Employment Rights and Responsibilities Template Essay

Information about Employment Rights and Responsibilities ERR is a compulsory part of all Apprenticeship programmes to show that the Apprentice has had a full induction to the company or training programme, and are aware of those right and responsibilities that are essential in the workplace. Apprentices may be in the first job or be experienced in their role or industry, but this does not affect their ability to cover the knowledge required. How should it be delivered? The ERR knowledge has been presented in a similar format as the NOS and NVQ units so that it has the same flexibility as the NVQ. There are a number of evidence sources for ERR and these can include: †¢ Referencing evidence showing knowledge of the in-house company induction against the ERR requirements (e. g. Copies of induction handbook, with explanation from the apprentice where necessary) †¢ Collecting a portfolio of evidence, integrated with NVQ and Key Skills portfolios to prove knowledge. †¢ Some technical certificates include an externally tested ERR module, which will cover the ERR. How much evidence should I provide? We advise that the Apprentice should provide evidence showing their understanding of the company procedures and how these relate to the laws and regulations. However, the Apprentice should not be expected to provide large paper documents regarding any parts of legislation; we, therefore, suggest that evidence (e. g. company procedures, websites etc. ) should be sign-posted wherever possible and practical. What is included in this document? The document includes the required standards in the same layout as the National Occupational Standards are produced. This can then be re-formatted in to the same delivery method used by providers for the relevant NVQ. This also includes helpful resources, mainly in the form of website addresses for apprentices and employers to research any information that is not currently included in the company induction. What proof is required by e-skills UK? Once the candidate has completed the ERR, then the candidate, employer and training provider should sign the final page, and send with the Certificate Request form to e-skills UK. Please be aware that while this Unit appears in the same format as an AOC or Unit, it does not need to be assessed or verified in the same way as the NVQ part of the Apprenticeship. Anyone with the appropriate technical knowledge on the subject can be responsible for judging the evidence provided by the candidate. What is the difference between Apprenticeship and Advanced Apprenticeship ERR? While the knowledge requirements are the same for both levels, the Advanced Apprentice will be expected to have a broader knowledge of the ERR, and the employer’s responsibility in this. This should be in line with the greater depth of knowledge required for both the NVQ and Technical Certificates for Advanced Apprentices. Links to qualifications in the Apprenticeship frameworks The Employment Rights and Responsibilities links to other parts of the Apprenticeship frameworks and can be delivered alongside the other qualifications in an integrated approach. For example: †¢ The ERR includes areas that can be cross-referenced with parts of the NVQ, varying depending on qualification and units chosen †¢ Areas of the Technical Certificate will also cover parts of the ERR †¢ Key Skills can be integrated with an area of ERR or the NVQ to show knowledge of the subject (this will be particularly applicable to the Communication Key Skill) Employment Rights and Responsibilities These are the rights and responsibilities required for Apprentices, covering the relevant areas of employment law and workplace practices and procedures. There will be rights and responsibilities standard to all job roles and industries, and in addition, industry specific requirements. |The competent person can: |This will involve applying knowledge and |Evidence reference: | | |understanding of: | | |Rights |What should make up a contract of employment |During my induction into the course I was | |Show knowledge of your rights as an| |made aware of the terms and conditions of | |employee, and work in accordance | |working at Zenos and I signed a contract | |with them | |to accept and agree to the conditions. | | | |There is also a description at | |Responsibilities | |www. acas. org. uk which states | |Show knowledge of your | |†A contract of employment is an agreement | |responsibilities as an employee, | |between employer and employee and is the | |and work in accordance with them | |basis of the employment relationship. † | | | |This must conform to the The Employment | | | |Rights Act of 1996 | | |Anti-discrimination laws and the bodies that |I have written about the EO presentation | | |enforce them |and test in Induction and explained how I | | | |have discussed anti-discrimination/EO in | | | |formal progress reviews. | | |Your working hours and holiday entitlement. |Found in learners handbook (9 to 5 Monday | | | |to Friday, fixed holiday period). | | |Your company’s policy on Sick and Maternity Pay |Sickness is covered in the learner | | | |handbook. Issues discussed in progress | | | |reviews. Not entitled to maternity pay. | | |Your rights as an Apprentice |Detailed in learner handbook. Turn up on | | | |time, wear appropriate clothing, follow | | | |contract of employment. | | |Your company’s grievance and disciplinary |This was detailed in the learner handbook,| | |procedures |covered in Induction | | | The health and  safety legislation relevant to your|Received a health and safety presentation | | |role, and your role |covering the main health and safety points| | | |and concerns. | | |Your roles and requirements in maintaining health |This was detailed in a health and safety | | |and safety |presentation covering the main health and | | | |safety points and concerns. (i. e. ensure | | | |my own safety and others, report incidents| | | |to first aider). | | |Your responsibility in adhering to data |The importance of data protection was | | |protection. |covered in presentations and tasks (also | | | |covered in learner handbook). | | |Knowledge of industry laws and guidelines |The main laws and guidelines are covered | | | |in my learner handbook, available on the | | | |internet and were detailed in a | | | |presentation. | | |NOS and external sources of representation in your|The main laws and guidelines are covered | | |industry |in my learner handbook, available on the | | | |internet and were detailed in a | | | |presentation. | | |Your role in your team and effective team-working |I have taken part in a few tasks involving| | | |a team. So I am familiar with the | | | |essentials of team work. | | | | | Knowledge and understanding components |Health and safety rights and responsibilities | |What your rights are and what you must do to follow company procedures | |Rights |What employers should do in order to protect you at work | | |What responsibility a training provider for your Health and Safety (including the Safe Learner project) | |Responsibilities |Your responsibilities in maintaining health and safety in your workplace | | |The laws and company procedures that you must be aware of at work (including Health and Safety at Work | | |1974, Manual Handling, DSE and any other laws relevant to your role) | |Contract of Employment | |What a contract of employment must include and the laws relating to them. | |Rights |When you should be issued with a contract of employment | | |What the contract should include (e. g. Salary, annual leave, working hours etc. ) | | |What should be done when changes in the contract are needed (e. g. changes in salary, job role, working | | |hours) | | |The relevant areas of the Employment Law Act, particularly Statement of Particulars (Contracts) | |Responsibilities |Adhering to the Contract of Employment | | | The differences for self-employed workers | |Anti-discrimination laws | |What discrimination (e.g. gender, race, disability and age) is and the laws that protect against it. | |Rights |Your right to not be discriminated against on any grounds (e. g. gender, race, disability and age) | | |The laws that protect you from discrimination, such as: | | |Equal Pay Act 1970 | | |Race Relations Act 1976 | | |Disability Discrimination Act 1995 | | |What to do if you are being discriminated against, (including internal and external procedures) | |Responsibilities |Examples of what would constitute discrimination against others | | |The difference between direct, indirect and positive discrimination. | | |How to avoid discriminating against potential employees when recruiting. | |Working hours and holiday entitlement | |Your working hours and holiday entitlement, and the regulations and procedures that control these. | |Rights |What the Working Time Regulations 1998 are and the maximum working hours allowed, particularly for Young | | |Workers (aged 16-17) | | |Any exceptions to the Working Time Regulations 1998 (e. g. Seasonal workers in busy times, such as | | |Christmas) | | |. What your  working hours and holiday entitlement are (see also Contracts of Employment) | | |Who enforces the Working Time Regulations | |Responsibilities |Your company’s procedure for booking holiday (annual leave) and why it is important that you follow it. | | |What to do if you need to change or adjust your working hours. | |Sick and Maternity Pay | |Your rights to Sick and Maternity Pay and your responsibilities in communicating with your employer regarding these. | |Rights |What Statutory Sick Pay is and your company’s sick pay policy | | |The right to Maternity Leave, and the minimum number of weeks of entitlement under Ordinary Maternity | | |Leave (OML) | |Responsibilities |The company procedures for reporting sick days. | | |Procedures to follow regarding Maternity Leave. | |Rights and responsibilities of an Apprentice | |As an Apprentice you have some specific rights and responsibilities | |Rights |Your role as an Apprentice and the similarities or differences from other employees in your company | | |How the National Minimum Wage applies to Apprentices. | |Responsibilities |Your commitment to the training and qualifications in the Apprenticeship | |Grievance and disciplinary procedures | |The laws and internal procedures relating to grievance and disciplinary procedures | |Rights |The process that employers must follow for disciplinary procedures. | | |Your rights during the disciplinary procedures. | |Responsibilities |The procedures you must follow to report a grievance | | |The procedures to follow to appeal a disciplinary decision. | |Data Protection | |The key areas of data protection and how they affect you as an individual and an employee | |Rights |Your right to personal information held by an organisation (either your employer or another company) | | |Who has rights to your information and how it can be used. | |Responsibilities |What information you can and cannot give out, and who can have access to that information | |Team working | |Working effectively as part of a team (from Develop Personal Effectiveness Unit) | |Rights |See responsibilities | |Responsibilities |communicating effectively in a team setting | | |contributing to team activities |. |Industry laws and guidelines | |The laws and guidelines that affect your industry (IT, Telecoms or Contact Centres) | |Rights |None | |Responsibilities |What and how different industry activities are affected by laws and guidelines, such as storing names and| | |address, downloading images from the Internet or sending inappropriate e-mails. | | |The laws that are relevant to your role in ICT or Contact Centres, for example: | | |Telecoms: The Wireless Telegraphy Act; IT: The Computer Misuse Act and the Electronic Communications Act | | |2000 |. |NOS and external sources of representation | |The information relating to IT that is relevant to your job role | |Rights |The organisations that represent you and your employer (e. g. e-skills UK, trade unions, Intellect, | | |British Computer Society, Call Centre Association) | |Responsibilities |What National Occupational Standards are, how they can be used and who sets them for your industry. | Useful Resources |Organisation |Role/ Areas covered |Website | |ACAS (Advisory, |Advice on employment matters |www. acas. org. uk | |Conciliation and | | | |Arbitration Service) | | | |Citizen’s Advice Bureau |General source of advice on a range of topics |www. adviceguide. org. uk | | |covering your rights as a citizen | | |Department for Education |Overall responsibility for education in England |www. dfes. gov. uk | |and Skills | | | |Directgov |Website covering almost all areas of employment |www. direct. gov. uk | | |rights and responsibilities, contracts etc. | | |Disability Rights |Disability Rights and Disability Discrimination |. www. drc-gb.org | |Commission |Act 1995 | | |e-skills UK |Sector Skills Council for IT, Telecoms and Contact|www. e-skills. com | | |Centres | | |Equal Opportunities |Equal Pay. Sexual Equality. |www. eoc. org. uk | |Commission | | | |Federation of |Trade association for the mobile and |www. fcs. org. uk | |Communication Services |telecommunication services industry | | |Health and Safety |Regulators of Health and Safety |www. hse. gov. uk | |Executive | | | |Information | Data Protection and Freedom of Information |www. informationcommissioner.gov. uk | |Commissioner’s Office | | | |Learning and Skills |Responsible for funding 16+ training in England |www. lsc. gov. uk | |Council | | | |Safe Learner |Specific Health and Safety information for |www. safelearner. info | | |Apprentices | | |Trade Union Council |Information about trade union and search for you |www. tuc. org. uk | | |trade union | | |The Commission for Racial|Race Relations Act and racial equality |www. cre. gov. uk | |Equality | | | |Tiger |National Minimum Wage and Maternity Leave |www. tiger. gov. uk |. If you have any comments or queries regarding this workbook, please email ben. sweetman@e-skills. com. Declaration This declaration should be completed by the Apprentice, the employer and the training provider and then attached with the Apprenticeship Certificate Request Form. |Apprentice | |Name: | |Date of Birth: | | |Signature: | |Date: | | |Employer | |Name: | |Organisation: | | |Signature: | |Date: | | |Training Provider | |Name: | |Training Provider: | | |Signature: | |Date: | | Please record details of any alternative knowledge specifications below:

