Relativism Example Essay Example

Relativism Example Paper The theory of Moral Relativism suggests that no principle or value is completely right or wrong; it depends on the circumstances such as the particular society in which one lives in. This proves to be a problem when discovering the actual truth as people begin to think that the truth relies on who maintains it or that the only truth is their own. This can lead to truth having no significance because everything depends on the society to which one belongs to. This ideology originates from Ancient Greece at the time of Homer (8th century BCE). People within Greek society began to come across different ideas if what it meant to be moral. They questioned their own absolutist ideals, resulting in the discussions of the Sophists, a group of wise men, who disputed that all morality was relative what was right and wrong was different within every society. A Greek philosopher, Protagoras proposes that peoples main focus in life was to just get on with it; he says Man is the measure of all things. All they wanted was to fit in with their own community; the truth was an inconsistent and unpredictable idea. Protagoras said that nothing is absolutely right or wrong and that each person is their own final point of authority when making decisions. We will write a custom essay sample on Relativism Example specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Relativism Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Relativism Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Moral Relativism is also subjective, meaning that a persons values are relative to them and so cannot be judged objectively. This is important because we learn that we need to be tolerant of other peoples beliefs and behaviour as well as not to impose our beliefs or morality on other people. Moral Relativism allows people to choose their own code of behaviour as long as it is within the law of society, an act may be good for one person but bad for another, or good in one cultural setting but bad in another, but cannot be either good or bad alone. Consequently, we should not ask ourselves whether something is good or bad in general, but only whether it is good or bad in a particular situation. This is a teleological approach, as you are deciding whether something is good or bad depending on what the outcome will be. Thomas Hobbes, an English Philosopher, helped to develop the foundation for most of Western political philosophy from the perspective of the social contract theory. The social contract theory is the view that a persons moral and/or political responsibilities are dependant on a contract or agreement between them to form society and right or wrong is relative to this. According to the social contract theory, consent is the basis of government. It is because people have agreed to be ruled that governments are entitled to rule. Hobbes indicates that right or wrong is determined by the need for people to control their naturally selfish desires and to work for the interest and well-being of the group. He also points out that right and wrong are influenced by what is needed to minimise conflict and promote survival. John Leslie Mackie, an Australian philosopher wrote a book called Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong. In his book, Mackie articulates that our moral beliefs do not shape the societies we live; rather our morality is shaped by society. He goes on to suggest that people want to believe morality has an objective truth, but that this is based on the psychological need to try and find an objective reality to base our views on and to give us confidence. However, there is no valid way of proving which moral view or belief is better as moral relativism requires us to be non-judgemental. Mackie concludes by saying that there is no real ultimate standard of right or wrong, which is a common relativist view. Cultural Relativism is less on a personal level as what is right or wrong depends on the culture. Cultural relativism is the view that all beliefs, customs, and morals are relative to the individual within his own social context. In other words, right and wrong are culture-specific; what is considered moral in one society may be considered immoral in another, and, since there is no universal standard of morality, nobody has the right to judge another societys customs. This means that we should adapt our behaviour to conform with the society we are in as well as behave in the way appropriate to the circumstances we are in. As a result, having good manners shows one has morality. Cultural Relativism is a pure example of the moral diversity amongst different cultures. For example, in Saudi Arabia the punishment for stealing may be to cut off a mans hand, however in this country the punishment is unheard of and thought to be brutal and unnecessary. This is what is known as the diversity thesis. Since, there is so much diversity across and amongst cultures there can be no one true morality. There are many other examples of culture clashes and rules of conduct for different places; however, for the relativist such differences do not present any problems because their own moral code applies to the society in which they live in. Moral Relativism is co-joining with religious authority. Many people in this day in age are not religious and therefore need some set standards of morality. Relativism also allows us to understand other cultures and to be tolerant of them. Nevertheless, Moral Relativism has its weaknesses and many Absolutists have criticised the theory. The Relativist says that you cannot have absolutist rules, yet they are contradicting themselves by saying, You must not judge anybody elses morality against your own, this is an absolutist rule. Another criticism suggests an important point, the Relativist approach is to accept and tolerate other peoples intolerant system. Respecting other peoples beliefs is difficult when they believe that the oppression of women is correct, for example. Some criticisms highlight that according to Relativists there is nothing wrong with slavery, torture or human sacrifice, if that is what a society practises then so be it. Additionally, Relativism gives little reason for behaving morally except to be socially accepted. There are several other flaws to the Relativist theory. For example, some statements are truly absolute, It is wrong to torture innocent people. Just because cultures vary, it does not mean there is no objective good. Along with this, ethical beliefs can change when they are challenged, primitive practises do discontinue. Moral relativism, because of its open-minded implications for ethics, is a matter of great importance; what we think about moral relativism matters. This is a situation where philosophy has a practical impact on society as a whole. It is important that the theory, and its consequences, are more widely understood in order to enforce true morality.

The Trip Essays - 9, The Prisoners, Free Essays, Term Papers

The Trip Essays - 9, The Prisoners, Free Essays, Term Papers Ms. Hoogewerf Writing College Success 18 September 2015 The Trip Tomorrow morning! You guys get up bright and early 8 am tomorrow morning and well go. Andrews dad muttered as he staggered out of the kitchen with another beer in his hand. I was at my friend Andrews house with my other friend Ethan. We were in the middle of discussing our plans for jet-skiing the next morning. I knew the plans werent going to go as planned as his dad was obviously drunk as could be. But we eventually decided to go along with it. After forcing ourselves awake the next morning, we walked into the living room to see his dad crashed on the couch. We waited and waited, he didnt budge. Jet skiing was officially out of the picture. I told you guys he was talking nonsense I muttered to my friends as I headed back to bed. I got up early to see your dad fast asleep in front of the TV? my friend Ethan asked Andrew angrily. You guys want to go to Adventure Island instead? said Andrews mom as she walked into the room. We looked at each other hesitantly. A water park full of scre aming kids who use the pools as a toilet? What could be better on a Sunday afternoon? Sure we said shrugging. We would try to make the best out of it. After an hour or so drive later we were walking into the park. None of us had been there in a while so we didnt know quite where to start. Andrews parents found some seats near the wave pool and set all their things down. You guys meet us back here when the park closes. That was 6 hours from then. We didnt think wed need too much time to slide down some slides and splash water in strangers faces. We picked one direction and ran until we came across something interesting. We stumbled upon the entrance to a slide. This looks decent Andrew claimed. We walked through the entrance and started heading up the long spiraled stairs. Excuse me gentlemen, a line is made to wait in, not cut. We turned around to see a short shirtless man with his 2 kids behind him. And then we saw the people behind his kids. And the people behind them. We had walked by a mile long line without even realizing it. This was going to take a while. 45 minutes later, we were getting ready to slide down. It was one pers on at a time so I decided to go first. I slid down into the dark enclosed tube as water rushed by my sides and splashed into my face. The tube open up halfway through the ride and I could finally see where I was. I stuck my arms out to my sides and gripped onto the sides of the slide. With all my strength, I held myself in place from slipping any further and waited for Ethan to slide down behind me. Surely he wouldnt be expecting this. After a few seconds, he rushed up behind me and screamed as he slammed into the back of me. We laughed hysterically as we continued to hold ourselves from sliding any further. Shortly after Andrew slid down and crashed into Ethan. Whats wrong with you guys?! Andrew yelled. If we dont hurry a whole line of people is going to ram into us! he yelled pushing us forward. We finally let go of the sides and continued to slide down. We picked up more and more speed and finally fell into the pool at the end. You guys cant come down at the same time! yelled the lifeguard to the side of the pool. Sorry! We got stuck! Ethan yelled back as he climbed out of the pool. You guys are idiots, we can get kicked out for things like that Andrew said swimming up behind us. I laughed to myself as I heard him say this. Kicked out of Adventure Island? The whole world is over! I screamed sarcastically. Alright fine, act like animals Andrew said letting out a sigh. I knew we wouldnt get kicked out for spicing the experience up a

