Operations Strategy Of Samsung Group Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Operations Strategy Of Samsung Group - Essay Example To remain on a customer’s shortlist, a company has to qualify and re-qualify all through the customer decision making process. Failure to compete at any of these stages would render the firm unable to compete in the rat race. Order winners and qualifiers are both market specific as well as time specific and thus would vary from market to market and also change from time to time. Bozarth and Handfield have opined that order winners are those performance dimensions that differentiate a company’s products and services from its competitors’. Firms win the customer’s business by providing superior levels of performance on order winners. On the other hand, order qualifiers, as stated by Bozarth and Handfield are performance dimensions on which customers expect a minimum level of performance. Superior level of performance on an order is not likely to give the company any competitive advantage.Skinner has been of the opinion that the competitive criteria for a man ufacturing strategy may include the following:†¢ Quality: Manufacturing of products with high standards performance and conformance with high quality †¢ Delivery speed: Meeting of delivery schedules set by the management†¢ Delivery dependability: Responding promptly as well as efficiently to orders from incoming customers†¢ Flexibility: The ability to modify designs as per the needs of customer and react to changes in product and product mix of the firm

Treating Tobacco Dependence Essay Example for Free

Treating Tobacco Dependence Essay The article aims to reveal the connection between tobacco dependence, smoking cessation, and depression, in mentally ill health patients, especially those who have been previously diagnosed with unipolar depression. According to previous studies, smoking cessation causes depression in individuals who have suffered from the condition previously. Moreover, statistics gathered from comprehensive data analysis and research show that most individuals suffering mental conditions are highly dependent on tobacco use, which poses detrimental effects on their health. Resolutions in order to stop mental health patients or individuals previously diagnosed with depression from smoking, is yet to be discovered due to the absence of comprehensive information of how to handle relapse after smoking cessation. Since then, the treatment of tobacco abuse has become difficult since individuals with mental health conditions or who were previously diagnosed with depression, since undergoing smoking cessation, have worsened their present mental health functioning or have influenced them to revert to their previous depressive conditions. Another study conducted by Glassman et. al. on 100 individuals who were found out to have history of depression resulted to similar outcomes. They were administered with setraline, which was utilized to inhibit individuals from smoking and eventually help them get over the addiction. Majority of the sample population obtained for the study relapsed into their depressive state. The study conducted by Tsoh et. al., on the other hand, revealed that almost half of the sample population who were involved in smoking cessation also returned to their previous depressive state. If individuals who previously suffered from depression depend on tobacco use to repress depressive symptoms, then they would doubly suffer if smoking cessation were administered as a means of ending tobacco use. The particular study aimed to identify the extent of damage for individuals who depend on tobacco use and the effects of smoking cessation shortly after. The research studied and observed 322 individuals who are highly dependent on smoking, and who were previously diagnosed with unipolar depression. The individuals who were asked signed up and participate in the research were allowed by the mental health outpatient clinics, following up consent from these institutions. The particular research utilized a computer program designed to accomplish the purpose of the study. The computer program was employed to provide feedback for the changes in the behavior of an individual regarding smoking as they were monitored for a particular period of time. Individuals who took part in the research study completed the program from baseline, the third, sixth, twelfth, and eighteenth months following smoking cessation. The feedback generated for each program completion was based on previous data gathered from the individual. The standard for individuals who quit smoking was based on the individual’s abstinence from smoking for a seven-day period. To measure the results when it comes to mental conditions, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, Mental Component Summary of Medical Outcomes Study Short Form, the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory. The results of the study were analyzed by utilizing a table, which monitored the mental health functioning of individuals as they commenced with smoking cessation practices. As the time progresses, the feedback generated by the computer program utilized in the study revealed that, individuals slowly showed signs of quitting from smoking. Some individuals reverted to alcohol and drug abuse, while some also lessened their use of drugs and alcohol. Only a small portion of the total population successfully quit from smoking. The results of the study were taken vis-à  -vis the findings of another study conducted by Hall and et. al. The study showed that individuals who are presently undergoing serious mental health conditions, such as depression, could be possibly assisted to undergo smoking cessation. This process, of intervention while experiencing mental health conditions would not hold negative effects upon recovery. Moreover, on a positive note, those who were found out to have successfully quit smoking also lessened their intake of alcohol, drugs, and other substances that led to addiction. The most significant outcome of the study reveals that both groups of individuals, mentally ill patients who underwent smoking cessation and abuse intervention, and those who successful quit smoking did not manifest any symptom of depression. Therefore, the study strongly supports intervention while patients are under care for mental health problems, rather than waiting for the depressive state to subside. This study greatly contributes to previous studies conducted in order to determine smoking cessation and its influence to patients with mental health problems that are highly dependent on tobacco use. Although the problem still lies with individuals who depend on tobacco use, and have suffered depression previously, and smoking cessation, there should be certain regulations and interventions prior to the elimination of mental health functioning. For instance, mental health patients should not be allowed to revert to smoking in order to suppress their depression. Mental health clinics should implement more programs and activities that are interesting and are more prone to relieve the stress of the patients in order to revert their attention from smoking cigarettes. This measure is an efficient way of influencing greater effects on the mental health of individuals, and also to save cost and effort on the part of mental health clinics, once previous patients relapse into their depressive states.          References Prochaska, J. J., Hall, S. M., Tsoh, J. Y., Eisendrath, S., Rossi, J. S., Redding, C. A., Rosen, A. B., Meisner, M., Humfleet, G. L., Gorecki, J. A. (2007). â€Å"Treating Tobacco Dependence in Clinically Depressed Smokers: Effect of Smoking Cessation on Mental Health Functioning.† American Journal of Public Health. Retrieved May 7, 2008, from MWATT. Website: http://mwattc.com/docs/depressedsmokers.pdf

