Author: admin

RECALL DIAGRAM TEMPLATE

Name:

RECALL DIAGRAM TEMPLATE

Name of Article:Topic:

5 Significant Details

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Relates to Text

Reacts to Text

The Bullwhip Effect in Supply Chains

Name:

Subject:

Date:

The Bullwhip Effect

I find the article The Bullwhip Effect in Supply Chains interesting, realistic and educative. The writers explain the causes and solutions of the bullwhip effect in reference to companies like P&G indicating that the effect is real. The bullwhip effect is a default in the supply chain characterized by a counter effect of supply variability along the supply chain. It indicates that supply variability magnifies up the supply chain. This phenomenon can be linked to the reliance of manufacturers on supply data from re-sellers (Lee, Padmanabhan and Whang 94). In past years, manufacturers fell short of sale information at the distribution channel stage forcing them to rely on not so accurate information. It is interesting to learn that despite steady consumption rates, the demand order variability in the supply chain is amplified. It is also unexpected that the variability diversifies upper the supply chain. Based on research, I cannot deny that retail stores have fluctuations but not as exaggerated as they are higher the supply chain.

It is wretched to know that for years, manufacturers have relied on erroneous information to plan forecasts, capacity and scheduling productions. It is not until the bullwhip effect has revealed threatening consequences like increased correction costs, extreme capacity, poor forecast and poor consumer relations due to product unavailability, that the phenomena has been reacted upon with the seriousness it deserves(Lee, Padmanabhan and Whang 96 ). It is also fascinating to note that some causes of the bullwhip effect in the supply chain are a default of members the chain (Lee, Padmanabhan and Whang 95). A perfect example where the manufacturers kick start the effect is in demand forecast updating. Manufacturers have grown to believe the appropriate action to take every instance new information from the supply chain emerges, is to pass the fluctuation to orders (Lee, Padmanabhan and Whang 98). The decision is made without consideration of the period the information will affect the supply chain. This has resulted to order fluctuations being more than the prevailing demand data and consumer needs. Moreover, interesting to realize that periodic product excessive promotion is not the best thing

I agree with the writers’ argument and point of view. I approve that demand swings are highest at the top of the supply chain (Lee, Padmanabhan and Whang 93). The bullwhip effect cannot be ignored because it brings forth negative consequences to distributors. I concur that solutions to this issue must be addresses and to enable this, all interested parties must understand the causes of the bullwhip effects. It is true that the causes are a result of irrational decision making. It is also normality for companies to conduct periodic promotions in a bid to increase sales (Lee, Padmanabhan and Whang 96). Techniques like discounts and coupons result to price fluctuation. Consumers take advantage of periodic promotions and buy in bulk .Under such circumstance, supplier’s misread signals from the consumer buying patterns which reflect neither immediate need nor actual consumption rates. When the promotion period closes, the consumers stop buying until their stock finishes. The buying variations become more than the consumption variations leading to the bullwhip effect (Lee, Padmanabhan and Whang 95).

The writers’ argues that when demand exceeds supply, companies commence rationing. It is true to say that distributers will assume that the rationing will last for long therefore they exaggerate their orders. Some will even opt to multi-order so they are assured of sufficient supply. When they acquire the needed stock, they drop or cancel the other orders leading to the bullwhip effect. There is also a possibility that the effect is a result of accumulation of demand by distributors prior to making orders. This is usually done to reduce costs of transportation and when there are no enough consumers to warrant supply (Lee, Padmanabhan and Whang 99). As demand changes, variations in the supply chain intensify. I agree that amicable solutions to the bullwhip effect include conveying downstream demand upwards in time. Others are harmonizing forecast, pricing and transportation as well as inventory planning and regularly ordering demands (Lee, Padmanabhan and Whang 99). There is also need to improve performance by reducing expenses, being timely and up to date and reducing discounts.

Work cited

Lee, Hau L; Padmanabhan, V; Whang, Seungjin. The Bullwhip Effect in Supply Chains. Sloan Management Review; Spring 1997; 38, 3; ProQuest pg. 93

narrative on A bloody affair

Name:

Tutor:

Class: Date:

A bloody affair

The long search ended in a city council morgue where his lifeless body lay. The atmosphere of the morgue was rented with yells and shrieks from the kinfolk members. How could death rob us a young energetic and ambitious man who had a vision? This was totally unbelievable, that Claude was no more. Two years were not over since he wedded his gorgeous wife in a very colorful ceremony that was graced by the duchess of Cambridge. The fond memories of quality time had barely elapsed when he met his untimely demise. A myriad of questions with no answers ran through everyone’s mind. It was evident that Claude had been shot dead by some assailants. This was clearly evident as a bullet had been lodged into his chest, torn through his tender fresh leaving a hovel that was so scaring. His beloved wife of a year had not arrived at the scene. This was truly traumatizing, little did we know that behind the scenes were sum unearthed bitter truths that would leave everyone in awe.

Claude Kelvin was the most hard working young man I had known in my tender years. He was a jack of all trades and contrary to the wise Sayers he was also a master of many. Claude had spent all his life in the countryside with his parents who were large scale farmers. As a child, Claude was very bright in the school. In his fourth to seventh grade, he was always on the top in his class which made many teachers get fond of him. Claude was an exemplary student when it came to sciences. He always won prizes in the science congress that was held annually in his school. Claude was enrolled into St Johns high school where he worked to his level best and got as in all his papers. This landed him into the prestigious Harvard University where he enrolled for a degree in law.

