Essay --

TUQUITA CHECK OUT THE PROPER TEMPLATE FOR AN APA PAPER. IT IS AVAILABLE ON LINE. THIS IS NOT CORRECT Introduction to Psychology Week 4 Assignment Tuquita Clark 2/11/2014 â€Æ' When a person is in control of their emotions they can deal with difficult tasks better than otherpeople.s, but Eemotions will also tell you a lot about a person’s emotional health. Michael Akers and Grover Porter of PyschCentral (p. 9) noted that the intelligence test was designed to learn how smart a person was by testing their cognitive abilities. The IQ test mostly consisted of memory and problem solving, but soon researchers realized that emotional intelligence was just as important. Emotional intelligence is when a person understands their own emotions and the emotions of others. In order to study emotion you have to understand the five concepts of emotional intelligence. The first concept, self- awareness is the ability to recognizeing emotions as they happen and dealing with them immediately. Emotional awareness and self-confidence are major factors in self-awareness. When you’re co...

Operational Functions and the 4 P’s of Marketing

Lecture 1: Introduction to Marketing Marketing is the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customers† requirements profitability. Peter Drucker ‘there is only one valid definition of business purpose: to create a customer†. At its simplest, if you do not have any customers for the product or service your organization offers, then there is no reason for continuing existence. Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production and the interests of the product ought to be attended to only so far as it may be necessary for promoting those of the customer. The operational functions of marketing: sales promotion, advertising, public relations, selling, financing, buying, forecasting, pricing, standardization, publicity, merchandising, market research, transporting, risk-taking, servicing and stockholding. Elements over which organizations have control and which are used to try to influence customers to choose one particular organization in preference to another are generally termed the marketing mix. External factors in the original marketing mix: customer-buying behavior, trade behavior, competitors† position and behavior, government regulations. Originally there are 12 P†s of marketing but this list is not easy to remember and it should be obvious why Jerome McCarthy condensed the 12 items in Borden†s original marketing mix, into 4 major categories popularized the ‘4 Ps†. The internal variables are therefore loosely grouped together under the headings of: product, price, place (the offer mix), and promotion (the promotional mix). While the ‘4 Ps† is a useful framework, a vigorous debate has taken place over the last decade about the dangers of seeing marketing solely as the control of the ‘4 Ps†. In fact it is a trap that tends to make suppliers forget the needs of customers as well as the importance of a mutually beneficial exchange. There is a suggestion of the addition of three other Ps: Probe (research), Partition (segmentation) and Position. Lecture 2. The Marketing Macro Environment. Both of the parties making an exchange are more likely to consider that the exchange has been beneficial when the exchange has been made within the context of what is known as an Open Market. This is a market which has all of the following characteristics: 1 Single homogeneous product, 2 Many buyers, 3 Many sellers, 4 Buyers and sellers have equal access to all available information relevant to the market. All developed societies have similar regulations to regulate legal trade. It is therefore usual for manufacturing and trading organizations to have to comply with such regulations, which effectively constitute one aspect of the environment in which an exchange takes place. These factors are for this reason referred to as the environmental variables of marketing. These are usually labeled the Economic, Social, Technological and Political variables (STEP). Companies should seek to demonstrate good corporate citizenship by upholding the letter and the spirit of the law, and generally behaving in a responsible and responsive manner. Some markets and trades have developed general voluntary codes of conduct and control, supported and monitored by a central membership body. Medicine for example has long been controlled by strict codes of professional behavior. Governments have developed a body of legislation and enforcement frameworks in respect of industry and trade. In particular, the following areas of control are of direct concern to business. 