Chocolate Research Paper Essay

Chocolate is a key ingredient in many foods such as milk shakes, candy bars, cookies and cereals. It is ranked as one of the most favourite flavours in North America and Europe. Despite its popularity most people do not know the unique origin of this popular treat. Chocolate is a product that requires complex procedures to produce. The process involves harvesting cocoa, refining coca to cocoa beans, and shipping the cocoa beans to the manufacturing factory for cleaning, coaching and grinding. These cocoa beans will then be imported or exported to other countries and be transformed into different types of chocolate products. Cocoa beans grow in countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Malaysia, but the highest cocoa producing country is Cote d’Ivoire. The production process of cocoa beans include: first, cocoa is harvested manually. The seed pods of cocoa are collected and the beans are selected and placed in piles. These cocoa beans are then ready to be shipped to the manufacturer for production. Cocoa grows in pods that sprout off the trunks and branches of cocoa trees. The pods have the shape and almost the size of football. The pods start out green and turn orange when they are ripe. When the pods are ripe they are harvested gently with machetes. Machines can damage the trees or the clusters of flowers and pods that grow on the trunk, so workers have to harvest the pods by hand, using short, hooked blades mounted on long poles to reach the highest fruit. The cocoa seeds then undergo a process of fermentation by placing them in large, shallow, heated trays or by covering them with large banana leaves. If the climate is right, they may be simply heated by the sun. Workers mostly women come along periodically and stir them up so that all of the beans come out equally fermented. This process may take up to five or eight days. After fermentation, the cocoa seeds are dried before they can be scooped into sacks and shipped to chocolate manufacturers. Farmers simply spread the fermented seeds on trays and leave them in the sun to dry. The drying process usually takes about a week and results in seeds becoming reduced to about half of their original weight. During the production process, labor is not equally divided between men and women who work in the planation; this brings us to the issue of gender division. The gender divide that exists on the cocoa plantation is that most farm work is conducted by men, although most certainly there are tasks where women are very active, such as scooping the beans from the already opened husks, turning the beans during the fermentation and drying process, and sewing the jute sacs needed for the packaging of the dried beans. Women in the farms normally tend to the needs of the family. When female labor is hired during the harvesting time the wages given to them are not the same as those for men. Perhaps another reason why men are preferred is because of their assumed higher productivity rate compared to that of women. Due to different practices followed in individual regions, even within countries, the participation of women and their assigned tasks vary enormously. For instance, because of the popular method of sun drying cocoa beans in Ecuador, it is necessary to â€Å"clean† the beans. This job is mostly undertaken by women. This is not the case in Ghana or Brazil where sun drying is accomplished while protecting the beans from foreign matters and waste. It is interesting to note however that there is no specific pattern for the assignment of tasks to women, except during the harvest when the scooping of the beans from the opened pods is primarily performed by women in most cocoa producing countries. Given the great differences in the systems of production in producing countries it is difficult to find a common percentage that reflects the average participation of the female work force. It is worth mentioning that unlike the coffee agricultural sector, there are no associations or specific groups that house ‘women only’ involved in the cocoa sector at any level, although all associations and cooperatives are open to all who qualify. Due to fluctuation of cocoa prices in the world market, farmers have no long-term security, and in some situations, they do not have enough funds to support their farming business. Cocoa farmers are always faced with financial hardship; they are not able to provide for their families as they would want nor have enough funds to start up their own farming business because they only receive a fraction of the proceeds from the selling of the beans on the world market and there are many people in the trading chain. Cocoa farmers around the world face many challenges. It is estimated that about one-third of global cocoa crops are destroyed by pests and diseases every year. Many cocoa farmers have limited access to the latest agricultural technologies or methods of cultivation and few of them have business backgrounds to help them effectively market their products and manage their operations. Many of the farming communities live in poverty and are infected with diseases. Industry groups, governments and consumers worldwide have raised concerns about the use of pesticides and child labor on West African cocoa farms. An interview conducted by Christophe Koffi showed that one major problem that women in cocoa production encounter is the lack the of financial capability or backing due to the fact that most of these women find themselves in a male dominated occupation. It is very difficult for them to secure financial aid or loans to manage their farms. For instance, â€Å"Women cannot inherit or even create a cocoa plantation under our patriarch-dominated tradition,† said Vanie, criticising what she called a â€Å"backwards and misogynist† practice† (Koffi, 2008) because we still live in a patriarchal dominated society where women do not have the right to own lands and properties. This paper further talks about the sustanability in the production process of cocoa. We will be looking at Lindt& Sprungli’s which is a family company and a major producer of chocolate and other cocoa products with a headquaters in Kilchberg, Switzerland. Lindt & Sprungli is one of the few chocolate makers that have complete control over every step of the production chain starting with the precise selection of the finest cocoa varieties from the best growing areas in the world right on through the careful and expert processing until ending with the elegant packaging. Lindt gets its cocoa beans mostly from Ghana and Central and South America. Lindt has been very conservative in the amount of energy its invests in the chocolate production process. Each existing and future facility and investment undergoes very detailed analysis to determine how much energy can be saved. Through better insulation and energy recovery, Lindt & Sprungli was able to cut down on energy consumption by more than 13% per ton produced between 2004 and 2010. The company intends to continue reducing the energy consumption rate per ton produced by an average over the coming years. According to the Lindt publication, The company’s efforts: since 1999, Lindt & Sprungli’s Swiss subsidiary, Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli (Schweiz) AG, has been an active member of the Lake Zurich Energy Model Group†¦The Swiss government and independent engineers have audited the progress and as a result, the Swiss subsidiary has been granted the official certificate. (Kilchberg, 2012) Since 2007, Lindt & Sprungli under water conservation has been participating in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)†¦Since then, the measurements of water emissions and energy consumption have been largely based on the concept of the ‘Methodology Fossil Fuels’ set out in the CDP Protocol†¦Waste water, Lindt & Sprungli continuously monitors and analyses the use of water and the output of wastewater in the production process and intends to further reduce the use of fresh water in this process, which, in turn will impact the output of wastewater (Kilchberg, 2012). The major people that benefit from cocoa production are mostly the big corporations. The corporations exploit cocoa farmers in the sense that they do not pay them the true worth of their labour. Women who work on the farms are underpaid and marginalized. There is also the issue of child labor where children of school going age are forced to work on the farms instead of going to school thereby denying them the right to education. The big corporations are not forth coming in releasing information as to how and where they get their cocoa beans from. Most of these African countries where these big corporations get their raw materials from do not have access to good roads, health care facilities, schools, electricity, and there is poverty in most of the communities. These big corporations buy the cocoa beans at a very cheap rate and then import them to the western society and the refined product is processed into different kinds of chocolates (e. g. chocolate drink, chocolate bars of different shapes and sizes and chocolate candies etc. ) . Which are sold consumers at exorbitant prices considering the price at which the cocoa beans are bought from the cocoa farmers. This explains how capitalism and big corporation exploit cheap labour. Almost everyone enjoys a bit of chocolate every now and again. But if you take a closer look at how cocoa is produced, it may well leave a bitter taste in your mouth. The conditions under which the cocoa farmers in many producer countries live and work are worrying: Despite the fact that cocoa is usually their main source of income, the families struggle to make a living from it. Child labour is not uncommon. As consumers we can work with NGOs to find means of helping the farmers to adapt to new systems of cocoa farming that result higher yields, under socially more acceptable and environmentally friendly conditions, to meet market demands and hence ensure a stable flow income. As a major part of the global cocoa industry which has remained inactive and invisible for so long, consumers of chocolate can demonstrate that they want slavery in the cocoa sector stamped out, and your pressure can highlight their lack of commitment and make them more accountable. Finally all cocoa products, including chocolate, run the risk of being tainted by child labour and slavery. To achieve a satisfactory standard of ethical production in chocolate consumers must help to ensure that companies commit to credible and sufficient actions against such things as use of child labour and the exploitation of cocoa farmers and not make false and unsustainable promises to consumers of being â€Å"slavery- free†. The consumers can liaise with government bodies and NGOs to negotiate fair prices for the purchase of cocoa products and this will in turn help the farmers to gain access to basic social amenities of life. Reference Page Archer, D. (2012). ADM’s commitment to sustainable cocoa. Milwaukee: Copyright 2012 Archer Daniels Midland Company . Clarkson, T. (1998). Anti-slavery. Retrieved November 15, 2012, from www. antislavery. org: http://www. antislavery. org/english/privacy_policy. aspx Kilchberg. (2012, April 22). The environment in the Production Process. Retrieved November 13, 2012, from www. Lindt. com: http://www. lindt. com/swf/eng/company/social-responsibility/lindts-sustainable-cocoa-supply-chain/ Koffi, C. (2008, November 7). Ivory Coast women defy taboos. Retrieved November 11, 2012, from iol News: http://www. iol. co. za/news/africa/ivory-coast-women-defy-taboos-1. 423405.