Critical Debate On Nuclear Family Sociology Essay

Critical Debate On Nuclear Family Sociology Essay There is a great deal of work within many disciplines, such as history, psychology and anthropology, on family studies, available to researchers. This undoubtedly serves to inform our awareness of the interdisciplinary, varied, and at times controversial, nature and lack of stability around the idea of family. Much of this research highlights a number of major perceived problematics: the related characteristic political discourses, social policies and cultural narratives, which differ dramatically from contemporary family relationships and formations of the 21st century. In view of this, this essay critically explores the concept of the nuclear family. It discusses the political contexts and social discourse in which understanding of family has been set. It explores how and why understandings of what make family have changed, paying attention to how it is lived within contemporary society. It reflects on the practices that equate to family. Section 1 Critical debate on nuclear family Many early functionalist sociologists perspectives on the family (Murdock, 1949; Talcott Parsons, 1960) focus heavily on the idea of the nuclear family, which consists of a married couple (male and female) and their biological offspring. There are many issues with the functionalist nuclear family model. For example, it assumes the family to be composed of a heterosexual couple, and that specific structures and practices exist which define this type of family (Widner Jallinoja, 2008). Further to this, the nuclear family model makes assumptions about gender roles within these specific structures (OINONEN, 2008). It is heterosexist (Stacey Davenport, 2002; Pothan, 1992), based on traditional historic ideas of what family should be (Richardson, 2001). For example, the man is the provider and the woman is the nurturer. It promotes hierarchies within the family, with the man situated at the top in relation to the woman, but also as adults in relation to the children (Taylor, 1998). This model can also be seen as western, and assumes a universal model rather than thinking through the historical and cultural specificity of family formations. As a functionalist construct, some researchers (Weeks, Heaphy Donovan, 2001) highlight the heterosexual functions and practices that families have assumed, such as the socialisation of children, where children and young people learn social roles and morals, what is right or wrong: the norms. Donavan (2013) notes this as the heterosexual assumption; similarly, Rich (2007) discusses this in terms of compulsory heterosexuality, assuming this is how gendered roles are transmitted and important for the development of sexualities. The functionalist nuclear family model makes the assumption that specific family formation is not neutral, often with a privileging of heterosexuality (Donavan. 2013). This, however, is a certain form of heterosexuality, as not all heterosexuals are privileged in the same way, for example, if they live outside of the normative ways of living associated with the nuclear family model, such as single or gay parents. Therefore, it could be argued that the nuclear family model is heterosexualised, classed and racialised against these none-normative ways of living (single and gay parents) and their forms of inappropriate heterosexuality. It could be claimed that the functionalist nuclear family model suggests that there is a particular form of living within a heterosexual way that becomes the pinnacle of how we should live, look up to and aspire to do or be. That is not just in terms of how we live with our families, but also the practices within and outside of society: the public and private, for example how we believe authentic love happens. To conclude, many early functionalist sociologists perspectives on the nuclear family (Murdock, 1949; Talcott Parsons, 1960) are now heavily criticised and outdated. However, what we do have are cultural, political and ideological discourses that equate the family to being a specific shape, structure and set of roles. Section 2 Political and social contexts Before discussing and evaluating the new terms and theories within and around family, it is important to reflect on the political contexts and social discourse in which understandings of family and specifically the nuclear family have been set. The late 80s and early 90s were noted as the start of a neo-liberalist society, yet ideologically this era also promoted a particular way of living: a neo-conservative family life. After reading up on some of the literature around government policy and practices from this period, I can see a real contradiction as to whether the state had any involvement in personal / private family lives or not. It tended to step away, detach and disengage in one sense, yet normalise, regulate and control in another. For example, Thatchers views on family and what family was were simple: traditional Victorian family values and the nuclear family. Thatcher and the Conservative government argued that the 60s had started to tear apart this ideal of the family and promote inappropriate promiscuity and sexual freedom. Thatchers also disliked the fact that there were many social movements developing, such as the Hippy Movement, Civil Rights Movement and Peace Movement, and in the late 70s and early 80s, the conservative government felt like their ideal of the family was under attack (Holborn Steel, 2012). Thatcher argued that this was potentially the end of society and the nuclear family and that she will fight hard to regain the traditional family values. It could be claimed that her neo-conservative intentions were to reinforce traditional Victorian family values in society, and re-establish the importance of the traditional heterosexual nuclear family. There was a great deal of legislation created on the basis of Thatcherism, a new hegemonic politics in which the Left was increasingly marginalized. For example, Section 28 (also known as Claus 28) of the local government act 1988 was a controversial amendment to the UKs local government act 1986. Enacted on the 24th May 1998, the amendment stated that local education authorities shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality or promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship. After Section 28 was passed, there was a lot of debate as to whether it actually applied in schools or whether it applied only to local education authorities. Most teachers acted extra cautious due to not knowing what they were actually permitted to do. Some sociologists (Weeks, 2007) believed that Section 28 enlisted teachers to stigmatise part of our society; and this then caused schools to fail to engage in basic social justices. In relation to these concerns; and a call for further explanation by numerous professionals working in the pedagogic environment, the National Union of Teachers published a statement, remarking that: whilst section 28 applies to local authorities and not to schools, many teachers believe, albeit wrongly, that it imposes constraints in respect of the advice and counselling they give to pupils. Professional judgement is therefore influenced by the perceived prospect of prosecution. Similarly, the Department for Education and Science (1988) made the following statement regarding Section 