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Social Media in Communication

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Social Media in Communication

Social media is a powerful communication tool. It has revolutionized the way people talk to each other. People from different parts of the world come together to share ideas. Family and friends can keep each other updated on what is going on in their lives on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram among others. Social media is used as a tool for advertising by companies. Social media has many advantages in terms of communication, but it also comes with a price. People no longer value the personal touch of communication and can barely raise their heads from their phones to say hello to the person seated next to them. These challenges need to be addressed while embracing social media as a tool f communication.

The first advantage of using social media to communicate is that it takes very little time. For example, a person may want to invite fifty friends to a party that they will be hosting. Calling each of them individually will be time-consuming. It is easier and faster to reach out to them by making a post about the party on social media where each of them can read the message. This also applies in business settings. Communicating to employees using social media saves time and improves engagement levels.

The second advantage of using social media to communicate is that it brings like-minded people together. People can come together and share ideas on topics that they are passionate about. Such people come from all over the world; therefore they have different backgrounds and perspectives, and such interactions are quite informative. It would be difficult to get in touch with a person from a different continent, but social media has made this possible. It is easy to get in touch with one another even when you are in different places.

The third advantage of using social media as a communication tool is that it has become quite popular. Nearly every person all over the world has a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page. Social media has become an essential communication tool; therefore it makes sense that we should utilize it to the fullest. Social media is an integral part of young people’s lives, and they rely on to gain information and news about what is happening with their loved ones and other people that they admire. Social media also helps people to find a sense of belonging by connecting to communities on social media (Fuchs). Depending on your interests, you can easily find a group of people that share it and social media makes interaction with them very easy.

Social media is a powerful information tool, mainly because of its accessibility. People can log onto their pages from anywhere to find out what is happening. This can range from finding out whose birthday it is to the results of an important election. In this way, social media has completely transformed how news is communicated to target audiences. Companies also use social media as a sales platform. Young people spend a significant amount of time glued to their phones, and social media is an excellent opportunity for advertising. A strong brand on social media has become essential for all companies to communicate with their customers (Schivinski & Dabrowski 196). Customers can give their reviews on what they like and what can be done to improve service delivery.

Social media has also destroyed the way we communicate. All our phones have several social media apps. Most of the time, people are engrossed on their phones. When they need something, they automatically turn to their phones to text their friends for help. This has dramatically hindered interaction among people. Even in a social gathering, people are more concerned with updating their profiles rather than in getting to know new people in real life. Social media has become a refuge and a hiding place where people go to hide from what is happening around them (Shensa 153).

Social media has also brought up young people with poor social skills. If their phones and computers were to be taken away, they would spend a lot of time looking at each other awkwardly. This is because they are used to hiding behind a keyboard when meeting new people. They have no idea how to make small talk and interact with others (Kim 285). People skills are essential in life, they teach us how to communicate and interact with different kinds of people. Social media has also led to lower productivity and shortened attention span. This has been translated into many areas of life, teachers in school have difficulty communicating with their students, and parents hardly know their children and employees cannot deliver in their places of work. Social media can pose a threat to underage children as sex offenders, and other criminals can target them and cause them harm. Bullying is also prevalent on social media because of the anonymity it offers.

While social media is an invaluable tool, too much of it can be poisonous. This is especially true in the case of young people. Before children get the chance to learn proper skills in interacting with people, they already have phones thrust in their hands. Their years of development are spent on social media, and it becomes the center of their lives. Social media should be used to its advantage of quick and easy communication while at the same time guarding against its detrimental effects. The key is to learn social media skills and use it in moderation.

Works Cited

Fuchs, Christian. Social media: A critical introduction. Sage, 2017.

Kim, Jung-Hyun. “Smartphone-mediated communication vs. face-to-face interaction: Two routes to social support and problematic use of smartphone.” Computers in Human Behavior 67 (2017): 282-291.

Schivinski, Bruno, and Dariusz Dabrowski. “The effect of social media communication on consumer perceptions of brands.” Journal of Marketing Communications 22.2 (2016): 189-214.

Shensa, Ariel, et al. “Problematic social media use and depressive symptoms among US young adults: A nationally-representative study.” Social Science & Medicine 182 (2017): 150-157.

