Cady Stanton Critique Essays - Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lecturers

One may find Lois W. Banners biography, Elizabeth Cady Stanton: A Radical for Womens Rights an enjoyable read, as long as the subject and topic interests them. The author, Banner, observes Stanton's role as an activist in the women's rights and suffrage movements, as well as Stanton's personal and professional relationships and successfully ties it all back to her upbringing and why Stanton is considered such a radical of her time period. A reader can appreciate the structured flow of the book since Banner chose to write the biography in chronological order. Because of this, Banner allowed the reader to better understand the events of Stantons life from beginning to the end, as well as historical events. Additionally, Banner also made it easy to follow along by mentioning the activist in her younger years as Cady and for her adult years; Banner would identify her as Cady Stanton. Lastly, Banner was successful in allowing the readers ability to connect to Stanton as a person and how she dealt with parenting and marital issues. Banner illustrates a portrait of Cantons background and how that relates to the activist she became. Banner goes into detail about the era that Stanton was born and raised in and allows the reader to understand how Stanton immediately disagreed with how women were viewed. It is as if Banner, without the credentials, made assumptions about the psychological aspects of who Stanton was. Some may view that Banner in a sense downplayed the origins of a great womens rights activist. Banner also broke down the lines of who Stanton was as a mother and wife and how those roles both hindered and helped to make Stanton, the activist. For example, on page 53, Banner writes: her [Stanton] underlying guilt at the prospect of leaving her children in the hands of others while she pursued a public career. The episode also reveals her [Stanton] scarcely submerged anger at the cultural demand that mothers bear total responsibility for their children. Depending on the reader, one may or may not enjoy how Banner referenced speeches and at many times all through the book, pulled from Stantons autobiography. One may argue that in doing so, Banner is giving the reader a biased opinion of Stanton and not her own. While that might be true, Banner does not conceal when Stanton was hypocritical to certain womens movements. For example, in chapter 3 of the book, Banner writes how Stanton wants to change to formality of womens dress code for the mid 1800s to a more casual dress. Stanton asked other women to continue wearing the dresses despite the criticism. However, once Stanton was pressured by her family and children, she was the first feminine leader to stop wearing the casual dress. For Banner to shed a light to this particular event shows Stanton in a way that she herself may not have done. Although quite brief, this book is a good overview of the life of one of the most important innovators of the women's movement in nineteenth century America. A reader can take away a better perspective of who Stanton was and how Banner portrayed her was an everyday woman with everyday struggles born years ahead of her time. LIT Summer 2015

Pro Forma Sessions in Congress

Pro Forma Sessions in Congress In the daily agendas of the House of Representatives and Senate, you will often see that House or Senate leaders have scheduled a â€Å"pro forma† session for the day. What is a pro forma session, what is its purpose, and why do they sometimes stir up political firestorms? Key Takeaways: Pro Forma Sessions Pro forma sessions are meetings of the U.S. Congress held â€Å"in form only.† Either house of Congress can hold pro forma sessions.During pro forma sessions, no votes are taken and no other legislative business is conducted.Pro forma sessions are held for the purpose of meeting the â€Å"three-day rule† in Article I, Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution. The three day rule prohibits either chamber of Congress from not meeting for more than three consecutive calendar days during a congressional session without the approval of the other chamber. The term pro forma is a Latin term meaning â€Å"as a matter of form† or â€Å"for the sake of form.† While either chamber of Congress can hold them, pro forma sessions are most often held in the Senate. Typically, no legislative business, such as the introduction or debate on bills or resolutions, is conducted during a pro forma session. As a result, pro forma sessions rarely last more than a few minutes from gavel-to-gavel. There are no constitutional restrictions on how long pro forma sessions must last or what business may be conducted in them. While any Senator or Representative present can open and preside over a pro forma session, the attendance of other members is not required. Indeed, most pro forma sessions are conducted before nearly empty chambers of Congress.   A Senator or Representative from one of the nearby states of Virginia, Maryland or Delaware is usually chosen to preside over pro forma sessions since members from other states have usually left Washington, D.C. for vacations or meeting with constituents in their home districts or states. The Official Purpose of Pro Forma Sessions The officially stated purpose for pro forma sessions is to comply with Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution, which prohibits either chamber of Congress from adjourning for more than three consecutive calendar days without the consent of the other chamber. Scheduled long-term breaks provided for in the annual legislative calendars for  sessions of Congress, such as the summer breaks and district work periods are typically provided for by the passage in both chambers of a joint resolution declaring the adjournment. However, the numerous unofficial reason for holding pro forma sessions of Congress often results in controversy and politically hurt feelings. The More Controversial Purpose of Pro Forma Sessions While doing so never fails to raise controversy, the minority party in the Senate often holds pro forma sessions specifically to prevent the President of the United States from making â€Å"recess appointments† of persons to fill vacancies in federal offices that require the approval of the Senate. The president is allowed under Article II, Section 2  of the Constitution to make recess appointments during recesses or adjournments of Congress. Persons appointed by recess appointments assume their position without the approval of the Senate but must be confirmed by the Senate before the end of the next session of Congress, or when the position again becomes vacant. As long as the Senate meets in pro forma sessions, Congress never officially adjourns, thus blocking the president from making recess appointments. However, in 2012, President Barak Obama made four recess appointments during Congress’ winter break, despite a run of daily pro forma sessions called by Senate Republicans. Obama argued at the time that pro forma sessions do not block the president’s â€Å"constitutional authority† to make appointments. Despite being challenged by Republicans, Obama’s recess appointees were eventually confirmed by the Democrat-controlled Senate.