Reality TV is a huge success to the television industry in the 1990s Essay

Reality TV is a huge success to the television industry in the 1990s. As a genre description, reality TV is widening its usage from ‘news magazine programmes based round emergency service activities’ to ‘talk shows, docusoaps’ and a variety of ‘first-person’ programmes (Creeber, 2001: 135). ‘Reality TV’ with extensive meaning becomes popular to describe ‘any factual programme based on an aesthetic style of apparent â€Å"zero-degree realism† – in other words a direct, unmediated account of events, often associated with the use of video and surveillance-imaging technologies’ (Creeber, 2001: 135). While Barnfield has criticized ‘the loose usage of the term, suggesting that over the last decade such a wide range of productions have been categorized as â€Å"Reality TV† that one wonders if the term is too general to be helpful'(Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 3). It is true that ‘reality TV’ is not explicit enough in meaning. However, it is the best word applicable to all situations and never unilateral. It gives producers more space to innovate new programmes as to prosper this genre. Reality TV evolves with the development of new technologies. New sub-genres emerged as the hybrids of established genres. It challenges traditional documentary and changes the serious content to more entertainment elements. Every format is close to everyday life to convince the audience as ‘real’ programming. In the short history of only two decades, reality TV has evolved into various formats. I will focus on five main forms which have either had a remarkable effect on television history or unprecedented audience ratings with reference to relevant representative programmes of British television. Contested Generic Identification: Definition of Reality TV It seems difficult to issue a particular definition of ‘reality TV’ to attest to debates over it. As Su Holmes and Deborah Jermyn point out: Producing a particular definition of Reality TV is nevertheless complex. This is partly because of the fundamentally hybrid nature of the forms in question. Yet it is also because of the range of programming to which the term ‘Reality TV’ has been applied, as well as the extent to which this has shifted over time with the emergence of further permutations in ‘reality-based’ texts. (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 2) Jon Dovey characterised this genre by ‘reference to the dominant and original forms of Reality TV that feature police and emergency service work’ (Dovey, 2000: 80). In his opinion, as form and construction, reality TV should be: à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ camcorder, surveillance or observational ‘actuality footage’; à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ first-person participant or eye-witness testimony; à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ reconstructions that rely upon narrative fiction styles; à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ studio or to-camera links and commentary from ‘authoritative’ presenters; à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ expert statements from emergency services personnel or psychologists. (Dovey, 2000: 80) These elements are helpful in interpreting the origins of reality programmes and in understanding its sub-genres and new development. Only by bearing these elements in mind can we make reference to relevant programmes when we trace back history to discuss the evolution of reality TV. Is it American Innovation? : Historical Precedent of Reality TV There is no consensus about the first reality programme. Jon Dovey thought that ‘Reality TV is generally historically located as beginning in the US with NBC’s Unsolved Mysteries in 1987’ (Dovey, 2000: 81). While Bradley D. Clissold considered that ‘during the years that it aired, Candid Camera (US, 1948- ), arguably the first ‘Reality TV’ programme, proved itself to be one of US TV’s most memorable, enduring and popular shows’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 33). There is a consensus that the earliest reality programme came out in America. In addition to these mentioned above, other commentators like Richard Kilborn, Chad Raphael and Gareth Palmer all agreed with this conclusion (Kilborn, 2003: 55; Palmer, 2003: 21). In the commercial environment in America, technologies like cable, satellite and digital prospered reality programmes in television market. However, reality TV as a television genre has evolved into ‘a very strong Eurpoean form with regional variations in each country’ (Dovey). In mid-1980s, when surveillance technology such as CCTV (closed-circuit television) became accessible, Britain produced its own reality programmes, which revealed real accidents, crimes and emergencies. By using CCTV footage, these reality programmes departed from traditional documentary and were quickly accepted by the curious audience because of their witness techniques. They were real shows without actors and noted for low-cost which was attractive to most programme-makers. Among these early reality programmes, Crimewatch (BBC, 1984- ) was most influential. Jon Dovey said it ‘has been seen as central to the development of the form, particularly in respect of debates around criminology and the media’ (Creeber, 2001: 135). Deborah Jermyn, who is experienced in studying television crime appeal, commented on Crimewatch: Promoting the growth of crime-appeal programming in Britain – with a format where serious unsolved crimes are reconstructed, police and victims’ families interviewed, images of suspects publicized and the public encouraged to phone in and volunteer information – by this time the series had comfortably established itself as Britain’s foremost crime-appeal programme. (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 71) The effectiveness of Crimewatch as a detergent to crimes has been under much debate. It entertained the audience, but it was weak as a warning to the criminals. As Jermyn commented: ‘indeed some criminals have claimed that the poor-quality CCTV footage they witnessed on Crimewatch actually gave them an incentive to commit crime’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 82). ‘The use of CCTV conspicuously enhances the programme’s claims to authenticity and underlines its sense of a privileged relationship with real crime and actuality, qualities which programme-makers evidently believe to be ratings winners’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 83). In this case it is exciting for the audience to see the ‘raw’ footage without caring much about its effect of crime appeal. These early reality programmes about crime appeal, accidents and emergencies formed a new documentary format, which was the precedent of a new genre-reality TV. Later popular factual entertainment programmes are based on these elements to innovate. Their effect is remarkable in a long term. ‘Fly-Off-the-Wall’: Video Diaries Known as Access TV The 1990s was a golden era for the prevalence of reality TV. Jon Dovey points out: ‘it seems that â€Å"ordinary people†, non-professional broadcasters, have never been more present on our screens’ (Dowmunt, 1993: 163). Camera is no longer simply ‘fly-on-the-wall’ to observe and record, but closes to the object to become active ‘fly-off-the-wall’. For a long time, access TV, as new reality television, has been in a great demand. According to Jon Dovey, ‘there are some fundamental principles that identify access programming; they centre around control and power over the programme-making process’, especially ‘the authors should have control over the whole process of representation’ (Dowmunt, 1993: 165). Camcorder and video technology opened up expansive space for access TV. ‘Non-professional broadcasters’ became a leading role in making these programmes. As Patricia Holland commented on this innovative style: The video diary style, in which programmes are made with domestic video equipment by members of the public rather than by television professionals, has introduced a new way of making programmes. Low-tech, with a less polished appearance, they seem to bring the audience even closer to the realities they show. (Holland, 1997: 158) Video Diaries, produced by the BBC Community Programme Unit from 1990-1999, was a representative of access TV. From these series of programmes, Jon Dovey noted: the Unit solicits and researches ideas from potential diarists with a compelling story to tell. Once chosen, the diarist is trained in the use of an S-VHS camera and packed off to shoot their story, with support from the Unit should it be needed. In this way the diarists are given not only editorial control but also control over the means of production. They return with anything up to 200 hours of material and attend all the edit sessions, from an initial assembly which is viewed and discussed at length to the offline and online edit processes. (Dowmunt, 1993: 167) The format of Video Diaries is a development of documentary. Gareth Palmer has explained that it ‘imported the authorizing and legitimizing discourse of documentary into the personal, and in doing so it imported also documentary’s ordering principle into individual lives’ (Palmer, 2003:168). It was popular to the audience and also gained acclaim from the critics because of its flexibility in recording reality. Nevertheless there were debates that the producers had already controlled the programme by selecting the diarists, and there were also problems of quality and legality. New Observational Documentary: Emergence of Docusoap Docusoap is one form of the new observational documentary and one sub-genre of reality TV. It is a hybrid of documentary and soap-opera. It improves from serious documentary to emphasize on entertainment, especially everyday lives. ‘Developed in the UK in the mid-1990s, the docusoap enjoyed unprecedented success for roughly a four-year period (1996-2000)’ (Kilborn, 2003: 87). Docusoap combines documentary and drama. There are elements of narration, interviews and background music, and similar sequences as soap-opera. Each episode has a certain title and focuses on character, personalities, plot or situation. Technological advances promote the development of new observational documentary. New technologies like lightweight cameras, ‘portable sound equipment’ and ‘non-linear editing system’ accelerate editing process with better quality and effect. Besides, financial benefits also attract producers to choose new technologies. ‘As Paul Hamann has commented, docusoaps already cost on average only a third of the price of the equivalent in light entertainment or sitcoms’ (Bruzzi, 2000: 77). The entertainment factor of docusoap makes it popular with audience. Driving School ‘peaked at 12.45 million’ viewers (Bruzzi, 2000: 86). It ‘focused on the trials and tribulations of people preparing for their driving test’ (Kilborn, 2003: 96). Compared to the core character of reality TV, docusoap is blamed to be less factual with aesthetic reconstruction. According to Bruzzi: The sequence most frequently cited is that in which Maureen Rees, on the eve of another attempt at her theory exam, wakes in the middle of the night and asks her husband Dave to test her on the Highway Code. The sequence is a reconstruction, and Jeremy Gibson (head of BBC Television Features, Bristol) and others have gone on record exonerating themselves from blame, commenting that, having gleaned that Maureen did get up at night ghrough panic, it was perfectly legitimate to recreate such a sequence without the film crew having to camp out in her bedroom for an entire night. (Bruzzi, 2000: 87) The producers’ intervention revealed obvious dramatic skills, which aimed at telling a complete story. In any case, under these circumstances one can never expect a totally natural performance from the character with the presence of camera. These factors make docusoap not so ‘real’, but the audience appreciate it for the entertainment value and these factors do not affect their enjoyment. However, by the end of 1990s, this new documentary format had gradually lost its popularity. Critics and executives of TV channels began to complain the similar content with in the same format between series. It was also blamed as a challenge of ‘serious’ documentary. Then new factual programmes emerged and replaced docusoap in TV schedules. Docusoap is remembered as a creative hybrid of documentary and fiction with high ratings in the history of reality TV. Serve the Public: Prevalence of Lifestyle Lifestyle is another sub-genre of reality TV, of which BBC has been one of the biggest providers (Gareth Palmer; Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 173). It originated in the 1990s and is still popular today. It occupies a large part of TV schedule, shown usually in the daytime and prime time. There is ‘a series of choices in dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cor (House Invaders [Bazal for BBC1, 1999-2002], Changing Rooms [Bazal for BBC1, 1996- ]), clothes (What Not To Wear [BBC2, 1999- ]) and manner (Would Love To Meet [WLTM, BBC2, 2001-3])’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 174). People now have strong sense that they are citizens and consumers. They are eager to improve their lives. Many are glad to show their private life in front of camera. For habitus, Gareth Palmer commented: ‘Britain is a nation of homeowners clutching close the belief that the home represents a sort of castle. Hence, it makes sense to produce programmes aimed at the house-proud’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 179). For fashion, according to Palmer, ‘in looking at fashion programming we come closer to seeing how the individual should ideally be styled according to the new class of experts’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 181). There is a debate as to whether fashion shows need be bitchy. Palmer has an interesting opinion: ‘fashion without bitchery, like academia without snobbery, is inconceivable’ (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 184). Bitchery makes fashion programming as amusement. It does happen frequently in our life, which is a factual element of lifestyle. Lifestyle programming is an innovation that television is not only observing people’s life, but also changing people’s way of life. It ‘serves the audience’ by giving instructions, which is the nature of European television, compared to ‘marketing the audience’ of American commercial television (Ang, 1991). Lifestyle is a good illustration how culture affects social life. New Interactive Reality Show: World Success of Big Brother Endemol’s ‘jewel in the crown’, Big Brother was thirty months in development and was the brainchild of co-principal, John de Mol. First broadcast on Veronica in 1999 and an immense ratings success, the programme has been adapted in over eighteen territories in Western Europe, the UK, the US and elsewhere. (Albert Moran, the Global Television Format Trade; Hilmes, 2003: 120) Big Brother, a new reality programme is based on established genres such as game show, quiz show, documentary and soap opera. It is a social experiment, in which we witness the reaction of the participants to their new environment and changing circumstances are often beyond their control. With the feature of game show, Big Brother sets its game rules as: The programme involved ten housemates interned together over a ten-week period in a specially designed hermetically sealed environment. The housemates were supplied with food and drink and had access to all amenities, but were isolated from all contact with the media and the outside world; there were no television sets, radios, newspapers. Every week each housemate had to nominate for eviction two fellow-contestants; the two with the highest number of nominations would then be subject to public voting. It was the role of the public to select, by telephone vote, which of the two was to survive. By the final week there would be only two housemates remaining the winner was decided by the public, and took away a cheque for à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½70,000. (Palmer, 2003: 182) From the above description, it is obvious that this programme innovatively uses interactive voting. The audiences have opportunities to join the programme and play a crucial role in deciding the result. In early 1990s, Mike Wayne criticized programmes at that time: ‘broadcasters and programme makers have paid relatively little attention to the way in which people watch television. They have been concerned with how many people see a programme, rather than the way audiences interact with the images on the screen: what they absorb, what they challenge and what they discard’ (Hood, 1994: 43). It seems that Big Brother answers all these criticisms. Compared to the audience, the participants are powerless to control the programme. They are observed at all times and their lives are exposed to the public. ‘We’ve been looking at the housemates through the eyes of thirty-one unforgiving cameras – we have seen them at their best and also at their worst’ (Ritchie, 2001: 279). What they need is just to relax and enjoy their time. ‘For all of them, without exception, it has been an amazing experience. They have learned a great deal about themselves, and the rest of us have learned not just lots about them, but also about human nature in general’ (Ritchie, 2001: 279). However, all the participants are under much pressure exposing their lives to millions of audience. There is probably some negative effect on the psychology of most participants. Gareth Palmer calls the programme ‘a psychological experiment’. Programme experience is not always as wonderful as Ritchie’s comment in the above paragraph. In Sweden there was a suicide of a participant on a similar programme (Palmer, 2003: 185). So in Big Brother ‘a team of mental health professionals will oversee both the selection process and the psychological well being of the participants while they are in the house’ (Palmer, 2003: 185). Big Brother creates a small society for the housemates away from the outside world. There are conflicts and also friendship. The participants are competitors and also partners. As the audience watch the trivia of their daily routine, the voiceover commentary helps them understand the situations. Big Brother, a hybrid of different forms with popular interactive elements, is a new format of reality TV. It is leading a new trend of reality programming. Many independent television production companies are professional and experienced in making these new reality shows. Channel 4 and ITV, such non-mainstream commercial channels have shown many this kind of reality programmes. The audience are looking forward to more innovation of reality TV. BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, R. C. and Hill, A. (2004) the Television Studies Reader, London: Routledge Ang, I. (1991) Desperately Seeking the Audience, London: Roughtledge Bruzzi, S. (2000) New Documentary: A Critical Introduction, London: Routledge Creeber, G., Miller, T. and Tulloch, J. (2001) the Television Genre Book, London: British Film Institute Dovey, J. (2000) Freakshow: First Person Media and Factual Television, London: Pluto Press Dowmunt, T. (1993) Channels of Resistance: Global Television and Local Empowerment, London: British Film Institute Gunter, B. and Svennevig, M. (1987) Behind and in Front of the Screen: Television’s Involvement with Family Life, London: John Libbey Hilmes, M. (2003) the Television History Book, London: British Film Institute Holland, P. (1997) the Television Handbook, London: Routledge Holmes, S. and Jermyn, D. (2004) Understanding Reality Television, London: Routledge Hood, S. (1994) Behind the Screens: the Structure of British Television in the Nineties, London: Lawrence & Wishart Limited Kilborn, R. (2003) Staging the Real: Factual TV Programming in the Age of Big Brother, Manchester: Manchester University Press Ishikawa, S. (1996) Quality Assessment of Television, Luton: John Libbey Media Livingstone, S. and Lunt, P. (1994) Talk on Television: Audience Participation and Public Debate, London: Routledge Macdonald, K. and Cousins, M (1996) Imagining Reality: the Faber Book of Documentary, London: Faber and Faber Limited Palmer, G. (2003) Discipline and Liberty: Television and Governance, Manchester: Manchester University Press Ritchie, J. (2001) Big Brother 2: the Official Unseen Story, London: Channel 4 Books Swallow, N. (1966) Factual Television, London: Focal Press Limited Winston, B. (1995) Claiming the Real: the Documentary Film Revisited, London: British Film Institute