Critically Evaluate the Use of Personality Assessment in Work Settings

Critically Evaluate The Use Of Personality Assessment In Work Settings. What Are The Important Professional Issues? Abstract Personality tests are used in a work setting, predominantly for the purpose of recruitment and selection. A number of professional issues exist around the use of personality tests in this setting, and practitioners should be clear of the possible flaws involved in the use of personality tests. The literature has highlighted concerns with the faking of personality tests. Individuals faking tests can mean those who obtain the highest scores are the ones who are recruited.This should be considered where personality tests are used for recruiting the top candidates as opposed to being used for removing the least suitable candidates. The validity of personality tests has to be considered when being used for selection purpose. A high face validity of tests can increase the likelihood of faking tests; yet low face validity can result in the personality tests being reje cted by candidates. Practitioners have to also take into account a number of ethical issues before using personality tests in a work setting.Key Words: Personality testing; Faking; Validity; Recruitment; Ethics. Introduction Personality tests are used in a work setting at the stage of recruitment, and also once people are within a job, to assess their working preferences. Personality traits have been found to be predictive of a number of outcomes, ranging from health behaviours to task performance (Hough & Oswald, 2008). Work specific factors related to personality types include Job Performance, Work Motivation, Leadership and Adaptability (Morgeson et al. , 2007). Using the Big Five personality traits, Judge et al. (2001) found that Conscientiousness, significantly predicts job performance across different organisational settings, and Emotional stability also predicts overall Job Performance. Organisations wish to recruit the candidates who show the greatest probability of performi ng well in the role and those who are going to benefit the most from the use of all of the training opportunities provided by the organisation (Shum, O’Gorman & Myors, 2006:147). However, the use of personality assessments can be debated, and a number of factors have to be considered before using personality tests to make important decisions about individuals’ careers.The focus of this essay is on the use of personality assessment in organisations, primarily in recruitment and selection, and the issues practitioners need to be aware of before using personality assessments. Faking Faking of personality tests is been described by terms such as â€Å"response distortion, impression management, social desirability, displaying unlikely virtues, and self-enhancement† (Griffin, Chmielowski & Yoshita, 2007). The many definitions may account for the substantial number of published articles relating to the faking of personality tests (Morgeson et al. , 2007).Researchers h ave suggested that it should be expected that individuals will give inaccurate responses in self-report tests due to the value attached to the outcome (Hogan, Barrett, & Hogan, 2007). However, there is little consensus in the research, about the frequency of faking, or how to address the issue. As selection is often carried out in a top-down approach, where those who perform in the top 5-10% are selected to progress (Arthur, Woehr, Graziano, 2001), the possibility of candidates faking personality tests should be a serious consideration for practitioners, otherwise those who have falsely represented themselves will be selected.Where it is obvious what is being tested in self-report questionnaires, there is likely to be a greater opportunity to fake responses. The face validity of questionnaires is an important issue, as it is likely to contribute to faking. Furnham & Drakeley (2000) found that managers tend to use personality tests with high face validity, due to concerns about havin g to rationalise the use of the test to participants. Alternatively, using low face validity personality tests could mean the participants reject the appropriateness of the test, and do not fully engage with it (Kline, 2000:430).However, where face validity of personality tests is high, the accuracy of personality tests scores can be distorted by individuals who assume they know what the â€Å"best response† is, and give an extreme rating. Arthur et al. ,(2001) suggest that it is easy to assume the extreme scores on a scale are the most or least desired, due to the wording of questions. Ironically, ‘fakers’ may overrate themselves and appear to be inappropriate for a role.For example, conscientiousness has been found to be easier to fake than other personality traits such as â€Å"Openness to Experiences† (Griffin, Hesketh & Grayson, 2004); therefore individual who rate themselves to be overly Conscientious may be restrained by rules and be unsuitable for the position. Practitioners have to be aware of the limitations of high face validity and the likelihood of faked responses (Kline 2000: 255). Much of the research around faking of personality tests has been lab-based, and carried out on students (Judge et al. 2008), therefore the question as to whether they do cheat in reality needs to be examined (Griffin, Chmielowski & Yoshita, 2007). Hogan et al. ,(2007) looked at responses to personality tests in the application process for a customer service role, and compared responses given at two stages by 5,266 applicants, over a six month interval. Hogan et al. , suggested that if individuals do fake personality tests at the recruitment stage, they are most likely to do so once they have been rejected from the job on a previous occasion. The findings indicated little difference in the personality measures from time one and time two.These findings would suggest that not all applicants attempt to fake in actual recruitment settings. However , findings by Griffin et al. ,(2007) indicated that some participants do fake their personality when applying to jobs, and this has an impact on the rank order of scores. A professional implication of these findings is that practitioners have to be cautious when interpreting personality scores, but should not be cynical by disregarding personality measures totally. As well as being aware of issues around faking, practitioners should be aware of the methods used to reduce or identify faking.A proactive method used included the use of forced-choice, or ipsative inventories, in which neither option is more socially desirable than the other. An alternative option is to use instructional warnings against faking. A reactive method for â€Å"fixing† faking can be the use of social desirability scales or a lie scale within the inventory which indicate if a respondent is faking. However, there is little evidence supporting the effectiveness of strategies such as instructional warnings and forced choice item format (Hogan et al. , 2007), and social desirability questions are likely to be more transparent in their urpose, and therefore prone being to faked (Griffin et al. , 2007). With all of the issues surrounding faking of personality tests, it has been argued that instead of using the tests as a method of recruiting the â€Å"best† performers on the test, there is actually a greater benefit in using the measures as a form of rejecting the poorest performers when using tests to â€Å"select out† (Mueller- Hanson, Heggestad & Thornton, 2003). Using personality tests for selecting out applicants would allow those who have performed poorly, and those who have faked but not been successful in obtaining the benchmark score, to be rejected.Validity In the past decade there has been considerable evidence in the academic literature for the support of personality tests for selection, but a there have been concerns about the predicative validity of personali ty tests relating to work related behaviour (Meyer et al. , 2001). However, practitioners continued to use personality measures for selection purpose (Bartram, 2004), disregarding the academic arguments. Critics often highlight the â€Å"low† validity scores of the best predictor in the Big Five with Job Performance, Conscientiousness (r=0. 23; Judge et al. 2008), where as other methods of assessment, such as the use of General Mental Ability tests which have been found to have a predictive validity of r=0. 51 (Schmidt & Hunter, 1998). However, the validity score of Conscientiousness should not be dismissed. Meyer et al. , (2001) identified a large number of medical and psychological interventions, which produce correlations of approximately . 15 to . 30, are commonly accepted by professionals, such as taking regular aspirin to reduce risk of heart attacks. It can be argued that academics are actually focussing on a â€Å"gold standard† score of validity (Judge et al. 2008), and not looking at the benefits of other interventions that have similar predictive validities. Schmidt & Hunter (1998) suggest that using a combination of measures with relatively low validity on their own, when combined would be more than sufficient for use in recruiting, for example combining a conscientiousness tests, work sample tests and a job knowledge tests. Practitioners should have a clear understanding of the criterion validity of personality measures in relationship to job performance, and be aware of large degree of unaccountable variance that can occur.There is no guarantee that an individual who scores highly on a personality measure will be successful in their role, and an individual’s skills and ability are likely to account for a large part of their performance in the role (Shum et al. ,2006:161). Ethics It is important that ethical issues are taken into consideration when using personality measures in a work setting. First of all, organisations have to be aware of the qualifications required by the individual administering the personality tests and interpreting them.In the UK, the British Psychological Society sets a requisite standard through the attainment of Level A & Level B qualifications in order to administer and interpret both ability and personality tests. However, not all individuals who administer tests are responsible for interpreting the data, therefore the those who are administering the test should obtain the Occupational Test Administration qualification (British Psychological Society, 2000). Insufficient training on the use of a personality measure can result in misinterpretation of the results and render the test useless.Where individuals have not been provided with sufficient training to administer tests, there is the possibility of providing inconsistent instructions to participants, and leading to errors or biases in the results (Kline, 2000:9). An issue that ties in with the Level B training is that practi tioners are trained to use one specific test, therefore they may only ever use this one test, and not take into consideration the appropriateness of the test they are using for the specific needs of the organisation. Organisations need to be aware of the issues around the feedback they provide to individuals who take part in personality measures.How feedback is interpreted by individuals should be considered, and whether they will understand the meaning of the scores (Kline, 2000:431). Where a candidate completes a personality test, but does not score at the top of the group, they may feel they are not suitable for the organisation, or the type of role they are applying for. The implications of what is reported back to the candidates can result in an individual making major decisions about the type of role they apply for in the future, should they be told that they scored significantly â€Å"poorly† in the personality test (Toplis, Dulewicz & Fletcher, 2005:37).Practitioners should clearly explain the reason for the personality measures used, and ensure the feedback they provide will not have a negative impact on the individual. An important consideration for practitioners should be the possible biases held within personality tests, which can be biased towards a gender, race, social class or disability. These factors can influence the score of a personality test, and can mask actual scores (British Psychological Society, 2000). However, there is evidence to suggest that the use of personality measures balances out the biases of ability tests, when comparing different racial groups.Therefore the combined use of ability and personality tests can be beneficial (Bartram, 2004). When testing individuals with disabilities, factors such as the time required, the environment being tested in, and the method of testing, all have to be considered to ensure the testing process is fair (Toplis, Dulewicz & Fletcher, 2005:42). Conclusion Researchers have identified cl ear benefits in using personality measures in a work related environment, especially when recruiting to a post.However, the use of personality assessment should be considered as a supplementary method of selection into a role, due to the number of possible factors that can influence the results of a personality test. It is clear that faking of tests is a well researched area, however, little consensus exists with how to best address the possibility that individuals will fake a test that has a value attached to the outcome (Hogan et al. , 2007). One possible solution is to use the tests as a form of selecting out those who are in the lowest percentile (Mueller-Hanson et al. 2003), and using additional measures to support the selection of those who perform in the upper percentile. The concerns about the criterion validity of personality measures and job performance have raised doubts about the suitability of personality assessments. When comparing single personality traits with altern ative methods of assessment for their predictive validity, it is clear that alternative methods are stronger predictors of work related behaviours (Schmidt & Hunter, 1998), however, personality measures are still considered reliable measures, therefore should be used to supplement alternative methods or assessment.It is clear that the ethical implications of using personality assessments are an important factor, as they can influence the outcome of the tests as well as the responses of the participants. If practitioners do not follow the correct procedures by providing adequate instructions and ensuring standardised conditions, it is likely that individuals will reject the tests (Kline, 2000:9). It is also important to consider the effects of taking a personality assessment, and then knowing you failed to meet the cut off point.The way in which feedback is given can have detrimental effects of individuals therefore the issue should be approached with caution (Toplis et al, 2005:37). In conclusion, there are a number of issues that need to be considered when using personality assessments in a work setting. The benefit of gauging an individual’s behaviour through assessing their personality is clear, however, practitioners should be aware of the flaws in personality assessment, and be aware of alternative forms of assessment when selecting individuals for a job, to supplement personality assessments.Word count: 2173 REFERENCES Arthur W. J. , Woehr D. J. , Graziano W. G. (2001). Personality Testing In Employment Settings: Problems And Issues In The Application Of Typical Selection Practices. Personnel Review, 30(5),657-677 Bartram, D. (2004). Assessment In Organisations. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 53, 237-259. British Psychological Association,(2000). Psychological Testing: A User’s Guide Psychological. Leicester: The British Psychological Society Furnham, A. , & Drakely, R. (2000). Predicting Occupational Personality Test Scores.J ournal of Psychology, 134, 103-111 Griffin, B. , Hesketh, B. , & Grayson. D. (2004). Applicants Faking Good: Evidence of Item Bias In The Neo Pi-R. Personality and Individual Differences, 36 (7), 1545-1558. Griffith R. L, Chmielowski T. S, Yoshita Y. (2007). Do Applicants Fake? An Examination Of The Frequency Of Applicant Faking Behavior. Personnel Review, 36 (3), 341–355. Hogan, J. , Barrett,P. , & Hogan R. (2007). Personality Measurement, Faking, And Employment Selection. Journal Of Applied Psychology, 92,(5), 1270–1285 Hough, L. M. , &Oswald, F. L. 2008) Personality Testing and Industrial– Organizational Psychology: Reflections, Progress, And Prospects Industrial And Organizational Psychology, 1, 272–290. Judge, T. A. , Klinger, R. , Simon, L. S. , & Yang, I. W. F. (2008). The Contributions of Personality to Organizational Behavior And Psychology: Findings, Criticisms, And Future Research Directions. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 2, 1982-2 000. Kline P. (2000) The Handbook Of Psychological Testing, (2 Ed). London: Routledge, Meyer, G. J. , Finn, S. E. , Eyde, L. D. , Kay, G. G. , Moreland, K. L. , Dies, R.R. , Et Al. (2001). Psychological Testing And Psychological Assessment: A Review Of Evidence And Issues. American Psychologist, 56, 128–165. Morgeson, F. P. , Campion, M. A. , Dipboye, R. L. , Hollenbeck, J. R. , Murphy, K. , & Schmitt, N. (2007). Are We Getting Fooled Again? Coming To Terms With Limitations In The Use Of Personality Tests For Personnel Selection. Personnel Psychology, 60, 1029-1049 Mueller-Hanson, R. , Heggestad, E. D. , & Thornton III, G. C. (2003). Faking and Selection: Considering The Use Of Personality From Select-In And Select-Out Perspectives.Journal Of Applied Psychology, 88 (2), 348-355. Schmidt, F. L. , Hunter, J. E. (1998). The Validity and Utility Of Selection Methods In Personnel Psychology: Practical And Theoretical Implications Of 85 Years Of Research Findings. Psychological Bul letin, Vol. I24 (2), 262-74. Shum, D. , Myors, B. , & O'Gorman, J. (2006) Psychological Testing and Assessment. Oxford:Oxford University Press Toplis, J. , Dulewicz, V. , & Fletcher, C. (2005) Psychological Testing (4th eds). London:Institute of Personnel & Development.

