Procurement and Supply

Introduction Setting the right terms and conditions is crucial for any business cooperation, whether it is procurement and supply or a short-term agreement for a single operation. The success of any activity highly depends on the preciseness of the terms and conditions upon which the partners agree. In case the relevant terms are wisely worked out both parts are likely to benefit. It is particularly important that the offered terms and conditions fix all the key points of an operation, such as time limits, quality standards, fixed pricing, and ethical policy.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Procurement and Supply specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the meanwhile, it is vital to work out the reasonable set of terms and conditions that can be equally accepted by both parts. Moreover, while working out the following set, one is particularly interested in ensuring the prevalence of the set conditions and ter ms over those of the other part. Therefore, one suggests analyzing a set of terms and conditions in the context of their capacity to prevent potential risks and difficulties. The Risks of Poor Quality One of the primary points that any terms and conditions should include is managing the quality risks. Any client is primarily interested in the goods he or she orders, while other factors are additional. The quality of a product largely determines the customer’s willingness to continue the collaboration. Therefore, a set of terms should be initially aimed at stating the standard of quality that will satisfy both the supplier and the customer. As long as the phrase â€Å"poor quality† is initially ambiguous, one is to lay a particular emphasis on the quality aspect while working out a set of terms and conditions. Thus, it seems to be reasonable to include the term â€Å"defect† in the contract so that the vague formulation â€Å"poor quality† is eliminated. O ne can describe in details the expected quality and all the discrepancies with the stated standard will be, consequently, regarded as defects. Moreover, it is important to note that the terms and conditions should essentially exclude the possibility of changing one’s requirements regarding the quality. In other words, the client cannot demand to receive a product of a higher quality than the standard that he or she initially accepted. As to suppliers, they likewise cannot change the standard quality of their products even if the transformations are claimed to be positive. Moreover, the supplier might provide a standard warrant for the customer that will guarantee that the latter will receive compensation in case he or she manages to prove the existence of the defect. It is also important to set a reasonable deadline for the following warrant the length of which depends on the character of the goods supplied. Otherwise, suppliers might have to pay for the defects that they are not responsible for – various damages that appear due to the customer’s indelicate handling or the expired service life. Thus, such companies as Menlo Systems provide their clients with a 14-day warrant along with their electronics (â€Å"Standard Terms and Conditions† par.36). Another vital aspect that the terms and conditions essentially elucidate is the indication of the part that is responsible for the â€Å"poor† quality. In other words, the supplier should not be obliged to pay for the defects that are caused due to the fault of the customer, so this point is to be included in the terms and conditions as well. As long as it is highly problematic to find the part that is responsible for the defect, one suggests that the state of the good’s quality is monitored at every stage of the procurement and supply chains.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Specialists note that the quality issue has three main aspects that should be necessarily enlightened in any terms and conditions: defining, ensuring and managing (Sollish and Semanik 189). On the whole, most of the standard terms and conditions cover all the three points. Hence, the primary aim of this document is to describe the quality of the provided good as detailed as possible. Such an explicit description will help to avoid the client’s claim relating to the poor quality. As to the ensuring aspect, the supplier is to take the responsibility for providing the described quality of the goods, which means that one is equally in charge of the production of the item and its delivery. The managing aspect can be handled with the help of monitoring the item’s quality at every stage of the supply chain. According to the relevant terms and conditions, the potential defects are to be fixed by the part that is responsible for the particular stage of supply . Meanwhile, the defect issue should have a thorough and precise formulation in the terms and conditions. Otherwise, the customer might want to return the product due to its wrong size or color that cannot be regarded as a defect. Thus, for example, Menlo Systems states that their warranty does not cover the minor order discrepancies such as the size and the color of the purchased product. As a consequence, their clients cannot claim for a refund, although the company can agree to perform the necessary replacement (â€Å"Standard Terms and Conditions† par.41). The Risks of Extension of Time Apart from receiving a high-quality product the customer is equally interested in the timely delivery. The aspects of quality and time are closely connected; therefore, the extension of time is one of the most important issues on the terms and conditions list. The terms and conditions should, one the one side, protect the client from unwanted delays and take into account all the urgent inc idents that the supplier might face, on the other side. Specialists point out that time risks play an important role in the procurement and supply process and can cause significant financial loss in case one does not pay due regard to them (Harland and Walker 57). As a consequence, one suggests that the issue of the extension of time is formulated in the terms and conditions as precisely as possible. First of all, the terms and conditions should introduce the notions of â€Å"permissible delay† and â€Å"crucial delay† in order to differentiate the extent of the supplier’s responsibility in both cases. Thus, for example, the supplier might initially state the permissible extension of time that will take into consideration the possible unexpected incidents. The permissible extension is to be identified in accordance with the character of the supplied goods. Some specialists claim that considerable part of contracts does not include the aspects of time extension i n the terms and conditions at all. In this case, any discrepancy with the initially set deadline can lead to setting a penalty (Van der Puil and van Weele 216). One suggests that the terms and conditions enlighten all the types of potential extensions of time. Therefore, whereas the permissible delay is admitted by both the parts, in the case of crucial delays the supplier is obliged to return the money paid for the goods. Hence, for example, Menlo Systems’ terms and conditions do not include the separate point that would describe the possibility of the extension of time. It means that both the client and the supplier are obliged to act within the set deadline; the abuse of the accepted conditions will be regarded as the nonfulfillment of the contract (â€Å"Standard Terms and Conditions† par.21).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Procurement and Supply specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The R isks of Increased Costs Whereas the terms defining the time and quality issues are equally accepted by both parts, the question of cost often becomes the sticking points. The supplier’s and the customer’s interests are naturally different when dealing with the pricing aspect. A supplier is likely to insist on the pricing policy that will be most beneficial for him or her while a customer is mainly concerned about possible increased costs. One should necessarily note that the issue of increased costs is one of the most ambiguous aspects that should be included on the terms and conditions list, and the neglect of this point can lead to crucial disagreement between the supplier and the client. On the one hand, the terms and conditions are aimed at protecting a client from unregulated cost increases. On the other hand, a supplier frequently has to increase the initial cost due to the unfavorable conditions such as the growing prices of the raw materials or the delivery ser vice. Therefore, on suggests that the terms and conditions include the point of permissible rise that will equally fit the interests of both parts. Moreover, one can also state the precise time period during which the possibility of the growing prices is excluded. Specialists tend to believe that the best way to manage the following issue is to exclude the increased costs within the period of the contract validity. Thus, the terms and conditions of a short-term contract can be put more precisely and work more efficiently in comparison with the long-term agreements the terms and conditions of which can hardly be altered (Ochonma 20). Meanwhile, a supplier receives more benefits if the point of increased costs is not included on the terms and conditions list at all. In such a manner, a supplier receives the right