Dangerous Technology

English 1010 5 October 2012 Dangerous Technology Many people have one. Some have more than one. Odds are pretty good that yours is within reaching distance right now. â€Å"What is it? †, you may ask. The answer is simple: the almighty cell phone. Although cell phones allow easy and quick communication, they are starting to create problems in today’s society: they distract drivers, they interrupt social interaction, and society is unaware of any long term medical issues they could create. One of the most dangerous issues with cell phones is people using them while driving. A distracted driver is a dangerous driver.If someone is reading or sending a text, or even talking on the phone, they are not paying full attention to the road, making it hazardous for themselves and those around them. It has become enough of an issue that many states have passed laws that make using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle illegal. It is a severe issue with inexperienced drivers, who need as few distractions as possible. Many schools are even stepping up and asking students to pledge not to use their cell phones while driving. Although they are an amazing piece of technology, they are beginning to create social barriers in today’s society.They allow us to always be connected to one another, which is creating a social dependency on being connected. Cell phones are replacing face to face communication. There’s no need to make time in our schedules for people we consider important because they are just a text message away. Many people can’t go without their phones for fear of missing out. It’s like an unspoken anxiety problem. Because of this dependency, cell phones are becoming distractions in social settings. So much that even movie theatres ask their guest to please silence or turn off their cell phones for the presentation.There are some who can’t even be without them to watch a ninety minute movie, for which they paid a pretty penny to see. Just as there are some who can’t make it through dinner with friends without making a call, checking their messages, or even utilizing them for social media sites. At the first hint of boredom in a social setting, people turn to their phones to find a source of entertainment. We’re becoming a society addicted to technology. Cell phones are a fairly new technology really. We do not know if there are long-term, adverse effects of carrying around something that receives and emits satellite signals.They are electronic devices, meaning they emit electricity. Electronic devices are known to produce electromagnetic radiation, something often linked to cancer and tumors. Granted, currently there is no proof directly linking cell phones to cancer. This is just one of issues with cell phones we should be weary of. It’s a potential wolf in sheep’s skin, if you will. Cell phones are seemingly harmless, but who is to say that in another twenty yea rs or so there won’t be widespread cases of cancers all linked to consistent, direct contact of electromagnetic radiation.In conclusion, cell phones are an amazing piece of technology that need to be used more cautiously. Countless vehicle accidents occur every year due to a driver who was distracted by his or her cell phone. Society should learn to make more time for interpersonal relationships, instead of depending on a piece of technology to communicate. Lastly, we should be weary of the effects that could come from carrying around electromagnetic radiation for extended periods of time.

Economic Order Quantity

Economic order quantity is the order quantity that minimizes total inventory holding costs and ordering costs. It is one of the oldest classical production scheduling models. The framework used to determine this order quantity is also known as Barabas EOQ Model or Barabas Formula. The model was developed by Ford W. Harris in 1913, but R. H. Wilson, a consultant who applied it extensively, is given credit for his in-depth analysis EOQ applies only when demand for a product is constant over the year and each new order is delivered in full when inventory reaches zero. There is a fixed cost for each order placed, regardless of the number of units ordered. There is also a cost for each unit held in storage, sometimes expressed as a percentage of the purchase cost of the item. We want to determine the optimal number of units to order so that we minimize the total cost associated with the purchase, delivery and storage of the product. The required parameters to the solution are the total demand for the year, the purchase cost for each item, the fixed cost to place the order and the storage cost for each item per year. Note that the number of times an order is placed will also affect the total cost, though this number can be determined from the other parameter. * A   =   Demand for the year (Annual usage/sales in units * Cp  Ã‚   =   Cost to place a single order (order cost ) * Ch   =   Cost to hold one unit inventory for a year (annual carrying cost per unit)|

Creating a sense of community Essay

Introduction Organizations, leaders and employees often need to be commended on a job well done and celebrate it with some exceptional time off from work. This is a positive step for the organization because it not only shows appreciation for those individuals who come to work every day to make sure that their organization achieve all of its goals, but illustrates the organizations appreciation for it valuable staff and employees. This can be done by simply honoring most federal and calendar year holidays throughout the year, company holidays including time off for birthdays and banquet celebrations as well. In addition, on a dismal note, sometimes an organization may have to honor its employees and staff for tragic circumstances that may occur throughout the year. Celebrating the community is key for an organization in terms of keeping their employees motivated and excited about giving their best effort on each task at hand. Kouzes & Posner mentions that celebrations serve as important a purpose in the long-term of an organization as does the daily performance of tasks ( Kouzes & Posner, p.310, 2013). Celebrating the community serves as a medicine that brings an organizations and its employees together in each prospective shared values and commitments. Overview of community building practices Kouzes & Posner states that In acknowledging the community (†common unity†) that individuals share with each other, a sense of team spirit is created among leaders who build and maintain the social support that is required for individuals to thrive and excel during tough times ( Kouzes &  Posner, p.310, 2013). Organizations must have in place an supportive structure that will support the employees and enhance their opportunities for appreciation for their hard work. Communities that have a strong commitment for connecting celebrations, community and commitment will set themselves far above average organizations. An outstanding leader who has made the vow to help renew those employees’ commitments will be headed in a positive direction. This approach will serve as a motivational and retention tool for the leaders and organization. Organizations should commit themselves on building fun activities and socials that are fitted for those employees, it’s a celebration of appreciation and respect. Celebrating those outstanding deeds that each employee exemplified should not be kept in house. The good news should be shared with the community, the public. Kouzes & Posner suggest that private rewards do little to set an example for the organization ( Kouzes & Posner, p.313, 2013). However, having the opportunity to share someone’s story of success is worth celebrating and it will also highlight the individual and the organization in a positive manner. Organizations that connect celebration, community and commitment for the long haul will undoubtedly be successful. Organizations that ensure that their employees understand that they are part of the big picture know that shared values, destiny and victories are important to securing a sense of community. Leaders should make sure that all employees have the opportunity to play a functional role in the celebrations and the framework that support the organizations values. Celebrations can come in all forms such as cyclical celebrations, celebrations of triumph, personal transitions, workplace altruism, events and ritual for comfort and letting go. Not every celebration is upbeat and enjoyable. There are times when a employee may have a sick family member or even suffered a loss of a loved one. Author Colleen Young mentioneds that in ttoday’s organization, the fledgling, but active, community continues to grow, providing peer-to-peer support and information for a very specific point in the health continuum, namely for people living with life-threatening disease, for friends and family who care about and for them, and for people dealing with grief and loss (Young, C. 2013). Different cultures There are many different cultures all around the world that handle  their employees differently. Individuals take time to celebrate their prospective cultures that have a particular meaning for them. Leaders that do not implement group interactions or celebrations could lack the reinforcement of a common purpose for different cultures. The organization have to get involved in each culture collaboration. The cultures in communities are many, such as the Chinese community which is the largest and the fastest growing group among Asian and Pacific Islander populations. It also has many different dialects that a leader and organization must understand. Furthermore, there’s the African American Community and the Central American Community. The African American Community has a group history of oppression and survival also affects the way it is organized. The networks and organizations that form to protect the rights of their members influence the way in which members of the group organize for self-help. It is important for an organization to know about their history and celebrated it accordingly. Lastly, there is the Central Americans who fled from poverty and oppression in their countries to seek a more secure and better life in a new place here in the United States. Challenges that leaders face in respecting the cultural differences Some of the challenges that a leader may encounter are not knowing the unknown and how to deal with tension among the groups when resources are limited. Another challenging situation that will likely to confront the leader is struggling with immigrants whose culture, institution and tradition are not readily familiar to most mainstream groups. Some of those cultures may not have community groups with leaders. Therefore, there is no organization or guidance. Culture typically refers to a set of symbols, rituals, values, and beliefs that make one group different from another. Culture is learned and shared with people who live or lived in the same social environment for a long time. Provide best practices for overcoming these challenges There are several best practices that can help the leader to overcome those cultural challenges. Kouzes & Posner discusses that Reflection and Action can help when social interactions required to uphold individuals or groups to a high standard. People are asked to go beyond their comfort zone, so as a leader you should set the example by getting personally involved in the celebrations of varies cultures ( Kouzes & Posner, p.329, 2013). Some other  best practices may include Plan a celebration today, reinforce core values in your celebrations. A leader need to start the celebration right now and don’t procrastinate. Understanding those cultures now will make for a better transition of understanding. Lastly, a leader should understand the cultures values and what they aspire to realize ( Kouzes & Posner, p.331, 2013). Being innovative and obtaining values and loyalty are key factors that will enable a leader to be successful in dealing with multiple cultures. SDLP I will implement my understanding of connecting celebration, community and commitment to my professional career. I have a clearer picture of how to bond and recognize those employees who work hard and treat them like an individual should be treated. I will go a step further in implementing a framework that will celebrate the key values of my staff when they go the extra mile to achieve their goals. My commitment to them will highlight and reward them not just internally, but publically as well. I know that this will be a motivation tool that can help shape the future of me as a leader and my organization. I will document my newly found knowledge of celebrating a community in my SDLP.