Nauryz

NAURYZ Once the Kazakh people lived in spacious steppes and at that time yet there were no calendars. They defined arrival of spring intuitively if warm sunshine started to get into the top opening of a yurta, means, to long frosty winter there came the end. According to old chronology this day usually coincided with March 21. Was considered that in day of arrival of spring there is an updating of the nature which was symbolized usually by a spring thunder. These days kidneys on trees started to bulk up, and the steppe was gradually painted by bright flowers and young greens.Holiday Nauryz – one of the most ancient holidays on Earth. He is marked out already more than five thousand years as a holiday of spring and nature updating by many people of Forward and Central Asia. The name of a holiday coincides with the name of month as Nauryz in a translation from Kazakh means – March. Kazakhs had a special custom – if in March the girl was born, it was named by Nauryz gul or simply Nauryz. The boys born this month, it was accepted to call Nauryzbek or Nauryzbay.Was considered that in March the most beautiful boys and girls as their skin was similar to the soft snow-white snow which is dropping out this month are born. In day of a holiday it was accepted to cover â€Å"dastarkhan† – a spacious cloth on which every possible viands were put. The main festive course called â€Å"Nauryz kozhe†, which was preparing from 7 ingredients: was: water, meat, salt, 7 types of grain: rice, perlovka, oats, buckwheat, corn, millet, wheat and milk. To festive â€Å"table† invited neighbors therefore on the eve of a celebration it was necessary to order housing.On one of traditions it was necessary to repay all debts, then all next year a family will be well off and in anything not to need. In day of a holiday all were kind with each other, presented with the warmest and light wishes that with approach of spring they were avoided by dis eases and troubles. Many traditions of this holiday are similar to celebration of modern New year. Kazakhs also tried to dress all new, to fill the house with tasty food and to present a part of heat to relatives that future season passed without are necessary also misfortunes.This day by all means it was necessary to address congratulations to the younger brother and all native. Than more guests came to the house, bigger wellbeing expected subjects a family next year. Today Nauryz became a public holiday of spring, work and unity. Today this holiday is equally expensive to all people living in multinational Kazakhstan. The ancient holiday Nauryz was harmoniously transformed to modern life, having kept continuity of traditions of an antiquity.

Law assignment 3 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Law assignment 3 - Coursework Example 2. By publishing the description of a man sought for questioning, the mass media could actually create a risk of serious prejudice to an active case. But in this scenario, the case is inactive and the man is merely sought for the purposes of question clarification. Therefore, the media can warn the public about the dangers of dealing with this man. This is so that the public may be warned in case the person sought is armed or violent in some ways. Public safety is of the utmost concern in such situations. However, once a warrant of arrest is issued, the media will no longer be able to use the mans name or description as it would serve a prejudicial purpose in the case. 3. Section 4 (1) is the ruling that protects court reporters from being accused of contempt because it states that â€Å"a person cannot be found guilty of contempt under the Strict Liability Rule† in relation to â€Å"fair and accurate report of legal proceedings held in public published contemporaneously and in good faith.† That is provided that there has been no court order pertaining to the postponement of reports on certain legal matters or bans on the identification of the person and other information. The ruling applies regardless of the judge not issuing or postponing a banning order. This ruling is further supported by Section 4(2) which is the postponement order. This postponement order allows the courts to prevent the media from reporting on a court case or a portion of a court case. This is done in order to â€Å"avoid substantial risk of prejudice† to other facets of the case in the upcoming or later stages. This ruling does not put a permanent ban on media coverage of an issue. There is an expectation that certain reporting rules may eventually relax in relation to prejudice in the case. A challenge may be posed to Section 4(2) if a ban is placed on the publication of certain situations that should not

Community Needs Assessment for the Population of Little Havana Essay

Community Needs Assessment for the Population of Little Havana - Essay Example Little Havana is an urban area in the Miami city setting as characterized by a robust street life, good restaurants, several enterprises, parks, banks and a few cigar factories. The housing structures are mainly apartments although there are other housing structures. Physical Environmental Considerations General Identifying Data Little Havana is a neighborhood in west of downtown Miami in Florida, in the Miami-Dade County. Like the rest of Miami, Little Havana is an area in a larger plain topographically, with the Miami River forming its boundary to the North (Miami.gov.com, 2010). The climate of the larger area, city of Miami, is described as semi-tropical although there are a few extreme weather conditions due to hurricanes. The annual average rainfall is usually about 60 inches, with the months of July and August being both the hottest and the wettest. Most of the days are sunny but neither humid nor hot, and nights are characterized by cool temperatures. Boundaries and Area Little Havana’s boundaries are the Miami River in the north, SW 16th Street in the south, the SR 9/West 27th Avenue westwards and I-95 in the east. It has also been said to extend as far west as LeJeune Road/West 42 Avenue when taking considerations of the demographics that describe the area. The area occupied by Little Havana is officially cited as 4.208 square miles although the area is said to extend for example westwards (Miami.gov.com, 2010). Environment In terms of sanitation, Little Havana is served by the Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department. Since the major form of housing is composed of apartments, Little Havana’s water, sewer services, garbage considerations follows these lines. In this regard, it is observed that most of the apartment owners pay for water supply, sewer and trash removal. The Little Havana community is thus not in hazard from lack of water supply, sewer and garbage collection. The other consideration is pollution which has to take in to account the not only the larger Miami city area but also the state of Florida. First, Miami-Dade County ranks in the upper percentile in terms of water and air toxicant releases. Florida is also home to 7 of seven air polluters under watch from the federal EPA. Although, most of the figures are still below the harmful levels, the state and thus the residents in Little Havana are exposed to averagely higher levels of releases than the national averages. The pollution index for the Little Havana neighborhood is 43,296,200, whereas for the state of Florida the figure is 16,442,453 and the national average is a significantly lower 6,623,939. This means that the Little Havana community is at greater risk than the rest of the USA from chemical releases that include ozone depleting substances like 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane and cancer risk substances such as chromium (Scorecard, 2011). A consideration closely related to overall pollution is the air quality. As discussed earlier, Florid a has 7 factories under the watch-list of federal EPA, and although the air is clear and odorless, particulate releases are present including ash and carbon. The Air Quality Score for Little Havana (also for Miami and the rest of Florida) is 33, while the national average is 37. Due to this, the residents of Little Havana are subjected to averagely higher risks of carcinogenic, developmental, immunotoxicant and skin toxicants than the rest of the USA (Scorecard, 2011). Little Havana and the wider state of Florida has stable food supply from the sea, farms and processed sources. Little

