Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Islam in indonesia - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 11 Words: 3405 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Islam in Indonesia Modern Indonesia is known for having the largest Muslim population by percentage of any country in the world.   Coming to Indonesia in the 13th century A.D., Islam has continued to spread, and approximately 90 % of the current population considers itself to be Muslim.Nevertheless, many forms of Islam practiced there combine animist, Hindu, and Buddhist elements from the countrys rich and varied religious past, creating an Islamic faith that looks different from that of the Orthodox Islam of the Middle East.   With over 17,000 islands spanning 3,000 miles along the equator, Indonesias Islamic variations differ significantly not only from other countries but also from one part of its own land to another. Still, while Islam dominates the political and social structure of Indonesia, the country still maintains its other religious roots; as one critic notes, Indonesias civilization is like a marbled layer cake.. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Islam in indonesia" essay for you Create order Convergence of Religions Before the introduction of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam into the country, early Indonesians were prominently animists who practiced ancestor and spirit worship. This form of religion, generally described as superstitious and ritualistic, believes that plants and animals, all living things, have a soul.   For instance, many Indonesians consider the waringin tree as sacred and a symbol of the vital essence. Thus they often bury animal sacrifices at the roots of the tree and no one is permitted to cut down the tree or its branches, otherwise severe punishment or even death ensues.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   As another example of animism, many Indonesians still believe hair to have a magic quality called mana.   Young men, therefore, are encouraged to send girls a lock of their hair in order to seduce them. Furthermore, the Indonesians hold many rituals regarding life and death; some very important for appeasing the dead souls or assisting them through the underworld.   Alth ough this dedication to the god and spirit of nature changed somewhat with the arrival of other religions, the natives usually just incorporated elements of their animist culture and superstitions into the new religions. In 1,500 A.D., the Hindu and Buddhist faiths came to Indonesia and meshed with the primitive animism of the country. The Indonesians accepted and accommodated these new beliefs by mixing them with each other, as well as with their own culture.   In fact, in many parts of Indonesia, the natives combined all three religions to create something of a new Hindu-Buddhist animism.   A great relic from the ninth century called the Borobudur temple on the island of Java evidences this unique blending of faiths.   As the largest Buddhist monument in the world, this great structure holds almost fourhundred images of Buddha, while simultaneously displaying many Hindu, Hindu-Buddhist, and animist sculptures.   With its conglomeration of different deities in one temple, Borobudur manifests the Indonesians unique combination of separate religions. As one example of a specifically Hindu-Buddhist convergence, Shiva, a Hindu god, was transformed into something of a Buddha i mage, while still keeping the Hindu name of Shiva.   As seen later, the Shiva god eventually adopts the Islam faith as well. The Shiva-Buddhist cult poignantly reflects the Indonesian mindset toward the variety of religions offered.   Despite these convergences, some places, such as the island of Bali, became solely Hindu and remain so to this day.Following the fusion of Hindu, Buddhist, and native religions, Islam appeared and lay yet another brick on the religious structure, which was held together by a mortar of deep cultural roots. Introduction of Islam Traveling to Indonesia by way of the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, Muslim traders and mystical literary figures first brought Islam to the country in the thirteenth century. Coming from India, this was the mainstream Sunni variant, which was initially founded in Arabia. Scholars speculate that the mystical Sufi tradition influenced this Islam, which could have been easily fused with the native Indonesian culture.   Sufi holy men are described as devout Muslim mystics renowned for the beauty of their music, poetryand their internal spiritual focus, rather than for seeking to impose their religion on their surroundings or onto politics.   As one scholar notes, although no evidence of Sufi communities from early centuries in Indonesia exists, Indonesians would have been more likely to accept the more mystical form of Islam than the strict, law-bound versions. One similarity between the Sufi and Indonesian cultures was the idea of having a teacher who formed around him a sm all group of disciples to pass on higher wisdom.   Also, the Indonesian and the Muslim both seemed to focus more on the correct ways in which to communicate to god instead rather than on the nature of god.   Furthermore, Indonesian tantric mantras were means of meditation similar to that of the Muslims, as the Muslims often recited the Koran or other Arabic texts. This form of Islam, therefore, could be easily incorporated into the native culture.   Because of the traders traveling routes, Islam spread most rapidly in the northern parts of Sumatra, Java, and the eastern archipelago.   Evidence of this beginning Islamization comes from Marco Polo.   In 1292 he landed in Sumatra where he found an Islamic town named Perlak.   Although Perlak was already Islamic with a Sunni monarch, Islam was not found within its surrounding towns.   One of the larger cities, Melaka, was a major impetus for the spread of Islam.   This rich port city controlled the Strait of Malacca and much of the archipelagos trade throughout the fifteenth century.   Iskandar Syah, a prince converted to Islam, founded Melaka, and through his rule, his successors, and the trading fleet he extended the religion to various parts of the archipelago.   Islam not only offered a simple message of personal faith and hope, but it could also give one favor and therefore success in trade or nobility; thus Indonesians had a dou ble incentive for conversion.   Still some regions were resistant to Islam, such as Bali and parts of Java that kept a more strictly Hindu culture. Islamic Expansion Islam branched out further in the sixteenth century, when Muslims began establishing Islamic kingdoms.   The Aceh kingdom, formed on the western part of Sumatra, was a region of major Islamic allegiance in the early sixteenth century and today is a part of Sumatra where Islamic character of population is most pronounced.   Also in the early 1500s the Portuguese came to Indonesia; although they intentionally brought Catholicism with them to Christianize the islands, their efforts inadvertently aided Islamization.By closing off the central ports to Indian Muslims, they pushed the Muslims with their Islam faith to smaller ports across the islands.   Islam, then, was taken to some of the more remote pockets of the widespread country. Nevertheless, Java still did not easily accept the faith. There, Majapahit was the last and greatest of the Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms that predominantly controlled the archipelago and surrounding regions in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The Islamic port towns conflicted with Majapahit power, however, and under the challenge of Islamization Hindu Javanese leaders fled to the small island of Bali to keep their faith alive.   Bali, as an exception in Indonesia, remains untouched by Islam to this day.   Those inland on Java eventually accepted Islam but only as a formal legal and religious context for Javanese spiritual culture.   In Java, Islam was allowed to exist only on Javanese cultural terms.    That is, only as in a form mixed with previously held religious beliefs.   Although most early conversions were peaceful, one scholar says that converted Islamic states sometimes waged war against traditional Hindu-Buddhist regions.   The same scholar also recognizes that because of inadequate historical records and evidence, the process of Islamization in Indonesia is somewhat unclear.Although some believe Hindu princes converted to Islam because of their desire for power, commerce, and riches, the legend of Sunan Kalidjaga offers a different perspective on the eventual conversion of inland Java. Kalidjaga was a prince in Java who grew up in the traditional Hindu-Buddhist culture of the Majapahit kingdom.   In a conversion experience similar to that of the apostle Paul on the road to Damascus, Kalidjaga had a vision of a Muslim religious leader who instructed him to spread the doctrine of Islam.   Consequently, the prince converted to Islam and began peacefully sharing the faith throughout Java.   He was thus able to bridge the two religions; for the Javanese, his life is the meaningful link between a world of god-kings, ritual priests, and declamatory shrines and one of pious sultans, Koranic scholars, and austere mosques.   Kalidjaga is considered, therefore, to be one of the wali sanga, or nine apostles, who helped bring peaceful conversions to Islam in Java. Because of the differences between Indonesian culture and the Islam of Mecca, however, conversion usually meant an acceptance of Islam wherein the faith would be combined with traditional and indigenous beliefs. Versions of Islam Most Indonesians, when converting to Islam, synchronized the new religion with their personal mixture of one or more of Hindu, Buddhist, or, animist religions, while a minority switched completely to Orthodox Islam.   Therefore, like the many diverse cultures of the islands, Islam began to take on different shapes across the country.   The two distinct versions of Islam, Orthodox and the blended , were in tension with one another.   A believer in Indonesia who became exclusively Muslim and adhered strictly to Mecca-oriented Islam and the laws of the Koran is called santri.   Santri can also signify a person who removes himself from the secular surroundings to devote himself to Islamic schools called pesantren, which translates literally as the place of the santri.   The second form of Islam commonly identified is called kebatinin.   This version is a mixture of Hindu-Buddhist beliefs, animism and Islam practices.   Kebatinin is also c alled kejawen, agama Jawa, Javanism, or abangan.One case of this blend of religions was described earlier in the Hindu god Shiva who adopted Buddhist characteristics.   As Islam spread through the culture, the Javanese claimed Shiva went to Mecca and also embraced Islam, thus creating a god of three faiths combined. Because Hinduism never completely reached the eastern islands, a more pure, orthodox form of Islam formed in the east, while the western part of Indonesia tended to more often combine Islam with its Hinduism or other ancient belief systems. Political History By the end of the sixteenth century both the Dutch and British had gained interest in the Spice Islands (Indonesia) and its wealth of trade.   The Dutch East India Company was formed in 1602, which attempted to take over all trade control with Indonesia from other European countries, thus creating a commercial monopoly.   This monopoly served to shape the foundation of the Dutch territorial empire.   Historians mark this time, which is disputed to be either 1511 or 1600, as the commencement of European control and influence that would last up to the twentieth century.   The time between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries has been generalized as an age of commerce both for Indonesians and foreign traders.   The Dutch East India Companys involvement did not remain limited to trade, however, but instead it became a political force among the islands.   Although opposed by certain Islamic leaders in Java, such as Sultan Agung and his successo r Amangkurat II, the Dutch eventually dominated all of Java and then spread its empire into Sumatra and other surrounding areas.With this Dutch influence extending into Indonesia, the face of Islam underwent various changes.   For instance, the native trading peoples were forced further inland.   Holding a strong Islam faith, they brought their beliefs with them and began to rely more and more on the pilgrimage to Mecca as their connection with the larger Muslim world.   Consequently, they formed and spread an Islam somewhat orthodox but still mixed with the deep traditions of Java culture. After the Napoleonic Wars, the Dutch decided to try to make its governed lands at least self-sufficient, but they met some unexpected challenges.   In 1825 the Java War began, due in part to protest of Dutch rule on the island.   The war was supported by many Muslim leaders in Indonesia who also recognized the Korans promise of a coming Madhi, a messiah or Just Ruler that would bring peace and harmony to the territory.   In the years of 1826-30, a man who was overthrown from Javanese rule by the Dutch claimed himself to be the Madhi of Islam and he began a jihad, or Holy War, against the government. During the Java War, another battle began in Sumatra called the Padri-War.   This conflict began between the traditional leaders of the community, called the adat, and the revivalist Muslim leaders; some of the orthodox revivalists killed a royal family of the more Indocized Islam.   As a result of the battle, Dutch authorities called for a military inva sion, which served to strengthen Dutch administration in the area. By the end of the nineteenth century, the Dutch were able to make the islands into a unified colonial dependency, which formed the basis for the future republic of Indonesia. By this time, western thought began to pervade Islamic circles, forming a modernist strain of Islam.   Furthermore, Indonesian nationalism began to develop, and with it, an organization called the Islamic Association or Sakerat Islam, the largest nationalist party of the time.   After World War I, many more of these types of associations were formed, most of which were aimed toward nationalism.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Inner conflicts between the conservative and communist leaders in 1921 caused the decline of Sakerat Islam, and a new nationalist movement rose to prominence: the Indonesian Nationalist Party, formed under the leadership of Sukarno, the rising president of Indonesia.   As a result of World War II, Indonesia fell from the clasp of Dutch rule and into the hands of Japan.   The J apanese allowed the rise of both Muslim and nationalist leaders, including Sukarno, who began establishing himself as the leader of the nation.   After an Indonesian revolution, Japan gave Indonesia its independence in the year of 1945. Role of Islam in Politics After gaining independence, the Indonesians needed to decide on the role of Islam in the nations government.   After heated disputes, the leaders agreed to keep religious freedom and to create a civic code instead of an Islamic one.At the same time, one current of Kebatinin, the more indigenous-type of Islam, became legitimized by the government.   Sukarno then became the first Indonesian president of the Republic.   Because he disliked the divisions among Muslims and other religions (specifically Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian) of the nation he propagated a somewhat disguised, authoritarian form of government called the Guided Democracy.   His successor, Suharto, introduced a similar type of rule named The New Order.   Some scholars say both of these rulers showed their Javanese religious-cultural bias against Islamand made sure that Islams political influence was limited by various forces, including the military.   Both Sukarno and Suharto, therefore, restricted political freedom throughout the nation.   In response to the bias against Islam, Islamic and nationalist organizations united to create parties against Suhartos government.   The red-green alliance, in existence today as the Wahid-Megawati administration, was one political coalition of the nationalist- Islam that helped to defeat the dictatorship of Suharto.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Suharto, upon realizing the threat to his rule, turned to a militant form of Islam.   This led to much violence across the nation, and religious groups who had formerly lived in peace, such as Muslims and Christians, began to fight against one another.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   This more militant, violent form of Islam instigated by Suharto became a lasting part of Indonesias various branches of Islam. Branches of Islam Today The two most influential Muslim organizations of Indonesia society today are the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), made up of the traditionalists, and the Muhammadiyah, or, the modernists.   The traditionalists tend to be organized around Muslim boarding schools (the pesantren) while they preserve traditional Islamic education.In fact, the name of the organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, literally translates as renaissance of Islamic scholars, and the thirty-five million involved with this Islamic orientation follow charismatic religious scholars. The Muhammidiyah, on the other hand, embrace modern thought and culture while keeping to orthodox Islamic theology.   Founded in 1912, this modernist organization was aimed to create social institutions, such as orphanages and hospitals, in order to compensate the Protestant and Catholic efforts.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   With about twenty-five million followers, it has less participation than the NU Modern Muslim Culture According to the Wikipedia Encyclopedia, 210 million inhabitants of Indonesia today consider themselves Muslim.   Many of these believers, however, practice Islam in profoundly different ways.   The Unreached Peoples Prayer Profiles provides information on various modern Muslim groups in Indonesia.   The profiles show an incredibly diversified Islam with many lasting effects of animism, Hinduism, and Buddhism.   For instance, ninety-nine percent of the 800,000 Komering who live in Sumatra today claim Islamic faith, yet they mix their beliefs strongly with animism and superstitions.   In order to keep evil spirits away, for example, many Komering wear good luck charms that contain verses of the Koran.   Also, some believe that whistling indoors at night entertains demons, or that walking around on your birthday will bring bad luck. Thus, although Islam remains prevalent and maintains a strong influence on the culture, the Komering still incorporate old religious beliefs. The Sekayu is another tribe of mixed religion.   Found spread throughout southern Sumatra, they consider themselves devout Muslims.   Indeed, they pray five times a day toward Mecca and reject common sacrificial rituals, believing only Allah gives true redemption.   Nevertheless, they still maintain some of their ancient animistic beliefs.   For example, many Sekayu visit a soothsayer, or dukun, in order to contact the dead spirits or have their fortune told.   They claim, however, that they do not pray to the dead spirits, as others do, but instead they pray to Allah for the benefit of their ancestors.The Sekayu, therefore, practice dedication to Allah while still sustaining animistic beliefs.   The Alas-Kluet Batak people of the Aceh province in northern Sumatra, on the other hand, have very little concern for or devotion to Orthodox Islam even though they have been considered Muslims since the 1600s.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   This tribe directs their religious practices toward what they consider good and bad ghosts who must be appeased through cult rituals and exorcist healings.   For instance, at a childs birth, the parents shave the childs head, leaving only a small lock of hair.   If the child then becomes ill, they cut the remaining lock of hair believing that bad luck will also be removed.   The people of Alas-Kluet Batak, then, remain Muslim only in name, not in practice. The Bajau, as another example, are mostly Sunni Muslims who live mainly in the coastal districts and islands of Sulawesi.   These Sea Gypsies consist mostly of nomadic boat dwellers who often lack mosques for worship. Consequently, they rely on different communities on shore to visit a mosque.   Islamic religious status is very important to the Bajau.   For instance, they show special honor to descendants of Mohammed, or salip, and variations of Islamic practices are associated with the relative status of different groups.Although the Bajau uphold Islamic religious piety and learning for individual prestige, they continue to practice traditional forms of spirit worship.   At least once a year, they hold a public sÃÆ' ©ance and nightly trance dancingwhile the spirit mediums assemble to contact the spirits.   The Bajau call on the spirit mediums particularly in times of illness to remove evil spirits from the community.   They accomplish thi s by putting a spirit boat adrift in the ocean.This people group, therefore, does not hold to a pure worship of Allah, but instead also looks to other supernatural powers. A Country of Mixed Islam Since the 13th century, Islam has filtered into the corners and remote pockets of Indonesian civilization.   Coming into a religiously mixed world of animism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, Islam began taking on forms different than that of Middle Eastern orthodoxy.   The majority of Indonesian Muslims today shape the Islamic religion to fit their traditional superstitions and other religious beliefs, while the minority strives for orthodoxy.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   These various forms of Islam combine to dominate both the cultural and political aspects of the nation and give Indonesia the largest Muslim population of the world.   Yet in reality, rather than being unified under a pure Islam, this population truly is a marble layered cake of mixed religious belief.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Racial Bias in the United States due to Mass Media Essay

