Culture as an Issue in Knowledge Sharing

Over the past few decades, the business world has experienced various challenges as pertaining to cultural diversity competition, consumer loyalty, technology, scarcity of resources and the most recent one; globalization. As a result, most organizations have been forced to change the way they do business in order to survive these challenges.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Culture as an Issue in Knowledge Sharing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Under such circumstances, the application of Knowledge management has proven to be the most effective tool to utilize especially in firms that have gone global (international corporations). In order to have a competitive advantage over the rival companies, it is therefore important for such firms to understand and manage all knowledge they have on the clientele, the technological requirements and the resources required to ensure success of their ventures (Styhre, 2003). T his paper shall focus on knowledge sharing as a key combatant to the cultural barriers that are often experienced by international firms looking to market their products in foreign countries. A critical review of a relevant article shall be carried out to further support the fact that sharing knowledge pertaining to various cultural attributes may go a long way in handling the various challenges that are brought about due to cultural diversity. Using various principles of Knowledge Management as well as other literatures related to this topic, the paper shall in detail analyze the extent to which the article relates the topic under discussion (Knowledge Sharing) to the problems it wishes to address (culture). The article â€Å"Culture as an Issue in Knowledge Sharing: A Means of Competitive Advantage† by Soley and Pandya (2003) sheds light on how cultural factors may impede the ability of UK corporations to operate in international markets. According to the authors, the paper aims at evaluating: â€Å"Whether culture really does effect UK business operations in international markets, to examine and analyze the provisions businesses utilize to overcome the cultural problems of today’s international marketing, if they exist, to Identify the main cultural problems associated with UK business operations in international markets, to investigate whether technology can overcome cultural problems in international markets† (Soley and Pandya 2003 p. 205). In addition to this, the authors further embrace the fact brought about by Martin and Simmon (2001) who states that â€Å"In international business dealings, ignorance of cultural differences is not just unfortunate, it is bad business† (67). The authors claim that many organizations have in the past undermined this statement and as a result, they have lost a lot of time and money due to cultural misunderstandings.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In this era where business dealings are bringing different cultures and nations together, it is important for organizations to have enough knowledge on how different people in different countries and markets perceive things. Failure to do so may consequently lead to detrimental effects on the enterprise. Soley and Pandya (2003) assert that culture is a great phenomenon that is not easy to comprehend. However, good communication within an organization may help lessen the gap that exist between various cultures and create an environment where business dealings are made on mutual agreement. Guffey and Almonte (2009), state that understanding how culture affects various aspects in an organization may help in averting future discrepancies. They assert that the culture adopted by a given country may determine the communication medium and technology to be used while making business deals. As such, having insight on the cultur e of the host country and knowing where to apply such knowledge may help in establishing tight business bonds with other nations irrespective of the differences. As regarding to the methodology used in carrying out the research, the authors used interviews which were conducted among senior managers of different firms within the UK. The interviews were aimed at uncovering whether knowledge of the different cultures affected how the selected firms conducted their business, and whether technology helped alleviate the cultural barriers while dealing in the international market. According to the findings, having such information is crucial to the business. Bradley (2005) asserts that communication is very important to organizations because it facilitates better understanding of the cultures which are adopted by their trading partners and customers. He claims that through effective communication, business partners are able to identify, share and transfer knowledge pertaining to their cult ures. According to Bernard (2008), knowledge sharing can only be effective if an organization adopts effective communication tools. He asserts that due to the fact that the world is becoming a global community; interactions with other people from other countries have become inevitable. As a result, the need to learn and understand other cultures has become a necessity. According to Soley and Pandya (2003), â€Å"Managers at all levels generally need to be able to communicate successfully. Increasingly they must communicate in a new world of diverse colleagues, clients and customers of international operations,† (p. 207). From this statement, the authors are suggesting that communication and culture are slowly becoming synchronized.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Culture as an Issue in Knowledge Sharing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They acclaim that communication mediums such as the internet have in t he past decade enabled diverse individuals to communicate and come into agreements without having to meet on a physical level. Gattiker (2001) defines the internet as a diverse community. Through it, people are able to communicate with each other faster as compared to the traditional means of communication which were time consuming due to the variation in distance. As such, the internet provides businesses with an avenue through which they can transfer information and share ideas which consequently leads to the establishment of international links. I also agree with the point the authors raise as regarding to the internet as a means to cultural degradation. Wood and Smith (2005) assert that the continuous usage of such technology may result to more cultural differences. This is probably due to the fact that the internet is slowly developing its own culture which is being embraced by frequent users. According to December (2002), the internet technology uses a different language and t he interpretations of this information vary from person to person. As such, it is always important that organization exercise caution when sharing information because misinterpretation of such may have catastrophic impacts on the organization. The other issue addressed by the Authors is the impact of culture on the international market. They claim that having knowledge on the different cultures adopted by potential clients may help in reducing complexities and misunderstanding while transacting with people from different cultures. In addition to this, they claim that understanding different cultures help explain the behaviors of the consumers and as such, this knowledge can be used to develop strategies which may be useful in regards to gaining a competitive advantage against rival organizations. According to Mooij (2004), having knowledge on how culture may affect the international markets presents an organization with an opportunity to effectively put in place competitive strategi es. On the same note, the author reports that such knowledge enables an organization to understand the market segmentation and how the international market is developing. As a result, the organizations are able to make efficient decisions as to what to produce, where to supply and when. Understanding consumer behavior ensures that an organization produce according to the needs of the customers therefore assuring the organization steady market and a competitive edge against other companies (Hoyer and Macinnis, 2009).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, Soley and Pandya (2003) claim that different scholars have raised different issues as regarding to the effects of culture on human behavior. According to the article, some analysts claim that human behavior is determined by culture while others acclaim that culture is nurtured from human behavior. In my opinion, I believe that human behavior is as a result of environmental factors and personal experiences. Ajami et al (2006) reiterate that culture is as a result of the similarities that exist in the human behaviors within a particular setting. As such, having knowledge on how individuals behave within a given society may come in handy while making decisions on the international market. Also, the authors of this article have clearly stated that the true definition of culture is inconclusive. This means that different people define it in different ways. As a result, they have utilized the definition which best describes what culture entails. Through this definition, culture c an be identified by five key attributes which are; â€Å"language, religion, technology, education and material culture,† (Soley and Pandya 2003, p. 208). They suggest that having knowledge of these attributes in regards to the host country may enable an organization make an investment or production decision. In their discussion on technology and material culture, they state that the degree of conversance to technology varies from one country to another. Avgerou (2008) reports that most countries in Africa lack technical knowledge mainly due to the cost of getting wired, poor IT infrastructure and lack of technical know-how within the host nations. As a result, having knowledge on which nations are fairing well in this sector may reduce the costs that would have otherwise been incurred in updating such amenities (Hill, 2008). In addition to this, this digital divide may lead to poor communication which in turn may cause losses to the parent company. Servon (2002) reports that many international corporations have in the recent past failed due to lack of due consideration of the technological drift that exist between the parent country and the host nation. This is attributed to the fact that technology in today’s society plays a pivotal