During his stay at the Harvard, Claude met this lady Mary Brown with whom he fell in love. Mary was in the school of medicine and was a very beautiful and charming young lady. It all started as a friendship when Claude’s buddy, Johnson introduced him to Miss Brown. Within weeks, their friendship blossomed into love and they became one of the inseparable couples. Every party introduced the other to their families who gave them blessings. There were some rumors that ran about Mary but Claude gave a deaf ear. Some of her course mates speculated that she was a free mason but Claude had no space for such crap. His eyes were fixed on getting a happy ending with this beautiful lady he had known now for some years. Claude graduated a year before his lover and landed a job in the United States of America. This was quite a good start for this ambitious young man whose greatest wish as a student lawyer had always being fighting for the rights of the weak in the society.

During his stay in the United States, Mary was his constant visitor. One Monday morning, Claude rose up in the wee hours and readied himself to work. Mary had visited him the previous weekend and was to spend a week with him. During that morning, Mary had pleaded with him not to attend work but spend some time with her in the mansion Claude had recently bought. Claude however, managed to convince Mary that he could not afford to miss work. On his drive to work, Claude swerved off the road and hit a tanker that was parked on the roadside. The intensity of the bang sent the tanker blowing and the flames burnt Claude’s vehicle severely and it was rendered completely written off. Claude escaped death by a whisker as some passers-by rushed him to hospital where he was admitted with severe burns on his limbs and deep cuts on his head.

It took Claude a year to recuperate from his injuries and luckily he never succumbed to his injuries. He was bedridden all this time and Mary was by his side always carrying out chores for him and feeding him. Claude was convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that this was the woman he always saw in his dreams. This was everything that a man would look for in a woman, a clear indicator of true love. She always nursed his petrifying wounds day in day out. She even resigned from her work to take care of him. What a caring and loving lady she was. She moved the hearts of many especially in Claude’s family and the bond was never as strengthened before. After a year of nursing, Claude’s life took a new turn as he was totally healed and was back to his normal life. He resumed his duties in full swing in the organization that had employed him.

Two years later Claude had a change of mind. She had found another girlfriend at her workplace and had fallen in love with her. Contrary to our expectations, she proposed to this lady who was foreign even to his family. A year later, he proposed to the girl and wedding arrangements began. A few months later, Claude walked down the aisle with the lady in an extremely colorful wedding. To Mary Brown, this was the height of betrayal. She could not believe that her dreams to become a life partner to Claude had been shattered. Life took a new twist; they no longer saw each other eye to eye. Mary was traumatized; this agony was too much for her to bear. How could Claude be so inhuman? How could he repay her goodness with betrayal? This is some of the questions that remained unanswered even to his closest friends.

Claude was a committed Christian and was an active member of his church. On the fateful day, he had gone to deliver some foodstuffs to some mission men who had taken the good news to a foreign land. Claude left in a jovial mood, humming a tune he liked. He kissed his beloved wife goodbye and in his ever humorous tone teased her that they would meet in heaven if his time was over on earth. Little did she know that it was the last time he was seeing him alive. Claude did not have kids of his own but her wife was heavy with pregnancy. Sooner or later Claude would be a father to a beautiful daughter.

Claude speeded towards the 4th street and he waved to his wife who waved back. This was the last time they saw each other. Claude was never at one time late to get to his home. He always got home even before the verge of darkness. On this day he never appeared even after it was past nine o’clock in the evening neither did he call to notify his wife of anything. His wife back at home became impatient back at home. Her efforts to reach him through his cellphone proved futile. She immediately raised alarm to his immediate family members and his close acquaintances. Calls were immediately made to the place he had gone but the missioners said they had not set eye on him. This raised a lot of suspicion on his whereabouts.

The following morning, a thorough search for Claude was stepped up by his close kinsmen as well as his friends. They made immediate reports to the police department who staged a vigorous search for this young man. The search was a wild goose chase as they could not trace using wave technology, his cellphone. Her grief stricken wife was so shocked and she remained dumbfounded all this time. Her friend tried to reassure her that everything was well but all she was doing was weeping bitterly and probably whispering a silent prayer to God to take care of his husband wherever he was.

The search took a new turn after Claude’s vehicle’s wreckage was found stuck on a bridge. Numerous bullet holes were noticeable from a far. This sent shivers down the spines of his friends and family. The next place they searched for him was the municipal morgue. His lifeless body lay here and his clothes were soaked in blood. This was such a mysterious and untimely demise. The investigations to unearth the cause are still underway. Who was behind Claude’s murder and for what reason? This question remains unanswered and will probably be.

The causes of the Great Depression

Name:

Tutor:

Course:

Date:

The causes of the Great Depression

This economic disaster was not caused by one factor but a number of related factors. Historians and economists have compiled a large list of the agents of The Great Depression, but most of them agree on the following as the main causes.

The stock market crash of 1929

In the 1920’s, the United States Stock market was the subject of rapid expansion that peaked in 1929. During this period, “wild speculation and weak regulatory frameworks were the characteristics of the bourse” (Gunderson, 16). By 1929, unemployment had risen due to decreasing production leaving much of the stock with inflated values. This caused the market to collapse aided in part by a struggling agricultural sector, the proliferation of the national debt, and low wages. In addition, many banks had excess loans that could not be liquidated.

On October 1929, after a month of rapidly falling stocks prices, the collapse of the US stock market began. This culminated in a panic gripping the masses of investors who proceeded to trade more than 12.894 million shares on October 24th, 1929 also known as Black Thursday. Investors and large banks tried to remedy the situation by purchasing large amounts of stock easing the economy out of free fall. However, the same returned again the next day eventually leading to Black Tuesday on October 28th when 16million plus shares were traded. On this day, thousands of investors were completely wiped out, and billions of dollars lost. The events of 1929 were just the beginning of a series of events that combined later to compound into the Great Depression. By 1933, almost a third of America’s workforce was out of their jobs, and nearly half of America’s banks had failed.

