Saturday, November 16, 2019
Resourcing Plan to Resource the International Convention Centre Essay Example for Free
Resourcing Plan to Resource the International Convention Centre Essay The resourcing plan for the International Convention Centre is a recommendation for establishing the most accurate staffing requirements, timescales, cost attributes, and the internal/external phases for implementation of the key resources required. The findings of research of prior organizations building a strong community to house the Olympics revealed the necessity to recruiting a competent senior management staff to lead the priorities warranted. The Board of Trustees are to be open for bold and direct solutions to allow the building of the site area to achieve the overall objectives of the Olympic mission leading up to and during the 2012 start timeframe. The resourcing plan outlined the beneficial aspects for key senior positions of management that will solely focus on areas that strengthens the proposal from the Olympic Business Tourism Steering Group. The senior management team is recommended to b led by a committee Chief Executive Officer that provides analysis of the financial platform, human resources platform, tourism platform, maintenance, security, and East London Life surrounding business entities concerns and interests. The CEO has the power to redirect resources that can assist in achieving the overall goals of the Olympic Business Tourism Steering Group and the Board of Trustees. In doing so, the CEO will be the central contact person to answer questions and concerns during the leading up to and during the 2012 start of the Olympics. The implementation of the CEO and him/her primary responsibility provides the needed functional organization structuring to facilitate the streamline processes of building a strong foundation within the East London Life center area. The importance of organizational structuring in the resource plan empowers the recommended designated CEO to effectively diagnose situations related to the needs of the Olympic Business Tourism Steering Group and the East London Life for appropriate action and performance to marketing the games (Chitty and Barker and Shimp 2005:225). The organizational behavior is a critical aspect to assist the CEO in accessing the particular skills of the current and additional staff members within a functional organizational matrix (George and Jones 2005:129). The understanding of organizational behavior from a CEO perspective presents an in-depth conceptual, technical, decision making, and interpersonal skills that are required to successfully manage complex project teams such. The Time-Scales Identified The CEO is recommended to work with the Human Resources Director, Finance Director, Marketing Director, Facility Director, and Specialist Resourcing Strategy Consultant to identify core timetables needed to facilitate changes. These timetables play into the time-scales required in order to successfully outlining the criteriaââ¬â¢s needed for the leading to the run up to the 2012. The current overall timeframe is 4 years until the lighting of the torch to start the 2012 Olympics; therefore, the main concern is accurate staffing and preferred options to securing such staffing. The available choices are already staff employees from the East London Life center area that are willing to commit to the run up to 2012 as well as during and after the Olympics. The collected research on available participants for the run up to 2012 averages around 1,800 already staff employees of the consortium. The commitment of the average of 1,800 employees to the requirements set forth by the Board of Trustees entailing a focus on great co-ordination skills, excellent human resources and effective supported services (Tousey and Mathison 2008:55). This focus will play a pivotal role in setting up a longtime goal of the Board of Trustees for establishing an opportunity on international branding for doing business in the area after the 2012 Olympics. Conversely, the timescale for within the 1st year is to confirm of the interested individuals on a voluntary basis that will bring the total amount to 4,500-5,000. Therefore, the completion of the overall staffing requirements under the senior management team will need to be at the end of the 12th month. This timeframe will present the senior management team to fully recruit, train, and reinforce the core attributes embedded in the organizational behavior structure to demonstrate a focus on great co-ordination skills, excellent human resources and effective supported services. The first 6-month timetable is to utilizing the hiring and processing of paperwork that entails outlining specific individual responsibilities, benefits, the pay rate, and security measures. The remaining 6-month timetable is to focus on extensive training on the primary objective to demonstrate desired skills. Within the first 2 years, the timescale is to focus on common theme of the East London Life center area that highlights the culture and theme of the 2012 Olympics. The commitment of the staff employees and volunteers will provide the required synergy to demonstrate a professional and creative experience for the Olympics. The two year timescale has the advantage to identify and present resolutions for any issues or problems discovered during the run up to 2012. The overall staff employee teams are more inclined to share ideas and restrictions to the senior management team within the desired organizational behavior structure required to reaching a successful point of reference to the start of the Olympics. The remaining two years are to focus on leading up to and during the 2012 Olympics. Therefore, the highlighting of securing short-term contracts with vendors is imperative for the second phases of the implementation of initiatives for the forthcoming event. The short-term contracts with vendors and sub-vendors contractors are essential to staying within the designated budget to ensure a well structured organization. The last two years are to show a commitment to including the business owners of the buildings that will occupy the Olympic committee personnel, senior management, and other related individuals or groups that displays a welcoming attitude through available resources. The Human Resource Director and Marketing Director The imperative positions of the Human Resource Director and Marketing Director provide the CEO to strategically direct the overall operations of the timescale section of the resource plan. The Human Resource Director primary objective is the leading representative to empower all staff members in the desired organizational behavior that instills the focus on great co-ordination skills, excellent human resources and effective supported services (Rachels 1999:78). The challenges in projects can create multiple tasks to reaching the goals outlined in the project scope. For instance, the team formation process is detrimental to moving through phrases of forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning to reaching the completion of the planned project (Johnston and Zawawi 2000:78). The Human Resource Director and Marketing Director is to present the primary role in understanding the functional project organization assists in identifying the organizational behavior within the context of team building to successfully moving through the phrases to create productive occupation of the 2012 Olympics (Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, and Sutton, 2008:117). The Marketing Director is to provide the required protocols that designated staff team to incorporate a two-fold approach of advertising the 2012 Olympics during the run up to and during the games (Pelsmacker 2006:49). The marketing approaches are to demonstrate the East London Life area culture themes and specialties relating to identifying the location area as well as the Olympics to solidifying the objective for broadening the international appeal. The utilization of the identified organizational behavior concepts of the team and the functional organization to apply appropriate human interpersonal skills for applied motivation, knowledge, decision making, change management, code of ethics, style of communication, and leadership direction (Cooper, Raymond 2005:199) The interaction between the Human Resource Director and the Marketing Director are stringent to formed strong interconnected relationship that strengthens the communication matrix to facilitate the primary objectives. The effort for sharing and receiving imperative information concerning the stages of the project criteriaââ¬â¢s assist in reporting the appointed CEO of progress towards goal of 2012. Therefore, the organizational behavior presents a synergy to the effective communication matrix monitored by the Human Resource