This would be something similar to the guidelines of affirmative action, requiring firms to specifically target those of minority groups who are qualified.The qualifications would be based off of past financial credibility or government programs that assist those who can’t afford to pay on their own. All groups of people should have equal access to resources. Minorities shouldn’t have to worry about getting denied or have less access because of the color of their skin. â€Å"In the United States, civil rights laws and cultural beliefs do not condone discrimination as they once did; indeed they demand that all individuals be given equal access to schools, jobs, housing, and other important resources. The United States has been trying to eliminate discrimination for hundreds of years. However, because institutional discrimination is so subtle is difficult to do so completely. Many times institutional discrimination is exercised unconsciously due to the nature in which an institution is set up. Other times, institutional discrimination is very consciously practiced informally. Because of laws that explicitly prohibit discrimination, institutions strategically discriminate against individuals and racial groups by not giving them equal access to resources.This discrimination continues to contribute to racial inequality in education, housing, health care, employment, and other aspects of human life. Not only do basic discrimination laws need to be expanded, but affirmative actions laws need to be expanded as well. A major solution to discrimination is education. Minorities need to be educated themselves about the ways in which they are being denied to access to resources. The fight for equality is not over.

The Latifundia System in Rome

The latifunda system, which established first in ancient Rome around 2nd century BC, were large farms which were owned by the wealthy classes. The latifundia became common in the Roman Empire as a result of the decline of Roman moral values and the political corruption that resulted from the acquisition of wealth and power that the Empire brought. With the breakdown of the Pax Romana and the inability of Roman law to provide security, small landowners increasingly turned to larger, more powerful estates for security.Peasants turned over their land to the latifundia and formed a new class called the slaves. Slaves from conquered territory were bought and forced to manage and work. The abundant supply of slaves led to increase in worse labor condition and decrease in free laborers on these large estates. These estates turned plantation systems included a lot of working slaves, known as Latifundias, became popular and spread throughout many regions in the Roman. In my opinion, it is not ignorable that the latifundia led to huge increase in production and trade, so more profit and wealth. But these gains served only the wealthy landowners.Latifundia benefited the elite class greatly, because it provided freedom as merchant traders and they used cheap slave labour force to gain more agricultural or animal product. With the latifundia, instead of previous demands to grow grain, a new age of farming was introduced, producing olive oil and wine, and herding sheep and cattle for trade. In my opinion the increasing gap between lords and slaves was a negative effect of latifunda that lead to some social problems. For instance, only the wealthy could afford to lease this land they eventually began treating it as if it were their own and not the states.The small farmers and slaves became to depend on the wealthy class and lose their freedom. Sometimes there are several protests were all in attempt to lessen the power gap between the wealthy and poor, but, as the protests ke pt being overturned. However tension between the wealthy and peasants continued to increase. One of the important negative effects of latifundia system is â€Å"Over-farming†. As independent farmers were replaced by large slave-farmed estates the basis of farming became short-term profit; so there was little done in terms of conservation or properly fertilizing crops, so fertility  decreased quickly in these agricultural areas. Large areas of southern Italy became literal dust bowls, as they remain today.As a result, Italy could no longer feed itself. In sum, although the latifunda system raised the production and trade, it lead to negative social and environmental condition which would cause bigger problem in future in Rome.

amylase essays

amylase essays The enzyme amylase will catalyze the hydrolysis of starch to maltose when the pH is near 7.0. But when the HCl is added to the solution the amylase will be denatured which results in the enzyme being deactivated. The iodine serves as an indicator for the presence of starch. Iodine (I2) will reach with iodide ion to produce the I3- ion. This ion will form a dark blue complex with the Like most chemical reactions, the rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction increases as the temperature is raised. A ten degree Centigrade rise in temperature will increase the activity of most enzymes by 50 to 100%. Variations in reaction temperature as small as 1 or 2 degrees may introduce changes of 10 to 20% in the results. In the case of enzymatic reactions, this is complicated by the fact that many enzymes are adversely affected by high temperatures. As shown in Figure 13, the reaction rate increases with temperature to a maximum level, then abruptly declines with further increase of temperature. Because most animal enzymes rapidly become denatured at temperatures above 40C, most enzyme determinations are carried out somewhat Over a period of time, enzymes will be deactivated at even moderate temperatures. Storage of enzymes at 5C or below is generally the most suitable. Some enzymes lose their activity when . As amylase breaks down starch, less and less starch will be present and the color of the solution (if iodine is added) will become lighter and lighter. Enzymes are biological molecules that catalyze many different chemical reactions. With few exceptions, all enzymes are proteins and each enzyme is specific to a certain chemical reaction. Enzymes must maintain a specific three dimensional structure in order to function properly. If an enzyme's structure is altered (by heat or harsh chemicals) it may not function at all. This ...

Hearing Life in a Deaf World.

