Saturday, August 31, 2019

Globalization & new trend Essay

Globalization is the hip and new trend when the discussion focuses on certain social aspects like technology, economy, business, commerce, media, entertainment, sports and communication. This is owed generally to the impact of globalization to the way individuals live in the modern day, 21st century world. Globalization is the idea that individuals can reach each other despite geographical and other boundaries that made globalization impossible before and kept life strictly local or regionalized. With the entry of the trend of globalization, the world has embraced a new concept of the world which is now closely interlinked, countries acting like small communities that houses citizens that can freely interact with citizens of another countries in real time despite the thousand miles of separation and the difference in time zones. Many believed that globalization is generally a good idea – viewers in China can watch the National Basketball Association Finals game real time, while students in Pakistan, Australia and Greenland can talk with each other simultaneously via the use of the Internet. Banking became flexible and ceased to be country-centric, and trade and commerce saw a bigger opened door that pitted international and local businessmen in a toe-to-toe battle since globalization in trade and commerce commenced. But not all of the effects of the globalization is viewed as a very positive spin on things. Everyone has caught the globalization bug, and to make sure that they do not get left behind, the street gangs of the United States of America has also stepped up and made important restructuring steps to ensure that the operation of their specific gangs transcends localized action. The street gangs of the US has gone global, and why not? As much as it is a peer group that grows because of the fulfilment of what street gangs promises to provide its members, affiliates and partners in a personal level (affinity, protection, a sense of belonging and brotherhood, etc), these same street gangs of US are also thriving because of their role in local (and now, global) albeit sometimes illegal economy. What does it mean to have a US street gang globalized? It does not directly mean that these gangs establish branches outside of US territory, say for example, Crips-China or Bloods-South Korea: this idea is at worst preposterous since the very core idea of the formation of street gangs is the creation of a self imposed fiefdom over a particular neighbourhood which they consider as their turf, the seat of their power. The creation of branches or extensions in other places or other countries will make these loosely structured gangs akin to the rigid structuring of legitimate fraternities, which they are from. While it is not far fetched that the idea of branching out happened to any of the street gangs in the US sooner or later, the globalization of these gangs is not merely defined or limited using this particular precept: they become globalized once their ‘operation’ ceases to be limited to localized action, distribution and supply pipeline construction; they become globalized when they maximize and utilize any and all available technology so that they connect with other gangs and similar entities across the globe; they become globalized when their existence becomes a part of pop culture or socially shared common knowledge even in places they haven’t even been before, due mainly to the role of mass media and how gangs are always included in entertainment materials beamed and telecast in different parts of the world, introducing them to this kind of social strata; they become globalized when their status improves to that of global prestige and renown. Klein (2001) supports the thinking of the natural course of pattern of growth of local US street gangs going outward, saying that â€Å"we have exported our American street gang culture abroad† and adding that â€Å"there are Crips in the Netherlands† and that â€Å"the particular forms of European gangs seem similar to those to be found in the United States† (pg 237). These copycat street gangs followed the same US street gang roles in their own countries, doing their part in their part of the world while US street gangs did theirs in America. Schaeffer (2002) said that â€Å"foreign mafias were based close to drug supplies but far from US government prosecutors. This meant they were better placed to obtain drugs and evade the law, particularly since government authority was weak in their host countries. There were also able to establish connections with young, aggressive street gangs based in US immigrant communities† (pg 356). The Triggers of Globalization – Like all of the other aspects of life affected by the entry of globalization, these street gangs did not just go global by itself; instead there were external triggers that acted as catalyst towards the change that these gangs experienced from being local entities to global participants. The triggers prompted the change; they allowed the gang members to see the potential and possibility of going global, in effect selling the idea of globalisation to these groups and enforcing the compulsory change at the same time. Some of these triggers include internet, telecommunications infrastructure, music, written media and movies. More and more people are becoming more cognizant of these gangs and how they work, and many impressionable kids who want to emulate the characteristics of the gang members utilize the internet for information. Even the amount of related literature available about US street gangs is voluminous, owing to the fact that street gangs and their lives and actions has been intensively chronicled by news as well as academic studies resulting to written works published both via the Internet and traditionally. Even in popular movies, music videos and television shows, US street gangs have already earned a niche as a particular group present in the modern day setting. These allowed the US street gangs to earn international notoriety and fame, and at the same time advertise themselves to the worldwide audience. At some point, these tools blew the US street gangs out of the proportion – they were overrated but criminal organizations put them inside their operations, and the resulting globalized popularity made law enforcement efforts versus street gangs in the country more stringent and strict. Conclusion – Globalization is a freight train that bumps off anyone that stands in the way, and street gangs in the US will not be exempted from the impact of globalization. Not that these gangs considers this as a bad thing to happen to them; its just that globalization imposed itself upon these gangs and not the other way around, globalization dictating the terms to which street gangs made itself amenable too, in exchange for effects that made US street gangs see more than one reason to thank globalization. Something happened to US street gangs, and that is globalization, and like any other social aspect affected by globalization, the US street gangs are changing and metamorphosing – for one, they are far from the ethos of old-school street gangs which exist solely to establish and maintain their fiefdom and establish a social status quo to their liking, particularly those under the blanket of underground and subculture worlds where sin and city merges. Now, street gangs are more business minded; they make themselves effective business entities not by power dressing nor by publicity campaign, but by the use of the only remnant of the old street gang type, a feature still found in the new and globalized street gang – violence, raw power and intimidation. The neighbourhood is now not merely a place they fight for group pride and bragging rights; it has become more important to them because it is an important section of the global pipeline to which their operation and existence depend, may it be drugs, counterfeit money, small arms, black market technology, intelligence, prostitutes, automobiles, gambling etc. Looking at the history of street gangs, it is quite predictable that such international networks would be developed sooner or later, and it is found in the very nature of the creation of street gangs. Going back to the time when the US is still starting to become a new place in the world where people can live, many different individuals with varying ethnicities and cultural background flocked the country. Naturally, there will be groups that will be dominant over the other, and there will be minority groups whose members will soon try to assimilate with those of their own ‘kind’. These are a fairly tribal instinct. Soon, the disharmony that exists between the ruling majority and the minority will become intolerable that a new group will try (and will either succeed or fail) in usurping the former majority group. This will be the cycle inside the society, and those who will grow up will find these affiliations necessary for self preservation. This is the formula that created all African-American street gangs, all Latino street gangs, all Chinese-American street gangs, all Japanese-American street gangs, etc. Soon, these groups with lineage in other countries beside America will be reconnected with their home country, and being American-Japanese, American-Chinese, and American-Mexican allows for the creation of a connection between these two countries. What the street gangs do in the US will be offered in the country where they have an affiliation to (i. e. the Latin Kings participating in drugs, guns and prostitution operations undertaken by Mexican or even Colombian crime lords, the street gangs acting as pawns and small, localized lords representing big, transnational criminal organizations). Even the transformation is natural; street gangs is as much a separate and independent type of social group as it is an integral part in the growth and regression phases of criminal groups that were once street gangs that become powerful criminal organizations and regressed back to becoming small, street gangs. Huff (1996) comments, â€Å"For decades, very few gangs have evolved from adolescent street gangs into adult criminal organizations† (pg 74), while for Repetto (2006), these groups have the tendency sooner or later to experience â€Å"regressing from sophisticated criminal cartels back to street gangs† (pg 9). References: Reppetto, Thomas. (2006). Bringing Down the Mob: The War Against the American Mafia. Henry Holt & Company, Incorporated. Ronald, Huff C. (1996). Gangs in America. University of Michigan. Sage Publications. Ronald , Huff C. (November 2001). Gangs in America III. SAGE Publications. Schaeffer, Robert K. (January 2002). Understanding Globalization: The Social Consequences of Political, Economic, and Environmental Change. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