NURSING RESEARCH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

NURSING RESEARCH - Essay Example process is concerned with gathering of scientific data, analysis, and compilation of nursing information (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, n.d. The process takes a theoretical perspective and uses new and existing information to compile alternative or new methods in practice. Implementation of the research process requires resources and time. Nursing process is different in that it is specific and concrete. It deals with offering unique services to individual patients. Another difference is that the main objective of a research process is to gather information and increase the knowledge of existing and emerging ailments. However, nursing process focuses on delivery of care to patients. The measure of success in the nursing process is health outcomes. A nursing process that ensures maintenance or improvement of health of patients is deemed to be efficient. The above discussion proves that both research process and nursing process are essential in nursing. The processes are similar in that they seek to maximize the health benefits of patients. However, the nursing process is more practical and patient-centered. It is thus imperative to ensure that both elements are present in nursing to enhance creativity, new information, and quality health care

Legal Method Skills & Reasoning Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Legal Method Skills & Reasoning - Coursework Example Consequently, her application for review of CICA’s decision by the First Tier Tribunal - Social Entitlement Chamber, and the decision held by the Upper Tribunal -Administrative Appeals Chamber is refused on the grounds that, CICA’s decision was in conformity with the requirements of s.20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 18612. There are, therefore, three principal issues before the Court of Appeal. The first issue is an interpretation of s.20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 18613. The second issue is the determination of whether psychiatric illness may constitute bodily harm within the meaning of the section 20 and section 474. The third issue is for the court to decide whether, with the provisions of The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2001, psychiatric illness is deemed a mental injury and whether Petal’s injury fall under the qualifications of mental for which award of compensation was warranted5. In giving its judgment, CICA stated  "Petal’s application for compensation is declined because that her injury was not attributable to a ‘crime of violence’ and, in any event, her injury was not a mental injury for which compensation could be paid.† Facts The facts of Petal’s case are well set out in the reported judgment of CICA; therefore, I would only offer a brief and short description of the facts. Orlando Fiction and Petal Agatha Scissor, a 20 year old student at UEA, met through an online dating service. They started dating and soon were involved in a sexual encounter, had unprotected sex-without a condom-, on their very first date. At the time, Petal nothing about her partner, only that he had working in South Africa and had just returned to England. Orlando Fiction and Petal Agatha Scissor had multiple, frequent unprotected. Orlando, months later, died in a road accident. Through Orlando’s mother-who she met at Orlando’s funeral-Petal learned that Orlando had been HIV positive and was not under antiretroviral drugs. After six months of medical tests, it was conclusively determined that Petal was not HIV infected. This experience resulted in Petal suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, which became severe and eventually she ended up in a psychiatric hospital. On a solicitor’s advice, she applied for compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority on the basis of the provisions under the Compensation Scheme 20016. Her application was refused on the basis that her injury were not as a result of a crime of violence7 and that her psychiatric illness did not constitute a mental injury for which compensation is warranted8. She later appealed against this decision to the First Tier Tribunal arguing that Orlando had committed an offence under s.20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861; this appeal was, however, dismissed, with the tribunal upholding CICA’s decision asserting that, Petal’

Movies and cultural influences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Movies and cultural influences - Essay Example With the sudden urbanization on a large scale, the ordinary factory workers in the city became psychologically isolated, though they were in the midst of a huge mass of urban population. This situation was further aggravated by the arrival and assimilation of a large number of immigrants, most of whom were not English speaking, and from a different cultural background. With time and money at their disposal due to the rising affluence, the urban workers needed to find avenues for entertainment. They still could not afford to attend entertainment shows such as music performances, theater plays etc. The invention of the moving picture towards the end of the nineteenth century, suited this demand perfectly. This amazing novelty captured the imagination of the common man. This medium had several advantages over other forms of entertainment. It was cheap. It could be copied, transported, and staged simultaneously at several places. Initial silent movies had no language barrier, and hence had a universal appeal. The earlier movie producers, mostly jews, Italian or greek immigrants who could not get in the mainstream industrial workforce, but were nonetheless hungry for success, utilized these advantages to attract a huge audiences and make maximum profits. Nickelodeon theaters, with shabby seating arrangements inside, and crude and gaudy posters outside, sprang up throughout the cities and even countryside. Some owners included vulgar and objectionable content in their movie shows. The dark environment inside the theatre was also found to foster unsocial and immoral activities. Cul tural traditionalists saw, in this movement, a potential to corrupt the minds of the young generation and a threat to the moral society. This commercial amusement activity was directly in contrast to playgrounds, libraries, school recreation centers, church sponsored recreation, which were considered to be the conserving moral agencies of a respectable society. Large scale criticism of the uncontrolled commercialism, as regards to movies, ultimately led to stricter theater regulations and even a temporary closure of all the movie houses in New York in 1908.Susequently, the movie men fought and won legal battles with the administration against this action, but with a clear message, that some form of regulation was needed. The first comprehensive law in the United States, regulating movie theaters was enacted in 1913, banning objectionable content such as vaudeville acts, enforcing the provision of better amenities inside the theaters etc. Movies and advertisement: The success of the industrial revolution, which started around the middle of the nineteenth century, was a collective result of several factors acting simultaneously in a complementary manner. The practical application of technological innovations, like telephony and telegraphy, effective use of electricity development of transport systems, and development of mechanized assembly lines greatly helped the economic growth of the American society as a whole. This further fueled the demand, not only for technology based products by the industries, but also for consumer based products and services by the masses. The Cycle of demand and growth prompted the manufacturers towards large scale production of goods. At the same time, these manufacturers had to compete with each other for maximizing their market share in the fully