The United States of America has been called a â€Å"mixing pot† since the birth of the nation. Everyone, especially politicians and educators, will proudly declare that the U.S. is a land of unmatched diversity. The U.S. seems to always be portrayed as a highly cultural territory, harboring a vast population of many races. Admittedly, the United States has come a long in terms of eliminating racial barriers and pursuing equality. All around the world, America is seen as a country of colors, yet mass media does not recognize that fact. Racial bias is a prevalent trend in today’s media, and white people are favored in comparison to any other race. Seemingly every aspect of mass media is soaked in bias. Oftentimes, this leaves out minorities†¦show more content†¦Merriam-Webster fully defines racism as â€Å"a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race †. In his article, Balkaran points out that racial discourse can be inferred to be aversive, academic, scientific, legalistic, bureaucratic, economic, cultural, linguistic, religion, mythical, or ideological. He states that racial discourse and expressions have been prevalent towards African-Americans. â€Å"Race matters exist in different places and at different times under widely varying conditions,† he writes. This pushes into the understanding of racism in the history of the United States. Society has been significantly revolutionized since the beginnings of the United States. The very history of the country has been cursed with racism and the harsh oppression of minorities. In fact, America’s power and economy were founded on a Marxist theory of a two-class system. On the top of that system were the slave owners, and at the very bottom were the slaves themselves (Balkaran, 1999). Slavery and segregation used to be huge components in the lives of Americans. During those times, â€Å"Americans† were white, landowning men; obviously that principle has been altered a great deal. People of color, women, and the poor actually have been given suffrage by amendments in the Constitution. Although the United States’ culture and societyShow MoreRelatedThe Biases Of The Unconscious Mind1681 Words   |  7 Pagesthe difficulty of understanding the unconscious motivations of students was the major bias in this study, which reflects multiple motivations as a contradiction to the narrow focus on academic performance. Certainly, this shows a bias on the part of the clinical study on the part of the clinicians’ aka. Weyandt et al (2016) to adequately understand the motives for drug usage in this peered groups. This shows a bias of a priori presumptions in the study that were projected onto the clinical study asRead MoreMinority Attitudes Towards the Police and Public Perceptions Essay1179 Words   |  5 Pagesexperience and mass media. For example, public’s experiences with the police, what individuals learn from friends and/or acquaintances, and whats learned from the media Gallagher et al. (2001). Definitions of Terms The following 3 studies pertained to racial profiling-which is defined as police using race as a factor- along with an accumulation of other factors, (cooperation) in which causes an officer to react with suspicion and take action. In other words police cannot use racial or ethic stereotypesRead MoreEssay On Western Media1288 Words   |  6 PagesWestern Media Bias Towards White Terrorists Anti-Islam or â€Å"Islamophobic events† have almost tripled in the United Kingdom following a week after the terrorist attack on London Bridge and Borough Market on June 3rd, 2017 (Bilefsky). According to the office of the mayor of London, the Metropolitan Police reported that there were 120 Islamophobic events, compared to 36 the week before the June 3rd attack (Bilefsky). One of the more recent hate crimes directed towards Muslims took place on June 19thRead More The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, by Michelle Alexander1182 Words   |  5 PagesThe New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness is a book by Michelle Alexander, a civil rights litigator and legal scholar. The book discusses race-related issues specific to African-American males and mass incarceration in the United States. Michelle Alexander (2010) argues that despite the old Jim Crow is death, does not necessarily means the end of racial caste (p.21). In her boo k â€Å"The New Jim Crow†, Alexander describes a set of practices and social discourses that serve toRead MoreSociety s Perception Of Beauty1148 Words   |  5 Pagesnot. Our perception of beauty is a social construct, meaning that it is made through society through its depictions of beauty. In our society today, our perception of beauty is shaped through the media, since the media portrays specific standards of beauty that people feel they must follow. Although media portrays beauty across different races and ages, society’s perception of beauty is skewed towards a specific and established standard. This causes those specific groups to feel obligated to followRead MoreSociety s Perception Of Beauty1193 Words   |  5 Pagessociety and the people who are part of it. In our society today, our perception of beauty is shaped primarily through the media, since the media portrays specific standards of beauty that people feel they must follow. Although the media is perceiv ed to portray beauty across different races and ages, society’s perception of beauty is skewed towards a specific and established standard due to its misrepresentations. This causes those specific groups to feel obligated to follow this standard of beauty ratherRead MoreMedia and the Criminal Justice System1533 Words   |  7 PagesMedia has a strong influence on today s society and the criminal justice system. Interaction with the media continues to create problems in overcoming the racial disparities in this nation, due to crime that is committed by ethnic minorities in the media increasing racial stereotypes. Media also has a great influence and disadvantages regarding high profile criminal cases, affecting the way Americans view the criminal justice system. High exposure to the news and entertainment media has beenRead MoreThe Relationship Between Police Brutality And African Americans1350 Words   |  6 Pagesthrough cultural institutions, individual racism, as well as racial ideology. These forms of discrimination cause racial inequalities which bring about a lack of opportunity and mistreatment. This paper will focus on the relationship between police brutality and African Americans. Let me be clear though police brutality affects the lives of minorities in general, but mostly this epidemic causes repercussions for African Americans due to racial ideologies by individuals as well as institutions. The systemicRead MoreThe New Jim Crow1697 Words   |  7 PagesVictor Ferreira The New Jim Crow Chapter 2 Incarceration rates in the United States have exploded due to the convictions for drug offenses. Today there are half a million in prison or jail due to a drug offense, while in 1980 there were only 41,100. They have tripled since 1980. The war on drugs has contributed the most to the systematic mass incarceration of people of color, most of them African-Americans. The drug war is aimed to catch the big-time dealers, but the majority of the peopleRead MoreRacism And Incarceration Rates Among African Americans And Hispanics Essay1581 Words   |  7 Pagesway to look at this institutional racism is to examine at the United States prison system and the gap of incarceration rates among African Americans, Hispanics, and White males. According to a research by Prison Policy Initiative both African Americans and Hispanics are imprisoned at 5.1 times and 1.8 times higher than the rate of White Americans for every 100,000 incarcerations, respectively. Throughout the history of the United St ates, it is obvious that the reasons for the disparity of the incarceration