1. Legislation in respect of monopoly and competition standards. In the UK it†s done through the Office of Fair Trading and the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. As a full EC member, the UK is also subject to Community provisions in respect of issues: in particular Article 85 of the Treaty of Rome concerns practices hindering competition. 2. Measures to protect consumers, whether as groups, individuals, as users of certain products and services, or particularly as targets for business activities. Relevant legislation has included the Trade Descriptions Act 1973, the Consumer Credit Act 1974, etc. Number of these statutes introduced measures directly relating to marketing practices such as pricing claims, warranties, product quality, etc. The economic environment is a complex network of international, domestic and regional influences and dependencies that shape the market potential facing companies. Company performance itself will depend critically on the quality of preparation and decision making is brought to bear on this potential. The significance of the economic data is that over time they will indicate major economic developments of direct interest to marketers. Such ‘economy-watching† may enable the vigilant company to respond in time to scenarios such as following: 1.Recession. A downturn in economic activity of variable intensity. Usual indicators will be a fall or leveling in GNP, GDP, household income, etc. Rises will be recorded in measures such as stock, unemployment and company bankruptcies. 2.Recovery. The opposite of the above. Marketers in some sectors will benefit from an early upturn in sales. Major upturns in economic activity may result in ‘overheating† with higher costs and prices. 3.Inflation. Rising prices may be associated with buoyant conditions, demand growth and shortages. Economic policies are likely in future to be more directly influenced by multilateral agencies and agreements (UN) and the expansion of common market blocs such as the EC. Culture within any society id the complex of elements that reflect the society†s beliefs and values, preferences and behavioral norms. For marketer it is necessary to understand that culture will vary within and between societies, so those cultural norms may vary between countries, regions and culture groups. Factors, which distinguish a society, change very slowly, as they are the products of family upbringing, the education system, national history and political development, religion, etc. Environmental awareness is an interesting reflection of how society-wide concerns have delivered a powerful message to governments and business leaders. Technology is the touchstone of economic progress, a leading source of competitive advantage commercially and an indispensable part of everyday lifestyle for the modern consumer. To illustrate the competitive force wielded by technology, it is worth observing that many manufactures have been affected by technology developments remote from their own field. Major sectors of the metalworking industry were obsolete by the developments of digital electronics. Eg typewriters. Technological developments decrease the price of production. Technologies have also enabled an increase in the variety of products available to customers. The marketing environment comprises the playing field upon which competitive marketing takes place. Companies need to monitor and decide rational responses to changes in the environment in order to win their colors. There are three types of companies: those who make things happen; those who watch things happen; and those who wonder what happened. Lecture 3: Markets and Market Segmentation. 1.A market is an aggregate of people who as individuals or organizations have needs for products in a particular product class and who have the ability, willingness and the authority to pay. – Consumer – where purchasing is done by private or group of individuals. – Industrial – products and services are bought for one of 3 specific uses: 1- resale, 2- producing other products, 3- products used in general eg administration, computers. 3.Differentiated markets. – Consumer needs are not the same: – homogenous, differentiated. Undifferentiated market – all needs are the same 4.Criteria for effective segmentation – measurable, – economically variable. Geographic – geographic position on the globe. Demographic – basis for the collection of many government statistics and the standard system used by the media industry. Includes age, sex, family cycle, and socioeconomic segmentation.