Analysis Of The Fall Of Ferdinand Marcos Essay

October 10, 2001 Word Count: 2466 Research Question: How did Ferdinand E. Marcos eventually fall from power? INTRODUCTION Ferdinand E. Marcos was the longest reigning Philippine president in history. His rule spanned 20 years, beginning in 1965 up to his downfall in 1983. He was the first and only president re-elected so far (first in 1969 and second in 1981). After his second term, corruption in his administration was rampant. For 20 years he ruled the Philippines with an iron fist, and amassed a personal fortune. According to all sources, he managed to prolong his term for so long through his â€Å"private military† (Sonia M. Zaide, 217) that crushed or silenced opposition against him. His attempts to prolong his term however, were also responsible for the dissatisfaction of his people and the growth in opposition and against him which eventually led to his downfall, after the assassination of Benigno Aquino on 1983. BACKGROUND ON MARCOS’ RISE TO POWER Marcos came from a rich and politically prominent family in Ilocos, a province in the northern part of the Philippines. He began his political career in 1949, being elected to the House of Representatives as congressman of Ilocos. In 1965, he was elected as President of the Senate. He then (as a Nacionalista, one of the 2 main political parties) ran for president and gained victory over the incumbent president, Diosdado Macapagal. Marcos promised to â€Å"make the nation great again,† and during his first term of 6 years Marcos gained widespread popularity through his extensive economic and political achievements. In 1969 Marcos became the first (and up to the moment, still the only) re-elected president of the Philippines. During his second term however, Marcos lost popularity due to the extensive graft and corruption of his favoured cronies, and the human rights violations of the Marcos administration when he proclaimed Martial Law on September 21, 1972. He lifted Martial La w in 1981 after reducing the opposition by intimidation. During his second re-election in 1981, Marcos had only one opponent, Alejo Santos of the Nacionalista party, because Senator Benigno Aquino (who was his only credible opponent) was living in exile in the United States. During the next years, the Philippine economy was considered â€Å"the sick man of Asia† (Time Magazine). In 1982, Marcos was sickly and he was absent in many official ceremonies. During this time, his wife (Imelda Marcos) and her  cronies were unofficially running the country. It was during this time, when on August 21, 1983, his long time rival, Benigno Aquino (wife of Benigno Aquino), returned to the Philippines. He was assassinated in broad daylight in the Manila International Airport by one of the government military escorts and this incident was captured by camera (Don Lawson, 1). This infuriated the Filipino people, which was the final blow to his rule. After days of mass rallies and demonstrations all over the country, he called as snap election as part of his strategy to maintain his credibility in the international body. He was declared the official winner because of massive vote buying and cheating and intimation. The mass rallies and demonstrations continued nationwide which paralyzed the government operations † for example, banks were closed and transport services were on strike, and part of the military rebelled, and all these led to the now popular EDSA Revolution (also known as â€Å"People Power†) on February 16, 1986 which toppled Marcos’ rule. ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSES OF MARCOS DOWNFALL The causes of Marcos’ downfall can be divided into two parts † long term causes and short term causes. Marcos’ acts of corruption which include: his attainment of large sums of money from the Philippine treasury during his reign, abuse of military power to suppress opposition and maintain a firm grip on presidency, and his political schemes to prolong his rule were responsible for creating an atmosphere of hatred and discontent on Marcos’ rule, under the overriding atmosphere of fear created by the resulting suppression of any threats to his power. These doings cultivated the seeds of dissatisfaction which soon developed into unified hatred towards Marcos’ reign. There was widespread discontent, but this discontent was still silent. The short-term or immediate cause of Marcos’ downfall was the Assassination of Ninoy Aquino. The â€Å"assassination brought Philippine’s economic shambles to world attention† (Fred Poole and Max Vanz i, 244) and lead to Marcos’ fall from power after the EDSA revolution. MARCOS’ MILITARY The military was the initial basis of Marcos’ power. Marcos’ military control provided him with a huge political advantage. Marcos used the military to create an atmosphere of terror, to discourage opposition and  eliminate any threats to his power to enable him to continue his rule over the country. During his reign, bribery and intimidation of voters during elections was rampant. As the corruption in the Marcos administration became widespread, demonstrations occurred as student activism rose, but were quickly suppressed by his military. An example of this is the â€Å"Battle of Mendiola† on January 1970, in which demonstrators tried to storm in the gates of the Malacanang Palace (the Philippine Presidential building, similar to the White House). It was the most violent of the student demonstrations (Florida C. Leuterio, 151). Due to the increase in violence Marcos imposed martial law in 1972. According to all sources consulted, there may have been a possibil ity that some acts of violence were planned by Marcos to ensure the legitimacy of his declaration of martial law. Since the constitution limited his presidency for merely two terms, he was due to step down on December 30 1973. However, upon the proclamation of martial law, he would be able to perpetuate his rule over the Philippines, because the 1935 constitution had not stated the limitations for the length of martial law (Florida C. Leuterio, 153). Marcos then used the military to detain Filipinos suspected of subversion. This included all critics/activists (ranging from students to professionals), and potential political opponents. They were tortured by their captors and many were then held in military detention camps. Marcos’ â€Å"military establishment tightened its grasp into a stranglehold through increased terror† (Fred Poole and Max Vanzi, 208). Although POLITICAL SCHEMES TO PROLONG HIS TERM AND GAIN POWER For more than 20 years Marcos was able to prolong his term. Through his political schemes and manipulations, Marcos was able to continue with his presidency despite the limitation of only eight consecutive years, the decline of his country’s economy, and the harsh conditions suffered by the majority of its citizens. Even before the presidential elections of 1965 Marcos received numerous military decorations which made him one of the most decorated heroes of World War II. Through this, Marcos gained popular American support, and gained an edge in the 1965 Elections. Sterling Seagrave (author of The Marcos Dynasty) states that Marcos had merely invented the feats made the Philippines most decorated World War II hero. Don Lawson (author of Marcos and the Philippines) however, does not state that Marcos has invented those feats. During 1971 a Constitutional Convention was held to rewrite the 1935  constitution which would then enable Marcos to continue in power under the new constitution. On 1973 he enforced the new constitution which would give him both the powers of a president and a prime minister (until one is elected). The constitution was ratified through citizen assemblies by raise of hands. Due to the prevailing atmosphere, the people adopted to the new constitution. During elections, Marcos engaged in massive fraud to ensure his victory. ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH According to Australian investigator Reiner Jacobi the Marcos rule was economically disastrous for the Philippines. Financial he discovered showed that Marcos had â€Å"systematically looted his country for over 20 years.† He states that the Marcos’ taken at least $5 billion in â€Å"ill-gotten wealth† and that there is other material suggesting that Marcos took even more. Marcos â€Å"used his favourites†Ã‚ ¦ to take charge of the nation’s natural and human resources and its big economic ventures.† Journalist Ron Whittaker goes on to prove that as Marcos and his family amassed a personal fortune, through stealing from the Philippine treasury. He states that â€Å"Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars from the United States each year, Marcos’ government was falling increasingly into debt; and, even as his personal fortunes rapidly escalated, the majority of his people were living in poverty.† Although Marcos succeeded in intimidating his opposition and prolonging his term, his abuse of power exposed his corruptness to the people, which thus created an atmosphere of discontent towards him which continued to build up and would eventually cause his downfall. However, due to the atmosphere of fear Marcos has created, there was still a lack of motivation to call for reform and stand up against the threat of Marcos’ military. THE AQUINO ASSASSINATION AND THE EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED The final blow happened when Benigno Aquino, his only credible opponent, was assassinated by his military escorts, with this incident captured in video tape and broadcast in the foreign media. The event shocked the not only the Filipino people, but the whole world, as footage of the assassination was aired internationally (Sonia M. Zaide, 217). The Assassination was the last act of injustice that the people would take from Marcos. This infuriated the Filipino people, who  became bold because of their outrage. Benigno Aquino was transformed into a national idol (Florida C. Leuterio). It created anger in the Filipino’s that was able to supersede the atmosphere of fear. His death awakened the Filipinos to the â€Å"Evils of Marcos.† In addition to this militant groups (the August Twenty-One movement, Justice for Aquino, Justice for all, and BAYAN† were organized. They staged demonstrations calling for an end to Marcos’ rule. Aquino’s death caused a ch ain reaction of events that eventually forced Marcos out of power. As the Philippine economy deteriorated the Filipinos became poorer and poorer. Anti-Marcos demonstrations cause the decline of the tourism industry. Rampant corruption discouraged foreign investors. High oil prices, and the price decline of traditional exports caused a slow down in economic activity. The government was forced to borrow from the IMF, World Bank, the US and its foreign creditors pressured Marcos to implement reforms as a condition for granting him economic and financial assistance. Their actions were like a vote of no confidence to the Marcos rule and legitimacy as the living conditions of the Filipino’s had furthermore worsened (Florida C. Leuterio, 165). Their actions resulted in further depreciation of the Philippine Peso. As many businesses slowed down, there were mass layoffs which, in turn, caused more poverty and the further disenchantment of the people. Marcos’ effort to survive by calling and winning the snap elections on 1986 failed because of the massive cheating, and the people truly believed Cory Aquino was the true victor. Doubt and scepticism on Marcos furthermore threatened his rule. A group of reformist lead by Fidel V. Ramos, and Juan Ponce Enrile made plans to face the Marcos loyalist and overthrow Marcos. In an attempt to prevent a bloody civil war Cory Aquino launched civil disobedience nationwide in a movement which became known as EDSA or â€Å"People Power.† The Filipinos made a human barricade that prevented the two forces from attacking each other. US senator Paul Laxalt advised him to â€Å"cut, and cut clean.† Marcos was forced to exile in Hawaii on February 25, 1986. According to Dr. Florida C. Leuterio (author of Philippine History and Government), despite the hopelessness of the situation, Marcos had not yet  give up and attempted to impose martial law once again. The plan was code-named â€Å"Everlasting.† He was to send soldiers dressed in civilian clothing to spread violence and terror. This incident would eventually give him an excuse to once again impose martial law and thus, furthermore prolonging his term. However, before he could put his plan into act, the EDSA revolution took place. This truly exposes the corruptness of Marcos’ and furthermore proves his unjust nature and his illegitimacy as president. Sterling Seagrave adds that just before the inauguration of Cory Aquino, Marcos had contacted Enrile offering to set up a provisional government were Cory Aquino, Enrile, and Marcos would rule. This goes to show Marcos’ sheer determination to retain his presidency and prolong his term. ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN THE DOWNFALL OF MARCOS Ron Whittaker (a journalist who studies the effects on Media in politics) believes that the media has had a crucial role in contributing to the downfall of Marcos (both in exposing his corruption, and also in helping organize the EDSA revolution) and that Marcos might have retained his presidency if it were not for the media. He states that because of Marcos’ control over the media, the international community was not aware of the situation in the Philippines because unless certain attention is required, the â€Å"international media take their cues from local press coverage.† I strongly support this and believe that the media was essential in the downfall of Marcos. The assassination of Benigno Aquino was a key factor and the immediate cause of Marcos’ fall from power. It was the event that fuelled the Filipino’s angers and made them take action. It was the event that caused international eyes to observe the situation in the Philippines. This in turn, forced Marcos to think twice before carrying out his military abuses. CONCLUSION The Marcos experience teaches us that power corrupts and creates a situation which ultimately impoverishes the country and its people. The main cause of Marcos downfall is the suffering and poverty he created during his rule. Not even his control of the military can sustain him forever. Eventually he lost major support of the people, the church, and part of the military mutinied. (Unlike Lee Kuan Yu of Singapore who was also an  authoritarian leader, but he was perceived as honest and he was able to improve the economy of Singapore and the standard of living of his people. Even up to now Lee Kuan Yu is still active as a senior minister and highly respected all over the world, a sharp contrast to what happened to Marcos). Even if Marcos did not commit the fatal mistake of assassinating Benigno Aquino, I believe that it merely hastened the process and it would be only a question of time, before he will replaced by the people in a popular election or uprising. In this world of modern television and CNN, a corrupt leader like Marcos would not be able to sustain his image as a legitimate leader of his people. In many ways, the experience of Soeharto, who also had complete control of the military, also proves that a leader today cannot survive if there is widespread corruption and poverty in his country. With the help of the pouring international media, Marcos not only gained opposition locally, but abroad as well, and as a result of this Marcos was eventually forced to step down from power.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Australia vs. Netherlands Essay