Network analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Network analysis - Essay Example Having many connections would mean an opportunity from a businessman’s point of view. While it is true that a network could exactly do this, its general meaning does not literally mean that one must confine its application in the business context alone. A network is everywhere and since the earliest time of the human existence it already existed for as long as the presence of communication, interaction and the ability of social beings to relate with each other in myriad ways were remarkably present. Today, everyone has personal connection, but the good point with a network is the opportunity that one’s network could also be part of somebody else’s. No one could contest that if one would based it on the observation, this is the product of the ability of each individual to relate to everyone in a specific way using technological innovation. There are many ways on how to allow a person to relate with the other. In fact, today there is a maximum effort that people in itiated. Technology has played a crucial role in ensuring successful network. Apple Incorporated is just one of the companies trying to innovate possibilities on how to explore the ultimate potential and concepts behind a network. The presence of mobile gadgets, created to enhance communication is in reality tries to augment the full potential of the management context. In other words, a network in great detail has substantial application in creating social connection in the digital age and in the networked society (Papacharissi, 2011; Van Dijk, 2005). Network therefore nowadays is strongly powered by the existence of advanced technology and new technological innovations in the future. It would be easy to keep in touch with someone and to keep information flows around in a fast pace. In the presence of these advantages, companies, organizations and individuals learn to appreciate the fact that in the management context there must have many things that need to be considered when a ne twork has to be taken into account. A network is therefore a complex concept because technology which is constantly innovating tries to influence it in many ways. This means that a network changes dynamically as technology itself modifies its forms in a vigorous way. Network therefore is about connection, in which today’s advanced society could also mean as the use of technology in connecting people and allowing almost everyone around the globe to keep in touch dynamically in the most possible and even convenient way in the age of globalisation and digital revolution (Grewal, 2008). This is a stong image depicted by a society that has burly dependence on the emergence of technology and other related technological innovation that is particularly linked up with information. The emergence of social networking media is a fundamental example how network is integrating social and technological concerns. With the aid of technological advancement, it is now easy to connect everyone a nd be part of the whole network that allows each member to freely communicate, interact and exchange remarkable information. In other words, the emergence of major social networking platforms for instance is just a remarkable indication how people place the modern network into high level of exploitation. Many people have seen the power of the

Amazon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Amazon - Essay Example Amazon strives to offer the widest selection of both new and used products. They not only sell books in a wide category but also electronics, apparel, gift cards, shoes, accessories, watches, photography, software, tools and hardware, cameras, movies, toys, house items, computers, games, music, jewelry, magazine subscriptions, gourmet food, kitchenware, cellular phones, sports items, among others. This diversification of products has transformed Amazon into an all-in-one online retail store (Amazon.com). Amazon has focused on building a reputation to gain new customers and retain existing ones. The company calls itself the biggest bookstore in the world and has used diverse strategies to gain a positive online reputation. The company uses its extensive resources, communication strategies, positioning (name and motto), targeted advertising, and web design to create reputation as a leading book retailer and the leader in the online retail industry (Mellahi and Johnson). Amazon is the broadest discounter globally in whichever product type one chooses to buy. The company also offers loyalty packages, which come with massive benefits like getting movies without any additional cost. Amazon provides free shipping offers and customers can also avoid state sales tax. The company sells Kindle at a deficit ($59 instead of $79) and has a Price Check App. In relation to physical book retailers, Amazon prices are lower because of reduced transaction costs and streamlined distribution processes (Amazon.com). Amazon was the first company to start book retailing business model in the online platform and has made numerous innovations and significant research and developments (e.g. â€Å"one-click† shopping) to improve customer experience, hence, gaining support from the online community. Amazon is the first company to develop most of the currently known technologies in online retailing. The Amazon brand was

Analysis of the movie Gattaca Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis of the movie Gattaca - Essay Example These derived names represent individuals with certain genome. Valid are individuals whose genomes have been manipulated while the invalids are those that are born natural without genetic manipulation. This is the basis of genetic discrimination that the film depicts. The main character in the film is Vincent who is an invalid. He was born through the natural process. The Gattaca geneticist predicted that due to his genetic makeup, his life span is reduced to only 30 years. He could not even access jobs or resource from Gattaca resource centers simply because he is an outcast and deserves discrimination. His discrimination and perceived lack of capability drives his parents to have their second son born out of genetic manipulation. As Vincent grows, he is made to compete with his genetically superior brother Anton. They have to compete in swimming to test their capabilities based on their genetic makeup (Zaikowski & Garrett, 2994, pp. 942-949). Despite Vincent’s genetic makeup, he was determined to excel in Gattaca community where he was discriminated. He wanted to proof his parents wrong by becoming a celebrated space astronaut. It was such a hard task for him since the available astronaut facilities were owned only by the valid. His parents believed that because of his short lifespan, genetic flaws and weak heart, Vincent would only achieve his dream after his death. Gattaca, therefore, is a hot contest between the valid and the invalids who aims to achieve success in the society genetic discrimination stands out with clear visibility. The ethical dilemma and interpretations that surrounds the film Gattaca, however, are numerous. The greatest concern asks the question of how persons ought to be judged in the society. Should these judgments be based on individuals’ ambitions, interests, desires that he or she values in life or they be based on the genetic constitution. The Gattaca uses the genome of individuals in the contrary. Even

How did the worsening of ideological relations between Mao Zedong and Essay - 1

How did the worsening of ideological relations between Mao Zedong and Nikita Krushchev lead to the sini-soviet split in the 1960s - Essay Example The second fight was against the nationalist Kuomintang (Marks 10). The Nationalist Kuomintang was led by Chiang kai Shek. The overlapping wars persuaded Mao to ignore the advices and directions by Stalin. During the Second World War (1939-1945) Mao followed the lead of Stalin and agreed on the Joint Anti-Japanese Coalition with leader of Nationalist Kuomintang, Chiang Kai Shek (Hershberg 149). The treaty of friendship was signed with Nationalist Kuomintang in 1945. After 3 months of Japan’s surrender Stalin broke the treaty (Li 4). In 1950, Mao Signed Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship & Alliance (Li 409). The alliance resulted in $300Mio loan at a very minimal interest rate along with the military alliance for the period of 30 years. In 1954, after the death of Joseph Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev met Mao and formally handed over Port Arther base to China (Khoo 4). The Post Stalin policies by Khrushchev were in conflict with the mind set of Mao. The reason was that Khrushchev deno unced Stalin through his speeches. In 1956, Khrushchev developed relationship with Yugoslavia. The leader of Yugoslavia Joseph Broz Tito was denounced by Stalin. Mao was the supporter of Stalin’s ideology. Khrushchev tried to dismantle Mao’s support of USSR. Khrushchev met with the US president on 1959 to improve the Soviet-America relationships. Khrushchev also tried to decrease the tensions with the Western World in the Cold war. Ultimately, the ideological debate between the two parties i.e. Russia & China were majorly concerned with the peaceful co-existence with the capitalist world. The major reason of the Sino-Soviet split was the national difference. The political line of Mao was totally opposed to that of Khrushchev. Therefore, the conflict in political perspectives between the two parties leads to the creation of two rival formations internationally. The issue was not explicitly considered as the national difference. The issue was believed to be the

Virtual Tour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Virtual Tour - Essay Example French Baroque did not follow the same deigns as did its Italian counterparts. This was evident when Louis XIV held the opinion that the Baroque as it was practiced in Italy was not in French taste. He proved it by rejected Bernini's famous proposal for redesigning the Louvre. Thus, the Palace of Versailles proves to be an ardent display of this new classicism which seeped into the traditional Baroque form. It began construction under Louis XIV who aimed to use propaganda and art to glorify the French. The Marble Court, Garden Faà §ade and Hamlet of Marie Antoinette are just a few building that followed this kind of architecture under Louis XIV’s rule. Versailles was chosen as the fixed housing of the sovereign kings in 1682, two years after its completion. It began an ardent display of Baroque architecture which represented a world of civilization and pleasure. A magnificent Hall of Mirrors reflects this form of Baroque art as it allowed the king to bestow his power. Coupled with this were various salons. Amongst them was the Salon of Hercules which was decorated with beautiful ceiling fresco paintings. The Salon of Abundance was similar in its design as a Baroque piece of architecture. This classical form of architecture was further complemented by the construction of extensive gardens which surrounded the area. The Hampton Court in England plays its role as a palace for King Henry the VIII. However, at the end of his reign he was replaced by various Kings and Queens who continued to live. in his lavish apartments. It was during the reign of William and Mary that Sir Christopher Wren was given a commission to redesign the lavish palace. He rebuilt them using a beautiful Baroque style which is prevalent even today. The work done by Sir Wren is evident in the East Front and South Front of the Court. The magnificent East and South fronts were constructed in red brick with Portland stone carvings. The structure's forms were intended to rival Louis XIV's r ebuilding of Versailles. This building too possesses displays of strength and power to glorify the force of England. Similar to the Versailles it has a great stone centre piece, the focal point for the design of the East Front. This is surmounted by a massive pediment containing Caius Gabriel Cibber's relief of Hercules triumphing over Envy. Along with

Personal Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Responsibility - Essay Example Indeed, this understanding aligns with the definition given by scholars. Considering one of such definitions as given by Hughes (2012), personal responsibility is defined as â€Å"a balance of one’s reasoning skills, referred to as rationality, and intuition, referred to as sensibility, so as to determine the fulfillment of duties for the good of each individual, referred to as autonomy.† This definition appreciates independence in decision-making and sensibility with regards to the environment just as I had postulated. It calls for the need to bear the consequences of actions taken. This virtue would be critical for students who co-exist in a shared environment for the realization of their goals in school. The view of personal responsibility from the reputation lens ensures that a personally responsible person lives up to the expectation of the community. This is further boosted by the relationship lens which calls for fairness and liberty for all. As such, personal re sponsibility, which involves autonomous decision-making with the consideration of all stakeholders, is a critical virtue that promotes college success, thus my adoption of a plan to foster my personal sense of responsibility. Personal responsibility positively relates to college success. The first reason is because personal responsibility fosters autonomy. The concern of a student who has a sense of personal responsibility would be to protect individual rights. In protecting these rights, the students would be best placed to establish themselves an environment that best fosters their learning. As a result, Roth (2010) argues that this optimizes their performance in college. Moreover, because of the call for ethical behavior with regards to personal responsibility, this attribute would cause college students to not only fulfill what is expected of them but also create the greatest good. Thus, while seeking to meet their individual objectives, such students would also be keen to ensure

