Impacts of Media Technology on Teenagers Essay

Today we are living in a revolutionary world and within seconds, several bombardments of new inventions are happening around the globe, media technology being one of them. Media technology has changed our lives giving us the freedom to perform activities from the comfort of our homes. For example, it has made communication easier and quicker, a document now takes a few seconds to reach anywhere in the world compared to regular mail which takes several days with the involvement of several individuals to reach its destination. If we look at our daily life, we can see a reflection of technology everywhere in our lives, such as TV, telephones, computers, cell phones, PDA, text messages, email, internet, online banking, booking a vacation, GPS, online shopping, online education, online liberalities, online books, online gaming and much more. By the end of 20th century we can observe that media technology and its effects are as powerful as it were never before. The invention of the cell phone, appearance of computers, laptops, and internet communication has become a vital link in communicating with others. It has become inseparable part of our life and it is everywhere and it is impossible to escape them. Teenagers all over the world are growing up in a world, where the Internet, cell phones, text messaging and other technology dominates the communication and it is an integral part of everyday life. Technology has changed rapidly; it is hard to predict what will happen in the next six months. If we ask a question whether media technology is good or bad, I believe there is no answer to this question. Technology is a double edge sword; it can be used for good purposes or for bad purposes. The evolving technology has a strong impact on individual’s life and especially teenagers as they are vulnerable to change. â€Å"Research shows that teens tend to be more impulsive than adults, and they may not think as clearly as adults about the consequences of what they do,† (-Jessica Rich, Federal Trade Commission). (Read more) The story of media in young people’s lives today is primarily a story of technology facilitating increased consumption. We created this blog to promote awareness to most common media technologies that have influenced teenagers’ lives today i.e. Internet, TV, Cell Phones, Gaming, Music and Print Media. Posted by Danielle, Fanny and Khalid. 1 comment: Links to this post Labels: Impacts of Media Technology on Teenagers Internet and Teenagers The Internet is a part of today’s culture that many teenagers cannot even imagine what the world was like before the Internet existed. The Internet is fun, informative and a great source of communication with others. It’s an educational tool and users can learn about almost anything. Sharing information through Internet is easy, cheap and fast. Teenagers have access to billions of websites containing information in the form of text, pictures and videos. The internet like other technology has positives and negatives effects on teenagers. Teenagers have access to pornography, obscenities, and ways to make drugs, bombs or even participate in online sexual practices. Teenagers can also become heavily addicted to the internet, which can often lead them into depression, with little or no face-to face time with others. There are also issues with teenagers hacking into school databases, banks, government websites, friends or strangers computers. If your teenagers are spending too much time on the internet, they are at risk of getting involved with one of these activities. Our blog will discuss pros and cons of internet usage among teenagers. Online Education Online education does have an impact on the lives of students; online learning can contribute to a gain in self-discipline. Educational goals can be reached by getting an online education. Student’s become more computer savvy from continuously using technology to do research, type assignments, and use specific software to complete projects. Some online programs even offer fast-track programs that allow prospective graduates to complete degree programs faster. (Read more) Currently, most high school students in North America have access to the internet in their classroom setting. Student can get extra helps through online learning environments (OLE) provided by schools. OLE provides students quick and easy access to course resources and material. Most OLE environments are virtually available from any location that has a computer and internet. The OLE resources usually include: online books, lectures, instructor help, peer-to-peer support, technology support, multimedia activities, instant updates, self-testing applications, comprehensive reviews and much more! Students that have fallen behind can take extra help online to achieve their required credits. Internet a Job Search Tool The internet is an excellent online job search tool for teenagers to find a job. Teenagers can search different types of jobs through various job search engines i.e. Craigslist, Monster, Workopolis and Job Bank. These search engines can teach you to fill out an application, create a resume and prepare for an interview. You can apply for the required job through Internet, which is more direct and easy. Jobs can help teenagers feel more confident and independent which can help teenagers explore potential career paths.

Unit 1 D2

Amy Holihan CACHE Level 3 Unit 1 D2 â€Å"Multi Agency working brings together practitioners from different sectors and professions to provide an integrated way of working to support children, young people and families. † (www. education. gov. uk 18. 10. 2021) Multi Agency Teams are made up of professionals who are brought into the childcare setting for a variety of different reasons.They ensure that all children, young people and families who need additional support have exactly the right professionals they need in order to support them. A Multi Agency Team could involve anyone who’s voluntary or job puts them in contact with children, young people or families. Other professionals who may work as part of a Multi-Agency Team are social workers, educational psychologists, health visitors and paediatric dieticians.They help children and young people who may be suffering from special needs, learning in difficulties or behavioural difficulties they assess these children and give them individual support and together with their families. The Multi Agency Team approach has many benefits such as there is better support for the parents and easier to meet every child and families individual needs and to address them more appropriately and children seeing professionals around then working together as a team.Communication between different services and confidentiality is crucial when working in a multi-agency team to ensure that all children and families get the support they need and their rights are never breached. â€Å"The CAF should be offered to children who have additional needs to those being met by universal services unless a child is presenting a need it is unlikely the CAF will be offered. The practitioner assesses needs by using the CAF. † (www. education. gov. uk 18. 10. 2012) The common Assessment Framework is to be used by all professionals who are in contact with children young people and their families.It is used to help practitioners i dentify a child’s need and offer them extra support before it reaches crisis point and to ensure important needs of children are not overlooked. Information is also shared between other practitioners so that parents only have to tell one professional information about their child. Parents also get to see the assessment information and get to voice their views and opinions with practitioners. Families play a big part when developing an action plan for meeting all children’s additional needs and consent must also be given by the parents.