Stakeholder Influence in Strategy Decisions

Stakeholder Influence in Strategy Decisions Devising a strategy should be a product of logical and external analysis, yet often appears to be a product of the power of stakeholders. Discuss using recent business examples. Johnson and Scholes (2002) p10 define strategy as â€Å"the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term, which achieves advantage for the organisation through its configuration of resources within a changing environment and to fulfil stakeholder expectations.† A strategic plan is therefore large scale future oriented activities that allow interaction with the competitive environment in order to achieve company objectives. It follows that strategic management is the process whereby a strategy is formulated, evaluated, and continuously improved. Strategic planning flows from the definition of an organisation’s vision, mission and objectives and subsequent environmental scanning, to understand the organisation’s strategic position with respect to the macro external environment, its industry, competitors, internal resources, competencies and expectations and influence of stakeholders. (Stoner, Freeman and Gilbert, 1995) This initial process establishes a basis for strategic choice by means of a match of identified strengths to opportunities. The translation of strategic choice into action is then implemented across all levels of the organisation through programmes, resources, technologies, and performance management structures. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002 and Davis, 2005) This essay focuses on the strategic position of the organisation in the context of its environment, its strategic capability, and stakeholder expectations. The purpose of an environmental scan is to develop a list of diverse variables from an uncertain and complex world to offer actionable responses and in so doing allow a structured framework for defensive or offensive actions. There are a variety of available analysis tools such as a PESTEL framework from a macro-environmental level, Porter’s Five Forces framework at an industry level, strategic groupings within an industry and individual market analysis. The results can then be applied in a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis to determine strategic choice. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) PESTEL is an acronym representing the key forces that exist or are emerging in the external environment and suggests how they will, or might impact on future strategy and resources.   These comprise Political, Economic, Sociocultural, Technological, Environmental and Legal factors. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) Changes in these forces and their interaction affect the types of products and services offered and impact on suppliers and distributors to the organisation. An example of political and legal forces in setting the climate for business, are the tax harmonisation processes in the European Union (EU) which have caused many multinational firms, including John Deere and Cargill, to relocate their head offices to Switzerland, a non EU member to avoid tax costs. Consequentially, the global competitive ratings for the Netherlands, Germany and other home countries of these firms plunged whilst the rating for Switzerland has surged. (Davis, 2005) The use of PESTEL in isolation and a mer e listing of possible influences without an understanding of the combined impact of a number of these forces could lead to inaction with respect to countering threats or pursuing opportunities to the detriment of the business. The combined effect of the factors can be understood by identifying structural drivers of change that affect the structure of an industry sector or market. These include an increasing convergence of markets as customer needs and wants become similar (eg standardisation of strategy textbooks across international higher education institutions), maximising cost advantages achieved through economies of scale by centralised production in low cost, labour efficient countries such as India and China, or the differential impact of the factors dependant on industry type. (eg Pharmaceutical sales to an aging population in a first world country) (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) This reinforces the need to regard strategy formulation as an interactive multidisciplinary process requiring creative thinking. Porter suggests that industry selection and analysis is a vital component of strategic planning. An industry is â€Å"a group of firms producing products that are close substitutes for one another.† (Johnson and Scholes, 2002, p110) Competitive forces within an industry can be analysed in the contexts of the sources of competition, the dynamics of that competition and strategic groupings. Although criticised as being too generic in nature, Porter’s Five Forces framework is useful in addressing key interacting forces affecting a strategic business unit with a distinct market for goods or services within an industry. Porter referred to these forces as the microenvironment so as to contrast it with the more general term, macro environment. They consist of those forces close to an organisation that affect its ability to serve its customers and make a profit. A change in any of the forces normally requires a company to re-assess the marketplace. (Porter, 1996) An example is that of the mobile phone network industry where the barrier to entry by new competitors is the huge entry cost associated with 3G broadband licenses. The purchasing power of buyers is high with a significant range of choices between networks and the power of suppliers increasing through alliances such as that of Casio and Hitachi in 2003. (Davis, 2005) The threat of substitute products is increasing as Personal Digital Assistance (PDA) convergence with phones and voice-over-internet technology emerges with the potential to bypass the network operators. Competitive rivalry between firms with similar products is high with a broad range of products on offer to the consumer. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) The concept of strategic grouping addresses the criticism of Porter’s model where an industry is considered to be too generic to provide a basis for understanding the competitive environment by applying the Five Forces framework. Johnson and Scholes, 2002, p122 define strategic groups as â€Å"organisations within an industry with similar strategic characteristics following similar strategies or competing on similar bases.† These firms are not homogeneous within the industry and follow strategies common to the group, but different to firms in other groups in the same industry. An example is a pharmaceutical manufacturer with a unique medication product protected by patent serving a common market using a similar strategy. (Davis, 2005) Understanding the competitive environment together with current and potential customer needs and wants will determine the success or failure of an organisation. Porter suggests that there are two generic strategies: cost or differentiation. Marketing segmentation identifies similarities and differences between individual and customer groups based on geographic, demographic lifestyle and benefit segmentation. An appreciation of customer values in a market segment and matching needs against the organisation’s capacity to meet those needs, is a critical aspect of determining strategic capability. (Pitt, 1997) The emergence of global firms suggests that traditional models are limited in application and that there is a need for the development of a broader integrative international strategic business model framework. (Ricart et al, 2004) Strategic capability involves the identification and evaluation of an organisation’s strengths and weaknesses in the functional areas of the business in the context of the external environment analyses. It is typically recorded in a SWOT framework. It represents an understanding of customer’s perceptions of value, the critical success factors through which that value is realised and unique competencies, processes, and technology to achieve competitive advantage. (Hussey, 2002.) The core competencies of the organisation are the unique capabilities that are critical success factors in achieving competitive advantage and hence key to the delivery of customer value. They form the foundation for differentiation and for increasing perceived customer benefits. Competencies must evolve as the needs and wants of customers change and a focus on developing critical competencies that affect market position, share and power is key. (Hamel and Prahalad, 1994) A useful model to analyse an organisation’s core competencies that underpin its competitive advantage is Porter’s Value Chain Analysis. This attempts an understanding of how the organisation creates customer value by examining the contributions of various activities within the business to that value. An organisation’s value chain is normally part of a broader value system that represents a set of inter-organisational linkages and relationships to create the product or service. It separates prima ry and support activities through which that value is generated. