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Objective Conservative Opinion

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DateObjective Conservative Opinion

Objective conservative is in existence simply to hypothesize views and opinions from the appropriate shimmering conservative, sometime broad-minded thought swayed by a belief that the United States of America is founded with a Judeo philosophy. It expresses the objective views of issues and candidates. The book “Bias” shows how the media distorts the news and argues how fairness, integrity and balance vanished in television. The book also insists on the importance the media plays in the USA. This report enlightens on how the book “Bias” shows and portrays the objective conservative opinion and explains them in detail.

The Plot of the Book

The book “Bias” written by Bernard Goldberg resulted from an incident that happened on 13th February. 1996. The Wall Street Journal published an editorial by Bernard Goldberg entitled “Networks Need a Reality Check”, for a fixture in CBS News (Goldberg, 2002). The agenda of the editorial was to enlighten the liberal biasness on the national television news along with the reporters that conflicted with their reporting strategies and policies.

The book “Bias” uncovers how the television network and other cables have failed in their mission by presenting the laissez-faire position on subjects as the baseline; of reasonableness and that any different point besides that is controversial. According to the writer, reasonable minds barely differ. The book tries to illuminate on how information show be presented. The writer through the book states that different ideas need be presented without unfavorably labeling one over the other while making the other look better.

Complaints to the networks editors and executives with no avail, the 28year long CBS news reporter went public through the publication of an Op Eds in the Wall Street Journal. His delusions of slanted news stories prompted his actions accusing the CBS for bias and copiously criticizing a story by Eric Engberg allegedly giving a “reality check” on the flat tax scheme of Steve Forbes. Despite the story’s qualification as “news”; the story faced all sorts of distortion, ranging from loaded words such as “scheme” and “elixir”, omission of people supporting the idea of Forbes, omission of association of “experts” contradicting the idea, and snide depiction( a “wacky” proposal as referenced by Engberg and that it should first be tried in Albania). Goldberg used this egregious sample as a commencing avenue to support and provide evidence of the larger charge of left-wing prejudice at the television networks, and provide an explanation why the big three TV networks continued to lose its viewers’ ( Goldberg, 2002) . “In the United States of Entertainment there is no greater sin than to bore the audience”.

Goldberg who was considered as no one in the CBS television, achieved a national voice outside the world of media, to the few quiet voices that worked in the television that supported him, and all this was because of uttering the unutterable. His belief in pointing out slander, prejudice and distortion in the media led to a revolution such as the creation of talk shows on the radio, despite the fact that the media continues to refute.

The author of the book tries to show what the media tries to hide from the people of America when it distorts the news. The book analyzes how the press covers the race issue, the sexes relation, HIV & AIDS, the homeless peoples’ situation and finally, terrorism. This book is well documented and very honest in its portrayal of these issues. The author emphasizes and shows in this book how the media deliberately exaggerates the problems of the homeless people hiding it from the camera and while blaming it on the tax cuts by the republican. The actual agenda of the media was to hide the true reason of the actual homeless; the alcohol and drug addicted, mentally unstable weirdoes unable to perform even sufficient to earn housing; due to fear of the people of America seeing the culpability for the plight of the homeless people.

The author also tries to show the techniques and methods employed to implement a countrywide attack on the whole male gender, and the disastrous aftermath of that attack in California. The book finally shows how the news reporters, driven by a pledge to epitomize Israeli defense armies and Arab terrorists as morally comparable, hid the real nature of the Arabic world from Americans, in effect effecting the agenda of almost all the academic literati and ethically disarming the country- both afore and subsequent September 11.

This book “Bias” by Bernard Goldberg was well written and very informative. The writer of this book bases his argument entirely on facts and barely opinions. He unveils how the media distorts information simply because it aims and intends to hide the truth from the people. “The fact is television doesn’t simply reflect society’s values. In important ways, it also legitimizes them. And more and more in recent decades it has made even the most dubious “values” and behaviors seem normal and routine.” It bases explanations of occurrences on a different matter to the real deal. The media tries to blame the tax cuts by the republicans for the homeless Americans on the streets. The facts in this book are well researched and precisely documented to provide well catalogued information.

The author of the book bases his facts on real life issues that he has experienced and has substantial evidence on. Through the book, the author tries to portray how the media distorts information through all means like slander and exaggeration “… Bob Schieffer, the network’s chief Washington correspondent, told The Washington Post: “Bernie just seemed to be upset about everything. He was upset with the world.””(Goldberg, 2002). The reasons for these are because the most media institutions are owned by rich people and politician who control the country and are afraid of the truth getting out to citizens. It is plain and simple; media is power. Whoever controls the media owns the power. The most powerful politicians and rich men are able to control the country by dictating what the media broadcasts. The people of the country judge others basing on the information they access from the media, knowing that they rely and believe in the news from the media.

In other areas, journalists control the mind of the Americans by providing information about the Israeli and Arabs, that they want Americans to access. Information portraying how the Americans are harassing the Arabs and Israeli has consequently led to the disarming of the American armies. The truth about the Israeli and Arabs is however concealed. This is because these journalists have sworn to humanitarianism blindfolded by their belief of “controlling Americans” to see the plain truth.

The obsessed news man spent most of his trying to find a way to expose the media’s unreliability in relaying information. After numerous attempts failed attempts to persuade the editors and news executives of the media houses, he decided to find a way to expose the media’s capriciousness of tampering with information by publishing a controversial article on the journal of Wall Street. This journal attracted attention all over the country and pasting his name wrongly to the CBS news, while emerging as a vocal hero to the civilians and other members of the CBS news who felt in accordance (Goldberg, 2002).

In conclusion, the book “Bias” by Bernard Goldberg solely intends to enlighten the people of America of the sins the media is committing. The book also aims at exposing the media in its unending quest to hide information from the American citizens with reasons of doing damage control, hiding the guilty and protecting the innocent. This book makes a great discovery of the crimes the media commit and openly points them out. The book is a representation of a hero engaging in a difficult stuff that is voicing very many quiet individuals. This book is a masterpiece that utters of the reality without hesitance of the reaction of the media and critics.

Reference

Goldberg, Bernard. 2002. Bias: a CBS insider exposes how the media distort the news. Washington, DC: Regnery Publ.

Cross-Cultural Implications on Management

Cross-Cultural Implications on Management

Introduction

Cross-cultural differences in business environment create significant challenges for employees taking assignments across the globe. Cross-cultural differences and challenges thereon are determined by the general distance in practices between the involved cultures. As an illustration, there is a relatively smaller gap in cultural practices among western cultures than between in a cross-cultural interaction between western and Asian cultures. For a manager from the UK taking up work assignments in the UAE, there are several fundamental changes in the delivery of expected input from a cultural perspective. Issues touching on suitable management style, decision-making, communication barriers, motivation, negotiations and employee organization constitute some of the challenges encountered. This discourse discusses cross-cultural management issues that emerge from a perspective touching on the issues mentioned above. Theoretical contributions on the topic facilitate development of the cross-cultural setting experienced by a UK national discharging managerial duties in the UAE.

Arabian Business Environment (UAE)

The UAE is located in the Middle East in Asia, with a population that is predominantly composed of Arabs but the expatriate component of the population grows every year due to the lucrative investment opportunity currently in the UAE. The most dominant sociocultural force that shapes up the business environment in the UAE is therefore the Arab culture that is hugely synonymous with Islamic principles and religion. For a manager from the western sociocultural setting within the UK, the Arabic and Islamic context is a significant change worth considering due to the distance between the two cultures. Establishing close ties defines business relations in the UAE (Kwintessential n.d, para.1). Religion defines most of the UAE sociocultural and economic practices to such an extent that nearly every business transaction or decision taken falls within religious scrutiny. The following theoretical insights explain the above cross-cultural issues observed in the UAE business context as explained from an academic perspective.

Theoretical Background

Among the major theories formulated to explain the cross-cultural phenomena include, theories by Edward T. Hall and Mildred Hall as well as by Geert Hofstede and Fons Trompenaars. In light of Hall and Hall’s postulates, it is clear that the best approach to navigate through cross-cultural challenges is through the simplification of cultural communication and reducing of possible barriers (Hall 1980, p53). The theorists propose the context culture rating which determines how entangled the business setting is with religion, nationality identity, perceptions and personal attitudes. High context cultures have a close association between business and these factors such as in the UAE and in the Arab setting. Low context cultures such as in the UK on the contrary recognize formal contexts that are distantly far from the mentioned factors. Communication environment is therefore different within the two settings and the manager needs to reorganize appropriate approaches to fit in the communication demands.