Commercial Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Term Paper

Commercial Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - Term Paper Example Both ideas failed however, but the concept lived on. In the 1960s, the US started developing drones for spying and reconnaissance missions and extensively used them in the Vietnam War (UFL, 2011). With the development of artificial intelligence, today, UAV are a regular feature in military missions and are extensively used for various operations from reconnaissance to defensive and offensive missions. With increasing reliability of the UAVs, they have also now been identified for various commercial uses. This paper discusses these commercial applications where UAVs are increasing finding use. 2. Commercial uses of UAVs As the UAVs are free from human limits of fatigue and endurance, they can perform several functions very efficiently and in areas where it is not possible or too costly/risky to reach in a piloted aircraft. With improvements in technology, efforts to reduce the operating costs of UAVs, and by complimenting the UAVs with other advanced technology and devices, several ar eas of commercial applications have been identified for UAVs where they can prove to be not only more cost effective but also much more efficient than conventional methods used today to do those tasks. The following sub-sections describe each of these commercial applications. 1. 2. 2.1. ... ay, this work is done by men walking in the field, using manned small aircrafts, and using other farm equipments like tractors with a sprayer fitted at the back. These methods are often time consuming and using small aircrafts is costly. Also, in order to reduce drift on the sprayed materials, aircrafts must be flown very low. Since, fields are generally surrounded by obstacles like trees, buildings, telephone and electricity lines, pilots must be very careful. With a UAV, this task can be accomplished with much less hassles. Estimates suggest that UAVs take 1/15th the time to complete the task as compared to other conventional means (Wong, 2001) and it costs 1/10th the hourly rate of a manned helicopter (Hanlon, 2004). Figure 1: UAV helicopter being used for crop dusting Source: Gizmodo, 2006 Crop monitoring refers to monitoring the health of crops in the fields. With sensors and high resolution image processors on board the UAVs, farmers can remotely monitor the crops and take time ly actions to save the crops. Also, farmers and governments can use it for making crop yield forecasts and assessment of damage due to external factors like flooding, pests, and draught. Further, color images from UAVs can be useful for mapping invasive weed outbreaks and for revealing irrigation and fertilization irregularities in the vast farmlands. Another example of regular use of UAVs in crop monitoring is at Vineyards. Current frost detection techniques do not provide accurate and consistent data for temperature across the entire farmland. UAVs with real-time thermal imaging could provide an excellent solution to this problem. Another area of application in agriculture industry is monitoring soil and moisture. One of the most important aspects for maximizing the crop yield is to know

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example The researcher of this essay aims to analyze that nevertheless, the present business environment needs to examine the cost of implementing the activities so that it does not exceed the budget. The activities should be monitored so that appropriate data is collected for balancing the different operations of the organization. The actions of the managers have a respective impact on stakeholders (Banerjee, 2011; Panwar, et. al., 2008; Schwartz, 2011). The main aims of the paper are to decipher the importance of CSR against the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and provide a detailed discussion regarding different stakeholder groups. The report also examines different stakeholders of Coca-Cola CSR, sustainability and GRI.Coca-Cola Company is the largest beverage company in the world, whose main goal is to refresh its customers with soft drinks. The portfolio of the company consists of 16 billion dollar brands that include Fanta, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Powerade, Minute Maid and Del Val le (Coca-Cola Company, 2013). The company has gained recognition globally by providing sparkling beverages and ready-to-drinks and juice drinks to the customers. The sustainability framework of the company is divided into three parts: Me, We and World. It is the shared vision, which highlights that the company works together with the stakeholders to add value and create the positive difference for the communities and customers that they serve. â€Å"Me† aims at improving the personal well being of company and customers (Coca-Cola Company, 2013; The Coca-Cola Company, 2015a). The company offers low or even no-calorie beverages in the market, which helps the individuals to stay fit and healthy. Coca-Cola also organizes physical activity programs for the population, where they operate. It also provides transparent information regarding the nutritional value of the products on the front side of the bottle.