Hearing Life in a Deaf World. "Was it weird growing up having deaf parents?" "Why aren't you deaf?" "How did you learn how to talk?" "Can your parents talk?" "Is it quiet in you house?" "How do they use the phone?" When most people find that my parents are both hearing impaired, their first reaction is to automatically have sympathy for me due to this perceived disadvantage. Although I have come across the inventible obstacles, I don't view the situation as a problem, only as an opportunity that God has placed in my life for a purpose.At an early age I learned what it meant to appreciate all that was given to me. Gifts which many take for granted I cherish. From all of the so-called "hardships" that I have endured, somehow I have developed not only an open mind, but also an open heart. Exposure to dealing with this professed disability has given me the ability to see beyond that which the populace generally sees.090720-1100314"Perfect" people who lead "perfect" lives often make judgments on others. I consider tha t a more critical disability than countless physical impairments. Becoming conscious of how people react to my parents has enabled me to distinguish how much of a deficit first impressions can be. Not only has this bestowed a unique opportunity to have a lucid, understanding perspective of the lives and community of the deaf, but it has also made me become a compassionate, empathic person towards everyone. Although I am by no means perfect, this experience has helped shed light on the world in general.No, it wasn't weird growing up having deaf parents, and still isn't. Hearing impairment is not always genetic. My parents taught me how to speak. Yes, my parents are able to speak, just not very clearly. My household is actually...