Assignment 1: Cross-Cultural Dimensions Describe the effect of the cross-cultural dimensions of both Hofstede and Trompenaars on two subjects for both your home country as the country of your internship Trompenaars Australia 1. Universalism vs. particularism 2. Individualism vs. collectivism 3. Neutral vs. emotional 4. Specific vs. diffuse 5. Achievement vs. ascription 6. Sequential vs. synchronic 7. Internal vs. external control Leadership Leadership in Australia is very much based on rules. Therefore, clear instructions are given to the employees at all time, so that every single employee knows what he or she has to do. Because of the individualism, people all work for themselves. Together, however, they make sure the organisation’s result is positive. Group work is not really integrated in the Australian culture. Australians have the perception, because of their neutral character, that people can work together perfectly, without bonding in their personal lives. All of the above leads to a straight leadership. A manager talks to his or her employees to tell them what they have to do individually. No groups have to be monitored, so the manager can really concentrate on his own task and organise the workforce per individual. Organisational culture The organisational culture in Australia is also based on this individualism. As mentioned under ‘leadership’, Australian people mainly work individually. They believe that people should take their own decisions and must be self-reliant within a business and not dependent on managers or colleagues. Furthermore, the organisation is very strict. It is a loose and indirect organisation up to a certain extent. The communication between people within the organisation is very informal and direct. At the same time, the whole organisation is based on rules. Rules are more important than relationships according to the Australian culture. Netherlands 1. Universalism vs. particularism 2. Individualism vs. collectivism 3. Neutral vs. emotional 4. Specific vs. diffuse 5. Achievement vs. ascription 6. Sequential vs. synchronic 7. Internal vs. external control Leadership The Dutch leadership is based on the universalism, in other words on strict rules. Everything is determined with rules. However, the atmosphere at the working place is not strict. The communication from manager to employees is direct and formal. Employees know exactly what they are up to and can work on their work individually. Leaders trust their employees in this, they count on their employees to be self-reliant and independent in their work. Furthermore, Dutch managers work with strict deadlines. The Dutch culture is very much based on punctuality. They eat at 6 o’clock, they go to sleep at 11 o’clock. The same counts in the business-life. When a task is given to you, you are to make sure it is finished before the deadline set. Whenever possible, leaders give their employees reassurance that they are doing a good job. Employees also need this positive feedback to boost their self-confidence, which gives them a positive ‘get-up-and-go’ attitude. Good perf ormance is appreciated and rewarded. Organisational culture The organisational culture is mainly individual. The Dutch people want every single person to be happy. Therefore, they tend to give feedback all the time to boost self-confidence, they let everybody do their say in a discussion, etc. Furthermore, everybody is expected to have their work done before the set deadline. Dutch people are very punctual and therefore do not like people who show up late at meetings or who hand in their work too late. Next to these strict deadlines, almost everything is based on rules. Even to such an extent that rules come before relationships. Dutch people work together individually, which means that by all doing their work in the right way, they deliver a good organisation-wide result. Conclusion According to the cultural dimensions of Trompenaars, the Australian and the Dutch culture are very much alike. They only differ in one category, namely the internal vs. external control, where the Australian focus more on internal control, whereas the Netherlands concentrates more on external control. The other factors are all the same. Some are to a lesser extent, such as the achievement, which is far higher in Australia. However, it can be concluded that the Australian and the Dutch business culture are quite the same, certainly in the areas of leadership and organisational culture. Hofstede Australia 1. Power distance – 36 2. Individualism – 90 3. Masculinity – 61 4. Uncertainty Avoidance -51 5. Long-term Orientation-31 Leadership The hierarchical structure in Australia is nearly flat. To use Hofstede’s words: The power distance in Australia is relatively low. Managers are always easily accessible by employees and ask employees for their opinions. This kind of mutual information sharing leads to the best results for the workforce as a whole. If someone bosses the others around, a negative atmosphere arises and therefore the productivity might also suffer under these circumstances. This is not the case when information is shared on a regular basis, so that everybody knows what the company is up to and what is expected of him or her individually. This way, people can all work individually on what is expected of them and therefore, at the same time, deliver a good ‘group result’, because everybody does his own thing, so that everything is done eventually. People are not working closely together, because of the highly individualistic Australian culture, in which self-reliance is expected of the employees. Organisational culture The organisational culture is, as mentioned above, highly individualistic. There is some kind of cooperation, but this is not cooperation as we know it. Together, they make sure all the work is done, but this is not by really working together. The organisational culture is very transparent. Because of this transparency, every individual knows what is going on in the company and therefore knows what he or she is ought to do. Eventually, good individual work in all different departments adds up to a positive result in the organisation as a whole. This result is reviewed every quarter, because of the short-term-oriented Australian culture This individuality is because of the masculine character of Australian people. All people want to be the very best. They want to reach whatever their capacity allows them to achieve. And preferably as quickly as possible. Therefore, they mainly work for themselves and mainly care about their own well-being and the organisation is of secondary importance. Still, this characteristic is seen as an asset by many companies. People are hired on the basis of their winners mentality. This can, of course, be a good characteristic, but it should not be exaggerated, because then it can go at the cost of the organisation as a whole, which is of course not the intention. Netherlands 1. Power distance – 38 2. Individualism – 80 3. Masculinity – 14 4. Uncertainty Avoidance – 53 5. Long-term Orientation – 44 Leadership The power distance in the Dutch organisations is quite low. The hierarchical structure is quite flat. This, together with the feminine culture means that employees can communicate with their managers properly and managers also communicate with their staff. Therefore, the atmosphere in Dutch companies is generally good. The managers do not boss people around and they even ask their employees for their expertise and feedback. From an employee point of view, they can talk to the manager to ask for feedback, but only up to a certain extent. The individualistic culture of the Dutch organisations means that employees should be self-reliant and take initiatives. Organisational culture The Dutch organisational culture is one of punctuality, long discussions and impatience. First of all, the punctuality. The Dutch organisation is based on rules, punctuality and certainty. They want to avoid risk as much as possible and therefore try to make rules for everything, so that as little as possible can go wrong. The Dutch femininity means that they want the best for everyone. Therefore, discussions are mainly solved by compromises, which usually takes quite some time. In masculine cultures, decisions are made without looking at the preferences of certain groups, but because the Dutch believe in solidarity and equality, they want everybody to have their say, which leads to long discussions with compromises as end results. The Dutch impatience can be seen in their goal-mindedness. They want results to be achieved as quickly as possible. Furthermore, they want to keep up with the competition at every single moment. Therefore long-term plans are seldom made. Strategies are often adapted to that of their competitors, which makes it impossible to set a long-term organisational strategy. Conclusion Summarizing all of the above, the Australian culture and the Dutch culture do not differ that much. The only big difference is that the Dutch are feminine and the Australian are masculine, which makes the Australian organisational culture even more individualistic than the already individualistic Dutch culture. The Australians are more self-minded, whereas the Dutch want everybody to be equal and therefore do not take decisions themselves very often. When looking at the graph below, one can see that the two cultures do not differ all that much. Source: http://geert-hofstede.com/netherlands.html Assignment 2: Theoretical Models Relate to theoretical models to describe the above mentioned effect. Flat organisational structure. The model that can be found in both countries, Australia and the Netherlands, is the flat organisational structure. This means that managers do have a higher function, but do not act like they have a higher function. The flat organisational structure is the opposite of a highly hierarchical structure as described in Max Weber’s ‘bureaucratic organisation’ 1. In hierarchical structures, the organogram has several layers from top to bottom, whereas the flat organisational structure has one layer, in which the managers are besides the employees that work in lower functions. This means that managers and employees in lower functions work closely together. The employees can easily go to their managers to talk about business-related cases and the manager trusts on his or her employees’ expertise in the problem-solving of the organisation. This way, as Argyris also describes in his theory of adult personality2, a great mutual understanding and respect is created between managers and their employees. This mutual understanding and respect leads to a more positive attitude of all employees, which leads to better results for the organisation as a whole. Maslow’s theory of human needs A big difference can be found, when looking at Maslow’s theory of human needs. Maslow’s theory is based on two underlying principles, namely the ‘deficit principle’ and the ‘progression principle’. Mainly in the ‘progression principle’, there is a difference between Australia and the Netherlands. First of all, which are the human needs Maslow is talking about? In the ‘progression principle’, Maslow says that a need at any level is activated only when the next-lower-level need is satisfied3. In this definition, there is of course no difference. However, in the hierarchy of these needs, there is a difference. Because of the competitive character of Australian business people, as a result from their masculine background, the self-actualisation need in Australia is far higher than in the Netherlands, where people often still work together. Self-actualisation is the 5th need in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Based on t his higher self-actualisation in Australia, however, one can wonder if this is the fifth need in Australia as well. 1. Assignment 3: Cross-Cultural Differences Find out what the most important work related cross cultural differences are between your home country and the country of your internship. Explain them based on the cross cultural dimensions. Masculinity vs. femininity One of the biggest differences between the Australian and the Dutch business is the masculinity of Australia versus the femininity of the Netherlands. Australian masculinity is expressed in the urge of Australian people to be the best they can be and to reach the optimal allocation of their own strengths. Australian managers also pay attention to what people have achieved in the past, when hiring people. This makes the Australian market much more competitive than the Dutch market, because the Australian market is goal-oriented. This results in employees taking their own decisions, without consulting others. Contrary to this quick and efficient decision making, the Dutch tend to discuss problems with everyone until a compromise is reached. This is a highly feminine characteristic. Dutch people want to reach a consensus, before they take decisions. Internal vs. external control Another big difference between the two business cultures is the internal control versus the external control from Trompenaars, in which both countries differ. The internal control in the business culture of Australia is mainly recognisable in the behaviour of Australian managers. They tell their employees what to do and they trust that the work will be done before the determined deadline. They do not support their employees along the way or give them feedback on the work they are doing. The external control in the business culture of the Netherlands is mainly recognisable in the supportive behaviour of Dutch managers. They provide people with the right resources to do their job properly and afterwards give them feedback several times along the way. The Dutch employees are more ‘dependent’ on the help and constructive feedback of their managers/leaders. This gives them the self-confidence to do their work with a positive attitude. Wages The wages in the Netherlands are more fixed than the wages in Australia. In most Dutch businesses, people get a fixed salary, whereas in Australia, the salary is a low basis salary with on top commissions, which are linked to your performance. In some Dutch businesses, the strategy of incentives, bonuses or commissions is used as well, but in Australia, this wage strategy is quite common. Therefore, the Australian market is more competitive than the Dutch market. Australians have to sell products to get high wages, whereas Dutch business people know that whatever they sell, they will get the same salary, which provides much more security than the strategy the Australians tend to use. Do’s Be selfish; work by yourself and in this process, try to be the best you can be. This can lead to a higher salary because of commissions as well. When you do not grab chances, others will. Clearly state your qualifications; make a clear CV, in which you state everything you have done in the past that could be in any way relevant for that specific job. Be decisive; expect less monitoring than you would get in the Netherlands, so sometimes you have to take your own decisions. Be self-confident; Australian managers, as opposed to Dutch managers, expect that you can perform a task from start to finish without feedback along the way. Don’ts Expect extensive support; Australian managers do not give feedback along the way, whereas in the Netherlands this is usual. Try to reach a consensus; in the Netherlands, decisions are mostly reached by consensus, do not try this in Australia, where decisions are mainly made individually, quick and efficiently. Expect fixed wages; wages consist of a basis salary and bonuses or commissions, that are granted for good performance. Assignment 4: Questions/Hypotheses Clearly define at least two challenging business oriented questions/hypotheses which you want to have answered during your stay abroad. Hand in a clearly defined ‘ Plan of Action’ how you will come with the answers. Does the flat organisational structure also count for international interns? In other words, is an international intern also trusted for his or her expertise by people in higher functions? The best way to find this out is by going there and experiencing it. I want to go on an internship to really learn something, which is relevant for my future career in the business life. I am not going to Australia because of the nice weather and the white beaches. I am going to Australia to obtain relevant experience, which will be of great value for my career in business. Therefore, I want to get as important as possible within the company where my internship will be. That is why I wonder how important they allow me to be. Do they really involve me in decision-making? In other words, am I treated as an equal or not? To find this out, I will interview an intern that has already been to Australia to discuss the organisational differences and which qualities are appreciated most in Australia. Afterwards, I will make up for myself, together with a colleague, an employer and a co-student, whether I have these qualities and how I can use these the best in a company where I start as a stranger. Lastly, I will of course try to get involved as much as possible and in this process, I will find out if they really give me the chance of becoming important. Can I function the same when I am 17000 km from home? I am not only going to Australia to obtain working experience. I am also going there to grow responsibility and to obtain further social experience. I have lived with my parents for my whole life now and my stay in Marseille from September to December will me my first experience living on my own. However, from Marseille to the Netherlands is just 1100 kilometres, so if I need anything, I have the possibility to go home in the meantime. However, when I am 17000 kilometres from home, this is not a possibility anymore, so I really have to cope by myself. Another difference is that I am going to Marseille with two class mates. To Australia, I will be going alone, which makes is even more nerve-wracking. My stay in Australia will be my first experience completely on my own, far, far away from home. So for me, it is, next to an incredible working experience, also a real life experience. I am going to grow responsibility and maturity, which will change me as a person. I am curious whether this will have its effect on my behaviour on the work floor as well and if this situation allows me to function the same as I would do here. This question, I plan to answer by setting up a list of competences, which I will let one of my current employers, one co-student and one colleague fill in. After my stay in Australia, I will give the same list of competences to my internship coordinator and a colleague in Australia. By comparing the results of these lists, I can find out whether there are many differences and whether they are in my advantage or in my disadvantage. Besides, I will, of course, experience it myself and describe the process of my self-development on a personal level as well as on a business level in a process report. Bibliography Websites Austrade. (2012, March 23). Doing Business in the Netherlands. Retrieved May 21, 2012, from Austrade: http://www.austrade.gov.au/Doing-business-in-the-Netherlands/default.aspx Itim. (n.d.). Geert Hofstede. Retrieved May 21, 2012, from Geert Hofstede: http://geert-hofstede.com/ John Daly, S. S. (2004). Nursing Leadership. Retrieved May 21, 2012, from Google Books: http://books.google.nl/books?id=TrN3ZS0CNQcC&pg=PA28&lpg=PA28&dq=Trompenaars+Australia&source=bl&ots=mrfFE84Iuj&sig=Tqy2bx–eE6UhcfvYTqI7uKuNFc&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=O267T7XBEoWP-wbvpqjUDA&ved=0CGIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Trompenaars%20Australia&f=false Meehan, C. L. (2012). Flat Vs. Hierarchical Organizational Structure. Retrieved May 22, 2012, from Small Business: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/flat-vs-hierarchical-organizational-structure-724.html Mindtools. (n.d.). The Seven Dimensions of Culture. Retrieved May 21, 2012, from Mindtools: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm Sagepub. (2006, July 13). Dimens ions of Culture. Retrieved May 22, 2012, from Sagepub : http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/11711_Chapter7.pdf Books Schemerhorn, J. R. (2010). Introduction to Management 10th edition. View as multi-pages