Technology and Nursing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Technology and Nursing - Research Paper Example Technology and Nursing- Computer Charting There is no denying the fact that the usage of computer systems is becoming ubiquitous in the area of healthcare and nursing. In the healthcare the manual charting of the patient data and information was not only time consuming and laborious, but was open to a range of flaws and constraints. In the recent times, many hospitals and healthcare institutions have evinced a trend towards the exploitation of technology and computer systems for patient charting. Computer charting happens to be a useful technological development in the area of nursing which has obliterated the need for manual documentation by nurses, which has predominantly been replaced by computerized documentation. It goes without saying that the trend towards computer charting has facilitated the healthcare with multiple advantages and has made the work of nurses relatively easy and more accurate (Aktan, Tracey & Bareford, 2011). One distinct advantage of computer charting is tha t it has made the process of nursing documentation quiet hassle free (Aktan, Tracey & Bareford, 2011). Computer charting allows for more accurate and complete nursing documentation, thereby minimizing the scope for errors, misinterpretations or misunderstandings. Computer charting has totally obliterated the scope for any redundancies in the nursing documentation. The technological provision for computer charting has automated the collection and reuse of the patient data, setting aside the laborious and less accurate manual processes (Aktan, Tracey & Bareford, 2011). Besides, computer charting not only allows for the sharing of the patient data across platforms and departments in a healthcare institution, but also allows for a timely and accurate analysis of patient data (Hakes & Whittington, 2008). The other big advantage of this technology is that it has facilitated compliance with the state and federal legal requirements and statutes in the nursing profession. Being digital in it s scope and relying on computer software, electronic charting makes it feasible to assure consistency with the state and federal legal statutes and requirements (Waneka & Spetz, 2010). Computer charting with its provision for the collection and sharing of data across multiple platforms has indeed given a flip to the technology of nursing informatics (Waneka & Spetz, 2010). The other thing is that computer charting has really revolutionized the healthcare with the doctors and specialists being able to access the patient’s paperless charts, no matter in whichever part of the world the patients are admitted. On the one side the provision of computer charting curtails the paper work, allows for accurate and legible patient records and facilitates the sharing of data, and on the other side, computer charting makes the job of nursing more organized (Hakes & Whittington, 2008). Thereby it requires much less overtime. This influx of technology in the arena of healthcare also makes th e patients and their family members feel more confident. Also, some costly and state of the art computer charting systems like Omnicel and Pixis could also help the nurses in giving medication to patients and some of them even have the capability to digitally chart the medication in the computer memory as it is dispensed (Waneka & Spetz, 2010). However, the thing that needs to be understood is that it would be wrong to assume that computer

Positioning of Armani Hotel (Dubai) Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Positioning of Armani Hotel (Dubai) - Coursework Example Dubai has various kinds of luxurious hotels and Armani hotel is among one of them. It can be indicated that Dubai maintains a high quality of lifestyle and high standard of living. The combination of high standard of living, vibrant nightlife, and good weather makes Dubai one of the most attractive cities for travellers as well as the local people residing in Dubai. The hospitality sector has evolved over the years and Dubai being the favourable tourist destination; it has led to many international hotels and resorts targeting the international business traveller and leisure traveller. The international customers prefer visiting Dubai because of its lifestyle and current economic development and thus it can be concluded that Dubai has been accepted as a tourist as well as business destination for most people. The target market will be analysed with the help of four variables- Measurability, Accessibility, Sustainability and Actionability. The Armani Hotel in Dubai is one of the most luxurious hotels and resorts and it mainly targets the business class people and high end customers who have the required money to spend. Measureability: The Armani hotel in Dubai targets leisure travellers as well as businessmen and offers a luxurious getaway for conferences, meetings, exhibitions and other events (Meet Dubai, n.d). As mentioned above, Dubai’s population is set to exceed 2 million along with better economic development happening, indicating great opportunity for hotels and resorts. The main target market for Armani Hotel Dubai will be the age group of 30-34 years though not ruling out the other age groups. Accessibility: A market segment needs to be accessible with respect to geography and economy. Dubai has changed over time and has become a major business centre with a diversified and dynamic economy. Dubai tends to enjoy a strategic location and it is seen as an investment opportunity by most of the businesses (Dubai eGovernment, 2012). Armani Hotel in Du bai has targeted the business class and leisure travellers who visit the place because of business purposes and also for personal reasons. The age group of 30 years and above has the highest number of visitors or local people visiting the hotel for business purposes. Sustainability: Sustainability of target market segment is highly important and it is important for service

Read the instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Read the instruction - Essay Example James Madison assumes, in his own opinion concerning the human nature that factions are strong in the propensity of humankind, such that humankind can fall into mutual animosity where there is no any presentation of substantial occasion, in most frivolous and vivid distinctions, which have resulted to rekindling the unfriendly passions and the most violent conflicts between the two. The federalist 10 is the most interesting essays of James Madison, written in 1787. This essay talks about the liberty, the role of the factions, and the remedies and the extent to which the government should control the concerns that result from the factions. James Madison follows the description of the factions as the group of citizens that either mounts to the majority or as the minority of the whole citizens, united and prompted by a common interest concerning the rights of the citizens or based on the common interest of the society. Madison interest is majorly on the political and social insecurity c aused by the opponent factions; this implies that Madison has to discover the core structure of the government as a whole. His interest id to discover the best structure of a government that will be able to provide remedies for this faction thus he came up with the Federalists 10, which Madison found to provide the best remedy (Hrebenar, and Bryson 41). James Madison bases his arguments on the effects of the factions and he says that the effects of the factions and the case of liberty are the same thing (Hrebenar, and Bryson 40). Therefore, he opts to go about identifying the effects of the factions and looks forward to identify how the effects of the factions may be controlled. This is evident where he compares liberty to faction and he compares air to fire, he continues to say that none of the two exists without the existence of the other. However, it could not cause a lot of trouble to abolish liberty, which is only important in politics and nourishes the faction rather. This bri ngs out the fact that the factions are very essential to the government and thus removing the factions’ means that the government would oppress some people, which is against what the government should be doing. He also sees that liberty and factions are very important aspects of the government and he comments that as far as the reasons for man to live are outlined and they have the liberty to exercise it, very various opinions will exist. Therefore, a healthy government is one, which allows expression of citizens, and on the other hand, the government ceases to be healthy incase the causes of factions affect it. However, James Madison suggests that the Republican structure of government can deal and tackle the issues concerning the causes of factions. The Republican mode of a government, as Madison suggests, is able to control the effects of factions more than the way the Democratic structure of government does. The Republican type of government made up of the representatives who carry out the beliefs and the passions of the majority of the citizens representing it. Both the Democrats and the Republicans make up the republic, the two groups, the Democrats, the Republicans cast many varied opinions, and thus they form factions. James Madison also suggests that the structure of the Republican form of government has the ability to defend the rights of the minority and the rights of t

UK gym market and health clubs Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

UK gym market and health clubs - Dissertation Example The current trend in this particular industry focuses on adding boiled food or packed nutritious product in one’s diet. Along with this, there is a clear relation between identified customer segments and their individual propensity to purchase additional products, such as supplements. High-income group members prefer to buy most healthy and expensive products, on the contrary, members of 40 plus age group focus on products which can make their bones strong. Youth that is health conscious concentrates on muscle building products and food supplements. In many of the previous researchers, customer segmentation is discussed with utmost importance but the majority of the researchers neglected to discuss food supplements.On the basis of the above discussion, it can be said that health is increasingly gaining importance in people’s perception. Moreover, it is good and toned body which is attracting people to go to the gym and run on the treadmill. Here, health becomes the seco nd concern and slim and attractive body is a major priority for most of the gym-goers. Also, youth is blindly following this trend and even use some prohibited drugs for muscles building. However, gym and health club industry are increasing health awareness among the people and educating them about health issues. Thus the trend of going to the gym is proving healthy for the entire country as obesity has become a point of concern for the government. In addition to this, people themselves are becoming health conscious.... The changing trends of the market are focusing on improving the health of the nation by making them active. In addition to this the current trend is focusing on improving children’s fitness because child obesity is increasing at alarming rate (Barnett 2011). According to Beale (2011) maintain fitness of the children can prove a very crucial part in health industry as they can learn to maintain good health from very young age. Along with this, they can contribute their part in improving nation’s health. Also, making children healthy makes a complete generation healthy. Current trends in health clubs in London with regard to services offered include triathlon participation, innovation in exercise classes, and dynamic use of exercise equipments, injury and sports medicine facilities. Triathlon based activities include cycling, running and swimming which are now offered in the health clubs. Thus, sports activities are also a new trend in London’s health clubs (BBC Ne ws 2006). According to Llyod (2011) the most important service provided in the gyms and health clubs is exercise. Hence constant innovation in these exercises is required. It includes celebrity endorsed exercise classes and Adidas zone cycling which is a fun and energising workout. In order to promptly uses the exercise equipment, health clubs and gyms are nowadays are dynamically using them. For example, tennis-specific programmes, power plate and bikini workout. Another service trend of health clubs are services of sports medicine professionals and injury specialists. With the help of thee professionals, gym goers can improve their running techniques and recover their injuries. Along with this, they get nutritional advice which aid

Digitalization if school materials, good or bad Essay

Digitalization if school materials, good or bad - Essay Example Digitalizing education helps students to understand lessons better, and eventually success comes with it. Digitalization of school materials is very advantageous because it helps students to understand better, makes it much easier to follow their works, grades and gives them a vision.   Firstly, teachers teach better with the help of digital world with introduction of teaching aids such as smart boards, as before there were only normal blackboards for teaching purposes in classes. Teacher could write something and they could erase that written sentences during the class time. However, today much more things can be done with smart boards in the classroom setting. Write a sentence to a smart board and it first understands the sentence, and then translates it in to different languages. You can save what is written on the smart board that day and open them again. Opening an image or graphic about the class topic is also usual thing and it helps students understand better (Panjwani et.al 9). Smart boards have enhanced teacher to teacher collaboration across same schools or in different districts. Notes that are saved in smart boards can be shared across the board for content analysis and discussion. Traditional teaching models require teachers to meet in board rooms and use notebooks to present their cases. This is a tiresome affair as it involves the cost of reproducing the notes for all the teaching staff to have copies. With the use of electronic readers and smart boards, everyone can access notes stored digitally. Lesson plans can be shared among teachers in a department with the touch of a button (Green 19). Smart boards and electronic readers share information between the teacher and students during lessons. This improves the effectiveness of teachers in passing knowledge to the students (Blackboard 9). Newly employed teachers can access information from their mentors, and adapt to their new roles in