Beliefs of Malcolm X

Beliefs of Malcolm X Cheyanne Ratliff 1. When Malcolm X believes when he receives an â€Å"X† is that it is an ex form of himself. He elaborated by saying that it is supposed to â€Å"[replace] the white slave master name of â€Å"little† which some blue-eyed devil named Little had imposed on my paternal forebears,† (MX, 229). His statement is correct because many of the African Americans in America were brought over from Africa by Europeans. This means that it was not the identity of his oppressor, but of the black man himself. Although they used this excuse, there was a bit of a social privilege to not being truly African. On page 4, Malcolm X states that â€Å"[m]ost Negro parents in those days would almost instinctively treat any lighter children better than they did the darker ones. It came directly from the slavery tradition that the â€Å"mulatto,† because he was visibly nearer to white, was therefore â€Å"better†,† (MX, 4-5). What this suggests is t he impact the white slave owners have had on the ancestors of blacks and how they have been raised to think like that. It means that those who are lighter tend to have a higher social privilege because of how slave owners implied that if you were lighter, you were whiter. 2. Malcolm describes how the black people are tired of the treatment of colored men and women by the police, also known as police brutality. In MX, he states that â€Å"[i]t is a miracle that 22 million black people have not risen up against their oppressors-in which they would have been justified by all moral criteria, and even by the democratic tradition,† (MX, 251). This states that Malcolm is surprised about how the black Americans have not risen up yet against their oppressors the police. Although it seems as if the police have been nothing but brutal towards black Americans, that does not always seem to be the case. In the chapter â€Å"Black Muslims†, Malcolm states that â€Å"[l]aw agencies once had scoffed at our nation as â€Å"black crackpots†; now they took special pains to safeguard against some â€Å"white crackpots† causing any â€Å"incidents† or accidents,† (MX, 252). This supports the rebuttal because it shows how although the police always seemed more hostile and aggressive towards the black people of that time, they eventually managed to see that black people needed protection too, just as the white man needed. 3. What Malcolm X is doing is he is finding the differences between segregation and separation. On page 250 of MX, he describes segregation as â€Å"when your life and liberty are controlled, regulated, by someone else,† (MX, 251) and separation as â€Å"that which is done voluntarily, by two equals- for the good of both,† (MX, 251). The difference that Malcolm X is pointing out is that with segregation, you are regulated by somebody else, compared to separation, which is when you are regulated by yourself. This conveys the wishes that many black Americans have because many of them wish to not be controlled by the white man. Although they were segregated, they still had control over their own lives. Theoretically, they let the white man back them into a corner, which then calls for them to attack and lash back in order to protect themselves and/or their community. In the book â€Å"Things Fall Apart†, Okonkwo let the white Christian missionaries back him into a corner, which then caused him to lash out and kill himself in order to protect himself and his community. Theoretically, if they had refused the push of the white man towards that corner, they could have easily been on a faster track to equality. 4. This statement is valid because it shows how the black Americans have never been free to actually act for themselves in the sense of controlling their own communities. Similar to the last question, they have been backed into a corner. He states that separation is when †Å"†that which is done voluntarily, by two equals- for the good of both,† (MX, 251). Because the blacks are not able to completely separate from the white people, they cannot reach their full potential and power. This relates to when a dog is abused by its â€Å"owner†, then they can never really function by their own means. 5. Malcom X is describing how the black hustler in the â€Å"ghetto jungles† has to survive. By saying the ghetto hustler is the â€Å"most dangerous black man in America† (MX, 318), he is talking from experience AND what he has observed. On page 173, Malcolm X describes his observations as scary because â€Å"it had taught [him] in a very few minutes to have a whole lot of respect for the human combustion that is packed among the hustlers and their young admirers who live in the ghettoes where the Northern white man has sealed-off the Negro-away from whites-for a hundred years,† (MX, 318-319). What quotation suggests is that these young people who admire the hustlers, those who are considered the â€Å"most dangerous black [men] in America† (MX, 318) are considered that because they have the most influence upon the youth, which is the next generation. This means that because the black hustlers depend on the youth, this is how they survive and keep that â€Å"black hustler legacy† going. Although this may suggest that this is where all of their power comes from in order to survive, it is not. Earlier in the book, Malcom X describes his own accord of how it works; † I was a true hustler-uneducated, unskilled at anything honorable, and I considered myself nervy and cunning enough to live by my own wits, exploiting any prey that presented itself,† (MX, 111). This quote from himself suggests that he lived by his own wits because he thought he was all that, and he became very popular among the ranks. What this quote makes people realize is that power comes from within, and that when you create an image of yourself, that power inside of you is what causes that image to come true. 6. What Malcolm X is differentiating between is the stereotype of how a white man acts like, and what a black man acts like. What this suggests is that black people, in order to be accepted, they depend upon the stereotype of the white man and decide to try and follow that to be accepted. An example of this is when Malcolm X states that â€Å"[t]he only difference was that the ones in Boston had been brainwashed even more thoroughly. They prided themselves on being incomparably more â€Å"cultured,† â€Å"cultivated,† â€Å"dignified,† â€Å"and better off than their black brethren down in the ghetto, which was no further away than you could throw a rock. Under pitiful misapprehension that it would make then â€Å"better,† these Hill Negroes were breaking their backs trying to imitate white people,† (MX, 42). This suggests that black people wil l try to imitate white people in order to seem more appealing to them. The quotation describes how societal pressures were even more severe than they are today. Before coming to a conclusion though, we must consider how the white man did not always intentionally discriminate. On page 174 of MX, he describes the cause of the black man’s condition was because of the â€Å"white man’s society [being] responsible for the black man’s condition in this wilderness of North America.† This quotation says that although there is social pressures from the white man, his society implements even more social pressures than the white man does himself. It suggests that the black community itself is more socially pressuring than the white man’s community is at times. A connection to this is from the book The Pearl by John Steinbeck, when the richer society who lived inside the gate had societal pressures pushed upon those who live outside the wall, those who lived outside of the wall developed even stronger, negative societal pressure that basically said ‘if you don’t live inside the wall you’re unsuccessful’. This eventually pushed Kino to go crazy, just because he wanted money to get into the inside of the wall. Those snooty black brethren who stuck their noses up at their brothers and sisters in the ghettoes were like Kino, and they drove themselves crazy trying to fit into an ideal placed in their heads by themselves and those around them. 7. To begin with, Hajj means pilgrimage. In order for Malcolm X and all separationists (in MX’s eyes) to achieve their goal, they must remain united. In the book, Malcolm X says that â€Å"for the black man in America the only solution is complete separation from the white man,† (MX, 250) and that â€Å"Islam is the hope for justice and equality in the world we must build tomorrow,† (MX, 241). Malcolm X here basically says that we must separate from the white men and all join Islam in order to complete their destined pilgrimage. Although this seems like the perfect solution, this is far from it. This was similar to when Hitler believed that there was only one pure race and that they should all be â€Å"separated† to be perfect, just as Malcolm X believed that there was only one way that black people could be perfect, and that was separated under the state of Islam. This is a â€Å"one right way† mindset that could potentially be dangerous if it is not handled properly. 8. America is seem as a major place full of discrimination in all parts of the world. To support this, Malcolm X states that they called them â€Å"[h]ate teachers† â€Å"violence seekers†Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ black racists† â€Å"black fascists† â€Å"anti-Christian† â€Å"possibly communist inspired†,† (MX, 243). This all started because of a few racist whites had collected footage and lied about the intention s of Malcolm X and Mr. Muhammad. This is a prime example of how the Americans perceived them beause they were not only black, but also Muslim. Although this produced hate and more discrimination, it made black Muslims stronger and more powerful. This is similar to how people saw the Baton Rouge bus boycott of 1953 as a bad thing, but really it made those boycotting even stronger and more powerful. It did that because it eventually made people realize â€Å"hey maybe this is wrong.† Although this is not the case in MX, the amount of attention is similar to the amount pf attention that the bus boycott got in 1953. 9. When Malcolm X suggests when he says â€Å"thinking internally† is that the American power structure does not want them to realize how powerful they could be. Malcolm X describes this behavior as selfish when he says â€Å"he loves himself so much that he is startled if he discovers that his victims don’t share his vainglorious self-opinion,† (MX 243). What this means is that if the white man pressures black people into believing one thing about themselves, and the black people do not agree, then the white man would lash out, almost like an angry toddler. A connection to this is similar to when Donald Trump tries to convince people of one thing, and when they don’t believe it, he turns into a ‘crybaby’. But, this is not always the case. On page 318, MX describes the ghettoes, and how the people within them are preconditioned to think that they must â€Å"fight to survive†. What this suggests is that the white man’s tactics had been successful and basically â€Å"cornered† them into believing this is where they belong. This is a similar example to when you keep telling a dog that it is a bad dog. It is eventually going to believe that and not try to change that mindset. 10. When Malcolm X writes that â€Å"the seeds of racism are so deeply rooted many whites are even unaware of their own racism†( MX, 369-370) , he is basically saying that the hate of blacks has been passed on for so long, it has practically become tradition. And with tradition, there is always a wish for change, so blacks were always pushed to become lighter or to act more ‘white’. In The Autobiography of Malcolm X , Malcolm X says â€Å"I remember that I thought that it looked as if my father’s strong black face had been dusted with flour, and I wished they hadn’t put on such a lot of it† (MX, 11). What MX is saying by this is that he wished that they wouldn’t have tried to have his father look lighter because it strayed the thought of his strong, deep ebony father he had etched into his mind. This could be related to how when certain family members die, their kids do not want certain things done to those family members because it takes away from the thought of them they already have in their heads. But, sometimes the families will go again st embracing their loved ones wishes. For example, on page 8 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, MX talks about how his ) mom would make him go outside to â€Å"[l]et the sun shine on [him] so [he] can get some color.† (MX, 8). What this suggests is that even though MX was okay with his skin color and the lightness/darkness of it, his mother still pressured him to get MORE color because that was her tradition, or hoe she was raised. This is similar to how President Obama had to think about his traditions and values before he made any decisions, like all presidents have done/ will do. 11. MX is basically suggesting that this mass genocide had welcomed them into the system, and now they needed to be accepted. The best way to be accepted though, in MX’s eyes, was to revolt. On page 375 he praises the revolt saying that â€Å"the negroes so-called â€Å"revolt† is merely an asking to be accepted into the existing system!† (MX, 375). This suggests that the bl ack people believe that they have to fight their way to earn recognition and respect within the system, like they grew up believing. This is similar to how many of the young hustlers grew up seeing pimps and hustlers fighting in the streets to survive, learning from them how they need to fight to survive like that too. But, even though they needed to fight to get into the system, there were many placed throughout the U.S that had accepted the black people into their systems. This proved good, but few people saw it. 12. MX is basically calling to arms for the black people to â€Å"take no shit†. He believes, through the massive rallies that â€Å"were [an] astounding success† he had helped raise awareness, and now they needed to do whatever possible to keep that awareness up and continue with pursuing equal rights. Even though there isn’t really a rebuttal for this, I feel as if MX had to convince himself of that too, considering when the press came at him afte r the film â€Å"The Hate That Hate Produced† aired, he had to consult Mr. Muhammad on what to do because he hadn’t stayed confident enough in himself OR his followers to believe that they were strong enough to keep earning those rights. This is similar to when he believed that things would not get better for him in jail, so he had to depend on his God for help and guidance. 13. What Malcom X is saying is that the white man has preconditioned the black man for a life of crime and discrimination! To support this, he states on page 248 that many black men were converted to the white man’s way of thinking because of money or promises of a better life, so they became â€Å"black bodies with white heads† (MX 248). This means that they would give up anything for a better life, because they knew that the one that they were living at that moment wouldn’t’ve gotten them anywhere in life, so they became one with the enemy. Although this was the case , many black people had switched sides due to all of the negativity towards MX and Elijah Muhammad and their teachings due to â€Å"The Hate That Hate Produced†. This is similar to when you are in a car crash and hurt your neck, so if you try to move it or anything, you will just hurt it more because of the problems that are already there. Reflection 1. The most novel claim was that traditions could be pressured onto other people who weren’t associated with those people to begin with. It was novel because it was true, otherwise racism and discrimination would not have occurred. 2. page 243 and 251 (Questions 9+2) 3. Danya’s explaination of how the blacks were preconditioned to live and think a certain way, and Liz’s which piggybacked upon that. 4. This is similar to when you are in a car crash and hurt your neck, so if you try to move it or anything, you will just hurt it more because of the problems that are already there. 5. Question two bec ause it provided a lot of discussion. 6. Question twelve because I went so in depth with it because it interested me.