The reduction in spending across the board

After the stock market had crashed resulting in panic and economic frustration, the people’s confidence in their economy waned. This caused them to reduce expenditure by ceasing almost all forms of purchasing. This sharp reduction in purchases negatively affected the production companies that already had liquidity problems forcing them to either reduce costs by cutting jobs or completely close down.

The resulting unemployment led to people’s assets they had bought on payment plans getting repossessed as they could not pay for them due to unemployment (Hall and Ferguson, 75). This resulted in banks and other lenders accumulating inflated inventories that also negatively affected their already cash-strapped balance sheets. The result was that a quarter of the US working class lost employment.

The widespread banks failures

In the early 1920’s, the United States had a well-developed banking system in terms of operational reach. The average banking system catered for most of the country’s rural and urban regions. Nebraska, for example, had over 1.3 million people back then. As a thriving but relatively rural area, the region still enjoyed the privilege of a bank for every 1000-1500 people. Though most of the banking activity in those days was poorly regulated, it provided the main services every bank was supposed to – depository and interest rate controlled loans.

As the economic hardship seeped through society and infiltrated into the rural areas, farmers had less money to spend. This meant even less money to save a situation that rendered banks redundant and even useless. Without their deposits, financial institutions were unable to operate and eventually forces to close down. In the early 1920’, they failed at a rate of 60 to 75 per year, but the number grew ten-fold to 744 in first two-thirds of 1930 alone. On total, it is estimated that almost 9000 banks failed during The Great Depression (Knoop, 253). With the closures, many people lost their life savings aggravating an already dire financial situation.

International trade and economic policies

As a result of the increased economic growth experienced in the early 1920’s, European and Latin America countries increased their borrowing from United States. However, foreign lending to these countries fell sharply in the 1928-1929 period due to higher interest rates and a booming stock market’s influence. This affected many borrower countries especially those in Europe, which was only just recovering from the devastation of World War One. Some of the economies actually almost collapsed just before The Great Depression affected the US.

An already dire situation was aggravated with the US enactment of the Smoot-Hawley tariff. This was meant to protect the US agricultural production by creating an unfavorable market for European agricultural imports through prohibitively high taxation. However, this backfired when Europe and Latin American countries adopted protectionist countermeasures resulting in almost no international trade between the major trade partners in the world. This worsened the situation by affecting major global producers, causing major balance-of-payment problems and major contractionary issues in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Major drought in the US

While not considered a major cause of The Great Depression, the great drought that affected the Mississippi Valley in 1930 contributed greatly – at least from a US perspective. Most of the people back then relied on their land and its products for both sustenance and monetary gain. Agricultural activity was suddenly affected over a larger area by drought resulting in millions being unable to pay loans at their lending firms and banks. In addition, this major source of primary raw materials was suddenly unable to provide the large industrial raw material needs of the US at a time when unfavorable international trade policy was the norm, namely the Smoot-Hawley tariff. In addition, tax revenues for the government’s spending reduced greatly. Banks repossessed farms from defaulting farmers while other opted to sell theirs at a loss. They moved to cities further worsening the already dire unemployment situation.

Why The Great Depression lasted so long

The Great Depression has come under great scholarly interest recently as economists and scholars seek to find out the reason such a bad economic situation persisted even as the governments of US and European countries input restorative efforts. The main culprits appear to be government policies that hindered fair competition.

The forces of demand and supply should have reduced wages, lowered business costs and increased employment and output. However, the National Industry Recovery Act (NIRA) prevented this from occurring. As a policy passed in 1933 to aid the process of restoring national prosperity by giving industry players the opportunity to collude, this policy sanctioned other activities that would have triggered antitrust practices(Bernanke, 73). These included minimum price formation and formation of restriction on expansion within the industry. The only trade-off the government put in place for this arrangement was these cartels share their large profits with workers creating employment through large wage increases.

Many industry players passed off fair prices under the NIRA leading to increased wages and prices. However, not all industries were able to agree on the prices as per the NIRA codes making growth in their areas stunted. Any economic development was pulled down by this situation of uneven policy implementation leading to some areas experiencing price and wage increases while others remained stagnant.

A short period later, NIRA was declared unconstitutional leading to the National Labor Restrictions Act. This greatly empowered the labor unions’ bargaining power as the driving force of the economy – its labor force – took on a more proactive stance. This body implemented policy that saw an increase in wages up to the 1938-39 recessions. In a different context, the National Labor Restrictions Act was able to introduce changes by the late 1930’s that saw the number of hours workers could work increased. That growth in the labor and wage structure was sustained to the late 1940’s when the National Labor Restrictions Act was replaced by the Taft-Hartley Act. Growth in the economy’s major factors, wages, and labor-force, continued to fuel national economic recovery until the US was finally out of The Great Depression.

Works Cited

Bernanke, Ben. “The Gold Standard, Deflation and Financial Crisis in the Great Depression: An international comparison.” Essays on the Great Depression. Princeton: Princeton UP, 2000. 73. Print.

Gunderson, Cory G. “The Roaring Twenties.” The Great Depression. Edina: ABDO Pub, 2010. 16. Print.

Hall, Thomas E, and J D. Ferguson. “Sowing the seeds of disaster.” The Great Depression: An International Disaster of Perverse Economic Policies. Ann Arbor: U of Michigan P, 1998. 75. Print.

Knoop, Todd A. “Business Cycles in the United States.” Recessions and Depressions: Understanding Business Cycles. Santa Barbara: Praeger, 2010. 253. Print.

Speech communication.