Low carbohydrates diets lead to weight loss transformation, but leave Essay

Low carbohydrates diets lead to weight loss transformation, but leave lasting harms of mental illness and depression - Essay Example The most prominent and important consequence of a low carbohydrate diet are psychological problems such as depression. â€Å"Consumption of diets low in carbohydrate tends to precipitate depression, since the production of brain chemicals serotonin and tryptophan that promote the feeling of well being, is triggered by carbohydrate rich foods† (Sathyanarayana et al, 2008) Previously, most people in order to shed the extra pounds engaged in low fat diets where intake of fatty, oily and fattening food products were not consumes however low fat diet programs have been today replaced by the low carbohydrate diet program. This happened primarily because low fat diet program approaches that â€Å"decrease fat mass also result in undesirable loss of lean body mass† (Volek et al, 2010) since after the depletion of fats in the body the stored muscle proteins are targeted for energy extraction. Thus a diet program where the carbohydrate is restricted means that the lean body mass of a person would be preserved since right after energy extraction from stored carbohydrates the body targets the stored fats and not muscle proteins. In order to lose weight fast low carbohydrate diets are very much in vogue since they yield the results much faster and much more efficiently than other diet plans that are designed and followed. Today low carbohydrate diet is al so done as a treatment for several problems such as obesity, CVD etc. In an average person’s life the highest intake through food is mostly that of carbohydrates. An average person consumes carbohydrate in form of staple foods such as bread, rice, pasta etc. However when a person undergoes a low carbohydrate diet he/she is prohibited from consuming such easy digestible carbohydrate food products and is given a much more protein enriched and fat enriched diet such as meat, cheese, poultry etc. Improvement of body

Critical analysis of an issue(s)from the course Assignment

Critical analysis of an issue(s)from the course - Assignment Example As the world has become a global village, it revolutionizes the trend of the whole globe. Business is dispersing over the seas. It gradually dimities the boundaries and bring the people closer to each other. Globalization also requires the expansion of multinational organizations. To achieve better results, it is also necessary to understand the culture of people of different races. Culture has impact on communication also. Globalization has also certain effects on our personal world that will be discussed later in this paper. Globalization has increased the impact of cultural values and issues on people. Culture is defined as norm, values, believes behaviors and attitudes of certain group of people; community etc. These behaviors may vary from person to person depending on their costumes, languages, thoughts and perceptions. When the people belonging from different races interact with each other, an impact of cross culture issues seems to appear. This usually happens in multinational organizations where employees are brought from all around the world. The interaction between different cultures may lead to some cross cultural issues. Most of the times, the issue appears between eastern cultures and western cultures. In this paper we will enlighten such issues (Caetano, 2001). Another feature that is brought in by globalization is increasing technological advancements. Technology is the synthetic enhancement of human power. It makes us stronger and smarter. It is the technology that brings human beings from Stone Age to this modern era. Actually technology is the fact due to which world has become global village. It has increased the efficiency of business. It is the mean which provides luxurious life to the people and modifies the living standard. But it is confined to some people; it is observed that with the development of technology, unemployment is also increasing. In

Entering the Out of Home Market Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Entering the Out of Home Market - Case Study Example However, one must remember no matter how revolutionary or unique a product is, it is not an assurance that it will be successful when offered to the buying public especially if it is competing with lower-priced, strategically marketed and well managed products. Nonetheless, there is a high probability that MagicADs can gain an advantage since this technology has already been successful in the South East Asia market garnering the advertising projects of industry giants such as Sony Ericsson, Diageo, Coca-Cola, Adidas, Swatch and Unilever. This, together with a pipeline of innovative / unique products at various stages of development can give the advertising firm an edge in the 'Out of home' advertising sector. MagiqADs will still need to verify this claim by conducting an intensive feasibility study- one which does not only identify the competitors and market segments but also specifies the financial and technical requirements of the project. I assume this will be conducted as this the standard operating procedure especially for large scale marketing. Perhaps what MagiqADs can do is to launch a test run of its product and evaluate the response of the 'spectators' of the advertising medium.

Professional Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Professional Portfolio - Essay Example Mission Statement To carry out my leadership role with integrity and honesty, showing dignity and respect for others as well as myself, and to consider all constituents involved in decision-making processes. Leader Philosophy Establish a personal leadership philosophy that motivates oneself to achieve one's best when leading others. Develop a flexible leadership style that incorporates a range of leadership models that can be tailored to the situation at hand, and that complement and reinforce one's leadership strengths. Effective leadership champions the five principles of: modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act, and encouraging the heart. Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to a clear set of values; transparency is an essential quality of an effective leader, and so one must be ready to logically justify the choices made and the actions taken. Promote one's willingness to make a positive difference in the world. Envision the successes to be achieved, and keep this goal at the foremost of one's consciousness, cultivating one's inner voice to motivate and maintain one's momentum towards the vision. Delegate effectively, by way of selecting and matching staff to the tasks that best suit their ability to achieve. Provide praise as a creative method to motivate the best performance from staff. Effectively and efficiently monitor the progress of implemented plans, in regards to adherence to objectives, evaluation of outcomes and the level of work satisfaction among staff. Support of equality and freedom and the development of social evolution, by way of encouraging staff to enjoy their work tasks, and in supporting their personal, emotional and relational development. Cultivate a...Each piece was chosen to reflect a step in my journey through my degree, and my commitment to continued professional development as a leader in my occupational and personal roles. Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to a clear set of values; transparency is an essential quality of an effective leader, and so one must be ready to logically justify the choices made and the actions taken. Aggressive results-driven professional with a proven track record of successful sales, marketing, and management experience in all areas of sales, sales management, marketing, and territory and new business development. Ability to conceptualize new opportunities, embrace change, and proactively meet challenges in a competitive and changing marketplace. High energy, idea generator, and forward thinking focused team player who is able to work independently. Confident business solutions decision maker. Ability to handle multitude of challenges simultaneously. Key strengths include: 2003 Inductee - Mars Incorporated Tie Club for long and distinguished service to Mars, Inc., personifying the Five Principles of Mars, and exemplifying the essence of good corporate and community citizenship Provides the strategic and operational leadership to the field sales organization, responsible for overall resource and budgetary management; to ensure profitable business growth via the achievement of specific gross sales volume, market share, brand, pack and profi

West Meets East an Exchange of Royal Letters Essay

West Meets East an Exchange of Royal Letters - Essay Example In his letter, King Louis seems to be interested in personal achievements rather than the general good of France citizens. Motivation to him appears to originate from the concept of punishing sinners and not propagating his religion, as stated in his letter to the King of Tonkin (Spielgovel 431). On the contrary, the King of Tonkin recognized the virtue of fidelity as held by King Louis as well as emphasizing the importance of justice. In his perspective, King of Tonkin notably believes that fidelity and justice would not produce worthy results. The King of Tonkin upholds the custom of his kingdom rather than that of private friendship. He also seems not to have belief and trust in King Louis following the long war that had persisted for several years between the two nations. However, the sense of sincerity from King Louis constitutes the source of his motivation. In addition, the feelings of justice and fidelity also motivate the King of Tonkin (Spielgovel 431). In writing to King o f Tonkin, King Louis had a wooing voice towards capturing the consideration by the King on accepting his request to propagate his religion. In the letter, the voice and language used presents numerous praises with the motive of irony. This would be evidenced by the use of certain praise words that seem to portray an opposite meaning to the King of Tonkin to what he really intends. King Louis also advocates a motive of expanding his personal ambitions and territory of operation. Furthermore, in the letter, King Louis gives reference to his subjects who once received protection under the Realm of the King of Tonkin. This inclusion of the protection accorded to his subjects indicates a point of reference by him in convincing the King of Tonkin to accept his request (Spielgovel 431). The letter by King Louis reveals certain personality traits about him. He does not exist as a theologian but instead uses the virtue of religion in seeking to achieve his personal associations. Also, he rem ains to be an eminent figure in France’s history during the western civilization period. Moreover, King Louis practices an authoritarian leadership style. This becomes evident in his letter when he informs the King of Tonkin about his commands for the Royal Company and Messrs to establish itself in Tonkin soonest possible. In presenting the gifts to the King of Tonkin, the language used in writing does not reflect the willing and free choice of giving, but rather a command. This, thus, portrays a sense of customary formality in his way of appreciation through gifts and not a heartfelt appreciation. King Louis may be a hypocrite in the sense that he pretends to have moral virtues and opinions that he does not actually have. The idea of Christian missionaries reveals this personality in him (Spielgovel 431). In his response to King Louis, the King of Tonkin refused to accept Christian missionaries in his kingdom. He justified his position by asserting that some authorities or e dicts had already introduced a custom that forbids Christian missionaries. In addition, the King of Tonkin justifies his position by way of asking a straight forward question indicating that he could disregard a well-established custom in satisfying private friendship.