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Why is the UN's human rights agenda so limited Essay - 1

Why is the UN's human rights agenda so limited - Essay Example gressive developmental cooperation, some people around the globe, especially those concerned with the human rights treaties and millennium declaration, feel that it is a betrayal of the embodied universal values. Based on items of the current human rights agenda of MDGs, the only item that tries to address sustainable development is on environmental sustainability. However, it gives a bias to two specific issues, which are water and sanitation to improve access to safe drinking water. Apparently, the item seems to focus much to the problems that many societies in the developing and emerging nations struggle with than the already developed nations. The focus of MDGs on access to clean water and sanitation is just but a narrow focus to the big question of water resources management, in a world that is struggling with environmental degradation, declining water resources affected by the climatic conditions and increased utilization of water. The truth is that even after the ‘water for life decade of action’ comes to an end, there will still remain persistent issues related to water, least to mention the challenging factors associated with the environment that affect sustainable deve lopment. It is evident that there was a narrow focus on sustainable development. According to Schaefer- Preuss, MDGs focused on â€Å"halving the proportion of people in the globe who lacked access to sustainable clean water and basic sanitation† (2014, p.1). While this is just an aspect of the complex need to sustainable development, policy makers failed to consider crucial changes a decade later. Climatic conditions, population growth, and factors of economic development like industrialization are all working to influence the global water cycle and utilization. Today, there are far worse challenges to environmental sustainability inclusive of deforestation, extractive industries that could lead to humanitarian crisis, and which serve as potential hindrances to broad sustainable

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Comparing one of the three Illinois State Budget Crisis topics Essay