Geert Hofstede considers various dimensions of cross-cultural implications on business processes such as power distance where the larger the distance, the equal the distribution among employee hierarchies. The measure of uncertainty avoidance, individualism and collectivism and gender roles also contribute to the determination of the appropriate action to taken in management. Trompenaars postulated almost similar perspectives as Hofstede by characterization of cross-cultural demands on management with regard to issues such as universalism and particularism, internal and external control among other fundamental cultural diversity comparisons (Hofstede, 1980, p22; Trompenaars 1993, p102).

From the theories highlighted above, it is clear that the cross-cultural setting exposes the organization and the manager to a number of scenarios requiring specific subjective response. Familiarization with the local cultural setting is therefore an important concept for the overseas employee likely to come across fundamental changes in cultural practices. A UK national discharging duties in an Arabic environment must indulge the cross-cultural insights in a number of input areas as discussed below.

Management Style

Management styles applicable in hierarchical societies work well in the UAE due to the orientation to a highly patriarchal organization. People occupying managerial positions in a hierarchical setting may find authoritative managerial style as an effective approach than the egalitarian style. The manager from the UK will therefore need to adopt the local expectation of taking a more direct management stance since the cultural expectation from the human resource determines the achievement from the applicable managerial style. In such a setting, the manager is expected to deliver direct directions and instructions to the employees who recognize the paternal authority over any other delegation or devolution setting that is effective in the western cultures.

Subordinates in the UAE and in other hierarchical organizations are likely to follow instructions if delivered to them directly from the manager. Lack of a clear instruction line may relate to and be interpreted as poor leadership approach. In order to ensure that compliance and sense of authority succeeds in such a setting, a direct style of management must apply with little or no interference through delegation (Moveone 2011, para.11). Unfortunately, in view of the cultural setting in the UK where managers may act through intermediate officials in the delivery of managerial instructions, employee initiative is likely to be higher than in the UAE. Managers in the UAE must therefore devise ways to ensure that the employees remain as initiative oriented and not entirely dependent on the manager to deliver leadership and issue directives. Apparently, this emerges through constant reminders on a scheduled pattern where the manager presumably takes charge at all times and remains seen to in charge.

Decision Making Processes

In the UAE, the business environment dictates that inclusion forms part of decision-making process for establishment of good will and trust. Exclusion of important players in the decision making process is not necessarily based on the lack of consultation or collection of opinions. Inclusion in such a setting includes open explanation and timely dissemination of decision related guidelines for purposes of integration of important players into the business processes. The tricky part includes the determination of the appropriate level of inclusion to avoid making disclosure to irrelevant audience. Senior officials must get information on all managerial decisions before implementation to avoid sending messages of insubordination. Juniors must also get information that touches on their work in order for the manager to send messages of authority across all sections of junior staff (Kwintessential n.d., para.5).

Juniors should not openly question the role of the manager in decision-making but the impact of creating the impression of timely inclusion in every decision is important in valuing them. It is important therefore to premeditate on the impact of decision-making process and implementation on the operations of the organization from the manager’s perspective. This will allow formulation of the best stakeholders’ inclusion and dissemination of arrived decisions without sending the wrong signals or compromising on confidential decisions.

Communication and Negotiation: Implications and Issues

The primary communication issue is based on the language applied for official business interaction as the fundamental barrier to communication. For the UK national working in the UAE, learning Arabic will be a necessity despite the fact that several official communication may be conducted in English. Other communication concerns within the UAE include addressing various individuals from the background of a hierarchical organization. While making addresses to people of higher hierarchy or age, the expatriate manager must observe the use of honorable approach as age and authority are highly regarded in the culture. According to Hosie, Lehaney and Willemyns (2011, p252), nonverbal communication such as facial expressions and nodding as well as discourse variables such as small talk, self-disclosure and willingness to listen also impact on the quality of communication in UAE.

The juniors are supposed to honor their seniors through communication and they should be repaid through respect. The more direct management style that is effective in the setting implies that the manager is in constant contact with the subordinates and seniors. It is therefore important to accommodate local communication attributes in the interactions. While initiating addresses, greetings are a show of honor and respect in the Arabic culture. It is not positive if communication is conducted in a rush, which dictates that a clear communication plan is employed. Simple communication is preferred and direct to the matter at hand for purposes of clarity (Kwintessential n.d., para.7).

During business negotiations, favorable personal relationships are important in the determination of success on the managerial process. In the UAE, events are important outcomes than time, which implies that the results of the negotiations should comply with cultural expectations as opposed to timely conclusion focus of the western culture. Rushing negotiations to fit timelines would not be a welcome approach in the UAE. Trust is built in repetition of key areas of the negotiation, which would otherwise be hastily considered a nuisance in western cultures, which underscores the importance of patience and tolerance when negotiators ask similar questions in UAE negotiations setting (Cohen 1991, p136).

Motivation and Performance Management

The organization directives influence the level of employee involvement in operations, due to the heavy orientation to patriarchal sociocultural organization in the UAE. It therefore follows that the motivation of the employees largely originates from the management outcomes. The UK expatriate manager will have to take a direct employee involvement to address issues likely to affect employee motivation such as commitment. By ensuring that the disparities between business principles and local culture are continually reduced, the manager is likely to achieve higher motivation outcomes from the employees. As an illustration, time is not an important business factor in the UAE but the opportunity it holds to productivity and earnings must be contextualized as a motivational tool.

Team Working Versus Individual Working Preferences

The UAE environment is based on close friendly relationships, which define the organizational culture that must comply with the surrounding cultural expectations. Employees have distinct roles to implement in the organization, which must depict some level of hierarchical organization. Under teamwork, employees are likely to be dependent on the team leader for direct guidelines. In the hierarchical setting, employees are not expected to take initiative for fear of overstepping their mandate. Teamwork must therefore be supplied with close team leadership to bring out the best results. Within the strict guideline expectation of the UAE setting, group leaders must always take charge of operations of the team to fill the position of authority. For better results in the teams, members need to be motivated to have cordial relationships where respect and honor are developed and sustained. The sociocultural environment in the UAE is based on collectivism as opposed to individualism in the west, making it an ideal setting for teamwork to flourish. However, the need for close relationships, seeking acceptance, respect for others, ascription, shame upon mistakes and propensity to collaboration may complicate determination of success in teamwork.

In terms of individual contribution in any hierarchical setting, employees may require tighter oversight due to reliance on guidelines. More leaders may be needed to deliver guidelines and carry out supervision for every employee. In light of the expectations of the employees regarding management’s role of giving out instructions, lack of initiative and deliver leadership at various levels affects individual contribution.

Recommendations

It is important for the expatriate UK manager to undergo basic UAE culture training to familiarize with the expectations in the new assignment (Aston, Bennett and Colquhoun 2000, p240). According to the authors, equipping the expatriate with the appropriate skills to tackle challenging differences in cultural practices is an intangible asset invested towards success in overseas operations. Extra skills required in the delivery of such an assignment will include evaluation of the character of the individual to comply with high the demand for tolerance and accommodation of local culture. Negotiation skills possessed must also coincide with the expectations of the local culture. Overseas dispatch will require prior experience with the local conditions and needs, which may be facilitated through orientation business trip before dispatch in the capacity of the manager. It would be important to consult other British firms operating in the UAE to facilitate the transition into a sustainable cross-cultural stability. International human resource management (IHRM) insights will be important in the fulfillment of various duties for the manager while in the UAE.

References

Aston, A., Bennett, R., & Colquhoun, S. (2000) Cross-Cultural Training: A Critical Step in Ensuring the Success of International Assignments, Human Resource Management, vol. 39, no. 2-3, pp.239-250.

Cohen, R. (1991) Negotiating across Cultures: Communication obstacles in international diplomacy, Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace Press

Hall, E. T. (1980) Dance of Life, New York, NY: Doubleday.

Hofstede, G. (1980) Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values, Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.

