Colonialism And Imperialism - 1836 Words

â€Å"What do I think of Western civilization? I think it would be a very good idea.† – Mahatma Gandhi â€Å"I would say colonialism is a wonderful thing. It spread civilization to Africa.† – Ian Smith Over the centuries Colonialism and Imperialism have been viewed, justified and experienced differently throughout the world. The very idea created questions of both legitimacy as well as indignity in the minds of historians, writers, scholars and critics of the world. However, the growing incongruence and dissimilarity among nations brings forth the rationality to infuse the colonial purview in a modernized way in some parts of the world. So long the development of the weak states matters and the overall global effects involved, the approaches†¦show more content†¦Exemplifying the existence of colonialism in various forms and names in the present world, he suggests simplifying the current trend by avoiding the euphemistic camouflage. Taking the cases for colonialism to be beneficial and anti-colonialism to be feeble and imperfect, Gilley draws the point from Abernethy indicating the positive effects of colonial rule in terms of ‘†¦training for self-government, ma terial well-being, labor allocation choices, individual upward mobility, cross-cultural communication, and human dignity,†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (2017:3). As an example, he shows the initiative of British counter-insurgency campaign in Kenya during the Mau Mau revolt (1952-1956) and its successive contribution in devising internal security policy as well as training up Kenyan military upheld the reputation of Britain in the minds of the independent government of Kenya much more than the violence it created subsequently. Whereas British contribution on settling peace in Kenya proved meticulous, on the other hand the division of Indian Subcontinent by the British Empire in terms of religion in 1947 prolonged socio-political unrest between India and Pakistan and harvested war and enmity which exists till now. However, the most significant role of colonialism was to abolish the slave trade from its colonies. Even though Karl Marx (1853) criticizes the British colonialism for uprooting Indian (i n his terms,Show MoreRelatedImperialism and Colonialism Essay541 Words   |  3 PagesImperialism Imperialism is the policy or practice of a country extending its control over a foreign country’s land, economic life, or political system. The ruling country usually does this through conquest, and the native people of the nation being taken over are often suppressed. If a nation takes over the government of another territory militarily or through political means, then this is called direct imperialism. Indirect imperialism is when a region is self-governing but another country takesRead MoreEssay on Imperialism and Colonialism2505 Words   |  11 PagesImperialism has been noted to be practice of foreign rule in a context of hierarchy and subordination, which can eventually lead to the formation of an empire. Imperialism refers directly to the enhancement of power and military superiority. At the time when developed nations were colonizing less developed nations around the 1870s, the age of Imperialism began. Referring to the time were nations such as the United States, Germany, and Japan began to employ imperialist doctrines to their governanceRead MoreColonialism And Imperialism In Europe1440 Words   |  6 Pagesfinancial superiority imposed its economic model, its values, ideals and its culture to a large part of the world. Imperialism can be defined as the system in which the politics, economy and culture of one part of the world are organized according to the domination of some countries over others. The imperialism that emerged in the nineteenth century was the culmination of colonialism initiated in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. But both forms of colonial domination were very different. TheRead MoreNotes on Colonialism and Imperialism1489 Words   |  6 PagesChapter 33 Notes * Foundations of empire * Motives of imperialism * Modern imperialism * Refers to domination of industrialized countries over subject lands * Domination achieved through trade, investment, and business activities * Two types of modern colonialism * Colonies ruled and populated by migrants * Colonies controlled by imperial powers without significant settlement * Economic motives of imperialism * European merchants and entrepreneurs made personalRead More Colonialism and Imperialism in Africa Essay1158 Words   |  5 PagesDisease and Imperialism in Africa      Ã‚  Ã‚   Diseases were prevalent in Africa during the time of European Imperialism. Disease affected both natives and European peoples in Africa. African diseases affected both natives and European explorers and soldiers as well as diseases brought by the Europeans that affected the Africans.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Numerouks diseases impadcted the Europeans in Africa during the time of Imperialism.   During the time of Imperialism many explorers and soldiers died of diseaseRead MoreSimilarities Between Imperialism And Post Colonialism1606 Words   |  7 PagesImperialism, colonialism, and post colonialism are all a very important part of history. Each of these are present in the writings for the topic of the essay. The three writings that will be discussed are Clarice Lispectors The Smallest Woman In The World, Jamaica Kincaids On Seeing England For The First Time, and Civil Peace by Chinua Achebe. Each of these writings give great examples of imperialism, colonialism, and post colonialism through different perspectives and from different parts ofRead MoreThe Foundations Of Racial Capitalism, Imperialism And Colonialism Essay1468 Words   |  6 PagesThe foundations of racial capitalism, imperialism and colonialism have significantly shaped the existence of African people, a nd those of the diaspora. As a result of these institutions, the history and implementation of slavery and colonialism have had lasting effects that are essential to the current position of Black folk in Africa and the diaspora; altering the way we view ourselves, our country and the world. Throughout different moments in history, Black folk have equated freedom and liberationRead MoreBritish Colonialism And British Imperialism1254 Words   |  6 Pagesthe British Empire in 1921 after a period of rapid growth and ceaseless land acquisition. With such a wide range of power, one would think that imperialism was seen as beneficial to all involved, with the exception of the natives whose land was slowly being destroyed. A common theme in literature around this time was the condemnation of british imperialism. Some writers wrapped up their opinions in neat yet artistic lines, simply hinting at their disapproval while others went out of their way to makeRead MoreEssay about European Colonialism and Imperialism992 Words   |  4 PagesOther people believed that the Europeans were genetically superior to the other regions of the world. Now, because of Jared Diamond’s thesis, we can conclude that the ultimate cause of European colonialism and imperialism was â€Å"Geographic Luck.† One of the main reasons for European colonialism and imperialism was the axis and climate zones. Having a long east-west axis results in the same climate zone and same day lengths. Crops are spread easily on an east-west axis because, moving east to west, thereRead More European Colonialism and Imperialism in Shakespeares The Tempest949 Words   |  4 PagesEuropean Colonialism and Imperialism in Shakespeares The Tempest William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest reveals how ideologies of racial ‘otherness’ served to legitimize European patriarchal hegemony in Elizabethan England. In the Elizabethan/ Jacobean times of England there were many relevant ideologies relevant to this play. In examining the values and ideologies this text endorses and challenges, the society of the time (Elizabethan England), and a knowledge of how it operated serves a great