Information and Communication Technologies

Chapter 1IntroductionIn modern society, most people are familiar with information and communication technologies: ICT is used at home and at work, for personal needs and for study; with their help bills are paid, things are bought and sold, interaction with state structures is carried out – all this and much more is done in the cyberspace. But are many really aware of the importance and danger of cyberthreats? The European Union, for example, is aware of and is doing its utmost to ensure cybersecurity, at least within the EU member states. Commercial enterprises, society, state structures and national security depend on the functioning of information technology and the competent exploitation of a critical information infrastructure; transport, communications, financial services, emergency and utilities rely on reliable, complete and secure information transmitted through this infrastructure. That is why the problem of cyberspace protection is critically important for the European Union. An incident that causes a violation of such infrastructure or IT systems can lead to serious negative consequences for the functioning of society and the economy. To assist in the organization of the protection of each individual EU member state and the European Union as a whole, the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) was established to deal with the rapid detection, analysis and prevention of cyber incidents, as well as monitoring of the existing situation cases with cyberthreats. ENISA deals with a very wide range of issues: it creates reports on cyberthreats and cyber incidents, produces useful materials for experts in the field of information technology, conducts cyber exercises with the countries of the European Union, organizations and citizens of the EU, interacts with agencies and agencies of the European Union itself, holds meetings and conferences, and much more, but ENISA has not yet fully revealed its potential. Based on this statement, this study was aimed at assessing the effectiveness and construct a scenario for the future development of the agency. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were identified:Identify key terms on cyberspace;Identify the reasons for the establishment, the main goals and objectives of the agency on network and information security;To consider and evaluate the effectiveness of the internal organization of the work of ENISA;Identify the criteria for assessing the effectiveness of the practical and scientific activities of the Agency for Network and Information Security;Identify the key factors for building the forecast.Thus, the research question: How an entity such as agency or organization can be effective in providing security in cyberspace? For this study, we can distinguish two chronological frames – the first includes the time from 2004 to 2016 in that part of the work that is devoted to the history of the creation of the agency and the evolution of its goals, tasks and internal structure; second include the period from 2014 to 2016 in that part of the work that is devoted to the direct activities of ENISA. Since the full package of documents on the results of the year from the approximate time to us is only for 2014, for 2015 there are only partial data in free access and for 2016 there is only a work program available – a full package of documents will allow us to view the agency's performance in 2014 by comparing the planned tasks and their immediate execution, and the analysis of documents for 2015 and 2016 permits third degree of confidence in the agency, its development and predict the possible prospects of its development. The object of this study is the cybersecurity of the European Union, and the subject is the European Network and Information Security Agency.Scientific novelty lies in the fact that for this study was derived its definition of â€Å"cyberspace†, which, in the author's opinion, is the most complete reflection of all levels in it. Moreover, this study builds an independent scenario for the future development of ENISA.This work is based primarily on sources of internal organization of the work of the agency and its activities. The most important source is the charter of the agency for network and information security. In addition, an important European document is the convention on cybersecurity signed in 2001. The second most important for this study was the European cybersecurity strategy â€Å"Open, secure and reliable cyberspace†, as it provides the vector for the movement in the field of providing secure cyberspace. ?Chapter 2Literature Review2.1. Formation of the concepts â€Å"cyberspace† and â€Å"cyberthreat†. In the early 1990s, English sociologist E. Giddens proposed the theory of â€Å"reflexive modernization† of society, the main position of which is the idea of an increasing organization of society (Beck, Giddens & Lash, 1994). Modernization of society implies, firstly, an increase in the chances of choice for all members of a given society, which they implement under certain conditions, and secondly, the growth of reflexivity, which, according to Giddens, collects and processes information necessary for the adoption of various kinds â€Å"If today we choose our religion according to our personal beliefs, then we need information about other religions to make a choice,† Webster writes. There is a certain program: gathering information, conducting its analysis, making decisions based on possible risks. In a society where such a scheme exists, there will always be a high demand for information, caused by the desire to control the situation at all levels – from the political to the personal. First, at the state level, the collection and processing of information become important factors, since the main goals that cannot be overcome. To this end, the most complex systems, which by means of special computer technologies are engaged in continuous verification of the environment in all spheres of society. An example is the American system Echelon, which deals with â€Å"e-mail and facsimile mail forwarding †¦ and stores in its memory 5 trillion pages of text† (Webster, 2002). Secondly, computer technologies are widely used in the military sphere. In the new information society, the type of warfare has changed: from the industrial type to the so-called â€Å"information wars†. The main differences between the new type of war are the automation of control systems over the dispersed armed forces of the state (in cases where it is important for the state to present information in a favorable light for itself). According to Webster, to carry out a new type of war, the most modern technologies and means of protecting them are needed, careful planning of counterstrikes which, for example, is assisted by programmable weapon systems, simulation of the situation by means of computer visualization programs and system analysis (2002). Proceeding from this, the information war is, in fact, pre-programmed, because the most rapid response to a military act that contributes only to the computer, which is used in the conduct of this war. In addition, the use of information and communication technologies in the strategic sector of the economy, for example, the use of an automated milling machine in production. All of the above findings lead to the conclusion that cyberspace is becoming a kind of new â€Å"battlefield† for modern nation states. The core concepts and our understanding of international relations have its roots a decade or two back in history, which is why there created on the presumption that countries are suitable bodies in global politics, and that agreements between countries will decrease the possibility of attack and conflict. Alike historic view appreciates, takes into account the national borders and considers the cross border violation as a special case (Choucri & Goldsmith, 2012). However, few critical characteristics of the cyberspace do not go along with the historic view, it has formed a new way to complicate the tension in the world and modern options to prevent conflict. Nowadays, the modern conflicts that are based on cyberspace are happening, everything from â€Å"transnational crime and espionage to cyberwar that could disrupt military systems, shut down government servers, or damage critical infrastructure† (Choucri & Goldsmith, 2012).In addition, citizens of countries unite increasingly use the Internet for individual needs. According to the report of European Commission on 2015 on cybersecurity, 60% of EU citizens use the Internet daily for personal use (compared to 2013, the increase was 6%) and about 14% use the Internet about 5 times a week, and only 9% do not have a home Internet at all (Table 1). In general, the number of Internet users (both for personal and work needs) the growth has increased, and the percentage of people without access to the Internet has decreased, and the percentage of people who do not use the Internet has also decreased (Table 1). In addition, the percentage of people using social networks, making purchases via the Internet and using Internet banking services, has increased (Table 2). This growing trend has also led to increased public anxiety about security in cyberspace. According to the report, most EU citizens are concerned about the abuse of their personal data of third parties and the safety of online transactions with funds. In order to protect themselves from cyberthreats, the most popular of them are installing anti-virus and ignoring strange content sent to the mail or in social networks. However, it seems strange that only 38% of people try not to spread personal information about themselves to the network for their safety. Although this can be explained by the fact that the percentage of people who believe that websites and the state protect any personal information has increased (For example, there is a â€Å"shift† of responsibility for the safety of data from their shoulders to others) (Table 3). But it is worth noting that in this case there arises a certain â€Å"security dilemma†: if a state or organization takes up careful protection of personal data of users, first of all they will require full access to any personal information for themselves (they will need to know what exactly protect). Will not this lead to a loss of freedom? That is the dilemma: to ensure a high level of security, one must sacrifice personal freedom and vice versa. It is possible that a certain percentage of the citizens of the European Union are ready to sacrifice this freedom, since the percentage of people who understand the danger of cyberthreats has nevertheless grown by an average of 1.5% over the previous year, hence people are increasingly aware of the importance of this sphere (Table 4). Thus, we observe that cyberspace has become an integral part of our society – the economy, public administration, people's daily lives and social interaction depend on the proper operation of information and communication technologies. That is why special attention should be paid to the protection of cyberspace from cybercrime of various kinds: abuse of frequent information, malicious activity, cyberterrorism, etc. At the same time, cybersecurity cannot be fully implemented by only one country and requires international cooperation, since the cybersphere has neither state, nor any other borders. â€Å"Cybersecurity is a global problem that requires a global response,† said N. Kroes, EU Commissioner for Digital Policy, in her speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos (2013). Cybersecurity has become the object of growing concern and attention right after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York, when it was determined that terrorists used the Internet for negotiations, intelligence, research purposes and dissemination of their propaganda. But the state immediately encountered a problem that hampered and hampered so far fruitful cooperation – no one can form a single definition of the term â€Å"cyberspace†, at least on the level of whether cyberspace is considered only the environment of the World Wide Web, or in cyberspace, various computer technologies and networks that connect them. This research could form its notion of cyberspace as difficult to understand an environment that does not have a physical form, created through the interaction of people, software and the Internet with the help of electricity, special equipment and networks associated with them. The above definitions formed the basis for understanding cyberspace for this study, and cybersecurity will be considered as the absence of threats in cyberspace.Based on the definition of cyberspace given above, you can see that the cybersphere is not homogeneous and has several levels on which it exists. David Clark, an American scientist in the field of informatics, applied a systemic approach and derived the very â€Å"levels of cyberspace† (2010):Physical level – that is, physical devices that are the â€Å"foundation† of cyberspace: it's PCs and servers, â€Å"supercomputers† and power systems, satellites, sensors, as well as other technical connectors (wired and wireless). Thus, at this level, cyberspace has some geographical location and is subject to the national jurisdiction of any state;The logical level is the code, the platform that provides the â€Å"nature† of cyberspace;Information level – it is about information that is stored, transmitted and transformed in cyberspace;Social level – people who directly transform the nature of cyberspace as a result of its use.

Microsoft Hazel Case Essay

Hazel had worked for the same Fortune 500 Company for almost 15 years. Although the company had gone through some tough times, things were starting to turn around. Customer orders were up and quality and productivity had improved dramatically from what they had been only a few years earlier due to a company-wide quality improvement program. So it came as a real shock to Hazel and about 400 of her fellow coworkers when they were suddenly terminated following the new CEO’s decision to downsize the company. After recovering from the initial shock, Hazel tried to find employment elsewhere. Despite her efforts, after eight months of searching, she was nowhere closer to finding a job than the day that she had started. Her funds were being depleted and she was getting more and more discouraged. There was one bright spot, though: She was able to bring in a little money by mowing lawns for her neighbors. She got involved quite by chance when she heard one neighbor remark that now that his children were on their own; nobody was around to cut the grass. Almost jokingly, Hazel asked how much he’d be willing to pay. Soon Hazel was mowing the lawns of five neighbors. Other neighbors wanted her to work on their lawns, but she didn’t feel that she could spare any more time from her job search. However, as the rejection letters began to pile up, Hazel knew she had to make an important decision in her life. On a rainy Tuesday morning, she decided to go into business for herself – taking care of neighborhood lawns. She was relieved to give up the stress of job searching, and she was excited about the prospect of being her own boss. But she was also fearful of being completely on her own. Nevertheless, Hazel was determined to make a go of it. At first business was slow, but once people realized Hazel was available, many asked her to take care of their lawns. Some people were simply glad to turn the work over to her; others switched from other lawn care services. By the end of her first year in business, Hazel knew she could earn a living this way. She also performed other services such as fertilizing lawns, weeding gardens, and trimming shrubbery. Business became so good that Hazel  hired two part-time workers to assist her and, even then, she believed she could expand further if she wanted to. Questions: In what ways are Hazel’s customer s likely to judge the quality of her lawn care services? Hazel is the Operations Manager of her business. Among her many responsibilities are forecasting, inventory management, scheduling, quality assurance, and maintenance. What kinds of things would she likely forecast? What inventory items does Hazel probably have? What scheduling must she do? What things might disrupt her schedules and cause her to reschedule? How important is quality assurance to her business? Why? What kind of maintenance must be performed? Hazel decided to offer the students who worked for her a bonus of $25 if she implemented one of their ideas on how to improve the business, and they responded with several good ones. One idea that she initially rejected now appears to hold great promise. The student that proposed the idea has unfortunately left, and is currently working for a competitor. What should Hazel do? Hazel Case Revisited Questions: What competitive advantage does Hazel have over her competitors? Hazel would like to increase her profits, but she doesn’t believe that it would be wise to raise her prices considering the current state of the local economy (she is aware of this current state because of her keen environmental scanning abilities!). Instead she has given some thought to increasing productivity. Explain how increased productivity could be an alternative to increase prices? What are some of the ways that Hazel could increase productivity? Hazel is thinking about purchasing some new equipment. One type of new equipment she is considering is power sidewalk edgers. She believes that power edgers will lead to an increase in productivity. Another type of new equipment would be a chain saw, which would be used for tree pruning. What trade-offs must Hazel think about in her analysis? Hazel is fairly successful in her neighborhood and now wants to expand into other neighborhoods, including some that are up to five miles away. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of doing this? (this is a classic expansion dilemma) Hazel does not have a formal mission statement and a set of objectives. Take one of the following positions and defend it: Hazel does not need a formal mission statement and a set of objectives. Many small businesses don’t have them. She definitely needs a formal mission statement and a set of objectives. They would be extremely beneficial. There may be some benefit to Hazel’s business, and she should consider developing one.

Famous poem Essay

William Cullen Bryant’s famous poem â€Å"Thanatopis† literally means a view of death. This poem is one of the classics about death as it offers a peaceful view of death, comfort for the living, and no matter what a person’s religious beliefs, the poem is still applicable. â€Å"Thanatopsis† views death as part of the return to nature, like death is just another phase of life itself. â€Å"Earth, that nourished thee, shall claim Thy growth, to be resolved to earth again,† (Bryant). This quote explains that as a person has lived upon the Earth, the Earth will now live upon that person. The person will live on but in another way. â€Å"Surrendering up Thine individual being, shalt thou go To mix forever with the elements,† (Bryant). What is meant in this quote is that the person goes on living in Nature although each part of the person as an individual is gone. â€Å"Thanatopsis† also tells the reader that he/she will not go to death alone. Everyone who has ever died will already be there. Everyone who hasn’t gone yet will be there eventually. Social class or age do not matter; we all share one thing, and that one thing is death. In that way, we are all equal and death becomes the great equalizer. â€Å"Thanatopsis† also provides comfort for the living. â€Å"and what if thou withdraw In silence from the living, and no friend Take note of thy departure? All that breathe will share thy destiny† This statement provides comfort for the living as well. For those who seemingly have no one in life, they will not be alone in death. No person ever wants a friend or family member to suffer or to be alone, and Bryant tells us that no person will ever be alone. It is much easier to let someone go in this case. The real beauty of the poem is that it provides comfort to a person no matter what his/her religious beliefs are. If the reader is an agnostic or atheist, the poem views death as just all part of the cycle of Nature. We return to nature. If the reader is Christian, the poem becomes a split between body and soul. The body returns to Nature, and there is no mention of the soul or spirit. The spirit can be seen as going anywhere because there is no mention of it. So this poem is absolutely able to translated to Christianity. In fact, Bryant purposely rejected Puritanism in this poem in favor of a more open and accepting Unitarianism. In fact, if the reader is Buddhist, the return to Nature can be seen as reincarnation. Therefore the poem is in sync with many different religions. The wonderful way that Bryant views death gives the living and the dying much comfort in the process. In the end, death is like lying down on the couch and drifting off to sleep. It is painless and easy. Bryant also gives the reader advice on how to live life so that there is no need to regret death or to be afraid of it. The poem can provide comfort to any person of any religion and according to William Long provides an appreciation of nature that we cannot forget. Works Cited William Cullen Bryant. Retrieved November 24, 2007 at Web Site: http://www. msu. edu/~cloudsar/thanatop. htm Thanatopis. Retrieved November 24, 2007 at Web Site.

