Affirmative Action Essays (2066 words) - Social Inequality

Affirmative Action Affirmative Action AFFIRMATIVE ACTION INTRODUCTION This paper was written to show how Affirmative Action took place. It deals with the idea that diversity management does not decrease ethnic and gender tensions while increasing profits, productivity and creativity, but it has served a general purpose to aware people of different cultures, and establish a justification to make everybody equal in opportunity not based in race, sex, nor culture. It also includes a history of the Affirmative Action. The different paths it has taken along the development it has undergone as time has gone by, from its beginning as a Civil Rights Act to the Affirmative Action it is today. Statement of Purpose The three members of the group are members of minorities and the purpose is to acquaint other minorities with what could be encountered in finding a job. Scope This paper contains arguments that stand for and against Affirmative Action programs with cases to substantiate the claims. It also contains a history of the Affirmative Action and its original purpose. Sources and Methods The material needed for this paper was gathered from several on-line resources and a book. Such sources were gathered by searching the Internet and the School's Library. Report Organization The paper starts by giving the reader the original purpose of the affirmative Action and its history. Then, it states several pros and several cons supporting each with a case. At the end of the paper a summary of the same is given together with the conclusions formed by the writers of the paper. WHAT IS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION? Affirmative Action is the name given to programs that try to correct past and ongoing discriminations against women, racial minorities, and others in the work force and in education. The principal goal of Affirmative Action is to create more diversity and equal opportunities in jobs or schools that used to be all or mostly male, white, or both. Affirmative Action programs have been in place only a little over thirty years throughout Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. There are three aspects of Affirmative Action. One, Affirmative Action in employment. It can consist of posting and publicizing job notices in locations that are likely to be seen by a wide rang e of people so that not only white people, but also minorities can see that there are job opportunities that they can apply to (Casul, 1). Two, Affirmative Action in contracting. This consists of highly regulated government agencies that help minorities to get jobs without haven to go through discrimination because of their background (Casul, 1). Three, Affirmative Action in education. This consists of various programs that schools have to be able to provide minorities with the equal opportunity of an education (Casul, 1). THE HISTORY OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Affirmative Action was started in 1965 with the Executive order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. He stated that something else had to be done to move beyond the non-discrimination laws that were already enacted. At the same time something had to be done to enable women and minorities to move up in their jobs. After President Johnson, President Nixon implemented that same Executive order. With this done President Ford, a few years later the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974. This acts assured that federal contractors had Affirmative Action regulations in hiring or firing employees. Again, some years later President Carter created a centralized office to handle all Affirmative Action cases named the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). Now, during his presidency, President Clinton has articulated four standards for all Affirmative Action programs: no quotas in theory or practice, no illegal discrimination of any kind, no preferences for people not qualified, and as soon as the program has succeeded it must be retired. THE CASE FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Since the day that thanks to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 African-American civilians were able to attend school with everybody else; since the day that there was no difference between a white water fountain and a black water fountain, the achievements reached with the help of an Affirmative Action are evident. Affirmative Action has caused a debate and some tension to rise in the American society (Lewis, 1). The paragraphs that follow will be intended to show to the reader that an Affirmative Action can indeed help the business environment in getting the most qualified people the job they deserve, without their