History of Air Cargo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

History of Air Cargo - Essay Example Sir George-Cayley- a British aeronautical engineer deserves to be known as the father of aviation for his tremendous contribution in the field of flying. ("Aviation", 2005) Several experiments were made in the field of aviation between 1890 and 1901. In 1901, Langley tested and flew an unmanned quarter sized model before testing his full scale model called aerodrome in 1903, which operated on a gasoline engine. However, the machine achieved little success. In 1903, the Wright Brothers made the first successful flight. However, major developments in aviation was the result of the efforts made by Chanute, Lilenthal and Langley after 1885, who established a sound basis in experimental aerodynamics; but stability and control essential for sustained flight were yet to be achieved. Above all, the heavy steam engine was planned to be replaced by light gasoline engine. The world's first successful flight was made on December 17, 1903 in North Carolina by the Wright Brothers, in a heavier-than-aircraft under power and control. The first longest flight was flown for 260m in 59 seconds. In the following year, the brothers together made 105 flights, the longest b eing for over 5 minutes followed by a 38 minute 3 sec (38.9 Km) flight in the next year. In 1906, the first official flight in Europe was made in France by Alberto Santos-Dumont of Brazil for around 220m in 21.2 sec. The airplane which was self designed by Alberto was powered with a levavasseur 40 horsepower Antoinette engine. By the end of 1907, Henri Farman flew an aircraft built by Voisin in Europe for 1 min. In 1908, a flyer was demonstrated to the ArmySignals Corps at Fort Myer Virginie by Oriville, which was flown for over an hour and carried a passenger for the first time in the history of flying. Wright successfully accomplished flying on December 31st for over 2 hours and 20 minutes, with complete control of his flyer. Glenn Hammond Curtiss, New York was one of the most prominent American designer manufacturer and pilots of airplanes, completing the first solo flight on June 28, 1907 in a dirigible airship built by Thomas Baldwin. The aircraft was powered with a modified Cu rtiss engine of Curtiss motorcycle. On June 4th, 1908, the Scientific American trophy was awarded, for their flight in their third airplane by name the June Bug which covered a distance of 1552 m (5090 ft) in 1 min and 42.5 sec. Curtiss won New York world prize for his flight from Albany, New York to New York City. Curtiss became the first American to develop and fly a seaplane in January. Louis Bleriot- a French engineer flew across the English Channel in 35.5 min, in a monoplane, which was self

Revised Progress Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Revised Progress Report - Assignment Example In the case of Chopsticks Express, they are targeting only the small amount of Chinese consumers, who are the students of the State College. My efforts would be to make consumers aware of the Chinese foods in the market along with highlighting how the local customers could be attracted towards Chinese foods. The role of supervisor has been important for this project, and I have been guided by my supervisor throughout the project and this has helped in improving the quality. I have been incorporating the feedback of the supervisor and will continue doing so. After receiving further feedback, the research will continue in steps for the submission of its final draft of the proposal. Work Completed I have received the approval and feedback from my instructor concerning my research based on my course, which includes supply and demand analysis in order to understand the competition in the restaurant market. The feedback from my instructor included instructions of carrying out my research a nd his instructions have been helpful in improving the work. Based on the feedback, I came to know by surveying the downtown area that Chinese restaurants are facing some direct competition from other Asian and American restaurants because some of the Chinese restaurants offer American or Asian based cuisine at lunch time. The draft proposal was due from 10th June and after purifying my research according to the feedback received, I submitted my final proposal on 19th June with my final topic of Research Information of Chinese Restaurants in State College. My research included the analysis of Chinese restaurants. 13 Asian and 8 Chinese restaurants are located in State College Downtown. Among the Chinese restaurants Chopsticks Express offers the authentic cuisine of Chinese. Chopsticks Express, which is situated at the central in the state downtown, has an advantage because it could attract more customers apart from the local Chinese customers. But the reason for not influencing othe r customers of the region, which I figured out from my survey, was that Chopsticks Express has a very crude environment. I found that majority of the people do not visit Chopsticks Express because of its unpopularity. The main weakness of the restaurant is that it does not have a welcoming environment and why would anyone want to visit a restaurant which does not have a welcoming environment? I read case studies about the restaurants, analyzed the competitive market of restaurants by supply and demand analysis. In the ending days of June, I was supposed to work on the demography part. Demography includes the study of population size. The study included sample size of 800 customers who received a questionnaire; these 800 people were those who belonged not only to the area of downtown but also those who visit downtown. The questionnaire was also conducted from the managers of the Chinese restaurants operating in the State College downtown area. The responses from the questionnaire I c onducted helped me to learn the importance of information; information plays an important role in terms of restaurant market. The responses suggested that awareness of Chinese food in the US is relatively low and only local customers like Chinese students prefer Chinese cuisine in the US. For determining the possible solutions for the Chinese resta

The Life of Claude Monet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Life of Claude Monet - Essay Example His mother was a musician and singing was part of Monet’s upbringing. His father was a shopkeeper but later was hired by hi half-sister Marie-Jeanne Gaillard’s husband called, Jacques Lecadre. The family had to relocate to Le Havre, on the Seine estuary, where Claude Monet received his primary education in a private school (Monet 2010 p. 1). Monet was an able and renowned artist who has produced masterpieces, nature being the focus of his pieces. It was at Seine estuary that Monet developed his artistic career. His love and perception recorded in his first youthful painting of the harbors, shores and small sailing craft. He learnt to appreciate nature and became sensitive of the weather. His hatred for school started as a young boy instead choosing to spend most of his time drawing images of his teachers in his copybooks. He spent most of his time along cliff and on beaches avoiding going to school. Monet’s love for the sea was immense and he claimed that, "I sho uld like to be always near it or on it, and when I die, to be buried in a buoy" (Monet 2010 p. 3). Most of the traits that made Monet a painter were evident by 1856 at age sixteen. He lacked faith in anything drawn from experience and was not religious. Monet was stimulated by hostility, diversity and lacked need for social approval. Monet was also very persistent in anything that he wanted to pursue. He was a heavy eater, and it was said that he ate food enough for four men. While pursuing his studies at Le Harve school of Arts, Monet started selling charcoal paintings to locals in the area. While studying under Jacques-Francois Ochard for several years, Monet met Eugene Boudin who helped him master oil paints and ‘Plein air’ techniques. After the passing away of his mother in 1857, Monet moved to live with his aunt Marie-Jeanne Lecadre (Artquotes p. 3). His observation of painters copying what famous artists had already done was evident in his tour of Louvre in Paris. As for Monet who travelled with his paints everywhere he went, he sat by the window and painted what was in view. He came closer to other painters during his visit to Paris. He met and befriended Edouard Manet. He went to Algeria and joined the first Regiment of African Light Cavalry in 1861, where he stayed for two years after contracting typhoid. Due to his unfulfilled work at Algeria, Monet agreed to join a university. While studying, he met Charles Gleyre in 1862 and met Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, and Frederic Bazille. They shared ideas on rapid and new painting techniques. Monet met Camille Doncieux during this time and in 1867, they had a son. Claude suffered financial difficulties and attempted suicide but Camille supported him and in 1870 they got married (Artquotes p. 6). Monet and Camille decided to leave France when the Franco-Prussian War broke out in July of 1870. They took refuge in England and it was here that Monet studied famous artists like, John Consta ble and Joseph William Turner. Monet then moved to Zaandam after his works were denied exhibition at the Royal Academy. It was until in late 1871 that Monet returned to France settling in Argenteuil near Paris. It was while at Argenteuil that Monet focused on developing his impressionistic style, where he painted the famous impression, sunrise in 1872 which he later named the impressionist movement. Camille was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1876, and never fully

