Analytical essay

According to the article, â€Å"Leaders: America and Guns,† it Is evident that gun control has proven Ineffective when It comes to dissolving the â€Å"love affair† that exists between Americans and their guns (â€Å"Leaders: America and Guns†). This article highlights the Issues that permeate throughout America regarding pro gun groups. Not only Is this article persuasive, it Infuses a degree of rhetorical strategies including logical, as well as emotional appeals to fortify the issue at hand.Various examples, statistics, and sound evidence is brought to the table, adequately arguing ND developing the position that, â€Å"Americans want to keep their guns, no matter how high the price,† (â€Å"Leaders: America and Guns†). Furthermore, the other article, â€Å"Support for Gun Control Legislation,† falls short in strengthening its argument and is not as convincing, in comparison to â€Å"Leaders: America and Guns. † These articles use a n array of rhetorical strategies to convey their arguments, however some strategies prove more successful or useful than others. Exemplification or defining appears in both articles.These rhetorical strategies seem necessary and perhaps essential monuments In each article. They serve to properly support and strengthen the statements of each author. Another rhetorical strategy that Is prominent throughout both articles Is the comparing and contrasting method. TLS strategy allows the reader to introduce the pros and cons concerning their argument while persuading the reader to take a stance or a step in the right direction. Once the comparing and contrasting have been presented and thoroughly examined, the author can then persuade the reader based on said favorable findings.Apart from these rhetorical strategies, classifying and dividing appear in both articles too. This type of strategy divides difficult or overwhelming topics in smaller comprehensible units. Readjusting a broad topi c into smaller subsections lets the writer gain control of the argument and allows the reader to comfortably analyze the material (â€Å"Rhetorical Strategies). This Is particularly true on a subject like gun control In America, a topic In desperate need of dissecting since there is so much history and discourse to address.The first article, â€Å"Leaders: America and Guns,† uses these rhetorical strategies most effectively, as oppose to the article, â€Å"Support for Gun Control Legislation. † The first article appeals to the reader on an emotional level, as well as on a logical level. The author starts off with; â€Å"The love affair goes on, whatever the price. The funerals are over,† (â€Å"Leaders: America and Guns†). This is a powerful and convincing statement because it gets the reader emotionally involved. It conjures up thoughts of death, guns, and their relation to one another. Followed by this emotionally charged tenement, is a series of examp les.This structure holds true to the rhetorical strategy of exemplification. Mentioned are descriptions of young boys as murders and shocking Incidents such as mass shootings and school massacres. These examples are so effective because they emphasize the Idea that Americans are still obsessed with guns regardless of all the harm they can cause. Moreover, the author also gets the reader convinced on a logical level by presenting rather startling but true evidence, like the anti-control slogan, â€Å"guns don't kill people, people kill cause at face value, it is true.With all these historical events and facts, this article becomes very credible and the author builds a very strong argument. The author also uses the rhetorical strategy of compare and contrast to further reinforce the idea that Americans are reluctant to give up their guns. The article mentions the stark contrasts in regards to deaths by handguns in America versus the world. Although the difference in numbers across th e board is shocking, the author follows these statements by, â€Å"most Americans remain unimpressed by such imprisons,† (â€Å"Leaders: America and Guns†). This article is incredibly persuasive and convincing.Such statements leave the reader in disbelief that Americans still â€Å"want to keep their guns, no matter how high the price,† (â€Å"Leaders: America and Guns†). From this article, even though the author introduces both sides of the story, one could presume that gun control may not gain popularity in America. After reading the first article, the second article becomes less convincing. â€Å"Support for Gun Control Legislation,† lacks emotion and depth. The article sets itself up for disaster, cause although it tries to stress how gun legislation is on the brink of undergoing tighter regulations, it fails miserably.The author places too much emphasis on the National Rifle Association (NEAR). The rhetorical strategy of exemplification is pre sent, but glorifies the NEAR, mentioning how â€Å"powerful† and how † successful† the anti-gun control lobby has been, â€Å"in helping to block any meaningful gun control legislation in Congress,†(â€Å"Support for Gun Control Legislation†). This example, followed by facts, is perhaps not the best one for this discussion because it reinforces the strength of the association in America and weakens the argument for better or more effective regulations.However, the article does include examples of small victories nationwide concerning tougher gun restrictions, but these statements would have been more effective if they were mentioned earlier. These successes lose their credibility as they are undermined when compared and contrasted to the NEAR. The author is very disorganized; his attempts at using classifying and dividing to strengthen his argument do not help him to properly compose his thoughts. The author Jumps from he NEAR, to a series of events, to politicians and lastly lawsuits.This overwhelms the reader because the flow is too Jumbled, for this reason this article becomes ineffective and too complicated to properly make sense of. Lastly, the article that gave me the best answer was â€Å"Leaders: America and Guns. † This article was emotionally charged and logically composed. The author included numerous rhetorical strategies to reinforce his rather shocking stance that Americans love their guns and that those guns are here to stay. The authors use of visual descriptions, incidents, and statistics were all appropriate examples used to establish and display the ideas effectively.The composition of the article flows really well, a lot of information is presented but also condensed, mentioning only what is vital to the argument. The author is direct and to the point and the author does not deviate from the main argument, constantly coming back and endorsing his/her opinion. The author mentions, â€Å"many Americans have already come to the remarkable conclusion that the best route to a safer America is a better-armed America,† (â€Å"Leaders: America and Guns†). The author is constantly on point with his/her information.