Women and Flexibility in the Workplace (week 2 assignment) Assignment

Women and Flexibility in the Workplace (week 2 ) - Assignment Example However, as time passes by, women’s role have changed and therefore, their needs have changed also. With the changing society, women need more flexibility. Women face structural and social issues that affects their flexibility in the workplace. However, there will come a time wherein the workplace will adapt to the changing workforce to be more productive. In the video, Open Mind: Women as Agents of Change Part I (2005), Kathleen Christensen raised the issue of the flexibility of women in the workplace. She argued that women need more flexibility in the workplace and the flexibility they needed is based on structural and social issue. Christensen believed that the private individual issues women are facing are not individual issues. She believes that these issues are structural problems. She believed that the structure of workplace is not suitable for the women especially to the mothers (Open Mind, 2005). For the past years, women are expected to take care of the children, sta y and organize home. However, as poverty spreads throughout the country, American women changed roles and entered the workplace which before, is exclusively for men. In 1889, Jane Addams and Ellen Gates opened an opportunity for middle class women to work, thus ignited the evolution of women in the workplace (Giraffe, 2011). This opportunity gave women the chance to go beyond what they are expected to do. This lifted the spirits of many women in the history and inspired them to pursue more participation in the society. Based on the history of America, women served as important instruments of change. Women fought for their rights that resulted to many changes in America. They participated in wars and leadership. Women proved that they are not only for housekeeping but they are also for the works that men usually do (Smith, 2009). The works women do in the society is indeed helpful for the progress of the country, however, their first role as mothers still outweighs their roles as wor kers in the society. The role of women as mothers and household keeper is in conflict with the demands of the present structure of workplace. The present workplace structure of the society is in conflict with the lifestyle of women. It affects their flexibility in work especially in time. The workplace of the society is designed for male workers. From the beginning, men are the ones working for the family. Most of the employers in workplace demands full time job (Giraffe, 2011). This means that the desired employees should have a lot of time and focus for the work. The jobs that requires full time employees are not suited for women workers who have family. After working, women are expected to organize home and look after their children. The required 40-hour a week for an employee is heavy for a woman who has children to take care of (Open Mind, 2005). This is the reason why some women are not flexible enough to do requirement of their jobs. Aside from the demanding schedule, the str ucture of workplace is designed for men’s activity. Before, farming is the dominating available work for people. During industrialization, different companies opened and created more jobs. Also the prominent available jobs during that time are on steel, coal, mining and cars industries (Giraffe, 2011). It can be analyzed that throughout the history, the workplace is designed for male workers. Although the war made an opportunity for women to participate in labor work because most men were in the battlefield, the work give to women are just temporary and inappropriate. Today, the available jobs can now be categorized as blue collar and white collar. However, most companies still view women as less competitive compared to men that’s why women cannot sometimes be in the job they wanted to be.

How is the Marketing Concept and Its Implementation Responding to Essay

How is the Marketing Concept and Its Implementation Responding to Developments in the Macro-Environment - Essay Example According to the research findings marketing is mainly concerned with trade or exchange. The basic form of trade started when humankind started producing surplus. Humankind produced agricultural products and exchanged them with manufactured goods like earthenware or textiles. Such exchange brought about areas that promoted trade for instance, local markets and village fairs. The development of trade and marketing enabled individuals to specialize production of certain products and services to be traded in markets for ore products required. In the 18th century, the economy of UK changed during the early industrial revolution, leading to rise in industrial production and subsequent loss of dependence on agricultural products. Prior to the industrial revolution, the distribution and production of goods was mainly in small scale. Consequently, industrialization leads to a dramatic increase in productivity, because of technology development. As a result, enterprises enlarged, production i ncreased, and products became more standardized. Companies produced in large numbers for local, national and international markets. Factory systems grew leading to migration of people from rural homes to new and quickly expanding industrial cities and towns. Because of rapid developments during the industrial revolution periods, companies produced volumes more that the local economy could accommodate. Therefore, consumption spread over wider geographical distances, leading to loss of immediate contacts between the producers and the markets. A number of thinking entrepreneurs organized their business transactions in a (marketing oriented† way to deals with this problem, even though the terms â€Å"marketing orientation† or †marketing† were rare until the twentieth century, (Hult and Speh, 2010, p 45). For producers to manufacture products and services that would attract and sell in vastly scarce markets, they had to analyze, interpret and understand the wants and needs of consumers and product, which would appeal and fit in with the wants and needs of such consumers. The process of correlating the firm resources to the wants and needs of the market place is known as entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs had to sense the requirements of the market in terms quality, prices and design, and later plan production and distribution strategies to meet efficient demands of consumers at a profit. Emergence of industrialization led to specialization and further division of labour, leading to increased productivity, which further reduced costs, and thus the products selling price. Consequently, the increase in work specialization led to increased desire for trade, (Kotler, Keller, Dubious and Marceau, 2006, p 105). Production in large scale led to marketing channels emerging to improve product distribution, and meet the effective demand for more goods by the vast markets. Such developments established essential foundations for the contemporary industrial economy that is still grounded on the critical concepts of exchange and trade. In the mid nineteenth century, Britain dominated the forces of the world economy. The main factor outlining Britain's industrial growth and development was the emergence of international trade. This was because, Britain was the first to secure raw materials supplies, and had a dominated the supply of manufactured products in the expense of underdeveloped nations that collectively formed the British Empire. Later, the United States and Germany emerged as competing industrials nations/powers. Even though United Kingdom experience stiff competition from the economically developing nations in the sectors of coal, steel and textile, British economy still dominated the economy till the first world war. Other countries generated more income that led to rise in effective demand for raw materials, goods and services. The United Kingdom total trade value increased although its international trad

Friedrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathustra (1883) Essay Example for Free

Friedrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathustra (1883) Essay In the Prologue section of Friedrich Nietzsche’s ‘Thus Spake Zarathustra’, he spoke of a thirty-year-old man named Zarathustra who goes into the wilderness where he stays for ten years taking pleasure in his solitude.   When he decides to be in contact with the people again and ‘go under’, Zarathustra starts to share what he has learned over the past ten years.   He tells about a Superman, saying that man is born to be between a beast and a Superman. Man should be able to overcome this state, yet the road is very dangerous.    He preaches that man should utterly focus on this life and not the life after death.   He should hold in contempt things like happiness, reason, virtue, justice, or pity.   As man is becoming more and more tame and domesticated, then the last man on earth will all be alike like a herd of animals.   They shall be afraid of danger and peril, which will lead to self-destruction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Zarathustra Prologue, Nietzsche speaks about a crisis that is being shared by the existing humanity—the crisis of being contented with comfort alone; being as comfortable and contented as to resist the utilization of strong, positive goals in one’s existence.   Each section of ‘Thus Spake Zarathustra’ carries with it essential points to consider, especially the Prologue section and Parts 1-3.   What are these essential points?   How do they all blend together to come up with the whole thought or proclamation of Nietzsche?   In the end, we shall come up with the answers to these questions, together with the essential points that create Nietzsche’s preaching of nihilism.   In this world of materialism and nihilism (as Nietzsche declared), is God really dead? Main Body The Crisis of Existing Humanity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Prologue section of ‘Thus Spake Zarathustra,’ Nietzsche speaks about a crisis that lingers in all of humanity today.   Zarathustra speaks that saints are too proud and love only God and not men, as stated in the lines: â€Å"Now I love God: men, I do not love.   Man is a thing too imperfect for me.   Love to man would be fatal to me† (Nietzsche 21).   He also stated that acts of charity should go after acts of beseech: â€Å"If, however, thou wilt give unto them, give them no more than an alms, and let them also beg for it† (Nietzsche 21).   This points out that acts of charity are done for the sake of pride and self-worthiness.   When Zarathustra speaks that â€Å"God is dead† (Nietzsche 22), he meant that God does not exist in this world anymore, even on people whom we think should have made God more alive. Secondly, Zarathustra speaks that people have made a shame of themselves: â€Å"Ye have made your way from the worm to man, and much within you is still worm.   Once were ye apes, and even yet man is more of an ape than any of the apes† (Nietzsche 22).   He preaches that the way to go is to be the Superman, which Zarathustra speaks as â€Å"the meaning of the earth† (Nietzsche 22) and the â€Å"herald of the lightning, †¦ a heavy drop out of the cloud† (Nietzsche 25). People are in crisis because much of life is centered on life after death and not on the present life on earth.   Happiness, reason, virtue, justice, and pity appear to be useless and should not be centered on, since self-satisfaction of men is being slaughtered, while men cry to heaven for answers to satisfaction, which should only be found on earth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thirdly, Zarathustra speaks that â€Å"Man is a rope stretched between the animal and the Superman—a rope over an abyss† (Nietzsche 24).   There is crisis and peril in trying to go through the rope—the present state of man that should be defeated and prevailed over.   Man has succeeded in transforming itself from a beast to a man, yet there is another significant task for a man—to transform itself from a man to a Superman.   However, the people do not yet understand: â€Å"There they stand †¦ there they laugh: they understand me not†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Nietzsche 25). For this, Zarathustra starts to speak of the ‘last man’ because people are becoming too content and comfortable with their lives they do not see the need to have strong, positive goals anymore.   Zarathustra proclaims that, if this will not change, time will come when the trees and the soil will bear no trees; when man will not see a reason to long for and dream; and when man will no longer be capable of giving birth to a star (Nietzsche 26). This inability of the last man to create something that is beyond himself would make the earth smaller and smaller, and the last man becoming weaker and weaker†¦ becoming lazier as days go by.   If man is to surpass the crisis that is in the midst, then he should surpass the rope of being a man and learn how to become a Superman. The Principal Parts of the Last Man’s Soul   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Zarathustra, man is not made up of body and soul; rather, that he is composed only of the body that, on the other hand, is made up of the spirit and the ego, which common people call the ‘soul’ (Nietzsche 40-41).   Zarathustra preaches that the ego is—not said—but done (Nietzsche 41).   It is the ego that gives a sense of feeling, while it is the spirit, conversely, that discerns what is to be done considering the ego.    These two, the spirit and the ego, continuously attach to one another over one’s existence: â€Å"What the sense feeleth, what the spirit discerneth, hath never its end in itself† (Nietzsche 41).   Behind the senses of the ego and the spirit is the Self (or the body), which â€Å"seeketh with the eyes of the senses, it hearkeneth also with the ears of the spirit† (Nietzsche 41); yet it appears that the Self is the master of the senses of ego and spirit, as reflected in the following lines: The Self saith unto the ego: Feel pain!   And thereupon it suffereth, and thinketh how it may put an end thereto—and for that very purpose it is meant to think.   The Self saith unto the ego: Feel pleasure!   Thereupon it rejoiceth, and thinketh how it may ofttimes rejoice—and for that very purpose it is meant to think. (41)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      In relation to the crisis, this ordering of the principle parts of the last man’s soul leads one to think that the Self is really in the soul, which is not true, according to Zarathustra (since there is no soul).   The Self is in the body, and for those who say that Self is in the soul, they are called ‘despisers of the body’ who despise because of their esteem (Nietzsche 41).   Through the body, there is spirit; and through the spirit, there is worth and will.   The Self, however, should be made to do what it desires most—to be that which is beyond itself†¦ to be a Superman on earth!   To be a Superman needs a special kind of selfishness—the healthy and holy type of selfishness that â€Å"constrain[s] all things to flow towards you and into you, so that they shall flow back again out of your fountain as the gifts of your love† (Nietzsche 76). In this selfishness there is no lust or craving but true virtue that elevates the body and enraptures the spirit (Nietzsche 76).   This new virtue brings power and knowledge through what he calls the ‘Will to Power’.   This is what drives the powerful into wanting obedience and change.   Zarathustra calls it â€Å"the unexhausted, procreating life-will† (Nietzsche 108), and together with worth and will, this is also what the last man lacks nowadays.   People are unaware of the healthy and holy selfishness, which is why he cannot create beyond himself. The Way to Redemption   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Zarathustra, as a teacher, tries to correct the conflicting understanding of these notions by doing the following: first, by finding his own disciples and teaching them before sending them on their own to find their Will to Power and virtue, which should both be overflowing in order for them to preach or share it with others; and second, by preaching to the most uncommon men (i.e., hunchback, the cripples, the blind men) who live apart from the rest of the people. However, because man has turned his back against the Will to Power, Zarathustra claims that there is suffering on earth as penalty for the negligence: â€Å"Everything perisheth, therefore everything deserveth to perish† (Nietzsche 132).   Yet the past is past.   Even the Will to Power has no power to bring back time; thus, there is suffering.   But there is what is called ‘courage’ that slays giddiness, suffering, and death (Nietzsche 143).   As stated, â€Å"Courage, however, is the best slayer, courage which attacketh† (Nietzsche 143).   By possessing courage, man is on his way to redemption to find his Will to Power and his virtue, for the Self to find its worth and will in the spirit.   At that moment, he will have the power to create beyond himself—a being that even death, giddiness, and suffering is unable to tear down. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"[T]ruth is always on the side of the more difficult.† –Friedrich Nietzsche in his letter to his sister, 1865 (NietzscheKaufmann 29)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Nietzsche’s ‘Thus Spake Zarathustra,’ he speaks about a crisis that is being shared by the existing humanity.   There is crisis because of the following essential points: first, the non-existence of God in this world; second, the centering on life after death; third, the suffering of self-satisfaction; fourth, the longing for contentment and comfort; fifth, the lack of strong, positive goals and courage; sixth and last, having a smaller world with weaker men.   With the Self as the master of the ego and the spirit, a man should not despise his body because of esteem, especially that it is the body that builds the spirit, which then builds both worth and will. Without the body, there is no spirit, worth, will, and the ego.   To be a Superman is to be selfish enough to gain in knowledge and in power, yet how can all be possible without virtue and Will to Power?   To have Will to Power in a changing and suffering world, however, there is a drastic need for courage.   This is the way to the redemption of mankind†¦ to have the courage in wiping away suffering and pain, which has been inflicted on mankind as penalty for its negligence.   Despite the past being irrevocable, man will no longer fall to self-destruction, as he has learned to go well beyond himself. Works Cited Nietzsche, Friedrich.   Thus Spake Zarathustra.   Translated by Thomas Common.   University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University, 1999. Nietzsche, Friedrich, and Walter Kaufmann.   The Portable Nietzsche.   New York, NY: Penguin Group, Inc., 1977.