Heineken Is One Of The Worlds Pale Lager Marketing Essay

Heineken Is One Of The Worlds Pale Lager Marketing Essay Heineken is one of the worlds huge pale lager and is dedicated to grow and remain independent, made by Heineken International since 1873. The trade name that stands for the founders name Heineken is presented in almost all countries on the planet earth and is one of the worlds most valuable international premium beer brand. It is very popular in the United States, Europe and even Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Sudan. Their international brands are Heineken and Amstel, but the group brews and sells more than 170 international premium, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders, including Cruz campo, Birra Moretti, Fosters, Maes, Murphys, Newcastle Brown Ale, Ochota,  Tiger, Sagres, Star, Strong bow  and  Zywiec. It is available in a 4.3% alcohol by volume, in countries such as Ireland. Heineken has been able to remain one of the worlds leading consumer and corporate brands for more than 130 years. Famous brands include Amstel, Europes third-largest selling beer, Cruzcampo, Tiger, Zywiec, Birra Moretti, Ochota, Murphys and Star. They are more than 119 breweries in more than 65 countries brewing a Group beer volume of 139.2 million hectolitres. In this report we going to Discover more about company, strategy, as well as their operations in EUROPIAN region. 1.1 History The Heineken story began more than 140 years ago in 1864 when Gerard Adriaan Heineken acquired a small brewery in Amsterdam. Since then, four generations of the Heineken family have expanded the Heineken brand and the Company throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Values and principals Heineken morals and ethics are not a lavish: they are essential to every level of business. Heineken is committed in sustainable development, in optimiseing their financial results with nominal impact to business atmosphere. To do this, they abide with number of governing business principles and three other core values such as- respect, enjoyment and quality that reflect their passion for beer and respect for their employees, business partners, customers, shareholders and all others who are connected to company. 2.0 Marketing audit for Heineken The marketing audit is a fundamental part of the marketing planning process. It is conducted with implementation of the plan. The marketing audit considers both internal and external marketing planning, as well as review of the plan itself. PEST analysis is an audit of an organizations environmental influences with the purpose of using this information to guide strategic decision-making. The PEST technique involves assessing four sets of factors: Political/legal, Economic, Socio-cultural, and Technological. The assumption is that if the organization is able to audit its current environment and assess potential changes, it will be better placed than its competitors to respond to changes. PEST analysis is concerned with the environmental influences on a business.The acronym stands for the Political, Economic, Social and Technological issues that could affect the strategic development of a business. Identifying PEST influences is a useful way of summarising the external environment in which a business operates. However, it must be followed up by consideration of how a business should respond to these influences. The table below lists some possible factors that could indicate important environmental Influences for a business under the PEST headings: Political / Legal Economic Social Technological Environmental regulation and protection Economic growth (overall; by industry sector) Income distribution (change in distribution of disposable income; Government spending on research -Taxation (corporate; consumer) Monetary policy (interest rates) Demographics (age structure of the population; gender; family size and composition; changing nature of occupations) Government and industry focus on technological effort -International trade regulation Government spending (overall level; specific spending priorities) Labour / social mobility New discoveries and development -Consumer protection Policy towards unemployment (minimum wage, unemployment benefits, grants) Lifestyle changes (e.g. Home working, single households) Speed of technology transfer -Employment law Taxation (impact on consumer disposable income, incentives to invest in capital equipment, corporation tax rates) Attitudes to work and leisure -Rates of technological obsolescence -Government organisation / attitude Exchange rates (effects on demand by overseas customers; effect on cost of imported components) Education Energy use and costs -Competition regulation Inflation (effect on costs and selling prices) Fashions and fads Changes in material sciences Stage of the business cycle (effect on short-term business performance) Health welfare Impact of changes in Information technology Economic mood consumer confidence Living conditions (housing, amenities, pollution) Internet! 2.1.1 Political Efforts to reduce levels of alcohol consumption: Governments conduct promotion to change public consumption, e.g. anti-drink and drive behaviour. Associated with this is increased regulation on the nature and style of alcohol advertising. For example, it is prohibited in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Alcohol promotion has been banned on TV in France and, in the UK to reduce its influence on younger TV and radio audiences. 2.1.2 Economical Implementation of the Single European Market (SEM) enabling freedom of movement of goods and services, people and capital across national borders brought opportunities and threats to the brewing industry. It has allowed firms to invest equity to acquire full-ownership of established breweries across Europe, rather than minority holdings. At a production level, it has encouraged the location of breweries and associated logistics distribution centres to be made on cost-efficient criteria rather than regional or national obligations, enabling an international, and even global, approach to beer production. At the same time, the European logistics industry has been liberalized in the lead up to 1992 with the removal of national licenses, quotas and control within the road-transport sector, although there remains a dominantly national flavor to its provision. As yet, the unification of taxation, especially excise duties across Europe which could ease administration, is only under discussion. The difficulties of implementing the proposals are considerable. However, with the current variations in excise duties encouraging a black market, especially between the UK and France, movement is afoot to reduce the extreme variations. The publicity associated with the substantial cross-Channel movement (or bootlegging) of alcohol and tobacco products between France and the UK, with adverse repercussions for UK suppliers and tax collection for the Exchequer, has concentrated minds on finding a solution to the taxation disparities. The brewing industry relies on economies of scale in both production and distribution to be successful. The removal of trade barriers, with the chance to capitalize on economies of scale, is helping companies, especially those operating within small domestic markets. Both Heineken in the Netherlands and Carlsberg in Denmark have been obliged to internationalize as their own domestic markets are too small to provide sufficient scope for economies of scale for desirable growth. Expansion through joint venture, acquisitions and mergers, together with licensing and strategic alliance, has enabled an extension of brand franchising and complementary brands. 2.1.3 Social Provision of environmentally friendly packaging: In Germany and Denmark drinks require returnable bottles for re-cycling and, since 1995, at least 65% of packaging has had to be re-usable. In Denmark cans are banned for in-country production, although, due to European Union (EU) competition rules, import exemptions allow high imports of canned beer, from Germany in particular. These regulations incur short-term increases in the costs of packaging and distribution as new technology is introduced to meet the requirements. 2.1.4 Technological Heineken use their technology to keep detailed documents of shipping, in their warehouses to make the beer more efficiently and for shipping purposes. 