Proverbial Expressions Essay Example

Proverbial Expressions Essay Example Proverbial Expressions Paper Proverbial Expressions Paper Honesty is regarded as the best quality in a person. It always praised and admired . Without honesty we can not command respect from the people. No Pains No Gains This proverb has a very opt place in life of students because a student has to achieve his goal by hard work. Mans life is full of ups and downs. Life is not a bed of roses. People have to take pain in order to have gain in their life. It is proved by experience that the lazy people go down and hardworking people come up in life. A student who studies hard gets success in examination and also in life. If he is careless and neglect the work he ruins his life. A business man or a industrialist gets more profits if he works hard sincerely in his business. A farmer who works hard in his field has a very good cultivation. So people moving any path of life must sincerely work hard and take pains to get success in their life. Pain is necessary to enable us to enjoy pleasure. One cannot achieve success without getting hurt nor can one achieve anything unless one has experienced the bitterness of defeat. A Friend in need is a friend indeed All of us have friends but the truest friend is the one who is with us during the mime of adversities. Friendship is essence of life one can live without wealth. But he cant live without friends. A True friendship is gods gift A friend who helps us in the time of necessity is a real sincere friend. A friend who leaves us when we are in trouble is not a true friend. Many people seem to be dear to us they talk to us in sweet words to get money and help from us. They are just like frogs that come to the pond or tank when there is water. When we have no money they desert us. Such friends are bad friends and they lead us in bad ways of our life. A true friend who supports us in all our joys and sorrows . He is like afire who provides warmth and supports during the time of difficulties. A True friend remains with us through thick and thin of our life. It is rightly said any ship can be drowned but not friendship in the sea of life. All that glitters is not gold Gold is a very costly and shining metal. It attracts many people because it is considered to be the most valuable metal the idea of the proverb is that a dazzling showy article need not to be valuable. Every thing that shines is not gold like wise everything that appears attractive should not be taken as gold. It is also true in the case of many people who appear to be pious and noble smiles sweetly to you may not be a genuine person. They are very shy and cunning one must be very careful while judging people and in choosing friends. Physical beauty is temporary just like the beauty of the rolled gold. Therefore we should not make a judgments on external appearances. In other words we can say that dont judge a book by its cover. Failure is the stepping stone to success The literary meaning of the proverb is that there is no success without defeat. One cannot become a hero without getting hurt nor one can achieve anything unless one has experienced the bitterness of defeat. Life is not a bed of roses. It is full of both pain and pleasure. The first attempt does not always lead to success. Man has to face failures. But one should not get disheartened . History shows several examples Mohammed Gain has to struggle and he struggled many times to conquer kingdoms . Mahatma Gandhi has faced many difficulties to achieve independence so failure is always a step to success , sometimes we try our best and work hard but still something may go wrong and our hard work is not rewarded but still we just try again and again until we succeed. Remember our attempts may fail but never fail to attempt Knowledge is power Or Pen is mightier than sword Knowledge gives everyone unlimited powers. Life is limited but knowledge is unlimited man has to make use of his limited time attaining maximum knowledge. It gives him great capacity to solve anything. People with knowledge rules the world and not the people with physical strength. A man of knowledge will be more respected than the man of wealth. People wrongly argue that money makes many things. But it cannot make a man without knowledge. So knowledge is power and it has been proved well in the modern days. The more time one spends in enhancing ones knowledge the more it produces greater results in all walks of life it gives a man confidence to face any situation in life. A man of knowledge worshipped throughout his life. Pride comes before a fall This is the modern version of an old proverb from the bible. Pride here means rash consent not justifiable self respect The meaning of this saying is that if you are too confident of your achievements and feel arrogant with no regards for others you are sure to face misfortune or fall into disgrace soon. It is peculiar that man becomes proud and behaves recklessly his fall has started one may be proud because of his riches and another may be of his power. They have to maintain throughout their life. There are many examples of rich people or powerful people or kings in the past who have fallen from their position because of their pride. In epics like Inhabitant and Ramadan Turnaround and Raven are the classic examples and their downfall was due to their pride. Pride goes before and shame follows after Time and tide wait for no man This proverb warns us that time will not wait for anyone. It keeps moving on ND there is no looking back. So we should make the most of our opportunities while they come. If we waste time and the opportunities we would regret it later. But by then it would be too late to do. Any opportunity only knocks once. The tides of sea goes on rising high and falling down according to the movements of the sun and the moon they do not wait for the orders for anyone. If we go on waiting for the proper tide, the movement may not arise at all. We must catch the time by fare lock. When opportunities knock our door we should utilize. An inch of gold will not buy a second of time Opportunities rarely comes and when hey come we should not leave them the value of time is very precious. Where there is a will there is a way This is a famous proverb if a man has a desire or intention the path is always open for him. Without a determined will we cannot solve anything. Will power is a strong force that can make even seemingly impossible things happen. The interest of the people alone will bring half of success of anything. So people can do anything well if there is a will to do it. The students also must have a strong will to get success in their examination in proper way.

Georgian Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Georgian - Research Paper Example Furthermore, the decision to go abroad will enhance the diversification plan outlined in its strategic objectives. Lastly, the company is branching out into Georgia due to family ties. The company intends to invest in Adjara, Georgia. Adjara is a rapidly growing destination that is experiencing an inflow of foreign visitors, businessmen, and delegations. Adjara is home to some of the magnificent and breathtaking locations in the Georgia (Sabanadze, 2010 ). Adjara has undergone an overhaul in terms of improvements, the location banks on its natural endowments to capture global interests. As such, it can gain positioning on the global map as a growing location of interest. Adjara is a region that has one of the highest rates of able-bodied young population. In addition, this population offers cheap or affordable labor force. Investing in this location will place the hotel in a better position in terms of enjoying cheap labor force as well as a hardworking one. Excellent natural resources make Adjara be one of the ideal locations for the tourism sector. The evergreen subtropical forests contribute to a great deal the overall fresh and attractive environment. Adjara is home to Georgia’s leading hydropower plant. As such, it offers a guarantee that the businesses located in this region are not likely to suffer from electricity or power related problems. Some of the existing threats include speculations of social problems by the nation’s opposition. These speculations do not offer favorable investment climate. However, on the contrary, the government is working to provide a conducive environment. The incumbent leadership has put in place measures that promote investment opportunities. Some of these opportunities include focusing on tourism. Due to the above reasons, tourism remains to be an important priority in Adjara. In fact, the region has a total of 41% of its investments in tourism. Its attractive nature draws internationally reputable brands in the

Online research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Online research - Essay Example He never admitted to causing the injuries until the infant’s doctor confronted him and told him to take the infant to the hospital. Having spent only a few days in the hospital, the infant was released and her grandparents were given custody of her as well as the rest of her siblings. Day, who had been working as a dispatcher in the communications center of his local police department since 2007, was fired immediately following his arrest. Day is not set to make his first appearance in court until July 29, 2010. Various organizations and businesses that focus on child abuse are involved in the case, such as The Department of Children and Family and the Children’s Advocacy Center. The form of abuse that was involved in this case was physical abuse, or aggravated battery. Child neglect was also part of this case as Day did not immediately seek medical attention after his daughter sustained the injuries brought on by his carelessness and abuse. The injury report that had been filed after the infant spent time in the hospital showed that the fractured femur could be older than the fractured skull, which suggests that the infant could have faced earlier instances of child abuse. This bit of information has caused the case to be ongoing as investigators try to figure out how long the infant has dealt with the abuse of her father, if her siblings have acquired any injuries due to abuse, and if the mother of the children was aware of what was going on. The overall effect of the abuse and neglect on the infant was physical damage, though the damage is not considered to be long-term or life threatening. The infant is also now not living with her biological parents, which is a painful separation for someone as young as she is. As an infant, she requires the bond and nurture of her biological parents, especially her mother. Though the physical damage may not be long lasting, the mental and emotional state of the infant can alter with