28: Section 28 does not affect the activities of the school governors, nor the teachers. It will not prevent the objective discussion of homosexuality in the classroom, nor the counselling of pupils concerned about their sexuality Many Conservative backbenchers disagreed with the above statements, and supporters such as Baroness Knight of Collingtree (then Conservative MP Jill Knight) who introduced Section 28, and wanted to back up her initial justification for the act, discussed the history behind initially setting up Section 28. She was the chairman of her local Child and Family Protection Group, and was contacted by numerous concerned parents who strongly objected to the fact that their children were being taught about homosexuality through specific literature that was being used to teach their 5 and 6 year olds. For example, a book called The Playbook for Kids about Sex, in which brightly coloured stick men showed all about homosexuality, and how it was done. Another book called The Milkmans on his Way explicitly described homosexual intercourse. In retrospect, the above statements seem to suggest something of an internal problem: a problem with the literature that was being produced for the pedagogic environments. This was also brought to light in 1983, when the Daily Mail reported that a copy of a book entitled Jenny lives with Eric and Martin, portraying a little girl who lives with her father and his gay partner, was provided in a school library run by a London Education Authority. There was a large political response towards Clause 28; and this served to galvanise the disparate British gay rights movement into action; and the resulting protests saw the rise of now famous groups like Stonewall, started by, amongst other people, Ian McKellen and OutRage!, subsequently led by Peter Tatchell, who is still now an iconic gay activist (Tatchell, 1993; LGF, 2008). Although Section 28 has been repealed on the 18th November 2003 by section (122) of the local government act 2003, there are still a number of complex issues to be tackled with regards to the teaching of homosexuality, gay marriage and contemporary family life. Faith school are a major problem (LGF, 2008), and as Waller (2009) suggests religious views need to be addressed more. More debate is needed on love, respect and diversity within and outside of contemporary family life for faith schools, as this would then avoid the so called promotion of homosexuality and pretend family relationships, and focus more on the diversity of sexuality and family life. Gay rights activists, such as Tatchel (2001), discuss their concern for the lack of progress within this area, and mentioned that there is going to be more of a battle to beat the last acceptable prejudice within our education system (LGF, 2008). In contrast, Waller (2009) suggested that as sex education in England and Wales has been regulated solely by the Secretary of State for Education since the Learning and Skills Act (2000) and the Education Act (1996), it could be argued that Section 28, before its repeal, was already largely redundant. Local education authorities, such as Manchester, continued to deliver training to their staff on how to deliver their services without discrimination against lesbians and gay men; and these pioneering works were never once challenged by the act (Waller, 2009). There is, however, one case of Section 28 being used to bring a case to the courts against a council. In May, 2000, the Christian Institute unsuccessfully took Glasgow City Council to court for funding an AIDS support charity which the Institute alleged promoted homosexuality and disrespectful family relationships. It could be suggested that in order to create change, we must consider the psychology (Hanley, 1993): mapping the information against the general certificate of secondary education (GCSE) curriculum, and making it accessible to the children. Training the teachers so that they are confident in delivering it correctly, as at present, many teachers are not equipped to discuss the complexities of the human sexuality and contemporary family life. Cookson et al, (2009) suggests that this personal and professional development should be a priority for any local education authority. Schools should be encouraged to expressively forbid discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation within their codes of conduct, whether the school has a religious character or not (Cookson et al, 2009). Then, at an appropriate stage of the national curriculum, students should be encouraged to examine the variety of views on human sexuality and family life, and as Waller (2009) suggests, this will then allow them to develop their own position within their understanding of and within these complex areas. However, despite the controversy around Section 28, it should be noted that Thatcher supported legalising homosexuality in the 1960s, and in the face of severe opposition from Tory traditionalists, in 1967, she voted in favour of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales. The Conservative government still however caused much uproar, as although the hegemonic legislation was in force, to ostracise; to an extent it did the opposite. It made people fight. Fight for their right to have equality, to be a family, or at least have that choice. Although many gay communities had been decimated by the AIDS epidemic, something extraordinary happened. People joined together, from within and outside of their communities, as a family, setting up support groups, lobbying parliament, fighting for their right as a community, and as a family. Not blood-related though, but as families of choice (Donavan, 2012; Weeks, 2001). They had connectedness, cared for each other, and were loyal: and not the drug-taking, promiscuous loons as described by one Tory MP at the time (Briggs, 1987). Over the following years, many of the HIV positive men died, and during this period further inequalities became stark. Partners, who had supported, cared for and loved their partner for many years were not recognised legally, for example, during the sale of a house. Blood family members of the deceased or dying would deny same sex partners access to their dying partners bedside or attendance at the funeral. These harsh inequalities highlighted through these challenging times, but also politicised a generation (Donavan, 2013). Weeks (2007: 2) support this notion of politicisation, and suggests that the longer term perspective tells us something different as despite the setbacks, pain and loss of the 1980s and early 1990s we can now see that under the surface of events, dramatic changes in sexual and intimate life were taking place, a sort of grass roots revolution, that have transformed the possibilities of LGBTQ lives In view of Weeks (2007) quote, it should therefore be argued that the battle for legislative reform is about a formalisation of a right to exist in the public sphere, and a public declaration of, for example, love, marriage, equal opportunities and family. Weeks (2007) supports this critique and proposes that this shake up also started to deconstruct the idea of a family unit, and so destabilise specific social norms and boundaries, which existed between the public and the private. This political and social shift is important, as when public and private start to collide, the old school family unit that is ideologically engrained within society and culture is challenged (Richardson, 2000). This is a powerful, and much needed shake up, which has had considerable consequences further down the line, and has attacked many discriminative social