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 16

Marketing - Essay Example Nevertheless, the company has built a reputation with teenagers and young adults who generally flock their stores to purchase fashionable clothes of their choice. As such, these clothing apparels, which are produced and marketed internationally requires strategic decision making. For A&F to make good judgements regarding its operations, the company must primarily perceive the external factors that may affect the company’s operation that are out of its direct control (CIPD, 2008). Understanding the macro-environment aids both in the detection of possible opportunities and financial threats for and to the business respectively. In order to perceive a better view of the environment where Abercrombie and Fitch operates in, the PESTLE analysis should be used to identify risks, growth and decline, proper market positioning and possible direction for the overall improvement of the company’s product and organizational management (CIPD, 2008). PESTLE stands for Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal and Environmental (CIPD, 2008). Taking into consideration the individual elements of PESTLE as previously mentioned the Abercrombie and Fitch Management should decisively analyze the following: 1. Political – as a retail clothes company that manages outlets internationally, management at A&F must de aware of the different government regulations regarding trading policies with regards to trade restrictions and tariffs that may apply. It should also be updated with political trends, international pressure groups and inter-country relationships. 2. Economic encompasses the overseas economic trends. Taxation changes specific to product/service. The company must also be aware of interest and exchange rates on international trade and monetary issues. A study of credit availability, cost of living, economic growth and wage rates among others must be done on a