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 8

Case Study - Essay Example From that time it has become one of the dominant players among the three big giants of the soft drink industry. It has become the most valuable brand in the world. Not only coke it also manufactures many other flavour of soft drinks like Fanta, Sprite, ready to drink coffee, juices etc. The company has its setup in all over the world with largest distribution system of beverage. There are many legal issues involved with the business of soft drinks and water based beverages. As one of the manufacturer of soft drink Coco Cola also has to maintain the legal issues. The company has to maintain a certain standard for the composition of package water and other beverages, soft drinks etc. Labelling of the drink and the water the mixed in the drink are also included in this standard. The composition of the drinks has to be mentioned on the bottle. The date of manufacture and expiry should be written on the bottle. Nutritional value of the product has to be mentioned on its packet or bottle. Coco Cola has to pay a certain amount of tax to the government of different countries do doing the business. Apart from maintaining these general laws of soft drink industry Coco Cola Company has laws of their own to. Those laws always are related to company policies, shareholder, board of directors, officers, recruitment etc. Date, time & place of the annual meeting of the shar eholders shall be designated by the Board of Directors from time to time. Regular meeting of board of director are to be held. The number of board of director should not be less than 10 and more than 20. Every year in the annual meeting of the company the shareholders elects the board of director. The Officers are selected by the Board of Directors. The Company can have Chief Financial Officer for supervising the financial affairs. He is elected by the Board of Directors. These are some major legal issues involved in Coco Cola. A legislative issue happen with coco cola in US. There Coco

