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How Does Propaganda affect how we interact with each other?

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Propaganda is one form of communication, which tries to achieve response that promotes the desired intent of the propagandist (Dillon, 2009). Doubtless to say every conflict is fought at least on two grounds, the minds of individuals and the battlefield via propaganda. Both sides; the good and bad side can be guilty of misleading people with exaggerations, inaccuracy, distortions and at times fabricating information so as to receive a sense of authenticity and support from people. An example is the propaganda techniques that have been employed by the American government during the tragic hurricane Katrina incident. The tragic event paved way for a standard government response to a crisis, which entailed sabotaging the rescue mission efforts, reap from the windfall of the tragedy and dominate as well as enslave the victims of the tragedy. This paper examines propaganda as a technique of disseminating information and it also analyzes the three sociological theories.

According to functionalism perspective, a society is a system that incorporates interconnected parts, which work hand in hand in harmony to maintain social equilibrium and a balanced state for the whole (Calhoun, Gerteis & Moody, 2012). On the positive side, the government was trying to ensure the affected citizens get rescued and given better conditions by the Bush Administration. The positive effect created was to rebuild New Orleans and prevent the nation against further disasters. However, the negative side of the tragedy that hit New Orleans was the American government had developed an advanced technology, which would enable them to reduce and control hurricanes. This technology was put in place as a weapon rather than used for the rightful purpose of helping people during tragic moments. This theory views society as different parts working together however, conflict theory has a different perspective as it views society as composed of different groups having different interests and compete for resources and power.

The conflict theory explains the different aspects that make up the social world by looking at how societal groups have power and how they benefit from a particular social understanding (Calhoun, Gerteis & Moody, 2012). This theory is traced back to Carl Marx who suggests that societies go through different stages of financial development. Industrialization leads to development of two social classes; the haves and have nots (Dillon, 2009). Relating this theory to hurricane Katrina tragedy, propaganda is viewed in the sense that the government claimed that racial discrimination was not there. They claim that incidences of rape, looting, and black violence did not occur. In the real sense, the stories of the poor blacks who were left abandoned and with no survival means turned into tragic and sporadic violent attacks by the black community towards tourists, who were robbed and women raped (Zizek, 2005). Such reports generated fear, which caused some state officers, quit their work and deployment of troops to contain the situation; also, medical evacuations were delayed. FEMA on the hand turned back food, water and communication lines purporting they did not need them. Even when such reports about black looting, rape and violence prove to be true, stories that circulate would be untrue due to racial prejudice and conflict of interest between the various races around New Orleans and name calling since the black population is associated with violence and heinous acts (Zizek, 2005).

The theory of interactionism tends to look at the bigger picture of the society and suggests how the social problems are affected at institutional level (Jayapalan, 2001). It emphasizes that human behavior is influenced by definitions and meanings, which are created and maintained via symbolic interactions with one another. Human beings respond to defining the situation they are in rather than the objective state itself and situations viewed as real more often become real in their consequences.

Summarily, propaganda can be viewed in various ways as a means of creating scandals and tragedy that can cause havoc amongst individuals in a society. The theory of interactionism provides a better explanation of propaganda. This theory paints a bigger picture of societal problems unlike the conflict and functionalism theories. This theory is more improved and can be used to show that one’s identity is shaped by social interaction through observing how people interact and label other people they interact with.

Reference

Calhoun, C., Gerteis, J. & Moody, J. (2012). Contemporary Sociological Theory. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Dillon, M. (2009). Introduction to Sociological Theory: Theorists, Concepts, and their Applicability to the Twenty-First Century. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Jayapalan, N. (2001). Sociological Theories. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers.

Zizek, S. (2005). Katrina: Rumors, Lies, and Racist Fantasies. Retrieved December 25, 2013, from HYPERLINK “http://www.alternet.org/story/27442/katrina%3A_rumors,_lies,_and_racist_fantasies” http://www.alternet.org/story/27442/katrina%3A_rumors,_lies,_and_racist_fantasies.

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‘Ghost of the Past’ Analysis

The poem ‘Ghost of the Past’ is about a person struggling with depression. They experienced some time in the past and got better, but the illness has returned to torment the writer again. The writer wonders if they can survive their suffering as they did in the past. The poem employs several poetic devices such as imagery, allusions, personification, metaphors and similes. Imagery is used in lines 3 and 8 of the poem. Line 8 describes how the writer feels like a rudderless ship on a tumultuous sea. A ship needs a rudder to steer it in the right direction. Without it, the ship is simply drifting and with the sea being rough, the ship will ultimately be lost. From the line, readers can picture a rough sea with a ship floating without direction and helps them relate to how the writer feels.

Another poetic device used in the poem is allusion, in lines 6 and 13. Line 6 states that the writer found a messiah. The term messiah in religious terms refers to the Christian belief that Jesus Christ, the messiah, saved sinners from perishing. The writer similarly found a saviour in the past as they struggled with depression. Angles and demons in line 13 are also allusions. The two characters are historically known for their positive and negative influence on people, respectively. Demons lead people to bad decisions, as they urge the writer to give up in their struggle against mental illness. Angels, on the other hand, offer some encouraging words.

Personification, Metaphors and similes are also used in the poem. Line 3 states, “I feel this darkness embrace me with its deadly claws.” In this sentence, darkness has been given human qualities. Darkness has no hands with which to hug a person, but personification gives it this ability. Line 5 is also an example of personification, as the writer explains their pas battle with depression. The ability to fight requires human abilities such as taking or wielding a weapon. Line 8 shows an example of a simile, “I feel like a rudderless ship…” The writer compares himself with a ship using the comparative term, like. Metaphors compare two things, but without the use of a comparative term as shown in line 4, “It is a shroud I cannot shake off.” The writer feels that the darkness surrounds him entirely just as a shroud would. This sentence is also an example of imagery as readers can create a mental image of a person completely covered by darkness.

