Beck's Theory of Risk Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Beck's Theory of Risk Society - Essay Example Time and again, sociologists have studied societal behaviours and have coined different names for different societies. With the advent of the era of advanced modernity, societal thinkers went into further depths and coined even more comprehensive titles such as Affluent societies, Civic Societies, Open societies etc. One of the most prominent societal thinkers of this new modern era is Ulrich Beck. INTRODUCTION TO BECK AND RISK SOCIETY The German sociologist coined the name of Risk Society in his book ‘’ Toward a New Modernity’’ to explain that this era of advanced modernity is overwhelmed by the underlying risks that form an integral part of the future of these societies. Beck uses the term to identify societies that are risk averse and try to find out systematic methodologies to deal with risks induced by the modernisation itself. The term risk society is also analysed through the paradigms of a theoretical framework. This frame comprises of three interre lated ingredients: Individualization, Risk and reflexive modernity. The underlying basis of Beck to his argument is that modern society is exposed to a plenthora of risks and uncertainties. These uncertainties can include nuclear radiations, global warming, highly endemic diseases, invasive species and many other virulent phenomena (Adam, 2000). CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF BECKS THEORY: The historical theoretical work on societies centered around the distribution of world resources. Particularly those of the beginning of the modern era but with the new concept of risk aversiveness, Beck has given new paradigms to the societal risk theories. He argues that today, the focus of societies is not on the distribution of resources but on the distribution of risks and machinations of modernization, the risks prevalent in the contemporary scenario. He furthers his stance by saying that many potential risks are extricated from the concepts of boundaries and so these risks cannot be equitably distrib uted. Everyone therefore is equally at risk. Hence the concept of social classifications identified by the historical sociologists are no longer relevant according to Beck because risks cannot be equitably distributed and so all social classes are dissolved leading to individualization of the social actors. INDIVIDUALIZATION: According to Beck since all countries are equally exposed to the risks identified earlier, all entities, organizations, institutions and governments stand at the same level and so they are individualized at their own domains. Thus they have to take charge of the responsibilities and work on solutions to mitigating these risks. These individualized social actors identify the risks generated from technological innovation and new discoveries and they undertake action such as social movements and awareness campaigns to pressurize the innovators in being safety complaint. On the basis of this idea of individualization, Beck illustrates the vision of ‘New Moder nity’. He portrays a society where personal experimentation and cultural innovation are cherished at the back of high potential uncertainties. Beck considers both regressive and progressive elements to individualization REFLEXIVE MODERNIZATION Beck criticises modernity by attacking the presuppositions of the theory of modernity related socialization. He is of the opinion that many sociologists confuse modernity with industrialism. He finds progress in the overrated social theories which align linear

Hitler's Mein Kampf Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hitler's Mein Kampf - Essay Example It later became part of Hitler's propaganda, a psychologically powerful technique used to draw support from and control the behavior of the "irrational" masses. In his view of society, Hitler puts the Aryan race at the top of the human ladder, branding them as the "master" or superior race. The Aryan culture is described as enlightened, since he maintains that this ethnic group is the source of all genius, knowledge and cultural and scientific development. As "culture-founders", the Aryans are responsible for or have influence over the development of other cultures; Aryans are referred to as "the founders of mankind". Other races are referred to as "lesser" or inferior races. As such, their cultures are not dominant, original or unique, simply a mere imitation of Aryan culture (the core) with external features or characteristics (the execution) that are particular to that other race. Therefore, other races are referred to as "culture-bearers": the creativity, inspiration and originality of their culture is due to foreign influences and, when the original creative race nucleus (the cultural driving force) is lost, culture stiffens, cultural development stops and, according to his own words, "darkness will again fall upon the earth [] and the world would turn into a desert." 2 Hitler also describes Aryan supremacy as "fate". ... He states that Aryans, as the master race, cannot avoid their role as supporters or developers of other human cultures since leadership is part of their genetic makeup. In this statement he implies some form of "divine" intervention, the influence of some external force that has chosen Aryans as the supreme race to rule the world. Interestingly, Hitler admits the crucial role that other races play in cultural and scientific development. While Aryans' special abilities make them adapt to all conditions and drive development forward, the presence of other races is instrumental in this development as human auxiliary forces, as part of the machinery. Without the help of the lesser men, Aryans would never have been able to achieve this higher culture. Inferior people, like animals, replace the lack of technical means. Similarly to animals, lesser races need to be tamed and trained to complete certain tasks, which in turn allows Aryans to develop techniques and procedures that substitute or replace them. He concludes that, once the lesser races have fulfilled their role and are no longer required, they can be eliminated, they may "go". In this view of culture and society, Hitler places other races and their contribution below those of animals. He explains that lesser people fulfilled their role as "forces" before animals did for the development of the first culture known to man. However, in their role as masters and propagators of culture, Aryans made one error: they spared the lives of those individuals they had enslaved and gave them a better fate than the rest of the subjects from his pack, they gave them "freedom". However, the subjected inferior races began to rise as they approached their masters linguistically and intellectually and the differences

Effect Of Music And Noise On Working Memory Psychology Essay