Intro To Philosophy 1030-202 Essay Example for Free

Intro To Philosophy 1030-202 Essay Socrates was not a Sophist; he never took money for his teaching, and rejected sophistical arguments.For one thing, the sophists taught for money. Socrates did not. For another, the sophists used language to win arguments and to sway peoples opinion regardless of the truth. Socrates used language to attain the truth. Socrates lived as an independent man. he did not want to go under any category. He was not paid for his irony and maieutics. Therefore he was not a sophist, as being a sophist was having a profession. Socrates was genuinely worried about why the young men were so disappointing. Socrates young students had been a particular disappointment to him. If Socrates could figure out exactly how the fathers had failed to properly educate their sons, he could save the city and restore Athens to its former glory. Socrates’ interesting idea was that human excellence was really a kind of knowledge. Sophists were skilled in elaborate argumentation; were they would try and make the argument they were focusing on the stronger side, even if it was wrong or weaker. This often made them seem devious as they were working only for the benefit of themselves and their students, who were aiming to become high profile speakers or politicians. Socrates was unlike this in that his main focus was not on argumentation or speaking, he rather focused on questioning virtues to understand morals and ethics. He believed that all opinions were valid which also opposed the views of the Sophists who assumed that the wisest of people were genuinely correct and only they had the ability to teach. The main goal of socrates was unlike that of the sophists. The aim of the Sophists was varied around material possession and desire. They believed knowledge is a means to power and is to be used for political or material gain. Socrates believed his questions would encourage personal growth and create a better society as a whole who would understand philosophy and ethics. Him only questionig rather than focusing on teaching separates him from the Sophists. This is due to the fact that questioning isn’t a real method of teaching and Socrates himself stated â€Å"I know one thing, that I know nothing†. This puts him on the same level as his interlocutor and gives him an insight to other opinions. In Ancient Greece, the sophists were a group of teachers of philosophy and rhetoric. This group of Greek philosophers and teachers in the 5th century BC, who speculated on a wide range of subjects flawed arguments superficially correct in its reasoning, which deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone. There was a difference between the two, sophists showed that equally good arguments could be advanced on either side of any issue; they were skeptics who doubted that there could be any certain or reliable knowledge. On the other hand, socrates was committed to the pursuit of truth and considered it his mission to seek out certain knowledge. Unlike philosophers before them, Sophists claimed to be wise enough to teach whatever you might want to know as long as you. Socrates said he was a citizen of the world. Whether in Athens or elsewhere he was meditating, and he was helping others finding their true selves. Furthermore, Socrates did not travel from city to city seeking new students to teach. He was the opposite in that he remained loyal to his home town of Athens. This is evident as he started becoming popular amongst the people who would often regard him as ‘annoying’. His popularity therefore proves that he wasn’t a travel like the sophists. Socrates has some attributes of the Sophists, such as having students, his overall method and aim was contrary to theirs. Socrates himself states in his apology â€Å"I do indeed admit that I am eloquent. But in how different a way from theirs!† which reinforces the fact that he may be good in rhetoric but his goal is not to teach argumentation and political skills. As a result it is clear that Socrates wanted to simply question people on ethics and morals and not teach for material or prolific gains.

Crosscultural business communication

Crosscultural business communication Intercultural, or crosscultural business communication is one of the most critical factors contributing to business growth and success in todays ever more complex global marketplace whether in Toronto, Canada or internationally. The ability of companies to acquire intercultural competence can either make or break their chances of success in an increasingly competitive, international business arena. As a result, many companies and organizations are wisely investing in cultural awareness training for their leaders and employees in order to tap into some huge potential international markets. [Clark 1999] Even within a single country such as the United States of America, Canada, Australia or the United Kingdom, the population is coming from an increasingly diverse cultural background and many languages are being spoken in addition to a common language such as English. In London alone, the number of cultural backgrounds and languages can run into hundreds while the Hispanics and the Asian communities in the United States of America have become increasingly important as a result of their growing population. [Hyland 1996] Prior to proceeding further, the question that needs to be asked is what is meant by business communications? Effective business communication occurs whenever someone conveys relevant information in any form. Effective communication involves information that is timely for decisionmaking as well as that which promotes your business through advertising and public relations. Idle conversation about the weather or last nights ball game is not necessarily unimportant in a business setting. Hence business communications is not just about writing memos in an office for a culturally diverse workforce or letters to other businesses and offices with which a firm may have dealings. Small talk is an important part of employee relations and is necessary to establish the channels of communication. If a business is related to the entertainment or sports industries, it would no longer be small talk, and could be considered keeping up with the competition or market comparisons. Key elements of busine ss communication are conveyance, effectiveness, structure and editing. Conveying meaning in business communication is of the utmost importance. One has to start with some idea of what the audience or market is required to understand, and this has to be narrowed down to one specific message. In todays hectic and fastpaced business world, no one has the time or patience to figure out a wellintended but obscure purpose. This is particularly true when one is trying to persuade someone towards a line of reasoning, as in an advertisement, sales pitch or job interview. [Clark 1999] When the sole intent is to market the business, make sure you know the difference between advertising and public relations. Advertising involves paying to promote your business through various media. Public relations dont cost anything and refers to anything that conveys a positive image for a business. [Winters 2004] Networking can aid a companys public relations effort in talking to potential customers/ clients, council members and others vital to getting the word out. While networking may cost a business executive a lunch here or there, its main expense is your time and energy. If you are a small business just starting out, it may be more economically feasible to rely heavily on public relations in the beginning or a novel form of advertising, i.e. if there is a small business that paints portraits, there could be a photoprocessor putting out the companys flyers in with their customers pictures. In any case, remember to be bold and stay focused with name recognition and wordofmouth promotion. [Winters 2004] Using a direct approach when structuring communications, whether it is a letter, memo, phone call, or proposal can be important. This does not mean the writer is being blunt or curt in your message. The communication should start with a clear understanding of what is required to be expressed, followed by supporting details, facts and examples. The supporting information should emphasize the main theme of the communication and avoid losing the readers with wordy or flowery prose. Remember that the intent is to convey a specific message and not to entertain or bore the readers. [Hinner 1998] The choice of words, whether written or spoken, is an important consideration and this consideration may be different in different cultures. When composing a letter, thinking about the next conference call or designing the next advertisement consider the intended audience and the complexity of the topic. Multicultural audiences require a different approach from that which may be required in a Japanese market. A lot of research about Arab values and their society will be required for entering the Arab markets and selling cars that have been manufactured by a Japanese parent company. In an effort to sell those cars, there will be an interaction between the Arab local area office and the Japanese Head office in the form of exchange of memos, letters and office documents as well as face to face meetings and interactions which will involve multifaceted communications between two cultures. In such cultural exchanges, care is required o ensure that there is an understanding of both cultures and values in both the societies. [Hinner 1998] Hence there is a requirement for the understanding of cultural norms and values when selling goods and services internationally or in culturally diverse societies and communities. [Hinner 1998] In this paper, we consider various aspects of multicultural business communications and why multicultural business communications is receiving increasing attention in business circles. Diversity in todays workplace and marketplace Todays expanding racial, ethnic and cultural diversity makes it obvious that it will be nearly impossible in the future to manage a workforce or market products as we have in the past. All forms of business communications are affected. [Walker Yabarra 2004] Earlier in this century, immigrants and secondgeneration Americans found jobs that entailed long, grueling hours in steel mills, shoe factories and textile mills. Workers spoke a tapestry of languages, but during the workday these employees learned to speak English. They learned to do whatever it took to conform to the expectations of their employers and society. In a business age defined by mass production and mass marketing, the individual got lost. Workers from diverse cultures and backgrounds learned to assimilate. Immigrants Americanized their names. They learned to talk alike, walk alike, and in so doing many discarded centuriesold traditions and customs. [Walker Yabarra 2004] As people from all over the world came to America, attitudes evolved. Meanwhile, a host of changes took place in society. After two world wars, the United States was transformed into a superpower. Women and minorities began making strides in the workplace. And a growing interdependence among nations has contributed to the growth of international trade and created the global village. [Winters 2004] As all of those societal changes took place, America learned to take pride in its identity as home to a rich mixture of a variety of ethnic groups and cultures. And by the 1990s, with the continual influx of new immigrants, second and thirdgeneration Americans, along with some minorities have come to take more outward pride in their very own cultural distinctions. One case in point is the 25millionstrong U.S. Hispanic market. It is estimated that this market will grow to 30 million by the year 2000. This represents $215 billion in purchasing power, which is expected to rise to $477 billion by the turn of the century. Yet, the numbers dont tell the whole story. U.S. Hispanics have different habits and tastes, depending on cultural values and customs deriving from their respective national origins. Mexican Americans, more prevalent in the west and southwest, respond differently to certain marketing techniques and messages than Cuban Americans in the southeast and Puerto Ricans in the northeast. [Walker Yabrra 2004] As a result of changes in the composition of the workplace, our poll found that most public relations executives believe that the industry will have to become more sophisticated in multicultural communications techniques. These techniques might include training or other measures. Organizations currently offer employees special training programs that cover ethnic diversity issues, gender issues, and issues centered on the disabled. [Simpson 2004] In a business where the supply of good jobs vastly outnumbers those seeking communications jobs, the public relations industry has to approach recruiting, training and communicating to a diverse range of audiences in a more sophisticated manner. And like the organizations we serve, we are only slightly ahead of the curve on marketing to a multicultural society that no longer demands that individuals assimilate to become accepted. [Walker Yabrra 2004] The path we must follow is well marked. It starts with our hiring practices. And it continues with the training programs we conduct, the communications programs we create and implement, and the audiences we include in all of our communications. Diversity is a process that begins with an open mind and never ends. [Walker Yabrra 2004] Cross cultural communication Businesses that hope to sell to or work with clients on an international level, or work with or manage staff members located here in the U.S. or in a company location abroadwho may also be from varying cultural backgroundswill require that their managers, HR directors, and sales forces possess the specialized knowledge and skills to make the most of internal, as well as external business relationships. [Winters 2004] As in any relationship, effective communication skills play a pivotal role. Even in the advertising industry, unless you understand your target market and possess adequate research and data on its demographics and psychographics, your odds for success are greatly diminished. The same is true when managing a diverse workforce, or selling products and services to peoples of other culturesthe more you know about them, the better! [Simpson 2004] In California for instance, a unique marketplace encompasses a melting pot of businesses that are not always Americanowned or based. And even if they are, these businesses often employ people from varying cultures and provide services to people and companies across the globe. This is why heightened understanding and methods of communication are so important in todays business world and the main reason why many universities and institutions have focused on providing cross cultural education courses.[Simpson 2004] The new dimensions of communications Todays global, networked computing environment creates the potential for adding new dimensions to the processes of communication. These include: [The Knowledge Management Connection 2004] Semantic precision and disambiguation. Words are the very imprecise means by which we painfully encode and try to transfer the multidimensional knowledge in one brain to another brain where they are painfully and imprecisely converted back into knowledge. Consuming content — in the form of oral conversations or email or many kinds of documents — entails continuous reinterpretation of words, introducing costs of both time and accuracy. Descriptions, examples, and continuous refinement of content alone are not enough — and certainly not efficient enough. Examples of new precise semantic information in communications include Yahoo and other web directories as well as corporate taxonomies. Integration of structural knowledge. Billions of dollars can be saved every month by detecting the similarities among online queries, email exchanges, and other forms of informationseeking and by providing shortcuts to disambiguation of meaning and accurate retrieval. For integration of structural knowledge, concepts in communications need to be explicit and precise. Continuous connection to application of knowledge. Authority on new business problems ultimately comes from application, not theory. Knowledge seekers must be able to move directly from experiences to authority — with or without interpretation, but always with comprehensive, reliable memory. â€Å"Doubleloop communication.† Valuable knowledge emerges from the sum of all questions, answers, the processes of exchange, and those who engage in that exchange — not just from the sum of all answers. Acts of communication are themselves sources of knowledge. Questions and answers are not dissociated. Questions constitute value themselves. The emergence of patterns as expertise. Newness and heterogeneity of tasks means there simply are no experts on many topics. But the construction of an explicit resource with precisely modeled semantic content ultimately enables us to detect patterns within that structural knowledge. In the knowledgedriven business environment, such patterns will often be the only resource for expertise on some problems. Conclusion In conclusion, it may be stated that there are new and emerging changes going on in the field of communications resulting from changing demographics of the communities in which the business must operate. Another force which is changing the way business communication, knowledge retrieval and storage as well as the way in which business is being conducted is the advent of computers and associated technologies in business. The business communication milieu must, therefore, be researched and has assumed a far increasing level of importance in the present age. References Dou, Weilin Clark, George William Jr. (June 22, 1999). Appreciating the Diversity in Multicultural Communication Styles.. Business Forum. Referenced: June 3, 2004. Web site: http://static.highbeam.com/b/businessforum/june221999/appreciatingthediversityinmulticulturalcommunicati/ Paul Hyland et al. (Fall 1996). MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR A MULTICULTURAL LEARNING ORGANIZATION. University of Western Sydney. Referenced: June 3, 2004. Web site: http://www.google.com.pk/search?q=cache:YJNcXoM7eGgJ:www.csupomona.edu/~jis/1996/Hyland.pdf+multicultural+business+communications+hl=en Elaine Winters. (2004). Cultural issues in communication. Elaine Winters. Referenced: June 3, 2004. Web site: http://www.bena.com/ewinters/culiss.html Michael B. Hinner. (May 1998). The Importance of Intercultural Communication in a Globalized World. Technische Universitï ¿ ½t Bergakademie Freiber. Referenced: June 2, 2004. Web site: http://www.google.com.pk/search?q=cache:pCpyTZqJjYJ:www.wiwi.tufreiberg.de/englisch/downloads/Global.PDF+importance+of+multicultural+business+communicationshl=en AME Info. (May 20, 2004). Nissan launches communications initiative with CNBC Arabiya. AME Info. Referenced: June 3, 2004. Web site: http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/39934.html Patrice Simpson. (2004). Intercultural Communication. Society and Culture Association. Referenced: June 3, 2004. Web site: http://hsc.csu.edu.au/pta/scansw/intcultsimpson.html Kimberley WalkerYbarra. (April 12, 2004). Bridging the business world communica. (Crosscultural communication). San Diego Business Journal, April 12, 2004 v25 i15 pA2(2) The Knowledge Management Connection. Why Communication is the Answer. The Knowledge Management Connection. Referenced: June 5, 2004. Web site: http://www.kmconnection.com/Why_communication_is_the_answer.htm