Family Violence Essay

Family violence is not a new phenomenon, as it has essentially existed since the beginning of time. Only in modern times, however have societies begun to recognize violence and family members as a social problem (Barnett, Miller-Perrin & Perrin, 2005). For many years, the social problem of family violence had not only been heavily ignored, but for a number of years, had not been fully understood. For example, family violence takes many forms and has a number of different names. Family violence, also known as domestic violence, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence (IPV), is defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one partner against another in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation (Barnett et al., 2005). Moreover, family violence includes but is not limited to physical abuse such as kicking and punching, but also includes sexual and emotional abuse. Emotional abuse includes controlling or domineering; intimi dation; stalking; passive/covert abuse (neglect) and economic deprivation and in many cases is more severe than physical abuse. The changing visibility of family violence is the leading indicator of the necessity of an historical approach to understanding it (Gordon, 2002). Over the past few years, the general public in the US has become familiar with family violence through news coverage of highly publicizes cases, TV programs and movies. At the same time, researchers have made great strides in recognizing the scope of family violence and the context in which it occurs (Barnett et al., 2005). As sociologists know of it today, family violence is politically, historically and socially constructed (Gordon, 2002). In terms of power relations and functionalism, family violence arises out of power struggles in which members of the family are contesting for resources and benefits (Gordon, 2002). Furthermore, these contests arise from both personal aspirations and change social norms and conditions (Gordon, 2002). It is therefore important to know that family violence cannot be understood outside the context of the overall politics of the family. Historical developments that continue to influence family violence include prominent changes in the situation of women and children (Gordon, 2002). It is imperative therefore for a historical analysis of family violence to include a view of the changing power relations among classes, sexes, and generations (Gordon, 2002). Political attitudes have also affected research â€Å"findings† about family violence. Both psychological and sociological interpretations in the debate often ignore the gender politics of family violence issues, and the gender implications of policy recommendations, not only when women or girls were the victims, but also when women were the abusers (Gordon, 2002). Over the past 80 years, four major types of family violence have be studied and examined; child abuse, child neglect, sexual abuse of children and wife beating. In later years, there have been other forms of family violence, which include sibling abuse (which is the most common form of family violence), and elder abuse (Gordon, 2002). Family violence has had many different faces historically, and has been classified in five different stages with different focuses periodically. The first was the 19th century and child saving era, which was from 1876-1910. During this era, there was anti-cruelty to children movement that was influenced by the temperance movement. Emphasis on the cruelty done to kids was placed on the immigrant poor and never the respectable classes (Gordon, 2002). The progressive era was followed by a child saving era which lasted from 1910 -1930 which lead to an emphasis on child neglect. During this era, there was a decrease emphasis on alcohol and identified other forms of stress such as poverty, unemployment and illness (Gordon, 2002). The depressed followed the progressive era where there was an increased defense for the conventional nuclear family. During the World War world war 2 era and the 1950’s child neglect was increasingly seen as emotional neglect and the 1960s and 70s was a period of increased medicalization of family violence which, as sociologists have identified can have extremely negative affects (Gordon, 2002). A lot of attention to family violence began to gain increasing importance during the time of the women’s movement in the 1970s as a concern about wives being beaten by their husbands. Interestingly enough, there was a rise in what some call â€Å"the men’s movement† as response to the problem of domestic violence against men, which is largely omitted in the feminist theory (Barnett et al., 2005). Some flaws in the feminist approach to family violence (as well as others that will be further discussed in the paper), is that it has reduced domestic violence, especially against men as their likelihood of being killed by a female intimate partner has decreased six-fold (Barnett et al. , 2005). OVERVIEW OF SEMINAR READINGS: WEEK 2 Symbolic interactionism is a perspective which seeks to understand how people interact with others (Ingoldsby, Smith & Miller, 2004a). The theory claims that people interact with one another by interpreting each other’s actions (Ingoldsby et al., 2004a). Their response is based on the meanings that they attach to such actions (Ingoldsby et al., 2004a). Thus, human interaction is largely mediated by the use of symbols (Karp & Yoels, 1993). Authors Karp & Yoels (1993) discuss notions of the generalized other and looking-glass self as examples of symbols with which we interact. In one instance, the self emerges from common expectations that others have about social norms within a particular society (Karp & Yoels, 1993). But in another instance, people will self-evaluate themselves against the perceived judgments of others and act accordingly (Karp & Yoels, 1993). The emphasis on symbols brings attention to the roles people play. Role-playing is a key mechanism that allows people to see another person’s perspective to understand what an action might mean (Ingoldsby et al., 2004a). In sum, no situation is static but rather contextual (Ingoldsby et al., 2004a). Individuals then through their own behavior and interaction with others, construct their individual social realities (Karp & Yoels, 1993; Ingoldsby et al., 2004a). Situating family violence within a framework of symbolic interactionism is important in that it provides a context within which people develop their personal interpretations of events. Therefore to understand family violence requires knowledge of the processes through which such interpretations emerge. Rosen (1996) and Mullaney (2007) illustrate ways in which interpretations of the self are at the core of domestic violence. Their findings are essential for understanding how family violence continues over time. Findings also help to account for the formation and preservation of culture and social roles in society. In one respect, interpretations of the self are mediated through two primary orientations of communication: processes of seduction an d processes of entrapment (Rosen, 1996). This first is characterized by forces that tend to draw women into their relationships (romantic fantasies and romantic fusion) and the second by forces that keep them there: survival tactics, cognitive dissonance, roller coaster relationships, traumatic bonding, Romeo and Juliet effects, and peer-family collusion (Rosen, 1996). For example, within the framework of symbolic interactionism, processes of seduction can be loosely defined as a dependent emotional state (Rosen, 1996). Individuals then, connect with partners because they internalize similar understandings of weakness and dependency to communicate feelings of love (Rosen, 1996). The interplay of such communication patterns facilitates an environment of spousal abuse that is likely to continue so long as interaction is repetitive (Rosen, 1996). Processes of entrapment on the other hand, can be argued to demonstrate the externalization of the communication patterns found in processes of seduction. Once meanings of dependency and weakness have been internalized as being both legitimate and appropriate within the context of one’s relationship, these women rationalize such behavior as the norm and thus stay. Survival tactics for example illustrate these efforts, by which women actively engage towards relationship management of an abusive relationship, otherwise internalized as an acceptable social norm. In contrast, Mullaney (2007) identifies low self-esteem as a correlate of men’s violent behavior. Domestic violence then, is a reaction to the attacks or perceived attacks on men’s self-concept (Mullaney, 2007). Mullaney (2007) argues that men will most often justify, yet also minimize, excuse, or blame and offer no apology on account for their violence towards women. These categories serve as scripts through which perceptions of masculinity are restored (Mullaney, 2007). If threatened, masculinity evolves accordingly as men interpret the actions of those around them. For example, women’s irrational spending habits may undermine men’s role as financial provider (Mullaney, 2007). Men would argue that such habits do not align functionally with women’s domestic and social roles (Mullaney, 2007). By doing so, men’s responses are based on the meanings which they attach to such actions and reflect cultural expectations of gender difference. This is problematic because it helps promote and develop stereotypically gendered selves (Mullaney, 2007). Symbolic interactionism then, becomes useful in demonstrating how dominant ideologies of gender are enacted within the interactions of marital relationships, and lend to domestic violence in the process. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES Feminist Theory The root of feminist theory begins with the inclusion of gender and power. Feminists argue that the distinctions between males and females are not inherent or functional; rather they are socially constructed to create and maintain male power in society and thus the family (Yllo, 1993). This sense of patriarchy reinforces traditional social roles and the relationship between the division of power and gender. The feminist perspective suggests that men use violence to retain their dominance or sense of control within the institution of the family. Thus, the feminist paradigm believes that domestic violence is utilized as another means of the social control of women, and takes roots at a personal, institutional, symbolic and material level. The application of a feminist lens to Rosen’s (1996) article allows for a very different approach to the processes of abduction and entrapment. The feminist perspective would likely explain that the forces drawing women into abusive relationshi ps were largely due to the social expectations of femininity and masculinity. The concept of romantic fantasies can be explored through gender identities. Here society portrays the male as being a strong, aggressive, independent individual and the female as a weak, docile individual that is largely dependant on their partner. For instance, the fantasy of Cinderella eludes that a man can protect a woman and save her from her problems. Feminists would suggest that women fall victim to these relationships due to the inequalities portrayed by traditional gender norms. Feminist theorists would likely explain the concept of romantic fusion as being due to the extremely controlling nature of husbands within a patriarchal marriage. This type of relationship is defined as Patriarchal Terrorism (Johnson, 1995). Here, the woman in the relationship would be forced to part with her individual characteristics and become completely devoted to her husband (Johnson, 1995). Furthermore, the husband may further restrict the identity of the woman by refusing to allow her to go to work or maintain friends outside of the actual relationship. The feminist lens would offer a slightly different interpretation of the processes that restrict women from escaping abusive relationships. Though women may still use coping mechanisms and adhere to other social forces, outlined by symbolic interactionaists, feminist theory suggests two main reasons why they stay in violent relationships. The first reason women stay in abusive relationships is fro the sake of their children (Emery, 2009). In cases such as these women will stay with the intent of maintaining some stability for their kids by trying keeping the family in tact. The other reasons women may stay are due to the normalization of gender norms in society. Feminist theory sees the root causes of intimate partner violence as a causation of living in a society that excuses aggressive male behaviours (Yllo, 1993). In other words, because these behaviours are so normative, some women may excuse the behavior and treat it as the norm. What is perceived as the norm also varies across culture. Even today, many cultures adhere to traditional hegemonic norms and strongly believe women should be completely subservient to their husbands. In cases such as this, abuse may be next to impossible to escape. The application of the feminist perspective to Mullaney’s (2007) article would allow for a similar analysis of the attitudes of men and their reasons for rationalizing their abusive behaviours. Mullaney (2007) suggests that men will often become violent due to low self-esteem and a perceived attack on their self-concept. The feminist lens would suggest that men become violent due to the inequalities in society that allow men an advantage position and with that gendered norms. Traditional hegemonic masculine norms suggest that men should be leaders that are strong, in control and tough. This is what the men in the study were trying to demonstrate. Whenever, they felt that their sense of masculinity was being challenged they would lash out in an attempt to regain control. The Control Model of Domestic Violence further provides a precise framework in displaying the interconnectedness between violence and other forms of coercive control. Simply put, the feminist theory suggests th at men use violence as a tactic of controlling their abused wives from participating in actions they have not sanctioned. Family Systems Theory The Family Systems theory provides a very unique, holistic perspective on the topic of violence in the family. This perspective describes the family as a unit of interacting personalities. Sociologist Ernest Burgess, best summarized this perspective when he stated that the family is more then just a definition; it is a living, super personality that has its essence in the interaction of its members (Ingoldsby, Smith & Miller, 2004b). Each member of the family plays a very important role in the overall functioning of the unit. When applied to the topic of violence in the institution of the family, this paradigm focuses on the family dynamics that contribute to domestic abuse. Subsequently less attention is focused on the individual perpetrating the violence and more attention is paid to the environment surrounding the violence and the role each character in the family plays. The Family Systems perspective offers a diverse interpretation of Rosen’s (1996) article on the processe s of abduction and entrapment. Family Systems Theorists differ with respect to how they feel that women are drawn into abusive relationships. This perspective identifies the connection between family goals, rules and control, and how together one can fully understand the development and causation of domestic abuse (Ingoldsby et al., 2004b). For example in the article by Rosen (1996), it can be seen that by using family systems theory and studying familial interactions that certain females may be predisposed to the Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast paradigms. By looking at how their families’ function, one may be able to see the recycling effect due to unresolved or violent backgrounds these victimized individuals may come from. They may fall into a similar pattern from what they know at home, thereby examining the origins of this behavior and viewing the interconnectedness of how one internalizes family rules and ideas of control. Family System’s Theory offers a unique interpretation as to the role women play in becoming stuck in abusive relationships. In the stages preceding marriage, women will often date their partner, while simultaneously leading separate lives which consist of separate relations. As the commitment in a relationship increases, a couple begins to modify their individual social lives. In these types of situations, both men and women will often make more time for one another. This allows for the woman to feel appreciated and loved. As the relationship continues to progress, incidents of sexual jealously among men will often become a major source of conflict. This sense of possessiveness will ultimately cause the female to begin severing ties with male friends, and become increasingly committed to her future husband (Dobash & Dobash, 1993). Once married, dramatic changes occur and the extreme constriction of the wives social life takes place. With the introduction of children, comes the solidification of traditional gendered norms. Wives become extremely restricted and are left responsible for domestic work, such as the operation of the home (Dobash & Dobash, 1993). This may cause women to become increasingly dependant on their husbands. Subsequently, when sources of conflict occur, such as sexual jealousy, disputes over domestic duties or the expenditure of money, women may feel that they have no mobility and are stick in their current situation. Lastly, Family Systems Theory offers a holistic approach to the factors found in Mullaney’s (2007) article that cause men abuse their partners. Like Feminists, Family Systems theorists also believe that a very important aspect of traditional hegemonic masculinity is the element of control. However, unlike the feminist theory this approach attempts to understand what causes men to lose control. One explanation is that violent men often feel as if they may lose control, if they express their emotions, and thus hold it in. This in turn, causes violent men to generally be less emotionally reactive to stress on a day-to-day basis, then non-violent men (Umberson, Anderson, Williams, & Chen, 2003). Though in the short term, repression may be a successful coping strategy for reducing stress and anxiety, it causes the individual increased predicaments in the long run. Repression turns a violent man into a ticking-time bomb, one that is ready to explode in a violent manner. As a result, unlike feminist theories or social interactionism, family systems theory attempts to understand violence in the family by examining every interdependent part of the family. This includes the part both the victims and the offenders play, as well as the role everyday stresses and ones immediate environment have in contributing to family violence. Social Constructionism The methodological approach of Social Constructionism somewhat contrasts the assumptions of other theoretical perspectives that explore the issue of family violence. This paradigm suggests that the emergence of social problems is heavily due to how society, or more specifically institutions within society such as the mainstream media, portrays the issue at hand. Furthermore, social constructionists are often referred to as claims-makers, in that they present a claim that attempts to define the problem at hand. These claims can be heavily influenced by the agenda of the claims-maker, and will clearly identify the roles of the characters within the construct of the event. For instance, social constructionist’s will identify the perpetrator of the violence as the villain and the abused partner as the victim. The analysis of Rosen’s article surrounding the processes involved with seduction and entrapment, using a constructionist lens, provides a different interpretation to the ways women become bound to abusive relations. This perspective focuses on the subjective definitions that cause social problems and look to frame the phenomena of family violence as a social problem (Loseke, 2005). For instance, symbolic interactionism maintains that some abused women are bound to relationships by the process of cognitive dissonance. In cases such as this, women create discrepancies between what they believe the violence in the relationship signifies and what is actually happening. Constructionists on the other hand will focus very little time into how women construct the violent situations. Instead this perspective theorizes that these women have fallen victims to the violent, controlling nature of their abusive, villainous male partners (Loseke, 2005). The media or other primary claims-makers would further emphasis on violent verbal claims, visual images and specific behaviours. The reason of this is to evoke the emotions of society in order to persuade society that a troubled condition exists. The application of a constructions lens to Mullaney’s article on the reasons and types of rationalizations men provide for spousal abuse would allow theorists a better understanding of the ways victims and villains perceive family violence. The social constructionist lens suggests that men create their own social reality. This reality allows men to rationalize their behaviours. For example, in Mullaney’s (2007) article men would often minimize, justify or even deny abusive behaviours. These men will often excuse their behaviours by blaming social or external factors, such as alcohol abuse and the structural problems associated with poverty. These claims are sometimes able to persuade audiences and have allowed for some villains to be rehabilitated through the medicalization of their deviance. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES Symbolic Interactionism Symbolic Interactionism is a key tool to examine domestic violence and its various intricacies. In essence, SI theory attempts to look at domestic violence from the viewpoint of individuals and their interactions with other people. This theory explains that individuals are engulfed in a symbolized environment, where the meanings for these symbols are altered within the course of interaction with other people (Karp & Yoels, 1993). For example, in the article â€Å"The ties that bind women to violent premarital relationships: Processes of seduction and entrapment†, SI is exemplified in the notion of cognitive dissonance. If a man were to slap his wife, while she may see this as an expression or symbol of love, many other people would see this as abuse. Therefore, the difference and meanings of symbols is very fluid, changing and subjective. Furthermore, SI theory is extremely effective in allowing researchers to understand and describe the individuals and their behaviors. It allows an understanding of how conflicts and complex behavioral patterns may arise in relationships, and how the interpretations of symbols may play a role in domestic disputes. This theory is quite effective in predicting future behavior (SI theory is advantageous to use as it grows and adapts to changes within society) and the roles they may play in the relationship either as a perpetrator or a victim, and the context in which these roles are played (Karp & Yoels, 1993). Rosen (1996) explains and clumps together several types of entrapment processes, such as placation or isolation, which predicts why and how females are coerced to remain in that sort of relationship. In addition, this theory does lack certain key elements in understanding domestic violence in its entirety. Due to the quite narrow scope of analysis, it is not very useful in understanding more macro levels of interactions such as groups or family systems. Another disadvantage is that it is quite difficult to apply the theory to other cultures, as its findings and hypotheses are based on a singular cultural atmosphere. Since monotony across cultures does not exist, a grand, overarching theory of domestic violence cannot be established, thereby making international or cross-cultural comparisons quite trying. Feminism Domestic violence as viewed through the feminist perspective focuses on the relationship between gender and the division of power in the familial framework (Yllo, 1993). This framework allows domestic abuse to be viewed in a way that is quite distinct from other theories. Feminist theory reveals that the social expectations regarding masculinity and femininity give relationships their shape, which may result in violent and abusive familial relations (Yllo, 1993). Feminist theory allows for the recognition of the effects of patriarchy in an abusive relationship, which is normally neglected in other theories. For instance, the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) looks at the violence in families, however it neglects several other aspects that could contribute to violence. CTS assumes that males and females are both equally violent in domestic relationships however, feminists note that CTS fails to account for the social expectations (Yllo, 1993). The social expectations of the division of power between a male and female within a relationship can give rise to the abuse and therefore, it cannot be assumed that males and females are equally violent and there are statistical measures that portray a gendered view. For example in the reading, â€Å"Patriarchal terrorism and common couple violence: two forms of violence against women† it can be seen that feminism denotes a difference in the types of violence that occur in domestic partnerships and further differentiates between common couple violence and patriarchal terrorism. This article notes that while CTS looks only at a limited number of control tactics, feminism can shed light to several other controlling methods. While, one can see that feminist theory brings up key defining points that are commonly overlooked, it does remain flawed in many respects. Feminist theory is difficult to apply to forms of domestic violence except for spousal abuse; specifically it only examines the abuse directed towards women. It automatically victimizes the female, and thereby situates the male in role of the villain. Another disadvantage of using solely feminist theory is that same-sex relationships are also not taken into account in their analyses, since it is assumed in feminist analysis that males are the perpetrators and use violence in the relationship to control women. For instance in the article, â€Å"The ties that bind women to violent premarital relationships: Processes of seduction and entrapment†, the analyses are based on the observation of heterosexual relationships. It did not look at how and if these processes of entrapment are applicable to homosexual relationships, for instance, do the Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast paradigm still adequately explain why homosexuals remain in violent relationships. It can be seen that there is a victim/perpetrator structure of the violent relationship, however it cannot be concluded that the processes that entrap victims in violent relationship are similar for same-sex couples. Family Systems Theory Family systems theory is a more holistic approach to understanding abuse within the family and further looks into how everyone within this framework is interconnected. Therefore, it explains how the individual affects the family system and vice versa. Through this analysis, one key contribution of this theory is that it paves the way of identifying the connection between family goals, rules and control, and how together one can fully understand the development and causation of domestic abuse (Ingoldsby et al., 2004b). For example in the article by Rosen (1996), it can be seen that by using family systems theory and studying familial interactions, certain females may be predisposed to the Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast paradigms. By looking at how their families’ function, one may be able to see the recycling effect due to unresolved or violent backgrounds these victimized individuals may come from. They may fall into a similar pattern from what they know at home, thereby examining the origins of this behavior and viewing the interconnectedness of how one internalizes family rules and ideas of control. In the article, â€Å"Stay for the Children? Husband Violence, Marital Stability, and Children’s Behavior Problems† it clearly articulates that the violent behavior is internalized or externalized by children by prolonged exposure of violent behavior. The cyclical pattern of violence is foreseeable in these sorts of family arrangements, thereby being consistent with the idea that the system of family and the individuals within it are affected by each other on a constant basis. Family Systems theory also helps identify the different sorts of family structures in terms of their communicational boundaries and also allows the recognition of the various outcomes for a particular situation (Ingoldsby et al., 2004b). Understanding that there are multiple outcomes for a given situation sets a more encompassing investigation and limits the likelihood of leaving something out or missing a key-contributing factor. It also allows a point of differentiation, and assumes that not all people react the same when the situation arises. This is important as it further provides the researcher with a defining and narrowing point as to which sort of family has a higher likelihood for domestic violence to occur and persist. Some of the downfalls of using family systems theory are that it is often criticized that it is too general and therefore, its application remains vague. The vagueness stretches from the assumption that systems theory is not a true theory rather it is a model that is more methodological than theoretical. Social Constructionism Social constructionist theory is a popular theory used to examine the roles played in an abusive relationship. An advantage of constructionist theory is that it clearly identifies the victim and the villain within the construct of the particular event (Loseke, 2005). Claims-makers are portrayed as practical actors constructing successful claims that reflect existing culture, and producing new culture of various social problems, specifically family violence. Social constructionism also allows domestic violence issues to be raised to the forefront and become more public, through the media. Through its application and explanations, this theory can be used to show how knowledge is socially constructed and how that knowledge reflects power and politics in family violence situations. Furthermore, it can give shape to other forms of domestic violence through counter claims making, such as husband abuse. Unlike other theories, constructionism is quite useful in examining other types of abuse and not singularly looking at wife abuse like feminism (Loseke, 2005). Constructionism allows for the understanding of child or elder abuse in the household. This theory also helps understand how people construct realities that keep them in abusive relationships, and how the relationship may be viewed differently to other people. In the article by Mullaney (2007), the construction of the men’s reality of the situation may differ from what abuse has occurred to the wife. The husband may reframe the abuse as â€Å"non-violent† or suggest that in that instance of abuse that it was not the â€Å"real him† that was carrying out the abuse. The disadvantages of using social constructionist theory are that due to the fact that individual events are a crucial component to the analysis, its subjectivity allows much room for debate. This makes it difficult to develop a theory that can encompass all the social realities and have it apply to all domestic violence cases cross-culturally. While looking at the article â€Å"Creating clients: Social problems work in a shelter for battered women,† it can be seen that shelters create an ideal client that one must fit in order to be allowed to be in the shelter. Creating this sort of criteria leaves out many other people who typically do not fit the stereotype or do not meet the conditions set out by the providers even though they are in need of assistance. Using this theory, it seems as though society has constructed an â€Å"ideal† victim and those who do not appear to fit this idealistic view of a victim are often rejected despite their need for immediate attention. Social constructionism therefore does not grant that everyone experiencing violence will be offered assistance, as this is based on the shelter’s perception of what a victim should look like. Family violence is a very serious social problem, and while social critics focus on how to achieve social change in this regard, social constructionists work to achieve new knowledge. Thus, social constructionism does not only pose a potentially dangerous approach to understanding and treatment of family violence, but it also does not examine objective conditions in their own right and seek to solve this social problem; essentially there are â€Å"no real truths† due to the subjectivity of the theory. REFLECTION Although much research and knowledge has been gathered in the field of family violence, there are ways in which this research must progress. Theoretically, family systems theory, symbolic interactionism, social constructionism, and feminist perspectives each have advantages in their application. As previously discussed, they each additionally have faults that hinder the study of family violence. We propose that a new theoretical framework be considered which essentially combines different aspects of each. For example, the notions of cause and effect associated with family systems, with an understanding of roles, salience and identity associated with symbolic interactionism. These theories can additionally be used to critically examine the core concepts of each. For example, how is the process of the looking-glass self influenced by the double-bind. Theoretical application in these ways may lead to new ways of perceiving family violence. The study of family violence also should attempt to increase its scope. Studies of family violence must adjust due to emerging and increasingly common alternative family forms; same-sex parent families and polygamous relationships are such examples. Methodologically, the study of family violence should attempt to attain a more culturally diverse sample. Many of the readings focused on this semester relied on a predominantly Caucasian sample, and studies focusing on different ethnicities would be beneficial. If researchers are to examine alternative family forms they must also establish a methodology that is sensitive to the stigma surrounding different identities, for example the emasculation associated with husband abuse, or the intersection of a homosexual identity within a context of family violence. Researchers should also establish a methodology that accounts for those patterns of violence considered â€Å"less severe† than others such as verbal abuse, as studies pertaini ng solely to physical violence are not enough. Practically, we suggest that researchers focus on early intervention through education. Researchers should aim for the implementation of programs directed to informing children and teenagers about this social issue. With increased awareness may come increased action towards ending the problem. These programs may assist a young person who is dealing with family violence, giving them an opportunity to speak to someone about it. Making the issue visible, giving it a platform to be discussed and early intervention is requisite to decreasing the frequency of family violence. The application of different aspects of the theories discussed this semester will be beneficial to the study of family violence as a whole. The fallacies of one theory may be redeemed through the usage of another. When evaluating such troubling social issues such as family violence, it is important to always think critically. In the cases of physical violence, we know that though symbolic interactionism, family members react to a situation based on their ability interpret the situation. So, it is important to understand the symbols the family uses to understand their interactions and behaviors. If a family is exposed to continuous physical abuse, in what ways do the family members interpret and internalize it? Why is it that many of the abused women came from families where no abuse was present and moreover continue the cycle of abuse? Where has the self worth gone or was it ever there in the first place? We now know some of the reasons why family violence is not reported and a lot of it has to do with the social stigma that is attributed both by those receiving the abuse and those who are the abusers. By building on – rather than challenging – the theories we can expand our knowledge and practically implement programs to assist those dealing with family violence. REFERENCES Barnett, O. W., Miller-Perrin, C. L., & Perrin, R. D. (2005). Family violence across the lifespan: An introduction (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: CA: Sage Publications. Dobash, R. E. & Dobash, R. (1993). Violence against wives. In B. Fox (Ed.), Familypatterns: Gender relations (pp. 299-317). Toronto: Oxford University Press. Emery, C. R. (2009). Stay for the children? Husband violence, marital stability, and children’s behavior problems. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 71, 905-916. Gordon, L. (1989). The politics and history of family violence. In A. Skolnick & J. Skolnick (Eds.), Family in Transition (pp. 68-86). Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company. Ingoldsby, B., Smith, S., & Miller, J. (2004a). Symbolic interactionism theory. In B. Ingoldsby, S. Smith, & J. Miller (Eds.), Exploring family theories (pp. 81-92). CA: Roxbury Publishing Company. Ingoldsby, B., Smith, S., & Miller, J. (2004b). Family systems theory. In B. Ingoldsby, S. Smith, & J. Miller (Eds.), Explo ring family theories (pp. 167-179). CA: Roxbury Publishing Company. Johnson, M. (1995). Patriarchal terrorism and common couple violence: two forms of violence against women. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57, 283-294. Karp, D., & Yoels, B. (1993). Socialization and the construction of social reality. In D. Karp & W. Yoels (Eds.), Sociology in everyday life (pp. 37-59). Illinois: Waveland Press. Loseke, D. R. (2005). Construction people. In D. R. Loseke (Ed.), Thinking about social problems: An introduction to constructionist perspective (pp. 75-96). London: Aldine Transaction. Mullaney, J. L. (2007). Telling it like a man: Masculinities and battering men’s accounts of their violence. Men and Masculinities, 10, 222-247. Rosen, K. (1996). The ties that bind women to violent premarital relationships: Processes of seduction and entrapment. In D. Cahn & S. Lloyd (Eds.), Family violence from a communication perspective (pp. 151-176). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Umbe rson, D., Anderson, K., Williams, K., and Chen, M. (2003). Relation dynamics, emotion state, and domestic violence: a stress and masculinities perspective. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 65, 233-247. Yllo, K. (1993). Through a feminist lens: Gender, power, and violence. In R. Gelles & D. Loseke (Eds.), Current controversies on family violence (pp. 47-62). Newbury Park: Sage Publications.