forces and factors underpinned within many forms of discrimination. It is also important to acknowledge the processes and changes underpinned within the wider political, economic and cultural realities, and how these may have been challenged. In de constructing the idea of the family, we can then start to challenge the tradition behind it, which takes away its power, its right to dominance, govern and lead. This idea of tradition is still however problematic, as Weeks (2007) notes, due to the fact that the evidence is limited when looking at tradition beyond specific recent time frames and histories, and that due to this lack of empiricability, can we be certain people always follow tradition, and by tradition I mean as how we see it. It could be argued that this was not the case, and tradition, as we see it, has shifted over time, context and reality. What we see now as tradition may have at specific points in history been its opposite, with the normal of our tradition shifting to the abnormal of our non-traditional realities. Therefore, it could be argued that tradition and its underpinnings are by no means monochrome, in any historical, political and / or cultural reality. Williams (2004) conceptualises this well and terms this re-traditionalisation, yet Weeks (2007) still argues for more of a de-traditionalisation. Whatever the term used, it could be argued that either or suggest that back in the 80s during the birth of Stonewall and other political and social equality movements, and also now, as we were (and still are) searching for an individualism, or a framework that supports this. It could be maintained that if people were allowed to manage their own lives, their own way of living, without fear or discrimination, different forms of community and / or individual arrangements would develop, assisting life in its creative, problem-solving, innovatory way. This process of social restructuring (or as Williams (2004) terms re-traditionalisation and Weeks (2007) terms de-tradionalisation) is important to consider with my research when thinking about my research, and the participants (also my own) political, cultural and social histories and contexts, and how these have been changed, adapted and developed within and outside of tradition as we see it now in this specific context and reality, during their specific coming-out process. Section 3 Why / how family has changed and how it is now lived + reflections on family practices. These previously discussed political and social developments highlight the fact that ways of living have changed, causing major variations in the compositions and practices of families and intimate relationships. At the core of the debate sociologists such as Finch (2007), Smart (2007), Donavan (2013) and Stacey (2004) emphasise that the old concepts no longer capture the realities of contemporary family living and that new definitions, concepts, ideas, ideologies, terms and legislation are needed. Smart (2007: 84), a feminist sociologist and academic, defines the family as: a set of personal relationships that are forged together to create dynamic and multidimensional connections held together through shared histories and memories. Smarts (2007) quote suggests that individuals live in a diverse array of living conditions and relationship formations, within and throughout a major social institution and a locus of much of an individuals social activity. It also highlights the importance of shared histories and memories, not just blood ties or relations. Smarts (2007) definition recognises that this new conceptualisation of family highlights the significance of dependencies, interdependencies, connectedness and relationalism as central features within social grouping identified as family. All the above suggests there are many factors that shape the experience of family life, for example, social class, race, sexuality (lesbian or heterosexual couples) and family structure, for example, nuclear family, extended family and single-parent families. This adds a new dimension to the study of family as it links family experiences to other influences in society, signifying that the family is not an isolated entity but rather an integral part of the wider social system with society. Calvin (2011), on the other hand, disagrees with much of Smart (2007) observations and defines the family as: a social unit created by blood, marriage, or adoption, which can be described as nuclear (parents and children) or extended (encompassing other relatives). There remains many obvious problematics within the Calvin (2011) definition. For example, extended family may not be relatives, but could be friends, neighbours, work colleagues, and / or ex or current partners. The nuclear family concept has also been critiqued by many (Finch, 2007, Smart, 2007 and Donavan, 2013) (also see section 1) and holds many perceived problematics: westernised, heterosexist, gendered, and assuming a universal model which alludes to the historical and cultural specificity of contemporary family formations. It could be argued that in contemporary society, many individuals now live in households that are single-parent, gay, lesbian, interfaith, international, interracial, intergenerational, and increasingly single-person, not to mention families of long-term companions, adopted children, or half-siblings. Calvins (2011) definition does not seem to take this specificity and multidimensionality into consideration. Fields, Jason and Casper (2001:67) support my critique of Calvins (2011) definition, and suggest that it is generally assumed today that the modern family has undergone significant transformations in its structure, and that societal changes have contributed to a harsh reduction in the percentage of classical typical families, predominantly nuclear families. Replacing these are childless families, one parent families, other family formations, and quasi-family units based on non-marital cohabitation (Fields, Jason and Casper, 2001:69), which includes (and will include more so after the recent legalisation of gay marriage in the UK) gay parents and families. Sociologists such as Finch (2007) and Smart (2007) have clearly highlighted the many diverse arrays of living as a family, and how this must be recognised within the literature. However, there are also many terms that underpin these theories, for example, families of choice (Weeks, Donavan, and Heaphy), postmodern families, and families of origin (Morgan (2007). There has been much debate as to whether these sit alongside the idea of the nuclear family or in opposition. There has also been much debate around a shifting postmodern nuclear family. This section of this essay will therefore discuss and evaluate some of these terms, critiquing the literature. Donavan et al (2001) incorporated the term families of choice (also known as families we choose coined by Kath Western, 1998) which means literally asking the participants for names of people they see as family. For example, if I decided to use this term within my research and one of my participants stated that 2 of his friends, his step brother and his second aunt were the people he recognised as family this would be fine. Similarly, if another participant involved no blood relatives this would also be fine. Families of choice literally mean people choose their families. Donavan (2001) does however express some concerns with this method and notes that within her 2001 study with Weeks and Heaply, two well-known social constructionists, as many of the heterosexual participants named blood family when ask to discuss family; whereas many of the