Homework for Eco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Homework for Eco - Essay Example It is only through capital investment and not capital consumption that growth can be experienced in the economy (Callum). In the Chinese and Middle East context, Faber notes that the Chinese economy is a growing economy due to its investment and increased production rather than consumption. Additionally, China exports to the developing and emerging economies totally by passing the old world order. However, its overdependence on the raw materials such as oils from the Middle East could be an undoing in the future. Middle East is known for its instability and therefore the overdependence on their oil for production could greatly affect the economy (Callum). The approach reduces the moral hazard by ensuring that the creditors do not experience losses. This is due to the fact that losses on the creditors’ side have more detrimental effect on the institution than the loss of Equity by the institution. Creditors impact more on the company than the equity holders. The Creditors can easily cause more losses in case they themselves incur losses. It is ideal than a rescue that protects both creditors and equity holders (Mark). This approach eliminates the problem completely due to the fact the owner who has all the liberty to invest on behalf of the creditor and who has access to more information acts responsibly. This is due to the fact the owner incurs charges and possible losses in case of poor investment options. Senator Lincoln proposed that the commercial banks be forbidden to trade derivative securities in 2010. This is with the intent of preventing the banks from using the cheap deposits to subsidize risky derivative businesses. The proposal also prevents banks from using emergency banking facilities. This proposal encourages financial intermediaries to divest their derivatives by forbidding the government from giving these banks assistants such as tax breaks (Yves). Despite the fact the

Impacts of black codes,Jim Crow Laws and segregation on african Essay

Impacts of black codes,Jim Crow Laws and segregation on african americans in the United States - Essay Example Racism was so much deep rooted in an American’s heart that the enactments of anti-slavery laws and the relevant amendments in the US Constitution were merely to redirect a racial mind to find alternatives of white superiority over the Black. Indeed the amended Constitution provided the legal safeguard to the Black, barring the practice of slavery at the state level as well as, to the extent the state could interfere into the public affairs. But it could do nothing to bring about the changes in the culture and the society that intrinsically nourished the racial hostility against their former slaves. Forced by the Constitution and laws, the Americans, especially the Southern States could not but embrace their former slaves, always whispering into their ears, â€Å"You are a black and you must feel it† (Haws 34). This act of reminding the Black that they were inferior to the White and subjects to the White Grace was being done perfectly by Black Codes, Segregation and the Jim Crow Laws. The â€Å"separate but equal† policy in the South is emblematic of the Whites’ failure to assimilate the minor black community into the mainstream of the society. Reconstruction: the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments The racial Segregation and the Jim Crow laws, in a single phrase the â€Å"separate policy† of the south was essentially the South’s reaction to the 13th, 14th and the 15th constitutional Amendments during the Reconstruction in the post Civil War Period. Reconstruction’s primary goals were to establish the Black rights by withering out Slavery and to reintegrate the South with the nation. But the Southerners took it as a Northern insult aggravating the injury of the Civil War. The Reconstruction started with President Lincoln’s affirmative actions for a race-blind, equal and reunited America. While Lincoln followed a more moderate course to establish black people’s right and to reunite the South, the Radical R epublicans â€Å"opposed it on the ground that Lincoln reconstruction plan had freed the slaves without paying much attention to establishing their socio-political, economic and other rights† (Stampp 78). What the North feared the most was that the Government should play a more active role in introducing the people of races to the newly imposed freedom through educational, economic and other sector developments. As a result, by passing the Wade-Davis Bill in 1864 Republican dominated Congress declare that Southern States should be run by military governors and, Secession and Slavery would be outlawed with the consent of the fifty percent of a state’s voters. Eventually the Congress also passed â€Å"the 13th Amendment and established the Freedmen’s Bureau in order to provide the formers slaves and black communities with the opportunities of education, employment, medical service, and economic facilities† (Carter 67). With the reelection of the Democrats i n 1968, the Oval Office under Johnson’s Presidency followed the same path that Lincoln started immediately after the Civil War. But President Johnson’s lack of foresight and wholeheartedness severely affected Reconstruction. Eventually, the Congress voted for the 14th Amendment of the US constitution to provide legal safeguard to Black people’s civil right in 1866 and the 15th Amendment to protect the black’s right to vote in 1870. But along the passage of time, the reconstruction zeal began to wane. Indeed the different political scandal, corruption of the reconstructed governments, economic aftermaths, etc aggravated the waning of Reconstruction. The South’s Response to the 13th Amendment: Black Codes To the North’s surprise, the South began to impose unofficial and legislative restrictions on the black’s rights. Both theoretically and legally by the 13th Amendment of the

