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The Yellow Wallpaper Character Analysis

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The Yellow Wallpaper: Character Analysis

The yellow paper is an interesting short story uses the construction and style of a diary. It is a narration of the life of a woman trapped in a domineering male society that does not allow her to do things differently from the instructions of her husband. The Yellow Wallpaper is such a story that uses the effect of shifting narrative between typical past tense and to the more unfamiliar present tense. The present-tense narration is one that helps with the depiction of female consciousness. The reader experiences the events with the narrator as they unfold allowing the reader to avoid forming judgments on the characters involved. The readers are subconsciously forced to wait for how things will play out before making a judgment. An analysis of the narrator (the main character in the text), her background and her conflict is provided in this essay.

Madness

At some point, the narrator says, “I wonder if they all came out of the wallpaper as I did” as she sees creeping women through her window (Gilman 11). This idea of coming out of the paper reflects some kind of freedom and concurs with her descent into madness. She rips off the paper, locks herself in the room and starts going at the static bed with her teeth. There are various pointers to her character. She states somewhat astonishingly, “I always lock the door when I creep by daylight” (9). At this point, she turns into the creeping woman. Her shoulder fitting into the grove on the wall can mean that she is the creeping woman, the one tearing out the paper and creeping around.

The madness is not her fault and can mostly be associated with John’s treatment of her so the shoulder fitting into the groove can also be interpreted to mean that there are other women like her. After John faints towards the end of the text, she goes on tiptoeing around the room and stepping over him each time in a manner that is rather disturbing.

Background of the character

The character is a woman as indicated by her being married to a man-John- and the setting of the story being 1890. There is a huge likelihood that she and John are merely ordinary people most likely middle class. All these aspects are actually bellicosely anonymous: the narrator is not named and her husband John has a name that does not really give clues about who he is or his origin. The circumstance that all of these characteristics-her class, gender, and marriage- are all mentioned in the first sentence and her name does not appear may be an indication that these general features may be crucial to the unfolding of the plot more than her identity or personal history are. The reader does not even get to know her personally as the plot unfolds.

The importance of these traits as mentioned provides the background central conflicts that provide direction for the story. the narrator is a writer with a sensitive temperament and has been ill, an illness that has made her weak and under a domineering husband. Today it would not be okay to have a husband be the wife’s physician, but John is the narrator’s physician who makes all the decisions for her which really makes her cross. “If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do?’ (1).

Conflicts

There is a lot of information about the character and her conflicts from the passage where she discusses John and his belief of her not being sick. The first thing the reader gest is that the narrator is quite withdrawn from her treatment. “So I take phosphates or phosphites—whichever it is, (1). If she really had faith in her treatment then she would not forget what her medicine is called. She is antagonized by almost every person which is very clear when she says, “Personally, I disagree with their ideas.” (1)

Her mental ailment creates tension in their marriage. John does not buy into “..things not to be felt and seen and put down in figures” (1). Whenever the narrator raises a concern about her health to John, he responds by stating her body is getting better and better. It is not apparent why her body is weak though but might be she had a difficult birth. John refuses to acknowledge that her suffering might be mental.

Conclusion

The Yellow Wallpaper is an important account of a woman and her conflict with a society that is domineering and puts women in a different social status. The author creates a picture of women’s struggles with disregard for their consciousness. The story does this using a character that is dealing with mental problems that are not considered an illness. Her background is set in a manner that informs the plot and direction of the story. She is held in conflict and seeks freedom she supposedly gets in the end.

Works Cited

Gilman, Charlotte Perkins, 1860-1935. The Charlotte Perkins Gilman Reader: The Yellow Wallpaper, and Other Fiction. New York: Pantheon Books, 1980. Print

Themes in ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’

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Themes in ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’

Oscar Wilde’s novel ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ is one of the most intriguing books of all time. Dorian Gray, the main character in the story, is a handsome young man who wishes that he could retain his good looks forever. Dorian’s desires reflect those of many human beings. People treasure youth and beauty above all else, and many wish they would never age or lose their beauty. Dorian wanted to engage in hedonism, selfishness, and all kinds of earthly pleasures, but he did not want the effects of these pursuits to show on his body. The human body shows signs of deterioration when misused, for example, excessive consumption of drugs or alcohol will result in disease, and alterations to the physical body. The main question that readers ask themselves when reading the novel is whether, given a choice, they would have chosen Dorian’s path. Dorian’s portrait absorbed all the effects of his crazy lifestyle, allowing him to remain young and good-looking. Dorian remained thus youthful while his peers aged, earning him their admiration. The main themes in ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ are the purpose of art, the superficiality of society, the effects of negative consequences, and the emphasis on youth and beauty.

When the novel opens, Dorian Gray is in London getting his picture painted by an artist, Basil Hallward. Dorian is in London, in the home of his aunt, Lady Brandon. Basil is intrigued by Dorian’s beauty and youth and insists on painting him. However, Basil feels that his portrait betrays too much emotion on how he feels about Dorian. Basil speaks to his friend Lord Henry Wotton about his concerns, but Lord Henry tells the portrait is a masterpiece. Lord Henry supports the pursuit of pleasure in life, and Basil worries that he will be a negative influence on Dorian (Wilde 7). Dorian finds the two of them in the studio, and Basil is forced to introduce them. They become fast friends, with Lord Henry making an impression on the gullible Dorian. Lord Henry’s ideas about the transience of youth and beauty affect Dorian, who says that he wishes he could remain young forever. Lord Henry wants to own Dorian’s portrait, but Dorian insists on keeping it. Dorian wishes that the portrait could absorb all the aging and loss of beauty so that he could remain young and good-looking. His wishes soon came true.

Dorian Gray became an avid follower of Lord Henry’s beliefs in new hedonism and pursued all earthly pleasures. He falls in love with an actress named Sybil, who is enamored by his good looks. The actress named Sybil then decides not to act anymore because of her love for Dorian. However, Dorian only loved her because of her acting skills and decides to break off their engagement. Sybil’s brother, James Vane, warns her that Dorian would bring her trouble, but she refused to listen. Dorian goes home after his encounter with Sybil and sees that the portrait has taken on a sneering expression, following his wishes that it should absorb the effects of his actions. He regretted his behavior towards Sybil and decided to make up with her the next day. However, before he can do that, Lord Henry informs him that Sybil killed herself.