Director in lined with the Marketing Director to effectively channel all required policies and practices for staff members. According to David Hunger (2007), the organizational context methodology will determine the success of the planned resource project that defines and enforce the organizational behavior concept within the organization. The specialist Human Resource Strategist Consultant is to offer the resource planning an effective communication measure that balances the information and data between senior management and directors in human resources and marketing to successfully resource the international convention centre. According to Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, and Sutton (2008), the project consultant will have to implement the need for cooperationââ¬â¢s between all departments of interests that encourages the innovation and correlation reinforced the indentified organizational behavior concept (Hunger 2007:112). The Finance Director and Facility Director Cost Benchmark The expectations of the completed scope objectives of the 2012 Olympics are a formation of a productive overall team of professionals by minimizing costs to heighten projected profit along with brand identity (Wild, Wild, and Han 2006:28). The Finance Director primary criteria of the organizational context will need to focus on demonstrating good decision making (Saunders 2007:38). The Finance Director core objectives are identifying and recording the East London area organized efforts to staying on schedule and within budget. The recommended approach to a structured organizational concept is in relations to the Finance Director to direct any subjected overruns of expenses during the run up to the Olympics. Respectively, the Finance Director in most organizations play a pivotal role in balancing the allocation of funding at the appropriate time to reach desired project management goals of such magnitude of the Olympics to assure the project is moving in the desired direction (PMBOK, 204:121). The cost benchmarks are to not reach 20% of the confirmed budget for the run up to the Olympics and to not exceed 35% during the games. The Finance Director responsibility to work in cooperation with the Facility Director that guarantees the overseeing of internal and external costs related to hotel reservations, restaurants patrons, maintenance teams, Olympic merchandising, and entertainment (Schein 2004:95). The East London Life scope objectives identifies the required organizational culture environment to follow the policy of strict usages of products and services during the 1-2 years of run up to 2012 that streamline all projected costs. Some of the identified organizational policy problems that can halt the mission of the Finance Director and Facility Director is by the impacts of the staff employees and volunteer team members that fails to communicate senior management protocol of price controls, safety measures that could cause accidents, and approved Olympic Business Tourism Steering Group approved vendor materials and/products that overall assist in cost management. The transfer of information and deliverables between the Finance Director and the Facility contributes to the primary objective to reduce policy concerns illustrated by the senior management from the Board of the Trustees and the Olympic Business Tourism Steering Group for a clear understanding of the project needs. Essentially benefits all associated individuals to the progress of the team within the organizational culture framework (Samson 2008:101). Report Analysis of Potential Risks and Identified Solutions Several risks identified are security, lack of demonstrating the human relations protocols, conservation of resources and energy as well as adhering to timescales/timetables. The most significant risk for the project is the potential lack of demonstrating the human relations protocols that demonstrates the high levels of customer service and satisfaction from competent and helpful staff members will be the key to success for the resource plan objective of the international convention centre. The risk pinpointed in relation to the human relations aspects that underscore the potential for failure if not proven measures are implemented to the staff and/or volunteers (Kotter 1996:88). The senior leadership team of the Human Director, Finance Director, Marketing Director, Facility Director, and Specialist Human Resourcing Strategy Consultant must incorporate the core desired human relations outcomes both internally and externally to the staff members. If not, the potential risk can create substantial downturn in the Board of Trustees projected organizational behavior mindset of staff members for the run up to and during the 2012 Olympics. The solution for the identified risk is the implementation of the theory of motivation for the CEO to utilize in solidifying the management team to then reflect the desired organizational policy of behavior to the staff. In doing so, the coordinated effort to progress theory of motivation scientific approach tactics is critical for achieving the planned goals. References ââ¬â 16 George, Jennifer M. and Jones, Gareth R. (2005) Understanding and Managing Organizational Behavior, Fourth Edition, Pearson, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Mantel, Samuel J. Meredith, Jack R. Shafer, Scott M. Sutton, Margaret M. (2008) Project Management In Practice, Third Edition, John Wiley Sons, Inc. Hunger, David J. (2007) Essentials of Strategic Management, Fourth Edition, Pearson, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Wouters, Marc and Wilderom, Celeste (2008) Accounting, Organizations and Society, Periodical, Proquest Doc. ID 1456200771, ISSN 03613682, Vol. 33, Iss. 4/5; pg. 488 Tosey, Paul and Mathison (2008) Human Resources Development Review, Gregory Bateson Theory Concepts on Organization Structure Behavior, Periodical, Proquest Doc. ID 1433203701, ISSN 154344843M, Vol. 7, Iss. 1; pg 13 Chitty, W. Barker, N. Shimp, T. A. (2005). Integrated Marketing Communications. Melbourne: Nelson. Johnston, J. Zawawi, C. (2000). Public Relations Theory and Practice (2nd ed). Sydney: Allen Unwin Pelsmacker, Patrick (2006) Marketing Communications: A European Perspective. Financial Times/ Prentice Hall; 3 edition Saunders, Mark (2007) Research Methods for Business Students. Financial Times/ Prentice Hall; 4 edition Schein, Edgar (2004) Organizational Culture and Leadership. Jossey Bass; 3rd Edition Samson, Danny (2008). Operations Management. Retrieved November 8, 2008 from http://www. cambridge. org/us/catalogue/catalogue. asp? isbn=9780521700771ss=toc Wild, John J. , Wild, Kenneth L. , Han, Jerry C. Y. , (2006). International Business, The Challenges of Globalization PMBOK Guide (2004) A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Third Edition. PMI Global Standard Cooper, Dale and Raymond, G. , (2005) Managing Risk in Large Projects and Complex Procurements Kotter, John (1996) Leading Change. Harvard Business School Press Rachels, James. (1999). The Elements of Moral Philosophy, Boston: McGraw-Hill College.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Disease Outbreak :: Epidemic Short Story Essays
Disease Outbreak An inhuman sound disrupted my peaceful slumber. My eyes shifted slowly toward my clock. The red numbers confirmed my suspicion. "Christ," I thought to myself. "3:30 in the morning. This is going to be a bad day of work." I pushed my blankets off of me and sat up in bed. To my left, the sheets were already pushed back and Marissa was nowhere to be seen. At first, I didn't make the connection; I was too tired from working 12-hour shifts at the hospital and thinking was not my number one priority right now. With another intense day ahead of me, I wanted every second of sleep I could possibly take. I was about to fall asleep when the noise shook my soul again. It reminded me of a chain-smoker who suffered from emphysema. Now fully awake, I walked towards the bathroom. The noise appeared to come from there and as I approached closer, my heart began to race. Marissa was doubled over on the bathroom ground, moaning in deep physical pain. I quickly lifted up her body and held her in my arms. Her skin felt like fire as I held her up. She looked at me with glassy eyes and mumbled, "Rick, I don't feel too good." "Just try to be quiet and let me take care of you. You probably have just a stomach flu, nothing else." I was trying to convince myself more than her. Cautiously, I began to [keep] a simple checkup on her. Her pulse was racing, well above any healthy level. She appeared to suffer from stomach pains and peered into the toilet and despite its soupy appearance still had the faint appearance of last night's dinner. "It's just a stomach flu, right?" That is what her symptoms told me, but something was wrong with