role towards the success of any venture. As a result, investing in a country with poor IT infrastructure not only limits the potential of the firm, but also curtails the economies of scale which can only be realized through the utilization of cutting edge technology. As regarding to language, Soley and Pandya (2003) acknowledge the fact that it is the greatest determinant to culture. The authors state that; â€Å"language is the most obvious difference between cultures. Inextricably linked with all other aspects of culture, language reflects the nature and value of culture,† (p.209). From this statement, it is evident that having thorough knowledge of the language used in the host country is crucial to the su ccess of any venture. The authors further acclaim that despite the fact that the internet uses English as the primary language or business partners may understand and/or speak the language it is wrong to assume that they are willing to use it during business dealings. Consequently, it is always important that the organization gather enough information about the language preferences of the host country. Having the knowledge on how the host country deals with language will therefore assist in averting this cultural barrier. Allee (2001) reports that; â€Å"Without a language to describe our experience, we can’t communicate what we know. Expanding organizational knowledge means that we must develop the languages we use to describe our work experience,† (p.2). This means that in order to combat language as a cultural barrier, organizations must ensure that they use a language that will comfortably suit them and that business partners in the host nation. The other key attri bute that should be considered while dealing in international markets is education. Moore (2010) defines education as the process of acquiring knowledge, skills and ideas through training. Soley and Pandya (2003) suggests that the education level of the host country is very important towards the success of any international business. They claim that in countries where the education is low, there is a high likelihood that the communication and infrastructure is also low. As such, having knowledge on the educational potential of the host country may assist an organization device better ways of dealing with the clientele and the business partners. In addition to this, statistics indicate that people with no education are very resistant to change. As such, lack of education in the host country may by itself hinder the success of an organization. Martin and Simmon (2001) reiterate that knowledge is power especially when it comes to international institutions. They state that understandin g the host nation gives an international corporation a bearing on what to expect and how to handle issues without provoking the locals. As such, understanding the education capabilities of the host nation can be used as a tool to avoid conflicts as well as to counter various challenges that may arise due to this barrier. Religion is one of the other attributes that have been discussed within the article. According to Samovar, Porter and McDaniel (2009), religion varies from one person to another and it defines the culture that is adopted by these individuals. The authors assert that religion can be used to explain why people behave the way they do. They claim that in as much as international business is primarily focused on how consumers and workers behave, it is equally important to gain some insight as to why they behave the way they do. Having such knowledge gives the organization an idea on what not to do or produce depending on the religion of the target market. Soley and Pandy a (2003) contend that religion can have a huge impact on how people perceive business and economic aspects. Renavikar (2003) reiterates that religious holidays, women social standing and their economic roles vary among countries. She claims that in some countries, women are not permitted to gain an education and neither can they be employed. As a result, having such knowledge is imperative especially to organizations which are ethically bound to adhere to the affirmative action Act. Therefore, having thorough knowledge on the religious beliefs of the host nation will enable an organization to determine whether or not to invest in the country, what to produce and the ratio of employees to hire from the host nation. Ethical theories are the criteria that we use to make judgment as to the fairness or unfairness of actions undertaken regarding problems (Sabath, 2002). The theories provide support to decision making and shed some light the thought process behind a conclusion. Some of the theories include the Consequentialism, Deontology and Virtue ethics. They can be applied interchangeably in various settings or can serve to complement each other. According to Shafer-Launder (2007), the consequentialist ethics theory holds that actions can be judged as right and/or good only on the basis of the consequences they produce with no consideration for their intentions or motives. Utilitarianism is considered to be the most influential consequentialist theory. This principle dictates that the collective welfare of the people overrides the individual’s right and as such, the theory advocates the maximization of happiness for the greatest number of people (Sabath, 2002). In this approach, the net benefit is calculated and the net consequences evaluated. From these evaluations, a decision which adheres to the theory by having the most â€Å"productive† result is chosen. With this in mind, having knowledge on the ethical standards that the host country upholds is crucial to any organization. Soley and Pandya (2003) state that bribery and corruption are viewed differently depending on the host country. As such, understanding how these issues are perceived in the host country may help an organization avert legal complications. For example in some countries, giving gifts to business partners is viewed as a form of bribery while in others it is not. Through the hypothesis, the authors have been able to effectively bring out the objectives of the research study. All through the article, the authors brings into light the various attributes of culture and shows how they can impact international markets. In addition to this, they have managed to show how Knowledge Sharing and Management can be used to identify the various threats that could be brought about by cultural diversity (Nelson and Quick, 2000). On the same note, by use of examples and theories, they have successfully highlighted the various dangers hat can befall an organization if it d oes not have a Knowledge management strategy. In their recommendation, the authors have clearly stated that the topic under discussion is too wide and that their research is not conclusive. As such, they have recommended that other scholars should do more research on the topic to further provide more understanding and information on the same. This paper has summarized and reviewed the article, â€Å"Culture as an Issue in Knowledge Sharing: A Means of Competitive Advantage† by Soley and Pandya (2003). The authors have effectively brought out culture as an issue worth addressing in Knowledge Management. The various aspects discussed that may influence an investment decision are very useful especially to managers who wish to join and transact in the international market. However, they have failed to provide conclusive solutions to the addressed issue. As such the question as o whether Knowledge management can effectively combat culture as a barrier to international business sti ll remains unanswered. However, from the article, the importance of Knowledge Management and Sharing cannot be understated and to my opinion, the article provides a good foundation to business organizations which aim at venturing into the international markets. References Ajami et al. (2006) International business: theory and practice. 2nd ed. USA, M.E. Sharpe. Allee, V. (2001) 12 Principles of Knowledge Management [WWW] American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). Web. Avgerou, C. (2008) Social dimensions of information and communication technology policy: proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Human Choice and Computers (HCC8), IFIP TC 9, Pretoria, South Africa, September 25-26, 2008. USA, Springer. Bernard, A. (2008) Methods and Tools for Effective Knowledge Life-Cycle-Management. USA, Springer. Bradley, F. (2005) International marketing strategy. 5th ed. New Jersey, Financial Times/Prentice Hall December, J. (2002) Units of Analysis for Internet Communica tion. Journal ofComputer Mediated Communication, 6 (3), pp 67-72. Gattiker, U. E. (2001) The Internet as a diverse community: cultural, organizational, and political issues. USA, Routledge. Guffey, M. E Almonte, R. (2009) Essentials of Business Communication. 6th ed. USA, Cengage Learning. Hill, C. W. L. (2008) Global business today. 5th ed. London, McGraw-Hill. Hoyer, W. D. and Macinnis, D, J. (2009) Consumer Behavior. 5th ed. USA, Cengage Learning. Martin, L. L Simmons, B. A. (2001) International institutions: an international organization reader. USA, MIT Press. Mooij, M. K. (2004) Consumer behavior and culture: consequences for global marketing and advertising. USA, SAGE. Moore, E. C. (2010) What Is Education? USA, General Books LLC. Nelson, D. L. and Quick, J. C. (2000) Organizational behavior: foundations, realities, and challenges. 3rd ed. USA, South-Western College Pub. Renavikar, M. D. (2003) Women and religion: a sociological analysis. Michigan, University of Michigan. S abath, A. M. (2002) Business etiquette: 101 ways to conduct business with charm savvy. 2nd ed. USA, Career Press. Samovar et al. (2009) Communication Between Cultures. 7th ed. USA, Cengage Learning. Servon, L. J. (2002) Bridging the digital divide: technology, community, and public policy. USA, Wiley-Blackwell. Shafer-Landau, R. (2007) Ethical theory: an anthology. New York, Wiley-Blackwell. Soley, M Pandya, K. V. (2003) Culture as an Issue in Knowledge Sharing: A Means of Competitive Advantage. Electronic Journal on Knowledge Management, 1 (2), pp. 205-212. Styhre, A. (2003) Understanding knowledge management: critical and postmodern perspectives. USA, Liber. Wood, A. F. and Smith, M. J. (2005) Online communication: linking technology, identity, and culture. 2nd ed. USA, Routledge. This essay on Culture as an Issue in Knowledge Sharing was written and submitted by user Alicia R. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Society Social Networking Sites