Assessing The Economic Performance Of Asda Business Essay

Assessing The Economic Performance Of Asda Business Essay ASDA Group Ltd is UK number one largest food retailers. It sold variety of items like food, books, apparel, CDs, electronics and house hold items. Earlier they have started as just superstore and today they have expanded themselves globally. Goal of ASDA The main aim of any organization is to survive or exit in the market .for this they believe in Value for money Competitive prices Meeting Consumer needs Progressive returns on investment. ASDA aims to make goods and services more affordable for the people. Mission statement of ASDA The mission statement of ASDA is to be the Britains best value retailer exceeding customer needs always. It has shown that it value a lot for the respect of the individual, customer service and excellence. Marketing strategy of ASDA ASDA is playing on low price/low cost strategy in the market. They have lowered down their operating cost as well as carbon foot-printing with the help of sustainable development programmes. They are using the strategy in which they are trying to use the best quality products but with the lowered price so that maximum number of customers can be attracted. They have tried their best to maintain a good relationship with the customers. They have improved a lot in the customer services. They have played a strategy of ASDA price guarantee to win the trust of the customers to a large extent. Organization behaviour Organizational behaviour basically deals with the deep study of the impact of all the activities of individuals and groups within the behaviour of the organization. It also deals with the study of the impact of organizational structure on human behaviour. In organizational behaviour there is a integration of many other studies like sociology, psychology, social psychology and economics. Organizational behaviour aims with the study of contribution of human behaviour towards achieving greater efficiency and growth of the organization. Organization behaviour can be defined as systematic study of actions and attitudes that people exhibit within the organization (Stephen P. Robin) Taking the impact of different fields on the organization behaviour its seen that the study sociology deals with the group dynamics. It shows the impact on the group behaviour to a large extent. It also deals with the roles played by the individuals in the organization, power, status, communication, conflict management, group processes, formal organizational theories, group decision-making and norms. Psychology has impacted the organization in studies like job-satisfaction, leadership, individual decision-making, performance appraisal, and work stress and ego state. With the help of study of psychology it helps the organization to change the attitude, improving personal skills and generating positive approach for the development of the organization. Even psychology is also considered important for the selection of the employees as it helps in reading the mind of the person, doing the measurement of the personality aptitude and attitude. As the organization need to keep an eye over the government rules and regulations. Political science helps the company in knowing the position for financial investment, employment and expansion and doing the promotion of international business. Social psychology is the blend of the psychology and sociology to obtain better human behaviour in the organization. It contributes to the ability of the people in the organization, maintenance of the social norms, group decision-making and managing the change. Anthropology takes into account the cultural and environmental framework for the human behaviour study. People, structure and technology are the three main components of the organization. For the achievement of the goal of the company they need to focus on these three factors. The company should fulfil the desired needs of their employees as well as maintain a good relationship with them. Teams and groups also play vital role in achieving goal of the company. The organization could have formal and informal structure. The formal structures do have some proper set of objectives set to priories whereas informal structure does not have any such objectives to be taken care of. So basically organization behaviour includes the study which involves the management of interpersonal relationship, identification of the needs of the people and application of the appropriate strategies to obtain the best result. VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR ISSUES Organization culture of ASDA Organization culture reflects the personality of an organization. ASDA believes that they have a very unique culture. They have defined their values to their customers, employees and to do best of them. For ASDA their customers are the main entity for them. They try to create an understandable and positive environment for their customers. The employees are also allowed to freely present their views for the betterment of the company. The employees participate in different programmes held by the ASDA so that they can very well mix up among themselves and with the top level management. ASDA always try to motivate their employees by giving different schemes and trips. So ASDA have a positive culture with some rules and regulation made to achieve the objective of the company. they also follow all the legal laws and try to produce good variety of product keeping in mind the health of their customers. Organizational change in ASDA RESEARCH LEWIN MODEL OF CHANGE Kurt lewin proposed a three stage theory of change known as unfreeze, change, and refreeze. Stage 1 The unfreezing stage is one of the crucial stages for any organisation. This stage is about getting ready to change. It is basically feeling the presence of necessary change to be made in the company and getting ready to move from current comfort zone. It is said that the more we feel that change is necessary, the more urgent it is, and the more motivated we are to make the change. Unfreezing and getting motivated for the change is all about weighing up the pros and cons and deciding if the pros outnumber the cons before you take any action. This is the basis of what Kurt Lewin called the Force Field Analysis. Force Field Analysis is a fancy way of saying that there are lots of different factors for and against making change that we need to be aware of. If the factors for change outweigh the factors against change well make the change. If not, then theres low motivation to change and if we feel pushed. Stage 2: Change or Transition The next step after unfreezing is the change or transition. It is the inner movement or journey we make in reaction to a change. This second stage occurs as we make the changes that are needed. It is often said that this is the hardest step as people are unsure or even fearful. Its not a easy time as people are learning about the changes and need to be given time to understand and work with them. Members are being supported by providing a full training and coaching. Using role models and allowing people to develop their own solutions also help to make the changes. Its also really useful to keep communicating a clear picture of the desired change and the benefits to everyone in the organization. Stage 3: Freezing (or Refreezing) Kurt Lewin refers to this stage as freezing although a lot of people refer to it as refreezing. As the name suggests this stage is about establishing stability once the changes have been made. The changes are accepted and become the new norm. People form new relationships and become comfortable with their routines. It could take a lot of time. In todays world of change the next new change could happen in weeks or less. There is just no time to settle into comfortable routines. The rigidity of freezing does not fit with modern thinking about change being a continuous, sometimes chaotic process in which great flexibility is demanded. Organization change in ASDA ASDA was the second largest supermarket store in the United Kingdom in 2005. ASDA has positioned itself as a value for money store in the market. Slowly they expanded themselves into apparel, books, CDs, groceries, and other various household items. In the same year they got award for the lowest price supermarket. The competitors of ASDA like Tesco and J. Sainsbury were also trying to increase the market position by expanding themselves into the financial products, newspaper, pharmaceutical products, clothes and petrol. ASDA were having the hierarchical structure. There were eight levels up to the CEO of the store. These were layered like staff members, supervisor, department manager, general store manager, regional operations controller, division director, operations director, joint managing director and chief executive. ASDA were having the formal way of organizing culture of the organization. They were using the bureaucratic way of management. The staff members are kept in separate part of the headquarters to the top executives. The major issues were handled by the top executives only. It was seen that the communication pattern between the head office and the stores was one way with top-down management style. They were using the centralised distribution but still there customer number was declining rapidly. Regarding the quality of food they had tried their best to provide fresh food to the customers but still they were not able to convince the customer up to the expected levels. So they were facing the complexity problem in the management. ASDA did work on recognising their strength through using well IT, up to date effective distribution system and good operating management. To improve the ASDA management they tried to remove the too many layers of the management and creating narrow structure to better understand the organization. They bring in many changes in the organization like: They started working on increasing the price competitiveness Redirection the range and breakthrough in store productivity ASDA started generating the higher volumes to improve in terms of trading Restoring the customer flow They tried to reduce the fixed cost % to sales and increase the traffic sensitive purchases CRITICAL ANALYSIS As the market is not stable, its changing every day. The organization needs to be such flexible that it can maintain its position in the market. Looking at the ASDA they have well established themselves. With the changes in the economy they are changing their strategy and competing in the market. Analysing the competitors strategy ASDA has adopted the different strategy of low price. They have stabled themselves in creating higher volume of products with low prices to gain majority of the customer in the market. LEADERSHIP THEORIES Research McGregor Theory According to McGregor, manager of organization posses two different assumptions about the human nature. He explained these two assumptions in two different theories: Theory X and Theory Y According to theory X The human being has always being inherited for the disliking of the work. They always try to avoid the work either they can do or not. According to him, managers always think that their employees are lazy. Manager has to forced, direct and controlled his people to do work. In this management, usually managers use to punish and threatened their employees to get the work done. They already have thinking that people avoid taking the responsibilities for the work. Whereas in theory Y the manager uses a positive way of approach to get the work done. According to them just the external threatening and punishment is not just the way to bring efforts to achieve the objectives of the organization. They have a mind set about their employees that they are responsible for their work and they take the responsibilities by themselves. Leadership in ASDA ASDA believes in developing its people. They provided lots of opportunities to its people to develop the leadership quality. They believe in McGregor theory y. They totally have a positive approach towards their employee handling. ASDA arranges many programmes for the development of their people. They create awareness among their employees to gather information about different fields. The employees working as ASDA either individually or working as a team learn to face challenges. The different method adopted by ASDA is that they make different teams and make them competitor among themselves by providing the same task and hence see their performance by the results gained for the betterment of the company. So like this ASDA do lots of efforts in bringing their employees the self-esteem. Critical analysis Looking at the approaches adopted by ASDA to get leadership quality in their employees it could be analysed that they are working for the people. They are successfully achieving their target of making the profit, good image and relationship with their customers as well as employees. Motivation Research Frederick Herzberg was a well respected American who proposed the theory behind the managers thinking about motivation at work.  He has given a content theory which explains the factors of an individuals motivation by identifying their needs and desires, what satisfies their needs and desires and by establishing the aims that they pursue to satisfy these desires. He aims to determine work situations where the subjects were highly motivated and satisfied rather than where the opposite was true and his research was later paired with many studies involving a broader sampling of professionals. Herzberg split his factors of motivation into two parts called Hygiene factors and Motivation factors.   The Hygiene factors can de-motivate or cause dissatisfaction if they are not present, but do not very often create satisfaction when they are present; however, Motivation factors do motivate or create satisfaction and are rarely the cause of dissatisfaction.   The two types of factors may be listed as follows in order of importance: Hygiene Factors (leading to dissatisfaction): Company Policy Supervision Relationship with Boss Work Conditions Salary Relationship with Peers Motivators (leading to satisfaction): Achievement Recognition The work itself Responsibility Advancement Growth The dissatisfiers are hygiene factors in the sense that they are maintenance factors required to avoid dissatisfaction and stop workers from being unhappy, but do not create satisfaction in themselves.   They can be avoided by using hygienic methods to prevent them. From the above It is clear that the factors in each are not actually opposing i.e. the satisfiers are not the opposite of the dissatisfiers.  The opposite of satisfaction isnt dissatisfaction but is no satisfaction.   Both lists contain factors that lead to motivation, but to a differing extent because they fulfil different needs.   The Hygiene factors have an end which once fulfilled then cease to be motivating factors while the Motivation factors are much more open-ended and this is why they continue to motivate. He also developed the concept that there are two distinct human needs: 1)  Physiological needs: avoiding unpleasantness or discomfort 2)  Psychological needs: the need for personal development fulfilled by activities which cause one to grow. Herzberg believed that the Hygiene factors causing no satisfaction are not applicable to the task an employee undertakes but are external to that task.   They are the Adam part of the concept where an incentive may be attributed to a fear of punishment or increase in discomfort or as he phrased it A Kick up the Ass (KITA).   He thought that these did work but only as short term motivators e.g. constantly increasing someones salary to motivate them will merely encourage them to look for the next wage rise and nothing else; however, salary may also be a de-motivator where the employee perceives it to be too low or low compared to that of their peers.   The long term motivators are the Abraham part of the concept that lead to satisfaction and are intrinsic to the job itself and the job design.   It is important to understand that the two types of factors are not mutually exclusive and that management must try to fulfil both types of need for an employee to be truly satisfied with their job.   Once the Hygiene factors have been satisfied providing more of them will not create further motivation but not satisfying them may cause de-motivation; unlike the Motivation factors where management may not fulfil all of them but the workers may still feel motivated.   Major companies have recognised this situation when designing their methods of reward and recognition. Probably one of the most important ideas that Herzberg postulated based on his findings of satisfaction is that of job enrichment. This is the addition of different tasks to a job to provide greater involvement and interaction with that job.   It is obviously a continuous management process: The job must use the full ability of the employee and provide them with sufficient challenge Any employee who demonstrates an increasing level of ability should be given correspondingly increasing levels of responsibility If a job cannot be designed to use an employees full ability management should consider employing someone of lesser skills or perhaps automation of the task.   If a persons skills cannot be used to the full they will experience problems with motivation. Motivation at ASDA The employees at ASDA are being motivated intervaly. The organization makes sure that that all the needs of the members are fulfilled and they are satisfied so that they can work properly without any fear of demand of the economy. The ASDA gives the worker on job training which let them know more about the new technologies being used and helps in building their self-esteem. If the persons self-esteem is achieved the person has a thinking that he has gained in his life all the desires he wish to have. Critical analysis ASDA has done good job in motivating its employees but it could do more by providing many options in front of them. They can motivate their employees more by increasing the slary time to time and according to the level of the job done by the person. They can give various gifts to their employees which will help ASDA to make good relationship with the employees. Well I believe Tesco had done a great job in terms of motivating their employees. If the basic need of a person is fulfilled properly he is able to perform well at his/her work. Tesco is making their full effort to fulfil their employees need by providing them various schemes and gifts. Due to this their employees are working properly. Training and development a)Theory behind training and development Frederick W. Taylor. Taylor was the first modern efficiency expert in world history. Around the Twentieth Century, he formalized the principles of Scientific Management and developed a set of ideas designed to get employees in manufacturing industries to produce more output. Scientific training is one of the most important principles of scientific management. According to Taylor an organization should trained its employees more of scientifically rather than leaving it to themselves because Workers do not naturally enjoy work and so need close supervision and control. Taylors approach matches with the concept of an autocratic management style (managers take all the decisions and simply give orders to those below them) and Macgregors Theory X approach to workers (workers are viewed as lazy and wish to avoid responsibility). It aims to unearth and cultivate workmens endowment, let them have the best performance in their work and obtain the highest efficiency farthest. At crew level ther e is considerable initial and ongoing training that is consistently applied to everybody in the business, whether part, full time, hourly paid staff or salaried managers undergoing their compulsory restaurant training? Scientific management has become a more powerful asset for a company to increase its efficiency. Training and development at ASDA ASDA has a strong belief on providing training to its employees. It has always tried to develop some new skill in the employee so that it can do its best in the future and becomes the member of the company for its betterment. When a new employee is hired there is a proper induction programme held in which the employee is introduced to the organization and to the other members. Then there is a 12-week on job training provided by ASDA trainer who tries to generate the appropriate skills required to do the different job in the store. Even during the training the employee is made to sit with the manager and see how they work in the company. once the training of the particular department of the person is finished the trainer makes sure that the employee is also ensure about the other valuable knowledge required to become the part of the company. Once the employee is trained, ASDA dont feel that the job is done it tries to update their employees on the regular basis and see how they are pe rforming. For the development of the people, several programmes are held by the company. CRITICAL ANALYSIS ASDA is spending a lot on providing training to its employees. They are taking training and development as an important part of their business. With the help of proper training and development its employees are more comfortable with the environment and they are able to handle the customers very well. Conclusion I believe that first of all customers create some expectation of value and then they start to make a purchase on a belief that whatever they perceive the product or service , must gives benefit in terms of the total cost involved. This may include not only the time, but may be some efforts and difficulties. Therefore a better customer value is provided when the buyer is favorable in the product received from us in comparison to the same product with the competitors. And ASDA has proven this when compared to Sainsbury or tesco. Taking into account the objectives of ASDA I felt that to a large extent they had fulfilled their objectives. As one of their important objective is to be globally accepted by the customers. They are placing a good image in front of the customers by maintaining a good relationship and keeping in mind the health of their customers as priority. Recommendation I examined the organization and the nature of the work in the ASDA stores, the employment relationship and the characteristics of the workforce in U K. After doing research on the organizational behavioural issues at ASDA I believe they should more emphasize on human requirement and performance standard because that would help human resource in making better job description and job specification. Increasing transparency can help clarify rumours and allow people to understand the ASDA very well. As far as I have seen ASDA is using trend analysis method for future forecasting if computerized forecasting is done in place of it , they could save time as well as they would know better about their employees through computerized system. Moreover the recruiting and selection process in ASDA is very fine but still I believe that while recruiting communication skill of the employee must be the first priority as its a field in which communication with customers demands a lot in making good relationship with customers. Summary ASDA has always tried to capture the major market by concentrating on the lower class and middle class people. With the help of this strategy they are able to compete with the other major player in the market like TESCO. Most of all the greatest advantage is the vision or the dream with which the company was started. Sustaining this dream over the years is any companies greatest advantage. A brand usually revolves around this vision sustaining this vision and working in lieu with it is a great SCA. The vision was to provide quick service, cheap products and quality satisfaction. Although the work offered at ASDA have some positive elements, but very often people choose employment there in context of having few attractive options. ASDA manages the employees relationship by a complete spectrum of controls, from simple, direct controls to the management of subjectivity.