Name:

Tutor:

Course:

Date:

Speech communication.In its use to communicate, electronic media has many negative effects which hinder its effectiveness. The ability to communicate gestures and tones, along with more subtle body language such as eye movements renders this form of communication useless in times when all contact is needed. This often leads to various feelings, some of which are depersonalization and isolation among its users as outlined by Sproul & Keisler (1502). With regard to these inefficiencies, many instances might necessitate use of other types of communication, in order to ensure a complete communication process is achieved.

This effect or influence of electronic media on communication has a largely negative impact on the process. The inability to communicate fully might lead to total lack of, or partial comprehension. It might also reduce the effectiveness of feedback as gestures and body language form a large part of this, as well as being inappropriate for some circumstances. Formal communication for example, can be seriously affected by electronic media. As much as it forms a large part of this type of communication, its effects could negate any benefits especially if social media habits and traits are assimilated. In light of this, Lengel & Daft (199) suggested avoiding this type of media for certain types of communication.

Research as recent as 2010’s, points to frequent use of computing devices and internet as debilitating on the human brain’s functions. The ability of the human brain to focus on a particular task is greatly undermined by the deluge of information we get from all these computing and communication devices especially when coupled with the internet. All these information has been demonstrated to invoke the brain’s centers responsible for responding to threats and opportunities hence sudden bursts of anxiety. Anxiety triggers the release of the hormone dopamine in the brain, without which we just feel bored.

As demonstrated by numerous researchers from the universities of Utah, California both in Irvine and San Diego report that the effects of computer use and the internet are mostly negative. These range from increased stress due to too much information to process, to less social development due to a total dependence on electronic rather than social interactive method. In some cases, an addiction has been shown to be present in heavy users of these technologies especially if they form part of whole livelihood making structures. This was shown to result in increased aggression and venting out on close family and/or friends.

However many the negatives are, the benefits of computers and internet use combined far outnumber them. From medical imaging to entertainment and defense, these benefits clearly demonstrate innovations here to stay. Its positive impacts on the brain being; increased reaction and multiple processing capacities, as demonstrated by game players have been extensively studied. Eyal Ophir, a Stanford researcher showed how all these increases in information and load has lead to tiny adaptations in certain human brains to help them better filter out distractions and juggle problems. This demonstrated the human brain’s ability to rewire itself and attend to changes in its environment, something previously thought nonexistent. All these research is convincing that computers have a profound impact on us in both a negative and positive manner.

Thomas Kuhn Critiques

Name:

Tutor:

Course:

Date:

Thomas Kuhn Critiques

Thomas Kuhn is considered to have changed the perspective with which the scientific community and public viewed science completely. Once, the history of science used to be viewed as a defined progression from theory towards fact by the addition of more facts until the later was achieved, but afterwards things changed. Kuhn proposed a series of changes, resulting to revolutionary transformations characterized by the views of one scientific period having very little to do with those of the previous. He went forth to question the possibility of science ever finding the truth hence the emergence of what came to be popularly known as Kuhn’s concept of paradigm. This was generally regarded as a rejection of the positivistic notion of progress of knowledge.

Thomas differentiated between different kinds of science based on his concept of paradigm, resulting in two kinds of science; normal and revolutionary science. Normal science is that that was pursued by a group of scientists who shared a paradigm, this being a general consensus among a large group of scientists on concrete solutions to a central problem in their field. These solutions, called ‘exemplars’, formed the basis of their arguments and commitment that wasn’t based on critical testing. It relied upon their training and general experience in the same field. Normal science was also proposed to be rather isolated from outside influences and the paradigms of other scientific fields as well as non scientific values.

Kuhn’s views were criticized mainly for being insufficiently leftist at a time most scientific processes were geared towards a greater social welfare and towards more military and global might than their own repute. In the era of the race to the moon, the Cold War and penicillin as well as DNA, advancing such theories put Thomas Kuhn in the wrong side of public interest, as demonstrated by the heated debate and condemnation directed to his work by Steve Fuller and James Bryant Conant.

In his 1949 book ‘The Origins of Modern Science’, Herbert Butterfield compared the advancement of scientific theory as an optical illusion or visual gestalt, an image that depicts either a rabbit or a duck depending on its viewer. Butterfield’s perspective on the shifting paradigms in science that lead to scientific theory advances were characterized in his statement about ‘picking up sticks’. Here, he described how ‘handling the same bundles of data as before, but placing them in a new system of relations with one another by giving them a different framework’, was comparable to the earlier mentioned visual gestalt. As much as this rabbit-duck example poses a danger to the view of differences in scientific theory advancement as purely based on changing perceptions, it can still be seen how Butterfield’s views were supportive of Kuhn’s concept of paradigms.

In history, as was discussed in class, the first scientific revolution from Galileo to Newton led to an explanatory model of the world as a machine subject to the influences of physical laws under physics and astronomy. Newton’s concept of absolute time and space were later replaced by Albert Einstein’s space-time relativity model and generated a logical contradiction to the claim that any transcendence outside the traditional Newtonian-Galileo ‘closed world’ system would be a miracle or reincarnation itself. As this demonstrates, Einstein’s paradigm provided a crisis acknowledging the concept of paradigmatic revolution by Thomas Kuhn.

A good illustration of Kuhn’s theory of paradigm revolution is found in Biblical studies. In addition, there is a difference between his concepts of ‘paradigm’ and later narratives, including Bacon whose classical scientific methods he rejects. He simply denies that scientific advances were merely a step-by step inductive approach to discovery of the underlying fact. To him, scientific research always takes an approach that is defined by received presupposition or paradigm and convictions produced by previously existent scientific findings. In its received form, the cluster of beliefs and values or standards forming the basis of research while forming the provided framework advance to a whole field of study.

