Capitalist Hegemony

Capitalist Hegemony at its Finest Alex Jackson Sarah Ciurysek Capitalist Hegemony at its Finest. By Alex Jackson Throughout time different societies have seen their respective take on pop culture. Pop culture is not simply a culture that has suddenly sprung from the ground in the last 20 years and wormed its way into text books, periodicals and university debates; it is a culture built around a defined group of ideas, perspectives and attitudes. Pop culture in its evolutionary path has seen many changes from Roman sculpture to Baroque paintings to post-war Abstract expressionism, all amounting to what we know today to be our pop culture.However, the pop culture that we experience on a day-to-day basis in the 21st century is one unparalleled by the pop culture already seen and past. Today we are surrounded by the ever-expanding mass media. Since the invention of the Internet in the 1980’s, mass media has spread like wildfire and with it the furthering evolution of the 21st cent ury’s pop culture. With the growth of mass media in our pop culture we see new trends and patterns. As we all know, North America was built on a firm foundation of capitalism. This capitalism is the foundation not only for businesses and corporations, but for our developing culture as well.A growing notion and potential fear amidst this evolving foundation is the existence of capitalist hegemony. For one to understand this term one must know the definition of the two words individually. Mirriam Webster’s dictionary defines capitalism as ‘an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, prices, production and the distribution of goods†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Hegemony, defined also by Webster’s dictionary is ‘the social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group. In combination, the two represent a power exerting itself over a group in atte mpts to feed and control consumerism. Capitalist hegemony can be seen on the television, in advertisements, film and video games. The method by which capitalist hegemony is spread, that we will consider in this essay, is the video game. Video games contribute to the spread of capitalist hegemony in two ways: through the easily-accepted method of suggestion of consumerist narratives; and through the extremist method of exerting complacency on a populous.From an early age, all of us have been bombarded with a consumer culture. We have been taught by mass media always to want, look for and buy the next big thing. Video games have taken up this torch in that easily-accepted, subtle way. There’s no need to tell a person to buy, the task is more indirect. Gamers play through a story, the narrative more often than not being all about consumerism of one form or another. As masked as the consumerist plot may be, it is more than likely there. Take for example a game such as Dead Space 2.This game involves the main character Isaac Clarke fighting his way through the Sprawl in attempts to destroy a giant relic called the Marker, which is responsible for an alien infestation. At first glance, the story line of Dead Space 2 gives no evidence of capitalist tendencies; however the player need only kill one of the creatures in the game and pick up the loot to enter currency into the game. Money and power nodes allow the player to upgrade Isaac’s abilities and buy weapons and suits, and additional ammo and med packs.The gamer thereby is subliminally being taught the values of capitalism, make money buy new things. In other approaches to video games the developers don’t go to such length to mask consumerism. In games such as Need for Speed Underground the player races for money so as to purchase upgrades for already purchased cars, and to buy new ones. In Digital Games and Cultural Studies by Garry Crawford and Jason Rutter, this point is explained: â€Å"N umerous games are based upon the principle of capital accumulation where the central aim and theme is to make more money to improve character’s avatar’s skills or possessions. (Crawford and Rutter) One might argue for sports-related games such as Madden NFL 12, or NHL 11 where the object of the game appears to be purely sport. Win a game, move to the next round is the essential plot; however, these video games have been sponsored by larger companies looking to get their name out to more consumers. Although the advertisements are small and only seen on the back boards of the field or ice rink where the game is staged, the information does go in. According to studies, advertisements need to be put in front of the viewer for an extended amount of time before he viewer picks up on it. What better place than a video game to expose a viewer to a continuous stream of advertisements. To add to the two previous methods of consumerism being pushed through video games, there rema ins a third methodology. Typically, a well received video game will be made into a series. The game that supersedes the one before it always promises to be bigger and better; better graphics, better sound, etc. This leaves the player wanting more and lusting for the next big chapter.Many large game development companies such as EA games with Battlefield, and UBISOFT with Halo follow this trend and have met been with great success. Crawford and Rutter, in reference to the Birmingham School can be quoted as saying that, â€Å"the shared values and culture of a society are those based largely on dominant (that is, ruling class) values and ideologies. † (Crawford and Rutter) If our dominant culture is founded on capitalism, then the governing values and ideologies have to be exerted via subcultures such as pop culture and the ways in which its groups communicate.We have looked at the spread of consumerism via video games. This concept is easy to swallow because we see evidence of it everywhere we look. However, the second theory of how pop culture contributes to capitalist hegemony isn’t so easy to digest. As technology continues to advance and things such as social networking and portable communications grow, we begin to see a decrease in the need to go outside and meet people. The same goes for video games.With the introduction to video games in the 1970’s we have seen the creation of a new kind of computer geek, the gamer. Gamers can spend extended amounts of time inside, staring at a screen. With the advancement of video game graphics, intriguing storylines and strategic challenges, it’s no wonder gamers would rather play video games than interact, play sports or become useful members of society. A sudden lack of community has sprung up in the midst of our new found technological enlightenment. Digital gaming could be seen (and has been seen by many) as a clear illustration of the individualization of society†. (Crawford and R utter) People no longer need to come outside to communicate, to do activity or exercise. â€Å"The rate at which these games are flying off the shelves would suggest more football is being played on home computers than on local fields†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (O’Connor, 2002). The uprising of this new phenomenon is evidence of a growing complacency in our society. People needing to do less and less.Looking at this from the viewpoint of a large capitalist corporation, it means profit; maintaining ‘the existing status quo [to] promote dominant capitalist values,’ (Crawford and Rutter) keep people inside, in front of a screen absorbing information that fuels their desire to buy. Stuart Hall suggests that â€Å"cultural products (such as television programmers, popular music and digital games) may be ‘encoded’ with dominant values, ideas and beliefs. † (Hall, 1980) Albeit a little extreme, Hall is supported in an indirect way. John Hopson, a games researche r at Microsoft Games Studios holds a doctorate in behavioral and brain sciences.Based on one of Hopson’s studies, a gamer can in essence be persuaded to produce a set of behaviors the developers want, â€Å"each contingency is an arrangement of time, activity, and reward, and there are an infinite number of ways these elements can be combined to produce the pattern of activity you want from players. † (Hopson) Simply put, large corporations intend to subliminally brain wash us with messages of use to capitalist pursuits. These ideas are conceptual, large and potentially a bit fanciful, but the evidence supporting them is happening before our eyes.People keep on buying based on information consumed through media portals including game consoles. The emergence of gamers and the diminishing need to go outside is a constant reminder that, although seemingly unrealistic, someone is using the right approach to acquire profit. Video games, among other methods, contribute to so me form of capitalist hegemony whether intended or not. It would be frightening to know that a corporation would approach the market with such fervor as to send subliminal messaging through a game console. It’s surprising the very real effect of advertisement has on the consumer. -â€Å"Merriam-Webster. † http://www. erriam-webster. com/. N. p. , 2011. Web. 14 Apr 2011. -Crawford, Garry, and Jason Rutter. â€Å"Digital Games and Cultural Studies. † Sage Publications. (2006) -O’Connor, A. (2002) â€Å"Evan better than the real thing? †, The Times, The Game Supplement, 9 December. Pp 2-3. -Hall, S. (1980) â€Å"Encoding/ decoding†, in S. Hall, D. Hobson, A Lowe and P. Willis (eds) Culture, Median, Language: Working Papers in Cultural Studies. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. Pp 215-43 -Hopson, John. â€Å"Behavioral Game Design. † Gamasutra (2001): n. pag. Web. 14 Apr 2011. .

April Raintree : Storyline Plot Essay

Through out this novel, a lot of tragic and powerful events transpire. They make the reader think quite a bit on what they have just read and after this, you tend to react. These events and occurrences are the main idea behind the story and they continue to constantly grab your attention and you keep you focused on what is going on in the novel. However, too many big impact and negative events take away from the story and it’s traditional role of focusing on one major element through out the book. The reader is ceased of time to actually think about what has just happened, before something else suddenly does. Beatrice Culleton has a liking for an eventful novel and it is definitely noticeable. In the first chapter of this book, we learn that April and her younger sister, Cheryl are taken away their parents, due to a severe alcohol problem. From here in, the negative events start to occur. After April and Cheryl are removed from their family home, they tend to grow independent and look out for each other. Along these lines, they endure many challenges and new experiences. They end up going to endless foster homes during their child hood years. The two of them travel from home to home and are involved in different situations at each. One of the worst environments from both of the girls was at the DeRosier residence. After April begins to form into a mature woman and moves on with her life, she ends up moving to the city of Winnipeg living in the core of downtown. At this point, she begins to see the occasional man every now and then, due to her acquaintances at her law firm office. Just when you thought everything was going good for April, things take a turn for the un-expected. The man who April believed was a wholesome, respectful business associate was nothing more than a cheating coward going behind his wife’s back to see April. Although this is a serious problem, I couldn’t help it laugh when this was mentioned in the novel. The reason being, is how many things can go wrong for April at this point? She’s had a rocky childhood, troubles at work with co-workers, and now this? The second most striking and shocking event that Culleton brought upon the reader was in Chapter 12, when April was raped while in the car. It was not  only bad enough that Cheryl was in the hospital prior to this, due to severe injuries after being beaten, but also now it was April who was in the worse situation. The reader is almost shocked, but at the same time, wondering what is going to happen next. If it was Beatrice Culleton’s intention to place these tragic events in place after each other repeatedly to the keep the reader involved, she did an excellent job. April and Cheryl experienced a string of bad luck and misfortune their whole life, and to read all of this is sometimes unbelievable. That goes to show that the native culture can be treated poorly, and it isn’t right. The final and biggest occurrence in April Raintree is in Chapter 16. Cheryl decided she couldn’t go on with life anymore and committed suicide by jumping off of a bridge. It’s ironic how this happened, seeing as how their mother took her own life by enduring in the same tragic practice. April then moves into a state of mourning with Roger Madison by her side for comfort. Before the reader can make sense of what has just happened, we are told of another detail of Cheryl’s past, her child. Not to mention, finding out about their long lost parents from Cheryl’s many journal entries left underneath her bed in a shoebox after her death. I can give Culleton credit for writing an exciting novel and taking the reader to the final end of the book still trying to get over what they have just read. In conclusion, this story line would have made sense starring more action filled characters and not young native women. Beatrice Culleton throws in negative occurrences way too often, and the story looses its happiness that we once had read while April and Cheryl were only children. The memories of each of the girls writing back and fourth to each other while in the foster homes sounds bliss at this point. It seems so un-real and out of the ordinary that both of the sisters experience all of this during one lifetime. On the positive side however, the author wrote a memorable novel that kept you in tune through out the story. You were provoked to keep on reading more and more, and for some, that rarely is the case while doing a novel study such as this one. One thing that was impressive is how Culleton ended the book off of on a positive note for once. April ends up being the foster mother to her sister’s child, Henry Liberty. With Roger by her side as always, April finally has some happiness in her life.