Society Social Networking Sites Introduction The mounting popularity of social networking sites (SNSs) among Internet users across the world certainly demands an introspection of their shorter-term and longer-terms effects on individuals as well as societies. Available statistics demonstrate that an estimated 1.5 billion people across the globe have already created their profiles in SNSs, with the majority being on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Ning and Tagged (Das et al., 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Society Social Networking Sites specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At the surface, it is believed that SNSs have a great potential to essentially alter the character and scope of our social engagements on all fronts – individual, interpersonal, as well as societal (Ellison et al., 2009).. But while common practice always assumes the shifts to be beneficial, this paper seeks to demonstrate that SNSs have negatively altered the framework for social interactions that bind society together. Understanding Social Networking Sites In the literature, SNSs are defined as web-based services that provide people with the capacity to â€Å"†¦ (1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system† (Tokunaga, 2011, p. 425). SNSs popularity continue to rise throughout the world, especially among adolescents, not only because of the way they have changed how this group of the population receive information (Neelamalar Chitra, 2009), but also due to their equalizing effect as users often feel the freedom to express themselves in ways not possible via other offline channels (Cardon et al., 2009). However, there exist salient issues that need to be illuminated to understand the actual effects that SNSs are having on the social relationships that act to glue the society together. Social Networking Sites: Unveiling the Defects By virtue of the fact that online social networking is a type of virtue communication that allows users to connect with each other, there exists a very constricted gap between private and public life in this modern age of communication as users find themselves helpless in controlling the distribution of content they have already uploaded on their profiles (Das et al., 2011). This disposition has occasioned serious personal and social consequences as individuals increasingly find themselves being rejected for job postings due to content they had posted on the sites, not mentioning that a sizeable number of users have already lost their life savings to online fraudsters who visit their profiles and use the personal information available to estimate a person’s social security number and ‘steal’ other sensitive information.Advertising Looking for essay on communications me dia? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Advocates of SNSs have argued that users of these sites can change their default privacy preferences to keep the fraudsters at bay, or to prevent sensitive information from getting into the wrong hands. However, a research conducted on 4000 Facebook profiles of Carnegie Mellon University students revealed that only 1.2 percent of the users took time to change their default privacy settings (Das et al., 2011), implying that many users do not care if their sensitive information, which could fundamentally alter their relationships with other members of the society, becomes open to public discourse. The second point deals with work productivity, which is known to be the mainstay of the society. It is within the realms of public knowledge that a society that does not work cannot look after itself, not mentioning that it cannot prosper or achieve the dreams of prosperity (Tokunaga, 2011). Howev er, owing to the proliferation of SNSs, people are spending considerable work hours chatting with their friends and browsing sites to update profiles. Indeed, extant literature demonstrates that â€Å"†¦it becomes a compulsive habit to visit own profile several times in a day for checking friends updates, changing status, and commenting on others photos and videos† (Das et al., 2011). In the workplace context, the attention of employees is distracted as they routinely visit the sites to update their status and communicate with friends, occasioning major adverse consequences on their productivity and customer satisfaction levels. Of course some advocates of SNSs would like to argue from the viewpoint that employers can always install monitoring software to dissuade employees from visiting these sites during work hours; however, it has already been found that monitoring of employees’ online activities raises serious ethical and legal concerns (Ellison et al., 2009). More importantly, the monitoring software is not full-proof, meaning that employees could still engage in these actions that bring adverse societal ramifications in lowered productivity and heightened customer dissatisfaction levels (Cardon et al., 2011). A recent study conducted on 237 corporate workers revealed that about eight in every ten employees use Facebook during work hours, resulting in 1.5% slump in their productivity (Das et al., 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Society Social Networking Sites specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The third point revolves around the fact that some SNSs â€Å"†¦have loosely articulated social or interactional norms dictating appropriate actions and behaviors† (Tokunaga, 2011, p. 426). In using SNSs, many people are unaware or ignorant of the context-specific social norms because of the inadequately specified set of conventions, further degrading the social fabric because these people end up relying on social behaviors learned and negotiated in offline contexts to direct their online actions and behavior. Equally uninteresting, a sizeable number of users end up relying on social behaviors learned in online contexts to guide and direct their off-line relationships, actions and behavior. Fourth, many online social norms, according to Tokunaga (2011), are characterized by carelessness and impoliteness, not mentioning that they have the potential to adversely demoralize the interpersonal relationships that act to hold the society together. In other words, it can be argued that constant interactions via social networking platforms have inexorably harmed interpersonal relationships that glue society together by providing a forum for negative incidences that result in relational strain. On context-specific norms and interpersonal relationships, advocates of SNSs would want to differ by putting up the argument that â€Å"†¦through social networking, people can use networks of online friends and group memberships to keep in touch with current friends, reconnect with old friends or create real-life friendships through similar interests or groups† (Neelamalar Chitra, 2009, p. 126). However, the germane issue is the context-specific norms used to relate to online friends and if these norms could still be used in furtherance of offline interpersonal relationships that are key to the stability of the society as a whole. Findings reported by Tokunaga (2011) demonstrate that not only are the context-specific norms for the two types of relations essentially different and hence cannot compliment each other, but some norms and value systems learnt in SNSs are adversely affecting interpersonal relationships, through which the foundation of the community is grounded. Lastly, it is a well known fact that the ambiguous and elastic concept of â€Å"friends† on social networking platforms has always presented further concerns through which millions of visitors to these sites must navigate. As postulated by Tokunaga (2011), â€Å"†¦friends merely refer to the contacts individuals create on SNSs, which obscures the nature of the relationships between users† (P. 426).Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More People who have never met even for a single day suddenly become the best of friends because of their presumed shared interests that are matched in the arena of online protocols. Not only has this insensitive disposition of friendship continues to hurt the very basis of society (Das et al., 2011), but the dichotomous categorization of friends and non-friends on many of these networking platforms acts as fuel to many of the social problems encountered by users (Tokunaga, 2011), including falling prey to fraudsters and sexual offenders. It is possible that advocates of SNSs may seek to downplay this issue of the creation of strange friendship bonds on account that people are free to talk to anyone across the world (Neelamalar Chitra, 2009), and that these sites have assisted communities to minimize transaction costs for finding and connecting with ‘friends’, who may share one interest or concern but deviate on other dimensions (Ellison et al., 2009). These assertions, in my view, are valid to the extent that some of these friendship bonds have provided opportunities for some users, including but not limited to, job openings, educational prospects, skills acquisition and knowledge sharing. But we have seen the consequences of users who unconditionally accept friendship requests from strangers and end up being killed and mutilated in a presumed sex party. We have read in the news how children as young as 10 years are hijacked for ransom by their presumed ‘online friends.’ Conclusion It is indeed true that most SNSs have beneficial outcomes, but care must be exercised so that these sites do not alter the framework for social interactions that bind society together. Important issues relating to privacy, work productivity, context-specific norms, interpersonal relationships as well as the conception of friendship, need to be evaluated in more detail to ensure that the society does not suffer under the heavy baggage of the social networking s ites. References Cardon, P.W., Marshall, B., Jeongil, C., El-Shinnaway, M.M., North, M., Svensson, L†¦Juan, P. (2009). Online and offline social ties of social network website users: An exploratory study in eleven societies. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 50(1), 54-64. Das, B., Sahoo, J.S., Jyoti, S. (2011). Social networking sites – a critical analysis of its impact on personal and social life. International Journal of Business Social Science, 2(14), 222-228. Web. Ellison, N.B., Lampe, C., Steinfield, C. (2009). Social network sites and society: Current trends and future possibilities. Web. Neelamalar, M., Chitra, P. (2009). New media and society: A study on Indian youth. Estudos em Communicacao, 45(6), 125-145. Web. Tokunaga, R.S. (2011). Friend me or you’ll strain us: Understanding negative events that occur over social networking sites. CyberPsychology, Behavior Social Networking, 14(7/8), 425-432.