Maquiladora Industry in United States

In this paper I will discuss the history and practices of the Maquiladora industry. I will discuss its background, its problems, the benefits it offers to United States companies, and the impact the NAFTA has and will have on the industry. In addition, I will make a suggestion on a possible strategy the Maquiladoras can adopt in order to address the challenges brought on by the NAFTA, to ensure it remains a strong force in the future. Mexican agricultural workers had been granted temporary work visas allowing them to work in the United States† agricultural industries through a program called the Bracero Program until 1965 when this program was terminated. As a result of this termination, the unemployment rate had exceeded 70% in certain border cities. In May of 1965 the Border Industrialization Program was established as a replacement for the Bracero program. It was later renamed the Maquiladora Program. The program was established by the Mexican government to provide employment for Mexico†s rapidly growing population along its border with the United States. This program was utilized to keep Mexicans from entering the United States. The idea was that Mexican workers would be kept on the Mexican side of the border if they were given factory jobs on the Mexican side. The Maquiladora program also wanted to attract foreign manufacturing facilities, technology, and know-how by giving a permanent tax holiday to manufacturing companies that would set up â€Å"twin plants† on the Mexican side of the border. In the beginning of the program, all foreign-owned operations had to be located within a 20-kilometer strip along the US-Mexican border. Since 1972 they can be located anywhere in Mexico. In 1996 there were around 2,500 Maquiladoras – 35% of them were located in the interior states of Mexico. Last year there were over 3,000 and more and more of these operations are being located outside of the border regions. Each of Mexico†s 31 states has at least one Maquiladora. Maquiladoras, also referred to as â€Å"in bond† or â€Å"twin† plants, are allowed to temporarily import into Mexico (free of tax) machinery, equipment, replacement parts, raw materials, and just about anything that was used in the assembly or manufacture of semi-finished or finished products. Once assembled or manufactured, the Maquila products must be exported unless special permission is obtained to sell a limited amount of output in the Mexican market. When these products are imported back to the United States, import duties are levied on the foreign value-added only. If Maquila products stay in Mexico, the are subject to applicable Mexican duties. The largest issue surrounding the Maquiladora industry is the exploitation of cheap labor. The working conditions are often unsafe, workers are not compensated adequately for their labor, attempts to unionize are discouraged; and sexual discrimination and harassment are too common. The conditions in and outside the Maquiladoras are terrible. Workers perform tasks such as welding without protective masks, leather gloves, or goggles (in many instances) and industrial accidents and toxic exposures are common. This, along with malnutrition caused by low salaries, produce skin illnesses, cancer, irregularities in menstruation, abortions, tumors, intoxication and birth of undernourished or disabled babies. Of the employees, many are young girls and women ranging from the ages of 14 to 20. They work 6 days a week in 10-hour shifts. The average weekly salary for a Maquiladora worker is US$35 – $45 even though the average monthly rent for a house with public services such as running water and electricity is around $200 a month. For the most part, Maquiladoras are unorganized. In those that are organized, state-controlled unions represent the workers. Although some companies are unionized on paper, the unions, for the most part, function to reinforce management policies rather than for the benefit of workers. Then there are what are called â€Å"phantom† unions. These unions do not fight for the worker†s rights. The workers do not even know them and have never seen their union leaders. When a conflict arises in a factory, management informs the worker that their unions have accept these or those conditions. Not only are they not protected by existing unions, those that attempt to unionize and are often threatened or bribed by plant managers and the government. In many companies, discrimination against and harassment of the female employees is very common. Female job applicants are required to produce urine samples to be used for pregnancy test, while some have company doctors and nurses examine the applicants or ask confidential information concerning their contraceptive practices. This is done because pregnant women are refused employment. Sexual harassment is often the rule rather than the exception. Rapes occur frequently and few are reported because women fear being fired or blacklisted. Shame and humiliation also keep them quiet. In Mexico, men and women are equal before the law, but the law does not recognize discrimination as a problem to be solved. The Pollution Brought on by the Maquiladoras The increased pollution, accompanied by the dumping of tons of hazardous wastes, poses a serious health threat to the residents of Mexico as well as the resident of the bordering US states. There are several canals that are â€Å"black† with chemical wastes that have been measured at levels that greatly exceed permissible standards. One factory was caught dumping drums of paint, solvents, and shellac into a drain. In other areas there are abandoned lead smelters and air full of soot and dust from brick-making ovens and smoldering tire dumps. Main Advantages for the United States† Companies For the United States companies this was a great advantage since Maquiladoras operates at very low costs in places where the currency is weaker than the dollar–such as Mexico. The less a currency is worth, the more relative value the dollar has. Since Mexico†s peso is relatively week, companies can trade their dollars for pesos with which they pay workers and expenses. The products they manufacture, however, are sold for dollars, increasing their profits by huge margins whenever the local currency falls. They could enhance competitiveness, reduce their