A Proposal to Purchase Echocardiography Machine

Dear Sir, I would like to offer the proposal of purchasing an echocardiography machine, which in my suggestion is an urgent need for our hospital because of its large cardiac department.I would like to put forward my proposal in front of the panel of judges to justify my urge to buy the equipment as it is a need and an asset to the hospital as well.Such costly equipment should only be purchased when trained staff, ready to give undertaking of its optimum utilization, is available. This becomes all the more important when the financial constraints in the institution are so severe that even life saving medicines and common use items are not available even in the Emergency.EchocardiographyEchocardiography is a technique that uses very high frequency sound, or ultrasound (with frequency between 2 and 15 MHz, well above the human hearing limit of about 20 kHz), to visualize the details of heart anatomy. Echocardiography is the most widely used diagnostic test to detect and quantify heart disease. It has been used in virtually all areas of cardiovascular examination, evaluation and management.There is growing interest in the smaller, portable, hand-carried devices because they offer the ability to bring echocardiography to point-of-care management, particularly for cases that previously required delays in testing due to the necessity of scheduling sonographers and moving equipment through the hospital.Hand-carried devices have the potential to be used in areas such as the critical care unit (CCU), the cardiac catheterization laboratory, the electrophysiology laboratory, the emergency department and all surgical intensive care units.There is also a rising conviction that because of the ease of use of the hand-carried ultrasound, it eventually will be incorporated into the standard physical examination, much like the stethoscope is today.Price Of Echocardiography MachineAn echocardiography machine can be purchased at approx $125,000 (Leech, 1998). These machines do not depreciate easily physically; however, they rapidly become outdated technically. An echocardiography machine practically and technologically can not live up to five years. For this reason, and to give a better life to the machinery, the manufactures regularly provide upgrades to the machines, which enhance the technical life of the machine to up to 12 years.To take a rough idea, the up-gradation at the rate of at least 5 % per year of the purchasing cost, will cost $30,000 to every 3–5 years. As capital sum can generate some bank interest could, the ‘cost of money’ is required to be included. In the United States, the Government’s Treasury rate is 6%. Servicing the machine will be charged annually at approximately 6–8% of the purchasing cost (Leech, 1998).

Information Systems Project Management Term Paper

Information Systems Project Management - Term Paper Example The benefits of project management are only achievable through effective project management. This is only obtained through a project manager with the following characteristics: performance, knowledge and personal ego. Through these qualities of an effective project manager, project management will deliver counter fold benefits. The manager, client, production team will derive satisfaction from the project. The benefits are but not limited to;†¢ Enhanced delivery of services: Similar strategies used to complete a project are used for other projects. The organization has the opportunity to look at situations.†¢ Positive Team development: The team that successfully manages a project command respect and motivation. Teamwork developed assists in the process of goal setting and as result lead to increased production and customer satisfaction. Smaller goals developed become stepping stones towards fulfillment of the larger goal. This results to the growth of organizational structu re.†¢ Be competitive: A successful project management team gets equal opportunities for other projects.†¢ Flexibility: Project management creates room for mapping out a strategy. Through this option, a manager is in a position to implement a viable strategy for the project. It also offers many ways of solving problems, a process instrumental in mitigating risks. Availability of many formulas and mathematical methods assist teams in deriving at solutions. As a result, the organization team saves time, resources and energy.... Teamwork developed assists in the process of goal setting and as result lead to increased production and customer satisfaction. Smaller goals developed become stepping stones towards fulfillment of the larger goal. This results to the growth of organizational structure. Be competitive: A successful project management team gets equal opportunities for other projects. Flexibility: Project management creates room for mapping out a strategy. Through this option, a manager is in a position to implement a viable strategy for the project. It also offers many ways of solving problems, a process instrumental in mitigating risks. Availability of many formulas and mathematical methods assist teams in deriving at solutions. As a result, the organization team saves time, resources and energy. Risk assessment: Project management ensures that resources are well mobilized as the strategy outlines potential risks and the possible ways of mitigation. Forecasting is simplified so that problems are cons idered before they develop. The problem solving process identifies the problems, weighs viable options, and seeks for viable solutions. Assurance of quality: Through efficiency, quality is increased. Organizational leaders are in a position to display simple to understand and analyze information easily (Kerzner 2013). Example of Projects that would utilize benefit from a project manager and a project information system Organizations have strategic plans that initiate projects. As a result, projects are initiated by either of the following strategic goals: Market demand for a particular product like a car company initiating a project of building fuel efficient vehicles due to shortages in gasoline. Customer request resulting from the needs of a society like