it. Marissa was the perfect picture of health. She always liked to do nature walks, go to the gym regularly, and followed a balanced diet. Deep down, I knew that if it was the stomach flu, I would be suffering from it too. My mind jumped back to the hospital locker room wall where a notice hung in bold red letters: "WARNING! Be extra cautious with patients showing flu and stomach flu like symptoms. Disease Outbreak :: Epidemic Short Story Essays Disease Outbreak An inhuman sound disrupted my peaceful slumber. My eyes shifted slowly toward my clock. The red numbers confirmed my suspicion. "Christ," I thought to myself. "3:30 in the morning. This is going to be a bad day of work." I pushed my blankets off of me and sat up in bed. To my left, the sheets were already pushed back and Marissa was nowhere to be seen. At first, I didn't make the connection; I was too tired from working 12-hour shifts at the hospital and thinking was not my number one priority right now. With another intense day ahead of me, I wanted every second of sleep I could possibly take. I was about to fall asleep when the noise shook my soul again. It reminded me of a chain-smoker who suffered from emphysema. Now fully awake, I walked towards the bathroom. The noise appeared to come from there and as I approached closer, my heart began to race. Marissa was doubled over on the bathroom ground, moaning in deep physical pain. I quickly lifted up her body and held her in my arms. Her skin felt like fire as I held her up. She looked at me with glassy eyes and mumbled, "Rick, I don't feel too good." "Just try to be quiet and let me take care of you. You probably have just a stomach flu, nothing else." I was trying to convince myself more than her. Cautiously, I began to [keep] a simple checkup on her. Her pulse was racing, well above any healthy level. She appeared to suffer from stomach pains and peered into the toilet and despite its soupy appearance still had the faint appearance of last night's dinner. "It's just a stomach flu, right?" That is what her symptoms told me, but something was wrong with it. Marissa was the perfect picture of health. She always liked to do nature walks, go to the gym regularly, and followed a balanced diet. Deep down, I knew that if it was the stomach flu, I would be suffering from it too. My mind jumped back to the hospital locker room wall where a notice hung in bold red letters: "WARNING! Be extra cautious with patients showing flu and stomach flu like symptoms.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Monsanto — Appointing, Legislating, and Lobbying Its Way to the Top
Interest groups are defined as an ââ¬Å"organized group of people that makes policy-related appealsâ⬠and they can have a profound effect on our government and society (Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 419). These groups represent their interests in the political arena in a variety of ways; they can get government officials appointed to government positions, lobby government officials, and fund media to advertise their message to mobilize public opinion and sway voters. Businesses interest groups in particular utilize these strategies, because there is an economic incentive in passing favorable laws and conveying a good image to government and the public. One business interest currently benefiting from their interaction with the Obama administration is Monsanto. Monsanto is a billion dollar company responsible for genetically modified seeds, the chemical Roundup and its associated Roundup ready crops, the toxic chemical substance Agent Orange, bovine growth hormones (rBGH), and the synthetic sugar substitute known as aspartameââ¬âto name a few. As a business interest group, it has been a terrific success in using government to push its agenda, much to the dismay of environmental activists, scientists, and concerned citizens who want their government to regulate businesses and protect the public. This paper will examine how business interest groups like Monsanto have been able to further their agenda under the Obama administration through the appointment of employees to federal positions, lobbying, and use of media to mobilize public opinion. ) Appointment to Federal positions The appointment of employees in business to positions in government is a common occurrence today and is often referred to as ââ¬Å"The Revolving Doorâ⬠. This is the shuffling in and out of government and private sector jobs, and it is bad because it leaves these government officials with biases and the high chance of being favorable to their former employer. In the Obama administration, there are currently many revolvers from private industry (â â¬Å"Revolving Doorâ⬠). One current revolver from Monsanto who is now making policy decisions regarding our food safety is Michael Taylor. Michael Taylor was named deputy commissioner for foods at the Food and Drug Administration in January 2010 and is a former Vice President of Monsantoââ¬â¢s Public Policy(ââ¬Å"Meet Michael R. Taylor, J. D. , Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicineâ⬠). This obviously creates a bias when making decisions about policies regarding products manufactured by Monsanto, such as genetically modified foods or the bovine growth hormones used in milk. When Monsanto employees like Michael Taylor get into these agencies, they are usually favorable to their former employer Monsanto when making decisions. They also ensure direct access for lobbyists to the agencies they are in control of; ââ¬Å"many of Washingtonââ¬â¢s top lobbyists have close ties to important members of congress or were themselves important political figures, thus virtually guaranteeing that clients will have direct access to government officialsâ⬠(Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 414). Taylor is a former lobbyist and current government official who now gives Monsanto full access into the decision making of many of Americanââ¬â¢s decisions about food. Unfortunately, he is just one in a litany of government officials who have vested interests in the private sector while still being allowed to make decisions affecting the health and safety of the American public. By getting employees into federal positions, businesses increase their chances of creating a strong iron triangle system that supports their interest group. The iron triangle is a ââ¬Å"stable, cooperative relationship that often develops among a congressional committee, an administrative agency, and one or more supportive interest groupsâ⬠(Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 418). This iron triangle system is powerful in creating favorable legislation and regulation for Monsanto; their good working relationship with legislative committees and executive agencies allows them to support their agenda and further their business by directly shaping policy outcomes. 2) Lobbying members of congress Lobbying is a critical part of how interest groups represent their agenda in government and seek passage of favorable legislation. A lobbyistââ¬â¢s goal is to influence policy in a certain direction by ââ¬Å"mobilizing individual citizens to contact legislators (grassroots lobbying), testifying at hearings, submitting written comments to an agency or committee, press releases, and other activitiesâ⬠(Hasen 217). Lobbyists also take full of advantage of their direct access and ââ¬Å"personal contact with legislators and taff membersâ⬠to influence policy decisions (Hasen 217). Monsanto is incredibly adept in all these areas, and was the top lobbying client in the agribusiness sector with $8,831,120 spent in 2008 and $5,970,000 in expenditures in 2012 (ââ¬Å"Annual Lobbying on Agricultural Servicesâ⬠). Business interest groups often lobby congress and the executive branch to promote their agendas and enact favorable laws and regulations. They do this by gaining dir ect access to members of Congress and federal agencies and making their interests heard. This is even encouraged by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) that ââ¬Å"requires most federal agencies to provide notice and an opportunity for comment before implementing proposed new rules and legislationâ⬠(Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 434). This allows businesses like Monsanto to meet with agencies like the USDA, FDA, and EPA to weigh in on issues that affect them, such as the merits and safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOââ¬â¢s), discouraging labeling of GMOSââ¬â¢s, or enforcement rules on chemicals and pesticides. Research shows that business interest groups have gained legislative success through directly influencing the bureaucracy. According to research, the ââ¬Å"significant trait in interest group influence is the privileged, institutionalized integration of some groups into public decision makingâ⬠(Binderkrantz 177-78). Because of