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

Perfect Competition - Research Paper Example So for argument’s sake, we’ll consider the farming sector, and focus on claims on â€Å"Eggs† as the primary example. Eggs are a basic food item in the USA and around the world, and it’s known for its high nutrition value and edibility. Eggs are sold across the USA in almost all convenient stores, and consumed on a daily basis by end users in various forms. Not only that, but many large corporations also engage in B2B transactions with egg suppliers as the product is also used as raw material for other products such as cake mixes, mayonnaise, salad dressings etc. Thus buyers of this product are seemly infinite. The sellers of this product include poultry farmers across the country. Also, large corporations have entered this industry for the sole purpose of egg production, utilizing the concept of battery cages for efficient and expedited production. A survey conducted in the year 2008 yielded results that there were around 287million hens involved in meeting the egg production requirements of the country, a population of over 300 million people. This implies that the egg production in the US A more than abundant. The primary production is done via farmers and the automated plants, but the retailers and wholesalers are the channel through which end-users make the purchase. The situation is such that the USA exports some of its production, which in essence generates a very minimal supply-demand gap. 2) When considering barriers to entry and exits, the market entails high entry costs for both engaging in poultry farming and battery cages. However retailers and wholesalers avoid this cost, but at the same time incur costs of packaging and displays. 3) Factors of production are not very mobile short-term in the sense that if there was a sudden increase of 20% in the demand for eggs, the supply wouldn’t increase immediately. However, in the long run the production could be maneuvered to meet the demand as best as possible. 7) Eggs are a standardized product

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption Essay Example for Free

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption Essay When comparing the novel and the film of Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Steven King there are many similarities. The film follows the novel plot very closely in many aspects of the book. The similarities found in the film and novel is character portrayals, key scenes and overall messages. The film accurately captures the essence of the novel. In both the film and the novel, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, the characters are portrayed in a very similar manner. The first character that was well represented was Andy Dufresne. I could see why some of the boys took him for snobby. He had a quiet way about him, a walk and a talk that just wasn’t normal around here. He strolled like a man in a park without a care or a worry in the world. Like he had an invisible coat that would shield him from this place. † In both the film and the novel, this was how Andy’s fellow prison mates perceived him as. In addition, Hadley was portrayed as a very harsh and strict man. â€Å"Your only problem is going to be how many bones you still got unbroken. You can count them in infirmary†¦ We’re throwing this sucker over the side. (King, 45) In the film he was also portrayed as the same character with the same characteristics. â€Å"You eat when we say you eat. You shit when we say you shit. And you piss when we say you piss! † Likewise, Sam Norton was a â€Å"biblical man† who was also cold and stern. â€Å"No one had ever seen him crack a smile. He had a thirty year pin from the Baptist Advent Church of Eliot†¦ made sure that each incoming prisoner had a New Testament. † (King, 56) In the film, his characteristics were exactly the same as the book. â€Å"I believe in two things: Discipline and the Bible. † All in all, the characters in the novel and film were portrayed in the same way. Secondly, the main messages in both the film and novel were captured in the same way. The first theme that is apparent in the film and novel is imprisonment and isolation. â€Å"These walls are kind of funny. First you hate ‘em, then you get used to ‘em. Enough time passes, gets you to depend on them. That’s institutionalized. † This was an apparent theme because most of the prisoners in Shawshank became so dependent on the daily structure within the prison that most of them were scared of the outside. â€Å"Twenty days on the grain and drain train for Andy down there in solitary. † King, 67) Solitary was a form of punishment frequently used in both the novel and film. On the other hand, hope was the most prominent message portrayed in the novel and film. â€Å"†¦I hope† (King, 107) hope was found in many various parts of Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, such as, the hope to be free, hope to survive and so on. â€Å"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. † Another theme that is very obvious in Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is crime. Crime is found all throughout the film and novel because the setting takes place in a prison. Tommy Williams came to Shawshank in 1965†¦ Cops caught him sneaking TV sets out the back door of a JC Penney. † Every crime that was committed in the novel and film stuck to the same details and explanation, making both the novel and film very similar. â€Å"I committed murder. I put a large insurance policy on my wife†¦ then I fixed the brakes of the Chevrolet coupe. † (King, 15) Given these points, the director of the movie included all of the same messages and themes that were in the novel. Furthermore, the film was so similar to the novel that most key scenes were word for word. One key scene, being Andy’s murder trial, seemed to be directly taken out of the novel. â€Å"Since I am innocent of this crime, I find it decidedly inconvenient that the gun was never found. † In this scene, the dialect is the same for both the novel and the film, for example, â€Å"It’s neither convenient nor inconvenient. Only the truth. † (King, 24) Equally important, Andy’s escape scene was captured similarly in the film when compared to the novel. â€Å"Geology is the study of pressure and time. That’s all it takes really†¦ pressure†¦ and time†¦That, and a big goddamn poster. Andy spent years on end working away at his escape hole in the novel and the film; Andy knew what it took because of his knowledge in geology. â€Å"Ripped the poster from the wall†¦ and revealed the gaping, crumbled hole in the concrete behind it. † (King, 87) Lastly, when Andy meets tommy, tommy realizes that Andy is innocent and he kn ows who actually committed the murders. This is another scene that plays out the same in both the novel and the film. â€Å"It’s my life. Don’t you understand? IT’S MY LIFE! † in the film Andy begs Warden Norton to understand his situation and pleads that he is innocent. He began refreshing Norton on the details of the crime he had been imprisoned for. Then he told the warden exactly what Tommy Williams had told him. † (King, 64-65) in the novel Andy hopes that Norton will listen to the information he has heard and that Norton will be understanding, but instead Norton shut him down. As shown above, the key scenes in the novel and film have the same details and context. In conclusion, the film Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Steven King portrayed the novel in a very similar way. It does so by portraying the characters, key scenes and messages in similar ways in both the novel and film.