Social Issues

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Social Issues

There are many social issues prevalent in our society today, and it is up to the citizens of the country to raise their concerns with their leaders so that something can be done about them. Some of the social issues common across the country include abortion rights, racism, gun violence, drug abuse, high levels of unemployment, gay marriages, among many others. The citizens of the United States choose leaders whom they think will most accurately represent their views, and I hope to highlight some of my opinions in this letter. The issue of equality is one that is close to my heart because I believe that all people have the right to fair and equal treatment especially under the law. It is for this reason that I firmly believe in the rights of gay people to get married and enjoy the rights and privileges that come with marriage, as do any other heterosexual couples in this country. In addition to this, I would also like to advocate for gun control laws as gun violence has wrecked many lives, especially those of innocent people over the past few years. It is our collective responsibility to ensure a fair, just and equal society where all people can thrive, and addressing the issues of gun violence, and gay marriages would go a long way to ensure this.

Gun violence is a cause that is close to my heart. The United States has some very lax gun laws, and efforts to tighten regulations around gun laws have borne no fruit so far. Unfortunately, the country’s leadership is unwilling to enforce any change, as compared to countries such as New Zealand that stepped up to immediately institute gun law reforms in the wake of tragedy. On the 15th of March 2019, a gunman attacked a Christchurch mosque in a horrific shooting that left 51 people dead and scores injured. Less than 24 hours later, New Zealand’s prime minister announced a change in the gun laws of the country. The government would henceforth ban several types of assault weapons and ammunition. In addition to this, the government set up a buyback program designed to recover weapons from the public. Such a swift and decisive response seemed almost unbelievable to the United States, a country that has witnessed more mass shootings than any other.

Before the Christchurch shootings, New Zealand and the US shared several characteristics when it came to gun laws and gun control. The government in both countries was strongly influenced by gun lobby groups that seek to protect the citizens’ right to own and carry firearms. The right to own a gun is indeed constitutionally guaranteed, and many who advocate against gun control claim that carrying a firearm helps to keep them safe. This argument is a sound one. The right to carry a firearm should be respected, but the time has come to install common-sense gun laws to govern the senseless violence that comes from the unrestricted access to guns in this country. Some of the laws that should be put in place include background checks as well as mental checks on individuals seeking to buy a gun. The state of Texas has been affected by mass shootings, with the latest being at a Wal-Mart store in El Paso where 22 people were killed and 24 others injured. Less than a month later, a drive-by shooting led to the death of seven and left more than 20 people injured (Fernandez et al.). The increasing frequency of these shootings, most of them in public spaces and schools, show that it is time for the government to step up and ensure that those who own guns can be trusted to act responsibly and rationally.

The second social issue that I would like to discuss is gay marriages and gay rights. The LGBTQ community sadly continues to suffer from discriminatory policies and laws that negatively affect their lives. The US Supreme Court legalized gay marriages in 2015, marking a big win for the gay community in the country (Hagai & Cosby 481). However, gay couples still face hurdles in other areas of their lives. One example of this is in adoption. Gay couples still face discrimination, especially in cases where social workers deem gay couples unfit parents and deny them a chance to adopt children. The second issue is the legal rights of non-biological parents. When a couple has a child, the non-biological parent has to go through a rigorous adoption process to ensure that they are recognized as legal parents. There need to be laws that ensure both parents are legally recognized. In case something happens to the biological parent or the couple breaks up, many challenges can arise with regard to the legal rights of the non-biological parent.

To address issues around same-sex couples, the government should work towards treating same-sex couples as heterosexual couples. States such as Nevada, Massachusetts, and Vermont have done this by ensuring that both parents are listed in the child’s birth certificate (Hagai & Cosby 485). However, other states in the country, including Texas, still have impediments when it comes to the legal rights of same-sex parents. Same-sex couples should also be able to adopt children freely as they demonstrate that they are fit parents. There should be no double or discriminatory practices applied. Another issue when it comes to gay couples is access to benefits such as healthcare. Some policies do not recognize same-sex partners as beneficiaries of their partner’s benefits, and this can cause suffering to gay couples.