What role has been played by the media in US political contests Free Essays

Abstract In US political contests, the term media can apply to a range of items that vary from newspaper articles to attack advertisements. This essay examines the role played by the free press- television news and newspapers- and traces the role that free media has come to play in the results and courses of US Presidential elections, refuting, in the process, the position that free media, and the press, acts as passive intermediaries between candidates and the voters. Introduction Protected by The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which reads ‘Congress shall make no law†¦abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press’, free media, especially the press, through dissemination of opinions, facts and analysis of events concerning Presidential candidates and their campaigns, has come to play a large role in the results and courses of presidential elections. We will write a custom essay sample on What role has been played by the media in US political contests? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although Dalton, Beck and Huckfeldt (2008:111) have argued that ‘the media’s role as an intermediary is most evident at election time, when the media are the primary conduits for information on the campaign’, the common recognition that the press acts as part of the ‘Fourth Estate’, a term originally coined by Edmund Burke (quoted in Carlyle, 1841) to acknowledge the noticeable influence of the media upon politics, suggests that the role of the press and media far exceeds the simple passivity of intermediation that Dalton, Beck and Huckfeldt suggest is media’s primary role during an election. Role of Free Media and the Press in US Presidential Elections Even in the initial stages of an election, prior to official party nominations, the press can begin to directly influence public knowledge of the candidates through the frequency and detail in which the candidates are mentioned. Name recognition, in the early stages of a campaign, is of vital importance and is directly effected by, and dependent upon, the media. Ramsden (1996) notes that the victor of the 1984 New Hampshire primary, the relatively unknown Gary Hart, succeeded because he convinced the press, through intense and unprecedented amounts of canvassing, that he was a more viable candidate for the nomination than his opponents John Glenn and Walter Mondale. As such, the media concerned themselves more with Hart’s campaign than with the campaigns of Glenn and Mondale, both established Democrats, and simultaneously increased Hart’s name recognition and the viability of his claim. This media attention added momentum to Hart’s campaign and ultimately allowed him to challenge for, but narrowly lose, the Iowa caucus, and to win the New Hampshire primary by ten percentage points. Although Hart eventually succumbed to the financial superiority of Mondale, and to questions concerning the vagueness of his policies, his victory in the New Hampshire primary, over an already established Democrat, is testament to the power of the media and to the influential role they play even in the early stages of election campaigns. After candidates have officially received party nominations, the role of the media shifts slightly from effecting the nomination to effecting the course of the nominees’ campaigns. Although many believe that the bias of individual press and media networks can effect public opinion, Robinson (1996:101) instead argues that ‘whilst the media can play an important role in changing voters’ perceptions, information, attitudes, and even behaviour’, it is more often the case that media bias simply reinforces, rather than dislodging or replacing, preconceived notions and opinions. Further, Della Vigna and Kaplan (2007: 2) have observed that it is often the case that ‘right-wing voters are more likely to expose themselves to right-wing media, giving an impression that the right-wing media persuades them’ and as such, media-bias and the partisan opinions of the press, in terms of long term impact, has little contribution towards changing the political opi nions of the public. Instead, free press, to some extent, controls the course of the campaign and decides whether it become a horse-race or an issue based campaign. Whilst the media can turn campaigns into horse-races, reporting polling numbers and statistics, making the story less about the ideologies, policies and ideas of the candidates and more about their viability and chances of success, it can also, as Ramsden (1996) argues, act ‘as a spotlight’ for issues (66). Ramsden’s suggestion that media acts as spotlight for issues and ideology, which is itself more in keeping with the spirit of democracy than reporting election campaigns as horse races, argues that the media has the power to select, and cover, certain issues and topics that are not at the top of the campaign’s political agenda and to reposition them as central to the campaign. As Page (1996:22) notes, ‘a large body of evidence now indicates that what appears in print or on the air has a substantial impact u pon how citizens think and what they think about: e.g., what they cite as important problems’, and it is this guidance towards ‘important problems’ that allows the media to shape the campaign paths of the candidates. The public, in general, become more politically active and aware during campaign time (Riker, 1989), and, as Wood and Edwards (1999:328) note that â€Å"the public’s familiarity with political matters is closely related to the amount and duration of attention these affairs receive in the mass media†. In a sense, the press and free media are somewhat able to dictate and influence the agenda of presidential elections, and to choose which issues are central to the debates and campaigns. Ramsden (1996) cites President Jimmy Carter’s victory over the incumbent President Gerald Ford, in which Carter’s inexperience could, and perhaps should, have played a large role in deciding the outcome of the campaign but was largely ignored by the public because the media did not make it a concern, in order to demonstrate the control that free media can exercise over topics and issues during campaigns. Conclusion Therefore, whilst the media may hold a negligible amount of power to convert and transform the public’s political opinions, the real power of the media, or the free press at least, in an election, lies in its editorial, or ‘spotlight’ role. By choosing and highlighting which areas of policy, issues or character concerns receive attention, the free press are able to guide the public towards matters which could determine both their opinions and, as a result, the outcome of the election. Thus, within a political campaign, however undemocratic it may seem, the press and free media are strong and active political agents that can change and dictate not only the agendas and issues during an election, but to some extent, the result itself. Bibliography Andersen, K. (1984) A Wild Ride to the End, Time Magazine Carlyle, T. (1841) On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and The Heroic in History. The Echo Library, 2007 Dalton R.J, Beck P.A Huckfeldt R. (1998), Partisan Cues and the Media: Information Flows inthe 1992 Presidential Election, American Political Science Review, Vol 92, Number 1, March 1998 DellaVigna, S Kaplan E. (2007) The Fox News Effect, Media Bias and Voting, Quarterly Journal of Economics. Gerges, Fawaz A. (1999) Shaping Opinion. Journal of Palestine Studies, Vol. 28, No. 2: pp. 104-106 Page, Benjamin I. (1996) The Mass Media as Political Actors. Political Science and Politics, Vol.29, No. 1 pp. 20-24 Ramsden, Graham P. (1996) â€Å"Media Coverage of Issues and Candidates: What Balance is Appropriate in a Democracy?† Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 111, No. 1. pp. 65-81 Riker, W. H. (1989). Why Negative Campaigning is Rational. (Paper presented at the annualmeeting of the American Political Science Association, Atlanta, GA) Robinson, John E. (1976) â€Å"The Press and the Voter.† Annals of the American Academy of Politicaland Social Science, Vol. 427. pp.95-103 The Constitution of the United States, Amendment I, (1791) Wood, Dan B. and Edwards, George C. (1999) â€Å"Who Influences WhomThe President, Congress, and the Media.† The American Political Science Review, Vol. 93, No. 2. pp. 327-344 How to cite What role has been played by the media in US political contests?, Essay examples What role has been played by the media in US political contests Free Essays Abstract The media has often played a significant role in political campaigns. Media coverage can contribute to the way a candidate is viewed in the eyes of the public, a fact that became even more prevalent during the 2008 U.S. We will write a custom essay sample on What role has been played by the media in US political contests? or any similar topic only for you Order Now elections with the introduction of ‘New Media.’ Introduction The following essay is an examination of the media’s role in US political contests. It will look at the rise of the celebrity politician in the 2008 general election whilst examining the importance of new media, old media and the virtues of the public appearance and perception of politicians. The essay will end wondering if media coverage in the 2012 election has begun to slide. Main Body The 2008 presidential race was particularly media saturated and the public perceptions of the candidates were often shaped by the media. As stated by Halperin Heilemann it was â€Å"as riveting and historic a spectacle as modern politics had ever produced† (2010:IX) and received â€Å"wall- to-wall media coverage† (2010:IX). The Media had a bigger role in the 2008 election than simply following events though as it gave birth to, or at least brought to maturity, the idea of the celebrity politician, as witnessed by the twin phenomenon of Barack Obama and Sarah Palin. Halperin Heilemann note that a smear campaign against Obama was thought up by McCain adman Fred Davis who said they should, with reference to Obama’s celebrity, â€Å"turn that against him. Big CelebritySo’s Britney Spears! So’s Paris Hilton!† (2010:330). The eventual ad was called ‘Celeb’ (Halperin Heilemann, 2010) and it led to the first chink in Obama’s a rmour with the media. It is interesting to note that later on when Palin was chosen as the running mate on the republican ticket there were fears in the McCain camp that the same type of campaign could be used against her (Halperin Heilemann, 2010), illustrating that this type of coverage, and the way political campaigns use the media, can be a double edged sword. New Media played a significant role in the 2008 election. Canavan states the Obama campaign was â€Å"aided by an acute awareness of mimetic branding and viral marketing† (2010:14). Schudson observes â€Å"in 2008 the â€Å"new media† played a newly prominent role† (2009:6). The use of new media in the Obama campaign was an important part of his strategy. Canavan writes that the Obama campaign produced â€Å"half a billion dollars from three million people over the Internet† (2010:15). This shows that the proliferation of new media in the 2008 general election, and the use of it by the candidate who most visibly signified change, was a huge coup, certainly at least where donors were concerned. What of traditional media thoughDo the news networks or the press still play a role in US political racesThe answer, at least pertaining to the 2008 race, is an unequivocal yes. The deeper question though is how these institutions actually affect the outcome of an election. In terms of the 2008 election it must be concluded that they played a massive part. Halperin Heilemann note that almost every political entity in their book has a scene where they complain about the way they are being represented in the press, even Obama (2010). But it would seem that much of the press wanted Obama to win as they would ignore infractions made by him that they would not consider for other candidates, as noted by Halperin Heilemann when, after being jabbed at by Obama in a debate, Hillary Clinton complained to her aides â€Å"can you imagine if I’d made a crack like that?† (2010:180). Halperin Heilemann go onto say â€Å"the press would have guillotined her on the spot† (2010 :180). Street asks the question of whether the media’s role in political races is a good or a bad thing. He writes â€Å"reliance on television as a medium of communication tends to shift the criteria by which politicians are judged and by which they operate. Television’s intimacy, its use of close-ups and one-to-one conversations, focuses attention on politicians’ ‘human’ qualities. The result is that populist empathy rather than elite leadership becomes valued† (2004:6). Street also notes however that aesthetics and the way candidates are perceived in the media can be an important part of a political contest because aesthetics and perception can provide a notion of the candidate’s character and that is an important aspect to consider when entering the voting booth (2004). Now that the political world is observed by both new and old media, it is interesting to note how the two have played their part so far in the 2012 election. As far as new media is concerned, the interest certainly seems to have waned. Journalist Susan Delacourt observes â€Å"The 2008 presidential election that brought Barack Obama to power was probably a â€Å"watershed† for social media†¦an apex that probably won’t be reached again in the current U.S. campaign† (2012). The current election seems to have passed by old media in many ways as well. Matthew Stieglitz wryly asks of the 2012 election â€Å"that the media bring its election coverage to something bearing a resemblance to news, and that people become informed. If the issues mentioned above are any indication, this country would be better served with a populace that spends time debating politics instead of debating the cancellation of Jersey Shore† (2012). Maybe the politics just as arenâ₠¬â„¢t as interesting to a media that can now observe the politics of reality TV stars personal lives†¦and don’t need a press pass to do it. Conclusion As you can see, historically media has played a big part in the political landscape and has helped to shape people’s views of the candidate, whether through highlighting their proposals or simply believing in the character of the person they have shown on TV. In 2008 media coverage of the election seemed to reach a critical mass, in both old and new media, but both have now begun to contract somewhat. Bibliography Heilemann, J. Halperin, M., (2010), Race of a Lifetime, 1st Edition, the Penguin Group, Great Britain Canavan, G., (2009) ‘Person of the Year: Obama, Joker, Capitalism, Schizophrenia.’ Politics and Popular Culture. [online] Available at: http://www.c-s-p.org/flyers/978-1-4438-2259-6-sample.pdf [Accessed 12th September 2012] Schudson, M., (2009)’ The New Media in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Campaign: The New York Times watches its back.’ Javnost-the public. [online] Available at: http://www.journalism.columbia.edu/system/documents/270/original/javnost-nyt2008.pdf [Accessed September 13th 2012] Street, J., (2004) ‘Celebrity Politicians: Popular Culture and Political Representation.’ The British Journal of Politics International Relations. [online] Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-856X.2004.00149.x/pdf [Accessed 12th September 2012] Delacourt, S. (2012) ‘Is ‘new’ media becoming old hat in the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign?’ The Star. [online] Available at: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1227281–is-new-media-becoming-old-hat-in-the-2012-u-s-presidential-campaign [Accessed 12th September 2012] Stieglitz, M., ‘Dear American Media: Step Up Your Game.’ Politics 365. [online] Available at: http://politic365.com/2012/09/07/dear-american-media-step-your-game-up/ [Accessed September 8th 2012] How to cite What role has been played by the media in US political contests?, Essay examples What role has been played by the media in US political contests Free Essays In democratic societies the media has traditionally played the role of intermediary in electoral contests, disseminating information from political campaigns and candidates to the voting public. However, some political scientists believe that, in contemporary US elections, the media act not merely as a medium through which campaign information is filtered, but as a agent which shapes the campaign agenda and influences voters perceptions of candidates. Introduction This essay discusses the various roles which the media play when reporting on elections in the United States. We will write a custom essay sample on What role has been played by the media in US political contests? or any similar topic only for you Order Now It traces the changing perceptions of the role of the journalist and media, from the theory of the fourth estate to the practise of agenda-setting within a partisan media organisation. The rise of social media within election campaigns allows candidates to become the medium, connecting with voters directly. Media Role In The Fourth Branch of Government, Cater described the role that reporters and the media play in the political system (quoted in Cook, 1998). He believed reporters were a ‘recorder of government, but also a participant’ (Cook, 1998:1). Cook himself saw the media as a political institution in its own right, without whose interaction with the other branches of government (executive, legislature, judiciary), democracy could not function. The relationship between media and government is, Cook believes, a ‘co-production’ and the reporter ‘a key participant in decision-making and policy making’ (1998:3). The political news media themselves see their role as that of the Fourth Estate, a collective watchdog which holds government and politicians to account and plays an educator role in keeping citizens informed about the key issues shaping their economy and society. At no time is the media’s role as instrumental as during an election campaign. A s Dalton, Beck and Huckfeldt (2008b: 111) point out, ‘the media’s role as an intermediary is most evident at election time, when the media are the primary conduits for information on the campaign’. In the US, the commercial media play a dual role during political contests – as well as scrutinising the behaviour and policies of candidates, it carries paid-for political advertisements. These adverts constitute a significant source of income for news media: the Campaign Media Analysis Group estimate that $2.6bn was spent on political advertising during the 2008 Presidential election. The media, especially television, therefore also plays a commercial role in US elections. The commercial nature of the candidate’s relationship with media affects the coverage given to candidate’s campaigns, with media bias or partisanship now prevalent within most major US media outlets (DellaVigna and Kaplan, 2007). Broadcasters such as CNN and PBS, along with print and digital media such as The New York Times, Newsweek and The Huffington Post are perceived to have a bias toward Democratic candidates, while news media such as FOX, The Washington Post and Time magazine give more favourable coverage to Republican candidates. Between the 1940s and 1970s, there was a widespread assumption that citizens voted along predictable, partisan lines, and therefore media reporting of campaigns had little or no impact on election outcomes (Lazarfeldt referred to by Finkel, 1993). The decline of partisanship in US politics since the 1960s (Abramson 1982, referred to in Finkel 1993) has seen this theory of minimal effects replaced with a belief that media can influence and change voter orientation (Finkel 1993). This acknowledgement of the influence of media has led to renewed focus on the role the media plays in elections. Shaw has highlighted the distinction between the media as medium and the media as agent (2001:16). In the 2008 primaries, for example, it is widely believed that the Democratic-leaning media forced John Edwards out of the nomination race, while advocating the candidatures of both Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton. In such cases, the role of the media as agent becomes apparent. Stromback and Dimitrova , after conducting a comparative content analysis of election coverage in selected Swedish and US newspapers, concluded that while Swedish media focused on campaign issues, US media treated political contests as more of a ‘strategic game’ or ‘horse-race’ (2006: 132). Their contention was that the media had come to see a political race almost as a sporting event, prioritising trivia and personalities over the substance of policy and ideology. Dalton, Beck and Huckfeldt challenged this view however, when they analysed data from media coverage of the 1992 presidential election. Comparing issues covered by the media to issues the public professed to care about, they found a very tight convergence between the issues relevant to media, candidates and the general public (1998a). McCombs (1997) explains the rationale behind this finding. He believes that the media play an agenda-setting role by giving greater prominence or ‘salience’ to certain issues. Once in the public domain, these issues capture the public’s attention. In this way the public agenda and the media agenda have tended to converge toward a consensus. Comscore, a US company which monitors the digital world, confirmed in a recent report entitled The Digital Politico that digital media is now a ‘formidable platform’ for political campaigns (2012). While campaign finance teams continue to spend more on TV and Radio advertising than on digital, activities such as social media (in particular Twitter), digital advertising and paid search are playing an increasingly prominent role in US elections. The use of social media as campaign strategy has given candidates more opportunities to set their own agendas and communicate directly with the electorate. Farnsworth and Lichter contend that these ‘unmediated speeches, advertisements and internet web pages †¦ qualify as the more substantive, more useful and more accurate forms of campaign discourse’ (2007:6). Conclusion The ideal of the media as a watchdog on power is still relevant to some extent, as many media outlets do hold candidates to account through scrutiny of campaign finances or probing of a candidate’s commitment to a policy. However, the commercial nature of media and cable television in particular, means that media organisations have become increasingly partisan. Most political scientists today agree that the US media influences the campaign as a political agent, and is no longer just a medium through which the public receives news and analysis. Bibliography Cook, T.E, Governing with the News: The News Media as a Political Institution, University of Chicago Press 1998 Comscore Inc., 2012, The Digital Politico: 5 Ways Digital Media is Shaping the 2012 Presidential Elections, April 30 2012 Dalton R.J, Beck P.A, Huckfeldt R. 1998a, A Test of Media-Centered Agenda Setting: Newspaper Content and Public Interests in a Presidential Election, Political Communication Journal, Vol 15, Number 4, 1 September 1998 pp 463-481 (19) Dalton R.J, Beck P.A Huckfeldt R. 1998b, Partisan Cues and the Media: Information Flows in the 1992 Presidential Election, American Political Science Review, Vol 92, Number 1, March 1998 DellaVigna, S Kaplan E. The Fox News Effect, Media Bias and Voting, Quarterly Journal of Economics 122 (August 2007) Farnsworth, S.J Lichter S.R, The Nightly News Nightmare: Television’s Coverage of Presidential Elections, 1988-2004, 2nd ed. 2007 Rowman and Littlefield Finkel, S.E, Re-examining the Minimal Effects Model in Recent Presidential Campaigns, The Journal of Politics, Vol 55, Number 1 (Feb 1993) pp 1-21 Roderick P.H Shaw D.R 2001, Communication in US Elections, Rowman and Littlefield Stromback J Dimitrova D.V 2006, Political and Media Systems Matter, A Comparison of Election News Coverage in Sweden and the US, The International Journal of Press/Politics, Fall 2006 Vol 11, Number 4, pp 131-147 McCombs, M, 1997, Building Consensus, The News Media’s Agenda Setting Roles, Political Communication, Vol 14, Issue 4, pp 433-443 How to cite What role has been played by the media in US political contests?, Essay examples

