Financial Educational Board Games (Toys and Game Industry) Research Paper

Financial Educational Board Games (Toys and Game Industry) - Research Paper Example 5,856.20M El Segundo,  CA Namco Bandai Holdings Inc. 4,083.77M Tokyo,  Japan Hasbro, Inc. 4,002.16M Pawtucket,  RI LEGO System A/S 2,272.69M Billund,  Ribe (hoovers.com, 2011) Consumers spent 25.1 billion on video games, hardware and accessories in 2010 (Entertainment Software Association, 2011). The best-selling Computer Games are Family and Children’s Games (19.8%), Shooter games (14.4%), Role-Playing games (12.4%). The Best-selling Video Games Genres are Action (30.1%), Sports (11.3), Racing (11.1%), Children and Family Entertainment (9.3%), Shooter 8.7%), Role-Playing (7.8%) (Entertainment Software Association, 2011). The US board games and puzzle market, alone, is estimated to be worth about $400 million, and ?50 million per year in the UK (Maclean, 2009). The toy and game industry in Australia has a revenue of two billion, and annual growth of 3.6% (2006-2011) (ibisworld.com, 2011). Industry Trends â€Å"Going Green† is a current trend in the industry. It involves three aspects. They are: sustainable materials, resource-saving packaging, and content that communicates sustainable action and values through play (nurembergtoyfair.com, 2011). Another industry trend is moving games from the digital realm to physical board game space. A recent example is Mattel’s â€Å"Angry Birds.† Keeping a foot in both digital and physical realms makes good business sense, in the face of increasing competition (Douban, 2011). One of the most potentially profitable trends is the transition to selling products inside virtual worlds. For example, you might go to a virtual pizza shop, in avatar form, and a pizza icon might pop up, enabling the user to order a real pizza, without leaving the virtual environment (boardofinnovation.com, 2009). The diversity of virtual worlds means a huge, untapped potential for a diversity of products. Other trends include pro-social and e-connected, cooperative games; games that can be constructed and reconstruc ted, allowing for continually new play experiences; games that involve action and sensori-motor experience or emphasize speed (a trend reflecting child obesity as a health concern); games that are designed for creative learning (toyassociation.org, 2011). Game Industry Growth and Decline An indicator of demand for toys is the manufacturers' shipments of miscellaneous durable goods, which rose 7.2 percent in the first six months of 2011 compared to the first six months in 2010 (hoovers.com, 2011). Furthermore, toy sales the world over, in 2010, increased 5% over 2009, to $83.3 billion, especially reflecting strong performance in Asia (npd.com, 2011). Fifty percent of global toy sales are accounted for by the top revenue countries: USA, Japan, China, UK, and France. Emerging markets with strong growth are Brazil, Russia, India (npd.com, 2011). The Online Game portion of the industry is growing. Table 2. Annual online game revenue in billions of U.S. dollars from 2006–2011 (Rive llo, 2011) Americans spent more than $3 billion in video game subscription fees last year. A new report by market research firm Pike & Fischer estimates that Americans will spend $5 billion annually by 2015 (boardofinnovation.com, 2009). Board games went through a slump when they had to compete with video and computer games, but now they are making a big comeback, due to the economic crisis (Thai, 2009).