‘Heartbeat’ Law

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‘Heartbeat’ Law

The news article is about a Texas law that states that abortion is prohibited for any child above six weeks old. This law has been brought into existence recently because of the belief that abortion past six weeks is murder due to the onset of cardiac activity of the baby in the womb. Governor Abbott signed the law, and it has since then been protested against by many women and other individuals who firmly believe that it is their right to procure abortion as they like. There have been s many rallies and demonstrations about the same in many places in America. The law relies on ordinary citizens towards its implementation with an amount of $10000 for every person who reports another having an abortion for a baby more than six weeks old. This has brought in a lot of controversies as some people are really against the law while the pro-lifers are very happy and are encouraging more people to protect life. Therefore the law has support, and others are not happy about it. This comes when the supreme court of the United States is in the process of deciding about abortion laws at the federal level. This means that if it is stated not a law, the states will be left at will to do what they deem best, whether to continue with it or to do away with the law altogether.

The issue of abortion is a very fragile and delicate issue to decide upon. This is because for a lot of time from the time of the Roe v. Wade case of 1973, abortion has been legal, and there have been no problems with that. However, recently there have been many desires, especially from the side of the pro-lifers, that abortion should be made illegal and life is protected. On the other side, there is a feeling that a person should not bring up a child they are not ready for, which brings out a whole conversation. Public opinion and involvement matter a lot in this issue since the laws are made for the citizens. However, whether it is important to make laws that are for the good of the citizens even if the citizens are not comfortable with arises, that is the case in Texas whereby a majority can be seen as unhappy about the law. Still, in the real sense, the law is made for the good of the people and society. Civil rights also come as a result of public opinion and participation. Even though it is a severe matter regarding civil rights, the individuals who are against it are not mandated to do that since they are supposed to follow the new law.

Even though I fully support civil rights and that every person should be given what they need by their government and the social structures, I also believe it is essential that people realize the impact of their actions. Abortion, as in the law in Texas states, is okay when done within the first six weeks. However, when it is done after six weeks after the baby has got a heartbeat, it is not just abortion; it is murder. Therefore I support the ‘heartbeat’ law because it recognizes human life and how important it is to respect life.

Reference

Texas law sparks hundreds of U.S. protests against abortion restrictions. (2021). News.yahoo.com. Retrieved October 3, 2021, from https://news.yahoo.com/abortion-rights-advocates-march-across-101220255.html‌



How does the Internet Influence Society Nowadays

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How does the Internet Influence Society Nowadays

Introduction

The internet entails a global system of computer networks linked together. This computer network utilizes the standard Internet Protocol Suite, for serving all the networks around the world. This computer network has lead to connection between millions of government, private, business, public, and academic networks from a local stature to a global standard. Because of this type of interconnectedness, the internet influences society in various ways. The ways that the internet influences society are through education, entertainment, and communication (Associates, 2001).

This paper explicates the influences of the internet to the current society. In addition, it observes the current trends in relation to the internet.

Discussion

Firstly, the internet influences the society as it provides, and has improved the means of communication. The internet has been very instrumental on cutting down the cost of communication because most people nowadays rely on emails and social networks. The social networks such as “Facebook” influence how people communicate nowadays. Some internet functions, such as, streaming makes it easier for people to communicate using both visual and verbal communication (Greiffenstern, 2010). It can be argued that the world has become a global village because of the internet, considering how easy it is for people in two different continents to communicate.

Secondly, the internet influences the society in the entertainment sector. Currently, the internet serves several entertainment functions because of its large storage capacity. For instance, people can get any form of entertainment from the internet just by searching on sites such as “YouTube” and “MySpace”. Many artists have also improvised and come up with their own sites because they understand the internet as a vital promotional tool. This proves the point that with the internet, it is not necessary for people to walk several miles searching for entertainment, since they can enjoy their favorite program or music right at home (Associates, 2001).

Lastly, the internet influences the society through education. Currently, there is a lot of education associated with the internet. Many University and College students use the internet for a quick search of information. This has significantly reduced the cumbersome nature of going to the library, and searching for one book for long hours. The internet has online books, encyclopedias, and dictionaries. For instance, a lot of information can be found using “Wikipedia”. There are also online articles, web pages, and electronic sources found 0n the internet that is very crucial for dissemination of information (Turow, 2008). In addition, the internet has promoted exchange programs between schools using online programs, which is crucial for education. Research asserts that currently it is not compulsory for a person to attend lecturers physically in order to sit for exams. This is because of the long distance learning programs facilitated by the internet (Greiffenstern, 2010).

In conclusion, the internet comprises of millions of computers interconnected using the standard internet protocol. In addition, it utilizes the (TCP/IP) for serving al networks across the world. Internet has provided interconnectedness between private sector, public, government networks, and businesses. Because of this, it has transformed the world to become a global village through communication, education, and entertainment. Through communication, the internet has fastened communication in the society. This is because it facilitates a quick relay of information in terms of news. Through education, the internet has several online libraries. In addition, it has online articles, encyclopedias, and dictionaries, which reduce the bulk of searching information. Lastly, the internet provides entertainment to all in society. There are various entertainment functions associated with the internet such music, movies, and magazines.

References

Associates, O. &. (2001). Internet and society. London: Harvard University Press.

Greiffenstern, S. (2010). The Influence of Computers, the Internet and Computer-Mediated

Communication on Everyday English. London: Logos Verlag Berlin GmbH Publishers.

Turow, J. (2008). Media Today:An Introduction to Mass Communication. New York: Taylor &

Francis Publishers.

Category 1 (Grammar) – A

Category 2 (Linguistic) – A

Category 3 (Writing style) – A

Category 4 (Professionalism) -A

TCO 1) Suppose your company sold $60,000 in merchandise to a customer for cash. How does this transaction impact the accounting equation? 

Solution:

Accounting Entry:

Cash Dr.$60,000

Sales Cr.$ 60,000

Accounting equation =Assets = Liabilities

In this accounting equation, cash will increase by $ 60,000 and inventory will be decreased by $ 60,000. These entries will impact on assets side.

(TCO 1) Suppose your company paid $18,000 in cash for its rent. How does this transaction impact the accounting equation? 