Effect Of Music And Noise On Working Memory Psychology Essay Memory is an integral part of everyday life. It is required for simple tasks, such as keeping a phone number in mind before dialling it, or for more complex tasks such as learning a mathematical formula to apply to a sum. Memory is based on three basic processes. It can be defined as the process by which individuals encode, store and retrieve information (Feldman, 2004). Encoding is the receiving of sensory information and transforming it into some form which can be stored. Storing is the process of putting the information into memory. Retrieval is the process of gaining access to the stored information (Morgan, King, Weisz Schopler, 2008). The interaction of these three processes is required for the proper functioning of memory. Memory failure, that is forgetting, can occur when information has not been properly encoded and stored and therefore, there can be no retrieval (Baddeley, Eysenck and Anderson, 2009). The working of memory cannot be reduced to just a single explanation. It is composed of various interrelated systems. In 1968, the Atkinson-Shiffrin Model of Memory was proposed. It stated a three stage model of memory. Information, which was recorded by an individuals sensory system, enters sensory memory which holds the information momentarily. The information then moves to short-term memory, where it is stored for 15 to 25 seconds. And finally, the information moves to long-term memory where it is relatively permanent. The amount and kind of rehearsal of the information determines whether the information will move from short-term memory to long-term memory, or not (Feldman, 2004). Stimulation of extremely brief duration is stored in sensory memory. This is the first kind of information presented by the environment to individuals. The term sensory memory denotes different types of memory (Feldman, 2004). In the early 1960s, scientists at Bell Laboratories in USA analysed the fleeting visual memory system, which later came to be known as iconic memory. It is the brief storage of visual information. The auditory counterpart or auditory sensory memory is echoic memory (Baddeley, Eysenck and Anderson, 2009). Iconic memory is said to last for less than a second while echoic memory lasts for two to three seconds. Sensory memory can store information for a very brief time only. If the information does not pass to short-term memory, then it is lost forever. Information that is stored transiently in sensory memory is not meaningful as it is only a representation of raw sensory stimuli. For long-term retention the information is passed on to short-term memory which is the next stage of memory (Feldman, 2004). Short-term memory is the performance on particular types of task involving the simple retention of small amounts of information which is tested either immediately or after a short delay. Short-term memory forms a part of working memory. There are various methods of testing short-term memory. One of the classical methods is the digit span test which requires remembering digits for a short period of time. Specific amounts of information can be held in short-term memory. George A. Miller, one of the founders of cognitive psychology, in 1956, suggested that memory capacity is limited by the number of chunks of information. A chunk is a meaningful group of stimuli that can be stored as a unit of short-term memory (Baddeley, Eysenck and Anderson, 2009). For the transfer of information to long-term memory from short-term memory, rehearsal is required. It is the repetition of information that has entered short-term memory. If elaborative rehearsal is used, the information is more likely to get transferred to long-term memory; otherwise it may only remain stored in short-term memory. Elaborative rehearsal is the strategic organization of information (Feldman, 2004). In the late 1960s, the idea of short-term memory being a unitary system was discarded and new theories emerged. These explained short-term memory as involving a number of systems interacting with each other. One such model is of verbal short-term memory. It is the concept of phonological loop. The phonological loop features a part in the multi-component working memory model proposed by Baddeley and Hitch in 1974. The phonological loop is composed of two parts, a short-term store and an articulatory rehearsal process. This store has a limited capacity. The items are stored as memory traces and decay within a few seconds. But, these traces can be retrieved by sub vocal rehearsal. A prominent feature of the short-term store is the phonological similarity effect. This is a tendency for immediate serial recall of verbal material to be reduced when the items are similar in sound. Therefore, remembering a series of dissimilar words is easier than remembering a list of words that are phonologically similar. But, this effect does not appear when the lists are lengthened and if there are several learning trials involved. It is also seen that there is a tendency for verbal memory span to decrease when longer words are used. This is the word length effect. Another factor which disrupts verbal short-term memory is the irrelevant sound effect. It was found that music interfered with digit recall. Vocal music was more disruptive that instrumental music. The retention of serial order can be disrupted by irrelevant stimuli provided they fluctuate over time. Another concept of short-term memory is the visuo-spatial short-term memory. The visual and spatial components have been proposed as a part of the visuo-spatial sketchpad which is a component of working memory. It is a counterpart of the phonological loop (Baddeley, Eysenck and Anderson, 2009). After the 1960s, short-term memory has transformed into the concept of working memory. According to this, information is not only retained for a short period of time, but can also be manipulated and can be involved in higher order processing activities such as comprehension, problem-solving and reasoning (Levin, Thurman and Kiepert, 2010). In 1974, Baddeley and Hitch drew two main observations from studying the effect of an irrelevant memory load on verbal reasoning. The first was that an irrelevant short-term memory task interfered with cognitive tasks. This was consistent with the idea of a common working memory system that combines temporary information storage with ongoing mental operations. Secondly, the concept of working memory went beyond that of short-term memory. It included an additional resource which was not shared with short-term memory (Graham J. Hitch). Working memory refers to the ability to coordinate mental operations with transiently stored information during cognitive activities (Graham J. Hitch). It is a system for temporary maintenance and manipulation of information that is helpful in performing complex tasks (Baddeley, Eysenck Anderson, 2009). An example of the usage of working memory is complex mental arithmetic where the task is broken down into several stages. The various