Op-ed paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Op-ed paper - Essay Example Thank you for considering my opinion article. Respectfully yours, Beyond the Pink Slip With pink slips comes the slipping away of our educational system as well. This country boasts of technological breakthroughs and researches in the field of genetic engineering, space exploration and in almost every field of science. Our country have led the world into new inventions and incomparable advancement, never been seen in human history. Thanks to the persevering grade school teachers to university professors who have guided scientist, physicist, economist, military tactician, and artist that have steered this country’s prowess in the economic politico-military and socio cultural life of the world. This is what America owes to its excellent educational system. Teachers are at the heart of our country’s excellent educational system. But where are we pushing our teachers now? Where are we pushing our whole educational system? At the moment, the recent distribution of nearly 3,0 00 pink slips in Bay Area alone is generating a great stress not just to public school teachers, but to the whole academic community. Along with looming joblessness comes the lost of morale and deep anxiety for the teachers which eventually will lead them to poor teaching performance,(unconsciously). Students, on the other hand are left disillusioned on the importance of education, amidst on the situation of their teacher’s job instability. Are we to blame the teachers? Teaching remains one of the noblest professions around the world. I believe every teacher has a sincere and purest desire to impart knowledge and skills to every learner. Behind every doctor, engineer, or even the president of this nation is a persevering teacher, who had painstakingly taught the first stroke of writing and the sound of each letter in an alphabet. The job insecurity hounding their way it’s like executing the soul and pillar of our educational system. Pink slip snatches away the noblenes s of teaching profession. It strips off our teachers of their self worth and sense of dignity. In the long run, it will be stripping off our society with talented and devoted individuals who are committed to passing on knowledge to current and generations to come. Pink slip is not just a pink slip. It’s a manifestation of a declining state budget to education. At a glance, budget cut is equivalent only to massive lay off of public school teachers along with other non teaching staffs. But at the end of the day, who really suffers at the impeding new round of budget cut to education? Parents have to brace themselves for additional expenses in sending their children to school. Students have to contend with overcrowded classrooms .Teachers that luckily did not received pink slips this year are left anxious on who’s next on the pink slip list in the coming school year. Unconsciously, this vicious cycle has pitted teachers against one another in the race called survival of t he fittest which can become very stressful. Moreover, teachers are burdened with more workload and cheap salary. Pink slips reflect the current values of our state. They can afford to send bombs to Libya and Iraq through the UN Security Council. There is budget in so called â€Å"peacekeeping† measures and â€Å"national security†. There is budget for war while we have budget cut for education. Are we not in effect? Actually not securing our society with the declining

The Evolution of Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Evolution of Terrorism - Essay Example This is partly because of the changing historical elements of terrorism, especially the exercise of terror by perpetrators within a certain political and social setting. This essay identifies the significant historical elements of terrorism and how they have evolved since the attacks of 2001. The 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center revealed that the historical elements of terrorism had drastically transformed. Nowadays, terrorists are involved in a spate of mass murder and suicide across the globe. In the past it had been reasonable to think that there were boundaries that terrorists would not dare go beyond. After the large number of casualties on the 11th of September 2001, it was clear that there are terrorist groups that would dare break boundaries. Terrorism in the past was different from that after 9/11. The history of terrorism is not only Middle Eastern but also European, and not only religious but also nonreligious. However, there are several common elements that can be identified in the evolution of the elements of terrorism. The 9/11 attacks were a threatening new turn in an ancient tale of obsession with political violence and terror. The term ‘terrorism’ became part of the European vocabulary after the 1789 French Revolution. In the initial revolutionary period, it was mainly through violence and terror that the French governments attempted to force their revolutionary new order onto the hesitant masses. Consequently, the original definition of ‘terrorism’ was ‘rule of terror’ (Coaty 9). Such definition works as a powerful message that terror is usually at its most violent when exercised by dictatorial regimes against their own citizenry. However, in the 19th century, terrorism went through a historic evolution, becoming linked, as it remains until now, to nongovernmental organizations.

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 9

Psychology - Essay Example 3. William Wundt founded structuralism. It focuses on breaking down mental processes into basic components. It is considered to be the first school of psychology. William James created functionalism and it focused on individual differences specifically focusing on the purpose of the consciousness and types of behavior. Lastly, the Gestalt school was focused on the opposite of structuralism in that they were more interested in the whole being the sum of its individual parts. 4. Anna Freud made significant contributions to the field of psychoanalysis like her father. She is considered to have started the field of psychoanalytic child psychology. June Etta Downey was an American psychologist who was one of the first to study personality from a scientific approach. Letta Stetter Hollingworth was feminist psychologist who was a pioneer in the field of women’s psychology. 5. Humanistic psychology emphasizes the will of the individual. People are capable of making choices, which influence their health and well being. Humanistic psychologists also take into consideration the effect that environment has on an individual. Behaviorism is based off observable behavior, which is what makes classical conditioning and operant conditioning a component of this theory. They also believe that all learning occurs through some form of observation. 6. Conscious thought processes are readily accessible to the person. This consists of the actions, cognitions, and beliefs, which are at the surface. Unconscious processes exist below the consciousness and are not accessible. Information from this level passes back and forth unknown to the person. Freud hypothesized that this information manifests itself in dreams. Unconscious processes cannot be observed directly, unlike conscious processes. 7. The first step for psychologists would be to determine what construct of love they would want to study.

Entrepreneurs Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Entrepreneurs - Coursework Example He is the founder of Hamilton Bradshaw and presently acting there as CEO. The company established in 2004, has several areas of operations like buyout, venture capital, turnarounds, and real estate investment in the UK (http://www.james-caan.com/about-james/). James Caan is a British-Pakistani entrepreneur and widely known for Dragons’ Den, a TV program of BBC in which he remained a part of judges’ panel from 2007 to 2010. James Caan basically belongs to Pakistan and his real name is Nazim Khan. In a critical point of view, it can be observed that Caan has a personality of diversified characteristics, both positive and negative. In business point of view, Caan possesses almost all those qualities which a good and successful entrepreneur must have. He is quite intelligent and sharp. One of the positive features of his personality is that he wisely knows how to transform the situations for his benefits. During the early phase of his recruitment agency, Caan had no space i n his office at Pall Mall to make any dealings with the clients; therefore, in order to highlight a better image of his company, he prudently preferred the address of an esteemed place to catch the attention of the clients (http://www.startups.co.uk/james-caan.html). At that time the whole meetings with clients were carried out in some restaurants or coffee shops and the clients were told that the company is so busy that they don’t have enough space to deal all the clients in the company’s meeting rooms. For the clients’ easiness, during the same phase, he also changed his name from Nazim Khan to James Caan. This is another example of his smart mind. His autobiography ‘The Real Deal’ reveals several of his sharp moves, showing him as one of the smart, sharp, and reflexive man of UK business world. Mentally, Caan is not very intelligent but also strong. His father had a successful leather goods manufacturing business and was looking for his son to ta ke it over, but Caan was mentally a free person. He was psychologically so strong that he left all that business and decided to venture into quite different fields. Another one of his positive norms is that he does substantial charity to help out the needy people. James Caan Foundation, established in 2006, predominantly works for education of the unprivileged children. During July 2010 when flood hit a huge part of Pakistan, Caan tremendously contributed in the rehabilitation process. With the support of UNICEF, Caan raised ?100,000. Despite of being a dynamic, versatile, and concerned professional, Caan has some flaws. He left his parents when they were looking for his support to take over the family business. This led him to remain estranged from his father for long time. Caan faced a great criticism in 2010, when he offered to buy a baby from a flood affected family of Pakistan (BBC News, 22nd October, 2010). He has also been blamed for tax avoidance with respect to his private equity company i.e. Hamilton Bradshaw. Madam C.J. Walker: Hair-care Entrepreneur Sarah Breedlove McWilliams Walker, widely famed as Madame CJ Walker, modernized the cosmetics and hair care industry for African American women during the first quarter of 20th century. By revolutionizing the cosmetics industry, she became one of the most impressive and influential African American women during the last and first quarters of the 19th and 20th century respectively. Besides a

Choice of the Managing Director Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Choice of the Managing Director - Essay Example Introduction In case of the expatriate operations, the functions of management and leadership are to a large extent dependent on a much broader concept called ‘diversity’ (Kirton & Greene 2005, p. 127). Diversity is a very expansive concept that includes within its ambit a little more than an individual’s looks, colour, traits, attitudes and status (Kirton & Greene 2005). In the given scenario the managing director to be selected will be required to manage, function and lead in an environment that will carry a quintessentially Vietnamese flavour. As the commonsense suggest, it will be much easier for a Vietnamese managing director to manage the manufacturing operations being undertaken in Vietnam. However, in an academic context, the choice to be made is necessarily required to be explained in a rational and factual manner. As per Geert Hofstede, the salient values in any organization are to a large extent determined by the predominant culture of that place. Hofst ede grouped the cultural values of varied countries and regions into four main groups that are called the Hofstede cultural dimensions (Baptiste, Dodor & Rana 2007). ... Vietnam has a Power Distance Index of 70, which means that in the Vietnamese society, people do readily accept a hierarchical system, without registering any objections or problems (Hofstede 1996). Individualism is a cultural attribute that determines as to the extent to which the members in a society tend to remain independent. On this dimensions, Vietnam has a score of 20 that means that in Vietnam it is the group affiliations that stand to dominate over individual aspirations and ambition (Tuan & Napier 2000). Masculinity is a cultural dimension that explains whether a society values success and ambition or whether it gives priority to the overall quality of life over success, achievement and ambition (Hofstede 1996). Vietnam has a score of 40 on this dimension which means that Vietnam is particularly a feminine society where solidarity and quality of life holds a sway over success and achievement (Reynolds 2000). Hofstede also propounded one more cultural dimension that is Uncert ainty Avoidance. The Uncertainty Avoidance Index of a culture states as to what extent the people in a culture are comfortable with the anxiety and stress associated with the ambiguity inherent in the future (Hofstede 1996). Vietnam has a low Uncertainty Avoidance Index of 30 which means that the Vietnamese hate uncertainty and are mostly willing to do away with strict norms and principles in favour of ease and certainty (Tuan & Napier 2000). It will be really interesting to see as how the Australian culture scores on the four Hofstede cultural dimensions. Australia- Cultural Dimensions Australia has a Power Distance Index of 36, very low as compared to Vietnam. Translated practically it means that in the Australian work culture, hierarchies

Knowledge & the Flow of Information Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Knowledge & the Flow of Information - Case Study Example The very first given alternative is the most effective. This is because it will present visibility of the processes within the center. It is clear that with the use of this method key activities and sub ­-processes that can consume a lot of time, and generate many inefficiencies, will be revealed, thus enabling problem-solving and improvement of the supply chain (Drucker, 2005). Following the steps are given above, the approach should be implemented. Application of solutions should be done vigorously, going for easy ones that deliver early results. This is in order to give everyone confidence that what is being done is right. Even after implementing this method, there is also need to check on the level of technology. Grounding on the information given after the case study, the center needs to use a more effective and efficient mode of communication. Internet should be applied. Use of fax is much far slower compared to use of the internet (Mehra, 2006). A review of changes should be done to see if the changes have made you more responsive. It is optimistic that with the use of the first method, the changes will give a solution to the problem. If successful then another goal should be built for more success (Lai & Cheng, 2009).  