Analysing a newspaper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analysing a newspaper - Essay Example The society was structured in a manner that male dominated over women. Most leaders were male chauvinists hence male supremacy reigned. The legal system did not incorporate ways of dealing with domestic violence. Most women who suffered violence ended up being victimized as part of the problem. The article on The Guardian website gives a review on how domestic violence issue has been handled in the UK. The news value is educative and concern peaceful co-existence in a family or domestic set-up. The news is also bad as it highlights violence in homes. Violence affects relationships and consequently leads to health and psychological problems. The news angle is neutral but rebukes perpetrators of violence. It does not support violence in heterosexual or homosexual relationships. The article has employed a criticism language on the government for laxity in coming up with an appropriate legislation in time. The editorial agenda is to sensitize readers on the need to stop domestic violence in families (Humphreys et al. 2013). The article gives insight on how the fight against domestic violence has come a long way. With no legislations relating to domestic violence, most men took advantage of the situation. However, with the emergence of civil and human rights movements, the vice came to shame. Most citizens became sensitized on the need for peace in the family. Couples had to find better ways to resolve their differences. Women’s Aid was founded in 1970 as a feminist movement and campaign tool. Domestic violence and gender oppression became a priority to deal with for the group. Domestic violence and numerous forms of abuse were decisively dealt with by Women’s Aid among other groups that were founded. In 1979, statistic revealed that two women got killed weekly by their former or current partner. The articles makes cites government statistics and other two sources on domestic violence. The sources add information about the