Lord Henry tells Dorian to view Sybil’s death as a form of tragic art. He later gifts Dorian a book that defines his very thoughts and actions. As the years went by, Dorian’s reputation suffered. Dorian remained young and good-looking as the portrait aged in his stead. Basil confronts Dorian about his reputation, but Dorian kills him in a fit of rage. James also confronts Dorian about Sybil’s death. Dorian then feels guilty about his actions and tries to destroy the painting. By stabbing the painting, Dorian killed himself, and the next day he was discovered dead. His body was transformed into an old, ugly man while the painting reverted to the handsome young man Dorian had once been.

The first theme evident in ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ is the superficiality of society. Most people like to dwell on the superficial characteristics of others rather than on important human virtues. In the case of Dorian, the society knew about his hedonistic exploits, and they disapproved. However, because of his looks, they were willing to overlook all his faults. They did not care what he had done; they only focused on his outward appearance (Drumova 4). Such an idea is quite dangerous because it encourages people to disregard harmful and toxic behavior and focus on petty things such as looks. What matters most in a human being is their character, and a person should be judged based on their actions rather than physical appearance. An example of this superficiality in the novel can be seen in the words of Lady Narborough, “you are made to be good—you look so good.” (Wilde 153) Everyone with whom Lord Henry and Dorian interacted with valued good looks above ethics. Although these people knew how Dorian’s actions ruined lives, such as Sybil’s, they overlooked all of this because of Dorian’s good looks.

The purpose of art is another central theme in Wilde’s novel, ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray.’ The most important piece of art in the story is the portrait of Dorian. At the beginning of the novel. Basil paints the portrait of Dorian in all his beauty and youth. However, for Dorian, the picture becomes a reminder that he will one day lose his good looks and grow old (Gültekin 51). This relationship between Dorian and his likeness reflects the relationship between an individual and the world. Dorian explains, “The reason I will not exhibit this picture is that I am afraid that I have shown in it the secret of my own soul.” (Wilde 24) He felt that in having others look at the picture, they would see his soul. True to his words, Dorian’s portrait later becomes a reflection of himself. He kept the picture hidden away at the abandoned room in the house so that no one would see how it transformed over time. At the beginning of the novel, Wilde reflects on the purpose of the art, coming to the conclusion that “all art is useless.” (Wilde 1) However, as the story progresses, readers can see that art occupies an integral part of many characters’ lives. The first is Basil, who worries that his painting of Dorian would absorb his soul. Basil believed that art should be taken too deeply as it exerts power over people. This proved to be true in Dorian’s case, where his whole life came to be defined by the portrait.

The supremacy of beauty and youth is another theme evident in the novel. Dorian is an excellent example of this. Basil is intrigued by Dorian chiefly because he is young and good-looking. Dorian also prized his beauty above anything else, and he was terrified at the thought of growing old. This is the main reason why he was so concerned with his self-portrait. He would give up anything so that he could remain as beautiful and young. “How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young……If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that-for that-I would give everything!” (Wilde 37) When speaking to Lord Henry about Dorian’s portrait, Basil explained that his work might show too much emotion about the subject. Lord Henry was quite taken by Dorian precisely because of his beauty and youth. Lord Henry praised these qualities as the most important for a person (Clifton 287). One surprising opinion from Lord Henry is that beauty and intellect do not go together. He says, “But beauty, real beauty, ends where an intellectual expression begins. Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face.” (Wilde 77) This line of reasoning where youth and beauty are prized above all else encourages vanity and encourages people to become superficial. Intelligence is a virtue that all people should strive to attain. Intellect and beauty should not be mutually exclusive.

The friendship between Lord Henry and Dorian brings out the theme of the negative effects of influence. When Dorian first met Lord Henry, Basil was quite reluctant to introduce the two because he feared that the latter would influence Dorian with his ideas. Sure enough, Dorian’s life was soon completely influenced by Lord Henry’s influence. Lord Henry believed in hedonism and the pursuit of self-interest at all costs (Stern 751). He also greatly admired Dorian’s youth and beauty, and this was enough for Dorian to follow Lord Henry’s opinions. When Sybil died, Lord Henry urged Dorian to think of her death as an artistic tragedy. Dorian soon convinced himself out of his grief and guilt for the part he played in Sybil’s untimely death. Lord Henry encouraged Dorian to give in to his every desire. He said, “The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself.” (Wilde 113) Lord Henry also gifted Dorian a book about the exploits of a nineteenth-century Frenchman. This book influenced every aspect of Dorian’s life, and he sank deeper and deeper into a life of pleasure and sin. Throughout the novel, it is clear that Lord Henry exerts the most significant influence on Dorian. One wonders whether Dorian might have taken a different path had it not been for their friendship.

The theme of love in ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ is a complex one, and it is mostly destructive. Dorian loved himself more than anything, and that is why he treasured his looks. He never wanted to grow old or ugly, and he wished that the portrait would absorb such undesirable occurrences. Dorian’s self-obsessed love proved to be dangerous as he disregarded the feelings and opinions of all those around him as he sought his pleasure. When he met Sybil, he questioned his love for her. He loved her mainly for her acting abilities (Shea 132). He was quite curious as to what attracted him to her, and he sought to explore the new feelings. Sybil was obsessed with Dorian, whom she referred to as Prince Charming. Even when warned by her brother and Wisdom about the danger of their relationship, she would listen to none of them. Dorian and Sybil’s love eventually leads to death. The two felt differently about each other. Sybil made up her mind to stop acting because of her love for Dorian. On learning this, Dorian no longer felt the same way as he did before. He told her, “I loved you because you were marvelous, because you had genius and intellect because you realized the dreams of great poets and gave shape and substance to the shadows of art. You have thrown it all away. You are shallow and stupid.” (Wilde 142) The readers could imagine the effect that these harsh words had on the gullible Sybil. She killed herself when Dorian broke off their engagement. When Sybil died, Dorian brushed it off under the advice of Lord Henry. The ease with which Dorian shook off the whole incident makes one wonder whether he really loved Sybil.