Solution:

Accounting Entry:

Rent Dr.$18,000

Cash Cr.$ 18000

Accounting equation =Assets = Liabilities

In this accounting equation, cash will decrease by $ 18000 and liabilities also decreased by $ 18000.

(TCO 1) Suppose your company sold $22,000 in merchandise to a customer for cash. How does this transaction impact the accounting equation? 

Solution:

Accounting Entry:

Cash Dr.$22,000

Sales Cr.$ 22,000

Accounting equation =Assets = Liabilities

In this accounting equation, cash will increase by $ 60,000 and inventory will be decreased by $ 60,000. These entries will impact on assets side.

(TCO 2) Suppose your company purchased $50,000 in merchandise from a seller for cash. How does this transaction impact the accounting equation?

Solution:

Accounting Entry:

Purchase Dr.$50,000

Cash Cr.$ 50,000

Accounting equation =Assets = Liabilities

In this accounting equation, cash will decrease by $ 50,000 and inventory will be increased by $ 50,000. These entries will impact on assets side.

(TCO 2) Suppose your company paid $10,000 in cash for its advertising. How does this transaction impact the accounting equation?

Solution:

Accounting Entry:

Advertisement Dr.$10,000

Cash Cr.$ 10000

Accounting equation =Assets = Liabilities

In this accounting equation, cash will decrease by $ 10000 and liabilities also decreased by $ 10000.

(TCO 2) Suppose your company sold $25,000 in merchandise to a customer for credit. How does this transaction impact the accounting equation?

Solution:

Accounting Entry:

Accounts Receivable Dr.$25,000

Sales Cr.$ 25,000

Accounting equation =Assets = Liabilities

In this accounting equation, Accounts Receivable will increase by $ 25,000 and inventory will be decreased by $ 25,000. These entries will impact on assets side.

(TCO 3) Opportunity is one of the components of the fraud triangle. How can a company reduce opportunity as a fraud risk? Give an example of how someone could use opportunity to commit fraud and how the company could reduce this risk. 

Solution:

A Company can reduce fraud through internal control. Example: Cashier can give cash to an employee without proper authorisation in voucher. This fraud can be reduced through internal control. Internal control can be used in following ways:

It should be such that no individual can override the internal control system.

It should provide segregation of responsibility, so that no misstatements can be committed easily.

Specifying Authority to authorised voucher.

Preparation of periodical reports on timely basis.

(TCO 3) Pressure is one of the components of the fraud triangle. What types of pressures do people face that could lead to fraud? Give an example of how pressure could lead to fraud. 

Solution:

Pressure is also leading components of fraud. Performance pressure is a major cause of this. If a company paying wages on piece rate basis, in that case if an employee is not producing up to the standard production, then company will deduct the salary. To avoid this situation, worker will reject material and stop the production.

TCO 3) Rationalization is one of the components of the fraud triangle. What types of rationalization could a person use to justify misconduct? How can a company protect itself from rationalization as a part of fraud? 

Solution:

Rationalization is one the components of fraud. If an worker does any mistake due to negligence or lack of system knowledge, then they start justifying the misconduct. Company can protect through internal control in following ways:

Specifying authority to enter into transactions.

Safeguarding of assets.

Recording of transactions in the account correctly.

Fixing responsibility for work done.

(TCO 4) What is horizontal analysis of financial statements? How does horizontal analysis differ from vertical analysis? 

Solution: Horizontal analysis looks at amounts on the financial statements over the past years. The same analysis will be done for each item on the balance sheet and for each item on the income statement. This allows you to see how each item has changed in relationship to the changes in other items. Horizontal analysis is also referred to as trend analysis.

The main difference between Horizontal and Vertical financial statement is in vertical financial statement every items converted into percentage whereas in Horizontal financial statement, it will compare with previous year.

(TCO 4) What is vertical analysis of financial statements? How does vertical analysis differ from horizontal analysis? 

Solution:

Vertical analysis reports each amount on a  HYPERLINK “http://www.accountingcoach.com/blog/what-is-a-financial-statement” o “What is a financial statement?” financial statement as a percentage of another item. For example, the vertical analysis of the  HYPERLINK “http://www.accountingcoach.com/blog/balance-sheet” o “What is a balance sheet and why is it prepared?” balance sheet means every amount on the balance sheet is restated to be a percentage of total assets and in Vertical analysis of an income statement results in every income statement amount being presented as a percentage of sales.

The main difference between Horizontal and Vertical financial statement is in vertical financial statement every items converted into percentage whereas in Horizontal financial statement, it will compare with previous year.

(TCO 4) How does vertical analysis of financial statements differ from horizontal analysis? Which method do you think is a better analysis tool? 

Solution:

The main difference between Horizontal and Vertical financial statement is in vertical financial statement every items converted into percentage whereas in Horizontal financial statement, it will compare with previous year.

As per my opinion, Horizontal analysis is better than Vertical analysis of financial statements between it provides previous year data for comparison.

TCO 3) Physical control is a key feature in an internal control system. Why is physical control such an important internal control? Example of physical control as an internal control. 

Solution:

Physical control is very important for internal control. There are number of tools which are using for review the Internal Control System:

Complete and exhaustive detail of system. Example: For inventory control evaluation, it contains documents prepared, employees discharging various duties, various stages of stock movements etc.

Complete audit checklist is made and verify by senior professional.

(TCO 3) Prenumbered documents are a key feature in an internal control system. Why are prenumbered documents such an important internal control? Example of prenumbered documents as an internal control. 

Solution:

Prenumbered documents are very important for internal control. Prenumbered stationery is used in places where numbers of transactions are more. Example: Invoices. In every organisation, Prenumbered bill book is maintained for sale of goods to remove transfer of goods without invoices.

(TCO 3) Separation of duties is a key feature in an internal control system. Why is separation of duties such an important internal control? Example of separation of duties as an internal control. 

Solution:

Seperation of duties means one person cannot complete one transaction. This means, establishing procedures in such a way so that single person cannot have complete control over a transaction from starting to end. Example: work of one person to be reviewed by another person.

(TCO 1) Describe the balance sheet. Why is this statement important to the company, creditors, and investors? 