to raise the cost of the offered products or services in accordance with the current conditions. Thus, for example, the standard terms and conditions of Menlo Systems do not have a point that would explain the increased costs issue (â€Å"Standard Terms and Conditions† par.20). As a consequence, one suggests that the best way to handle the increased costs issue is to work out a short-term contract the terms and conditions of which will exclude the possibility of increased costs. Such a decision is likely to be equally beneficial for both a supplier and a customer. Thus, the latter will be thoroughly protected from extra fees during the contracts, and the supplier will receive a chance to monitor the applied pricing policy and make the necessary allowances as soon as it expires. The Risks of Unethical Practice The problem of ethical behavior in business activity is very complex and complicated. One is likely to face a series of difficulties while trying to fix the terms and conditions in a way that they are able to regulate the cases of unethical practice and actions efficiently. The major problem is that it is almost impossible to predict what th e potential unethical action will be like. Marianne Jennings notes that the worst aspect of the unethical practice is that it is often legal and, thus, can hardly be restricted (42). The legality of unethical behavior makes it difficult to include the relevant points on the terms and conditions list so that they fit both the parts. One should necessarily point out that the most challenging aspect of including such points in the contract is formulating them as precisely as possible because every minor ambiguity can turn out to do significant harm to the business relations.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nevertheless, one suggests that it is still possible to avoid the most typical unethical actions in case they are reasonably included on the terms and conditions list. Therefore, while working out the terms and conditions, one can include the point that obliges the supplier to warn the client of the existing drawbacks that the offered product has. The practice shows that most companies still tend to neglect the ethical points; therefore, one can hardly find the relative points in the majority of the standard terms and conditions. Thus, for example, Menlo Systems’ terms and conditions do not enlighten the issue of unethical behavior either the supplier’s or the customer’s one (â€Å"Standard Terms and Conditions† par.38). Meanwhile, some specialists note that the question of unethical practice is of more significance that one might assume. The wide-spread device that implies â€Å"hidden costs† can likewise be considered as an unethical practice (Je nnings 2010). Therefore, one presumes that the best way to avoid potential unethical activity one has to be highly precise while formulating all the price and time conditions. The more detailed the relevant terms are, the fewer opportunities one has for unethical practices. The Battle of Forms As long as the terms and conditions are worked out, it is equally important that they are accepted by both parts. The â€Å"battle of the forms† concept is one of the most typical problems that appear in business practice. Whereas, theoretically, the offer and the acceptance are to coincide, the practice shows that things are often different, and the parts have to spend a lot of time on negotiations trying to come to an agreement. Thus, the single discrepancy in the two contracts might result in a client’s switching to another supplier (â€Å"Battle of the Forms† par.1). Whereas the necessity to come to an agreement seems to be beyond any doubts, each part is still interes ted in promoting its own terms and conditions. In order to ensure that any agreement is carried out under one’s own terms and conditions, one should necessarily include the relevant point on the terms and conditions list. Hence, the initially set proviso that the relevant conditions should prevail over the terms of any other contract is likely to eliminate potential problems and disagreements. However, one should necessarily point out that the relevant point on the terms and conditions list of a supplier might contradict significantly with the interests of potential clients. Therefore, it is reasonable to include the following point only on condition that the company has a large client base and is sure of the customers’ loyalty. According to the analysis of the examples of standard conditions and terms lists of different companies, one might note that most of them include the point determining the prevalence of their terms over those of their clients. Thus, for example , Menlo Systems indicate the essential condition that the supplier’s terms should be regarded as uncontestable in the case of any discrepancies with the clients’ interests and conditions (â€Å"Standard Terms and Conditions† par.47). Monitoring and Management As long as the terms and conditions are accepted by the parts, it is crucial that both the supplier and the client follow them. The best way to monitor the relevant performance is to include the special point on the terms and conditions list that would determine the proper measures in case of offending the conditions of a contract. Some specialists note that the introduction of large fines is the most efficient tool for preventing the terms and conditions’ nonfulfillment (Atkin and Adrian 123). Furthermore, the terms and conditions should also enlighten the question of ending the business partnership and describe all the actions that one needs to perform in order to do that. Thus, one suggests that t he terms and conditions do not allow any part to end the cooperation unless one of the partners was informed in advance and all the extra fees were duly paid. Meanwhile, one should necessarily note that efficient monitoring is most probable in those cases when one deals with a short-term contract. In other words, one should have an opportunity to alter the terms and conditions and adjust them to the current environment. As long as the monitoring shows that some of the contract’s points work improperly, one cannot exclude them from the terms and conditions list until the contract expires. Therefore, one suggests that apart from introducing various measures of control, one should also work out the point that allows changing the initial terms and conditions upon the agreement of both the supplier and the client. The study of various companies and their terms and conditions shows that the majority of standard lists mention the measures that should be taken unless all the points o f the contract are followed. Thus, Menlo Systems suggests that any violation is to be compensated by a relevant fine regardless of the part that has carried it out (â€Å"Standard Terms and Conditions† par.50). Conclusion Therefore, setting out good terms and conditions can become a determining factor of the performance’s efficiency. The more detailed the accepted terms are, the more positive and confident both parts will feel. It is presumed that the relevant procedure should be regarded as the priority for any entrepreneur (â€Å"Setting out Good Terms and Conditions for Your Small Business† par.2). One should necessarily point out that the set of terms and condition is likely to help a supplier avoid a series of potential challenges and difficulties in case it is thoroughly worked out. Thus, for example, the analysis has shown that the most significant points that should be particularly considered are the issues of time and cost. The delays and the unexpected cost growing can lead to a crucial problem in any business relationships. Moreover, it is equally important to make sure that one’s terms and conditions will have a prevailing power over those of the other part. The majority of specialists agree upon the point that the set of terms and conditions is of primary importance for any business relationships (Wincel 21). Works Cited Atkin, Brian and Adrian Brooks. Total Facility Management, Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley Sons, 2014. Print. Battle of the Forms 2002. Web. Harland, Christine, Richard Brenchley and Helen Walker. † Risk in Supply Networks.† Journal of Purchasing Supply Management 9.1 (2003): 51-62. Print. Jennings, Marianne. Business: Its Legal, Ethical, and Global Environment, Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. Ochonma, Ernest. Procurement and Supply Chain Management: Emerging Concepts, Strategies and Challenges, Bloomington: AuthorHouse, 2015. Print. Setting out Good Terms and Conditions fo r Your Small Business 2013. Web. https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2013/feb/06/terms-and-conditions-small-business. Sollish, Fred and John Semanik. The Procurement and Supply Manager’s Desk Reference, Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, 2012. Print. Standard Terms and Conditions 2015. Web. https://www.menlosystems.com/legals/standard-terms-and-conditions/. Van der Puil, John and Arjan van Weele. International Contracting: Contract Management in Complex Construction Projects, London: World Scientific, 2013. Print. Wincel, Jeffrey. Lean Supply Chain Management: A Handbook for Strategic Procurement, New York, New York: Productivity Press, 2004. Print. This research paper on Procurement and Supply was written and submitted by user Thunderball 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.