Anselms Cosmological Argument Essay Example for Free

Anselms Cosmological Argument Essay Anselm seeks to explain the existence of a greatest being, i. e. God. He approaches this task not via our experience of the universe, but rather attempts to explain it solely based upon reason. Anselm attempts to prove the existence of God by providing us with a logical explanation, based upon our understanding, definition, and necessity of God. It is inconceivable for God not to exist. There is a certain nature through which everything that is exists, Anselm explains, is caused to exist by something. Everything that is, exists by virtue of something, and nothing is able to exist through nothing. The underlying assumption here is that things do not exist through themselves for there is no need for their being. Leading to conclude that it is implausible that anything at all is able to exist because of nothing, and that nothing should exist because of something. Building upon earlier argument, Anselm concludes that â€Å"whatever is [†¦] does not exist except through something. † Since, according to him, this premise is true and since, as pointed out earlier in his argument, everything that is exists either through itself or through something, there must be one, or many, beings though which all things that are exist. Our existence and the existence of everything there is, therefore, must be explained by a virtue of a higher being, or several of them. Anselm identifies and explores several possibilities of existence of a higher being, or beings. He points out that there may be several beings, rather than one, that are the ultimate cause of everything that exists, and presents one with his critical analysis of such idea. Anselm argues that if there is more than one of such beings then they themselves must exist either through (a) one being, (b) separately through itself, or (c) mutually through one another. If, he states, these beings exist through one supreme being, then all things that exist cannot exist through more than one being. Following this premise, Anselm concludes that all things that exist must therefore exist through this one supreme being. If, however, there are many beings, which exist separately and each through itself, then there must be a certain â€Å"power or property of existing through self†, by which they are able to exist. Building upon this premise, Anselm goes on to explain that it is because of this particular â€Å"power or property† that each of these beings is able to exist. Thereby concluding that these beings exist by virtue of one greater power, without which they cannot exist. Once again we are back to the same argument that only one being can exist, for plurality does not explain itself. Lastly, a third alternative proposed by Anselm deals with beings existing mutually through one another. He argues that such thought is contrary to reason. For, it is irrational that â€Å"anything should exist through a being on which it confers existence. † In other words, there cannot be a being that is a giver and a taker. That, which exists by its own virtue and is yet dependent on itself for existence. Taking all of the arguments and points stated above, Anselm concludes that there can only be one greatest being, i. e. God, and it is through him that everything that is exists. If everything that is, exists by virtue of something, and nothing is able to exist through nothing, then God simply cannot be conceived not to exist. God is that, â€Å"which alone exists in the greatest and highest degree of all† and nothing greater can be conceived. For, everything that exists, exists through this greatest being, but it alone exists through itself. One aspect of Anselm’s argument that stands out in particular is a premise upon which the whole argument is based. Explicitly, â€Å"Everything that is, exists either through1 something, or through nothing. But nothing exists through nothing. For it is altogether inconceivable that anything should not exist by virtue of something. † This, he holds to be the self-evident truth. Once again, the underlying assumption here is that things do not exist through themselves for there is no need for their existence. Such things therefore cannot be the cause of their own existence. Therefore, it must exist by virtue of a greater being. BIBLIOGRAPHY S. D. Deane, (Trans. ), St. Anselm, Basic Writings (Second Ed. ), La Salle, Illinois: Open Court Publishing Company, 1994.