The Dogs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Dogs - Research Paper Example This paper "The Dogs" focuses on the relationship between man and dog. With time, the relationship has also became remarkable as it has extended as compared to the relationships that man might have with other men making the relationship easily attainable than the latter. The communicative aspect between man and dogs has also evolved in that man has constantly developed skills that have made relations between man and dog more effective as dogs have gradually replaced children as part of a complete family (Derr 4). The relationship between humans and canines has experienced evolution through training and interbreeding. The communicative aspect between man and dogs has also evolved in that man has constantly developed skills that have made relations between man and dog more effective as dogs have gradually replaced children as part of a complete family. In relation to the history of dogs, Catherine Johns’ article is one of the best literature pieces that emphasize how the relatio nship between people and man developed into what is visible today. In this article, Johns illustrates that dogs were initially wild animals that man had to domesticate to make him feel safer as he went out to hunt in the wild. In this article, the author also gives an explanation as to how dogs lost their intensive canine nature to tamed domestic animals. Ideally, man and dog’s relationship ties date back to the ancient times in which man went hunting with dogs that helped the man in bringing down resisting animals. ... On the other hand, Olmert Meg shares a divergent view over the explanation of how human and man relationships states that resulted in which this author inclines that it was psychosocial. This is contrary to Johns view that man had to interbreed and over breed dogs with certain species in order to create the perfect companion. Olmert suggests that the connection between people and dogs goes beyond the physical aspect rather it encompasses emotions and mammalian hormones. Therefore, Olmert asserts that the relationship had inclination to trust and socially related cognition. This is evident in mammals in the same way that mothers have a connection to their newly born infants. However, the second part of John’s book illustrates the exploitative forms that the relationships between dogs and people have taken, which is a down side of domestication. For instance, dogs have become tools for research and in some societies are complementing aspects of diet. With this, Johns gives the d ifferent ways in which dogs assisted man in different societies in which they were hunting gurus in some societies, which Johns illustrates through various paintings structured within the book (Johns 35). Derr also gives another angle to this remarkable relationship that he intimates that it has superseded the relationship that humans have between themselves. In most westernized societies, dogs have replaced the need by many to having children as they have become friendlier as compared to the deteriorating relationships between man and fellow man. Additionally, most homes in America have also made dogs to form part of their families because of their welcoming and friendly nature. Derr seems to be in

Busines stratgt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Busines stratgt - Essay Example SWOT analysis is a management tool that allows managers to view the company’s at a wider picture thus enabling them to designing both short-term and long-term plan that may improve business performance. The following SWOT analysis identifies the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. In other words, the analysis tries to identify the company’s problems and recommends the best strategic moves for the company to remain competitive. Strengths One of the company’s greatest strength is its business model. The company sells its products directly to consumers. In other words, there are no intermediaries i.e. retailers and wholesalers. This has assisted the company in bringing down distribution cost significantly. Because of this, the company is able to charge lower prices than its competitors thus acquiring a competitive advantage. The time lag between the customers’ orders and delivery is less compared to competitors’ time. Th is is because of lack of wholesalers or retailers in the distribution channel. This has contributed a lot in strengthening the company’s relationship with its customers, as well as, enhancing the customer satisfaction. Additionally, the business model supports customization of the company’s products and services especially the personal computers. The direct contact between the company and the customers enables the company to tailor-make its products to meet the customers’ needs. The company is also able conduct the market research effectively thus focusing on enhancing the customer satisfaction. The company’s high stock turnover is, as well, its strength. Because of this, Dell Inc has a good relationship with its suppliers since it has a healthy liquidity that enables it to pay the suppliers as early as possible. Because of this, the company is able to obtain supplies at lower prices compared to if it would pay later, thus reducing the cost of manufacturi ng. The company’s other strength is that it does not only sell to individual consumers, but also to businesses and government organizations. Consequently, Dell is able to supply a large number of personal computes and other related products thus increasing the profitability. Another Dell’s strength s product differentiation that enables customers to simply identify the company’s products. Weaknesses One of the company’s strength, customization, is also its weakness. A customer would have to wait for more time before receiving his or her computer from a delivery than when he or she goes direct to a retailer store, buys a computer, and acquires it as soon as he or she pays. Additionally the customers are not given an opportunity to physically touch the products and test them before they purchase them. The customers should have an opportunity to go to the retail shop and compare different products before deciding the ones to purchase. For the case of Dell, t he company expects consumers to order their products direct from the company without comparing them with competitors’ products, in the market. Another weakness is that the company focuses more on businesses and government organizations as customers in expense of individual consumers. Jenster states, â€Å"every market segment is equally important for every business meaning that he focus should be on all customers (52)†. To eliminate the weaknesses the company should segment its