Is the Arab world changing for the better) Research Paper

Is the Arab world changing for the better) - Research Paper Example If ever Qatar does not agree, Saudi Arabia may push for economic sanctions and limits in the use of air space as well as borders1. Although this may involve a bitter conflict, the fact that Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East are opposed to terrorism means that terrorism is never viewed in the same way by all Muslim countries, and so it is not related to religion. Inspiration through sports is another proof that some Arab countries are improving. Particularly, in Afghanistan, where the Afghan national football team won their first trophy ever on September 11, 2013, many Afghans especially young ones were inspired to either play football or engage in sports. In fact, an official who works for the HAFO, or the Humanitarian Assistance and Facilitating Organization, based in Kabul, said, â€Å"Afghans are hard-working and their talents make them winners†2. As this can serve to inspire those in the other Arab countries, this event is indeed another proof that the Arab world is getting better. Although the HAFO may have overlooked the influence of culture and religion on the Afghans, certainly it has given them a very good and very healthy alternative in the name of sports. The Arab world is also improving in terms of safety for everyone. The Council of Ministers of Saudi Arabia met on August 26, 2013 and agreed on banning all kinds of abuse, whether these are physical, psychological, sexual or even in the form of threat. The sanctions are strict but the law itself needs a few changes in terms of vocabulary, according to Amnesty International3. Safety in Saudi Arabia can possibly inspire other Middle Eastern countries to do the same thing until there comes a time when even domestic workers to these countries are not any more looked upon with contempt or discrimination. A fourth proof of improvement in the Arab world shows in the increasing concern

Antigon as a Leader Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Antigon as a Leader - Article Example This essay stresses that leaders do differ from managers, considering the convictions of most scholars who have studies the differences between leaders and managers. Leaders are involved in strategic management, just as the managers. However, leaders exhibit this aspect of strategic management in their behavior as well. Another difference between leaders and managers is evident in the way these relate with people and perceptions toward work. While managers exhibit high interaction with people, leaders are considered loners with great visions. Managers also use people to get goals and visions achieved. In addition, leaders are more charismatic and empathic than managers, since these will prioritize the needs of the people at their expense. This paper makes a conclusion that in the struggle for liberation from the Apartheid rule, Mandela’s party, the ANC, adopted an approach of violence, even though previously the party had advocated for a peaceful approach. Mandela admitted to his party adopting a violence approach from the previously held peaceful policy. In his view, the peaceful approach adopted by the ANC earlier on had failed, since it did not put an end to apartheid rule. This decision to adopt violence is justified. If the ANC had not turned to violence, the whites would have never addressed the concerns of the blacks through their peaceful approach. Secondly, violence was the only option left, since all other democratic options had been closed down in the country’s legislation by the whites.

New Technology of Crime Law and Social Control Essay

New Technology of Crime Law and Social Control - Essay Example Byrne and Rebovich (2007) classify technology into two broad categories: hard and soft technologies. They give examples of hard technologies used by the police in crime prevention to include: closed circuit television cameras (CCTV), street lighting, citizen protection devices, metal detectors, and ignition interlock systems. They also give examples of soft technology which include: threat assessment instruments, risk assessment instruments, bullying ID protocol, sex offender registration, risk assessment prior to involuntary civil commitment, profiling potential offenders, and facial recognition software used in conjunction with CCTV. Byrne and Rebovich argue that hard technology has led to improved police protection devices, improved new weapons, less lethal force, computers in squad cars, mobile data centers and video in patrol cars. They outline advantages of soft technology to include: crime mapping, crime analysis, criminal history data systems enhancement, information sharing within criminal justice systems and private sector, new technologies to monitor communication to and from targeted individuals, amber alerts, the creation of watch list of potentially violent offenders and gunshot location devices. CCTV and street lighting are the most commonly used hard technologies in crime prevention. CCTV is more significant in reducing property crime than street lighting (Welsh and Farrington, 2007). Great investments go into implementing CCTV but its rewards are tremendous. Cameras enable surveillance, making police work much easier. In conjunction with street lighting, cameras intensify security in the streets. During public events, cameras enable the police to monitor security details and ensure people’s safety. When criminals know that they are being watched, they shy away from committing a crime.  

Develop a partial risk and mitigation plan Assignment

Develop a partial risk and mitigation plan - Assignment Example These are the malicious programs that are spread via the internet which damage stored information in the computers. High Attack by the malicious programs would lead to loss of information that is stored in the computers which results into a significant loss for the company. The first impact would be loss of documents while the latest would be total crushing of the ICT system. 2 Hacking The ICT students may hack the schools’ accounts, which would lead to loss of information and money. Medium If this happens, the school may lose a lot in terms of cash. This is because hackers can even clear the school fees for students with fees balances First impact may be unsustainable college due to the big losses accrued. The latest impact would be total declaration of bankruptcy of the college. Malicious programs As shown in the table, the risk associated to malicious programs is very likely to occur. Malware such as viruses, bugs and other destructive programs find their way into computers and other memory storage devices. Viruses and worms have been declared a big threat to businesses’ and institutions’ security (Brittson, Oshea & Reyes, 2011.) The last survey that was done for the 1000 fortune companies indicated that cyber crime is the most dangerous crime in businesses and institutions and that can drive an organization into a lot of losses. These disastrous programs have a very high probability of occurrence in the learning institutions. Most of the Universities today do everything online. Establishment of an ICT center would enable students to carry all the assignments and other applications through the internet especially when there is a configuration of WIFI. Since most of the students are in need of the computer facilities, they would be regular in the ICT centers to carry out their research. It is through interaction of students with computers that the ICT laboratories are exposed to the risks. This results from the various memory storage devi ces that the students insert into the computers for instance the flash disks, memory cards, diskettes, external hard drives and hard disks. These storage facilities if infected would lead to infection of the computers in the ICT laboratories. The other way through which the computers could be affected by viruses and worms, is through the downloading of non-genuine files, music, or movies from the internet. If the downloaded document of music is from untrustworthy provider it may be malicious to the stored information in the computers in the ICT center (Clough, 2010). According to Martin & Schell (2004), malware attack is always associated with the loss of information from the computers. This has been witnessed in many businesses and institutions especially in the cases of viruses and worms attack and also the hackers. For instance the attack known as Aurora which happened recently destructed a lot of information in many companies. In this attack, the hackers used techniques that emp loyed a combination of stealth programming and encrypted techniques. Through the use of this technology, the attackers traced the source codes for Adobe, Google and many

Is mobile marketing the future of advertising Case Study

Is mobile marketing the future of advertising - Case Study Example By definition, Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is a new competitive weapon and way of companies to draw maximum benefits from one shot. In other words, it is a concept designed to give users of the marketing mix an opportunity to make use of all aspects of marketing communication such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing a unified force, rather than permitting each to work in isolation (Kortler 2002). Varey (2001) considers integrated marketing as a paradigm shift towards more personalise, customer-oriented, technology-supported marketing systems. Under this new approach, it is recommended that different communications channels used by the company to communicate with prospective customers and customers be integrated. Such an action will result to a clear, consistent and compelling message about the company's product and services. The effect of which will be glaringly reflected on the sales record subsequently (Kotler. 2005). Integration of a company's marketing communication activities can avoid confusion and disaffection in the minds of consumers and buyers, offering a comfortable identity to customers and staff (Kotler. 2005). As marketing has shifted to a more one to one direction, marketers have employed different methods to get to their target markets. Mobile advertising is fast becoming the order of the day (Baker 2007). The current revolution of information and communication technologies is changing our business environment drastically: new technologies influence the way we organize our work and the environment in whic h we compete, introducing new rules and new relative powers among incumbents, newcomers and even entire markets. This complex, evolving environments are referred to as New Technology Playgrounds (Ace 2001). Against this background, this paper seeks to answer the following questions Is mobile marketing the future of advertising' What are the variables that motivate companies to use mobile advertising' How do mobile marketing differs from the other advertising methods' What has been the trend in mobile marketing in the last five years' What proportion of the advertisement budget is allocated to mobile marketing' 1.1 Objectives and Purpose of Study This paper focuses on the growing trend of mobile marketing as a new way of advertisement. In particular, the paper seeks to analyse and evaluate if mobile marketing represents the future direction of advertisement. Other objectives include To examine the salient features of mobile marketing as compared to the other advertisement method. The paper also aims at analysing mobile marketing trend in the last five years through an examination of the budget allocated towards mobile marketing. 1.2 Importance and Significance of Study This study aims at delineating the use of mobile marketi

ICE Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

ICE Paper - Essay Example In fact, he estimated that 70% of the oil is made up of imports. The fact that oil is the key driver of the American economy, it cannot go without saying that a significant share of our energy resources is derived from other countries. This is not only detrimental to our economy, but to the environment and national security as well. Pickens comes up with a raft of proposals that will help this country to reduce its foreign oil imports by a third. He believes that this is a necessary course since the global demand for oil is increasing by the day if the emergence of China and India is anything to go by. To begin with, Pickens proposes the use of Wind Power. This is because he considers wind to be not only renewable and clean, but it is 100% domestic as well. In addition, America has the largest wind reserves as opposed to any other country across the globe. By doing this, it will take the â€Å"energy generated by wind and using it to replace a significant percentage of the natural gas that is now being used to fuel our power plants.† In other words, the use of wind energy will go a long way in ensuring that the natural gas is solely used as a transportation fuel. More often than not, natural gas is considered as the form of energy that can sustain the transportation sector by virtue of it being clean, ch eap, and in abundance. By taking this route, it will drive more efforts towards the development and manufacture of natural-gas-powered vehicles (Levi, 56). Furthermore, our dependence on wind energy will help to plug the deficit of unemployment. In the process, this new development will be a major investment â€Å"in the heartland, creating room for hundreds of thousands of jobs† in the next few decades. This move will create an avenue for use of other sources of energy such as biomass, solar, and ethanol. Taking a step in this direction will save the country from