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) Porter argues that competitive strategy is about being different, and focussing on those activities that deliver a unique mix of value and doing them better than competitors. (Porter, 1996) The structured and systematic process of analysing the external and internal environment described thus far is carried out by a consultative process with stakeholders and should present a sound basis for establishing the foundation for the organisation’s strategy formulation. However, the impact of stakeholders and the complex role that people play from a political and cultural perspective should be taken into account. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) Davis, 2005, suggests that stakeholders are individuals or groups with an interest in the success of an organisation to deliver intended results and on whom the organisation itself depends. Donaldson and Preston, 1995, p64, argue that this general statement is too wide should be qualified to â€Å"be those persons or groups with a legitimate interest in procedure and / or substantive aspects of corporate activity.† Walsh, 2005, suggests that too broad a definition creates a situation whereby managers function in order benefit a stakeholder group or act as a continuous conduit to stakeholders. Stakeholders may include employees, unions, customers, financial institutions, suppliers, shareholders etc depending on the accepted definition. The definition of stakeholder is therefore important to the organisation because it impacts on the strategic plan formulation. The relationship between stakeholders and the organisation encompasses the field of stakeholder management that ranges in complexity from stakeholder mapping through to stakeholder collaboration and social capital. The corporate governance structure of the organisation and the regulatory framework within which it operates should determine who the organisation serves and how the purpose and direction of the organisation is determined. This includes the management of the capacity of a stakeholder to influence the organisation as well as accountability issues in the formal structure. This is typically structured through a separation of ownership and management at main board level, balanced by non-executive directors and a non executive chairperson. Internal or organisational stakeholders may blur this line through the inappropriate use of power and politics. Society in turn creates expectations of the organisation in terms of ethics and within a cultural context that need to be congruen t with that of the organisation. (Donald and Preston, 1995) The organisational field approach suggests that networks of related organisations develop which share common assumptions, values, and processes that may incorporate common organisational views on stakeholders. Under this scenario, relationship with stakeholders are taken for granted leading to legitimised strategies shaped by expectations being accepted without a structured strategic planning process occurring. (Walsh, 2005) A stakeholder map is a tool that inventories and categorises a companys stakeholders, shows their inter-relationships, expectations, and power. It illustrates the approaches that the organisation can follow to achieve its business objectives while winning support from its stakeholders. It raises the dilemma of ethics in that stakeholder management through such a strategy can be subverted to the detriment of the organisation. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) The Enron debacle is manifestation of both this dilemma and the organisational field phenomenon which allowed the failure of corporate governance structures when unethical conduct was accepted in the areas of finance and management by organisational stakeholders. The Enron case was one of the largest bankruptcy cases in US history. In 2001, it was the fifth largest company on the Fortune 500 with revenues of USD 100 billion, 19,000 employees, and rated the â€Å"most admired company† six years in a row by Fortune magazine. (Culp an and Trussell, 2005) The basic premise of Enron’s strategy was to create markets for goods and services traditionally transacted through complex distribution channels. It leveraged off its competitive advantage of delivering services efficiently and stretching it’s competency through added risk management features. The high growth phase of the organisation during the 1990’s and changed business strategy and corporate culture of Enron was driven by top management. In the process, Enron appeared innovative and profitable to the extent that the traditional agency relationship underpinning the firm as a nexus of contracts between the shareholders (principals) and the management as agents were left unchecked, which in turn impacted negatively on the broader spectrum of stakeholders. (Donald and Preston, 1995 and Culpan and Trussell, 2005) An ostensibly well structured, high profile corporation within the highly regulated environment of a security exchange, audited by a major audit firm was bought down by unethical conduct of its senior executive team with possible collusion by external stakeholders. The ultimate test of how well a strategy has been thought out is at implementation level and the controls around that implementation. Unless a strategy can be executed effectively with appropriate checks and balances then it will almost certainly fall short in achieving objectives. This means that strategy has to be linked to the organisation’s objectives, mission, operations, and measurable outcomes within a corporate governance framework that meets the needs of the stakeholders. The evolution of the Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced Scorecard to incorporate financial, customer, learning and growth, and internal process metrics evaluated against the vision and strategic objectives of the organisation provide one such strategic management control methodology across the organisation. (Kaplan and Norton, 1996 and Kaplan and Norton, 2001) In conclusion, this essay has examined the formal process of strategy development and given examples of tools from the literature to systematically evaluate the external and internal environments of the organisation. It has sought to demonstrate that organisations are facing dynamic and rapidly evolving forces that influence its strategic direction. This is especially true with the emergence of globalisation and intensively competitive world markets. The eventual choice of a strategic direction for an organisation is a function of the values and expectations of a broad range of stakeholders which influence strategic decision making through political power over the organisation within a cultural and ethical context. It is the control through governance structures, and ongoing measurement of the strategic implementation process that will determine the successful outcome of the strategy and concomitant success of the organisation. References Cuplan, R. and Trussel, J. (2005) â€Å"Applying the Agency and Stakeholder Theories to the Enron Debacle.† Business and Society Review. Volume 110, 1. Davis, F. R. (2005) Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases. New Jersey, Pearson Prentice Hall. Donaldson, T. and Preston, L. E. (1995) â€Å"The Stakeholder Theory of the Corporation: Concepts, Evidence and Implications.† Academy of Management Review. Volume 20, 1. Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C. K. (1994) Competing for the Future. Boston, Harvard Business School Press. Hussey, D. (Jan–Feb 2002) â€Å"Company Analysis: Determining Strategic Capability.† Strategic Change. Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (2002) Exploring Corporate Strategy Sixth Edition. London, Prentice Hall. Kaplan, R. S. and Norton, D. P. (1996) The Balanced Scorecard. Boston, Harvard Business School Press. Kaplan, R. S. and Norton, D. P. (2001) â€Å"Transforming the Balanced Scorecard from Performance Management to Strategic Management.† Accounting Horizons. Volume 15, 1. Pitt, L. (1997) Marketing for Managers: A Practical Approach. Cape Town, Juta Ltd. Porter, M. (November – December 1996) â€Å"What is Strategy?† Harvard Business Review. Ricart, E. J. et al. (2004) â€Å"New Frontiers in International Strategy.† Journal of International Business Studies. Volume 35, 3. Stoner, J. Freeman, E. and Gilbert, D. (1995) Management Sixth Edition. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice Hall. Walsh, J. P. (2005) â€Å"Taking Stock of Stakeholder Management.† Academy of Management Review. Volume 30, 2.