Hosie, P., Lehaney, B. & Willemyns, M. (2011) Communication and social identity dynamics in UAE Organizations, International Review of Business Research Papers, vol. 7, no. 2, pp245-256.

Kwintessential, (n.d.) Intercultural Management- UAE and Dubai, [Online] Available from <http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/intercultural/management/uae.html> [Accessed 14 March 2012].

Moveone (2011) Cultural Influences on Management Style, [Online] Available from < http://www.moveoneinc.com/blog/relocations/culture-influences-management-style> [Accessed 14 March 2012].

Trompenaars, F. (1993) Riding the Waves of Culture, London, UK: Nicholas Brealy.

Tung, R. L. (1981) Selection and training of personnel for overseas assignments, Columbia Journal of World Business, vol. 16, no. 1, pp.68-78.

Yin, R. K. (2008) Case Study Research: Design and Methods, (Fourth Edn.). Sage, Newbury Park.

NURSING ESSAY

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Nursing Essay

Having made my application to join your nursing institution for a peri-operative nursing internship, I will make sure that I perform to the best and exemplify my academic qualifications with intensified performance. I am a fully dedicated and skilled nurse having achieved excellence in winning awards in the nursing profession. I am a Registered Nurse in the State of Florida, License number 9255695.

I have strong organizational skills and am committed to provision of quality patient care. Having gained seven years of experience on medsurg and telemetry floor with a specialization in neurology, I am driven to exercise my best of experience to deliverance of the best services possible.

With regard to my qualifications and abilities, I am fully skilled neurology nurse who is culturally sensitive. I am a compassionate preceptor and mentor which give me an upper hand on how to handle my patients. I have also gained experience in conducting physical examinations on my clients.

I have passed the state boards and have been licensed. I am committed to work full time for twenty four hours to ensure I offer extensively my services as a nurse. I have customer/beneficiary knowledge which will help me make identification of people by making use of healthcare and assessing their needs and preferences. I am able to develop new and locally useful knowledge through use of empirical testing.

I am driven by the desire to make a lead a bring change in healthcare. This will become a reality by ensuring that I make use of methods and skills to bring change in complex organizations not leaving behind the strategic management of the other fraternity and their work. I am collaborative in working situations thus am able to work effectively in groups with a clear understanding of other people’s perspectives and responsibilities. I have a clear understanding of the social context and accountability in the nursing profession.

Work cited

Boonyasai, R.T, Windish, D.M, et al. Effectiveness of teaching quality improvement to clinicians: a systematic review. JAMA 2007.

Department of Health, White Paper: Trust, assurance and safety-the regulation of health professionals in the 21st century. London: Stationery Office, 2007.

Crowding and fire tragedies

Crowding and fire tragedies

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Crowding and fire tragedies

The relationship between casualties in fire tragedies and crowding has never been in doubt or underestimated. It goes without saying that crowding tends to amplify the magnitude of losses or even the numbers of casualties. There are various ways in which crowding amplifies the effects or impact of fire tragedies. Research shows that fire tragedies have a higher likelihood of occurrence in crowded places than in others (Blaich, 2008). For example, fires in crowded nightspots and clubs have been quite common. This is the same case for crowded prisons such as the Honduras Prison where more than 300 inmates perished.

In crowded nightspots, it goes without saying that tempers flare up at a relatively higher frequency, thanks to high frustration and irritability. In most cases, small incidences trigger tragedies in crowded places. In addition, it is worth noting that most people perish during tragedies due to the stampede that follows (Blaich, 2008). In buildings whose occupancy loads are close to the design occupancy loads, crowding occurs in case of emergencies as everyone tries to exit such buildings at the same time. In quite a large number of tragedies, rescuers have found many casualties and bodies trapped at the exit points and entrances as individuals tried to exit such scenes simultaneously (Blaich, 2008). This has triggered behavioral researchers to carry out studies on varied approaches that would be appropriate in reducing the possibility of crowding at exit points.

In addition, building occupants usually frustrate the efforts of fire safety professionals as they fail to leave the scenes of tragedies upon hearing an alarm. Most fire safety professionals attribute this behavior to stupidity, which is inappropriate (Absher, 2010). Research shows that people usually delay their responses to unclear signs of danger up to such a point where they have an enhanced understanding of the magnitude of the threat. This problem would, however, be alleviated through accurate information and comprehensive training (Absher, 2010).

Nevertheless, it is possible for one to minimize the possibility of becoming a victim in crowded places. First, it is imperative that one familiarizes himself with a certain location and finds the exit signs closest to the location (Blaich, 2008). This should also be replicated in case one visits the bathroom. Research shows that, in the event of fire tragedies, individuals tend to crowd the entrances through which they entered the building thereby blocking or crowding the exit. In essence, it is recommended that an individual is privy to the location of more than one exit.

Second, being courteous during emergencies is arguably the best strategies. The main reason why most people die during stampedes is because they are devoid of the courtesy to let one person out at a time. Of course, it is understood that panic reigns supreme during such instances. However, being discourteous eliminates the possibility that any person will get out as all people want to get out at the same time using the same exit. In fact, quite a number of people or casualties would have been saved if only a little courtesy is inculcated (Absher, 2010).

Lastly, it is imperative that the individuals in such scenes allow the security and fire safety personnel to do their job (Blaich, 2008). In most cases, people will always be concerned about the things or people that they have left in affected building to such an extent that they stand in the way of the fire safety professionals. Such behavior could, in fact, hamper the rescue efforts. In essence, it is imperative that one allows the professionals to carry out their work and offer assistance only where necessary and under the directions of the professionals (Blaich, 2008).

References

Blaich, PW (2008). The Benefits of Behavioral Research to the Fire Service: Human Behavior in Fires and Emergencies. New York: iUniverse

Absher, JD (2010). Residents’ Responses to Wildland Fire Programs: A Review of Cognitive and Behavioral Studies. New York: DIANE Publishing

The ballad of black Tom

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The ballad of black Tom

The Ballad of Black Tom is a fantasy story written by Victor Lavelle giving his story from the view of a black man. The book is appealing because of the characters and how historical fiction is expressed. The book uses a line of dialogue to give a one on one view for the reader to understand better. The book is inspired by Lovecraft and rebukes racism at the same time. The author does a great job of transporting readers to New York. The city plays in character where everything that he does in New York is expressed vividly. The author makes the reader connect with the main character and even end up getting attached. The Ballad of Black addresses the concerns of the black people in America through the use of empathy and showing the triumphs that the people in the community go through. 

The book was set in Harlem in 1924 during the renaissance where the book stars a 20 years old Tommy who is a hustler in the streets and lives with his sick father. The story uses a third person with the first part using Tommy’s perspective and the second part uses the detective’s perspective. The first part starts with Tommy delivering a yellow book to a woman in Queens. One month later two police officers question Tommy about the wealthy white man who had offered him a large amount of money to allow him to play his guitar. Tommy becomes ignorant and as they leave one of the detectives says that he suspects Tommy had stolen a page from Ma Att’s book to ensure it does not use its magic. Tommy goes back to Harlem the following day and realizes that Mr. Howard had shot and killed his father while searching for the page of Ma Att’s book. Tommy ends up joining Suydam in his mission. The second part is expressed in Malone’s view. 

The book is associated with great complex entities that way beyond human understanding. Ballad says that malice is the order and he explains how he does not like crafty people. The inversion is a structural means to bring out the story in an interesting manner. When reading the book, it is easier to think that as much as we have an issue with discrimination of color; people also play part in identifying colors with a specific meaning. Growing up children know that pink represents girls and blue boys (Horwitz-White, par1). The color spectrum begins from childhood. The choice of words by the author during the narration is needed not to want. New York is expressed as a country full of injustice, exploitation, and police brutality. 

Injustice is the main theme in most African American narratives in the United States. The narratives talk about issues ranging from slavery to segregation explaining the struggles of the blacks’ population (Greyirish, par8). The black population has struggled with getting a place in the community is the minority population facing prejudice. The black community is misrepresented and inequality is quite evident. The narrative expresses injustice which makes Tommy transform into black Tom. The cruelty of the world drives him to the darkest times of his life. When Tommy first moves to New York, he is not sure of what to find. The author says that many people who go to New York make the same mistake because they cannot see it. They go looking for the magic whether good or bad (LaValle, 9). 