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 52

Assignment Example He cites several reasons towards this. The most prominent cause of the high levels of arrest amount individuals in this bracket is the weeding out of wealthy individuals. This means that police tend not to put a critical focus on crimes that are committed by individuals who have some form of financial ability (Reiman & Leighton, 2010). This has led to the profiling of such individuals as individuals with potential of committing crime. The police profiling is based on the theory of comparing the magnitude of the crime and the levels of income earned. Therefore, when an individual in the middle-income brackets commits a petty crime may walk away with just but a mere warning without arrest. In addition to profiling of the individuals, the author puts out an argument in the road toward prison. He acknowledges that the police regularly investigate individuals who have the least levels of political and economic clout (Reiman & Leighton, 2010). Therefore, a case on a petty crime such as non-aggravated assault and shoplifting may quickly go cold if the key suspect of a crime if the person has any potential or significant political or economic influence. Therefore leaving the individuals in the lower end if the income bracket most vulnerable to arrest Notable is the high conviction rates of individuals in the lower income bracket than in the higher bracket. According to Reidman, the topic of guilt or not guilty is highly affected by the individual’s ability to secure funds that are necessary for acquiring legal counsel or even be freed on bail. As both of them require access to a significant amount of money, it is not a shock that individuals who are likely to be convicted of a crime. Studies have indicated that unemployed individuals and individual who do not have the ability to make bail are three times more likely to be

Using Perceptual Maps in Marketing simulation Essay

Using Perceptual Maps in Marketing simulation - Essay Example This will be followed by direct impact/results of these decisions which will be generated by the simulation itself. Following this explanation, the interdependence between differentiation and positioning a product and a service is explained. Besides this, the results of the decision of repositioning the brand of Cruiser Thor or introducing a whole new product line will also be discussed. Besides this, the overall effect of Product Life Cycle on the brand’s performance and the scenarios presented in the simulation is also discussed, which will give a comprehensive summary of selected marketing plans and its impact on the brands’ performance. 1. Scenario 1 1.1 The Situation Cruiser Thorr is the market leader in the motorcycle industry where the consumers symbolize the brand with lifestyle. Lifestyle positioning is the strongest element in the motorcycle industry and Cruiser Thorr enjoys the brand image of a premium product with all the features and deliverables which make s it the first choice of the consumers who can afford it. Situation 1 of the Simulation presents a scenario where the Cruiser is losing Sales because its ideal target market (men in the age-group of 25-50) is growing old and is no longer interested in the lifestyle image of the brand. Moreover, the alternative market of the youngsters do not relate to the image of the brand of Cruiser. Therefore, the brand had to be repositioned in the market and around those elements which would cater to the consumer preferences as portrayed in the market research. 1.2 Recommended Solutions The possible solution was to reposition the brand. I selected the parameters of Price, Service Offerings, Product Uniqueness, Product Design and Style. The results showed by the simulation were that the parameters of Product Style and Design and Product Uniqueness were not appropriately selected. I selected the Service Offerings because the competing brands had good services to offer and that, because of the hig h price of the Cruiser, it had to be complimented with Financial Services. Besides this, the Product Style and Design would have complimented the Lifestyle image. I did not select the Lifestyle parameter exclusively because the trend in the target market showed that this was no longer as important to the consumers as it was when they were young. 1.3 The Results As lifestyle image is the most important component in the Motorcycle Industry, the brand will sustain its image. Along with this, the Quality Engineering parameter also had to be included as it incorporated all the other factors such as the engine’s performance, the design and its overall quality; which are important to the consumers. 2. Scenario 2 2.1 The Situation The second Scenario was that the brand of Cruiser was lagging in sales despite repositioning it. The market dynamics through research showed that the young men, aged from 20 – 35 comprised of a strong market potential. Now the question was either to reposition Cruiser Thorr again or to launch a separate product called RRoth – a much lighter version of the Cruiser. 2.2. Recommended Solution The solution was to launch a separate product line under the brand of RRoth with low prices, more financial services, unique design and the quality persistent with Thorr’s image. The idea of repositioning Cruiser would be harmful because Cruiser Thorr is the premium brand of the company and repositioning it in the

Research proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Research proposal - Essay Example The study will therefore focus on establishing various formal verification and security methods. The methods are expected to play a crucial role in the minimization of computer crimes and information wars. Formal verification and security are of great importance in the growth of hard ware and software systems. In the past years, there has been a tremendous progress in both the speed and capacity of constraint technology. In the 19th century the percentage of computer crimes and information war were very low. This was greatly attributed to lack of industrialization hence low technology advancement. However, in the 21st century, technology has drastically emerged amongst many societies in the world. Brake and Johnson (2001), states that technology has greatly advanced leading to computerization of various homestead and commercial based systems such as mobile phones, washing machine, automated teller machines among others. The increase in technology has led to emergence of various computer crimes and information wars hence the need for formal verification and security methods. Original methods and approaches are now being developed in order to protect the systems involved against attackers, to identify the attackers and to collect sensitive information so as to eliminate the threats. In the past, security protocols were designed and verified through informal techniques. The absence of formal verification led to security errors remaining undetected. Recently, emergence and presence of formal verification techniques have led to provision of a systematic way of discovering protocol flaws. Due to the increase in computer crimes, information wars and computer intrusions, the study purports to establish effective formal verification and security methods. The methods are expected to reduce computer crime rates in the world. The study also focuses on exploring possible applications of

BUSINESS ETHICS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

BUSINESS ETHICS - Essay Example Management for business and economics should come from both aspects of â€Å"external† and â€Å"internal.† From external aspects as in terms of political force, legal directives, sociocultural practices and education. From internal aspects as in terms of positive faith and conduct of business companies and people, self-regulation of business unions, etc. The external aspect alone cannot accomplish this direction because it requires the inner responsibility of business nor is the internal aspect adequate because business, like any societal group, is only a sole element of society and needs supplementary external management and guidance. Nonetheless, the internal aspect is becoming more significant as the economic players have the benefit of more autonomy and thus abide by more accountability. In this period of fast globalisation and secularisation, where authority is moving away from its conventional hub in the West, the world will be inestimably poorer, more unsafe, and more brittle and most of all, more directionless —lacking the essential sense of rationale to help direct its voyage — if it is with no strong religious aspect. Given the tremendous challenges of globalization and secularization, it appears definitively prudent to place the religious approaches to business ethics into the global framework. This sets far above the ground standards, of which, until at present, the realistic and theoretical accomplishments of business ethics have fallen noticeably undersized. Business is component of the societal order. Its prime rationale is to fulfill material and human needs by manufacturing and dispensing goods and services in a proficient style. How this function is carried out the ways as well as the closing stages is central to the entire society. Along with the development in material wealth in the business world, there is rising in some sectors a value system which is damaging to the healthy development of human

Public administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Public administration - Essay Example Guided by morality, an individual is usually obliged to do good even if that good is contrary to the law set by specific persons. A plethora of studies have indeed shown that driving at very high speeds on the highway can lead to tragic road accidents. It has also been proven that some governments are willing to pay up to $1.54 million for every life lost in these traffic accidents just to make the people arrive to work places fast enough at the same time without considering this is human life they are taking for granted. By using the utilitarian philosophy, which is the moral obligation of every human being to do a common good for the best interest of others, the outcome in most cases lead to happiness. Driving at very high speeds on the highways can lead to fatal loss of lives and as such, it is an undesirable outcome. Instead of causing happiness, it causes grief as well as sadness, which is contrary to utilitarian philosophy. At times, it is essential that one keeps in mind that, whatever action you decide to take, the consequences to others will be reciprocated back to you once in your lifetime, regardless of them being good or bad. It is worth noting that the course of actions that one decides to take at a certain time is always intended to cause the highest degree of happiness. In regard to the given case, driving at high speeds in a highway cause grief and sadness instead of the happiness anticipated in order to feel complete. If everybody became morally obligated to conserving human life, no one would drive in such high speeds as driving in high speeds on highways cause discomfort to others. Upholding human life is the important moral and as such, doing so reflects respects his/her right to life (Stillman, 2009). It is in such instance that we ought to apply the deontological ethics used to guide an individual through his/her day to day life. According to deontological theory, one should uphold

Convergence Law and Its Relevance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Convergence Law and Its Relevance - Essay Example As such, the paper discusses the multiple factors that have had an influence on the formation and convergence of European law. Primarily, this convergence is the result of the necessity of uniformism that has been demanded since the European Union first formed. As a result, integrations have taken place based on the interpretation of individual laws, as well as entire constitutional understanding. As the idea of citizenship has been defined to incorporate an individual into the greater whole of the European Union, likewise individual interpretations of existing law has been forced to be understood, fabricated, and analyzed through the very same constructs. As a vehicle for understanding this concept, Tryfonadou introduces the topic of free movement of persons and free movement of goods as it evolved in the late 1990’s through early 2000’s. Perhaps, one of the best examples of this convergence can be seen in what Tryfonadou describes as the â€Å"restriction† and â€Å"discrimination† of free movement law. ... persons, existing laws have made an attempt, according to Tryfonadou, to juxtapose the two and come to a common understanding and definition in the scope of the laws. (1) The author goes on to explain to the reader the differences between subsidiarity law principles and proportionality principles. Subsidiarity requires that the community adopt the legislation only if it is a requirement to achieve a given object. Accordingly, proportionality requires that the burden of the law’s enactment be proportionally weighted so as not to be too heavy with relation to the objective that is trying to be achieved. An unavoidable facet of the European Union’s construction requires that one understand and realize the importance of the many different legal systems that make up its component parts, as well as how each of these systems begins to find a certain commonality within the law, i.e. the convergence principle that Tryfonadou has written. Due to the additional fact that the Europ ean Union is made up of a multiplicity of differing legal systems of its member states, recognition of the defining legal principles which each system espouse combined with the aforementioned principles of subsidiarity and proportionality lead invariably to a form of legal diversity. In short, even though the diverse systems of law that are extant within the European Union espouse similar legal views on a variety of different and diverse topics (i.e. Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Scandinavian law) all have a host of commonalities with which to draw from. Regardless, the formation of the European Union has provided a type of centrifugal force that has worked to mold each of the aforementioned member states particular understanding into a more common and generally accepted form of jurisprudence which had