The Newfoundland & Labrador Essays -- Advertising

Travel advertisements are created to inspire. They are constructed to be visually appealing and intriguing, yet they must also maintain a distinct trace of the exotic. The embedded foreignness in travel advertisements spark curiosity, which in turn seeks to enlighten the reader’s sense of adventure. The advertisement coauthored by the Newfoundland & Labrador Department of Tourism (henceforth referred to as â€Å"NL Tourism†) and the Canadian airline WestJet is no exception. What sets this particular advertisement apart, however, are the elements of publication dynamics and design that combine harmoniously to sell an idea. The advertisement was published in travel section of Toronto’s The Globe and Mail, a newspaper that is circulated across Canada. The publication selection hints at the advertisement’s intended audience. It would be fair to deduce that readers of The Globe and Mail are fairly educated since The Globe often features analyses of issues that are of international importance. Readers are also perhaps middle aged, as newspaper is becoming an antiquated medium in society, and they are likely to have decent salaries, for the weekend edition of the newspaper costs $3.88 alone. WestJet and NL Tourism are targeting people with a healthy discretionary income. This is especially true considering The Globe is published in Toronto, which is a popular economic and financial centre of Canada. The advertisement size, a full-colour back page, is also intended to draw attention to the reader and possible onlookers. Finally, the advertisement’s publication date of Saturday, 25 Februa ry 2012, is also strategic. It comes at a time when people may be thinking about summer vacations and journeys to visit home. The sunny, placid overtone fe... ... way ticket, but suggests that perhaps a one way ticket is the only direction the reader needs. The passage in the fine print correlates to the idea of time zones and escape, further inviting the reader to discover the Province. Through tactical publication placement and quality visual aesthetics, the advertisement cultivates appeal. The idea being marketed embodies core concepts of the desire to travel: relaxation, exploration, and the regress to a more simple state of living. These concepts are promoted as what the reader deserves. Venturing to Newfoundland and the Conception Bay sunshine should be the priority of the reader after viewing the advertisement. The description on the uniqueness of place fulfills the impression that Newfoundland and Labrador is unconventional and alluring. In just three short hours from Toronto, the secluded bay awaits your arrival.