When talking of black entitlement, racism plays a key issue. For years African Americans did not enjoy what most African Americans enjoy. In this decade that we live in with all the struggle that African Americans went through then entitlement is not bad. They state that socialism of racism refers to the study of the connection between racism, racial inequality and discrimination. Racial inequality deals with inequitable outcomes of races in sectors such as education, health and income. During the Jim Crow era, African Americans were being treated in hospitals that were in deplorable state. They could not vote and when they were allowed to vote then one needed to know how to read and write. After the struggle African Americans have attained a certain level of equality although so much still needs to be done. The entitlement that most refer to is that when African Americans air their grievances even when it is not about race issue people will find a way to make it about race. With racial inequality and racial discrimination being key there are very many injustices that African Americans have gone through and are still going through. In the current decade one may still find people of color earning less than whites. Police brutality is also a scenario that paints a picture of racial inequality and racial discrimination. The book looks at the various racial struggles that African American go through the lens of several characters from the text.

The struggles of the black community are seen through the main character who lives with his sick father. He struggles to take care of his father by every means possible. In the beginning, there is a rich old woman who claims to be looking for a book with black magic powers. Tommy convinces the woman that he has found the book. He dresses elegantly to fit in with the whites. When he is asked where he got the book he comes up with a story making it look like that he went through a lot of struggle to get the book. He tells her how he trades books like the one he acquired for her. (LaValle, 15). the novel expresses Victoria’s society as a world where the immigrants live giving it an atmosphere of crime. The book he delivers to her is old with yellow front and back cover. He did not know the meaning of the words written on the cover but did not care (LaValle, 15). 

Among the main issue that Tommy experiences just like all blacks are trying to fit in His way of dressing gives him an advantage by pretending to be a musician. The author jokes that he probably did not know anything about Jazz yet he was pretending to be a jazz musician. A few days later in Brooklyn, he is offered a large amount of money to play guitar at a party that Suydam would be holding. 

The black community is the victim’s first suspicion in case of a crime. That is among the issues that many black people experience. After Tommy gets paid to play guitar at Suydam’s party, he is approached by two police officers who were following Suydam. They assault Tommy while one of them claims that he suspects that he tore a page from the book with powers. On the way home, he also gets harassed by white kids playing in their area and they only leave him when he nears Suydam estate. The approach by the police looks at themes of alienation and otherness. It looks at how black men are often alienated because of the stereotype that has been developed about them. The believe that he is a suspect for the crime simply because of his skin color. Thus is what most African Americans go through as they are profiled for crimes just because of their skin color.

The author tries to express the dangers of crossing segregation lines. The main character Tommy faces danger every time he leaves Harlem and crosses into the area dominated by the whites. During the 19th century, urban planning in American cities was based on segregation. Jim Crow laws formalized segregation in the South where such laws were not there. The laws ensured that the black people and the whites did not live in the same place (Lavalle, par1). Although the Jim Crows era are not existent and there are no longer restrictions on schools or offices that the African Americans should attend, the issue on segregation can still be felt may years later. There are still neighborhoods that are dominantly white and when a black is seen, they are suspected to be criminals. There are African Americans that have been gunned down as being mistaken to being criminals for just being in a different neighborhood.

Loss of authentic self is another theme in the story due to the loss of identity by Tommy Tester. There is a great risk of losing sight of oneself as a black person in a white community. Tommy creates a new image where he is known as Black Tom and the rage that he had created in him makes him a threat to everyone. The suffering that Tommy goes through makes him angry at the world and decides to become a bad person. 

The themes in the ballad of the black Tom correspond with the genre of the American literature because they express the issues that the black community faces. The themes range from society racism, imbalance of power and injustice. African-American Literature is as a result of the African heritage coming from different countries. It is easy to think that African American literature is similar to postcolonial literature although the difference comes in because African American literature is written for the minority groups. African-American genre is rich in poetry. It incorporates all the forms of poetry ranging from songs. Some of the writers ensure that they do not use the Western literary theory because they feel it betrays the lines of African-American literature.

 The genre traces the origin of the black community. Most African-American literature has the theme of showing the role of African Americans in a society where the major people are whites. In the story of The Ballad of Black Tom, it starts with a white old woman who purchases a book from Tommy. The lady had been searching for the book for a long time and when Tommy overhears, he tells her that he could the book for her. He explains the hustle that he had to go through to get the book showing how the black community indulges in dangerous activities to fend for themselves (Clark, par3). In an area where only the white people dominate, the black people end up doing manual jobs to fend themselves (Ziabari, par1). This is still the case in the modern world as African Americans seem to take on odd jobs while the whites take on white collar jobs. This has been contributed by inequality which subjects African American to insufficient resources such as schools which lead them eventually not being as qualified as whites. In many cases, black people are the first suspects in case of a crime. It is evident in the story where Tommy is approached by two policemen. The policemen harass him and even end up claiming that they suspect him for the stolen page of the book. This also brings the idea of police brutality towards African Americans. For the longest time, African Americans have often been oppressed by criminal justice system with laws such as stop and frisk by police used to undermine them.

“On being brought from Africa to America” is a poem by Phyllis Wheately that relates to the Ballad of Black Tom. It was published in 1773 describing a story of a young girl who was taken to American colonies and enslaved. The poem is used to show that every person is capable of getting salvation through Christianity. The author of the poem uses the bible to express his point. She expresses the difficulties that African Americans went through although it was different as her main theme was slavery, there is similarity on prejudice that African Americans went through in the hands of the whites. From the beginning of the poem, the author expresses the happiness of Wheatley for leaving Africa. Just like in the Ballad of black, Tommy was also glad to get into New York although he was not sure of what to expect. In the poem, the author pays more attention to how the bigger population consisted of pagans. Mercy plays the role of a slave trader who sells people for their benefit (Wheatley, par3). In the end, her journey to the American colony acts as a calling for her to seek Christ.

The African-American literature expresses the black community as the minority having less freedom among the whites. The blacks are discriminated against and are not treated the same as the rest of the people. Sympathy is a poem that describes a bird caught up in a cage stuck without the freedom to get out. It is the same as being locked in a cell. The same case applies to Tommy who tries to fit in the white community. He goes to the extent of dressing up like a musician so that he can blend in with the rest of the people. 

The bird stuck in the cage flaps its wings and starts singing due to the misery that it was going through. The poem is not speaking only about a stuck bird. The bird is a metaphor representing the poor Africans locked up in the misery of oppression, injustice, and segregation (Wheatley). A person can ask themselves why they should care about a bird caught in a cage. However, racism is a form of discrimination where people are discriminated against due to their color. Unlike now, there were times that America was a land of white people. Several changes have taken place since then but one cannot say that everything has changed in favor of the black people. Without knowing everything that transpired during colonial times, it is hard to understand what people felt. They felt like the bird in the cage. Tommy from the story of the Ballad of black goes through the same triumph and ends up in a point that he gets so angry and decides to be a bad influence and danger to society.

“I Too” is a poem by Langston Hughes focusing on African American identity in America. It gives the history of oppression of black people through slavery and injustice. The song starts with the author saying that even the black people are worthy to be American too (Spacey, par3). The fist singer speaks a message of hope that things will change. The issue of black rights is brought up. 

The black communities who are the minority in America continue to get discriminated from the people, law enforcement, and employers. Most of them are not lucky enough to get a quality education or decent jobs. According to the ballad of Black Tom, the main character shows the struggles that the black community goes through. The problems that he goes through push him to the extent that he decides to change his identity to black Tom who was a threat to the community. Although things have evolved and racism is not the way it used to be in the old times, equality has not yet been established. If equality is not established completely, the black people will continue to see the white people as their enemy and the white people will keep blaming them for pulling them back. 

Work cited

Ziabari, Kourosh, et al. “Being Black in America.” Fair Observer, 9 Jan. 2019, www.fairobserver.com/region/north_america/racism-america-black-african-american-culture-news-latest-world-news-today-20126/.

Spacey, Andrew. “Analysis of Poem ‘I,Too’ by Langston Hughes.” Owlcation, Owlcation, 10 Jan. 2020, owlcation.com/humanities/Analysis-of-Poem-I-Too-by-Langston-Hughes.