Presence of Women on Social Media

Presence of Women on Social Media Women Empowerment and presence of women in Social media Women empowerment has emerged out as one of the most popular topic discussed worldwide. After the start of women’s movement, the question of emancipation of woman came to the fore. Though in India there was no such separate movement concerning distinguished rights of a woman, instead the Indian women fought for themselves under the various forms of movements for independence. We have lots of stereotypes about who is techsavvy and who is not. In India while the digital divide among rich and poor may took long run to bridge, we cannot perceive this long run answer with digital gender divide shortly disappeared. Empowerment has multiple, interrelated and interdependent dimensions- economic, social, cultural and political. It can be understood in relation to resources, perceptions, relationship and power. But what does women empowerment mean? Women empowerment generally has these components : firstly, womens sense of self worth; secondly, their right to have the power of control their own lives, both within and outside home; and lastly, their ability to influence the direction of social change to create a just social and economic order nationally, internationally and universally. Educational attainment and economic participation are the key constituents in ensuring the empowerment of women. Other than educational and economic empowerment, changes in womens mobility and social interaction and changes in intra-household decision-making are necessary. After enjoying the glory of 68 years of our independence, our country is still not independent. Corruption, terrorism, scams etc. are the reason which hinders it but abreast the discrimination against the women and all the issues related with women like rapes, inequality are some of the points which makes many people to detest their nation. Jawaharlal Nehru once said â€Å"To awaken the people, it is the women who must be awakened. Once she is on the move, the family moves, village moves, and the nation moves.† In India, today, women appear to rule the roost. India as a nation is revered in a feminine form i.e. ‘the Bharat Mata’, the first citizen of our country presently is a woman, many important government posts are occupied by women and educated women are pouring into the professional workforce with profound implications for national and multinational corporations. However, ironically, these are accompanied by news about dowry killings, female infanticide, domestic violence against women, sexual harassment, rape, illegal trafficking and prostitution and myriad others of the same ilk. Gender discrimination prevails in almost all areas, be it social, cultural, economic or educational. An effective remedy for these evils needs to be sought in order to ensure the Right to Equality guaranteed by the C onstitution of India, to the fairer sex. Gender equality facilitates the empowerment of women. Since education begins at home, the upliftment of women would be accompanied by the development of the family. Notwithstanding the mortification, there are some brave women or we can say that time have changed a bit that today many women are aware about their rights and the powers they enjoy. Many women even retaliate after getting once attacked. Today women have all the rights as enshrined in our Constitution and they are even enjoying it leaving the particular strata of the society. It seems that ‘Social media’ is one such tool which is widely used by the women. Writing blogs, facebook, twitter, Mails etc. are some of the sites which act as the platform for the women to communicate their any new idea, or their morose life. As it is said â€Å"Drastic times call for drastic measures†, women has taken actions for their sake. Women writing on blogs, make pages on facebook, twitters, all these are the means of communicating to the larger audience. For instance, the ‘Nirbhaya’ rape case of 2012 which left the country in tears specially the women. We all know what people did for that brave girl, did candle-march, strikes etc. In the similar manner, pages got created on social networking sites where many wrote their opinion. Social media is a good thing for the women as it gives the women the chance or platform to share what they feel and to fight against what is injustice according to them via making pages on facebook, twittering, writing blogs etc. A new infographic from Finances Online says that ladies are using social media more than their male counterparts. Even women creates page on social networking sites and promotes it for the betterment of their work and other women. Many activists also do the same thing. Women do campaigning also. Campaigns like ‘Clean clothes’ campaign, ‘Support breasts not dictators’, ‘whisper sanitary pads’, ‘ we are also the part of this country’ are some of the pages made by the women to spread the awareness level among the cowardice women. In September 2002, when many of todays social media hardly existed, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health launchedThe Heart Truth- the first federally-sponsored national campaign aimed at increasing awareness among women about their risk of heart disease. From the beginning, the campaign used a multi-faceted approach based on social marketing principles, including a n extensive formative research phase which informed the campaign planning and development. With the creation of The Red Dress ® as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness, the campaign integrated a branding strategy into its traditional social marketing approach. The aim was to develop a womens heart disease brand that would have a strong emotional appeal to women, and promote it through a wide variety of means, including the Internet marketing techniques that were current at that time. There is a lot of easy money in this line. Savvy global corporations knows where their women are online, may be women have tremendous amount of purchasing power, usually holding responsibility for the majority of household purchases. It is estimated that 85% of household purchases rate 4 out of 5 is done by women itself. This is probably women get online and lot of partnership deals is established and processes are speeded up. Indian women are majority liar of 35 – 44 years old women on the race of purchase power capacity to get online shopping. Online ads pop ups and different setting look on the purchasing sets of equal segmentation on demographical profile based equaled on 8NS’s – Social Networking Services – Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp etc. mobile trend – one of the major vast tool for social media enhancement. According to nielson, 43% of websites that women visit on their Smartphones are social websites. For Indian men, it’s about 1/3 (32%) twice as much time per day using apps on their Smartphones as compared to men. Today scenario – whatsapp is vastly proving to be the killer app for huge sets of Indian community. Also Indian women are driving that growth. There are currently 20 million Indian users of the service and women use the whatsapp messenger three times more often than man. Why is this propellant? Social media offers the unprecedented possibility of amplifying voices that were simply not heard in past. Women, who have not had opportunity to shape turn own image in media , now emerging new set of innovative creation that now she plays a huge role in dismantling and reinvogarating a media culture that will more accurately reflects people’s deserves interest and fear. Indian are really social in social connectivity network on social networking services. Facebook, google+, twitter and linkedln are flourishing in India , where 25 % of all time online is spent on social networks. Last year, linkedin celebrated living 20 million Indian to their services, making Indians the second largest member base. There is no question that social media will play a huge role in reshaping the global village landscape as audience member (women) continue to flex their social media muscles, and influence over the media they consume, share, remix and create a new image make platform for itself. In India the percentage of women online has been depressingly low in 2010, they only accounted for 22 % of Indian websurfers. But as of December 2013 it has been increased to 77 % than is 39 % increment. Women today carry so many duties, multitask, pursue all kind of careers, participate in adventure sports, climb mountains, and single-handedly raise kids! She is truly gifted and a blessing to mankind. But there is one field where women generally lag behind and that is in the field of technology. Even educated, career girls shy away from technology, saying that they do not understand these gadgets, leave it to my husband to fix things up. Sometimes girls do not understand how to set security options† Or, worse still, â€Å"I don’t know how to monitor kids online. I’m technically challenged, never went online and trust my kids to behave themselves online.† This behaviour has to stop immediately. Woman, are the perfect housewife, the perfect colleague, the perfect Mother and the perfect companion; so you just need to extend that role to become savvy about social media. You need to be aware of the benefits as well as the risks. It is for your own safety and by extension, the safety of your family. If you have to fight online violence, you need to know the dangers, how to avoid them and what to do if you are ever faced with one. Through one-on-one and group coaching programs and workshops, women entrepreneurs should be helped to maximize their activities and presence on social media platforms which yields visibility, credibility, and profitability for their business. Globally, women out numbers men on social media platforms, and they spend a lot more time there, connecting with likeminded, consumer citizens fans and activists. Therefore no doubt, Social media has become the common denominator of promoting opinions, ideas, strategies, campaigns and so on most especially for the hapless women. It has become a colossal force, eliminating any barrier that hinders contact between humans. It has become the bread and butter of any social movement; be it a campaign against bullying, a revolt against corruption or an attempt to spread awareness. Social media has lent a helping hand whose worth, literally, is inexpressible and the day is not so far when women will touch the pinnacle in which social media would play a very important role.