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Goals Problem Solving and Population Reference Bureau Free Essays

Abstract â€Å"To prepare for solving a problem, we must first acknowledge that the problem exists. Then, we must accept it, and clearly define or identify it. Finally, we must commit to solving the problem. We will write a custom essay sample on Goals: Problem Solving and Population Reference Bureau or any similar topic only for you Order Now Without some degree of personal commitment, the problems that we acknowledge, accept, and identify might never be resolved. 1. using a current local or international newspaper, identify an important local, national, or international concern that needs to be solved. Use the Library and Information Resources Network (LIRN) link by clicking here to locate two or more credible articles that provide background information and an analysis of the problem. You can also access LIRN in your online course by clicking on Course Home tab, then the Online Resources link. Contact your Campus for your LIRN password. 3. Using the articles you found as a resource, explain the concern using the five â€Å"Problem Solving Methods† found on page 104 of your textbook. Use Microsoft Word to respond to your problem. Your response should consist of 1-2 pages. Cite your articles using APA guidelines. Visit the APA Guide for assistance with APA formatting. † Week Two Individual Work (1) Introduction Using the articles I found as a resource, I am going to explain the concern using the five â€Å"Problem Solving Methods†. This is a big issue and I think we should all be actively trying to solve this issue. Environmental Problems I am going to be discussing environmental problems. I will use the problem solving methods as they are outlined in our text. â€Å"Problem- Solving Method (Advanced) Step 1: What is the problem? a. What do I know about the situation? b. What results am I aiming for in this situation? c. How can I define the problem? Step 2: What are the alternatives? a. What are the boundaries of the problem situation? b. What alternatives are possible within these boundaries? Step 3: What are the advantages and/ or disadvantages of each alternative? a. What are the advantages of each alternative? b. What are the disadvantages of each alternative? c. What additional information do I need to evaluate each alternative? Step 4: What is the solution? a. Which alternative(s) will I pursue? b. What steps can I take to act on the alternative(s) chosen? Step 5: How well is the solution working? a. What is my evaluation? b. What adjustments are necessary? †(Chafee) The problem is environmental problems, such as we have been polluting our planet’s air, water, and land; depleting its resources; and accumulating a lot of waste for which we need to find places to store. I know this situation needs to be suppressed on some level; because if we continue at this rate, then our environment will not be fit to live in. We have 6. 8 billion people on Earth today (Population Reference Bureau, 2009) and all of these people need food, water, clothing, and shelter. In addition to these minimal needs to survive, millions of people in developed nations have cars, large homes, air conditioning, heated houses, washers, dryers, heated water for bathing, refrigerators, stoves, and so on. Hence, having nearly 7 billion people on Earth, compared to 5.2 billion people just 20 years ago (Population Reference Bureau, 1990), and having many people with a high standard of living, means that we humans will pollute a lot, deplete a lot, and build up huge amounts of waste that need to be stored. A second major reason why we have a big problem of polluting, depleting, and storing of waste is that during the past 200 years, we have gone from an agricultural way of life to an industrial way of life. Instead of â€Å"living off the land,† â€Å"growing grain to eat, and tending to farm animals, we built  factories and machines and created a new status called the factory worker to produce all kinds of products to consume—as a stroll through a typical shopping mall will show. To create these products, we have used a lot of resources and polluted the air and rivers. One of the most dangerous consequences of our polluting the environment is that we add huge amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as the result of burning fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, by industries and automobiles.† The result is the warming of our planet and the possible change of Earth’s climate, which could wreak havoc for the growing seasons. What can we do about this? More and more people are coming to the realization that we must consider the long term, what is good for the global community, and what is good for future generations if we want to survive as a species. This will require us to think, plan, sacrifice, and change our ways of living. Many people in our country, and throughout the world, do not realize the seriousness of our environmental problem. Hence, part of the solution is to make Americans more aware of the problem and to educate them about the problem. We must find ways to give these Americans incentives so that they want to address the environmental problem or at least accept the notion that we must address this problem, regardless of their vested interests. The environmental problem will not go away by denying its existence or by denying that it is becoming a bigger and bigger problem. The oceans and the air are common property that we all share. If air and water pollution stayed only in the country that produced it, the nation producing this pollution could take the initiative and responsibility to clean up the pollution it produced. But air and water pollution does not stop at state boundaries; rather it spreads throughout the world. We as citizens of this world, not just citizens of a nation, will need to work together to clean up our oceans and air. Probably, we will eventually need to agree on some worldwide goals for the planet. We have been moving in this direction by attempting to decrease carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbon emissions. We will probably need to make saving our environment one of the main goals of our world community. Within this goal, we will need to agree on more specific goals such as decreasing carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and chlorofluorocarbons; increasing the amount of rainforest; finding new, better, and safer ways of storing hazardous waste; and producing more energy without polluting more, depleting more, and creating more waste. Conclusion This is an issue we must all face together. We must realize that there is a problem and work on long term goals to correct this problem. Eventually, we may be able to turn this around. However, we must think long term, not only think about the here and now. Probably, a key factor, if not the key factor, in solving our environmental problem is time. Can we, as a world community, act soon enough to head off environmental trends that could be difficult, if not impossible, to reverse—for example, rising carbon dioxide emissions leading to rising temperatures, melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and changing cli- mate patterns throughout the world? We must face this with a sense of urgency. How to cite Goals: Problem Solving and Population Reference Bureau, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Global Market Strategic Decision-Making Process