The Scandal of Larry Craig

The Scandal of Larry Craig Larry Craig was arrested at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport on a suspicion of Lewd Conduct. The date that this incident happened was on June 11th, 2007. Craig was arrested after trying to have sex with another male in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport bathroom. What he didnt know is that the man he was trying to have sex with ended up being an undercover officer, the officer was undercover because of complaints about a man trying to have sex with others in the bathroom, this has been going on for several weeks now. Larry Craig was the main person affected because of this incident, probably because he was the main person involved. Because of this incident Larry Craig lost many of his friends, a good amount of those friends were made through politics and were still in politics. One main friend he lost was Mitt Romney who was Governor of Massachusetts at the time of this incident. After the public heard about the incident, as you expected, there was a major backlash on Larry Craig and he was hated by many Americans. Many gay right activists were mad at Craig for making gay people look bad. At the time of this incident gays were trying to be treated equal to straight people because they werent equal at the time of this incident, so many people were mad for the sole fact that he interacted in a gay act like he did. In the end what really affected Larry Craig was that the incident cost him his political career. Larry Craig ended up serving the rest of his term as Senator because he refused to resign, but he did not end up running for re-election for the position because he knew just like everyone else did, that he would not win the re-election for Senator. He also was not liked by many other politicians after this incident. Another person affected because of the incident was Mitt Romney. Craig was one of the two Senators that were liaisons for Mitt Romneys 2008 Presidential Campaign. After this incident Mitt Romney was not a fan of Larry Craig, in fact Mitt Romney actually strongly disliked Larry Craig. Larry Craig made Mitt Romney look bad because of this incident, do the citizens of America really want a President that works with guys like this running the country? This ended up with Mitt Romney removing Larry Craig from anything to do with his Presidential Campaign then went on to talk badly about Craig to the public by saying Hes disappointed the American people (Hulse). The last person that was affected because of this incident was Mike Jones and the officer that arrested him. Mike Jones told the public that Larry Craig offered him $200 to have oral sex with him in a restroom. After this was told to the public and a reporter asked Larry Craig, he responded by saying Mike Jones was lying just to try to promote his new book about the incident between Mike and Ted Haggard (Hulse). So Larry Craig just said Mike was trying to just get money from his incident and that it isnt alright to do. Lastly, was the officer that arrested Craig. They never released the officers name, which is understandable because this was a big incident. Craig tried to have sex with him in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport restroom, after he made the arrest Larry Craig tried to blackmail the officer by showing his badge that showed he was a part of the government and then said So, what do you think about that? This incident occurred on August 8th, 2007. There are many facts about this government scandal. One fact is that he was arrested for disorderly conduct in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. Another fact about this scandal is that Larry Craig ended up sending a signed petition to the court and the petition pled guilty for misdemeanor charge was accepted and filed to the court on August 8th, 2007. When this was released to the public he said that he regretted pleading guilty because he was innocent. He said that he only plead guilty to the charges because he wanted this to just fly over and not go on, but it ended up backfiring and lasting along time. Larry Craig said that he just wanted to get this over as quick as possible and get on with his life and duty as one of the Senators of the United States. The time frame of this incident was in August 2007. But apparently he has been doing things like this for years but never got caught or had it released to the public until now. No one really knows if these reports about it happening in the past are true, but they know that the incident in August 2007 was real and it happened. At the time of this incident many other things were also happening in the world. One surrounding circumstance was the Phoenix spacecraft launched towards Mars. They launched the Phoenix spacecraft on August 4th, 2007. Another surrounding circumstance was that the war in Afghanistan was going on. The war in Afghanistan started in October 2001 because of the tragic incident of 9/11. This war was a long war that lasted 13 years, it eventually ended in 2014, three years after the US killed the man responsible for 9/11. The mans name was Osama Bin Laden and he was killed on May 2, 2011 in Pakistan which is a country that borders Afghanistan. He was in his hideout that he had. The last thing that was a surrounding circumstance in 2007 was the Iraq war. The US was in the middle of two wars in 2007. This war started in March 2003 because of an invasion in Iraq that was led by the United States. This war was also long but didnt last as long as the war in Afghanistan. The war in Iraq lasted 8 years. It ended in December 2011 because Obama decided it was a good idea to just end the war and pull out. In this scandal there were many rumors that had spread during this scandal. After this scandal, a gay rights activist Michael Rogers came out and told the public that this wasnt the first time that Larry Craig has done something like this. He said there were multiple similar occasions that something like this had happened to other people. The first one he has tied Craig to be in happened in 1982. Rogers also said that it has been happening in multiple locations all over the United States not just in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport where this incident took place. All these incidents were reported to a reporter for the Idaho Statesman. Michael Rogers wasnt the only person to come out and say that Craig has done this before. Up to eight other gay men came up to the reporter for Idaho Statesman saying that they had either sexual encounters with Larry Craig or him attempting to engage in sexual conduct with them. Four of the eight men gave good details about their encounters with Craig, it wasnt proven if they had happened or not but it caused some discussion. The most recent encounter that had been reported came from a 40 year old man who claimed that he and Craig had engaged in oral sex in 2004. None of these reports had been proven true nor had they been proven false. They were all just rumors and not many know if these reports had been true or not. Because of this incident the government took a huge hit. Craig has been in politics along time and he was liked by many other politicians previous to this incident. Larry Craig lost many political friends because of this and there was a huge debate whether or not if they should allow Craig to stay as Senator. They decided that Craig could remain and serve the rest of his term as Senator. Craig did end up serving the rest of his term. Many people looked at the government badly for allowing a man who did this remain the Senator and not kicking him out of his position. They were mad because they didnt want a corrupt man helping run this country, they looked at it as not right. After Craigs term was up he did not re-run in the election as Senator because everyone knew that if he did he would not win. The only one to really suffer because of this incident is Larry Craig. After this incident Craig returned to his duty as Senator of the United States. He refused to resign from his position, but after his term as Senator he lost his job and didnt re-run in the upcoming election as Senator. This isnt the only thing that that ended for him. He ended his career in politics. Another person that you could argue suffered from this incident was Mitt Romney. Craig was one of the two Senators liaisons for Mitt Romneys 2008 presidential campaign. This incident made Romney look bad and he dropped Craig from being a part of anything to do with his presidential campaign. Mitt Romney ended up losing this election and Craig didnt impact his campaign positively. Craig wasnt the main reason he lost but would Romney have gotten more votes if this didnt happen? Nobody knows. Craig probably didnt lose the election for Romney but he sure didnt help Romneys chances. The last thing that suffered because of this incident was the government because Craig had been a part of politics for a long time. He had many friends and was trusted by many people that were in politics. This incident caused a man that was high in politics to lose his job and end his career. There were many outcomes after this Scandal. Mostly it affected Larry Craig and his life. Larry Craig ended up serving the rest of his term as the Senator, then decided that he is done with his political career after this incident. He didnt re-run because he wouldve lost and he knew that. One thing that happened that is kind of interesting is that the TV show Law and Order made an episode that replicated the whole Larry Craig scandal. The episode was called Political Animal. They used things in the episode such as the foot tapping that Craig apparently did in the stalls, and when the officer in the episode arrested the councilman, the councilman yelled Im not gay to resemble what Larry Craig also did. The last thing is the stalls in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport that this incident happened in started to gain notoriety. The airport then decided that they should demolish the stalls this incident occurred in and did so. In ending, this scandal wasnt one of the biggest to occur in the United States history. But the government did take a hit and this scandal was very popular and talked about. This incident will always be remembered as a weird scandal because no one really expected Craig to do something like this, yet it has been apparently going on for years and kept quiet.