In conclusion, Oscar Wilde’s book, ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray,’ proves to be quite a captivating read. The author weaves together a tale that reflects the wishes of many individuals and also brings to question the extremes that people would go to satisfy their desires. Society considers youth and beauty to be essential qualities of a person, which leads Dorian to pursue a destructive path in life. Through Dorian’s story, some of the most prominent themes in the book include the purpose of art, beauty and youth, love, and the negative consequences of influence. Dorian lived a life of sin and pleasure, but in the end, he succumbed to guilt. The portrait that helped him escape the reality of age eventually led to his death. One lesson from the books is that aging and death are inevitable, and people should lead a life of moderation to be more fulfilled.

Works Cited

Clifton, Glenn. “Aging and Periodicity in The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Ambassadors: An Aesthetic Adulthood.” English Literature in Transition, 1880-1920 59.3 (2016): 283-302.

Drumova, Viktoria. The picture of Dorian Gray: eternal themes of morality, beauty and false values through centuries. Diss. Tartu Ülikooli Narva Kolledž, 2015.

Gültekin, Lerzan. “Art versus Morality: Oscar Wilde’s Aestheticism in The Picture of Dorian Gray.” One Day, Oscar Wilde (2016): 49-62.

Naratri, Aisya Rizka. Psychological Conflict of Dorian Gray in the Novel Entitled the Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Diss. Diponegoro University, 2016.

Shea, C. Michael. “Fallen Nature and Infinite Desire: A Study of Love, Artifice, and Transcendence in Joris-Karl Huysmans’s Á rebours and Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray.” Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture 17.1 (2013): 115-139.

Stern, Simon. “Wilde’s Obscenity Effect: Influence and Immorality in The Picture of Dorian Gray.” The Review of English Studies 68.286 (2017): 756-772.

Wilde, Oscar. The picture of dorian gray. OUP Oxford, 2006.

Theory- Case Study

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Theory- Case Study

With the merging of two hospitals, it is essential for the new unit formed to come up with strategies that will make the provision of services to patients as seamless as possible. As the HR manager, I am in charge of the employees working at the hospital, including medical staff and other supporting staff. All the units in the hospital must collaborate to increase the effectiveness of the hospital operations. Before the merger, the five units from hospitals A and B had different procedures, and now that they have merged, the hospital must come up with a new strategy that streamlines operations. I recommend that the hospital takes a service-oriented approach, and this will affect the technology and design of the hospital, and it will also ensure high interdependence among departments in the hospital.

Question One

The hospital should take a service-oriented approach because it is more focused on the provision of services to patients in need of medical attention. The healthcare industry as a whole is categorized under the service industry. The main reason why I have made the selection of service orientation is that the hospital belongs in the healthcare industry, which is service industry in general. The core business of a hospital is treating patients who suffer from different ailments, and this is a service. The doctors and other members of staff offer consultation services to the patients and then recommend the necessary course of treatment. The products offered in the hospital are intangible, and so is consumption. Patients do not have some quantifiable measure on which they can judge the service provided, but they can tell that they feel better and this reflects the quality of care in the hospital. Taking a service-oriented approach will allow the hospital to provide the best care for the patients that visit it. One of the reasons for this is that it will employ people with high levels of skill, which is necessary for a hospital. Service orientation will also concentrate on human contact which is the whole point of a hospital; patients want to be able to explain their problems to a doctor who then interprets the information and finds out more (Khatri 48). Other members of staff, such as nurses and technicians, guide patients on what to do and generally make them comfortable in the process of getting treatment, which can be quite challenging for some people. Service orientation will, therefore, allow the new hospital unit to come up with the most efficient processes to help it achieve its primary goals.

Question 2

The kind of technology that the hospital should adopt based on service orientation is core technology. The type of technology to be adopted determines the organizational structure and efficiency. The core technology is about transforming the process to provide services to the patients. The primary goal of the hospital is to provide medical services to patients, and the technology adopted will relate to this core mission. Despite the fact that hospitals A and B used to be different, they both had the same mission. After the merger, the processes of the new unit must then be streamlined so that any similar services are merged to avoid inefficiency and multiplication of services.

Some of the factors that define service technology are intangible output which is true in this case, a patient who gets treated feels better, but no one can touch or quantify this. Secondly, production and consumption take place simultaneously. The doctor or other medical staff are the producers in this case, while the patient is the consumer. In the consultation room, for example, a conversation and treatment between doctor and patient show simultaneous production and consumption. The process of providing services to patients in the hospital is both labor and knowledge-intensive. Before a person is qualified to work as a member of the medical staff in a hospital, they have to undergo years of training to make sure that they are well-versed in how to treat patients. Handling patients is a serious matter because the course of treatment determines if they get better or worse. Human interaction and customer service is a core part of service-oriented organizations. Patients have to interact with doctors and other members of staff one on one. While technology has led to various improvements in the provision of healthcare, doctors, nurses, and other medical staff still have the biggest responsibility in dealing with the patients (Martin 39). Rapid response time is required because this might be the determining factor as to whether a patient lives or dies. The patients perceive the quality of treatment, although this is hard to measure.

Question Three

The structural design of the hospital is quite important. One of the characteristics of a service organization is that it is not necessarily large. The new hospital will be of average size, meaning that management will not be too difficult. The hospital is also divided into departments to make management easier and decentralized. A service organization such as a hospital also requires technical core employees who will be close to the customer. Examples of these professional core employees are nurses, doctors, technicians, and others. The customers of the services organization, who in this case happen to be patients, interact directly with the technical staff. In the new hospital, this will be true because patients usually meet with doctors and nurses who will give a diagnosis and suggest the best course of treatment. The customer and the technical employees have to be close to each other. One on one contact is crucial because it allows the technical staff to judge the state of the patient (Anderson & Warkov 26). When consulting with a patient, the nurse or doctor can be able to make additional judgments and inferences based on what the patient says and also what they don’t say. For example, the doctor may be able to notice symptoms such as tremors, sweating. The patient will then move to other technical employees; for example, if a person has a fractured leg, they may need an MRI which is operated by the relevant technical employees.

