Media analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Media analysis - Essay Example They often perceive that marriage is the only way that a man and woman may get to know each other sexually (MacQueen, 2003). That was God’s wish. However, today, it is not hard to see even married couples looking for pleasure outside their marriage. That is the aim of this poster. It is not fair to assume that it is promoting promiscuity rather trying to find a safe way in which people engaging in sex, have the safest method to do this. From a gender perspective, it is likely to hear very many judgemental things about this poster. The first thing that will be talked about will be the girl’s willing nature to get to the point of getting in the poster. Society has a mentality about how women or girls should behave. They do this not knowing that they have a part to play in the growing of society as much as the male species (Nelson, 1999). A gender perspective can be termed as the analysis of a situation, mostly sociological, based on the sex of the parties involved. In the above poster, there is the presence of both sexes. The male position in such a poster is considered as being normal (Nelson, 2001). However, the female role is looked at as being wrong. When a woman is seen to appear in such poster and/or advertisements, it is often attributed to where she is coming from. It is often understood that they are as a result of broken homes. For example, an alcoholic and abusive father, a mother who does not pay attention to her and all sorts of things (Okely, 1996). This is a common misconception that many people in society have. It is otherwise known as stereotyping. Not all people who appear in such advertisements came from such homes. Some people appear in them due to the feeling of creating change among their peers. It is some of these thoughts that are often misconstrued. Society thinks that they are out to benefit themselves or to make their parents feel guilty for something. The generation present now is referred to as the microwave

Growth of a Business Essay Example for Free

Growth of a Business Essay When a business grows in size it will need more staff to carry out:- *Existing jobs e.g. in a chocolate factory it may need more people to operate the production lines it it moves from 4 to 5 lines. *New jobs e.g. if a company expands to overseas it will need to recruit staff who are capable of speaking foreign languages. When existing jobs are being expanded, human resource specialists simply need to copy existing practice on a larger scale. They can do this by interviewing more people and advertising more widely etc. More detailed thought is needed if new jobs are to be created. This is even more important if the jobs being created are different to the jobs that already exist within the company. If Norwich Airport they would need to employ a lot more security guards. This would be due to the increased numbers of passengers going through the airport and the terminals. If Norwich Airport started to fly to new destinations they would need new staff who could speak the language of the country. They could do this training their existing staff to speak the languages or they could recruit externally people already with the capability to speak those languages. CHANGING JOB ROLES WITHIN THE BUSINESS In recent years there has been a decline in standardised jobs. The change of a job role is usually down to changing and advancing technology. This involves employees taking more responsibility in decision making. This is known as empowerment. The development of new jobs requires a lot of research. Looking at the best practice in an industry often does this. Sometimes it is done by looking at the development of new jobs particularly in the USA. FILLING VACANCIES CREATED BY RESIGNATION, RETIREMENT OR DISMISSAL Vacancies come about for a number of reasons. This could include retirement, dismissal, expansion or even death. When some body moves on it is normally necessary to replace them. Before this is done the company will need to decide if it would be best to get a employee similar to the previous one or if it would be best to to get someone with new skills because the job has moved on and more skills are required to carry the job out properly. In some cases this has effected Norwich Airport. In some extreme cases they have had to dismiss employees who have lied about foreign languages they can speak. When Norwich Airport first opened, they only offered flights to a few select countries. But since then they have expanded and a far wider range of flights are now offered. With this they have a lot more people using them rather than using the larger London airports or the near by Luton airport. With the extra money they are still thinking of expanding even more in the near future. In some cases the job that has become available does not always need to be filled. There are amny factors that Norwich Airport takes into account before deciding whether or not a replacement is required. They will always consider: * Is there still a need for that job? * Do the benefits derived from this job justify the total cost of filling it? E.g. advertising, salary, training etc. * Is it essential that the vacancy is filled immediately? * Rather than employing a new member of staff would it be best to reorganise the workload within the company/department to cover the position. * Will the job need to be full or part time? * Will there still be the need for this job in 12 or 18 months time? Is the post likely to be affected by current or future organisational changes or different work methods. Will the job therefore be temporary or permanent? And for this reason will there need to be a fixed term contract. INTERNAL PROMOTION There is always the opportunity for internal promotion. This is a good form of motivation as it gives employees something to aim for within the organisation. This should make the employee try to impress in his current job rather than looking else where outside of the company. But if an employee is to be promoted, then someone else would have to be employed to cover their previous position. It is extremely important that the right candidate is selected. The recruitment process can be extremely costly. To set up an effective recruitment process it takes a great deal of time. Once a job has become vacant it is very important that the company should then analyse the job. This is when they will decide what will be entailed in the available job. How to advertise, sift through the applications, checking which applications best meet the criteria, interviewing candidates and then the most important, selecting the best candidate. When a job becomes available at Norwich airport they decide whether to recruit internally or externally. From our meeting I discovered that 50% of the time they will recruit internally only, and the other 50% they will recruit internally and externally. They often decide to recruit internally only because they can save a lot of money. They save a lot on advertising costs and it normally takes them less time to train the employee if they already have some experience working within the airport. Often they have noticed that when an employee knows that there is the chance of promotion it enhances their rate and quality of work because it acts as a motivator. However they have also found disadvantages when recruiting within the company. They have to replace the person who has been promoted, this means that they have ended up advertising for two jobs instead of just the one. In the past they have had arguments and disputes or another employee has been upset that someone else has been promoted instead of them. However, from our meeting I understood that their better employees in the past were ones who had been promoted as a pose to the ones who had been employed externally. This has always been the case when they have been first employed because they have a better understanding of the business. NEW POST Sometimes rather than a current post becoming available a new post all together may become vacant. But before the new post is confirmed it must be approved in the companies budget. This may not be the case and a supplementary budget will have to be applied for. If this is not the case then the recruitment process will be unable to go ahead. There must be available work space and enough available equipment for the new person. If all of the above are ok, then Norwich Airport decide on a realistic start date. When this is decided upon, the airport would work backwards from this date to plan each stage of recruitment. Below is a realistic time plan for Norwich Airport if they were to advertise externally. A typical time plan would be for about 3 months. 21 January complete staff vacancy request form and hand into human resources department. 22 January write job description and interview report form, allowing time for the approval of the line manager. Pepare advert and job particulars. HUMAN RESOURCES MUST BE NOTIFIED THAT THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS HAS BEEN STARTED! 2 February send the above papers to human resources. 9 February if appropriate the job will be evaluated. Human resources will book space and send advert to media. 16 February the advert will appear. Interview dates and panel members must be decided upon. 18 February applicants respond. 4 March closing date for response from potential applicants. 7 March final candidates are shortlisted. 8 March candidates are contacted to arrange interviews. 15/16 March interviews take place. 17 March the post is offered to the successful candidate. 17 April after one month notice period the candidate would start.

The Camp David Accord Essay -- Political History Historical Israel Ess

The Camp David Accord Works Cited Missing By 1978 the thirty-year war that had been fought between Egypt and Israel had come to a point where there was a chance for peace. The area that had been at the center of the turmoil was the West Bank of the Jordan River and the Gaza Strip. The problem was that both countries believed that they had the rights to this land: Israel, biblically and Egypt, politically. So an invitation by President Jimmy Carter to President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel was extended. The invitation was for a meeting in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland at the presidential retreat, Camp David. The meeting was so that the framework of a peace agreement, known as the Camp David Accord, could be laid out between Sadat and Begin, with Carter as the mediator. Both Sadat and Begin had their reputations and their countries’ futures on the line, not to mention the future of the Middle East. All of the countries neighboring Egypt and Israel would be affected by an Egyptian /Israeli agreement of any kind and maybe encouraged to come to an agreement of some sort for that region. A lot of problems had to be overcome for this summit to be a success. One of them was that the hatred and suspicions between President Sadat and Prime Minister Begin ran very deep. Another problem was that the outside pressures were too strong to permit an easy and early resolve for issues that had a long and ancient history (Mideast 26). The last problem was the hope that President Carter could put out of his mind the psychological profiles done by the CIA on both Begin and Sadat, which could have adversely affected his ability to mediate the proceedings. The long-standing hatred between Sadat and Begin was not one of a personal nature. It had more to do with the political differences of their two countries. Israel has held that the West Bank and the Gaza Strip were theirs because of the establishment of the State of Israel, out of what was Palestine in 1948 and by right of heredity. This was the land that God had told Moses was the Jewish Promised Land. The Egyptians, on the other hand, claimed that the West Bank and the Gaza Strip were theirs. They based their claim on the fact that there were Egyptian citizens living in these areas at the time, the State of Israel was established, so therefore it must be Egyptian land. In ... ...reaty between them within three months of the signing of this agreement (Camp 43). So by the close of the summit, Begin had accepted the new â€Å"words,† which he once had considered improbable (Blitzer 48). For someone like Begin, who holds a lot of value in the power of words, this agreement was not easy to come by. What all the men involved wanted to know was how the meaning of the words would be translated on the ground in the months and years to come (Blitzer 48). In the final analysis of the meetings at Camp David, it’s important not to focus on what was not accomplished, but on what was. The agreement that these two leaders came to was much more than a â€Å"framework for peace;† it was a first step in a long process. A process that many people here and abroad thought would never come. In the years that followed this summit, there were more and more talks that have lead to the relative peace in that part of the world today. So, what Camp David did more than anything else was to set the groundwork to get people talking to each other in a positive direction. The three men had progressed from an agreement to pray together to an agreement to try and make a lasting peace (Blitzer 48).