Literature During the Naturalistic Period :: Literature Essays Litarary Analysis

Literature During the Naturalistic Period What is the one struggle that all human beings have in common? It is life itself. As important as humans think they are, in the scheme of reality, the human race is not that significant. During the late eighteenth century and the earlier nineteenth century, authors such as Émile Zola, Jack London, and Stephen Crane and poets such as Robert Frost and Wallace Stevens were struggling with leaving behind traditional attitudes and finding a new philosophy of life. These writers, along with many others, are known for writing during the Naturalistic time period. Literature of Naturalism, just as all literature does, reflects the attitudes and events happening during this time. The world was changing in many more ways than ever before. Traditional unquestioned beliefs had fallen by the wayside because of many factors but especially with the introduction of Darwin's book, On the Origin of Species. Darwin's view that humans evolved and were not created by some Supreme Being startled societ y, especially the religious community. For the first time, society began to question the mainstay of their religious beliefs. In the economic realm, Karl Marx was expounding his view of socialism. Economic factors had a profound effect on the people of this time as well. The industrialization and the urbanization that were occurring were forcing changes on every front of life. Along with the scientific and social advancements of the world at this time, psychology was breaking ground to become an important science of its own. Freud with his view of why people act the way they do and Jung with his thoughts on the collective unconscious were offering new thought and insight about human behavior. However, with the removing of the old beliefs that gave humans a sense of direction and order in their lives, the search, which often included the loss of oneself, needed to be embarked upon so that people of this era could find some sort of direction in the new world of knowledge and confusion. Never before or since this time has there been such a wandering in the desert of uncertainty. Therefore, it is quite natural that the authors of this period reflect all of the turmoil created by the amount of knowledge that was being shared and that was trying to be comprehended. Authors of this time were at the forefront of this investigation. Naturalistic writers tend to write in a somewhat scientific method because their characters are placed in a situation where the forces of nature or the environment are imposed upon them.

A Mesophilic Origin of Life Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

A Mesophilic Origin of Life Nearly all scientists agree that life on Earth began billions of years ago. Most will also agree that RNA appeared first and found a way to replicate itself, an essential step in the early stages of life. Without this ability of RNA, only short pieces of DNA could be copied and no enzymes could be created to copy longer strands which would be necessary for the formation of enzymes[1]. Beyond that, there is very little agreement about the origin of life, including what the original ancestor of all life was like. This has led to a significant amount of debating with very few answers. Scientists are still debating how life originated: was it a series of successive steps or a spontaneous gathering of the necessary materials? The problem with the second theory is that the odds of this happening are about the same as a tornado assembling a 747 aircraft in a junkyard.[2] As of now, we still have to ponder whether the ancestor of all life, or LUCA, was a single being or a community of organisms sharing genes. Another question entails whether the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) dwelled in a hot-water environment or a cooler place, possibly near the surface of the ocean. The experts are split almost evenly on this question and both sides present convincing evidence for their side of the argument, but we will focus primarily on the side that believes that LUCA was not thermophilic, and, in fact, lived in a cooler surrounding. This cooler surrounding would have likely been near the surface of the ocean rather than in the vicinity of a thermal vent near the ocean’s floor. The other side argues that Earth was warmer 3.5 billion years ago, when life is believed to have been spawned. This, c... ...more evidence, especially in RNA sequences, until an answer can be established. 1] Smith, Szathmary 1999 [2] DeDuve, 1991 [3] Whitfield, 2004 [4] Levy, Miller, 1998 [5] Vogel, 1999 [6] Brochier, Phillippe, 2002 Works Cited Brochier, C., and H. Philippe. 2002. A non-hyperthermophilic ancestor for Bacteria. Nature 417:244. DeDuve, Christian. 1991. Blueprint for a Cell: The Nature and Origin of Life 100-105. Levy, M., and S.L. Miller. 1999. The prebiotic synthesis of modified purines and their potential role the RNA world. Journal of Molecular Evolution 48:631-637. Smith, John Maynard., and Szathmary, Eros. 1999. The Origins of Life: From Birth to the Origins of Language 1-14. Vogel, G. 1999. RNA study suggests cool cradle of life. Science 283: 155-156. Whitfield, J. 2004. Born in a watery commune. Nature 427:674-676.

The Perils of Affirmative Action Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Top

The Perils of Affirmative Action    On January 16th of this year, I picked up the Washington Post and read an article by Richard Cohen that weakly criticized the lack of ethnic diversity in President Bush's new cabinet. The article was an interesting analysis of the ethnicity of Bush's cabinet, but it is even more significant as it dealt with an issue that is becoming of greater concern in this country: affirmative action. This issue has affected me in the past. I live in Northern Virginia, which is a very race-neutral area, and last year during my college application process was the first time in my life when affirmative action affected me. The applications say the race checkbox is only being used for statistical purposes, but when somebody sees these tiny little words on such a very important document, who doesn't get a nagging feeling that their future might be determined by the color of their skin? A lot of students worry about this checkbox. At the time it seems so unfair. You've worked hard for four long years, t aken the SATs twice, joined as many clubs and sports as possible, and yet that might not be enough. The issue of affirmative action is an important one, one that directly shapes our economy and our country. It influences the way people work and live, but should it? The issue of race in this country lingers while it is realistic for us as a people to get rid of it. In today's society, why should race be an issue to anyone, black or white? How can we create a country that is free from fear of the "other" race? There has been a strong pull in the last few decades to ethnically diversify the workplace, as most companies have been and still are dominated by Caucasians. The call for diversification is a big facto... ... in getting a job only pits one race against another in the job market. If nothing is done about affirmative action, then it will eventually grow to become a monstrous proponent of prejudice. What, then, should be done about affirmative action? Well, I for one believe that the idea of affirmative action has become entrenched in our minds. Diversity has become very sought-after, and not just because the government is looking over people's shoulders. Therefore any existing government affirmative action programs are not needed and should be phased out. Affirmative action won't go away. It will always be in our minds, but it will no longer be binding. Employers will no longer have to worry about race in hiring an employee, just their qualifications. Only then can we as a country truly strive for equality, and an end to the race issue that has plagued us for centuries.