Dear Abby Letters for Learning English

Dear Abby Letters for Learning English This lesson plan focuses on modeling a lesson on Dear Abby, written by Abigail Van Burenin, in order to practice a wide range of English skills including reading, vocabulary extension, writing, and pronunciation. Its a fun exercise that helps students practice concepts they have learned in class and is suitable for upper intermediate to advanced level students. Introduction to Dear Abby For those of you who have never heard of Dear Abby, Dear Abby is an advice column in the United States which is syndicated in many newspapers throughout the country. People from all walks of life write in with their problems - family, financial, but mostly relationships - to ask for advice from Dear Abby. Writers usually sign the letters to Dear Abby with a descriptive phrase such as Hoping to feel better soon or Looking for an answer. Abby then replies to the letters with sound advice that is usually quite reasonable, even for very complicated situations. Why Advice Columns in Class? Using advice columns in class allows students have quite a bit of fun with some crazy - or not so crazy - situations while, at the same time, practicing some very high-level skills and integrating quite a lot of new vocabulary related to relationships, family life, etc. I have found students enjoy themselves. However, they also feel challenged as they will need to communicate in both written and spoken form. Lesson Outline Aim: Practice reading, writing, and pronunciation with special focus on giving advice Activity: Reading, then creating and finally presenting and commenting orally on advice column letters Level: Upper intermediate to advanced Outline Begin by introducing advice columns by asking students whether they have ever read an advice column. If they are unfamiliar with this term, describe a typical reader letter and advice response as most students will be familiar with this type of column.Read or show the students an example Dear Abby letter provided as an example at the bottom of this page.Split students into pairs.Visit Dear Abby online and present a few letters and responses to your student. Its best if you use a projector in class, but using one or more computers can work as well.Ask each pair to read both the reader letter and the response of different columns. Students should take note of new vocabulary and expressions to share with the rest of the class.Once students understand their advice column, have them switch partners and each partner should explain the basic problem and response of the advice letter they read.After students have worked through their readings, list new vocabulary and discuss idiomatic usage with the entire class. Have each student write their own advice column letter. Go around the room helping the students with grammar and vocabulary issues.Once everyone has written their advice column letter, quickly review the concept of stress and intonation as a means of improving pronunciation skills.Ask students to mark up their letter by underlining content words to help with pronunciation.Have each student read their advice column letter to the class. Students should then choose an Abby to provide suggestions on their issue.If students have difficulty in understanding, request that the letter in question be reread by the student to the class. Advice Column Letters Worried about Love Dear ...: I dont know what to do! My boyfriend and I have been dating for over two years, but I feel like he doesnt really love me. He rarely asks me out anymore: We dont go to restaurants, or shows. He doesnt buy me even the smallest of presents. I love him, but I think hes taking me for granted. What should I do? - Worried About Love Response Dear Worried About Love: I think its clear from your description that your boyfriend doesnt really love you. Two years is not such a long time to be dating, and the fact that he treats you like a toy he can ignore speaks volumes about his true feelings. Get out of the relationship as fast as you can! There are many more wonderful men out there who will appreciate, and treasure your love - dont waste it on an oaf who clearly has no clue as to your worth!