Gender Bias in the Religion Essay

The term â€Å"religion† refers to a human spiritual approach which comprises of practices, beliefs, and symbols which have a supernatural quality or significance. This gives a follower of a given religion the meaning to the life experiences in reference to the truth. The question of whether there is gender bias in the religion has triggered many debates and discussions in the past and in the modern society. In order to determine whether there is gender bias in the religion, one requires knowing about the history of the major religions that exist and the state of women and men in the religions. The claims that gender bias exist in the religion emanates from the opinion that women seems to be oppressed in the religion. However, some argue that gender bias has been promoted by application of religious beliefs in a negative way. Every religion has defined roles of both men and women and these differences have played an important role in promoting gender bias. In all the religions, gender bias is linked to the dominant role that men play in the religion and in the society. The religious perception of who men and women are and their role determines is an important factor in determining whether gender bias in the religion exists. In this paper, the question of whether religion bias exists in the religion will focus on some of the most popular religions in the world; Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism. Arguments on why each of these religions is considered to have gender bias will be presented. In addition, the beliefs in the religions that speak against gender bias will be discussed Discussion Gender bias in Christianity Christianity is a religion whereby the religious beliefs and practices are based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians are expected to follow the teachings and the religious beliefs that were taught by Jesus. In Christianity, gender bias is linked to the dominant role of men in the religion and the society as compared to that of a woman. According to the Bible in Genesis1:26-28, both man and woman were created equal and in God’s image. Contemporary criticism of Christianity has been attributed to its gender bias. According to the Bible, the origin of sin is considered to have come from the woman. Some people have used this religious teaching to consider women inferior to men. Another argument that is presented to justify gender bias in Christianity is that almost all the writers of the Holy Scriptures were men, with the exceptions of the book of Eshter. Only a few women participated in the writing of the scriptures. However, women have a strong presence in the Holy Scriptures. These women include, Eshter, Naomi, Deborah, Rachel, Mary Magdalene, and the Virgin Mary. Christian beliefs and attitudes have varied based on the societies within which the Christians have lived. Because Christianity through its holy scriptures prescribe gender roles for both women and men, lack of involvement or minimal involvement of women in church leadership is considered to be gender bias in the religion. Women until the second half of the twentieth century were not allowed to take part in ecclesiastical and pastoral office duties. Only men were allowed to undertake religious duties in these offices. This traditional stance of Christianity still remains influential in some Christian denominations (Gilbert, 2006). For instance, the Eastern Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic and the Complementarian Protestants still have men dominating the church leadership. Although women may participate in church leadership, their role is minimal as compared to the men’s dominant role. For example, the top leadership positions such as those of bishops, archbishops, and priests are reserved for men while women play a minor role in top leadership. The fact that women have a little role to play in the religions’ top hierarchy is considered to be gender bias in Christianity The role of women in the church is considered to have been overlooked, downplayed or denied throughout the Christian history. The minimal participation of women in religious duties contributed to the domination of men in the society and in government leadership. During the Patristic age, only men were allowed to take the religious teachings offices and sacramental ministry. The Christian society for a long time has not considered it right to have women serve in the church top leadership However, in the early centuries, the Eastern church allowed women to participate in church leadership to a limited extent by ordaining women as deaconesses. The Western church reserved the position of deacon for men only. In the ancient churches such as the Roman Catholic, Coptic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, church leadership continued to be reserved for men only. Up to date, these churches have the position of the pope, bishop, archbishops, and priests strictly reserved for men. Women serve the church as nuns. Another argument that is presented to support gender bias in Christianity is the selection of all Jesus’ apostles as men (The Good News Bible, Mark 3:13-35). Christians believe that Jesus was the son of God who suffered, died, and resurrected for their salvation. Jesus is considered to be the Christians’ model of a virtuous life, a physical incarnation of God, and a revealer of God’s message. The New Testament gospel is a written account of Jesus life. According to Christianity, Jesus had twelve disciples who were all men whom he appointed to be the leaders of the church. This is viewed as the reason why church leadership is often reserved for men. Because priests represent Jesus, then having male priests is considered to be right. Women are not ordained as priests in Christian churches which still hold the traditional stance of having church leadership received for women. Gender bias in Christianity is attributed to lack of ordination of women as priests. Women can only work as nuns but cannot be elevated to the positions of priests, bishops or pope in religious hierarchy (Roman Catholic). In the ancient Christian societies, only men served as priests. In early Christianity, the religious law makers or the Pharisees applied religious laws that discriminated women . According to the Good News Bible in John 8:1-6,the Pharisees brought an a woman to Jesus who they claimed had committed adultery. According to the Pharisees, the law of Moses required them to stone her to death. Jesus told them that the only one to stone the woman would be the one who had never committed a sin. None of the Pharisees stoned the woman. Jesus showed mercy to the woman due to the injustice that was being done to her since no punishment was being given to the woman’s sexual partner. Apart from such treatment against women by the traditional Jewish societies, rules that were put in place portrayed women as inferior to men. For example, men were not supposed to speak to women publicly. Modern Christianity teaches against such treatment based on Jesus’ teachings against the discrimination of women. Christianity advocates for men as the head of the family (McGrath, 2006). A woman who was created from man is meant to be a companion and a helper to a man, a belief that has made man to be viewed as superior to a woman . The application of this belief has promoted gender bias in the church and in a Christian society. The superiority of man over a woman which is supported by the scriptures has continued to influence the perception of women. The doctrine of Holy trinity in Christianity has been used to argue that men are the best suited in representing Jesus who is the son of God, who is also considered to be â€Å"Him† just like in Islam and Judaism. Although Christianity has been criticized for promoting gender bias, it has also spoken openly against ill treatment of women. In the story of creation, man and woman were created differently but they were supposed to work together as equals. A man and a woman in a marriage are meant to love and respect each other (The Good News Bible, Ephesians 5:31-33). The early Christian society which discriminated women (the Pharisees) was criticized by Jesus. In addition, Jesus preached against injustice on women and showed compassion towards them. Christianity is said to acknowledge the important role of a woman because Jesus who is the Christians’ model of a virtuous life accepted women, including those who were seen to be sinners. In the early church, women were depicted to be teachers, leaders, and apostles (Rebecca, 1997). The New Testament through the letter of Paul to Timothy preaches against discrimination. Apostle Paul asks Christians to treat each other well with respect, and the younger women with absolute purity. In Galatians 3:38 the Bible states that â€Å"there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus† . These teachings oppose roles that promote gender bias. The church has continued to promote the important value of women through the Virgin Mary. However, the issue of gender bias in the church has led to the formation of women’s movements with the aim of changing the role of women in the church. For example, the â€Å"Christian feminism† movement is trying to challenge some traditional Christian interpretations of the Holy Scriptures which define the role of women. The modern debate on gender has promoted Christian feminism and Christian egalitarianism arguments. Gender bias in Judaism Judaism is based on the Hebrew Bible which is also referred to as the Torah. The Hebrew Bible is the first section of Tanakh and it comprises of the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deutronomy. Some Jewish laws are not written in the Torah. Those that have been derived from the textual hints are referred to as Oral Torah. The religion just like in Christianity has defined roles for men and women (Elyse, 2008). Women are not allowed to become religious leaders in Judaism. In addition, priests are supposed to marry pure women (Leviticus 21:13-14). The Talmud passage in Reboot 61a-b indicate that priests should not marry a woman who is barren unless he has a wife and children. A barren woman is considered to be a â€Å"faithless wife†. Women do not participate in church leadership although various women such as Miriam (prophetess) and Rachel are recognized in the religion. In the traditional Jewish societies, the women were allowed to play the roles of prophetesses and Nazirites despite their minimal role in the religious matters. Jewish women were expected to participate in religious rituals. Orthodox Judaism portrays gender bias when women were exempted from studying some advanced Jewish texts although the evolutions of the orthodox society has resulted changes in such practices. Traditional Orthodox rabbis in the contemporary society oppose the change of Judaism accepted norms of observance to promote gender equality. These changes include the modern Orthodox Judaism support for more advanced education for Jewish women. Furthermore, the issue of whether women should study Talmud is still controversial in modern Orthodoxy. In traditional Orthodox Judaism, women are not allowed to serve as witnesses in a rabbinical court. The traditional exclusion of women testimony as advocated by Judaism is seen as discrimination against women. Jewish women are not ordained as