A chance meeting and exciting news Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

A chance meeting and exciting news - Essay Example In addition, there new partnership opportunity offers Per Diem expenses and travel allowances that are paid by the client, meaning that the there will be minimal or even no business expenses that the partners will have to meet at their personal cost. While this opportunity seems to be very promising, there is one major worry though. The fact that the new prospective engineering consulting company has secured a contract for 12 months only poses the danger of the likelihood of a future job and financial crisis, on the event that the contract is not renewed. This would mean that the three partners would be left jobless and without a source of finance to support their lives. Consequently, it is important that a concrete plan is laid down to ensure that the new engineering consulting opportunity goes beyond the single contract that has been secured into a fully-fledged engineering consulting entity that will obtain more contracts from different clients. This way, the future of the new opportunity will be secured, which means that the business opportunity will become sustainable. Therefore, the plan for developing new partnership firm will entail: The opportunity cost analysis assesses the value of the opportunity than an individual has to forego, in order to pick on an alternative opportunity (Lauer, 14). On the other hand, the Cost Benefit Analysis is applied towards assessing the benefits and the costs that the new opportunity has to offer, and then comparing between the costs and the benefits, to determine whether to take the new opportunity or not. Where the costs are more than the benefits, then the new opportunity should not be taken. However, where the benefits of the new opportunity supersede the costs, then the new opportunity can be taken. In this respect, the first stage in the process of developing new partnership firm entails a personal reflection in relation to the question; what is my ultimate goal for my career and

The Idea of the American Dream Essay Example for Free

The Idea of the American Dream Essay What is the American Dream? Is it even attainable for the average citizen? Everyone has their own opinions on how they view the American dream. It can be different for almost everyone when you take into consideration their gender, age, nationality, and the transition of this idea between each generation. Can we obtain this dream by having a big house, luxury items, a non dysfunctional family, and the perfect job one would never complain about? Or is it simply what our nation is told by authorities such as parent figures and the media? Most people would consider this fantasy as the perfect life which, most comprehend as going to college, getting a good job, making a family, and having more money than needed. This idea of the so called perfect life is thought of as the universal dream for Americans. This dream is thought of as the pursuit of happiness, but this idea is no longer a selfless goal. Instead, the pursuit of happiness has transitioned into a self-serving fantasy for most Americans. This transition of the American dream has caused most people in this nation to lose focus on what is really important in our lives and brainwashed us to believe the allusion that possessing material items will bring us happiness. Many immigrants who reside in America have the idea that the American dream is escaping poverty and simply living a better life, while other immigrants and main stream American society view America as a place of opportunity to become more successful financially. The idea of the American dream and the pursuit of happiness may be universal for mature Americans, but completely different for other types of people according to their age, gender, nationality, and historic generation. People who were the supporters of their families over 50 years ago had only one idea of happiness, and that idea was a goal to make sure their was food on the table and a roof over their heads. That simple dream no longer exists in the majority of America. Now the type of happiness is different between age and gender. People of different ages have different desires. As people get older their needs are not as materialistic to a degree, but more focused on what makes them comfortable. When they mature they realize that materialistic items are a waste of money and focus more on how they should spend their money more wisely on things that could actually benefit their needs such as health care. Their happiness comes from feeling secure and comfortable. Although a child may not realize what the American dream is, they live it. They focus on what new toys they are going to get whereas adults focus more on their career. Men and women also view the American dream differently. For many men it’s more about ego, having the â€Å"macho† image, and driving the hot car. Men want to have a certain image that every other man would desire to have. . On the other hand, many women who have children are more focused on how they look as a mother. They want to be seen as the perfect mother with the smartest and most talented children. Aside from those ideas of the pursuit of happiness, people from different countries have the most legitimate idea of the American dream. The idea of the pursuit of happiness is an altered dream for those of different ethnicities and those who are born in America. Michael Schudson states that, â€Å"[i]mmigrants have an American dream knowing hardly anything of the US—except that they will find opportunity there, abundance and a chance to share in it† (1). They view the American dream as an opportunity to enhance their style of living, become a free independent person, and have equal opportunities. It allows them the opportunity to achieve more prosperity than they could in their countries of origin. Whereas, those who are born in America have a completely different understanding of what the American dream is. This dream to American society is making money so we can buy things that we think will make us happy. A clear example of this difference in comprehension of the American dream is provided by Raymund A. Paredes. He explains that, â€Å"Mexico has always been a poor and underdeveloped land where the evolution of a national myth of abundance and well-being would be unthinkable. On both sides of the border, writers of Mexican blood have dreamed not of wealth but only of relief from relentless poverty† (Paredes 71). To him and people of his culture, the true America dream is not in being able to buy unnecessary gadgets, but what really brings them happiness is to simply live a more comfortable and worry-free life. Parents are teaching their children a false sense of happiness by telling them they need money so they can have whatever they want in life. Many parents view America as the opportunity for their children to group up with an education and career opportunities. They will dedicate their lives to make sure their children will have a better childhood than they did themselves. In most cases they will also push their children to go to college so their children will be successful and have the money to buy the luxury items they are unable to afford. Education, for the most part, determines a persons job opportunities and level of income. It has become an understanding that without an education the idea of the American Dream seems to be out of reach. Education has become one of the central institutions in making the American Dream a reality. In the essay â€Å"What is Happiness? † a valid point is proven when the author John Ciardi explains that â€Å"We are taught that to possess is to be happy, and then we are made to want† (Ciardi 293). The true meaning of being successful is to be able to support a family and not worry about making ends meet with the next pay check. This is a noble goal indeed, but the fact of the matter is that, subconsciously or not, people want money to buy whatever they want which they believe will bring them happiness. The sole reason for most people to get a college education is to make a lot of money when they achieve their degree in a desired discipline. Is happiness really the result of having a lot of money? Ultimately, the American dream has to be achieved from one’s own personal motivations. Other’s motivations may create a false layer of make-up to another, but in reality no one else’s motivations can take the place of a person’s own. Motivations can be brought upon by a variety of different sources such as parents, background, and the medias influence on American society. For example, â€Å"children of [Korean] immigrants perceive their parents; of what these immigrants do not say [†¦] and of what their children leave out and simply refer to as a ‘typical Korean thing to do’ or a characteristic of ‘typical Korean parents,’ assuming that the knowledge is so common that there is no need to explain it. I came to the conclusion that, in common with American mainstream society and many other immigrant minorities who share the ‘American Dream,’ Korean immigrants consider money and prestige the criteria for success. However, it is when one understands that, for Korean-American immigrant parents, prestige is synonymous with the academic achievement of their children† (Kim 228). As a child of a Korean-American parent I can relate to this passage. Korean parents are known to push their children to do better than the average student which is an example of the â€Å"typical Korean parents. † Korean parents motivate their children to exceed excellence because of the opportunity they were unable to receive as children in Korea. With the unlimited opportunities available in America, Korean parents feel as though their children will be much happier by making more money than they know what to do with. The idea of how money and prestige is the main criteria for success applies to both main stream American society and Korean immigrants. This idea, for Korean immigrants, is enforced by their parents whereas for main stream American society is influenced by the media. The media has a huge influence on the way society views the American dream. Advertising is everywhere, and at home it’s only an arm’s reach away with the remote for the television, mouse to the internet, and magazines. How did obtaining luxury items become the American dream? Why does society feel so compelled to pursue it? Advertising has a very powerful way of persuading the public; so powerful that the American public has been convinced by advertising to desire these luxury items. Advertising persuades society so significantly to the point that it can alter our perception of what is truly important in life. It Alters our minds to the point that they feel that the American dream is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. For example, society buys luxury items because they feel as though they need nice things to make them happy. Through advertising, the media influences society so effectively that we no longer view the American dream as something to achieve but something we can buy. We continually see pictures of homes, cars, families, and luxury items everywhere on T. V, magazines, and billboards. It is impossible to escape these advertisements in America and these ads make sure of that. The more society is bombarded with these advertisements, the more they are persuaded toward obtaining materialistic things which they believe will bring them happiness. Money is needed to have these luxury items, but does more money bring us more happiness? Today everyone has a goal to become more successful than they already are. We feel as though with more money so we can buy luxury items that we can use for our enjoyment, thus making us happier. Although we feel as though money will bring us happiness, research has been done to disprove this idea. Nickerson, Schwarz, Diener, and Kahneman argue that, â€Å"The present longitudinal study examining the relation between the goal for financial success, attainment of that goal, and satisfaction with various life domains found that the negative impact of the goal for financial success on overall life satisfaction diminished as household income increased† (531). The goal for success has increased and most people would agree that a little more money would make them a little happier. The fact of the matter is that, since around the 1950’s the average American’s income has more than doubled and with double the income comes twice as many cars and accessories that not everyone used to have in the 1950’s, such as, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and air conditioning (Myers). Today, according to statistics, we have a little more money then we used to but are we happy? â€Å"Since 1957, the number of Americans who say they are ‘very happy’ has declined from 35 to 32 percent. Meanwhile, the divorce rate has doubled, the teen suicide rate has nearly tripled, the violent crime rate has nearly quadrupled (even after the recent decline), and more people than ever (especially teens and young adults) are depressed† (Myers). The American dream has changed over the years and statistics show that money is not the answer to our happiness. The answer is simplicity in life and family. The American dream is completely different now than it was over 50 years ago. Now, materialistic things are constantly being shoved in our face through the media, so we feel as though we need them in order to be happy. Over 50 years ago if a family had food on the table, a roof over their heads, and a car they were happy and thought to be living the American dream. As the years passed the American dream has become less meaningful. In the poem â€Å"Richard Cory,† Edwin A. Robinson tells a story of a man who had everything he could possibly want in the world. â€Å"And he was rich-yes, richer than a kind- [†¦] and Richard Cory, on calm summer night went home and put a bullet through his head. † This is a perfect example of how riches don’t bring people true happiness. Today people are only interested in how many possessions they obtain. In reality these possessions only bring us temporary satisfaction. Once the new version of a certain gadget or car comes out we instantly want it, and we are no longer happy with what we have. It seems as though no one is happy with what they have and once they fulfill one desire they create ten more desires. The American dream today is wasteful and the meaning has been altered into false image of happiness. The American dream is no longer a family fulfilling goal in most cases. For Mexican immigrants it is an escape from poverty, but the majority of us have been lead astray from the pursuit of happiness. Whether we are a child, adult, senior, male, or female, many Americans have a false understanding of how to pursue true happiness. Happiness doesn’t come from more money or more materialistic possessions. These possessions may only give use temporary satisfaction, but when a new gadget comes out we are no longer happy because the item we obtain is out of date. Through advertising, the media will keep creating more luxury items so society will continuously feel as if they need the newest thing. This only leads to unhappiness and our self-centered nation needs a reality check to understand what is truly important in life; simplicity and family. Work Cited Ciardi, John. â€Å"What is Happiness? † Wryick and Slaughter 291-293. Kim, Eun-Young. Career Choice Among Second-Generation Korean-Americans: Reflections of a Cultural Model of Success. Anthropology Education Quarterly 24. 3 (1993): 224-248. JSTOR. CSUS Library, Sacramento. 14 Apr. 2008. Keyword: American Dream. Myers, David G. Wealth, Well-Being, and the New American Dream. New American Dream. 2000. Yale University Press. 14 Apr. 2008 . Nickerson, Carol, Norbert Schwarz, Ed Diener, and Daniel Kahneman. Zeroing in on the Dark Side of the American Dream: a Closer Look At the Negative Consequences of the Goal for Financial Success. Psychological Science 14. 6 (2003): 531-536. 13 Apr. 2008 . Paredes, Raymund A. Mexican American Authors and the American Dream. Melus 8. 4 (1981): 71-80. JSTOR. CSUS Library, Sacramento. 14 Apr. 2008. Keyword: American Dream. Robinson, Edwin A. â€Å"Richard Cory. † Wyrick and Slaughter 385-386. Schudson, Michael. American Dreams. American Literary History 12 (2004): 1-2. Project Muse. CSUS Library, Sacramento. 13 Apr. 2008. Keyword: American Dream. Wyrick, Jean, and Slaughter, Beverly J. , 3rd ed. The Rinehart Reader. Boston: Thomson Learning, 1999