Barriers to Communication Essay Example for Free (#2)

Barriers to Communication Essay The communication topic that I have chosen to write about is The Barriers to Communication in the in the workplace. My focus will be on the Apple Organization as well as other organizations that have had communications issues. My interest in this topic stems from the fact that I’ve encountered many barriers to effective communication while in the work place. I understand personally how ineffective communication by all levels of an organization can lead to the decrease work morals, productivity etc. I am also interested in this topic in that as a Business Management major I would like to be as affective in my communication with the organization I will join as well as with the individuals that will comprise the company. Based on a research done In July 2011, a Maritz Poll, an annual employee attitude survey conducted by Maritz Research, reported that 25 percent of employees indicated having less trust in their management than they did the previous year. Bad communication breaks down trust. Barriers to communication in the work place can be very detrimental to the sustainability, longevity and success to the organization. There are numerous barriers that effect communication in the work place. According to skillsyouneed.com, these barriers range from nonverbal communication, lack of feedback and cultural differences. These barriers to communication may and can occur at any stage in the communication process. Barriers may lead to your message becoming distorted and you therefore risk wasting both time and/or money by causing confusion and misunderstanding. Effective communication involves overcoming these barriers and conveying a clear and concise message. References Barriers to effective communication. (n.d.). need.com/ips/barriers-communication.html Duggan, T. (n.d.). Communication problems in a business.

Faith Integration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Faith Integration - Essay Example Today, marketing management is more than the delivery of goods and services to customers. It is the science and art of effectively selecting target markets, maintain and growing customers base by developing, availing and communicating greater customer value (Kotler & Keller, 2012). Thus, the verse correlates to the marketing management principles in a way. The verse gives an assurance to the Israelites whom may be considered as the customers. Joshua is the individual who is developing and delivering to them through communicating the value attached to God’s Promised Land. Joshua was informed that there was an assurance of victory. Likewise in marketing management perspective, there is an assurance of market target and growing customer base through effectively obeying and applying accepted marketing principles. For instance, marketing management should be ethical and never apply malpractices. The book of Joshua talks of, â€Å"Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged". Through analysis, God gives encouragement and hope to the Israelites that He won’t forsake them as long as they trust in Him (Spence, 2013). This particular part of the Scripture echoes to marketing management to be hopeful despite the dynamic business environment that they operate. The dynamic business environment that marketers operate is full of competition and unethical practices, and as such, the verse prepares marketing managers in the world full of intimidation (Sites, et al., 2009). From a religious point of view, the marketing management is required to translate this statement to be a motivation from God, and use the energy to propel the company to a profitable level. Other qualities of marketing management include developing plans, capturing insights, building the brand, shaping the market offerings, and creating Long-Term growth. These tasks also pertain to what Joshua had to do. For example, Joshua had to develop a proper plan in the best way possible to attack Jericho. Likewise,

Should Global Interests Be Placed Ahead of National Interests Essay

Should Global Interests Be Placed Ahead of National Interests - Essay Example This proliferation of globalization has totally changed the concept of business, and its role not only in defining the respective economies, but also shaping cultural, political and social values. It is argued that we are fast losing our unique identity and the concept of global citizenship instead of nationalist attitude is fast gaining momentum. Global identity has transcends all geographic boundaries and has defined mass behavior and consumption patterns. It has resulted in globalization of businesses, economies, societies and even to some extent, globalization of human capital. This paper aims at studying whether global interests should be given priority over national interests? What is more beneficial? Is there any clash between the interests of the two? Discussion Globalization is argued as the most contested concept that refers to the shrinkage of time and space. Manfred Steger defined globalization as â€Å"A social condition characterized by tight global economic, political , cultural and environmental interconnections and flows that make most of the currently existing borders and boundaries irrelevant.† There can be many different social manifestations of globalization. One perspective can be about individualism, competition and capitalism while other can be about cooperation and communal norms. It gives globalization an indeterminate character. The term globalization refers to a social process that transforms our present social identity that is bounded with nationality into a global identity. What we observe today is global cities like New York, London, and Tokyo etc that has transcended regional, local and national boundaries. This global imagery is growing people’s perception of belonging to a global community (Steger). What we are experiencing right now is a period of global change. People all around the globe are affected by common economic, political and social and environmental changes. Hence globalization has economic, social and environmental dimensions. These global changes include increased competition, fluctuating interest rates, advancements in technology, ecological and climate changes, the fall of communism, rise of China, and the growing ethnic violence. Each individual is affected in some way by all these global changes. These global changes have made the globalization inevitable. These interconnected global change are neither omnipresent nor a uniform process. Its impact has also varied greatly in intensity from country to country to country and individual to individual. Its implications are often unexpected and consequences can be good or bad depending on the setting (Schaeffer). Globalization makes the distance or location irrelevant or at the least very less important. Ideas, technology, books, capital and human resource etc has transcended all geographical boundaries. It travels very easily, fluidly at an unimaginable speed. In fact its geographical location has become irrelevant, and it even d oes not have to move from one place to another. The main driving forces behind this aspect of globalization are technological and economic forces. This delocalization aspect of globalization has its political and cultural implications as well. It includes all aspects and manner in which social life is alienated from its local context. Vulnerability of national boundaries has also increased as a result of globalization. Flow of capital, knowledge