Kuhn’s second preposition, published in his second edition of his then famous literature, was the phrase ‘disciplinary matrix’. Problem solving from a scientific perspective for Kuhn was divided into three types; the paradigm disciplinary matrix, working on those areas that were most directly definitely experimental checks on the theory. All these experiments were still closely controlled by the matrix. Normal science was the second concept that matures when a group of scientists forwards a fundamental theory, inclusive of supporting evidence or data. This according to Kuhn defines the whole scientific revolution. The final concept was that of ‘extraordinary’ science, characterized by anomalies in a certain field that can’t be ignored easily. These anomalies were observed to fall into patterns that followed their own order.

Thomas Kuhn advanced many examples for each of the aforementioned concepts. The most interesting however, was that of the study of electricity where up to the first half of the 18th century, there was no standard theory of electricity. This is shown by the existence of many views back then on the same topic in men like Gray, Hauksbee, DeFay and Watson. Soon however, the theory of electricity became a ‘normal science’ when Benjamin Franklin combined all past theories. Kuhn mentions how James Clark Maxwell introduces a revolution in the second half of the 19th century via his electro magnetism theory, which among others was difficult for contemporaries to comprehend.

 

Sociology of popular culture.

Name:

Tutor:

Course:

Date:

Sociology of popular culture.

Question 1

Structural forces form part of the larger structure that contains or consists of the interaction of different individuals at different levels of the society. Therefore, structural forces can be defined as the factors that influence change at different levels of the society’s interactive activities. Some scholars have come up with the idea that seeks to denounce these factors as forces since their schools of thought negate the probability of society being under the influence of its subjects, but most of the rest seem to support the existence of structural forces within the society and their effects on the interactive activity of man.

The emergence and use of slang as distinct and accepted forms of communication among the youth in society is a good example of a structural force changing the role of these young people in the same set up. Slang is a combination of various aspects of language, including mother tongue and definitive phrases that the youth come up with to ease communication among them, make messages discrete, share ideas on common platforms. As a form of communication, this force has led to the identification of the ability of the youth as communicators especially in music and other forms of expression, As such, the inclusion of the youthfulness and its attributes into major processes such as politics is usually done through language hence changing the role of youth from that of a dormant subject in the society, to the active member involved in driving change in the society (Schennig 45)

Social changes in the society, especially among the youth, are been made more and more open and public. Another structural force that has been instrumental in the change of social roles of the youth is attitude. This being the general expression of liking or disliking towards people, places, actions, or things, makes one of the most important forces acting as evidence of shifts in the roles of youth in society. Traditionally, attitudes formed a major definitive aspect of the teenager and youthful person, but the recent attention to these young people by the society has changed their place in same environment. Leaders want to hear out the views of youth concerning their policies and activity while in government. The church is also putting more effort into trying to marry the attitudes of the youth with their teaching as based on religion making these young people more instrumental in the general societal shifts and activities.

Cultural norm is yet another example of a structural force that is changing the roles of youth in society. Their way of life, regardless of geography and disposition, has been attributed to rebellion and disarray at the mercies of hormonal and mental growth, but this is being embraced as a way of understanding their hardships, views, and roles in life. The training and mentorship of youth leaders shows a change in the public’s ability to trust these young and often disorganized or rebellious members of the society, and entrust them with positions that require responsibility and an acute sense of logic. As more established vehicles of societal change, such as policy making, administration, and government, recognizes the ability of the youth and their non-conformist attitudes to drive positive growth, the roles of these same youngsters in the society’s interactive activities keep changing.

Question 3

The influence of the media on crime rates has been one of concern and extensive research for a long time. Murders such as the ones in Littleton, United States, seemed to have been orchestrated as gaming scenes as their perpetrators were aficionados of violent games. Unfortunately, many lives were lost and even more altered, but the question lingered as to whether indeed these games, and other forms of media, were directly related to these crimes.

Sternheimer gives numerous examples of the relationship between media – in its various forms – and crime in her book, ‘It’s Not the Media: The Truth about Pop Culture’s Influence on Children’. Crimes ranging from abuse and assault, to cold-blooded murder are reportedly linked to music, computer games, and television games (111). Her feeling regarding the same are laced with a clear understanding of the influential nature of media on the minds, actions, and attitudes of the youth, but she clearly states that there is no comprehensive proof to link the two.

While the Columbine shootings might easily provide an example that contradicts her views, she is quick to point out the difference between aggression and violence, in as much as the two are closely related in this context. Violent computer games and hard rock music might infuse aggressive behavior in the individuals that consume these forms of media, but venting this aggression is another thing altogether. In her opinion, the public is heeding to the calls from the government through its various instruments to view the media with fear so that they fail to see a true representation of the economic and political failures of their governments. In other words, the public has no need to fear the media or attach the current manifestations of social – political, and socio-economic failures, as evidenced by murders and suicide. Rather, they should embrace the media as a source of information, entertainment, and a form of expression.

Social entrepreneurs are individuals or organizations who use social panic to propagate innuendo and selfish ideologies, and are responsible for much of the current media’s negative image. These individuals have used the recent spate of school shootings, musical artist suicides, and others to advance a largely negative image. Their actions have resulted in the portrayal of media as an aid to crime in its various forms, leading to public confusion and unnecessary bias in the consumption of media by the public. Many share the view that television is harmful to children in terms of growth and intellectual development, games cultivate a predisposition for violence, and certain music corrupts the mind of listeners.

Question 6

Social panic is defined as a situation where a person, place, or event, is escalated by definition to the level of being viewed as a threat to the ideals and well being of the society (Cohen 52). In the realms of politics, the use of social panics has been documented as widespread phenomena, as individuals seek to raise concerns and worry to levels that might play into their strategies. By doing so, these individuals cultivate the right amount of concern as to warrant the inception of new means to change the perceived problematic issue or situation, thus optimizing their chances at success.