Social Issue Unemployment

Question: Discuss about theSocial Issuefor Unemployment. Answer: Introduction: Unemployment is that condition of person in which an individual is able to work but he is unable to find work. Usually, unemployment arises because individual does not want to work or he or she is punished by law, but situations changed and now main factors of unemployment includes factors which are not under the control of individual such as seasonal layoffs under jobs related to agriculture, changes occurred in industry related to technology, racial discrimination, absence of adequate skills in worker, and economic fluctuations. As per government view, an unemployed person means someone who does not have job but actively looking for job. Any person who is not searching the job is not included in the category of unemployed person. Unemployment rates include those persons who are working under part time jobs because full time jobs are not available (Casey, 2016). In this paper we state the issue related to unemployment in Canada and possible ways to deal with this issue. At last, we conclude the essay with brief conclusion. Unemployment in Canada: In January 2017, the unemployment rate in Canada was declined to 6.8% from 6.9% in December 2016. There is increase in the full time employment by 15.8 thousand jobs as compared to fall of 0.4% in December. On the other hand part time employment was raised by 32.4 thousand as compare to fall of 0.5% in December. The reason behind this growth in January was jobs created in service sector such as increase in finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing business, building and other support services, transportation and warehousing; and public administration. On the other hand, few jobs are emerged in information, culture and recreation sector (Trading Economics, 2017). Inflation and unemployment are those variables which are dependent on each other, and various studies are conducted for the purpose of determining the impact of inflation and unemployment on growth of economy. Wald Model introduced by Cobb Douglas was used to examine the long term relationship between both the variables. In one study, author conducted Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) test for the purpose of assessing the effect of inflation and unemployment on economic growth and result of this study showed that both the variables are stable in nature. A result of ARDL also showed there is long term relationship exists between the variables. Additionally political stability and effective education system also help in reducing the unemployment and it increases the economic growth (Jouzaryan Mohseni, 2016). In Canada, unemployment rate related to youth is comparatively higher than adults. In recent years, recession and then subsequent recovery of recession during 2008-2009 is not an exception. Youth unemployment remain high at 16% across the G20 nations and encouraging entrepreneurship is the only solution of this problem (Pinelli, 2014).In 2012, unemployment rate related to youth aged between15-24 was 14.3% as compared to unemployment rate 6% for workers who are under age between25-54. The main issue of concern in the public is high rate of unemployment among the emerging adults aged upto 18 to 25 years. Because of unemployment there are high chances of depression among the emerging adults as compared to people who are employed. Knowledge related to relationship between unemployment and mental health is very less among emerging adults. As per one survey there are almost 23 % emerging adults were unemployed and almost 12% are depressed because of unemployment. Results of this survey clearly state that unemployment is the biggest reason of depression, and it also state that depression among unemployed are 3 times higher as compared to depression in employed person (McGee Thompson, 2015, Pp-1). Structural unemployment referred to that unemployment which occurred because of changes in customers demand and results in growth in one industry and declined in another industry. We can understand this with the help of example that is in Atlantic Canada there is no demand for building the ship because of some changes. This type of unemployment results in regional unemployment because there are number of areas in which people are not able to find new jobs and their old areas are already shut down. Seasonal unemployment causes because of change in climate and it varies in the Canada regions. There are number of industries which cannot work in winter time such as fishing, construction, and tourism. On the other hand there are number of companies in which demand increases such as ice cleaning. There are some other general examples under which we can see number of peoples is seasonally unemployed such as farming, lumbering and etc. in these areas people are employed for six months and earn well but for other six months they are unemployed when there industry has no work (Catt, 1961). Historical Context of Unemployment: In 1980, big recession was begins and it mainly hit the manufacturing sector of Canada, and this recession continued until 1985. In case of forest product industry, unemployment increases from 6.4% in 1979 to 19.2% in 1982. In 1982 unemployment rate was 44%. During the period of 1980s and 1990s, resource manufacturing sector of Canada also face major employment loss. In 1964-1973 unemployment rates in G-7 nations for the decade were 3.1% as compared to period 1983-1992 when it was 7.8% (Castells Aoyama, 1994). Employment reduction was not even in all sectors, and Canada was badly affected because it face large reductions in manufacturing employment almost 32% as compared to G-7 average of 24% during the period 1971 to 1991 (Hershel, Kelly, Demers, Teschke Hertzman, 2001). Government Policies and Programs: There are number of government policies and programs initiated by government such as economic policy, monetary policy and focus on inflation. Economy is the collection of number of customers and firms which are dealing on daily basis to determine the goods and services to be produced such as firms which are supplying various products and consumers which are ultimately consuming that product, and also price paid by consumers to consuming that product. In case of predominantly market economics such as Canada and the United States, governments play important role at all levels such as they tax number of economic activities for raising the revenue, and then these resources are spend by government on different services such as defense, health care, education, and public housing. There is case when government are not imposing tax directly on some products but still they access certain level of control by making different regulations in some areas such as product safety, ownership of foreign investors, licenses for television stations, milk production quotas, and minimum wages. On the other hand Macroeconomics usually focuses on some specific goods and services and their detail instead of focus on some economic attributes such as total output, inflation, unemployment, and economic growth. Macroeconomics Policy includes two policies that are fiscal policy and monetary policy (Bank of Canada, n.d.; WSWS, n.d.). Fiscal policy includes number of decisions related to taxation, spending, and borrowing. Fiscal policy is set up for all levels that are federal, provincial, and municipal because all these levels have ability to raise revenue by imposing any type of taxation and to spend these resources on different goods and services. Every fiscal policy framed by government has different dimensions especially for federal level because at this level revenue can be raised by imposing different taxes, and these collected resources are spend on different products in different regions and try to generate number of benefits from these resources. Future Proposed Solutions: From many years government is trying to deal with unemployment, and after analyzing this topic three theories are identified in this context and how to deal with this issue. First theory related to this topic states that work force is developing more rapidly as compared to job market and this happens because of increase in birth rate, increase in expectations from life, and also increase in the percentage of population which seeks entry in the job market such as women emergence becomes the major part of labor market. The proposed solution relayed to this is to create more jobs and government does this thing by taking steps in subsidies, tax incentives, and directly creates the jobs. There are many changes in job market which eliminates the many skills which cause many individuals unemployed such as increase in use of computers has unemployed many individuals engaged in clerical jobs. The proposed solution for this issue is to teach the employees with new updated technology and provide them improve marketable skills. We can treated it as disease in which we cannot kill the patient either we should prevent or cure the disease. Conclusion: In this paper we state the issue related to unemployment which is the major economic issue in Canada. As we stated above this issue is really the matter of concern in Canada and other parts of the world also and government framed different kind of policies for dealing with this issue that is economic policy, fiscal policy and monetary policy. It is clear from above factors that issue of unemployment must need serious solutions because it also slows down the development of economy in state. References: Bank of Canada. The Economy and Economic Policy. Retrieved on 15th February 2017 from: https://www.bankofcanada.ca/publications/books-and-monographs/why-monetary-policy-matters/1-economy/. Castells M. Aoyama Y. (1994). Paths towards the informational society: employment structure in G-7 countries, 192090. International Labour Review, 133(1) Pp- 6-33. Catt, G. (1961). Unemployment in Canada.The Western Socialist. Vol. 28 (6) pages 6-9. Casey, W. C. (2016). State minimum wage policies and unemployment rates. Retrieved on 15th February 2017 from: https://www.csus.edu/ppa/thesis-project/bank/2016/whiting-casey.pdf. Hershler, R. Kelly, S. Demers, P. Teschke, K. hertzman, C. (2001). Effects of de-industrialization on unemployment, re-employment, and work conditions in a manufacturing workforce. BMC public health. McGee, E. R. Thompson, J. N. (2015). Unemployment and Depression among Emerging Adults in 12 States, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2010. Volume 12 (38). Mohseni, M. Jouzaryan, F. (2016). Examining the Effects of Inflation and Unemployment on Economic Growth in Iran (1996-2012). Procedia Economics and Finance, Volume 36, Pages 381-389 Pinelli, M. (2014). 10 Recommendations to Help Reduce Youth Unemployment through Entrepreneurship. Retrieved on 15th February 2017 from:https://www.forbes.com/sites/ey/2014/09/05/10-recommendations-to-help-reduce-youth-unemployment-through-entrepreneurship/#781c136bf8cf. Trading Economics, (2017). Canada Unemployment Rate. Retrieved on 15th February 2017 from: https://www.tradingeconomics.com/canada/unemployment-rate. WSWS, (2012). Canadian government attacks wages and unemployment benefits. Retrieved on 15th February 2017 from: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2012/05/cana-m28.html.