The Voice You Hear Within

Oden 1 Jessica Oden Dr. Willis English Comp II February 20th 2013 â€Å"The Voice You Hear When You Read Silently† There are many works or art and literature that deal with one of the most intriguing and mysterious phenomenons in the world, the human mind. Like death, and the content of the heavens, it is a secret that can not be unlocked, and possibly the most personal and valuable secret. The mystery lies in the uniqueness of the individual brain with specific dreams and ideas that can not be copied or compared. This constant inconsistency makes stunning the mind basically impossible. There could be rooms filled with charts, diagrams, studies, and experiments to due with the human mind, and probably are, but there is no control group and therefore no definite answer can be reached. Even if an answer could be found, what is the question? The human mind is infinitely and simultaneously complex and simple, much like the poems of Thomas Lux (â€Å"Thomas Lux†). In Lux's poem â€Å"The Voice You Hear When You Read silently† he attempts to corner and identify one aspect of the ever mysterious mind. That voice heard only in the mind. The voice that remembers everything, that reflects integrity or lack there of, and finally that explains the world to one person only, forever. The conversation between the mind's voice and mind's eye is an intimate one that can not be overheard. Perception is the transfer of information from the senses to the brain, and that ever present inner voice is narrating the whole process. Everything seen, smelled, tasted, etc†¦ is recorded into the brain, and this information provides the basis for the connotation of everything perceived from that point on, Oden 2 so that the perception of the world changes constantly and in direct relation to how much exposure there is to new and unfamiliar things. Therefore the voice of the mind is constantly growing and expanding and developing a character all of its own. This character of the mind is what Lux is harping on in his poem, by explaining that no voices can be the same. He explains that this internal monologuer has the ability to see situations in jaded way and therefore the person will see them that way also. Chelsea Craig defined this phenomenon in a very accurate and descriptive manner: â€Å"This powerful and moving voice is enriched by my past, declares my present, and may even foretell what is to come. †(Craig 3) She gave this comment after reading Lux's work and ignoring it for some time (Craig 3). When she revisited the poem, she found that it contained an inherent truth about herself and every other human (Craig 3). Where does this voice of the mind reside? It seems to be rooted in the subconscious, which is the area of the brain that processes our perceptions and makes them real ideas that we can call upon and that sometime reveal themselves randomly to us in flashes and dreams. When these ideas cross over from the sub- to the consciene, there is a voice there to explain it all to the perceive. Lux refers to this part of the mind as a ‘dark cathedral† seeming to compare the human subconscious to a holy vessel of information that must be valued and cared for, and so out of this cathedral comes knowledge of a world that is difficult to understand even still. Reading is on of the best ways to stimulate the mind and feed your subconscious with the images and feelings revealed from the book. The feelings invoked my the writer, the images portrayed by the poet, are all decipher by a private, bias critical voice inside the mind. This voice is very selective and controlling. It will take the information provided and run it through many filters before opening it up to the rest of your mind, which is does with bias and judgment and opinion. This may seem unfair, but a person directly controls what their subconscious observes by controlling how much Oden 3 of the world they are willing to be exposed to. The example that Lux gives in his poem to illustrate the differences in the mind from over person to the next. The barn to one person could be a symbol of free time from kids running around an empty field with an abandoned building, that brings feelings of curiosity and intrigue from the children who saw it, to the parents of the children who see the barn as dangerous and ugly. The dreamers and seniors will have yet another idea of what a barn is. The expression Lux uses, â€Å"a sensory constellation is lit† explains how that voice takes in everything that is perceive by all the senses and makes since of them, like the figurative lighting of a light bulb above the head when an epiphany is reached or an idea is conceived (Lux). The sound of the voice of the mind, though a figurative idea, is also important and directly related to the person who owns that voice. In the first part of the poem, Lux repeats the word ‘say' in different forms, emphasizing with repetition that the mind can actually ‘hear' this voice and that the tone of it reflects and illustrates the connotation of the words being ‘said' (Lux). Each inner voice has its very own unique timbre, with its own unique accent derived from the experiences and actions of the person who conceived it. The poet used a noun to explain this idea, but alluded to the effect of ‘stronger' words of a sentence such as the verb or the subject. To take this part of the equations deeper, consider that the subject and verb makes the sentence. So to expand, if just the word ‘barn' can mean so many different things to different people, look at the entire sentence. Such as, for example, â€Å"She was taken into the barn. † This is a very simple sentence with neutral words, but the inner voice can interpret it as the actions of a hero or a villain. On the one hand, a farmer could be carrying a pregnant goat into the barn to be warm while she gives birth, on the other a stranger could be carrying a young girl into the barn with evil intentions. None of this is given to the reader in the sentence and so this inner voice uses Oden 4 what it knows to guess at the meaning of the sentence. The point of this poem is to uncover some of the mystery of the human mind, but seems to only illustrate that fact that it is infinitely mysterious. There is no way to ‘hear' another person's inner voice or understand the conceptions of another entirely. There are phrases such as â€Å"I know how you feel†, or â€Å"I can relate† that seem to imply otherwise, however these phrases are generalizations, and in and of themselves subject to the connotation given them by the inner voice. Does the person really understand or are they being sarcastic? Do they really have a clue what the other person is feeling? No, it is impossible to completely put their thinking cap on and hear the voice that whispers to them, interpreting the world and everything in it, individually for that person. Oden 5 1.Works Cited Lux, Thomas â€Å"the Voice you hear when you read silently†. ed. Vivian Garcia Edgar V. 2.Roberts Lehman cCollege The City University of New York Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, fifth compact edition, Longman 2012 Print. 3.â€Å"Thomas Lux†. Poetry Foundation. Chicago, IL 2012 http://www. poetryfoundation. org/bio/thomas-lux Web. Craig, Chelsea. 4.â€Å"Slow Down to Hear Your Inner Voice† University of Wisconsin. 2012 Http://liberaleducation. uswa. edu/scholarship/2ndAnnual/Chelsea_Craig. pdf Web.