stages have to be coordinated and the early stages generate transient information that has to be maintained for use in the later stages (Graham J. Hitch). Working memory and cognitive abilities are related to each other. Working memory affects cognitive tasks and, in turn, cognitive abilities are required for the understanding and manipulation of working memory. The Baddeley-Hitch Model of Working Memory, which was proposed in 1974, is highly influential and attempts to give a clear understanding of working memory. According to this model, working memory has three components: the phonological loop, the visuo-spatial sketchpad and the central executive. The phonological loop is specialized in holding sequences of acoustic items. The visuo-spatial sketchpad performs a similar function for visually and spatially encoded items. This entire system is controlled by the central executive which is an attentionally limited system that selects and manipulates material in the subsystems (Baddeley, Eysenck Anderson, 2009). A few factors affecting phonological memory are the phonemic similarity of items as well as the word length of the items. Memory spans vary with the length of the items. They are higher for shorter items than for longer items. But, these effects did not appear when the items were presented visually. Spoken stimuli accesses the articulatory loop automatically whereas visual inputs have to be verbally recoded, a control process that involves subvocalization. The phonological loop also explained why the presence of background speech disrupts short-term memory for visually presented verbal stimuli. According to Baddeley, irrelevant noise was easier to ignore than irrelevant speech which suggested that unattended speech enters the phonological store whereas non speech sounds do not. Working memory is thought to be under the control of the central executive. It is responsible for the coordination of mental activities in working memory as well as supervision of phonological loop and visuo-spatial sketchpad and the interaction with long-term memory (Graham J. Hitch). In 2000, Baddeley proposed a fourth component of the working memory model which would explain its interaction with long-term memory. It was called the episodic buffer and was assumed to be a storage system which could hold about four chunks of information in a multidimensional code. It acts as a link between the various components of working memory, and connecting the components with input from long-term memory. It has been studied that music has a favourable effect on working memory. Classical music such as Mozarts Sonata for two pianos in D Major, K.448 and Vivaldis Four Seasons: Spring are said to have an especially beneficial effect, by improving cognitive performance of individuals (Copley, May). In 1993, Rauscher et al claimed that after listening to Mozarts sonata for 2 pianos (K.448) for ten minutes, subjects showed better spatial reasoning skills than after listening to relaxation instructions or silence (Jenkins, 2001). This came to be known as the Mozart Effect. Rauscher et al stated that the participants IQ increased by 8 to 9 points over the two other conditions- relaxation and silence (Smith, Waters and Jones, 2010). The Vivaldi Effect was observed in a study when it was found out that those who listened to Vivaldi while exercising increased their scores of verbal fluency tests after their workouts compared to those who exercised without music (Roberts, June). Background noise is any sound that distracts or interferes with an individuals focus of attention. Background noise is said to disrupt the concentration of an individual. It can affect a persons ability to think clearly and retain information and can impair learning and memory (Andrews, January). Noise can include road traffic, people talking in the background, etc. Working memory is an important component as everyday cognitive tasks rely on it. It is integral in the development of language and reading. The study aims to explore the influence of music (classical) and background noise on working memory, which is responsible for enabling complex cognitive activities. The Mozart Effect has been observed to have a beneficial effect on visuospatial performance. This study aims to see if it can be extended to the performance of working memory as well. The study will also observe whether conditions of silence and music will elicit a better performance of working memory than the condition of background noise and the condition of background noise and music. The objectives of this study are to find out if music has a positive effect on working memory and if noise has a detrimental effect on working memory. In addition, the study aims to compare the effects of silence and music on working memory as well as to find out if background noise and music will have a detrimental effect on working memory. The hypotheses of the study are that music will have a positive effect on working memory, noise will have a detrimental effect on working memory, silence will have a better result on the performance of working memory than music and background noise and music will have a detrimental effect on working memory. Chapter Two Review of Literature Various studies have been conducted which show the positive and detrimental effects of music and noise on working memory. The following research articles look at studies which have been conducted which express the relationships between music, noise and working memory. The Effects of Background Music and Noise on Working Memory was conducted by Amanda Eiras and Kaycee McNeil. It examines how verbal working memory was affected by background music and noise. The study was conducted on 14 participants between the ages of 18 to 30 years. The participants were made to recall a list of 30 words in 30 seconds under four conditions: in silence, in music, in noise and in music and noise. It was found that the presence of music was not statistically significant F(1,11) The Effect of Background Music and Noise on the Cognitive Test Performance of Introverts and Extraverts was conducted by Stacey Dobbs, Adrian Furnham and Alistair McClelland. This study examines whether background noise is as distracting as music and the effect it has on introverts and extroverts while they do cognitively complex tasks. 118 female school children between the ages of 11 to 18 years were the participants of the study. The participants were made to complete 3 tasks- RPM, Wonderlic Personnel Test and Verbal Reasoning Test Byron, 2006 under 3 conditions: noise condition, music condition and silence condition. The results showed that in RPM, the performance in silence was significantly better than in the presence of music and the performance in music was significantly better than in the presence of noise. In the Wonderlic Personality Test, the performance in silence and music was significantly better than in the presence of noise. The performance in the presence of silence was not significantly different from performance in the presence of music. In the test of verbal reasoning the performance in silence was significantly better than with music and just failed to be significantly better than with noise. There was no significant difference between performance under music and noise conditions. Recall of Words Heard in Noise was conducted by Anders Kjellberg, Robert Ljung and David Hallman. This study examines if recall of words and recognition of sentences, when orally presented, were affected by the presence of background noise. 