2.2 SEGMENTATION TARGETING POSITIONING proceeds to segment the market, select the appropriate market target, and develop the offers value positioning. The formula segmentation, targeting, positioning (STP) is the essence of strategic marketing. (Kotler, 1994, p. 93) . The process of market segmentation can also consist of the selection of those segments for which a firm might be particularly well suited to serve by having competitive advantages relative to competitors in the segment, reducing the cost of adaptation in order to gain a niche. This application of market segmentation serves the purpose of developing competitive scope, which can have a powerful effect on competitive advantage because it shapes the configuration of the value chain. (Porter, 1985, p. 53). Segmentation is the process of identifying sets of consumers. These sets must be homogeneous, distinct, attractive and reachable. It use demographic (i.e. age), geographic (i.e. ZIP codes), and psychographic (i.e. attitudes) information to describe and separate groups. Segmentation requires the marketer to look at pools of potential customers from multiple angles to consider their areas of focus. Heineken focuses on youth in different locations. Targeting a specific segment or segments requires the evaluation of multiple segments. Choices can be hard to make and sometimes seem arbitrary. To aid the marketer, metrics for the most important criteria should be associated with each potential segment. In the end, the segment(s) with the greatest potential should be selected. Europes largest brewer, Heineken NV, is to embark on an acquisition spree and attempt to make its flagship lager brand more appealing to young consumers as increased competition and sluggish sales continue to blight its more mature beer markets. Positioning Gunter and Furnham (1992) prescribe that after selecting target markets the trategist should develop positioning objectives to then develop them into a detailed marketing mix. However, Aaker (1996) recommends developing the positioning objective only after the brand identity and value proposition have been developed. In exploring the latter, it is useful to understand Aakers definition of positioning is the part of the brand identity and value proposition that is to be actively communicated to the target audience and that demonstrates an advantage over competing brands. Kotler (1994) refers to it as the unique selling proposition. Heineken is the worlds most valuable International premium beer brand Heineken hopes to consolidate its position within the high growth Romanian beer and mineral water market by acquiring Transylvania based brewer bere mures for an as yet undisclosed fee. As of 2009, Heineken owns over 119 breweries in more than 65 countries and employs approximately 54,004 people 3.0 Global Brand Development: Since stage of beer market development in each country is different strategy should be used. In embryonic markets (Africa, Eastern Europe) pushing strategy is suitable. In growing markets (Italy, Spain, Japan) both pushing and pulling strategies are agreeable. In mature markets (North and Central Europe, Australia,USA) pulling strategy is the best. Global positioning target can be achieved through creative marketing communication. Heineken should develop a number of high-profile, quality television campaigns with universal appeal, featuring high profile, contemporary celebrities. However, within the marketing mix, there will always be a requirement for locally driven campaigns and support. By connecting to local situations, consumer will develop a greater emotional tie to the company. The term marketing mix refers to the primary elements that must be attended to in order to properly market a product or service. Also known as The 4 Ps of Marketing, the marketing mix is a very useful, if a bit general, guideline for understanding the fundamentals of what makes a good marketing campaign. Product product refers to products or services. The product or service that offer the needs to meet a specific, existing market demand. Or, product should be able to create a market niche through building a strong brand. Heineken maintains it beer quality and special taste Price: The price that set for Heineken product or service plays a large role in its marketability. Though Heineken has many competitors Heineken maintains its quality and price. It changes it price according to the situation and location. Place: Heineken has huge marketing in Ireland and Netherlands. Compare to other brands Heineken is not available in all retails stores frequently. Promotion: Heineken has quickly recognised that consumers are increasing seeking value and positivity in the current recessionary environment. 3.1 Market entry Heineken has a pragmatic view taking a cautious approach to entering new markets. While it encourages organic growth, it has expanded by using a combination of direct export, licensing, joint venture, strategic alliance and acquisition. While it exports its premium Heineken brand from its plant in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, it is also involved in local regional production. A typical entry strategy has been to begin by exporting using intermediaries such as local distributors, and then to develop licensing production agreements through joint ventures with local brewers. Ultimately, the goal is to acquire full ownership and control of the local production wherever possible. The Netherlands Heineken has been the dominant market leader in its home base in the Netherlands having 53% of the market in 1991, well above its competitors Grolsch (15%) and the 15% taken by Interbrews subsidiary Verenigde Brouwerijen. Unfortunately, the Heineken brand market share, 45% in 1980, itself dropped to only 30% in 1991. In response Heineken introduced the Amstel and Buckler brands, the latter being the first non-alcoholic beer available on draft. Uk In the 1960s, when Heineken entered the UK, the beer-drinking public was not familiar with the strong beer being drunk in other European countries. Consequently, it made a licensing arrangement with Whitbread to brew a weaker version of standard Heineken brand (3.6% alcohol by volume (abv) ) that proved popular with lager drinkers. By 1990, about 10% of all lager drunk in the UK carried the Heineken brand. As beer drinkers became increasingly familiar with the continental brands, the Heineken Export Strength (5.0% abv) was introduced which Whitbread also brewed under licence. In 1993, the UK was the second largest market for beer in Europe, consuming 224 pints per head of population, although that level dropped to 218 pints per head in 2002 (Tighe, 2003). The pattern of consumption is different from the rest of Europe with more than 80% being drunk in pubs, many of which are linked, or tied, to breweries. Heinekens route was through access to Whitbreads distribution network through a licensing agreement. Interestingly, these ties were broken in the early 1990s when the Conservative government introduced legislation to increase competition. This obliged Bass to dispose of its 7,500 pubs most of which were expected to become independent small businesses. In practice, most were acquired by Pubmaster which currently owns 8,500 pubs, reflecting the continued concentration of ownership within the brewing distribution network. Ireland In 1993, Guinness and Heineken dominated in Ireland with a combined market share of about 85%. From the 1970s the Heineken brand was produced under licence until Heineken acquired its own production site in 1983. Murphys stout was a particular success story, becoming the number two brand of stout (behind Guinness) in both Ireland and the UK; by 1993 it was also being sold in the US and France. Italy Heineken entered the Italian market in 1960 when it acquired a minority stake in a small brewer. This was extended in 1974 when Heineken and Whitbread each bought a 42% holding in the company, renamed Birra Dreher. By 1980, Heineken was the sole owner of Dreher having acquired Whitbreads 42% share. Mergers with two former Henniger breweries strengthened Dreher so that, by 1993, it had a 25% share of the Italian market behind the market leader Peroni with about 40%. Despite the decline in the Italian beer market being more severe than in other European markets, Dreher maintained its margins although its market share fell. The Heineken brand retained its position, while its Buckler brand benefited from the increasing growth of the non-alcoholic segment. As in other countries, Heineken, in this case through Dreher, increased its control of the distribution network by purchasing a number of drinks wholesalers. In 1991, Heineken began importing its other Heineken brands into Italy to prov ide more effectively for the premium beer segment. Greece In 1965, Heineken entered a joint venture agreement for Athenian Brewery to produce the Amstel brand. By 2002, it had 98.8% ownership and a dominant 70% or so of the Greek market. This enabled it to strengthen its own Heineken and Amstel brands, and to import its associated Dreher and Coors beers. Heineken still dominates the Greek market. France In 1982, Heineken acquired Albra, which had an 8% market share and owned two breweries in France. In 1984, Albra was merged with Brasseries et Glacieres International to form the Sogebra group which in 1993 had 25% of the beer market, challenging the market leader, BSN Kronenbourg (50%). With the successful re-organisation of the Sogebra group, Heinekens fortunes continued to improve. However, the poor economic climate of the early 1990s, together with the increased competition for limited shelf space among retailers, has been challenging. Spain In 1984, as Spain was preparing to join the EU, Heineken purchased 37% of the local El Aguila brewer and increased its holding to a 51% controlling interest by 1993. El Aguila suffered from outdated production techniques and poor branding which necessitated investment in production and some re-structuring with resulting labour redundancies and short-term losses. The Aguila Pilsner brand was positioned for the standard market segment and a new Adlerbrau brand was introduced targeted towards the premium segment; Adlerbrau was then itself replaced by Aguila Master. Spain was a challenging market where many small family breweries operated within a federal infrastructure so hindering the implementation of economies of scale. Nevertheless, the Spanish market was attractive, with beer consumption the third highest in the EU, and increasing from 51 litres per capita in 1978 to 71 litres in 1989. Not surprisingly, by 1991 other companies were intent on acquiring a slice of the market through similar joint venture arrangements. They included Guinness/Carlsberg (Cruzcampo), the French group BSN (Mahou) and San Miguel Philippines (San Miguel). 