Solution:

A Balance Sheet is a statement which set out the assets and liabilities of a firm or an institution as at a certain date. It is a statement which reports the property owned by the enterprise and the claims of the creditors and owners against these properties.

This statement is useful for the Company, creditors and investors. Its advantages are as follows:

It is a useful device which shows the financial position of a business in a systematic and standard form.

Balance sheet shows solvency position of the Company.

It may serve as the basis for determining purchase consideration of the business.

(TCO 1) Describe the income statement. Why is this statement important to the company, creditors, and investors? 

Solution:

Income statement shows how much profit earned by the Company for a given period of time. Generally, this period starts from 1st January to 31st December.

This statement is useful for the Company, creditors and investors. Its advantages are as follows:

Investors of the business are interested in knowing the income statement, earning capacity and growth prospects of the business.

Creditors are also interested in knowing about the solvency of the business. Creditors are likely to be interested in an enterprise over a shorter period than lenders unless they are dependent on the enterprise as a major lender.

(TCO 1) Describe the statement of cash flows. Why is this statement important to the company, creditors, and investors?

Solution:

A cash flow statement is a statement which discloses the changes in cash position between the two periods.

This statement is useful for the Company, creditors and investors. Its advantages are as follows:

This helps to provide information about the liquidity and solvency information of an enterprise.

It helps in understanding and analysis of what are the sources and application of the cash for a company.

It is also useful in examining the relationship between profitability and net cash flow.

It helps in determining how efficiently the cash is being managed by the management of the business.

1. write a commercial to convince classmates to read your book

The book “The one and only bob” by Katherine Appelgate is worth reading. The book tells the story of the lovable and roguish mutt Bob. The key themes in this story are humans’ complex relationship with the animal world, unlikely heroism, and healing and forgiveness. These themes tend to correspond closely with our lives as human beings. Reading the story makes one appreciate the general environment and the organisms within. The distinction between humans and animals becomes blurred. The parallels with our lives become apparent when one realizes that the book is about Bob’s struggle to live according to our terms as human beings. Even though dogs are considered to be man’s best friend, they can be forgotten or overlooked in today’s society. We tend to think of them as living only for our amusement or serving a purpose i.e., police dog, drug detector dog etc. This story shows the readers that these animals are more independent than we give them credit for and can live on their own without any human influence if necessary.

2. Design a collage about your favorite character

My favorite character in this story is Bob. The lovable protagonist of The One and Only Bob, is a dynamic character who undergoes significant change and development through the course of the novel: He develops courage, becomes more selfless, learns to forgive, and redeems a sense of identity. He demonstrates that the dog is a reliable and capable friend, an invaluable companion, and a resilient partner in the struggle of living among humans. This book shows that when animals are treated as equals to humans, they can be regarded as actual friends. The author of this book has managed to convey the idea that animals are not just food or tools for our amusement. They possess great courage, strength, and persistence. They can be trusted as true friends who will love you unconditionally. The one and only bob represents human beings in reality because he is a dog but he acts like a human being and learns to live his life according to our standards as well as his own principles.

3.complete a story map

Pets such as cats, dogs, horses, birds, and even lizards have the ability to bring us joy, comfort and companionship. They are also a source of companionship for those who have difficulty having relationships with people. But the real reason we humans love our animals is that they provide an opportunity to learn about ourselves. We learn how other creatures think and view life through an animal’s eyes”. A story about pets comprises of four components: plot, characters, setting and problem and solution. The plot should be developed in the first sentence. The main character emerges from the second sentence. The setting is an environment in which the story takes place and is described through sensory details in the third sentence. The problem and solution are the events that occur within the story. When developing a story map, we can use these four components as our guide to creating a map that portrays this four-part story. What we can learn from pets consists of several key concepts including friendship, love, kindness and compassion for others that are expressed through affection for animals by humans as well as pets themselves.

4. Submit a proposal form to your teacher for a product of your choice.

An electric bike is among the best invention so far. Apart from helping in managing traffic on the road, it is environmental friendly. Buying an electric bike is a wise idea if you are looking to make your commute easier without the hassles of traffic or parking. You will not be spared from difficulty while biking. But, at least you can be sure that the bike will never leave you stranded. So, what are some of the advantages and disadvantages of owning an e-bike? Here is a list so you can start thinking about it:

The advantages include: Not having to spend for gas, saving money on transportation costs, and being able to enjoy your commute in peace. The disadvantages include: It being heavy, it might not be suitable to you depending on your physical or fit status, and its battery might not be able to deliver sufficient power.

Before you buy an electric bike, be sure to consider your needs. There are various things you need to weigh before making a decision such as: How much is the cost of the electric bike? When will it last longer? What are its specifications? Will you have enough space for it, and what size is the space? This will help you determine whether the electric bike you want is appropriate for your needs or not. Drawing conclusion from these factors will help you make an informed choice as well as enjoy your ride without any worries concerning its lifespan.

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‘Allen Iverson’ is a documentary that tracks the career of an NBA superstar, Iverson. The documentary narrates about the ultimate legacy of the legend rising from a childhood of poverty in Hampton Virginia. Iverson rose from poverty to become an all-time superstar as an athlete in basketball, becoming an 11-time NBA all-star and as well being recognized in the basketball sports. Despite his success, Iverson was faced with rejection by people of his hometown, and this left his coach wondering whether he should stay and play. The main reason for his rejection was due to his unapologetic embrace of hip hop music that sent shockwaves to the entire league and as well influencing the entire generation. The documentary features interviews with various people including Iverson’s coach while the rest of the documentary is left for Iverson to tell his story.

The main intent of the filmmaker is to alert and make aware the audience of the life history of the NBA all-star icon, Allen Iverson. To fulfill this, the documentary highlights the course of his career in high school throughout the NBA, being a hip hop star as well as he progressed to become a superstar in basketball until his retirement. The main focus of the documentary, therefore, is to the life of a single person being narrated by various people, who provides their accounts on Allen’s life and career as well as the superstar himself telling his story and therefore the intention of the filmmaker of making the audience aware is fulfilled with facts.