In addition to this, the employees have to be highly skilled, and to do this they usually have years of training in specialized institutions before getting a job as part of the medical staff at the hospital. Finally, employees must posse’s necessary knowledge, awareness, and interpersonal skills. For those members of staff who work directly with patients, they must have the required social skills to handle different types of people. Sometimes treating patients is not just about the symptoms they describe; the member of staff must also be able to interpret and bring up the unsaid issues in a way that makes the patient comfortable. At times, patients may also be hiding relevant information that makes treatment difficult, and the staff has to find a way to extract this information from them.

Some of the main characteristics of the design of the hospital will be formalization, centralization, communication, and coordination, as well as high level of skills among the employees. Because the hospital was previously made up of two units, there is a need for formalization in the new unit. The different departments must work together to provide the best care for patients. Some of the departments in the previous units will have to be merged to avoid the multiplicity of roles and improve efficiency (Martin, 61). When this has been done, the newly formed hospital will need to outline its core mission and goals and have all the employees read through these. One of the core objectives of the hospital; is to provide quality care at affordable costs for all patients, and members of staff need to know how they contribute to this. Centralization will affect the management of the hospital and hierarchy. The previous units of the hospital each come with their different styles and management teams, and to ensure seamless operations, these must be centralized. For example, the HR departments of the two will come together because the new hospital is a new company on its own. There needs to be centrality of administration so that all employees know who they answer to. This will also enhance coordination and communication. The different departments must work together in the most effective and productive manner possible.

Question Four

The hospital should have a high level of interdependence because the process of providing medical care to patients happens across different departments and levels in the hospital. In coordinating interdependence, the hospital must have basic rules and laws in place, and the employees must be aware of these. There should also be planning, such as scheduling regular meetings, for example once or twice every week. In addition to this, there have to be some areas of mutual adjustment such as unscheduled meetings where employees make time to address any urgent issues that cannot wait.

A high level of interdependence is necessary in a hospital setting because caring for patients involves the collaboration of different people (Ginter et al 36). When a patient walks into the hospital, they meet with triage nurses who then send them to a general practitioner. Here, the patient explains their problems, and if necessary, the patient is referred to a specialist. In case the patient needs additional tests such as blood and urine, or MRI, CAT, and other scans, they are sent to the relevant departments who then provide the results of the diagnostic tests. From there, the patient can be sent to the pharmacy to collect prescribed medications. Within one hospital visit, the patient ends up interacting with various departments in the hospital. For the process to be as seamless as possible, there must be high levels of interdependence. Ho single department can work on its own, and in case of a breakdown in the interdependence chain, patient care is compromised. The positives associated with this system of high interdependence is that it promotes the quality of care that patients get in the hospital because the different departments work together to find the cause of illness and the best course of treatment. High level of interdependence can also present a challenge when one department faces a problem, and the whole chain breaks down.

In conclusion, with the merging of the two hospital units, there needs to be a comprehensive strategy that includes orientation, technology, design, and interdependence. The hospital takes a service-orientated approach because its core mission is the provision of healthcare services to patients. Based on this orientation, the hospital then applies core technology, which relates to the mission of the hospital. Some of the structural design elements include highly skilled employees, direct interaction, technical core employees, and decentralized decision making where staff report to department heads. A high level of interdependence in the hospital setting will improve the quality of care because different departments have different core functions that together promote the provision of services to customers.

Works Cited

Anderson, Theodore R., and Seymour Warkov. “Organizational size and functional complexity: A study of administration in hospitals.” American Sociological Review (2001): 23-28.

Ginter, Peter M., W. Jack Duncan, and Linda E. Swayne. The strategic management of health care organizations. John Wiley & Sons, 2018.

Khatri, Naresh. “Building HR capability in health care organizations.” Health Care Management Review 31.1 (2006): 45-54.

Martin, Brian C. Strategic Planning in Healthcare: An Introduction for Health Professionals. Springer Publishing Company, 2018.

This Is It Soul Food

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This Is It Soul Food

This Is It Soul Food is undoubtedly one of Houston’s most popular restaurants. Patrons flock to the establishment every single day of the week to enjoy traditionally black cuisines which remind many of their histories. The restaurant also provides all visitors with the opportunity to learn about new kinds of food that may not be common for them. This Is It Soul Food has been around for more than fifty years and remains popular with all kinds of people from celebrities, politicians, locals to tourists. Visiting the restaurant is a chance for people to enjoy delectable dishes as well as celebrate the history of the restaurant.

Frank and Mattie Jones started This Is It Soul Food in Houston’s Third Ward in the year 1959. Frank was inspired by his mother’s passion for food. During his younger days, his mother would cook for boarders at her premises, who included famous names such as jazziest, Louis Armstrong. When Frank and Mattie set up their business, it was a simple A-frame, but it has grown to a thriving business recognized in the Houston community. Craig Joseph, the founding couple’s grandson, currently runs the establishment in the Third Ward.

A diverse range of customers flocks to the restaurant for its culinary delights. In past years, the restaurant only opened for three days a week to serve lunch, but as it grew more popular, demand increased. Today, it opens seven days a week for all meals, except for Sunday when there is no breakfast served. Residents of the neighbourhood, politicians, tourists, professionals and other customers all visit the restaurant every day. There is a wide variety of food offered in the restaurant including braised oxtail, fried catfish, smothered chicken, pork chops, mac and cheese, banana pudding, among many other delights. This Is It is a historical landmark for the African-American community in Houston and a welcoming place for residents and neighbours alike.