“On Being Brought from Africa to America Summary & Analysis by Phillis Wheatley.” LitCharts, www.litcharts.com/poetry/phillis-wheatley/on-being-brought-from-africa-to-america.

Shmoop Editorial Team. “Sympathy Introduction.” Shmoop, Shmoop University, 11 Nov. 2008, www.shmoop.com/study-guides/poetry/sympathy.

Lavalle, Victor. “The Ballad of Black Tom Themes.” SuperSummary, www.supersummary.com/the-ballad-of-black-tom/themes/.

Horwitz-White, Jon. “Docility and Rage: Exploring Performance and Blackness in ‘The Ballad of Black Tom.’” Fiction Unbound, Fiction Unbound, 14 Oct. 2016, www.fictionunbound.com/blog/docility-and-rage-exploring-the-performance-of-blackness-in-the-ballad-of-black-tom.

Greyirish. “‘The Ballad of Black Tom’ (2016) by Victor LaValle.” Deep Cuts in a Lovecraftian Vein, 13 Apr. 2019, deepcuts. blog/2019/04/13/the-ballad-of-black-tom-2016-by-victor-lavalle/.

Clark, Chloe N., and Chloe N. Clark. “Monsters and Men: Empathy in Victor LaValle’s Ballad of Black Tom.” The Ploughshares Blog, blog.pshares.org/index.php/monsters-and-men-empathy-in-victor-lavalles-ballad-of-black-tom/.

Crown Cork and Seal Company

Introduction

Crown Cork and Seal Company is a very popular manufacturing organization known for the production of high quality cans either for food or beverage packaging. Its high profile has over the years been attributed to good management and skill among the workers. Generally, in business, a company’s success is mostly reliant on the commitment of the managers, the level of competence among the employees/workers and most importantly, the ability to make timely decisions and to use skill and due care in cases of emergency. These are qualities that were evidently observed in the manufacturing firm. It is also worth noting that the success of the firm which backdates to 1982 has seen it grow and establish many branches in different regions, thus, increasing their capacity. Though it is based in the United States, financial analysts have also established that its popularity has grown tremendously in other countries as well. This is evident from the economic fact that it earns a greater percentage of its income/returns from outside than within. Due to these factors, the firm has been subject to massive competition from rivals trying to break even in the same field. Similarly, we realize the application of the Porter’s Five Forces in the management of the firm which it partly owes to its success. Thus, this paper is aimed at discussing the Porter concepts and their application in the business which has clearly led to its success in the field.

The ‘Porter’s Five Forces’ is basically used for industry analysis, the study of common and different trends in the particular industry and how they affect other firms in the same field. This is because for a field to qualify to be an industry, it must have enough firms that deal in the same kind of production and engage in healthy competition. This concept breaks down the operations of an industry into very fine details that enable a person understand the mystery behind success or failure in business. We realize that most companies, like humans, form a time plan and set targets regarding their operations and where they wish to be in a number of years from a particular time. This is almost unachievable without considering the actual environment which they are dealing with and the competition. Most importantly, when an organization especially a manufacturing firm is not well aware of the its strengths and weaknesses and those of the competing firms, chances that it will reach its target in the industry are limited. However, knowing the above mentioned factors will be a step forward towards making a boom in the market. When the firms are competing on the same level, it will be right to define it as healthy competition with a balance, thus, any advantage over another will be due to unique skills exhibited.

The different Porter Five Forces that analyze industries and their competitive capabilities in the field include:

Buyer Power

Basically, this is an application of the influence of the buyers in the industry and their capability of controlling the existing prices. This comes down to the demand and supply forces that are attributed to the control of market prices. In an industry, buyers may be ranked in different categories depending on the frequency of usage and the contribution to a firm’s general revenue. Similarly, the loss likely to be suffered should the ‘important’ buyers decide to switch should be considered since in most cases, they determine the stability of the manufacturing firm. All these factors are dependent on the number of buyers, if many, they are controlled by the firm, if few, they can easily determine the prices of the goods or services sold.

The metal cans industry that Crown Cork and Seal competed in 1989 was aced by similar circumstances that distinguished one firm’s ability from another. A detailed analysis by (Bradley, 2005) reveals that the many firms in the industry had not achieved the full capacity of controlling their products and were not able to distinguish their goods as well. The choices that were made available to the buyers were limited due to inability to differentiate which product belonged to which firm specifically. Consequently, buyers would prefer the ones with lower prices without much consideration of the manufacturer. This gave them the power over the prices that were set for them in the market, thus they had to be lowered to their expectations or better still standardized to ensure healthy competition. (Bradley, 2005) also noted that where the buyers purchased the cans, they did not use them as a final commodity. Instead, they were used by food companies to package their product to ready market. As has been proved by business, this kind of transacting would be done at the lowest prices possible, thus, the prices were dropped to almost the cost prices to ensure survival of the firms.

Supplier Power

Under this force, an analysis of the behavior of the suppliers of input is required. The study of economics has proved that there are different factors that drive the demand and supply forces, thus, they may be elastic, inelastic or unitary. These can be derived by the consideration of the uniqueness of the inputs used and the readiness in availability of the suppliers. It can also be determined by the level of control the supplier has over the client which in this case is the Crown Cork and Seal Company. In a case where the company at hand needs the suppliers less than they need them, they will find it easier to manage the cost of production since they are partially in control of the products used as input. When the firm is aware of these issues, the management can plan ahead and be aware of the issues to expect.

According to Bradley, (2005), “The metal container industry, representing 61% of all packaged products in the United States in 1989, produced metal cans … industrial goods.” We realize that the industry was quite competitive when it came to the inputs supplied for production. Similarly, suppliers of the metals that were later on manufactured and transformed into finished packaging cans were diverse and did not necessarily concentrate on one field. Thus, we realize that the organization’s assurance for ready market gave them an upper hand over the suppliers. Where the metal providers had large numbers that needed ready market, the manufacturing firm in question controlled the prices since they could offer the ready market. Thus, unexpected increase in prices was avoidable which gave the Crown Cork and Seal a competitive advantage over the other firms in the same production.

Competitor Power

It is worth noting that in most business set ups, competition is what leads to innovation and coming up with new ideas that will enable each firm survive in the market and maintain its clients. An industry without competition is likely to lack innovation, maintain the same level of profits and under certain circumstances, operate at break even point with no profits to show. Researchers have in most cases compared the concept of competition as a case of survival for the fittest and only the strong ones survive. In business, a firm which cannot use innovation and creativity to improve its products and boost its performance is likely to be kicked out and considered unable to cope with the existing situation.

In the metal can industry where Crown Cork and Seal Company belonged, (Bradley, 2005) states/argues that the level of competition was not satisfactory. Though the mentioned firm stood out, it may have been attributed to the competence and unique abilities of their management team that made decisions and worked towards distinguishing the firm. The industry was there fore characterized with dropping profits that in almost all the cases moved towards break even. Had there been competition and desire to get ranked higher, different and much more improved cans could have been seen which would be a good step forward for the industry and the buyers who would appreciate them more. According to Bradley, (2005), “competing cans ere made of identical materials to identical specifications on practically identical machinery…. in a given market.” This goes as far to show the lack of advancement and uniqueness. To distinguish themselves from this industry trend, the new management team headed by John Connelly worked towards the fact that not only efficiency was needed for improvement but rather, quality was key. The creation of uniqueness and consistent improvement of the quality offered would give competitive advantage and ensure healthy competition.

Threat of Substitutes

Substitutes are generally products from different manufacturers, different kind but serve the same purpose as the product in question. Buyers of the commodity could therefore decide on which product to buy and incase of extreme prices or reduction in quality of the other, they could easily shift. In this kind of circumstances, they are forced to ensure the quality is very high and that the services offered to their clients are too good to easily let go. This goes as far as affecting the price elasticity of the commodity. It is relatively higher where there are readily available substitutes for the product.