non-heterosexual participants named mainly friends and (ex) lovers as family. Although this does not suggest an obvious issue, it does suggest a lack of closeness, or connectness with the LGBT participants and their blood family compared to that of their heterosexual counterparts. Although this term sits well for my research, the same issue could occur. A way around this could be to break the question down further. For example, ask the participants to name 5 people who they feel are most important to them in their life. And once a list has been put together, ask them to decide who they see as family. This 2 staged question may be a way of getting around this issue around participants misunderstanding the term family. Not including the term family would be helpful until I understood who they classed as family. On the other hand, by using the term families of choice, I am giving the participants a choice to choose whoever as their family members, and this open-ended approach is enabling them to decide. Therefore, would it really be an issue if they did not include any blood relatives, or included all blood relative? Modern policy (Children and Adoption Act, 2006; Equal Marriage Bill, 2013; Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, 2008) has noted a shift to two parents of any gender (but still a demonization of single parent families due to an underlying stigmatization mainly but not exclusively enhanced by stereotypical negative Media perceptions). The question is could we call the 2 parent family of the same gender a nuclear family and would we want too? Donavan (2013) suggests it is not, although structurally it looks the same, i.e. two parents, 2 children, a household, but if you look at the social roles within it, it is very different. For example, there may be no men or no women involved, and usually there is at least one parent who has no biological relation to the child. It could therefore be argued that the term postmodern family sits better here (and also potentially within my research). This term suggests it can be what it is, in this specific moment in time, through the specific structures and practices it has/uses. This concept also recognises that what you describe as your family now may not be family in 5 years time for example. Although it could be argued that the term postmodern family is doing nothing apart from saying meaning of family can change historically. On the other hand, terms that help to destabilise gendered and heterosexist terms like that nuclear family model are a welcome addition. There are many different ways of theorizing family and the practices within it, but in reality, when it comes to gay youth and my intended area of study, many of these individuals will come from heterosexual family set ups and have been exposed unconditionally to heterosexual family practices. Therefore, using the a term like families of origin (Morgan, 2007) could be beneficial as it describes the setup of your life at that point in time, whether it be step families, friends, blood mother or adopted father. This again gives the participant flexibility in their choices. The term origin however may be confusing as origin suggests where you have come from, which then suggests blood or adopted family, with the exclusion of friends, (ex) partners, and work colleagues. It could also be beneficial to ask my participants about their understanding of families i.e. where they see their families being, or who is classed as their family, as during Weeks, Heaply and Donavans (2001) study, many of their LGBT participants failed to recognise blood family as family members. This would suggest that they may have disconnected from their families of origin and that it did not occur to them to speak or include them into their LGBT sphere, or private world. However, this study is now 12 years old, and many changes have occurred since then, potentially highlighting a shift in generational understandings and acceptance of how, who and why we consider certain people to be classed as our family. In view of the above, Finch (2007: 71) notes that the way in which we consider our family is qualitatively orientated. By this she means decided by a number of internal and external factors including, location, relationships, love, employment, religion, sexuality and friendship. In view of Finchs (2007) consideration, it could be argued that this process of qualitative orientation demands considerable creativity when initiating the design, composition and practices of the family, and how these intimate networks are constructed, perceived and maintained (Stacey, 2004: 359). It could also be argued that as Stacey (2004) has identified this as a process, this then suggests a considerable shift from the previous definition of family and the nuclear family, through the household or through kinship: set and defined, to a more holistic way of thinking, friendly and accepting to the diversity and variation of modern family formations. Gabb (2008: 22), who is an interdisciplinary sociologist, terms this the extended family. Her research consists of a combination of autobiographical, anecdotal and empirical methods and methodologies, which re-situate emotions at the centre of family studies. She suggests that the process of family selection mentioned by Stacy (2004) requires an extended approach; a wide angle research lens that can record the evolving matrix of intimacy (Gabb, 2008:17). I agree with Gabbs (2008) comments on the matrix or intimacy and argue that this idea places much emphasis on relationship formation, which in turn constitutes and creates family life. Contemporary psycho-sociologists Mcload and Thomson (2009) support this critique, and suggest that Gabbs (2008) idea of the extended family places increasing importance on the way in which relationships are built, with ideas of social change at the forefront of this process. The contemporary research above highlights the importance of recognises fluidity within the composition of the family unit and also highlights briefly how we select family; however, it is also important to discuss how contemporary family life is defined more by doing family things rather than being a family. For example, Morgan (1996) is one of the most influential sociologist who initially highlighted the importance to shift sociological analysis away from family as a structure to which individuals in some sense belong, towards understanding families as sets of activities which take on a particular meaning, associated with family, at any a given point in time (Finch, 2007:66). Morgan (1996) defines these family practices as: a set of practices which deal in some way with ideas of parenting, kinship and marriage and the expectedness and obligation which are associated with these practices. The key features of the practices approach in general are as follows: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ An attempt to link the perspectives of the observers and the social actors; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ An emphasis on the active or doing; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A sense of the everyday; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A sense of the regular; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A sense of fluidity or fuzziness; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ A linking of history and biography. Morgan (2011) uses the term family practices as an illustration of wider currents of thought in sociology engaged with understanding how social relations are enacted and represented as symbols, combining a number of key concepts that