Assess the view that women Essay Example for Free

Assess the view that women Essay In order to fully assess the view that women are stereotyped and symbolically annihilated in the media, the two terms; Stereotype and symbolic annihilation must be defined. A stereotype is a negative name given to a group of individuals and which is always an ideological name so that it supports an already existing idea. For example, as the sociologist Meehan found, women are often represented as matriarchs or witches in TV dramas and soaps. Stereotyping is also seen as an ordering process that brings order to potential chaos by the means of relating groups of people so we can understand them. Symbolic annihilation is the way in which a certain group of people are featured less or are totally erased from the media. Within the media, women have been symbolically annihilated if they are not slim, beautiful or fashionable for instance. Instead, all women shown in the media are slim, attractive and seemingly very image conscious. The 3 main types of media in which women have been stereotyped and symbolically annihilated are; TV, magazines and Video games. Research carried out by the sociologist D. M Meehan into the way women are portrayed in television, revealed that women are categorised into 10 different character types. These character types are; The imp, The goodwife, The harpy, The bitch, The victim, the decoy, The siren, The courtesan, The witch and The matriarch. Obviously the imp is a rebellious tomboy character, the Goodwife is a domestic, attractive, home centred character, the bitch is a sneak and a cheat and the courtesan is close to being a prostitute. Even though these findings were released in 1983, they are still relevant today because there are some characters in modern soap operas who still fit into the 10 character types. For example, Pauline from Eastenders is an example of a good housewife, as is Monica in friends. Also, Janine from Eastenders is an example of the courtesan and Steph from neighbours is an example of the imp. Others findings of Meehans study are that women are portrayed as either good or evil, and never a combination, that good women are portrayed as submissive, sensitive and domesticated and that bad women are often portrayed as being rebellious, independent and selfish. Another main finding of Meehans study was that female occupations were limited to a few, primarily housewife, receptionist and whore and that women are portrayed as lacking any sexual appetite. However, studies such as Meehans can be criticized for being dated, because most of the TV programs researched were from the 1960s and 1970s, but because these TV shows are still being shown on satellite channels it means that the study is still relevant. Another type of media in which women are stereotyped and symbolically annihilated is magazines. Almost all women who are shown in magazines are; slim, attractive, fashionable, white and have perfect skin etc. However, when you look more closely at these magazines, you also find that almost all women are portrayed as being in fairly poor jobs and are portrayed as sex objects. The sociologist Ferguson said that womens magazines deal with material that is considered too trivial for general media and that these magazines tell women what to do and how to think about themselves, their men and their colleagues. In adverts within magazines, twice as many women appeared with children than men and women are rarely shown outdoors, instead in the house being depicted as a housewife. Since the 1980s, there has been increased awareness of eating disorders among young people, especially girls, and statistics indicate that the frequency of eating disorders is increasing. The main reason behind this are magazines aimed at teenage girls, which are too preoccupied with romance and reinforcing a dominant ideology of femininity. These magazines show pictures of slim, attractive, beautiful young women, and this causes the readers to strive to achieve unrealistic body sizes girls as young as 11 and 12 are worried about their weight and body size. The sociologist Bruch said that illness is related to the enormous emphasis fashion places on being slim. Movies and magazines carry this message, but the most persistent message is portrayed through TV. The message says that one cannot be loved or respected if you are not slender. Also, the sociologist Coward said that advertising encourages women to view their body as a project, similar to DIY, which can be worked upon and improved. Therefore, some women are symbolically annihilated from this type of media, because only women who are slim, attractive and fashionable appear in them, but you hardly ever see any other type of woman. However, a criticism by the sociologist Hermes points out that people derive pleasure from these magazines and from interviews she found that people found them relaxing and educative. One other type of media that stereotypes and symbolically annihilates women is video games. The sociologist Provenzo pointed out that video games show a very stereotypical view of both males and females. The games are very macho and women are often depicted in poses of ritual subordination. In most video games, women are acted upon rather than being initiators of action and in the game Double Dragon for example, Billy has to rescue Marian, his kidnapped girlfriend. The cover for this game depicts Billy supporting Marian, her dress in shreds and her tank top ripped. Another aspect of video games is that women are not even named very often, instead being referred to as someones girlfriend or the princess. Video games are often very Macho in orientation, depicting boxing, car racing and so on, and the roles of both males and females in such scenarios are very limited. Finally, both male and female characters within such video games are always portrayed and depicted as young and being physically ideal. Therefore there is an aspect of symbolic annihilation in video games too, because only a certain type of character is portrayed as you rarely see a fat, old man for instance. After looking at these 3 media types, I can say the women are indeed stereotyped and symbolically annihilated within them. All of the 3 medias show in ideal image of women; slim, attractive and fashionable, but this raises a question does the media create the people in society or do the people in society create what goes into the media? I think that it is the people who create what goes into the media, because things that get printed or shown are things that people in society want to see. In conclusion, you can also look at the feminist view of the media to try to see if women are stereotyped and symbolically annihilated. Liberal feminists believe that journalists have learnt to portray women in a particular way, usually classless and family based. Radical feminists see men as the enemy. Men hold dominant positions in the media and they consciously manipulate the content for their own benefit, and to the detriment of women Finally, socialist feminists blame the capitalist structure for the disadvantaged position of women in society and that the role of the media is to sustain the capitalist system and the role of women within it.