Works Cited

‘This Is It Soul Food.’ CultureMap. https://houston.culturemap.com/guide/restaurants/this-is-it-soul-food/

Tobacco Policies

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Tobacco Policies

The thought of tobacco leads to images of cigarettes and lung cancer. Tobacco has been proven to cause lung cancer, yet millions of people still smoke multiple cigarettes daily around the world. The National Institutes of Health reports that roughly 440,000 deaths every year in the United States are the result of tobacco use. From these, 157000 deaths are from lung cancer (Paoletti et al. 213). Since it was proved that tobacco use, mainly cigarette smoking leads to cancers such as mouth and lung cancers, there have been concerted efforts to inform consumers of the health risks that come with tobacco. Some of the most prominent tobacco policies include images on packaging, taxes, and advertising regulations.

Since 2012, the Food and Drug Administration requires deterrent images to appear on cigarette packages. Congress gave the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products in the year 2009. The pictorial deterrents came after written warnings were found to be ineffective in warning consumers about the dangers that tobacco poses to their health. The first written warnings on cigarette packages appeared in the year 1966. Still, the Federal Trade Commission reported in 1976 that these warnings were ineffective in the face of advertising by tobacco companies (Paoletti et al. 213). The images on cigarette packs are often graphic, showing diseased organs as a result of tobacco consumption.

Another policy put in place to deter tobacco use is increasing taxes on tobacco products, mainly cigarettes. As long as a product is cheap and affordable, consumers will be encouraged to purchase it, and the same goes for cigarettes. In the mid-20th century, when cigarettes were the most popular, taxes on the products were quite low, and they were rarely raised. Taxes on a pack of cigarettes stood at 8 cents a packet for more than 30 years since 1951. However, since then, the federal government raised the tax to $1.01 a pack since 2008, and states have also levied their own taxes, further increasing the prices of cigarettes (Washington et al. 27). Aside from taxes, there are also other price policies to discourage tobacco use. For example, healthcare insurers charge higher for smokers which cost the smokers far more discouraging them from smoking.

Advertising regulations and campaigns against tobacco used have also been implemented across the media. This campaign began with the Fairness Doctrine introduced by the Federal Communications Commission in 1967 and 1970. Under the doctrine, any airtime given to tobacco adverts had to have equal free airtime to antismoking campaigns. In 1971, there was a federal ban on tobacco ads on both television and radio, bringing to an end the Fairness Doctrine. Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act of 1969 banned broadcast media from advertising any tobacco products, and this remains in place today (Levy et al. 448). The American Legacy Foundation, founded in 1999, engage in nationwide anti-tobacco campaigns targeting teenagers and young adults each year. The foundation’s efforts have seen a decline in the rates of smoking among teenagers.

In summary, tobacco consumption poses a serious health risk to consumers, and this calls for regulation and policy to protect people from such health risks. Federal and state governments have stepped in with various policies such as requiring tobacco companies to display deterrent images on cigarette packs, raising taxes on cigarettes, as well as regulating advertising for tobacco products. All these measures have been effective because the National Institutes of Health reports that smoking has declined by half since its peak in the mid-1950s. Tobacco consumption is costly in financial terms, as well as in terms of healthcare costs as well as the destruction of life. Tobacco regulations have been effective in reducing tobacco consumption, but more people need to realize how harmful tobacco is and stop using it altogether.

Works Cited

Levy, David T., et al. “Research full report: the impact of implementing tobacco control policies: the 2017 tobacco control policy scorecard.” Journal of Public Health Management and Practice 24.5 (2018): 448.

Paoletti, Luca, et al. “Current status of tobacco policy and control.” Journal of thoracic imaging 27.4 (2012): 213. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3409436/#R6Washington, Michelle, Richard L. Barnes, and Stanton Glantz. “Chipping away at tobacco traditions in tobacco country: tobacco industry political influence and tobacco policy making in North Carolina 1969-2011.” (2011).

Toulmin Argument Gun Control

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Toulmin Argument: Gun Control

Introduction

Gun control has been an issues that has always raised various kinds of feelings and thoughts among different people in the United States. It has actually been an issue that has played a key impact in political campaigns. The issue on gun control has always been quite a complex one because every single group that is for or against the control tend to have valid reasons on why they have certain stands. The first incident in the United States that may have actually sparked the discussion of gun control was the assassination of John F Kennedy. Prior to 1968, adults in America had so much access to guns from stores as well as the mail catalogues and this raised concern that gun regulation were needed. The 1968 Gun Control Act was the first major act which regulated interstate transfer of firearms except for licensed dealers. Since then, there have been laws and acts that have been introduced and while some gunner support others have been shunned.

In 1994, a major law was passed and this was seen as a win on gun control. The Public Safety and Recreational Firearm Use Act passed a ban on use of military style weapons as well as magazines that accommodated more than 10 rounds. The Democrats pushed for this reforms and although they got the backing from the Republicans it was on the basis that the act would expire after 10 years. After 2004, the ban expired and civilians were back to accessing military style weapon. America has recorded the highest number of gun related violence in the world and it is sad that young adults including school going children have been victims of these violence. There are various states that have taken the matter upon their hands and created gun control laws including banning of the assault weapons while certain states are reluctant to do this. This paper explores various statistic related with gun-related violence and the various measures that have been taken in trying to deal with the issue. With the increase in the number of gun related violence and mass shooting then legislation and discussion on gun control need to happen

Background /Warrants

According to a survey conducted in 2018 by Pew Research Center, approximately 45% of Americans own guns. This is almost half of the population a clear indication gun possession in America is something valuable. Most Americans who own guns have always used the constitution to back gun ownership as the Second Amendment of the constitution states that everyone has a right to bear arms. However, with the number of deaths that have occurred in the United States the discussion on gun control needs to happen. In 2017, gun related deaths from homicide cases was at 73%. Since 1982, there has been more than 110 mass shootings. Although mass shooting accounts for just a tiny proposition of gun related deaths, it is these shootings that have caused a lot of discussion on gun ownership and need first strict laws (Jehan, pg. 11). This may be because children in school have been affected by mass shootings as random strangers have had access to school and then opened fire to school going children like the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.