4.0 Heineken SWOT Analysis Heineken SWOT Analysis company profile is the essential source for top-level company data and information. Heineken SWOT Analysis examines the companys key business structure and operations, history and products, and provides summary analysis of its key revenue lines and strategy. 4.1 Strengths The taste of Heineken beer is unique. The yeast that is used to make Heineken beer till today is developed in 1886.so the taste uniqueness of it has been there for a hundred years Heineken is the worlds second largest beer manufacturer.They produce 5.6 billionl liters of beer each year. second only to anheuser busch who produce 10 billion ltrs . This gives economics of scale and a platform for futher expansion of their market capitalization. In some markets like U.S.A and Hong Kong the Heineken brand is perceived as a premium brand and has successfully established a brand image. Heineken has owned subsidiaries in Netherland, France and Ireland whereas they held majority stake in 15 other breweries all over the world.Which gives Heineken a global presence. 4.2 Weaknesses Insome countries the brand image of Heineken was too narrow such that the brand was seen appropriate for special occasions only, While in other countries like Latin America the brand is viewed just another imported European beer .In Netherlands It was viewed as a mainstream brand. The company has limited its reach to the European and the Western countries and there still lies a scope for scaling up in countries like India where the beer is just imported and thus making it impossible to penetrate deep down No production base in some area and TV commercials are just aired in larger markets Lack of integrated marketing campaign Lack of worldwide advertising campaign 4.3 Threats Increase in drunk driving laws Competitors increasing market share Mergers and acquisitions of other breweries Other Breweries are becoming much larger than Heinekens Brewery 5.0 Recommendation to achieve the global brand Introduce a number of innovations across liquid, packaging and format that will serve to further endorse international leadership credentials because innovation is the lifeblood of brand domain. Heineken has a strong brand tradition. In order to flourish its  brand reputation  across the world, convince the consumers that the brand is some way superior. Develop a relationship with customers, build  affinity  between brand and customers bysponsoring international rugby tournaments, and world soccer tournament such as -( the Champions Leagues, the UEFA Champions League,  worlds premier club) where target audience of men from all over the world gather in one place. Building the brand  recognition  for long-term  to differentiate the brand Heineken and be sure to add value to the product in order to get the brand loyalty. (For example, Heineken can maintain its good quality or create benefits for society and culture, and provide an emotion to its consumers. 6.0 Strategies Macro analysis Heineken has been able to remain one of the worlds leading consumer and corporate brands for more than 130 years. It confronts directly the challenges in many of our markets to deliver organic profit growth, but also focuses on building the long-term future of our brands and business. 6.1.1 Current strategies Key focus is on driving the growth of our brands and improving our financial performance on ensuring that acquisitions, partnerships and distribution strategies create value. The focus is also on enabling our employees to use their potential and building a true performance based culture. Heineken aims for sustainable growth as a broad market leader and  we aim for segment leadership. In both cases, the Heineken brand plays an important part. We establish broad leadership usually by acquiring strong brands, which are combined into a new, larger company. Offering training to the employees, improving the organization, and introducing new technology then reinforces the positions of the local beers. This results in economies of scale that create a distribution network for both the local beers and Heineken beer. If a market is already in the hands of other brewers, we devote all our energy to developing a premium segment with Heineken beer, and if feasible, specialty beers. The goal of Heineken is to grow the business in a sustainable and consistent manner, while constantly improving profitability. The  four priorities for action include:   To accelerate sustainable top-line growth. To accelerate efficiency and cost reduction. To speed up implementation: we commit to faster decision making and execution.   To focus on those markets where we believe we can win. 6.1.2 Failures in strategies Heineken: Declining sales volumes now should explore new Strategies. An expected drop in revenues for Heineken has been more than cancelled out through cost-cutting measures and a shrewd pricing strategy. While beer volumes have suffered during the recession, this can be seen as the continuation of a more established trend. Plant closures have helped Heineken to reduce costs, but future profits will need to be driven by alternative methods. Heineken has revised its profit forecast for 2009 and now expects low double-digit growth for the year overall. The third largest brewer in the world reported a 4.7% decline in volume sales, but strong cost-cutting measures and a sound pricing strategy have allowed the company to further grow its profits. Beer v olumes have been badly hit by the recession, but this is largely a continuation of a longer and more established trend in established markets. The category has lost significant custom to the wine and spirits segments in recent years, as beer has garnered a particularly unhealthy reputation. Consumers beer preferences were once widely predicted to enjoy Resistance to the recession, but this has not proved to be the case and many consumers have switched to cheaper brands, with notable gains seen in the private-label beer market. Heineken has been able to drive profits through an array of cost-cutting measures. A number of plants were closed after Heinekens purchase of Scottish Newcastle. This acquisition gave the company the largest share of the European beer market, which allowed the undertaking of consolidation through the plant closures. Heineken has also increased prices, which has helped to offset some of the volume declines. Price rises in the beer category have become commonplace, but the company has ensured that its prices remain competitive without compromising the integrity of the brand. The expected results from Heineken demonstrate the possibilities that still exist during a recession. Cost-cutting measures have improved profits and will leave the company in a stronger position during a recovery. However, reducing costs can only fuel profit growth for a finite length of time, and the company must ensure that it continues to grow its business in developing markets while consolidating in the established markets of Europe and the US. 6.1.3 Implementations: The basic strategies of Heineken is to capture the local market. By merging with local firms Heineken has started capturing local market. Merger and acquisitions seems very good at for the present situation but according to servey (Dg internal market and services , 2005). 7.0 Recommendations: Heineken is one of the strongest products in the market and is dedicated to grow and remain independent, made by Heineken International since 1873. From the above repost accomplished that from macro analysis, there are positive conditions in Europe to increase profitability of Heineken. There are number of other steps in marketing plans can improve sale of Heineken. The Heineken brand can be developed through the distinctive characteristics of the marketing communication mix: multiple form of marketing communications are needed to communicated the value benefits of a product or market offering to larger and larger numbers of actual and potential consumers The value benefits of a product or marketing offering is communicated to the target market through three modes: marketing communication mix, mass marketing forms of communication , personal marketing forms of communication Creating strong associations and responses in the consumers mind: creating awareness of the brand, establishing the brand image brand judgments and feeling , and creating strong consumer-brand connect By designing a marketing communication strategy that delivers a consistent message that aims at informing, persuading, and reminding consumers- directly or indirectly about the products and brand for sale in the market segment It should focus on the markets that are in the embryonic stage and also on the developing markets and one of the being India, Heineken still has not penetrated India and the beer that is available in through imports. Company does not have fixed group that looks into marketing communication mix They should go like When in Rome, do as the Romans do that signifies that the communication mix should be different from country to country, and it should be significantly referring to the personalization of the masses representing the target population of a particular. It should keep learning from what happened to other brands that entered into foreign markets and did not do well and they should learn from their failures