The Sex In Advertising Media Essay

The Sex In Advertising Media Essay Today we live in a world that sex sells mostly everything. People from all over the world are constantly bombarded with an increasing amount of sexual advertising messages whether it is seen on television, magazines, billboards, or even heard on the radio. Advertisers use sexual clips and photos in their ads or commercials to make a long lasting impression on the consumers. Sex in advertising The amount of partially and fully nude models has severely increased over the years and is more popular now than ever. Advertisers use sex as a tool to draw additional attention to a specific product and are known to be one of the most persuasive tools used by both marketers and advertisers. Advertisements often touch the borderline of the forbidden, with the emphasis of attracting attention (Heckler et. al, 2001). The limits are consistently being pushed to see how far advertisers can go. From the beginning of the 20th century focusing on a womens calf below her skirt would be enough to pass the limit for what was tolerated, and now the advertisements being used today would easily be considered as pornography. Problem Pictures, sounds, and stories, are a form of sexual information that has proven to have stirred up a variety of emotional reactions within viewers (Heckler et. al, 2001). Sexual appeals can generally be defined as messages; it can be shown through brand information in advertising contexts or as persuasive appeals in social marketing contexts, which has a connection with sexual information. In advertising, there are different types of sexual information (Lambiase Reichert, 2003). Lambiase and Reichert identified five different types of sexual content in advertising, which are nudity, sexual behavior, physical attractiveness, and sexual referents. The usage of sex appeal in advertisement Throughout the past twenty years, the exposure of sex appeal in advertising has become more or less common (Henthorne LaTour, 1994). The reality of sexual appeals in advertising is widespread in throughout many parts of the world and it is often thought of as fulfilling stimulating and arousing fantasies (Gould, 1994). Stephen J. Gould, further states that the ethics and morality of sex appeals continues to be contested, much as sexual norms and traditions in general have been challenged throughout history. A review of remaining research indicates complex connections between the usage of nudity in an advertisement and numerous lengths of advertising efficiency (ibid). The research on the use of nudity in an advertisement has found that although nudity may increase and bring forth attention it may also decrease the attention toward the brand name (Belch, Severn, 1990). Refering to a study by Richins (1991) it was stated that about half the time or even more frequently, more than 50 per cent of respondents said that when they see clothing advertisements and cosmetic advertisements, they compare themselves to the models in the advertisements. After viewing beautiful models or highly attractive individuals, for example in television advertisements or even on the cover of a Victoria Secret catalog, viewers tend to rate the attractiveness of more ordinary looking people lower than they would otherwise (ibid). Sexual appeal directed to youth Sex and sexism in advertising justify further discussion, as marketers target young audiences with sexual appeals and marketers use sexual imagery to sell products to teenagers and young adults (Reichert, 2003). The effect of sexual content in advertising may be heightened for young adults, for whom sexual expression and experiences are still relatively new and therefore sexual content is often targeted to young adults (ibid). The author states that advertising creators are producing sexual appeals for products targeted to young adults, and media planners are placing these advertisements in media consumed by younger audiences. Much of todays sexual advertising targets youth, yet there is little data in existing research to show how the youth react to such advertisement. Literary Review Arousal and response in the context of sexual advertisement stimuli Lambiase and Reichert (2003) claim that men and women perceive sexual appeals in advertisement differently. When showing the men and women a print advertisement of explicit female nudity women reacted tenser then men did. When men viewed the print advertisement, they reacted with energy arousal instead of tension arousal (ibid). In a study that was conducted, one group of participants was exposed to an advertisement with nude erotic appeal while a second group was shown an advertisement with semi erotic appeal (Lambiase Reichert, 2003). The participants in the two groups were shown an advertisement similar to each other, showing a women modeling on a beach, but the advertisement with the seminude model was masked by a perfume bottle. Both of the groups attitudes towards the brand were then evaluated. The outcome of the experiment showed that the advertisements with nude erotic appeal were negatively influencing consumers attitudes to the brand. The group that was shown the semi-nude advertisement displayed a positive association toward the brand (ibid). The author also concludes that these results indeed undermine the idea that sex sells; this is especially true when it comes to female respondents. Sexual appeals perceived by men and women in advertising Treise and Weigold (1994) argue that although it is often believed that sex sells, it sells at the consequence of controversy. This statement was supported by the author, who conducted this study. The sample responses showed that a large amount of consumers are bothered by the use of sex in advertisements. About half of the participants in the study felt that there is nothing wrong with using sexual advertisements to sell products if it is perceived as tasteful. Although participants believed that there was too much sex in advertising. More than half of the respondents in Treise and Weigolds (1994) study felt that nudity in advertising is not appropriate for general interest in magazines; almost as high figure of the respondents thought that sexual advertisements play a role in a teenagers decision to become sexually active. Men and womens response to nudity in advertising Smith et. al, (1995) have studied how partially nude models in advertising influence consumers. Authors refer back to prior studies, where they found a common finding that sexual stimulus in advertising draw attention away from brand information. Also people who viewed the advertisement will notice the difficulty in remembering the brand due to the advertisements sexual content. However, the authors repeatedly state that nudity or sexual content in an advertisement increases the consumers arousal. Increased arousal takes some responsibility for consumers increased recognition of sexual content in advertisements. As stated by Smith et. al, (1995) Advertisements with sexual content or nudity increases recognition; meanwhile, it decreases the brand recognition. The authors also states that men were more receptive to advertisements containing female nudity, but women were more favorable to advertisements with a nude male. Smith et. al, (1995) state that previous research has identified important variables that support whether nudity is considered to be effective and or ineffective in advertisements. The research showed that nudity should be avoided in situations where it can give off a negative thought our feeling, like an inappropriate product; however, the authors claim that nudity works better for products such as, alcohol and fragrances, the main reason for this is that sex appeal promote products better than others. Although majority of consumers will be aroused by advertisements containing sexual stimuli, it is important to remember that not all arousal is beneficial to the advertiser (ibid). Data Collection When collecting data for the research it can be either collected for the first time which is called primary and/or information that already exists which is secondary data. According to Yin (2003) it is more convenient to use secondary data. Yin (2003) says there are six different ways evidence can be collected. These are through documents, records, interviews, direct observation, participant-observation, and physical artifacts. Each of these do not have an advantage over the other (ibid). The method I used to collect data for this study is interviews, documentation, and observations. My secondary data will be the documentation and observations will be my primary data. Interviews will be the major source for my primary data collection. my reason for choosing interviews as my major source is because of its strength. It allows me to directly focus on the topic of my thesis. Yin (2003) believes that an interview can have potential disadvantages and can be biased because of the poor constructed questionnaires. There is also a risk for reflexivity. This is where the interviewed person will tell the interviewer what he or she wants to hear. A focus interview was used to conduct my thesis. The interview will be used to prove or disprove the theories of this study. This type of interview can be done in different ways. Interviews through the telephone are less expensive and also are time efficient; therefore telephone interviews are extremely useful when dealing with an interview that is far away; yet, face to face personal interviews can be time consuming and involve more complex questions. The personal contact during an interview also allows the interviewer to obtain more feedback from the respondent. The type of focused interview I used for this thesis is a focus group; my research was done through two focus group interview sessions. For my sample selection I chose students from Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo, California. The choice of respondents was based on my own personal preference. I thought that targeting this specific group was interesting because I would get to research what the students of Arroyo High thought about sex in advertising. Because this group of people is in high school they are considered to be under developed and immature when it comes to sex. Also they are still at an age where advertising can easily influence them. Interviews Young men The case study was conducted through two focus group interviews, one group including women and one group including men. In the first interview several students from Arroyo High School were selected. The male students participating in the focus group interview were born in 1995- 1996. The individuals participating were told that the aim of this session was not to make them agree upon one solution, but to bring forth their individual perceptions and attitudes. The focus group interview started with me showing them five magazine advertisements (appendix 2 6). The reason for doing this was to stimulate their minds in order to improve the upcoming questions. At first, the males articulated that sex sells. The group agreed that a sexual advertisement had to contain a women that was really good looking in order to be considered an erotic advertisement. The physical appearance being above the average looking individual was very important to the group when deciding if the advertisement was sexual or not. One respondent said: Sex is common nowadays, companies should think of parodying sex in advertisements. Is there too much sex in advertising and is there a limit where it becomes offensive? This question caused a lot of debate. Overall the group stated that there was too much sex in advertising. Here are some remarks from the discussion: Young children 10-14 years old as well as many of us high school students get the wrong idea. It is okay if the people are semi-nude, but not completely naked. If the sexual advertisement doesnt have much to do with the product, then there is probably too much sex involved. Is okay to use sex in advertisements? The students all agreed as long as it is used properly; otherwise, it is not okay.. One student claimed: Sexual appeal in advertisements if it promoting fragrances or lotion, but not okay when it is used for yogurt. Another respondent stated, and got support for the statement from the group: Sometimes the advertisers go too far. Do advertisements with erotic appeal change your attitude toward a brand? This question had a split answer. Some pointed out that they do not change their attitude towards the brand because the advertisement is sexual; however, two boys stated that sometimes they do. One respondent commented: If the advertisement is too sexual, I most likely will not purchase that product. The other respondents answered: if the advertisement is sexual and not relevant to the product, then my attitude usually changes towards that brand or product. You do not have the energy to care if the advertisement is sexual, you might change attitude but you do not have the energy to change buying behavior. Personally, sex in advertising is not enjoyable anymore. Do advertisements with attractive models change your comparison standards for physical attractiveness? All but one guy claimed that their standards changed after looking at attractive models in an advertisement. Also after viewing advertisements the respondents admitted they had higher standards for how the girls should look. Young women The second interview at Arroyo High included several female students born between the years 1995-1996. The focus group session was conducted in the same manner as the first one. Initially, the respondents discussed in general how they define sexual appeal in advertising. Some of the female respondents defined sexual appeal in the following way: It has a sexual appeal if they move slowly in combination with soft lightning. It does not have to include nudity to have sexual appeal.