Statistics on states that have strict gun laws have proved he importance of gun legislation in helping in gun control thus reducing mass shooting and any gun related deaths or maiming. The top eight most states that have restrictive laws include Hawaii, New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts and California. These states have greatly reduced the number of gun related incidents that have taken place. States with more permissive rates have been highly ranked on the number of shootings that have occurred and they include Vermont, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas, Ohio and Arizona. Texas recently experienced a terror attack and no changes in the laws were made. What came as a shock to many actually was the fact that Texas allowed people to carry guns to church after the Senate Bill 535 was approved (Samantha, pg. 109). Although they indicate it’s only for licensed gun owners, this seems to be so much permissibility when it comes to gun laws and restriction to a country that has been wrecked by constant shootings and attacks. The states that have permissible gun laws are making it hard for states that have regulated gun control to have an easy time. An example is the killing of the three people that occurred in Gilroy, California. The gun man travelled from Gilroy all the way to Nevada to buy military-style rifle as he could not do so in his home state. This shows that if Nevada had strict gun laws then this man may not have acquired the said weapon and thus not in a position to carry out the attack.

Explore Warrants

There have been factors that may have contributed to the high number of gun ownership. Guns have often been readily available in the U.S. Although people claim that background checks can be done to determine mental illnesses or people with prior convictions do not get guns, these group of individuals have been able to access guns. These loops have largely contributed to the increased number of gun related deaths in the United States. There have been children who have also been able to fake their ID’s changing their age and thus being able to acquire guns while the set age of acquiring certain weapons has been set to be at 18 and 21. Another example of a loophole is failure by the law enforcement agency to include all individuals with prior conviction. Often military personnel are not usually included in the database for example the case of Devin Kelley who worked in the U.S force had acres to a gun and shot people in a church in Texas. The Air Force had failed to report Kelley and other members who had been charged with serious offences (Morall, pg. 56-123).

Legislation such as running mental health checks background and banning of semi-automatic and automatic rifles are recommendations that have been stated and most presidential candidates are using these as their campaign strategy on gun control. Adam Lanza who was the perpetrator of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting was a disturbed child who had been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and Obsessive-compulsive disorder, yet he walked into a gun shop and was sold for a gun. If a proper background had been done, he would not be in possession of a gun. Most gun shootings have always been carried out using these assault weapons which in a couple of minutes may take down so many people. Banning of these weapons will be a great way of curbing violence and ensuring that the general public do not have access to military grade weapons. States that have strict gun control laws have seen a decrease in gun related violence (Connors, pg. 49). There also needs to be better policies that will ensure that people who have histories of mental illnesses or people who have been convicted including those who have served in the military do not get access to the guns. The law enforcement agencies need to be answerable incase a person who should have been reported to the data base is not reported and hence gets access to a gun. The only way these loopholes can be sealed is through legislation that is why it is important for the government to be in support of gun control measures that are being proposed.

Factual Backing

Although gun control measures are likely to help reduce number of gun related deaths, there is a high likelihood that purchase of guns from the black market will increase. When the Obama administration came up with the discussion that they would consider gun control measures, there was an influx on the number of gun sales and gun dealers experienced stock outs (Jones, pg. 167-174). The citizens were trying to send a clear message that they would not support any un control measures. This goes to show that most gun consumers love gun ownership and if measures or restrictions are introduced then they are likely to turn to the black market. This however can be dealt with by making sure the law enforcement officers become vigilant and apprehend all those who will be found selling or dealing with weapons illegally. Citizens who will also be found with weapons acquired illegally such as the black market will also be charged with illegal possession of firearm. Although an influx of gun sales market may be experienced with gun control measures, the right legislation will curb this.

It is also of great concern that the country lacks law on assault or rather military-style weapon. In 1994, there was a Federal Assault Weapon Ban that was passed by the congress restricting the sale of military style and high capacity magazine. Military style weapons ae weapons that can kill a high number of victims in just a span of seconds. Such weapons should have no place or rather should not be carried by civilians but belong to the war zones and in military camps. The ban was passed but had an expiration after 10 years unless renewed by congress thus the ban ended in 2004 and was never renewed. Most were hopeful that the conversation would come up again after the Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting. This conversation did come up but no extreme measures were taken only suggestion of how strict gun laws should be there (Luca, pg. 96). It is however important to point out that there are states that have restriction on military-style weapons but no such laws exist at the federal level.

Counter-argument

Guns may serve as an important weapon in countering the attacker thus subduing them before they cause more deaths. Often many have argued that guns are useful when it comes to protection. President Trump himself has stated several times after gun shooting that if someone else had a gun then they would help in subduing a shooter. This is true, states that allow people to walk with guns and less gun control measures have less crime rate. This is because a perpetrator will often be afraid of attacking someone with the fear that they may be in possession of a gun for self-defense (Lott, pg. 123). Although this is true, I believe that the shooting does not have to happen in the first place. No one should leave in fear of being shot thus feeling the need to carry the gun for self-defense. It is important to ensure that the guns are not available in the first place. When there are no guns and people who have no business having guns are denied the access then there will be no need to have guns for self-protection thus this argument will be invalid.

Gun control is likely to increase sale of guns in the black market. Gun consumers have repeatedly portrayed their love for guns over and over again and made it clear they would not let anyone take that away from them. This was evident when guns were bought that gun shops experienced stock outs. If guns are banned or control, then there is the likelihood that people may decide to use the black market as the source of their guns. Guns found in the black market are often quite cheap as one may even acquire a handgun for less than $100. Most people who are pro-gun ownership have pointed out that gun control laws and banning of weapons may result in people seeking other ways that they could acquire guns and this includes using the black market (Manier). I however think this argument is fictional. Dangerous people over the years have been able to access guns and mostly it is because of the weak laws that are in place. Before we make the judgement on acquisition of guns from the lack market, how about first we pass the laws then get the statistics if this is true. Acquiring of guns from the black market can be regulated through legislation and vigilance from law enforcers who would apprehend individuals found buying or possessing a gun acquired from the black market.