In the case of the metal can industry, the substitutes were not as much as would be expected. Since the production was of metal cans, possible substitutes would be glass or even plastic. Though not as much, Bradley, (2005) stated that, “… the 1980s, plastics were … with its share growing from 9% to 18% in nine years. This was a substitute that would have easily been taken care of by the metal industry. We realize that most soft drinks at the time were also packed in glass bottles, for instance, coca cola. Thus, due to the reasons discussed regarding competition, the metal industry was not as willing to make sure they ruled the market, thus, gave substitutes a relatively higher competitive advantage. It was more likely for them to grow because of the obvious innovation and most organizations that needed cans resolve to use the substitutes rather than the metal. The Crown Cork and Seal Company competed in this kind of industry where the substitutes were an actual threat to the growth of the metal industry. These are all economically proven and with the technological changes and innovation in today’s industry, consistent growth is unavoidable.

Threat of New Entry

The power and ability of the existing firms in a specific industry to control their operations is highly reliant on the ease of new firms to enter the industry and adopt similar kind of production. To ensure this does not happen easily, he industry must set its standards high and make it very difficult for other firms likely to create competition to join. This is usually in terms of costs, technology, quality and economies of scale. Where the costs of joining are high, most firms will shy away from joining since they will find it very difficult to raise the capital or risk on a very high priced investment. (Bradley, 2005) argues that the ease with which one could join the metal industry was quite high due to their inability o make the standards high. As discussed in competition, where there is little competition prices tend to go very low. With low prices, the entry of new firms became very affordable, thus, control of the industry became quite difficult.

Conclusion

It is worth noting that the Porter’s Five Forces are very important factors to consider when trying penetrating a market. To ensure stability of an individual firm, they have to ensure that the five are considered so that the way forward can also be determined. It would be challenging, as has been seen for Crown Cork and Seal, to succeed in a relaxed industry. However, though the industry was not as active, the management of the firm is credited with the ability to improve the situation and make the company competitive.

References:

Bradley, S. (2005). Crown Cork and Seal in 1989. Harvard Business School.

Section 1 Identification Questions

Name

Professor’ name

Course

Date

Section 1: Identification Questions

“Bread, Land, and Liberty” was a slogan for Puerto Rico’s Newly formed party, the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). Led by Marin, the slogan symbolized three symbols that galvanized the military-political struggle.

Luis Muñoz Marin was a journalist, statesman and politician. In 1948, he became the first Governor of Puerto Rico to be elected democratically.

Rio Piedras Massacre was a peaceful massacre in Ponce, Puerto Rico, that led to the killing of over 19 Puerto Ricans and wounding of more than 200 others.

Jose Campeche y Jordan was a Puerto Rican painter that is known for his painting and religious imagery.

Julia de Burgos was a renowned celebrated literary icon whose themes of feminism, love, migration, blackness, nationalism, and nature helped birth the Nuyorican movement of 1960.

Nuyorican is a term used to refer to an individual of Puerto Rican descent that is a former or current resident of New York City.

A gag law prevents the public disclosure of information on a specific issue.

Downes v. Bidwell was a 1901 case in which the Supreme Court made the decision as to whether the territories of the United States were subject to the protections and provisions of the U.S constitution.

Pedro Albizu Campos was the leading figure in the independence movement of Puerto Rico.

Operation Bootstrap is the name that was given to numerous projects that transformed the Puerto Rican economy into a more developed and industrial one.

Section 2: Short Answer Questions

What attracted Puerto Ricans to Hartford after World War II was that they had an opportunity to apply their skills and intellect to their economy. Back home, the Puerto Rican economy was shifting from a mono-cultural economy to a platform of export factory production.

The United States became involved with Puerto Rico in a bid to liberate the inhabitants from the Spanish colonial rule that had recently imposed limited autonomy on its government.

The PPD party advocates that the United States should continue as a commonwealth but with self-governance. The Nationalist Party, on the other hand, had the primary goals to liberate Puerto Rico and attain independence.

The Foraker Act made it possible for Puerto Rico to have a civil government leading to free travel between the United States and Puerto Rico.

Operation Bootstrap was a policy for development that was enacted after World War II in Puerto Rico to attain rapid industrialization of the economic structure of the island.

Essay Question 3:

How Puerto Rico Attained Self Government

Puerto Rico has been under the colonial rule of the Spanish empire for more than 400 years. The island became a sovereign nation in 1897 after signing the Charter of Autonomy by the-then Spanish Prime Minister, Praxades Mateo Sagasta. However, it was not until 1948 that Puerto Rico attained self-government. This was after Congress instructed the people of Puerto Rico to choose their governor in the general election of 1948. Around the same time, Congress came up with a line of succession in the event of the governor’s temporary absence or disability. This essay details the United States’ takeover of Puerto Rico, including the conditions and events that led to the takeover.

Illiteracy, poverty, disease, and malnutrition pervaded the Puerto Rican population at the time. These social stresses ignited a wave of low-income workers to move to the United States in the 1930s. At the time, the rate of unemployment was about 65%. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, Puerto Rico’s strategic value for the United States centered around military and economic interests. The island was valuable to the United States policymakers as it served as an outlet for extra manufactured goods. It also served as a key naval station for the Caribbean.

In July 1898, towards the end of the American-Spanish war, the United States invaded Puerto Rico. The island was Spain’s possession. Without much resistance, the U.S. troops managed to secure the land. After signing an armistice with Spain, the island was handed over to the U.S forces on October 18, 1898 (Duany, 47). General John R. Brooke was appointed military governor. In December, the war between America and Spain came to an end following the signing of the Treaty of Paris. This officially marked the cession of the island to the United States.

During the first 30 years of its rule, the United States government had made efforts to Americanize the island. This included granting Puerto Ricans full United States citizenship in 1917. They had also taken steps to make English the island’s national language. But in the 1930s, the Popular Democratic Party started a nationalist movement across the island, further opposing the United States’ assimilation. Starting in 1948, Puerto Ricans started electing a governor. In 1952 the United States Congress approved the island’s Constitution. The constitution qualified Puerto Rico to be an independent United States commonwealth, and its inhabitants retained American citizenship. Puerto Rico’s constitution was formally adopted on July 25, 1952. After gaining support across the island, movements for Puerto Rican statehood and other movements have gained popularity. In a recent referendum held in 2020 to decide Puerto Rico’s status, the majority of the people voted for its statehood.

In closing, before Puerto Rico became a self-governing state, it used to be a possession of the United States. However, Spanish colonizers had claimed the land for over three decades before the U.S troops invaded the island and seized power. Puerto Rico did not elect its first governor until 1948, although its constitution became formally adopted after a few years.

Works Cited

Duany, Jorge. Puerto Rico: What everyone needs to know. Oxford University Press, 2017.

Crown Prosecution Service

Crown Prosecution Service

Name:

Institution: Crown Prosecution Service

The establishment of the 1986, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was brought about by the 1985, Prosecution of Offences Act and the 1984, PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence) Act 1984 (PACE) (Slapper & Kelly, p. 433). The CPS is in charge of prosecuting criminal cases, on behalf of the state, which are investigated by the police in Wales and England. The 1988, Legal Aid Act makes it possible for defendants facing court appearances and on low incomes, the chance to receive legal assistance for free. In the past, Access to Justice Act (s12) of 1999 directed the Legal Services Commission (LSC) to have a Criminal Defence Service (CDS) set up. The 1999, Access to Justice Act also provided for public defenders appointment (Griffiths & Pritchard, 2010, p. 224). This has the implication that, each individual person arrested for a crime, in spite of his or her status, is legally unrestricted to have an independent and a free legal representative present, prior to the commencement of police interviews. The Crown Prosecution Service will focus on criticism while at the same time identifying and evaluating CPS’s functions, as well as, its applicability in defence during criminal trials. In addition, the paper will also focus on identifying and discussing sentencing powers as well as limitations that are accessible by a Judge during a particular criminal case.

Prior to establishment of the CPS in 1986, the police conducted prosecutions that were presented by the state. Most of the people took into consideration that crime investigation should be treated separately from hearing cases as well as that that conflicts the role played by the police during prosecution. The passing of the PACE Act that was led by the Phillips Commission stated that, in England and Wales, there was no uniform system of prosecution. According to Griffiths & Pritchard (2010) the English Criminal Justice system could be described as an adversarial system; however, the system has shifted slightly to towards an inquisitorial system so as to increase efficiency and increasing the role of the judge through for instance judicial case management (Griffiths & Pritchard, 2010, p. 216). Establishment of CPS was mainly focused on conforming specific roles and functions. The mentioned roles and functions included making of decisions especially on which kind of offences should be charged and case reviews to ensure sufficiency of the evidence to commence a criminal case, and the responsibility for the case and other functions. Nevertheless the Crown Prosecution Service, for most of its time, never partakes in its functions and roles efficiently thus one of CPS criticisms is its figure of discontinued cases.