Smucker's case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Smucker's - Case Study Example They make use of digital marketing initiatives such as search-based ads, banner ads on websites and mobile phones, and ads on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. In terms of their acquisition strategy among product lines, they practice the horizontal acquisition which is they acquire companies in the same industry segment. The Smucker’s brands exhibit a strategic fit because they all belong to the processed food industry. Furthermore, their brands have the same distribution network and target markets. Their products are all sold at supermarkets. Even the manufacturing and operations of their various products have a strategic fit, creating economies of scale. One believes that it only makes sense for Smucker’s to expand their business line-up within their core businesses. Expanding beyond their core businesses would be difficult because the marketing strategies that they need to implement might need to be different. Moreover, expanding beyond one’s core of business would mean extensive research on their part and they might not have the competence in that business. 2. Use the appropriate course models to (1) identify at least four major macro-environmental trends and issues in the geographic domains where J.M. Smuckers operates, and (2) indicate the level of strategic attention each of these should be given. The first major macro-environmental trend that affects Smucker’s is the growing trend of women working outside the home; thus, an increase in the number of meals eaten out. This means that the household budget for processed foods and beverages, like those sold by Smucker’s will decrease and will be redirected to the budget for eating out. The level of attention that must be given to this should be minimal. Another macro-environmental factor that affects the industry is the current recession and economic slowdown experienced

A Distance is a Distance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Distance is a Distance - Essay Example For the past two years you have both set aside intimacy and closeness in hopes of building a more secure future to rest your relationship on. This is admirable and can also be economically pragmatic. Getting your career and education on the right path will certainly add to your ability to have a relationship and family down the road. However, in your special case it is preventing you from having a relationship now. You and your wonderful Mr. Right would benefit from deciding not if you want a relationship, but what kind of relationship you want this to be, and realize that you are just starting out to build something with him and the closeness you have now may not be as close as you think.The first thing you need to do Jamie is to appreciate the fact that you are making decisions based on the wonderful alternatives you and your boyfriend have. You are not being forced to choose due to financial or health reasons. You are faced with the much sought after dilemma of, 'You can't have ev erything because you would have no place to keep it'. You are trying to decide about the best of the good. Having said that, you both need to sit down and evaluate where you are in your current relationship. If your current arrangement is based on phone calls and rushed weekend get-togethers, then you need to understand that that is what is at risk. You are not giving up a lifetime of familial bliss because you currently do not have that. You are passing up the opportunity to be intimately close with this fellow now and what ever you choose outside the status quo will sacrifice that arrangement. After you examine the relationship you currently have with a realistic lens, you can begin to weigh your other options against it. One option that you have open to you is to keep the relationship as it currently is. You have expressed your desire to take the relationship to the next level and have indicated that this long distance arrangement just won't make it any longer. Any distance between a couple is far too great. You and your boyfriend need the close personal contact and intimacy that is a part of a partnership to make your love work for you. If you delay that, you risk having to make a decision in the future based on desperation or an ultimatum. Trying to make flexible arrangements in a long distance relationship is fraught with treachery. Some couples have tried allowing limited dating by the other person in their absence, or other compromises, but these have a great risk of destroying what you already have. Since the current arrangement can't continue for you, you need to l ook at the other alternatives you have available to you. If you do in fact decide that you simply can't continue in a long distance relationship, there are only two choices for you to make. Decide to make some concrete changes to stay together, or accept it that there is a geographical difference that can not be overcome and that distance will be reflected in your relationship. If you both choose career over your relationship, then you would do well to accept that for exactly what it is. We all have relationships that work over great distances, but they are not intimate and don't involve the lifelong sharing of a marriage. Choosing your careers will mean that you are probably giving up any hope of a future family with Mr. Right, but it will present you the opportunity to have a lifelong friend who has shared some common struggles with you. He will probably be successful and a valuable asset to your future. But he may not ever become your soul mate or marriage partner. Don't be too deluded into believing that you can both go about your business, him with his career and you with

Demonstrate appropriate and effective techniques in written and verbal Essay

Demonstrate appropriate and effective techniques in written and verbal formats to prepare and deliver presentations, including the effective use of research, organization, visual aids, and APA citations - Essay Example The situation or message is clear, it is about positive thinking. The message is universal. There is no specific audience being targeted by the presentation. It is directed to all individuals. The aim of the video is to encourage all those watching the video to think positively. In lieu of a speaker, the thoughts of the creator of the video are expressed through the captions. Simple sentences are used yet they are very meaningful and effective at driving the message to the audience. The sentences are easy to understand; thus, it is able to reach out to audiences of different intellectual backgrounds. The background music that accompanies the presentation serves to enhance the video. It helps to capture the attention of the audience. The music chosen is appropriate with the message that wants to be communicated to the viewers. The second video is â€Å"How to change your negative thoughts† (Melnick, 2008). The message of the presentation is also about positive thinking. In this video, one sees a speaker talking in front of an audience. The author is obviously persuading her audience to change their perspective in life, that is, to eliminate the negative thoughts and convert them to positive thoughts. The speaker is able to get the attention of her audience through eye contact, changes in her intonation and pitch, and through her nonverbal skills. She emphasizes various points in her speech through changes in her facial expression, tone, pacing and volume. She is able to send concise messages with the help of the body language which she employs to stress a point. She uses counterarguments to convince her audience. One observes though that she speaks quite fast which may be a hindrance in communicating to her audience because they may not be able to accurately receive and comprehend her message. Comparing the two videos, one thinks that the video on â€Å"The Secret† is more effective at communicating the message on positive thinking.

Digital revolutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Digital revolutions - Essay Example To understand the consumers, organizations have historically employed a market research strategy. This traditional method involves deploying marketing representatives to the ground to identify the consumers’ needs and advise the business on the best approach to addressing these needs. Advancement of technology has however changed the situation. The invention of the internet, mobile phones, and other technological devices have revolutionized marketing. Today, human beings are connected to one another regardless of the distance. This implies that the physical interaction of the marketer and the target audience is no longer necessary. The interaction and market study happens online and through the technological devices. This has changed the global marketing environment. This paper is a research report on the changes in global marketing that have resulted from the digital revolution. The paper addresses these changes from the perspective of technology and globalization. Marketing involves a great deal of communication. Technologies such as the web, mobile phones, social media, and customer relationship management systems greatly affect modern marketing. The marketing representatives of any company or specific product must communicate with the consumers. The communication helps them to learn and identify the consumers’ needs and requirements. Further, this also helps them to identify the challenges that the product may face in the market and hence adjust their strategies accordingly. In the past, communicating with the consumers demanded costly travels and promotions to issue questionnaires or conduct interviews (Glance et al. 2005). However, with the digital revolution communication technology has made it possible to interact and communicate with consumers in a more effective and cost effective way. Marketers are now targeting social media and the

Foreign Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Foreign Policy - Essay Example Freedom is an imperative ideal in the Western culture and governance based on democratic principles upholds the aspect to the latter. The NSC 68 describes the value as a correlation of individuals or parties which is devoid of repression or intimidation; the lack of disabling rules for a certain group or person and the establishment of enabling environment; or the lack of lived situations of coercion, for example political coercion in the United States society. Whereas political liberty is usually misunderstood to mean the liberty from irrational external repression, it may also be used to connote the free enjoyment of rights, liberal aptitudes and likelihood of development, and the enjoyment of social rights. The idea can also encompass liberty from limitations on political activities or expression (Jong-Han 255-287). Equity Although inequality cannot be eliminated completely, all the members of the society should be treated the same way, before the law and by administration authorities. Nevertheless, in practice, persons with more economic muscle and education are likely to be better placed in political circles, thus often influence civil society. As a matter of fact, there may be an evenhanded political mechanism with hardly any significant levels of involvement, so long as all demographic segments and social divisions uniformly took part in the building of a society (Jong-Han 255-287). Then those who take part in the process would properly represent a section of the entire community. In view this, equity can influence the foreign policy of the United States by enhancing political justness in other countries where the federal government feels equity is hardly practiced, by increasing the population of individuals who take part in political activities and empowering civil society. When the United States encourages more people to take their destiny and the destiny of the country into their own hands through programs such as more awareness campaigns, underprivileged communities and the less educated achieve more say. Diversity According to Jong-Han (255-287), diversity is the expression used to explain political entities with participants who hold recognizable disparity in their lifestyles. It is notable that the expression implies the disparities in racial or tribal categories, age, sex, spiritual inclination, ideology, physical capacities, socioeconomic status, sexual inclination, gender identity, education, mental status, physical capacities, genetic qualities, behavior, elegance, or other recognizable attributes. In gauging human multiplicity, a variation index gauges the likelihood that any two neighbors, picked randomly, would have varied ethnic backgrounds. Diversity in this wisdom can influence the nature of United States foreign policy based on the need for a cultivation of tolerant societies which supports the different communities regardless of their unique inclinations or qualities. For instance, the country can urge other states to adopt gay legislations in order to guarantee the community of a place in the society and enhance their integration into the society (Wright 76-104) American foreign policy The United States foreign policy revolves around the manner in which the country relates with other states and establishes thresholds of correlation for its institutions, business organizations and citizens in particular. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union around 1990, the United States foreign policy became highly influential across the world, because the former was already a pale shadow of its former self, with only disparate nations to

Home School vs. Public School Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Home School vs. Public School - Term Paper Example This essay stresses that not all parents have the required skills to prepare study plans and teach as professional teachers would achieve. Most children prefer to be out of their homes at all cost. In line with the admission policies, most colleges do not take up a graduate prepared form home schooling. The children, before or after admission, may seclude or lack socialization. This paper makes a conclusion that not all parents can provide enough information on the education requirements. Full support is called for from the parents. Where parents volunteer in public schools the ensure safety and smooth operation in public school programs. The parents can communicate with their children’s teachers via memos, newsletters and phone calls. In home schooling, decision making is concluded at home. Parents who have involved in homeschooling ought to attend classes or embrace distant learning facilities to widen their education platform as they continue with their work. They may develop relationships with teachers to seek advice toward their children’s academic excellence and access to public facilities such as computer labs and libraries. Parents are not limited to seek information from the community and ask for involvement in business leadership. Home schools or public schools pose a hard decision on the option to embark on and therefore, every guar dian or parent has the obligation of remembering that every child is specific to certain needs. The best option would be to evaluate the personal situation before the decision of what best suites the student.