The Effectiveness Of Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter Essays

The Effectiveness Of Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter Winston 1 The Effectiveness of Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter The effectiveness of symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne's, The Scarlet Letter adds to the story. Hawthorne uses symbolism in many ways throughout this novel. By adding this marvelous feature he makes it clear to what he is trying to accomplish. The scarlet letter itself is symbolic. In this novel locations, colors, and people are all major elements of symbolism that bring out the story. Unlink other forms of symbolism used by Hawthorne location was a key ingredient in the creation of The Scarlet Letter. She silently ascended the steps, and stood on the platform, holding little Pearl by the hand. The ministry felt for the child's other hand, and took it. The moment that he did so, there came what seemed a tumultuous rush of new life, other life that his own, pouring like a torrent unto his heart, and hurrying through all his veins, as if the mother and the child were communicating their vital warmth to his half-torpid system. The three formed an electric chain (181). The scaffold is the location where most important events take place. The scaffold is, where Hester is sentenced to wear the scarlet letter, and is also the location where Dimmesdale died confessing his adultery. All public humiliation as well as punishment takes place at the scaffold. Hawthorne uses the forest is another effective use of symbolism. He shows how anything affiliated with the forest is considered evil to the Puritans, however he uses Pearl to show the forest as being beautiful and natural. Winston 2 Hawthorne uses also color as another major form of symbolism. According to American Literary Classics, Outside the door of the prison, ?the black flower of civilized society,? sprung a wild rosebush in nominal of the deep sympathetic heart of Nature. Black, thus, seems to symbolize the dogmatic, harsh, and restrictive nature of Man's law and civilized society, whereas, Red is symbolic of the open freedom of Nature. Hawthorne well placed locations help intertwines location with color and nature. ?The people strike me not as characters, but as representatives.?(James, Henry) Hester Prynne and Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale share a common trait; they both symbolize sinners. Hawthorne also stresses that Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, and Hester are all symbolic of liars, they are all evil in someway or another. Rev. Dimmesdale hates himself, because he is the Great Rev. who everyone looks up to but he himself is living in a total lie, so much that he is his own worst enemy. ?He thus typified the constant introspection wherewith he tortured, but could not purify himself? his bad deed (141). The character of Roger Chillingworth is symbolic of his own name. ?We (Dimmesdale and Hester) are not, Hester, the worst sinners in the world. There is one worse than even the polluted priest! That old man's revenge has blacker than my sin. He has violated, in cold blood, the sanctity of a human heart (179).? This is the unpardonable sin which make Chillingworth pure evil, the devil at heart. Pearl, Hester's child, is symbolic of changing Puritan society. She is the out come and cause of the scarlet letter. Born of sin, rebellious to the Puritan way of life, but not evil. When Wilson first sees her, he calls her a ?Red Rose?, then letter asks he who made her. She intelligently responds without hesitation, that she was plucked off the rose bush outside the prison door. Winston 3 Hester Nathaniel Hawthorne's, The Scarlet Letter, use of symbolism adds to the story. Without his effective use of symbolism the plot, theme, the whole novel would not flow. By allowing so many locations, colors, and people to have more than just one general meaning, allows the reader think, ?what if?. Hawthorne uses symbolism in The Scarlet Letter is so effective it urges the reader to read the novel more than once. By adding this marvelous feature he makes it clear to what he is trying to accomplish. In this novel locations, colors, and people are all major elements of symbolism that add to the story. Bibliography Annotated Bibliography Bercovitch, Sacvan ?The Scarlet Letter: A Twice- Told Tale? Nathaniel Hawthorne Review 10/12/1996 Online 23 March 2000 Available: http://eldred.ne.mediaone.net/nh/sb1.html. The writer

Analysis of Theodore Kaczynski Terrorist or Serial Killer essays

Analysis of Theodore Kaczynski Terrorist or Serial Killer essays The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of criminal justice. Specifically it will discuss the "Unabomber," Ted Kaczynski, and whether Kaczynski should be classified as a terrorist or a serial killer, including the difference between the two classifications. Ted Kaczynski, a reclusive loaner at war with American societal values, created a wave of terror when he randomly sent bomb packages to people in several states. Convicted as the "Unabomber" in 1998 to life in prison, Kaczynski shows classic symptoms of mental disorders associated with serial killers; however, Kaczynski was a terrorist pure and simple. He waged violence against innocent victims as a sad protest against American societal values, and as such, created a wave of terror and confusion until he was caught and tried. He currently serves a life sentence in a California prison. Ted Kaczynski is a legend in America's criminal justice system in that his homemade letter bombs continued for eighteen years before the FBI finally caught him. Kaczynski did not start out as the reclusive backwoodsman who shunned technology and American society. In fact, for the early years of his adult life, he was part of mainstream society. He was a university professor and mathematician who came to believe, in fact nearly worship the notions that society was doomed because of its general acceptance of technology, politics, and even public relations that "suppresses individual freedom and destroys nature. 'The system does not and cannot exist to satisfy human needs. Instead, it is human behavior that has to be modified to fit the needs of the system'" (Chase, 2000, p. 41), he wrote in his "Manifesto." Kaczynski gave up his professorship at the University of California at Berkeley, and moved to the Montana wilderness in 1971. In 1978, he sent out his first mail bomb, and the rest is history. The Unabomber investigation is reputed to be the most expe...