The documentary is of a higher quality as there are no visually irrelevant materials. The visual materials are designed to suit the documentary in the sense that at the background, there are players playing basketball which is in line with the clip, all the interviews are of the same topic and the media outlets as well as newspapers in the documentary relate to Allen’s career. There are no visual distractions in the video, and it is easy for the audience to follow the concept as at some occasions there are visual aids such as words in the papers making the audience reconnect if they were lost. Besides, the quality of the pictures is of good quality and are taken from different angles. With the main character being on the screen all the time, the audience cannot get bored as he is introduced at different occasions, providing his part of the story keeping the audience ready to hear what next. Therefore, the overall quality of the video if high.

The mise-en-scene has been designed in such a manner that will provoke a response from the viewer. Since the documentary talks about the life course of a superstar, the images of Allen Iverson dominate the documentary as the main character. The setting of the documentary dictates that Allen is an NBA player as the costumes being worn are those of the basketball players. Most of the actions are in the field and therefore the audience even without listening to the audio, still can infer that the topic of the documentary is about sport and not any other sport but basketball. Allen Iverson was a shooting guard, and therefore we expect him to be shown scoring, this has been the case as he constantly scores, dribbling the ball past his opponents and celebrating the victory. The scoring is on different occasions, and this is an indication that Allen was indeed a superstar in the NBA. The reactions of the players as they win as well as that of the other characters in the documentary, illicit emotions to the audience. The overall mis-en-scene of the documentary is of high quality as the audience response is triggered as per the filmmaker’s intention.

Reference

ALLEN IVERSON: The Answer [FULL Documentary]: Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/2TCjK4jRDfw?t=409

HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW

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How A Bill Becomes A Law

Situation: Legislative Laws

Nursing professional is undergoing legislative changes for the provision of efficient and quality care to the patients. The current changes indicate a bright future for health services but undermine the nursing profession. Nurses have fixed number of patient and may require an increase in the number of nurses per hospital or reduction depending on the demand. Nurses will have no rights in working in a single healthcare but will move to hospitals that have high demand and in some situation may lack jobs due to low demand. Legislative body dealing with healthcare argues that high number of nurses in a health institution that surpasses the number of the patient lead to poor health care services. The hospital experienced an increased number of poor patient outcomes due to the high number of nurses. Laws on fixed nurse-to-patient ratio tend to stretch thin the responsibilities of nurses leading in the provision of quality healthcare to the patients.

Nurse-patient ratio uses a formula that will ensure equity in the distribution of nurses in the hospitals. Legislative laws concentrate on the provision of quality healthcare to the patient instead of considering the consequences of the nurses in the field of profession. Law makers are enforcing the laws without seeking the opinion of the nurses and have a high likelihood of failing to comply.

Background: Studies related to Nurse-Patient Ratios

Studies involving minimum nurse-patient ratio indicate that nurses have different categories of management. Rich nurses in a hospital set-up have low risk failure in handling patients. Hospitals that manage minimum nurse staffing ratio have reduced mortality rates and hospital stay durations. Studies by Linda H. Aiken and colleagues show that nurses experience burnout levels due to shortage of nurses and job dissatisfaction. The major problem occurs in the growth of hospital and understaffing of nurses. The hospital management should consider increasing the number of nurses with the same ratio as the patient increases in the hospital. Job dissatisfaction cases reports of nurses are four times higher than other health workers in the same hospital setting.

Dissatisfaction of nurses is high in that most nurses plan to quit a job after one year of service. Limited number of nurses in the hospital setting is not a solution in solving the mortality rate in hospitals although records show that 8:1 ratio have more deaths than 4:1 ratio. The hospital management experiences a cost of forty to sixty-five thousand dollars in replacing a nurse hence finding it worth in improving the nursing working conditions in order to save lives and decrease hospital costs. California law court made a decision that all hospitals should maintain a number of nurse staffs to avoid burnout. Rotational duties are efficient in a reduction of burnout incidences.

The National Nurses United Foundation in California made campaigns on protection of nursing in the working environment in order to create job satisfaction. Other states like Iowa, Michigan, New York, and Michigan adopted the Hospital Patient Protection Act that took the mandate of ensuring sufficient a good formulation of nurse-patient ratio in hospitals. Nurses would also get protection of potential whistle-blowers on the campaign of nurse-patient ratio. Massachusetts States adopted “The Patient Safety Act” towards assignment of a number of patients per nurse. The Act also has the mandate of evaluating nurses in terms of services to the patients.

Assessment: Finances and Stakeholders

Hospital size is the determinant of estimated cost and saving. A large hospital in terms of services to the patients saves a higher added cost than a small hospital. Savings present in the hospital depend on the prevailing wages and staffing pattern. Wages of workers should not surpass the income of the hospital in order to avoid bankruptcy of the hospital. Varying the cost of the hospital ranges from 1.0 % to 1.7% and mainly depends on the nursing expenditure per hospital. Hospitals should have sufficient revenue for expansion and hiring of extra nurses. Reduction of expenses in the hospital ensures increased revenue and provision of quality services.

Recommendation:

Nursing organization vows to support the legislation towards implementation of nurse-to-patient ratio method in all the healthcare institutions. Nurses recommend legislation Act should consider the nursing welfare in order to reduce incidences of burnout and quitting of job. Nursing Welfare Organization recommends for job satisfaction through increase of staffing levels in the hospitals in order to avoid overburdening the nurses with pronounced duties. The facilities within the hospital environment should have qualified personnel to head them in order to have quality services.

Registered nurses recommend for high nurse-to-patient ratio in order to address issues of safety and quality care. Registered nurses have first-hand experience and can tell areas that require high care and experts. Many patients require safe and quality environment for the reduction of unnecessary risks. California State ensures that the nurse-to-patient ratio is success and have tremendous results. Supporting legislation endorsement will ensure nurse ratio favours both the nurses and patient have good working environment. All questions that nurses have towards the legislature get addressed in the California Law Courts for the purpose of quality services.