other scholars have used to analyse contemporary families. These include fluidity, diversity, and multi-facetedness, by rooting our understanding of doing family in the everyday and the routine. These everyday routines are where individuals constitute certain actions and activities as family practices, as family (defined by Morgan and Finch) is a facet of social life, not a social institution; it represents a quality not a thing. A good example of this routine that constitutes family practices was in Finch (2007) where she discusses 2 examples of her own family practices: the weekly phone call which she makes to her sister; and her care in assuring that a step child gets Christmas presents as valuable as those she gives to her own children. These are actions that allow her to regard these people as part of her family. Finch (2007:55) also quotes from my perspective these are family practices. When discussing these practices, Morgan (1996: 190) recognises that these practices are often little fragments of daily life which are part of the normal taken for granted existence of practitioners. Their significance derives from their location in a wider system of meaning. Finch (2007:66) supports Morgan (1996) quote and suggest that the emphasis is on social actors creatively constituting their own social world. It could therefore be argued that an individuals understanding of family is subject to change over time and locations, deeply rooted in individual biographies and realities. This is something I need to

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: Essays Papers

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The novel begins with Huck himself writing the story. He briefly describes what has happened to him since "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". Huck was adopted by the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, both of whom took pains to raise him properly. Dissatisfied with his new life, Huck runs away. Tom Sawyer manages to bring Huck back by promising to start a band of robbers. However, many of them soon become bored with the make-believe battles and so the band falls apart. Pa returns to find Huck and his money. Judge Thatcher and the Widow try to gain court custody of Huck, but a new judge in town refuses to separate Huck from Pa. Huck soon decides to escape after Pa starts to frequently beat him. After running away Huck runs into his old friend Jim, who was Miss Walton's slave, before he decided to run away. Jim is frightened at first, believing Huck to be dead, but soon is happy to have a companion. The river starts rising, and at one point an entire house floats past the island. Huck and Jim climb aboard to see what they can salvage. They find a dead man lying in the corner of the house, and Jim goes over to look. Jim realizes that the dead man is Pa, and he carefully refuses to tell Huck who it is. Using a large raft, they float downstream during the nights and hide during the days. Jim and Huck continue floating downstream, becoming close friends in the process. Huck rescues two con-men named Huck and "the King". Farther down the river the King and Duke sell Jim into slavery. Huck decides to rescue Jim, and daringly walks up to the house where Jim is being kept. Luckily, the house is owned by none other than Tom Sawyer's Aunt Sally. Huck immediately pretends to be Tom. When Tom arrives, he pretends to be his younger brother Sid Sawyer. Together he and Huck contrive how to help Jim escape from his "prison," an outdoor shed. That night they get Jim and start to run away. The local farmers follow them. Huck, Jim, and Tom manage to escape, but Tom gets shot in the leg by a farmer.

A Framework for Marketing Image Management Review

A Framework for Marketing Image Management Review Organization Image Management Prepared by: Nur Amirah Bt Sarudian806421 A Framework for Marketing Image Management This paper focusing on company’s marketing image which include consequently, certain factors, offerings, and publics. It is important to each company to make customer’s impression of an organization. The findings of this paper show that only a systematic approach will yield useful and accurate information that a company can translate into action.Image is very important to an organization where it can described as a sum of beliefs, attitudes, and impressions that a person or group has an object. The object either is company, product, brand, place, or person. A company has many images which is depending upon the specific object being studied, the public assessed and other conditions that related with images. Every organization has a corporate image, whether it wants one or not. When properly designed and manag ed, the corporate image will accurately reflect the level of the organization's commitment to quality, excellence and relationships.The relationships with its various constituents including current and potential customers, employees and future staff, competitors, partners, governing bodies, and the general public at large. As a result, the corporate image is a critical concern for every organization, one deserving the same attention and commitment by senior management as any other vital issue. A company’s image is a dynamic and profound affirmation of the nature, culture and structure of an organization. This applies equally to corporations, businesses, government entities, and non-profit organizations.The corporate image communicates the organization's mission, the professionalism of its leadership, the caliber of its employees and its roles within the marketing environment or political landscape. All tend to have a unique image, an image that is partially deliberate and par tially accidental, partially self-created and partially exogenous. The company’s image or also known as a corporate image is important to every company because the raw materials into a tangible product, machinery use to make products or product inventory. It refers to how a company is perceived.It also a generally accepted image of what a company stands for. Typically, a company’s image is designed to be appealing to the public, so that the company can spark an interest among consumers, create share of mind, generate brand equity, and thus facilitate product sales. A company's image is not solely created by the company. Other contributors to a company's image could include news media, journalists, environmental organizations, labor unions and other Non-Government Organizations (NGO). The negative reputation is correlates with negative performance.If this happened, the company needs to direct communication as a public relations department to correct the misperception. I n general, the company needs to improve its performance and sometimes it needs to communicate its actual performance level more effectively. The image management process has four phases. It is use to make sure the process is feasible, affordable which is low cost and repeatable. The phases are design, data collection, image gap analysis and lastly, image modification actions and tracking. Design phase is when company decided needs to track such as image factors, products, publics and location.Corporate marketing research department has a task of measuring and tracking image and also to hire research agencies, collect data, analyze results, and make recommendations. The example is marketing experts who use public relations and other forms of promotion to suggest a mental picture to the public. When built a design phase, the company determines the factors, offerings, publics, and appropriate competitors to track over time. Then, the one-on-one