rabbis, although rabbi – like positions for Orthodox women have now been created despite many followers opinion that ordaining women as rabbis goes against the Jewish law. The Torah in the book of Exodus 21:10 support polygamy which is considered to be gender bias against women (Rabinowitz and Harvey, 2007). Despite the gender bias in Judaism, several women are recognized as role models in the scriptures. Modern Judaism has now allowed active participation of women in reading the Torah, serving as a cantor, and being part of the Minyan. Gender bias in Conservative Judaism has triggered changes that aim at including mixed seating and promoting synagogue corporate leadership. Reform Judaism now promotes equality of women and men, encouraging women to participate in religious rituals earlier reserved for men. Gender bias in Islam Islamic teachings are based on the teaching of Prophet Muhammad, where the Muslims are required to observe the five pillars of Islam. Theologically, Islam promotes equality of men and women. The Muslim society however is seen to establish a distinction between men and women. According to the Islam teachings in Al-Baqarah, 2:228 â€Å"and women shall have rights, similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable†, women are equal to men. However, the different status and responsibilities for men and women in Islam depends on the religious interpretations. According to the Quran 49:13, Islam promotes equal treatment for both men and women (Stowasser, 1996). Gender bias in Islam is attributed to the Sharia law due to its promotion of practices that are to the disadvantage of the women. The Sharia law prevents the mixture of both men and women at the places of worship and the traditional interpretations of Islam are considered to allow polygamy for men. This is seen by some as against the equality of both men and women. Muslim women are not allowed to take religious leadership positions in Islam and a suggestion for women to become imams is criticized and disputed by many. Medieval Muslim women had problems accessing religious education as compared to the men. Women cannot be allowed to lead mixed prayers in the mosque since worshipping at the mosque is done with women and men in separate places. The women’s’ freedom of movement and travel is limited by the Sharia law, and women should only travel together with a male relative (Mumisa, 2002). For instance, the prohibition of women to drive in some Muslim societies is considered as the Sharia law discrimination against women. Although this was a move to promote a woman’s safety, Muslim women are sometimes prohibited from driving. Some Muslim women have been discriminated against due to extremist Islam beliefs. For example, in Afghanistan women have in the past been denied access to education and job opportunities. Islamic law has also undermined the involvement of women in leadership and it promotes gender –biased inheritance rules which are considered to oppress women . When giving evidence in a court according to Sharia law, a women’s evidence is counted as half that of a man’s evidence. Islam support polygamy and Shiite Islam is criticized for allowing mota or Sigheh where men can exercise a temporary marriage, and women are expected to submit to such practices. Muslim men are allowed by the Sharia law to marry non – Muslim women, while the same does not apply for Muslim women. Muslim women under Sharia law should not interact with men who are not their relatives unless in presence of a male relative. This is viewed as discouraging social interaction of women with other members of the society (Safi, 2003). Despite the ill treatment of women in Muslim societies that promote Sharia law, Islam promotes equal rights and dignity for both men and women. It has been argued that gender bias is linked to Islam not because the religion is biased but due to the practices that exist in Muslim societies. Islam provides women with an equal status to that of men in theory and in practice. The women are assured of financial security through inheritance whether it’s during marriage or in case of divorce and widowhood. Islam recognizes a woman’s’ role as a wife and as a mother, and it does not prohibit her from seeking employment. Islamic teaching defines men and women as recipient of† divine breath† due to their creation with the same human-spiritual nature and both men and women are acknowledged by Allah as His trustees on earth (Yvonne et al, 2006). Gender bias in Buddhism Buddhism is a religion whose teachings are based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. Buddhism comprises of two branches, Mahayana and Theravada. Buddhists uphold the four noble truths (Eliot, 2003). Women Buddhists can easily integrate with other members of the society and are given an honorable place in the society. Buddhist women even in the ancient times were able to access religious knowledge and participate in religious ceremonies. However, womens’ religious roles differ from those of men. For example, religious women are not able to perform religious duties similar to those of the monks. Buddhism teaches that a marriage is a contract between equals. Gender bias is portrayed in the doctrine of Karma and rebirth in Buddhism which supports inherent male superiority. Furthermore, gender bias in Buddhism can be seen in the domination of men in religious leadership. Though Buddhist nuns can hold important religious positions, they are categorized as a group than can occupy a niche in the religious realm and secular world. Buddhism considers women as religiously insufficient hence they have to depend on men to make merit. The religion allows multiple spouses for a man and only one for a woman Both men and women in Buddhism are able to realize nirvana equally, although the paths of realizing it vary. Gender equality is promoted in Mahayana Buddhism since it allows the ordination of women to serve in religious duties as Bhikkhunis. Bhikkhunis are also referred to as Buddhist nuns. Buddhism promotes spiritual equality for both men and women a belief that prevents supremacy of males in the religion. This had Buddha acknowledge the spiritual potential of both women and men. For instance, the order of Bhikkhunis or nuns represents the important role of a woman in Buddhism. The Sasana is comprised of Bhikkus (Monks), Bhikkhunis (Nuns), laymen, and laywomen. This ensures that women are not segregated from religious activities. Unlike in Hinduism, funeral rites in Buddhism can be conducted by a widow or a daughter hence the birth of daughters only is not considered as a misfortune. However, male offsprings are preferred in Buddhist societies due to the ideology of male superiority. Gender bias in Hinduism The most authoritative text of Hinduism is the Vedas. The position that is given to both men and women depend on the specific text and context of the Vedas. For example, positive reference to women is given in the Ramayana and Mahabharata, while restriction on the role of women is given by the Manu smriti (Michaels, 2004). Gender bias in Hinduism is seen in the religious practices. For example, the birth of daughters with no sons becomes lamentation due to the importance of a male offspring in funeral rites. When a father dies in a Hindu community, only male offspring are allowed to assure a family of its happiness by carrying out funeral rites. A wife without a son is therefore superseded by a second or third wife. Male children in this case are highly regarded unlike the female children. The religious practice of Sati is criticized for discriminating and giving harsh treatment to women. The sati in Hinduism encourages the immolation of women after their husband’s death. Although women willingly take part in sati, many cases result from societal inducement or compulsion. Examples of women who are mentioned in Hindu Holy Scriptures to participate in Sati Vasudeva’s wives (M Bh. Mausalaparvan 7. 18) and Madri (M Bh. Adiparvan 95)). The Hindu religious practices promote discrimination of females due to the culture of payment of dowry, which makes female children to be viewed as a burden to the family. The religious customs of having the bride’s family pay dowry to the groom’s family has had many female children looked down upon with cases of female infanticide being witnessed . In Manu VIII 416-417,the ownership of property by women is restricted and alienation of Hindu widows from the society has also been attributed to female infanticide. Marriage of females at a very early age and denial of women to marry again after the death of a husband are gender bias religious practices that are still witnessed in some Hindu societies. Apart from the above arguments that support gender bias against women in Hinduism, the religion supports the participation of women in religious rituals. In addition, both men and women can learn about the sacred texts of the religion and women have been appreciated due to the representation of some deities in the religion as females (Williams, 2005). Conclusion Whether there is gender bias in the religion is an issue that has triggered heated debates from the people all over the world, especially the religious leaders. In various societies, gender bias has been witnessed. While some gender bias has been attributed to the religious beliefs and practices of the society members, some bias has been attributed to the culture of the people and not the religion. Various arguments have been presented to prove whether there is gender bias in the religions that exist. Some arguments support the notion that there is gender bias in the religion. In all religions, the beliefs, traditions and values that are advocated for greatly influence the way of life of the followers. Therefore,the role that different genders play in the society and in fulfilling religious duties are linked to the religious beliefs and traditions upheld by the members of a given society. This is why gender bias that exists in the society is related to the religion. References Eliot, C. 2003. Hinduism and Buddhism: A Historical Sketch, vol. I (Reprint ed. ), Munshiram Manoharlal Elyse G. 2008. The Women’s Torah Commentary: New Insights from Women Rabbis on the 54 Weekly Torah Portions. Jewish Lights Publishing Gilbert, B. 2006. Beyond Sex Roles: What the Bible says about a Womans Place in Church and Family, Baker Academic McGrath, E. 2006. Christianity: An Introduction. Blackwell Publishing Michaels, A. 2004. Hinduism: Past and Present (5th ed. ), Princeton University Press Mumisa, M. 2002. Islamic Law: Theory & Interpretation, Amana Publications Rabinowitz, I. , and Harvey, W. 2007 â€Å"Torah. † Encyclopaedia Judaica. Ed. Michael Berenbaum and Fred Skolnik. Vol. 20. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA Rebecca, G. 1997. Good News for Women: A Biblical picture of gender equality, Baker books Safi, O. 2003. Progressive Muslims: On Justice, Gender, and Pluralism. Oneworld Publications. Stowasser, F. 1996. Women in the Qur’an, Traditions, and Interpretation, Oxford University Press The Good News Bible. 1976. American Bible Society, Harper Collins Publishers Williams, P. 2005. Buddhism: Critical Concepts in Religious Studies, Routledge, London & New York Yvonne, H. , Kathleen, M. , and Jane, S. 2006. Muslim Women in America: The Challenge of Islamic Identity Today. Oxford University Press