A lot of research into the sociology behind this phenomena points at the natural tendency of man to follow the individual, or people, who identify a problem, point it out, and publicly declare to solve it for the sake of social welfare. However, on most of these occasions, that same individual has motives that might be either ulterior or otherwise, but the masses have already identified with him/her. This clearly explains the rampant use of the social panic by politicians in their campaigns to try and woo as many supporters as they can. Tobias states how they achieve this through the “creation of non-existence social problems, the exaggeration of existent one in terms of magnitude, and the ever-present promise to solve them” (65). A good example of this kind of social manipulation is seen in the Australian Prime Minister’s election campaign. Julia Gillard uttered some controversial statements as a form of social panic aimed at escalating the influx of illegal immigrants into the country as a problem. She said, “Stop the boat people getting on boats”, and relied on the social perception created by her potential electorate to improve her position in the run for office.

As expected, the social panic concept‘s application in politics usually has moral ramifications. Issue of human right infringement and other evils have come up each time this concept gets mention. A good example is Julia Gillard’s statements regarding illegal immigrants, which though placing her in the social panic beneficiary’s seat, raised the touchy issue of racism. Social panic and morality are practically inseparable in the eyes of politics as many of the issues raised during use of social panic tend to be immoral. Some politicians have in exercising social panic to their advantage deprived the society of its basic rights. The detention of prisoners in Australia has for long been a selling point for Prime Ministers claiming it strives to separate criminals and the righteous in society. These incumbent politicians find favor with the masses who view this as a method of ensuring their security in country ravaged by violence and crime. What many fail to realize is that after the completion of his/her sentence, an individual’s continues detention is in direct contravention of their rights to freedom once again demonstrating the ability of social panic a misused tool.

Society has high regard for the welfare of children and their protection from all sources of harm. The proliferation of pornography and harmful content via the internet has come up as a recent source of harm from which political figures seek to fuel their campaigns. The welfare of children is a sensitive issue, and in trying to capitalize on this, some of this winning politician inadvertently, or otherwise, infringe on some human rights. The use if internet filters, content espionage programs, bans on a large scale intended to protect the plight of children harms the other members of society as it is goes against their right to accessing information. This exemplifies another instance where regimes use social panic to impose their rule on the society, yet the underlying situation is opposite of the intended end.

Question 7

Sociology is a social science aimed at a generalized study of human interaction (Anderson et. al 2). Some aspects of human interaction go beyond the concept of interaction, whereby human behavior becomes subject to more complex concepts. Aspects related to communication and leadership would be better understood while undertaking more detailed, scientific, and detailed characteristics if man from the perspective if psychology. In essence, sociology only scrapes the top of human interactive activity which has been demonstrated to be a deep, complex, and detailed affair.

The ability of sociology to explain the dynamic at play during complex human behavior portrayed during politics is therefore governed by this principle. In addition, the ability of media to transcend the barriers of time, age, and generation overpowers the capability of sociology as a discipline in trying to understand various aspects of the same. A good example is the inability of sociology to explain the tendency of certain individuals to blur the line between truth and lies because of ulterior motives. Therefore, sociology should refrain from attempting to understand complex human behavior and restrain its scope to its definition – the continued study of human interaction and its various aspects.

Works Cited

Andersen, Margaret L, and Howard F. Taylor. “Developing a sociological perspective.” Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2008. 2. Print.

Attorneys, Lawyers. “What is Moral Panic and why does it occur?” LAW INFORMATION. WordPress.com, 5 Jan. 2011. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

Cohen, Stanley. “Opinion and attitude themed.” Folk Devils and Moral Panics: The Creation of the Mods and Rockers. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2011. 52. Print.

Sternheimer, Karen. “Fear of video games.” It’s Not the Media: The Truth About Pop Culture’s Influence on Children. Boulder, Colo: Westview Press, 2003. 111. Print.

Structural forces form part of the larger structure that contains or consists of the interaction of different individuals at

Name:

Tutor:

Course:

Date:

Sociology of popular culture.Question 1

Structural forces form part of the larger structure that contains or consists of the interaction of different individuals at different levels of the society. Therefore, structural forces can be defined as the factors that influence change at different levels of the society’s interactive activities. Some scholars have come up with the idea that seeks to denounce these factors as forces since their schools of thought negate the probability of society being under the influence of its subjects, but most of the rest seem to support the existence of structural forces within the society and their effects on the interactive activity of man.

The emergence and use of slang as distinct and accepted forms of communication among the youth in society is a good example of a structural force changing the role of these young people in the same set up. Slang is a combination of various aspects of language, including mother tongue and definitive phrases that the youth come up with to ease communication among them, make messages discrete, share ideas on common platforms. As a form of communication, this force has led to the identification of the ability of the youth as communicators especially in music and other forms of expression, As such, the inclusion of the youthfulness and its attributes into major processes such as politics is usually done through language hence changing the role of youth from that of a dormant subject in the society, to the active member involved in driving change in the society (Schennig 45)

Social changes in the society, especially among the youth, are been made more and more open and public. Another structural force that has been instrumental in the change of social roles of the youth is attitude. This being the general expression of liking or disliking towards people, places, actions, or things, makes one of the most important forces acting as evidence of shifts in the roles of youth in society. Traditionally, attitudes formed a major definitive aspect of the teenager and youthful person, but the recent attention to these young people by the society has changed their place in same environment. Leaders want to hear out the views of youth concerning their policies and activity while in government. The church is also putting more effort into trying to marry the attitudes of the youth with their teaching as based on religion making these young people more instrumental in the general societal shifts and activities.