Jumping the Border :: Immigration Mexico Papers

Jumping the Border Imagine this, living in a very small town, smaller than Kachina Village, with only one store where you could make and receive phone calls, there are no public phones, no residential phone lines, no electricity and no running water. The roads are not paved until you get to the main road where people travel the most. The next town is about thirty minutes away, and there is only one bus that comes to this small town once a week, so people can go shopping and do other things. In this small town there are hardly any vehicles, people either walk, bike, or ride donkeys. There are hardly any jobs and so the only thing you can do is to leave for another place and look for a job to support your family. If someone told you that there was a place where people had many opportunities to find work and make better money, would you go? This small town I am describing is a place called La Huertilla in a state called Oaxaca in Mexico; it is the place where my son Mauricio’s grandparents live. Many young children are being torn apart from their families. Many parents come to the United States to make money and send back. They would leave their children with grandparents or other family members, until they are able to bring them up to the U.S. Is there a way the United States could open up the Mexican and United States border? If we as American citizens can cross into Mexico without showing passports, visas, and driver licenses, why could we not turn around and do the same for Mexico’s people who would like to enter the United States. The United States should allow Mexican Immigrants to migrate and visit freely, because I believe it is not fair for the Americans to not have to show papers, while Mexicans have to. Imagine yourself leaving for another country only with one belief that it will be to better support your family. With this engraved in your mind you pack a small bag with only three pairs of clothes to change into. You are finally at the border, after leaving your loved ones behind, reassuring them you will send money to support them. Now you have to decide when you will jump the border.

Teenage Pregnancy: It Can Be Prevented Essay -- Social Issues Teen Pre

Teenage Pregnancy: It Can Be Prevented According to the Students Against Destructive Decisions website there are more than 750,000 teen pregnancies a year. Teen pregnancy is one of the most difficult issues that teens and their families face today. Most teen pregnancies causes both involved to take up low paying jobs, drop out of school, and continue to become more and more stressed from then on. Schools offer sex education classes, but direct it fully towards abstinence. In this decade, many more kids are becoming sexually active. Schools should teach comprehensive sex education because it can prevent teenage pregnancy with both abstinence, and birth control teaching. Advocated for Youth, a group to help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health states â€Å"Comprehensive sex education addresses both abstinence and age-appropriate, medically accurate information about contraception. Comprehensive sex education is also developmentally appropriate, introducing information on relationships, decision-making, assertiveness, and skill building to resist social/peer pressure, depending on grade-level.† This suggests that comprehensive sex education not only teaches actual contraception, birth control, and promotes abstinence, but it teaches more to help any age deal with the likelihood of sexual activity and how to react and deal. There are several ways to tackle comprehensive sex education. One way to ensure that teenagers don’t get pregnant is to teach abstinence. Abstinence is choosing not to have any type of sex. With abstinence, no barriers or pills are necessary because the person is not sexually active. According to kids health.org â€Å"Abstinence is 100% effective in... ... can use this information, but it’s on how sex education is helpful and how it’s proven to work with teenagers. Source #5: from a Search Engine-Google. Freking, Kevin. â€Å"Study Indicates that Teaching Abstinence Only in Schools Doesn't Equal Less Sex for Students.† 14 April 2007. 6 Dec 2010. . -I can use this article to quote for my naysayer and how teaching birth control is very effective to prevent teenage pregnancy. Source #6: from a Search Engine-Google [keywords: comprehensive sexuality education curriculum] Van Dorn, Betsy. â€Å"Comprehensive Sex Education.† 2010. 6 Dec 2010. . -I can use this to learn more about comprehensive sex education, and see opposing sides for a naysayer.

Abbey Road and Beatles

The Beatles â€Å"There's nothing you can make that can't be made, No one you can save that can't be saved, nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time – it’s easy†, this quote is taken from the song all you need is love by The Beatles. The Beatle's started out as four normal people and then in the 1960 they all come as the group called the Beatles. The members of The Beatles were Paul Mccartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison. The Beatles are one of the most influential rock bands in history.Today we are going to look into the early years of the Beatles, the raising fame of the Beatles career and the end of the Beatles. How did the Beatles become a group? This is details about the early years of the Beatles. How did they become legendary? The Beatles were four normal people who meet each other day after day. It took a long period of time to change their name to the Beatles. The old names were Jonny and the Moondogs, and long john an d the beetles. The Beatles, they genuinely fitted and took over as the most commended rock star appreciated as the Beatles.The Beatles started in 1960 (Ktrek, 2005. ) This was a period where the Beatles comprised mostly their dance and pop music dating from 1963 through 1965 The Beatle’s raising fame. Next came the middle years where the Beatles experimented with sound and music and also developed rock music like never before, rock music beyond just dance music (Ktrek, 2005. ) The Beatles sound grew progressively with each album coming their way; culminating with many believes to be the masterpiece of rock music. They made many albums at this point like Rubber Soul in 1965, Revolver in 1966, and many more albums.The Beatles had their unbelievable end; leaving us with a message Let It Be, a song by the Beatles in 1970. They were on that final long and successful road. The Beatles were running out of ideas. Their song Abby Road is the best song of this period, but songs have th eir dull moment. The songs they did at this period were The White Album, Yellow submarine in 1969, and Hey Jude in 1970. â€Å"Hey Jude don’t make it bad, take a sad song it make it better†, this is quote from the song Hey Jude by the Beatles.The Beatles will never be the same as they were before but they have raising moments and have influence many people in the world. To their song Yesterday, to their song Rubber Soul, to their lasted song Let it be. What was your favorite song by the Beatles? What was your favorite period of music by the Beatles? They changed the sound of rock music leaving it with different sounds, and beats. â€Å"And in the love you take is equal to the love you make† that was a quote from the Beatles when they ended. (Ktrek, 2005)

Other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) Essay

Introduction O.T.T. Incorporated, principally engaged in the manufacture and sale of clothing, has six investments remaining in the department’s portfolio as of December 31. According to ASC, this memo analyzes whether any of its investments are other-than-temporary impaired, and determines the amount of the impairment. Facts Investment 1 — Happy New Year & Co. OTT purchased 11 shares of Happy New Year & Co. stock on at $20 a share †¨on Jan. 3, 20X1, and the price dropped to $15 in March and remained steady till Dec. 31, 20X1. OTT management does not believe the decline in price to be permanent and has asserted that it does not intend to sell this investment in the future. Investment 2 – Beary Beary OTT held notes of Beary Beary with an amortized cost of $95 and a fair value of $88 on Dec. 31, 20X1. OTT’s investment committee established a policy requiring the sale of this security when the fair value declines below $90. Investment 3 – Buy-A-Lot Company OTT held bonds of Buy-A-Lot Company with an amortized cost of $100 and a fair value of $88 as of December 31, 20X1. The company’s credit rating upgraded from BBB to BBB+ that management has asserted it does not intend to sell this investment. Investment 4 – March Madness Incorporated On March 25, 20X1, OTT bought 50 shares of March Madness Incorporated stock †¨at $100 a share, classifying its investment as available for sale. As of December 31, 20X1, the price of the stock was $72. On January 31, 20X2, the date the Company’s financial statements are issued, the price of the stock went up to $75. Investment 5 — Tohoku Toys OTT held bonds issued by Tohoku Toys with an amortized cost of $25 and a fair value of $5 as of December 31, 20X1. Tohoku Toys is going through a restructuring because it was significantly affected by a severe earthquake in April 20X1. OTT does not believe that the restructuring will ultimately be successful. Investment 6 — Chatterbox OTT holds a debt security issued by Chatterbox with an amortized cost of $100 and a fair value of $90 as of December 31, 20X1. The present value of the cash flows OTT expects to receive, discounted at the security’s original effective interest rate is $92 as of December 31, 20X1. OTT intends to sell this security. Issues The other-than-temporary impairment depends on two issues:  ·Whether the fair value of the investment is less than its cost.  ·The impairment is either temporary or other than temporary depending on other guidance when the fair value is less than its cost. Discussion Investment 1—Happy New Year & Co. ASC 323-10-35-32: â€Å"A loss in value of an investment that is other than a temporary decline shall be recognized. Evidence of a loss in value might include, but would not necessarily be limited to, absence of an ability to recover the carrying amount of the investment or inability of the investee to sustain an earnings capacity that would justify the carrying amount of the investment.† ASC 320-10-35-34: â€Å"If it is determined in Step 2 that the impairment is other than temporary, then an impairment loss shall be recognized in earnings equal to the entire difference between the investment’s cost and its fair value at the balance sheet date of the reporting period for which the assessment is made.† Because the share price had a large decline from $20 to $15 and remained steady around $15 in most of time, it seems the share is absence of an ability to recover the carrying amount of the investment. Therefore, other-than-temporary impairment has  occurred, and loss of $55 (11*$5) should be recorded. Investment 2 – Beary Beary ASC 320-10-35-33A: â€Å"If an entity intends to sell the debt security (that is, it has decided to sell the security), an other-than-temporary impairment shall be considered to have occurred.† The company intends to sell the investment because the fair value is below $90. Therefore, other-than-temporary impairment has occurred, and loss of $7 ($95-$88) should be recorded. Investment 3 – Buy-A-Lot Company ASC 320-10-35-33F: â€Å"Changes in the quality of the credit enhancement should be considered when estimating whether a credit loss exists and the period over which the debt security is expected to recover.† Although the fair value of the investment was lower than the amortized cost, the credit rating had been upgraded from BBB to BBB+, and the investment does not intend to be sold. These evidence show that the bond is expected to recover, so no other-than-temporary impairment has occurred. Investment 4 – March Madness Incorporated ASC 320-10-35-34: â€Å"The fair value of the investment would then become the new amortized cost basis of the investment and shall not be adjusted for subsequent recoveries in fair value.† Based on ASC 320-10-35-34 I mentioned above, the other-than-temporary impairment should be recoded as $28 ($100-$72) as of December 31, 20X1. On January 31, 20X2, when the price of the stock went up to $75, the other-than-temporary impairment should be recoded as $25 ($100-$75). If the share price was $95 instead of $75 on January 31, 20X2, I think no other-than-temporary impairment needs to be recorded, because there is no material decrease occurred. Investment 5 — Tohoku Toys ASC 320-10-35-35: â€Å"In periods after the recognition of an other-than-temporary impairment loss for debt securities, an entity shall account for the other-than-temporarily impaired debt security as if the debt security had been purchased on the measurement date of the  other-than-temporary impairment at an amortized cost basis equal to the previous amortized cost basis less the other-than-temporary impairment recognized in earnings. For debt securities for which other-than-temporary impairments were recognized in earnings, the difference between the new amortized cost basis and the cash flows expected to be collected shall be accreted in accordance with existing applicable guidance as interest income.† Although Tohoku Toys is undergoing a restructuring because of earthquake, OTT does not believe the restructuring will be successful. Based on authoritative literature mentioned above, the other-than-temporary impairment shall be recognized as $20 ($25-$5) when no addition evidence provided. Investment 6 — Chatterbox –Alternative 1: SAB 320-10-35-34B: â€Å"If an entity intends to sell the security or more likely than not will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis less any current-period credit loss, the other-than-temporary impairment shall be recognized in earnings equal to the entire difference between the investment’s amortized cost basis and its fair value at the balance sheet date.† Based on the authoritative literature, if OTT intends to sell this security, the other-than-temporary impairment shall be recognized in earnings equal to the entire difference between the investment’s amortized cost basis ($100) and its fair value ($90), which is $10. –Alternative 2: SAB 320-10-35-34C: â€Å"If an entity does not intend to sell the security and it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis less any current-period credit loss, the other-than-temporary impairment shall be separated into both of the following: a. The amount representing the credit loss. b. The amount related to all other factors. Different from alternative 1, if OTT does not intend to sell the security and it is not more likely than not that it will be required to sell the security, †¨the credit loss will be $8 ($100-$92) and other factor loss will  be $2 ($10-$8).