On the origin of speaking - Emphasis

On the origin of speaking On the origin of speaking Last Thursday marked the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin: an event that did not go uncelebrated at Emphasis HQ. And even as we hung the streamers and tied up the balloons we were silently thanking the birthday boy for explaining the opposable thumbs that allowed us to do it. I mean, of course, his theory of natural selection: that particular cause of evolution that pits genes in competition with each other so that organisms can win the reproduction war, becoming increasingly sophisticated in tiny increments along the way. The roots and evolution of language have proved trickier to reconcile with Darwins magnum opus. The fact that humans happily chat away from an early age while chimps our closest relatives in the animal kingdom stay stoically silent has led to doubts on the subject. Possible suggestions for our capacity for communication are as varied as Divine bestowment or a coincidental by-product of some other adaptation process. (For example, bones are white not for aesthetic reasons but because they are strengthened with calcium. Which is white.) But theres hope yet for hard-line Darwinist linguists. Steven Pinker suggests humans have a language instinct, * which has been gradually honed for 200,000 years: this explains why children begin to pick up pretty complex grammar before they even go to school; why every community and tribe ever discovered has a stable language with regulated grammar and syntax; and why even people deaf from birth include these features in their sign language. And we cant possibly learn it by rote since it is virtually limitless: we can use it to form endlessly innovative combinations of words. Theres no reason to expect chimps to have this innate ability (tea adverts aside) because we are not descended from them directly: we share a common (extinct) ancestor. Developing our brains in this unique way is no odder, Pinker points out, than an elephant developing a trunk. In business, out-performing your rivals is still vital for survival. So were here to help your writing evolve: we like to think of ourselves as the winning gene. And hopefully that Darwin would be proud. * For more on this see Steven Pinker The Language Instinct (Penguin Books Ltd 1994)

Professional Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Professional Practice - Essay Example urse-led clinics which have provided opportunities to adjust patient care plans in meeting current needs and reducing the worsening of health issues (Schraeder, et.al., 2008). Nurse led clinics also assist in the collaboration process with physicians, helping identify roles, scope of practice and accepted communication avenues. They also help ensure timely and efficient communication about the patient’s status between the patient and the physician (Schraeder, et.al., 2008). Through follow-up contacts with the nurses in the nurse-led clinics, nurses help provide support for the patients in handling and understanding their condition (Rydeman and Tornkvist, 2005). Post-discharge support is an important aspect of chronic patient care because it reduces their admissions and improves their health outcomes. Nurse-led clinics are also important in managing chronic illnesses in the sense that they assist in the self-management of chronic diseases. They help provide support for the pati ents, as well as emotional bonds which provide patient compliance with the treatment processes (Furler, et.al., 2008). Patients discuss how they are able to establish a semblance of control over their condition with the support of health professionals, in the case of nurse-led clinics, the nurses are able to provide support for these chronically ill patients within their community and even their home setting. In effect, these clinics secure quality, consistent, and constant patient care for the chronically ill. D. (2008). The emotional context of self-management in chronic illness: A qualitative study of the role of health professional support in the self-management of type 2 diabetes. BMC Health Services Research, volume 8

Human Resource Management (report writing) Assignment

Human Resource Management (report writing) - Assignment Example It has been in operation for about eight years now and has dominated the sector since its formation until presently new and more competitive companies are coming on the scene. The main business they do is to take over the transport section of large companies on the contract basis. Their main duty is to ensure employees of these companies are transported to and from their workplaces everyday. They have a large number of buses they use in performing this task. When it comes to recruitment of workers the first step the company take is to first advertise the vacancy (ies) on the media and give a period of time for interested applicants to apply for whatever position they want to occupy. Qualified applicants are then invited for interviewing. The result of the interview determines whether or not the applicant has a better chance of been employed. After the interview the officials, Officials in charge sit down and analyze each individual and potentials so as to be able to select the best among them to occupy whatever vacancy they apply for. The basis they use in determining whether or not someone is qualified for the job, depends on the position the person applied for. In a transport company such as this, the main group of employees would be the drivers responsible for driving the vehicles, engineers responsible for the maintenance of the vehicles and the administrators including managers. In recruiting drivers for instance, some of the things they look out for include, genuine driving licenses, certificate of completion of a driving school, Non-taker of any sort of alcoholic substances. There are other qualities also that the drivers are supposed to have which runs through the other two groups, that is the engineers and the administrators. These qualities include hard working, time consciousness and dedicative amongst others. The people in charge of the interview are able to identify whether or not the applicants have these qualities elaborated above through how the applicants addresses questions thrown to them. Those applying to work in the engineering department are also expected to have at least a higher national diploma in engineering or higher depending on the position the applicant is applying for. They are also to have a minimum working experience of two to three years in their field. How applicants to this criterion are also expected to posses the above-mentioned general qualities. Applicants for positions in the administrative section are also expected to posses certain potentials in addition to the general ones every worker is expected to have. These potentials also vary depending on the section of administrative work the applicant want to serve in. It could be finance, Human resource management amongst others. But one has to have at least a higher national diploma in whatever section of admini stration the applicant wants to serve. For the applicants in the engineering and administrative sections, the interviewing stage serves as the selection stage also, where qualified are fully employed afterwards. In the case of the drivers the process is quite different. They are recruited

Counseling Ethics Essay Example for Free

Counseling Ethics Essay Ethics are based on philosophical principles and these guidelines assist a practitioner in making the best possible decisions for the welfare of the clients and the practitioner himself. Ethics are normative or critical in nature and concern human conduct and moral decision. Morality describes decision making and judgement by an individual concerning an incident or human behaviour. This is greatly influenced by the values he or she has acquired or formed as a result of external influence or indoctrination. Value is an enduring belief that a specific that a specific end-state of conduct is desirable (McLeod, 1998). Terminal and instrumental values are two types of values where the former refer to the desired end-state of existence, for example wisdom and the later refer to the mode of conduct that leads to it, for example broad-mindedness .Values then influence and determine the decisions we choose to make in our daily lives. In providing an effective, therapeutic therapy, a practitioner helping a client encountering dilemma in decision- making may adopt the eight – step model approach to think through the ethical problems (Corey, Corey Callanan, 2007). The steps of the model are described as follows: Step 1- Identify the problem or dilemma. In the first step the existence of the problem must be recognised. The nature of the problem has to be ascertained. Identify if it is an ethical, legal, moral, professional or clinical problem. The practitioner’s and the client’s insights regarding the problem must be examined. Consultation with the client can begin at this stage as problems are being identified. Looking at the problem from different perspectives is useful as most ethical dilemmas are complex. Step 2 – Identify the potential issues involved. From the collected information, irrelevant ones must be discarded. The critical issues must be noted and described. The welfare of those involved; their rights and responsibilities must be evaluated. Ethical principles relevant to the problem must be identified and examined with the client. In doing so the moral principles namely, autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, justice and fidelity must be considered and applied to the  situation. The safety and welfare of the client and practitioner cannot be compromised while potential issues are being sorted out. Step 3- Review the relevant ethics codes. The practitioner must seek guidance that can be found from the professional codes of ethics. They provide a basis for accountability, and through their enforcement, provide protection for clients from unethical practices (Corey, 1997). Practitioner must also examine the agreeability of his values with the relevant codes. Should they be in conflict, he must have a rationale to support his stance. It is essential to consider congruency of these values and ethics with those of the client’s. The practitioner must ensure clarity of the ethical codes and if they are applicable with the state laws of the region. Step 4- Know the applicable laws and regulations. The practitioner should be up to date with the specific and relevant laws that apply to the ethical issue. This is particularly critical in situations which deal with keeping or breaching of confidentiality, reporting of child or elder abuse, record keeping, assessment, diagnosis, issues pertaining to dangers to self or others and the grounds of malpractice. Step 5- Obtain consultation. Consulting with colleagues to obtain different perspectives on the problems is generally considered to be helpful. Seeking legal counsel for legal questions is prudent along with consulting a person with an expertise in an unfamiliar culture to serve a client from that culture. In addition the practitioner must understand current rules and regulations of the agency or organization that he or she is working for. It is wise for the nature of the consultation and suggestions provided to be documented. These records would illustrate the practitioner’s attempt to adhere to the community’s standard practice. Step 6- Consider possible and probable courses of action. At this point a list of a variety of courses of action may be identified  through brainstorming. The practitioner could discuss with the client as well as other professionals the available options. The possibilities could be identified for probable courses of actions and these should be documented. Step 7- Enumerate the consequences of various decisions. From the various possible courses of actions, implications of each course must be examined. The questions of who will be affected and to what extent will the client’s decision to pursue the actions affect them must be carefully examined. Again using the fundamental moral principles as a framework, the client must collaborate with the practitioner to ascertain the probable outcomes and consequences. If new ethical issues arise from the selected course of action, a re-evaluation of the action must be pursued. Step 8- Decide on what appears to be the best course of action. Careful consideration of all information received from different sources deliberately and with sensitivity to cross cultural issues is critical before making the best decision. Once making the decision, informing the supervisor, implementing and documenting the decision follows. Reflecting on the experience considering any follow up action could result in finding a solution for the client. While the procedural steps may help in resolving ethical matters, some implications may be noted. Firstly, the client enters a collaborative relationship with the practitioner. The implication is that the client with the practitioner’s help must draw out the details of the problem. This implicates that the client should refrain from coveting relevant information to enable an accurate analysis of the issue. This is to ascertain the true nature of the problem whether it is an ethical, legal, moral, professional, or clinical one. The different perspectives of the problem must be explored. What are the insights the client and practitioner have regarding the problem? (Corey et al., 2007). Failing which the consequence is an unnecessary delay in resolving the problem as there will be an inaccurate analysis of the situation. Secondly, in identifying the potential issues, all the persons involved in the problem must be identified. The implication of failing to identify any one individual who may be affected by the decision of the client would be unethical. The welfare, rights and responsibilities of those affected by the decision might create a different set of problems. The decision would then have to be reversed and a new course of action would have to be pursued. It is to therefore necessary to explore to what extent the course of the action will affect the client and the others (Corey et al., 2007). Next the values and ethics of the client and the practitioner must be evaluated and the degree of congruency noted. This implicates that the relevant ethical principles that are identified to the problem should not be in conflict with those of the client and the practitioner. If there are disagreements, then they must be supported with a rationale. If necessary, guidance must be sought from the relevant organization to clarify the professional codes to the particular problem. Otherwise consequently, the client’s decision may violate the ethical codes relevant to the issue. The client must be informed of the relevant and most recent laws or regulations that apply to the situation. He must look out for any law or regulations that have a bearing on the situation. The implication of his ignorance is that he may run into problems with the law. The practitioner too must abide by the rules, regulations and policies of the workplace. When in doubt practitioner must seek professional advice. The client must be informed of legal issues related to confidentiality, abuse of the vulnerable, record keeping and grounds for malpractice. If the practitioner discovers a criminal act by a client for example, sex with an under-aged girl he has the moral responsibility to report him. The practitioner has the ethical responsibility to discuss with the client on the implications of his actions before reporting the incident. The client must understand the implications of his actions that violate the law. The fundamental moral principles may be considered as framework for evaluating the consequences of the given course of action. The client must  decide the principles that apply to the situation specifically and prioritise them. By thinking through these ethical principles, professional can better evaluate their options in such complex situations. Prioritising the principles can help the client and practitioner to work through the steps of the decision-making model (Elizabeth, 2010). There are implications however when prioritizing one over another. The practitioner encourages the client to exercise autonomy i.e. making a free choice. In doing so, the client must have the concept of doing no harm or non-maleficence and acting in justice (Elizabeth, 2010). Conflict can arise when subscribing to justice which may result in the necessity of treating an individual differently. Though not easy to apply equal weightage to all the principles, it will help to explore an ethical dilemma and resolve it with the least damage to the welfare of those affected. The model may be useful when clients seek help in making decisions in their life regarding relationship issues. A client may be caught in a loveless marriage and be involved in an extra-marital affair and seek advice to take the next step in his life. The dilemma of whether to dissolve his marriage and move on with his life or stay in the marriage to fulfil his duties towards his wife and children is one that needs careful consideration. A divorce would mean breaking up of his family and causing a disruption in the relationship with his children. Staying in the marriage would mean the sacrifice of his love life. Analysing his situation using the model can shed light to clarify the implications of his actions and weigh the consequences. The model may help clients to make decisions at their place of work regarding conflicting work practices. An office worker may be tormented by the wrong practices of her fellow colleagues. She may be facing a dilemma as to whether to report her colleagues to the management or turn a blind eye to the situation. The model can help the client to analyse the situation and evaluate her moral values. She would then be able to make an ethical decision that would do least harm to those involved in the situation. In conclusion, the eight – step model can be a useful tool in helping a practitioner to guide clients to make sound decisions that do not have  conflict with their ethics and are aligned with the laws and regulations of the region. In doing so the practitioner must ensure that he or she is operating in the best interest of the clients.