Influences On Air Asia And Its Evolutio

Influences On Air Asia And Its Evolutio Air Asia, the market leader of low cost carriers in Asia, shown on the good record of bringing about innovative idea into the industry. The industry itself, especially in the Asian region, is observing a higher growth rate of passenger and profitability. The report examines the organizations key business structure and operation, products and provides summary analysis of its key revenue lines and strategy. The analysis looks at the impact of external and internal factors on the organization, and evaluate it responses. Essentially SWOT and PESTLE analysis provide a simple framework through which strategic options can be identified in which Air Asia operate. The SWOT process will start by examining the strengths of the Air Asia of today. One of the most dominant strengths possessed by Air Asia is the adding of new Airbus A320 aircraft to its fleet. Airbus A320 gives Air Asia the largest, youngest and most modern fleet in the region. Another strength of Air Asia is the upgrading of the o nline booking system, in which will offer the ability to passenger to check in online and printing out boarding passes. An opportunity available to Air Asia is fastest growing market in China and India. Both countries give a huge opportunity for Air Asia to expand its business in the region. In the threat part of the analysis is concerned with identifying parts of the Air Asia that might affect its business performance. In recent years a whole class of low cost carriers such as Singapores Tiger Airways and other airline carrier coming into the market. PESTLE analysis is to conduct an environment analysis in the context of Air Asia international business operations, describing the major variables involved and the impact of the specific threats and opportunities confronted by Air Asia. The second part of the report is trying to analyze the policies and decision making will be influenced by those human capital and information technology involved. Air Asia has locked a partnership with CAE for mutual benefit where CAE will provide pilot training for all of Air Asia current and future pilot in the region. Air Asia also has locked a partnership with its IT vendor which can constantly improve the system and offer a wide range of distribution channels to make booking and traveling easier for its guests. iv Air Asia has built the Air Asia Academy to develop high quality manpower in ensuring seamless business growth. It operating results underscore two major highlights. The first is how effectively the employee worked to meet customer needs and the second is how well the team manages the robust capacity growth. A number of positions are normally improved to increase its competitive advantages and proficiency, which enables Air Asia to achieve and maintain the business growth. The area of improvement included service, strategic alliance and product improvement. v INTRODUCTION Air Asia is most popular and profitability organization since Air Asia introduced its low fare, no frills concept in December 2001. Dato Tony Fernandes, who introduced the first budget no frills airline, Air Asia, to Malaysian with tagline Now everyone can fly, Air Asias philosophy of low fares is aimed to make flying affordable for everyone (AirAsia.com 2008). It is also aims at making travel easy, convenient and fun for its guests. The airline now flies to over 48 destinations in Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Macau, China and Philippines (AirAsia.com 2008). Air Asia formed two successful joint ventures in Thailand through Thai Air Asia, and Indonesia through Indonesia Air Asia in 2004. Where Air Asia holds 49% stake in both companies. Now, Air Asia expanded its fleet from the original two to twenty eight, and revolutionized air travel in this country by offering incredibly low airfares through its innovative sales channel (AirAsia.com 2008). To date the Air Asia group, has carried over million passengers per year. In the history of Air Asia, we can identified how diligent and smart of Dato Tony Fernandes to operate to be ultimately constructed by external and internal factors on strategic planning to ensuring alignment during implementation of organization success. We all know Air Asia, the heavily indebted subsidiary of the Malaysia government owned conglomerate, DRB-Hicom, was losing money big time. Instead of starting from scratch, Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad advised Fernandes to buy an existing airline instead (Wikipedia 2008). Fernandes mortgaged his own house and sank his savings to acquire the company, comprising two ageing Boeing 737-300 jets. Air Asia was acquired at RM 1.00 with liability of over RM 40 million worth of debts, and transformed it into an industry player (Wikipedia 2008). For what happened on this date in history, coming just after the September 2001, undoubtedly the worst day in the history of commercial aviation when nobody wanted to fly, everyone scoffed at his idea, predicting that the company would fail miserably. 1 Yet, just one year after his takeover, Air Asia had broken even and the debt was paid off. For the year to June 2002, a RM 30 million net profit was recorded on revenue of RM 310 million (Wikipedia 2008). Why it happened? What is well made decision to enables Air Asia to achieve and sustain a competitive advantage? The world has changed. Organization has had, and is having significant effects on the way how to make better decisions in organization. Policies and decision making are inherently concerned with the future. Because of this the organization is often concerned with assessing in the future as an input to developing organization strategic plans. This is particularly true in the area of environmental analysis in organization planning. The development of strategies inevitably involves choice between alternatives strategies and hence the need for analysis and decision making. 2 A. Task 1 INTERNAL INFLUENCES ON AIR ASIA 2.1 Organization Vision and Mission Organization vision commonly provides a clear indication of the overall purpose of the organization. It will describe the main activities of the organization and the position or standing that it wishes to achieve in the future. Organization vision of the Air Asia is to continue to be the lower cost short haul airline in every market its serve, delivering strong organic growth through offering the lowest airfares at a profit (AirAsia.com 2008). It is important that the vision stretches the organization but it must be realistic. 2.2 Organizational Structure The structure of an organization refers to the patterns of relationships among positions in the organization and between individual members of the organization. Its will help to define the tasks that people do, the allocation of the responsibility and authority, the roles that people play and the relationships between them. The organization structure and principal operating of Air Asia include three executive vice presidents, for operations, commercials and people, serve under the CEO and the deputy CEO. The senior manager of the network operations, who contributed most of the information in this article, reports to the executive vice president of operations (Idris, 2007). In general, the organization structure of Air Asia also included flight crews, which people responsible for the operation of the aircraft, such as pilot and flight attendants. Ground crew, people will responsible for operations at airports. They are include gate agents, ticket agents, flight dispatchers, baggage ha ndlers, electric system technicians, passengers service agents and airframe and power plant technicians. 3 2.3 Organization Policy The main organization policy of Air Asia is its will provide reliable airlines services to its customers through its various divisions, according to the requirement of customers and in compliance with statutory regulations and industry norms. Therefore, its emphasized in leanest cost structure; maximize shareholders value; safety; passion for guests satisfaction; transparency and human capital development (AirAsia.com 2008). The various divisions will formulate quality objectives for achievement of his policy and strive to continually improve the quality of service by periodically upgrading the knowledge and skills of its personnel. 2.4 Business Strengths One of the best known frameworks done by Air Asia is offering the low airfares in the region. This concept is main focus to lower cost perpetually. As business environments become more competitive and in some cases more volatile, business organization have become more concerned about the price. No matter how clearly history we know, there will be time again when we have to engage in a price war. Therefore, if the airlines get the passenger to their destination on time at low airfares, people will fly the airlines. That was why Air Asia introduced the first budget no frills airline, to Malaysians with the tagline Now everyone can fly (Wikipedia 2008). And that is why it is main focus to lower cost perpetually, so that it can evade and fend off any sort of irrational competition. 4 2.5 SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis can play a valuable part in any strategic planning, it provide a simple framework and common language through which strategic options can be identified. Strength Pioneer in no frills airline services in South East Asia. Cheap rate of flight. Convenience of passenger to purchase air ticket online. Recently purchased Airbus A320s making it largest customer of the type. World class airport facilitate travel. E.g. Kuala Lumpur International Airport Weaknesses Reliance so much on computer for booking and for the storing of information could be risky due to failures and viruses. Marketing primarily focused on ASEAN market. Underdeveloped distribution system. Ineffective use of horizontal distribution alliances. High fuel prices. Opportunities Able to penetrate many ASEAN market and Western market. Airbus A320s enable Air Asia to carry more passengers. The coming Beijing Olympic game 2008 Proximity to large and growing Asian markets, such as India and China. International campaign launch to promoting Malaysia. For example Visit Malaysia 2007. Threats Competition from Singapores Tiger Airways and other airlines carrier in South East Asia. Changing patterns of buying behavior. Deteriorating of Air Asia service base on many complaints. Terrorism threat. Legislation could impact. 5 The strong market share in South East Asia is one of the strategic advantages as it will be the springboard for Air Asia future expansion, growth and profitability. One of the most dominant strengths possessed by Air Asia is its ability to follow the changes in a market that is continually changing. For example, Air Asia seeks to purchase new Airbus A320 aircraft to its fleet. As the number of Airbus A320 aircraft increases, it will be able to cater the largest customer and providing bigger seating capacity, wider aisles, greater comfort and a quieter ride. An opportunity available to Air Asia is fastest growing market in China and India, and the coming Beijing Olympic game 2008. By having a large market it gives a huge opportunity for Air Asia to expand. However, even with the best strategies in place threats can occur from unexpected directions. For example, 9/11/2001 attack on the World Trade Center. Many people are still reluctant to fly and market swings away from airplanes. Ano ther threat to Air Asia is new competitor emergence in the airline market, such as Singapores Tiger Airways and other airlines carrier in South East Asia. This might affect the business outcome of Air Asia. Therefore, how the business is performing and copes with the issues is important to the organization move forward. 6 EXTERNAL INFLUENCES ON AIR ASIA 3.1 PESTLE Analysis 3.1.1 Political PESTLE analysis assumes that the success of an organization is dependent on the way in which the organization manages its interaction with its external environment (University of Sunderland, 2005). The environment presents the organization with series of challenges, risks and opportunities. Such a business would clearly be affected by changes in the political environment. One of the most obvious aspects is some governments attempt to control the industry sector and may impose conditions to protect the local industry for barriers to new entrants. Therefore, in order to ensure smooth growing, Air Asia must analysis and aware the local political stability and governmental function. 3.1.2 Economic Economic trends such as changes in net disposable income levels could also influence the business performance. If disposable income declines the clearly the effective demand is likely to go down. Since the economic crisis in ASEAN on 1997, an individual cannot afford to pay a higher rate had ever traveled in a plane. However, Fernandes believe Malaysian travelers would embrace a low rate air service that will save them time and money, especially in a tight economy. That was why he copied one of the worlds most successful no frills carriers concepts, Ryan air out of Ireland (Wikipedia 2008). Finally his has to be recognized that one of these strategies will be success in the business as a whole. 7 3.1.3 Socio-Cultural Socio-Cultural changes are often long term in the impact but should be monitored all the same. Shift in values may for example affect general attitudes towards traveled in a plane, and changes in business environment with which people can find the best choose of employment in other countries. Attitude changes and demographic changes will change the market as well. Therefore, low airfares promote by Air Asia will delivering strong growth in airline market share. 3.1.4 Technological Technological change may affect the business outcomes in many ways. Simple issues such as the development of internet online booking system launch by Air Asia in recent year. This made Air Asia offer the ability to check in online and print out boarding passes online (Wikipedia 2008). There may influence the size of the potential market and the number of people able to travel to other countries. Increasing access to the internet may change the way in which the customers can booking the air ticket immediately, neither to wait long queue in the counter. Potential customers may also have changed expectations as a result of experiencing new technology. As a result, improved channel distribution has meant that, increasingly, customers are exposed to, and aware of the products in other parts of the world. 3.1.5 Legal The legal framework of a country influences organization strategy through its laws regarding such areas as industry regulation, employment conditions and so forth. However, in today business world, Air Asia needs to take into the consideration in an environment of complex law and regulation. Similarly any general legislation that affected taxation or employment would affect the business outcomes and could affect profitability. Moreover, government bailouts for competitors may lead to unfair competition. 