Impacts of black codes,Jim Crow Laws and segregation on african Essay

Impacts of black codes,Jim Crow Laws and segregation on african americans in the United States - Essay Example Racism was so much deep rooted in an American’s heart that the enactments of anti-slavery laws and the relevant amendments in the US Constitution were merely to redirect a racial mind to find alternatives of white superiority over the Black. Indeed the amended Constitution provided the legal safeguard to the Black, barring the practice of slavery at the state level as well as, to the extent the state could interfere into the public affairs. But it could do nothing to bring about the changes in the culture and the society that intrinsically nourished the racial hostility against their former slaves. Forced by the Constitution and laws, the Americans, especially the Southern States could not but embrace their former slaves, always whispering into their ears, â€Å"You are a black and you must feel it† (Haws 34). This act of reminding the Black that they were inferior to the White and subjects to the White Grace was being done perfectly by Black Codes, Segregation and the Jim Crow Laws. The â€Å"separate but equal† policy in the South is emblematic of the Whites’ failure to assimilate the minor black community into the mainstream of the society. Reconstruction: the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments The racial Segregation and the Jim Crow laws, in a single phrase the â€Å"separate policy† of the south was essentially the South’s reaction to the 13th, 14th and the 15th constitutional Amendments during the Reconstruction in the post Civil War Period. Reconstruction’s primary goals were to establish the Black rights by withering out Slavery and to reintegrate the South with the nation. But the Southerners took it as a Northern insult aggravating the injury of the Civil War. The Reconstruction started with President Lincoln’s affirmative actions for a race-blind, equal and reunited America. While Lincoln followed a more moderate course to establish black people’s right and to reunite the South, the Radical R epublicans â€Å"opposed it on the ground that Lincoln reconstruction plan had freed the slaves without paying much attention to establishing their socio-political, economic and other rights† (Stampp 78). What the North feared the most was that the Government should play a more active role in introducing the people of races to the newly imposed freedom through educational, economic and other sector developments. As a result, by passing the Wade-Davis Bill in 1864 Republican dominated Congress declare that Southern States should be run by military governors and, Secession and Slavery would be outlawed with the consent of the fifty percent of a state’s voters. Eventually the Congress also passed â€Å"the 13th Amendment and established the Freedmen’s Bureau in order to provide the formers slaves and black communities with the opportunities of education, employment, medical service, and economic facilities† (Carter 67). With the reelection of the Democrats i n 1968, the Oval Office under Johnson’s Presidency followed the same path that Lincoln started immediately after the Civil War. But President Johnson’s lack of foresight and wholeheartedness severely affected Reconstruction. Eventually, the Congress voted for the 14th Amendment of the US constitution to provide legal safeguard to Black people’s civil right in 1866 and the 15th Amendment to protect the black’s right to vote in 1870. But along the passage of time, the reconstruction zeal began to wane. Indeed the different political scandal, corruption of the reconstructed governments, economic aftermaths, etc aggravated the waning of Reconstruction. The South’s Response to the 13th Amendment: Black Codes To the North’s surprise, the South began to impose unofficial and legislative restrictions on the black’s rights. Both theoretically and legally by the 13th Amendment of the

Busines stratgt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Busines stratgt - Essay Example SWOT analysis is a management tool that allows managers to view the company’s at a wider picture thus enabling them to designing both short-term and long-term plan that may improve business performance. The following SWOT analysis identifies the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. In other words, the analysis tries to identify the company’s problems and recommends the best strategic moves for the company to remain competitive. Strengths One of the company’s greatest strength is its business model. The company sells its products directly to consumers. In other words, there are no intermediaries i.e. retailers and wholesalers. This has assisted the company in bringing down distribution cost significantly. Because of this, the company is able to charge lower prices than its competitors thus acquiring a competitive advantage. The time lag between the customers’ orders and delivery is less compared to competitors’ time. Th is is because of lack of wholesalers or retailers in the distribution channel. This has contributed a lot in strengthening the company’s relationship with its customers, as well as, enhancing the customer satisfaction. Additionally, the business model supports customization of the company’s products and services especially the personal computers. The direct contact between the company and the customers enables the company to tailor-make its products to meet the customers’ needs. The company is also able conduct the market research effectively thus focusing on enhancing the customer satisfaction. The company’s high stock turnover is, as well, its strength. Because of this, Dell Inc has a good relationship with its suppliers since it has a healthy liquidity that enables it to pay the suppliers as early as possible. Because of this, the company is able to obtain supplies at lower prices compared to if it would pay later, thus reducing the cost of manufacturi ng. The company’s other strength is that it does not only sell to individual consumers, but also to businesses and government organizations. Consequently, Dell is able to supply a large number of personal computes and other related products thus increasing the profitability. Another Dell’s strength s product differentiation that enables customers to simply identify the company’s products. Weaknesses One of the company’s strength, customization, is also its weakness. A customer would have to wait for more time before receiving his or her computer from a delivery than when he or she goes direct to a retailer store, buys a computer, and acquires it as soon as he or she pays. Additionally the customers are not given an opportunity to physically touch the products and test them before they purchase them. The customers should have an opportunity to go to the retail shop and compare different products before deciding the ones to purchase. For the case of Dell, t he company expects consumers to order their products direct from the company without comparing them with competitors’ products, in the market. Another weakness is that the company focuses more on businesses and government organizations as customers in expense of individual consumers. Jenster states, â€Å"every market segment is equally important for every business meaning that he focus should be on all customers (52)†. To eliminate the weaknesses the company should segment its