costs, and maintain quality by placing their labor-intensive operations in the less developed Mexico, benefiting from the lower wage rates there. For many US companies, manufacturing in Mexico has become necessary to battle overseas competition. Since many manufacturers are moving to â€Å"just-in-time† inventory systems, the quick delivery possible from Mexico†s border towns offers a substantial advantage over Asian alternatives. The NAFTA†s Impact on the Maquiladora Industry Traditionally, Maquiladoras offered foreign businesses several advantages over other forms of direct foreign investment. Since the signing of NAFTA, however, many of these advantages are either being phased-out or granted to all Mexican companies. The most significant advantages of operating as a Maquiladoras include: 100% foreign investment, operation without ownership of assets, tax sheltering of cost centers, and 100% duty-drawback or waivers for temporary imports. Furthermore, the NAFTA attempted to address the labor exploitation and environmental problems associated with the Maquiladora industry. One of the benefits of the Maquiladora program is 100% foreign investment of Mexican operations, which formerly was not allowed. However, Mexico†s Foreign Investment Law has changed through the years (most significantly in 1989 and 1994)-full investment is now allowed in most business ventures. Operation Without Ownership of Assets Another advantage that Maquiladoras have is that they can receive production materials and capital goods as loans from their parent and client companies. As a result, most Maquiladoras have little of no inventory of fixed assets, eliminating the need to pay the Mexican asset tax of 2% of all assets. In January 1995, the Mexican IRS reported that Maquiladoras would now have to factor the depreciation of â€Å"loaned† assets in price-transfer calculations, which is the first step toward phasing-out this advantage by 2001. When Maquiladoras are structured as cost center (providing manufacturing services for a foreign parent) the foreign corporation has traditionally paid the Mexican company for operating costs plus negligible profit. By doing this they avoid Mexico†s 34% corporate income tax, 10% mandatory profit sharing, and asset taxes. Now the Mexican IRS is changing the way Maquiladoras must declare assets. Over the next few years, Maquiladoras will be forced to raise their declared profit percentage to a rate that is comparable to that of two unrelated companies performing the same transaction at â€Å"arm†s length†. This is the type of transfer pricing procedure that is implemented by most trading blocks, like the EC. It will soon be effect throughout North America. 100% Duty-Drawback or Waivers for Temporary Imports Maquiladoras have always allowed Mexican companies 100% duty drawback or waivers in imported components that are exported as final goods. Since 1994, this has provided many Maquiladora programs a way to use non-NAFTA materials within products without the need to pay the corresponding duties over those materials when importing or exporting goods to other NAFTA nations. On January 1, 2001, Maquiladoras that manufacture goods for export to NAFTA partner countries will no longer be allowed to take the waiver. The waiver will still be available for goods that are going to non-NAFTA countries. In 1995 the NAFTA†s of Labor created the National Administrative Office (NAO) as well as the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC). Both were intended to stop labor abuses. The NOA was established to monitor labor complaints that NAFTA critic†s voice regarding unfair labor practices. The NAO can recommend â€Å"ministerial consultations† as well as imposed heavy sanctions against Mexico. Unfortunately, the side agreements proved useless. The NOA cannot force Maquiladoras to allow unions-the most they can do is recommend â€Å"ministerial consultations.† Sexual harassment and discrimination continues as well. The NAFTA has also created side agreements covering the environment. One of them is the North American Development Bank (NAD Bank). Its purpose was to finance wastewater treatment projects along the border in the poorer communities. However, the most important criteria that needed to be met in order to receive funds were meeting certain market considerations. With this program NAFTA â€Å"encouraged† growth without regard for the environment through its practice of placing market consideration above environmental protection. Another is the Commission for Economic Cooperation (CEC). The CEC was established to investigate governmental non-enforcement of environmental laws. Unfortunately it has no power to enforce ,they can only investigate-and they can†t even do that until Mexico collects the data on the pollution for them. Possible Strategy for the Maquiladora Industry As long as the Mexican currency is weaker than the US dollar I don†t think that the changes are going to dramatically effect the flow of US companies to the south. However, the Maquiladora industry cannot count on this for continued growth. By the year 2001 the Maquiladora industry as we know it now will have significantly changed when the phasing out is complete. Maquiladoras will no longer be â€Å"tax break† establishments; they will be just like other foreign investments. In order for them to fully compete in the near future they must become more efficient and leaner. The impact of globalization is forcing manufacturers to produce more rapidly and cheaply than ever before and to continuously improve. Because there will be no differentiation between the non-Maquiladora and Maquiladora industries I feel the inefficient producers will be wiped out. Therefor, Maquiladora employees will need better training, education, incentives as well improved working conditions and higher wages. Operations will also have to be streamlined in order to reap the benefits of economies of scale and scope. In addition, Mexicans as well as US citizens will start to demand more accountability from the Mexican government and the Maquiladora industry. They need to be more responsible for their actions. What will the U.S. corporations do when human rights activists and environmentalists start lobbying and protesting on their US sites? Do they want to risk losing their shareholders to this type of negative attention?