Evaluation Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Evaluation Argument - Essay Example Waiting to meet Jesus is a healthy journey for everyone, but the pressures of the society can interrupt this waiting, and cause an individual to go against the will of God, by being forced to lie to having met Jesus, even though in the real sense Jesus has not yet visited the individual. Thus, the understanding and practice of religion might be marred with widespread confusion, most especially when the practice of religion is associated with induction of a child, but external pressure can obstruct the good judgment in matters of religion even more. The elaborate understanding of religion and its practice is fundamental for an individual seeking to join and practice it. The misunderstanding of the basic tenets surrounding a religion might see an individual simply enter into a religion, but remain disappointed afterwards, when the expectations held by the individual are not met (Klick, 27). In the article the article "Salvation" by Langston Huges, joining the religious practice happened in utter confusion, since the understanding of Huges was that he must first meet Jesus physically. Huges had been told by his auntie Reeds that â€Å"when you were saved you saw a light, and something happened to you inside! And Jesus came into your life!† (Huges, n.p.). In this respect, his understanding of this process of getting saved was in its literal meaning. Thus, this understanding build such an expectation in his mind; that seeing the light and feeling something happen on the inside will be the hallmarks of accepting salvation. Th erefore, the fact that it was becoming too late and everyone else had gotten saved except for him, made Huges remain with no other choice but to take the step forward and accept salvation without having first experienced the light and something happening on the inside. It can therefore be seen that Langston Huges’ article, "Salvation", may not

Dance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dance - Essay Example (The library of Congress, 2008). However in the nineteenth century, the art of dancing was more popularized through literatures. The influence of the popularization of music also contributed to the popularity of dance. Many other factors like an improvisation of the women’s role in the society and the strengthening of their physical activeness towards the beginning of the twentieth century were also influential in the development of social dance styles (The library of Congress, 2008). The arena of social dancing emphasizes on the sociability of the art than on set rules and competition. The inclusiveness is the basic principle adhering to the social style of dancing and is not performance oriented. This style of dancing more relies on the spontaneity in accordance to the situation than on the rules and regulations. How ever the various disciples with in the social dancing style share some universal principles. It is creative, spontaneous, coordinated and conventional in terms of these principles (Renzland P, 2008). In short, it is the style of dance which connects the art form with the common public. Some of the social dances which are popular in America today are Break Dancing, Alpine, Hip Hop Dancing, Argentine Tango, Balboa, Cajun, Ceili(dh), Charleston, Circle Mixers, Contra, Hambo, Irish Set, Lindy Hop, Old-Time-Waltz, Polka, Ragtime, Scandinavian, Scottish (Country/Folk) Dancing, Square, Vintage, Zwiefache and Zydeco. An understanding on the social scenario existing in the United States of America would serve as a background to analyze the relevance of social dancing in the present socio economic situation. American society is at the threat of individualization and a reverse socialization process is happening at an increased pace. This may be the result of the insecurity among the younger generation due to the disturbed family backgrounds. This scenario is supported by the fact that ideal family