8 3.1.6 Environment Changes in the physical environment, roughly viewed as comprising the natural and man- made environment, affect our daily lives and the functioning of the organizations. In western countries, pollution has become an important political issue and legislators are elected as member of green parties (Media 2008). Indeed, in many countries, the strength of the environmental movement has led to strong legislation affecting organizational production system and products (Media 2008). Air Asia needs to consider the environmental impacts of its strategies and take into account a broader range of interest group. For Example, reduce fuel consumption and energy. In addition, high utilization of resources is enforced to minimize wastages (AirAsia.com 2008). 9 B. Task 2 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND THE LEARNING ORGANIZATION 4.1 Training and Development Training and development will concerned with the provision of learning, development and training opportunities which ensure that the employee has the skilled, motivated and committed it needs now and in the future. Air Asia stresses the training and development of the staff to keep abreast with changes. The normal one week on the job training is given to new employees. Training is ongoing for three months within the period of probation. Employee skills and knowledge will be upgraded with ongoing course using Air Asias academy (Idris, 2007). It ensures that the employee has the skilled to handle multiple jobs in the organization. For example, the cabin crews are not only serving passengers on board but do multiple tasks such as ensuring passengers safety, helping passengers, and ensuring cleanliness of aircraft interior. The training will help the employee to facilitate change in the external and internal environments, in which they are trained to learn new skills and develop new abil ities, to respond to these changes in the organization. 4.1.1 Decision Making Developing Human Capital Air Asia will partners with Canadian Aviation Electronic to build an aviation training centre of excellence and selected Kuala Lumpur as the location for its Southeast Asian training hub. Air Asia has locked a partnership with CAE for mutual benefits where CAE will provide pilot training for all of Air Asia current and future pilot in the region (Mywire.com 2008). These will demonstration of excellence in improving the training quality and human capital development within Air Asia. Partners with CAE will help the organization to develop high quality manpower in ensuring seamless business growth. 10 4.2 Human Resource Management In order to remain high quality manpower in ensure seamless business growth. Air Asia needs to revamp and rethink conventional recruitment strategies to achieve and sustain a competitive advantage. Attracting the right people has never been harder. Indeed recruiting and retaining talent is organizations biggest challenge. Its all well and good operating in a dynamic economic climate but with high attrition rates, inevitable in such competitive times, many are struggling to find the right people to keep up, let alone get ahead. People management is a strategic priority for Air Asia, especially at a time when the organization is rapidly evolving and expanding horizons. Air Asia needs to have the right people for the role, and then to build those into a strength and knowledge, in which to lead the organization becomes a major market player. 4.2.1 Decision Making Recruitment Air Asia believes that investing in people ultimately brings the greatest return. It continued to recruit the overwhelming majority of its talent internally. With over 5,000 employees across eleven countries, Air Asia is blessed with a multi-pool talent and dedicated to hiring and maintaining a workforce of well trained, reliable and safety focused employees at all level of the organization (AirAsia.com 2008). In addition to corporate programs for existing employees, an active recruitment program is in place to attract and retain qualified individuals from all trades and professions. The primary goal is to increase the number of young potentials in the organization and to develop the Air Asia employer brand (AirAsia.com 2008). 11 4.3 Information System The information system has had a greater impact to display the products that can be seen worldwide especially useful for linking Air Asia with customers or business partners. It provides a worldwide distribution channel for information and ability to link market demand to production planning, and helps the management to communicate quickly with those at lower level. Air Asia have became the first in the world to introduce SMS booking where customers could book their seats, checked flight schedules, and obtain the latest promotional announcements through their mobile phones (Idris, 2007). 4.3.1 Decision Making Technology Air Asia keeps introducing innovative ways for online booking and ticket sales. It has locked a partnership with its IT vendors for mutual benefits where Air Asia can constantly improve the system while IT vendor learns to create innovative products according to customer requirements. It offers a wide and innovative range of distribution channels to make booking and traveling easier for its guests. 4.4 Management Policies Policies are fundamentally statements of an organizations intentions relative to their strategic aims. Air Asia mission is to continue to be the lowest cost short-haul airline in every market its serve, delivering strong organic growth through offering the lowest airfares at a profit (AirAsia.com 2008). In order to strive to achievement of the mission and values, the following core value have been a guide for their action, extracted from (AirAsia.com 2008): i) Leanest Cost Structure à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Efficient and simple point to point operations à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Attracting and retaining hardworking and smart people à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Passion for continuous cost reduction 12 ii) Maximize Shareholders Value à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Resilient profit growth through our lower cost base à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Expansion of the Air Asia network in a prudent and disciplined manner à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Invest and enhance the Air Asia brand to increase investors returns iii) Safety à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Comply with the highest International Aviation Safety Standards and practices à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Keep operations simple and transparent à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ensure the security of our People and Guests iv) Passion for Guests Satisfaction à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Maintain simplicity in every application à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Practice the unique and friendly Air Asia experience at every opportunity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Recognize the linkage between guests satisfaction and long-term success v) Transparency à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Transparency in decision-making and information sharing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Optimum disclosure higher than industry norms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Timeliness in disclosing information vi) Human Capital Development à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Invest in both hard and soft skills à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Recognize all our People as contributors to our success à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reward excellence and individual contributions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Maintaining one brand across the Group 13 4.5 Effectiveness of Chosen Strategy According to Air Asia Annual Report (2007), Air Asia today has indeed highlighted by robust growth, record profits, industry leading performance and award winning standards. It humble beginning took flight six years ago, and after 24 consecutive profitable quarters later, Air Asia are now the highest profit margin airline in the world. This can be seen in Figure 4.1. In recent times, the sales of Air Asia excess of RM 1.6 billion, a presence in eleven countries and more than 5,000 employees. Earnings continued to improve thanks to robust passenger growth and improved margins in all business areas. Figure 4.1: The Most Profitable Airline in the World Air Asia Source: Air Asia Financial Report 2007 14 As shown in Figure 4.2, Air Asia recorded revenue of RM 633 million for the quarter ended 31 December 2007. These indicate that 43% higher than the revenue of RM 443 million recoded in the quarter ended 31 December 2006. Its net income improved by 73% to RM 246 million as compared to the net income of RM 142 million achieved in the previous quarter. Figure 4.2: The Superior Growth with Expanding Profits Source: Air Asia Financial Report 2007 15 In the past five year, Air Asia has maintained unwavering focus and discipline in the low cost model. In the process, it have invested significantly to build a solid foundation and to create a platform for sustainable growth. Air Asia has built the Air Asia Academy to develop high quality manpower in ensuring seamless business growth (AirAsia.com 2008). It operating results over the past year underscore two major highlights. The first is how effectively the employee worked to meet customer needs during the highest demand for air travel it has ever experienced. The second highlight was how well the team managed the robust capacity growth. Air Asia corporate strategy and strategic investments have yielded positive results. In year 2007, it unit cost is the lowest reported in the world and it profit margins are among the best (AirAsia.com 2008). Just imagine what Air Asia can achieve in the future. 16 4.6 Area of Improvement Policies and strategies effectiveness is a source of competitive advantage for Air Asia turn into their strength across a range of different product markets. A number of positions are normally can be improved to increase its competitive advantages and proficiency, in which enables Air Asia to achieve and maintain the business growth. 4.6.1 Service Organizations depend on their customers and therefore should understand current and future customer needs, should meet customer requirements and strive to exceed customer expectations. How customer expectations are the standard against which service is judge. Thats the mission. Therefore should understanding customer needs and expectations. In recent years, one of the most obvious aspects of Air Asia done is upgrade their online booking system and payment system to improve efficiency. This will enhance customer satisfaction, and achieve continual improvement of its performance in pursuit of organization objectives. But unfortunately, baggage does not always arrive at its intended destination. Or, if it does, it might turn up damaged or with something missing still always happened. So, how to trace the missing baggage in short period and minimize a similar case happened again. It can help Air Asia to improving the quality of products and services provided to the customer. 17 4.6.2 Strategic Alliance Air Asia introduced a first direct B2B engine to its agents in Asia, through one of its strategic partners, Citibank. The agents make immediate payment via a virtual Air Asia credit card through the internet based real inventory booking engine (AirAsia.com 2008). The question is why; its formed up the strategic alliance between the parties? The popularity is business growth and get in on opportunities. The strategies adopted in a specific market. A gap emerges between what organization goals would like to achieve and what it can do with available resources and capabilities when comparing the threats and opportunities in the environment with an organizations strengths and weaknesses. The gap can be bridged by the alliance. For example, in order to compete on a global scale and at the same time maintain its independence, Air Asia must make alliances in partnership together with others countries to use facilities, produce components and distribution channels to meet a critical business need. In year 2004, Air Asia formed two joint ventures in Thailand through Thai Air Asia, and Indonesia through Indonesia Air Asia (AirAsia.com 2008). Why? Because Air Asia able to extend its marketing reach and build credibility with a particular target market. Its also giving the opportunities to access needed information and greater resources including specialized staff and technology, increase sales in an existing market and enhance technological capabilities through research and development underwritten by more than one party. Another approach is once business is established it has provided the Air Asia with the opportunity to gain new capacity and expertise. 18 4.6.3 Product Improvement Product improvement is the result of consistent, deliberate effort to move the developing organization to a higher level of capability. Product improvement entails developing and launching new products for sale in existing markets (Condensed GSAM Handbook, 2003). It also requires a planned and guided path to excellence, reaching various levels of improvement as intermediate goals along the way such as products with additional features, different packaging, different quality levels etc. For example, Air Asia Go Holiday and Air Asia Tune Hotels which offer travelers a comprehensive package. Many budget travelers prefer to book their airline tickets and hotels together and Air Asia will offer its customers the facility of making room reservations online as they book their flights. In other words, the product will be improved as a natural consequence. So, eventually have hotels in all Air Asia destinations are part of the areas for improvement. This means understanding and responding to customer needs is the key to success in the increasingly competitive advantages. Making our customers happy is important because it translates to an ongoing relationship, whether travel is business or pleasure, which in turn is loyalty. 19 5.0 Conclusion Since Air Asia entry the market, it is rapidly becoming the most popular airline and profitability organization. Why? Because it focuses the strategic analysis on ways of promoting and developing the product ranges. But no business can consider always sustain a competitive advantage without carefully analyze the primary internal and external influences to which the business environment is subject. However, Air Asia will need to understand what is currently happening in the operating environment. What strategies are being adopted by competitors? Are new entrants coming into the sector? How are the markets moving? Therefore, PESTLE and SWOT analysis have been the most usefully tools for looking consideration of the business environment. Likewise Air Asia will need forecasts of what is expected to happen in the future and the business strengths that could be exploited. This will bring its the competitive advantage to the business environment. Therefore how the business is performing and copes with the issues is important to its move forward. 20