interviews and focus group is using with considered the following the types of questions such as factors tracked like product, price, salesforce, channels, communications, service or support.This decision based on factors that most influence on the purchase decision. Then, study the offering are most important either a low market share or large revenue contributions. After the offering, company should know the different publics for three types of consumer buying decisions. Decisions in type, geographical location and other factors have to decide by company. It will focusing on the term or the mission which has been decided. Every each steps company takes, it should decide who the relevant competitors are. It includes the major competitors and competitive alternatives in customer nd distributors perception. Lastly, the question needs to think is how often the specified images be tracked. Image tracking is costly, company will try to perform a cost-benefits analysis to limit the number of attributes, competitors, and public examined in the quantitative phase which is obtained from the design phase. The information that company needs is qualitative measure of the importance of the factors in buying decision, qualitative measure of the key competitors, and qualitative research for each of the purchasers and users including in salient publics.This will avoids the possibility of a misdirected image measurement that leads to develop hypotheses to be tested in the quantitative phase. Second, data collection phase is collected by telephone surveys. Using telephone survey has several advantages and also disadvantages. The advantages is over mailed questionnaires. The information or data can be obtained faster. It also make the interviewer can clarify the questions that been asking. While the disadvantages using telephone survey is when the questionnaire is long or complex. The great action is personal interviews to collect the long or complex data from the surveys.Third, the image gap analysis phase is when th e marketing research department summarizes and analyzes the collected data, and graphically portrays the results. The image is portrayed on a set of bipolar scales. Each scales runs from one to five (poor to excellent). It has two profiles plotted over the scales which represent many different comparisons. The comparisons is two public’s views, two time periods, the company and its major competitor, two products and lastly the actual image and desired image. The collecting image data have to indicate the importance of each attribute.There is two methods to analysis data. First, the direct method includes asking the respondent to simply rank the attributes by distributing a constant sum of points over the attributes. Using rating scale also can be use in direct method. Second, the indirect method is obtained from the data using a regression or conjoint methodology. Company needs to achieve a high image rating on each attribute that is highly important to its target public. If company image is not making the best possible first impression, it really could be losing thousands of dollars, as prospects flit away to ompanies they perceive as the better company. It means, the company will lose sales to its competitors. Then, it also make company overspend on an attribute of low or less importance to the customer which not needs it. The best things to do is devote resources to the various factor which is important to the target market. The factor is usually about the public and the offerings example like excellent services, customer support, product and sales force and communications quality. The communication quality is like using brochures, advertisements, product packages and business cards that reflect company’s image.For example, a children's party planning service might create materials using bright colors and cheery images that look fun and youthful. Four, all the analysis before show that the image modification actions and tracking phase is a pic ture of the company’s major strengths and weakness as perceived by respondents. Company have to develops plan to modify any of its attribute standings; include competitors’ standings on same attributes. Then, the firm’s standing in each quadrant has different ramifications for management action.It also acknowledged that changing the perceived attribute importance is usually more difficult than changing the perceived attribute rating. When management identifies more than one image gaps either it real gaps or perception gaps, they need to be prioritized. They have to consider the five questions about the gaps. The gaps questions is the gaps influence buyer behavior, best strategy to close the gap, costs and benefits of closing gap, time to close the gap and the better to change importance ratings or attribute ratings.All the specifying strategies to close image gaps must have cost-benefit analysis which includes potential competitor responses. The cost-benefits ar e include the resources and time in improving image perception of a particular factor or attribute if competitors can close the image gap rapidly and at low cost. Closing a different image gap may reduce the possibility of competitive countermoves and result in advantageous niche positioning. After answering the question above, management will be in good positions to prepare a sound image modification strategy.Management can track the marketing image has improved in the desired direction after the action plans are implanted. Corporate image management or company image management is one of the most potent marketing and management tools to use in ensuring the viable execution of the corporate vision. It provides one of the most powerful strategic marketing weapons available in the corporate arsenal. It also process the highest level of functional control of the organization. Progressive company leaders will drive their organizations forward in victory in today's and tomorrow marketing , use management and marketing discipline.The underlining principle of the discipline is touches the customer attention to make sure they perceives company image. This fundamental perception will be the major factor that determines whether the customer will decide to conduct business with the company and the important things is enter into a long-term and mutually rewarding relationship with company. The image tracking system that used in company will used as an early warning system to identify the future and the present shits in the company’s competitive performance to be excellent organization.There greater marketing issue is corporate image management which is in growing higher competitive markets. The corporate image management will be a key marketing discipline well into the next century. Management have to determines the strength and the factors that improve its image or product with image gaps. Nowadays, the important things for winning and maintaining customer relation ships now takes place in the minds, emotions and perceptions of the customers for the company’s marketing image. |   Ã‚  Ã‚  | |

Privatization of the worlds water and wars of water