CSR For Nestle And MTN

CSR For Nestle And MTN Nestle (a high-income company) and MTN (a low-income company) have different approaches regarding CSR. This report will describe and evaluate those approaches. Introduction This is a brief description of each company highlighting some facts concerning their development. Section one Identifies the different types of stakeholders that the company should consider while mapping its local/global activities. Using the Stakeholder Saliency Model, allocates those stakeholders for both companies, taking into account two things: who has the most/least power in steering the companys decisions and whether or not this stakeholder is interested in CSR initiatives. Two differences have been identified: Nestle: firstly, host governments in developing countries are Dangerous Stakeholders and do not show much interest in CSR; secondly, social organizations, NGOs and the media are Dangerous Stakeholders and in favour of CSR. MTN: firstly, host governments in developing countries are Dominant and show interest in CSR; secondly, social organizations such as NGOs and the media are Demanding and in favour of CSR. The reasons behind this include: Host government in developing countries: corrupt government may find the high-income corporation (Nestle) an enticing opportunity to seize unlike MTN. Moreover, MTN which originated in a developing country, has a great deal of experience with such governments. Social Organization: MTN does not have a negative direct impact on peoples lives, unlike Nestle. Also MTN is not recognized globally while Nestle is since MTN operates only in developing countries while Nestle operates globally. Section two In this section the report answers the following: whether CSR initiatives adopted by both companies increased/decreased over time, and also who was behind the changes and why they occurred. It was found that both companies have increased their CSR initiatives especially in the globalization era for Nestle, and particularly since the 1970s as many social organizations emerged and FDI occurred in that period. Section three The report shows how authors classify the stakeholders perspective in different ways: some classify them according to the local economic situation; others in a developing countrys context; others classify the social and environmental issues depending on regions. A Ponte et al typology using four approaches (engaged/disengaged, proximate/distant) is applied to the above classifications. An analysis was made with the following results: There are many perspectives which support CSR initiatives and argue that those initiatives are good for business, especially the engaged approaches, and they support their argument with evidence. They are also good for society whether the approaches are engaged or disengaged. At the other end of the spectrum, there are many who do not agree with the benefits brought by CSR initiatives and believe it is bad for business and useless for society. II. Introduction The purpose of this report is to analyse, compare and contrast the socially responsible approach of two multinational companies (Nestle and MTN). This will be approached in the following order: firstly, a brief description for each company will be provided; secondly, the report will allocate the stakeholders using the stakeholder saliency model for each company showing the similarities and differences. This will be followed by a brief description regarding the changes of CSR approach for both companies and the reasons for these changes. The third section includes a critical analysis of both approaches using Ponte et al typology and two contrasting viewpoints. Finally, a conclusion sums up the findings showing the future of CSR for both companies. III. Brief History with some facts regarding CSR, Nestle  [1]  , It was in the 1860s when a pharmacist Henri Nestle developed a food formula for those infants who experienced problems in breastfeeding. This welcome innovation from Nestle is now sold all over the world (Nestle History, 2009). Some facts about the company include: 1905-to date: Healthy growth in general with some periods of struggle with a lot of mergers and acquisitions, one of the most important being with Movenpick Ice Cream. 1970s-1980s: Heavy attacks from social organizations and individuals for the unethical marketing activities encouraging mothers in the developing world to use its products instead of breastfeeding. (Douglas,1986) 1998 Nestlà © Corporate Business Principles was produced and updated to include the principles of the UN Secretary Generals Global Compact: Labour Standard, Human rights, the Environment (Nestle report, 2001) Creating the Shared Value scheme for a healthier world in the 21st century. (CSV mission, 2009) MTN Group  [2]  , Founded in 1994, MTN Group is a telecommunication company; it services in 21 countries across Africa and the Middle East. (MTN Report 1 and 2, 2009). 2007: MTN was the best tax payer for the year ending 2005/2006 in many African countries.(MTN History, 2007) 2007: Established the Corporate Social Responsibility Foundation. .(MTN History, 2007) 2009: According to management consulting firm Oliver Waymans annual State of the Industry report, MTN achieved the fourth place among the top 60 global performers in terms of its shareholder performance index (SPI) at the end of 2008 with total revenue of 102,526 million rand  [3]  , (MTN Report 1and 2, 2009 ). IV. Section one: Corporate social responsibility: CSR is the commitment by the company to behave ethically with its stakeholders and to fulfil all obligations of minimizing any harm and maximizing the benefits for society, humanity and the environment and that includes commitments by companies to contribute to social development and enhance the standard of peoples lives  [4]  . Stake holder Identification: According to many authors Mercier (1999), Freeman (1984), Donaldson and Preston (1995), stakeholders are usually all those groups or individuals that may affect or be affected by the organizations daily working process, and also include all those who could have shares or interests in the same organization (Cited in Perqueux, 2004.P:6). From the definition given above it could be interpreted that organizations should classify their stakeholders interests and power in a way that brings satisfaction because they will be assessed and evaluated by them in the future, and that what Rossouw and Sison (2006, p41) argued for when they described the corporations as a nation state is that they must be honest with its citizens otherwise they will be overthrown. From the two definitions mentioned above and by using the Stakeholder Saliency Model, this report will now show two things at the same time. The first is to show who stakeholder has the most or least effect in mapping the business activities, and second to what extent this allocated stakeholder is CSR driver for both companies showing the similarities and differences. An explanation for these will be provided. Nestle Power Discretionary Stakeholder: other inter-national institutions e.g. IMF, World Bank Dominant Stakeholder. Dangerous Stakeholder: Governments in developing countries, social organizations, NGOs, media. Demanding Stakeholder: people Definitive Stakeholder: Main Shareholders Dormant Stakeholder: Shareholders (Minority interest) Depending Stakeholder Legitimacy Urgency MTN Power Discretionary Stakeholder: other Inter-national Institutions such as IMF, World Bank Dominant Stakeholder: Government in developing countries Dormant Stakeholder: Shareholders (Minority interest) Demanding Stakeholder: Social organizations, NGOs, media. Dangerous Stakeholder Definitive Stakeholder: Main Shareholders Depending Stakeholder Legitimacy Urgency . The main similarities: Main Shareholders (Definitive Stakeholders with fake CSR ): As they supply the organization with the funds needed to build up capital, thus they have the right to vote, control and change the corporate structure if required, Mantyssari (2005), and that would have a substantial influence in mapping the companys business activities and other activities related to CSR. The following example shows how Nestles first priority is its shareholders and how Nestle manipulates the CSR approach. This happened when it announced the intention to transform Nestle into the worlds leading wellness organization to promote healthy eating by people through providing functional food instead of its ordinary range, spending SFr 2 billion on research and development in 2008. However, many experts point out that there is no substantial evidence that eating functional food makes people healthier. Lausanne and Vevey (The Economist, 2009. p39-95) indicate also to the reasons behind that by showing that in America the growth of functional foods between 2002-2007 was 15.8% a year while ordinary foods was only 2.9% suggesting profit was the main driver nothing else. The same is applicable in MTN regarding definitive shareholders, especially when looking closely at their annual report (2008 p172), showing the percentage of share capital, equal to 25%, was owned only by 8 shareholders, so this group of 8 has the majority portion of power to direct the company activities in the way they prefer, which is making profits. Minority interest Shareholders (Dormant Stakeholders with no effects on CSR): they do not have the enough power to steer the company in the responsible direction nether on its policy IMF, World Bank, WTO (Discretionary Stakeholders with a neutral position regarding CSR): through their regulation and requirements and conditionality they open new routes for investing. However, that does not oblige the MNCs to invest nor to participate in social responsibility initiatives. The main differences: Host governments in developing countries are Dangerous Stakeholders and do not show too much interest in CSR for Nestle, while they are Dominant and show interest in CSR for MTN) Jones (2005, p:9) pointed out that host governments use a lot of subsidies to attract foreign organizations, such as low custom tariffs or free capital movement in order to overcome difficulties (poverty, diseases, deathà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Applying this to the selected companies: Nestle: this type of stakeholder should be allocated under Dangerous for many reasons. Nestle lacks experience in dealing with developing governments policies. Another reason is that kleptocratic government may find the high-income corporation (Nestle) an enticing opportunity to seize. For example: the BBC announced in December 2002 that Nestle was trying to persuade the Ethiopian government to pay USD 6 million instead of 1.5 million as compensation for nationalizing one of its subsidiaries in Ethiopia. This example shows how the Ethiopian government took possession of Nestlà ©s subsidiary without any previous notice or consultation. MTN: originally from SA, and all of its investments are located in Africa and the ME (developing countries). It has a great deal of experience with such governments so do not need to put it under Dangerous stakeholders unlike Nestle. But even though MTN has put governments under the Dominant category MTN has to comply with the King codes in South Africa  [5]  which include very strict rules regarding CSR initiatives in order be listed in JSE securities exchange and to be accepted by the government and society. (Institute of Directors in South Africa, 2009) Social organizations, NGOs, Media are Dangerous Stakeholders and in favour of CSR for Nestle, while Demanding and in favour of CSR for MTN: Nestle: Because of the nature of the business of Nestle (covering world-wide and working in the field of nutrition), it may be found that a lot of social organizations along with the media always attack it aggressively, especially if they discover the unethical approach of its social responsibility, pushing it to make more and more effort in the field of CSR. For example: the General Synod of the Church of England called for a ban on Nestle and asked Church commissioners to disinvest their GBP 1.1 million in it. Moreover in 1974 the British charity War on Want released a leaflet The Baby Killer criticising Nestle for the bad effects of its marketing strategies in Africa. (Kotler et al. 2009) MTN: However, there are many examples showing MTN has a good reputation among those organizations who praise its efforts to serve the people and bring prosperity to society. For example, South Africa media (South Africa info, 2008) praised MTN when it declared its intention, along with other operators, to establish a fibre network across the Sub Saharan centres in an effort to meet the soaring needs of their subscribers and connect the African continent with the rest of the world. The reason for this approval is because MTN does not have a negative direct impact on peoples lives, unlike Nestle. Also MTN is not recognized globally as Nestle is since it operates only in developing countries. V. Section two: This report will now answer the following question which way is the CSR changing and what are the main causes for this? In 1869 Henri Nestle said: During the first few months, the mothers milk will always be the most natural nutriment, put promoted Nestle products as a substitute. However, in 2007 Nestle stated that Nothing is a substitute for or equivalent or superior to breast milk Kotler et al. (2009). These two statements raise two questions: the first one is Did Nestle admit the guiltiness about its previous promotion?; secondly, If yes, then who was behind it? Actually to answer these questions, we have to consider that through Nestle growth, a lot of pressure and outside forces have pushed the company to change its attitude towards satisfying its stakeholders and make responsible efforts rather than only profit. Blowfield and Murray (2008, p:41-66) claim that the relationship between business and society changed through three eras: the industrial revolution, the mid-twentieth-century welfare state and globalization. Furthermore, through these eras there was a shift in corporate social responsibility, from a theoretical concerned with normative behaviour of the organization, to CSR as management practice, especially in the 1970s. Ackerman and Bauers (1976 cited in Blowfield et al, 2008) argue also that what a company can do to respond to social expectation rather than theoretical ideas of what it should do is what matters. This is reflected in public confidence over the years (see Appendix 1) which suggests public confidence began to incre ase in the late 1970s with a slight decrease in 1991. (Source: Frederick 2006) In relation to the two companies in this study, it may be that Nestle actually took into consideration social responsibility after the harsh boycott in the 1970s when it learnt a lot from that lesson and started to increase its commitment to society and allocated social organizations and media as dangerous stakeholders. MTN is a relatively new company established only in the 1990s, which could be viewed as the globalization era so has a high standard of CSR knowledge (King I, II, III code). Thus, it could be concluded that there was an increase in CSR initiatives owing to greater awareness among stakeholders, especially over the last three decades, and that increase was related directly to globalization and its characteristics such as free trade, rises in FDI in developing countries, soaring demands of the media and the NGOs. VI. Section Three: This section will be divided into three parts: Analysis of the different stakeholders perspective approaches, Depending on the outcome of the first part, the report will use Ponte et al typology to allocate the approach of both companies. A further analysis of these approaches will be conducted using two contrasting viewpoints. Many authors classify the stakeholders perspective in different ways. Some classify them according to the local economic situation such as Cannon (1994) by giving five types of societies which need different reactions from the business to help the economy out of the crisis: the high-stress environment (suffering from long time economic downturn), structurally disadvantaged areas (business in remote areas), the crisis zone, the transitional zone (change of the importance of industry in same area), and the powerhouse industry that used to drive the main local growth and now facing high competition from others. Other authors such as Hamann et al (2005) explore the stakeholders perspective in a developing countrys context when they pointed out some realities to be considered in achieving a successful CSR in South Africa: first, a long history of poverty and inequality: second, the need for effective CSR to destroy the bad image of exploitation and racism created by companies over a long period in those countries; third, the suppression of black economic empowerment which mostly comes from corruption: fourth, the need to enhance social aspects such as human rights and democracy. Others classify the social and environmental issues depending on the regions, showing the different CSR requirements among countries and they emphasise that each region needs its own CSR initiatives. For example, the USA needs to address renewed calls for nuclear power and to deal with air pollution, while some African countries need more concentration in improving the infrastructure and solving the conflicts between tribes and governments (PWC, 2006; Ethical Corporation, 2006 cited in Blowfield Murray,2008) (see appendix 2 for more details). Using the above mentioned methods, now Ponte et al typology can be used to allocate initiative approaches used by Nestle and MTN: Company Engaged CSR activities the factory and farmer scheme in China which has direct impact on company operations since it eliminates the suppliers and at the same time gives the farmers technical support. (Nestle China, 2009) Disengaged CSR initiatives: Nestle Nigeria along with the Red Cross started an initiative, an educational programme in 2003 to increase the awareness of HIV among people in Nigeria (Nestle Nigeria, 2009) Distant CSR activities the factory and farmer example in China, because the farmers are not one of Nestlà ©s workforces they are a separate entity and might be paid low prices for their milk supply. (Nestle China, 2009) Proximate CSR activities: Nestle creates job opportunities. It has now more than 265,000 employees worldwide from 100 different countries. (Nestle, 2009) Engaged and Proximate: the EcoShape bottle produced by Nestle North America in 2007. This example could be regarded as an engaged activity since it reduces the bad effects on the environment (will reduce the CO2 emission by 356,000 tons within three years) and at the same time it is proximate because it is closely related to the company operations (since it impacts on the environment in the same location as its operations). (Nestle America, 2009) -Engaged CSR activities: the Environmental Management System is one of MTNs policies to reduce the production waste by recycling and encouraging the employees to act socially responsible. (MTN Environmental Policy, 2009) Disengaged CSR initiatives: Arts and Aids awareness educational program for communities, conducted by the MTN foundation and regarded as a totally disengaged scheme carried out by MTN. (MTN SA foundation, 2009) Distant CSR activities: No distant CSR initiatives found. -Proximate CSR activities: the Arts and Aids awareness educational program could be regarded as a proximate CSR scheme since MTN originally operated in Africa and the Middle East. (MTN SA foundation, 2009) Engaged and Proximate: the 21 days of Yello care started in 2007. This scheme of 21 days gives the opportunity for MTNs employees to directly engage with the CSR initiatives programme with a prize as a reward at the end of this scheme for the best team. One team was rewarded for building a small pedestrian bridge. (MTN Yello, 2009) Now, the report will analyse the Ponte et al typology mentioned above showing two contrasting viewpoints: In favour of CSR: Good for business when (Engaged whether Proximate or Distant): Porter and Kramer (2006, p:83) indicate that working in a healthy society will keep the company healthy (health care for the workforce) and also supply it with a competitive advantage (efficient use of resources: water, land) and all of these will be achieved by Integrating Business and Society through CSR activities. Other authors praise the role of CSR in marketing and this could be applied in bringing a bright image to the company and to some extent increase its sales Hardeep and Sharma (2006). For example, Ogrizek (2002) said: There are clear and concrete market-driven benefits and competitive advantages for companies, which integrate their business policies with CSR. In respect of the two companies in question there are a lot of initiative approaches for both companies from their websites which all could be regarded as marketing tools and green sheen attempts (the new brand of Nestle: Nescafe Green blend). Good for society when (Engaged whether Proximate or Distant): advocators of this model argue that governments in the developing countries on their own cannot meet the increasing demands of the society and development requirements and this is actually what Samuel et al (2009.p394) found when they conducted research in Nigeria showing how CSR initiatives being carried out by 22 organizations complement government efforts to build up a stable economy. Furthermore, this perspective is also supported by the neo-liberalism theory in which many authors stress that only business and free markets can sustain the individual rights, society and the environment (Burchell, 1996, Barry et al 1996, Peter and Olssen 2002 cited in Zajda, 2009 p:15). No one could deny that Nestle creates job opportunities for 265,000 employees worldwide from 100 different countries and also that MTN donated about 1.5 Rand million to buy clothes with the help of the Red Cross in South Africa in response to attacks by f oreign nationals in 2008 (MTN SA foundation, 2009). At the economy level, The Economist (1999) emphasized the contribution of MTN as a mobile company in bringing the poor and isolated into the global economy. Opposed to CSR: Bad for business when (Disengaged): advocators for this approach are usually those who argue in favour of shareholder interests and indicate that the main objective of any company is only to maximize the shareholders value and minimize any kind of expense. That becomes very clear when Lawrence (1999) describes how the company should create a value management system in five steps in order to achieve the shareholder value, neglecting any component related to non-profit activities because it just an expense. Also, as mentioned earlier in this report, Mantyssari (2005) describes the shareholders as the heart of the business who supply it with the funds needed for the daily operations, so managers have to keep them satisfied by a high level of yield. Furthermore, some say that CSR is not only waste of money but also it distracts the managers from focusing on their real duties since effective CSR, which is not only a charity cheque, needs special talent and efforts, and that is also emphasized by Porter and Kramer (2006, p:91) when they argue that organizational adjustment that matches good CSR initiatives is what matters more than kind intentions. Useless for society and development (Criticizing all Ponte et al approaches): many protestors criticise the effects caused by MNCs activities all over the world since their negative effects outweigh their CSR initiatives. They think whatever the companies do for the societies is only a green sheen. For instance, Nestle is proud of itself, saying it always provides work opportunities for people, indicated that 97% of their workforces are distributed all over the world The Economist (1997.p153). However, for Corpwatch (2005) the truth is it exploits the workers in an awful manner and Corpwatch complained that 286,000 children work as slaves in the Ivory Coasts cocoa farms (90 hours a week with very low wages) and point out that Nestle is the third largest importer of cocoa from the Ivory Coast. Also it could be argued from bad for business angle as there is general agreement that if CSR is not focused and organized it will often come to nothing or may sometimes have harmful results. VII. Conclusion: From this report, a lot of findings can be drawn by analysing the corporate social responsibility approaches for Nestle and MTN. This report started by showing the importance of the different types of stakeholders that try to steer the companys activities in the way they desire, whether in a business or CSR approach. Using the Stakeholders Saliency Model these stakeholders have been allocated and two major differences were found. The first one is, Governments in developing countries where Nestle operate should be put under Dangerous stakeholder since they lack experience in dealing with such governments and the high-income corporation could also be seen an enticing opportunity to be seized. However, MTN (a low-income company) is the opposite case since it originated in such an environment. The other main difference between them is the danger of social organizations for Nestle such as NGOs and the media since it works globally and works in the field of nutrition, hiring people from po or countries, so may be targeted by such institutions. In contrast, MTN does not have a direct impact on peoples lives and is not recognized globally like Nestle since it operates only in developing countries. The report then analysed and evaluated the CSR approaches for both companies using Ponte et al typology to allocate them in four dimensions, engaged/disengaged, distant/proximate. It was found Nestle and MTN use all of them except for MTN which did not use distant CSR initiatives. The report attempted to answer the question which stakeholders were satisfied and which were not, no matter what type of approach was adopted, by contrasting two points of view (with and against CSR) and arguing them in four different aspects. Through the analysis of the aspect Useless for society, it was found some organizations and institutions are still not satisfied by the CSR initiatives and need deeper indicators, going beyond the basics and taking into account the real influences on the surroundings. Regarding the future of CSR, some authors such as Murray and Blowfield (2008, p:365-369) emphasised that the context analysis such as the mega trends (climate change, demographic change, poverty) will be no less important than simply examining the CSR approaches taken by the company.