To conclude, there are many social issues that need to be addressed in society. Every person should feel free and safe in their environment and dealing with issues around gun laws, and gay rights will help to ensure that this is a reality. With the lack of comprehensive regulations governing the use and ownership of guns in Texas and the US as a whole, people feel unsafe in public spaces. Even worse is the fact that children in school face a serious threat of mass shootings. Gay couples should enjoy the same rights as any other married couple.

Works Cited

Fernandez, Manny et al. “Texas Shooting Leaves 7 Dead and At Least 21 Injured Near Odessa” The New York Times. 31 August 2019. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/31/us/odessa-shootings.htmlHagai, Ella Ben, and Faye J. Crosby. “Between relative deprivation and entitlement: An historical analysis of the battle for same-sex marriage in the United States.” Handbook of social justice theory and research. Springer, New York, NY, 2016. 477-489.

Small Business Growth

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Small Business Growth

Small businesses make up a significant part of the economy of any country. Technology is the most significant contributor to the growth of small business firms. These firms are best poised to benefit from the development of new technologies and in the process; they drive older firms with obsolete and inflexible technologies out of the market. The term used to describe this state of affairs is creative destruction (Gaspar et al. 107). With the level of unemployment rising globally, small business growth must be promoted at all costs. Some of the ways to ensure the growth of small businesses is internet access, globalization, government policies, as well as innovation and invention.

Large firms have the advantage of economies of scale in the production of services, and this helps them dominate various sectors of the economy. However, the size of small businesses comes in handy when it comes to taking advantage of new technologies and venturing into new areas of business. The internet plays a significant role in the growth of a small business. Across the globe, billions of people have access to the internet, and this presents small companies with a cheap and useful marketing tool (Burns). Globalization means that people from different parts of the world can come together to share ideas, thus promoting business by allowing them to explore new opportunities. Business people can expand their business to a global level using export and import logistics.

The government has a crucial role to play in promoting small businesses. Some of the ways in which it can do this are to simplify tax rules, improve access to financial services such as credit and reduce burdensome regulations associated with the businesses. Small businesses are a significant part of the economy. In the U.S alone, they account for roughly half of the jobs in the country, and they also create new jobs every year.

Works Cited

Burns, Paul. Entrepreneurship and small business. Palgrave Macmillan Limited, 2016.

Gaspar, et al. Introduction to Business. Academic Media Solutions, 2016.

Small Business and the Internet

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Small Business and the Internet

The internet has no doubt revolutionized ways of doing business all over the world. Small businesses have significantly benefitted from this as well. If I were running a small business with products that can be sold globally, I would take advantage of the internet in many ways. First, I would utilize social media platforms. Today, millions of people from all over the world are found on several platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, Snapchat, and Reddit, among many others. These platforms provide a cheap and at times free mode of advertising to customers from all parts of the world. I would create pages and profiles on these platforms detailing my products, price, and methods of payment and shipping. Customers and other interested people would be able to look through these pages and express their interest. Communication is made more accessible by chatting on these platforms can be very easy because it is available to all people regardless of where they are.

The second way that I would use the internet in the sale of my product on a global scale is to use sponsored adverts on several websites. Sponsored ads enable products sold by a company to be recommended to people searching for such products, and the products can also be advertised to many people on the websites. The advantage of using sponsored ads is that it creates awareness of my products and will bring in more customers. The ads are not expensive, and the little cost will be offset by the increased profit margins from many customers. The two examples of using social media and sponsored ads show how important the internet can be in opening up trade and business on a global scale. Small businesses such take advantage of the internet to attract customers and make more profits.

Slavery in Libya

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Slavery in Libya

The mention of Libya is reminiscent of Muammar Gaddafi. Gaddafi was a well-known leader in Africa and beyond, until his ousting in 2011. Under Gaddafi, Libya was a thriving and peaceful economy. The county has the largest oil reserves in Africa, and this is what bankrolled its enviable economy for many years, Libya was once home to many African immigrants as Gaddafi had an open door policy with African countries. Matters took a turn for the worse in the proverbial Promised Land when Gaddafi was overthrown by the United States in 2012, plunging it into chaos (Hove 273). Today, the slave trade thrives in Libya fuelled by lawlessness, poverty, illiteracy, and desperation of people from all over Africa seeking to travel to Europe in search of a better life.