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨ Strong attraction in their eyes can tell you that it really looks like he or she wants sex.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨Majority of the female students did not mention physical attractiveness, but instead talked about the importance of the actor/ actresses movement. Is there too much sex in advertising and is there a limit where it becomes offensive? The female students all seemed to agree on the following: The companies do not gain anything with sexual appeal in advertising since everybody has it. To me, advertisements based on sexual appeal do not stand out.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨The female students believed that an advertisement becomes offensive when the nudity has no connection to the product. Is okay to use sex in advertisements? The female students did not agree, they believed that sexual appeal could be used if it had a relevant purpose in the advertisement. One of the respondents mentioned, For example, a sexual advertisement is okay when it is promoting condoms. Do advertisements with erotic appeal change your attitude toward a brand? The opinions amongst the respondents were split. Some claimed that they did not think of the advertisement when buying a product. Other said that it changed their opinion about the product and instead chose a similar product. One student stated: You do not think about the advertisement when you buy a product. Another girl claimed: It might change attitude towards the brand and you might choose another brand if the advertisement you saw is bad and corny. This has happened to me before. You get a negative attitude if the advertisement is too sexual. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨Do advertisements with attractive models change your comparison standards for physical attractiveness? The female students all agreed that it does not change their perception of how your friends look, because of their personality. Although, they did agreed that it changed their outlook of people they do not know. One of the girls explained it like this: If you meet a guy on the street it can happen that you compare him with good looking models in advertisements.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨ One of the girls also claimedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨I often find myself comparing the men in advertisements with my boyfriend. Data Analysis The survey participants believed that being nude is very different than sex appeal. The students in both the girls and boys group agreed that all the models in the advertisements I showed them were very good looking and not the average girl next door, which played a great role in how the advertisements were perceived. According to Lambiase and Reichert (2003) there are different types of sexual information in advertising; nudity, sexual behavior, psychical attractiveness and sexual referents. As previously stated, the respondents agreed that the different types of advertisement are considered to be sexual. From my research I found that men believe physical attractiveness is a more important factor than women think. Men claimed that in order for an advertisement to be of sexual content the women in the ad had to be extremely good looking. This backs up Ramirez and Reichert theory; that physical attractiveness was twice as important to men than it is to women. The male respondents did not feel bitterness towards attractive models in advertisements like women did. They explained that they realize people in advertising are perfect because they are retouched. Richins (1991) states that young adult females compare their level of attractiveness with models in advertisements, and women also tend to envy their beauty. This shows that Richins theories concerning young women feeling envy towards attractive models are not applicable to young men. Furthermore, beautiful models in advertisements are supposed to change the comparison standards for physical attractiveness (ibid). The majority of the respondents agreed to this and stated that they have higher demands on how a girl is supposed to look like due to the models in advertisements. Some of the respondents thought that the reason why many young females have bad self- self-assurance is because they are constantly fed with advertisements showing how they are supposed to look. However, some of the respondents claimed that advertisement had nothing to do with how they want to look. According to Richins (1991) young adult females feel envy and compare their beauty with models in advertisements targeted toward them. The respondents supported this theory. The respondents claimed, except for one who stated that she was not affected by models in advertisements, that the self-perception of physical attractiveness was lowered by advertisements including physical attractive models. Some of the respondents pointed out the fact that they subconsciously changed their perception after they have been exposed to eye-catching models. Richins (1991) states that exposure to advertising with idealized images of physical attractiveness lowers, at least temporarily young adult females satisfaction and self-perception of their own physical attractiveness. The discussion between the focus group confirmed this. The respondents mentioned if they were walking down the street it is extremely likely that they will have a higher comparison standard for physical attractiveness after looking at attractive models in advertisements. However, they quickly point out that it did not change their view of their friends since personality is important to them. According to Richins (1991) exposure to advertising with idealized images of physical attractiveness will raise young females comparison standards for physical attractiveness. Conclusion The findings of my thesis imply that there are some similarities between the data gathered and the research stated of how young men react to sexual appeal in advertising. However, there are also some differences. My findings suggest that young men believe there is too much sex in advertising, especially in cases where the product has no connection with sexual appeal whatsoever. Additionally, young men believe that advertisements can be discriminating both to men and women, since the models that are appearing in these advertisements are based on sexual appeal and are often well trained and good-looking. My research also suggest that nudity in advertisement is so common today that even though advertisements include unnecessary nudity young men do not change their purchasing behavior, even if the attitude towards the brand may change. Previous research confirms the change in attitude, but the fact that buying behavior does not change has not been brought up in earlier research. The focus groups suggested different products where they believed it is okay to use sexual appeal in advertising. One example is in advertisements for fragrances. The focus group also mentioned a non-suitable sexual advertisement was ice cream. Additionally my findings suggest that young men do not feel any bitterness or jealously towards models in advertisements because they are aware that the models in advertisements are retouched to for a more tasteful appearance. However, the respondents in my focus group brought up the fact that they believe people in general change their self-perception of physical attractiveness due to attractive models in advertisements. They also claimed that the comparison standard for physical attractiveness increased after viewing an advertisement, with a stunning woman, that is based on sexual appeal. My research also suggests that female respondents believe there is too much sex in advertising. This is especially true when it comes to products that have no association with sexual appeal. Also, young women believe an advertisement can be discriminating. Results show that young women believe that women are often portrayed as sexual objects in advertisements. In addition, the research also suggests that some young women change their attitude towards a brand and in some cases buying behavior if the advertisement is bad and too sexual. According to my findings young women are affected by sexual appeal in advertisement. This is due to the fact that the models in the advertisement are extremely attractive. This affects the self-confidence of young women according to the participants of the focus group. According my research, the reason for this is because young women are constantly targeted with advertisements based on sexual appeal which includes attractive models. Other findings suggest that young womens comparison standard for physical attractiveness increased concerning casual meetings. However respondents from the focus group claimed that comparison standards for friends were not increased since they had a personality which according to the focus group member is much more important. Todays adolescences are used to the sexual content showed in advertisement. Therefore I think that the corporations should rethink before choosing sexual appeals as a topic in their campaigns. Since sexual appeals are so common today that people do not react to it anymore. If the advertisement contains sexual behavior that is not in accordance with the product, it is very likely that people might change their attitude towards that product. If corporations use sexual appeal the wrong way in advertisements, people, or in this case, the youth will be against them and maybe go as far as not purchasing the product. Corporations might consider using other tools than sex in advertising, since sex is that common today. Sometimes a product works better with other appeals, such as humor, fear or even guilt. References Belch, G.E. Severn, J. (1990). The effects of sexual and nonsexual advertising appeals and information level on cognitive processing and communication effectiveness. Journal of advertising, Vol. 19 Issue 1. ISSN 0091-3367 Gould, S.J. (1994). Sexuality and ethics in advertising: A research agenda and policy guideline perspective. Journal of advertising, Vol. 23 Issue 3. ISSN 0091-3367. Heckler, S.E., Jackson, S. Reichert, T. (2001). Sexual Appeals in advertising. Journal of advertising, Vol. 30 Issue 1. ISSN 0091-3367. Henthorne, T.L. LaTour, M.S. (1994). Ethical judgments of sexual appeals in print advertising. Journal of advertising, Vol. 23 Issue 3. ISSN 0091-3367. Lambiase, J. Reichert, T. (2003). Sex in advertising. Mahwah, New Jersey : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. ISBN 0-8058-4117-2. Reichert, T. (2003). The prevalence of sexual imagery in ads targeted to young adults. Journal of consumer Affairs, Vol. 37 Issue 2. ISSN 0022-0078. Richins, M.L. (1991). Social Comparison and the idealized images in advertising. Journal of consumer research, Vol. 18. ISSN 0093-5301. Smith, S.M., Anton, M.R., Haugtvedt, C.P. Jadrich, J.M. (1995). Understanding responses to sex appeals in advertising: An individual difference approach. Advances in consumer research, Vol. 22. ISSN 0098-9258. Treise, D. Weigwold, M.F. (1994). Ethics in advertising: ideological correlates of consumer perceptions. Journal of advertising, Vol. 23 Issue 3. ISSN 0091-3367. Yin, R.K. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods. (3rd ed.). Thousand oaks, California : Sage Publications Inc. ISBN 0-7619-2553-8. Appendices 1-6 Appendix 1: Interview questions I will start by showing the group the pictures of the advertisements and then the participants will discuss what they see and feel about the material. When the group is done expressing their reactions I will continue by asking them the following questions: Question 1: Is there too much sex in advertising and is there a limit where it becomes offensive? Question 2: Is okay to use sexual appeal in advertisement? Question 3: Do advertisements with erotic appeal change your attitude toward a brand? Question 4: Do advertisements with attractive models change your comparison standards for physical attractiveness? After the questions I asked if the group wanted to add anything else. Appendix 2 http://i643.photobucket.com/albums/uu151/brosjdm/erotic.jpg Appendix 3 Appendix 4 http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo126/theybf/Feb%2009/0905a17e.jpg Appendix 5 http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs20/i/2008/304/1/a/Erotic_hug_by_fdesign74.jpg