Road and bridge construction design Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Road and bridge construction design - Assignment Example Inventions are not magical, but took time to develop once they originated from human beings minds. This governs the quest to defining what engineering is, it is the process through which abstract ideas are turned into systems or products (physical representations). Engineers apply their creativity in the production of systems and products to satisfy human wants and this distinguishes them from sculptors, painters, or poets. This kind of creative act is referred to as a design. Engineering design Majority of engineering designs are listed as systems or invention-devices created by human hard work, or improvements made in already existing systems or devices. Designs or inventions do not just emerge from nowhere, but are a product of bringing technologies together to provide for human necessities. A design can also arise from someone trying to efficiently and quickly accomplish a task. Designing needs a step-by-step procedure and takes place over a period of time (Vanderwarker, 2001). E ngineers are primarily known as problem solvers. A design has a remarkably different nature of both the problem and solution because they are open- ended unlike other problem solving methods. This means that a design has more than one solution of correcting a problem which contains specified properties. In contrast to analysis problems, design problems are vaguely defined. Take an example of where one is asked to calculate the height of wall given the initial velocity of a snowball to be zero. The problem has one answer thus an analysis. Once the problem is changed to designing a device to launch 2-pound snowball to a height of 180 feet, it automatically becomes a design problem. In that it is open-ended and has many possible instruments that can be launched to determine the height of the snowball. An iterative procedure is outlined in solving design problems. This is because the solution to a design problem changes from time to time and continuous refining of the design becomes a n orm. During the implementation of a design problem, too expensive or unsafe solutions are developed. When such is the case the designer goes back to the drawing board until the proper solution is met. An outstanding example is that of the Wright brothers who experimented lots of design before attempting the powered flight. From his illustration, it is evident that design activity is a cyclic process while the analysis problem is sequential. To come up with a good solution to a design problem, it requires a well outlined procedure. This package, therefore, presents a diverse approach of a methodology referred to as the five-step problem-solving method. The mentioned methodology relates with the design process and can be adapted to solving a particular problem (Vanderwarker, 2001). The design process It consists of five crucial steps that must be achieved in designing the process. The process requires iteration and backtracking because design problems are usually vague. The design pro cess is contingent: it requires changes as it develops and the solutions are based on unforeseen complications. The five steps are illustrated below 1. Defining the problem 2. Gathering pertinent information 3. Generating multiple answers/ solutions 4. Analyzing and selecting a solution 5. Testing and implementing the solution Problem definition normally has a listing of the customer requirements and those of the

Occupational Safety and Health Administration Essay Example for Free

Occupational Safety and Health Administration Essay On December 29, 1970 Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The purpose of this act as quoted from the act itself is: â€Å"To assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women; by authorizing enforcement of the standards developed under the Act; by assisting and encouraging the States in their efforts to assure safe and healthful working conditions; by providing for research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health; and for other purposes.† This act requires employers to provide workplaces that are free from serious recognized hazards and to comply with occupational safety and health standards. The mission of OSHA is to save lives, prevent injuries, and protect the health of America’s workers. Since 1970 OSHA has grown to over 1,130 inspectors in states under federal OSHA jurisdiction. Personnel also includes investigators, engineers, physicians, educators, standards writers and other support personnel spread over more than 200 offices throughout the country (OSHA FAQ) . Since 1970 workplace fatalities have been reduced by half. Even with this decline fourteen Americans are killed on the job every single day of the year. In addition, tens of thousands die every year from workplace disease and over 4.6 million workers are seriously injured on the job (OSHA FAQ). The Department of Labor which conducts the OSHA inspections wants workers to feel safe on the job. Workers have rights that include the right to request an inspection, have a representative present at the inspection, have dangerous substances identified, be informed about exposure to hazards, and have employer violations posted at the worksite (OSH Act). In section 5 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 there is a set of duties that employers and employees are supposed to follow in order to be best assisted by OSHA. This General Duty Clause states: â€Å"(a) Each employer – (1) shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees; (2) shall comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act. (b) Each employee shall comply with occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations, and orders issued pursuant to this Act which are applicable to his own actions and conduct.† In section 8 of the OSH Act regarding Inspections and Investigations it states: â€Å"(a) In order to carry out the purposes of this Act, the Secretary, upon appropriate credentials to the owner, operator or agent in charge is authorized- (1) to enter without delay and at reasonable times any factory, plant establishment, construction site or other area, workplace or environment where work is performed by an employee of an employer; and (2) to inspect and investigate during regular working hours and at other reasonable times, and within reasonable limits and in a reasonable manner, any such place of employment and all pertinent conditions, structures, machines, apparatus, devices, equipment, and materials therein, and to question privately any such employer, owner operator, agent or employee.† In Marshall v. Barlows Inc., 436 U.S. 307 (1978), this case involved the constitutionality of a provision in the Occupational Safety and Health Act that permitted inspectors to enter premises without a warrant to inspect for safety hazards and violation of OSHA regulations. The Court held that this provision violated the Fourth Amendment. In The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States, commentary is given on this case. One issue in the case was whether a warrant was required. The Court had previously held that no warrant was required to inspect either the premises of a liquor licensee or a licensed gun dealers storeroom. Distinguishing these earlier cases because each concerned a closely regulated industry, the Court in Barlows concluded that requiring warrants in the OSHA context would not â€Å"impose serious burdens on the inspection system or the courts† (p. 316). As for the grounds to obtain an inspection warrant, Barlows follows the rule in Camara v. M unicipal Court (1967) that traditional probable cause is unnecessary if the authorities can show that the inspection conforms to â€Å"reasonable legislative or administrative standards† (p. 538). So, the Court in Barlows concluded that a warrant â€Å"showing that a specific business has been chosen for an OSHA search on the basis of a general administrative plan for the enforcement of the Act derived from neutral sources† (p. 321) would be sufficient, because it would ensure against arbitrary selection of employers. Marshall v. Barlow did little to change the frequency and effectiveness of OSHA inspections. First, OSHA regulations apply to millions of businesses and are enforced by only 1,130 inspectors. Obvious principles of good management would send these inspectors to businesses that justified to have an inspection based on accident history and the number of employee complaints. OSHAs managers had already been using this type of plan prior to the Barlow inspection since Barlow’s Inc. was selected for an inspection based on its accident history. In the â€Å"AEI Journal on Government and Society†, we are given insight on how the Barlow decision protected business, yet still allowed OSHA inspectors to obtain Ex Parte warrants. Barlow left open the question whether â€Å"judicial orders for inspections routinely sought under the secretarys existing regulations when employers refuse entry are the functional equivalent of warrants and thus satisfy the Fourth Amendment (6)†. When OSHAs inspectors conduct criminal investigations with the assistance of a U.S. attorney, they may â€Å"obtain warrants by telephone pursuant to Rule 41(c) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (7)†. The Barlow decision made the point of saying that if the purpose of an OSHA search is to obtain evidence of crime rather than civil infractions; probable cause that criminal conduct has occurred must be shown to justify a warrant. OSHA Instruction STP 2.18 reiterates that the Supreme Court held that the Fourth Amendment requires a warrant for a nonconsensual OSHA inspection. However, the Court recognized the importance of surprise in the conduct of inspections (as reflected in the Acts general prohibition against advance notice of an inspection), â€Å"in preventing the speedy alteration or disguise of violations so that they escape the inspectors notice†. The instruction goes on to say that: â€Å"The Court explicitly noted the Secretary of Labors authority to promulgate a regulation under which warrants could be sought ex parte; i.e., without the knowledge or participation of the employer. Such warrants might be sought after refusal of an employer to grant entry for an inspection or, in some cases, prior to any attempt to gain entry.† This procedure has helped maximize the effectiveness of criminal enforcement agencies since Barlow did not limit surprise inspections. The only important safeguard that the Barlow decision offered employers was the protection against inspections conducted in bad faith or for purposes of harassment. There are some instances when an inspection requires no warrant. An article titled â€Å"Warrantless OSHA Inspections† by Mark E. Farrell gives an example of how this situation can occur. Farrell summarizes the details in Lakeland Enterprises of Rhinelander, Inc. v. Chao, 402 F.3d 739 (7th Cir. 2005). A sewer and water contractor (Lakeland) in northern Wisconsin was performing excavation work at an industrial park when an OSHA inspector, driving by on the public street, decided to stop and perform an impromptu inspection. After walking past traffic cones that were blocking street traffic from the project site, the inspector observed a Lakeland employee excavating a trench with a backhoe while another employee worked at the bottom of the trench. â€Å"The trench was approximately eighteen feet deep and six feet wide at the bottom and did not contain a ladder or trench box†. When the contractor’s project superintendent began conversing with the OSHA inspector, the worker in the trench climbed up one of the walls to exit, which resulted in loose dirt falling back into the trench. â€Å"The employee performing the excavation work admitted that he knew that the other worker was not supposed to be working in the trench and that he failed to remove him† (Farrell). OSHA ended up issuing three citations and assessed a $49,000 civil penalty against the contractor, including a â€Å"willful violation for permitting an employee to work in an unprotected trench (in violation of 29 CFR  § 1926.652(a)†. During the hearing, the contractor moved to â€Å"suppress the evidence obtained from the inspection† on the basis that the OSHA inspector’s â€Å"warrantless search of the excavation site violated the Fourth Amendment†. The administrative law judge denied the motion, finding that the contractor had no right of privacy at the excavation site because the land was located on a public road. The administrative law judge also concluded that any Fourth Amendment claim was waived because the contractor failed to object to the inspection or ask for a warrant at the site (Farrell). It is important to understand that no advance notice of a worksite inspection needs to be given. Unannounced inspections are an important tool in OSHA’s mission to promote safe and healthful working conditions at all times. OSHA has come a long way since 1970 to help American become a safe place to work especially when compared to some parts of the world. With a good budget and better laws there are fewer injuries every year. OSHA truly is one of the administrative agencies that exist for the bettering of the quality of life for the workers of our country. Works Cited Farrell, Mark E. Warrantless OSHA Inspections Newsletter Article. Lorman Education Services Continuing Education Seminars. Web. 1 Mar. 2011. http://www.lorman.com/newsletters/article.php?article_id=346newsletter_id=73category_id=3. Hall, Kermit L. â€Å"Marshall v. Barlow’s Inc.† The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States. 2005. OSH Act, OSHA Standards, Inspections, Citations and Penalties. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Home. OSHA Office of Training and Education, May 1996. Web. 2 Mar. 2011. http://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtraining/htmlfiles/introsha.html. OSHA and the Fourth Amendment. AEI JOURNAL ON GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY (1978): 6-7. AEI JOURNAL ON GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY. Web. United States of America. Department of Labor. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Print United States of America. Department of Labor. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Inspections and Investigations: Obtaining Warrants on an Ex Parte Basis and Prior to Attempting Entry. Bruce Hillenbrand Acting Director, Federal Compliance and State Programs, 26 Feb. 1981. Web. http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=DIRECTIVESp_id=1863. United States of America. Department of Labor. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA Frequently Asked Questions. Web. 1 Mar. 2011. http://www.osha.gov/OSHA_FAQs.html.