Planned Organizational Change Essay Example for Free

Planned Organizational Change Essay Abstract Planned organizational change can be defined in many different ways, and characterized on many different levels. The common denominator listed after reviewing two related Internet articles, indicates that change cannot take place for changes sake, but must be implemented to accomplish a specific goal or task. Another common statement states that change must also be accepted and embraced before the desired outcome is achieved. Planned Organizational Change Planned organizational change can be defined in many different ways, and characterized on many different levels. The common denominator listed after reviewing two related Internet articles, indicates that change cannot take place for changes sake, but must be implemented to accomplish a specific goal or task. Another common statement states that change must also be accepted and embraced before the desired outcome is achieved. The first Internet article reviewed was titled Planned Organizational Change as Cultural Revolution (Izumi and Taylor. n.d.). This article was particularly interesting because of the broad statement provided indicating that organizational schemes often fail because of poor reception by those involved. The article states: Organizational schemes gang aft a-gley during the implementation stage because the corporate culture does not change enough to allow the new ideas, procedures, and structures to take hold. There may not be the cultural buy-in necessary to sustain the current change effort. If planned change is to be successful, it must include, as an integral and critical part of the change process, the seeds of the new values, beliefs, and attitudes the organization is trying to grow. Unfortunately, change programs are often set up to fail because the change methods only perpetuate the old way of doing things. This statement rings particularly true for this author. Over the past 20  years in business I have witnessed many organizational changes that have failed miserably. Businesses seem to want a change, for different reasons, but do not know how to properly implement these changes. Improper implementation of a sound plan, not enough organizational commitment, and organizational politics, as indicated in the article, seem to provide some of the most common reasons for failure related to organizational change. Businesses will sometimes have a valid plan to change an organization, but neglect the final stages of implementation. This lack of follow-up invalidates the entire effort. Politics also play a significant role in most organizational change failures. Many businesses have allowed small unofficial organizations to form within organizations; this creates internal kingdoms which prove fatal to organizational change. A strong belief in the importance of a proper structure, as told by the article, often causes change factors to focus on the organization instead or processes. The effects of this type of change produce a structural change instead of a process change that allows the same processes to function under new management. The article goes as far as mentioning on model, used specifically in the case of large mergers, how many resources can be combined with little analysis of the operating environment. The thinking is, the combination of skills, thoughts and ideas will combine to form an organization that operates in a drastically different manner that initially imagined. This idea sounds valid, but a combination of organizational direction from management combined with the evolution of processes and organization would seem to provide the most effective solution. Business Process Reengineering (BPR) is one of the most interesting ideas retrieved from the first Internet article. The BPR is described as a natural outgrowth of the Internal Process approach to organizational effectiveness. This model concentrates on targeting internal processes for change. When these processes are analyzed for inefficiencies there is little consideration given to strategy or organizational structure. When internal processes are changed to increase efficiency, the old systems should be replaced with new systems rather than using the old systems to create new  processes. As old systems are purged, the effects on the organization increase exponentially. The domino effect seen by replacing old processes often surprises businesses as to the effectiveness of this model. The second article reviewed was titled: Basic Context for Organizational Change, this article parallels the previous article reviewed by this author. This article written by Carter McNamara, PhD provides two interesting points: (1) Change should not be done for the sake of change, and (2) There is typically strong resistance to change; people are afraid of the unknown. This author has witnessed several organization changes that could easily been implemented simply for change sake. The Internet article helps in the realization of the necessity for organizational-wide changes to truly create situations that effect positive change. Many times businesses will implement organizational changes in only one or two departments, when the change truly effects the every department or division in a small way. Organizational-wide change, along with change acceptance will go a long way toward creating a favorable atmosphere to change. Typically there are strong resistances