32 participants between the ages of 18 to 34 years were chosen. The participants were required to complete two memory tasks: recall of words and recognition of sentences under two conditions- with background noise and without background noise. The results show that the number of words correctly recalled were significantly lower in the noisy condition (mean= 8.50 and 11.03 for noise and control condition respectively.) In the recognition of sentences task there was no significant differences between the conditions. Does music enhance cognitive performance in healthy older adults? was conducted by Nicola Mammarella, Beth Fairfield, and Cesare Cornoldi. This study examines whether music can enhance cognitive performance. 24 participants between the ages of 73 to 86 years of age were chosen. The participants were required to do two tests: a forward version of digit spans and word fluency test under three conditions: music, no music and white noise. The results for digit span show that the music condition showed a significant advantage over the white noise condition and the non-music condition. There was no difference between the white noise condition and the non-music condition. The results for the phonemic fluency show that there is a significant advantage of music over white noise and non-music conditions. And the difference between white noise and non-music conditions were not significant. Listening to the Vivaldi excerpt led subjects to show a significant increase in phonological working memor y capacity and phonemic fluency. Acoustical Barriers in Classrooms: The Impact of Noise on Performance in the Classroom was conducted by Julie E. Dockrell and Bridget M. Shield. The study examines the effect of classroom noise on the performance of primary school children. 158 children were chosen as participants for the study. Their mean age was 8 years and 6 months. The participants were given four tests to complete: an aptitude test, verbal tests which included reading and spelling, non-verbal tests and an arithmetic test under three different class noise conditions: base (normal classroom condition when children are working quietly and no one is talking), babble (noise consisting of childrens babble) and babble with environmental noise. The results showed that verbal task performance is worst in babble and best in base condition. In the non-verbal tests, the performance is best in the babble and environment noise condition. The study, The Effect of Background Music and Background Noise on the Task Performance of Introverts and Extraverts was conducted by Gianna Cassidy and Raymond A. R. Macdonald. This study examines the effects of music with high arousal potential and negative affect, music with low arousal potential and positive affect and everyday noise on the cognitive performance of introverts and extraverts. The sample size was 40. It included 20 university student, 10 adolescents and 10 non-studying/working adults. The materials used were music with lyrics and background noise (which was everyday general sound, classroom working sounds, traffic and conversation including laughter). The participants had to complete 5 cognitive tasks. They were the Stroop Neuropsychological Screening Test, a delayed recall task from the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (version A, item 6 A), a free recall task which had 20 six letter words, a distractive task which was a numerical task and the delayed recall task. The participants completed the five tasks in one of the four background sound conditions: positive low arousal music which was relaxing, negative high arousal music which was aggressive, background noise and silence. Performance on all the tasks was poorer while listening to background sound (which includes music and noise) compared to completing the tasks in silence. Listening to high arousal music was significantly more detrimental to task performance than listening to low arousal music across all tasks. Background noise and high arousal music significantly reduced performance across all tasks compared to the silence condition. High arousal music was more detrimental to task performance the Stroop task. The Effects of Acute Background Noise on Recognition Tasks was conducted by Daniel Diegard. 23 students were chosen as the participants for the study and the mean age was 22 years. The materials used were random white noise, encoding items, a distracter task which was a mental arithmetic task and a working memory capacity test which required the participants to complete an arithmetic test and alternating between equations and memorizing word sequences. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the four noise conditions effects on the participants recognition score. There was a significant within-subject effect on the participants response times, dependant on the presence of noise during the recognition part [F(1,21)=5.60, p=0.028] and also a between-subject ffect for the two experimental groups [F(1,21)=8.57, p=0.008]. Background white noise had no significant effect on the participants learning capacity. It was seen that the interaction effect of the experi mental group and encoding noise did approach significance. The results of this study are shown to be inconsistent with most previous studies conducted. Effects of Prior Exposure to Office Noise and Music on Aspects of Working Memory was conducted by Andrew Smith, Beth Waters and Hywel Jones. The participants of this study were 36 undergraduate students between the ages of 18 to 25 years. This study was further divided into two studies. The first examined whether habituation occurred to office noise and how long it takes for habituation. The second study was an attempt to replicate the Mozart Effect which represents an improvement in spatial reasoning following listening to Mozart. In the first experiment, a mental arithmetic task was given to the participants. After the first mental arithmetic task, a habituation period to office noise was presented for five minutes. There were three conditions which were used. The first was continuous noise condition which was heard throughout the presentation of all the mental arithmetic tasks and the habituation periods. The second was the noise control condition in which the participants heard n oise during the mental arithmetic task but not during the intervening habituation