Comparing one of the three Illinois State Budget Crisis topics (pensions, state borrowing and infrastructure) with the same issue in other jurisdictions (US or non-US) - Essay Example The Governor’s proposal to reduce the states spending could lessen the impacts of the financial mess. However, the move would in the future raise cost of living adjustments for workers, rose retirement age and reduced pensions for higher salaried citizens. Budget documents had previously in 2011 projected 1100 layoffs in a proposal to reduce state spending and, consequently, close particular state offices (Yaccino, 2012). The move to cut pension benefits implied a violation of the constitution that formed the umbrella of workers protecting them against the grim consequences of such changes. The article critically analyzes the Illinois State Budget Crisis as published as published by the New York Times editors. The paper compares the crisis to Canadian jurisdictions and applies the methods Canadian state previously utilized to contain a predicament of a similar nature. The essay will offer an integrated approach t the topic of study. The state’s financial crisis made the workers become uncertain about their retirements while at the same time straining the state’s budget and sinking credit ratings. Political leaders agreed to solve the financial shortfalls by cutting the pension benefits. The union and state workers celebrated the court ruling (Davey, 2015). However, critics viewed the ruling as capable of escalating the state’s financial challenges. The State Representative Elaine Nekritz, a Democrat, defined the extent of the challenge as more difficult and painful. The Democrat officials previously held numerous debates with the unions for several years while discussing a way forward to solve the state’s issue. The unions, however, opposed the proposals to cut the pension benefits. The officials, surprisingly, argued that in the essence of the state’s economic situation, they would pass into law the bill that proposes a cut in the pension benefits. The reporter notes that the state experienced a pension finance deficit

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Reading Blog Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Blog - Assignment Example David Orique highlights the achievements made by Bartolomà © de las Casas one of them being his successful penetration into tierra de Guerra, an area that had remained unconquered due to the hostility of the locals. The author also indicates that this area stood as a model of Casas’ evangelization ideas in practice. However, there is need for clarification on whether the region remained as Casas had developed or it finally fell into the influence of other conquerors with different ideas on the relationship between the Amerindians and Spaniards. This is because most of Casas’ ideas were novel, but others including merchants who only saw the economic importance of the region without concern for the native population rights always challenged their implementation. In Staceyann Chin reads Bartolomà © de Las Casas and Destruction of the Indies the brutality of Spanish conquerors is highlighted through Casas’ story about treatment of the native population who were massacred in large numbers. The killing and degrading of native people is compared to the treatment of beasts. Even as Casas is interested in documenting the atrocities committed by Spanish conquerors, he seems to be overcome by his subjective stance about the events leading to his exaggerations of the situation. For instance, Casas estimates the native people to be about three million with the attack only leaving about two hundred persons behind. Even though the massacre of majority of population is possible especially based on the described brutality of the Spanish conquerors, there is need for further information to identify the method of estimation of the population and the number of death (Staceyann Chin reads Bartolomà © de Las Casas, Casas 1-17). In Gilgamesh the author presents the exploits of Gilgamesh, a king in the city-state of Uruk and his friend Enkidu who highlight the power of friendship as the two are

Monday, August 26, 2019

Social Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social Media - Essay Example Although seeing them in person is entirely different, pictures, posts and other information made available through social networks create a feeling of being physically present in another world. Of course, with the many benefits computers and the internet brought to modern living, there are also dangers that come along with them. Internet users usually worry about identity theft, scams and other threats that may endanger one’s self or even children. For every problem that is created though, it is comforting to know that there is always a weapon that can also be created to fight these dangers online. Antivirus is an example of which, also easily available online at a certain price. Although the most important weapon there could possibly be against internet crimes is being well informed and knowledgeable about the kinds of dangers, how to avoid them and how to escape them just in case one is already trapped in a scam. Since one cannot avoid the internet these days, with more activities perceived to be done online in the future, the best weapon indeed is to be at par with the changing world. Certainly, the demand to learn new things everyday is a challenge however, as f or this writer, it is a

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Small business financials Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Small business financials - Assignment Example Increase in population has various positive effects on the businesses as well. This rise directly affects demand and supply of various goods and services including food and clothing as they are very basic in nature and required by everyone. In this regard, it is important to mention that the purchasing power of ordinary Qataris is considerably strong and sound as well; the recent estimates reflect that per capita income of ordinary Qatari is $88,000 in 2010 and this country has been identified as among the world’s richest countries (Greenfield, 2012; World Bank, 2015). Based on these fundamental economic indicators, it can be easily deduced that Qatar is ideal country for the purpose of investment as the country has all those basic economic and infrastructural factors that are highly needed for every investor. More clearly, the country has ideal business climate where stable currency exchange rate, low or no crime rate and investment friendly policies of the government, above all the absence of terror threats are some of those indicators that catch the eye of every investors. Keeping these healthy and attractive factors in mind, it is highly reasonable to open small scale retail shop in the country with the following basic accounting and budgetary allocations and estimations. Unique will be name given to this new retail store as this retail store will be located at the centre of Doha city. This location has been chosen for various reasons. First, this city is commercial hub of the country where trade and other commercial activities are carried out; additionally, Doha is highly populated area in the entire country. At the same time, the city is undergoing a faster pace of urbanization which further attracts investment and migrants from under developed areas of the country (Kovessy, 2014). And the government’s

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Poem analisis of My Mistress Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun by William Essay

Poem analisis of My Mistress Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun by William Shakespeare - Essay Example This paper is a critical analysis of the poem to highlight the the issues the poem raises. In the sonnet, â€Å"My Mistress’ Eyes†, the speaker compares the beauty of his beloved to many things in nature. However, the readers who are used to listen to extravagant praises get surprised when he says â€Å"My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun† (CXXX, line 1). The impression he creates is that he is not likely to like her for this simple reason, because the prevailing social attitude was such. Therefore, very eagerly the next lines are anticipated by the readers to see whether the other features and qualities of her are worthy enough to attract the lover. Unfortunately, the speaker proceeds with worse descriptions and comparisons: â€Å"Coral is far more red than her lips’ red: †¦/ If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head, /. †¦/ But no such roses see I in her cheeks† (lines 2 – 6). Obviously, one should wonder, part icularly in sixteenth century, how one can love such a lady. Shakespeare challenges various issues here. The social attitude that only a beautiful lady has a heart is called into question. Psychologically, it raises questions like whether true love can ever be generalized. The obvious question Shakespeare here raises is whether love is physical, social, or psychic.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Red Lobster Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Red Lobster - Case Study Example Initially, the proposition was to make an easy to utilize programming bundle that did not require exceedingly a lot of computing force. MapInfo gave the first instruments to Microsoft that permitted them to incorporate mapping usefulness in their items, particularly the mapping extra marked as Microsoft Map for Microsoft Excel as a major aspect of MS Office 95. A Geographic Information System known as GIS view shed is the aftereffect of a capacity that decides, given a territory model, which territories on a guide or rather a map can be seen from a given point or rather focuses, line or range. In the communication industry, this capacity can be utilized to model radio wave scopes and to site handset towers for cell phones. However, there are lapses included with this capacity and, without the essential information; it cant represent building statures that may influence perceivability in urban zones. It is a crucial aspect for one to precisely show observable pathway which is well known as the line of sight, LOS of the radio wave scopes with a specific end goal to secure the feasibility of supplanting existing field routines with a geographical information system view shed analysis (Monedero, et al. 2008, p. 337). An inception point equipped for supporting a line of sight of a radio wave transmitter is to be chosen, for instance, from inside the Virginia Tech grounds study region which is the best zone for source point. A view shed analysis is then performed with ESRIs ArcView geographical information system, utilizing this site as the perception point and a 30 meter determination Digital Elevation Model, DEM from the United States Geological Survey is likewise compelling for that. To check the exactness of the view shed, it is fitting to transmit at 27.5 GHz, a line of sight of recurrence that ought to have properties regularly in the wireless telecommunication industry. Also, the use of Super Pad 3.1a as a geographical information system

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Billy Rose Theatre Division in the New York Public Library-Creative Essay

Billy Rose Theatre Division in the New York Public Library-Creative writing - Essay Example Initiated in 1932, the Billy Rose division has over 10 million collections of theatrical art that document drama, music and film. The division housed numerous traditional books and journals on theatrical arts. It was also meant to contain an array of personal papers. Besides personal papers, the division has a collection of organizational records. It houses an archive on the theatre of film. It has collections legendary artists including Richard Rodgers and Hal Prince. The papers of Betty Comden and Clifford Odets are also housed in the division. Most importantly, it houses the works of William Shakespeare including records of festivals on Shakespeare’s works. At the division, visitors to the library can examine historical performances on Shakespeare, for instance, to years dating back to as early as 1767 (The New York Public Library, 2015). The division serves as an invaluable resource for diverse groups including researchers and scholars. Writers and students also find the d ivision resourceful because of the various documentation that are informative and useful for learning. Artists and other members of the public also find the resources at the division