Privatization of the worlds water and wars of water Water is a human right to all mankind. However, over 1.1 billion people in the poor nations lack access to safe and clean water. A shortage of water results in the perpetuation of diseases, an escalation of poverty, and even early deaths.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Privatization of the worlds water and wars of water specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Among the poor countries, the public sector is charged with the responsibility of managing ninety-seven percent of all the water (Segerfeldt para. 1) and as such, the sector is largely responsible for failing to provide the more than one billion individuals with clean and safe water. Privatization of water leads to better incentives and superior competencies. Attempts to privatize the waters of the world have however elicited strong resistance, not to mention stirring strong emotions and feelings among those affected. Privatization ends up treating water as a commodity, and not a human right and so in the long-run, the poor have no access to it. On paper, water is regarded as a basic human right but still, one has to pay for it. To gain a further insight into the issue of privatization of the world’s waters, the paper shall examine three articles. First, Joshua Ortega’s article, â€Å"water wars: bottling up the world’s supply of water† shall be explored. The article, â€Å"private water saves lives† by Fredrik Segerfeldt shall also be assessed and finally, Jeff Fleischer’s article, â€Å"Blue Gold: An interview with Maude Barlow† will also be examined. As Segerfeldt (para. 1) notes, over 1 billion people globally, a majority of them from the poor nations, lacks access to safe and clean water. This is despite that fact that only about 8 per cent of all the water available globally is sued for purposes of human consumptions. This is an indication that the inability of the more than 1 billi on individuals globally to access clean and safe water is not as a result of water shortage, but is due to bad policies. For example Segerfeldt (para. 1) observes that Cherrapunji, India often regarded as the world’ wettest place, also suffers from periodic water shortages. The public sector manages about ninety-seven percent of the entire water distribution channels in the poor countries and as such, it could be held responsible for the lack of access to clean and safe water by the more than 1 billion individuals in these countries. Those poor nations that have decided to privatize the water sector have witnessed an increasingly higher number of the citizens accessing water, in comparison with the other nations in which water is still managed by the public sector.Advertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Privatization the water sector results in an improved scope of distribution and quality of water. This has culminated in violent demonstrations and protests globally. International trade agreements have also played a pivotal role in the commercialization and privatization of the world’s water. For example, the definition of a good, as provided for by GATT, also included water. Initially, NAFTA sought to include water as a good and then later on, changed it into an investment. This therefore gave the members countries the impetus to privatize it. The issue of scarcity has also played a significant role in helping to facilitate the privatization of water (Fleischer para. 3). This has effectively resulted in a mushrooming of companies that are involved in the bottling and sale of water. For example, nowadays, we have come to accept bottled water as part of our lives and for this reason you will find it on planes and in restaurants. Therefore, because access to safe and clean water has become hard, people have now turned to drinking bottled water. A lot of people hold the perception that compared with tap water, bottled water tends to be more pure and healthy. However, as Ortega has noted, this is nothing more than a marketing illusions (para. 1). As he has further reported, a 1999 study by NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) revealed that one out of every five samples of bottled water that the four-year study had sampled contained such carcinogens and neurotoxins as toluene, xylene, and styrene. Tap water is regulated more stringently in comparison with bottled water, in spite of popular misconceptions. As a matter of fact, bottled water may contain certain levels or fecal coliform of Escherichia coli under regulations, unlike tap water. Furthermore, it is not mandatory to disinfect bottled water for Guardia or cryptosporidium. One wonders then how contaminated tap water finds its way into the U. S. market. It is important to note that the bottled water industry enjoys very relaxed regulations, not to mention t hat the standards for bottled water are less-stringent in comparison with those of tap water. As a public resource, it is important to ensure that the consumer has access to extensive documentation in the content and quality of tap water (Ortega para. 5). On the other hand, because bottled water is treated as a soft drink, as opposed to a public resource, this could help explain the less-stringent regulations. If the global public water resources are to be commercialized through a privatization process, would we be faced with a relaxation of the hitherto stringent regulations that characterizes public water? If this were to happen, then we can no longer be guaranteed of clean and safe water and this culminate in a rising epidemic of water borne disease and deaths.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Privatization of the worlds water and wars of water specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is not just the poor thir d world countries who are confronted with the issue of access to clean and safe water. Even the industrialized countries in Europe, Canada and the U. S have a limited control over their own water resources, much less than they can imagine. To start with, the high rates of pollution has resulted in mining of ground water at a faster rate that they can actually be replenished (Fleischer para. 8). This is an indication that we could in fact be faced with a water crisis in the years ahead. Faced with this grave reality, the governments in the developed nations have begun questioning about who needs to pay for the water, and who needs to access it. This has only acted to enhance the commoditization and water through privatization. Conclusion Most of the water supply systems in the poor nations are under the management of the public sector and due to poor mismanagement individuals in these countries are faced with the problem of accessing clean and safe water. On the other hand, in those countries whereby the water sector has been privatized, there has been an improvement in terms of quality and service delivery of the water. However, it is important to note that the privatization of water has turned it into a good first, and then a service. As a result, the stringent rules and regulations that characterize the treatment of tap water often meant for public consumption, faces being jeopardized, as can be evidence by the mushrooming of bottled water companies. Scarcity of clean and safe water is also a problem in the developed nations due to pollution as a result of such human activities as mining. Threes need to find a balance between access to clean and safe water, and a determination of whether to privatize or publicize the world supply of water. Fleischer, Jeff. Blue Gold: An Interview with Maude. January 2005. 19 January, 2011. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/ Ortega, Joshua. Water wars: Bottling up the worlds supply of H2O. March 2005. 19 January, 2011. ht tp://old.seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2002213327_sundaywater20.html Segerfeldt, Fredrik. Private Water Saves Lives. August 2005. 19 January, 2011. https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/private-water-saves-livesAdvertising Looking for research paper on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More