period. The final condition was the quiet condition in which no noise was presented during the mental arithmetic task. The habituation phase was for 20 minutes in total placed between the arithmetic tasks. The results showed that there was a significant effect of noise condition [F(2,33)=8.3, p In the second experiment 24 undergraduate students were chosen to be the participants. Their mean age was 22 years. The participants had to complete spatial ability tasks in three conditions: after listening to Mozarts piano sonata, after positive mood induction and after sitting in silence. The results showed that the participants had higher scores on the test in the Mozart condition than in the other 2 conditions. Music Listening While You Learn: No Influence of Background Music on Verbal Learning was conducted by Lutz Jancke and Pascale Sandmann. This study examined the influence of listening to background music on verbal learning performance. The sample size of this study was 75 and the participants were randomly assigned to five groups. The participants had to learn the presented verbal material with and without background music. Each group of participants was exposed to one of five different background stimuli: in-tune fast, in-tune slow, out-of-tune fast, out-of-tune slow and noise. This study did not find any consistent or consequential influence of background music on verbal learning. There was neither an enhancement nor a decrease in verbal learning performance during the presentation of the background sound conditions. The Relative and Perceived Impact of Irrelevant Speech, Vocal Music and Non-Vocal Music on Working Memory was a study conducted by Thomas R. Alley and Marcie E. Greene. The sample size of this study was 60. The study examined the effects of vocal music, equivalent instrumental music and irrelevant speech on working memory to understand how music affects performance and the degree of impairment. The participants completed a digit span task in the presence of irrelevant speech, vocal music, instrumental versions of the vocal music and silence. The results of this study showed that speech and vocal music hindered performance. The performance in instrumental music was better than that of vocal music but was not significantly different from speech or silence. Chapter Three Methodology The aim of this research will be to study the effects of music and background noise on working memory. Research Design A quantitative study will be carried out and experimental research design will be used. The study will involve a group of individuals who will be made to recall lists of words under four different conditions- silence, background noise, music and music and background noise. Hypotheses Music will have no effect on working memory. Noise will have no effect on working memory. Silence will have no effect on working memory. Background noise and music will have no effect on working memory. Sampling Sample size consisting of 40 individuals including males and females in the age range of 19 to 23 years. The sampling method to be used will be convenience sampling. The study is an experimental and quantitative research as variables will be measured and analysed using statistical techniques. Ethical Consideration Informed consent will be given to the participants before the experiment is conducted to ensure that their participation is voluntary. Confidentiality of identity of the participants will be guaranteed. The participants will be allowed to leave the experiment when they want. Tools Used 16 list of 20 words each Mozarts Sonata for 2 pianos in D, K.448 Vivaldi- Spring Clip of background noise on a busy street Data Analysis The Analysis of Variance or ANOVA will be used as there are more than two variables which will be taken into consideration as well as the interaction between the two. Operational Definitions Working Memory- Working memory is the ability to temporarily store words while performing other cognitive tasks. Music- Music can be defined as the vocal and instrumental sound to produce form, harmony and expression. Noise- Noise is defined as unwanted sound. In this study, noise is that which is not important to the main focus of attention.

Wine Industry Financial Analysis Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Cour

Wine Industry Financial Analysis DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS Canandaigua Brands, Inc. (formerly Canandaigua Wine Company, Inc.) is a producer and supplier of wine and an importer and producer of beer and distilled spirits in the United States. It maintains a portfolio of over 130 national and regional brands of beverage alcohol which are distributed by over 850 wholesalers throughout the United States and selected international markets. Its beverage alcohol brands are marketed in three general categories: wine, beer and distilled spirits. Brands include: Paul Masson, Manischewitz, Monte Alban, Almaden, Barton’s Gin and Corona Beer. MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE Management performance is good. Canandaigua’s return on assets is better than the industry standard for 1998, and just under the industry standard in 1997. The company’s management has been able to improve the company’s ROA by almost doubling net income from the prior year. Management has in the past done a good job of utilizing its assets, and by the latest results is doing an even better job. Canandaigua’s gross margin(25.62) is less than the industry standard(43.80%). It appears that the company’s production costs are greater than others in the industry. Profit margin(6.78%) is greater than the industry standard(6.64%) in 1998. Canandaigua is very good at controlling selling & general administrative expenses. Higher sales in 1998 resulted primarily from additional beer sales, largely Corona Beer sales, additional table wine sales and additional spirits sales. The company has increased its return on common stockholder’s equity(12.84%), compared to the industry stan dard of 10.89%. Canandaigua does a fair job of controlling borrowing. Interest expense was reduced by ... ...ompany’s operating cycle is very lengthy. Although, assuming most payables are due net 30, Mondavi appears to pay their bills on an average of 3.8 days early. LONG-TERM LENDORS From a lendor’s perspective, Mondavi appears very strong in its ability to repay long-term debt and interest despite having a debt to asset ratio 35% below the industry average. Mondavi has a very low probability of bankruptcy with or without the market cap being considered. Accordingly, Mondavi would be a good candidate for a general line of credit from lendors. INVESTORS Mondavi’s stock appears to be over valued by approximately 100% compared to 1997 and 1998’s per share market value. According to the EPS ratio, such over valuation appears to be consistent from ’97 to ’98, according to the EPS ratio. Therefore, it seems that investors would be hesitant to purchase Mondavi’s stock.