Android The Most Popular Mobile Platform Computer Science Essay

Android The Most Popular Mobile Platform Computer Science Essay Introduction Mobile development platform is a technology that enables mobile developers to create of production and processes that support present and future development of mobile applications. In the assignment, I will compare three of the leading mobile development platforms in the market which is Android, BlackBerry, and Java ME with analyses on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for each of the different platforms. Android SDK Android is the most popular mobile platform in the world. Android delivers a complete set of software for mobile devices; an operating system, middleware and key mobile applications. (Android Overview, Open Handset Alliance 2010) In 2005, Google acquired the startup company Android Inc. to start the development of Android platform for mobile. The Android SDK was first release in November 2007. Google announced the availability of Android SDK Candidate 1.0. Google offers a comprehensive software development kits with a variety of packages that are available a la carte under the Android SDK Manager. In October 2008, Android is an open source and Google releases the code under Apache License. (Android Overview, Open Handset Alliance 2010) STRENGTHS Google Google is one of the most well known technology company in the world. Android is backed up by Google in collaboration with Open Handset Alliance. Most of the potential partners, venders and developers will believe that Google will give more attention and credibility on Android OS compare to other mobile OS because of the brand. Device Unlike the Apples IOS where you have the only one option for hardware supplier which is Apple Inc. The Android OS is open source and it is compatible with most of the devices such as Samsung, HTC, Sony and etc. This will provides consumers wider choices from which manufacturer to choose to buy their devices. Open source The Android OS is built from a Linux based using JAVA language for the programming. Most of the developers, especially freelancer they will choose to develop mobile application by using Android where we can get the information and source code easily. This makes developers to create many free Apps for Android market (Currently known as Goggle Play Store). (Android SWOT analysis, Arun Kumar 2012) WEAKNESSES Multimedia Support Android Multimedia Support is less unlike the Apple which has centralized in iTunes application and marketplace. Android does not have a central source of multimedia material. Upgrading of OS reliance on mobile manufacturers When Google releases a new version of Android OS, it has to wait for the mobile manufacturer to make a compatibility test and modify the code to make sure it works properly on their hardware configuration. Least of security- Since Android Application development is open source, so it was always prone to external threats like malwares. OPPORTUNITIES Compatibility Android OS not only compatible with mobile, it also compatible for tablet PC and e-book reader. There have been several release of Android tablets over last few months from computer machine manufacturer such as HP, ASUS, Dell and ACER. Developing Countries Google has a huge opportunity to develop inexpensive devices using the Android platform in developing countries. (Hylander 2010). Android also has high potential growth in Asia and Africa Countries and it has triggered up the sales of smart phones and tablet PCs. Developer friendly Android give the opportunities to developers to develop advance application and earn some revenue from the sales of application and advertising. THREATS Competitive There were many competitors in the market are going to fight with Android for their share of the market. For example, Symbian, RIM, iOS and Windows. System Crashed Downloading of application from un-trusted website may make the operating system crash or affect other application in the smart phone. Androids cheaper initialize installation in low cost mobile phone which will affects the buyer compared to other platform such as iOS in IPhone. BlackBerry BlackBerry is a brand of wireless handheld devices and services developed by Canadian telecommunications company Research In Motion (RIM).(RIM 2012) The first BlackBerry device, an email pager, was released in 1999. (Davis, Jim January 20,1999) Most of the BlackBerry devices are well known in their send and receive push email and instant messages ability especially the BlackBerry Messenger service. They are also designed to function the devices as personal digital assistants, gaming devices and so on. STRENGTHS BlackBerry is a recognition brand of mobile development platform. BlackBerry Messenger allows their users to text unlimited with no extra cost. Several types of form-factors available in BlackBerry mobile phones such as small keyboard, large keyboard, flip phone, candy bar and no keyboard. BlackBerry is an encrypted military-grade security platform, with 100% market share at FBI, CIA, White House, Congress, Department of Defense, major consultancies and major investment banks. BlackBerry is the only one platform approved for use in US national security agencies. (Raman885 November 2011) WEAKNESSES BlackBerry has a poor applications store experience which is not able to install on all devices. Most of the applications which are available for iOS and android devices are not going to be available for blackberry mobile platform. BlackBerry is a business oriented phone, most of the fun application available for other markets but not for blackberry devices. There were two different operating systems between touch screen devices and non-touch screen devices. OPPORTUNITIES BlackBerry Partners Fund is used to make applications are downloadable from independent companies which might be help to gain more market share. BlackBerry World is the most profitable mobile application store for developers. BlackBerry has the ability to perform synchronization of email, calendar and contact with compatible servers. THREATS The main threat facing by BlackBerry is their competitors which include iOS of Apple, Android platform of Google, Windows Phone from Microsoft and other mobile development platforms. JAVA ME JAVA ME also known as Java platform Micro Edition. Java ME provides a flexible environment for application running on mobile and embedded devices such as personal digital assistants and mobile phones. STRENGTHS Java ME is offering flexible environment for multiple mobile application. Java ME included the object-oriented programming features make large programs easier to write. Java ME is an open sources platform for mobile development. WEAKNESSES It is not a complete development platform but just a virtual machine. JAVA ME only limited to embedded and small devices such as mobile phones. Java ME is only mostly open source whereas android is completely open sources. OPPORTUNITIES It enables developer to build sophisticated applications for multiple applications with confidence. The most popular and widely accepted development platform for wireless devices from leading phones manufactures. THREATS Android development platform is the main threats for Java ME platform especially the user interface android support touch screen smart phones. Most of the developers may choose Android instead of Java ME as the platform because of the number of users of android OS phone are increasing. Conclusion The most ideal platform that I choose is Android mobile development platform. First of all,

Linda Mcquaigs Shooting The Hippo: Causes And Results Of Debt :: essays research papers fc