Question: Describe about the Global market by concentrating towards the strategic decision-making process? Answer: Introduction Importance and Scope of this Assignment To be a professional manager, it is essential to concentrate towards designing, operations and improvement related aspects for a company, which may ensure the clarity of the management operations. At the same time, appropriate operation management may also enhance the business competencies for a company within the competitive business environment. On the other hand, the strategic decision is also one of the most crucial constituents, which usually assist a company to make better decisions for future. In this context, Tomar and Reeves (2009) argued that outsourcing is one of the most essential aspects which usually assist an organisation to enhance its business performance. The term outsourcing signifies a specific process through which global organisations may transfer their goods and/ or services to the external country/ party for providing administrative services for that specific goods and/ services (Troaca and Bodislav, 2012). Overview of the Company British Petroleum (BP) is one of the renowned oil and gas manufacturing companies amid the globe. The company was established in the year 1908 and it has renamed as a BP plc in the year 2001. Over the years, the company has provided its estimated services in the global oil and gas industry. In this context, more specifically it can be claimed that BP has emphasised towards exploration as well as production, refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum, with an aim of enhancing the market share amid the operating market. At the same time, during the production of renewable energy the company also has remained conscious regarding the environment with an intention of ensuring its command among the competitive marketplace. According to the annual report of BP plc (2015), the company has enlisted its name in the London Stock Exchange' market as a constituent of FTSE 100 Index'. Currently, more than 162,000 people are engaged in the operation of Royal Mail. According to the recent fin ancial report, it is witnessed that the company has gained $3.8bn revenue during the financial year 2013-14. Moreover, the company has traded 1.7 million barrels refined oil/ day in the financial year 2013-14. Additionally, it can be also mentioned that approximately more than 85,000 people usually employed under the BP in around the globe. Over the years, for ensuring and enhancing the business performance the company has established varied strategic alliances with the other foreign companies. Additionally the company also has concentrated and investigated on certain aspects such as costs, pricing power and logistic as well as supply chain management for ensuring its future growth and profitability prospects (BP plc, 2015). Objectives of the Assignment In this particular assignment, the aim is to identify the factors that may influence the decision of the company in case of outsourcing and kept in-house. In this context, the study will aim to identify the five performance objectives of the BP. Simultaneously, the study will evaluate the risk involvement i.e. strategic decision making on the basis of evidence. Review of Literature Strategic Analysis The strategy is one of the most crucial constituents for a company. The concept of strategy has been introduced in the business in the year 1960s, with an aim of enhancing the business performance and it has been also emerged in the business context as an intention of ensuring the long-term sustainability for an organisation. On the other hand, principles of operations management are considered as one of essential aspects for a company, which may influence internal and external aspects of a company. At the same time, it also may influence a company to meet the needs and expectations of the stakeholders. Thus, it can be stated that operations management is an integral part of an organisation's strategy, which may assist a company to make better decisions for future (Tomar and Reeves, 2009). Corporate Level Strategy The corporate level strategy is recognised as the chief level of strategy, which is usually used by the company with an aim of ensuring the long-term direction in the business context. More specifically, it can be also stated that through emphasising towards corporate level strategy an organisation may ensure the utmost utilisation of its resources in the operating marketplace. Moreover, the corporate level strategy is also used when a company comprises more than one business. In this regard, more specifically it can be stated that BP has more than one business unit such as bio fuel, crude, Air BP, franchising, gas trading and industrial lubricants. Thus, through using corporate level strategy BP may ensure a positive relationship between varied domestic as well as an international corporate centre and business unit. At the same time, through incorporating corporate level strategy, BP may also ensure the mission and vision of the organisation (Pearlstein, 2010). Business Level Strategy Similarly, the business level strategy is also considered as one of the essential aspects, which usually assists a company to reduce its internal as well as external challenges. At the same time, through incorporating business level strategy an organisation also may enhance its business efficiency as well competencies within the operating market place. In this context, more specifically it can be stated that BP has a variety range of products and/ or services within its operating marketplace. Thus, the organisation may reduce its internal as well as external challenges through incorporating business level strategies. At the same time, appropriate utilisation of business level strategy may also ensure long-term sustainability for the organisation (Borowik, 2010). Functional Level Strategy Consequently, functional level strategy is also considered as one of the most essential aspects of a company, through which it is possible to ensure the operations of a company in a significant manner such as marketing, finance and production among others. At the same time, it can be stated that through concentrating on functional strategy, a company may meet its predetermined strategic objectives. In this context, more specifically it can be claimed that BP has emphasised towards its functional level strategy with an aim of ensuring its operational efficiency, which may assist the company to extend its business performance in an extensive manner (Chevalier, 2010). Operations and Strategy According to the report of ACCA (2015), operations and strategy are essential aspects for a company through which a company may ensure its survival in a competitive marketplace for a long-term period. At the same time, it also may ensure growth for the company. In this context, more specifically it can be mentioned that operations and strategy are the most crucial constituents, which is usually helping a company to make better decisions to improve the business performance. Apart from this, through emphasising towards operations and strategy, a company may utilise its resources and may produce a significant outcome. In this context, more specifically it can be stated that five operations performance objectives usually help a company to secure its position in the operating marketplace (Hauglie, 2010). Those five operations performance objectives are discussed below: Cost In order to analyse the operations performance objectives, it can be stated that cost is one of essential aspects, which is usually helping a company to ensure its current position as well as future prospects in an effective manner. Thus, most of the global companies usually emphasise towards manufacturing cost of its products as well as services for enhancing the ability of the company in the operating marketplace. In this context, more specifically it can be argued that BP has highly emphasised towards its manufacturing/ production cost for enhancing its business competencies in the operating marketplace. At the same time, through reducing the cost involvement during the oil and gas manufacturing the company has also enhanced its competitive advantages within the operating market (Kim and Hahn, 2010). Quality Simultaneously, quality is also considered as one of the most crucial aspects for a company that is also helping a company to attract the attention of the consumers. At the same time, it can be stated that through emphasising towards quality related aspects a company also may enhance its market share within the operating marketplace. Moreover, better quality products may enhance brand recognition for a company. In this regard, more specifically it can be stated that during the manufacturing of crude oil and petroleum, BP has highly emphasised towards the specification of the products. At the same time, BP has highly concentrated towards its quality related aspects with an aim of developing error-free products. Thus, it can be stated that quality assurance related decisions help a company to gain better competitive advantage in the operating marketplace (Langdon, 2010). Speed For ensuring the growth of a company, it is highly essential for an organisation to concentrate towards the operation process, which may enhance operational efficiency for the company. At the same time, it may also enhance customer demands towards the product, which will ensure the long-term success for the company. In this regard, more specifically it can be stated that BP always has provided its highest attention towards the speed of the business process along with its operations, for making better strategic decisions. At the same time, quick response of the company may reduce challenges for the organisation by enhancing customer demands and it also has led the company towards better success in future (Liu and Mance, 2009). Dependability Dependability is also considered as one of essential aspects for a company, which usually helps an organisation to fulfil the needs and expectations of the customers. In this context, more specifically it can be stated that through emphasising towards dependability organisations also may enhance the ability to deliver products as well as services amid the customers. In this context, it can be mentioned that BP has enhanced its dependability on the customers by extending its overall range of product and services. At the same time, for ensuring the dependability amid the consumers, BP has always concentrated on its strategic decision-making approaches, which has influenced the dependability of the organisation in an extensive manner (Marques, 2008). Flexibility Additionally, it can be mentioned that flexibility is also considered as one of the essential aspects in the case of making business decisions. In this context, more specifically it can be stated that through emphasising towards the flexibility a company may enhance the quality of its operations. Moreover, the terms flexibility denotes changing the ability of a company. In this regard, more specifically it can be stated that flexibility denotes the ability of a company to change its production, procedure, services and decisions of a company. In this context, more accurately, it can be argued that BP has always emphasised towards its flexibility related aspects with an intention of extending its business performance in around the globe. At the same time, for enhancing competitive advantages, BP also has concentrated towards its business flexibility (Pearlstein, 2010). Thus, to analyse the operations performance objectives, it can be evidently stated that BP may enhance its competitive advantages within the operating marketplace by considering above stated aspects. However, through considering these factors BP may also identify appropriate strategic decisions for its outsourced as well as kept in-house products, which may ensure customer requirements and also may ensure business excellence around the globe (Phillips and Phillips, 2010). Simultaneously, based on the report of Langdon (2010), it is identified that outsourcing is one of the most essential constituents for a business organisation, which is usually assist an organisation to maximize its business performance by increasing overall outcome of the business process. In this context, more specifically it can be argued that an organisation may witness better competitive advantages among its operating marketplace due to incorporation of outsourcing mechanism. In relation to this, it can be mentioned that outsourcing may benefit an organisation to accrue maximum workforce and it may also enhance operational efficiency for the specific business process, which may influence changes in the business performance in appositive manner. Thus, it can be asserted that outsourcing may benefit an organisation to enhance its efficiency. On the other hand, outsourcing procedure may influence the cost involvement for an organisation, which may influence changes on a business pr ocess in a diversified manner (Troaca and Bodislav, 2012). Consequently, it can be stated that involvement of kept in-house service may assist an organisation to ensure the supervision and monitoring on the business process in an effective manner. At the same time, it may also reduce cost involvement for the organisation, which is usually assisting an organisation to maintain its competitive position in the operating marketplace. On the contrary, kept in-house service may reduce the business efficiency for an organisation due to high involvement of unskilled and lack of knowledgeable workforce within the macroeconomic level. Thus, an organisation should need to incorporate outsourcing and kept in-house service related decisions by considering certain factors of the business process more carefully (Troaca and Bodislav, 2012). Analysis of Outsourced and Kept in-house Services of BP In order to highlight the outsourced and kept in-house services it can be stated that BP should outsourced its marine fuel, motor oil and lubricants in the abroad market, whereas the company may keep in-house its petrochemicals and bio fuels in the domestic market for ensuring the growth and long-term sustainability of the company for a long-term period (Tomar and Reeves, 2009). In this regard, rationally it can be stated that BP has to understand that Marin fuel and motor oil as well as lubricants demand is very high in the global market. At the same time, technological involvement is very moderate for both these above mentioned commodities. Thus, it can be evidently mentioned that outsource of those commodity may enhance the efficiency for the organisation. On the contrary, it can be mentioned that in case of petrochemical and bio fuel management, the organisation need to highly emphasise towards the project development, service management and human resources related aspects more carefully as both petrochemical and bio fuel is recognised as most essential and expensive commodity among the oil and gas industry. Thus, in can be evidently argued that BP should emphasise/ consider towards its kept in-house services related phenomenon for identifying appropriate managerial decisions, which may enhance or influence the business performance in appositive manner (Troaca and Bodislav, 2012). A diagram is depicted below for better understanding: Logic Mapping Figure 1: Logic Mapping for BP Evaluation of Risk Involvement Based on the evidence of the research, it is identified that the company has witnessed several challenges with an aim of ensuring the growth of the company has highly emphasised towards its strategic decision-making process. Thus, to highlight those strategic involvements, it can be asserted that the company may ensure its sustainability and profitability through emphasising towards cost leverage and efficiency along with innovation-related aspects. Moreover, the company also may ensure its growth, by concentrating towards outsourcing as well as kept in-house services. Additionally, paying attention towards its supply chain management may also ensure the significance of operations of the company (Villachica and Stepich, 2010). Recommendation for Mitigate Risk Involvement With an aim of mitigating risk involvement during the outsourcing as well as kept in-house process, BP will need to emphasise towards certain aspects, which will ensure the efficient and appropriate procurement of its outsourcing as well as kept in-house process. In this regard, in order to recommend the organisation more specifically it can be mentioned that BP should incorporate knowledgeable and experience workforce, which may enhance the efficiency of the operational process of the organisation. At the same time, through emphasising towards business consulting as well as internal auditing process, BP may also mitigate the risk involvement during the outsourcing as well as kept in-house process. Apart from this, through incorporation of modern techniques and tools, BP may ensure the supply chain as well as procurement of its manufactured products and/ or services. Moreover, based on the above stated discussion, it can be evidently asserted that through incorporating legal as well as ethical consideration, BP also may mitigate its risk involvement and it may enhance capabilities of the organisation by ensuring superior business outcome in case of outsourcing as well as kept in-house process. Conclusion: Based on the above discussion, it is identified that BP has been maintaining its competitive advantages in the global market by concentrating towards the strategic decision-making process. At the same time, the company has also practiced its operations by considering five performance objective based principles, which has influenced overall business performance of the company in a positive manner and it has also fulfilled the expectations of the global customers. After considering all these above stated facts, it can be evidently claimed that through emphasising towards clarity and accountability the company has enhanced its profitability and growth prospect in the operating marketplace. Reference List: Borowik, I. (2010). Why Has Religiosity in Poland not Changed since 1989? Five Hypotheses. Politics and Religion, 3(02), pp.262-275. BP plc (2015). Annual Report and Form 20-F 2014. Building a Stronger, Safer BP, pp. 1-263. Chevalier, R. (2010). Gap analysis revisited. Performance Improvement, 49(7), pp.5-7. Hauglie, C. (2010). From photographs to teaming. Performance Improvement, 49(4), pp.5-7. KIM, K. and HAHN, K. (2010). Issues and Challenges for Secondary School Economics Education in South Korea: implications from five events since 2004. Citizenship, Social and Economics Education, 9(1), p.60. Langdon, D. (2010). Mind the performance. Performance Improvement, 49(8), pp.7-13. Liu, T. and Mance, I. (2009). The spatial gradient of the spread of feature-based attention. Journal of Vision, 9(8), pp.145-145. Marques, J. (2008). The five steps toward Awakened Leadership. Performance Improvement, 47(7), pp.20-23. Pearlstein, R. (2010). Reactions to rant. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 23(3), pp.3-4. Phillips, J. and Phillips, P. (2010). The power of objectives: Moving beyond learning objectives. Performance Improvement, 49(6), pp.17-24. Tomar, S. and Reeves, A. (2009). Changes in the Oral Health of US Children and Adolescents and Dental Public Health Infrastructure Since the Release of the Healthy People 2010 Objectives. Academic Pediatrics, 9(6), pp.388-395. Troaca, V., and Bodislav, D., (2012). Outsourcing the Concept. Theoretical and Applied Economics Volume 15(6), pp. 51-58. Villachica, S. and Stepich, D. (2010). Surviving troubled times: Five best practices for training professionals. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 23(2), pp.93-115.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Mass media in society