The Impacts Of Cartoons On Child Literacy Essay Example for Free

The Impacts Of Cartoons On Child Literacy Essay Child literacy is one of the main priorities of both federal and private organizations around the world.   Literacy among children holistically involved the ability to use language for communication and interaction with other people.   Communication may be in the form of reading and/or writing.   Such capability in every individual is important for daily social living, since language is the prime tool for an understanding between two minds.   Studies have shown that literacy influence an individual’s future, because it plays a major role in an individual’s employment and opportunity for personal and professional development through basic and higher education. Literacy also influences the economic status of a country because citizens better understand the relationships between industry and commercialization.   The health condition of a country has also been observed to be positively correlated with literacy rates because individuals are generally taught of the principles of personal hygiene and healthy living through communication in schools through health and science subjects, and in communities through the use of health-related flyers, leaflets and brochures. Literacy among children is continuously being evaluated among children and in the recent years, cartoons have been identified as a possible tool that may be employed to promote child literacy.   Cartoons have been traditionally considered as a form of entertainment and have long been enjoyed by children.   Cartoons are diagrammatic portrayals of stories or issues that the cartoonist wants to express.   Currently, cartoons are considered as a tool for visual literacy or the learning through vision of actions, objects and symbols (Fransecky and Debes, 1972).   Cartoons serve as a means of communication that involve both language and drawings that were meant to convey a certain message to its readers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The possibility of using cartoons in promoting child literacy is currently being investigated around the world.   Cartoons may possibly serve as an alternative way to educate children because such type of drawings inherently includes some sense of humor, which is essential to a child’s learning and development.   It has been determined that teaching students using an extremely serious attitude generally results in students that are tense and intimidated (Flannery, 1993). Cartoons usually present stories and concepts in a happy tone, unless necessary that certain sections of a cartoon show some melancholy situations, and this setting lightens up and brightens almost any topic or concept that it presented to a student.   More importantly, the inherent feature of humor in cartoons facilitates child literacy by attracting students to have confidence in tackling difficult subjects such as science and math (Ulloth, 2002).   It has been determined that humor itself, presented singly or in combination with drawings such that in found in cartoons, abolishes the gap between the teacher and the student and promotes cooperation between the two parties (Flowers, 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It has been observed that students enjoy learning almost any subject if presented through the use of cartoons (Rule and Auge, 2005).   The enjoyment among students is represented by their enthusiasm during class as well as their persistent inquiries on whether any cartoons strips will be used at any moment during class that day, or whether they would be given any chance to draw their own cartoons on any topic that has been in the outline of that day’s discussion.   Other students are much more active and alert in class when cartoons are frequently employed in the classroom, as evidenced by their coming to class early or even way before the first bell rings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The use of cartoons in child literacy involves similar mental processes that are employed in creativity and problem-solving (Derks, 1987; O’Quinn and Derks, 1997).   Since humor is a usual component of cartoons, punchlines are a common part of cartoons, even if these were designed for educational purposes.   The combination of humor and problem-solving provides a sense of confidence in a student, wherein a positive reinforcement occurs during the student’s learning process (Berk, 2002). Cartoons are an efficient pedagogical technique that may be used to promote child literacy through increasing the students’ motivation to identify and enjoy humor.   Graphical sketches are effective in teaching students because these improvement memory through visual perception and acuity (Rule, 2003).   Cartoons also enhance a student’s thinking through analogy and also help determine concepts which are generally perceived by students as difficult or incomprehensible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is also improvement that the perception of cartoons be understood in terms of analysis and self-motivation.   When students are driven to accept a concept based on the positive features they see during the initial presentation of the topic, students are highly motivated to understand, learn and remember the concept.   Cartoons provide a method of presenting a concept to a student in such an attractive way that only a negligible fraction of the student population would negatively react to the use of cartoons for teaching in the classroom.   Cartoons succeed in teaching students specialized concepts in school because such type of media facilitates the students to understand their environment, which thus facilitates learning.    The environment may be the classroom or school setting where the student is situated, together with the rest of the members of the class and the instructor.   Such familiar zone of using cartoons relaxes the students and makes them feel at home, which is usually connected with watching cartoons on television or reading comic books at their own leisure time in their bedrooms.   Such connection of cartoons and enjoyment also results when cartoons depicting school topics or concept will result in the full cooperation of the student, which in turn results in the positive psychological functioning of the student.   Once full cooperation and functioning commence, learning will consequently start.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is also possible that students be asked to draw their own cartoon strips, either alone or in small work groups.   Since cartoons symbolize enjoyment to the students, cooperating with classmates in the classroom will then be easier that to ask students to work together on some other activity such as research report writing or an analysis of a science problem using an experimental apparatus. Cartoon-making may also serve as a method which the instructor may use to determine how each student could express himself or show his understanding and appreciation of a class content.   It has been determined that students are more easily convinced to start cartoon-making next to drawing or sketching.   The advantage of cartoons is that both language and sketching is involved, that it will be easier for the instructor to directly understand what a student wants to convey.   It would seem more difficult to understand a sketch since no words are included here, and the interpretation of the instructor may be different from what the student wished to express. References Berk RA (2002):   Humor as an instructional defibrillator: Evidence-based techniques in teaching and assessment.   Sterling, VA: Stylus.   268 pages. Derks PL (1987):   Humor production: an examination of three models of creativity.   J. Creat. Behav.   21:326-326. Flannery M (1993):   Making science a laughing matter.   J. Coll. Sci. Teach. 22:239-241. Flowers J (2001):   The value of humor in technology education.   Technol. Teach. 60:10-13. Fransecky RB and Debes JL (1972):   Visual literacy: A Way to Learn- A way to teach. Association for Educational Communications and Technology: Washington, D.C. OQuin K and Derks PL (1997):   Humor and creativity: A review of the empirical literature.   In: Runco M, ed., Creativity research handbook. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press, p. 223-252. Rule AC (2003):   The rhyming peg mnemonic device applied to learning the Mohs scale of hardness.   J. Geosci. Educ.   51:465-73. Rule AC and Auge J (2005):   Using humorous cartoons to teach mineral and rock concepts in sixth grade science class.   J. Geosci. Ed. 53(5):548-558. Ulloth J (2002):   The benefits of humor in nursing education.   J. Nurs. Educ.   41:476-481.