Thesis Statement On Illegal Immigrants Politics Essay

Thesis Statement On Illegal Immigrants Politics Essay The illegal immigrant (unauthorized alien) population in the United States is a controversial and key immigration issue. Competing political views in recent years to address the illegal aliens has proven to be a core hindrance to the enactment of comprehensive reform legislation regarding immigration. This paper hopes to highlight the political issues that are connected to illegal immigration in American. The relative cheapness and increased ease of travel compounded by the improvements in information have spurred to a large extent the international illegal immigration around the globe in recent decades. Most countries that are developed experience illegal flows, but the United States has an inflow that is high in comparison to other developed countries, originating mainly from Mexico (Edmonston 50) The problem of immigration is a long standing one in the United States. Francis Walker, the then director of Census, in the 1890s, cited data of census in support of a debate that the country was at the time being overrun by immigrants who were less desirable. At this timer, this were mainly immigrants from eastern and southern Europe who were described as being beaten men who originated from a race that was beaten, he implied that the newer immigrants comprised a stock that was poorer as compared to those who had come earlier. The new immigrants did not have enough resources to leave the cities in the east so as to help the progression of the country west. As such the undesirable immigrants started to be viewed as a burden to the country. The arguments put forth by Walker contributed to an intellectual foundation development for enactments of quotas on national origins that came later. As such, even in the early studies on immigration, immigration data, examined by social, ethnicity and economic characteristics was used to support restrictions on immigration and the realignment of national origins of immigration (Bean, Edmonston, and Passel 13). Politics and illegal immigration By October 1996, The United States Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Services estimated roughly 5 million illegal immigrants that were residing in the country at that time. This figure represented an annual average rate increment of quarter million between 1992 and 1996. Illegal immigration into the United States has been a contested issue since the midcentury. A consequence of this debate was the passage of the first United States legislation which was designed to curb this illegal immigration. The Immigration Control and Reform Act was passed into law in 1986. This number was up to 7 million in 2000 and roughly 10 million in 2004. Illegal Immigration reform and Immigrant Responsibility act was passed by Congress ten years later. They were both passed with the intention of curbing illegal migration (Portes and Rumbaut 138). The origin of illegal immigration id the united states place half of those that are undocumented as originating from Mexico wit 15% form central America. Some of the motivation includes political turmoil in their countries as well as civil war which reflected the long term economical and political involvement by the United States (Johnson 2). The past two decades have witnessed very little meaningful legislation on the issue of immigration despite President Bushs attempt in his second term for comprehensive reform and also president Obamas promises in his campaign to address the issue. Pointing at the economic recession is convenient as is the health care proposal by Obama as a roadblock to reforms in immigration, but these reasons barely scratch the surface. Politicians have always shied away from asking questions that are relevant when it comes to immigration. The policy makers must shift their focus from boarder security to the more relevant underlying economic implications if proper reforms are to be made on the issue. They must As well evaluate the impact that undocumented workers have on the job market. Issues concerning illegal immigration continue languishing in political limbo because politicians do not adopt concrete strategies when it comes to addressing the issue (Johnson 7). Throughout history, politicians have addressed illegal immigration by emphasizing on border security. They have consistently stated that the reason why there are so many illegal immigrants is because the countrys borders are porous. This approach has continuously obscured the main issue that underlies this problem. The political balance on the issue has been between border security and employer sanctions. The government has been largely unsuccessful in the employer sanctions and as such the politicians find it easier to talk about enforcing border crackdowns. This approach, security focused, is not adequate to address the flow of illegal aliens across the Mexican border. These are complex movements that are based on seasonal changes and economic conditions. The border fence is thought of having the paradoxical effect of making those already in the country illegally more determined not to go back as it will be had to get back in. Policy makers in order to make reforms on immigration s tick have therefore to focus more on economic incentives that primarily bring into the country illegal aliens (Bean, Edmonston, and Passel 14). The main concern for congress and states that have a large population of illegal immigrants raise concerns about their impact financially on the programs by the government, their participation in criminal activities and generally the effect that they have in economies of the local community they reside in. the main political claim is that the illegal immigration result in an influx of undocumented workers into the market who take away most of the jobs that belong to the Americans. The jobs done by this immigrant stands roughly at 8 million. However research tends to disregard this fact as the illegal immigrants occupy job markets that are fundamentally different. The illegal immigrants perform the cheap labor such as picking tomatoes and cherries in the Californian desert (Edmonston 51). Another political concern with regard to illegal immigration is that the illegal aliens would and do in fact retain most of their original language as well as develop political issues that are foreign to those found in the United States. As such many people who are passionate about this issue have called for the punishment of illegal immigration by deportation via proceedings of removal. Others believe that the illegal aliens will overtime overpopulate the country as well as damage, culture economy and environment. Still, some believe that the illegal immigrants are criminal as their illegal presence justifies. The political outcry that tool place as a result of the influx in illegal immigration that claimed a loss of control over the border also saw Congress approve measures that would be the fist reform that is comprehensive on matters of immigration laws for more than two decades (Hanson 10). Illegal aliens in the united states once found in violation of the countrys immigration laws may be through a formal process removed from the country or may be given a chance to depart through their own voluntary action. The formal process included penalties such as imprisonment, fines of the prohibition from entering the country in future. The number of people who were legally removed in 2004 was approximately 203,000 people and about another million departed voluntarily. 42000 of the 203,000 of the formal removal were removals that were expedited. This process was designed to speed up the aliens removal that were or wanted to enter the country illegally. Despite these measures, imprisonment, deportations and sealing of borders, the rate of illegal aliens continues to rise (Bischoff 182). It is important to note that the political influence of illegal immigrants in the United States is far reaching than anticipated. Illegal aliens affect the way seats are distributed in the House of Representatives. This is because the appointment is based on the total population of each state; this includes non-citizens as well as illegal alien, relative to other states in the country. This impact is derived from estimates in the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which indicated that almost 7 million illegal immigrants were counted in the census, 2000. The same report showed that the states with low-immigration rates and which might seek to be unaffected by issues of immigration have in fact had a significant erosion of influence politically in Washington (Poston Jr., Camarota and Baumle 1). Among the findings in this report include: the presence of illegal immigrants in other states caused the states of Michigan, Indiana and Mississippi to lose a seat respectively in the House in 2000 while the state of Montana failed to gain a seta it would have had otherwise; Illegal immigration redistributes seats in the House as well as the presidential election as a result of the electoral college which is based of the congressional delegation size; non-citizen present in the census redistributed in total nine seats. Non-citizens include legal immigrants, illegal aliens, temporary visitors, mainly guest workers and foreign students. In addition the four states that each lost a seat due to illegal immigrants, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Utah each had one less seat than they could have had; non of the states that lost a seat because of immigrant has a population on the decline, all recorded population growths of more than a million in the 1990s; the reappointment that is immigrant-induced is not similar to reappointment that is caused when natives in a state relocate to another; Immigration takes away from the state the representation that is composed entirely of citizens and results in a creation of state districts that have large numbers of non-citizens; the states with illegal immigrants gained the most seats with California where e immigrant population is 43%gaining 10 of these seats; the political stakes to be found in low-immigration states are enormous. The illegal immigration has the ability to redistribute these sears because of the large number of illegal aliens as well as their high concentration density, two out of every three live in just three states (Poston Jr., Camarota and Baumle 1). In order to counteract the immigration problems, the United States has often responded in a number. For example, California passed an initiative in1994 that was labeled Proposition 187. This came to pass as a draconian proposal which aimers at cutting off education as well as other social services accept for emergency health care for illegal immigrants. The proposition required in addition to what is mentioned above that doctors and teachers were required to turn in such illegal aliens to the appropriate authorities. The passage of this proposal marked the return of a perennial divisive political issue in the country: who to keep in and who to keep out of a country that Native Americans are finding difficult to define as theirs (Bischoff 184). Most of the immigrants who are in the country and have stayed here for a lifetime hope that they will eventually be legalized. The county offers a unique place for this aliens as it has policy that generate legions that oversee illegal aliens almost daily but also in the process also provides them with a home where the can be legalized. The process of legalizing although controversial is an initial step that can help reduce the illegal aliens numbers. However there is no single solution to the above problem in the countrys legislative history, social and political climate and practical experience that can deal with the matter. The country has some form of organized, planned and even institutionalized action that are in place to deal with the illegal immigrants. There is also the practical and the ideologically fundamental necessity to deal with the issue. Primarily, it is to save the image of American democracy which is currently perceived as positive. Secondly, is the need to avoid lawlessness and chaos and to keep the harmonious relationship between those who have lived in the country for generations and those who have managed to acquire homes in the dreamland as a result of their illegal action. Legalization offers a significant step in the provision of hope and the pursuit of happiness for immigrants in the country illegally even though it presents practical and fundamental issues (Hanson 11). The political unpopularity of the United States policy on immigration lays on the obtrusiveness that exist in current efforts that are aimed at enforcing the united states interior accounts that would ensure the expulsion of illegal immigrants or their legalization. The political opening to the issue of illegal immigration in the country lies with the consensus that is building that emphasizes that the immigration policies are broken. This is further highlighted by the fact that despite it being a major issue, the candidates for the 2004 presidential campaign only vaguely addressed how best the reforms would be implemented even though they invoked the issues as important and deserving attention. This implies the political interest in the topic of illegal immigration in the United States (Hanson and Institute for International Economics 10). Conclusion The contentiousness that surrounds immigration often deters politicians from tackling issues on illegal aliens. If changes are implemented on Policies governing the issue, these will mainly specific groups of employers, workers and taxpayers with the aggregate effects on the economy appearing to be minimal. By revising entry and admission restrictions, the government might be in a better position to regulate illegal immigration into the country. In the discussion we see that political issues in this topic arise in different areas, from country of origin, mode of immigration and to the illegal residence in the country which presents political consequences in itself. Reforms in the immigration policy are the only way of addressing this issue adequately.