The first reason as to why the slave trade is flourishing in Libya is political reasons. The political situation in Libya can be blamed on the interference of the United States in the affairs of the country. Gaddafi was labeled a terrorist sympathizer who had to be eliminated at all costs, leaving no regards for the land he had led for a long time. For many years, Libya enjoyed peace and prosperity under Gaddafi (Hove 277). When his reign came to a sudden end, there was no comprehensive plan on who would take over from him. The country was plunged into lawlessness, and everyone could do as they pleased. There is no one to defend the human rights of the poor and the powerless people in Libya. The slave traders have taken advantage of the state of anarchy in the country to prey upon the defenseless people. There is no government in place that would be entrusted with protecting human rights and the rights of its citizens. Slaves have no one to turn to; they are left to suffer and die in the hands of slave traders.

People are fleeing from conflict in war-torn regions of Africa. Many African counties face unique challenges such as war, famine, and political instability. In the example of Sudan, civil war has been going on for many years with no end in sight (Randall & Donald). Other countries have also faced famine and drought which has resulted in a severe lack of food. People flee their homes to search for food and other necessities. In other counties, ousting of political leaders has thrown the country into war and disorder, and the only hope is to run away. In such a state, people would like to flee to any other part of the world to save their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Libya is usually an attractive destination because it is the gateway to Europe where these people believe they will find a better life (Toaldo). Such people would rather leave the hell they have faced at home with hope o a better land. These people running from various challenges and calamities end up as vulnerable targets for the slave trade.

Economic reasons are mainly to blame for the slave trade in Libya. The country was rich in oil, but production of crude oil reduced significantly. Many of the basic needs such as education and healthcare used to be provided for free under Gaddafi’s regime (Hove 281). After he was dethroned, the country had no economic order and poverty became the order of the day. Everyone has to struggle to find a way to support themselves and their families. Slave trade earns money for the traders. The slave traders capture slaves desperate to get to Europe and then sell them in exchange for cash (Clark & Poucki). Many of these slaves are sold and resold by many people and the traders at every stage get a lot of money. Slavery causes a lot of pain and suffering to many people including the slaves themselves and their families (Kela). It is doubtless that the slave traders take advantage of the vulnerability of the slaves to make money for themselves. Perhaps the traders cannot find any other gainful employment or business given the economic state of the country and the, therefore, resort to slave trade.

People are desperate to go to Europe in search of a better future. Unemployment and poverty are rife in many African countries which motivates Africans to seek escape into Europe. Libya is the gateway to Europe for many people in Africa (Toaldo). People leave their countries after being promised safe passage to Europe. Desperate people come from far away after paying vast sums of money so that they can be transported to Europe. What these people do not know is that they are being taken for a ride. Most of the time, their transporters end up extorting more money from them even before they reach Libya. They are threatened that they will be killed or sold into slavery if they do not pay up. Having exhausted their savings, the travelers are forced to contact their families at home to gather more funds. All this money will be taken by slave traders who will end up letting the slaves die from torture and starvation (Kela).

Most of the people held in slavery in Libya left their homes out of ignorance on precisely what was going to happen to them (Clark & Poucki). They believed that they only had to pay someone some money to take them to Libya and from there it would be a boat ride to Spain or Italy. They simply had no information about the intricacies involved in their plans. Many people were seduced by the thought of starting a new life far away from poverty and war that they experienced at home (Randall &Donald). Many sold all of their poverty armed with nothing but hope that they would succeed in their mission. The truth is that they will have to part with all of their money and sometimes their lives as they pursue their quest. Most people immigrate into Europe illegally, and many die on the way there. The European countries have also been accused of inhuman practices of turning away immigrants who will face certain death (Kela). If a person were aware of all this, they might have chosen to remain at home and find a way to make the best of their situation.

In conclusion, it is clear that many of the causes of slavery in Egypt are indigenous to the continent. Africa faces many unique circumstances that drive its people to desperation. Chief among these challenges is poverty and unemployment. People arriving in Libya wish to seek greener pastures in Europe, and their distress lands them into slavery. Civil and political wars are also a common occurrence in African countries that leaves people homeless and desperate and therefore easy targets for slavery. Sudan and Congo are examples of war-torn counties with many years of conflict. To alleviate the problem of slavery, the root causes have to be dealt with. African governments have to find ways to strengthen their economies to create jobs and reduce levels of poverty. A solution should be sought to civil strife going on in many countries, Libya included. Many people are astounded at the thought that slavery still exists in this day and time. Swift and decisive action should be taken to protect the rights and freedoms of innocent people caught up in bondage.