The Korean War

Korea, recovering from the Korean war and getting rid of the Japanese colonization since the mid-20th, welcome its social upheaval. This tumultuous change not only is presented in social life but also related to the perspectives and values of the public. For instance, women have wakened up to seek their status in this society and rights to pursue their ideal lives; as the time goes by, the culture-encounter has become a normalcy. On top of that, nothing could better than the film industry to reflect the realistic Korean society in this era via an artistic method. The revolution of the filmmaking also brings an underlying information about the postwar Korea. † Madame Freedom† is a film which resonates with the majorities of women and brings a profound meaning ever since it was released. Besides, the novel arrangement of plots also broaden the eyes of the public and it is worthwhile to refer to. Madame Freedom was released in 1956, it fixated on the life of a woman who married to a university professor. Unlike the heroine in the previous Korean cinema, the main character —Son-Yong is a housewife who has a desire for pursuing her life. Not surprisingly, she has an affair with her boss and meets her neighbor secretly. Not to mention heroin, each female character in this film has their unusual lives. Such as office lady admires her teacher, up-middle class women pursue financial independence and modern girl dating with a foreigner to study English. These various female are epitomes of Korean in mid-20th. As we know, the surrender of Japan represents the ending of the Japanese colonization. However, Korea was controlled by the other power after coming of American one month later. From 1948 until 1992, Korea was in a political chaos and the first republic happened from 1948 to 1960. Under the power of the Lee Sung Man, civil war seems inevitable then. After the Korean War, South Korea kept accepting the financial support from the U.S while there was no conspicuous progress. However, with the contact with the Western world increasing, filmmaking got the underlying influence from the western half-formulated genre of movie and the contentious film â€Å"Madame Freedom† came out. According to the papers of several scholars, the reason why this movie could be one-of-kind is not only its innovational arrangement of plots but also the metaphor of each scenario. All in all, it is the historical background entrusting the elusive meaning to this movie.