Medical Advances Essay -- Essays Papers

Medical Advances Besides the computer revolution, medical advances have caused tension between faith and reason. The medical advances of the Twentieth Century have many beneficial effects for humanity. Diseases that used to be dangerous or life threatening, like mumps, measles, and whooping cough, are no longer worries in todays medical world. Tetanus, typhoid, and the bubonic plaque can now be treated with antibiotics or other medicines. Vaccines, especially the polio vaccine, freed many people from the effects of a disease. Advances in heart surgery and organ transplants have saved many lives. Anesthetics and painkillers have been made to reduce or eliminate pain during surgery or a painful disease. Advances in cancer and AIDS have also been made, although many of the details of these diseases are yet to be learned. Another area of medical advancement is genetic engineering. Genetic engineering will detect and possibly stop diseases before birth. Many diseases are associated with specific genes that can be checked for disease and replaced if dysfunctional. Genetic testing has already revealed genetic mutations that cause hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, colon cancer, polycystic kidney disease, Alzheimers disease, and others. (5) Replacing missing, altered, inactive, or dysfunctional genes will prevent diseases or even death. Also, progression of a disease can be monitored, and proactive measures against recurrence and relapse of the disease can be made. Molecular medicine in genetics will also improve the design and testing of new drugs. Cloning is another new medical advance that allows for many great possibilites. Exact organ matches for organ transplants could be made through cloning. Animal... ...e" specific traits in people could lead to the "creating" of a specific person, also known as cloning. Although the ability to create people could mean Mother Teresa could be re-created or cloned, this ability also means Hitler could be re-created or cloned. The effects of this power depend upon whose hands the power is in. So, who has the power to play God? This question needs to be answered to decide if many of the latest medical advances are justifiable. Obviously, only God can have the power to be God. Only He truly understands peopleà ­s purpose on earth since He put them there. Court cases and congressional actions are taking place to decide how the United States stands on the ethics of medical procedures. Humans have been working hard to find medical techniques to save life and now all this progress is being reverted, especially through abortions and euthanasia.