Business Ethics :: essays research papers

How to behave toward oneself and toward other individuals is a matter of making choices: whether to be friendly or unfriendly; whether to tell the truth or lie; whether to be generous or greedy; whether to study in order to pass an exam or to spend valuable study time watching television and cheat to pass it. These, and all other questions about how people act toward themselves and one another are dealt with in a field of study called ethics. Another name for ethics is morality. Because both words suggest customary ways of behavior, they are somewhat misleading. It had to do with what should or should not be done. Divide practical wisdom into two parts: moral philosophy and political philosophy. They’re defined together as a â€Å"true reasoned state of capacity to act with regard to the things that are good or bad for man† (Drucker, 1996). One statement of the problem is business organizations, as well as members of society in general, are plagued by the fact that there are liars, cheats, and thieves among us. Liars, cheats, and thieves are not new nor are they likely to disappear. People will do anything and go to whatever extent to get what they want. This is why there’s a lack of ethics. Definition of terms: The word ethics is derived from the Greek ethos, meaning â€Å"character,† the pattern of behavior or personality found in an individual or group; moral constitution, moral strength, self discipline and fortitude (Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia). The other is from the Latin mores, meaning â€Å"custom† (Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia). Business Ethics refers to what is right or wrong, or good or bad, human behavior. The concept of business ethics is â€Å"being able to look at your face in the mirror†(Drucker, 1996). Ethics is a code of conduct and values that is accepted by society as being right and proper. Code of ethics is simply a compilation of the rules that are meant to govern the conduct of members of a particular organization or profession. Moral philosophy and political philosophy is true and reasoned state of capacity to act with regard to the things that are good or bad for man. In the daily scramble to get ahead, earn a profit, and outwit competitors, some people don’t play by the rules. Sometimes the culprits are respected and ordinarily well-behaved persons even though they are accused of a crime or offense. Business Ethics :: essays research papers How to behave toward oneself and toward other individuals is a matter of making choices: whether to be friendly or unfriendly; whether to tell the truth or lie; whether to be generous or greedy; whether to study in order to pass an exam or to spend valuable study time watching television and cheat to pass it. These, and all other questions about how people act toward themselves and one another are dealt with in a field of study called ethics. Another name for ethics is morality. Because both words suggest customary ways of behavior, they are somewhat misleading. It had to do with what should or should not be done. Divide practical wisdom into two parts: moral philosophy and political philosophy. They’re defined together as a â€Å"true reasoned state of capacity to act with regard to the things that are good or bad for man† (Drucker, 1996). One statement of the problem is business organizations, as well as members of society in general, are plagued by the fact that there are liars, cheats, and thieves among us. Liars, cheats, and thieves are not new nor are they likely to disappear. People will do anything and go to whatever extent to get what they want. This is why there’s a lack of ethics. Definition of terms: The word ethics is derived from the Greek ethos, meaning â€Å"character,† the pattern of behavior or personality found in an individual or group; moral constitution, moral strength, self discipline and fortitude (Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia). The other is from the Latin mores, meaning â€Å"custom† (Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia). Business Ethics refers to what is right or wrong, or good or bad, human behavior. The concept of business ethics is â€Å"being able to look at your face in the mirror†(Drucker, 1996). Ethics is a code of conduct and values that is accepted by society as being right and proper. Code of ethics is simply a compilation of the rules that are meant to govern the conduct of members of a particular organization or profession. Moral philosophy and political philosophy is true and reasoned state of capacity to act with regard to the things that are good or bad for man. In the daily scramble to get ahead, earn a profit, and outwit competitors, some people don’t play by the rules. Sometimes the culprits are respected and ordinarily well-behaved persons even though they are accused of a crime or offense.