Sociology: Marx, Weber & Feminist Theory

1. Classical Marxist theories have served as a springboard of inspiration for a variety of contemporary theorists challenging the existing state of society and seeking social justice and a fair society. Consequently, feminist standpoint theories, theories that represent a specific disposition, align with common themes found throughout Marxist interpretations of society, with an emphasis on the development of individual schemas dependent upon the relationship between the individual and their economic and material conditions.Although the foundation of the separation of and disparities between classes is applicable in feminist standpoint theory, feminist theories contribute an entirely unorthodox dimension to the Eurocentric, masculinist dominated sociological discourse about oppression: gender. Marx’s theories of society developed around what he considered an unfair and unjust society in which two classes existed, determined by the coincidence of birth, which Marx coined the bou rgeois, the owners of the means of production, and the proletariat, the wage earning laborers who become alienated from their work due to social constraints.Marx believed in historical materialism and class struggle, demonstrating that the private ownership of the means of production enabled the bourgeois to maintain power over the larger, powerless proletariats who provided the labor for the means of production. As a repercussion of this disparity of power Marx concluded social and moral problems were inherent to a capitalist system, which forced competition and created unnecessary antagonisms, essentially isolating the proletariat in their social position for generations.Feminist standpoint theories corroborate the essence of Marx’s disposition regarding the injustice found in society, as it is acknowledged that there is a clear disparity of power in society among stratified groups of people. Yet instead of focusing on the owner of the means of production versus the wage la borers or proletariats, feminist standpoint theories extend the argument to include the dimension of gender and emphasize the necessity of including feminist experiences.According to feminist standpoint theories, the concrete experience of females and males is historically different, as they are required by society to play very different roles. Feminist theories build on Marx’s standpoint of experience based on social class and include the systematic oppression in a society that devalues women’s knowledge and experiences. One feminist standpoint theorist in particular demonstrated the subtle differences between standpoint theories and Marx’s theories on society.Patricia Hill Collins’ matrix of domination theory agrees that there is a top-down power struggle in society that forces and controls unwilling victims, yet also notes that an individual has the ability to be the oppressor, a member of an oppressed group or both simultaneously, citing gender and cl ass as variables of oppression. Collins continues to purport that it is the oppressed or subordinate individuals and groups in society who possess the most comprehensive social knowledge of power structures and their affects on these individuals and groups due to their social positions.Marx sought change in society and attempted to inspire a revolution amongst the proletariat, with an overthrow of the capitalist system. Collins seeks to understand the struggle with a more complex perspective, contributing the observation that people simultaneously experience and resist oppression, implying that there is more control in the hands of the oppressed than what was previously thought. Just as Marx challenged the capitalist system, feminist standpoint theory further challenges the existing male-biased conventional knowledge.In both theories there exists the implication that the experiences of individuals is shaped by their social position, and a hierarchy of power relations exists among th ose who have and those who have not, or the oppressor and the oppressed. However, although Marx’s theories on society and feminist standpoint theories share the emphasis on individual experience being shaped by social position, Marx focused on class from an economic standpoint while feminist theory added to the discussion of social injustice by incorporating a new dimension, gender.While Marx was more interested in social justice for the proletariat, feminist standpoint theory extended this social justice to include the day to day concrete experiences of females with respect to their different knowledge of the world, as well as various other subordinate groups whose perspectives are often left out of the discourse on society. In conclusion, the comprehensive discussion of class relations that has been ongoing for centuries has continued to evolve over time and space, xtending the concepts of social justice and a fair society to various subordinate groups. I support Marxâ€⠄¢s theories of society serving as a significant platform for the descending schools of thought to build off of, with shared goals of social justice and a fair society. The differences can be attributed to the historical context of the development of these theories, with the discourse of sociology seen as an ongoing continuum.Sociological implications are inspirational, as it has been seen that within the discussion of social justice subordinate groups are gaining attention and credibility, and I believe it can be concluded that because of this criticism of the existent state of society, society has begun to improve. With the emersion of Marxist inspired feminist standpoint theory in the middle of the 20th century, women’s experiences have been acknowledged and improved because of their visibility in academic discourse.I support the Marxist call for an examination of subordination in the existent social structure, accompanied by feminist standpoint theories that extend to inc lude all subordinate groups that struggle with societal constraints. 2. The structure of the critiques of science and knowledge provided by Foucault parallel the central concepts and arguments found in the feminist critiques of science and positivism, yet the focus of topics are differentiated along gender lines and the quest for the origins of truth, or the acceptance that truth itself is subjective.Both Foucault and feminist critiques share a common theme of mistrust of authoritative power, and the social injustice stemming from this authoritative power. As a post-positivist philosopher with an interest in power relations and the ability of power to dominate western culture, Foucault offers criticisms of science and knowledge rooted in the distrust he maintained for the developments of science representing improved reference and authority.Foucault emphasized the quest to discover the roots of truth values in the social context of science but rejected an account of science as ideol ogical and argued that the discourse of scientific knowledge is constraining of what scientists themselves can see, but more significantly is productive and enabling for the production and solving of problems, the construction of data, and therefore the production of new knowledge to be interpreted widely s valid, or universal truth. For post-modernists, such as Foucault, science is nothing more than an allegation derived from subjective orientations, or a social construction. Feminist theorists corroborate this belief and interpret the power and injustice stemming from science with a different sociological perspective, a female standpoint.Feminist theorists believe mainstream science is a product of a patriarchy, and despite being portrayed as universal, value-free and neutral in its pursuit of truth or knowledge deemed valuable for all, it is actually organized in a way that systematically oppresses and harms women based on their gender. Feminists believe that the production of kn owledge is a social activity, embedded in a certain culture and worldview, echoing the social construction of knowledge purported by Foucault.Feminist critics of science have noted that Western science, as it has developed since the Enlightenment, is determined by political, economic and social conditions, which are based on a patriarchal order. Feminists go on to note that women themselves were left out of the development of science, and as a consequence of being perceived as closer to nature than men with respect to their capacity for feelings and emotions, were ruled out as unfit for reasoning abilities.Foucault’s main concern throughout his lifetime of publications revolved around the relationship between power and knowledge, and how one affected the other. Citing Nietzsche’s considerations of a will to power motivating human behavior with the declining of traditional values losing power over society is built upon by Foucault’s further analysis of knowledge ceasing to be liberating and instead becoming a mode of surveillance, regulation, and discipline. Foucault also argued that power itself creates new objects of knowledge and accumulates new bodies of information.The feminist critiques on positivism shares common characteristics with Foucault’s critical theories of science and knowledge, as feminists tend to adopt an anti-positivist, anti-science position due largely to the male dominated social science research. Despite positivist views put forth by such classical theorists as Emile Durkheim, supporting the necessity of objectivity in research, feminist critiques argue for subjectivity. According to feminist critique, male social science researchers likeDurkheim claimed objectivity by citing non-involvement in social problems, enabling them to distance themselves from their human subjects of research and omitting their research goals, as well as claimed scientific truth for their theories by imitating quantitative methods of the natural sciences. In an effort to parallel the natural sciences with sociology, furthering the notion that science is in fact objective, Durkheim conducted a study on suicide and measured it using the scientific method and quantifiable observations.The feminist criticism notes the results of paralleling the natural sciences with sociology were often blatantly untrue and biased against women, with science and social science being manipulated to harm women, for example by neglecting to appropriate equal value of their experiences with that of their male counterparts. Most significantly, feminist critique argues the pursuit of objectivity in science and the pursuit of truth are impossible, and by pretending that they are possible the scientific community is deceiving the public.In conclusion, feminist critiques of science and positivism are directly paralleled with the concepts found in Foucault’s critiques of science and knowledge. In both instances, I support the arguments that center on the need to understand the ambiguity and cultural context of the notion of universal truth and for scientific and social research to be sensitive to the dangers of objectivity regarding such truth. I believe the scientific approach is useful but misguided as subjectivity is inherent in the search for truth and knowledge.These critiques have significant sociological implications as the existing state of male-centered scientific research is being challenged in a way that will be productive for the various sub-groups within society, particularly along gender lines. 3. The concept of modernity generally refers to a post-feudal historical period that is characterized by the move away from feudalism and toward capitalism, accompanied by all of the ripple effects initiated by capitalism, such as the industrialization and secularization of society that is maintained and controlled through extensive surveillance. Modernity ocuses on the affects that the rise of capitalism has had on social relations, and notes Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber as influential theorists commenting on this phenomenon. For the purposes of this assignment, I will be focusing on the concepts and analyses of Marx and Weber. Karl Marx is perhaps the first in a series of late 19th and early 20th century theorists who initiated the call for an empirical approach to social science, theorizing about the rise of modernity accompanied by the simultaneous decline in traditional societies and advocating for a change in the means of production in order to enable social justice.Marx’s analysis of modernity reveals his conceptualization of modern society as being dictated by the rapid advancement of productive forces of modern industry, and the corresponding relationships of production between the capitalist and the wage laborers. In addition, Marx also examined the concept of class interest, which seeks to further the life of capitalism as those individuals or groups who hav e power work to retain this power at the despair of the subordinate, socially powerless individuals and groups.The rapid advancement of major innovations after the Enlightenment period known as modernity stood in stark contrast to the incremental development of even the most complex pre-modern societies, which saw productive forces developing at a much slower pace, over hundreds or thousands of years as compared to modern times, with swift growth and change. This alarming contrast fascinated Marx who traced the spawning of modern capitalism in the Communist Manifesto, citing this record speed as the heat which generated the creation of the global division of labor and a greater variety of productive forces than anytime before.Ultimately, Marx’s approach is best known as an effort to come to terms with the unprecedentedly rapid development of the new capitalist world and the consequential development and adaptation of social constraints. Marx concluded that modernity was a soc ial construction of mankind, and as a creation of mankind, mankind could reverse it and with the public class-consciousness acknowledging this rule, revolution, followed by utopia, was inevitable. In contrast, Max Weber found that social life did not evolve according to his rule, and, unlike Marx, Weber did not anticipate a definitive end of modernity but instead viewed modernity and the outlook of mankind as an open query, with an answer impossible to predict. Weber’s disposition on modernity transformed modern society into a metaphorical iron cage. The iron cage represents society’s entanglement with the modern, mechanized transformation of society initially thought to be controllable, with the ability to detangle itself from the machines at any time, like a cloak that can be removed.Throughout history, however, Marx notes that this entanglement has become permanent and the individual has been locked in a cage by a modern society, with the implementation of more soci al control manifest in excessive bureaucracy. Karl Marx and Max Weber have made significant contributions to the field of sociology, and I support both theorists in their arguments. I believe that Marx was correct in regards to his conceptualization of the social structure being of man’s creation and therefore within the realm of change under the direction of man. However I believe that limitations exist in the idealistic nature of his utopian dream.Maintaining a utopian objective as the goal of social change exposes the inherently distorted analysis of sociological phenomenon, as there is neglect of examining social issues from a micro, day-to-day orientation essentially proving the existence of a Eurocentric male bias historically found within the study of sociology. I also agree with Weber’s connection between the Protestant work ethic and the consequent rise of capitalism as is found in his work The Protestant Work Ethic, which implicates religion as the engine tha t enabled the rapid development of capitalism.However I find limitations with the primacy placed on the influence of religion as the sole engine for capitalism†¦. Marx and Weber lived and worked in a distinctive scholarly moment in time, after theological persuasive power had declined and while sociological analysis maintained a fresh outlook on classical theories. During this moment in time Marx and Weber also experienced the rapid transformation of society dictated by modern forces, which would influence their focus and work.Marx and Weber, who’s work has been critiqued and contributed to by future theorists as society continues to rapidly transform into a fully mechanized, technologically dependent society, holds sociological implications in the theorists whose work has been influenced by their analysis of modernity. 4. The Marxist perspective on work and capitalism is paralleled in many ways with Max Weber’s perspective on these issues, with subtle differences stemming from the causation of capitalism.For Marx, the theory of historical materialism held that all human institutions, including religion, were based on economic foundations, with the implication that the economic foundations came first. In contrast, Weber’s The Protestant Ethic challenges this assertion and instead implicates a religious movement as responsible for fostering capitalism, yet doesn’t fully discount the theories of Marx. According to Marx, it is historical materialism that fuels the engine of society.Historical materialism examines the causes of developments and changes in human society in regards to the collective production of life necessities, with non-economic characteristics of society, such as religious ideologies, seen as a repercussion of its economic activity. The emphasis on material objects, or commodities, during the newly mechanized time period influenced the construction of a labor class that performed activities that were detached fro m their personal identities.As private ownership over the means of production reduces the role of the worker to that of a cog in a machine, as Marx astutely determined, the worker becomes an expendable object that performs routinzed tasks. For Marx, working simply for money, in essence seen as a means to an end, and neglecting the creative potential for labor itself was analogous to selling one’s soul. Weber, on the other hand, did not fully discount Marx’s theories but added to them and incidentally sparked a conversation that has become a historically significant and enduring sociological debate.Weber proposed that ideology fostered capitalism, in part resulting from the absence of assurances from religious authorities. Weber argued that Protestants began to look for other signs that they were saved, and, spurred on by Calvinist ideas of predestination, in which individuals identified their central duty to prove their salvation accompanied by the rejection of having too much wealth, capitalism prospered. Essentially self-confidence replaced the priestly assurance of God’s kindness, and a way for this self-confidence to anifest itself and be measured was with worldly success, and profit became a visible blessing from God that enabled followers to feel confidence that they were going to heaven. This enthusiasm toward achieving self-confidence through the production of profits encapsulates the Spirit of Capitalism, and it was within this spirit that capitalism flourished. Weber described a paradox regarding this Protestant work ethic.On the one hand, Protestants desperately sought the accumulation of worldly wealth in an attempt to give them self-confidence that God has chosen them and they will be granted salvation. However, on the other hand, Protestants were also deeply passionate about frivolous purchasing of luxuries being perceived as a sin, accompanied by complex limitations for extricating the money. In order to resolve this paradox the money was invested, giving life to the class distinctions along the lines of those who possess, and those who do not.Adam Smith paved the way for this phenomenon of investment and class divergence, citing the existence of those who work hard and those who do not, and that over time those who work hard and can be motivated will accumulate wealth. I applaud Weber’s theoretical surfacing of the irony of the Protestant work ethic, which views ideology as being composed of the need to be posthumously saved through their religion, and yet this motivational work ethic would inspire the distribution of excessive earnings to maintain their religious ideals, spawning and encouraging capitalism.Marxist perspectives are limited by the need for further examination of the causes and continuations of capitalism throughout the current state of society, particularly with respect to the rapid transformation and globalization of the economy. If further analysis reveals the causation of cap italism and the structure that continues to keep it running, then it may reveal implications that mankind can control the economic and social conditions of humanity. With the appropriate critiques of capitalism in a contemporary society there may be a potential for social justice. . Social action and interaction can be explained in a number of ways, and in the field of sociology exists two major theoretical orientations that aim to discover whether the hierarchy of influence between individuals and society is macro, with society influencing the individual, or micro, with the individual influencing society. Herbert Blumer’s interpretation of symbolic interactionism demonstrates the process of interaction from a micro perspective, demonstrated in the formation of meanings for individuals.As John Dewey influenced Blumer, Blumer believed human beings are best understood in relation to their environment and used this concept as inspiration for the study of human group life and con duct. Blumer outlines his micro theory of symbolic interactionsim with three central principles. The first principle, meaning, states that humans act toward people and things, based upon the meanings they have given to those people or things, and meaning is a central influence on human behavior. The second principle regards language as a means by which to negotiate through symbols.According to Blumer, it is by engaging in acts of speech with other individuals that humans come to identify meaning, enabling the development of discourse. The third and final principle is thought, which is based on language, and is a mental representation of conversation or dialogue, requiring role taking and imagining different points of view. Essentially, Blumer supported the micro perspective of individuals influencing society because he believed the language and meaning of language explains social action. In contrast, Talcott Parsons’ macro approach to social action and interaction reveals a d ifferent conclusion.Parsons developed the theory of functionalism, which serves as a framework that views society as a complex system, whose parts work together in order to promote stability and solidarity. Parsons’ approach