McChesney- ‘Rich Media, Poor Democracy’ McChesney wrote ‘Rich Media, Poor Democracy’ to show the democratic problems in United States and other countries in the world and how corporate media downplays the requirements of attaining an effective democratic system. The author also addressed the concentration of ownership in the media industry and how this has transformed the sector.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Mass media in society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He further analyzes how public broadcast stations have gradually fallen due to policies that are deliberately formulated to protect corporate media. His study also evaluates the media industry and corporate ownership between 1970s and 1990s (McCheseney, 2000, p. 15-18). According to author, increase in the number of channels in U.S., is a major cause of corporate concentration in media industry. He argues that technologic al advancements in cable, television, digital media and satellite have resulted to changes in media ownership. He also argues that corporate concentration comes in as a response to the rapid changes in the industry. He asserts that for a media firm to make profits in such an industry, it has to invest in international distributors, stations, frequencies, operations of the channels and also in cable channels. The author of ‘Rich Media, Poor Democracy’ says that most of corporate concentration in the 1970s up to 1990s seemed to have conglomeration kind of media ownership. In such an ownership, a certain major media becomes a key shareholder in two or more sectors in the media industry. These sectors may be in recorded music, publishing sector and a broadcast sector. With such ownership, the operations of these media outlets’ can be interfered with by the advertisers who in most cases form the major corporate owners. With such influences, citizens are limited in mak ing informed decisions. This is because ownership threatens their democratic rights. Stories are also written in favor of the owners or else media practitioners risk losing their jobs. McChesney also argues that â€Å"the United States media system is an integral part of the capitalist political economy and that the relation it has important and troubling implications for democracy† (McCheseney, 2000, p. 15).Advertising Looking for term paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Changes and consequences of the rapid increase in concentration of ownership in mass media, and the implications of this to consumers Concentration of media ownership is normally surrounded by large media systems owning few corporations or media firms .Concentration of ownership can be in the form of monopoly, whereby, one corporation owns the whole market. At other times, the ownership may be having two or more businesses o r media firms dominating the industry and compete with one another (Voelker Voelker,2002, p.65). Concentration of the media operates under the concept of ‘benefits go to the big fish’. Competition is the determinant factor of any kind of market economy and diversity. Concentration of a market results into homogeneity .The number of consumers are often limited and so is the market size. Unregulated concentration of the media cuts on the number of competitors hence creating a monopoly-dominance situation. Since 1990s, regulation of the content that features on newspapers, TV or radio has continued to dominate the media industry across the world at the expense of the society. Society depends on the media outlets for education, information, news and also for entertainment (Croteau Hoyn, 2003, p. 37-47). Concentration of media ownership can influence the profits that a media firm attains. Since the liberalization of the European media markets in 1980s, the number of privat ely owned media has continually increased. The growth is mainly associated with internet innovation. With privately owned media and emergence of internet, there are major shifts in the advertisement industry. This is because the owners decide on which media channel to advertise in. But because most media outlets rely on advertisement fee, then, withdrawal of the fee means a loss on the media outlet. This can cause adverse financial effects and can even lead to journalists losing their jobs and closure of the channels. Politicians in the society can also withhold advertisements from a given system in the media industry causing the medium to suffer financially (Croteau, Hoyn, 2003, p. 37). Concentration of media ownership can also result into censorship of the amount of information that the society gets. In such instances, all the printing facilities and circulation channels may be centralized into some few companies. This is a situation that can cause a barrier on people in the soci ety from accessing newspapers (Croteau, Hoyn, 2003, p. 37-47). An independent media set the agenda for the society. To be open and independent, newspapers must not be owned by the local entities in the society or the state. With concentration of media owners in the newspaper industry, newspapers lose their independence to the competitors. This interrupts what has for long been known as news worthy incidents. Relevant themes fail to feature, hence a shift in the society’s agenda.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Mass media in society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Individual citizens rely heavily on the media while determining what is important. The media sets the agenda by repeatedly focusing on a particular topic. In this way, the media shapes opinions and behaviors of people in the society. However, when there is a concentration of media ownership in a particular state, then the content is determ ined by the existing powers of the owner. In most cases, the influences come from political power holders in the society (Croteau, Hoyn, 2003, p. 37-47). According to European Human Rights Court, the media has to have a major voice and openly give opinions if democracy is to be observed. Plurality is a major policy in Europe that governs the media. In order to promote democracy in any society, plurality must be exercised as well as a competitive market. This also means that the society must be given an opportunity to choose from what media channel they may listen to. The effectiveness of any communication system in a democratic society is measured by the quality of the information transmitted. This calls for media systems that freely expresses ideas and also give opinions without any interference. This is a requirement for the people in decision making process within a society. Individuals in a community heavily rely on the media in order to exercise their democracy to information and freedom for speech and expression. However, this can only be achieved in a society that practices democracy and is open. The media must also be an independent one if the rights of these individuals are to be observed (Wells Hakanen, 1997, p. 3). With concentration of ownership, professional journalism is always under attack. The society is surrounded with lots of print, film, television, internet, and of course music as main media outlets for different individuals. However, political ownership of these media outlet can adversely interfere with journalistic professionalism. Journalists are the society’s watchdog. They observe what is happening in the political world and also sensor social problems on behalf of individuals. They also play a major role in fostering developments within the society. Lack of an open and free media in a society leads to lack of democracy. Extreme consequences on journalists who disregard the regulations of the media by the monopoly companies ca n be death sentences, long term imprisonments and other forms of physical violence. This the highest order of democracy suppression (Croteau, Hoyn, 2003, p. 37-47).Advertising Looking for term paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More With self and profit oriented media companies, media is becoming almost limited in its meaning. In addition, professional practices are often overlooked when looking for news events and incidents. This is because corporate ownership of the industry demands for ‘big’ stories in order to make huge profits. The media system has been rapidly changed by the fact that most of the corporations are run with the motives of making profits through advertisements hence limiting the democracy that media brings in any society. In today’s world, media ownership is becoming more and more concentrated to businesses thus making the media industry hard to professionally tame (OSCE, 2003, p. 40) Concentration of ownership of media has caused investigative and critical coverage of stories is a thing of the past. This means that consumers of such news receive shallow information on issues that could be critically represented by an independent and open medium. In concentrated corporati ons of media, the aim is to make as much money as possible, and so no need to conduct underground investigations and deeply analyze content that would benefit the consumers (OSCE, 2003, p. 40). Furthermore, media policies that the monopoly companies make restrict coverage of some incidents. Critical issues that affect the society are hindered, a position that leaves the society ignorant of the important matters that concern them. The scenario in corporate media is that of local powers and directors holding the most shares in the company and being in the executive positions. They therefore control the running of a media system socially and politically. A situation that gives a loop hole for professionalism rules to be undermined. This will directly affect the content that consumers receive when they buy the newspapers, listen to a radio channel or watch a television program. The content will be of lesser value than they pay for. In such a scenario the media practitioners are compelle d to cover the politicians favorably. They also at some point receive incentives form the local powers. This is a violation of journalistic code of conduct (Wells Hakanen, 1997, p. 3). The competition for market share in the media industry can make politicians use the media as a platform to reinforce their political profiles in light for the next elections (Wells Hakanen, 1997, p. 45). At some time, politicians may chose which journalist will interview them. At the end the content of the media channel is influenced to feature political matters instead of the critical issues that directly affect the society. The effect of this is that educative and informational programs on broadcast media and articles on newspaper are replaced with political content (OSCE, 2003, p. 24). Consumers buy subjective content in such model of ownership. The role of editors, journalists and publishers shift from being watch dogs for the society to political advisors. In the contemporary world, journalists can only remain credible when they independently observe the event and then report. This is in contrast to most concentrated or privately run media. This results into failure of objective reporting among the media practitioners (Croteau Hoyn, 2003, p. 56). Audiences have different tastes and compositions. However production facilities and distribution channels may be influenced to benefit the major firms who mainly aim at making profits. With concentration of ownership in the music industry, individual citizens only get what interests the management and ownership of the major companies. The audience is left with no choice but to listen what is exposed to them through the media channels or through a limited access to some music albums (Wells Hakanen, 1997, p. 73). The music industry, like the newspaper constituents of the media was also dominated by concentration of ownership during the period ranging from 1969 to1990. Since then, production system in the industry music has change d from a ‘closed’ to an ‘open’ model (McCheseney, 2000, p. 15-20). In this industry, the same concept of concentration applies with the large-based producers, publicity and distribution segment having an overall control of other recording companies. With such a system within the music industry, innovation and diversity promotes the large companies in gaining both control and in getting large profits (Croteau, Hoyn, 2003, p. 56). Conclusion Concentration of media ownership creates barriers of entry for new companies. This situation causes competition to be stiff. There is no effective media policy which can exist in the media industry that is interpedently with politics. Newspapers are slowly losing their relevance to the society due to political influence. Consumers are therefore opting for other communication channels in place of print media. Recent studies indicate that the use of television as the primary source of news and political influence on conten t has made many lose their trust in the media. To ensure that consumers get the right information content and access of the medium, the media should be allowed to operate independently. Media regulators also need to follow transparent procedures and policies when allocating broadcast permits and frequencies. Reference List Croteau, D. Hoyn, W. (2003). Media society: industries, images and audiences. U.S.: Pine Forge Press. Web. McCheseney, R. (2000). Rich media, poor democracy: communication politics in dubious times. New York: The new press. Web. OSCE. (2003).  The Impact of media concentration on professional journalism. Web. Voelker, F. H. Voelker,L. A. (2002). Mass media: forces in our society. Michigan: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Wells, A. Hakanen, E. (1997). Mass media society. U.S.: Greenwood publishing group. Web. This term paper on Mass media in society was written and submitted by user Damaris Stout 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.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Strategies in a Global Environment MBA C695 Essays