to organizational change. People are afraid of the unknown. Many people like the way things are, are comfortable, and dont understand the need for change. Many people view any organizational change as bad, and neglect to give proposed changes an opportunity to succeed. This type of behavior is difficult to remedy, but a well-structured, properly organized change can implement change much easier that an ill conceived plan. In conclusion, this author has realized the importance of implementing and following through with planned changes as an integral part of successful organizational change. This author has also realized that change for change sake is a dangerous proposition and organizational changes should always consider the entire company before attempting local changes. A final lesson teaches the importance of recognizing peoples inherent resistance to change and the need to address human resistance as an important step in any organizational change effort. The items reviewed in both internet articles discussed effective ways to implement and recognized planned change, and  should be invaluable in future business endeavors. Reference Izumi, H., Taylor, D., (n.d.). Planned organizational change as cultural evolution. Empire State College Resource List. Para. 2. Retrieved April 15, 2003 from the World Wide Web:http://www.esc.edu/ESConline/across_esc/forumjournal.nsf/ 3cc42a422514347a8525671d0049f395/1f36661906ca98d9852567b00

The Fear Of Sex Offenders Criminology Essay

The Fear Of Sex Offenders Criminology Essay In previous years, the fear of sex offenders has led the public to believe a fallacy regarding sex offender treatment. The public often start to view anyone who commits a sexual offence to be a high risk sex offender. Society need to understand that some sex offenders are low risk offenders who are very unlikely to reoffend again. The public will easily say sex offenders should be thrown in prison and never let out again however this is an inefficient way in helping offenders to stop committing crime. Crime overall is a major problem around the world and a controversial debate that often brings up more questions than it answers. Explaining these criminal behaviours has become more complex as researchers have become aware that crime is a more complicated and confusing situation than they have previously recognized (Burke,2005). This essay is intended to dispel the myth of the untreatable sex offender. In addition it will also cover and provide conclusive evidence from programmes that sex offender treatment is not only possible but to a large extent is successful in reducing the recidivism of sex offenders. Before this is examined, this paper will briefly define what a sex offender is, what derives people to become one and how the government has tried to prevent sex delinquents from re-offending. A sex offender is a person who has committed a sexual crime, an act which is prohibited by the jurisdiction. What constitutes a sex offence or normal and abnormal sexual behaviour varies over time and place (Pakes Winstone, 2007). Every country has a different perspective on sexual crimes which makes their legislation vary; even the age of consent to a sexual act is a culturally based construction. The age of consent median seems to range from 16 to 18 years, but laws stating ages ranging from 9 to 21 do exist. This means that in some countries sexual activity is illegal and in some it is legal. Many people tend to think sexual offending mainly relates to adult rape or child molestation (Pakes Winstones, 2007), but there are many other types of sex crimes such as lust murder, internet grooming, sexual harassment, incest, etc. It is very difficult to distinguish the difference between sex offenders with non-offenders. It is presumed that many sex offenders have various sexual abnormal fantasies or an unusual high sex drive (Elsevier, 2007-PRINTOUT). People tend to believe most sexual offences are committed by strangers but the truth is most victims know their attacker and also they are not any different to normal people (CSOM). Most sex offenders are not mentally ill as shown in this article Fewer than 5% of people who commit a sexual offence suffer from a psychotic mental illness (Nota). Many theories try to explain why people commit sexual offences. Since sexual deviance takes several forms, no single theory maybe adequate to account for all aspects (Blackburn, 1993), Ellis (1989) identifies two major theories which will underline the most common approaches to as why a person may want to become a sex offender. Social learning theory suggests people learn and get exposed to certain things in life in which the person start to believe it is the right way to live life. This theory focuses on childhood experiences, especially within the family by either getting victimised by an adult at home or by getting exposure to pornography at a young age. This experience might lead them to being insecure and make them want to be in power instead of being the one subjected. The second theory Ellis supports is the Evolutionary theory which can also be known as the biological theory. This theory connects with genetics and male aggression. There is lacking evidence to support any theor y. Getting victimized by a sex offender can be very traumatising and psychologically damaging. The public and media seem to only worry about two types of crime which are both sex crimes; sexually offending against