views society with a broad focus on the social structures that shape society as a whole, adopting a macro orientation to social action. Looking simultaneously at social structure and social functions, the theory of functionalism tackles society as a whole in terms of the functions that compose elements. These elements mostly include norms, traditions, customs and institutions.For example, it is like the human body; the individual parts work together for the functioning of the body as a whole. Functionalists such as Parsons support the notion that a social role is created due to the repetition of behaviors in interactions with the reinforcement of expectations. The role that is created is defined by Parsons as the regular, repetition of participation in co ncrete social interactions with specific role-partners. Eventually, Parsons’ concept of roles was formed into a collective definition that is functional as they assist society in servicing and satisfying its functional needs, enabling society to run smoothly.I support both Blumer’s micro level orientation as well as Parsons’ macro orientated theoretical arguments in that they acknowledge the capabilities of the individual and the adaptability of society, implicating a dialogue between the two entities. However I believe limitations exist in that both theorists place primacy of one orientation over the other, and as a result are neglecting a holistic approach. Research questions that have emerged from functionalist theories add new depth and dimension to the basic concept of functionalism.For instance, emergent theorists have inquired about functionalists’ tendency to see only the benefits of various institutional relationships brought to society, posing t he question of whether or not institutions can be oppressive and exploitative. Further emergent research questions address whether or not social institutions create social constraints, and controversially ponder why anything should change if it is already functional to society. Ultimately this discourse inspires sociological thought to continue developing and evolving over time. 6.Traditionally, theorists and theories that generally support one of two orientations have dominated the discipline of sociology. The first orientation is regarded as a macro-perspective, with an analysis of society focused on the larger overall structure of society, placing an emphasis on social systems and institutions, or structure, and the ensuing tendency for the structure to dominate the individual. The second orientation can be described as a zoomed in image of society, with a focus on the every day individual and group interactions, with the implication that the individual is being dominated by the structure of society.It is through these two distinct lenses that sociologists have contributed to the larger discourse regarding social justice and equality, yet the disconnect manifests in the perceptive cohesion of these two orientations. Contemporary sociologists, such as Anthony Giddens’ theory of structuration and the empowerment theory in feminist thought, have sparked a revolution in sociological thought with the unorthodox notion that the actor, or individual, and the agency, the structure, are in fact of equal primacy, and represent a duality rather than a hierarchy.In addition to bringing this connection to the surface of sociological discourse, many contemporary theorists’ theories are challenging the limitations of solely using one orientation in the effort to balance humanity’s understanding that individual’s posses the will to maintain social relations based on the comprehension of power, social reproduction, and institutional constraints. Giddens developed the theory of structuration, and, like many other contemporary theorists like Pierre Bourdieu, the theory supports the integration of macro and micro orientations.The structuration theory centers on the consensual duality of structure and agency, where the agent and the structure intersect, arguing that they are a dichotomy where one wouldn’t exist without the other. Giddens argues that the individual, or agency, is essentially responsible for their surroundings as they are reflexive and possess the ability to adapt to the ever-changing social structures and institutions, which also adapt to the individuals’ behavior, creating an ongoing dialogue between the two entities.The argument for a rejection of primacy between the agency and structure includes the objective of literal social change that can result from social scientific knowledge of society. Giddens continues to argue that it is the individuals’ motives that dictate the larger plan of a ction and the routinized practices determine what the action will manifest as. According to this logic Giddens proposes that individuals therefore have the ability to change their actions, which produce unintended and inevitable consequences, influencing future actions.Giddens critiques sociologists for placing too much emphasis on the constraints of social structure when he believes it is only through this activity of the individual agent that structure, or rules and resources, can exist at all. In fact, Giddens purports that a social structure or system is composed of a set of produced and reproduced relations between agents. It is this belief in the duality of agency and structure, as well as the desire to alter the discourse to ncorporate an integrated orientation rather than independent orientations, that Giddens has significantly contributed to the discussion and debate of macro and micro orientations, citing the inability for one to exist without the other. Despite criticism of structuration as inadequate, Giddens’ work continues to influence and inspire contemporary social thought.Feminist thought and the empowerment theory takes an additional step back from sociological discourse to evaluate the misconception of objectivity found in Eurocentric, male dominated standpoints and argue for the need to take a subjective perspective in order to achieve any social change. Additionally, feminist thought advocates for the integration of orientations to examine the individual’s experience as equivalent, or dualistic, with the social structure in which the individual plays an active role in shaping.It is also deemed necessary that the interrelationships between the individual, groups and society are examined from a subjective, integrated orientation in order to make the leap from social theory to social practice. According to feminist thought, by making the previously personal world of the individual political the barrier between the individual and society is broken down and lays the foundation for individuals to influence and experience social change.The empowerment theory suggests that production and maintenance of society is dependent upon the individuals who are socially considered undesirable, casting these occupations as invisible in society and, accompanied by a societal ideology that lacks public appreciation for these occupations, the undesirable individuals also believe their work is invisible, revealing the distortion of societal components. It is within feminist thought that the empowerment theory extends not only to women, but any subordinate, oppressed group or individual within the larger society.This emerging connection between the personal and political identity parallels Giddens’ support of integrating the macro and micro orientations in order to achieve any significant social change, and I support both approaches. I believe that with the integration of the orientations true social change can be achie ved, and that further examination of the intersection between agency and structure can enhance the limitations of past sociological thought. By creating and maintaining a boundary between these two worlds and rejecting the notion of a duality, a cognitive dissonance will continue to remain in the lives of oppressed and arginalized individuals without any hope for societal change. Contemporary sociologists must continue to transcend this boundary, accepting the inherent subjectivity found in any social science and focusing on fostering a productive sociological discourse with the goal of social justice. As Marx a stoutly stated in the mid-19th century, philosophers have only interpreted the world; the point, however, is to change it. 7. As the grand theory is considered the most abstract level of sociological theory, the initial intentions of such a theory are discussed in an abstract, idealistic way.Grand Theory, a term created by American sociologist C. Wright Mills, refers to the preference for formal organization and the arrangement of concepts over understanding the social world. The concept of an overarching, grand sociological theory can be applicable in an idealistic setting, where each diverse aspect of society is equitably dealt with and examined to formulate widely accepted conclusions about the world. However, the emphasis tends to focus on concepts that are generally disconnected from the concrete, every day realities of societal life.I believe that an adapted version of a grand theory in sociology is necessary to the extent that it has the ability to provide a structured framework in an otherwise incredibly complex social world. However, I also believe the grand theory should not be accepted as universal but instead should be considered a continuous work in progress that is added to over time as traditionally invisible issues continue to surface, creating multiple new dimensions of potential thought. Throughout sociological history the theoretical supporters and critics of a grand theory have been numerous.Karl Marx’s Historical Materialism, Anthony Giddens’ The Juggernaut of Modernity, and Talcott Parsons’ Actions Theory each offer various uses and perspectives of grand theory concepts. The evolution of the concept of a grand theory can be seen throughout these noteworthy theorists’ work. For example, Marx’s work with the grand theory of historical materialism put forth a streamlined argument that stated economic relations were the foundation of social structure, regardless of any other variable.Embedded in this theory is the idea of an overarching, universal definition of social structure contingent solely upon economic and material relations. This revolutionary idea may have been appropriate in the historical context of the theory, yet weaknesses in the universal concept of a grand theory appear in the absence of any other variable which undoubtedly impacted the social structure of Marxà ¢â‚¬â„¢s time.Anthony Giddens uses the concept of a grand theory to examine modernity, differentiating from the streamlined definition of society as purported by Marx by including a complex assortment of variables, which contribute to modernity. Giddens relates modernity to an overpowering force that transcends everything in its path with the implication that it is uncontrollable. Giddens also suggests that the overpowering force of modernity is dynamic, with the consequences of actions unforeseeable and uncontrollable, yet it manages to adjust based on reflexive actions, creating new societal problems in the process.Overall, Giddens’ interpretation of grand theory offers a more complex framework for analyzing society in modernity, yet it is left open ended as Giddens anticipates the creation of a new slew of issues that will plague society based on the adjustments made from previous issues. Talcott Parsons is credited with the continuing the quest toward the theoretical evol utionary development of structural functionalism and established what can be defined as a grand theory of action systems, despite the fact that Parsons himself declined to identify it as a grand theory.Parsons contributes to the discussion of grand theories in that he expanded the theory to consist of influence from various disciplines aside from sociology, including psychological, economical, political and religious components. Parsons also connected the concepts of motives as part of our actions, and determined that social science must take ends, purposes and ideals into consideration when creating a grand theory. Parsons attempted to integrate all of the social sciences within an overarching, grand theoretical framework that aimed to include aspects of both macro and micro orientations.Tracing the evolution of the concept of a grand theory reveals the irony rooted in the quest for such a grand theory, which is that despite attempts to create universal truths regarding society ind ependent of time and space, such independence is not possible. Marx, Giddens and Parsons each lived in their own, slightly different time periods and as a result one can observe the variations in their concepts of grand theories.I believe that the evolution of a grand theory is a continuous one with no particular end, because as Giddens suggested, the flexibility of society to adapt to societal issues in turn creates new societal issues, suggesting the permanence of such an analytical cycle. 8. Among Emile Durkheim’s plethora of contributions to sociological theory emerges an unorthodox, evolutionary approach, which considered society to be like an organism, distinguishing two central characteristics as structure and function. Durkheim’s contributions also include helping establish and define the field of sociology as an academic order.Durkheim expanded the limitations of the study of sociology when he argued that sociologists should study particular features of collec tive, or group, life. He suggested that society exists independently of the individuals in it, as societies influence individuals through established norms, sentiments, and social facts. Durkheim contributed the inquiry of study regarding modern society and its ability to remain cohesive despite the individualism and self-sufficiency of each person, as well as the study of social facts representing features of the group that cannot be examined independently of either the collective or the individual.Emile Durkheim’s writings are recognized for forming the foundation of functionalist thought, which remains among the oldest and most dominant theoretical perspectives in the study of sociology. The foundations of functionalism center on two categories: the individual organism and society being seen as analogous, and the examination of the objective social world with the application of the scientific method.Durkheim was one of the first sociologists to make use of scientific and s tatistical data to conduct sociological research, such as with his famous work Suicide, using real data to examine the phenomenon of suicide among religious groups. By incorporating the scientific method as a central method of research, Durkheim implicitly contributed the assertion that the social world can be studied in the same ways as the physical world. Regarding Durkheim’s relation to structuralism, he was concerned with the question of how particular societies are able to maintain stability internally and are capable of survival over time.Durkheim discussed structuralism in two variations, with the first referring to the pre-industrial societies that were structured on equivalent parts connected by shared values, and the second referring to more complex post-industrial societies that are connected through specialization and strong interdependence. The essence of Durkheim’s relation to structuralism and functionalism is the concept of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, with society being greater than the individuals.Talcott Parsons offers a contemporary perspective on the concepts of structuralism and builds on Durkheim’s interpretation by discussing structuralism as a framework to examine society as a complex system whose parts work together in order to promote solidarity and stability. The focus on Parsons’ work is on the social structures that shape society as a whole, determining that each individual has a set of expectations based on other’s actions and reactions to that individual’s own behavior.Parsons also contributes the idea of the role, established through the repetition of behaviors and interactions dictated by social structure and that become recognized as normal. This concept of roles evolved into the groups of roles that harmonize each other and ultimately fulfill functions for society, in the sense that they assist society in operating and running smoothly. In conclusion, the concep ts put forth by the theories of functionalism and structuralism has had a significant impact on the study of sociology.Durkheim utilized the scientific method, and for this leap to a parallel with the natural sciences and hence more validity I am in support. However, Durkheim’s scientific method was perceived from an inherently Eurocentric male standpoint, and consequently produced misleading results. Emile Durkheim is ascribed with forming the foundation of thought in the functionalist orientation, and continued to attempt revolutions in sociological thought throughout his life’s work. Talcott Parsons is one of many contemporary theorists who have built upon Durkheim’s original theory y contributing contemporary rationalizations and have enhanced the sociological discussion regarding the macro evaluation of a modern functioning society. I support Parsons’ concept of social roles that are dictated on social expectations and are controlled by social struct ure, yet I find limitations in the neglect of an analysis of the social roles for subordinate individuals and groups, and without this analysis social justice will remain an idealistic theory. 9. The theoretical contributions and approaches of sociological theorists such as W.E. B. Du Bois and Patricia Hill Collins are significant in the conversation of sociological history as they take the unorthodox approach of delving into the perception of historically invisible issues regarding race and gender. For instance, Du Bois approaches the subject of race that centers on describing and explaining the actual, instead of theoretical, daily life conditions of African Americans, such as the threat of racially motivated violence like lynching, and the psychological damage of being separate but equal under Jim Crow laws.This brought a clearness of vision of specific phenomenon to the sociological conversation, with a focus on race, and an extension to any colored group that has experienced Eu rocentric imperialism. In regards to racism, Du Bois granted the primary responsibility of the social construction of racism on capitalism, and Du Bois was sympathetic to socialist causes throughout his work. Du Bois utilized deductive analysis, accompanied by empirical observation, to examine the experience of African Americans throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.Du Bois was primarily focused on variables that had been ignored by his sociological predecessors with particular attention paid to the intersection of race and class. He was interested in how the intersection of these variables contributes to broader cultural patterns dictating the stratification of individuals along lines of race and class and the shaping of individuals’ perceptions and experiences. Du Bois offers his conceptualization of race in comparing the variety of races around the world, with the U. S. housing two of the most extreme examples of race on the planet.As a result, the concept of the double c onsciousness exists, as African Americans may ask themselves on daily occasions what identity is truly theirs. For instance, one might ask, am I American or am I black? Can I be both? Does being black give me more of an obligation to assert my nationality than European immigrants would? Further, the double consciousness is the sense of â€Å"otherness† that prevents this uniform sense of self in accordance with the American image and produces a sense of two-ness, both American and black.In addition, Du Bois’ concept of the veil represents the distance that is felt socially between people of separate races, most significantly keeping the less dominant group, blacks, out of the dominant group’s, white, world. Patricia Hill Collins continues to build on the concepts highlighted by Du Bois’ work, and instead of extending his conversation about race and class Collins adopts an unconventional method of examining the intersection of race and gender.Collins empha sizes the specific experiences of black women as intersecting categories of oppression, with the goal of extending the discourse into other oppressed individuals and social groups. Collins’ theorizes that black women stand at the focal point where two historically powerful systems of oppression meet: gender and race, focusing on black women as outsiders within the larger, white male dominated society. According to Collins, by acknowledging this intersection of oppression, the possibility to see into other social injustices.Collins identifies three aspects of every day life in which black women are affected by and manage their race and definitions of identity in the greater American culture. These three aspects are known as safe spaces where black women are able to articulate their thoughts and feelings without the social pressure of mainstream society, which creates the double consciousness experienced by racial divide. The creation of the safe space is essential for the surv ival of oppressed groups, as they provide a unique place away from the ruling ideologies.For instance, one safe space for black women is in their relationships with each other. By empowering themselves in their own relationships, black women are able to help each other learn the knowledge to survive. Other safe spaces include black women’s blues traditions, followed by black female literature and poetry. Through these art forms, black women are able to approach the concepts of social injustice in a non-threatening manner.Collins also adds that groups must identify themselves, instead of letting other identify them. In conclusion, W. E. B. Du Bois and Patricia Hill Collins have made significant contributions to the sociological discussion of social injustice by forcing the issues of racial, class, and gender inequalities to the surface of social discourse. I find the work of Collins to be an extension of what Du Bois began, and I support the shared goal for both theorists in t heir quest for social justice for all subordinate groups.In fact, I believe that the combination of work from Du Bois and Collins epitomizes the essence of micro sociology, as they are able to articulate the invisible yet powerful social constraints that subordinate individuals and groups experience, and represents a transcendence of sociological thought above Eurocentric male standpoints. Their work has left deep impressions on current and future sociological theorists and essentially opened the door for the study of other socially oppressed groups.