Genre Analysis Essay

Whenever we get sick, we see a doctor. We go to see a doctor to get a prescription to a drug which will make us better. We take the drug until we are better and once we are we store the drug in a cabinet for later. Many of us do not know that by keeping the unused drugs we are putting people around us in danger; especially children and teens. Children and teens are more curious to try the drugs and see the different reactions to their body not knowing one can be fatal and the other addicting. A lot of people do not notice the severity of leaving such powerful drugs unattended and are later faced with the terrible consequences of their actions. Due to recent cases of prescription drug abuse, the media is sending out to messages to make the public aware of the problem and show the different ways that it can be prevented. These messages or genres play an important part in the audience response. Credibility, image, words, and color will structure the message and see how effective it is. Using two different genres one will be more effective than the other and communicate the message more effectively. Purpose and Audience  The flyer â€Å"Join us in helping parents prevent teen prescription drug abuse† by Raymond Coalition for Youth is structured for individuals who want to prevent the problem from happening. This flyer could be posted in doctor’s offices, pharmacies, grocery stores, and community centers making the information open to anyone who sees it and is interested in reading the information provided. There is no need to look it up online or go to certain places to see it.

History 1A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History 1A - Essay Example The narrator argues that slavery especially in Africa had denied him the chance to live peacefully and in harmony with her family members. As Europe grew, the relationship between Africa and Europe came into focus. The description of African religious theories was essential in the evaluation of histography of European academic orientations. The triple religious African heritage, which includes indigenous religion, Islam and Christianity, were the pivot that formed the three main themes of discourse. The accounts describing religion in African or the superficial terms lead to an influence in the perception of philosophers who were enlightened about Africa. In turn, perception about Africa was influenced by progress and reason. The European occupation was often legitimized because of the argument that Christian civilization was introduced, officials in the colonial government realized that changes in African societies may lead to stability loss. The states that he witnessed the sale of slaves to Dutch people while in West Indies. At that time, he was not bought but instead, transported and sold to North America where he was assigned to work in the Virginia plantations doing house chores and light field works. He did not stay for long in time Virginia when a British royal navy lieutenant bought him as a present to his friends in England (Equiano 94) The spread of Islam was neither simultaneous nor uniform, but followed an adaptive and gradual path. However, aesthetic and political influences on the African community are difficult to access. Islamic resistance to representation of animals and people, its interaction with the Africans visual arts was one of the forms of Islam that were accommodated by the local residents. Islam also helped in the reinforcement of the fondness of Africans to geometric design. It was also evident in textile decorations and objects that were crafted. Weaving by the locals was also

Music Tastes Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Music Tastes - Assignment Example Did the musicians seem well prepared for the concert?)   ***Compare the pieces from this performance with other compositions you have studied in class, noting similarities and differences. (Note: In selecting a composition from class, you may want to look for a piece by the same composer, from the same style period, or of the same genre as the piece(s) from the performance.)   ***Describe the behavior of the performers and the audience. What, if any, interaction occurred between the two? What kind of behavioral expectations do performers and audiences bring to the concert? How are these expectations satisfied or frustrated?   On October 15, I attended a concert by the NDR Symphony Orchestra of Hamburg at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. The performance consisted of only two pieces, yet both were met with enthusiastic applause and praise. †¨Ã‚   The first piece performed was the Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, by Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with the violinist Midori as the featured soloist. The piece was divided into three movements, the first being Allegro moderato. The Concerto opened with the orchestra playing a crescendo until the appearance of the soloist, who presented the principal themes. From this point, the texture varied between the monophony of the solo violin and the homophony heard from the full orchestra. The melody introduced by the violin was then repeated in various instruments with large contrasts in dynamics and tempo, although the predominating tempo was allegro. When the solo violin returned it was accompanied by the other violins playing a background of staccato notes. The high point of the first movement occurred when the solo violin produced an extremely high pitch in pianissimo and slowed down to a static pace, demonstrating her ability on the instrument. This movement ended with the entire orches tra playing fortissimo with a strong beat.  

Constructions of cultural memory Research Paper

Constructions of cultural memory - Research Paper Example My research questions are: How is the cultural memory of Tiananmen Square Protests represented in the chosen resources and what are the changes that these memories seem to anticipate and argue for? How does the event continue to make history? Witty and Calhoun both represent the event’s cultural memory by describing some of the most critical turning points of the Tiananmen Square protests, although Witty emphasizes rebellion against autocracy through the Tank Man’s photo, while Calhoun analyzes the actions and thoughts of people who were in the midst of shaping democratic ideals in their own terms. Figure 1: Widener’s Photo of the Tank Man Source: Widener (1989 in Witty) In the article, â€Å"Behind the Scenes: Tank Man of Tiananmen,† Witty uses four photos of the Tank Man to represent different perspectives of the Tiananmen Square Protests, where these images try to underline that this man symbolizes the struggles of all ordinary people against government repression and corruption, but because of lack of violence of some photos, it somehow hides the gruesome effects of the government’s crackdown on the protesters. ... The cultural memory focuses on four tanks that are ready to crush all those who oppose and criticize the state and one man who will not be crushed at all. The light post represents urban space through manifesting technology and modernity. The action of the man against the tanks and the cropped lamp post together signify that non-violent action is light in the darkness because rationality meets irrationality. Standing tall like the lamp post, the Tank Man symbolizes democracy and hope for the people. The photo further shows that the tanks are approaching and one man with his shopping bags stand before them. Like others before him, the Tank Man stands in front of the state’s military tools, a memory which argues that he, as well as other ordinary people like him, will fight for democracy anytime and he will not even need tanks to do it. He only needs his resolve and principles, which hundreds to thousands others already offered when they died the night of the Chinese governmentà ¢â‚¬â„¢s crackdown. The photo argues that the state does not have absolute power because the people have power to fight for what is absolutely right for them- the right to oppose and to replace a corrupt and oppressive government. Furthermore, from Witty’s article, the Tiananmen Square protests continue to make history because it portrays an ordinary man’s greatest act of courage and integrity against symbols of oppression. The photo shows that the Tank Man seems to be an office employee with his white shirt and black pants. He is an ordinary man with two white shopping bags, the image of an urban dweller that the state wants to control. The photo argues that he is one man against the state’s violence, and yet because he has had enough, he will stand for his principles of