women or children. Sex offenders have been increasingly a focus of attention by the criminal justice system over the past decade (Thomas, 2000). In recent years, many countries have started to change their laws regarding sex offenders. The criminal justice system is strengthening the legislation and revising punishments as the public believe it is too lenient. Before the Criminal justice Act 1991, the laws on sex offences were very old; coming back from the Sexual Offences Act 1956 (Pakes Winstone, 2007). Next came along the Sex Offenders Act 1997, this Act made it easier to manage, and identify the offender on community release. Sex offenders had to register their addresses and names with the police which helped manage and protect the public. It was mainly prepared to reduce the risk within the public so every sex offender can be monitored for up to 5 years. In 1998 the Crime and Disorder Act (Section 58), paid attention to extending the post-release supervision of sex offenders to a maximum of 10 years for a prison sentence of any length, and Section 2 introduced the Sex Offender Order. A sex offender order is a civil preventative order made by a magistrates court on application by the police. If the police consider that a sex offender has acted in a way that gives reasonable cause to believe that an order is necessary to protect the pu blic from serious harm by him, then they can apply for an order. The order may place a number of prohibitions as necessary to protect the public from serious harm by that person. For example, he might be prevented from entering childrens playgrounds or visiting swimming pools. The breach of any of these prohibitions carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment. ((This can be used to prevent sex offenders from going to specific locations))- legislation.go.uk)). Since this has taken place, the laws in 2003 changed which introduced longer sentences, which allow for lengthy periods of formal supervision in the community, and for high risk sex offenders the life sentence was put into effect (Pakes Winstones, 2007). The Sexual Criminal Act 2003 also redefined the meaning of rape by including penetration to the vagina, anus or mouth with his penis without lack of consent (legislation.co.uk). Internet grooming is defined to be illegal in this Act as well. This is when an adult trie s to arrange meetings and/or has sexual conversions online. So, what happens to those that are convicted? Nearly two-thirds of sex offenders immediately go to prison (Homeoffice, 2003c), the rest are taken care of by probation or supervision orders, fines and some are totally discharged. The ones who are convicted or charged are often required to record their names in the sex offender registry. These databases are classified into levels and are open to the public. A serious high risk sex offender must register for the rest of their lives whereas a low risk sex offender has to register for a certain period of time. There are many advantages and disadvantages of the Sex offender Registry. Some of the advantages are that the public can easily access information about sex offenders on the internet, citizens have the right to know if there is a sex offender in their area, and the right of innocent children and others to safety outweighs the right of sex offenders to privacy. The disadvantages are many records are often inaccurate or not updated, t his practice makes it hard for ex-offenders to look for a house or job and some seem to believe this information could lead to networking within sexual offenders. According to the Review of Sex offender Treatment Programmes (1998) the highest risk sex offenders appear to be characterised by the following factors: criminal history, convicted of diverse sexual offending (different victim ages, gender, or location), antisocial lifestyle, emotional loneliness, denial, psychopathic personality, low victim empathy and problem solving abilities and lastly sexually deviant arousal or fantasies. These criminals either being in prison, have been recently released from prison or have not been sent into prison at all run the same type of treatment programmes. A cognitive behavioural approach is mainly used or anti-libidinal medication (Perkins, 1998). The aim of the each programme is to challenge offenders distorted thoughts and reasoning in relation to their victims and to help manage their impulses by providing alternative courses of action which they view as being more rewarding (Worall Hoy, 2005). Many of the treatment programmes are taken place within group format unless the sex offender has a higher risk then it is a one-on-one basis. Sex offender treatment programmes require at least 80 hours of treatment (Evenden, 2008). In the last ten years, the British Prison Service has developed a largely group-based treatment programme for sex offenders to reduce crime rates (Thornton and Hogue, 1993), and this has led to the development of a national Sex Offender Treatment Progr amme (SOTP), which is now the largest of its kind in the world. The prison offender behaviour Programme Unit manages the SOTP. SOTP have made a criterion for all of the sex offenders in prison or attending programmes outside of prison. This criterion has ten characteristics which a sex offender treatment programme should have to be successful (Journal Site). Contains an explicit theoretical model of how the programme is meant to bring about change Includes