Carnige essays

Carnige essays Wealth can be measured in many instances; material values or moral and character ethics for example. In society today, the amounts of money, the quantity of property or the worth of possessions dictate the level of status or way of life. These resources acquired through personal success are controlled by the successor. In Carnegies time of 1889 wealth was measured to the equivalent of today but on a more superior scale. He argues that the unequal distribution of wealth needs to be resolved. The idea of distributing wealth evenly amongst the rich and the poor is inequitable to the wealthy. Tearing and destroying a prosperous persons wealth to justify the poor mans failure to succeed disproves the American dream of opportunity. Along with that disproportionate proposal rises a problem with the ethical standing of individualism, distinctiveness and uniqueness. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness has been an American phrase since the birth of the United States. The idea of dissembling the wealth acquired by the rich and distributing it to the less fortunate contradicts this phrase. The three natural rights are guaranteed to all citizens, rich or poor. Both classes were given the ability to succeed in the areas of wealth, and to strip the accomplished of their wealth only to distribute it to others is a lengthened process called robbery. Combining class structure through equal wealth distribution is a disaster for individualism. Turning back ones ability to distinguish him compared to his challenger or neighbor allows conformity to ascend. This is another ethical contradiction of the American way where individuality is a lead trait. If the wealth structure were evened out, both classes would be tossed into a melting pot where working laboring people would be pitted against the average loaf or lethargic man. All motivation to rise above the competitor would be destroyed through distribution. ...