The Surroundings of Man :: essays research papers

The Surroundings of Man   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Is man really born with a evil persona or a persona that is worthy as an angel or is man born naked for a reason because he has nothing to bring to this world but himself? A person is not innately any characteristic, he was brought to the world from love and must choose to love or not. Mother Theresa explains this best by saying, â€Å"Everyone was created to be loved and to love.† The novel, Lord of the Flies, has characters that were not brought to the island good or evil, but has characters that changed because the atmosphere that they are in changed them. Because of the environment that you are in makes you become a certain person, you change with the circumstances of your environment, and interact with the condition of your environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Major events affect your life in drastic ways. A marriage, for instance is a major occurrence and different kinds of marriages can drastically change your life. A marriage that is abusive emotionally and physically can make your life full of hatred, you could be depressed, you could see your self as less a person than you are, and you could also be a frightened person because of it. A marriage completely different is one full of love. A marriage like that can cause a person to act blissful, to go out and do more things on account of your support system, and you can show other people to have loving lives like yours. All the characters, as one, are in a kind of marriage together, they lived concurrently and supported each other. The marriage was abusive, they taunted each other, especially Piggy. They taunted him at first meeting by saying this, â€Å"He’s not Fatty... his real name’s Piggy†(21). On account of that Piggy felt not worthy to other characters in the novel and didn’t get to show his more intelligent side to everyone. Events are a primary device that causes people to act a certain way. If the characters didn’t live so close together and taunt Piggy, would he have acted the way he did through the course of the novel?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Being brought into particular situations can alter your life. To cite an instance, a child being taken from his home, the only place he knew, and put into a foster home would be a particular situation that could alter one’s life. The other place he lived in may have been harmful to his well-being and it was a positive occurrence that he was brought out of his home. On the other hand, the foster home could affect his well-being in a more

Company specific problems that lead to the failure of the implementation Essay

Internal constraints that lead failure in implementing the BSC system in Tian-an Car Insurance Company were brought out when the following research question was posed: â€Å"Why did you stop to use it, is there any disadvantages you can find? † Following is a raft of company specific difficulties that the company faced during implementation as per the responses of managers S, H, F and O. †¢ An excess of indicators: poor design of the BSC resulted to so many â€Å"indicators† that others were left unaccounted for. †¢ Due to inability to synchronize available resources with demand the company could not sufficiently satisfy the requirements of all the four perspectives. That is why one manager said:† We can not spend too much time on customers and employees’ investigation. † †¢ The fear that questionnaire data collected by company employees from clients would be biased and not the true picture of the BSC perspective â€Å"how our Customers view us. † †¢ A completed balanced scorecard model for the business took too long. †¢ Expectation of Instant results: â€Å"The agent told us that it need spend some time to see the effect, I think BSC can not help in short-run decision making. † A manager said. The BSC is a performance measurement system that directs decision makers toward long-term value creating activities. It is not meant be a measure of dealing with emergencies. †¢ The problem of size: â€Å"our branch is not large enough, so the advantages were not clearly identified† Said F. â€Å"Comparing benefits against costs (to the agent fee), there was no â€Å"good value for money. † A unified approach would have given better results. The company has eight branches! †¢ Resistance: â€Å"I found that there were many complaints from our employees. Someone felt it waste their time to response each indicator† said H. A change management process would have sufficed. †¢ SBC used as a control tool: management’s lack of knowledge on how to use the BSC led to strictly following â€Å"targets†, and decreasing staff bonuses. This made â€Å"others to doubt their ability† and increased complaints. This was a case of managing staff instead of managing processes. †¢ After applying the BSC manager O could not fins any noticeable â€Å"good performance in the period† 4. 3. 8. Communication is the life blood of a successful BSC system: That poor communication contributed to the failure to implement the BSC system in Tian-an Car Insurance Company is revealed by responses obtained from the question: â€Å"Do the managers and employees communicate regularly? † The Car insurance sales manager (S) said: â€Å"Not really, because our employees are really busy. But we have employees’ meeting in each Wednesday, we could communicate at that time. † The Car insurance financial manager (F) said: No, unless at employees’ meeting, but I just report some targets and requires. Comments will not be reflected to me. † While the Human resources manager (H) said: â€Å"Yes, I communicate with employees regularly and they will have some complaints and suggestions. † This finding suggests that the communications structure in this company is flawed. It could just be that the company has a top-bottom but no bottom up, horizontal and diagonal communication. Additionally it is evident that complaints are only directed towards the human resource manager. 4. 3. 9. Tian-an Car Insurance Company management have no regrets and would consider implementing the system if given a second chance: The whole rounded nature of the BSC serves as an eye opener to any one who gets a chance to experience it. When a manager was asked: â€Å"After you quitted using the BSC, have you tried other performance measurement systems? † He answered: â€Å"No, I think BSC [introduced us to the world of] performance measurement systems. Our employees have increased their knowledge about management performance and when our company becomes large enough, we will consider using it again. † 4. 3. 10. Lessons Learnt: To appreciate the impact of implementing the BSC, Tian-an Car Insurance Company managers gave a raft of lessons learnt that shows the true extend of their new understanding of performance measurement. This was in response to the following question: â€Å"Any possible suggestions for using the balanced scorecard in your branch? † †¢ The Car insurance sales manager (S) said that: â€Å"I think each level of a company should understand their Key Performance Indicators and Targets. The training of balanced scorecard should not be neglected. †¢ Company Car insurance financial manager (F) responded: â€Å"Key Performance Indicators and Targets should be set properly† †¢ The Human resources manager (H) advised: â€Å"I think [a good] training on the balanced scorecard is more important than the other [aspects of the system]. Companies should let their employees understand the whole [BSC] process first. They should [establish] a feedback [feature to facilitate communication from all directions] so that management and employees can discuss and adjust the targets immediately. † A proper appraisal mechanism should also be in place. † The above lessons learnt are excellent and are important ingredients for best practices in the implementation of the BSC system in any company. 4. 4. Conclusion What you measure is what you get. (Kaplan and Norton 1992) Effective managers understand that performance measurement systems that focus on only one aspect like finance and production are not good enough. They realize that no single measure can provide a clear performance target or focus attention on the critical areas of the business. The balanced score card allows managers to look at the business from four important perspectives: the customer, internal, innovation and learning and financial perspectives. This checks the company from having too many or too few measures. It is a superior system. It is recommended that the Tian-an car insurance company adopts the balanced Score Card system. Tian-an Car Insurance Company structure. References: Francesco, A. M. , and Gold, B. A. (2005) International Organizational Behavior Pearson Education Inc. One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ USA. Kaplan, R. , S. , Norton, David, P. , (1992). ‘The Balanced Score Card – Measures that Drive Performance’, Harvard Business Review, and Reprint 92105.