a clear specification of the types of offender for whom the programme is intended Addresses a range of dynamic risk factors known to be associated with re-offending The treatment methods used are likely to have an impact on the targeted dynamic risk factors Skills are taught that will assist participants in avoiding criminal activities and facilitate their involvement in legitimate pursuits There is a rationale for the sequencing, intensity and duration of different programme components The programme is structured to maximize and sustain the engagement of participants There are clear links between the programme and the overall management of the offender There is provision to monitor programme integrity (is it being delivered as intended?) There is provision to evaluate the efficacy of the programme The main goal of the sex offender treatment programmes are that the person avoids committing another offence in the future. The offender must admit he is guilty for him or her to be a part of the program. It is a condition of acceptance into the programme, not agreeing is breaching the law and the offender can be sent back to prison. Many programmes follow this rule but it is not done everywhere. The programme expects the perpetrator to admit his mistakes, to talk about his unacceptable behaviour, expresses feelings, remorse for them and is agrees to apologize to the victim. To reduce reconviction rates many people suggest to also decrease the sexual arousal. Sexual arousal is one of the key factors which can lead to sex offending. Psychiatrists contribute to the treatment of sex offenders as well, not only prison officers and probation officers. Psychiatrists prescribe the medication, which has shown to reduce crime (Grublin, 2007). The most effective way to manage and supervise potentially dangerous offenders in the community is for the relevant agencies to work together. This partnership work is directed and governed by the national Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). The MAPPA was created nationally on 1st April 2001. MAPPA works with a number of other agencies are under a duty to co-operate with the Responsible Authority. These include: Children Services, Adult Social Services, Health Trusts and Authorities, Youth Offending Teams, local housing authorities and certain registered social landlords, Jobcentre Plus, and electronic monitoring providers. The purposes of MAPPA are to ensure more comprehensive risk assessments are completed, taking advantage of co-ordinated information sharing across the agencies and to direct the available resources to best protect the public from serious harm. MAPPA deal with the management of sexual and violent offenders convicted by a court of a relevant offence or those whose behaviour poses a significant risk of harm to the public. After a comprehensive risk assessment, a system comprising three levels is used to make sure that those offenders who may pose the highest risk, receive the greatest degree of scrutiny and oversight. Who are the MAPPA offenders? There are three categories of offender eligible for MAPPA. Registered Sexual Offenders (Category 1) sexual offenders who are required to notify the police of their name, address and other personal details and notify any changes subsequently; Violent Offenders (Category 2) offenders sentenced to imprisonment/detention for 12 months or more, or detained under hospital orders. Other Dangerous Offenders (Category 3) offenders who do not qualify under categories 1 or 2 but who currently pose a risk of serious harm. There are 3 categories include supervising the offenders, arranging meetings between agencies to see which type of treatment the offender needs, police surveillance, specialised accommodation, and/or to provide ongoing senior management oversight. In the last year, MAPPA in Cumbria has worked in partnership with Circles UK, a national charity set up to encourage the development of Circles of Support and Accountability. Circles of support and accountability was first introduced in Canada about 15 years ago. The purpose of this programme is to support and reintegrate sex offenders who are about to be put back into the community. This idea was introduced to the UK by the Quakers. Sex offenders are lonely people who feel isolated when they are released into the community. These types of feelings make them re-offend. Circles pay attention to employment, financial difficulties, isolation and loneliness (circle journal). Circles believe that the act sex offenders have committed may be monstrous but that doesnt mean they are monsters. They believe sex offenders needs to be shown care and humanity to help them avoid further offending. The individual becomes a core member of the Circle. They are expected to commit and open within the Circle. They also promise that there will be no more victims by his or (her) hand, and that he or she will follow the laid down release plan (print out). Circles do involve the police and probation officers if any problem arises. Circles take place weekly. They consist of four to six volunteers taken from different faith communities. Sex offender programs/strategies are administered in prison and/or in the community to manage sex offenders. Three common therapeutic approaches to treating sex offenders are: The cognitive-behavioral approach, which focuses on changing thinking patterns related to sexual offending and changing deviant patterns of sexual