The Controversy Over Columbus Day Celebrations

The Controversy Over Columbus Day Celebrations Only two federal holidays bear the names of specific men- Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Columbus Day. While the former passes each year with relatively little controversy, opposition to Columbus Day (observed on the second Monday of October)  has intensified in recent decades. Native American groups argue that the Italian explorer’s arrival in the New World ushered in genocide against indigenous peoples as well as the transatlantic slave trade. Thus Columbus Day, much like Thanksgiving, highlights Western imperialism and the conquest of people of color.   The circumstances surrounding Christopher Columbus’ foray into the Americas have led to an end to Columbus Day observances in some areas of the U.S. In such regions, the contributions Native Americans have made to the county are recognized instead. But these places are exceptions and not the rule. Columbus Day remains a mainstay in nearly all U.S. cities and states. To change this, activists opposed to these celebrations have launched a multi-pronged argument to demonstrate why Columbus Day should be eradicated. Origins of Columbus Day Christopher Columbus may have first left his mark on the Americas in the 15th century, but the United States didn’t establish a federal holiday in his honor until 1937. Commissioned by Spanish King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to explore Asia, Columbus instead sailed to the New World in 1492. He first disembarked in the Bahamas, later making his way to Cuba and the island of Hispanola, now the home of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Believing that he had located China and Japan, Columbus founded the first Spanish colony in the Americas with the help of nearly 40 crewmembers. The following spring, he traveled back to Spain where he presented Ferdinand and Isabella with spices, minerals and indigenous peoples he’d captured. It would take three trips back to the New World for Columbus to determine that he hadn’t located Asia but a continent altogether unfamiliar to the Spanish. By the time he died in 1506, Columbus had crisscrossed the Atlantic numerous times. Clearly, Columbus left his mark on the New World, but should he be given credit for discovering it? Columbus Didn’t Discover America Generations of Americans grew up learning that Christopher Columbus discovered the New World. But Columbus wasn’t the first European to land in the Americas. Back in the 10th century, the Vikings explored Newfoundland, Canada. DNA evidence has also found that Polynesians settled in South America before Columbus traveled to the New World. There’s also the fact that when Columbus arrived in the Americas in 1492, more than 100 million people inhabited the New World. G. Rebecca Dobbs wrote in her essay â€Å"Why We Should Abolish Columbus Day† that to suggest that Columbus discovered America is to suggest that those who inhabited the Americas are nonentities. Dobbs argues: â€Å"How can anyone discover a place which tens of millions already know about? To assert that this can be done is to say that those inhabitants are not human. And in fact, this is exactly the attitude many Europeans†¦displayed toward indigenous Americans. We know, of course, that this is not true, but to perpetuate the idea of a Columbian discovery is to continue to assign a non-human status to those 145 million people and their descendants.† Not only didn’t Columbus discover the Americas, but he also didn’t popularize the idea that the earth was round. The educated Europeans of Columbus’ day widely acknowledged that the earth was not flat, contrary to reports. Given that Columbus neither discovered the New World nor dispelled the flat earth myth, opponents to the Columbus observance question why the federal government has set aside a day in the explorer’s honor. Columbus’ Impact on Indigenous Peoples The main reason Columbus Day draws opposition is because of how the explorer’s arrival to the New World affected indigenous peoples. European settlers not only introduced new diseases to the Americas that wiped out scores of Native peoples but also warfare, colonization, slavery, and torture. In light of this, the American Indian Movement (AIM) has called on the federal government to stop observances of Columbus Day. AIM likened Columbus Day celebrations in the U.S. to the German people establishing a holiday to celebrate Adolf Hitler with parades and festivals in Jewish communities. According to AIM: â€Å"Columbus was the beginning of the American holocaust, ethnic cleansing characterized by murder, torture, raping, pillaging, robbery, slavery, kidnapping, and forced removals of Indian people from their homelands. †¦We say that to celebrate the legacy of this murderer is an affront to all Indian peoples, and others who truly understand this history.† Alternatives to Columbus Day Since 1990 the state of South Dakota has celebrated Native American Day in lieu of Columbus Day to honor its residents of indigenous heritage. South Dakota has a Native population of 8.8 percent, according to 2010 census figures. In Hawaii, Discoverers’ Day is celebrated rather than Columbus Day. Discoverers’ Day pays homage to the Polynesian explorers who sailed to the New World. The city of Berkeley, Calif, also doesn’t celebrate Columbus Day, instead recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day since 1992. More recently, cities such as Seattle, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, Santa Fe, N.M., Portland, Ore., and Olympia, Wash., have all established Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations in place of Columbus Day.

How to Get More Traffic From Every Post

How to Get More Traffic From Every Post by Noah Kagan, Chief Sumo at SumoMe.com (free tools to grow your website traffic) Traffic can feel a bit like catch-22. You need people to share your posts but if you have no traffic there’s no one to share At the start of 2014, I decided to prioritize my email list and grow my blog from a small side project to one of the top marketing blogs. In less than a year, traffic grew by more than 400%! Today, I want to show you 10 actionable strategies you can use to grow your own blog’s traffic each time you publish a new post.How to Get More Traffic From Every Post (Plus How OkDork Grew Traffic 400% In 8 Months)  @noahkagan1- Start Building And Prioritizing Your Email List Growing your email list is an amazingly vicious cycle. You get subscribers, email them when an article goes live, they go read it and then share it with people. Then those people subscribe and the cycle delightfully continues. But, to build an email list you have to ask for visitors email addresses. The easiest way to do that is to use plugins for your blog. I use the SumoMe plugin (built by AppSumo) and the apps List Builder and Scroll Box. The tools will help you start building an email list without any technical knowledge. (Scroll Box is a great way to ask engaged readers to sign up towards the end of a postyou can set it to appear only after someone has read 50% or 75% of your post.) The blog is a great example of what you should be doing if you want to build an email list. Each blog post there is a chance to sign up at the top and in the middle of the post. They also have a pop-up that has a persuasive offer to first time or one-off visitors Now, if you had to pick only one place to ask for emails, where would you ask? It’s not in a pop-up or a scroll box: it’s your homepage. Before 2014, my homepage included links to recent blog posts, archives, and the menu bar. After using heatmaps, I removed all of the distractions and left visitors with only 1 option: Now my most trafficked page is also my #1 email address generator. If you’re serious about growing your email list, make it extremely simple for each visitor to give you their email address. Pro tip: How To Turn Your Blog Readers Into Paying Customers 2- Be Part Of A Community I got involved in two key communities for marketers: GrowthHackers and Inbound.org. Before asking for anything from these communities, I did my best to spend time where my readers are, add value, comment in the forums, share articles and upvote other posts (not just OkDork posts). Being part of these communities helped pinpoint what posts our target audience (other marketers) wanted to read, the common elements of the most liked/upvoted posts, and made it more natural to ask for help promoting OkDork content. As a result, by mid-2014 GrowthHackers and Inbound.org were the two largest referring sites to OkDork. Engage your readers (or customers) where they are already spending time. Respond to their questions, suggest resources, add value every time you login or visit the site. Find a forum, sub-reddit, or a similar site that carries your target audience, become part of the community, add value back, and then begin to submit your own high-quality content. Pro Tip: 50% Places To Repurpose Your Content 3- Publish Long Content Arguably the biggest change that brought traffic to OkDork was reaching out to writers who had lots of marketing data that could be put into long form content. Why? Because the content was outrageously good and exactly what our target audience/community wanted. In fact, the majority of viral articles are over 3,000+ words and explore a single topic in depth. The longer the post the most shares it got. (Plus each guest writer notified their own email list and shared the post on Twitter which brought additional targeted traffic to OkDork.) Although it may be tempting to write lots of short content or to ask guest writers to write short posts, set your standards high and publish long content that contains more of what your audience wants. Take note of the posts that get lots of share within your community and make sure you do the same with each post. If your community is data driven include 10x as many statistics or if they are image driven add 10x more images than usual. Pro Tip: 5 Things That Will Change Your Mind About Long Form Content Marketing 4- Build An Inner Circle In May 2014, I put together a list of 15 to 20 friends, colleagues, fans that a) wanted to help me and b) were already enjoying the content on the blog. This â€Å"Inner Circle† or â€Å"Insiders List† reviewed upcoming posts and provided an early traffic boost to new posts - often by sharing it 24 to 48 hours before the post was sent out by email to my main list. Here’s the first email I sent to the Inner Circle: To build your own â€Å"Inner Circle† first list out: Interesting people within the community you are a part of; Customers/readers who provide constructive feedback; People who regularly send you the best articles or resources; Any people connected to special sites or channels you want to be on; And a few influencers who seem too good to be true. After you have the list, send an email like the one above that explains why they were selected, what the list is, and what they’ll get. Offer them a way out so that you’re not spamming people each week. Once you have their permission send an email from your personal account once a week or once every two weeks with a link to the latest blog post. It’s also important to occasionally help your Inner Circle with whatever they are working on. 5- Post On Popular Aggregate Sites In the past, when a new post was live on OkDork I occasionally shared it on a few sub-reddits or a community site like GrowthHackers. There was no system and in the busyness of running a blog, there were times when it wasn’t shared at all. To solve this two things happened: I developed an â€Å"Inner Circle† (above) Created a checklist of the top aggregate sites that referred traffic in the past. The checklist helped me see which aggregate sites and sub-reddits had not yet posted the article. Most of the time the Inner Circle took care of sharing it on their favorite sites, but if a site was missing it was easy to remember to add it or reach out to someone I knew was active in that particular community or site. To create your own checklist list out the top sites/groups/sub-reddits where your customers/visitors spend time. 6-   Make Images and Posts Easy to Share As traffic grows on your site, one of the most obvious ways to help it along is to make it easy to share the content on multiple channels. If a visitor has to copy the link, create a new email, and then share it you’ll only have a few people sharing the article. Again does an awesome job at this with its floating social icons on the left of each post and with an image sharing plugin to make sharing images easier. On OkDork I added the Share plugin to so that on each post people can easily share it on the usual channels Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn. The plugin also offers a bunch of other services like Evernote, Amazon Wishlist, Digg, and plain ol’ email. I’m convinced that great long form content gets shares 1) because great content and 2) everyone wants their friends to think they read an indepth article whether they actually read it or not so make sure it’s as easy as possible to share! Pro Tip: Where Is The Best Place To Put Social Media Buttons On Your Blog 7- Repromote Your Old Content Repromoting old content was one of the easiest ways to grow traffic on OkDork. Every two months, we used Google Analytics to find content that hadn’t been visited over a certain threshold in the previous three months. (That threshold should vary depending on your own site.) Then we scheduled each post to reshare it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, etc. over the next three months. The advantage of this is you don’t have to do much work (no creativity required). You can also repromote and schedule content you just posted as well. Here’s a simple graphic from to show you how: Pro Tip: How Promote Your Blog With Social Media (And Double Your Traffic) 8- Quotes In my most popular posts (most shared and organic search), I added quotes throughout. While this had a smaller impact on overall traffic than some of the other methods, it is a more organic way to ask someone to share the post. When you select the best quotes from an article you make it easier to read, share, and re-share. As you repromote old content, you’ll also see an uptick in the number of shares. If you’re not already, you should be using the Plugin to make tweeting selections of your blog post a breeze. SumoMe also offers a highlighter that allows a user to â€Å"† their own selections. It’s a nice complement to the plugin. 9- Send The Highlights Of Each Post In An Email By now the tactics are getting really easy†¦but this is an important one. One of the biggest contributors to traffic came through the email list, but we found a simple way to drive traffic and get a boost in click through rates: making it easier and sexier to click through. Emails announcing a new blog post tend to do one of three things: Mention 1 new post and include a lead paragraph Link out to multiple new posts each with a lead paragraph Include an entire post in the email The first two aren’t terribly convincing- the meat of an article is almost never in the first paragraph! And the third option provides 0 reasons to actually click through and visit the site (meaning no additional traffic). Beginning this past summer, when an OkDork goes out it mentions only 1 new post and breaks out the 3 of the most valuable insights. It’s extremely simple (example below) and doubled click through rate from an average of ~5-6% to ~12-15%. Spend time figuring out what is most valuable to your audience and include those highlights in the email. Pro Tip: 5 Easy Lead Conversion Tips For Your Email Marketing Program 10- Publish on a Regular Schedule The other thing I did was create a calendar that we followed closely to make sure that new posts were going out every week and we didn’t fall behind. If you’re reading this on you already know that publishing regularly is critical to traffic. Not only does it help you be consistent, it creates a healthy expectation within your community and for your readers. A regular schedule made all of the other 9 strategies above doubly effective. In fact, if you’re not publishing regularly or at least with a consistent rhythm many of the tactics above will fall flat or produce few results. Pro Tip: Start A Free Trial Of Now