Conclusion

Gun control is an important step in trying to ensure gun related violence in the United States decrease. There has been an increase in number of shootings in the U.S and often most of the perpetrators are people who should not have been allowed to have guns in the first place. The large availability of guns including assault weapons has made it easier for deranged individuals to carry out attacks. It is important that we have the conversation on ways that we can regulate and reduce the number of guns that are available in the market. This may be a step by step transition, for example, legislators may first begin by trying to ban the assault rifles as well as the high capacity magazines. Such laws will ensure that weapons that are more likely to cause havoc in just a couple of minutes are not easily available to the market for purchase by the attackers. States too need to be vigilant on the laws they create on gun control. States that have strong gun control laws have experienced a decline in number of gun related violence and thus other states should also follow suit. Loss of life due to laws that can be altered is unacceptable.

Works Cited

Jehan, Faisal, et al. “The burden of firearm violence in the United States: stricter laws result in safer states.” Journal of injury and violence research 10.1 (2018): 11.

Jones, Michael A., and George W. Stone. “The US gun-control paradox: Gun buyer response to congressional gun-control initiatives.” Journal of Business & Economics Research (JBER) 13.4 (2015): 167-174.

Lott, John R. More guns, less crime: Understanding crime and gun control laws. University of Chicago Press, 2013.

Luca, Michael, Deepak Malhotra, and Christopher Palanquin. The impact of mass shootings on gun policy. No. w26187. National Bureau of Economic Research, 2019.

Manier, Lauren. “Does Gun Control Really Work?” National Center for Health Research, 12 Apr. 2018, http://www.center4research.org/does-gun-control-really-work/.

Morrall, Andrew. “The science of gun policy: a critical synthesis of research evidence on the effects of gun policies in the United States.” Rand health quarterly 8.1 (2018).

Santhanam, Laura. “Most Americans Support These 4 Types of Gun Legislation, Poll Says.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 10 Sept. 2019, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/most-americans-support-stricter-gun-laws-new-poll-says.

Spitzer, Robert J. Politics of gun control. Routledge, 2015.

Consumer blogs have a great impact on company strategies

Consumer blogs have a great impact on company strategies. Consumer blogs are very important sources of feedback gathering and as such consumer should be asked to blog their views of the product on the internet or on the blogging sites created by the company .Blogs are a good source of feedback for the company and shows the real feel of the market. It can be seen that blogs have become a very important source of information gathering especially for testing the market for the feedback on the product and service. These blogs also help the firm to advertise their products as almost all firms have their own online presentations in the form of blogs an since the internet provides a greater coverage to people who remain connected throughout and consumers rely more on peer group reviews , the blogs from a very potent source of getting information from the public. . Blogs also design very important feedback systems and invoke generic responses to the product. It can also help in designing and changing marketing strategies because many of the bloggers are quite honest in their views.

Blogs create unnecessary rumors about the product. If a consumer has had a bad experience with the firm he may blog the same and then it is viewed by so many people leading to bad reputation. Blogs can also make competitors write misleading statements about the firm. Blogs also make consumers vary about product and services.

Consumer Decision Making Process Grading Guide

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Consumer Decision Making Process Grading Guide

MKT/435 Version 7

Consumer Behavior

Copyright

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Individual Assignment: Consumer Decision Making Process

Purpose of Assignment

The assignment due in Week 4 provides students with an overview of the consumer decision-making process. Students apply this understanding of the purchase process by applying it to their own recent purchase of a durable good. By applying a personal real world example, the idea of a purchasing process converts from theory to practice.

Grading Guide

Content Met Partially Met Not Met Comments:

The student analyzes a recent purchase they made of a durable good.  

The student reviews the steps taken in making this purchase decision: (1) Problem recognition, (2) Information search, (3) Alternative evaluation, (4) Purchase, (5) Use, (6) Evaluation.

The student discusses which steps they went through and which steps in the purchasing process were most important. The student, if certain stages were skipped, reviews what marketing or previous experience influenced them to skip this stage. The student discusses what the selling organization could have done more effectively from a marketing standpoint to help move through these stages. The paper is 1,050 to 1,400 words in length. Total Available Total Earned 7 #/7 Writing Guidelines Met Partially Met Not Met Comments:

The paper—including tables and graphs, headings, title page, and reference page—is consistent with APA formatting guidelines and meets course-level requirements. Intellectual property is recognized with in-text citations and a reference page. Paragraph and sentence transitions are present, logical, and maintain the flow throughout the paper. Sentences are complete, clear, and concise. Rules of grammar and usage are followed including spelling and punctuation. Total Available Total Earned   3 #/3 Assignment Total # 10 #/10 Additional comments:

Consumer Power

Name

Professor

Course

Date

Consumer Power

Introduction

There has been a growing sensation of consumers to use their shopping baskets to drive their point home, about the products or services that they are spending their money on. This increasing tide of these consumers is making companies to respond by increasing have to watch evry consumer’s steps. Consumer power can be defined as the collective influence consumers can have on an industry locally or internationally. The consumers can exert their power upon the industry by lobbying, letter writing, or boycotting.

Hughes, &, Allen, (173–183) argue that Companies which wish to remain in business must consider the customers as partners in business. To equally compete for the market share, they must continually adapt their policies and working methodologies as they respond to the ever changing demands of the consumers. When consumers feel strongly about a particular issue in relation to a product or service, they may stop using the product or stop interacting with the business. They generally form consumer pressure groups such as Greenpeace, The National Consumer Council, Friends of the earth, and the Fair Trade federation, to actively lobby businesses and governments to convince them to change their policies and procedures. Consumer power thus makes companies and businesses to react positively to social and environmental responsibilities. There is a general trend of marketers shifting their marketing management strategies to developing markets, therefore, advertisement agencies and other marketing organisations must follow suite

Crowned at Last

In the ever changing market place, consumers have the power to choose the types of products and services they want as never before. Businesses always have the quote that the customers come first, and therefore, is the king, or is the reason why the business is in existence. The advertising industry has responded to this paradigm by producing advertisements that are very creative and entertaining. The question most market researchers or market insight analyst ask is whether this advertisements translates into improved sales (Welford, 1-7).