behavior. The psycho-educational approach, which focuses on increasing offenders empathy for the victim while also teaching them to take responsibility for their sexual offenses. The pharmacological approach, which uses medication to reduce sexual response. Research has shown that sex offender treatment programs tend to have a high percentage of offenders who are either expelled from or drop out of treatment. Higher risk offenders and those who are mandated to receive treatment are the most likely to drop out. Fewer individuals drop out of cognitive-behavioral than hormonal treatment. Offenders who are married and employed are more likely to complete treatment. Offenders who do not complete treatment are more likely to commit subsequent sexual offenses than those who do complete treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapies are known to be effective treatment interventions that have helped lower the recidivism rates. This is the most common therapy used within sex offenders. Most sex offenders are let off and released within the community under supervision before there sentence is completed. Some other type of sex offender treatment programmes that are taken place in America are the Sex Offender Groupwork Programme (SOGP) for adult male offenders whose victims are children. Specialist assessment is required for this intensive programme and Internet Sex Offender Treatment Programme (I-SOTP) for male offenders with convictions for internet only sex offences.   It is designed to reduce the risk of future internet offending and progression to contact sex offending. There is a tremendous need for effective interventions that can lower the recidivism rates of sexual offenders. EFFECTIVE? Whether sex offender treatment is effective in reducing recidivism continues to be debated and reaching firm conclusions on this issue is complicated by the lack of high quality studies. Longer programmes are perhaps predicable, more effective than short ones and programmes which teach offenders technique which they can utilize themselves, especially to prevent relapse, are also successful ( book) 172. Sexual recidivism is generally lower than general recidivism. Different studies used different criteria for sexual recidivism. Effectiveness for register -There have been many controversial arguments regarding the use of Sex Offender Register. Criminals who committed crimes before 1997, were not a part of this registry, criminals with acute risk to the public were exempt from the list and there is no national sex offender register (Pakes Winstone, 2007) Mention 2 cases MAPPA à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Treatment programmes have been researched regarding their impact on re conviction à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The group work treatment programmes in prisons and in the community have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing the re-conviction rates. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Offenders successfully completing these programmes are 3 times less likely to be re convicted of a sexual offence and 5 times less likely to be re-convicted of a violent offence than offenders who have not completed the programmes. (NOTA) PART 3 There have been many debates about the rehabilitation process and its success rates. Circle of support reduced re ffending70% The Canadian model has proved to work. Re-conviction rates have halved and those who did re-offend committed less serious offences (paper). Conclusion In order to assess and treat a sexual offender effectively, therefore, one needs to obtain a realistic account of his psychosexuality , something that is notoriously difficult to do (Elsevier, 2007). or (Grubin, 2007). Maybe use another type of approach not only cognitive/behaviour but also psychotherapy and skills therapy to improve results. Programmes are constantly evolving as new information becomes available. Improvements will continue. Every step of this process is vital to reducing the risk a sex offender poses when he or she is returned to the community. Assuming every coach, every priest, every teacher is not likely to be a sexual predator, but that one could be and that you will not know if he is. Given that we cannot detect child molesters or rapists with any consistency, we must pay attention to ways of deflecting any potential offenders from getting access to us or to our children'(Salter,2003) Anthony Rice Long history of sexual and violent attacks Convicted 1989, given discretionary life sentence Released on life license Nov 2004 after 15yr prison term.Killed Naomi Bryant in August 2005 ROY WHITING The sex offender population is increasing and most of these offenders will be released into the community without having received any treatment.(((ARTICLE))

Gender Roles in Alice Munro’s Boys and Girls Essay -- Boys and Girls E