Alber Bandura

This theory argues that learning occurs by interacting with other people and observing people's actions as well as the consequences of their attitudes and behavior. This essay explores Bandanna's Social Learning Theory as well as how it helps us understand learning in the context of the classroom. Bandeau â€Å"discussed human behavior wealth a framework of triadic reciprocally. † (Shuns, 2012, p. 119). Treadle reciprocally Is delved Into three components: the environment, cognition and behavior (Shuns, 201 2, p. 1 19). These factors are dependent on each other.The environment influences cognition, cognition influences behavior and behavior influences environment. However there is variation in which is the dominating factor. (Shuns, 2012, p. 120). In social learning theory: Learning is largely an information processing activity in which information about the structure of behavior and about environmental events is transformed into symbolic representations that serve as guides f or action. (Bandeau, 1986 as cited by Shuns, 2012, p. 121). According to Shuns (2012), the process of learning can be applied through inactive learning or vicariously.Inactive learning Is performing an action and reacting to the consequence of the action. Observing the reward and punishment resulting from the consequence of a person's actions are how people establish whether they should repeat the action in future or not. Learning vicariously occurs by observing other people's actions without having to experience it personally. If the action performed results in a negative consequence people will avoid performing this action in at a later time and vice versa. (Shuns, 2012, p. 121).For example, in a classroom if a child has not completed their homework ND does not receive punishment from the teacher the child will continue to not complete their homework. When other children observe this they too will not complete their homework because It does not result In a negative consequence. Mo deling â€Å"refers to behavioral, cognitive and affective changes deriving from observing one or more models† (Bandeau, 1978; Shuns, 1987, 1 998: Zimmerman, 1977 observing others and imitating their behavior. (Shuns, 2012).It can be categorized into three key functions, these are response facilitation, inhibition/distribution and observational learning (Bandeau, 1986 as cited by Shuns, 2012, p. 125) People often lack motivation and therefore do not perform skills and behaviors that they have learnt (Shuns, 2012, p. 126). Response facilitation refers to â€Å"modeled actions that serve as social prompts for observers to act accordingly' 126). Response facilitation motivates the person to perform certain behaviors if the observer observes that the model has received a positive outcome (Shuns,2012,p. 126).For example in a classroom if learners observe that a certain pupil is getting praised for answering questions , they too will imitate this behavior. Observational learning i s a core component of Bandanna's theory (Craig, 1992, p. 176) . Bandeau states that people attain knowledge in a more efficient method by observing others. He also states that once they attain knowledge â€Å"they can reproduce it almost immediately' . However , though observational occurs people can choose whether or not to repeat that behavior based on the consequences The behavior one imitates is referred to as a model.It is divided into three models, a live model, in which a person actually performs behavior, a verbal instructional model which would consist of descriptions y talking and a symbolic model which is behavior performed in the media (Craig, 1992, p. 176). Observational learning consists of four components. These are the attention processes, retention processes, reproduction process and motivation process (Craig, 1992,p. 177) In order to† imitate a model† we have to â€Å"pay attention† to it(Bandeau,1971 as cited by Craig 1992 , p. 77). A model has to appeal to a person and capture their interest because then it will enable them to pay full attention to it. If a model does not appeal to a person they will not pay attention and it will negatively affect their earning. For example in a classroom , if learners notice that getting high grades will give you a position of power in school such as becoming a class prefect , learners will pay attention in class so that they are able to achieve this.The second process is the retention process. This requires you to retain what you have previously learned in a cognitive way so that you have the ability to reproduce it when you want to imitate the model. (Shuns,20120,p. 128) â€Å"A modeled display can be stored as an image, in verbal form, or both â€Å"(Bandeau, 1977 as cited by Chunk ,p. 1 28). T is a challenging task to retain information about activities that cannot be adequately described in words therefore imagine coding is essential(Shuns,2012, p. 128).Through rehearsing and cod ing the information that was stored in our memory, there is a higher chance of recalling prior information than that of The third process is production. It involves â€Å"translating visual and symbolic conceptions of modeled events into overt behaviors† (Shuns, 2012, p. 128). This involves reproducing the observed behavior. In order to reproduce it one needs to practice in order to develop the required skills needed. For example in a classroom if A teacher does an example of a mathematic sum on the board; students would have to attempt it several times in order to master the skill of solving it.The last process is the motivation process. It â€Å"influences observational learning† because the motivation encourages a person to interact more with the previous three processes (Shuns, 2012, p. 128). Bandeau distinguishes between the acquisition and the performance of new responses Even though you have observed the model you have the choice whether or not you will imitate the model. Motivation plays a significant role in imitating a model. According to there are different types of reinforcements such as â€Å"direct reinforcement†.If a person realizes they would be rewarded by imitating a mode they will be more motivated to perform that same behavior. (Craig, 1992, p. 178). For example the classroom if a teacher rewards a child for performing their work by praising them and giving them a gold star , other children will observe this behavior and imitate what the child is doing so that they may also be rewarded. â€Å"People attend to a model in part because they believe they might face the same taxation themselves and they want to learn the necessary actions to succeed† (Shuns, 2012, p. 34). In a classroom situation , learners would pay attention and observe what the teacher is doing because they would want to attain the necessary knowledge and skills in order for them to be successful ,this serves as motivation(Shuns,2012,p. 134). Paren ts and teachers are generally considered â€Å"high- status† models(Shuns,2012,p. 135). Younger children will observe teachers as models and in a classroom situation if a teacher exhibits behavior that encourages learning o be a means of acquiring approval and skills , the children will imitate that behavior.If a teacher does the opposite, learners will be discouraged and will not be motivated to learn. (Shuns, 2012, p. 135). Goals, values and self-efficacy play a significant role in learning. (Shuns, 2012, p. 138). Len classrooms if learners and teachers have a common goal such as completing a section of work or if learners have individual goals such as scoring above a certain mark on a test, it enhances â€Å"learning and performance through their effects on perceptions of progress, self-efficacy, and self evaluations† (Bandeau, 1988, 1997; Locke & Lethal, 1990, 2002; Chunk, 1990 as cited by Shuns, 2012, p. 138). T serves as a basis for learners to regulate their wor k and measure themselves against an expected standard. As cited by Shuns, 2012, p. 145). Len a classroom a teacher has to identity students values. This is especially important when teaching students how to set goals for themselves and in promoting self-efficacy. If a learner has this ability they will be able to learn effectively. â€Å"Values can be assessed against external and internal standards† (Shuns, 2012, p. 145). Children may observe some of their peers gaining a retain reward for neat work or completing neat work can be valued because it is how they gain teacher's approval. Shuns, 2012, p. 145) â€Å"Self-efficacy refers to personal beliefs about one's capabilities to learn or perform actions at a designated level† (Bandeau, AAA, Bibb m 1986,1993,1997 as cited by Shuns,2012, p. 146)). Bandeau suggests that there are â€Å"four sources of knowledge† with regards to â€Å"self-efficacy appraisals†(Craig,1992,p. 184). The first is actual performan ce. Succeeding in tasks regularly increases your self-efficacy and vice versa. The second is vicarious experiences. This is when we believe that we can succeed at a task because we see someone who has similar capabilities succeeding at it.The third is verbal persuasion. In a classroom if a teacher praises a student and makes them believe that they are capable of performing a task that student will have a stronger sense of efficacy and will start to believe in what the teacher is saying. The last is physiological cues, wherein we interpret our bodies' reactions to situations as a judgment of our abilities. (Craig, 1992, p. 184). â€Å"The models in one's environment provide an important source of information for gauging self-efficacy. Parents and other influential adults (e. G. , teachers, coaches) are key models in children's social environments. (Bandeau, Barreling, Caper, and Pastorally, 1996 as cited by Chunk, 2012, p. 149). Parents and teachers serve as important influences in children's learning performance and self-efficacy. Students seek appraisal from teachers and if a teacher motivates their learners by praising them and helping them improve by using positive methods, the learners will perform better and they will be motivated to succeed. If a teacher uses negative methods such as punishing a child for not understanding how to complete a piece of work, the learners will view learning as negative and they will not learn effectively (Shuns, 2012, p. 49). Another example would understand the content, if a teacher does not understand the work and does not believe in their capability to teach the work the learners will observe this in a negative way and will not want to learn. This is known as â€Å"instructional self-efficacy'. If a teacher believes that they are capable of teaching the work effectively they will dedicate more time and effort towards planning and caching lessons in more advanced ways.According to Bandeau, teachers who are supported by a dministrators and who have a high teaching efficacy will be more apt at approaching work with motivation and commitment. (Shuns, 2012, p. 150). Social Learning Theory is effective in helping students set goals and motivating them to succeed. In my opinion this theory is extremely effective and it presents models for students that enable them to observe work so that they may perform them later after they have acquired the necessary skills.