Thesis Citation Recommendations

Thesis Citation Recommendations Thesis Citation Recommendations Citation is the process by which you give proper attribution to authors of materials you used to form a thesis. Without proper citation and corresponding bibliographical references listed at the end of a paper, you could be accused of plagiarism or unfounded/unsupported statements and conclusions. Experienced writers in Toronto and surrounding areas recommend the following steps: Writing Formats There are various writing styles and citation formats to consider: APA (American Psychological Association) MLA (Modern Language Association) Chicago Manual of Style /Turabian Harvard CBE (Council of Biology Editors) CGOS (Columbia Guide to Online Style) Check Your Citations Make sure your paper meets the necessary citation and reference list criteria: Are all references cited in the text? Are all the citations mentioned in the reference list? Are all entries in alphabetical and numerical order? Do reference list entries have basic, required information (e.g. author/s, publication year, title, page number, DOI Digital Object Identifier, URL, etc. ) Do the in-text citations with multiple authors have the correct number of names and use of â€Å"et al.† appropriately? Are the names of the authors spelled correctly (and use either full first name or first initial as required by the chosen style format)? Are the titles accurate? Do various papers written by the same author(s) have the proper use of â€Å"ibid.† or â€Å"op cit† in the in-text citations? Master Essay is an exceptional thesis writing service. You can request a Standard, Premium or Platinum quality paper from one our expert writers. Each member of our writing team can assist you with any assignment. Call for expert writing help in the GTA today at 1-800-573-0840.

The Life and Studies of WEB Du Bios essays

The Life and Studies of WEB Du Bios essays The Life and Studies of W.E.B. Du Bois William Edward Burghardt Du Bois entered the world on February 23, 1868. This was less than three years after slavery was outlawed. However, his family had been out of slavery for several generations. He was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, a small village with only a handful of black families. His teachers quickly made him a favorite, and most of his playmates were white. At the age of fifteen he became a local correspondent for the New York Globe. Du Bois moved to Nashville, Tennessee where he received a scholarship and attended Fisk University. This was the first time that he discovered that being black was a big part of his identity. He spent his summers in Tennessee teaching in rural schools. It was there that he met "the real seat of slavery." He had never seen such poverty in his entire life. "I touched intimately the lives of the commonest of mankindpeople who ranged from barefooted dwellers on dirt floors, with patched rags for clothes, to rough hard-worki ng farmers, with plain clean plenty." (Hamilton, Her Stories). Unlike Massachusetts, Nashville was a southern town that exposed Du Bois to the everyday bigotry he had escaped growing up. While he was there he came in contact with some people that did not think of him as a normal human being. There is a story of one woman that called him a nigger after she accidentally bumped into her. By the end of his college years Du Bois had begun to take pride in his heritage. Du Bois graduated from Fisk and entered Harvard where he received his A.B., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. He was the first African-American to receive a doctorate from that university. He also spent two years studying at the University of Berlin, which was at the time the world's most distinguished center for advanced research in history. His doctoral dissertation was a study of the efforts to suppress the African slave trade. He accepted a position teac...

Technology adoption of e-government from the perspective of citizens Article

Technology adoption of e-government from the perspective of citizens - Article Example Various governments across the globe have initiated e-government programs with a view to offer speedier and convenient ways for their citizens to access information regarding government services. However, in order for e-governance to work successfully and effectively, as planned, it entails a comprehensive study of factors which may influence its use. Trust – is one such factor which plays a key role in e-commerce, and more specifically e-government, adoption since trust between the government and the citizens is inevitable for this technology to function effectively (Bhattacherjee 2002; Carter and Belanger 2005; McKnight et al. 2002; Pavlou 2003; Warkentin et al. 2002). Hence, if the level of trust displayed by citizens on the government is high, it will lead to high level of involvement in e-government as well. However, trust in e-government or any sort of web-institution for that matter, is greatly influenced by ‘disposition to trust’ since individuals who trust others will generally trust institutions involving people (McKnight et al., 2004). When viewed, from the e-government perspective, the disposition to trust has invariably resulted in an increased level of trust in e-government by the citizens (McKnight et al., 2004) In order to effectively apply any given technology and ensure its widespread acceptance, its antecedents must be taken into consideration. With respect to technology; privacy concerns assumes relatively higher significance and hence needs to be probed thoroughly to ensure wider acceptance. The level of privacy afforded by the media used, across all age groups is directly related to its usage since privacy risks rank highly on the users concerns list (Jacko, 2009). Parents are highly concerned about the privacy protection tools provided to ensure the safety of information accessed by their children. Various studies conducted so far, have reaffirmed the role of privacy in influencing the technology usage. This is

Markiting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Markiting - Essay Example The two dimensions of the BCG model, market growth and relative market share, serve as proxies for industry attractiveness and competitive advantage respectively which are two important determinants of company profitability (â€Å"BCG Matrix† para 1). Looking at it from the product lifecycle point of view, it is often prudent for an organization to have a balanced product portfolio consisting of both high-growth and low-growth products. High-growth products are those that require greater resources and effort to market now but that have a high probability of generating immense revenues in the future, for example Apple could categorize the iPad here. On the other hand, a low-growth product is an already established product that brings the organization constant flow of cash for example in Apple’s case the iMac. The BCG model operates under two important assumptions. First of all, increasing market share leads to an increase in the generation of cash. The experience curve manifests that relative market share increases as a firm creates cost advantages (â€Å"BCG Matrix† para 2). Secondly, a growing market requires investment in assets to increase capacity which results in the consumption of cash.