Court Report Essay Example for Free

Court Report Essay The basic division in the structure of criminal courts is between the lower criminal courts – the local courts, Children’s court and Coroner’s court – and the higher criminal courts – the District Court and the Supreme Court. In observing proceedings at the Local, District and Supreme Courts over a period of three days a number of aspects of the criminal justice system were made apparent. The administration, processes and practices of the criminal trial are extremely varied dependent upon the level of criminal court being observed. The distinctions between the workings of the two courts revealed a number of the differences between summary proceedings and trial upon indictment. The cases observed served to provide evidence for the â€Å"two tiers of justice† argument. Also the role of the judiciary was perceived as being particularly interesting especially the high level of discretion that they held in the Local Courts and even to an extent in the District Court primarily when there was no jury present. McBarnet’s discussion of the criminal court system focuses around the idea that the higher courts such as the District and the Supreme courts are for public consumption in which the ideology of justice is played up by the more elaborate court rooms, dress, and rigid rules of ceremony. On the other hand the lower courts focus on control. The local courts handle the vast bulk of cases with only a small proportion of criminal cases coming before the higher courts. For example the National division of cases between the lower and higher courts in 2003-2004 were 97% finalised in the lower courts while only 3% were heard in higher courts. Lower criminal courts – Absence of legality In arriving at the local courts, the waiting room was full of people who had been summoned to appear for their hearing. It was noisy and extremely busy. In observing the waiting room it was obvious that people were restless and were anxious to have their case heard. The majority of cases were listed to start by 10am and thus depending on the speed of the trial process many people may have had to wait hours before their case could begin. There are no estimates of how long each matter will take and not even an attempt to make a general time allocation. Mack and Anleu also further illustrate this concept. They said that primary objective is time management and getting through the list for that day. In general, the whole process in the local courts was a lot less formal than was expected with several of the magistrates even stopping proceedings to explain the facts of the case to the law students. Although Pat Carlen in her study of Magistrates Courts in England and Scotland described the court as a very formal and ritualistic social setting this is somewhat surprisingly not what was observed during Local Court visits. The court observations were more in line with those of McBarnet in that the lower courts did not uphold the strictures of â€Å"due process† and the ideology of justice. In one particular committal hearing that was observed in the Local Court, R v Sean Robert Kerr, the atmosphere was relaxed and the magistrate and the prosecutor were in constant discussion about the facts of the case and the admissibility of evidence. The accused was alleged to have carrying knife in public place. This downplaying of the crimes to less serious charges supports the emphasis on efficiency that underlines McBarnet’s analysis. Each time the prosecutor made a claim the magistrate would ask where the evidence came from. The magistrate was concerned with the nature of the evidence as they are required to determine whether there is enough evidence to commit the accused for trial as outlined under s 62 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986. It became obvious that they were short staffed and without a court clerk when the magistrate held no objection to the prosecutor approaching the bench to submit evidence. This case provides evidence for the process of the committal hearing and demonstrating judicial discretion in deciding whether the case should go to trial. Other cases that were observed through court visits further emphasised the nature of the judicial process in the Local Courts. The summary proceedings served in a number of cases to emphasise the triviality of the process. Cases involving minor offences such as traffic offences and petty theft were particularly trivial however other cases such as domestic violence and minor assault charges were not so inconsequential. They were of particular importance to the parties involved and it is thus important not to overgeneralise the process of the lower courts to being mere triviality. Whilst in the local courts there was an emphasis on speed and efficiency, this did not automatically mean that strict legality was disregarded. The importance placed on evidence and onus on the prosecutors in providing proof upheld important elements of the criminal justice system. Higher criminal court – Ideology of Justice On observing the District Court a number of distinctions from the Local Courts were immediately made apparent. Without going in to detail about the actual structure of the courts, they seemed to fit more closely with the traditional schema of a typical courtroom. In particular the larger courtrooms with more facilities combined with the barristers and magistrates wearing their wig and robes seemed to instantly uphold the ideology of justice. It is interesting to note how appearances can automatically provide an impression that justice will be upheld. The defendants were observed to be sitting in the dock with the corrective services officer sitting by the side. This is in contrast to the local courts where the defendant usually sat near their legal representative. An interesting comparison can be made between the roles of the judge in cases where there was a jury present and where there was not. Trial by jury is seen as an essential element of our criminal justice system. Juries are seen as a symbol of democracy and guarantee of fairness in a criminal trial however it is important to note that the majority of criminal trials are dealt with in the lower courts where juries are not available. Therefore by this simple fact the higher courts are upholding the â€Å"two tiers† analysis as they have the advantage of the jury trial, an essential element in the ideology of justice. In R v Veronica Salas Collard the jury was observed to be composed of eight men and four women of different ages and races. This supports the view that a group’s ability to be impartial is best achieved by ensuring diversity rather than uniformity. The role of the judge in jury trials was greatly diminished with the jury having sole responsibility in deciding the facts of the case and whether the accused is guilty or not guilty. The role of the jury to hear evidence was observed in the District Court. While observing R v Jessica Nguyen the jury had been adjourned and then returned to re watch sections of the police interview tape with the defendant. The Judge then proceeded to ask them if there was any more evidence that they wished to be reviewed. Similarly in R v Danny Price every time a new piece of evidence was submitted to the judge it was also submitted to the jury. In particular during proceedings on the day observed a number of photographs and diagrams were submitted to the jury. The judge asked the jury if the evidence was clear. The jury is thus seen as a vital element of the criminal trial. A number of bail and appeal hearings were also observed. These were particularly interesting as it again demonstrated judicial discretion. As opposed to when the jury was present the judge again had sole discretion in determining whether bail or the appeal should be allowed. Section 26 of the Bail Act 1978 outlines the power of the district court to grant bail. In R v Steven Astill the defendant was accused of fraud and was granted bail with conditions that he was to report weekly to his local police station on a weekly base. The power of the judiciary to determine proceedings was once again observed. There is however legislature in place which guides the courts to achieve consistency in sentencing. In general however judicial discretion may be seen as not upholding strict legality, the administration and practices of the district court criminal trial were much more in line with the ideology of justice. Thus in observing proceedings over a period of three days a number of aspects of the criminal justice system were made apparent. In particular the distinctions between the lower and higher criminal courts and the extent to which they could be seen to uphold McBarnet’s â€Å"two tiers† analysis. From observation the lower courts did focus on more trivial matters and through their general nature emphasised efficiency. Furthermore the higher court perpetuated the ideology of justice through its very nature of upholding the traditional view of the court process.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The Meaning of Art in Society