Theories of Cultural Criminology

Theories of Cultural Criminology Contemporary Issues in Criminology:  Cultural Criminology Critically discuss its theoretical underpinnings and evaluate whether this theoretical approach serves as a useful explanation of criminal behavior in modern Britain. Cultural criminology is the approach to the investigation of crime that its criminality and its control are based in the context of culture. This means, that institutions of crime control, and crime by it self are seen as products of culture. Cultural criminology’s study is approached with theories, methods, and political analysis. There are two key elements that interact, and cultural criminology wants to pay its attention on this interaction which is between: the ascending and descending of the connection of constructions. It always focuses upon the adjoining generation of meaning around this interaction such as: making and breaking of the rules of law, innovation and infringement in politics. (www.culturalcriminology.org) Particularly, cultural criminology is an observation performed by Ferrell Sanders (1995), and implemented by Redhead (1995) and others and linked specific academic threads to discover the meeting of cultural and criminal procedures in current social life. (Kane 1998) In modern society the crime practice and crime control, with cultural dynamics, are connected and cultural criminology discovers the various ways in which they connect. In other words, what cultural criminology supports, is the idea that the centrality of meaning and representation in the structure of crime as a temporary fact. From this point of view, the traditional ideas of crime and crime awareness to add pictures of illegal behavior and symbolic appearances of law reinforcement, famous culture structures of crime and criminal behavior. Scholars are allowed from this big interest and concentration on culture, and people have better understanding of crime, as remarkable activity, and also comprehends the politics that contest for criminal control. (www.culturalcriminology.org) Cultural criminology unites at a very high level, the clear-sight of sociological criminology with the orientations toward picture and design, which is given by the cultural studies area. Cultural criminology has appeared from a much more mixed co-process of criminology, sociology and of course cultural analysis and this is because of the wide contribution of criminology and culture combined. This appearance was the basic track for the well educated people who worked in association with the Birmingham School of Cultural studies, the National Deviancy Conference, and in Great Britain with the ‘new criminology’ in the 1970s. (www.culturalcriminology.org) After reviewing the kind of modern power, the academics studied the extensions of social level that had to do with culture and ideology. Forbidden subcultures but also easy-going countries (that have another meaning of life), have been observed by those academics. After the observation, they examined what came in between these two different ideologies who guide lawful control and social inspection. (www.culturalcriminology.org) Any regulation that is living and affluent is a topic to ordinary processes of regeneration and refreshment. Criminology is the alike. It has had its humanist Marxist, feminist, and rationalist, between other reappearances and is presently being delighted to one more ‘paradigm shift’ in the shape of a self-styled ‘cultural criminology’. A current unique issue is Theoretical Criminology (2004), which was dedicated to the appearance and predictions of this new kid on the rational block. According to Hayward and Young’s (2004:259) opening essay of the particular topic, cultural criminology is: ‘the placing of crime and its control in the background of culture; that is, observing both crime and the organization of control as cultural products –as inspired creations. (O’Brien 2005, p. 599) The main area that new criminology examines most, is how actors derive meaning, and also looks on how to use the analysis of the examination they are focusing on, to find what leads to breaching the law as every day routine. (ibid.: 260, 266). Understanding its mental heritage in 1960s radicalism and by noticing and observing the strange and not well known subcultures upon that radicalism as more of criminological work, the argument pays attention to its humane certifications and oppositional political motions. â€Å"Indeed, cultural criminology describes it self as, and delights in, working ‘at the margins of ‘mainstream’ criminology, for two reasons, first, because ‘it is here, in these forgotten spaces that the story of crime so often unfolds, and secondly because mainstream criminology is dominated by ‘administrative rationalization and statistical complexity†. (O’Brien 2005, Ferrell 1999 p. 599) Whether a new mental try does not actually stands for what cultural criminology really is, instead of a logical process of past work on different subcultures is still in question, and it is worth it if is a category it self and given a suitable historical reflection. (O’Brien 2005, p. 599) Usually, criminal behavior means sub cultural behavior. Individuals and activities which are known as criminals are formally produced by the limits of different and criminal subcultures. Criminologists have accredited this from the interactionist criminology of the Chicago School and Edwin Sutherland to the sub cultural theories of Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin. (Ferrell, 1995 p.26) Either if it is carried out by a group of people, or just by one person, specific criminal acts are usually set up within incited by sub cultural. Even though the boundaries may still have an inaccurate definition, and the membership may increase in numbers as well as the level of commitment, these subcultures include final human relationships for those who take part in them. â€Å"Biker, hustler, Blood and Crip, all name sub cultural networks as much as individual personalities.†(Ferrell, 1995 p.26) As Sutherland and the Chicago School knew from fifty years ago , and while immeasurable case studies have been certified, criminal subcultures merge not only proximities of personal relationship. To be able to discuss about criminal subculture, the ability to accredit a group of people and a truss of symbols, meaning and education is required. Members of criminal subcultures always adapt and discuss ‘motives, drives, rationalizations, and attitudes’, they perform a different kind of language, look/style, personality and they take part at a larger or smaller level, in a subculture, a way of life which they chose.(Ferrell, 1995 p.26) The sub cultural meaning mostly action, personality, and status is organized around the style which the subculture’s member decide to have. Delicacies of chosen style, defines what crime means, and difference for sub cultural members, agents of legal control, consumers of intercede crime pictures and other people. We must be clever enough to understand the criminal acts and chosen aesthetics they have for their selves. (Ferrell, 1995 p.26-27) â€Å"Katzs research, for example, has linked criminal acts and aesthetics by examining the styles and symbolic meanings which emerge inside the everyday dynamics of criminal events and criminal subcultures. By paying attention to dark sunglasses and white undershirts, to precise styles of walking, talking, and otherwise presenting ones criminal identity, Katz has sketched the alternative deviant culture, the coherent deviant ‘a’esthetic in which badasses, cholos, punks, youth gang members, and others participate. In these cases, as in other forms of crime on and off the street, the meaning of criminality is anchored in the style of its collective practice. The bikers ritually reconstructed motorcycle, the gang members sports clothing and tattoos, the graffiti writers mysterious street images, and the skinheads violently provocative music constitute the essential cultural and sub cultural materials out of which criminal projects and criminal identities are constructed and displayed. Once again, participation in a criminal subculture, or in the culture of crime, means participation in the symbolism and style, the collective aesthetic environment, of criminality.† (Ferrell, 1995 p.27) A recent study by the British cultural studies tradition to Katz and other new criminologists has concluded that style and symbolism not only bind with the wide social and lawful relations in which these subcultures are caught. Criminal subcultures and their styles accelerate out of school, age, ethnicity, gender and legal inequalities repeat and resist these social wrong lines. This interaction of sub cultural style, inequality and power in turn, reminds of Becker’s classic criminological thoughtless that we have to investigate, criminal subcultures and also legal and political powers who built these subcultures as criminal. After we do the study, we see that these powers (authorities) both opposing to sub cultural styles, and themselves, putting symbolic and stylish strategies of their own against them. The criminalization attempts of legal and political supporters show again the control of cultural forces. In criminalizing cultural and sub cultural actions, and demonstrating for public support, ethical capitalists and legal authorities influence legal and political structures, but possibly more, so structures of mass symbolism and perception. (Ferrell, 1995 p.27, 28) To seize the real meaning of criminalization and crime, cultural criminology should count the powers of criminal subcultures as well as for the powers of mass media. Nowadays, intervene pictures of crime and criminal abuse, is harming as slowly-slowly and by doing that, helps the public to draw opinions and policies that have to do with crime. But obviously these modern cases construct on latest interceded constructions of crime and its control. In the United States, criminalization of marijuana fifty years ago was based on a try to wake people up to see the danger and face it, as unambiguously defective symbol in Los Angeles newspapers. (Ferrell, 1995 p.28) â€Å"In the mid-1960s, shocking media reports of rape and assault placed the circumstance for a permissible campaign in opposition to the Hells Angels; and at approximately the matching time, lawful harassments on British mods and rockers were lawful throughout the medias consumption of sensitive symbols.† In the 1970s, the mutual relations amid the British mass media and criminal justice system formed a discernment that mugging was a terrifying new injures of crime. And throughout the 1980s and untimely 1990s, mediated horror legends justified wars on drugs, gangs, and graffiti in the United States, and shaped instants of mediated moral panic over child cruelty and child pornography in Great Britain.† (Ferrell, 1995 p.28) This concentration on cultural dynamics, the composition of deviant intellectual opinions, the motion behind obedient frontiers, show the probabilities for a reviewable cultural criminology and a kind of postmodern cultural criminology too. Contemporary public, feminist and cultural theories are increasingly moving behind obedient limitations and divide categories to build synthetic, postmodern expectations on cultural and social life. Although grated by their eclectic and divergent parts, these opinions use some same general ideas, between them, the perception that the everyday culture of people and the everyday culture of people and teams merges strong and clashing separations of style and meaning. (Ferrell, 1995 p.36) â€Å"The symbolism and style of social interaction, the culture of everyday life in this way forms a contested political terrain, embodying patterns of inequality, power, and privilege. And these patterns are in turn intertwined with larger structures of mediated information and entertainment, cultural production and consumption, and legal and political authority. As the sort of cultural criminology outlined here develops, it can integrate criminology into these synthetic lines of situated inquiry now emerging under broad headings like postmodernism and cultural studies.† (Ferrell, 1995 p.28) Although grated but their electric and divergent parts, these opinions use some sane general ideas, between them, the perception that the everyday culture of people and teams merges strong and clashing separations of style and meaning. Consequently cultural criminology gives the chance to criminologists, to reinforce their own thoughts and beliefs on crime with perceptive from different areas, but providing at the same time for their colleagues in the studies of culture, sociology of culture, studies on media, and wherever they can adopt their thoughts from, criminalization, and their connection to political and cultural procedures. Folding or breaching the motions of criminology in order to build a cultural criminology, undercuts modern criminology, not more that it extends and vitalizes it. Cultural criminology extends criminology’s sectors contain words conventionally considered external to it like: popular music, style, media operations and texts, and gallery act. Likely, criminology is introduced in contemporary discourses with these worlds and gives a termination of criminological perspectives are very important to them. Crime and culture’s relation, and the wider relation among criminology and modern social, cultural life, are both of them enlighten within cultural criminology. (Ferrell, 1995 p.36-37) References: Ferrell, J. (1995) Culture, Crime, and Cultural Criminology [on-line]. Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture. Available from: http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/vol3is2/culture.html [Accessed 1 March 2008] O’ Briem, M. (2005) what is cultural about cultural criminology? British Journal Criminology, [On-line] Available from: URL: E:UniModulesWhat is Cultural about Cultural Criminology O’Brien 45 (5) 599 British Journal of Criminology.htm [1 [Accessed 2 March 2008]. Ferrell, J. Cultural criminology. Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology [on-line]. Available from: -http://www.culturalcriminology.org/papers/cult-crim-blackwell-ency-soc.pdf