Political parties and Voting Behavior Essay

Thesis: What are the predominant political factors that affect the voting behavior of a population ? Hypothesis : Pluralism, ideology, religion and social factors are the predominant political factors that affect the voting behavior of the population. Introduction : Pluralism in voting population is a natural phenomena in European and American cosmopolitan societies . Elsewhere, in Asia and far- East ethnic diversity too exists. A consequence of this pluralism is multi-party political system .Interests of different segregated sections of society based on issues, ethnicity, public policy, loyalties etc. are represented by different political parties. This should ideally and practically lead to a multi-party system . This system is obviously more democratic. The voters choice is increased . The political parties thus become more competitive against each other. This makes the political parties more accountable to the people in order to win their ‘trust and confidence’. This pluralism affects voting behavior and has serious impacts on national politics. Voters choices are often prejudiced and biased. This is quite reasonable as we are living in an imperfect society. The American Elections : Voting behavior in Democrat and Republican elections ‘A loss of American voter’s faith in Democracy.’ The American voters today don’t identify themselves with either Democrats or Republicans according to many surveys and statistical studies. The Presidential elections have seen a decline in the participation of eligible voters , as observed since the 1950s and 1960s. The eligible voting population has increased in America but the number of registered voters is decreasing. Dissatisfied by the Democrats and Republicans not bringing effective reforms the voters have lost interest in politics as a consequence of politicians. â€Å"Does this phenomena indicate the American citizens disillusionment with a predominantly much polarized American two-party democracy?† According to political scientists the political non-participation of Americans is a matter of concern for the health of American political system. The Americans are now cynical and distrustful of politics, politicians and the Government. Experts believe such a trend could lead to the breakdown of American political system. Contrary to the belief of these experts many Democrat and Republican partisan parties claim they have the ability to draw supporters for their parties. They argue that the American’s have thus not lost faith in Democracy. Viewpoints. Voting Behavior. Introduction. ‘The ‘God-gap’ difference between the Republicans and the democrats’ The Republicans are known for their conservative ideology and policies whereas the democrats are known for their liberal ones. It is a well established public opinion that the more religiously an American is inclined the more likely he is to vote for the Republicans and the other way round for the Democrats. Karlyn Bowman a public relations expert raised a question in this context at a conference for media men. This ‘God-gap’ had overshadowed many other issues and changed the voting patterns in the November, 2006 Presidential elections. Thus the ‘God-gap’ has begun to play an important role in the American public life. Since 1992, this gap , between the frequent and the not so frequent worshipers, regardless of their religious background has become prominent. Conservative leaders were the first to guess this voter behavior and to capitalize on it. The talk became all the more popular with the Pundits, intellectuals, liberal strategists and academics – the chattering class ! They added fuel to the fire.9/11 and it’s aftermath established the God- gap as a decisive public opinion maker. Thus, the public power of religion got firmly established in the American society. In the elections to come neither the Conservatives nor the Democrats can afford to underplay it. The November 2006 Presidential elections shall be followed with contests between the Republicans and Democrats to woo a sizeable vote-bank ; the one created by the ‘God-gap’. In Politics, the ‘God-gap’ Overshadows Other Differences New York Times. By Peter Steinfels. Published December 9, 2006. ‘The Religious vote base’ The Republicans have often used their religion conservative base to win votes. Consequently Mr. George Bush won his second term in the office. This has concerned the democrats and they have lately been working on the religious vote. White evangelical and the born-again Christians again voted for the Republican candidate in the last two elections. Nationwide exit polls show that nothing has changed in favor of the Democrats. Around 70-72 percent of the evangelical and the born again Christians voted for the Republican Presidential candidate in the last two elections. Deliberate call for a religious vote by some Democratic senate candidates did win them a significant proportion of Roman Catholics and white mainline Protestants votes in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania. However trends are changing, say, in many states like Colorado. Most American’s Bobby Clark, Deputy Director of a liberal group in Colorado says,† Most Americans are now a pretty moderate people.† The Rev. Troy Newman called the election day ‘a bloody Tuesday’. His anti-abortion Operation Rescue lost favor with American’s in South Dakota and California. The Democratic parties liberal anti-abortion policies were endorsed by the people. Religious Voting Data Show Some Shift, Observers Say. New York Times. By Laurie Goodstein. Published November 9, 2006. ‘Cashing on the African-American vote-bank’ African-American’s constitute nearly half the votes in South Carolina. A remarkable portion ! This phenomena of the African-American vote-bank is now well recognized both by the Republicans and the Democrats. The racial divide still exists and is well exploited. The candidates have no compunctions visiting black churches accepting their endorsements before the elections. They even don’t hesitate in identifying with king Martin Luther! Empirical data suggests that the African –American vote has been with the Democrats who have more actively fought for their cause. The Conservatives are taking no chances now . The situation in South Carolina mirrors the entire America. The African-American voters can no longer be taken for granted. They are now armed with education and leaders. They have made significant contributions to all spheres of American life- Arts, science, literature, Sports etc. In a nut-shell they are now enlightened about their rights and privileges. Black and Bruised. The New York Times, Monday, December, 24, 2007.by Joann Wypijewski. Published February 1, 2004. ‘The Feminist ideology ’ John Kerry actively involved himself in a campaign – the Women vote bank. He was establishing his credentials presiding over women audiences. His enthusiastic drive to win over the much contested vote-bank – Women. This bastion, the Democrats claimed rightly belonged to them Mr. Bush in his campaign had projected himself as the best candidate to protect the Americans against the terrorists. The 9/11 scare was worst to affect the women. Mr. Bush’s campaign as the best candidate to protect the American’s against the terrorists caught favor with women. According to New York Times/ CBS Polls Democrats polled less, loosing ground with Democratic parties most secure women-votes. Their has been a remarkable change in the trend. To quote statistics in 2000, 54 percent of women voted for Al Gore while only 43 percent voted for Mr. George Bush, the republican candidate. The news of the 9/11 terrorist attack and the unacceptable terrorist attack against children in Russia, used provocatively by the Republicans created a considerable challenge for Mr. John Kerry and the Democrats. Mr. Bush gave a fight to the Democrats on their own strong hold-the women-vote. Mr. Bush used his success in toppling the Afghan’s in yet another novel way. He projected the new found freedom of the Afghan women to woo feminist sentiments. Statistics show that the voter turnout of women has increased over the last Presidential elections. The two parties are working on the idea to polarize the feminist activism in their favor. On the other front they are drawing more and more women to the ballot box. More and more women candidates are being fielded in elections for public offices. Hillary Rodham Clinton , the wife of former President Mr. Bill Clinton is contesting in the next Presidential elections. She is being viewed as a strong contender for the position. This scenario echoes the general mood of the American people. Thus the feminist ideology holds ground affecting elections and political parties. The New York Times, Kerry in a Struggle for a Democratic Base: Women, by Katherine Q.Seelye. Published September 2, 2004. Conclusion : We can thus conclude that Pluralism, ideology, Religion and social factors are the predominant factors affecting voter behavior. Pluralism exists across European and American politics and even in Asia and the far- East. The concept of pluralism elucidates that a multi-party system has both positive and negative impacts on voters behavior. The voter has the right to choose the party he trusts. Although he might be biased and prejudiced in his attitudes. Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans are now able to associate themselves with the common American. The decline in participation of eligible voters population in America since the 1950s and 960s suggest that the American voter has lost faith in the political system- politics, politicians and the Government. Since 1992, the ‘God-gap’ factor has begun to play an important role in American elections. Both the Democrats and Republicans are creating and fuelling this gap to cash on votes. The Democrats and Republicans are playing their Religious cards. The electorate is swinging between the Democrats and Republicans. The last two Presidential elections saw 70-72 percent Christian hardliners voting for the conservative Republicans. The situation is changing in favor of the Democrats with the American people becoming more moderate in their values. The African-American voter is now valued due to his predominance in states like South Carolina. The women voters actively participated in the last few Presidential elections according to statistics. 9/11 and it’s aftermath left a deeper influence on women voters.