Linda McQuaig's Shooting The Hippo: Causes and Results of Debt Linda McQuaig's most recent book, "Shooting the Hippo" is about the causes and results of the debt. It is a look at both the factual causes and the arguments which are merely presented to us through the various elements of the media. McQuaig delivers an insightful overview of the extensive media coverage which has bombarded us over the past few years. "With the excitement of a mystery writer, McQuaig tells the real story behind the debt." . This book explains the history of the deficit myth, and enables people such as myself who are not experienced in these types of problems to get to the heart of the arguments presented so frequently about our financial situation. I found her book an inspiration which will hopefully help us all to devote ourselves to the enormous challenge which we will face in the future. We are responsible to inform and educate ourselves, our friends, our families and neighbours in the difficult days ahead. To explain McQuaig's title I'll briefly describe the beginning of the "mystery." A baby hippo, born in a zoo, is to be shot because of recent government cutbacks which leave nothing to feed or care for the hippo. This image grabs the attention of the reader and leads to numerous other examples which McQuaig uses to break down the popular myths about the deficit. McQuaig, determined to expose one by one, several of the current myths about the state of the Canadian economy, backs up her arguments with interviews and publications. These include: a chief statistician at Statistics Canada who has been working on the statistics of social spending since the middle '60s; the man at Moody's bond rating service in New York who is in charge of setting the credit rating on our federal debt; and noted economists, among others. The book goes on in its investigation as to why the recession in Canada was the worst of the world's most powerful nations. It is noted that if there is a simple way to explain the reason for most of the recession then it will in turn account for most of the increase in the debt. McQuaig also presents a bit of history of banking, monetary systems, and the struggle of the conflicts between the rich minority and the rest of us. All of this is presented in a very readable and interesting manner. McQuaig asks an intriguing question to all of us. Are we prepared to see our social programs sacrificed in order to reduce the deficit?

Impact of Mother-Son Relationship Essay

In the advent of single-parenthood within the nation and along with the controversial emergence of the reproductive health bill as a major feature of the year 2008, an attempt to look into the increasing concern on the population increase serves as the starting point for this study. The researches felt the need to conduct further study on the said domain, specifically focusing on the development of the sons who were raised by single mothers. The general objective of the current study is to find out the impact of mother-son relationship in the formation of social-psychological attributes by males raised by single mothers. Respondents of the study were composed of 30 males coming from the provinces of Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, and Bacolod City, whose age ranged from 13-36, and those who were raised by single mothers. Results rendered that males raised by single mothers perceived an ideal mother as someone who is caring, understanding, and loving, and an ideal father as someone who is responsible or a good provider, wise, and loving and caring. Being raised in an atypical family type, males coming from single-parent family viewed an ideal family as intact, happy, full of love and care. The advantages of being raised by single mothers included being well taken-cared of, maturing early, and learning to be independent, while the lack of a male figure, financial deficiency, and the feeling of insecurity were on top of the list for the disadvantages of being in a single-parent family. Asking help from friends and relatives, doing nothing about the situation and self-reflection were some of the coping mechanisms of these males. Attitude toward marriage (x=3. 48) and levels of self-esteem (x=3. 95) were positively correlated to the level of self-disclosure of males raised by single mothers. This means that males who feel comfortable to disclose any information about themselves towards their mothers are most likely to have a positive outlook toward marriage and are more likely to develop a higher level of self-esteem compared to those who keep their thoughts to themselves.

An Analysis Of The Poem If You Should Go By Coun Essays

An Analysis Of The Poem If You Should Go By Coun Essays An Analysis Of The Poem If You Should Go By Countee Cullen In the poem If You Should Go, Countee Cullen emphasizes on the understanding of human joys and sorrows. The importance of joy is shown using different examples of joy such as love and dream. Both stanzas include a persons feeling or reactions towards joy during the happy moments as well as the feelings after the joyous moment is over. In this poem, Cullen conveys several different messages. One of the themes of the poem is that one never realizes what one have until it is lost. In this case it refers to joyous moments. The second stanza the poet also tells the reader that joy makes a long lasting memory in ones mind which is seen in the persons personality or the gleam on the [persons] face (2. 7-8). Although, Cullen does not mention whom the love is towards in the first stanza and what the dream is about in the second stanza the reader can interpret that as is said in a positive manner. Using a classic example of metaphor, love is compared to the light that brightens a day just the way in which joys brightens peoples lives. The gently passing of the day without author realizing its going indicates to us that the joy is not given much importance in the persons life. The theme, a person never realizes what he has until it is lost, can clearly seen when the poet says, We would not know, but for the night, When [the joy] has slipped away (1. 3-4). The poet convey the message that people usually would not feel the joy until the joy is slipped away and the person is struck by the darkness of the sorrow. In the second stanza joy is given a much more positive response. Joy in this stanza is referred to as a pleasant dream. The not realization of the passing of the joys is said in this stanza. Here the poet says the joy does not leave a physical effect on the person and that the dream has just left a gleam across the dreamers face. This shows the second theme of the poem that joy makes a long lasting memory in ones mind when referred to the gleam on the dreamers face. This poem makes the reader realize the importance of joy before it is gone. The poem also mentally prepares the reader to the sorrows that are struck after the joyful moments are over. The tone of the poem is positive. The kind of mood this poem creates is neither depressing nor very exciting. This poem might strike a reader as very passive due to the use of phrases like The gently passing day (1. 2) or Go quietly; a dream (2. 5). The rhyme scheme of the poem is a b a b. The poem If You Should Go is an excellently lyriced poem about an understanding of human joys and sorrows. The positive point of view of the poet is a plus along with the good use of imagery like love and dream. Overall, the theme, the rhyme scheme, the pleasant imagery, the tone, and the mood all work together in the poem.