Strategies in a Global Environment MBA C695 Essays Strategies in a Global Environment MBA C695 Essay Strategies in a Global Environment MBA C695 Essay Shoe industry represents a separate market segment in apparel industry. This segment relies on innovations and fashion which determines main trends in this industry. Today, many companies have been dramatically influenced by the rise of globalization and internalization of trade seeking to maximize their global reach, in the belief that those that offer a global service will be in the strongest competitive position. Athletic shoe industry is a fast growing segment which is influenced by changing demographics, new lifestyle trends and a shift in consumers attitudes towards accessories. The major competitors in athletic shoe industry are Adidas, Nike, Reebok, New Balance and smaller firms such as Fila. On the functional level, high rates of its development, great volumes of currency receipts have an active influence on its various sectors. The main objective of the companies is to maintain the level of product quality and develop strategies to improve their performance. In the infrastructure of athletic shoe industry quality is the major question. With the success of new technologies, stating in the end of 1990s, athletic shoe industry began to rationalize its product lines reducing prices and production costs 1. The development and management of new technology has, in recent years, become a central focus of marketing policy and conceptualization of a firm. In order to compete on the market, many companies implement new product lines based on natural materials only for those who are health conscious and are willing to pay for natural fabric. This strategy helps to create a core of loyal supporters and repeat buyers. For instance, â€Å"New Balances successful 950, a $90, technical -looking, hybrid cross-training/running shoe exclusive to Foot Locker that is popular with young consumers† 2 1.Cassidy, H. (2001). Lifestyle, Teens Fuel Recovery athletic shoe industry experiences economic growth Brief Article Statistical Data Included. Brandweek. Jam 8, p. 34. 2. ibid, p. 34. To compete on the market and remain profitable, many companies introduce strategic business unit strategy within organizations. The strategy allows the companies to reduce product costs and operational expenses through effective budgeting and price setting, product innovations and, hiring decisions. Adidas, Nike, Reebok are engaged in a network including expert distributors, agents, foreign customers, competitors, and consultants as well as regulatory and other agencies. Approaches, aimed to meet high service standards, are based on customers environment interaction and changes affected both of them. Developments in IT have led to interactive communication tools such as the telephone and the Internet being used to complement less interactive mechan ­isms such as mail or media advertisements. Nike and New Balance increases their advertising budget to be â€Å"well-positioned for a consumer push† 3. Business strategy level can be regarded as the company’s philosophy governing how customers should be treated and how staff could meet their standards and needs. Taking into account the major competitors in the industry, Adidas, Nike and Reebok, it is possible to say that they employ similar business strategies aimed to improve product quality and deliver customer satisfaction. The main business strategies in athletic shoe industry include differentiation and focus-differentiation strategies. Adidas and Nike follow a differentiation advantage because their products have a perceived uniqueness in a broad mar ­ket For instance, â€Å"Many of Nike’s customers are athletes on school, college, or professional teams and use shoes specially developed for their sports† 4. This is an extremely effec ­tive strategy for defending market position and obtaining above-average finan ­cial returns; unique products often command premium price. This marketing strategy helps to deliver customer value in a 3. Cassidy, H. (2001). Lifestyle, Teens Fuel Recovery athletic shoe industry experiences economic growth Brief Article Statistical Data Included. Brandweek. Jam 8, p. 35. 4.Part VI in a Series About Investing your Money. (2006). http://googolplex.cuna.org/18672/cnote/story.html?doc_id=682 way that clearly distinguishes the product from its competitors.   Differentiation focus allows both major and minor competitors to concentrate on a particular target audience and product line segment for instance, shoes for a specific purpose (a soccer shoe, a marathon runner’s shoe) 5. Some of the companies, like Fila, concentrate on a small geographic market which ensures profitability and market share.   Competitive advantage in athletic shoe industry is driven by manufacturing and product innovation, customer relationships and sales. The direct sales model (or other near-direct models) has been successful in the U.S., and the industry is moving more in that direction. â€Å"Competition in the shoe industry is fairly intense† 6 On the corporate level, many companies are driven by technological innovations and knowledge management systems. In addition, this industry began to follow a strategy of withdrawing from small markets with limited potential for its core products and to look for markets in countries with a major growth potential for athletic shoe industry products. Such giants as Adidas, Nike, Reebok, New Balance are globally oriented companies. Relationship marketing approach is applied by many competitors within athletic shoe industry in order to ensure long-term partnerships with customers and suppliers. Mergers and acquisition strategy opens new opportunities for the main competitors who have access to information and channels of influence which are not available to many other stakeholders. To maintain public relations athletic shoe companies use Internet as the main tool of advertising and communication7. Some companies, like New Balance, use computerized stitching department to reduce operationa l costs and other expenses.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Business planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business planning - Essay Example This paper presents a brief feasibility study about the ‘logistics’ business based in London to channelize the distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables to retail outlets around UK. The business idea The ‘Fresher Pvt Ltd’ will be a unique logistic and supply chain company and an exciting experience of ‘freshness’ designed to fulfill the responsibility of providing the target market with ‘fresh’ and premium quality natural products. The business idea is about logistics based in London to collect freshest and supreme quality natural fruits and vegetables directly from farms in different countries and supply them to retail outlets such as supercentres and hypermarkets. The very basic functional principle of the company will be based on the ‘six rights’ that a normal logistic company is required to fulfill. Therefore, the ‘Fresher’ is highly concerned about distributing the right and fresh fruits and vegetabl es to right customers at the right time in the right condition at the right place and at the right price (Voortman, 2004, p. 3). The ‘Fresher’ is not just a new opening of a logistic business, but, it is the output of a new idea to uncover a hidden market opportunity for meeting the demand for ‘fresh’ fruits and vegetables available in large-scale retail outlets in lowest price possible. Fruits and vegetable goods presently available in supermarkets, hypermarkets and other retail outlets often lack the quality and values of freshness that customers expect them to be. The Fresher Pvt. Ltd proposes to replace these goods with ‘freshest and most genuine natural fruits and vegetables’ supplied directly from farms around UK and from abroad. For this purpose, the company plans to enter in to strategic alliance with large-scale farmers in both UK and foreign countries including India and Sri Lanka to collect the most freshest goods directly from the f arms and to transport them as quickly as possible with latest cold-storage facilities to make them available in large retail outlets. Going directly to farms in other countries and collect fresh fruits and vegetables from the farmers seems an idealistic social movement. Thousands of farmers in countries like India are deprived of better facilities and opportunities to market their products. They neither get advanced facilities to transport or quickly supply them to markets nor get right prices for the goods they supply to markets. The ‘Fresher’ is going to influence the media to gain wider reputation for a social movement to extend the helps to poor farmers in other countries. The company proposes to utilize the resources, mainly the excess agricultural products that have been of no proper marketing use for that the farmers in India and other developing as well as under developed countries did not effectively market their products due to fewer facilities or decreased de mand or reduced prices for their goods. The ‘Fresher’ would satisfy these farmers by providing financial assistance for post-harvesting preservation and for advanced transportation facilities. The Fresher will increase the demand for their goods and value their products to return fair prices for their vegetables and fruits. The company helps them by creating a market for these premium and fresh