Human Resource Information Systems Essay

Employees’ retention and keeping them satisfied so that they work on their full capacity and be productive for the company is very important. They should be well motivated and the programs like compensation, training and development and base salary should set such that employees feel that the company values them and their hard work a lot. For all this, the company’s human resource department has to put in all of this data into the computer system and then to manage it for further references in future. This information is then saved in the company’s system and special software’s are there to handle them for the company. Since the human resource department happens to bear the responsibility of the organization in the terms of the range of tasks for the employees and how the employees are supposed to interact with each other depending on their assigned designations and with other businesses. The software’s used in the human resource department have a range which starts from performing a primary function, to all complete software suits which are designed to solve all the needs of human resource department may have. These software target all the functions of human resource like payroll, benefits, for employees, recruiting, compliance and many more. This information maintained is so sensitive that it must be and should be handled by the human resource department only, and should be uploaded on their network map drives rather than on every other department’s, which might cause trouble as they would be able to access it. In this report, it would also be discussed that which of the software the companies use would be the best for them because of their efficiency and the time they consume to give out results to them. Human resource information technology faces many needs. Like mentioned above, human resource department has to solve many assignments related to the payroll of the employees, the benefits the employees get on their performance they show for the company. Other software or the multi task software check about the employees and keeps a record of their designations and the promotions they get further in their careers. The last part of compliance software is used to ensure that the policies they are making do not abuse the company mission and other goals they really want to achieve. For the payroll part of human resource, human resource department needs those softwares that can do the basic function for them like calculation all the employees pay according to their given designations. This software must also be able to take calculations of the employees hourly and monthly pay. It should also be able to calculate the compensations and the uncompensated time given by the employee and added and adjusted in the employees’ salaries ( . Kavanagh and Thite, 2008) These softwares should be such that they automatically cut the taxes from the salaries of the employees of the company, and this tax should be both pre – tax income and post – tax income of the employees especially when the employees have elected for the pre – tax deduction, which are known as the 410K, cafeteria, plan and medical deductions. Deduction management should also take place in this software, so that the employees do not have to do it manually, which cause some man error in calculations. If this is done manually, it would take a lot of time to get done with every employee of the company and their might be some errors too. The other department of human resource where they need information technology is at the benefits area. Softwares which is multi tasking or who performs solely benefit functions helps the human resource employees by making them track every other employee of the company, its accrual and the usage of benefits they get. This would also count paid time off, and the payments which are given on time. This software would also help the human resource employee to check whether the other employees’ are eligible for the medical and health related benefits. All those fringe benefits provided by the company like health clubs, to its employees may also be tracked the human resource department at the need of information. That is why, the companies’ need a software which would help them out the benefits for all the employees of the company and keep a record whether they are eligible for it or not. The third part is employees. This is an important part since it’s the duty of the human resource department to do the hiring and selecting of the employees and then later retain them for the company. Since the company is not run by only two or three department but by many, the number of employees is a lot too then. To keep a track on all of the employees, who are currently employed by the company is very hard and that too by their designations. Softwares help the human resource department people as they set a range of the designation for the employees and to the employees group at very different level of the organization. For employees, the human resource department would need few basic functions from the softwares. Human resources would like the softwares to have tracking system and also feature recording of employees’ performance, their attendances and absences and lastly the development and the work they are putting in for the company. This would help the company as they would know how much effort is been put in by the employees and who then becomes eligible for the compensation or the bonuses. This software may also have these features such as management of compensation, time information system, software which could do assessments on employee skills, on their training and education and a record on their behavior with other employees, especially if they got themselves into conflicts or an incident in which they have resolved things. Recruiting is another part of human resource department which requires software to do their task on every process of the recruitment. This software would have every employee’s job descriptions according to the designations and this may also help in future while hiring new people on those posts. Software might also help the human resource staff by storing extra information of prospective background and relocation of the employees among the departments and lastly, about the new employees who had been hired by the company. Lastly it’s compliance which is to be dealt by the human resource. Any software related to it would help the department by letting them know that whatever the company they are working for is complying with, is actually applicable with the laws or not. This includes the process of hiring new employees, so that no nepotism occurs and the qualified people are not left behind. No employee is fired or terminated without any legal reason. The education criterion matches the job post requirement and should also store information complaints regarding sexual harassment. Also that the company complies with all of the federal regulations they are supposed to follow. For human resource department, the best softwares they have found so far for their work to be done very efficiently are the OrangeHRM suite software and the other software is by the Microsoft, named Microsoft Dynamics suite which also happen to be single-source providers. These are considered to be the best softwares for the companies to complete their human resource related tasks. These softwares are such that they not only manage the tasks of the human resource department very efficiently but they also consumer less time to complete the assignment. The other softwares are Ajiva Simple HR which is considered to be a least expensive product and does all the functions required by the human resources. The information of this is available in the forms of graphical dashboard. Other software is of People-Trak HR which is affordable too and gets more expensive on adding more features ( Rashid, 2009). There are other softwares too for the human resource departments. There are other softwares too available for the completion of human resource department task. They are mostly related to the payroll like mentioned above, then work time of the employees, and the benefits administration to keep a track of who is eligible to get one or not. Recruiting softwares are also available and training and learning management system softwares are there too to help the employees the human resource department to sort out their things more easily (Sleezer, Wentling and Cude, 2002). Performance record softwares are also available for the human resource department that sorts out the bonuses or the incentives the employees would get according to their performance they have shown for the company. Lastly, appraisal softwares are also there so that the human resource department can collect online information about the views the employees hold for their company and their jobs and then make policies out of them so that the employees are highly motivated. Before selecting the software technology, the company must make sure whether the software they are going to get from the other source has enough flexibility and scalability for the human resource department and its tasks or not. The employees should determine that whether the data could be imported from the excel spread sheets, its databases and other paper documents, all those things which contain important data that needs to be put into computer, otherwise it would create a problem. The software should also be able to take in the information and do filter of things which it needs to take in and store in specific data bases. Companies should also check whether the software is able to accommodate the human resource department of the companies. If true software is picked out for the enrollment, it will evaluate the enrollment activity and impose all the necessary rules and combination of rules, messages and other ways to meet and fulfill the eligibility of the requirements which are desired.

Panopticism by Michel Foucault Essay

In Foucault’s Essay on Panopticism he describes how in the Seventeenth Century they began to control the spread of a plague. He begins by explaining what measures were taken to control the plague, such as quarantine and forced separation. One thing that really stood out to me is that he said everyone is locked up in his cage which makes me think of a prison but they were in there own houses. Throughout the essay he breaks down our social/economical systems and explains societies mentality on the law system. Many times his explanation is very much based off of J. Bentham’s â€Å"Panopticon†. Which in todays view we would describe as a prison. These forms of discipline were used during the plagues, which has been the support for much of the discipline that was apparent during that time. He also explains how he feels a person should be disciplined and he looks at it from many different angles. I think this is how he describes a disciplinary action and is a key model for all to follow. In disciplining that way it would make the individual a better person, â€Å"exercising power without division† is an example. Foucault’s essay is very interesting because I can relate it to our society now and how much control our government has over us. For an example the prison system, even though we aren’t quarantining people with diseases by putting them â€Å"away†. We use the system to keep a balance in the society. And in a way it keeps a lot of people in line by knowing what the consequences are of committing a crime. And I think that is what Foucault is essentially describing when he talks about the quarantine.

Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay Example

Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay Example Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay ?The Great Gatsby is a novel hailed as one of the greatest books of all time. Its many vague motifs provide for a unique experience upon every reading and a literary digestion that accompanies few novels beside it. It is a prime epitomization of the roaring twenties, and many immediately think of The Great Gatsby upon mention of â€Å"the American Dream.† F. Scott Fitzgerald makes this idea extremely prevalent throughout each chapter, emphasizing that the American Dream is truly unattainable, through its representation in the green light, Tom and Daisy’s unhappiness despite their apparent possession of it, and Gatsby’s terminal inability to achieve it. The green light is a significant symbol of the American Dream, which becomes apparent early on in the book. At the end of chapter 1, Nick observes a figure outside of Gatsby’s mansion that he infers to be Mr. Gatsby himself, and he narrates: I decided to call to him. Miss Baker had mentioned him at dinner, and that would do for an introduction. But I didnt call to him, for he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone-he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward-and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock. When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished, and I was alone again in the unquiet darkness. (21) : Gatsby has a desire throughout the entire book to live happily with Daisy amongst his wealth and vast estate. The fact that the light is green is indicative of the money aspect of the American Dream, and it is fitting because of Daisy’s background of inherited wealth. Daisy in herself is a symbol of money, and Gatsby’s arms outstretched toward Daisy’s light, not able to fully reach it, are representative of his failure to achieve the American Dream. A key piece of informa

Preamble of the United States' Constitution Essay

Preamble of the United States' Constitution - Essay Example The language used in the preamble of the US’ constitution envisions an American society where citizens are granted the freedom to develop appropriate sets of beliefs that governs the way they relate to each other. It states further that the monarchy does not have divine rights over its subjects. The source of power rests with citizens because they were born with it. The monarchy was established by the citizens for protection purposes. Citizens agreed to obey the monarchy and in return, the latter would protect their innate rights (Loflin 7). The preface of the US constitution guarantees freedom and posterity to all American citizens (Borgwardt 10). The constitution of United States promotes a democratic system that guarantees pluralism and self-government. With regard to pluralism, citizens have the liberty to develop customs and beliefs that will govern their lives. With respect to self-rule, citizens are granted the freedom to partake in the development of polity in which they reside and in its ensuing governance (Loflin 3). As note above, the language of the preamble promotes the general wellbeing of US citizens. It also states that citizens have rights to elect a government that will protect their interests. Consequently, the working class citizens can use the democratic process to elect leaders that will promote their welfare (Borgwardt 10). Borgwardt, Elizabeth. All the clauses in the Preamble to the Constitution are worth fighting for: FDR’s Four Freedoms and Mid-century Transformation in America’s Discourse of Rights. Washington University: St. Louis, n.d.

Women in the Ancient Mediterranean Research Paper

Women in the Ancient Mediterranean - Research Paper Example Implicit within the patriarchal ideology was the perception that those outside the hegemonic male were losers and inferior to males. The paper explores the status and role of women in ancient Mediterranean. A review of women’s agency in ancient civilizations such as Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Rome demonstrates the social, political, and cultural factors that propelled female empowerment. In addition to the powerful images of goddesses and women’s roles within the religious sphere, women’s activities manifested within other social realms including economic, health, war, poetry, governance, and philosophy (Rutland 16). Largely, the sphere of religious practice can be regarded as an opportunity for exceptional women to attain their own value within a culture that concisely defined feminine roles as subservient to masculine models. Hence, historians highlight the Minoan civilization that appeared to manifest several of female deities backing the assumption that women in Knossos benefited from religious gender democratization. In most cases, only exceptional women who are atypical of the mainstream impacted on the politics of the day, mainly through their husbands as was the case of Olympias (Alexander the Great mother). This observation also applies to Cleopatra VII, who was the final Pharaoh of the Ptolemaic dynasty. This was also true of the egalitarian early Christian church that largely relegated women to the home to serve their husbands (Walcot 163). Discussion In ancient Mediterranean, women ranked along property rather than separate legal persona. As a result, the control of women remained a male prerogative; hence, adultery or rape remained sins against the male members of the family (husband, father, and brothers), and only incidentally against the victim (woman). This is well captured in the book of Deuteronomy (22:25-8), whereby if a married woman is raped within the confines of the city and is not heard to cry out, the ordeal i s not considered rape but adultery, and as such, should be castigated accordingly. In the ancient Mediterranean, prostitutes were depicted as dangerous, capable of stripping men their virtue (at worse their masculinity) since they were not within the confines of a dominant male. Women came out as irrational, prone to hysteria, and sex-obsessed. Women, especially virgins formed a section of the limited good of the society as limited resources to be pursued and acquired by men of prestige, power, and wealth. Men epitomized status and honor while women epitomized decorum and purity and lack of these meant the presence of shame. The social stigma heightened the powerlessness of the woman (Walcot 163). For instance, upon registration, a prostitute lost her healthy liberties as a citizen and listed for life and marriage or motherhood could not eliminate her name from the list. This highlights that a prostitutes occupation was the core determinant of her entire life-style and the stigma as sociated with the occupation could not be eliminated. There is ample literature on the social structures of honor and shame and how they affected women within Mediterranean antiquity. Honor and shame acted as coordinates in an intricate matrix of other societal factors such as kinship, economic control, social networking, and social hierarchy. The honor code derived from gender roles linked to sex, whereby honor can be ascribed to men while shame to women. In this model, the honor of the family resides in its women (women embody the possibility for shame via their sexual conduct); however, men carry the responsibility for protecting women (considered as the â€Å"