As mentioned earlier, the CPS has four principal functions consisting of which offences should be charged, ensuring that that there is adequate evidence by reviewing the case files before its commencement, the CPS is also accountable for the cases presented by the police. The CPS is also in charge of prosecuting cases that are in the Crown, as well as, Magistrates Courts. Nevertheless, not each and every one the mentioned functions are carried out in a reasonable standard unveiling some of the criticisms of CPS’ functions and roles. Some of the key criticisms were in the number of cases that had been discontinued. For instance, it was evident that Crown Prosecution Service was accountable for over thirty-eight percent of cases that were dropped in 2004. This was one of the reasons which formed the basis of delays that consequently resulting to unorthodox increment of tax of over 173 million pounds where 24 million pounds was due to Crown Prosecution Service. An example of a case which highlights CPS failures is the assassination of Dr. Joan Francisco, in the year 1993.

Fundamentally, CPS was created in order to present police investigation facts, as well as, aid in determining genuineness of a trial. Authority to make decisions of whether or not a defendant ought to be prosecuted lies on CPS and the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) who is the head of CPS enjoys separate powers to, or control the bringing of certain prosecutors (Griffiths & Pritchard, 2010, p.249). A situation of socio-economic status, although unwittingly, may be discriminated against by the police agencies. Sanders (1985) aptly states that, “class bias is a recurring theme in criminal justice study” (Sanders 1985, p.176). Therefore, the Crown Prosecution Service has an obligation to prove devoid of doubt that a crime was committed prior to a conviction been secured.

The other principal responsibility of the CPS is testing evidence for admissibility, as well as, reliability before trial. Nevertheless, Crown Prosecution Service has been under serious scrutiny and profound criticism by Police agencies. This is evident in the Guildhall Report (1999) for the huge figures of cases being acquitted or dropped by the Crown Courts because of poor case management. The CPS has been re-organized due to such criticisms. Currently, they are now split into forty two areas with each district having a Crown Court Prosecutor; moreover, CPS staff at the moment is located in police stations to ensure that they provide necessary advice the agencies during trail. Such significant participations have brought in, considerable changes but the move appears challenging especially in the establishment of the CPS in the first place. Nevertheless, CPS plays a crucial function in making sure that justice is served.

The defense’s core intentions could be provision of advisory the defendant. This can be seen in their principal prosecution’s course of action, which may be pending; prosecution’s case assessment, arguing in opposition to it were indispensable, and on condition that the available evidence will provide the best outcome. They ought to make sure that there a fair trial for the defendants. The question of “How can you defend an individual that is guilty?” is repeatedly posed to the defense lawyers. It is clear that the CPS role is not judging, but representing the defendant. Judgment on the other hand is passed the Jury, Judge or the Magistrates. In the same way, the onus of proof of an offence that has been committed is placed upon the Crown Prosecution Service. Defense lawyers can by no means have the surety that a defendant is guilty or not. There have been so many instances in criminal cases where innocent persons have admitted of being guilty. For instance, the high acquittals rates in trials that involve rape frequently lead to the prosecution having to reduce the charge to a normal offence against the individual, in exchange for a guilty plea; this means that the offenders who be given psychiatric attention, never receive that assistance. Plea bargaining may be against the principle that all offenders ought to be punished for their unlawful actions (Griffiths & Pritchard, 2010, p. 231). However, if the defendant admits of being guilty then the role of the defense role may be to seek for a lenient sentence based on that omission.

There are numerous stages in a criminal trial and at every stage; the CPS plausibly carries the most of the burden. For the period of the first pre-trial hearing at the Magistrates Court, the Crown Prosecution Service ought to demonstrate that there may be a prima facie case to answer; stipulated that they fail; then the case might be dismissed by the Magistrate (Griffiths & Pritchard, 2010, p. 231). Nevertheless, this does not mean that the accused might not face supplementary prosecution as the Crown Prosecution Service may get hold of additional evidence from the police agencies. In intricate cases, there may be several pre-trial hearings, mainly in cases that are listed at Crown Court. These hearings are meant for both sides to establish preliminary procedural matters. Claims and allegations have been made; that defense lawyers and teams intentionally cause postponements in these hearings, and reasons given are that it influences the memories of witnesses, or the delays sustain their income. As pointed out by Burton (2001), the main problem faced by any person seeking to review such resolutions is having the ability to obtain the reasons for such resolutions from the prosecution. There may be obvious reasons why such reasons ought not to be disclosed and these occur from similar arguments as to the rational behind prosecutorial discretion, in general, ought to be reviewed only in circumstances which are exceptional (Burton 2001, p.378). Furthermore, trials may necessitate adjournment due to the Crown Prosecution Service waiting for evidence in forensic results or supplementary reports.

Under the 1996, (CPI) Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act, during the pre-trial hearings both sides are obligated to disclose beforehand undisclosed points well-known to each other. Nonetheless, this Act states clearly that the Crown Prosecution Service ought not to disclose information that they feel can weaken their case; as a result, this exclusive control raises anxieties for lots of defense lawyers. Nevertheless, the Crown Prosecution Service may also be required to update the defense beforehand of the criminal record or bad character, of any witness that they intend to call. When a trial commences, the criminal record delivers a starting speech and carry out an examination in chief. This may be done to elicit evidence complimentary to their case. Nevertheless, they ought not to ask or prompt leading questions, nor refer or question any witnesses to prior statements they had made, in spite of arising contradictions. This may prove challenging as the court’s atmosphere may overwhelm the witness. Therefore, the witnesses may forget to point out some information (Huxley & Martin, 2008). All the same, the Crown Prosecution Service ought to be mindful that their solitary purpose may be to submit the facts of the criminal case, and to aid in determining the truth.

The prosecution witnesses are then cross-examined by defense to test their evidence on that case, trying to discredit it or display that they are untrustworthy. However, it must be recognized that while they are under a responsibility to put ahead the defendant’s situation, they must not allow their individual viewpoint or any emotions of lawful discontentment to prevent them from this course (Martin, 2002). Hence, they must prevent spending time through repeating of questions, bullying, concerns or needless attacks. Protection attorneys have continuously come under judgment for violence tactics. Even so, it is their responsibility to cross-examine powerfully if they are to make sure the person charged gets a reasonable trial. The Crown Prosecution Service may then re-examine their witnesses, they do this to relieve the consequences of the cross-examination, but it must only deal with the factors that it brought up and not used to generate new evidence. They then produce supporting evidence that can provide a deference submission. If these invites are refused then the procedure repeats, with the defense presenting their situation. Both parties must follow the aforementioned decorum. The defense and the CPS then gracefully provide ending presentations and the jury retires to consider their judgment.

If a Jury provides a judgment of guilt for the murder, then a life imprisonment is compulsory, although this does not actually mean life. The 2003 Criminal Justice Act places recommendations for life sentences; these differ significantly based on the characteristics of the criminal activity. The 2003 Act indicates that a Magistrate or a Judge may impose a 30 years minimum sentence for a particularly heinous single killing while most other unique murders ought to be subject to a 12 years minimum sentence. However, the Criminal Justice Act also gives the Judge the power to alter the sentence up-wards or down-wards of the recommendations. Therefore, a judge has to consider numerous factors prior to passing a sentence. They take the defendant’s record, age, personality into consideration, and place significance on Social Enquiry Report that provides in-depth details of the defendant’s conditions and background (Tausz, & Hoyano 2012, p.40).

This report is regarded important in the sentencing process; it indicates any aspects that may have caused the committing of the criminal activity, and indicates the defendant’s likely reactions to various sentences that may be dealt (Daw, & Solomon, 2010, p.745). The defense is permitted to comment on the sentencing procedure through a request in mitigation. They may claim about the conditions in which the criminal activity took place, the defendant’s conduct after the offence and aspects in their individual lives that might indicate their capability to reform. However, the Judge’s responsibility is to encourage retribution for the criminal activity committed; they also have a responsibility to secure people and implement prohibition bearing in mind that the defendant ought to be given to be given an opportunity to reform (Martin, 2008) Even so, a recommendation does not mean that the charged individual will be released once he or she has been served the minimum term; it essentially implies that it is earliest time that they may be regarded for parole.