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Project Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Project Leadership - Essay Example And now, even the processes involved in upgrading the knowledge and skills of people are changing. Business organizations realize that the only way to survive in this kind of environment is to undertake continuous improvement through education and training. Towards this end, LRH Manufacturing has made a very strategic decision to adapt and grow with all these changes and consequently become more dynamic. The instructor-led training will now be replaced with the Web-based training system. Aside from the fact that the company needs to comply with government regulations on its product, there is the manifest need to establish the accuracy of its training records and ensure the participation of concerned employees in the mandated company trainings. The manual process of the current a Web- based Training Project Manager to oversee the program, new tools to be utilized, and everyone will be required to learn the new tools and utilize them in undertaking the training. It assures, however, that no employee or manager will be replaced, no new responsibilities will be added, but additional skills will be learned. The Training Department will continue to play an important role in the continuous improvement of the new program’s design and implementation. The Web-based Training Manager will just facilitate and help all key players in the new undertaking, especially ensuring that all the new knowledge will be acquired in an easy learning environment. He will be accessible to everyone and will also be openly reaching out to all. Adapting to the changes in the business environment is believed to be one way of maintaining organizational effectiveness. Edgar Schein, in his book Organizational Psychology, theorizes that organizations which fail to sense changes in the environment often become ineffective. This new training program will pave the way for LRH

Monday, November 18, 2019

Improwing Service Delivery in University of Derby Research Proposal

Improwing Service Delivery in University of Derby - Research Proposal Example University collaborations at all levels are important to delivering world-class research and strengthening the overall contribution of the laboratories to the nation's research enterprise. In addition, the interaction with university researchers increases the quality and impact of the user facilities and helps to improve them. b.) Project the necessary security facilities and assistance that the university can provide to foreign and local students. Other helpful facilities can include a university cafeteria, cultural book shop, mini grocery, wi-fi zones, sport facilities, and parking spaces. Since the investment is financially feasible, the dormitory could be built in the future. (i)To evaluate the benefits or otherwise of these facilities provisions to both the university and students' communities. (ii)To critically analyse the effectiveness of these facilities in the university communities. (iii)To suggest guidelines for improving and enhancing these services. Forte (2003) stated that some US colleges have adopted SEVIS in order to monitor and access current information on nonimmigrant students which is a way of protecting the safety of the student body. Charles Fletcher Jr (2005) stated that the University of Delaware has built a comprehensive identity management infrastructure using Siemens' HiPath Security solutions. The users adopt a credit card-sized SIcurity smartcards which manages the students' access to both physical facilities and information systems. Another system, the MetaDirectory coordinates with on-campus database applications to ensure that identity information such as electronic access credentials, is always current. The system provides a single point of access that processes requests when enabling and revoking users' security privileges. The smartcards provide tamper-proof storage for passwords and account numbers. With a single sign-on process, any student with an authorized ID and password can use the card to access t he internet and applications on school computers.Coppola et.al., (2001) discussed the establishment of the department of corporate security services for John Hopkins Medical Center in 1994. This in-house security team did a thorough

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Charles de Gaulle Airport Roof Collapse