Professional Ethical Responsibilities of Career Counsellor

Professional Ethical Responsibilities of Career Counsellor Goh Peng Hng Assessments are an integral part in Career Counseling. As responsible and trained counselor, what are the professional and ethical responsibilities in conducting an assessment for career counseling throughout the process of intervention? Assessment, as quoted in the American Counseling Association states it is â€Å"the process of collecting in-depth information about a person in order to develop a comprehensive plan that will guide the collaborative counseling and service provision process† ( â€Å"Code of Ethics, † 2014. p20). It is known that assessment is an essential component in the process of counseling. If a proper assessment is not carried out, it could prove detrimental to the counseling process. But what purposes does the assessment strive to achieve that makes it so important? First and foremost, assessment serves the purpose of gathering background information for taking further action. According to the American Counseling Association, assessment is primarily utilized for the purpose of attaining information for other purposes such as client decision making or treatment planning ( â€Å"Code of Ethics, † 2014. p11). Secondly, the information gathered from assessment helps the counsel or gain a greater understanding of the client, which in turn benefits the client. For example, during counseling sessions, counselors carry out their duty while considering the clients personal and cultural circumstances ( â€Å"Code of Ethics, † 2014. p11). This ensures the counseling provided is more effective for the client. Lastly, the well-being of individual is promoted through the usage of appropriate educational, mental health, psychological and career assessment carried out by competent and qualified counselors ( â€Å"Code of Ethics, † 2014. p11). In general, what this means is that assessment provides clarity and aid in the client in understanding themselves and figuring out the steps for the future. When assessing a client, there are various professional responsibilities involved. These responsibilities which are written in the code of ethics and are the general standards of any organization consisting of counselors and other healthcare professionals who administer assessments. One example of such a responsibility includes addressing to the clients about the assessment which is being administered, including the function, usage and results of the assessment. Additionally, the client also has the rights to information such as the people who will be able to acquire the results, how the results will be kept and distributed ( â€Å"Code of Professional Responsibilities, † 1995. p6). Security is also a professional responsibility of great importance for counselors. Counselors are required to take applicable and necessary steps prior to, throughout, and following the assessment ( â€Å"Code of Professional Responsibilities, † 1995. p6). The results of the assessment are t o be strictly kept under a watchful eye and safe in a secure environment. This is to ensure that there is no breach of sensitive information as the client is promised privacy and confidentiality. It is also a responsibility of a counselor to use standardized assessments, strictly following the rules and regulations and alert the client if there are any abnormal conditions that arise ( â€Å"Code of Professional Responsibilities, † 1995. p6 ).This guarantees that the results are valid and reliable and the success of the assessing procedure. Besides professional responsibilities, ethical responsibilities are also taken into consideration when assessing a client. According to the National Career Development Association (NCDA), there are a multitude of ethical responsibilities. One of the many that are shown is the respect of the clients confidentiality, or honoring the trust placed in the counselor. It is the counselors responsibility to gather solely information that pertains to the professional relationship between counselor and client during an assessment ( â€Å"Code of Ethics, † 2007. p10). This is the respect for the clients privacy, as asking any more could be due to the counselors curiosity. Which, however, would be unrelated to the assessment and thus, unethical. Another responsibility closely related to privacy is confidentiality. Although the two terms are similar, it is worth noting that they are not the same and have a great difference in the context of ethics. Respect for confidentiality is responsibi lity which means that counselors are strictly prohibited from sharing the results of their assessment or any other classified information without the informed consent of their client. The only exception is that if the counselor has any logical and appropriate legal or ethical reasons to justify the distribution of the information ( â€Å"Code of Ethics, † 2007. p10). Being fair is also a ethical responsibility of a counselor. What this means is that counselors have to be unbiased and neutral when treating all clients. Clients must be given standardized assessments and treated as unique individuals with human rights. This responsibility expects the counselor to have the capacity to be non-judgemental and recognize the exclusive identities of each and every individual ( â€Å"Ethical Framework, † 2010. p3). The British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy (BACP) suggests that counselors have the ethical responsibility of assessing the client without meaning any s ort of harm to the client. Any harm to the client must be prevented be it sexual, financial, emotional or any other form of client exploitation. Included in this responsibility is also to be competent and all times and not providing services when the counselor is unfit to ensure that assessments are done correctly ( â€Å"Ethical Framework, † 2010. p3). This is a vital point as ignoring these guidelines is likely to cause inaccurate assessment results, which might harm the client as a result. Prior to assessment, there are responsibilities to be upheld by counselors. One of such is the maintenance of assessment security and integrity. This responsibility expects counselors to protect the assessment materials by preventing improper use and distribution. They should stored in a secure place that can be only accessed by the staff with authorization. The few people who are allowed to have access to qualified and competent counselors who can interpret the results in the proper manner ( â€Å"Administration Practices, † 2004. p7). Reproduction of test results is also strictly prohibited. Another of one of the standard responsibilities of the counselor administering the assessment is the selection of a testing environment before assessment ( â€Å"Administration Practices, † 2004. p7). This is due to the fact that if clients are comfortable in the testing environment, they will be able to answer the questions posed more accurately. Other than the location of the as sessment, the testing period for the client brings about a similar purpose. The time at which the assessment is scheduled to take place must a time where the client is able to function best ( â€Å"Administration Practices, † 2004. p7). Counselors must judge the clients readiness and willingness to participate in the assessment and may then begin after in the responsibilities to be portrayed before an assessment. Not only are there responsibilities prior to the assessment, there also various responsibilities to be taken note of during the process of assessment. One of the main responsibilities during the assessment is the observation of the client. This ensures that the client follows the instructions given and will thus be able to provide a more valid and reliable result. The client will also be able to alert the counselor if there is any problem that arises during the midst of the assessment. For example, if a client has difficulty understanding the directions given, the counselor would be present to explain it in a brief and concise ( â€Å"Administration Practices, † 2004. p10). This comes hand in hand with reading the instructions of the assessment material. As the assessment begins, it is the responsibility of the counselor to read the instructions as written on the material. This should be done in a â€Å"natural, deliberate tone of voice and manner† ( â€Å"Administrati on Practices, † 2004. p10). At the exact moment where the assessment ends, the counselor has to gather all of the materials used. This is vital as it affirms the security of the assessment ( â€Å"Administration Practices, † 2004. p11). Failing to do so may cause a breach of confidentiality which will in turn affect the relationship between client and counselor. Counselors are obligated to give information in the event that the whereabouts of the materials are unknown. Following the end of an assessment, responsible counselors should check the assessment material in detail. The answers provided should be clear and easy to be interpreted. For example, if there are faintly marked answers, counselor should darken it for clarity. The test must be confirmed to be completely finished and checked thoroughly before the documents can be interpreted ( â€Å"Administration Practices, † 2004. p11). One of the most important responsibilities is the security of the documents ( â€Å"Code of Professional Responsibilities, † 1995. p6). The client must have full knowledge of the safety of the results. The client must be able to make an informed decision regarding the release of the results. Lastly, it is the responsibility of the counselor to judge the clients readiness before disclosing the results to the client. If the client is not ready, the results are not supposed to be released under any circumstances. This is done in the best interests of the client and it is to ensure the results will not harm them if disclosed prematurely. Overall, it is clearly shown that the assessment is a complex and crucial part in the process of career counseling. There are a plethora of responsibilities to be upheld by the counselors during assessment, be it professional or ethical. The responsibilities discussed in this paper are based upon the standard codes of ethics and responsibilities created by renowned and recognized organizations. Following these responsibilities ensures that a counselor can accurately carry out an assessment and bring the margin of error to a bare minimum.