Software Piracy Essay -- History, Dan Sokol

Many years have passed since the first pirates emerged on the sea, but they still exist and have extended their scope of action. Meaning of the word ‘’pirate’’ has changed and now can be defined as the person who illegally makes a copy of someone’s property. Music, films, books and software on hard media can be pirated by consumers. According to Gopal and Sanders (1998 381) software piracy is the operation of simulating original software which is against the law for any purpose. Such illegal acts could seriously affect industry and society. For instance, losses of software industry profits because of piracy were $12.8 billion in 1993 (Austin American-Statesman 1994), it shows that a large number of software products were pirated. Therefore, piracy is a major problem for the advance of the software industry and consumers. This essay will cover causes and effects of software piracy. There are four main reasons why the piracy of software is easy and wid espread, economic development, legislation, reliability of pirated copies and consumer’s attitude. Software piracy has the intellectual impact on society and the financial effect on the industry. This essay also will provide the combat process and analyze some proposed solutions in order to determine the effective solution. The history of software piracy starts from 1975, when Dan Sokol, who was a member of Homebrew Computer Club, copied the version of the programming language BASIC (Leinss n.d.). Since then, piracy seems to have increased by years. For instance, Givon et al. (1995 29) state that 40% of software was pirated in the United States in 1995. However, as Gopal and Sanders (1998 381) inform the percent of illegal copies there, had risen to 70% in 1997. Italy and Spain had ... ... pirated copies and consumer’s attitude were chosen as the root causes. Software piracy problem caused by integration of these factors, for dealing with this problem all causes should be eliminated. Software piracy considered as a problem, because it has a harmful effect for industry and users. It was found that there were some attempts to avoid this issue, but none of them was totally effective. Software piracy is the long-term problem of software industry and solutions of it are very controversial. To reduce the rate of piracy government should think about the level of economy and new legislations, monopolies should experience other protection devices, and consumers should think more about consequences of their choice. However, market and society adapted to existing of software piracy, and piracy seems to be not always bad, because of some benefits for industry.

Preventing Disease and Promoting Health Essay -- Health and Wellness

Early detection of certain diseases, especially cardiovascular disease (CVD), and which incorporates approaches that implement lifestyle changes, medication, and counseling, has the potential to alter the course of the devastation the disease can cause (Murimi & Harpel, 2010). The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends regular examination of obesity and health-related issues, such as cardiovascular screenings for everyone (Murimi & Harpel, 2010). Documented research demonstrates that a healthy lifestyle that includes a proper diet, exercise, no smoking, and limited alcohol decreases the risk of CVD (Gordon, Lavoie, Arsenault, Ditto, & Bacon, 2008). Kehler, Christensen, Risor, Lauritzen, and Christensen (2009) reported that patients who had a discussion with their doctor about cardiovascular disease including information about the disease, knowledge about the disease, and perception of risk and prevention strategies indicated that they were able to incorporate healthy lifestyle changes into their diet. Many respondents reported feeling relief and empowerment following the conversation with their doctor (Kehler et al., 2009). Lifestyle changes suggested for a client could include quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, engaging in a heart healthy diet, exercising, losing weight, taking medication as prescribed, and finding ways to relieve stress. Lack of compliance related to the identified lifestyle changes is an issue. Sargeant, Valli, Ferrier and MacLeod (2008) suggest that it is very difficult for individuals to change comfortable and enjoyable behaviors in which they have been engaged their entire lives. There are many reasons clients do not comply, and finding ways to facilitate compliance is a key role o... ...08). Health behaviors and endothelial function. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 31(1), 5-21. doi:10.1007/s10865-007-9129-0 Kehler, D., Christensen, M. B., Risor, M. B., Lauritzen, T., & Christensen, B. (2009). Self-reported cognitive and emotional effects and lifestyle changes shortly after preventive cardiovascular consultations in general practice. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, 27(2), 104-110. doi:10.1080/02813430902793563 Murimi, M. W., & Harpel, T. (2010). Practicing preventive health: The underlying culture among low-income rural populations. The Journal of Rural Health, 26(3), 273-282. doi:10.1111/j.1748-0361.2010.00289.x Sargeant, J., Valli, M., Ferrier, S., & MacLeod, H. (2008). Lifestyle counseling in primary care: Opportunities and challenges for changing practice. Medical Teacher, 30(2), 185-191. doi:10.1080/01421590701802281

Sanchez and Levine Summary

In making the distinction between competency modeling (CM) and traditional Job analysis (TAXI the authors articulate that the latter encores itself with describing and measuring day-to-day operations of specific roles In an organization while the former relates to desired behavioral competencies that transcend various roles and In doing so contribute to an overarching organizational strategy. The authors compare CM and TAX along six dimensions: purpose, view of the job, focus, time orientation, performance level and measurement approach.While all dimensions are equally important in making a clear distinction between the two concepts, for the purpose of this summary I will be focusing on what is in my opinion he three most relevant distinctions between the two HRS methodologies namely, focus, time orientation and performance level. The authors argue that TAX focuses solely on the job and in doing so fails to recognize that job behavior could be influenced by factors other than formal responsibilities.CM on the other hand, builds itself around notions of 'employer brand' and 'employee value proposition' that include behavioral themes and unique performance characteristics that derive directly from the organizational identity itself. The focus of CM Is particularly important because it has significant practical implications when communicating management expectations to employees.An employer brand should identify with a business strategy and communicating strategic competencies as a component of management expectations is more likely to encourage on-brand behavior in the delivery of products and services to customers, regardless of the employee's Job title. For example, the inclusion of ‘Discretionary Effort' among Feeder's competencies encourages Its employees to go above and beyond their day-to-day Job responsibilities and provide creative solutions to customers' demands, which Is consistent with an overarching business strategy of exceeding customer expect ations.Furthermore, since competencies communicate universal behavioral themes that the organization wishes to see across all Jobs, employees seeking career advancement are able to identify with these themes and perform their duties that not only benefit themselves but the organization as well. Most organizations do not engage their employees In a manner that encourages them to demonstrate such on-brand behavior.However It seems quite clear, that accompanying specific job duties with these behavioral themes and rewarding employees for demonstrating such behaviors in the workplace could have a significant impact on a firm's reputation and overall consistency in the manner employees perform their duties. Secondly, the authors argue that TAX Is rooted In the past because It concerns itself with describing a Job by relying on those who have performed the Job till date.In contrast CM NAS a Touch on ten Torture, Decease It communicates now a Joy snouts be interpreted and performed from no w on regardless of past behavior. TAX takes a bottom-up approach relying on information obtained from employees performing the job, while CM takes a top-down approach by communicating generic behavioral themes identified by leaders who are also responsible for strategic planning.Furthermore, the authors interject that TAX outlines day-to-day operational capabilities that have facilitated the survival of the organization till date, while CM concerns itself with change-oriented competencies that encourage employees to demonstrate certain behavioral characteristics that may facilitate growth and hang. In essence, CM allows employees to better understand how their specific Job assignments contribute to the organization's strategic initiatives and when provided with the right incentives, employees are more likely to change their behaviors that align with these strategies going in to the future.Providing employees with a sense of purpose and direction that facilitates the firm's future gr owth is more likely to encourage behaviors that go above and beyond an employee's basic duties in serving the customers which may in turn serve the organization as well. Last but not the least, the distinct performance level addressed by TAX and CM is of particular significance because it allows us to understand what will bring out the best from employees in an organization.While TAX addresses the typical' requirements needed to perform the work assignments, CM focuses on ‘maximal' performance by encouraging a series of loosely coupled behavioral themes that go beyond the operational efficiency of basic aspects of a Job. This distinction is significant because if managers wish to encourage employees to perform at a level hat goes beyond the typical day-to-day responsibilities, they must excel at implicitly communicating these behavioral themes to others in the organization.These themes tend to be generic so they transcend across all Job titles within the organization and bear on the interpersonal aspects of the manner in which the Job ought to be performed. Therefore, as mentioned earlier, those seeking career advancement have a clear idea of what sort of behavior will result in favorable outcomes and that optimizing day-to-day operations alone will not serve them or the organization in the long run.

A Cataclysm in Repose Essay

Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings† is a short story that fuses together magical and realistic elements. In an interview, Marquez explains the influences and origins of this unique style of writing. The story (not surprisingly) is about an old man with enormous wings who somehow ends up in a small Caribbean or Central American town and the events that surround this occurrence. The story is written in such a way that magical elements appear in a seemingly realistic setting. The interview with Marquez, although never specifically mentioning the story, provides insight as to how he achieves writing in this oxymoronic style. Marquez attributes his magical-realistic style of writing to the reciprocal relationship between novels and journalism. Marquez says that his â€Å"†¦true profession is that of a journalist (131.† This background in journalism helps keep his writing in â€Å"†¦a close relationship with reality (137).† Marquez further states that trying to â€Å"transpose† reality can lead to losing contact with it and journalism is a good guard against that. As a journalist Gabriel Garcia Marquez believes that writing is hard work that requires a certain technique with structure and careful attention to detail. Marquez also describes a â€Å"journalistic trick (138)† used to make things credible; saying that there are four hundred and twenty-five elephants in the sky is much more believable than simply stating there are elephants in the sky. Evidence of this journalistic influence is clearly seen throughout â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings† and thi s makes the story seem much more believable. Another important aspect of Marquez’s writing is his use of vivid imagery. He began writing by drawing cartoons and in â€Å"†¦ the genesis of all [his] books there’s always an image (143),† such as a photograph. Gabriel Garcia Marquez visited his hometown and he experienced it as everything in the town evolved into literature. Marquez follows by saying that â€Å"it’s always easy to tell whether a writer is writing about something that has happened to him or something he has read or been told (136).† Writing on his birthplace adds a sense of realism and imagery to the story. Marquez also gives credit to his  grandmother’s â€Å"brick face† style of story telling as an influence to his writing. â€Å"She told things that sounded supernatural and fantastic, but she told them with complete naturalness (138).† The combination of these elements adds to the authenticity and colorfulness of Marquez’s stories. Gabriel Garcia Marquez explains, in his interview, the importance of the first paragraph as setting the tone for the rest of the story. â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings† is no exception. The story begins with a reference to Marquez’s fascination with plagues as he describes an abundance of crabs after three days of rain. Marquez continues by saying that â€Å"the world had been sad since Tuesday. Sea and Sky were a single ash-gray thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is an example of the aforementioned journalistic trick which makes the sadness more believable. There is a convergence with the interview when Marquez says that every Mexican he sees in Europe leaves the following Wednesday, as opposed to any other day. The â€Å"ash-gray† description also provides a vivid image of the sea and sky. The first paragraph ends with an introduction of the old man, â€Å"†¦impeded by his enormous wings.† This does indeed set the tone for the rest of the story with detailed descriptions, sharp imagery and the magical-realistic elements are introduced. The story continues with a detailed, precise, and unconventional description of an angel. Word about the angel gets out, and many people come to see him, including the Priest, Father Gonzaga. There is evidence, in the beginning of the story that the setting is in a small Caribbean or Central America town, such as the one Marquez grew up in. Statements like â€Å"†¦everyone knew†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , â€Å"neighbor women† and referring to the priest as Father Gonzaga give the image of a small Spanish-speaking town. The credibility of the winged man as an angel is questioned in the story by Father Gonzaga. The visiting people torture and test the patience of the angel. Eventually, a carnival took the attention away from him, including a â€Å"†¦woman who had been changed into a spider for having disobeyed her parents (572),† another example of the journalistic trick. An example of the brick faced story telling appears when things return to the â€Å"†¦time it had rained for three days and crabs walked through the bedroom (573).† The paragraph simply ends here, with something completely fantastical told as if it were completely normal. The keepers of  the angel profit at the angel’s expense until people no longer care to see him and eventually the angel regains his strength and flies away ungracefully. The interview did not specifically address â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings† and therefore it was not useful in understanding the story nor did it take anything away from it. The interview was, however, effective and useful in understanding how Marquez can effectively write in such a unique style. The way the story seems to be so believable yet at the same time so fantastical is explained. If I could ask Gabriel Garcia Marquez another question, I would like to know more about what he meant by the â€Å"intellectual writing† and more on the influence of politics in his writing. Being a Marxist, how did this affect the non-traditional representation of the angel? I found that, in general, the interview provided helpful insight on what makes Marquez’s magical-realistic writing so vivid and believable. Work Cited Stone, Peter H. An interview with Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Unknown date and publisher. Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. â€Å"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.† The Story and it’s Writer. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s ., 2003.