Charles de Gaulle Airport Roof Collapse Table of Contents Title Page 1 Abstract 2 TOC 3 Introduction 4 Relevant sections 5 Conclusion 8 References ( Work Cited) 9 The Charles de Gaulle Airport collapse was one of the most expensive in repairs, the initial project was already a stunning 900 million dollars. The airport was located in Paris, France and was a hotspot for tourists and other visitors as many amusement parks, food places, etc were just minutes away. On May 23, 2004, disaster would strike on terminal 2E as the roof collapsed, killing 4 people and injuring 3 others. When investigated by law enforcement and other fellow engineers, faults in the design were found, because the project was rushed and safety measures were a bit ignored. Another reason for the collapse was found to be due to thermal expansion, the warm metal structure expanded and contracted as the temperature went from high 70s to the low 30s that same morning, loosening the grip and support as it suddenly cooled down and shrank, causing the collapse. Introduction In the early 2000s , a nine-hundred million dollar project was going to be introduced to the city of   Paris, France. The project designer was Paul Andreu, the one in charge of how smooth and crisp this project was going to turn out. This is known as the Charles de Gaulle Airport, an airport that at the time and still today is considered being one of the largest in the world, holding seventeen planes and had the capacity to hold 10,000,000 passengers a year, and on a daily basis transported roughly two-hundred thousand   passengers. This airport was a huge success, there were so many tourist attractions minutes away, which made the airport a hot spot for visitors, a very excellent place to locate this airport. The Charles de Gaulle Airport consisted of three layers of material, the outer layer consisted of plate glass, giving the structure a very modern look at the time. The middle layer was made up of metal supports, a very good choice for materials to hold and make this buildin g sturdy. And lastly the inner layer, or the inside was composed of concrete blocks that would help support the metal supports. Many who entered the airport were stunned at the scenery, a very modern yet futuristic look, that when waiting for a next flight, which would often be a couple of hours, would be an enjoyable place to wait, relax, and enjoy the scenery. A couple of months had passed since the construction of the airport, and people were calling it a jewel from France, as it showed off French engineering skill and in a way, a sense of style. Relevant Sections On the oddly cold morning of May 23, 2004, catastrophe would have a toll on the Charles de Gaulle Airport located near Paris, France. It was early in the morning, around 7 am, when a few tourists heard cracking like sounds and noticed small clouds of dust coming down from the ceiling, and then, it collapsed. Down came the roof, tons of concrete fell leaving a huge gap in the terminal. Each square foot weighed about 60 pounds, the width of the terminal was 100 and counting feet, so trying to imagine how much weight could have fallen on a person is something you do not want to think about. As the concrete roof gave out, it fell flat to the ground killing 4 people and injuring 3. Terminal 2E had crumbled to the ground! This took many people by surprise because it had not even been its anniversary yet, it had only been active for 11 months when the tragedy happened. For now, that is all people knew about the accident, nobody knew how this could have happened and what the cause was. Furth er investigation was still to take place, and people anxiously waited to see what the police and other investigators could dig out from this. Investigation During investigation and various interviews, local engineers and also the police came to the conclusion that the problems did not come from a freak accident, but they did lead back to the faulty designs in the terminal. It was found that cautionary measures were not taken in mind during the design. A stunning find was that the opening of the terminal was delayed a day after a  chandelier fell because of the moving in the ceiling. This made people want to learn more and the investigations were taken deeper into the case. Findings and Recommendations On May 23, 2004, a catastrophe that would leave many French stunned and those in neighboring countries occurred as terminal 2E of the Charles De Gaulle Airport fell to the ground, killing 4 and injuring 3. Faulty and rushed designs were to blame, and more research and causes were yet to be found. Deep into the investigation already, it was pointed out that the metal structures were inserted too deep into the concrete blocks, causing the cracking in the roof. At the same time , this cracking weakened the roof, causing it to collapse. However, something else was found to be a cause of the collapse. The metal structure was constantly hot, which made it expand, and as mentioned before, the temperature had drastically dropped from around 73 degrees fahrenheit all the way down to around 38 degrees. This meant that at one point the metal was flexible as it was warm , but as soon as the temperature dropped quickly, it made the metal shrink back as it tried to straighten out, loosening the gr ip on the already cracked concrete blocks and causing it   all to plunge to the ground. Impact on Engineering Practices Ever since engineers heard about the incident, many have really taken their time handling workers to do the jobs done and right. They have also insured that their plans and sketches are accurate and are always safe after the construction is done. Peoples safety and well being is now  a must while developing and constructing buildings that are enormous and cost so much money. People should feel safe when boarding a new state of the art plane or entering a brand new future like building. Someones life should never be at risk because an engineer or architect etc failed to see a safety hazard. In conclusion, the Charles de Gaulle Airport disaster was not so bad in the amount of victims suffered. However it was useful for many architects and engineers as they learned to analyze more carefully and ensure the safety of those who would be involved in their building or structure. To ensure that this wouldnt happen again, it was decided to rebuild the entire structure and this time , without using the heavy tons of concrete. They opted to use glass and metal sheeting and for the structures the metal was still the 1st option. Now the terminal and the rest of the airport has been rebuilt and is as successful as it had been before. Https://www.facebook.com/JackieCravenWrites. Why Did the Charles-de-Gaulle Airport Terminal Collapse? About.com Home. N.p., 24 Apr. 2016. Web. 21 Dec. 2016. Rubric rating submitted on: 12/21/2016, 12:47:19 PM by [emailprotected] 10 5 0 Title Page    Your score: 5 x Present not done Table of Contents    Your score: 5 x Present not done Abstract    Your score: 10 Present not done Introduction    Your score: 5 x Background    Your score: 10 Present not done Investigation    Your score: 7 Present not done Findings    Your score: 10 Present not done Impact    Your score: 10 Present not done Conclusion    Your score: 5 x not done References    Your score: 5 References included no references Notes    Your score: 0 Notes recorded no notes 6 Content Pages    Your score: 7 filled 6 pages 3 content pages no contents pages Comments: [1]should be after the table of contents and shorter see if you can get it down to 4-5 sentences

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Gun Control :: Second Amendment The Right To Bear Arms

Gun Control A Well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms , shall not be infringed. Amendment II, Bill of Rights Constitution of the U.S.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Second Amendment has been a major issue in American politics since 1876. In question is the intent of this Amendment. Was it meant to insure that people in general have arms for personal service, or was it intended to insure arms for military service? The nation's powerful gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, holds that it means the right to keep and bear arms -any arms. This privileged right is given to those 60-65 million people who choose to own guns. The NRA also believes that human character defects cannot be changed by a simple regulation of guns. They argue that problems with firearm ownership cannot be, in any way, associated with criminal violence. The lobbyist give credibility to this statement by adding that criminal violence continues to increase in cities like New York and Washington DC, even though gun control statutes were put into affect. They point out that gun laws would not have stopped most addicted killers. According to the NRA, anti-crime measures are the way to conquer urban violence, not anti-gun measures. The hope of most members in the association is to educate people about guns. The association is willing to reveal proper usage of guns to non-gun owners. They feel that this training could help reduce some of the tragedies involving guns.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The issue of gun control has become a dividing line in America. To gun control activists, the issue is about crime and the regulation of the weapons used to commit these crimes. In their opinion, law abiding citizens should have no need for guns. In this respect, the big controversy seems shallow . However, to the NRA population, a much deeper issue is in question, the issue is freedom. The members believe that the Second Amendment is crucial to the maintenance's of the democratic process. From their point of view, people who advocate gun control are ready to disregard a constitutional right. They believe that, if the Second Amendment is abridged, the First Amendment will be the next to go.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Executive Branch of the Federal Government is in a high-profile position on the issue of gun control. During this current Presidential election season, much rhetoric is being exchanged on the issue. It would almost appear that one must play to either camp in order to receive the desired endorsement of the strong political lobby groups. In the case of Bob Dole, the Republican

Monday, November 11, 2019

Organizational Culture Essay

Organizational Culture has been described as the shared values, principles, traditions, and ways of doing things that influence the way organizational members act. In most organizations, these shared values and practices have evolved over time and determine, toa a large extent, how things are done in the organization. This definition continues to explain organizational values, described as â€Å"beliefs and ideas about what kinds of goals members of an organization should pursue and ideas about the appropriate kinds or standards of behavior organizational members should use to achieve these goals. From organizational values develop organizational norms, guidelines, or expectations that prescribe appropriate kinds of behavior by employees in particular situations and control the behavior of organizational members towards one another. † The definition of culture implies three things. The culture is ‘perspective’, ‘descriptive’ and finally ‘shared’ within the organization. Research suggests that there are seven dimensions that describe and organization’s culture. Each of the seven dimensions (shown in exhibit 1) ranges from low to high, meaning it is not very typical of the culture (low) or is very typical of the culture (high). The seven dimensions of culture are: Attention to Detail. Outcome Orientation. People Orientation. Team Orientation. Aggressiveness. Stability. Innovation and Risk Taking. The culture of an organization can either be Strong or Weak. It is the culture, that sometimes influence the employees’ behaviors and actions. Strong Culture is said to exist where staff respond to stimulus because of their alignment to organizational values. In such environments, strong cultures help firms operate like well oiled machines, cruising along with outstanding execution and perhaps minor tweaking of existing procedures here and there. Research shows that strong cultures are those in which the key values are deeply held and widely shared and have a greater influence on employees than do weaker cultures. A â€Å"Strong† culture may be especially beneficial to firms operating in the service sector since members of these organizations are responsible for delivering the service and for evaluations important constituents make about firms. Research indicates that organizations may derive the following benefits from developing strong and productive cultures: †¢Better aligning the company towards achieving its vision, mission, and goals †¢High employee motivation and loyalty †¢Increased team cohesiveness among the company’s various departments and divisions. †¢Promoting consistency and encouraging coordination and control within the company †¢Shaping employee behavior at work, enabling the organization to be more efficient. However, in a strong culture, people do things because they believe it is the right thing to do, this often creates a state where people, even if they have different ideas, do not challenge organizational thinking, therefore, resulting in a reduced capacity for innovative thoughts. Most organizations have moderate to strong cultures; that is, there is relatively high agreement on what’s important, what defines â€Å"good† employee behavior, what it takes to get ahead, and so forth. However, it is also important to view what a weaker culture in an organization may yield at: An organization’s culture is often established by its top managers and it starts at the selection process. For instance, during the employee selection process, managers typically judge job candidates not only on the job requirements but also on how well they might fit into the organization. Further to that, the risk-taking appetite and irreverence to its competitors by the top managers paves the growth and action of an organization.