Chemical Process Industries Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chemical Process Industries - Research Paper Example DDT short for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane is a pesticide categorized as an organochlorine insecticide. It is white in color, crystalline in form, tasteless and has no identifiable smell. It has a melting point between 108.5–109  °C, vapor pressure of 2.53 Ãâ€" 10-5 Pa at 20  °C. It is highly insoluble in water (about 1  µg/liter) and has Log octanol–water partition coefficient of 7.48 (IPCS, 1989). Figure 1 shows the structure of DDT compound. b. A brief description of the uses to which the product is put. If your product is not itself a product that consumers purchase directly, describe how your product is used to produce something that is directly purchased or used by consumers.   Technical DDT has so far been prepared in every conceivable form. These forms include xylene and petroleum distillate solutions, water-wettable powders, granules, smoke candles, aerosols, charges for vaporizers and lotions. c. A brief description of the usual raw materials used to produce the product, and where THEY are obtained from. Ideally, you will be able to trace the raw materials back to the biosphere: the earth, oceans, rivers and lakes, and the atmosphere.   Technical DDT is prepared by condensing chloral hydrate with chlorobenzene in concentrated sulfuric acid. In the year 1874, it was first synthesized, but its insecticidal properties were unknown till 1939 when Mà ¼ller and his coworkers found out about it (Metcalf, Kapoor and Hirwe, 1971). Chloral hydrate is a hallucinatory drug and a sedative; it is also used as a chemical reagent such as in the preparation of DDT. It is a compound of one molecule of water added to trichloroacetaldehyde and the chemical formula of C2H3Cl3O ­2. Trichloroacetaldehyde is also known as chloral and is formed by chlorination of ethanol. The key reaction is; The second ingredient in producing DDT is

Volunteer activity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Volunteer activity - Essay Example For this reason, continued pollution of an environment aims at altering environment that in turn expose them hazardous conditions. The idea of offering a service to the fewer fortunes struck my mind when I attended the mosque for the prayer service. It was their idea and I thought it could be of extreme importance to the fewer fortunes when implemented. The job was door to door walk with the aim of collecting clothing’s and bedding from the neighbourhood. I was unable to meet the deadline during my first attempt just because I felt ill. Later, I did my inquiry about the location and the name of the local shelter where I could deliver my collections. Fortunately, my inquiry was fruitful. Thereafter, I walked out for the collection from friends and neighbours. I managed to collect several bags of blankets and sleeping bags and approximately three large bags of coats and clothing which I delivered the local shelter. I felt comfortable doing the job and I will not hesitate to do it or activity of a similar kind once

Imagine you are writing a textbook chapter for criminology students, Essay

Imagine you are writing a textbook chapter for criminology students, where you are explaining one specific crime( choose between drink driving, mobile theft or - Essay Example However, as Siegel (2005) argues that there maybe concern regarding potential costs, insularity being one of them. A potential kind of insularity that specialised criminology studies can face is isolation from other areas of study from which it originated. Twenty years ago almost every criminologist had a Ph.D. level education in traditional areas such as sociology, psychology, political science or economics. Current breed of crime experts however, have doctorates in departments that are solely dedicated to crime and justice. Although this provides good grounds for specialised training in criminology yet it may not be a place to learn about anything besides it. In order to avoid this potential isolation, we need to maintain a steady flow of ideas to and from other disciplines. One way of doing that is through involvement of criminologists in those disciplines (Siegel, 2005). In order to understand perspectives of different disciplines, various aspects of criminal theories are evaluated against an example of some prevalent crime. These theories were developed on the basis of human nature consisting of classical and positive school. Moreover, increased maturity in criminology has sprung on sociological theories on formative and social development platforms. Bierne & Messerschmidt (1994) argue that examining a specific crime can help us understand the theories and adapt them in a way to help us recognize the nature of crimes. Hence, we can analyse a common crime of cell phone theft in our society to help us combine these theories. Experts present many causes as reasons for people to show criminal behaviour. Misguided arguments like criminal behaviour is a matter of choices and that people commit crimes because that is what the want to do has serious impact upon crime control measures. Direct intrusion techniques have been the classical approach towards crime control strategies. Since Bierne & Messerschmidt (1994) suggest

KapYong Battle April 1951 The Korean War Term Paper

KapYong Battle April 1951 The Korean War - Term Paper Example The battalion was not the regular army of Canada but it was sent by the Canada at relatively time of peace and its main intention was to perform the garrison duty. However, the Stone used his wartime expertise and provided training to his men and enabled them to contribute against the renewed Chinese offensive force. The Canadian battalion was then attached to the 27th British Commonwealth Infantry Brigade during which it remained engaged in different battles and skirmishes. These fights added to their confidence and they learnt to fight on the harsh and hilly terrain of Korea. They became part of the UN force and marched north in order to fight the Chinese force and North Koreans in order to remove from the South Korea. Though the Chinese were considerably greater in number as compared with the battalion but the Canadian battalion consisted of volunteers resisted and fought with them will their full potential and didn’t allowed the Chinese force to attain their war objective by overcoming the Canadian battalion. The training provided by Jim Stone and effective communication and coordination between the members of the battalion and their leaders resulted in their success in the battle. The following essay aims to examine the contribution of battalion in the war that did not had proper training and war equipment to fight against the Chinese force in the Kap’Yong battle but they succeeded to defeat the huge Chinese army. The basic objective of the essay is to examine the effectiveness of the decision of Canada not to use its regular army but to deploy the volunteers that proved to be the most effective and efficient war force sent by Canada throughout the Korean War. The battalion was equipped with some excellent attributes that allowed them to succeed against Canada. They overcame and adopted the circumstance of war and show dedicated commitment to their leader. The essay describes the initial strategies and war tactic employed by the Lieutenant Co lonel Jim Stone who struggled very hard and efficiently to accomplish his mission of defeating China and not to let it invade the city of Seoul. The decision of Canada to create special battalion for the war was a different but successful step. The battalion comprised of two third volunteers that take some unconventional moves in the war and bravely fights against the Chinese force. It has been unveiled that Canada decision of using volunteer force in the Kap’Yong battle was an important and successful war strategy that allowed the army to hold their position. Kap’Yong Battle – Historical Background The battle of Kap’Yong began on the 22nd of April and lasted till the 25th of April 1951. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army was fighting with the UN forces comprising of the forces sent by Australia, Canada and Britain. The Chinese soldiers were almost five to one UN force but the outnumbered UN force prevailed and Chinese forced had to take backward steps after the Kap’Yong battle. The Chinese were better than the UN force in many ways because they were well equipped with the war weapons and war training. They were also huge in numbers due to which it was expected that the Chinese would be able to successfully overcome the UN force at Kap’Yong but it was due to supportive contribution of the Canadian battalion that these Chinese were failed at this spot and Seoul was protected by the UN forces. The ground for the