Free Will and Fate Essay

Everything in life happens for a reason, may it be the choices made or the destiny fulfilled. Along the way though many people offer advice that affect choices made, was it fate that they gave their input? Is it free will to take or not to take that advice? Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey demonstrates that despite warning, characters often use their free will to make choices that in the end actually fulfill their fate. Primarily Aegisthus’s refusal to acknowledge the gods warning, serves as the first example of mankind using her own free will to bring her destiny to fruition. Hermes tells Aegisthus not to sleep with Clytemnestra and not to kill Agamemnon, but he does so anyway, and so Orestes kills Aegisthus as revenge. Aegisthus received warning from the gods, they told him â€Å"far in advance†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢don’t murder the man†¦ don’t court his wife†¦ revenge will come from Orestes’† (Homer 1. 45-48) and the predicted outcome came true –Aegisthus was killed. The Gods warned Aegisthus of what his fate held, and in utilizing his free will he chose to ignore this advice and his fate became reality. It is â€Å"with [each characters] own reckless ways†¦ heir pains [are compounded] beyond their proper share† (Homer 1. 39-40); meaning that committing reckless actions will result in possible calamitous outcomes. Aegisthus chose to kill Agamemnon, he chose to court Clytemnestra, he chose to ignore the advice from the gods, and so he ended up destroyed fulfilling the fate of receiving pain thanks to his own reckless behavior. Likewise, Homer clearly comments on the tendency of humans disregarding warnings of potential hazards, through his inclusion of The Phaecians’ decision to ignore their prophecy and aid travelers resulting in fate fulfillment. The Phaecians’ were forewarned in a prophecy that â€Å"Poseidon was vexed with [them] because/ [they] escorted all mankind and never came to grief / [and]†¦ one day a well built ship of [theirs]†¦ [would be crushed]† (Homer 13. 196-200); Alcinous’s father received this prophecy years ago and gave no acknowledgement of the prophecy when time came to ship Odysseus back to Ithaca. As a result of The Phaecians’ seeing blind of the prophecy and escorting Odysseus back to Ithaca, their ship got crushed and mountains surrounded the port. When Odysseus determined that it was time for him to sail back to Ithaca, Alcinous had no hesitation in assisting him. Alcinous â€Å"knew [that Odysseus] wouldn’t be driven /off†¦course, [that] nothing could hold [him] back† (Homer 13. 5-7), but what he knew and ignored was the free will choice he made to neglect the prophecy and allow the fate of himself and his fellow Phaecians to end in destruction just as it was destined to be. Similarly, Amphinomus reflects the human quality of free will leading to fate as he acquired purposeful advice from Odysseus (the beggar), yet he continued his pursuit of Penelope, and ended up dead. Amphinomus received potentially life saving advice from the one that ended up killing him, Odysseus, but his ignorance of the ‘vagabond’ and how insightful he was made him assume that he would â€Å"never suffer affliction down the years†¦ affronting the loyal wife of a man who won’t be gone†¦long† (Homer 18. 153-168) and so in the spirit of free will he continued to attempt to court Penelope all under the nose of Odysseus. Therefore, as Odysseus began his revenge Amphinomus was â€Å"fraught with grave forebodings†¦. /but not even so could he escape his fate†¦ Athena had bound him fast to death /at the hands of Prince Telemachus and his spear† (Homer 18. 77-179) as it had been destined to be. Cause: Amphinomus ignoring advice given to him that would potentially save his life – Free Will†¦ Effect: Amphinomus is killed – Fate. All in all, Homer’s The Odyssey display’s the idea that regardless of warning fate is decided by free will and vice versa. Aegisthus, The Phaecians, and Amphinomus all received warning, and utilizing their free will they all chose to take a separate path one that led to ultimate fate. ‘Fate leads him who follows it, and drags him who resists. ’

Sin in Scarlet Letter essays

Sin in Scarlet Letter essays Hawthorne, the author of The Scarlet Letter, uses sin in his novel as the main theme. Each of the main characters; Hester Pryne, Roger Chillingworth, and Arthur Dimmesdale, have sinned in the novel. Hesters sin was committing adultery, Dimmesdales sin was that he covered up the fact that he and Hester had an affair and Chillingworths sin was marrying a younger woman which then turns into greater sins. Hester Pryne, the lead female character in this novel, is a strong and loveable woman. Due to Hesters sin, adultery, she has to wear a scarlet A on her chest. Hester does not cover up her sin in the novel, she openly appreciates the letter because she knows that her sin was not done in order to hurt others, but because of her love for Dimmesdale. She wore the letter proudly and it was elaborately designed. Hesters sin was not the worst committed among the other characters in the novel, it is the basis for the novel yet she has recompense for her sin. Hesters character grows stronger throughout the novel because of her sin; unlike Dimmesdale and Chillingworth whose sins cause the downfall of their characters. In The Scarlet Letter Dimmesdale is weak and portrayed as a cowardly character. He is also a selfish character because while Hester is up on the scaffold confessing her adultery, Dimmesdale stands and does not confess himself. He does this in order to save himself, although his sin led to the downfall of his character. Dimmesdale is so caught up in his own guilt that he does not realize that he is hurting himself over it and making himself sick because he will not confess. Although he does try to plead with Hester while she is on the scaffold and he asks her to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer! it does not work and Dimmesdale still has the guilt cast over him. This affects his life greatly, his sermons have become tor ...

Bsa Week

Why is it important to define adequately the use of a system? It is important to define the use of a system, because to know how to use it you need to understand what is was made for and what its requirements were and that made it so. It is very important to understand this and develop systems which will verity the quality in which the system was developed for. The systems ground work will be defined but its specifications and its requirements, which will be illustrated and lardier their function in a design document.What the system will accomplish is understood by what the systems requirements are. How these requirements will be met will be understood by the system specifications set by the client whom the system will serve. These two combined create the system, in which if made correctly will be made to be used with eased by the user operating the system developed. This will allow for design documentation, which will help a project team develop quality accumulation that will develop effective design documentation.This will improve stability that will allow the system to be easy and cheap to maintain. System analysis must gather accurate information to ensure that all needs are addressed, If this Is not performed properly. The system will result as a failure. Therefore It Is required to define adequately the use of a system. List five Items a typical design document contains.

Abraham Lincoln, the President of America Research Paper - 1

Abraham Lincoln, the President of America - Research Paper Example Although the list of Lincoln’s achievements is too long to narrate in few words but the greatest act he did for America as the president was closing the civil war that was about to split the country apart. When Lincoln took the presidential charge, the civil war between North and the Southern slave states was turning to a hazardous brink. The slave states formulated the Confederate States of America claiming secession. But Lincoln took a powerful position in the civil war with the unspeakable leadership skills and preserved the Union from decay. He surely endured unexpected pressures not only from the generals who did not want to fight but he also faces bickering from his own cabinet members for supporting the war. Thousands of soldiers died on the battlefield and he received many assassination threats to his life for continuing the war. But, he was truly determined to end up the war and defeat the Confederacy (Abraham Lincoln Research Site, 1996). Lincoln’s greatest speech ever was Gettysburg Address in 1863. In the address, he clearly defined that the civil war was a contest to achieve liberty for the slaves and to secure and preserve the United Nations from splitting apart. He said: â€Å"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives, that that nation might live† (Quoted from Ronald, 2008, p. 52). Although Lincoln was vehemently criticized for his decision for compromising the lives of about 8000 soldiers just in 3 days, he had a belief that his job was to preserve the country from disintegration into two parts. With fighting this civil war, he kept the nation save from other external threats.  

Research and Development at Thomas Company Essay

Research and Development at Thomas Company - Essay Example The principle bases on the cause and effect correlation (Millan, 2005). If no cause to effect correlation exists, accountants show an expense when the cost expires. According to U.S. (SFA No. 2) the expenditures are expensed by firms hence reducing net earnings of year in progress while IFRS capitalize such expenses leaving year in progress earnings unaffected (IASB, 2008). Even if the two small expenditures (R & D) are alike in their nature, their observed benefits vary significantly based on accounting handlings of such expenditures. It should be noted that small expensed intangibles are often viewed to be more auspicious to investors than small capitalized intangibles. When the expenditure is treated as the asset, significant expenditure is more beneficial than the small expenditure. Nevertheless, when the expenditure is expensed, there is no significant discrepancy between the large and the small expenditures (Sougiannis, 2014). Fundamentally, Intangibles that are acquired internally are to be expensed. Spending that from explore is recognized as cost when it sustains. The validation of this is that there should be insufficient inevitability as to whether future commercial benefits will occur or not (IASB, 2008). Similarly, the IAS 38 states that development costs shall qualify for the recognition of being intangible assets so long as the following criteria affect. The predominant criterion is the availability of plentiful technical and financial assets to accomplish the advancement. Hence, new product development $300,000 will be technically feasibly recognized in the statement of comprehensive income. Companies that adhere to IFRS classify intangible assets based on their lives. This results into assets with finite lives while others have indefinite lives (Millan, 2005). Tangibles with limited lives should be depreciated over

How consumer behaviour principles can be applied to membership Essay

How consumer behaviour principles can be applied to membership retention of the Girlguiding Organisation - Essay Example Consumer behaviour is applied for searching goods, purchasing, evaluation, and disposing of products and services; which can satisfy the consumers. It also focuses on individual decision taking abilities to spend their valuable resources (time, money and effort). Sometimes, the peculiar characteristics of consumer behaviour is reinforced or punished. It can reinforce benefits obtained from products and services, or by social approval. It is also simultaneously punished because consumers have to surrender generalized conditions, reinforce entities such as money and rights, and spend time and effort in the purchasing process (Alhadeff, 1982). It also includes concepts of ‘they buy’, ‘why they buy’, ‘when they buy’, ‘where they buy’, ‘how often they buy’, ‘how they use’ and it evaluates the impact on future purchases and how they dispose it. Marketing criticism is applicable to the entire discipline of marketing, which is used for evaluation. It identifies shortages and surpluses, and understands the critical dimensions - focus, process and purpose (Seth, 1982). Today, the consumer’s needs and wants are the primary focus, and this consumer oriented marketing philosophy is known as the marketing concept. Non-profit social organizations use three forms of communication - management communication, marketing communication and organisational communication. Corporate communication encompasses marketing communication, organization communication and management communication. As per the reference to marketing function in the development sector (NPOs), social marketing seeks to influence social behaviour not to benefit the marketer but to benefit the target audience and the general society. In the context of social marketing, it is stated that a strong image building programme increases the visibility of NPOs. The World Association of Girl Guide and Girl Scouts (WAGGS) is one of the largest women’s organizations