How Amazon.com use their Digital Channels to Achieve Success

Introduction

The Internet is one of the major areas that have developed tremendously with the evolution of information technology (IT). To cope with technological developments and to compete effectively, companies increasingly exist in the online world (Bass, et al, 2008, p. 6). As well, IT development has opened opportunities whereby customers are able to do online shopping from online stores of companies existing online, rather than going to shop in physical retail stores and shopping malls (Bass, et al, 2008, p. 6). One of the largest and most competitive companies that exist online is Amazon. Through its online business, Amazon has been able to attract a huge number of customers from over 150 countries. Amazon.com is the main website of Amazon company in which it displays its products which comprise of millions of books DVDs, music, and videos. The site also displays other products offered by the company such as household items, apparel and clothes, electronics, drugs and cosmetics, among others. These products are also displayed in websites of affiliate companies.

Based in Seattle, Washington, Amazon opened its website on World Wide Web in 1995 and operated at a loss until 2002 when it attained its first annual profit (Daft, 2003, p. 137). Since then, the company’s profits have grown tremendously and the company continues to sustain competitive edge in the online market. One of the major drivers of successful performance of Amazon has been the effectiveness the company’s management which has steered the organisation to cope with the rapidly changing market needs as technology evolves.

The main goal of this report is to analyze how Amazon.com uses their digital channels to achieve success. Specifically, the paper analyses the nature of the company’s management structure and management strategies which has helped to steer it to success. Precisely, the paper provides a description of how the management strategies have steered this company to cope with effects, influences and changes in the online business environment. In the course of this evaluation, the paper assesses the impact of IT on the company’s success. Generally, the report expresses how management theory can be utilised to enhance effective performance of modern organisations.

Amazon’s management resources and capabilities

In today’s business environment, effectiveness of an organization’s management team as well as management strategies and networks highly influence capacity for successful performance (Robinson & Menon, 2009, p. 73). As noted earlier, one of the major reasons for the successful performance of Amazon for many years has been its effective management team led by the founder and Chief executive Officer, Jeff Bezos. According to Robinson and Menon (2009, p. 73), Amazon’s management upholds four views of leadership namely; transformation view, paradigm shift, power and social responsibility. However, the company’s management has always capitalised on a transformational leadership approach which enhances good relationships within the organisation and between the company staff and online clients and consumers (Robinson & Menon, 2009, p. 73).

One of the unique characteristics of transformational leadership is that it has a positive impact on the development and performances of the followers. According to Bass and Riggios (2006, p. 42), transformational leadership skills are often not ingrained in an individual’s personal traits, but are learned. However, some individual traits make it easier for a leader to display transformational leadership behaviours. For instance, studies have shown that the trait of agreeableness is positively associated with such leaders. Another common characteristic of transformational leaders is that they have strong ability to recognise emotions of others and to understand their behaviours. As a transformational leader, Bezos has always displayed these traits and thus it is not surprising that he has been able to accomplish change in Amazon by building networks of positive relationships.

Bezos has continuously been innovating new strategies which help the company to meet its goals. His leadership focuses on inspiring company staff to believe in his as well as in their potential, to always work hard and focus on creating a better future for the company. His approach has thus created constant change in both the company and the staff as technology and market change. According to Daft and Vershinina, (2010, p. 584), Bezos’s leadership has always focused on enhancing change in the company’s mission, structure and strategy as market needs change. Importantly, Bezos has been the central figure behind the company’s continuous innovation of new products and technology, which is one of the key areas of the company’s successful performance. Bezos does not rely only on tangible rules to control specific tasks and issues within the company. Rather, he focuses on intangible qualities such as ideas, vision and shared values within the organisation to build effective relationships, find common ground to enlist the company staff and to give larger meaning to different activities in the change process.

It would not be excessive to say that transformational, visionary leadership is the real magic behind the tremendous success of Amazon.com. According to Daft and Vershinina (2010, p. 584), the passion and enthusiasm of the online business in Bezos enabled him to secure millions of dollars financing from numerous investors. As noted, the company did not perform well for several years after it was established. However, according to Vershinina (2010, p. 584), Bezos continued to inspire employees with his vision of a new and uncommon kind of retailer as the company continued to struggle. Eventually, the company managed to achieve profitability and leadership in the business in 2002. Since then, Bezos has kept Amazon innovative with bold moves. A good example of this was the move to use Amazon’s operations, logistics expertise and technology to provide services to other services to other companies and entrepreneurs (Vershinina, 2010, p. 584).

The leadership of Amazon places accountability of success in the hands of each of the company’s employees. According to Vershinina (2010, p. 584), employees of the company are rewarded for putting both their minds and their hearts in their work. Bezos spends considerable time with employees, patting backs and giving pep talks. He personally keeps on reminding employees on the front lines that they are the heart and soul of Amazon and that only through their efforts can the company succeed. As a result of this support, the company’s employees have been able to work hard to steer the company to success.

Amazon’s online strategy in the wake of IT evolution

Since the company attained command in the online business, Amazon has always focused on sustaining competitive edge through continuous innovation and change, as the Internet continues to evolve. The company’s leadership has always ensured that its website is well updated and organised in a way that it provides more convenience to customers who wish to purchase products online rather than wait for delivery (Frisch, 2011, p. 56). The leadership ensures that the site offers the best customer experience through enhanced speed and convenience. For instance, according to Frisch (2011, p. 56), Amazon allows customers to rate the company’s products displayed on the website. This enables customers to make informed purchasing decisions. Some customers may purchase and others may not, depending on their views. On top of this, the company has an instant order update feature which provides past information about the product they are interested in (Frisch, 2011, p. 56). For instance, the feature provides information on whether the product they are interested in or they are ordering was ordered during the previous years.

Amazon.com’s consumers do not have to call all local stores to find a product (Frisch, 2011, p. 56). Amazon has formed partnership with Borders, which enables this company direct customers to the closest store that offers the desired products. Also, by partnering with other international and local suppliers, Amazon has been able to provide more options for their customers. Consumers are only required to provide a zip code. Amazon has been able to achieve this through the use of Z-shops. These are online business retailers offering similar products to Amazon and who set up online shops under Amazon umbrella. According to Frisch (2011, p. 56), this strategy enables Amazon to get as much information as possible on consumer purchasing habits.