Chinese-Middle East foreign policy :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Karl Schroeder   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Policy Update:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  China-Persian Gulf   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  China’s biggest issue in the Middle East is securing the oil and gas that they will need with their continued economic growth. China has attempted to cultivate domestic oil production, but their demand for oil has continued to increase exponentially and it is clear that China will continue to need more and more Middle Eastern oil. China has made a number of big moves to help secure oil in the future. In September of 2004 China signed an agreement with Kazakhstan to establish an oil pipeline worth 3.5 billion dollars. Then in November of 2004 China signed a mega-gas deal with Iran that is worth 100 billion dollars, which could increase by up to another 100 billion. This deal entails the annual export of 10 million tons of Iranian liquefied natural gas for a 25 year period. The deal also gives China’s state oil company participation in projects such as exploration, drilling and pipeline services. The export of liquefied natural gas requires special car go ships and Iran is currently adding to its small fleet with continued expansion in the future. Many thought that China’s pipeline deal with Kazakhstan would user in a new era of Chinese foreign policy and help give China a big economic push, it is clear that this agreement was only the beginning for China’s economic expansion in the world. It is difficult to comprehend or predict the economic, political and strategic importance of this deal. It is clear that this deal was a major blow to Bush’s economic sanctions on Iran. China’s cooperation with Iran has extended to political issues as well. After the natural gas deal China said that they would be unwilling to refer the issue of Iran’s nuclear program to the Security Council. This cooperation has been beneficial for both states, China was able to secure oil and gas for the future, Iran gets political support of a major power. China also began cooperating with Saudi Arabia in the 1990s; in 1999 t hey signed a strategic oil cooperation agreement opening both states to future economic cooperation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oil is China’s greatest interest in the Middle East, the Middle East benefits from economically by providing China with oil, but many of the Middle Eastern states also want to purchase arms from China. China has moved more and more into arms sales as they have attempted to modernize their military and utilize their military build up.

Report of Virtue Ethics and Animals Essay

Prompt #1 Rosalind Hursthouse is a renowned moral philosopher who champions virtue ethics, one of the three major approaches in normative philosophy. In contrast to deontology and consequentialism, virtue ethics is an agent-centered approach that answers the question of â€Å"what should I be? † while does not provide clear rule or ethical answers on why one should/should not act. (Guidry-Grimes, 1/31/2013) Virtue ethics empathizes the role of moral character embodied by the moral agent for assessing his/her ethical behavior and character. In other word, we think what would a virtuous moral agent will act under given circumstance, and he/she typically does what is virtuous and avoid what is vice. The principles of virtue ethics are the â€Å"v-rules†, namely thinking in terms of virtues and vices, as a virtue person â€Å"do what is compassionate, do not what is cruel. † Applying the â€Å"v-rules† is highly contextual and heavily based on specific circumstances, under which the moral agent should evaluate what are virtuous to act and avoid actions of vices. Most importantly, in virtue ethics, although virtues and vices are given many vocabulary or ways to describe, there is no rule that specify what the type actions belongs to virtues or vices. For example, compassion can be a virtue or a fault depending on specific scenario (Hurtshouse, 126). Therefore, it is important to recognize that determination of virtuous character and what action would deem virtuous is not always forthright and clear. (Hurtshouse, 127) Having established what virtue ethics is, Hursthouse argues that the concept of moral status is unnecessary and irrelevant for applied virtue ethics. Both deontology and consequentialism, two other branches of normative ethics, are heavily depended upon the moral status concept which essentially divides everything into two classes: things with moral status that are within our â€Å"circle of concern† and worthwhile of moral principles and things without moral 1|Page Ye, Kening Prompt #1 status and are outside of the â€Å"circle†. Hursthouse has pointed out several issues related to the moral status arguments. It is hard to draw a fine line for determining what deem moral status. Things without moral status can become of our moral concern if they have sentient value and moral worth to those we concern thus they become valuable to us. If to expand â€Å"the circle of concern† to all sentient animals, it becomes over-simplified and problematic for our moral decision making as beings with moral status can make â€Å"competing claims† that may require us to further distinguish their features in order to justify our decision making (Hursthouse, 123). In addition, it is criticized as speciesim if to only keep human beings with moral status. Although Hurtshouse compares and contrasts the characteristics of speciesim and familysm, and concludes that giving moral preference for our species, namely human beings, is â€Å"sometimes wrong but sometimes right† (Hursthouse, 122), another issue is that we sometimes cannot avoid to evaluate the significance of moral worth among members of moral status. In short, the common consensus is that all humans are within â€Å"the circle of concern†. The moral status arguments not only give human being strong preference over nonhuman beings but also have instilled priority in decision making for moral agents. As Hursthouse argue, attaching the concept of moral status does not contribute to virtue ethics but only adds complications. If to apply the moral status conception into animal ethics, we are directed to act divisively upon two different groups, namely humans and nonhuman animals, in terms of our treatment and attitude. As such, our treatment and attitude toward the groups are often distinguished since preference is always given to human beings under universal circumstance. However, on the other hand, virtue ethics challenges us, as moral agents, to strive for virtues and deliver actions that are deemed virtuous in nature. This approach is heavily 2|Page Ye, Kening Prompt #1 Prompt #1 status and are outside of the â€Å"circle†. Hursthouse has pointed out several issues related to the moral status arguments. It is hard to draw a fine line for determining what deem moral status. Things without moral status can become of our moral concern if they have sentient value and moral worth to those we concern thus they become valuable to us. If to expand â€Å"the circle of concern† to all sentient animals, it becomes over-simplified and problematic for our moral decision making as beings with moral status can make â€Å"competing claims† that may require us to further distinguish their features in order to justify our decision making (Hursthouse, 123). In addition, it is criticized as speciesim if to only keep human beings with moral status. Although Hurtshouse compares and contrasts the characteristics of speciesim and familysm, and concludes that giving moral preference for our species, namely human beings, is â€Å"sometimes wrong but sometimes right† (Hursthouse, 122), another issue is that we sometimes cannot avoid to evaluate the significance of moral worth among members of moral status. In short, the common consensus is that all humans are within â€Å"the circle of concern†. The moral status arguments not only give human being strong preference over nonhuman beings but also have instilled priority in decision making for moral agents. As Hursthouse argue, attaching the concept of moral status does not contribute to virtue ethics but only adds complications. If to apply the moral status conception into animal ethics, we are directed to act divisively upon two different groups, namely humans and nonhuman animals, in terms of our treatment and attitude. As such, our treatment and attitude toward the groups are often distinguished since preference is always given to human beings under universal circumstance. However, on the other hand, virtue ethics challenges us, as moral agents, to strive for virtues and deliver actions that are deemed virtuous in nature. This approach is heavily 2|Page Ye, Kening Prompt #1.