Works Cited

Clark, Jennifer Bryson, and Sasha Poucki, eds. The SAGE Handbook of Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery. SAGE Publications Limited, 2018.

Hove, Mediel. “Post-Gaddafi Libya and the African Union: Challenges and the road to sustainable peace.” Journal of Asian and African Studies 52.3 (2017): 271-286.

Kela, Kiia. Human rights violations in Libya: a critical assessment on the EU’s complicity and migration policies. MS thesis. 2018.

Randall, James Garfield, and David Donald. The civil war and reconstruction. Pickle Partners Publishing, 2016.

Toaldo, Mattia. Migrations through and from Libya: a Mediterranean challenge. Rome: Instituto Affari Internazionali, 2015.

Short Answer Questions

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Short Answer Questions

Question 19

According to statistics, there were roughly 1.58 million registered nonprofit organizations in the United States in the year 2017. These organizations employed a significant part of the country’s population, numbering to about 12.3 million people (McKeever). This accounts for approximately ten percent of the workforce in the US.

Question 20

1. SHRM refers to strategic human resource management. It describes the process of aligning the goals of a particular organization with its human resources to realize employee efficiency, improve motivation and satisfaction, which translates into enhanced productivity and performance.

2. SHRM in nonprofits is essential because employees must believe in the organization mission as well as its purpose for them to be fully committed and productive in their work.

3. –Engage managers. Managers understand the workings of their various units, and hence, they are essential in developing a plan.

-Build a project planning team. Team members should include human resource professionals as well as agency leaders who must be accountable to each other.

-Access challenges and devise solutions. The team should be able to work together to come up with solutions to different problems. (Pynes 59)

Essay Questions

Question 1

Motivation can be defined as the desire that a person has to do something. This desire will help them persist and at the specific task until they achieve a predetermined goal. There are several theories of motivation. The first is the hierarchy of needs theory as proposed by Maslow. The approach consists of five levels of needs; physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs in ascending order. According to Maslow, a person must satisfy a lower level before moving to a higher one (Pynes 305). The second theory of motivation is the ERG theory related to the first theory. However, ERG theory narrows down human needs into three general categories; existence, relatedness, and growth needs. Similar to the hierarchy of needs, people satisfy one need before the other while at the same time reducing frustration as they progress. The third theory of motivation is the theory of needs according to McClelland, who asserted that people have three primary needs; achievement, power, and affiliation. These needs are the driving influences that motivate people.

Some of the reasons that motivate people to volunteer in nonprofit organizations are the desire to help others. For example, a person with a passion for helping the poor can volunteer their time to cook and clean in homes (Stukas et al. 125). Another reason for volunteering is a desire to give back to the community.

Question 2

One of the challenges facing SHRM professionals is the change in the demographic characteristics in the workplace. People are likely to meet more women, different races and ethnicities, LGBTQs among many other diverse groups. One of the ways to deal with these changes is to increase awareness by educating people on how to interact with people of different backgrounds with respect so that they can work well together. The second issue facing SHRM professionals are changing laws; for example, an employer cannot force an employee to retire as long as they can still do their job (Pynes 412). To deal with such laws, SHRM professionals such acquaint themselves with the current laws and how to apply them within their organization. The third challenge facing SHRM professionals is the different skills required in the workplace. Employees need more than one skill to be more useful, hence the need to hire people with knowledge in different areas. To address this challenge, there should be a comprehensive hiring process to ensure that a candidate is qualified enough and can be entrusted with various tasks.

Question 3

In order to become a nonprofit rock star, the first step that a person should take is finding something that they are passionate about. Some of the fields in the nonprofit sector include health, art, and education. The second step is to find people with similar passion who can work with you towards achieving the goals of the nonprofit organization. Third, to become a nonprofit rockstar one should keep up with recent trends and news to make sure that their work is in line with the law and that their work helps to solve problems that people face in the current times.