Monsantoââ¬â¢s high level of activity with government agencies and their ability to get access and lobby officials directly, their opinion is often integrated into public policy. Another way Monsanto lobbyists gain influence is through the information they have to offer the government. Research says ââ¬Å"the most important factor governing the influence of a group was the ability of a group to provide lawmakers with both technical and political informationâ⬠(Smith 235). Monsanto provides busy government officials with information about the issues that conveys authority and touts research backing, making policy decisions easier for a government official who may know nothing about the subject otherwise. In fact, many politicians say lobbyists are an essential part of government; in response to a 1978 bill expanding lobbying disclosures, Senators Edward Kennedy, Dick Clark, and Robert Stafford issued the statement that ââ¬Å"Government without lobbying could not function. The flow of information to Congress and to every other federal agency is a vital part of our democratic systemâ⬠(Ginsberg, Lowi, and Weir 431). This quote exemplifies how politicians rely on lobbyists as an essential source of information regarding policy issues. Lobbyistââ¬â¢s role as conduits of this information to government is crucial because they are in complete control of how information is presentedââ¬âand thus how their agenda is received. One recent piece of legislation that Monsanto benefited from because of the information their ability to directly access lawmakers was House Resolution 933, an emergency spending bill passed to fund government operations through September and avert a government shutdown. The bill, signed by President Obama on March 26th 20013, will continue to protect this multi-billion dollar corporation from legal ramifications of the safety of its products. The budget bill, now dubbed the ââ¬Å"Monsanto Protection Actâ⬠, inserted an unrelated provision that grants Monsanto against legal injunction for the next year and the ability to continue planting seeds and harvesting crops even if there are problems found with genetically modified organisms. Because they were trying to rush this bill through to avoid government shutdown, these shady provisions were able to sneak through. The Missouri Senator who added in the bill, Roy Blunt, admits he worked with Monsanto in creating the details of this legislature (ââ¬Å"New Law Spurs Controversy, Debate Over Genetically Modified Cropsâ⬠). This piece of protective legislation shows how corporations can use their direct access to government officials to alter policy changes. Because of this advantage of access and authority, business interest groups like Monsanto are extremely successful in transforming their agenda into public policy. Overall, research does indicate that there is a bias towards businesses. When comparing comments from business to nonbusiness commenters in federal agency hearings, there was a clear winner in policy outcomes. Agencies are more likely to be persuaded by lobbyists for business interests because of ââ¬Å"the number of comments coming from business interestsâ⬠and the fact that the ââ¬Å"comments from business-related interests provide more information and signal a greater level of commenter expertise, causing agencies to respond to the requests madeâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (Webb 128). This research shows business interest groups have the advantage both in the amount of input, and the sense of credibility the information has coming from a large industry. Monsanto educates these government officials through their companyââ¬â¢s own agenda and thus often succeeds in getting the policies it wants passed. This bias towards businesses undercuts the effectiveness of pluralism. Pluralism is the theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government, with the outcome of this competition being compromise and moderation. The idea is that people will belong to interest groups that affect them and let their voices be heard by government, so that their needs can be met. Unfortunately, business interest groups often have a much greater voice than other interest groups through their existing ties to government via federal appointments and because of their financial power to fund lobbyists. Because they have a greater presence, the corporationââ¬â¢s needs are met while the needs of the public become secondary. While ââ¬Å"interest group pluralism presumes that public policy outcomes are determined principally through a contest for influence among organized pressure groupsâ⬠, we can see that it isnââ¬â¢t a very fair contest when Monsantoââ¬â¢s lobbyists have millions more dollars to spend. Stephenson and Jackson 7) It is clear that there is a negative implication of lobbying when legislation begins to favor elite interests rather than the public good. Because business interest groups are able to influence government in a disproportionately higher rate than citizens, ââ¬Å"legislative outputs no longer reflect the outcome of reasoned deba te, promoting the common good, or the preferences of the median voters. Instead, public policy reflects the preferences of lobbyistsââ¬â¢ clientsâ⬠(Hasen 219). 4. Mobilizing Public Opinion Through Media Monsanto, like other interest groups, often uses media to further its cause. It can be used to rally support for the products it makes or it can be used to oppose policies that could affect the company negatively. Because it is a multi-billion dollar company, it is able to spend an inordinate amount to advertise their agenda and gain public favor more easily than companies that are not as well off financially. Research shows the effectiveness of an interest groupââ¬â¢s use of media is correlated to its money and size: ââ¬Å"the best predictor of an interest group's ability to use the mass media as a political tool is the level of organizational resources (money, members, staff, etc. it enjoysâ⬠(Thrall 417). This shows that the advertising messages the public receives is determined by who has the most money to market themselves, and companies like Monsanto are obviously a dominant influence due to their resources. A recent example of Monsantoââ¬â¢s use of the media to further its agenda was the attempt at labeling genetically modified organisms (G MOââ¬â¢s) that failed because of Monsantoââ¬â¢s supreme ability to mobilize public opinion. The California Proposition 37 added to the ballot in 2012 was an initiative to label foods that contain genetically modified organisms. Even with mounting concerns about public safety, Monsanto was able to control this issue through media and advertising and ensure that California voters would not let the proposition pass. They were successful because large companies were able to out fund non-profits and other groups who donated a fraction of Monsantoââ¬â¢s budget. Because of their resources and ability to advertise, Monsanto and other agribusinesses were able to easily sway voters with their carefully crafted ad campaigns. By paying to run millions of dollars on ads that threatened rising food costs if food labeling was required, they swayed many Americans worried about tough economic times. Their use of the media convinced citizens that labeling genetically modified foods was against their self-interests financially, and this threat prevented many people from voting the proposition through. It was a big comment on the state of consumer affairs in the country that a simple labeling law could not be passed; though the administration could follow many other countries leads and mandate GMO labeling, Monsanto is left deciding the fate of food with its money, power, and influence. 