The Meaning of Art in Society In this paper we will discuss the concept of art by presenting out perception, defining our preferred art forms and drawing a conclusion by applying the theory of aesthetics, semiology (semiotics) and hermeneutics. The main goal is to look at different art forms in order to evaluate the meaning and place of arts in our society. Animation as an art form Animation, as an art form can be presented as entertainment, education, information, inspiration showing us the world in such a different way we do not imagine it. In this case, we can look at animators as artists and entertainers as well. They are always striving to give us a new perception of the surrounding environment and always doing it in such a funny and simple way. The power of animators is that they can tell edifying story in way that live action could not. By taking us in a new reality, animation professionals show us animated characters presented as real human beings. We can find a lot of common with them because they are all like us with the entire behavior, attitude and feelings. Thus, we could consider the animation as a mirror, reflection of our own physical and mental evolution. In this way, we can conclude that the development of animation goes together with the development of our society. With all the changes in our lives, the massage and the way it is delivered cha nge as well. All the art forms, including literature, painting, sculpture, and dance are about telling a story or making a statement. As a part of this group animation is educational tool and inspiration for all generations because everyone could find some new and useful ideas in such a simple story. Going out of imagination limits this form is accessible for everyone no matter the age, social and financial status. Animation has a rich and long history. The first animation form came on the scene in the early 1900s. J. Steward Blackton produced the first stop-frame animated cartoon, titled Humorous Phases of a Funny Face, in 1906. Another early landmark was Winsor McCays Gertie the Dinosaur (1914), a popular animated feature consisting of 10,000 illustrations hand-drawn on rice paper by the McCay and an assistant. The best known of these film animators was Walt Disney, who in 1928 produced Steamboat Willie starring Mickey Mouse, and who in 1937 brought to the American movie screen the first full-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Disney introduced numerous technical refinements and innovations intro his animated features in order to provide greater realism and to heighten the illusion of depth. Since the early days, animators have used new technologies to their advantage. Some of the techniques used by animators nowadays include cel animation, clay animation, pixelation, rotoscoping, photo montage, puppetry, cut-paper animation, and computer animation, Although the artist remains a dominant figure in the animation process, the introduction of computers has brought about a major transformation in the animation industry. Not only is computer automation cutting production time and costs, it is also producing startling new effects and unprecedented results in the animation features and programs being shown on our television screens, computer monitors, and movie screens. As technology continue to develop and gives us new tools and opportunities the animators will be challenged to use them in order to tell us new entertaining stories and show us the world in new and different way. The future of animation looks to be bright but the development depends on the professionals ability to use the new technologies and methods in the right way striving always to get beyond spectators imagination. The premises for success are not far to seek. Hermeneutics of Animation: Hermeneutics is the study of interpretation theory, and can be either the art of interpretation, or the theory and practice of interpretation. Animation is interpreted as a picture of entertainment. People like to entertain themselves and animation is a good way to escape from the everyday pressure and relax. People always like to feel happy. Animation is inviting people to spend their free time by watching a good production and become a guilty pleasure for some of them. This art form is not about children, culture and social status. Wherever animation is played, class, race and nationality do no longer exist. Peoples roles of judgment and imagination play both in our experiences of animation and its critical interpretation, and reevaluate our current understandings of animations transformative power. Semiotics of Animation: Semiotics deals with meanings and messages in all their forms and in all their contexts(R.E. Innis,1985); the subject matter of semiotics is the exchange of any messages whatsoever in a word communication (T.A. Sebeok ,1994). Animation can be used to exploit familiar processes, or objects that have properties similar to the context of the intended message Animators must also appreciate the need to use appropriate levels of abstraction. Animations should not contain objects or actions which are so detailed that they cause information overload. Equally, animations should not contain objects or actions that are so abstract that they cannot be associated with the real life experiences of the viewer. Leaning Tower of Pisa The Leaning Tower of Pisa or simply the Tower of Pisa the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa. It is situated behind the Cathedral and is the third oldest structure in Pisas Cathedral Square after the Cathedral and the Baptistery. Although intended to stand vertically, the tower began leaning to the southeast soon after the onset of construction in 1173 due to a poorly laid foundation and loose substrate that has allowed the foundation to shift direction. The tower presently leans to the southwest. The Tower of Pisa is a work of art, performed in three stages over a period of about 177 years. Construction of the first floor of the white marble campanile began on August 9, 1173, a period of military success and prosperity. This first floor is a blind arcade articulated by engaged columns with classical Corinthian capitals. According to me as any building construction which is manmade I think that the leaning tower of Pisa is a piece of art because of many reasons. It is considered to be a unique piece of art because of its structure and because of its existing. As you know this tower leans to southwest from its beginning and this made it a really nice art element which is known in the entire word. The fact that everybody knows this monument makes it an art form visited every year by tourists from all over the world. What I like in this monument and make it e real piece of art is that when they started to build, the tower collapsed because of the soft soil under it. People who were involved in this construction did not give up. By this time the Pisans (people from Pisa) were in civil war with Genoa, Lucca and Florence so they leave the tower for almost a century and after that they started to build again, because this was the symbol of their city and this shows their love and passion to the city and why this monument is so special for them. In my opinion this is more than art this is something which is emblematic for the construction by this period. Another thing which makes this a unique piece of art is that after finishing the tower many of the famous painters started to visit Pisa and settle their camp near by the tower and paint many pictures from each side of the monument so they painted in different angle. Therefore today you can see many different pictures of leaning tower of Pisa sometimes is leaning left side, in other cases backwards. This is unique because each painter interpret this tower by himself and shows to the world his own view and own understanding of this piece of art which is imbibed for many people which are involved in art. One more thing proving the uniqueness of this monument is that even today the great mass continues to sink very slowly. It is a question of about 1 mm. every year. Since nobody can state with mathematical security that this sinking will continue in the future at the present yearly rate, without its ceasing, remedies by means of adequate measures, based on scientific studies and projects, are under consideration. In the meantime supervision with instruments of very high precision is continuously being carried out. In my opinion, the leaning tower of Pisa can be connceted to the semiology by this way. As we know semiology is a study of a sign and it can be applied to many things and one of them is architectural monuments as is this tower. So the tower in Pisa is absolute sign for the city and it is their symbol which represents them in front of the entire world. Therefore the Pisans (locals) finished it when she collapsed, because they really want this monument to be in their city to show that the Italians did not give up. Nowadays when you hear Pisa the first association is the leaning tower therefore this is a sign which makes this city so famous and visited by many tourists every year. In conclusion I would like to say that it does not matter that this thing which you look at is something really unique or is something very simple like a small stone standing in the corner of an art gallery everything can be art it depends on how you see the things and how they touch your sense. We can find art all over the place; it depends on the ways of seeing. The Eiffel Tower This is a 19th century iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris that has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The Eiffel Tower, which is the tallest building in Paris, is the single most visited paid monument in the world; millions of people ascend it every year. Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower was built as the entrance arch for the 1889 Worlds Fair. The tower stands at 324 m tall, It was the tallest structure in the world from its completion until 1930, when it was eclipsed by the Chrysler Building in New York City. The tower has three levels for visitors. The walk to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the walk from the first to the second level. The third and highest level is accessible only by lift. The tower has become the most prominent symbol of both Paris and France. Its iconic status is so established that it even serves as a symbol for the entire nation of France, such as when it was used as the logo for the French bid to host the 1992 Summer Olympics. When it was built after its completion it was considered to be one of the ugliest buildings in the world, but for me this is incredible piece of art and now it is one of the most impressive buildings in the world. I have been under the Eiffel Tower and thing which impress me a lot is the design. If we have to say something about how it is connected to tourism we just must notice how popular is: more than 200,000,000 people have visited the tower since its construction in 1889, including 6,719,200 in 2006, making it the most visited paid monument in the world. Another interesting thing which is good to be mentioned is that The Eiffel Tower is also very reproductive: As one of the most iconic images in the world, the Eiffel Tower has been the inspiration for dozens of duplicate and similar towers around the world. Aesthetics: is concerned with the theory of beauty, but today it tends to be just concerned with the question of how we decide whether a work of art is good or not. Most judgments of this sort are based on either issues of form or content. For me the Eiffel Tower is great piece of work. From aesthetics point of view in order to maintain a uniform appearance to an observer on the ground, three separate colors of paint are used on the tower, with the darkest on the bottom and the lightest at the top. On occasion the colour of the paint is changed; the tower is currently painted a shade of brownish-grey. On the first floor there are interactive consoles hosting a poll for the colour to use for a future session of painting the only non-structural elements are the four decorative grillwork arches, added in Stephen Sauvestres sketches, which served to reassure visitors that the structure was safe, and to frame views of other nearby architecture. Hermeneutics: This is essentially the philosophy of interpretation and meaning. It began as the study Biblical texts, but in the last 450 years has expanded to cover all forms of culture. There are a number of different approaches to hermeneutics but they all deal with very similar questions and issues. How is our interpretation influenced and determined by our level of knowledge and our position in history, society and culture? How can we try to ensure that our interpretation of signifiers, words, language, arts, culture is a good one? I think that Eiffel Tower is piece of art because it is so great and tall, built so many years ago the tallest building in Europe. In the beginning the Paris citizens did not like it but now it is one of the most popular buildings in the world. The Eiffel Tower becomes very popular tourist attraction. So many people are going to see this attraction every year, to climb to top where they can see half of Paris. For me it is very beautiful land art. It inspires me when I am on top the feeling is great, built from so many fragments and so many people are working to keep it in perfect condition for the tourist. For conclusion I want to say that for me The Eiffel Tower is something very nice and everyone has to climb to the top to feel the wind.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Assess The Company Pixar Media Essay