Some of the things that I have learned about becoming an SHRM rockstar for a nonprofit organization is to apply the fundamental principles of SHRM that includes valuing employees as an asset towards achieving organizational goals. The second step is to understand how to motivate employees in an organization using the motivation theories so that they can do their best and help the organization excel. The third thing is to understand the challenges and issues relevant to SHRM professionals in the current age, such as the laws governing the workplace.

Extra Credit Opportunity

United Nations- virtual volunteers can enter data for UN projects

Catchafire- website design by virtual volunteers

Volunteers of America- online data collection and analysis

Action Without Borders- translation of documents from one language to another

Habitat for Humanity- collect data about home ownership online

Works Cited

McKeever, Brice. “The Nonprofit Sector in Brief 2018” National Center for Charitable Statistics. 13 December 2018. Retrieved from https://nccs.urban.org/publication/nonprofit-sector-brief-2018#the-nonprofit-sector-in-brief-2018-public-charites-giving-and-volunteeringPynes, Joan E. Human resources management for public and nonprofit organizations: A strategic approach. Vol. 30. John Wiley & Sons, 2008.

Stukas, Arthur A., et al. “Motivations to volunteer and their associations with volunteers’ well-being.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 45.1 (2016): 112-132.

ShellLEGO Partnership

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Shell/LEGO Partnership

The Shell/LEGO partnership can be termed as unethical but not illegal. Companies are free to collaborate with others in promotional exercises, and that is what Shell did with LEGO. Such collaborations increase revenue and brand visibility to the two companies. The motivation is purely financial. However, this partnership is unethical for many reasons. The first reason is that it takes advantage of kids’ love for their toys. Children who love LEGO begin to associate their toys with Shell; hence, they also take a liking to Shell. This is unfortunate since the children are not old enough to understand the many unethical business practices that Shell Oil has engaged in.

The second reason why the partnership is unethical is that LEGO purposely ignored the accusations that Shell has faced over the years, focusing only on the financial benefits to the two companies. Shell Oil has been accused of activities that contribute to climate change, and this is a very serious issue. The kids who love LEGO are the same ones who stand to suffer the most from the effects of climate change. It is, therefore, wrong for LEGO to encourage brand loyalty to Shell among children, without the kids’ knowledge of Shell’s activities.

The partnership between Shell and LEGO raises serious ethical questions. Environmental activists such as Greenpeace have spent years in protest of Shell Oil Company’s moves such as pollution of land and water bodies in the Niger Delta as a result of using old and corroded pipes. Companies should not focus only on making money; they should also ensure their activities are responsible and preserve the environment around them. While many steps have been taken to combat and reduce climate change, it is sad to see companies such as Shell fight to worsen the situation with plans to drill in the Arctic.

Sex Education Should be Taught in Schools

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Sex Education Should be Taught in Schools

Sex education is an issue that has been under debate for many years. Many people accept the necessity that children need some form of instruction on sex education, but they cannot agree on who should do it and where it should be done. Another issue of contention is the content of sex education. Sex education should not be seen to promote sexual activity among teenagers and young people. Weighing the pros and cons of sex education, it is clear that sex education should be taught in schools.

Sex education should be taught in schools just like any other subject. From their early teen years, children undergo many changes in their bodies that they have no idea about. Informing them about the changes in their bodies help them make informed choices about their bodies (Rasmussen). Young people spend a lot of their time in school. Parents are usually busy at home or work and may be hesitant to talk about sex education at home. School is, therefore, the best place to teach sex education. Parents and guardians should, however, be informed about what their children are educated. There should be meetings with sex education instructors to determine what content should be approved for teaching (Chu 171). At home, parents can take on the responsibility of instilling values so that their children can make the right choices based on what they have been taught.

The first reason as to why sex education should be taught in schools is to address the high number of teen pregnancies and births in the United States. The country has the highest levels of teen pregnancies in the developed world, twice as high as Canada and eight times higher than Japan. Such statistics are a cause for worry. Teaching children sex education will enable them to make informed choices regarding their bodies (Marseille et al 470). Many of these teen pregnancies happen because the young people did not know what to do to keep themselves safe especially during their first sexual encounters, bringing up the point on contraception and sexually transmitted infections.