The new trends in consumer power have changed the shopping landscape worldwide, with the consumers having the capability of obtaining information about whatever they need, whenever they want it, and this has given buyers unprecedented power. In markets that are highly transparent in pricing, the consumers surely have been crowned. Today’s consumers are not just influenced by the advertisements they see, before they buy any product or service, they want to see exactly what the product or service package covers, and to refer to what other users are commenting on their proposed purchase. Marketing, advertising, and communications firms must come up with innovative ways to promote their products and services if they hope to pass the right message home, as the consumers are becoming increasingly empowered (Tapper, 351-366).

Most companies in the United States are still mainly focused on business footprint and management structure. This needs to change and marketers should adapt appropriately. Consumer power is highly related to consumer protection laws. Marketers should deliver advertisements that that are transparent on the pricing, quality, and product information. In developing new ways of behavioural targeting, advertisements should be relevant to groups of consumers with common interest, and as the world is becoming more and more digital, many consumers are able to access not only the sales blurb, but also how other consumers are viewing the product or service. The growing consumer power is evident from the fact that customers are spending more time with a variety of media, and measuring the effectiveness of advertisement efforts easy. Marketers must catch up with the new media (Azamat, 377-386).

Warfare in the Aisles

Competition is getting stiffer among the variety of products and services available for the consumers to choose from. Competition has given rise to state on the consumer that he or she gets confused at what they want, depending on the many brands or variety of the product or service that they might require. For example in supermarkets, the so many items on offer are so jumbled up that a customer cannot really find what he or she is looking for. Considering TVs available, there are so many High Definition TVs that the consumers gets confused at the wide choices they have. With immense levels of choice and information available, shoppers cannot just ignore brands, as much as they need to make purely rational, economic decisions on the items they want to purchase. Brands offers trust, and companies should invest more in brands, because consumers are shifting their interests from traditional media like TV, radio, print, and other forms of promotions (Ritzer, 193−209)

Man’s Best friend

The mobile phone has replaced the dog as the man’s best friend, and mobile telephony has become a powerful marketing medium, as more and more people getting access to them. Mobile media consumption is likely to overrule many marketing assumptions. Therefore mobile marketing advertisement must evolve with the changing mobile media consumption. Given that mobile phones are a very personal gadget, mobile platform marketers must be very respectful to the mobile users and their time, demonstrating consumer power. The service providers should not let annoying advertisements reach the consumers (Kotler, & Lee, 2006).

Motoring Online

Automobile manufacturers have realized that the website has become a core part of doing business with customers, and therefore, all their advertisements provide their website addresses. Websites are more effective than TV advertisements since the internet can hold the customers attention for more time than a few seconds that TV advertisements provide. Many customers are using the internet to plan their purchases, and thus marketers should adapt from using traditional media such as television, print, or outdoor advertisement. A website can be equated to a living brochure, many car dealers have resisted giving consumers power to road test, perform vehicle comparisons, check trade in values, and compare average selling prices. The consumers now have the power to do this online (Miller, 589–598).

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Target Practice

The advertisement landscape has changed over the period, now it has to be a variety of different things to different people. The advertising industry has changed the rules, such as previously they used to publish the top advertisements houses, but now they include creative side variable such as expertise in various related disciplines, interactive advertising, direct marketing, and public relations. Most networked media will be applying internet based technologies and protocols. This will improve consumer experience with advertising. The consumer has been crowned since he or she does not want to be bombarded by numerous advertisements, and on the other hand, measuring the return on investment on advertisements is not easy.

Buying the Future

Now that the customers have the consumer power, the question remains on how they will apply the acquired power. Consumer power has been beefed up by a myriad of legislations such as the consumer protection laws. There is so much information available for the consumers, and the internet makes it easy for consumers to discover what they need, and who is offering the best deal where. This shift of power has been brought about by competition (Ajzen, 665-68).

E commerce is growing tremendously fast globally, and spending patterns on the internet nearly resembles street hawking. Having achieved this power, the consumers will not let it go easily, this will in turn lead to more market fragmentation, consumer’s wants will be more diversified, consumer sophistication will continue to grow, and their empowerment will continue. Advertisers will also have to change with the changing consumer preferences, and they may need permission to let their advertisement s reach individual consumers, and offer more incentives such as attractive bargains.

Conclusion

Consumers will remain the King, and so consumer power will continue to evolve in mundane ways. The consumer may decide not to watch Super Bowl on TV, which offers very expensive advertisement rates for producers. As the media becomes more interactive, will give the consumers more power of choice on what they want to consume. So advertisements must adapt to be more relevant, educative, and make advertising optional. Consumer power will definitely influence the prices charged on products and services , and will encourage innovation and product development.

Work cited

Ajzen I. Perceived Behavioural control, self-efficacy, locus of control, and the Theory of Planned Behaviour. J. Appl. Soc. Psychol., 32: 665-68. (2002).Print

Kotler P, Lee N (2006). Corporate social responsibility: doing the most good for your company and your cause. Hoboken: John Wiley. Print

Miller G. Corporate responsibility in the UK tourism industry. Tourism Manage., 22(6): 589–598. (2001).

Ritzer M. Rethinking globalization: Glocalization/ grobalization and something/ nothing. Soc. Theor., 21(3): 193−209. (2003).

Azamat F. Exploring social responsibility of immigrant entrepreneurs: do home country contextual factors play a role? Eur.Manage. J., 28(5): 377-386. (2010).

Tapper R. Tourism and Socio-economic Development: UK Tour-Operators’ Business Approaches in the Context of the New International Agenda. Int. J. Tourism Res., 3: 351-366. (2001).

Hughes H, &, Allen D. Cultural tourism in Central and Eastern Europe: the views of ‘induced image formation agents’. Tourism Manag., 26: 173–183. (2005).

Welford R.Globalization, corporate social responsibility and human rights. Corp. Soc. Responsib. Environ. Manage. 9(1): 1-7. (2002).