Another long-term decision made by Amazon’s management is to enhance a competitive product pricing strategy. The products displayed on the website of this company are based on menu pricing. According to Byers (2006, p. 10) “in menu pricing, the seller sets the prices of products and buyers decide if they are or are not willing to pay the price.” Amazon focuses on offering the lowest price on products compared to its competitors. Basically, the company passes savings which are derived from its operating expenses to its customers in the form of lower prices for the products it offers. Third parties using the site are allowed to set their different prices for their products and sell them alongside Amazon’s products.

The success of this company is also as a result of successful diversification of their offerings to different products and services (Lopez, 2009, p. 12). Apart from using its website, Amazon offers differentiated content through partnership and alliances with other wholesalers and retailers. As a result, Amazon has been recognised by the largest number of online customers as a global bookstore that offers high quality products and services. Amazon’s advertising and marketing strategy focuses on attracting the interest of the targeted customers and building its reputation as a strong brand. The company has been creating affiliate websites that display its products which help in expanding its business market. In addition to the above strategies, Amazon has a “1-Click” program which helps to streamline the buying process by storing customer information (Lopez, 2009, p. 12). In short, the company’s integration of online operations and physical stores leads to great efficiencies in operations and great satisfaction to customers.

Summary

In summary, Amazon is one of the largest and most successful companies that exist online. The company offers a wide range of products which are displayed and can be purchased from its main website, Amazon.com as well as in other websites of affiliate companies. The successful performance of the company in online business is undoubtedly attributable to its effective leadership in the wake of IT evolution, specifically the Internet. The management of Amazon adopts a transformational leadership approach which is a key factor in enhancing good relationships within the organisation and between the organisation and consumers. Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon has been the central figure behind this organisation’s continuous innovation and changes which have enabled the company to cope with changes in technology and to meet changes in market needs. Steered by the company’s management, Amazon’s online strategy has been quite effective to meet the changing market needs. The components of the company’s online strategy include offering the best customer experience, effective pricing strategy, offering differentiated products and implementation of Z-shops and the “1-Click” program. Generally, the successful performance of Amazon can be attributed to the effectiveness of the company’s leadership through continuous innovation to cope with changes in technology.

Recommendations

Generally, as Lumsden, et al (2009) explains, e-commerce is a continuously growing area as evolution of internet technology continues. The ability of businesses to effectively compete in the global market is going to increasingly depend on their use of e-commerce. As noted, effective management as well as brand reputation are some of the Amazon’s important assets, which steered the company to become a market leader in the online business. In order to sustain this successful performance in the global market, Amazon has to maintain its current reputation by continuously observing and addressing the needs of its. The ability of the company to continuously gauge the needs of customers as market needs change as well continuous development and maintenance of good relationship with customers is essential to its success in the future. Precisely, the company must continue developing and initiating technological changes as internet continues evolving.

References

Bass, R M & Riggios, R E 2006, Transformational Leadership, California.

Bass, R M, Bass, R & Bass, R R 2008, The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Managerial Applications, Simon and Schuster, New York.

Byers, A 2006, Jeff Bezos: The Founder of Amazon.com, New York.

Daft, K M & Vershinina, N 2010, Management-International Edition, Cengage Learning EMEA, New York.

Daft, R 2003, Management, 6th edn, Cincinnati, Thomson South-Western, Ohio.

Frisch, B 2011, Who’s in the Room: How Great Leaders Structure and Manage the Teams Around Them, John Wiley & Sons, California.

Lopez, S C 2009, A Qualitative Study of an E-Commerce Organization in Transitions, ProQuest, West Sussex.

Lumsden, G, Lumsden, D & Wiethoff, C 2009, Communicating in Groups and Teams: Sharing Leadership, Cengage Learning, New York.

Robinson, T & Menon, M 2009, Jeff Bezos: Amazon.com Architect, ABDO, Washington DC.

How a Group Leader Would Deal with an Uncomfortable Group Member

In almost all groups, there are enormous problems that do emerge directly affecting all or some of the group members. It is, therefore, essential to look for ways of identifying such problems and trying as much as possible to solve the problems in order to effectively manage the group. Most problems in groups are caused by group members and includes; monopoly of some group members, intolerant members, members who seduce other group members, resistant members, among others. This section explores ways in which a group leader would address the issue of a hostile member who wants to leave the group and work independently.

As the group leader, I would like to state that, in a group, decisions should be collectively made such that each member’s decision is respected by the other members. In case, a member shows opposition to the group, there are a number of steps that a group leader would follow in order to solve the problem.

In our group, we have had problems with one of our members over the last few months. For the purpose of confidentiality, I would not like to disclose his names, but indeed, he has decided to leave our group and start working alone. After a close examination, as a group leader, I have realized that the member may have personal problems which may be forcing him to move out of the group. This has come to my mind after exploring the various possibilities that may make him leave the group. However, I have noticed no single abnormality in the group and therefore concluded that his exit could possibly be as a result of personal problems, as I have indicated above.

In order to avoid his exit, the group members, who have full knowledge of the situation, have been at the forefront, trying to encourage him to remain in the group, as he has been an asset to the group. However, this has proven futile, because up to now, the hostile member still insists that he must move out of the group. Despite his resistance, I have personally looked at other possibilities of his hostility and realized that the members’ approach in solving the problem is quite faulty. In an effort to validate this, the members forcefully demanded that he should frankly outline the cause of his exit to members in the subsequent group meeting. Indeed, I felt offended, and decided to do the following in an aid to solve the problem.

Over the last one week, I have been analyzing the problem and indeed realized that there is a problem that is bothering the member and that is the reason why he needs to move out of the group. After a clear observation, I have noted a difference in terms of interactions in the group. In fact, I was told that the member had a relationship with one of the group member but due to personal differences, the relationship no longer subsists.