Explore how reality TV exploits the proletariat Essays

Explore how reality TV exploits the proletariat Essays Explore how reality TV exploits the proletariat Essay Explore how reality TV exploits the proletariat Essay The proletariat audience is exploited by reality television through the way in which the shows influence the audience. The exploitation mainly comes from the name of the genre. Referring to the genre as ‘reality’ gives the audience a false sense of truth towards the programme. The idea of the show being a reality causes the audience to believe that it is real life that they are watching when a lot of the time; it is not a true representation of real life at all. Criticisms of reality TV also suggest that the genre is in place to exploit and humiliate the participants. It is a way in which the television industry is able to make celebrities out of people who really have no talent at all. Through these ‘reality’ programmes, the production companies are able to glamourise the vulgarity that they convey to the audience. Film maker and theorist, Gary Oldman is amongst critics of the reality genre who describes the genre as â€Å"the museum of social decay.† This links to the idea of the proletariat being exposed to the false reality that is the Reality TV genre. The social decay is the idea that the audience is being brainwashed by the false reality that they see. It causes them to believe that what they are consuming is in fact reality rather than glamourised events which exploit those partaking in the programme. Geordie Shore is a prime example of the exploitation of the proletariat through the consumption of reality TV. Although the show is actually ‘structured reality’ which would suggest that the events are put into a scripted situation but without scripted dialogue, it still conveys a false sense of reality for the viewer. The target audience for the show would also be 18 to 30 year olds, in demographic grading’s of C2 and below. This target audience are likely to be vulnerable to consuming the show as a real life reality show. Levi Strauss’ theory on binary oppositions would apply to Geordie Shore because of the binary opposites within the show. A key binary opposite is the men and women. Although all housemates are from Newcastle and all behave in equally vulgar ways, the way in which they are viewed for their behaviour are very different because of their gender. For example, the female housemates will often flash their naked bodies or on nights out they will wear a lot of makeup and very revealing outfits. The men will also flash nudity and dress up for nights out, but the judgement they get for doing so is very different than the way the women are judged. 5 years on since the first episode aired, the housemates are now reality TV stars and whilst they are all successful in their own ways, it seems as though the ordeals from the past still hang over the females whilst not so much over the men. On screen sex is very common in Geordie Shore and it is clear that the women are still answering for their actions years later, whilst the men seem to have been excused from their behaviour on the show. This causes the proletariat audience to have different exceptions and expectations dependent on gender. The way in which the men reacted on the show after the females partaking in one night stands is evidently different from the way in which the women reacted to the men’s actions. The women in the show seemed to just accept that the men going out and sleeping with numerous women was normal and a reality. Whereas the men would seem offended and degrade the women for doing the same. This causes the audience to oppress the female housemates much more for doing the exact same thing as the men. This exploits the proletariat as they consume the idea that men can do vulgar things and not be oppressed as the women are. This takes advantage of the way in which the audience subconsciously consume the views and beliefs that are being put on them by the show. Another way in which the proletariat is exploited by the show is through the way in which the housemates look. Their image creates an unrealistic reality for the viewers and it causes the viewers to become numb to the idea that this kind of look is normal and achievable. Both the men and women in the show create unrealistic expectations for the viewer. Journalist and theorist, Charlie Brooker, highlights the way in which the male reality stars look, stating â€Å"Theyve got sculpted physiques, sculpted hairdos, sculpted eyebrows, and as far as I can tell, no skin pores.† This statement helps to highlight the way in which pressure is put on the young proletariat because of the look of the individuals seen on these reality programmes. Obviously the partaking housemates have been made to look idealistic and attractive by the production organisation in order to be people that the audience will want to watch. However, this causes many issues in the young viewers and can cause them to be self-conscious and some may even take paths to attempt to achieve these unrealistic looks. The idea of some of the cast mates having ‘no skin pores’ conveys the way in which the show and its individuals are fake and not realistic appearances or lifestyles for the proletariat to aspire to. The exploitation of the proletariat audience through reality TV is the reality of the genre. With the way in which the proletariat is vulnerable to being exploited by the shows, there is no end to the way in which ‘reality’ TV can alter the beliefs and values of the viewer through their texts’ content. There is little to no limit of what can be broadcasted as long as it is deemed ‘reality’ which causes conflict and misunderstanding amongst an audience who knows no different than to believe what they are consuming.

A Critical Study of Sainsburys Managing information systems (MIS) The WritePass Journal