Free from Humans :: English Literature Essays

Free from Humans I did not witness the construction of the nest which had the size of a man’s fist. It would be a great experience since my university course in animal architecture was a source of marvel at how different birds collect different materials to weave, in different fashions, out different forms of nests. I noticed it when one day, as I walked along the straight corridor towards my apartment, something softly fluttering sped across my view. He or she was a little bird rushing into the open air away from this corridor ten-storey above the ground. I turned to where he or she should have come from. Hanging from a thin branch of a tall potted plant scattered with some leaves was this egg-shaped nest with a hole. Tiny twigs and some feathers were used to weave this simple but adequate home. Probably, he or she had plucked some of his or her feathers. That could be painful, I thought. I wondered why this bird had chosen this unattractive thin plant which belonged to a withdrawn neighbor t hree doors away from my apartment. More importantly, staying on a plant that was incapable of concealing it and staying at a height easily reachable by humans was unwise at all. â€Å"Did the footsteps from my hard executive shoes frighten it?† From then on, everyday, I walked past the plant with the slightest sound. At night, as I came back home and passed the plant, I would, taking care not to startle the faint animal, steal a glance at the hole where his or her beak rested. My respect for animals is as natural as animals are beautiful. I can’t comprehend how any human with all its gift in reasoning could inflict pain upon or even kill other animals when it knows well that it doesn’t like pain. An ex-colleague, Diane, which was then a fresh Biology graduate, ate the same rice and meat everyday like a one-dimensionally programmed machine without being equipped with sophisticated taste buds to receive tastes and feel textures, not to say being installed with the brain to unify them all as an experience. Its indifference towards good or bad food mirrors its attitude towards animal rights. â€Å"Why should I care? When a cat or dog passes by, I just kick it. They should be sent to laboratories for testing,† Diane’s one-dimensionally programmed brain sent the data to the lifeless tongue which then rattled to output the sound wave.