Anna Pavlova

Anna Pavlova Dates: January 31 (February 12 in the new calendar), 1881 - January 23, 1931 Occupation: dancer, Russian ballerinaKnown for: Anna Pavlova is especially remembered for her portrayal of a swan, in The Dying Swan.Also known as: Anna Matveyevna Pavlova or Anna Pavlovna Pavlova Anna Pavlova Biography: Anna Pavlova, born in Russia in 1881, was the daughter of a laundry-woman. Her father may have been a young Jewish soldier and businessman; she took the last name of her mothers later husband who likely adopted her when she was about three years old. When she saw The Sleeping Beauty performed, Anna Pavlova decided to become a dancer, and entered the Imperial Ballet School at ten. She worked very hard there, and on graduation began to perform at the Maryinsky (or Mariinsky) Theatre, debuting on September 19, 1899. In 1907, Anna Pavlova began her first tour, to Moscow, and by 1910 was appearing at the Metropolitan Opera House in America. She settled in England in 1912. When, in 1914, she was traveling through Germany on her way to England when Germany declared war on Russia, her connection to Russia was for all intents broken. For the rest of her life, Anna Pavlova toured the world with her own company and kept a home in London, where her exotic pets were constant company when she was there. Victor Dandrà ©, her manager, was also her companion, and may have been her husband; she herself distracted from clear answers on that. While her contemporary, Isadora Duncan, introduced revolutionary innovations to dance, Anna Pavlova remained largely committed to the classic style. She was known for her daintiness, frailness, lightness and both wittiness and pathos. Her last world tour was in 1928-29 and her last performance in England in 1930. Anna Pavlova appeared in a few silent films: one, The Immortal Swan, she shot in 1924 but it was not shown until after her death it originally toured theaters in 1935-1936 in special showings, then was released more generally in 1956. Anna Pavlova died of pleurisy in the Netherlands in 1931, having refused to have surgery, reportedly declaring, If I cant dance then Id rather be dead. Print Bibliography - Biographies and Dance Histories: Algeranoff. My Years With Pavlova. 1957.Beaumont, Cyril. Anna Pavlova. 1932.Dandrà ©, Victor. Anna Pavlova in Art and Life. 1932.Fonteyn, Margo. Pavlova: Repertoire of a Legend. 1980.Franks, A. H., editor. Pavlova: A Biography. 1956.Kerensky, Oleg. Anna Pavlova. London, 1973.Gaevsky, Vadim. The Russian Ballet - A Russian World: Russian Ballet from Anna Pavlova to Rudolf Nureyev. 1997.Krasovskaya, Vera. Anna Pavlova. 1964.Krasovskaya, Vera. Russian Ballet Theatre at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century vol. 2. 1972.Money, Keith. Anna Pavlova: Her Life and Art. 1982.Lazzarini, John and Roberta. Pavlova. 1980.Magriel, Paul. Pavlova. 1947.Valerian, Svetlov. Anna Pavlova. London, 1930.International Dictionary of Ballet. 1993. Includes an inclusive list of her roles and a more complete bibliography. Print Bibliography - Childrens Books: Anna Pavlova. I Dreamed I Was a Ballerina. Illustrated by Edgar Degas. Ages 4-8.Allman, Barbara. Dance of the Swan: A Story About Anna Pavlova (A Creative Minds Biography). Illustrated by Shelly O. Haas. Ages 4-8.Levine, Ellen. Anna Pavlova: Genius of the Dance. 1995.

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 10

Business Law - Essay Example Stevenson1 in which it was stated that a person must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which if seen with reasonable foreseeability are likely to cause an injury to that person’s neighbour. The definition of neighbour was stated to be a person who would be so closely and directly affected by the act that he should be contemplated of when doing the act or omission. This is what is known as the neighbour principle. The test was reformed in Anns v Merton2 where Lord Wilberforce suggested a twos tagged test. The current position is that of House of Lords in Caparo v. Dickman3 whereby a three stage test was laid down. First, it must be reasonably foreseeable that the conduct of defendant would cause damage to the claimant. Secondly, there must be sufficient proximity between the parties and finally ‘the situation must be one in which the court considers it fair, just and reasonable the law should impose a duty of care of a given scope on the one party for the be nefir of the other’. (Wild et al 2010) The courts in Caparo stated that the defendant, who had undertaken the statutory audit of the public company was under a duty by way of contract to the shareholders as a collectivity and went on to say that individual purchasers of the shares of the company were not owed any duty even if they were existing shareholders nor did any liability arise in respect of the creditors of the company. It is more than evident that the accounts of the company are relied upon and the auditors’ manuals and other material may clearly point out to the fact that there has been reliance. However, the courts have due to policy reasons that the possibility of multiplicity of claims (floodgates argument) and business factors have disallowed such claims. Therefore the main reason of the courts has been that the auditors do not owe a duty to investors where reliance is placed on such audit reports because of lack of proximity; the other reason would be an

Case Study 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study 6 - Essay Example The most probable symptoms exhibited by the community people living with AIDS include swollen glands growing in the throat and groin. Further, the individuals may also witness muscle aches and fatigue. Normally, the fatigue and tiredness period are usually unexplained in this people. It is worth noting, that everyone in the New York community is susceptible to contracting the virus. In which case, anyone who involves in unprotected sex and sharing of infected equipments is at risk of contracting the disease especially if any of those involved another party who is HIV positive. Considering AIDS is transmitted through body fluids, sharing of the sharp equipment and having coitus with the infected person is a most certain way the virus can spread. The virus normally presents itself in blood, semen and breast milk of infected people (Timberg & Halperin, 2013). These are the most common ways that AIDS presents itself in New York city, where there are people from all walks of life. Once the virus is introduced to the bloodstream, it affects the immune response thereby reinforcing its symptoms on the body of the infected. Apart from New York city, other communities that have witnessed the same include Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Philadelphia. This is because of t he higher population growth in this areas. Even though AIDS has manifested itself as pervasive in the above communities, the involved subjects have been able to manipulate strategies for preventing the disease. Naturally, the pervasiveness of the disease arises because the communities have failed in their attempts to get a cure or vaccine. However, the efforts put have given rise to such strategies such as the need to avoid the high-risk behaviors, including unprotected sex and sharing of sharp instruments. Further, the subject healthcare providers in this