A Critical Study of Sainsburys Managing information systems (MIS) INTRODUCTION: A Critical Study of Sainsburys Managing information systems (MIS) INTRODUCTION:MANAGING INFORMATION SYSTEMS ACROSS VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS IN J.SAINSBURY’S SUPERMARKET:Information systems in checkouts:Decision making at three tiers of management in Sainsbury’s:Conclusion:ReferencesRelated INTRODUCTION: Managing information systems (MIS) is a process which provides information to an organization to manage effectively. managing information system(MIS) is a system that combines both the human and computer based resources which can be used to collection of raw data, retrieving   data, storing the data, processing the data and   converting it in to the information which is able to communicate with all levels of management using the information technology. MIS enables the user/organization to manage things effectively. it provides the   base to an organization to   make better decisions and to handle critical problems, controlling and coordinating   the organization successfully. Information system is not a option but it is a essential requirement by any organization. it is also the mediator between different levels of management. it plays very important role in organizational level. it also makes easier to communicate each other effectively. it is also updates the information across various levels and gives a chance to rethink of future plans. it gives the external information about other firms to stand in the competitive environment successfully. it is not only a useful tool but it must be included in any organization to run their business. MIS in any organization is supposed to provide information to their customers. MANAGING INFORMATION SYSTEMS ACROSS VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS IN J.SAINSBURY’S SUPERMARKET: Information systems is very crucial factor to any organization from top level management to employees, manufacturers, suppliers, retailers,   marketing analysts,   warehouses, supply chain management.. Etc. Based on the information system, an organization management could include planning, organizing, directing, controlling, evaluating and reporting etc.. An information system is the heart of any organization to assess the companies past review’s and performance and to plan the present and future organizational objectives. Information system uses the database to store large amounts of data, statically analyzing the data, and to produce it in to useful information that can be used by various levels of management. Information system is used by the managers of their own departments to identify the critical issues occurred in the past activities, discussing about the issue with the other team members of the department and planned to solve and overcome the problems. Managing information systems in Sainsbury’s stores:   Sainsbury’s supermarket is the uk’s largest major food retailing chain.   It has 525 supermarkets and 303 convenience stores, a Sainsbury’s bank. For the big corporate organization like Sainsbury’s, it is essential requirement to managing information systems in an efficient way. Information systems is used in Sainsbury’s at various levels of management and various departments. The information systems are used in a supermarket stores at various levels from stock handling controlling to maintain appropriate temperatures in fridges and freezers. In the supermarket stores uses the several computer systems which can be called LAN (LOCAL AREA NETWORK). These computer systems are aims to operate the stock control and checkout systems. These are one that incorporates the functionality of multiple devices. Every authorised person can access these data base systems.   In stores, hand held devices are introduced and allow the administration staff, shop floor colleagues and stock control staff to change the price of products and creating price labels, and for future deliveries. The hand held devices are also called shelf edge computers (SEC). Every individual product has unique code to identify the product details; the item has a unique barcode which can be scan by the hand held scanners.   Electronic point of sale (EPOS) is a machine located at every checkout. E POS contains a digital display to display , a keyboard, a scanner which can read bar codes, a set of scales, a printer, a debit card reader and a till drawer. All of these components are attached to a till. Each and every item should have a unique code number that is independent of all other product. Even the same product of different sizes needs a unique code to identify the product. The unique bar code numbers are printed on the outside of the product packaging or attached label to that product which is shown in the figure (a) below. Figure (d): hand held system Barcodes are combined with a set of thick black lines and white lines. Ex: Figure(c). Figure (e) : EPOS Information systems in checkouts: The EPOS reads the product barcodes at the checkouts till machine, and identifies the product and it finds the cost of the product, after scanning the product the machine gives an option to the customer whether they have any nectar card, staff discount card, any voucher card. After all it charges the customer appropriately. Each card mentioned above also has barcode on it, and the machine identifies it uniquely. All till machines are connected together with a branch server system via cables. Each and every product information stored in the branch system, it gives the information to tills when it needed. When scanning an item by the scanner the machine sends the product details to the database. So that the server system can identify that how many remaining items of the same product are available in shelves, it gets the information about that particular product such as how many number of items are sold out, how many are left in the shelves, how many product details are totally sold out . After getting the information about all products it stores the information about that product in the database. It helps to identify the number of product are totally sold out, and in out of stock. So the store can order the delivery of that product. Also the system checks that the product has any special offer and it gives discount where it is needed. Each and every product and service related details are stored in the database and it communicates with all the other systems including tills, it exchanges the information at all the times. When scanning the item it tells the customer that it has been read correctly by giving beep sound. If it not gives any sound one can assume that it has not been read correctly. And there is also an option on the screen that without scanning a product, by entering the code number by using the keyboard can identify the product. For example any reduced items that mean the item has short life and store reduced the cost of an item. After billing the cus tomer receives a paper bill which is made by the printer. The printer is attached with every till and it shares the information and prints on a piece of paper. the customers are allowed to pay by cash or debit card. When the customers use the card, he/she is supposed to put the card on the reader, it also use the information system, whether the card is authorised and it is from authorised bank. The card reader shares the information with all associated banks, and assesses the card information and the debit the amount correctly. The processes of using debit cards are called electronic transfer funds. Stock control: the information systems play an important role in stock control in the super market stores. In the process of billing customers it is known to the server that the number of remaining products is available in the store. in fact, there are also some damaged products or expired products are remained on the shelves. Stock fillers dispose the expired one and use the reduced price labels with new barcodes on it , if the product has short life. Stock control department uses the information system, and it orders the products where it is needed, and stores the information about the number of products are delivered to the store when they get the delivery. The price labels are usually placed   on the shelves borders, and the stock controllers scans the price labels where it is empty. Stock control is useful asset in finding the stores profit assessment. The assessment is based on the number of products are delivered to the store and number of products are sold out, the number o f the products are damaged, the number of products expired. This is the important information stored in the database by the stock control team. The each computer in the store is linked with branch server system, which is connected with a head branch of a supermarket computer sever. All the database of an individual store is stored in the head office server system. It maintains the chain of computer systems effectively via extranet sources. Extranet is like a internet but, completely private database network and is connected to internet via satellite. It is because of the process of exchanging information and managing information system of all the stores of the Sainsbury’s stores. Sainsbury’s head office is located in the heart of city of London. It has the database over nearly eight hundred store branches. Figure (f): branch computer link to headquarters visa satellite. Inter communication between the branch stores to head branch of the store: Every day the individual store sends the information about sales of the stores to main branch, the head branch estimates the number of items needs to be delivered to the store. The head branch also gets an overview of the sales of the individual store, and estimates the performance levels and suggests the improvements to the branch stores. Figure (g) network model Every individual store sends the daily report to the head quarters. Based on the store information head branch database system stores the updated information such as stocks, performance levels, etc.. Using the updated information the head quarters estimates need of improvement levels and stock deliveries to the stores. The information about stock deliveries are communicates with distribution of warehouses via information systems. The warehouse department which has large chunks of ready to deliver material delivers the stock immediately to the required stores. The whole Sainsbury’s maintain the same price levels and it updates any change of product prices are communicated to the branch stores. The product price changes are affects the branch stores immediately and followed work by the overnight workers. Human resource management information systems: information systems plays very important role in human resource department in any organisation. Maintaining the thousands of employees in a big organisation like Sainsbury’s is not a simple thing. The HR department uses the information system effectively to employ the staff to their needs and providing them training. Sainsbury’s HR department in all stores sends the information about new employees that the store employed, the employee details, employee position, contracted hours, employee salaries. Sainsbury’s HR department uses their website to employ the new staff that they required. The each and every individual store of Sainsbury’s sends the information about the need of staff resources in their store, the hours of work required, which department require the new staff. The head office then receives the information about all stores vacancies and posts on line at their website. It updates the information day to day as required. The hr department of head office sends the information to IT department in the head office about vacancy details and need to be posted on line. The IT department then receives the data and posted on their websites. It works effectively by the IT department. The IT department designed the website in an easy understandable form. When the candidate’s checks that there are any vacancies arise, and found their suitable position, they can apply immediately online. The website asks the candidates to register in the recruitment website. The registration in the recruitment website is very easy by following instructions. After registering in the site, they can progress their application. The website stores the candidates registration details and gives them unique id which is useful for the forth communication, the candidates information submitted on the site is very confidential and not known the third person, because of the successful maintenance of the informatio n and database systems. The Sainsbury’s website allows the number of candidates applying for a given position is set to a limit. So as to reduce the huge applications for the position that they might cause problem to selection department. All these limitations are set by the department by the use of the information systems. The website asks the candidates to attempt an online exam, which is used to tests candidate’s abilities as a preliminary test. The number of all limited allowed number of candidates attempts the exam and finish their application. The stored database system can get the result of the candidates test details automatically and sends to the HR department. HR department then assesses the candidate’s ability based on their test further forwards application to progress. All successful candidates information is stored once in the database available to head office hr department. The HR department assigns each successful candidate with a unique id to identify the colleague. Information systems in Accounts department: The HR department maintains the daily report of employees attendance, and their working hours each day and sends the information to accounts department for payrolls. The HR information systems maintains a report of each employees, that the contracted hours of the employees, holiday pay booked by the employees, the salary of the employees, and premium pay of work, bonus of the employees and their eligibility. Every week of the employees details in all individual stores accounts department sends the information to the head office HR department. The head office assesses the information and pays the employees every four weeks based on the information. Online shopping: Sainsbury’s is also become popular with their internet shopping facility.   Sainsbury’s online shopping is responsibility of each store online department. The online department in the Sainsbury’s is called STY(Sainsbury’s to you). Sainsbury’s supermarket online shopping efficiently works with the support of Sainsbury’s IT department. The information systems use of this department is more compare to other departments of this organisation. Sainsbury’s online shopping is easy way for customers to shop their needs by clicking on the computer instead of walking to store and taking the risk of delivery of the goods to their home. It provides the customers a way of easy shopping online, the company’s website provides the online shopping tool. All and every product that available in the individual store are available in the internet online shopping. The customers are expected to type in their postcode on the site, to find out which store is available nearly to their home. After typing in their postcode, clicking the access button the website tells the customer that the store is available to their home. The database of all postcodes and addresses are stored and processed by the information systems. Based on the customer information, the information system decides that which store is to be take care of the customer needs. When customer shops online and pays by card, the information first stored on the database of head office, then the assigned store. In the store, STY department automatically gets print out of the shopping list. The shopping lists are then stored in to the store database, and assigns the work to online shopping workers. The online shoppers in the STY department picks up all the items by the help of handset systems. The handheld systems are designed shortly for the use of wireless information exchange system. The manager of the STY department assigns the work into handheld systems, then the shoppers get order details one by one. The information about product details and in which aisle it is located is displayed on the handsets. So the shoppers are expected to scan the items and followed to delivery room. The information systems is more important in the department because of it is totally depended on the Information Technology. Decision making at three tiers of management in Sainsbury’s: There generally three tiers of management in any organisation. (1) top level management, (2) middle level management, (3) low level management. We can understand the management work at different levels by considering one example: When an organization is supposed to launch   a new product, various people’s involvement should be included in the project. For an example, Sainsbury’s supermarket wants to introduce a â€Å"ready to eat sandwich† into their stores. This is not a simple thing and cannot be introduced directly into their stores, but various issues should be considered about this product. The sandwich may be a two pieces of bread slices with a cheese and some ingredients on it, it should have different approach than where people can make it on their homes. This should be treated as a advantageous to consumers. Sainsbury’s is a chain of five hundred thirty five supermarkets and a kind of convenience stores included in it. When this big food retailer wants to add this new product to their stores, a detailed research should have made and should communicate with the different parties using the information systems. From it’s product design to sales, a unique code must be assigned to each sandwich to specify the details and allocate value to the product. It is clear that the product designer should specify the required ingredients for the product , and should include right percentage of nutrition values, diets, less fat ..etc. the sandwich design, manufacturer, suppliers through stores requires a shared information system to have a good communication between them. The Sainsbury’s management will create a brief description about the product which the information   shared by the manufacturer. Using of information systems in product life cycle management: product life cycle management is a process of managing a product from its conception   through its design, manufacturing, delivering out. Plc gives product details and specifications to companies. Product design: uses the information systems to assess the features of the product and the requirements for manufacturing of that product, needs of the customers. And it also usable by the product control unit to test the quality control and it again stores the details of the product in to database for further use. The stored data can be accessed by the manufacturing unit and companies to assess whether the design is desirable for company requirements. It gives an overview of the product details i.e the cost of the production, the range of products which can be manufactured and this information available to the all authorised required data bases of the company. Manufacturing of the product:   In recent years, the increasing of information technology in manufacturing increasing rapidly. Information is used to be at every level of an organization. In the competitive environment, there is need to understand the using of information systems and application of information technology in whole the process. In a process, from the raw material to the finished goods and shipping of the goods , information systems must be used to communicate at all levels. The information is important for money flow i.e payments can be paid out when delivery received to the recipient, information is usable by the manufacturer to buy and pay for the material, paying labour charges..etc. invoice can be issued by the manufacturer for right payments when he receives correct payments for the goods. A majority of manufacturing companies are using multiple computer network systems at their process. It is a challenge for the organizations to integrate the data bases in to their computer systems. Integrating the computer systems and data bases used to be the main priority for these organizations. By integrating these systems, the companies can know the required material, planning , directing and get the   knowledge of market position of their system. Sainsbury’s consists of nearly eight hundred supermarkets and a finance. The head office department is located in the Holborn, the heart of London. It operates the whole Sainsbury’s by the help of middle level management. We can clearly observe the role of decision making of three tiers of management by the above example. Conclusion: I conclude that the Managing information systems is important at organisational level, to stand in the corporate competitive environment. It is not an option but essential to run big organisation like Sainsbury’s. However there is no disadvantage of using information systems except system failure, but there is a need to maintain the information system by the effective efficient team of management. It is clear that the managing information systems give good decision making deal to the managers in any organisation. References 1) Management Information Systems 9e T. Lucey, bized.co.uk. 2)Bocij, P. Chaffey, D., (2005) Business Information Systems: Technology, Development and Management in the E-business, Prentice Hall. 3) Chen, S., (2004) Strategic Management of E-business, J Wiley Sons. 4) Laudon Laudon, (2007) Management Information Systems, 10th Edition, Prentice Hall. 5) Clarke Steve (2007); ‘Information Systems Strategic Management: an integrated approach’. ISBN 978-0-415-38187-1; Routledge Printing, Canada 6) Fattahi. R and Ebrahim Afshar (2006), ‘Added value of information and information systems: a conceptual approach’; Library Review Vol. 55 No. 2 7) www.sainsbury’s.co.uk 8) information age journal