Impact of Job satisfaction on employees Essay

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of motivation on job satisfaction (dissatisfaction) of journalistic employees employed by the national public broadcaster. The idea was to profile factors causing high motivation and job satisfaction and also to profile those factors that contribute low motivation and dissatisfaction at work. The rationale for the study was simply an observation that some employees seem better adjusted and happy at work and are able to cope well with the demands of the working environment while others are not. Another observation is that management seem not to be aware of what motivates their subordinates and to strategically utilize those motivational tools to maintain high levels of job satisfaction (or at least low levels of job dissatisfaction), high productivity and morale. The target sample was all journalistic staff working in the television and radio news rooms of the national public broadcaster in South Africa. The profile of the respondents included a variety of ages, gender, races, educational backgrounds, different work locations, different marital statuses and managers and non-managers. Data was collected using a questionnaire that was randomly distributed at Head Office in Auckland Park and to all the nine regional offices of the SABC. The major findings of this investigation was that three motivational factors, namely achievement, recognition and work itself cause 88% job satisfaction; while hygiene factors cause 12% job satisfaction. At the same time the research also found that three hygiene factors, namely supervision,  company policy and administration and  interpersonal relations with supervisors cause 60% job dissatisfaction; while motivational factors, namely achievement and recognition cause 40% job dissatisfaction. These results reflect the work attitudes of employees at the time of this research. The study illustrates that when employees are happy and satisfied in their  jobs, their level of motivation is high and they perform at peak all the time. On the other hand, when employees are unhappy and dissatisfied at work, their level of motivation is low and they don’t perform at peak level. The study recommends strategies of how management can utilize achievement, recognition and work itself as a tool to keep employees motivated and satisfied in their jobs. It also recommends ways by which management can eliminate low motivation and job dissatisfaction amongst employees by improving management skills, knowledge and competencies of managers, building relations between managers and subordinates and also improving the quality of internal communication with employees especially on policy and administrative matters. Lawler (1973) in Dipboye, Smith and Howell (2000) incorporated the concepts of attained versus desired needs in his model of facet satisfaction. This model is an extension of the Porter-Lawler (1968) of motivation explained above. It is a facet satisfaction model because satisfaction with various components or facets of a job, such as supervision, pay, or the work itself, is considered. Lawler’s model specifies that workers compare what their jobs should provide in terms of job facets, such as promotions and pay, to what they currently receive from their jobs. However, simple need comparison theory is extended by also weighing the influence of certain worker characteristics (such as skills, training, and age) and job characteristics (such as degree of responsibility and difficulty). In addition, the model draws concepts from the equity theory of motivation by assuming that workers ultimately determine their job satisfaction by comparing their relevant job inputs and outputs to referent (comparison) others (Dipboye, Smith and Howell, 2000:149-150). Adapted: Figure 2.2

No Clear Answer Concerning the Decriminalization of...

No Clear Answer Concerning the Decriminalization of Prostitution To decriminalize or not to decriminalize? That is the question people in the United States and other nations have been asking themselves for decades. Many countries, including Costa Rica, Italy, Norway, and Singapore, do legally sanction certain forms of prostitution, and some find it odd that a nation like the United States, which prides itself so heavily on the principle of individual liberty, would forbid any type of activity between two consenting adults. Nonetheless, countless Americans find the prospect of legal prostitution offensive to their ideals concerning traditional moralism, sex, or womanhood. While morality debates may rage on, it does seem rather strange†¦show more content†¦Such a system would enable those willing to pay for sex to do so without the danger of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. It would also improve the health of prostitutes themselves. Some worry that legalization would give prostitution a stamp of approval that would spur a dramati c and potentially dangerous sexual revolution, but judging by the way legal strip clubs and pornography are regarded by society at large today, it is unlikely that much of the stigma attached to prostitution would disappear. (Societys view is reflected in the fact that almost every city and town restricts both the type and location of both strip clubs and pornography stores that can exist there.) What would change, though, is that prostitutes would finally have the option of going to the police after being raped by their customers or managers. In a 1998 survey of 475 prostitutes led by Dr. Melissa Farley of Prostitution Research and Education, 62% had been raped since entering the profession, and 46% had been raped more than five times. Meanwhile, 82% of the American prostitutes surveyed had been physically assaulted on the job. A socially responsible government would provide these victims of violence with a place to turn for help, but unfortunately, there is no way for them to redr ess the crimes committed against them. Since their business is against the law, contacting a police officer would do more them harm than good. Despite the fact that legalization would make prostitutionShow MoreRelatedProstitution Essay1724 Words   |  7 Pages Prostitution has been a part of our worlds culture since the beginning of time, and is the worlds oldest profession. Ever since the beginning of time man has felt the need to pay for services of a sexual nature, whether are legal or not. In our culture; however, prostitution has become a topic of debate concerning the merits of this professions legality. In viewing the legalization of prostitution one must