Americans and Voting Essay

There is value in having and exercising the right to vote. Americans today have developed a mindset that their vote does not make a difference, and that voicing out their opinions is a waste of time. This is not the case, however, as the rights that Americans are neglecting are the same rights that our ancestors have fought for during the enforcement of the Fifteenth Amendment. The laws that affect the average individuals, the influences of various platformed parties, and the importance of voting in society exemplifies why Americans should value their right to vote. Many laws affect the American’s rights to vote as an individual. For instance, the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution states that it grants Americans the right to vote, furthermore stating that the â€Å"right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.† This declares, simply and literally, that there is no discrimination in voicing out one’s opinion, no matter what the race, color, or previous condition of servitude. African Americans of the 1960’s suffered greatly from injustice and racism, thus, abolishing the discrimination within voting is extremely important and healthy for our society today. Another example is the Voting Rights Act, as it â€Å"banned the use of literacy tests, provided for federal oversight of voter registration in areas where less than 50 percent of the nonwhite population had not registered to vote, and authorized the U.S. attorney general to investigate the use of poll taxes in state and local elections† (www.history.com). Along with the abolishment of direct discrimination of race, is the abolishment of indirect discrimination, such as literacy tests. The purpose of this Act is to intentionally block all types of discrimination as well as prejudice in the area of voting. Society should voice out their opinions through voting, because there are laws that protect one so they do not face injustice. Influences of various plat formed parties affect the outcomes of lawmaking bodies. An example of this would be the Democratic Party. The party has a mindset that the economy of America should be â€Å"built not from the top down, but from a growing m iddle class, and that provides ladders of opportunity for those working hard to join the middle class† (assets.dstatic.org). This means that the Democratic Party aims for a country that is focused on developing the middle and lower class. A president running with a Democratic perspective can easily win the votes of the Democratic Party. Likewise, the Republican Party is based on their aim to â€Å"grow the economy . . . from the top down† (assets.dstatic.org). The party has a goal that bases off of the idea that building a strong foundation of the top class will make the country better. Of course, â€Å"[voting] does not guarantee that one’s preferences will prevail, but choosing not to vote denies a person one of the key tools of having a say in a democracy† (congresslink.org). Once may not get the president he or she elected for, or the laws they wanted passed, but the Republican and Democratic Parties all have one mindset: ‘Make America a better country.† Therefore, nothing can go wrong with voting. Voting is a privilege that everyone should exercise because there is no wrong decision; everything is mean for the good of the country. America is run based on a democracy. This means th at our government highly considers our beliefs and opinions, and that the future political impacts on our country are going to be in the hands of the citizens who choose to take advantage of their right to vote. This expresses the importance of voting, because when we vote, we don’t just simply choose what president we are going to have; we are electing the person that decides how the government is run, the management of wars within our country, and how resources are used. Furthermore, in a country where there is a large population, it is difficult for an individual to have their voice heard. Therefore, society should consider, once again, their rights to vote because â€Å"casting a vote is the most widely understood and discreetly effective way to have one’s voice heard in American politics† (www.law.seattle.edu). Voting gives on the ability to voice their own outlooks on politics, in a society within a large population. Our voice, our opinions, our vote is important and valued in society. Americans should vote so that these rights and powers do not go to waste. Society today neglects and refuses to voice out their outlooks on politics, which was once a right that American ancestors have fought for. It is valuable to have and exercise the right to vote because there are laws that protect one from discrimination, it is a choice made that benefits the country no matter what the outcome, and lastly, it is the easiest, most effective, and most important way to have one’s voice heard in society. An individual’s vote is important, and it certainly is not a waste of time. Thus, Americans should  exercise their rights as a citizen of a democratic country, and vote.

Great News Web Widgets for Your Blog or Website

Great News Web Widgets for Your Blog or Website So youve got your news blog or website up and running but you want to spice it up a bit. A web widget can do just that. What Are Web Widgets? Web widgets are simply little pieces of code that you can copy and paste into your website, blog or social networking site. There are thousands of widgets available for free online, focusing on virtually every topic imaginable. Why Should I Use Web Widgets? Web widgets can add interest to your website or blog by providing content that complements the material youve created. For instance, if your blog focuses on local politics, you can add a widget that focuses on state or national politics. If you cover high school sports, you can add a widget that follows the pro teams. Widgets can provide the kind of news content that would be difficult for a student or citizen journalist to cover. How Do I Use Web Widgets? You can find detailed instructions on using web widgets on-line, but usually, its just as simple and copying and pasting a bit of code into your website or blog. And while there are hundreds of ready-made news widgets to choose from, you can also customize widgets to fit the look of your site, or even create your own. Below is a list of sites where you can find news widgets. There are much more out there, so dont be afraid to search for what you need. General News CBS News - The network offers widgets in many categories. Associated Press - A widget from the U.S. wire service. The New York Times - Breaking news from the newspaper. CNN - News from the cable network. Fox News - Breaking news from the cable network. USA Today - A variety of widgets from the newspaper. Politics USA Today Politics CNN Political Ticker Politico Live Pulse - News from the politics website. Business and Economic News CNN Money - Business and financial information. Wall St. Journal Sports USA Today Sports Make Your Own There are also widget sites that host dozens of widgets in a variety of categories. You can pick pre-made widgets or even create and customize your own. Widgetbox - Search from this sites collection of hundreds of widgets, or make your own. Google - The search engine offers dozens of widgets in different categories. Wordpress - Widgets for those who have Wordpress blogs. Follow me on Facebook Twitter

Is Openly Carrying Guns A Justifiable Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is Openly Carrying Guns A Justifiable Act - Essay Example The 2nd Amendment, which states, "a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" gives people the liberty to arm themselves with weapons for their own self-defense. This right is respected by some states to the extent that people should expose the guns they are carrying, so long as they were legally acquired. One camp, such as that of Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) considers themselves responsible gun owners and claims that they do not use the gun until it is necessary. They believe that the sight of guns is enough to dispel any untoward incidents by criminals. Because of this, so many people were enticed to buy guns for themselves. VCDL’s issuance of gun permits increased dramatically from 3,000 in 1994 to 180,000 in 2009. However, some people may not react positively to this since guns are very tempting to just use at one’s whim if that individual is impulsive. I t may go off accidentally hurting even the owner, or someone within peripheral distance. If the gun carrier is prone to temperamental outbursts, then it is worse, since if he is provoked, then he has his gun to vent his temper with. Responsible gun owners are aware of this and vehemently deny that they are that weak. They even advocate for the law of first investigating the background of whoever wants to buy a gun before releasing it to just anyone who may have the impulse to use it any which way he wants. This is where people call upon the 14th Amendment. It is clearly stated in Section one of this amendment that: â€Å"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws†. This amendment, or Incorporation Doctrine, advocates the Bi ll of Rights to balance off whatever laws that may override the rights of others. In this case, the 2nd Amendment may give the right to people to â€Å"bear arms† however, it should also respect the rights of others who do not advocate gun ownership in the belief that it is not necessary. This conflict causes a huge confusion that may leave people divided, and the government, in a â€Å"fence-sitting† position. President Obama was known as the most anti-gun president. NRA or National Rifle Association protested against him for gun control laws. Obama’s stand was that guns are harmful and should not be openly carried even if it is licensed in order to prevent it from firing at anyone, whether intentionally or not. The NRA organization claims that its members are responsible gun owners who are discerning about gun use and are against loosely selling firearms to just about anyone. Seven states have ruled that any gun manufactured in their state is exempt from gun c ontrol laws. This implies no background checks, no age restrictions, no requirements for sellers to check out before releasing guns to buyers. This is their interpretation of the second amendment right. This ruling may be abused by some people who may claim that the gun they own was manufactured in that state, hence they do not have to go through thorough background check before being issued a permit. The federal government may also be suspected of concealing weapons so that these would be exempt from gun control laws because Obama has not done anything regarding NRA’s protest, and seems apathetic to the issue. Personally, I am not in favor of the Open Carry gun policy of some states. I do respect their belief of

Birth control Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Birth control - Movie Review Example The cost of sustaining the use of contraceptives is clearly evident and younger women, especially those in colleges cannot afford it. This can be a barrier to the women’s choice of contraceptive method. Given the extent to which contraceptives are important to women, more so college women, the government has an obligation to fund the low-cost birth control for college women. This will enable most women to access to birth control services at relatively low costs. As a result, there will be a reduction in the cases of unplanned pregnancies which often lead to abortions. In response to the post by the student, I agree with her that women need to embrace the use of contraceptives. The benefits of using contraceptives are very evident for those who choose to use it. However, it is also very true that the cost of sustaining contraceptives limits many women to adopt its usage. For this reason, the government needs to come with other options to ensure that most women are able to access this critical health care. Including approved contraceptive methods in most health insurance cover is one step in the right direction to ensure that women have access to contraceptive methods that are suitable for them. I strongly agree with her that there should be no politics around such a critical subject as contraception since it is a matter that touches on the health of