4) Conclusion: reaffirms your thesis statement, discusses the issues, and reaches a final judgment: your conclusion based on your research and your reasoning. Business interest groups are a powerful force in the decision making process of our country and will continue to exert force over policy as long as they have resources and access. To make their interests known and accepted, they utilize the attainment of federal positions, lobbying, litigation, and funding of media. To get their agenda expressed through the government, they use federal appointments in a process called the ââ¬Å"Revolving Doorâ⬠. This leads to biased decision making throughout branches of the government that can negatively affect policy outcomes for the public. If this continues, citizens will become alienated and distrusting of the federal government which seems to be only serving the elite interests of corporations. Lobbying is another way that citizens are rightly beginning to lose trust in the system. While in theory all interest groups are supposed to be able to lobby the government, only those interests with large amounts of money, access, and connections will have a good chance at having their interests be heard. Though there are regulations on how much lobbyists can spend and laws requiring them to register, it is still clear that lobbyists for billion dollar corporations are experiencing a higher level of success than public interest groups with little funding. This shows that in government, those with the most money and access will prevail. Unfortunately when ââ¬Å"businesses and trade associations make up more than half of the Washington lobbying communityâ⬠, it is unlikely citizens will fare as well as corporations (Baumgartner 1194). This has major implications when research shows that ââ¬Å"some special interest lobbies frequently influence legislation and regulation in ways thatâ⬠¦are detrimental to the public goodâ⬠(Baker 53). Regulations made from information presented by lobbyists doesnââ¬â¢t serve the public goodââ¬âit serves Monsantoââ¬â¢s. The use of the media is another area in which Monsanto has dominated its competition. It was the highest contributor in advertising against Proposition 37, and the over seven million dollars poured into the cause was effective in squashing the issue of labeling genetically modified food. When a group like Monsanto is able to pour that amount of funds into mobilizing public opinion, they have complete control over the issue and how they want it to be seen and voted on by the American public. With enough money they were able to assuage concerns over the safety of genetically modified foods and managed to convince people it would actually go against their own self interests in terms of cost. The elite team of advertisers Monsanto has the funds to hire enables them to spin their issues in any way they need to in order to gain both governmental and public support for their agenda. By gaining support they can ensure individuals vote to Monsantoââ¬â¢s benefit and donââ¬â¢t actively oppose the company, leaving their profit motive as the single determiner of important public policy.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Financial Planner Essay
Among the many career fields to choose from, Iââ¬â¢d like to pursue one in the financial planning industry. A financial plannerââ¬â¢s job is diverse and could be in areas like management of cash flow, investment and retirement planning, tax and estate planning, insurance and risk management planning, among others. There are also job opportunities outside personal planning that provides more financial rewards. I believe this job to be interesting, challenging and beneficial to people. This isnââ¬â¢t like other jobs wherein youââ¬â¢re only there to perform a task ââ¬â sometimes without knowing the end result or the product of your efforts. As a financial planner, a person is able to help other people in more significantly, even in a life-changing manner. Itââ¬â¢s a fact that many people have great ideas and good intentions regarding their finances, but few have the willpower and the right know-how to execute their plans. Thatââ¬â¢s where I see myself helping. Iââ¬â¢d like to see people to be more financially stable and create for themselves a nest egg for their future. People should be aware of financial planning at an early age. The earlier a person starts setting aside part of his income for a financial plan, the more secure is his future going to be. Another reason why Iââ¬â¢d like to have a career in this field is because I get stimulated when dealing with numbers. Crafting plans after studying pages of figures and mathematical formulas is something that does not daunt me. According to journals and news articles that have been published regarding the financial planning field, the demand for financial planners are rising globally as more and more people are becoming aware of the importance of having tailored financial plans for themselves. Over the years, financial planners have gradually, but consistently, created a niche for themselves in the market. There are several factors that have contributed to the upswing of demand for financial planners. In the earlier years, people were happy with social security benefits and old age Planner 2 pensions provided by the government. But years later, peopleââ¬â¢s outlook has shifted and the idea of being more comfortable and secure in old age have dominated the minds not just of those who are near retirement but even those who are still relatively young. Awareness among young professionals is seen to continue within the next decade, making it reasonably safe to assume that demand for financial programs and financial planners will continue. Another reason why the financial planning business has risen is caused by uncertainties in the stock markets. People are now opting to seek professional advice, before investing in a particular bond or stock. There is also a growing demand for financial planners outside the personal planning arena. Financial planners have found themselves becoming more and more necessary in banks and other financial institutions. Their expertise is needed in determining risks involved in investment vehicles. The pay scale and benefits that a certified financial planner receives differ from company to company, experience, and type of certification. A person who holds a position in higher management, like a vice president or portfolio manager, will earn a six-digit figure. Likewise, a person whoââ¬â¢s been a financial planner for more than twenty years will also receive a six-digit salary. Entry-level compensation is often in the range of $30,000 to $40,000. The banking industry and other financial institutionsââ¬â¢ salaries are often higher compared to other industries. For instance, a job posting for a financial advisor in Connecticut offers an annual income of $50,000 to $80,000. Another example is an ad for looking for financial planning director, which offers at least $150,000 annual income. But whatââ¬â¢s more attractive about being a financial planner is the opportunity to earn more than your basic salary. Commissions and incentives are given for every transaction. A personââ¬â¢s overall income is often measured by how well he networks and sells financial products.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Advertising and Body Satisfaction in Women
Advertising and Body Satisfaction in Women Introduction The role of women in advertising has remained a contentious issue in the contemporary society. For many years, advertisers have used women as advertising objects thus triggering debates and research interest to unravel the unknown truth behind women and advertising. With most adverts carrying the image of women, it is clear that they usually have an impact on viewers in terms of perception towards self-image.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Advertising and Body Satisfaction in Women specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Needless to mention, all media channels like television, magazines and even the internet are full of adverts carrying the image of a woman (Ohio State University, 2011). Even though this is never a concern to advertisers and marketers, it has been found that women usually get affected by such media images and influence their perception towards self-esteem. In this regard, this paper e xplores the relationship between advertising and body image satisfaction. Literature review The concept of body image and how women are portrayed in the media has continuously drawn the attention of people from all walks of life, including authors, scholars and researchers. In understanding this concept, they have dedicated their time and resources in documenting their findings in form of books, journals and internet articles for future reference and academic edification. This segment synthesizes findings from an array of reputable authors who have broadly covered the topic of advertising and body image satisfaction in women. What is body image? From a psychological point of view, body image refers to ones attitude towards own body with regard to sexual attractiveness and aesthetics. (Festinger, 1957). The phrase was first coined in 1935 by a neurologist from Australia in an article which he described the image and appearance of the human body and how it is viewed by the society. Al though the society has always placed a lot of emphasis on beauty, individualââ¬â¢s perception over their bodies may not necessarily match the standards of the society.Advertising Looking for research paper on advertising? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Body image is therefore thought to be a product of several aspects, which define human identity (Clay, Vignoles Dittmar, 2005). These aspects include but not limited to personalities, individual experiences and other forces, which could either be cultural or social. As a result, the sense of physical appearance usually can transform body image in relation to other people or the ideal image recognized by the society (Manasia, 2011). It therefore follows that an individualââ¬â¢s perception may not necessarily reflect other peopleââ¬â¢s point of view. The ultimate impact of this scenario is either a case of satisfaction or dissatisfaction depending on an indivi dualââ¬â¢s body rating. Due to high value attached to body image and sexualization of women, there has been increasing anxiety related to body image around the world. As a sensitive issue that revolves around gender, women are considered more vulnerable to body image anxiety as compared to their male counterparts. This high concern among women is dangerous since it may result into personality disorders and other health-related issues (Manasia, 2011). For instance, people who view themselves negatively are likely to engage several options like cosmetics and special dieting with an aim of achieving the desired image. Since no guarantee is given for the efficacy of such options, it is worth noting that this approach may lead to severe cases like scorched skin, eating disorders and overall low esteem. As mentioned above, matters of self-image mainly affect women in the society hence leading to altered self-esteem. In general, body image cannot be delinked from self-image. Negative bo dy image always makes a woman to lose her inner self-worth. This means that a person would become less valuable in her own eyes based on judgmental assumptions made from their perceptions. Self-esteem is an essential necessity for both men and women (Maddox, 2005).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Advertising and Body Satisfaction in Women specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, when women view themselves negatively based on body image, the pride within themselves gets eroded to extreme levels that may cause one to lose friends before disconnecting from the social world. This mainly occurs due to body image dissatisfaction. People with a higher self-esteem usually enjoy life to the fullest, make friends easily, manage their feelings and behavior and develop an overall acceptance of who they are (Ohio State University, 2011). Being an important aspect of human life, it is imperative for the society to focus on developing a positive sense of being and encourage women to have a positive self image regardless of what may be considered as a perfect image. It augments body satisfaction and behavior personality as individuals are able to interact freely without putting a lot of concern on how they appear physically (Muscat, 2011). While these efforts are on, it is essential to point out the role of media in influencing personality image and ability of a person to accept who they are and develop an inner positive drive. Body image and media For a very long time, media has portrayed the image of women negatively or different from what the society considers as a standard image. This is common in advertising where most adverts carry images of women that end up affecting the overall body satisfaction among women. According to Manasia 2011, mass media affects the image of women in a wide range of ways. This occurs through the use of common technologies, which are applied in advertising, and they range from billboards, television, magazines and the internet. In a 2011 research explaining the impact of mass media on body image, Manasia wonders whether mass media has become the beholder of beauty in the contemporary society.Advertising Looking for research paper on advertising? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The research affirms that there is substantive evidence indicating that physical appearance of women is quite important in dictating the behavior of women and their average self-image (Manasia, 2011). In this study, it is undoubtedly clear that media has strong influence in enhancing body satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Many research findings support the hypothesis of this research arguing that most women around the world find image to be influential in their lives as it determines the manner in which they interact with others, perceive themselves and find satisfaction or dissatisfaction within (Kacey, n.d.). It filters down to the level of social acceptability as they feel recognized in terns of their body image. Unlike body satisfaction which most women find satisfaction, dissatisfaction can lead to serious withdrawal problems among women. In analyzing this issue, it is equally important to consider several aspects of beauty as portrayed by the media and advertising companies. Sm all sized-women are usually favored compared to average or bigger sizes. In such a case, women who find themselves within the favored category derive significant satisfaction in themselves as they are considered perfect (Media Awareness Network, 2010). On the other hand, women who may have a different body size tend to draw backwards with the fear of rejection due to perceived deviation from what is considered to be perfect in the society. This implies that adverts, which put a lot of emphasis on body size leave the viewer with a distorted mind concerning acceptable standards of beauty and perfection. However, satisfaction or dissatisfaction depends on the level of personal investment towards physical image (Kilbourne, 2011). In other words, this argument emphasizes the fact that the impact of body image in advertising affects women differently depending on an individualââ¬â¢s focus and concern over personal image. Other researches done further indicated that most women prefer tu rning to magazines, billboards and television adverts, which promote thinness as the ideal body figure to be recognized (Markey, Markey Birch, 2004). This seems to be personal-induced torture since some women get obsessed and lured to such images even when they fall outside the ideal bracket of beauty being emphasized by advertisers and other media companies. When women are exposed to images and video ads, which depict a particular attribute of beauty, they usually get angrier and depressed than before they interacted with the material. With these images dominating fashion magazines around the world, one wonders why women still purchase them, since they cause some level of body dissatisfaction (Biagi, 2011). According to Muscatell 2011, TV and magazines are filled with images that depict beauty and perfection among women. However, the main question revolves around the way beauty is represented. These images display ultra-thin women and other celebrities appearing with flawless body images. With regards to billboard adverts, Muscatell argues that it is possible for one to be left with body images in the mind while driving down city streets as billboards dominate all forms of ads on major roads and highways. In a 2011 article, Muscatell is concerned with the direction which advertising companies have taken and the way they define beauty. His main concern is the most probable way of adopting in order to correct the trend which continues to affect women psychologically as some of the sizes and figures, which are considered ideal seem to be unrealistic and unhealthy (Muscat, 2011). As further noted by authors, most women get dissatisfied when exposed to adverts in magazines, which support ultra-thin images. This may cause a feeling of lowliness as people imagine being unfit in the society and irrelevant in the societal context of beauty. Importantly, issues of satisfaction and dissatisfaction adversely affect women below the age of nineteen years as compared to ad ults and mature women (Kirsh, 2009). This is because young women are more concerned with body image and may suffer severely in an attempt to attain the size being perceived as acceptable by the media. For young women who may have this size, they also derive a lot of body image satisfaction as they may feel more acceptable, beautiful and recognizable in the society. On the contrary, those that do not meet perceived standards end up frustrated and may resort to unhealthy and dangerous means of attaining perceived duty. As a result, many develop eating disorders like bulimia and nervosa (Cortese, 2008). While many women get affected by adverts, which depict the body image, it is sometimes impossible to avoid the impact of adverts. How common are adverts of this nature? Regardless of the nature of products being marketed, women are commonly represented in ads (Grogan, 2008). Commercials ranging from foodstuffs to electronics carry the image of women with emphasis on particular attribute s of beauty like color and size. Additionally, our exposure to the media makes it impossible to avoid these adverts. How often do women visit the internet, watch TV or even drive on the streets? It is clear that the current environment is under significant