take into account all the pros and cons of the situation, but more importantly what isRead MoreA Christian Approach to Homosexuality7265 Words   |  30 Pagessupported gay marriage, reversing his position on the issue. Mr. Obama was against same-sex marriage as a candidate in 2008 but supported civil unions. In the fall of 2010, he said his views on gay marriage were evolving†. Now he has made his position clear and added that he was influenced by gay memb ers of the military and his staff who are raising children together in monogamous relationships. Mr. Obama is the first sitting U.S. president to publicly support gay marriage. His endorsement is largelyRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesit is not), migration served as a mode of escape from oppression and poverty and, in many instances, as an avenue toward advancement for an unprecedented number of people that soared well into the hundreds of millions by century’s end. But for a clear majority of these migrants, movement was coerced by flight from war and oppression or was enticed by labor recruiters who preyed on the desperately poor. The prospects for the great majority were almost invariably lives of drudge labor in urban sweatshops

Rap Hip Hops Effects on Black America via Social Aspects Attitudes - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 1968 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/08/12 Category Music Essay Level High school Tags: Hip Hop Essay Did you like this example? African Americans as a culture are under constant attack socially, intellectually and racially and in todays world this is supported primarily by how the mainstream media portrays present day rap/hip-hop, by giving it a bad name whilst telling john public that a certain stereotype is okay. By doing this the media has become complicit in the castration and twisting of the voices of black America and this only aides commercialism and tricks the younger generation into seeing consumerism as an act of rebellion. The history of hip hop rap music is closely linked to the political issues the culture of black people. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Rap Hip Hops Effects on Black America via Social Aspects Attitudes" essay for you Create order This music was needed to fuel the fight during the Civil Rights Movement and was supposed to be that next step in the transformation and transition of black people from slavery to freedom. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America, (1994) a book written by Tricia Rose project discusses how rap music has taken a turn for the worse and how the black community has easily followed the same path. Rose discusses the evolution plight of the black man in American History, Social conditions, Intellectual life, Race identity and Rap (Music) History and criticism. Rose argues that the original intended message of rap hip hop has changed and in its present form seems to be in a fight with its self. On one hand fighting for a cause and on the other hand destroying the identity of women and other classes of people who are under attack by society. The topics discussed are sure to appeal to the black community, women and persons who seek to have an equal footing for all people in the African American community at home and abroad. I will analyze the authors argument that African Americans suffer from effects of stereotypes social injustices this has caused a deterioration of the political and social conditions because of rap hip hop and what we can do to change the perceptions and habits. present research documents argument, claims, audience, purpose, and how these things support the argument along with the use of evidence. Rose begins by discussing the origins of rap hip-hop music and she touches on the business aspect of and rap and how the media focusses on the illegal sampling of other music to make rap music. Rose highlights the role that rap music, dancing graffiti played in its development and illustrates how cultural ignorance has led to the moral break down in society. Rap deals with complex issues that relate to social, cultural and political matters. Caughy, M. O. in the book. The Influence of Racial Socialization Practices on the Cognitive and Behavioral Competence of African American Preschoolers. Caughy surmised that a childs development as it relates to being brought up in poverty and the effects of living a community setting affected by the processes that derive from poverty (1). This correlates to what Rose is saying in terms of how important re-education in fixing the present issues that exist in the black community. Rose discusses songs from various artist that attempted to spe ak to the social ills of rap music. Asante writes artist like KRS Ones, who proclaimed: To crush the stereotype heres what we did/ We got ourselves together/So that you could unite and fight for whats right. (p10). Despite raps suppression it continued to thrive welcomed artist who had little guidance and the results of this lack of guidance showed how modern rap/hip-hop has descended now caters to the lowest common denominator because the values and ideals of the new up and coming artist has been already tainted and the list of positive artists is small, and they all regurgitate the same negative messaging instead of using hip-hop as the culture expression it was intended to be. Rap hop hop seldom showcase positive messaging because it has lost its initial mandate which is to speak on social economic issues that affect todays society. If we turn on any tv today we can see movies music that depict persons of my color in a basic stereotype, either they are killing each other having sex with multiple partners or doing drugs. Misogyny and black on black violence in rap/hip-hop and its negative impact is affecting how black people view themselves and this is causing the erosion of the black community. Author Belgrave, Faye Z., in the book. The Influence of an Afrocentric Worldview and Demographic Variables on Drug Knowledge, Attitudes, and Use among African American Youth. (3) addresses similar ideas when she stated, The negative consequences of drug us, abuse, and activity are many (p2). Belgrave blames school drop-out, crime and incarceration, teen pregnancy, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases on drugs the pervasive culture exist in the African American society due to a lack of economic prosperity, and education. Rose asserts and connects with Belgrave about African Americans and the deterioration of the political and social conditions due to the effects of rap hip hop and what we