Advantages Of Bluetooth Technology implementation In Modern Life Case Study

Advantages Of Bluetooth Technology implementation In Modern Life - Case Study Example The Bluetooth technology in business information system uses a weak signal so that it doesn't interfere by means of cell phone signal or additional signals. This technology is identical to the radio signal technology. The Bluetooth technology can be utilized to transfer data between different sections at the Business Information System. The current status of the technology Bluetooth has held every corner of society resorting overwhelming trend since Ericsson proposed the new technology-Bluetooth in 1998. The development of Bluetooth is improved rapidly in recent years. As a new short distance wireless transmission technology, Bluetooth has been paid close attention to the fields of science, industry, and entertainment. Bluetooth service utilizes radio waves to transfer data that's mean distances between each Bluetooth devices has to in short distance. Another weakness point about Bluetooth is security; because of the underlying communication medium is an open system for everyone. In these cases, this technology is not effectively operational. It is suitable for only office-based communications and data handling. According to Flint, Karvinen, McKnight, & Tee (2008), Bluetooth is a new and modern type of technology in the telecommunications sector. This new technology allows connecting wirelessly to computers, mobile phones, and personal digital assistants or PDAs. This wireless connection allows easy interconnection by a short-range wireless link. In this way, we can transfer data within a short distance with high data rate. By means of this technology, users of wireless technology, cellular phones, PDAs can purchase a 3in1 mobile phone that is able to offer the facility of portability at the office or home. It also presents the capability to obtain rapidly synchronized information in a notebook or desktop computer.

Brendon Gallacher and Medusa Essay Example for Free

Brendon Gallacher and Medusa Essay Loss is a key, reoccurring theme in my two poems of choice; ‘Brendon Gallacher’ and ‘Medusa. ’ ‘Brendon Gallacher’ is an affectionate elegy for an imaginary, eponymous childhood friend, ‘Medusa’ is a poem divided into stanzas of mostly equal length. Both poets use varying language to help the reader visualise the characters’ feelings and persona. Emptiness and loss are presented in both poems through numerous techniques including alliteration, imagery and refrain. There is a childlike quality to Jackie Kay’s elegy for the death of an imaginary friend. The persona uses simple language and a range of techniques such as colloquialism. Contrastingly, in Medusa, Duffy uses a sombre tone thought the poem which helps the poem flow naturally and contributes to the developing sorrow. In ‘Brendon Gallacher’, Jackie Kay’s use of a repetitive refrain gives a song-like quality; this is further reinforced by the interjections that show grief in the last lines: ‘Oh Brendon, Oh my Brendon Gallacher’. The passing of Brendon leaves an empty void, filled by the repetition of ‘Brendon Gallacher’, which demonstrates fixation and inability to let ones feelings pass – an emotional attachment; ‘Brendon’ as opposed to the full name previously used. The repetition of the possessive pronoun emphasizes the idea that Brendan belongs to the narrator, and emphasizes the theme of loss and longing for something that is gone. Similarly, Duffy uses evocative language immediately by beginning on the theme of obsession/mistrust. Duffy emphasises this by the list of three, suspicion, doubt and fear which grew in her mind, allowing the flow of thoughts through enjambment. This doubt and fear shows that Medusa is somewhat compulsive and has lost any freedom or ability to control her thoughts. Moreover in Brendon Gallacher, they meet ‘in the open air’, as if Brendon represents autonomy and journeying; he talks of ‘Some place far’, which offers a purpose for the narrator to live on. This is all lost with the ‘death’ of Brendon. A physical loss rather than emotional loss is demonstrated through the words â€Å"we’d been friends for years† and â€Å"he would hold my hand† which suggests there is an emptiness of physical intimacy. Similarly, Medusa was once a beautiful woman who was transformed into a horrible monster by the Greek goddess, Athena. Jealousy and paranoia transform the hair upon Medusas head, in the poem, into filthy snakes. Already the reader is aware of the change ‘turned the hairs’, giving the impression that she was not always like this and did at one point have beautiful hair. Both poets have used descriptive techniques and imagery to show the physical changes and loss each character has undergone. â€Å"One day when it was pouring and I was indoors†, this paragraph in Brendon Gallacher uses pathetic fallacy to make the mood evoke a loss of innocence which is reflected by the rainy weather. Immature language and description is used to help the audience visualise the narrator’s childhood, â€Å"He had six brothers and I had one† can be conveyed as quite childish and this might have been used to emphasise that the narrator is talking about her past when she was younger, her childhood emptiness and loss. Also, in Medusa the rhetorical questions, â€Å"Wasn’t I beautiful? Wasn’t I fragrant and young? † show insecurity due to the repetition of questions but also shows a side of innocence as is normally related to young people. Both poems show a loss of innocence, albeit in different ways. â€Å"Look at me now. † The single line in Medusa emphasises the final request that appears as a paradox, a plea for sympathy but also a threat. Another, loss, this time more mentally affecting, Medusa has lost control over her decisions, this is further enforced by her turning of others into stone; â€Å"bullet tears in my eyes†, â€Å"you were stone†, Medusa has lost her ability to even look at others, and much like her tears, her fate is set in stone. This varied sentence length is indulging and engrossing as it really questions the empathy of the reader. All in all, both poems have certain similarities when trying to present loss. Both ‘Brendon Gallacher’ and ‘Medusa’ use language to bring alive the thoughts of the characters. Duffy focuses more on the imagery and tone of the poem whereas Kay brings to life the exact detail to provide the full picture.