Vision Lspu Essay Example

Mission/ Vision Lspu Essay Example Mission/ Vision Lspu Essay Mission/ Vision Lspu Essay Vision of Laguna State Polytechnic University The University shall be known as: A premiere university in CALABARZON, offering academic programs and related services designed to respond to the requirements of the Philippines and the global economy particularly Asian Country. Mission of Laguna State Polytechnic University The university shall primarily provide advanced education, professional, technological and vocational instruction in Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, Science, Engineering, Industrial Technology, Teacher Education, Medicine, Law, Arts and Sciences, Information Technology and other related fields. It shall also undertake Research and Extension Services center and provide progressive leadership in its area of specialization College of Engineering Vision The College   of Engineering will be recognized in the region for its outstanding education, research and community engagement, and for the quality of its socially responsible graduates. College of Engineering Mission The mission of the College of Engineering is to prepare globally competent and socially responsible graduates by providing high quality education. The college through its quality programs and partnerships fosters research and scholarly endeavors that advance knowledge and contributes to the welfare of the country. To teach our students to analyze and design chemical processes that span molecular to macroscopic scales. To this end, objectives of the Chemical Engineering Undergraduate program are to provide students: To teach our students the interpersonal skills required in a professional environment. To this end, our students will demonstrate the following: * Ability to accomplish engineering goals through teamwork * Ability to lead a team, allocate tasks and assemble results * Ability to communicate effectively by written, graphical and spoken means Objective 3 To provide a liberal education in humanities and history. To this end, our tudents will demonstrate the following: * Understanding and appreciation of cultural aspects of society * Ability to assess the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context * Understanding of professional and ethical responsibility of engineering practice * Knowledge of contemporary issues Objective 4 To create scholars and professionals. To this end, our students will demonstrate the following: * Commitment to excellence and integrity * Confidence in self-instruction as a preparation for life-long learning * Sense of duty to their professional community

Wal-Mart Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wal-Mart - Research Paper Example Among the biggest complaints about Wal-Mart that the average shopper has is the fact that even at the busiest times the store seems to open only a few of its banks of checkout registers. Ask almost any regular visitor to a Wal-Mart what their biggest beef is and you will get the same response: long lines. When I arrived in the store I was immediately reminded why I like shopping there instead of a regular grocery store. It's well lit, clean, and the aisles are bigger. In addition, if I'm shopping for food and happen to remember I need a non-food item I don't have to make another trip elsewhere. But as I walked past the long line of checkout lanes, I also remembered why I join the legion of frustration shoppers. Despite the fact it is just after 5:00 PM, a time when Wal-Mart is usually quite busy due to the influx of people stopping by on their way home after a weekday at the job, I noticed more checkout lane lights off than on. The Wal-Mart I visited was a SuperCenter, the kind of store that combines grocery shopping with food, toys and electronics. There are two entrances, one at the end with the food and the other where most of the non-food merchandise is located. I entered through the food entryway and notice right away that that there are five express lanes open. The express lane is ideally meant to speed up the process by which customers get in an out as only those who have less than 20 items are supposed to be allowed. I can't help but notice there are at least three shoppers who have noticeably more than 20 items in their basket. I also cannot fault them; besides the express lanes at grocery end of the aisle, I can count only seven other lanes open all way down to the other hand. I didn't actually count how many total checkout registers this particular Wal-Mart, but after I realized there were at least twice as many closed registers as open ones I got the point. I came across an article from 2005 that indicated that Wal-Mart was aware of the problem of people having to wait in line. According to the article, they were supposedly considering a technological approach called line rushing technology using a "mobile scanner that allows employees to check out merchandise while customers wait in line. Customers receive a print-out with a bar code, so cashiers only need to scan the paper and take payment" (Abelson). It sounds like a terrific idea. So why haven't I or anyone I know ever seen in action I decided to see if perhaps I'd just missed out on all the fun so I approached a woman who looked particularly disgusted to be waiting in line. Her name was Hakima and she was one of those who quite obviously had more than twenty items in her cart despite being in the express checkout lane. I explained that I was writing a paper Wal-Mart, specifically on the consumer complaints lodged against the company and without even bringing up the subject she launched into a tirade against the long lines. Hakima told me that she probably had been first in line before at Wal-Mart, but that she couldn't remember it. I asked her how long she perceived to be average wait in a line at Wal-Mart was and she responded, "It seems like a half hour every time, but probably is only ten minutes. That's still a long time, though, when you're standing here looking at all those empty lanes." Those

Provocation As A Defence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Provocation As A Defence - Essay Example The researcher states that today, under the English common law the act of provocation as a defence has been considered as a vali, since last many centuries especially in cases of murder and wherever it has been proved to be a valid defence worth consideration then in that case the murder charge has been converted to man-slaughter. The killings done by the accused has been condoned because according to the judge and the jury it was done in a state of anger aroused by some or the other kind of provocation. Provocation as a defence has been going on since the medieval times. The Royal Commission on Capital Punishment, which reported in 1953, concluded that the defence was, in some respects, too rigid and exclusionary. The English Law Commission has recently published its final proposals for a reformed law of provocation. The recommendations come in two parts: situations where accused acted in response to a fear of serious violence or in response to words or conduct that constitute †Å"gross provocation.† In cases of fear of serious violence, accused will be convicted of second degree murder, provided a person of the accused’s age and of ordinary temperament, in the given circumstances might have reacted in the similar way. This development is welcome and seems entirely suitable to cover without strain domestic violence cases. It also caters to the demands of the long drawn of several activists who had been crying hoarse over the years over the defence of provocation as being flawed and bloated.

Codes of Professional Conduct in Accounting Essay

Codes of Professional Conduct in Accounting - Essay Example A code of ethics ensures that the professionals do not get into conflicts with the society as the professionals become more aware of the limits to which their activities can go. A code of ethics is important in that it specifies the ethical responsibilities of the accounting professionals something, which is meant to minimize any dilemmas that come whenever professionals act in contravention of the code of conduct1. The code of ethics for Accounting professionals is designed so as to ensure that, any issues facing the professionals and is likely to impact on the American society is taken care of. In addition, the code of ethics is more of guidelines, which specifies the extent to which a professional can go especially in regard to news, or reporting of a given event. The professionals' code of ethics for the Accounting professionals is also meant to protect the actions of the professionals from harming the American society and curb financial scandals. For the Accounting professionals, honesty and trustworthy is indispensable. The professionals must always ensure that they are consistent otherwise they risk losing credibility. This is why a code of conduct is very central to the functioning of the Accounting professionals. ... In addition, honesty and trustworthy are key tenets of Accounting practice especially given the fact that, for a very long time, the Accountants in the United States have been blamed for perpetrating scandalous activities. The AICPA professional code of conduct needs to be modified to reflect the changing nature of the Accountant's duties in this era of information technology and especially concerning the increasing menacing threat of cyber fraud. The code of ethics stipulates what a professional can or cannot do. This has ensured that, accountants remain professional and committed to their duty in honesty. The code of ethics has ensured that, the AICPA professionals understand that, it is their duty to serve Americans in honesty and trustworthy. The Nursing code of conduct calls upon all nurses to conduct themselves in a manner consisted with compassion, respect, dignity, worth in terms of professional relationships and practice. The code of conduct for nurses requires them to be committed to the patients' in spite of whether the patient is an individual, family or a group3. The code of conduct for nurses requires them to promote the health safety and rights of patients by being committed to their duties. The code of conduct for media professionals on the other hand is designed to ensure that, the media professional present balanced and true information which must not hurt the society. If not well taken care of, media professionals can create a lot of disharmony in the society. It has happened in other countries. For instance the 1992 Rwanda massacre was partly ignited by a largely biased media profession, which never gave credence to the media professional code of ethics. As a result, the