can do to change the perceptions and habits. As Asante stated With its sands scattered to the winds of the world hip hop joins scores of other vibrations that were born in the Black community. and that other countries have adopted hip hop outside of U.S. Therefore, hip hop if changed in its homeland can have a ripple effect and change the overall culture that has been attached to it. The up and coming artist if educated and paid appropriately will reflect the values of traditional Rap Hip Hop. If we change our songs and ignore the stereotypes the media would soon follow. Educations about where the music came from and where its going and adequately paying artist would make them less of victims to the cooperate big wigs. Asante questions the purpose and the motives of the record companies and how hip-hop music imp acts their bottom line and not necessarily the artist. Asante compares The Hip-Hop Generation Post Hip-Hop Generation explaining the differences between them pointing out how commercialism and consumption has played a massive part in the deconstruction of hip hop, defining how Hip-Hop has betrayed itself by not being used as a tool for rebelling or standing up for whats right. Rose asserts that the lack of emcees and influential people to disseminate the positive cultural expression of black America has contributed to a fall in the quality of music and a directional shift of the music. Asante writes that these emcees are vital to the future of rap hip-hop music because they in the past they were the guardians of the music and reflected the values of traditional rap hip hop (p7). The true meaning or actions of Post-Hip-Hop has encompassed the present generations current day struggles along with hip hops past struggles, but the lines of battle drawn in the sand has become blurred because many other movements fights have emerged causing many fights to be fought and no battles to be won. These movements are the womens movement, anti-war movement, gay rights, anti-globalization just to name a few. A civil fight for one of these movements alone could take a lifetime so the idea that cooperating could make things better for all at the same time seems laugh able. In effect each will cannibalize each other of resources man power and The fight would just be A fight. Civil Rights Equality for Blacks in all aspects of society should stand on its own. Its over 400 years that Africans have been fighting for freedom and equality and the same fight continues. Asante writes that during the Civil Rights Movement black music was called freedom songs. It was even stated that the lyrics were very important, even more so than the music. (p4). Are we doing enough to rebuild our cities in order to stimulate growth and bring back money to the hands of the poor black community? Is the artiste investing in programs that help the young up and coming artist who need to learn the ropes? I think better can be done in respect of the business aspect of rap music, this would undoubtedly allow for the transfer of power of most if not all of what we deem as culture back to the hands of whom it was torn from. In his review of Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America. author Baker, Houston A., Jr. Supported and extended Rose when he wrote From its first commercial success during the 1970s, raps powers of persuasion were never in doubt. Its powers of adaptation and global influence, however, have proved both surprising and frustrating to even the most tireless adult detractors of the form. (2) Rose also spoke about female rappers and how their voices influence rap music. Rose speaks of the marginalization of black womens contribution to rap and the music industry. Rose gave examples of works from artist like Salt N Pepa, Queen Latifah several other female writers artist. As Asante stated With its sands scattered to the winds of the world hip hop joins scores of other vibrations that were born in the Black community. (p2), other countries have adopted hip hop outside of U.S. Therefore, hip hop if changed in its homeland can have a ripple effect and change the overall culture that has been attached to it. The up and coming artist if educated and paid appropriately will reflect the values of traditional Rap Hip Hop. If we change our songs and ignore the stereotypes the media would soon follow. Education about where the music came from and where its going and adequately paying artist would make them less of victims to the cooperate big wigs. Rap shares similar origins of previous black oral music traditions. Rose discusses the study of jazz in the 1920s and how the black culture was being imitated by white entertainers and fans. Asante writes about the adoption of hip-hop outside the U.S signifying that the black art forms are taken by other cultures and races and finds itself appropriated and in some cases misused and misunderstood. (p3). This merger of cultures contributes to the loss of cultural expression and gives way to any influence presented my public or private entities. (p7). Rose speaks of rappers going unnoticed by the mainstream music industry the popular cultural industries until the entrepreneur Sylvia Robinson brought attention to the art form. When Hollywood realized rap would be a force in the future everyone jumped on board. Asante questions the purpose and the motives of the record companies and how hip-hop music impacts their bottom line and not necessarily the artist when he says Instead multinational corporations like Viacom, Clear Channel, and Vivendi, through their radio and television outlet, control how most people hear and see hip hop. (p 6). Asante compares The Hip-Hop Generation Post Hip-Hop Generation explaining the differences between them pointing out how commercialism and consumption has played a massive part in the deconstruction of hip hop, defining how Hip-Hop has betrayed itself by not being used as a tool for rebelling or standing up for whats right. (p10). When we turn on the radio or look at printed media, we can see images or hear music that encourages us to engage in vulgar dangerous acts which are not in keeping with who we are. The modern era of rap hip hop has given way to the systematic destruction of people of color or might I say anyone who looks different from white. The education of people of all colors needs to be reintroduced and revised because at this the only organization that can help this generation reverse the way we think, and act is the media. This topic is still prevalent and is a perfect example of the social ills that exist in society involving brown and black people.