Soft Drinks Industry Consumer Behavior Marketing Essay

Soft Drinks Industry Consumer Behavior Marketing Essay Soft drinks industry is one of the most thriving and flourishing industries in Pakistan. With a population close to 165 million, Pakistan is one of the largest markets in the Asia Pacific region, for various fast-moving consumer goods companies, including those manufacturing soft drinks. Consumers all over Pakistan consider soft drinks as an integral part of their lives, be it routine every day meals or festive occasions, soft drinks hold immense importance as it is the primary refreshment served all over the country. Dominated by low-cost carbonates, Pakistans soft drinks industry benefits from key demand triggers such as the notable absence of alcoholic drinks industry and a warm climate. The beverage industry has around 40 plants, and employs around 500,000 people directly or indirectly. Foreign players dominate the soft-drinks sector. Pakistan Beverages, which bottles for US-based PepsiCo, and National Beverages, the bottler for Coca-Cola (also of the US), are the key players in this segment. Together, Pepsi and Coca-Cola supply 75% of the carbonated soft-drinks market, with local companies accounting for another 15-20%. The industry has seen steady growth over the past years, and despite the current economic situation in Pakistan and the high levels of inflation, the industry is bound for growth in the coming years. The major players in this market include: Coca Cola Pepsi Mountain Dew Gourmet Cola Makah Cola Amrat Cola The market is led by Pepsi which has the maximum market share in the Pakistan soft drink industry. Coca cola acts as a challenger, which challenges the presence of its major rival coke, whereas other brands such as gourmet cola and mountain dew are followers. Gourmet cola has smartly catered to the market by providing soft drinks at a much lower price than the others and distributes it only in the city of Lahore, hence is the one acting as a niche player. It has successfully entered into the soft drink market where existing strong brand names have been competing, and is expected to maintain its position which is evident by the growing demand of its cola Market Size: Led by the core carbonate brands of Coca Cola and PepsiCo, per capita soft drinks consumption in Pakistan is estimated to stand at about 20 liters per annum, which leaves significant room for growth. Over the publishers forecast period to 2014, soft drinks sales are expected to increase 39.8% to PKR19.5 billion ($233 million), with carbonates likely to pick up most of the volume growth. MARKET SEGMENTATION: Customer segmentation in Pakistan with respect to soft drink industry is done differently by the major players operating in the industry. Segmentation is done based on the lifestyle, preferences and attitudes of customers. Particularly to this industry, there exist customer segments which prefer soft drinks that taste sweeter as compared to others. Moreover, segments in the markets exist which are price conscious, and are willing to compromise as far as quality and taste is concerned. Such segments are more inclined towards paying lower prices for a soft drink that provides a similar taste as of other renowned names and modest quality. Existing customers, who are sensitive to their calorie intake but wish not to compromise on the consumption of soft drinks, are catered by brands offering the diet version. This diet version of soft drinks is even preferred by some customers who find its taste better as compared to the regular one, although such a segment is not widely recognized. Apar t from that, customer segments exist which demand bottles of soft drinks in different sizes, such as small, large and family pack, whereas the kind of packaging done for a particular soft drink also determines and caters to a certain market segment such as bottles that are disposable and non-disposable. There are different flavors that have further segmented the market, which primarily include orange (Fanta, Miranda), Cola (Coke, Pepsi), Lemon (Sprite, 7up, Lemon up, mountain dew). Segmentation of consumers has also been done on the bases of social economic class, such as new market entrants such as gourmet cola serves SEC C whereas market leaders serve SEC A and B. The market segment that we have selected for our project is individuals belonging to SEC A and SEC B who are employed and are working in private and government organizations. Target Market: The target market that we have selected from this segment as part of our term project is the carbonated soft drinks segment, which includes companies like Pepsi, Coca cola, Seven up, Mecca cola, Amrat cola, Gourmet cola and others. Objectives of the research: The research is directed to find the attributes of consumer behavior regarding the local soft drinks in the beverages industry. The scope of the research is limited to the region of Lahore due to time constraints. The basic purpose to conduct this study is to uncover the consumer perception about the local soft drinks specifically. The research will help to find out the consumer perception about what the customers think of the local soft drinks, how they perceive it when they hear or see any of the particular local brands. The position that it has taken in the minds of the consumers are important to discover. Basically, the first objective is to find the image of local soft drinks as perceived by the consumers. The study will also focus on the product specific attributes of local soft drinks. The quality of the soft drink as compared to the rest of the international competition is one of the concerns of this research. Also, taste is an important variable which will be thoroughly studied because quality of any product is judged by its taste, and it will be tested that whether the company is successful in providing the taste which is demanded by its target market or not. Also, whether it provides the soft drinks in same or better taste as provided by the international players; Pepsi co. and Coca Cola Company, or not. Whether the content of fizz in soft drink is an important variable that matters and the impact of the amount of cooling that the drink has stored in it is important to the consumers of local soft drinks or not. Along with the tangible attributes of the product, the study will also focus on the intangible attributes such as the brand name. The size and shape of the bottles, the pa ckaging and the colors used, will also be discussed. The consumer satisfaction will be gauged in terms of the competition, and what needs to be done to improve the product. The study objectives also include the consumer specific attributes towards the local soft drinks. It will include that under what circumstances or occasions do the consumers consume local soft drink. Are they brand loyal? How do they evaluate a drink over the others? And how do they make their buying decisions. It includes the influencers that influence their decision making. Furthermore, the role of advertisement will be discussed that how do the consumers dictated by the ads, how the company can improve its visual presence and what could be done to improve the company and the product. Research Methodology: The basic idea is to design a research methodology which enables us to extract maximum useful information at the least possible cost and time, without sacrificing on its reliability. Therefore, quantitative tools will be used to achieve our research objectives. Our objective factors like brand awareness, product usage and product attributes specific insights shall be obtained through a questionnaire Quantitative Research: Questionnaire The questionnaire will be the most effective and feasible tool for our research study. Other methods like phone interviews and observation study will not only be impractical due to our resource constraints but also yield very little credible information, unless the sample size is huge. The questionnaire will be very straight forward and focused so unnecessary data is not gathered and the validity of the study is maximized. Light users or users who have not consumed local colas in the past 30 days will be screened out. Therefore, those who remain will be able to effectively assess the products and its perception in their minds. A few open ended questions will be asked, along with closed ended questions that address our research objectives. In order to keep things simple, only a Likert scale will be used. The questionnaire will be distributed amongst all individuals who have been screened on the sole basis of usage. This is because currently the soft drink industry employs a mass marke ting approach, and focusing only on one or two segments will increase the sampling error. A total of 50 questionnaires will be distributed. Data Analysis The data from the questionnaire will be tabulated on excel and analyzed using statistical options like pie charts, bar graphs, tables etc. Questionnaire Analysis: The questionnaire analysis was conducted with 50 respondents, 42 Males and 8 Females, aged between 22 to 50 years of age and all. The questionnaire was based upon the variables of importance analyzed in the focus group e.g. the price of the soft drinks, availability and quality offered by each brand of carbonated soft drinks. Detailed Analysis of Questionnaire: What type of food do you like? The respondents were asked what kind and genre of food they preferred as there drinks choices are then based upon their primary food choices, a large majority of respondents responded with homemade food, followed by fast food, this indicates the evident impact on inflation in Pakistan upon peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s spending habits, more people now opt for home made food rather than fast food from upscale restaurants What type of drinks do you consume? Majority of respondents indicated that they preferred carbonated drinks as compared to coffee and other choices available to them, this shows the high positive demand soft drinks have in Pakistan. Pick one from the above and state the brands you use? Juices brands mentioned by respondents: In order to gauge the respondents inclination towards juices the question asked them to indicate the juice brand they use, majority of respondents indicated nestle as being their favorite brand, with 23 respondents opting for Nestle, followed by Olfruit. Carbonated drinks mentioned by respondents: Tea/Coffee mentioned by respondents: How often do you consume the drink you stated above? Your purchase decisions are influenced by? Q7: Do you consume carbonated soft drinks? Majority of respondents, i.e. 40 indicated that they consumed carbonated soft drinks which points towards the high positive demand for soft drinks Q8: If yes, then how often do you consume them? (If no, please skip to question 9) Majority of the respondents who did consume soft drinks as mentioned in the previous question stated that they preferred soft drinks on a daily basis, followed by ten respondents who consumed it more than once a week. Q9: How do you feel about the following statements in relation to carbonated soft drinks? a) Carbonated soft drinks are healthy Majority of respondents were neutral regarding the question that whether they thought of carbonated drinks as healthy, followed by an equal majority of respondents who strongly agreed that carbonated drinks were healthy (10) and somewhat agreed that carbonated drinks were healthy (10) b) Cheaper alternatives of some leading companies offer same quality Respondents strongly agreed that some cheaper alternatives available in the market of top brands offer the same quality c) Price is an important factor to you Majority if the respondents agreed that price as an important factor that they considered, this again points towards the fact that inflation is an issue affecting the purchasing power of consumers in Pakistan. d) I would purchase a cheaper alternative if it offers similar quality Majority of respondents stated that they strongly agreed that they would purchase a cheaper alternative if it offers similar quality as top brands. Q10: Please rank the Cola of your preference Majority of respondents stated that among the low priced alternate colas they preferred the Gourmet cola, followed by Amrat cola. b) I have stopped purchasing other brands altogether Majority of respondents somewhat disagreed to the statement that whether they had stopped purchasing other colas altogether after opting for gourmet cola. Gender Age Group Marital Status: Education Levels: Summary The focus questionnaire analysis points to the fact that majority of the target population that we selected for our product consumes carbonated soft drinks which supports the growth trends in the soft drink industry. The findings also shed light on the fact that due to the recent upsurge in inflation in the country and the price hike in case of almost all commodities, consumers are now much more receptive towards other brands which offer cheaper colas with the similar taste, these cheaper alternatives according the respondents including, Shandy cola, Makkah cola, Amrat cola and Gourmet cola. Respondents however stressed on the fact that these alternatives appealed to them not only because of the price but also because of the fact that they offered almost the same quality as colas from other top brands like Coke and Pepsi. Out of the cheaper alternatives people indicated that they preferred Gourmet cola more. The findings also pointed to the fact that the main influences in decision r egarding the choice of soft drink came from family and friends, as these were the two main social; groups with which respondents spent most of their time and consumed drinks with. The respondents brought to attention the fact the advertising campaign of the cola companies like gourmet cola and amrat cola were not up to the mark and very rare, they suggested that a better as campaign would be able to boost awareness and recognition amongst potential customers and attract more customers to the relatively new cola.