To Kill A Mockingbird Essay: Parallels and Differences -- Kill Mockin

To Kill a Mockingbird:   Parallels and Differences  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jill McCorkle's Ferris Beach, a contemporary novel, shares numerous characteristics with Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel written in the 1960's. Like To Kill a Mockingbird, McCorkle's novel documents the life of a young girl in a small southern town. The two narrators, Kate Burns and Scout Finch, endure difficult encounters. A study of these main characters reveals the parallels and differences of the two novels. Jill McCorkle duplicates character similarities and rape from Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird to show the reader how young girls think and develop. People throughout the world consider America the supreme country in terms of freedom. As a result of this assumption, many countries attempt to model their culture after the United States. The idea of imitating a successful organization or product exists in literature as well. Many authors write pieces of literature that modify other works they have previously read. Jill McCorkle's Ferris Beach, a contemporary novel, shares numerous characteristics with Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel written in the 1960's. Like To Kill a Mockingbird, McCorkle's novel documents the life of a young girl in a small southern town. The two narrators, Kate Burns and Scout Finch, endure difficult encounters. A study of these main characters reveals the parallels and differences of the two novels. Jill McCorkle duplicates character similarities and rape from Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird to show the reader how young girls think and develop. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout Finch represents a young southern tomboy who strives to find her identity. The adults in her town of Maycomb... ... establish a critical view towards human eccentricities.       Ferris Beach accurately extends themes of To Kill a Mockingbird and develops them in interesting ways. The incorporation of the nicknames Scout and Kitty, as well as Boo and Mr. Radley, proves Lee imposes a significant influence on McCorkle's literature. However, the author gives her main character different characteristics and encourages her to react to situations in mature fashions. Kitty's description of Mr. Radley does not seem nearly as fantastic as Scout's evaluation of Boo Radley. Similarly, the two young girls react differently to their experiences with rape. The different weaknesses Scout and Kitty share increases their ability to handle more complex situations. Jill McCorkle extends Harper Lee's themes to explore various aspects of young females and their livelihood.   

The Truth of Thanksgiving Essay -- American History Thanksgiving Essay

The Truth of Thanksgiving While children are growing up in America, they are told several tales of America’s establishment and history. However, these stories are generally not told as they actually happened. An instance of this is the story of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is explained as this elaborate ceremony where the Pilgrims and Indians gathered in harmony at this large harvest in celebration of their coming together. According to the primary document of William Bradford’s journal, Thanksgiving didn’t pan out quite as it is explained to Americans today. In the film, The Addams Family Values, the Addams children take part in a traditional, yet misconceived celebration of the first Thanksgiving. This film in comparison to Bradford’s testimony proves how Americans view their history as they please; giving America the official Thanksgiving ceremony even if it never actually happened. In the film, Addams’ Family Values, the Addams’ are depicted as an odd American family. They practice magic, dress in all black, worship the dead, etc. In this specific film, the Addams children, Wednesday and Pugsley, are sent to summer camp. The camp is a Native American activity based camp named Camp Chippewa. At camp, Wednesday and all of her friends are considered â€Å"losers†. Wednesday and Pugsley have black hair, wear all black clothes and, along with all their friends, don’t enjoy typical kid activities, such as watching Disney movies and playing with dolls. All the other children are blonde, rich girls, who are considered the â€Å"cool kids†. They are all apples of their parent’s eyes and truly enjoy being at summer camp. The children partake in typical â€Å"Indian† activities such as shooting bow ... ...to Bradford’s, â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation†. Americans have such a need to be exceptional and different that they are willing to risk their true history for a celebration that comes only once a year. It is important for American children to learn their true history rather than the alternative in order for them to understand the struggles the original founders went through to create the America we have today. Works Cited The Addams’ Family Values. Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld Perf. Angelica Houston, Raul Julia, Christopher Llyod, Joan Cusack, Christina Ricci, Carol Kane, Jimmy Workman. Paramount,1993. Bradford, William. â€Å"Of Plymouth Plantation.† Ed. Nina Baym. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: 2003. 156-195. Newman, Andrew. â€Å"William Bradford, the ‘Pilgrims’, Thanksgiving†. American Literature I. EGL 217. 06 Feb. 2006. (cited as â€Å"Lecture†)