Reflections on The Biblical Model for Discipleship Research Paper

Reflections on The Biblical Model for Discipleship - Research Paper Example For people to grasp and stay in the word of God, all three aspects related with gospel spreading have to be employed. These three humanity aspects include full involvement in God’s work using the soul, heart and mind. According to Paul, there is an importance in developing education in relation to Christianity as it is founded in the bible teachings. However, it is important to have the Christian teachers develop and find their strength and power from the Lord. According to Malphurs, leaders driven by value have the impression that they are not in errand of being followed, but all their actions can be used and aid the congregation with the hope that they get pleased. In his argument, he provides examples stating that having leadership in the church does not assurance one to happen to a excellent leader. This is because, a good leader is that one who has the best will and tirelessly works towards realizing the best of his leadership abilities. He emphasizes on the need to have humility, which results to respect and coordination. Christian Leader With reference to Malphurs writing on Christian leaders, serving and pleasing God is the main emphasis. He used recent research and scriptures to define biblical leadership while explaining different aspects related to Christian leaders1. Christian leaders are recognized as servants the capabilities and abilities of influencing people in contexts that can direct them into God’s ways. For this reason, Christian leadership entails a process that has servants using their abilities to woo people into the word of God. Marphurs in his argument uses Paul to show and teach about Christian leaders. Paul begins by greeting all Christian saints in Philippi who comprise of deacons and overseers. This takes us to some two popular Greek word in the New Testament; episkopos and presbuterous, which mean ‘bishop’ and ‘elder’ respectively. This renders the universal role in practice in the early chu rch as one that was centered at developing a large number of church leaders. This is in the perspective that leadership should only have exaltation directed at Jesus Christ. This is because leadership by one man would result into the exaltation of that particular icon, of which the latter should be accorded to Jesus according to the bible. Since Jesus is the sole head of the church, Paul gives a leadership example in Christianity that fosters on accrediting only Jesus. Therefore Paul never settles on greeting either the overseer or the pastor but addresses the overseers in plural. This was a sign of discouragements on one-man exaltations which contradict with the one pastor phenomena in most churches today. Paul gives another notion by clearly referring to the Philippi faithful as a people ‘along with’ their leaders rather than, a people under their consequent bishops and deacons. This gives the impression of ever Christian as a minister; every Christian has a role in t he ministry. This calls for the eradication of the general perception that there exists a unique minister responsible for overlooking on others. Some ministers may dedicate more time and energy when compared to others but the basement line calls harmonious degrees in all Christians in a ministry. Every Christian is a leader to them with only Jesus as the sole icon that deserves exaltation regardless of the roles played in the entire ministry. There exists no intermediary between the church and God in the perspective

KapYong Battle April 1951 The Korean War Term Paper

KapYong Battle April 1951 The Korean War - Term Paper Example The battalion was not the regular army of Canada but it was sent by the Canada at relatively time of peace and its main intention was to perform the garrison duty. However, the Stone used his wartime expertise and provided training to his men and enabled them to contribute against the renewed Chinese offensive force. The Canadian battalion was then attached to the 27th British Commonwealth Infantry Brigade during which it remained engaged in different battles and skirmishes. These fights added to their confidence and they learnt to fight on the harsh and hilly terrain of Korea. They became part of the UN force and marched north in order to fight the Chinese force and North Koreans in order to remove from the South Korea. Though the Chinese were considerably greater in number as compared with the battalion but the Canadian battalion consisted of volunteers resisted and fought with them will their full potential and didn’t allowed the Chinese force to attain their war objective by overcoming the Canadian battalion. The training provided by Jim Stone and effective communication and coordination between the members of the battalion and their leaders resulted in their success in the battle. The following essay aims to examine the contribution of battalion in the war that did not had proper training and war equipment to fight against the Chinese force in the Kap’Yong battle but they succeeded to defeat the huge Chinese army. The basic objective of the essay is to examine the effectiveness of the decision of Canada not to use its regular army but to deploy the volunteers that proved to be the most effective and efficient war force sent by Canada throughout the Korean War. The battalion was equipped with some excellent attributes that allowed them to succeed against Canada. They overcame and adopted the circumstance of war and show dedicated commitment to their leader. The essay describes the initial strategies and war tactic employed by the Lieutenant Co lonel Jim Stone who struggled very hard and efficiently to accomplish his mission of defeating China and not to let it invade the city of Seoul. The decision of Canada to create special battalion for the war was a different but successful step. The battalion comprised of two third volunteers that take some unconventional moves in the war and bravely fights against the Chinese force. It has been unveiled that Canada decision of using volunteer force in the Kap’Yong battle was an important and successful war strategy that allowed the army to hold their position. Kap’Yong Battle – Historical Background The battle of Kap’Yong began on the 22nd of April and lasted till the 25th of April 1951. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army was fighting with the UN forces comprising of the forces sent by Australia, Canada and Britain. The Chinese soldiers were almost five to one UN force but the outnumbered UN force prevailed and Chinese forced had to take backward steps after the Kap’Yong battle. The Chinese were better than the UN force in many ways because they were well equipped with the war weapons and war training. They were also huge in numbers due to which it was expected that the Chinese would be able to successfully overcome the UN force at Kap’Yong but it was due to supportive contribution of the Canadian battalion that these Chinese were failed at this spot and Seoul was protected by the UN forces. The ground for the

Mission, Vision and Stakeholders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mission, Vision and Stakeholders - Essay Example 6). In order to assess the operations of Better Place from the perspective of its stakeholders, it is important to assess the foundation on which the organization has been established. Being a part of the automobile industry, the business plan of Better Place is based on a revolutionary and visionary ideology which aims to challenge the conventional dynamics of automobile development by intending to establish a countrywide network of electric cars. The company’s program rests on the teachings of social entrepreneurship, which in this particular case aspires to lessen and gradually eliminate the automotive industry’s reliance on oil through the incorporation of research and development efforts (Etzion and Struben 2011, p. 2). Stakeholders Indeed, Better Place exists in the business because it believes that change is the most fundamental need of the automotive industry and it is possible to inspire this change by cooperating with the stakeholders of the organization. By a ssessing the environment in which the company operates, its stakeholders can be identified as follows: 1) Israeli government 2) National electric utility 3) Car manufacturers 4) Battery companies 5) Venture capitalists and Investors 6) Potential customers of electric cars 7) Local authorities 8) International firms 9) International Governments – United States, Japan, Canada, Denmark and Australia Stakeholder Mapping In order to conduct an effective analysis of Better Place’s stakeholders, the tool of stakeholder mapping can be implemented to 1) highlight the level of stakeholders’ interest in favoring or contesting a strategy that is forwarded by the firm and 2) identify the extent to which the organizations stakeholders have the power to do so (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington 2008, p. 156). The key benefit of categorizing the firm’s stakeholders on the basis of the variables of power and interest is that such knowledge is critical to the formulation of strategy as it reveals the firm’s true dependency on its stakeholders. The diagram presented below demonstrates the stakeholder mapping for Better Place. A: Minimal Effort B: Keep Informed Local authorities C: Keep Satisfied Venture capital firms Potential customers of electric cars D: Key Players Israeli government National electric utility International governments and firms Car manufacturers Battery companies Referring to the diagram, venture capitalists firms and potential investors must be kept satisfied with the progress of the project in order to ensure that continued funding is provided by the firms in the third and subsequent rounds of funding. The key players in the venture are external actors namely the Israeli government, international governments and firms. The feasibility and viability of the project is greatly dependent upon the establishment of partnerships with organizations such as the Big Three auto manufacturers in Detroit as well as Toyota which have acce ss to a customer base that would be otherwise inaccessible to Better Place. A concluding assessment of the diagram demonstrates that Better Place exhibits dependency upon external partners who must be convinced regarding the viability of the venture to sustain long-term associations. Topic 2 – Industry and Scenario Analyses Porter Five Forces The assessment of the in which Better Place operates draws from the forces which exist in the automobile industry, the personal transportation industry and the EV market in specific. Discussing the current scenario with regards to the development of electric and fuel-efficient vehicles, Etzion and Struben