Assess The Company Pixar Media Essay This report is going to assess the company Pixar from an innovation perspective. This report will focus on the good and bad points of the company to give an insight into its attitude towards innovation. A number of different methods were used to gather the information in this report, such as websites, interviews, articles and books. Steve Jobs (Apple CEO) purchased the computer graphics section of Lucasfilm Ltd in 1986 and called this new company Pixar. Pixar started as a very small company with only 44 employees. Pixar started making short animations films which were at the forefront of CGI technology. Pixar also created a number of adverts for companies such as Listerine in their early years. The first feature length movie Pixar created was Toy Story and it was the first fully computer generated animated film ever, Toy Story grossed $362 million worldwide. Pixar did not just create animations, they also developed a lot of the technology which allowed them to create their films. Work teams and some individuals won numerous awards from organisations like The Scientific and Engineering Academy Awards in fields such as Digital scanning and Direct input devices. One huge advantage Pixar has over other animation companies is their unique understanding of innovation in company structure and employee relations, this report will aim to discuss this in further detail. Section 2 Employee relations Pixar is a very organic company which disagrees with the structure of mechanistic organisations. A mechanistic organisation has a very hierarchical structure and the companies future is dictated by those in senior roles. Section 2.1 Brad Bird Steve Jobs hired Brad Bird into the company after its first three successful films, Jobs was worried that they had ran out of creativity and he did not want the company to go stale. Brad Bird understood that there was room for improvement in the companies creative process. Bird understood that every employees input is valid and has its use. He knew that communication is vital in the innovation process so everyone can help each other to create the best work possible. The main problem with this is that It is difficult to get employees to speak their minds as they are often afraid of criticism from their peers, and they have good reason to fear this as they are working with some of the best animators in the world. Birds solution to this problem was to get the employees in groups to look at the work each member had done that day. Bird wanted to encourage people to speak their minds, he talked about the strong and weak points of each persons work and praised people for challenging his cri ticisms. At first this did not work very well, before Bird was introduced to the company the animators were afraid to criticise any work as previous managers did not take kindly to criticism, however constructive it was. It took nearly two months for any of the employees to actively participate in these group discussions, however one employee finally did and the rest of the employees saw that Bird praised this employee for doing so as he knew it was the best way to get everyone comfortable with this process. Section 2.2 Open Philosophy Pixar has a very open philosophy towards its business. Pixar encourage employees across its company to interact with each other. They want employees of all levels to talk about their ideas and problems so the company can benefit through this interaction. Even the lowest level employees have the option to speak to the highest level employees as Pixar has an open door policy in its offices. This idea originated from the quotation below. Interaction = innovation Steve Jobs Pixar also has a open approach when it comes to their technology and advancements. Pixar encourages employees to publish their work in academic journals as they dont believe in hiding success. At first this may seem like a bad idea from a business perspective as they will be helping rival companies to better their productions. When you look at it more closely it starts to make a lot of sense. Pixar does this because it attracts talent to the company, talented individuals become aware of the new advances being made at Pixar and are often very keen to be hired by them so they can be at the forefront of this technology. Pixar is very interested in bringing new employees into the company as they challenge the status quo and often lead to new and exciting ideas. Section 2.3 Pixar University Pixar wants its employees to branch out and learn new things. Pixar University was created to allow its employees to do so. Every single employee is given up to four hours a week to take courses. Some of these courses are on related subjects such as animation and some are completely unrelated such as yoga. These courses bring employees from different corners of the company together and it helps them all learn new skills or it can simply help them relax. This scheme seems to have paid off as some employees have realised they have a certain talent in a new field and they switch to a different department where their skills are put to better use. Employees are allowed to reject work and meetings if they coincide with these courses, this shows how strongly Pixar feels about learning in their company. Section 2.4 Perfection holds back innovation Brad Bird brought a number of new things to Pixar and one of them has changed the company dramatically in the way it produces its films. Bird believes that perfection is something that holds back innovation. This is something that shocked employees when he joined the company, the below quotation shows exactly what he means. Look, I dont have to do the water through a computer simulation programà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Im perfectly content to film a splash in a swimming pool and just composite the water in. Brad Bird (2008) This was a new innovative approach to how the animators worked. Before this, animators had always painstakingly created every part of an animation and never used shortcuts to create the same effect. Bird understood that some pieces of work needed to be perfect but for some pieces it was unnecessary as the same result could be achieved by different means. It was this kind of innovative thinking that helps the company produce at a faster and cheaper rate. Section 2.5 Concluding employee relations This section of the report has talked about how Pixar treats its employees and how it stimulates them to become better at their work. Its difficult to criticise Pixar from this perspective as they have an extremely good understanding of what employees want and how to develop their creative skills. It is evident that their approach to employee relations is working as they continue to create new and exciting films which could only be produced by employees who enjoy their work. Section 3 Environmental innovations Pixar has an unorthodox approach to the environment that their employees work in. The offices in which Pixar employees work are specifically designed to maximise creativity and interaction. Section 3.1 Cubicles The animators are allowed to completely customise their working cubicles. In a business as creative as Pixar you cant sit the employees in blank cubicles. (http://www.home-designing.com) Most of the employees like to give their cubicles a homely feel by bringing personal items and making the atmosphere as friendly as possible. This sort of environment is best for a creative business like Pixar. Section 3.2 Pixar HQ The building in which Pixar is based also has a slightly different design to conventional working spaces. Steve Jobs who as we mentioned earlier believes that interaction = innovation designed the office with this in mind. The main building has a large atrium situated in the centre of the office which people at first thought was unnecessary, but Jobs designed this atrium to contain the cafeteria, mailboxes and toilets. At first this seemed like a strange idea as everybody had to move from their individual areas to go to the bathroom or to collect mail. The reason for this was that people are essentially forced to see each other on a daily basis which leads to interaction which in turn leads to innovation. Section 3.3 Social environment The environment Pixar creates isnt just physical. There is also an important role in the social environment of the company. During an interview Brad Bird was asked Weve been talking a lot about how you promote innovation. What undermines it? (The Quarterly 2008) His response was the following Passive-aggressive people-people who dont show their colours in the group but then get behind the scenes and peck away-are poisonous. I can usually spot those people fairly soon and I weed them out. (Brad Bird 2008) Brad Bird made it his goal to get rid off people who hindered the innovation process as to him they were a cancer eating away at the creativity of the company. Section 3.4 Concluding environmental innovations The way Pixar designed its working space does seem very suited to the type of business that they are, a creative industry should have a creative environment. The idea of situating all the things people need on a daily basis in the atrium is essentially a good one, however it may not be to every employees liking as it may grow tiresome for people who have to take a long trip to just go to the bathroom. The social environment created by Pixar is very good as it is designed to embrace creative and happy people and it is also designed to eliminate people who bring innovative processes down. Section 4 Films Section 4.1 Films and reviews To date Pixar has produced 11 feature films which are listed below as well as ratings received by the popular movie critic website rottentomatoes.com. Toy story (1995) Rating 100% A Bugs Life (1998) Rating 91% Toy Story 2 (1999) Rating 100% Monsters, Inc (2001) Rating 95% Finding Nemo (2003) Rating 98% The Incredibles (2004) Rating 97% Cars (2006) Rating 74% Ratatouille (2007) Rating 96% WALL-E (2008) Rating 96% Up (2009) Rating 98% Toy Story 3 (2010) Rating 99% The above ratings show that Pixar have a tremendously good track record when it comes to producing films. You can also see that the latest films were produced much quicker. Since 2006 Pixar have been producing a film every year, this could be down to some of the innovative ideas from Brad Bird which were discussed earlier. Section 4.2 Cars In the rating system one film stands out from the crowd, and that films is Cars. (http://reponses.qctop.com) Every film Pixar has done has been rated over 90% except for Cars which received a much lower rating of 74%. There must be a reason for this dramatic drop in rating, and that reason is that Cars displayed a lack of innovation, the visual elements of the film were very good however the story lacked the Pixar magic a lot of critics refer too. The story was unoriginal and it was clear that something was missing when they were working on this film. While this film was being produced Pixar could have used an innovation method such as SWOT analysis to assess their strong and weak points. Below is an example of what they could have done to assess Cars. Strengths Good Animators Effective Marketing Strong Brand Productive work environment Weaknesses Bad basis for a film, Car racing is hard for a lot of people to relate too Unimaginative storyline compared to previous films Opportunities Further strengthen market position Huge profit potential Merchandise Threats Rival companies Growing dislike for cars as an environmental hazard. Above is a basic example of how SWOT analysis could have been used to ensure that Cars was received as well as all the other films they have produced. It would have been difficicult for this to have been performed by Pixar themselves as it is often hard to criticise your own work especially if it took 2 years to produce so an external person could have done the evaluation. Section 4.3 Attitudes towards money Some methods of analysis would not have worked in a company like Pixar such as The Boston Matrix which focuses on market growth and revenue. One of the key values that Pixar holds is that making profit can not be your focus in producing a good film. I dont make movies to make money-I make money to make movies. (Walt Disney) Above is Walt Disneys philosophy on making movies, Pixar as a creative organisation tries to adhere to this as they believe it will lead to greater success in the long term. Pixar has clearly learnt what they did wrong in Cars as the four movies they have produced since have all received above 96% which is an extremely high score. It is unclear what Pixar did, but it has worked. They may have used a method like SWOT analysis or maybe they hired new employees with a fresh perspective. Section 5 Conclusion Overall Pixar are a very good company to assess from an innovation perspective. Rival companies such as Dreamworks create similar films but often these films are overshadowed by the work of Pixar and this is down to the way that Pixar as a company works. Few companies are as organic as Pixar in their organisational structure and a lot of larger companies tend to have a mechanistic approach towards film making. You only have to look at the success that Pixar has had to realise how difficult it is to be critical of Pixar as a company. They are the worlds leading animation company who only have one film which let them down, and even that film was still extremely popular. Pixar are an extremely innovative company which is shown through their work and the dedication that the employees have towards their films. Pixar have had an incredibly good track record with their films and we can only wait to discover the new ways they will continue to spur creativity in their organisation. Section 6 References Pixars company history http://www.pixar.com/companyinfo/history/1986.html Interview with Brad Bird http://gigaom.com/2008/04/17/pixars-brad-bird-on-fostering-innovation/ Details of Pixar films and ratings http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pixar_films Images references Title page http://userlogos.org/files/logos/AlexT/PixarLogoLight.png Work cubicles http://www.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/pixar-494539.jpg Cars http://reponses.qctop.com/upload/FlashMcqueen-21976.jpg Section 7 Bibliography Books Capodagli, B. Jackson, L. (2009) Innovate The Pixar Way McGraw Hill Interviews Interview with Ed Catmull http://blogs.hbr.org/hbr/hbreditors/2009/02/creating_a_safe_haven_for_crea.html Websites http://corporatelearning.hbsp.org/corporate/assets/content/Pixararticle.pdf https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Innovation_lessons_from_Pixar_An_interview_with_Oscar-winning_director_Brad_Bird_2127# Pixars Brad Bird on Fostering Innovation http://benfry.com/writing/archives/179 http://consultaglobal.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/pixars-innovation-recipe/ http://www.irishideas.org/GreatJournal7.pdf http://www.getdriven.com/2008/01/pixar-university/

Monday, August 19, 2019

Juvenile Crime Rates :: essays research papers

Juvenile delinquency is a complex social problem that significantly impacts all members and processes of a social structure. Delinquency refers to a set of behaviors that are not in line with the collective practices and/or ethics of the dominant social group. Essentially, these behaviors deviate from societal norms and more specifically they violate established criminal codes and laws. Juvenile delinquency incorporates not only general criminal activity but conduct that is only unlawful for youths such as running away from home and skipping school. Current research into this difficult and pressing issue reflects a vast range of theories about, and predictors of delinquency as well as a multitude of strategies to control and reduce overall delinquency. The consensus among practitioners and researchers however maintains that juvenile delinquency is a dynamic, multifaceted problem with numerous potentially causal factors. Subsequently, investigators and professionals suggest that treatment procedures must focus on not only the immediate issue of the offender’s deviant behavior but on every element within the context of that behavior as well, including for example, family relations and social support services/networks. Conventional practice has long associated early preventive measures with positive delinquency reduction results. In particular, timely recognition of at-risk youth and correction of ineffective or minimally effective parenting techniques are critical to the prevention of future delinquency (Lundman, 1993). Numerous risk factors have been identified as indicators or predictors of juvenile delinquency and those factors represent dysfunction at several levels, specifically within the structure of the offender’s family. Some of these factors include conflict within the family, a lack of adequate supervision and/or rules, a distinct lack of parent-child attachment, instability, poor home life quality, parental expectations, out-of-home placements and inconsistent discipline (Shumaker, 1997). Social service professionals who frequently come into contact with children must be especially vigilant in order to detect the presence of any of the possibly contributory conditions mentioned above and to refer families to appropriate sources of assistance as early as possible. Generally speaking, the relationship between family conflict and delinquency is significant. There are many types of family conflict but the absence of communication and the inability to solve problems are two of the most fundamental forms relative to future delinquency. The nature of these conflicts is cyclical in that communication and problem-solving breakdowns increase the incidences of delinquency which in turn increase the stress and conflict levels within the family leading to more instances of deviant behavior (Smith & Stern, 1997).