Sex education should involve lessons on contraception and safe sex. Many young people have their first sexual encounters in their teen years. During this time, most of them do not know a lot about contraception. Many of the things that they know about sex are learned from their peers. Sex education at school allows instructors to provide medically factual information to teenagers (Rubenstein 525). From here, they will be well versed with the options available to them should they decide to have sex. While many people may not want to confront the issue that teenagers begin having sex at an early age, the truth is that they are. Sex education classes give teachers and parents the chance to empower their children to make the best and safest decision when the time comes.

Sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV and others are part of sex education. Knowledge of the danger of contracting diseases during sexual activity equips young people with knowledge of how they can keep themselves safe using contraception and other forms of protection. Preventing pregnancy is not the only goal; there are genuine dangers such as HIV that teens may not be aware of. Many of the programs in schools emphasize abstinence and hence do not care to teach about sex, sex is wrong. Such a perspective should be done away so that children of an appropriate age can get the information they need.

Sex education keeps our children safe. Many children today have suffered sexual abuse, mainly in the hands of trusted adults (Rasmussen). The children do not know what is happening to them and they are powerless to stop it. Sex education creates awareness on their bodies and helps them to say no whenever someone intrudes upon them. They get to understand what is wrong from what is right. Sex education helps victims and potential victims of sexual abuse to be in the know and realize that they have someone to talk to when they are caught up in a situation of sex abuse (Chu, 172). The young people learn that it is not a taboo to talk about sex. Sex education also equips young people with communication skills of negotiation and refusal. A teenager gets to understand that they have rights over their bodies and they have the power to say no when they do not want to engage in sexual activity.

One of the reasons that many people give against teaching sex education is that it encourages young people to engage in sex. Statistics show that sex education delays the age of the first sexual encounter (Rubenstein 525). It is critical that instructors be professionally trained so that they know the right language to use and not to encourage but rather inform. Parents and guardians should be left with the responsibility of ensuring their children have the correct values so that they make good choices.

In conclusion, sex education is an integral part of learning for young people. Parents and guardians are not well trained on how to teach their kids about such matters and can create very awkward situations. Teaching sex education at school ensures that children get accurate information in a formal setting where they are free to ask questions. Instructors should be well trained and present factual and unbiased information. It is time to get our heads out of the sand and arm young children with information and values to help them make the right choice regarding their bodies.

Works Cited

Chu, Samuel Kai Wah, et al. “Promoting sex education among teenagers through an interactive game: Reasons for success and implications.” Games for health journal 4.3 (2015): 168-174.

Marseille, Elliot, et al. “Effectiveness of school-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs in the USA: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Prevention Science 19.4 (2018): 468-489.

Rasmussen, Mary Lou. Progressive sexuality education: The conceits of secularism. Routledge, 2015.

Rubenstein, Rachel. “Sex education: funding facts, not fear.” Health Matrix 27 (2017): 525.

School Lunches

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School Lunches

School lunches in the United States have been the focus of many fierce debates. The main reason for this is that significant portions of school lunches across the country comprise of processed foods saturated with fats, salt, and sugars. These types of food pose a serious threat to the health of children in the country. The United States has one of the highest rates of overweight and obesity, and school lunches do little to help the situation. The United States Department of Agriculture manages the school luck program, and those contracted by the organization show little concern for the nutritious benefits of the lunches served in schools. Unless parents and other parties in the school program fight for their children’s health, things will likely remain as they are. Ann Cooper provides lunches to schools in the Berkeley Unified District, and she addresses her concerns on the nutritional value of school lunches in a TED talk titled, ‘School Lunches.’

Ann Cooper makes a strong case against the current trend in school lunches. She explains that most school lunches are made up of unhealthy foods such as corndogs, chocolate milk, sodas, chicken nuggets, frozen sandwiches, among other unhealthy options (Schanzenbach 685). Having joined the lunch program, two years before her talk, she gives insight into the situation she first encountered. However, she and her team soon began to switch up things, even including a salad bar in her lunches. Many were skeptical of her approach, but she explains that the children to it quite well (Morris). Ann explains that children go to school to learn about different things, and nutrition should be one of them. When children are served all these kinds of junk and unhealthy food in school, they develop an attitude that it is okay for them to consume it. The danger is that most children are too young to realize the nutritious value of the food they consume, and they need the right message when it comes to food.