Why should national parliaments have a role in the EU framework What Essay

Why should national parliaments have a role in the EU framework What role should national parliaments play in a) shaping, and b) scrutinising, EU decision making - Essay Example In the commission, each commissioner’s cabinet includes a member responsible for relations with the parliament, and the regular meetings of this group of advisers has become an important feature of policy co-ordination within the commission; in addition, one commissioner has designated responsibility for relations within the European Parliament1. While relations between the EU institutions have become increasingly interdependent, there has also been growing need for co-operation between the national and EU level for the purposes of development and significance in implementation of EU policies. Since, in the course of establishment of the single market, much of the European economy has been re-regulated at the European level, greater responsibility has fallen on the Member states’ administrations to implement European legislations. This has had a dynamic effect on both the national and the European level; within member states, national (and often regional and local) authorities have had to familiarize themselves with the European Union regulations that they have to implement. Hence each of the national parliaments has to be involved in the consultation aspects when it comes to the formulation and scrutiny of these regulations. On the European level, the decision making institutions, and the commission in particular had to design regulations for centralized application, anticipating and overcoming difficulties in ensuring uniform implementation and compliance. The result from these ripple effects of developments in the 1980s and 1990s has been the need for effective and continuous communication between the policy makers and the scientific experts from the member states, commission and council officials and members of the European and national parliaments. The absence of any institution or set of interests having hierarchical control over the decision making process is one of the reasons why committees have become such an institution or

Extended Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Extended Education - Research Paper Example This essay declares that the US president backs this suggestion with an argument that the system is not just aiming to curb unemployment but give the US population a good stepping-stone into the future. For this reason, this kind of education aims at providing the learners with skills and opportunities that they would not have achieved by 12th grade as well as providing them with measurable differentiated skills. This paper makes a conclusion that US is currently facing financial crisis and setting up a further a compulsory 2 years learning system requires a lot of financial assistance that may add to the list of the already suffering financial status of the country. Indeed according to CIA fact book and National Bureau of Economic Research the current US deficit stood at $487.2 billion by 2012. Compared to the rest of the countries in the world, the US deficit is the highest in the world. This figure indicates that the country is importing more goods and services than its exporting. The country is also in high debts from foreign countries and has a higher consumer debt. If this situation continues, the value of its currency depreciates and investors will not be willing to invest into a country that is facing such huge financial crisis. The increasing numbers of online degrees and masters courses pose a greater challenge to the extended education. This is because most of the online institutio ns are easily accessible, efficient, and cheaper in comparison to community colleges that will require an individual’s attendance. ... In addition to this, there will be need to train more teachers, experts, and technicians who will be required to offer their services to the community colleges (Jeff Zeleny). With the differences in different States around US there is likely to be a gap in this institutions based on the kind of resources and technology the State has. The difference resources in terms of technology are also likely to create a disparity in terms of professionalism. The increasing numbers of online degrees and masters courses pose a greater challenge to the extended education. This is because most of the online institutions are easily accessible, efficient, and cheaper in comparison to community colleges that will require an individual’s attendance. For this reason, I suggest that learners engage in higher institutions like universities and involve in further education and training rather than wasting 2 precious years in community college. This is likely to affect negatively on the labor market, as qualified labor will have to stay for two years before employment. The policy makers have failed to address how to close the gap that will be left when these institutions begin doing the system. Rising tuition costs especially for higher education is creating a challenge to the implementation of the extended education. Most of the community colleges are experiencing institutional funding shortfalls while the declining state of the quality of higher education is also adding to the challenges of rolling extended education. Extended education is not likely to contribute to increasingly competitive economy that requires proper education and skills of its workers. For this reason, there is need for students or the

What you learned Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What you learned - Assignment Example And Aristotle was also the one who had pointed on mimesis in human nature, so things can be learned on examples. After studding philosophy myself I think one should examine it to have a feeling he’s getting wiser and becoming more thoughtful and reasonable person. Felling of self-improving gives you dignity. And also philosophy gets thinking and questioning into a habit, so one will do less false and forced choices. I think following ethical goals in everyday life is necessary, because originally ethics is about rules and norms that keep society, compared to professional life where also professional ethics rules exist. According to Aristotle, ethics is about good actions. So I’m going to make actions in order to respect animal rights by not buying products made from natural animal’s skin and forming myself a habit to check if production was tested on animals. And I’m going to try to persuade my family and friends do the same by setting an example and by giving them knowledge why respecting animal rights in such way is good. Because like Plato, I think reasonable understanding what’s good is prerequisite for good

Why should national parliaments have a role in the EU framework What Essay

Why should national parliaments have a role in the EU framework What role should national parliaments play in a) shaping, and b) scrutinising, EU decision making - Essay Example In the commission, each commissioner’s cabinet includes a member responsible for relations with the parliament, and the regular meetings of this group of advisers has become an important feature of policy co-ordination within the commission; in addition, one commissioner has designated responsibility for relations within the European Parliament1. While relations between the EU institutions have become increasingly interdependent, there has also been growing need for co-operation between the national and EU level for the purposes of development and significance in implementation of EU policies. Since, in the course of establishment of the single market, much of the European economy has been re-regulated at the European level, greater responsibility has fallen on the Member states’ administrations to implement European legislations. This has had a dynamic effect on both the national and the European level; within member states, national (and often regional and local) authorities have had to familiarize themselves with the European Union regulations that they have to implement. Hence each of the national parliaments has to be involved in the consultation aspects when it comes to the formulation and scrutiny of these regulations. On the European level, the decision making institutions, and the commission in particular had to design regulations for centralized application, anticipating and overcoming difficulties in ensuring uniform implementation and compliance. The result from these ripple effects of developments in the 1980s and 1990s has been the need for effective and continuous communication between the policy makers and the scientific experts from the member states, commission and council officials and members of the European and national parliaments. The absence of any institution or set of interests having hierarchical control over the decision making process is one of the reasons why committees have become such an institution or

What you learned Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What you learned - Assignment Example And Aristotle was also the one who had pointed on mimesis in human nature, so things can be learned on examples. After studding philosophy myself I think one should examine it to have a feeling he’s getting wiser and becoming more thoughtful and reasonable person. Felling of self-improving gives you dignity. And also philosophy gets thinking and questioning into a habit, so one will do less false and forced choices. I think following ethical goals in everyday life is necessary, because originally ethics is about rules and norms that keep society, compared to professional life where also professional ethics rules exist. According to Aristotle, ethics is about good actions. So I’m going to make actions in order to respect animal rights by not buying products made from natural animal’s skin and forming myself a habit to check if production was tested on animals. And I’m going to try to persuade my family and friends do the same by setting an example and by giving them knowledge why respecting animal rights in such way is good. Because like Plato, I think reasonable understanding what’s good is prerequisite for good

The United States Beer Industry Essay Example for Free

The United States Beer Industry Essay 1.The U.S. brewing industry has become more concentrated over the last two decades for several reasons. a.The consumption of beer has been slowly declining, in order for companies to gain market share, they have to take customers from other companies. This would then lead to some companies to go out of business due to the lack of customers. b.Brand loyalty also increased. Advertisement played a large role. Larger companies were able to spent $0.40 per case of beer sold. Smaller mass-market brewers could not afford to spend near that amount. c.Technological change in canning and distribution lead to the concentration of the brewing industry, as well. The size that a mass-market brewer has to accomplish to acquire all economies of scale has grown. They must produce more beer and achieve more market shares. Not all companies reach minimum efficient scales of production. 2. The competitive structure of the brewing industry using Porter’s five forces model. a.Risk of entry by potential competitors. New micro brewing companies have low barriers of entry. New micro brewing companies do not rely heavily on brand loyalty or economies of scale. Mass market brewers our faced with higher barriers to entry because of brand loyalty of customers and absolute cost advantages. b.Intensity of rivalry of previously established companies new customers are always entering the market as they become legal age and the willingness to consume beer, so mass market brewers try to appeal to them to get their business, minimizing the competition to take other companies competitors. Demand has also been growing, making them less competitive. c. Bargaining power of buyers (buyers may be the individual customers who consume it product) this is low for mass market brewers because there is a large number of buyers available for High microbrewers. d.Bargaining power of suppliers (the organizations that provide input into the industry, such as materials, services and labor) the brewing industry has medium to low bargaining power of suppliers. e.Threat of substitutes is a threat because there are other alcoholic beverages that can be a direct substitute for beer, such as spirits and wine. 3.Small mass market companies in the brewing industry are looking for high barriers of entry, strong bargaining power from suppliers and strong bargaining power from buyers. To reach economies of scale, they would need a lot of money in production volume, causing a high barrier of entry. Suppliers can charge the new companies higher prices because they are also selling to other mass market companies and do not need or depend on the new companies for orders. Buyers are strong and can drive down prices because they do not need to sell the new firms product. There are other mass market beers that already have strong brand loyalty that their customers are purchasing. 4.There are two different strategic groups in the brewing industry: mass market brewers (Anheuser-Busch, SAB-Miller, and Molson Coors) and premium micro brewers. The rivalry is different in both groups. Mass market brewers are more competitive, and focus on getting as much of the market as possible by brewing a beer liked by many. Microbrewers products are focus towards smaller customer by who like distinctive tasting beers.