Ethics Program for Nonprofit Management Consulting Services Essay Example for Free

Ethics Program for Nonprofit Management Consulting Services Essay Our clients are placing a high level of trust in us and we must honor that commitment by ensuring no confidential information is disseminated outside our company or to those inside the company who may have a conflict of interest. Above all else we will be professional with our clients and work to the best of our ability to provide them with unrivaled service. Since we specialize in working with nonprofit companies the majority of clients we work with will have an Ethical Code as well. When available we will take their Code of Ethics into account for any work we will be doing where we act on their behalf. Since we work with many nonprofit and volunteer based organizations we encourage everyone to volunteer and donate time as they see fit with the following guidelines; 1) Volunteering will not be done to curry favor with the business before they are a client. 1) Volunteering will not be done during an active consulting project with the company you are consulting with. 2) It is up to you to determine if volunteering for one of our clients will result in a conflict of interest. Training Program All New-Hire employees will receive a minimum of Four (4) hours of Ethics training during their first week with the company. At a minimum the following will be covered; 1) Code of Conduct 1) Actual ethical situations that have arisen with the company in the past a. Bribes / Gifts b. Conflicts of Interest c. Relationships with Clients 2) Who to talk to if an ethical situation or question arises d. Owners e. Ethics Point Hotline At the end of the training you should be able to understand the following items (Ferrell, Fraedrich amp; Ferrell, 2008); 1) Recognize Situations that might require ethical decision making 1) Understand the values and culture of the organization ) Evaluation the impact of your ethical decisions on the company 3) The difference between your ethical values and those of the companies. During your training if you have any suggestions to add or have ethical situations you’d like to discuss please do not hesitate to bring it up with the trainer. We understand that everyone has had experiences in personal life and when working with other companies. Those experiences can help us expand and improve upon on our existing training and update our Code of Conduct as required. Training Program – Yearly Refresher At a minimum of once a year, the entire company will convene for an Ethical Situations Round Table. Topics will include newsworthy stories of other companies and any closed ethical issues within the company. This is a time not only to discuss ethical situations but to work as a group in finding the ideal solution to how the company should handle similar issues. We want to be a step ahead and be prepared for events that could affect the company. Reporting/Monitoring of Discussing an Ethical Situation During your time with the company you may run into situations that you would like guidance on. The Owners of the company have an open door policy for talking about these issues. It is better to talk about them before they happen than after they happen though. The Owners will work with you on the situation for the best outcome for the company. They are invested in the company and ensuring the company makes ethical decisions ensures long term growth and profitability. Alternatively we have contract with Ethics Point to provide a hotline for reporting or discussing ethical situations if you do not feel comfortable talking with the owners about the situation in question. Your call to Ethics Point (Hotline Reporting -, 2012) will be confidential but information about the situation will be reported to the owners so they can work through the situation. The company also leverages Microsoft Exchange for monitoring E-mails of all Employees to proactively deal with potential ethical issues that may arise while working with our clients. Due to this type of monitoring we highly recommend that personal issues are not dealt with using your business e-mail address. Investigating Ethical Issues or Situations The company has contracted with Ethics Point to handle the investigation of any serious Ethical situations. Due to the nature of Ethics Violations it can be a conflict of interest in our small company if the Employees or Owners were tasked with these investigations. We also do not want to create a hostile atmosphere during or after the investigation. During an investigation your cooperation with Ethics Point is required. Failure to cooperate with the Investigation will lead to disciplinary actions that may include termination of employment. Disciplinary Action for Ethics Violations While we hope that we are able to provide you with enough training, reinforcement and the cultural atmosphere to be able to avoid an ethical issue, it does happen. Violations of the Code of Conduct will be handled by the CEO with recommendations from Ethics Point if they are if they are handling the case. Action will be based on the following items: 1) Damage of reputation or character of the company 2) Loss of Clients 3) Actions taken by the company to remedy the situation Action taken will be one or more of the following: 1) Additional Ethics Training 2) Leading one of the Yearly Ethical Discussions 3) Volunteer time with the Nonprofit of your choice 4) Time off w/ out Pay or use of vacation 5) Transfer of Account(s) to another consultant 6) Termination of Employment Reviewing and Improving our Ethical Culture At the end of each year after the yearly discussions all aspects of the Ethics code will be reviewed and updated as required. With the ever changing business environment and new situations that are constantly popping up in the media it becomes mandatory that we do our best to keep the Ethics program relevant. With all things relating to the Ethics Program we encourage feedback and suggestions throughout the year, not just at the yearly meeting. All suggestions received throughout the year will be discussed by the owners frequently and any changes to the program will be made. The ethics program belongs just as much the Company as it does the employee. The employees will rely on it as a frame of reference for how to work through difficult situations and the company will rely on it to guide the employees in their daily activities. If the company is successful the employees will be successful. In addition to the yearly meetings and annual review of the Ethics Program, every 3 years Ethics Point will audit the program and supply recommendations that may be implemented.