Personal development as a strategic manager

Personal development as a strategic manager Introduction: This discussion is all about: The main areas of discussion in this essay are individual abilities required to achieve the strategic ambitions, additional qualities required for being able to acquire personal leadership development for supporting achievement of strategic ambitions, having abilities to understand the effectiveness of leadership development plans and support the work environment that supports organization values. For any organization, it is extremely important to understand the hurdles of success which is generally profitability. Role of strategic manager in the organization: The strategic manager is the person who can understand the nature of business, life of business, major and minor issues related to the business, so in order to gain maximum profit every organization must have strategic manager. The strategic manager follows SWOT analysis and prepares strategies for his organization. Initially the strategic manager must have special skills (abilities) which he has to maintain, evaluate and also justify the outcomes of those skills (strategies) on the units or organization. This essay is focusing on a company named Tata Strategic Management Group Mr. Ratan N Tata is the chairman of Tata group since 1991. He is also the chairman of major Tata companies such as Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Tea, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, Tata Teleservices etc.. During his tenor the TATA group has earned total revenue of $67.4 billion in 2009-10. The Tata Strategic Management Group (TSMG) is a Mumbai-based consult company that position among the peak three management consulting company in South Asia locates up in 1991 as a separation of Tata industry. TSMG has accomplished over 500 schedules with more than 100 clients across countries and industry sectors. More than 60 per cent of TSMGs business comes from non-Tata clients and 25 per cent from global consumers. The group has held business in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Middle East, Germany, the UK and the US. Tata planned has a team of more than 70 consultants. Section 1 : Be able to identify personal skills to achieving strategic ambitions The strategic manger requires build on his management skills and focusing on the needs of implement the managerial strategy. Strategic ambitions play a role of driver for improvement in the organization. These ambitions are comprise of some positive thoughts and negative thoughts. Strategic ambitions are to be design the quality into the structure of the organization, plan and control improvements, assure improvements and position the organization in the market at pinnacle level. 1.1 : Analyze the strategic direction of the organization To be a successful strategic manager, one should have clear vision and clear idea of the mission which the organization wants to achieve. He has to prepare strategies for the profitability and growth of the company. As no organization can achieve its goal unless the stages of achievement are not clear, so strategic manager has to understand the stages of progress as the management is the process of number of decisions. And when he become eligible to identify the achievements, he can set up new goals and of course by this only they can identify the process of strategies. 1.2 : Evaluate the strategic skills required of a the leader to achieve the strategic ambition The strategic manager needs to recognize the achievement of ambition so he understands how his strategies are working in the business, whether his strategies lead to the organizational goal or not and also these strategies are obliging to him for the future strategic management. He needs to check the positive result of the strategies with the help of identifying the ambitions. 1.3:Assess the relationship between existing, required and future skills to achieve the strategic ambition Ambitions are made with some normal opinion or ideas which can also consist of risk. Strategic manager can not make any thoughts or strategies. There might be chances of negative effect of strategies made by strategic manager. And if the strategies fail it not only affects to the growth of strategic manager but also whole organization. As an individual, it is more important to be alert of negatives of strategies. If a strategic manager is not able to identify the strategic ambitions, then it would be very late to get better the wrong decisions made by him. Example The Tata Strategic Management Group suggests clients in the areas of plan formulation, policy exploitation, arrangement improvement and company analytics. When Tata strategic management group was establish on 1991, it was running completely in the strategy spce and worked about with Tata group companies. Now a day, it is increase over moderately a few industries, and has clients from crosswise the India and all over the world. Mr. Raju Bhinge chief executives of Tata strategic management group have formed the companys target. The target of the company for 2010 was to become a chief Indian global management consulting firm, with minimum 10 lines of business, a occurrence in 10 countries and more than 50 per cent of income from other countries. Right now Tata strategic management group is given that its services in west Asia and south Asia .in adding up to India this are a focus for the more students or clients around the worldwide world. Section 2: Be able to manage personal leadership development to support achieving strategic ambitions 2.1: Discuss the opportunities to support leadership development The achievement of strategies depends on the completion of the strategies. Goals of the company are exaggerated by the application of strategy in different industries and other factors. For this reason, at this phase it is more important for the planned manager to develop a control to support the ambitions. In the big organizations there are many people to create strategies so one has to develop himself from a very start to have own strategies to work with the other employees, he should have control power on his resolution making skill and applications of certain plans. This not only involves benefits of individuals receiving success fast but also a heavy risk of getting responsible. In such circumstances, when one manages relationship with the same level employees and also encourage others as a group requires great strategies as this is something away from the common managers. This leadership quality for achievements of ambitions is itself a top strategy because it also involves man agement of human resources. 2.2:Construct a personal development plan to direct leadership development The other issue that went in the support was that while it was simple to indict a McKinsey for a project plan, that was very, comfortable to keep their services right throughout conclusion. With TSMG, on the further hand, each project shaped a kind of symbiosis that the client has a company that would happily be a partner in accomplishment, while TSMG gained learnings that were much richer than their western counterpart could get jointly. To give its service a clear benefit, Tata strategic management has decisive on construction expert teams. Pankaj Gupta, exercise head for customer and retail, elaborate, In many cases, company add technological expert to our plan teams — people who have actually been in higher status of companies for next few years in automotive, customer products. This is a very tough differentiator that sets Tata strategic management groups services except for from and on pinnacle of those of its competitor in the market. 2.3 Devise an implementation process for the development plan The first project that Tata strategic management group took up within the group was a policy study for the Tata Oil Mills which was linked in its sale to Hindustan Lever. after that came the study for restructuring Voltas, the policy study for Lakmà © which lead to the sale of the comprise business to Unilever, the gaining of Little Woods — a English-owned retail series in south India — and Trents hooked on attire retail throughout Westside and Food Grocery retail all the way through Star Bazaar. Tata strategic management group work on the attainment of VSNL, its broadband entrance plan and business data services expansion strategy; it up to the business drawing for the groups right of entry into shopper electronics business, provided JV cooperation and performance support for the arrangement of Infiniti Retail. Tata strategic management group also worked on the whole plan for the Tata Sky satellite television service project. Quite a few of these experience opened new opportunity, enable Tata strategic management group to move out of its satisfied home lawn into other Tata companies. Last economic, other Tata industry comprise 10 to 15 per cent of company At present, non-Tata production is more than 50 per cent and is projected to make more than 70 per cent at the end of the next year. From 2005, on the start of capability developed in-house, Tata strategic management group start offering few of its services to hard markets such as the America and the London. It has three aid for that markets. One is strategic study for sympathetic country compilation markets, competitor approach, etc. The second is financial research, which includes work on opinion, equity, fixed income, etc. Third is mathematical optimisation or an analytical solution, which comprises risk modelling and projecting modelling, like fraud in telecom or risk study in insurance. With its new business model and internationalisation strategy well on track, Tata strategic management group has comprehensive its core competencies and is rousing into completely new areas of process. No doubt that the company is being motivated and dreaming big for the future. Section 3: Be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the leadership development plan 3.1: Assess the achievement of outcomes of the plan against original objectives It is very essential for an alive organization to appraise the effectiveness of the leadership development. In the market every organization has its competitors and it becomes very difficult for it to beat from it or maintain its position in the market among the others. The best way to maintain its standing or position among the other competitors is to check the effectiveness of the strategies the steps taken by the organization. Sometimes it becomes necessary the evaluation for the benefit of the company. Example: In case of TSMG, they had their own space to move with. This also guided them to compete with existing giants in their own field of serving companies for strategies primarily of deciding the group of companies they can cater. Detailed contents: Although the only Indian management consulting packed in of significance, Tata strategic management group have created a place for the company, and enjoys a private positioning. But the journey has not been an easy one. Even if the anxiety enjoyed by the Tata brand did offer the right qualifications and helped the corporation set up its lineage the real challenge has been judgment customers from the combination. In like to Tata group companies, for example, were reluctant to work with Tata strategic management group, have a threat of a difference of notice and in view of the number of areas the 93-corporation cluster has an incidence in, this has been a massive handicap. But Tata strategic management group did find out a way out, by touching into part where the group was not represented. 3.2:Evaluate the impact of the attainment of the of objectives on strategic ambitions At the final examination, this restriction has proved to be a support in costume. Tata strategic management group put in an extra effort to piece out a balance and corroborate its bravery Of path, being an Indian company with Tata main beliefs had its recompense too because next to a McKinsey or a Deloitte, customers were pleased to work with a company that delivered quality, was easy to get to during the grounding and operation stages of the mission, and was sensible too. 3.3:Review and update the leadership development plan Bobby Pauly, an engagement manager at Tata strategic management group, explains that the â€Å"Indian customers rapidly exposed the soothe of working with a coalition of consultants which had an added connected view of their society, markets and people, and an ability to relay to them. Tata strategic management group open actionable solution, in its place of providing them a western view of the world. Section 4: Be able to advocate staff welfare environment that supports organizational values 4.1: Evaluate the impact of corporate commitment to staff welfare on organizational values In any association there should be a proper message between peak level management and the bottom line employees. Because if there is some gap between them then employees get unhappy within the unit this leads to discontent and it ultimately leads the strategies of any business open to many. In the strategic management there is a chain of strategies and once the link is broken it creates a big problem for any organization. The achievement of goal of the organization becomes very difficult. Strategies involve many long processes and once it affected at one stage it vanish the process till the end stage. It is the duty of a strategic manager to provide the environment in the organization which is more comfortable in terms of competitions and cooperation. The employees must be aware of organizational value rather than personal growth too. The team work in the organization is therefore a unique feature of such strategies to be successful. The strategic manager should think of the followin g criteria: A healthy competition Cooperation Money involved Learning opportunities Opportunities of growth Work appreciation Safety at wor 4.2:Discuss how a staff welfare environment can affect achievement of organizational objectives For any organization it is very significant to create s staff benefit atmosphere for the employees because if there is no proper working environment then they can not achieve well and it became hard for the organization to achieve the goal and objective of the company. To create a welfare staff atmosphere company should have to provide some training to the staff. It should have to provide some technical knowledge in order to get better their technical information which helps them to make job easy. They have to create some training program in the house or out side in other organization. They have to provide some extra information like physical condition and safety or medical check up etc. To inspire the employees company have to provides some extra services to the employees like free somewhere to stay , subsidy , free power , free teaching for the children etc. this all steps will help to organization to create a staff benefit atmosphere and it also help to achieve the objectives of t he organization. 4.3:consider the influences of a corporate commitment to staff welfare on the development of organizational values Every association has to do some promise in order to get better the staff welfare on the growth of organizational value. Tata steel has shared 378.4 million of wealth to make the welfare of the staff during the reporting year. They have exceeded their targets on employee key performance measures like employees satisfaction and economic value addition. They are also targeting on customer satisfaction as well. Company have no hesitation on creating a better off, cleaner and happier for the staff but they also recognize that there is yet considerable scope for improvement. Another main point is Tata steel is contribution its all vision and goals with the every employees of the organization that is why if the vision is clear for everybody it will help to get success and also help to create more value of the organization in the current market. Incorporation with TECS A march in this approach was the up to addition of Tata Economic Consultancy Services (TECS) with Tata management group services in April 2006. TECSs skill dishonesty in savings not obligatory infrastructure and control sectors and totally complement the knowledge Tata strategic management group has in rule. Tata strategic management group lacked a spotlight in infrastructure and government perform a gap that Tata monetary Consultancy Services can block. Together their knowledge could drag in a huge number of road and rail network projects. Communications spend have by now seen an increase in India and Tata strategic management group (along with TECS) has been engaged in no fewer than six SEZ homework. While Tata planned management group look after of condition and brand, the techno-possibility aspects — include plan strategy and the structure of the capability — are manage by TECS. The going away is good now, but what dishonesty ahead? Consulting is a chronic industry related to in general fiscal situation. What does it mean for the organisations growth plans? Binge is silently convinced, The pressure is there, but we have been capable to ease them by as long as a broad variety of solutions to consumers adding up new offerings in company analytics, and rising in the global liberty. Tata Strategic Management Group, it appears, is prepared to take centre step. Conclusion: Strategic management plays a extremely important position in any organization development within very less time period and for that following points are very important: Effective role of strategic manager in the organization He should be able of recognize his ambition, view, strengths and weaknesses. Strategic manager should be a good leader in the organization and make strategies for the achievement of goal of the organization. He should be a good assessor to check whether his strategies are gainful for the company or not, whether the strategies followed by the organization becoming productive for the employees or not and also maintain position of the organization in the market. The ideal model of SWOT is something which is of necessity needed to be unstated and applied by any Strategic Manager to get the success. Attractive problems, Inventive solutions Tata strategic management group has undertaken some consult project for few of the top names in corporation. These contain British Telecom Tata strategic organization group do a customer insight plan for their business assistance. British Telecom was looking at international clientele, to effort and understands their data network needs. A progressive work out it appears as one of the best practices of consumer thoughtful, and has been useful in dozens of their international companies. Rolls Royce Rolls Royce comes to Tata strategic management group with a stimulating problem. The plant of Rolls Royce Norway had reached its full ability and they were look for a new global developed centre in India or China. Tata strategic management group complete the India case, and certain the company that India is better in compare to China. Mumbai Railway Corporation The central rail section of Mumbai was preparation to construct an innovative 80,000 sq metre position structure at Carnac Bunder, to give out as a second position linked to the main railway station of the city named Chhatrapati Shivaji in Mumbai. Tata Economic Consultancy military is supporting Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation to go into at the finest land use mix for commerce growth along with architectural plans for a Global class railway station.