Conclusion

It is obvious that the pressure of evidence falls upon the CPS which has been the subject of criticism. This must be difficult at times, especially when considering that the defense has a responsibility to powerfully process any evidence presented; if a defense is competent in this place then it could result in inadequate proof being thrown in the jury’s thoughts. Thus, a criminal may be found innocent (Griffiths & Pritchard, 2010, p.249). Nevertheless, the reality remains that the CPS must try to make sure that their situation is leak-proof as injustices are not unprecedented. There is no space for mistake. The Butler Report (1999) made a number of recommendations concerning the practices of the CPS, all of which were acknowledged by the CPS and resulted in the issuing of a new code of conduct in the year 2000.

Most judges also bring significant problems, as they ought to make sure that retribution is dealt. It is a typical false impression that many suggest life sentences ought to be dealt with; thus, many judges are belittled for being too lenient, but this is incorrect. Passing a judgment can be no simple process. Padfield (2010) questions whether an “out-of-court” disposal may result in similar penalty had the case been heard by a judge in court: “repeatedly the fixed penalty is elevated than the defendant would be given the equivalent case in court. Any irritating conditions may have caused to the criminal activity being committed, and the variation is wide and no two situations are the same. It is obvious that the criminal procedure is verbose and at times aggressive, but verbal exchanges between both parties and the judge’s greatest choice are important for justice to succeed.

Bibliography

Burton, M. 2001. Reviewing Crown Prosecution Service decisions not to prosecute.

Crim LR 374. p.378

Daw, R. & Solomon, A. 2010. Assisted suicide and identifying the public interest in the decision

to prosecute. Crim. L.R, 10, pp.737-751.

Griffiths, A. & Pritchard, J. 2010. Law for Non-Lawyers, 3rd edition. Bangor University.

Huxley, B. & Martin, J. 2008. Unlocking the English Legal System, London, England. Hodder

and Stroughton Educational

Sanders, A. 1985. Class Bias in Prosecutions. The Howard J. Crim. Justice

24(3), pp.176-199.

Slapper, G. & Kelly, D. 2003. The English Legal System. Ch. 10. Criminal Justice Process: The

Prosecution. (6th Ed.). Cavendish Publishing.

Tausz, D & Hoyano, L. 2012. Decision to prosecute: whether decision of defendant to prosecute

a child for alleged sexual abuse by her of her two younger sisters amenable to judicial review. Crim. L.R, 1, pp.39-46.

Martin, J. 2002. The English Legal System, London, England. Hodder and Stroughton

Educational.Martin, J. 2008. The Facts at Your Fingertips: Criminal Law. London, England. Hodder and

Stroughton Educational.

Selected League Product Review-New York City FC

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Selected League Product Review-New York City FC

New York City FC is an American-based professional soccer club situated in New York City. It was the first and only team to compete in the highest level of American soccer, known as Major League Soccer (MLS). Currently, New York City FC is the reigning champion for the MLS cup. Since its inauguration into the MLS club in 2015, New York City FC has cemented its position as a keystone in one of the most proud and competitive sporting cities in the world. New York City FC won the MLS Cup in 2021 bringing a major trophy for the first time in more than a decade, New York City FC came into existence as a major soccer league on 21st May 2013 and debuted on March 8th 2015 against Orlando City SC on March 8th 2015. After six seasons, it was crowned the 2021 Champion in the Club’s history.

A majority of New York City Football Club is co-owned by City Football Group and the Yankee Global Enterprises. City Football Group also owns Manchester City, the English soccer club and Yankee Global Enterprises are also the owners of the New York Yankees. The first coach that was appointed, Jason Kreis, remained in office for one year before being replaced by Patrick Veira. Veira gave direction to the team until their first Cup playoff appearance that took place the following season and the runner-up berth at Supporters’ Shied in 2017 (Ginesta and Jordi, 1). The team run by Coach Viera also set a major record in the League for the biggest improvement win in a consecutive season.

In addition to football, New York City Football Club runs other programs including a Football Sports Academy, Youth Programs and Community Works. The New York City FC Academy started in 2015 with the aim of identifying and honing and producing the best youth soccer players locally within the city’s Metropolitan area. The youth system provides a professional and competitive pathway for the highest game levels for local girls and boys. Worth noting, New York City Boys Academy has registered unprecedented success in domestic competition after winning the U-19 USSDA National Championships in 2018 and 2018 back to back making the first club to attain such a milestone at such an age group (Lee, 367). The football club also runs youth programs that aim at supporting youth organizations and soccer players by complementing and assisting them by offering supplementary soccer programs in the form of Camps, Club Training Services, Clinics, Talent Centers and Special Events and Administration. Additionally, the club has a charity Foundation known as City in Community (CITC) which has served more than 30,000 Youths since its establishment.

The mission of the New York City Football Club is to give players the opportunity to advance in a highly rewarding and competitive soccer environment. The target audience of the New York City Football Club includes individuals of all ages from all corners of the world. The Football club targets football fanatics from across the world but with its base of operation being located in New York City, majority of the club’s target audience are mainly located from the United States.

Works Cited

Ginesta, Xavier, and Jordi de San Eugenio. “Football fans as place ambassadors: analysing the interactions between Girona FC and its fan clubs after its purchase by city football group (CFG).” Soccer & Society (2022): 1-15.

Lee, Mitchell. “Self and The City: Social Identity and Ritual at New York City Football Club.” Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 47.3 (2018): 367-395.

Crumbling Infrastructure

Crumbling Infrastructure

The American society of civil engineers (ASCE) define infrastructure as the technical structure or network that allow proper functioning of the society. This includes sectors such as transportation, water, public facilities and energy. In 2009, the ASCE released a report card, which presents a short description of the different categories of American infrastructure, as well as, their performance in the industry. In the report card released in 2009, the ASCE revealed a lack of performance by all sections of American infrastructure, as all the sectors attained grades poor grades. The solid waste infrastructure section was the best scorer with a grade of C+, whereas bridges came in second with a grade of C. Recreational parks and rail scored a C-, and the energy sector took fourth position with a D+. The report card also gave the aviation, dams, schools, transit and hazardous waste sectors all scored the grade D, illustrating how these sectors have been performing poorly over the years. Drinking water, inland waterways, leeves, roads, and wastewater sectors came in last with as score of D-, thus making these sectors the worst performers in the industry.

Because roads, inland waterways, and leeves infrastructure sectors are the worst performing sectors in the industry. The ASCE recommends an immediate upgrade of these three sectors. However, the ASCE explains that upgrading these sectors will come with a hefty price, which will see the American economy invest a considerable amount of money for these upgrades. As the ASCE explains, the cost to upgrade roads will amount to $186 billion, $125 billion for drinking water and $100 billion to upgrade American leeves. The ASCE has drawn particular attention to the sector of bridges, as they believe that this sector is slowly declining as compared to other sectors of infrastructure. On the issue of bridges, the ASCE states that the typical bridge in America is expected to last for 50 years. However, the current average age of American bridges is 43 years, hence illustrating the declining state of bridges in the state. In addition to this, the ASCE explains that more than 26% of America’s bridges are what they term as “functionally obsolete”. This means that they are too structurally deficient to be in use by the American public, hence being under closure at most times.

Infrastructure has a direct impact on the personal, economic, and social lives of people, and for that reason, it needs proper maintenance at all times. The report card released by ASCE reveals a number of problems with America’s infrastructure that were not previously realized by many. The problems presented regarding hazardous waste and wastewaters are particularly disturbing because they threaten the health of Americans living in the state. Without realizing it Americans are living under life-threatening conditions that could see the loss of many lives, hence an increase in the mortality rate of Americans today. For that reason, immediate action should be taken so as to assure that Americans lives under safe and secure conditions. Just as the ASCE recommends, I believe that the solution to America’s infrastructural problem is the increment of federal leadership to address this problem, so as to promote infrastructural sustainability. Only through this, can Americans be assured of reduced risks with regards to infrastructure, hence maintain health and safety at all times.