Cultural norm is yet another example of a structural force that is changing the roles of youth in society. Their way of life, regardless of geography and disposition, has been attributed to rebellion and disarray at the mercies of hormonal and mental growth, but this is being embraced as a way of understanding their hardships, views, and roles in life. The training and mentorship of youth leaders shows a change in the public’s ability to trust these young and often disorganized or rebellious members of the society, and entrust them with positions that require responsibility and an acute sense of logic. As more established vehicles of societal change, such as policy making, administration, and government, recognizes the ability of the youth and their non-conformist attitudes to drive positive growth, the roles of these same youngsters in the society’s interactive activities keep changing.

Question 3

The influence of the media on crime rates has been one of concern and extensive research for a long time. Murders such as the ones in Littleton, United States, seemed to have been orchestrated as gaming scenes as their perpetrators were aficionados of violent games. Unfortunately, many lives were lost and even more altered, but the question lingered as to whether indeed these games, and other forms of media, were directly related to these crimes.

Sternheimer gives numerous examples of the relationship between media – in its various forms – and crime in her book, ‘It’s Not the Media: The Truth about Pop Culture’s Influence on Children’. Crimes ranging from abuse and assault, to cold-blooded murder are reportedly linked to music, computer games, and television games (111). Her feeling regarding the same are laced with a clear understanding of the influential nature of media on the minds, actions, and attitudes of the youth, but she clearly states that there is no comprehensive proof to link the two.

While the Columbine shootings might easily provide an example that contradicts her views, she is quick to point out the difference between aggression and violence, in as much as the two are closely related in this context. Violent computer games and hard rock music might infuse aggressive behavior in the individuals that consume these forms of media, but venting this aggression is another thing altogether. In her opinion, the public is heeding to the calls from the government through its various instruments to view the media with fear so that they fail to see a true representation of the economic and political failures of their governments. In other words, the public has no need to fear the media or attach the current manifestations of social – political, and socio-economic failures, as evidenced by murders and suicide. Rather, they should embrace the media as a source of information, entertainment, and a form of expression.

Social entrepreneurs are individuals or organizations who use social panic to propagate innuendo and selfish ideologies, and are responsible for much of the current media’s negative image. These individuals have used the recent spate of school shootings, musical artist suicides, and others to advance a largely negative image. Their actions have resulted in the portrayal of media as an aid to crime in its various forms, leading to public confusion and unnecessary bias in the consumption of media by the public. Many share the view that television is harmful to children in terms of growth and intellectual development, games cultivate a predisposition for violence, and certain music corrupts the mind of listeners.

Question 6

Social panic is defined as a situation where a person, place, or event, is escalated by definition to the level of being viewed as a threat to the ideals and well being of the society (Cohen 52). In the realms of politics, the use of social panics has been documented as widespread phenomena, as individuals seek to raise concerns and worry to levels that might play into their strategies. By doing so, these individuals cultivate the right amount of concern as to warrant the inception of new means to change the perceived problematic issue or situation, thus optimizing their chances at success.

A lot of research into the sociology behind this phenomena points at the natural tendency of man to follow the individual, or people, who identify a problem, point it out, and publicly declare to solve it for the sake of social welfare. However, on most of these occasions, that same individual has motives that might be either ulterior or otherwise, but the masses have already identified with him/her. This clearly explains the rampant use of the social panic by politicians in their campaigns to try and woo as many supporters as they can. Tobias states how they achieve this through the “creation of non-existence social problems, the exaggeration of existent one in terms of magnitude, and the ever-present promise to solve them” (65). A good example of this kind of social manipulation is seen in the Australian Prime Minister’s election campaign. Julia Gillard uttered some controversial statements as a form of social panic aimed at escalating the influx of illegal immigrants into the country as a problem. She said, “Stop the boat people getting on boats”, and relied on the social perception created by her potential electorate to improve her position in the run for office.

As expected, the social panic concept‘s application in politics usually has moral ramifications. Issue of human right infringement and other evils have come up each time this concept gets mention. A good example is Julia Gillard’s statements regarding illegal immigrants, which though placing her in the social panic beneficiary’s seat, raised the touchy issue of racism. Social panic and morality are practically inseparable in the eyes of politics as many of the issues raised during use of social panic tend to be immoral. Some politicians have in exercising social panic to their advantage deprived the society of its basic rights. The detention of prisoners in Australia has for long been a selling point for Prime Ministers claiming it strives to separate criminals and the righteous in society. These incumbent politicians find favor with the masses who view this as a method of ensuring their security in country ravaged by violence and crime. What many fail to realize is that after the completion of his/her sentence, an individual’s continues detention is in direct contravention of their rights to freedom once again demonstrating the ability of social panic a misused tool.

Society has high regard for the welfare of children and their protection from all sources of harm. The proliferation of pornography and harmful content via the internet has come up as a recent source of harm from which political figures seek to fuel their campaigns. The welfare of children is a sensitive issue, and in trying to capitalize on this, some of this winning politician inadvertently, or otherwise, infringe on some human rights. The use if internet filters, content espionage programs, bans on a large scale intended to protect the plight of children harms the other members of society as it is goes against their right to accessing information. This exemplifies another instance where regimes use social panic to impose their rule on the society, yet the underlying situation is opposite of the intended end.

Question 7

Sociology is a social science aimed at a generalized study of human interaction (Anderson et. al 2). Some aspects of human interaction go beyond the concept of interaction, whereby human behavior becomes subject to more complex concepts. Aspects related to communication and leadership would be better understood while undertaking more detailed, scientific, and detailed characteristics if man from the perspective if psychology. In essence, sociology only scrapes the top of human interactive activity which has been demonstrated to be a deep, complex, and detailed affair.