Child Beauty Pageants

A child's world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. ~ Rachel Carson The year was 1920. The First World War ended and the women’s movement began to take off. 1920 also marked the first year of the American beauty pageant. This was a groundbreaking year, as women from all over the United States were given the opportunity to show their talent, outer beauty and inner intelligence. Little did our country know, that 40 years later, children as young as 10 months old would be competing in beauty pageants. 1960 marked the first child beauty pageant in America and started a major American trend. Since the tragic death of JonBenet Ramsey in 1996, child beauty pageants have been a hot topic of debate. Ramsey’s death opened a new door to the skepticism of beauty pageants by allowing the media into the world of child beauty pageants through more curious eyes. These eyes began to see beauty pageants as a threat to children and their safety; being exposed to the world at such a young age with a made-up face of inappropriate maturity (Buzzle, par. 1). Destruction of the child’s self esteem and constant attentiveness to appearance are major cons that continue to grow. Cons of unremarkable expenses, loss of educational interest and loss of innocence also remain, strengthening the fact that beauty pageants are harmful to children who compete in them. A child’s self-esteem is a fragile element. Advocates for child pageants believe beauty pageants boost children’s self-esteem by the attention they receive for being dolled up, dancing and singing and winning awards for placing higher than the other children. But as fast as self-esteem can be built up by a sentence of praise or a trophy, it can be just as easily shut down by not being good enough for someone else and losing. The amount of pressure put on children to excel in a pageant is astounding. When the child has outside pressure of excelling and winning a pageant, the effects of a loss are damaging. Children become easily frustrated at such a young age and often cannot understand why the massive amount of pressure was put upon them for no reason. The main focus of winning that the parents stress on their child is unnecessary and unhealthy to the child’s mind. A healthier alternative to building a child’s self-esteem would be to enroll he or she in a community team sport. Youth sports give children the chance to participate and earn a sense accomplishment without being let down under pressure. Although child beauty pageants contest to specific age ranges, the judging is no different than the Miss America Pageant. Child beauty pageants consist of modeling sportswear, evening attire, dance and talent. The children are judged based on individuality in looks, capability, poise, perfection and confidence. As the judges call it, â€Å"the complete package† (Minorcon, par. 3). Children are constantly exposed to the newest hair extensions, longest-lasting make-up and latest clothing lines all in effort to beat out their fellow three-year old. These pageants are preparing young children for their teen and adult years at too early of an age. Child beauty pageants play a uniquely powerful role in defining what is attractive in our society by ranking and awarding the physical attractiveness of children. This constant reminder of putting hair and make-up above all else is disturbing and forces children to be concerned with superficial issues that have no long-term value. With cosmetic innovations being created and perfected, radical pageant parents have gone to great lengths to perfect their child. â€Å"When some of the children lost baby teeth that had not been replaced by pageant time, their parents fit them with false teeth. When a girl’s hair was too short to curl like Barbie’s, fake additions were fitted† (Harvard, par. 8-9). These â€Å"fixes† cost thousands of dollars that could be put toward a more beneficial and long-term career. Not only are the cosmetic alterations breaking the banks of these parents, but the additional pageant costs are making a dent in their wallets too. â€Å"There is a minimum cost of $545 to enter the pageant, which covers basic entry fees. Another $395 is needed for the maximum options of this pageant,† (Minorcon, par. 3). These â€Å"maximum options† might include staple clothing, such as tights or tank tops. All additional clothing, including sportswear, eveningwear, talent clothing, not to mention the â€Å"must have† accessories, is up to the parents to pick from the money tree in the back yard. This money should not be spent on pre-maturely advancing a child’s appearance, but should be saved for activities such as youth sports, or better yet a college fund! Several studies have been done on child beauty pageant contestants to seek out their experiences and thoughts rather than their parents’. Researchers are curious especially concerning contestants’ thoughts on further education. The real concern should be on future education needs; all of the girls aged eight to ten interviewed by A Network were not concerned with further education† (Par. 4). Many pageant girls have false aspirations of becoming a model, and while aspirations are crucial for any child, the dreams of becoming a model are slim to none after coming out of the child pageant life. Althou gh education is not necessarily effected at that present moment, the participating children do not plan ahead based on their mind and intelligence they will gain by attending school, but rather on their appearances. Lastly, the loss of innocence from these beauty pageants is devastating. Fake plastic smiles, false eyelashes and polished appearance spoil a child’s innocence. Children grow up to think that the only way to earn money is through exploitation of their bodies, which is not true. These children are the future of our world. A child’s growing years are important as they form the foundation for the development of body and mind. Childhood is the time for them to play, not learn poise. It’s the time for them to be mischievous and not polished. It’s the time for them to do well in academics and not exhibit their bodies. Children are more beautiful covered in mud than when covered in make-up. Works Cited The Whys and Woes of Beauty Pageants. 08 June 2000. Harvard. edu. 08 February 2010. Child Beauty Pageants. 12 January 2010. Buzzle. com. 08 February 2010. Beauty Pageants do More Harm Than Good. 16 December 2007. Debate. org. 07 February 2010. Beauty Pageants: Good, Bad, or Plain Ugly. 06 March 2004. Buzzle. com. 07 February 2010. Child Beauty Pageants Beauty Pageants: From the Title of Mini Supreme to America’s Next Top Model English 106 Cassie Robinson 3 Otober 2012 Abstract Beauty pageants have changed drastically in the past fifty years. Beauty pageants used to be all adult females who dressed in their Sunday best and walked on the catwalk at the county fair. Now, little children are decked out in glitzy outfits, have wigs that make their hair twice as long, and have teeth to make it seem like their baby teeth haven’t fallen out yet.In this literature review, I reviewed different articles, some against child beauty pageants and some that showed a firsthand look into the beauty pageants. Based on the reviews, I have made a decision as to whether child beauty pageants are good for those involved or not. Hundreds wait in silence as the announcer walks to the stage. â€Å"And the first place award goes to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The pause is added for dramatic effect, as if these parents and children need any more drama in the ir lives. Hair is pulled, tears are shed, and crowns are won.This is just another typical weekend for those in the pageant world. The views of beauty pageants have drastically changed within the past decade. Some think pageants are used to exploit little children and are a way for mothers to live vicariously through their daughters who are winning crowns and money. Others believe they are just a more drastic way for their children to play dress up and win money while doing it. The six articles chosen for this literature review will discuss one side of the argument.Something eye-catching in the article, â€Å"Toddlers in Tiaras,† written by Skip Hollandsworth in 2011 was the line, â€Å"And you know what I hate? All these years later, I’ve still got this anxiety about feeling like I have to be perfect† (Hollandsworth, 2011). This is how Brooke Breedwell feels about pageants now, after being a pageant queen from age three months to eight years old. After telling h er mother she wanted to quit pageants and emphasizing it by throwing a curling iron at her, Breedwell finally gave up the lavish pageant life due to stress.Even as an eight year old, the stress was too much to handle. â€Å"The promise of a tiara has always been a fast, easy sell to young girls who pine to be princesses,† (Hollandsworth, 2011) which is something all girls and their mothers want. In order to win that crown, there are many time consuming tasks that must be done before the pageant. There are layers of makeup to be put on, eyebrows to be waxed, natural hair and fake wigs to be curled, fingernails to be manicured, bronzer to be applied to arms and legs, dresses to be sewn, and dances and routines to be learned.It is enough to stress any eight year old out. After all of this work and stress, it would be downright heartbreaking to find that someone else has beaten you for the title of Grand Supreme. This article is different from the others I chose to include in my literature review in the sense that it discusses not only the stresses that pageant girls go through, but also some of the legal situations that have been brought about thanks to the pageant world. JonBenet Ramsey is a name that is famous all around the world.The six-year-old pageant beauty who would have gone on to be the next Marilyn Monroe who was found murdered in her home on Christmas morning. For a couple months afterwards, pageants seemed taboo, but then, even in the wake of JonBenet’s murder, pageants became even more famous. Little girls are being trained to dance provocatively and blow kisses at their judges from a young age and these videos end up online and even on TV. These videos are made to be public so others can see the awards and crowns the little girls win and anyone, including pedophiles, can access them. On TV, the shows not only give the names of these children, but they also tell you what towns these little girls live in,† (Hollandsworth, 2011) wh ich would give these pedophiles easy access to track down the little girls. This would not be hard to do with the way our society is turning to technology. One article, â€Å"Is the Media to Blame for Child Sex Victims,† written by Mark Davidson in 1997, discusses the media’s association with beauty pageants even further. Americans support multi-million dollar activities that exploit children and promote the provocativeness of them, such as beauty pageants.Beauty pageants, â€Å"commercially flaunt kids’ bodies, often converting preteen and preschool girls into sex puppets adorned with lipstick, mascara, false eyelashes, bleached hair, high heels, and satin-and-rhinestone gowns and professionally coached in showgirl postures and movements,† (Davidson, 1997) which leads to controversial topics like the 1996 sexual molestation and murder of JonBenet Ramsey. There are many movies, such as â€Å"Lolita† and â€Å"Pretty Baby,† that portray young girls as being involved in sexual situations with older men.This leads to young girls growing up to believe this is acceptable. What makes this article different is that it does not revolve around beauty pageants, but around the media and its involvement in child pornography and exploitation of girls at a young age. Hollywood and the likes, â€Å"engage in massive pimping for child temptresses,† (Davidson, 1997) which intrigues young minds and makes them believe that since it is accepted in media, it is accepted in everyday society.Only after JonBenet had been murdered did the media look for moral guidance to see if what it was displaying was appropriate. A little girl who had not even started kindergarten had to be murdered before the media questioned their morals. The press argues that, â€Å"the tiny contestants really want to participate, as if they are capable of giving informed consent to their own victimization,† (Davidson, 1997), when in all actuality, the chi ldren have no concept of what is really happening. My next article, â€Å"Toddlers and Tiaras TOO MUCH TOO SOON? written by Charlotte Triggs in 2011, is a continuation of the stresses of being in the pageant world. It is not only stressful on the children, who are the main event of the pageants, but also on the parents. These parents put their children through the pageants and shell out the money for entrance fees, homemade dresses and flippers, which are fake teeth for the girls who are losing their baby teeth. â€Å"You’re never going to win that money back, even if they win every weekend,† (Triggs, West, Aradillas, 2011) said one mother about the pageant life.So, if there are no perks of being in pageants other than seeing their daughters win crowns, why do the mothers go through the stress and lose money to pageants? The same mother then went on to say, â€Å"But you’ve got to do it because your kid loves and excels at it and it’s something you enjo y as a family,† (Triggs, West, Aradillas, 2011). So if families are happy watching their children in pageants, then they are more than willing to put up with the stress. In addition to the stresses of ageantry and reasons for participating, things such as the confusing life moments and the decisions pageant girls go through are discussed in the article. While most girls their age are out playing with Barbies with their friends, these girls are dressed as Barbie and have a twisted view of how they should look. â€Å"Little girls should play with dolls, not be dolls,† (Triggs, West, Aradillas, 2011) said a New York-based clinical social worker. The girls are being dressed in outfits that are more suited for a stripper than a preschooler, and it can have a negative effect on them in the long run.The girls grow up being obsessed with their appearance and may look into different ways to keep up the appearances they once had, such as plastic surgery or eating disorders. These factors will affect the young girls before they are even in high school. The next article, â€Å"Pretty Babies,† written by Rosemary Ellis in 2011, discusses the way the author viewed beauty pageants when she was younger compared to how she views them now, as an adult. When Ellis was younger, beauty pageants were only seen at the county fair, which came only once a year, in the month of August.The fair itself was a magical time for Ellis, not to mention getting to see girls ranging from elementary to college age walk across a stage in their Sunday best and giving the judges their best smile. Today, the adult pageants are overlooked and, â€Å"the Miss America pageant has become so irrelevant that it lets ABC air the show for free,† (Ellis, 2011) because of the recent explosion of pageants for little girls. There are more than five thousand of these pageants across the country. This article differentiates from the rest in the sense that the author compared the pageants known in her childhood to the pageants that are shown now.In the pageants now, the girls are spray-tanned and covered in makeup, and the studio pictures they take before pageants are edited so much that one would not be able to recognize the little girl if she walked up to them on a sidewalk. Ellis goes on to examine the outfits the little girls are wearing now, seeing clothing that, â€Å"gathers to suggest a bust and has slogans across the chest or rear that are more suited to a stripper than a first grader,† (Ellis, 2009). These clothes send out provocative messages not only to girls in the pageant world, but also to all little girls who see the clothing and get used to it at a young age.Most people only see the mother/ daughter side of pageantry, never the father/ daughter side of it, which my next article, â€Å"Father Knows Glitz,† written by Joey Bartolomeo in 2010, discusses. Dads who are involved in pageants are not only single dads or gay dads; they are also just everyday, hard-working dads who love to see their daughters happy when they win an award. Not only are there soccer and football dads, but there are now pageant dads. Not all of them are dragged into it, either.Some, like Lon Enos, a tattooed, burly man, like being the pageant dad just because â€Å"It’s fun and it’s cool,† (Bartolomeo, 2010), an opinion that would differ from the quintessential man in America who watches football or baseball on the weekends instead of competing in pageants with his daughters. Compared to the other articles, this one stands out because it gives a firsthand view from a pageant dad, rather than the typical pageant mom. Compared to pageant moms who tend to try to live vicariously through their daughters, the dads are usually more relaxed and laid back although some can be intense.Even things such as making a dress, â€Å"I’m not spending $6,000 for a dress when it takes me three hours to make one,† (Bartolomeo, 2010) or building a new shelf for crowns and sashes become jobs for a pageant dad to do. The braver of the pageant dads will even get up on stage with their daughters and help them with their routines. â€Å"There will be enough time for them to be women. For now, let’s just allow them to be little girls,† is a quote from Staceyann Chin in her article, â€Å"Beauty and the Boob Tube,† written in 2009.Chin came across the show â€Å"Toddlers in Tiaras† while procrastinating on a project she was working on. Much to her dismay, she was drawn in to the show, which reminded her, â€Å"of dog shows—tiny, powerless competitors trained to do as they are told, with trainers who exploit their charges to gain fame and fortune and live out some archaic dream they once had for themselves,† (Chin, 2009). Seeing the little girls being rewarded for their beauty made Chin feel uncomfortable because of an incident that happened when she was younger.Her grandm other’s friend would have the young Chin sit on his lap and he told her if she smiled for him, he would give her a coin. Her grandmother would always take away the coins when he left, saying, â€Å"Any money you make on your back will hurt your head,† (Chin, 2009). Many of the top ranked girls in pageants receive prizes such as checks and cash prizes, signifying being paid for looking pretty. This was after they got all dressed up, went out on stage, had their eyes, hair, and legs judged by adults, and then moved their hips in a suggestive manner.The pageant world is training the girls for a future that is not too great. Meaning, the pageant world is training them to look to others for judgment instead of trusting and believing in themselves, or that they need to look really good all the time or people will not like them. â€Å"I wanted to rush in—save these girls from an experience that would make them self-conscious about their little bellies, bottoms, and cu te button noses,† (Chin, 2009) is the way most people feel while watching the show, and yet, they are hooked and cannot wait for the next episode.It is the way the media portray the drama of the show that keeps viewers like Chin attached to the show. That is what makes this article different from the rest. It discusses the media involvement in the pageant world. Along with videos of these girls being put on the Internet, shows such as â€Å"Toddlers in Tiaras† and â€Å"Honey Boo Boo† which exploit the girls at a young age are also televised, causing the girls to live with their young pageantry for the rest of their lives, even though they may not have made the decision to participate themselves.After walking out on stage and, â€Å"dramatically ripping off a black, sheer robe to reveal a sparkly bathing suit,† (Chin, 2009) one little girl’s mother â€Å"kept trying to make her say she loved pageants and that she was a pageant girl. The toddler wou ld not repeat either phrase,† (Chin, 2009). Has the world of pageants changed so much that the toddlers who are the bane of all existence for the pageants do not even want to say they love pageants?Most people believe children who participate in beauty pageants are at a higher risk of having psychological and body image issues when they get older. While most think the pageants are bad for children, there are those who believe the pageants are a job for the children and give them careers for later in life. Based on the articles I have read and reviewed, I conclude that child beauty pageants are not good for those involved. References Bartolomeo, J. (2010). FATHER KNOWS GLITZ. People, 74(16), 64-71. Retrievedfrom EBSCOhost. Chin, S. (2009).Beauty & the Boob Tube. Advocate, (1026), 76. Retrieved fromEBSCOhost. Davidson, M. (1997, September). Is media to blame for child sex victims?. USA TodayMagazine. p. 60. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Ellis, R. (2011). Pretty Babies. Good Housekee ping, 252(8), 21. RetrievedfromEBSCOhost. HOLLANDSWORTH, S. (2011). Toddlers in Tiaras. Good Housekeeping, 252(8), 150-194. Retrievedfrom EBSCOhost. Triggs, C. , West, K. , & Aradillas, E. (2011). Toddlers & Tiaras TOO MUCH TOOSOON? (Cover story). People, 76(12), 160-168. Retrievedfrom EBSCOhost. Child Beauty Pageants Child Beauty Pageants While beauty pageants started in the 1920’s, children’s beauty pageants began in the 1960’s. This is when the predicament all began. Equally important is the definition of child abuse. It is defined as the exploitation of a child. Children in beauty pageants are exploited at a very over powering rate. Since there is so much exploitation, it should be considered child abuse. Due to parental involvement, children participate in pageants that damage them physically, mentally, and emotionally, prohibiting them from appropriately socializing in society.Before and during beauty pageants, there are many preparations that happen. Before the beauty pageants, the children’s parents get them tans and flippers which are a type of falsified teeth. After that, the parents either wax or even clear up any imperfections they may have like wrinkles, bushy eyebrows, and/or messed up hair. At the pageants, the girls get covered with make-up in the hopes of hiding any imperfections the child may have. The child is then dressed in whatever attire they are required to wear.For example: dresses, swimsuits, formal attire, and/or casual. After that, the girls will model their attire to the judges. Pageants will continue on into the talent portion in which the children will show their talents to judges. The talents vary from dance routines to karaoke, or even simply doing a catwalk. Child beauty pageants only judge based on looks and pure perfection. There are many damages that those requirements put on children. These requirements at times go as far to making five to six year olds look like sixteen to twenty year olds (Grosaru).The children are made to look more mature than what they are. Writer Frank Rich says â€Å"Today the merchandising of children as sexual commodities is ubiquitous and big business. † Referring to this statement, this shows that it also makes it easier for them to be made susceptible to pedophiles, eventuall y at times ending with the child being harmed physically by one of those men or women. Other than being subjected to that type of danger, the children are also subjected to cosmetic damages as well. Botox is one of the common cosmetic tools used.This is used to make the children appear â€Å"perfect† with no marks or any types of imperfections. One mother Kerry Campbell gave her eight year old daughter Botox and her excuses for giving her daughter this drug was one to give her a head start in pageants and second because all the other moms were doing it (Thompson). Many mothers like Kerry Campbell may be doing this type of abuse to their children because simply they want their child to be ahead in the pageants. Injecting a child with a dangerous chemical just to get a ahead in a child beauty pageant is a clear example of child abuse.The mental afflictions that the pageants cause to the children are numerous. Pageant mothers begin to create anxiety by the continuous moving from hotel to hotel. This keeps the child from having a normal home. In addition to this, there is no time for the children to socialize with friends in their own hometowns. They are not able to socialize with society at large. Now some of pageant parents argue that their children are able to make friends when they’re participating in the pageants.This is false and quickly disproven when the children are given the infamous speech of â€Å"no other girl is your friend here. † This speech begins to create paranoia about ever making friends or socializing with peers of their age (Grosaru). Other than creating anxiety and paranoia, there is also self destruction of self-image because they are made to think their body must be a certain way and their hair. This is called being â€Å"A little Barbie† (Nusseara). Mothers also can cause confusion within the child because of the beauty pageants.Mothers who had only boys try to make their boys into girls by making them partici pate in pageants. This causes the child to have confusion about their sexuality and this should not be done to a child. Such gender confusion and lack of self esteem in the name of a pageant are s clear signs of child abuse on the part of the parent. The parent should help the child to build their self esteem and not tear it down. There is a type of Darwinism that is incorporated in these pageants which is the fear the parents have of their children being losers (Giroux).Psychologist David Elkind says, â€Å"Parents use to be worried about if their children were good at school, but now they are only worried if their child are so called losers at school. † Parents create this emotional destruction within the children. The children begin to fear of becoming losers or disappointments to their parents so they are continuously rehearsing how to be perfect every day. In these pageants, the moms try to relive their own fantasy of what they once used to do or what they never got to e xperience themselves (Grosaru).This is abuse as the parents are only entering the child in the pageant for their selfish need to relive a glory day. The mothers go as far as lying about their child’s age to give them an advantage in the competition. This begins to make the child feel guilty about lying afflicting the emotional impairment to the child. In the 1960’s, children’s beauty pageants were created on the intention of showing off the innocence of children; when in reality it was use to exploit the children and make a profit off of them by making them dress inappropriately and not advocating their well being.This exploitation of the children is pure child abuse and nothing else. The children of these parents should be taken away for their safety. Laws or regulations should be made to insure the well-being of the children. Children who participate in beauty pageants all suffer physical, mental, and emotional damage; which keeps them from appropriately socia lizing in society and developing normally.