In Alice Munro’s short story â€Å"Boys and Girls,† our narrator is a young farm girl on the verge of puberty who is learning what it means to be a â€Å"girl.† The story shows the differing gender roles of boys and girls – specifically that women are the weaker, more emotional sex – by showing how the adults of the story expect the children to grow into their respective roles as a girl and a boy, and how the children grow up and ultimately begin to fulfill these roles, making the transition from being â€Å"children† to being â€Å"young adults.† The adults in the story expect the children to grow into the gender role that their sex has assigned to them. This is seen in several places throughout the story, such as when the narrator hears her mother talking to her father, â€Å"I heard my mother saying, ‘Wait till Laird gets a little bigger, then you’ll have a real help’†¦. ‘And then I can use her more in the house’† (Munro 495), when her grandmother comes to visit and tells her all the things girls aren’t supposed to do, and when she is roughhousing with her little brother and the farm hand, Henry Bailey, tells her, â€Å"that there Laird’s gonna show you, one of these days† (Munro 497). While the narrator disagrees with the adults, and tries not to conform to their expectations, at the end of the story both she and her brother end up acting exactly as a child of their age and gender would be expected to act: the preteen girl crying with no apparent logical re ason, and the young boy excited to have been included with the men, and talking about the thrilling tale of slaying a horse. At the beginning of the story, the narrator and her brother are just â€Å"children,† but by the end of it the narrator is a â€Å"girl† and Laird is a â€Å"boy†; they have become very d... ...le older and a chance to show off her bravery emerges in the form of Flora making her escape, she doesn’t even consider playing the part of the hero, she simply follows her father’s orders, and even that she goes back on when she leaves the gate open. She doesn’t daydream of action and excitement anymore; she instead imagines herself in a love story. Throughout the story, the different roles and expectations placed on men and women are given the spotlight, and the coming-of-age of two children is depicted in a way that can be related to by many women looking back on their own childhood. The narrator leaves behind her title of â€Å"child† and begins to take on a new role as a young, adolescent woman. Works Cited Munro, Alice. â€Å"Boys and Girls.† Introduction to Literature. Ed. Isobel M. Findlay et al. 5th ed. Canada: Nelson Education, 2004. 491-502. Print.

Black Boy Essay -- essays research papers

In the book Black Boy, we see many black people in the south dealing with many hardships. One of the most prominent problems for blacks seemed to be the "Jim Crow" laws. These laws withheld blacks from society, breaking them apart from whites and making it very hard for them to live an even close to normal life. Black people couldn’t express their own ideas at all. They had to call all white men "sirs" and all white women "ma’am". They couldn’t act the slightest bit superior to whites. It was almost impossible for black people to make a decent living in the south, and they also had to take the abuse dealt to them by he whites without even attempting ant resistance. Blacks in the south also had to deal with the separation aspects of the "Jim crow" laws. They had to sit in the back of the buses, they had to use separate water fountains and bathrooms, they were looked upon almost like they had some sort of disease. These are just a few of the "Jim Crow" laws that the black people had to deal with. Richard was not the only one in this book dealing with racism. All the people around him were also coping with it also, friends co-workers and family had to face the challenges of a racist environment. Throughout the book we see these other people dealing with the problems of an extremely racist society. We also see how each person in Richards life deals with it differently. There are a few people and insience that stick out in my mind especially. The first one would have to be an incident with Shorty. Shorty has dealt with racism his whole life, and he has learned to deal with it as he has grown. We see a great example of how Shorty deals on page 269Shorty is faced with the problem of no money, such as many other southern blacks were, and we see that he is willing to do anything for any amount of money. " You can kick me in the ass for a quarter" (269,wright) As this happens Richard witnesses the whole thing and we can see that he is very disappointed in the way Shorty dealt with the situation. He can’t understand how he can put himself in that kind of degrading position, and Shorty simply answers. " But a quarter can’t pay for what he did to you!" But we can see Shorty thinks differently. A... ...urt black skin. By this point in the book Richard learns to deal better with racism, but he still has attitude about being treated differently then the white kids or adults. One final incident the Richard had to deal with was when he was working at the hotel. This incident didn’t completely have to deal with him but he got involved. When the door man at the hotel slapped his black girl friend in the ass as they were walking out of the hotel, Richard got pretty upset that he did that considering that the doorman was white. It was like he couldn’t understand how white people didn’t like blacks, but yet the would use such sexual connotations towards the black women, We see Richard react, as he stops and just looks at the doorman. After Richard decides not react violently, and got somewhat of a threat from the doorman when he just continued. This was Richards way of "scaring" the white man without starting something physical. We see Richards way of dealing with the racism change throughout the book. When he is younger we see how he can’t help but get defensive, and as he gets older he learns to control himself better.