Application of the marketing mix

Application of the marketing mix INTRODUCTION The marketing mix is among the most widely accepted marketing concepts in the world of business (McCarthy 1960; Bartels 1983; Shapiro 1985). However, over the years the marketing mix has come under intense scrutiny from both academics of the marketing discipline and practitioners alike. This feeling was captured by Constantinides when he stated: Few topics of the commercial theory have so intensively inspired as well as divided the marketing academia as the 4Ps Marketing Mix framework (Constantinides, 2006: p.407) This essay aims to critically assess the relevance of the marketing mix for the current marketing approaches. To accomplish this, an overview of the marketing mix is given. This is followed by an exploration of some of the contemporary approaches to marketing which will lead to a consideration of the arguments in support of the marketing mix and the criticisms against it. Finally, in the light of the arguments and criticisms the relevance of the marketing mix for contemporary approaches to marketing will be appraised. OVERVIEW OF THE MARKETING MIX The marketing mix can be defined as the controllable and tactical marketing tools that the firm combines to achieve the desired response in its target market. It comprises all the measures the firm can employ to stimulate the demand for its goods and/or services (Kotler and Armstrong, 2008). The ultimate goal of any firm is to create a product or service that will be perceived as unique in the eyes of prospective consumers so that they will prefer it to other competing brands. In creating this unique selling proposition (USP), the marketers can blend four basic ingredients in a number of different ways to obtain different results. These four ingredients are usually referred to as the 4Ps and comprise- product, price, place (distribution) and promotion (Baker, 2007). Costantinides (2006) and Gronroos (1994) trace the origin of the marketing mix to the 1960s when Neil Borden identified twelve controllable marketing components that would yield profit if properly managed. Borden considered the marketing mix to be a concise, realistic and vivid expression of the admixture of the marketing ingredients, techniques and processes chosen by a marketing manager to create a marketing plan (Banting and Ross, 1973; Waterschoot and Van den Bulte, 1992). It was later reduced to four factors by Jerome McCarthy (McCarthy, 1964 cited in Constantinides, 2006) and this simplified version became the most widely accepted definition of the marketing mix (Judd, 2002). The 4Ps marketing mix commanded utmost respect in the minds of both marketing scholars and practitioners for decades that in the words of Gronroos (1994) and Kent (1986) it was considered heresy to challenge its position as the basic foundation of all marketing thinking. This belief strongly reinforces the dominance of the marketing mix during this period and suggests that there was a need for a theory that could be applied for the solution of most marketing management issues. According to Harker and Egan (2006) certain economic conditions contributed to the perceived superiority of the marketing mix paradigm. Harker and Egan (2006) opine that a key feature of the United States domestic market after the Second World War was homogeneity of products which resulted in increased demand for standardised consumer products and the rise of the USA as the dominant marketing culture. The demand, notwithstanding, there was need to ensure that consumption matched output (Packard, 1957 cited in Harker and Egan, 2006). Thus, a formal and reliable marketing approach was required to provide this fit (OMalley and Patterson, 1998). The popularity and dominance of the marketing mix paradigm was further enhanced by its simplicity and ease of communication (Waterschoot and Van den Bulte 1992; Constantinides, 2006; Harker and Egan, 2006). From the above submission, it can be argued that the marketing mix paradigm was borne out of necessity- a necessity for a simple, realistic and reliable framework that could be applied for the solution of general and specific marketing problems that arose in that era. Considering the under-developed marketing structure and knowledge gap that existed at that time, the formulation of the 4Ps marketing mix paradigm could not have come at a better time. Thus, it goes without saying that the relevance of its application to the transactional marketing approach- the primary approach to marketing in the 20th century-is indubitable. However, due to the shortcomings of the transactional approach to marketing, there was the need for a paradigm shift from a product-oriented approach to one that focused on the customer. Thus, the academia and marketing practitioners began to question the efficacy of the marketing mix framework as the answer to all marketing problems. The 4Ps were considered too narrow to adequately address the many aspects of marketing management and laid excessive emphasis on the product and processes with little or no thought for the customer. The increased sophistication of customers and the dynamic nature of the business environment meant that organisations had to adapt regularly to the changes that occur in the environment or risk losing market share with the consequence of possible liquidation. This situation led to the emergence of several modern marketing approaches that shifted attention from the product to the customer thereby ushering in the era of market orientation. Some of the contemporary approaches to marketing that emerged as a response to the continuous evolution of the business environment include Relationship marketing, Interaction marketing and Network marketing (Constantinides, 2006; Coviello et al, 1997; Gronroos, 1997). These modern approaches demanded a re-thinking of the marketing process in order to achieve effective and efficient implementation. Based on this need for a re-definition of the marketing process, it was inevitable that the marketing mix paradigm would come up for debate with regards to the relevance of its application to the aforementioned marketing approaches. Relationship marketing involves the development and maintenance of mutually satisfying exchange relations with customers and other parties at a profit, so that the objectives of all the parties are realised (Gronroos, 1994; Baker, 2007, Coviello et al, 1997). The implication of this viewpoint is that every organisation must cooperate with other parties within its business environment and beyond in order to achieve its ultimate aim. The 21st century market is replete with opportunities and challenges that were relatively unknown in the 20th century. To harness the opportunities and overcome the challenges effectively and efficiently entails building up a long-term relationship with the customers and all other stakeholders that directly or indirectly influence an organisations operations. This situation suggests that certain changes would have to occur in the organisations overall business processes, especially the marketing processes, to ensure a seamless implementation of relationshi p marketing. Gronroos (1994), Gummesson (1994, 1997) and Goldsmith (1999) argue that firms practising a transactional marketing approach stand to benefit most from a traditional marketing mix approach because of the absence of personal interactions with their customers and emphasis on mass markets. However, the marketing mix tends to be restrictive for a relation-oriented firm. The most significant customer interactions from a marketing success perspective are outside the scope of the marketing mix and marketing specialists. The customer decides whether to maintain business relations with a firm based on the effect of his/her contacts with the people, technology, and operations and other non-marketing functions. This position is supported by Ailawadi et al (2001) who doubt the impact of promotion and advertising as marketing tools for customer retention. This proposition suggests that the customers interactions with any firm transcends the marketing functions and includes all indirect transaction s with the non-marketing functions within the firm. Relationship marketing advocates the inclusion of all the functional units in any organisation towards creating value for the customer. The effective and efficient implementation of this customer-oriented approach requires that certain critical changes occur within the organisation. These requisite changes will cut across the whole organisation, but will focus more on the marketing functions because of the direct and frequent interactions with the customers. The change in the marketing functions will lead to a complete shift or modifications in the methods tools adopted by the organisation in creating value for the customer. This, invariably, would necessitate a review of the organisations marketing mix. Such reviews have surfaced in Kotlers redefinition of the 4Ps to the 4Cs namely, customer solution, customer cost, convenience and communication (Kotler et al., 1999 cited in Kruger et al., 2003 and Ashcroft and Hoey 1999). This re definition suggests a shift from the era of product-orientation to customer-orientation which is the essence of relationship marketing. However, it also suggests that the marketing mix is still relevant but there is need for some modification to suit the dynamic marketing environment. Judd (2002) proposes an expansion of the 4Ps marketing mix by including the employees of any organisation as the fifth P. This viewpoint is supported by the fact that the employees are an integral part of any organisation. They are the point of contact between the organisation and its customers. However, like Kotlers 4Cs, this proposed expansion of the 4Ps to 5Ps also points to the relevance of the marketing mix, but with some modification to suit appropriate markets. This argument is supported by Groonroos (1994) when he opines that relationships do not operate in isolation. Relationships function in combination with the other marketing tools already in operation within a given organisation in order t o successfully create value for both the customer and the organisation. The application of the traditional marketing mix elements of product, price, promotion and place would be necessary at some point in the interactions between the customer and the organisation. This standpoint implies that, notwithstanding the criticisms of the traditional marketing mix paradigm, its elements still contribute in one way or the other in the effective implementation of the relationship marketing approach. Criticism of the marketing mix has also arisen in the area of social marketing. Murphy et al., (1978) argue that the implementation of certain marketing strategies is unethical especially in the area of packaging, promotion, price and distribution channels. This argument tends to suggest that the marketing mix is responsible for the unethical practices that may occur during implementation. However, responsibility for the implementation of the marketing mix is within the purview of the marketing and non-marketing functional units within the organisation. They are responsible for any unethical practices that may occur in the course of implementing the marketing strategies and not the marketing mix. Also, the marketing mix has been applied by social marketing in the public health sector. Montoya et al, (2005), Pirani and Reizes (2005) and Grier and Bryant (2005) agree that the application of the marketing mix is essential in the role of social marketing in public health. The elements are combined in different ways to bring about the desired change in the target market. Attempts have been made to incorporate the marketing mix theory into other non-marketing sectors. Lees-Marshment (2001) suggests that political parties have adopted a marketing-orientation with significant electoral success. Lloyd (2003) suggests the application of the marketing mix to the political arena by recommending the development of a political marketing mix that comprises five components namely, services offering, representation, accommodation, investment and outcome. The implication of the aforementioned suggestions is that the marketing mix can contribute enormously to the smooth operation of political parties in particular, and the government in general. CONCLUSION Though the marketing mix has been criticised as being too narrow and product-oriented, it is still relevant in contemporary marketing approaches. As has been discussed above, there is need for some modifications in the mix portfolio. Redefinition of the marketing mix does not reduce its relevance; it only serves to shift its focus to the modern trends in the market place. 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