In the TED talk, Ann emphasizes some of the things that should be changed in the school lunch programs. The first thing is that children in school districts should consume majority of locally produced foods. She explains that transporting food across the country makes little sense as it contributes to pollution, and it also discourages people from consuming what is locally available (Morris). Another point in the talk is that school districts should provide more organic foods for children. A lot of the non-organic food contains hormones and antibiotics that end up making children sick as they grow up. Ann also explains that the school feeding program should be categorized as a public health and social justice issue and placed under the management of the CDC. In the Berkeley school district, Ann is in charge of cooking and planting classes that help to change children’s attitudes towards food. Most children enjoy fast food because they have grown up with the idea that healthy food is not as delicious, and this comes at a cost to their health and wellbeing.

Ann Cooper’s TED talk is an eye-opening review of the country’s lunch program. Although she mainly points out the problems in the system, there are some positive points. For example, the current school lunches are quite cheap, and this is what most school districts in the country can afford (Jensen 23). They have to work within their available budgets and choose what works best for them. Another positive aspect of school lunches is that it provides food for many children, some of whom cannot afford to eat otherwise. Providing meals for millions of children across the country, thus helps to feed those who may be too poor to afford food otherwise. Schools provide one meal a day, and that is why school lunches have limited options. It is expected that parents and guardians provide nutritious meals for their children outside school, and also teach children about healthy eating habits. Schools already do enough for children, and parents should take over teaching their children about nutrition.

Another reason why the current school lunch system works the way it does is that there is limited time to prepare meals. Cooking for hundreds of even thousands of children each day proves to be quite tasking, and frankly too expensive. Having prepackaged meals delivered to schools is the easiest option in most school districts. Ann Cooper also suggests organic meals be served in schools, but that is quite a challenge. Organic foods are too expensive to provide in schools which feed millions of children each day. School districts need money for other things, such as paying teachers and purchasing additional resources for the learning process.

In conclusion, the school; lunch program in the country has come under criticism from many stakeholders. People complain that the food offered to kids in schools is too unhealthy and encourage them to develop bad eating habits. Such unhealthy diets on schools also contribute to the deteriorating health and wellbeing of children, as explained by Ann Cooper in her TED talk. However, the school lunch program still works and benefits many children for various reasons, for example, it provides cheap food for children and ensures that all kids are fed, especially those who cannot get food outside school. Parents should take up the responsibility of teaching their kids about healthy eating habits rather than putting everything on the schools.

Works Cited

Jensen, Jørgen Dejgård, et al. “Economic viability of new launched school lunch programmes.” British Food Journal (2013).

Morris, Richard. “Ann Cooper- School Lunches-TED talk.” YouTube. 24 February 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSTZ6AdQdwk&list=PLBxVg6-9tfFPY0a85Gc0DlJZ51YE3_FMm&index=9&t=0sSchanzenbach, Diane Whitmore. “Do school lunches contribute to childhood obesity?.” Journal of Human Resources 44.3 (2009): 684-709.

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Samsung

Technology plays a significant role in the success of a company. Samsung relies on new technologies to come up with new products that will satisfy customer needs and demands. In today’s world, competition among companies has grown very stiff hence the need to do a lot of research into the latest technologies. With new technologies coming out every day, Samsung and its competitors have devoted a lot of time and resources into research and development. As explained in the text, the use of technology affects the financial performance of any company. Before rolling out the technology in company operations, there must be extensive research to find out the costs and benefits before making the final decision.

It is clear that the cost of technology affects the profit margins of the company in question. If a company finds that the use of a particular technology costs more than the profits to be generated, it is imprudent to use such technology. Companies, therefore, look to maximize their profits by using the most cost-effective technology there is. Technology should also be used to satisfy customer needs. If a competing company has some technology that increases the efficiency of their products, then other companies must do their best to step up their efforts at similar technologies. In the market, most products from different companies have the same technology; hence, a company that lags will lose its market share. Research and development are two key factors when it comes to developing new technologies. Companies must study their target markets and analyze their needs. From this information, engineers can then come up with technologies that meet the market requirements. It is also essential for the researchers to look at competitor’s products to determine which technologies will work best and which will fail. The cost of technology is then calculated. If it results in a reasonable profit margin, the company can go ahead to implement it.