Contemporary International Problems Essay

The United States of America experienced various disputes and wars in its history. Some of these armed conflicts do not only take place within their boundaries because there are also some battles that they have to fight in another country’s territory. The reasons for engaging in such warfare may either directly or indirectly involve the U. S. However, one thing is sure, that in the country’s every participation there is a certain interest that its officials want to fulfill. This kind of situation is what exactly took place in the U. S. ntervention in the Vietnam War. The U. S. government wants to achieve a certain national interest that will work for their benefits. The Vietnam War started in 1954 when the Communist-led parties of the Vietnamese Nationalist and the Vietminh army defeated the French forces. France was forced to recognize North Vietnam as communist while leaving the Southern part of the country as non-communist. Nevertheless, the U. S. did not approve this situation especially the establishment of communist leadership in North Korea. President Dwight D.  Eisenhower ordered the establishment of political machinery in South Vietnam. This includes creating a government that replaced the French leadership as well as deploying military advisers that will train the South Vietnam army. The Central Intelligence Agency of the U. S. also employed psychological warfare in order to weaken North Vietnam. The United States government explicitly expressed its participation and commitment in the Vietnam War when they ordered continuous air bombing in North Vietnam by means of the Tonkin Golf Resolution. The war ended in January 1973 through a diplomatic agreement that resulted in the U. S. withdrawal from Vietnam in exchange for the release of U. S. prisoners (Rotter, 1999). The intervention of the U. S. in the Vietnam War is part of their national interest of establishing democracy in different countries and controls the spread of communism. During the Cold War two conflicting forces are involved namely: the Communist bloc and the Democratic bloc. The U. S. leads the Democratic group, which is why they are doing all the necessary means to combat communism. Their intervention in the Vietnam War is an effort to stop other Asian countries from following the principles of communism especially since Ho Chi Minh is the one leading the Northern part of the country (Rotter, 1999). The American government believes that communism is an enemy because it defies every value and principle that the U. S. upholds such as: free trade and democracy. In relation to this the operations of the U. S. against the Communist bloc is largely dependent upon their belief in the Domino Theory. The Domino Theory is similar to a set of dominoes wherein toppling one of it will result for the others to follow suit. In the same manner, Vietnam represents the first domino that toppled down. The U. S. deemed that if they will not intervene in the Vietnam War other countries in the Southeast Asian region would also adhere to communism (Rotter, 1999). Another reason for U. S. involvement in the Vietnam War is their goal of influencing other countries to follow the path of democracy and adhere to the values and principles that the U. S. stands for. By doing so, the U. S. ould be able to win their battle with the soviet bloc and at the same time establish their position as the world’s superpower. The U. S. government encouraged other countries to follow their ideals by giving military and economic aid to them. This is observable when they helped France in maintaining its Indochina colonies. The U. S. also applied the Domino Theory in acquiring more countries in their side. They think that by showing other countries the development of France, they would choose democracy over communism, as this would entail more benefits for them (Rotter, 1999). The U. S. intervention in the Vietnam War clearly shows that the country tend to intervene in others’ affairs in order to accomplish their national interests. The U. S. government used the resources that they have in order to pursue their objectives. They took advantage of the conflicts that is happening in the other parts of the world so that they could defeat the soviet bloc and control the spread of communism. In doing so, they were able to emerge as one of the most powerful countries in the world.

Great White Sharks

Great White Sharks The white shark, commonly called the great white shark, is one of the most iconic and feared creatures of the ocean. With its razor-sharp teeth and menacing appearance, it certainly looks dangerous. But the more we learn about this creature, the more we learn they are not indiscriminate predators, and definitely dont prefer humans as prey. Great White Shark Identification Great white sharks are relatively large, although likely not as large as they might be in our imagination. The largest shark species is a plankton eater, the whale shark. Great whites average about 10-15 feet in length, and their maximum size is estimated at a length of 20 feet and weight of 4,200 pounds. Females are generally larger than males. They have a stout body, black eyes, a steel gray back, and a white underside. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: ChondrichthyesSubclass: ElasmobranchiiOrder: LamniformesFamily: LamnidaeGenus: CarcharodonSpecies: Carcharias Habitat Great white sharks are widely distributed across the worlds oceans. This shark resides mostly in temperate waters in the pelagic zone. They can range to depths over 775 feet. They may patrol coastal areas inhabited by pinnipeds. Feeding The white shark is an active predator, and primarily eats marine mammals such as pinnipeds and toothed whales. They also sometimes eat sea turtles. The great whites predatory behavior is poorly understood, but scientists are beginning to learn more about their curious nature. When a shark is presented with an unfamiliar object, it will attack it to determine if it is a potential food source, often using the technique of a surprise attack from below. If the object is determined unpalatable (which is usually the case when a great white bites a human), the shark releases the prey and determines not to eat it. This is evidenced by seabirds and sea otters with wounds from white shark encounters. Reproduction White sharks give birth to live young, making white sharks viviparous. The embryos hatch in uteri and are nourished by eating unfertilized eggs. They are 47-59 inches at birth. There is much more to learn about this sharks reproduction. Gestation is estimated at about one year, although its exact length is unknown, and the average litter size of a white shark is also unknown. Shark Attacks While great white shark attacks arent a big threat to humans in the grand scheme of things (youre more likely to die from a lightning strike, alligator attack, or on a bicycle than from a great white shark attack), white sharks are the number one species identified in unprovoked shark attacks, a statistic that doesnt do much for their reputation. This is more likely because of their investigation of potential prey than a desire to eat humans. Sharks prefer fatty prey with lots of blubber, like seals and whales,  and dont generally like us; we have too much muscle! See the Florida Museum of Icthyologys Relative Risk of Shark Attacks to Humans site for more information on how likely you are to be attacked by a shark versus other dangers. That said, nobody wants to be attacked by a shark. So if youre in an area where sharks may be seen, reduce your risk by following these shark attack tips. Conservation The white shark is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because they tend to reproduce slowly and are vulnerable to targeted white shark fisheries and as bycatch in other fisheries. Because of their fierce reputation gained from Hollywood movies such as Jaws, there is an illicit trade in white shark products such as jaws and teeth.