Resource Mobilisation Theory

Resource Mobilisation Theory The study of social movements is a very broad and encompassing task; with each new movement come new theories, approaches and events that change the field. Social movements, as defined by sociology, can be characterized as a group of persons, who, by sharing a common ideology, band together to try and achieve certain political, economic or social goals.  [1]  There are a few standard theories to describe, understand and evaluate the effectives of social movements. Amoung the major theories currently looked at today are resource mobilization, collective behaviour theory, frame alignment theory and political opportunities theory. Although each has its own merits and shortcomings, this essay will only be examining the strengths and weaknesses of one particular theory, that of resource mobilization. The strengths focus on the theorys ability to effectively dissect the interactions between various material and non-material resources, the political structure and mobilization, while the weaknesses will examine the theorys reliance on economic models, its lack of historical perspective and its ignorance to real-world factors. The conclusion of the paper will also discuss the future use of the theory, its changing adaptations and whether or not the theory itself is still viable in todays world. B: History and Assumptions of the Theory The history of resource mobilization theory begins pre-dominantly with research done in the 1970s. Unlike other theories of social movements at the time, resource mobilization theory, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦replaced the crowd with the organization, and dismissed the psychological variables of alienation and frustration in favour of the rational actor employing instrumental and strategic reasoning.  [2]  It was this difference, which made it stand out amongst academics and prompted a flurry of research to compile an overarching framework regarding resource mobilization. However, within this framework of the theory lie two distinct approaches: First, the economic or organizational/entrepreneurial model presented by McCarthy and Zald and secondly, the sociopolitical or political/interactive argued more favorably by authors such as Tilly, Diani, and McAdam. Tilly, Diani and McAdams emphasis focuses predominately on employing a political model in order to examine the various processes that ar e claimed to give rise to social movements.  [3]  They base their ideas on the structure of grievances, in so far as they look to determine what opportunities, links or networks exists within the aggrieved group, in order to give rise to enough mobilization as to claim a social movement. Factors they included range from various forms of political power, to the oft conflicting interests of the state and the aggrieved group and finally to the political resources the group has or may need  [4]  . Conversely, the organization/entrepreneurial model emphasizes resource management, the role of leaders and leadership, and the dynamics of organization. This approach is much more economics based and therefore tries to apply various economic theories to the study of social movements. Charles Perrow, when describing this approach, makes light of the fact that it is much more capitalist based and therefore the organization/entrepreneurial branch makes reference to such ideas as: product differentiation, social industry, resource competition, social movement entrepreneurs etc.  [5]   The theory also sets aside three main assumptions when discussing social movements. 1) That economic prosperity and affluence will generally lead to a greater number of social movements.  [6]  2) That people who participants in social movements are inherently rational.  [7]  3) That the social movements participants must achieve a certain level of political and economic resources for their movement to be a success.  [8]  Therefore, as nations become more prosperous and generate necessary social movement resources such as education, wealth and communication, these in turn will help spur social movement activity. It therefore follows that this increase in activity will allow rational people to accumulate the resources needed for their social movement to be successful. Kendall defines the theory as such, resource mobilization theory focuses on the ability of members of a social movement to acquire resources and mobilize people in order to advance their cause.  [9]  Note that the aforementioned affluence is said to be most beneficial when coupled with an open state, which allows groups to mobilize freely and encourages debate and dissent as it promotes the values of freedom, capitalism and transparency. Also, the growth of the welfare state is often seen as a boost to social movements as the State itself can provide resources to struggling movements in the form of aid, workers or development programs.  [10]   The resources that the theory describes range from material to non-material, but are said to include, money, peoples time and skills, access to the media, and material goods such as property and equipment.  [11]  Simply put, resource mobilization theory describes how effective social movements can be, by examining how the groups involved in social movements both mobilize their supporters and manage their resources. Some theorists, such as Anthony Oberschall have furthered the view that the resources defined by the theory are in a constant state of struggle, in which they are perpetually created, consumed, transferred and/or lost.  [12]  Oberschall therefore views social movements much like organizations who vie for a limited number of resources in the political marketplace.  [13]   A key feature to remember, is that the resources(or assets) outlined in the theory can be of both material and non-material nature. Material assets include currency, buildings, people, telephones and computers. Non-material assets include ideology, will-power, political support, leadership and solidarity.  [14]   The other main aspect of the theory is the mobilization aspect. Mobilization is said to occur when a particular group(in this case one assumes a social movement) assembles the aforementioned resources with the explicit purpose on using them to achieve a common goal, change or message through collective action. A distinction must be drawn between the two, as merely gathering resources is not mobilization. Only when those resources have been collectively assigned to pursue a purpose, is mobilization said to take place.  [15]   B. Strengths of the Theory B1. Explanatory power of the Theory: Foweraker discusses the explanatory staying power of the theory, including its ability to adapt over time.  [16]  He states that despite it coming under criticism over the past decade or so, The theory has expanded its explanatory power by including a range of ancillary arguments. The first one of these arguments is that social networking has proven to be a decisive tool in aiding the mobilization of social movements.  [17]  Authors John Hansen and Steven Rosentone, in the book Mobilization, Participation and Democracy in America discuss the impact of social networks on social mobilization by stating, Social networks multiply the effect of mobilization.  [18]  This can be seen in everyday life, as mass communication(often one of the most important resources mentioned when discussing resource mobilization theory) has taken off in a way that not even States can control. The freedom of the internet makes mobilization not only easy, but participation costs shrink. It therefor e comes to no surprise that as social networks have grown, so too have the ability of organizers to mobilize transnational social movements such as the global environmental movement, the tea-party movement of the trans-national European movement. Another aspect of this particular strength of resource mobilization theory lies in its explanatory power to explain the various dynamics of mobilization; to help identify the various resources that social movements need in order to mobilize, the distinctive organizational features needed with condition social movements and the ever growing relationships between the political system as a whole and these movements.  [19]  By moving slightly away from the purely social/cultural or political and instead focusing more generally on resource management and strategy, resource mobilization theory highlights the growing importance of strategic/instrumental action. It also shows a level of understanding in which the decisions taken by the various actors actively affect the outcome of the conflict between the movement and the system.  [20]   B2. Strong analysis of the political system and its interactions with collective action: Resource mobilization theory also includes a very important emphasis on the political process. This is a key feature which provides useful insights into the how social movements interact within the political system. Moreover, an examination of the structure of the political system tends to yield interesting results regarding the set of political factors with either facilitate or harm the emergence of social movements.  [21]  The theory further goes on to focus on the interactions between collective action, social networks and group identity. Foweraker identifies these as prior social organizational interaction and says, Levels of prior social organization influence the degree and type of social mobilization.  [22]   C. Weaknesses of the Theory C1. Adherence to economic cost/benefit models: The first of several weaknesses of resource mobilization theory centre on its apparent adherence to an economic rationality, which presupposes various costs and benefits of a common rational participants. Foweraker believes this shortcoming gives rise to two fundamental flaws of resource mobilization theory and described these two problems as such, First, social actors are presumed to employ a narrowly instrumental rationality which bridges a rigid means/end distinction. The careful weighing of costs and benefits implied by the means/end model falls far short of a universal or complete account of collective action, if only because action may be its own reward. More particularly, to recall Webers analysis of social action, the motives that predispose the actor to act may be not merely instrumental, but habitual, affective and, above all, expressive.  [23]  If the theory only cares about the rationality of actors, then it fails to account for what rationality actually is, as the definition of such ranges from individual to individual. If one person enjoys protesting for the sake of protesting and not, as the theory would say, to achieve a goal, then how can the theory describe their rationality as a participant in a social movement? C2. Rationality without reference to social context and lack of cultural considerations: The second weakness of the theory revolves around an idea of solitary rationality. Resource mobilization theory assumes that rationality is at all times beneficial, yet with any social or historical context, it is nearly impossible to determine how the various costs and benefits of the movements are calculated. Foweraker describes this as a tautological trap, in which the theory, must then define the actors interests in such a way that no matter what choice is made it is always sent to further those interests.  [24]  Melucci agrees with this ascertain by stating that, collective action is never based solely on cost-benefit calculation and a collective identity is never entirely negotiable.  [25]  As Scott correctly points out, social movements must include, the cultural as well as the purposive aspects  [26]  for as it stands now, resource mobilization theory understands the how of social movements, but not the why.  [27]  Also, an associated weakness of the theory is that it gives little room for any sort of cultural considerations. Scott addresses this notion, by underpinning that without any reasonable consideration of cultural, solitary action seems very unlikely.  [28]   C3. Ignorance of real-world variables and factors: The third overarching criticism of resource mobilization theory stems of its apparent lack of real world considerations. The theory purports to understand the dynamic relationship between social movements, yet pays no heed to events such as political negotiations, bribery, espionage and sabotage. Foweraker outlines political negations as being more commonplace than any other political tool and states, Since [rational] choice is often a result of interactions with a living political environment, it makes little sense to think of it as uncontaminated by negotiationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [29]  Another interesting point made by Scott Lash and John Urry in their paper, The New Marxism of Collective Action: A Critical Analysis argue that, the rationality applying to one-off game-like situations does not necessarily apply to long-term relations.  [30]  This also applies to the theory of free-riding in which people may participate in a movement purely because of the advantageous position it will put them in, and not because they truly feel motivated in the movement itself. Therefore resources may be drained and fail if enough free riders are brought on. In particular, the theory fails to explain socials movements that are too weak to distribute selective benefitsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [31]  due exactly to this problem. D. Conclusion and Future: After having discussed the various strengths sand weaknesses of resource mobilization theory, this paper will now conclude with a look into the future; regarding both longevity of the theory and the overall attractiveness to academics in its current form. Given the overarching criticisms inherit to the theory itself, it should come as no surprise that the theory has lot a lot of ground to other theories of social movements, such as Political Opportunities theory, Frame Alignment theory or any of a new number of New Social Movement theories.  [32]  However, there is still plenty of underlying merit of resource mobilization theory, which this paper believes will keep it in the foreground of social movement theory for the foreseeable future. This is mainly due to the essential fact that without resources, regardless of how one defines them, social movements simply cannot generate enough momentum to sustain themselves. Therefore, taking a look into the various approaches of mobilizat ion with regards to these resources is as important now, than it was in the 1970s. Coupled with its relative openness and adaptability should make resource mobilization theory a useful tool for the foreseeable future.