It was only yesterday that I humbly called for a meeting and fortunately, all group members turned up for the meeting. During the meeting, I raised the issue but never specified the actual problem. Certainly, this was a very crucial step toward solving the problem since all the members adequately participated in the discussion. In fact, a majority of the members highlighted the importance of group work including the hostile member. In order to back the importance of group work, the group members shared their personal experiences and indeed this could have had a crucial impact on the resistant member’s decision. In case the member changes his stand and promises to remain in the group, then I would have won the game. However, if he remains static, then I will have to follow other crucial steps in our subsequent meetings. Perhaps the member will choose the latter, as his decision, and in case this is so, I will have to select a small committee within the group, where the hostile member could share his feelings. However, I am at loss, in deciding the members who will be in the committee but, a prominent counselor in town told me that, I should select his close friends whom they can freely share ideas. Indeed, I think this is a very prudent idea having originated from a prominent and qualified counselor, who has possibly assisted many individuals with chronic problems than the one in our group.

Without any more delays, I have decided to select the committee members in collaboration with the secretary to the group who will really assist me in choosing the hostile member’s real friends. In order to achieve, I have personally called the secretary and she has informed me that she will send me an email indicating the friends to the said member. I am waiting for the message from the secretary and the moment this information reaches me, I will personally call the members for a sub meeting when I will inform them of their mandates. From the past cooperation that they have depicted, I am pretty sure that they will be willing to assist the member change his mind for his own benefits.

For a successful problem solving process, I do expect the members to give me with adequate feedback so that I can monitor and evaluate the progress. In line with this, I will request the members to be prudent enough while getting information from the member. This is after the failure that was depicted the other day after the members tried to directly confront him in the presence of all the other members. Indeed, I will let the selected committee understand that I am interested in good results and nothing less than that. However, I am not hard on this, because if the member insists that he leaves, I will have no other alternative other than letting him go. On the other hand, if he decides to remain in the group, I will have to evaluate his stay in the group. Perhaps, if he will portray any negative impacts in the group, I will allow him or his ex-partner leave us in peace. However, the ultimate decision will be communicated to all the other group members and I do promise to follow the same procedure in solving problems for the good of our group.

Challenging Issues

There are a number of challenging issues that affect the modern society including abortion, homosexuality and sexual abuse. Indeed, human life is extremely valuable, and even most cultures and religions do value life such that they are against all those activities that would endanger human life. Abortion is one of such activities that ruin human life. It is the act of intentionally stopping human pregnancy or any other efforts including surgically removing the foetus from the woman’s womb. Abortion assuredly is an outrage that may cause human race to extinct (Hauspie, 2004).

The issue of abortion and other issues affecting human lives have been discussed in our group for months now. The group is still discussing on other two issues including homosexuality and sexual abuse. The group members were especially very bitter when the issue of abortion was raised. I was, personally surprised to realize that all the group members do value human life and that no one member would advise his or her friend to do abortion. In fact, most members said that they were willing to sue those conducting such activities in courts of law. This is after a clear understanding that abortion has negative side effects on human life. “To the extremes, abortion may cause death due to excess bleeding,” one of the members said.

After a two hours’ engagement in the group discussion, I was very happy to get positive views from the members and I really congratulated them for portraying respect on human life.

Secondly, homosexuality has become extremely intense across the globe, and in particular, some cultures and religions have legalized it and, therefore, allow gay marriages. This issue is currently being discussed in our group. Similarly, the members have depicted a negative attitude towards homosexuality. I realized this after the members strongly opposed the issue of gay marriages that is rampant in almost all parts in the world.

As a group leader, I also oppose the presence of gay marriages which may cause homosexuality. Indeed, homosexuality has felt side effects in human lives including contraction of HIV and AIDS which may be caused as a result of promiscuity among homosexuals.

Thirdly, there is the issue of sexual abuse which takes the proper form of rape, which may even occur in the group. Some members may sexually abuse other group members. In our group, the members have highly opposed this practice and most of them believe that this is a form of evil. In fact, I happen to lead people who condone any form of wrongdoing. I suspect that the hatred that exists between two of our group members could have been as a result of attempted date rape and that is why one of the members wishes to withdraw from the group. However, I am not sure that this could be the cause but I am yet to investigate and if this is so, then I will take appropriate actions for the good of our group. Despite my suspicion, I think the group members may not involve themselves in such vices having informed them of the negative effects closely related to attempted rape.

However, I would not rule out the occurrence of such a vice. In case it happens in our group, I would strongly encourage outside relationships. In line with this, I would make the members know that genuine relationships require understanding between the parties involved. With such an understanding, sexual abuse may be significantly reduced if not at all eradicated.

In case where there is sexual abuse between two members, then I would not ignore the situation and therefore would talk to those involved and inform them on the side effects of sexual abuse. However, if the situation is chronic, then I would consider removing one of the members of the group since; with prolonged stay in the group, then the progress of the group would be significantly affected.

The ending process in a group may assist to minimize previous conflicts that have been rampant in the group. In fact, termination of a group provides an avenue for change and even growth where members can now start working as individuals and not as a group. In the ending process, the individual member gets an opportunity to practice new behaviors, which were absent in the group.

In order to end a group, I would discuss the issue with other members of the group and make them realize that the termination of such a group is not the end of life. In line with this, I would encourage members to apply the skills learnt in the group, in their future pursuits. In addition, I would make the members appreciate the importance of group work as opposed to individual work. In this case, I would encourage the group members to join other groups in the future so as to work as a team.

In case, a participant is referred to an ongoing service a trustworthy counselor would refer the participant to another therapist. In so doing, the counselor helps the participant to get new information from other therapists. This is in line with the old English adage that states that change is like rest. Alternatively, the counselor would refer the participant to another group.

In conclusion, it would be wise to suggest that group work do assist individuals in virtually all walks, in life. However, in order to ensure that it serves its purpose, I should encourage cooperation among members so that they move in the same direction towards their ultimate goal. In addition, I should ensure that the challenging issues are properly handled so as not to interfere with the progress of the group. Lastly, it is prudent to ensure that appropriate steps are followed when terminating a group.

References

Hauspie, L. A. (2004). Columbia Encyclopedia. Columbia: Columbia University Press.