Blizzard of 77 essays

Blizzard of 77 essays While many other cities have blinding storms and teeth chattering cold- some even get more snow-Buffalo has been stuck for more than two decades for being the nations snow capitol. The Blizzard of 77 ripped through Western New York and southern Ontario, and left a path of destruction much like one that a tornado or hurricane would leave. People were killed, people were stranded, the National Guard was called, but for those who survived it; it was one of the most exciting times of their lives. My family had been living in Buffalo for decades, stemming back from my great-great grandmother. In 1975 my dad moved my mother and my 5 brothers and sisters to Crane Ridge, a small area about 20 minutes outside of Buffalo in the middle of ski country and right across the highway from the areas biggest ski resort. The house sat back in a wooded area as did the rest of the neighborhood and the terrain was hilly. They were not strangers to harsh winters in fact they welcomed them with open arms. It gave the kids something to do, and my parents a chance to ride around on their snowmobile; house to house. Little did they know that the whole area of New York was in for a big surprise. In 1976, Buffalo was recording record lows. The temperature for the month of October was the lowest it had been in 50 years and November wasnt good either. In addition to the extreme cold, snowfall in November totaled 31.3 inches, in December 60.7. Even though Buffalo is used to having cold weather, this was something no one was ready for. Because of this unusually cold Weather Lake Erie began to freeze over very early, and by mid December the surface of the lake was completely covered with a layer of ice. What this meant is that from that moment on, every bit of snow that fell on the surface stayed there and did not evaporate or melt. Because of the cold, the snow stayed light and fluffy, and was given no chance to thaw out. On top of all this blis...

Entomology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Entomology - Essay Example The narrator's speech pattern, even ignoring her natural accent, is stilted, unnatural, and uncomfortable, making the watcher very aware of the presence of the camera in the room with the speaker. However, as this is a documentary about insects, who obviously do not normally speak at all, it is possible that such awareness of the presence of a camera in the room with the narrator is inevitable. The narrator does not shy away from using the scientifically correct terms for the parts of the insects' genitalia, helping to return the video to a more clinical and scientific feeling than the costumes and acting style would otherwise provide to this documentary. The use of cardboard cut-outs to play the role of the Queen bee in the mating scene avoids any level of eroticism in the scene. This and the use of clinical language helps to remind the viewer that what they are watching is a documentary, not a joke or a spoof short film as it can at times feel. There is much that could be done to m ake this film feel more professional and scientific, even if the purpose of the films is to reach a general audience. This film seems to lack a professional touch that would make it believable and credible to the average movie-goer. However, despite any other possible failings of her films, Rossellini definitely manages to be different from most insect and animal life documentaries. It is certainly more interesting and more entertaining than most films I have seen in the documentary genre. Strange as this movie may seem to the viewer, it does succeed in making the honey bee mating practices unforgettable. I will never now be able to remove the image of the actor portraying the male bee, bleeding to death from his groin as the cardboard Queen flies away with a large stick, representing the male's severed penis, jammed through "her" body. Nor will I be able to forget the image of the cubes of red Jell-o, representing the royal jelly, being offered to a small baby wrapped in a blanket, representing the larval Queen. While the biological informational content of the entire video is rather low, it succeeds in its fundamental purpose: providing an audience made up of non-scientifically-educated adults with basic knowledge of bees and their life cycle. Another documentary in the â€Å"Green Porno† series, on praying mantis mating habits, uses a similar costume design style, but also added in some interesting color and light effects to focus the viewer's attention on the narrator's voice instead of the actual speaker. This video features a model of a praying mantis built of paper or cardboard that resembles an origami sculpture. The general feel of this video is one of simplicity, rather than the previous documentary's cheap feel, though the cheesy effect remains to a certain extent. The video is extremely short and fast, probably to imitate the mating habits of the subject species in question. It exemplifies the life span of the male praying mantis, that he ex ists only to copulate with the female and to feed her so she will bear his young. The video, his life, and the time period of the actual mating all exist only briefly. Again, the level of scientific knowledge imparted by this video is low but functional. Rossellini greatly simplifies the life and habits of the bees and praying mantis, but manages not to take such simplification to the point of error as so often

Literature Review on Group Creativity Theory Essay

Literature Review on Group Creativity Theory - Essay Example rt in their field and have strong knowledge to properly guide the design team and create an environment that is conducive to creativity, innovation and stimulation of new ideas (Paulus & Nijstad, 2003). In other words, the art director serves as a project manager, designer and coordinator of all design activities in order to achieve the best possible end-product for the customer. Without a strong art director, a design team may not have clear direction or have the tools necessary to instill creativity and innovation for all projects. Perhaps the most difficult challenge for the art director is to implement a creative environment while balancing the challenges of group creativity theory and all of the variables associated with group dynamics. There are many external, social and psychological factors that can impact a design team’s ability to think creatively. Furthermore, the politics of a creative team can impact the group creativity because individuals begin to compete over whose ideas are more creative. One issue that can arise is an over-abundance of ideas that can actually reduce the positive creativity that is desired within a group collectivity situation (Goncalo & Staw, 2006). In this situation, it is highly important for the art director to utilize the control and organizational power awarded by the position to continue to harbor good ideas while reducing the opportunity for too many ideas to have a negative impact on group creativity. In the end, a choice must be made and the group must push forw ard to produce a strong website that is both creative and to the customer’s approval. Due to socio-psychological issues stemming from criticism in the workplace, there is often a serious issue that confronts group creativity. Many employees shut down their creativity when their own work has been criticized, in which case, directors often avoid criticizing work which negatively impacts the quality and abundance of creativity (De Dren et al., n.d.).