Terrorism

1. Philosohies and rules of war dictate that it is both sound and practical that groups with the same opponent and the same schema forge alliances or common supportive coexistence, and there is a very high probability that that dogma would be followed, considering the fact that terror group leaders are learned men. But the question of having the same agenda is putting terrorism in a very general and pop culture perspective since the truth is that these types of militant extremists have, at some level, varying aims and goals. But another important point is the fact that these different groups can be brought together to act as one unit in a full scale operation. The best example of this tendency is the 9/11 bombing, described by the FBI a few days after the incident as a handiwork of an alliance of terrorists. 2. The pall of gloom that terrorism brought not just in the US but around the world is not just the threat to life, but as well as the threat to liberty. Because of the growing manhunt for suspected terrorists and the increased drive to take the upper hand and identify terrorists even before they can accomplish their missions, some elements of the law enforcement agencies are willing to overstep their boundaries marked by the exercise of individuals of their most basic human right, ready to trespass the domain of private communication with the use of many and all technologies available, including the Internet. Terror groups also found the use of Internet for their cause – ransom demands are telecast via video streaming while home made and improvised bombs know-how is just a few mouse clicks away. For this new problem, the solution may lie in old practices – kill the head of the serpent and the body ceases to be dangerous. The Internet should not be the target, as US knows it cannot afford to start a new war – even in cyberspace. 3. Michael Hamm reported that motor vehicle violations, counterfeiting, smuggling weapons of mass destruction and armed bank robbery, are several criminal acts terrorist participate in. The most common criminal action that terrorists do is the falsification of documents and forgery. Almost every terrorist who entered the country carries a false identification. This criminal act is very crucial in the operation of terrorist cells in the country since the first and most important part of a terrorist mission is the entry of a terrorist in a country or place wherein the terrorist action would take place. This is the reason why border officials are consistently monitoring the many entry and exit points of the country. 4. The most significant findings and information contained in the Hamm report is the moving away of the image of the mythical militant extremists to purely purist forms of terrorism from the true terrorists which is much less now conformed in the mold of idealist / hero into nothing more than a common criminal. The implications for the criminal justice system of this newfound knowledge consist of the possible responsibility law enforcement and criminal justice elements when it comes to profiling active and prospective terrorists by investigating the offenses for they are in trial for. Hamm concluded how a certain set of criminal acts bend towards particular groups as its identifiable crime suspects and this newfound information can be utilized as another efficient tool to battle terrorism. 5. Both international and domestic terrorism presents a clear and urgent threat to the US, simply because a threat to even one single life is an important issue to the US government, or to any government for that matter. Domestic and international terrorism may have many similarities and differences which include M.O. (method of operation), financing, training, orientation, goals, aims and motivation, strength in numbers, leadership hierarchy. Intelligence network and arms and ammunitions supplies, terrorism still wears the same face and the government's efforts to counter it do not diminish based on the type of terror group it faces. Terrorism and the government's fight against it is a microcosm of the proverbial battle of good versus evil; the truth is that there will always be a group of people who will try to use force and intimidation to achieve there cause. Terrorists might have a different name in the future, and the government which the people created is always tasked to battle a constant threat to life presented by another man as a result of differences in ideology. References: Hamm, M. S. (2005). Crimes Committed by Terrorist Groups: Theory, Research and Prevention. US Department of Justice. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/211203.pdf Schmid, A. (2005). Links between Terrorism and Drug Trafficking: A Case of â€Å"Narco terrorism†. Retrieved October 10, 2007. Sisk, R. and Smith, G. B. (2001). Feds Have Names Of 19 In Dark Alliance. The New York Daily News. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.fromthewilderness.com/timeline/2001/nydailynews091501.html             Terrorism Assignment 2. â€Å"Prepare a written briefing for a Board (you can choose any company real or imaginary) explaining why they should increase or decrease their security in relation to the threat of terrorism. † BRIEFING ON THE THREAT OF TERRORISM POSED TOWARDS TELECOMS ORGANISATIONS OPERATING IN AFRICA Purpose: The purpose of this briefing note is to present an overview of terrorist threats within Africa, spesifically towards the Vodacom organisation operating in the Democtratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to make recommendations on how to mitigate the risk.Background: Terrorism: â€Å"the United Nations General Assembly has condemned terrorist acts using the following political description of terrorism: â€Å"Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racia l, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Definitions_of_terrorism Terrorism has become a global threat and is not just confined to the theatre of war, it is also not only targeted at nations involved in those conflicts like the United States (9/11) and Great Britain (the July 7 London Bombings) but also with any nation and organization that is seen as an ally of such nations.ESICS Briefing on THE TERRORISM THREAT LINKED TO THE LIBYAN CRISIS states â€Å"obviously on the top of the list of likely targets for Colonel Gaddafi are the United Kingdom and France, they are closely followed by the United States (an old and usual enemy of Libya but also by the Arab countries taking part in the coalition, every single national participating in the operations could be seen as a legitimate target. † In stating this the point that I am making is, although Vodacom is a South African operation, we must take into conciderati on that Vodafone, a British entity is our major hareholder and the building where our head office is located, Building Gulf Oil is an American institution. Thus it would be a grave mistake to make the assumption that the company cannot be seen as a target of militant action and sensationalism. Current Situation: STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT Emerging Terrorist Networks â€Å"As al-Qaeda has syndicated its ideology and violence, its affiliates and adherents in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula have become increasingly networked and adaptable in their recruiting, training, financing, and operations.Violent extremist organizations, insurgents, and criminal organizations are exploiting weak governance and under-governed spaces, and remain determined to harm the United States, our partners and Allies, and innocent civilians. † General Carter Ham, USA Commander, USA Africa Command in his address to the Senate of Armed Services Committee, 2 March 2013(sic). Terrorist organisations are operat ing in numerous African countries now including but not limited to: Country| Active Terrorist Networks (only major listed)|Cameroon| Al Qaeda – Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD)| Chad| Al Qaeda – Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad (MDJC) +2| Egypt| Al Qaeda + 11| Eritrea| Al Qaeda – Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJH)| Ethiopia| Al Qaeda – Ethiopian Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJH) + 6| Kenya| Al Qaeda – Al Shabaab| Libya| Al Qaeda – Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)| Morocco| Al Qaeda – Moroccan Combatant Islamic Group (MCIG)| Nigeria| Al Qaeda – Boko Haram| Somalia| Al Qaeda – Al-Shabaab| Sudan | Al Qaeda – Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) – Hezbollah| Syria| Al Qaeda – Al Nusra| Tanzania| Al Qaeda – People Liberation Party|Zambia| Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance – Al Nusra| Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Terrorism and www. crimicweb. org â€Å"The Ho rn of Africa is Africa’s bridge to the Middle East. That fact explains much about the complex interrelationships between differing Islamic cultures within Africa, from east to west. † (John Harbeson, The War on Terrorism in Africa; Princeton N. Lyman from Africa in World Politics p7) Vodacom Congo has up till now not considered terrorism to be a significant threat to business operations but rather conventional security threats as in fire, arson, bomb threats and armed robbery to name but a few.Recommendations: The risk management department recommends that the company review all emergency response, disaster recovery and business continuity protocols. Establishing contingency plans is suggested; general training for all employees would result in more efficient response should an emergency occur and is highly recommended. It is imperative that all security measures are reevaluated and a gap analysis be conducted. Recommended areas where improvements are needed: * Access a nd egress control policies should be enforced for effective visitor control and especially with vehicles entering premises and deliveries of parcels. Do an assessment of all CCTV and monitoring services and place additional cameras where needed. * At the moment the local security service provider is ill equipped, there are no personal body scanners available at the building entrances. * There is no equipment available to search vehicles, i. e. stemmed mirrors etc. * Retraining of security personnel, the security officers have not been trained on what to look for and how to search vehicles and people properly. * General housekeeping, rubbish collection and building perimeters. (Security Management Bulletin no: 6.Countermeasures of threats of terrorist action) Training for these officers should focus on the following types of terrorist attack: * Person borne IED (improvised explosive device) * Vehicle borne IED * Bombs directed against property and infrastructure, delivered in trucks, vehicles, packages, briefcases, laptop bags and also in postal items * Fire bombs using chemicals and incendiaries * Improvised mortar attacks * Riots and civil disturbance * Kidnapping for ransom and extortion * Armed robbery, fraud and credit card fraud for financing purposes * Assassination of key figures Security Management Bulletin no: 6. Countermeasures of threats of terrorist action) In a nutshell the security department should do a threat analysis and identify areas where the terrorist would want to: * Penetrate * Avoid * Exploit * Attack Jason A, 16 April 2013, Boston Marathon Bombings, in his briefing after the bombings, also suggest that it should be noted that due to the recent attacks in Boston, that security at airports across the United States and Great Britain has increased substantially. Business travelers are advised to allow extra time to get to the ticket counters and to their gates.There are long queues at the check-in counter and the duration of the security p rocess has increased due to additional random bag searches. Hotel security has increased as well; travelers are advised to adhere to corporate security policies as well as local policies. In saying that if employees travel to the United States or the United Kingdom for the purpose of visiting Vodacom’s parent company or any other business travel, it is advised to monitor local media for additional security measures. This will also apply to the other countries mentioned where known terrorist cells are operating. ConclusionA school of thought that postulates â€Å"as major disasters never occur at a time or in a manner that may be anticipated, pre-catastrophe planning is futile† is a gross abdication of reponsibilty and cannot be supported. (Security Management bulletin 5. Disaster Planning) Vodacom Congo has clear ties with the United Kingdom due to alliances and shareholding agreements, Vodacom’s offices are located in a building owned by an American entity and the building is shared by Chevron Oil which is an American owned company, it would therefore be foolish not to recognize the direct threat to the company, it’s employees and assets. It would be surprising if many businesses and orginisations could avoid the consequences of terrorism at some time in their existance†. (Security management Bulletin 5. Disaster Planning) It is therefore imperative that urgent security focus is placed on the threat that terrorism poses to the company and its operations, large walk in customer care areas are prime targets where lots of people gather. A balance of security measure are very important to maintain a vigilant level of protection without creating too much discomfort to the employees, visitors, business partners and customers.References Martin Gill, The Handbook of Security. 2006 The Security Institute. Security Management Bulletin 5. Emergency Procedures – Major Disasters. Rachel Briggs, R. and Edwards, C. The business of re silience. DEMOS 2006 The Security Institute. Security Management Bulletin No: 6. Countermeasures to threats of terrorist action. John Harbeson, The War on Terrorism in Africa; Princeton N. Lyman from Africa in World Politics p7 Human Rights Watch: In the name of security, www. hrw. org Wikipedia Website: http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Terrorism Michael Burleigh; Al-Qaeda and a Decade of Terror Andre Burstin; European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center (ESISC), Boko Haram and the Risk of Terrorism in Northern Cameroon; 01 April 2012 Claude Moniquet, European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center (ESISC), The Terrorist Threat Linked to the Libyan Crisis. 2011 Jason A; Boston Marathon Bombing, Aon Crisis Management Consulting/ Global Risk Consulting. p4 Subscriber Journal, 16 April 2013 Terrorism Assignment 2. â€Å"Prepare a written briefing for a Board (you can choose any company real or imaginary) explaining why they should increase or decrease their security in relation to the threat of terrorism. † BRIEFING ON THE THREAT OF TERRORISM POSED TOWARDS TELECOMS ORGANISATIONS OPERATING IN AFRICA Purpose: The purpose of this briefing note is to present an overview of terrorist threats within Africa, spesifically towards the Vodacom organisation operating in the Democtratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to make recommendations on how to mitigate the risk.Background: Terrorism: â€Å"the United Nations General Assembly has condemned terrorist acts using the following political description of terrorism: â€Å"Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racia l, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Definitions_of_terrorism Terrorism has become a global threat and is not just confined to the theatre of war, it is also not only targeted at nations involved in those conflicts like the United States (9/11) and Great Britain (the July 7 London Bombings) but also with any nation and organization that is seen as an ally of such nations.ESICS Briefing on THE TERRORISM THREAT LINKED TO THE LIBYAN CRISIS states â€Å"obviously on the top of the list of likely targets for Colonel Gaddafi are the United Kingdom and France, they are closely followed by the United States (an old and usual enemy of Libya but also by the Arab countries taking part in the coalition, every single national participating in the operations could be seen as a legitimate target. † In stating this the point that I am making is, although Vodacom is a South African operation, we must take into conciderati on that Vodafone, a British entity is our major hareholder and the building where our head office is located, Building Gulf Oil is an American institution. Thus it would be a grave mistake to make the assumption that the company cannot be seen as a target of militant action and sensationalism. Current Situation: STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT Emerging Terrorist Networks â€Å"As al-Qaeda has syndicated its ideology and violence, its affiliates and adherents in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula have become increasingly networked and adaptable in their recruiting, training, financing, and operations.Violent extremist organizations, insurgents, and criminal organizations are exploiting weak governance and under-governed spaces, and remain determined to harm the United States, our partners and Allies, and innocent civilians. † General Carter Ham, USA Commander, USA Africa Command in his address to the Senate of Armed Services Committee, 2 March 2013(sic). Terrorist organisations are operat ing in numerous African countries now including but not limited to: Country| Active Terrorist Networks (only major listed)|Cameroon| Al Qaeda – Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD)| Chad| Al Qaeda – Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad (MDJC) +2| Egypt| Al Qaeda + 11| Eritrea| Al Qaeda – Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJH)| Ethiopia| Al Qaeda – Ethiopian Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJH) + 6| Kenya| Al Qaeda – Al Shabaab| Libya| Al Qaeda – Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)| Morocco| Al Qaeda – Moroccan Combatant Islamic Group (MCIG)| Nigeria| Al Qaeda – Boko Haram| Somalia| Al Qaeda – Al-Shabaab| Sudan | Al Qaeda – Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) – Hezbollah| Syria| Al Qaeda – Al Nusra| Tanzania| Al Qaeda – People Liberation Party|Zambia| Riyadus-Salikhin Reconnaissance – Al Nusra| Source: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Terrorism and www. crimicweb. org â€Å"The Ho rn of Africa is Africa’s bridge to the Middle East. That fact explains much about the complex interrelationships between differing Islamic cultures within Africa, from east to west. † (John Harbeson, The War on Terrorism in Africa; Princeton N. Lyman from Africa in World Politics p7) Vodacom Congo has up till now not considered terrorism to be a significant threat to business operations but rather conventional security threats as in fire, arson, bomb threats and armed robbery to name but a few.Recommendations: The risk management department recommends that the company review all emergency response, disaster recovery and business continuity protocols. Establishing contingency plans is suggested; general training for all employees would result in more efficient response should an emergency occur and is highly recommended. It is imperative that all security measures are reevaluated and a gap analysis be conducted. Recommended areas where improvements are needed: * Access a nd egress control policies should be enforced for effective visitor control and especially with vehicles entering premises and deliveries of parcels. Do an assessment of all CCTV and monitoring services and place additional cameras where needed. * At the moment the local security service provider is ill equipped, there are no personal body scanners available at the building entrances. * There is no equipment available to search vehicles, i. e. stemmed mirrors etc. * Retraining of security personnel, the security officers have not been trained on what to look for and how to search vehicles and people properly. * General housekeeping, rubbish collection and building perimeters. (Security Management Bulletin no: 6.Countermeasures of threats of terrorist action) Training for these officers should focus on the following types of terrorist attack: * Person borne IED (improvised explosive device) * Vehicle borne IED * Bombs directed against property and infrastructure, delivered in trucks, vehicles, packages, briefcases, laptop bags and also in postal items * Fire bombs using chemicals and incendiaries * Improvised mortar attacks * Riots and civil disturbance * Kidnapping for ransom and extortion * Armed robbery, fraud and credit card fraud for financing purposes * Assassination of key figures Security Management Bulletin no: 6. Countermeasures of threats of terrorist action) In a nutshell the security department should do a threat analysis and identify areas where the terrorist would want to: * Penetrate * Avoid * Exploit * Attack Jason A, 16 April 2013, Boston Marathon Bombings, in his briefing after the bombings, also suggest that it should be noted that due to the recent attacks in Boston, that security at airports across the United States and Great Britain has increased substantially. Business travelers are advised to allow extra time to get to the ticket counters and to their gates.There are long queues at the check-in counter and the duration of the security p rocess has increased due to additional random bag searches. Hotel security has increased as well; travelers are advised to adhere to corporate security policies as well as local policies. In saying that if employees travel to the United States or the United Kingdom for the purpose of visiting Vodacom’s parent company or any other business travel, it is advised to monitor local media for additional security measures. This will also apply to the other countries mentioned where known terrorist cells are operating. ConclusionA school of thought that postulates â€Å"as major disasters never occur at a time or in a manner that may be anticipated, pre-catastrophe planning is futile† is a gross abdication of reponsibilty and cannot be supported. (Security Management bulletin 5. Disaster Planning) Vodacom Congo has clear ties with the United Kingdom due to alliances and shareholding agreements, Vodacom’s offices are located in a building owned by an American entity and the building is shared by Chevron Oil which is an American owned company, it would therefore be foolish not to recognize the direct threat to the company, it’s employees and assets. It would be surprising if many businesses and orginisations could avoid the consequences of terrorism at some time in their existance†. (Security management Bulletin 5. Disaster Planning) It is therefore imperative that urgent security focus is placed on the threat that terrorism poses to the company and its operations, large walk in customer care areas are prime targets where lots of people gather. A balance of security measure are very important to maintain a vigilant level of protection without creating too much discomfort to the employees, visitors, business partners and customers.References Martin Gill, The Handbook of Security. 2006 The Security Institute. Security Management Bulletin 5. Emergency Procedures – Major Disasters. Rachel Briggs, R. and Edwards, C. The business of re silience. DEMOS 2006 The Security Institute. Security Management Bulletin No: 6. Countermeasures to threats of terrorist action. John Harbeson, The War on Terrorism in Africa; Princeton N. Lyman from Africa in World Politics p7 Human Rights Watch: In the name of security, www. hrw. org Wikipedia Website: http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Terrorism Michael Burleigh; Al-Qaeda and a Decade of Terror Andre Burstin; European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center (ESISC), Boko Haram and the Risk of Terrorism in Northern Cameroon; 01 April 2012 Claude Moniquet, European Strategic Intelligence and Security Center (ESISC), The Terrorist Threat Linked to the Libyan Crisis. 2011 Jason A; Boston Marathon Bombing, Aon Crisis Management Consulting/ Global Risk Consulting. p4 Subscriber Journal, 16 April 2013