How Does Culture Impact On International Business Management Essay

How Does Culture Impact On International Business Management Essay Introduction The study of (Pothukuchi, Damanpour, Choi, Chen, Park, 2002) examines the effect of dimensions of national and organizational culture differences on the performance of international joint venture (IJV). They used the data from a survey of executives from joint ventures between Indian partners and partners from other counties to do the research. Finally, Pothukuchi, Damanpour, Chen, Park (2002) found that there is a negative effect from culture distance on the performance of international joint venture originates from differences in national culture and differences in organizational culture. Whats more, they found that the presumed negative effect from culture distance on the performance of international joint venture originates more from differences in organizational culture than from differences in national culture. Therefore, from the study of (Pothukuchi, Damanpour, Choi, Chen, Park, 2002), we can know that differences in national culture have a negative impact on the performance of international joint venture. Moreover, differences in organizational culture also have a negative impact on the performance of international joint venture. Now, we know that differences in national culture and differences in organizational culture both have a significant impact on the performance of the international business. Differences in culture between partners have a significant impact on the international business. Therefore, it is very important and necessary for the international business people to study and understand how culture impact on the international business. Moreover, Sirmon and Lane (2004) said that when the domain of a social group is closer to the value-creating activities of an alliance, cultural differences between the partners members of that social group will be more disruptive. From Sirmon and Lane (2004), we can know that when cultural differences between the partners are very relevant to the value-creating activities of an alliance, cultural differences will significantly affect the performance of the international business. Therefore, it is very important and worthy to study how the cultural differences between the partners impact the performance of international alliance. Whats more, Sirmon and Lane (2004) found that when the domain of a social group is closer to the value-creating activities of an alliance, organizational culture differences between the partners members of that social group will be more disruptive than national culture differences. Furthermore, they also found that professional culture is the most relevant t o the value-creating activities of an alliance. Therefore, when the domain of a social group is closer to the value-creating activities of an alliance, the professional culture differences between the partners members of that social group will be the most disruptive. From the study of (Pothukuchi, Damanpour, Choi, Chen, Park, 2002) and the study of (Sirmon and Lane, 2004), the culture differences have a significant impact on the international business when the domain of a social group is closer to the value-creating activities of an alliance. This essay will discuss how the culture impact on the international business. Moreover, this essay will discuss how the culture differences impact the international business based on three main readings: (Morrison, 2006, p.168), the study of (Pothukuchi, Damanpour, Choi, Chen, Park, 2002) and the study of (Sirmon and Lane, 2004). Section 2 is definition of culture and international business. Section 3 is discussion and analysis of how the culture differences impact the international business. Section 4 is the conclusion and some suggestions. Section 2 Definition of Culture and International business Culture In order to discuss how the culture differences impact the international business, we must understand what culture is first. Culture can be broadly defined as , a learned, shared, compelling, interrelated set of symbols whose meanings provide a set of orientations for members of a society (Terpstra and David, 1991, p.6). From (Morrison, 2006, p.169), we can know that culture has many aspects, for example, value, behavior, beliefs, communication, sport, music and customs. International Business In order to discuss how the culture differences impact the international business, we should also understand what international business is. From (Morrison, 2006, p.5), we know that an international business forms when business activities of a company straddle two or more countries. A global business forms when a company expands to the extent that a large portion of its business is outside its home country (Morrison, 2006, p.6). Salk and Shenkar (2001, p.163) said that International alliances reside at the confluence of different cultures which include national, organizational and occupational cultures. Therefore, it is very important to study and understand how different cultures impact on the international business. Section 3 Discussion and analysis of how the culture differences impact the international business. Pothukuchi et al. (2002) found that partners cultural differences may have more influence on the performance of international alliance as those differences become more directly related to the alliances primary value-creating activities. An international alliances performance is driven by the alliances effectiveness in achieving its primary value-creating activities. Moreover, Harrison et al. (2001) said that resource complementarity between partners of international alliance is often a necessary condition to optimize this value creation. Therefore, in order to share, combine and leverage complementary resources, the partners employees must interact effectively. Many researchers found that national and organizational culture differences between these employees affect their interactions. This means that differences in national and organizational culture have a significant impact on the performance of international business. It is very important and necessary for the international busin ess people to study and understand different national cultures and organizational cultures. (Morrison, 2006, p.168) also said that culture differences can directly impact the success or failure of a project. He also said that achieving a successful outcome will depend on sensitivity to differences in cultures between partners. This means sensitivity to differences in norms of behavior, value systems and languages between the partners will impact the success or failure of a project. Whats more, Trompenaars (1994) also said that for international business, grasping the interacting cultural dynamic between the global and the local is the key to be successful. Therefore, for international business, sensitivity to differences in cultures and grasping the interacting cultural dynamic between the global and the local is very important because culture differences can directly affect the success or failure of a project. Moreover, Sirmon and Lane, (2004) said that cultural differences stems from national, organizational and professional cultures. The differences in national, organizational and professional culture can inhibit international alliance partners employees ability to interact effectively. This essay will discuss how the culture differences affect the international business from three different aspects: national culture, organizational culture, and professional culture. National Culture We know that different countries have different cultures. From (Morrison, 2006, p.172), nations are distinguishable from each other by a shared cultural history, for example, religion, language, or racial identity. Moreover, all these distinguishing characteristics blend into a national culture. Common language, shared religious, shared moral values, shared history, relationship between the individual and group, and attitudes to education are all the elements of national culture. National culture relates primarily to deep-seated values (Hofstede et al., 1990). National culture influences family life, organizational culture, education, and economic and political structures (Morrison, 2006, p.172). Sirmon and Lane, (2004) also said that the influence of national culture is strong and long lasting. Organizations, while they may develop their own specific values and behavior, are also highly influenced by the national culture of their home country (Morrison, 2006, p.202). Moreover, Hofst ede (1991) found that national culture explains 50% of the differences in managers attitudes, beliefs, and values. Albert (1991) said that national culture differences are clearly seen in economic and political systems, educational systems, and other institutions. Therefore, Sirmon and Lane, (2004) said that national culture differences between partners of the international alliance can challenge the development of successful relationships. Park and Ungson (1997) said that these challenges stem partially from the lack of shared norms or values. Moreover, this lack of common understanding may undermine the partners interpretation of each others strategic intent, which is crucial in global markets and partnerships (Hitt et al., 1995). Whats more, Hennart and Zengs (2002) research findings also suggests that differences in national culture can disrupt collaboration and learning between partners of the international alliance. Furthermore, Sirmon and Lane, (2004) said that a lack of shar ed values and norms may reduce effective communication, trust and knowledge sharing in joint ventures. They said that all these problems have been found to lead to lower the performance of the international business. However, differences in national culture can be beneficial. For example, when the managers work with the foreign partners, they will spend more effort on avoiding misunderstandings in international alliances than they would in domestic alliances. In this case, differences in national culture can lead to high-level communication and a more sustained collaboration. Therefore, differences in national culture also have a good and positive impact on the international business. Whats more, Chui et al. (2002) and Gibson (1999) also said that National culture has been shown to impact on major business activities, from capital structure to group performance. Now, we know that differences in national culture have a significant impact on the international business. Therefore, it is very important to study and understand how the national culture impact on the international business. This essay will also discuss how the national culture impact on the international business by discussing and analyzing how language and religions impact on the international business. (1). Languages Common language is an element of national culture. Language is the basic means of communication between people. Language facilitates social interaction and fosters a system of shared values and norms (Morrison, 2006, p.174). If partners of international alliance cannot have common language to communicate, they cannot cooperate and interact because they cannot communicate. Business people cannot do business with the people who speak different languages. Nowadays, the importance of English as a global language extends far beyond the number of native speakers. English as a global language and common language helps people who speak different languages to communicate. English language is an intercultural means of communicating. Business people can use English in their international business activities. Business people now can do business with the people who speak different languages by using English. English helps the business people overcome the problems of intercultural communication in their international business activities. Therefore, having a common language is a very important necessary condition for international business. Today, most of South America is Spanish-speaking, moreover, in recent years Spanish companies have expanded in the region, attracted by a perceived affinity with these markets derived from a common language(Morrison, 2006, p.175-176). Moreover, in a low-context culture, communication is clear and direct, such as America. In a high-context culture, much goes unsaid because ambiguity is the norm and directness is avoided, such as Asian cultures (Morrison, 2006, p.174-175). Difference in language culture will also impact international alliance partners employees communication and inhibit their ability to interact effectively. Therefore, knowing and understanding the partners language culture well is also very important for international business. (2). Religions The system of values and beliefs that characterizes a culture may be embodied in a particular religion (Morrison, 2006, p.179). As well as religious power, religion may exercise considerable political power. It can form a major unifying force in society. In countries where religion is a major element of the cultural environment, sensitivity to local religious beliefs and practices is particularly important in building business relations (Morrison, 2006, p.180). Research has identified over 15,000 distinct religions and religious movements among the worlds population (Barrett, 1997). Therefore, there are many people who have religious beliefs in this world. Knowing the local religious beliefs and the business partners religious beliefs well is very important for the international business. Moreover, many social associations and political parties in many countries are commonly based on religious affiliations. Moreover, these form an essential dimension of the business environment. For example, the growth in membership and influence of large churches in parts of the US impacts on the social and cultural environment of the communities in which they are located. If there is an established religion in a location, a business must take account of its wide ramifications. If there are multiple religions in locations, a business as a good corporate citizen should not discriminate (Morrison, 2006, p.181-182). Knowing the business partners religious beliefs well will help to achieve good outcomes. Do not know the business partners religious beliefs well may lead to the failure of your business. Therefore, we can know that it is particularly important and necessary for the international business to know the business partners local religious beliefs well. Whats more, many aspects of business life are directly (or indirectly) affected by religious beliefs and practices. For example, particular foods that are forbidden such as beef for Hindus; ban or restrictions on consumption of alcoholic drink; religious festivals during which work may be forbidden; clothing requirements; requirement for women and men to be segregated in the work environment in Muslim societies; and the ban on Sunday shopping in some countries (Morrison, 2006, p.187). Organizational Culture From the study of (Pothukuchi, Damanpour, Choi, Chen, Park, 2002), we know that the negative effect on the performance of international joint venture originates more from differences in organizational culture than from differences in national culture. Whats more, from the study of (Sirmon and Lane, 2004), we know that when the domain of a social group is closer to the value-creating activities of an alliance, organizational culture differences between the partners members of that social group will be more disruptive than national culture differences. Therefore, from the study of (Pothukuchi, Damanpour, Choi, Chen, Park, 2002) and the study of (Sirmon and Lane, 2004), we can know that organization culture has more impact on the international business. Organizational culture is very important for the international business. Therefore, in order to discuss how the culture differences impact the international business, we must understand what organizational culture is. From (Morrison, 2006, p.195), organizational culture or corporate culture, like national culture, focuses on values, norms and behavioral patterns shared by the organization. An organizational culture is one that is deliberately fostered among employees, who may have come to the company from a variety of different cultural background. Characteristics of organizational culture include that, for example, common language, shared terminology, norms of behavior, and dominant values of the organization. Hofstede et al. (1990) said that whereas national culture relates primarily to deep-seated values, organizational culture relates primarily to shared beliefs in organizational practices and processes. Weber et al. (1996) found that different organizational cultures between acquirer and target could decrease top managers positive attitudes toward the merger and decrease their cooperation. Therefore, Sirmon and Lane, (2004) said that organizational culture is very important for the success of mergers and acquisitions. They thought that when the partners have the same organizational culture, satisfaction, learning and effectiveness of interactions will be increased. Therefore, same organizational culture between the partners has positive impact on the success of mergers and acquisitions. Whats more, they also thought that if the partners have different organizational cultures, satisfaction, learning and effectiveness of interactions will be decreased. Moreover, from (Sirmon and Lane, 2004), we know when learning, satisfaction and effectiveness of interactions are decreased, the business processes used to share combine and leverage resources will be inhibited. Sirmon and Lane, (2004) said that it will be more difficult for partners who have different organizational cultures to effectively achieve the primary value-creating activities. Professional culture From (Van Maanen and Barley, 1984; Jordan, 1990 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ºBrown and Duguid, 1991; Lave and Wenger, 1991), we know that professional cultures develop through the socialization. Individuals receive the socialization during their training and occupational education. Then this socialization will be reinforced through the individuals professional experiences and interactions that lead to a broad understanding of how their occupation should be conducted. Moreover, Trice and Beyer (1993) said that professional cultures form as people, who span individual organizations, share a set of norms, values and beliefs related to their occupation. Sirmon and Lanes (2004) research findings suggests that professional culture differences are often the most relevant and salient cultural differences that the interacting employees face, and thus professional culture differences are the most disruptive to the alliances effectiveness in achieving its primary value-creating activities Section 4 Conculsion This essay discussed and analyzed that how the culture impact on the international business. Moreover, this essay discussed how the culture differences impact the international business based on three main readings: (Morrison, 2006, p.168), the study of (Pothukuchi, Damanpour, Choi, Chen, Park, 2002) and the study of (Sirmon and Lane, 2004). After discussing how the culture differences impact the international business, we know that: An international alliances performance is driven by the alliances effectiveness in achieving its primary value-creating activities. Moreover, resource complementarity between partners of international alliance is often a necessary condition to optimize this value creation. In order to share, combine and leverage complementary resources, the partners employees must interact effectively. However, national and organizational culture differences between these employees affect their interactions. Therefore, partners cultural differences may have more influence on the performance of international alliance as those differences become more directly related to the alliances primary value-creating activities. Achieving a successful outcome will depend on sensitivity to differences in cultures between partners. This means sensitivity to differences in norms of behavior, value systems and languages between the partners will impact the success or failure of a project. Therefore, culture differences can directly impact the success or failure of a project. Cultural differences stems from national, organizational and professional cultures. The differences in national, organizational and professional culture can inhibit international alliance partners employees ability to interact effectively. Differences in national culture lead to the lack of shared norms and value. The lack of shared values and norms may reduce effective communication, trust and knowledge sharing in the international business. Moreover, this lack of common understanding may undermine the partners interpretation of each others strategic intent, which is crucial in global markets and partnerships. All these problems have been found to lead to lower the performance of the international business. Therefore, differences in national culture can disrupt collaboration and learning between partners of the international alliance. Differences in national culture may have a negative impact on the performance of the international business. In some circumstance, differences in national culture can lead to high-level communication and a more sustained collaboration between the partners. Differences in national culture also have a good and positive impact on the international business. Therefore, differences in national culture can also be beneficial for the international business. Knowing and understanding the partners language culture well is also very important for international business. In countries where religion is a major element of the cultural environment, sensitivity to local religious beliefs and practices is particularly important in building business relations. When the domain of a social group is closer to the value-creating activities of an alliance, organizational culture differences between the partners members of that social group will be more disruptive than national culture differences. Therefore, the negative effect on the performance of international joint venture originates more from differences in organizational culture than from differences in national culture. Moreover, different organizational cultures between acquirer and target could decrease top managers positive attitudes toward the merger and decrease their cooperation. Organizational culture is very important for the success of mergers and acquisitions. Professional cultures form as people, who span individual organizations, share a set of norms, values and beliefs related to their occupation. Professional culture differences are often the most relevant and salient cultural differences that the interacting employees face, and thus professional culture differences are the most disruptive to the alliances effectiveness in achieving its primary value-creating activities. Some suggestion for the international business which reside at the confluence of different cultures: Morrison, (2006, p.202) said that in the international environment, a polycentric approach will make it easier for the international organization to adapt to the different cultural environments of foreign operations. (Morrison, 2006, p.168) also said that joint ventures is a good way to make international business relationships successful. Whats more, cultures are not fixed and static. Cultures can change. Therefore, organizations should be capable of change as they expand internationally because there are interactions between cultures and growth of international markets and global brands. Albert, M. 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