The ability of sociology to explain the dynamic at play during complex human behavior portrayed during politics is therefore governed by this principle. In addition, the ability of media to transcend the barriers of time, age, and generation overpowers the capability of sociology as a discipline in trying to understand various aspects of the same. A good example is the inability of sociology to explain the tendency of certain individuals to blur the line between truth and lies because of ulterior motives. Therefore, sociology should refrain from attempting to understand complex human behavior and restrain its scope to its definition – the continued study of human interaction and its various aspects.

Spread of communicable diseases

Name:

Tutor:

Course:

Date:

Introduction

Communicable diseases have been cited to cause several deaths as well as suffering to a huge populace in the underdeveloped world. These diseases may be spread through contact, ingestion of contaminated food or water, inhalation of contaminated air as well as through vectors. Vectors spread the communicable diseases through biological as well as mechanical means. In the latter case the vector picks up the infectious agent from a contaminated source and carries it outside its body to another media such as food or water where the agent is deposited. Consumption of such food therefore results in an infection. Flies are good example of mechanical vectors as they passively transmit infectious agent causing cholera to humans through the aforementioned media. On the other hand, vectors may also spread the diseases trough biological means where pathogens are harbored in the body of the vectors and transmitted in an active manner to the potential host. This may be exemplified by the spread of rabies from rabid animals to man through bites. Some communicable diseases may be spread through a variety of means such as cholera which can be transmitted through flies, feces, water as well as food. Such diseases require a multiple approach of control encompassing a continuum of food, water, air, personal hygiene, insects as well as sewage disposal (Munson, 2009).

It is always important to define the means of transmission of an infectious agent in an attempt to fully understand the biology of a disease so as to control the disease. Communicable diseases are spread through a variety of media including water, food, air, insects as well as contaminated objects. To begin with humans have contributed highly to such spread by providing a suitable environment for the growth and spread of the infectious agent. For instance, the generation and poor disposal of human wastes such as feces in the public have provided food source to vectors such as flies which thereafter transport the infectious agents from the wastes to the media such as food and water in human residence prior to consumption. The subsequent consumption of such infected food or water may cause diseases such as cholera, dysentery as well as typhoid. Ingestion of fecally contaminated water may enhance the spread of Giardiasis. On the other hand, food provides a suitable growth media for the vectors when poorly kept. High degree of hygiene is necessary in preventing the spread of diseases such as salmonellosis whose causative agent thrives well in a poorly preserved food and may be ingested upon consumption (Munson, 2009).

Vector-borne diseases may also be spread through formites. These are contaminated objects that provide a suitable resting place for vectors. For instance, objects such as paper or money may harbor infectious agents that can easily be transferred by vectors from one person to the other when such objects are shared among individuals. The spread of diseases such as TB is necessitated by formites especially when individuals put such contaminated objects in their mouths. Communicable diseases may also be spread by vectors through biological means. The transmission of diseases such as rabies and the bacillus of bovine TB from animals to humans follow the aforementioned transmission mode. For instance, rabies is transmitted to humans when bitten by a rabid animal. This is an active transmission and may therefore be lethal especially when such bites are executed in delicate such places as head, face or even neck (Acha et al, 2003). Typhus fever is also transmitted by body louse which has fed on the blood of a patient suffering from the fever and transferred rickettsia from their excreta to the new host. This can be avoided by enhancing body hygiene and general sanitation to keep away the louse.

Conclusion

Communicable diseases cause high rate of mortality and morbidity especially in the third world countries where comprehensive control measures are not well established. The diseases may at times be spread through a variety of media including water, food, air, formites as well as insects. It is therefore important to establish environmental control strategies that entail multiple facets encompassing continuum of food, water, air, personal hygiene, insects as well as sewage disposal. Personal hygiene as well as general sanitation is fundamental to the control of communicable diseases. According to Acha et al (2003) control of vector-borne diseases should be directed to the vector itself followed by the rodents.

Reference list:

Acha, P.et al (2003). Zoonoses and Communicable Diseases Common to Man and Animals:

Chlamydioses, rickettsioses, and viroses. 3rd Ed. New York: American Health Org

Munson, F. (2009). Hygiene of Communicable Diseases; A Handbook for Sanitarians, Medical

Officers of the Army and Navy and General Practitioners. New York: General Books LLC.

Letter to the Editor, Wall Street Journal

Name:

Tutor:

Course:Date:

Letter to the Editor, Wall Street Journal

The debate on competition instigated by Peter Thiel’s article ‘Competition is for Losers, Review September 13’ begs some comments. It is an accepted economic truth that competition drives down profits. However, the company that wishes to make profits develops a cost strategy that maximizes the sales of its products to attract as many consumers as possible. A company must address the issue of cost structures among other things, if it is to be competitive. Thus, it is altruism to generalize the issue of competition based on low price only. Those companies which position themselves at a high price level do not fair better on profitability than those that embrace the low price approach. Capitalism reigns over the most efficient economy and offers the widest choices for consumers. After all, it is the consumers who drive the profits. The enterprises that continuously innovate in order to lower costs and remain competitive will always win in the long term.

Thiel’s claim that competition and capitalism are opposites, is fallacious. Competition is the foundation of capitalism. Lack of competition, in any economy, leads to mediocre products since there are no incentives to innovate. It is one of the reasons why socialist and communist economies failed. Thiel also confuses market power with monopoly. Monopoly is a theoretical construct used by economists to describe a market where there is only a single player. Market power, on the other hand, is the measure of the ability of the enterprise to increase its prices without affecting sales and, hence, increase profits. Google is more profitable not because of the monopoly, but because it can attract more consumers, and, consequently, gain bigger market share.

In conclusion, the views presented in Thiel’s article are incorrect. Stating that competition is for losers is misguided and unsubstantiated. Competition is healthy and is embraced by large and small economies and businesses alike.