influence of media that women who may choose to avoid fashion magazines may still suffer the impact of media adverts and get affected emotionally (Ussher, 2000). Theories Social construction theory The broadness of this theory covers a wide range of issues from economic to a personââ¬â¢s eating behavior at home. According to this theory, our lives are shaped depending on daily experiences which emanate from effects of numerous social agreements, shared social actions and several institutional practices. As a result, many things which are ignored and taken for granted are always results of human inter-subjectivity. On this basis, a social construct denotes anything in existence as a result of social interactions and not objectiv e reality. However, these components do exists as integral elements of our social life. Other social constructionists describe social constructs as epistemologically objective since they are objects which have meaning in our social lives. Additionally, social reality is rooted in human behavior, institutional practices, culture and different languages. From research carried out by different experts and psychologists around the world, it is evident that women get more affected by adverts than men. This could be explained from different perspectives including the way the society defines women as well as what they are expected to become in life. Through social construction of reality and construction theories, societies have developed norms and standards from a wide range of choices. In other words, whatever that is represented through adverts is not the inherent approach in describing body image but rather an adopted approach that has been adopted through countless choices (Berger Lu ckmann, 1991). In this understanding, social constructionists oppose essentialism, which basically emphasizes the need to observe natural rules as opposed to the creation of perceived social reality that seeks to justify why certain things have to be done in a different way from what is considered as a norm (Berger Luckmann, 1991). In relating this theory to women representation in adverts and satisfaction level, it suffices to mention that the contemporary society has realized the existence of several options and variables that could be used in measure beauty besides accepted ones. This makes it frustrating for women who do not meet the perceived standards since many get obsessed to conforming to the patterns of the world as compared to appreciating what they are. Body image satisfaction in women as influenced by adverts can also be explained using the cultivation theory which expounds on the long-term effects of watching television. Sociologists posit that television is a form of mass media, which has the capacity of binding societies and groups of people together through common behavior, ethics and stances (Berger Luckmann, 1991). Through cumulative impact of exposure to TV, victims like children accept certain trends, which begin shaping their lives with time. The same case applies to adverts and body image satisfaction in women. For a very long time, ultra-slim bodies in women with small tummies have been considered as core attributes of beauty in the society. In other words, these elements are widely acceptable and most people work towards attaining these cultivated features. When these images are carried in adverts on billboards, the internet and other advertising channels, they become widely acceptable and influential. As a result women suffer from body image dissatisfaction if they are not favored or derive a lot of satisfaction. Framing From a social science perspective, framing theory suggests that the exact manner in which something is presented to the public usually has significant influence on the choices made by affected people. It is viewed as an important approach as opposed to rational choice theory which describes how people strive to make rational choices in life regardless of the nature of the data given for analysis. It is important to note that communication plays a major role in framing theory because it evokes conceptual and moral frames through language. Additionally, frames form vital systems in the community which have to be built for a long period of time. As an art, framing can be essential when coupled with cognitive linguistics. Framing is closely related to agenda-setting although it focuses on the immediate issues at hand rather than an entire topic of research. According to framing theorists, the media usually places certain events within some space which has meaning as a way of drawing the public attention. As a result, the media is able to control the manner in which audience analyzes issues and mak es choices. Framing therefore revolves around how certain information is covered by the media and the way in which people choose to digest it. Frames influence peopleââ¬â¢s attitudes towards a given item being featured in the media. Framing theorists argue that systems are usually developed after some time. This is common in explaining the effects of media to the society. It follows that systems formed through framing and get accepted and assimilated as true and recommended standards (Scheufele, 1999). Additionally, this theory emphasizes the manner in which different items are presented. This presentation usually has impact on people or individuals interacting with it. In seeking social reality, women get influenced by representation of body image through adverts. As an acceptable system, many strive to mimic these standards while others get discouraged and dissatisfied with their body images as they may not measure up to the acceptable standards of beauty. Dealing with dissatis faction It is clear that representation of women through adverts has a profound impact on their perception towards their bodies and causes them to get flooded with negative mood and low self-esteem (Poveromo Hofstra University, 2007). As seen in the above segments of analysis, this may lead to social withdrawal and disconnection, emotional disability and poor eating habits among other adverse effects. Consequently, there is every need to help women to develop and nurture their self-worthiness regardless of how body images are represented through commercial ads. Through psychological efforts, suggestions have been put forth do deal with dissatisfaction among women emanating from negative media representation. One of these ways is cognitive dissonance. By definition, it refers to holding conflicting positions simultaneously (Festinger, 1957). This is common when a person believes that physical exercising is important but fails to make any efforts to get to the gym. In this approach, people are usually advised to alleviate their psychological discomfort by making sober and sound decisions. For the cited scenario, it would be recommendable for the person to go to the gym in order to stay physically fit or ignore and assume that exercising was not that important. Besides being supported by advertising companies, women ought to be informed that being heavy is healthier than struggling to become ultra-slim (Wykes Gunter, 2005). In so doing, victims are likely to have a different attitude towards their bodies and maintain a positive self-image. Future research questions In addressing future interests, researches should focus on answering the following research issues: How to prevent dissatisfaction caused by negative body representation of women in adverts. Why men are rarely affected by adverts with regard to body dissatisfaction. Conclusion and recommendations It is more evident than not that media has an array of effects on the society. Even though some people argue that the impact of media cannot be quantified, its influence has far-reaching effects. Of significance is the manner in which our behaviors get transformed by emulating celebs and other prominent people dominating the media. This is usually a perceived assumption that media personalities are perfect in character (Cohen, 2006). The same argument is used by advertising companies to woo customers. By making adverts associated with certain individuals, psychologists have proven that people get easily swayed in decision-making, a concept that marketers take capitalize. However, common representation of women body image in ads has negative effects. Women get satisfied or dissatisfied depending on whether the image portrayed favors them or not. Dissatisfaction results into other unhealthy and fatal cases like personality disorders and change of behavior. On the other hand, satisfaction may influence the society to believe that a certain trend is acceptable and worth nurturing (Tiggem ann Slater, 2003). This research has supported the hypothesis that advertising has a significant impact on body image satisfaction in women. References Berger, P., Luckmann, T. (1991). The social construction of reality: a treatise in the sociology of knowledge. City of Westminster, London: Penguin Books. Biagi, S. (2011). Media Impact: An Introduction to Mass Media. Stamford, Connecticut, U.S: Cengage Learning. Clay, D., Vignoles, V., Dittmar, H. (2005). Body Image and Self-Esteem among Adolescent Girls: Testing the Influence of Socio-cultural Factors. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 15(4), 451ââ¬â477. Cohen, S. (2006). Media Exposure and the Subsequent Effects on Body Dissatisfaction, Disordered Eating, and Drive for Thinness: A Review of the Current Research. The Wesleyan Journal of Psychology, 1, 57-71. Cortese, J. (2008). Provocateur: images of women and minorities in advertising. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman Littlefield. Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive diss onance. London: Stanford University Press. Grogan, S. (2008). Body image: understanding body dissatisfaction in men, women, and children. United Kingdom: Taylor Francis. Kacey, D. (n.d.). Greening: The Objectification and Dismemberment of Women in the Media. Capital University. Retrieved from kon.org/urc/v5/greening.html Kilbourne, J. (2011). Beautyand the Beast of Advertising. Center for media Literacy. Retrieved from medialit.org/reading-room/beautyand-beast-advertising Kirsh, S. (2009). Media and youth: a developmental perspective. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons. Maddox, R. (2005). Cognitive responses to idealized media Images of women: the relationship of Social comparison and critical Processing to body image disturbance in college women. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24(8), 1114-1138. Manasia, T. (2011). Effects of Media on Body Image. Vanderbilt University. Retrieved from http://healthpsych.psy.vanderbilt.edu/media_and_body_image.htm Markey, C., Markey , P., Birch, L. (2004). Understanding Womenââ¬â¢s Body Satisfaction. Sex Roles, 51(4), 209ââ¬â216. Media Awareness Network. (2010). Beauty and Body Image in the Media. Media Awareness Network. Retrieved from media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty.cfm Muscat, K. (2011). Canââ¬â¢t Get No (Body) Satisfaction: Media Effects on Body Image. Psychology in Action. Retrieved from psychologyinaction.org/2011/09/19/can%E2%80%99t-get-no-body-satisfaction-media-effects-on-body-image/ Ohio State University. (2011). Medias focus on ideal body shape can boost womens body satisfaction, for a while. Science Daily. Retrieved from sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110411121557.htm Poveromo, J., Hofstra University. (2007). Magazine influence and body dissatisfaction in women: An examination of initial body dissatisfaction, social comparison, and internalization of the thin ideal. Michigan: ProQuest. Scheufele, D. (1999). Framing as a theory of media effec ts. Journal of Communication, 103-122. Tiggemann, M., Slater, A. (2003). Thin Ideals in Music Television: A Source of Social Comparison and Body Dissatisfaction. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 35, 48ââ¬â58. Ussher, J. (2000). Womens health: contemporary international perspectives. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell. Wykes, M. Gunter, B. (2005). The media and body image: if looks could kill. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE.
Monday, November 4, 2019
Why the Islam is a threat to the Western world Essay
Why the Islam is a threat to the Western world - Essay Example ng of thousands of Muslims that are living in the Western World, and new challenges are faced by them every other day due to the deteriorated circumstances created by the Islamic jihadists in these countries. In addition, plight of Western Muslims has exacerbated due to the extremism of a small number of Muslims in these countries. It is observed that many Western Muslims are putting their efforts for the improvement of image of Islam in the West; however, Islam is considered as one of the serious threats to the Western security and democracy. An extraordinary amount of anger and frustration is observed in Muslims in different parts of the globe due to the Western invasion in different Muslims parts, which has caused deaths of civilians by the Western forces in the name of War on Terrorism. A number of researches and studies have indicated that majority of the Muslim World has a negative and angry opinion related to the Western countries and its anti-Islamic policies. (Pratt, pp. 40-47) Moreover, a number of Western countries and its sensible individuals take the terrorist activities as isolated incidents of aggression rather than taking it as an Islamic threat. However, such positive perspective towards Islam has been affected by some issues that keep on presenting Islam as a religion of terror. The Western psyche has been affected by the attacks of September 11 on New York Twin Towers, as well as, suicide bombings on US-led forces and buildings in different parts of the world, particularly Iraq and Israel. In the result, Islam and Muslims are taken as terrorists and threats due to a number of episodes of suicide bombings. One of the reasons of such adverse effects on the Western psyche is the wrong utilization of freedom of speech by a minority of Western Muslims that present such terrorist activities as a noble and Islamic strategy of Islam religion. In the result, such negative approach has presented Islam as a threat and barbaric religion in the Western
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Microtubules Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Microtubules - Essay Example Microtubules Again, these mechanisms need further exploration but the existing understanding is that reorganization of F-actin causes destabilization of transinteraction between TJ and AJ proteins of the adjacent epithelial cells and in turn initiate AJC internalization. Microtubules, which are also an important element of intracellular cytoskeleton have also been found to be closely related to the cell movement as a whole or any intracellular structure formation like, vesiscles and their movement. Data support the abundance of microtubules in differentiated renal and intestinal cells and depolymerization of microtubules leading to disruption of the integrity of TJs and Ajs in some tissues like lungs. This evidence led the author to explore the role of microtubules depolymerization in the disruptions of apical junction complex. Existing evidence strongly support the role of microtubules depolymerization in the disruption of intercellular connections like tight junctions and adherens junction in various tissues and helps in the pathogenesis of various disease processes. In this regard it has been shown that the endothelial intercellular junctions are also disassembled as well as others like in the brain. Building a rationale on the basis of these data, author formulated a hypothesis: ââ¬Ëmicrotubules are involved in the disruption of apical junctions in simple epithelial cellsââ¬â¢.... 'Disassembly of the AJC in calcium depleted SK-CO-15 cells is dependent on microtubule integrity;' 'Inhibition or attenuation of AJC disassembly by microtubule stabilization would indicate the role for dynamic microtubules in the process;' 'Polarity of perijunctional microtubules would dictate the type of microtubule motor which is involved in disassembly and internalization of the AJC.' To test these hypotheses, the author carried out a research study where a number of experimental activities were carried out, like: use of antibodies for the detection of intercellular junctions, while microtubules were detected by immunoflurescence labeling and Western Blotting. Cell culture was used was SK-CO-15, which is a transformed human colonic epithelial cell line. To make the medium free from Ca++, the monolayers of epithelium were washed with calcium free-Eagle's minimum essential medium for suspension culture. Pharmacological agents utilized were; nocodazole; docetaxel and pacitaxel; adenylimidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP) and aurintriccarboxyylic acid (ATA). Major findings Through this experiment, the author has been able to demonstrate the role of microtubules depolymerization in the disassembly of junctional complexes through a variety of experimental evidence. Disassembly of the AJC in calcium depleted SK-CO-15 cells To answer the research question related to first sub-hypothesis, the findings have been: At normal Ca++ concentrations, depolymerized microtubules with nocodazole TJ and AJ proteins were found to be located at the cell-cell contacts, reflecting chicken-wire staining pattern while in the environment with depletion of Ca++ for one hour the result was disruption of AJs and TJs with accumulation of e-cadherin, occluding and ZO-1 in
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