Media Bring Social Change

Over the last two decades, several major changes have occurred in the media industries that have altered the way in which the media institution operates. Social theorists have always had two distinct visions when it comes to the introduction of new media; one, a utopia where mass media is used to spread ideas and understanding and two, where people use media to transmit only the most vulgar information. Magazines, TV shows, You Tube, Twitter, internet, cell phones, Facebook and My Space are just a few of the many media sources that are used in the twenty-first century. Billions of people around the world are influenced through the media and what information it gives them. The most major changes of note have been how different communication sources transmit important information, how violence and sex is demonstrated through the media, and the increased role of women as consumers of mass media. On Tuesday January 12th, 2010, a devastating earthquake hit the Caribbean country of Haiti. It destroyed the whole country and left around 239,000 people dead (Zebra Jacque Dawson). The survivors need medical attention and food in order to thrive. Many large humanitarian organizations are raising money to help the citizens of Haiti restore their country. The media is playing a huge role in helping advertise and raise money for Haiti. The news and television networks such as CNN and CBC have donated their assistance by providing air time to run Haiti relief commercials and also air â€Å"Hope for Haiti† programs where celebrities contribute their talents to raise money towards rebuilding the country. During this show audience embers could call in, donate online or send a simple text message to make a contribution. Through this one event, the media used three sources very efficiently and it demonstrates how much technology has advanced to mobilize action. According to the Central Intelligence Agency’s Government statistics â€Å"Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty. † These rates were high even before the earthquake occurred, and after the disaster, this rate has increased plunging even more people into poverty. It is somewhat ironic that this tragic event has led some people to think of it in two ways, either as a tragic misfortune or an opportunity to rebuild and make the country of Haiti a better community than it was before the quake. There is hope that all the relief efforts in support of Haiti, will allow the poverty rate to decrease and stimulate the economy of Haiti for its citizens. This has been a great cause to make people aware of their surroundings. This event shows positive aspects and it portrays the media as a profound and legitimate source. But the mass media also takes its toll on young adults in a negative way as they are influenced by drugs, sex, alcohol, violence and body image. The average youth in the United States watches television 25 hours a week and plays computer games an additional 7 hours as well also listens to music around 10 extra hours (Facts and TV Statistics). Forty-two hours out of the 168 hours is used up on their computers, television or iPod which means 25% of their time is spent on these products. Concerns of parents are increasing as they worry that their teenaged children are being negatively influenced by television and music. In a sample of programming from the 2001-2002 TV seasons, sexual content appeared in 64% of all TV programs. Those programs with sexually related material had an average of 4. 4 scenes per hour. One out of every seven programs includes a portrayal of sexual intercourse (Facts and TV Statistics). These statistics are at an all time high. Sex, drugs and violence displayed on television is influenced more than ever on teenagers through the media. As these stats show, 46% of high school students in the United States have had sexual intercourse. Although sex is common, most sexually active teens wish they had waited longer to have sex, which suggest that sex is occurring before youths are prepared for its consequences (Facts and TV Statistics). Though music, many artists are portraying the themes of violence and drugs. According to Stats Canada, there were 2,452,787 violent and gang related crimes reported in 2006; most of the users of these illegal firearms are youth in their teens and early 20s. Therefore, drugs, sex, and violence portrayed through the media is sending mixed messages to teens all around the world. Dieting, eating disorders and plastic surgery are some of the ways women try and boost their self esteem. Women are told by the media that they need to be sexy, chic, and thin. Toy manufacturers set this expectation by developing and marketing the Barbie doll, whose measurements are almost impossible. However, with increased availability of plastic surgery, today’s women are faced with unrealistic expectations every time they open a fashion magazine. Celebrities are not perfect they have their flaws as well. Usually when celebrities are photographed for covers of magazines the reality is that most magazines airbrush photos and use expensive computer technology to correct blemishes and hide figure flaws. Twenty-five years ago, the average fashion model was 8% thinner than the average woman. Today that number has risen to 23% (Food and Weight Preoccupations). Such celebrities such as Pamela Anderson and Heidi Montag have resulted in plastic surgery. Nearly 12 million cosmetic procedures were performed in 2007 (Description of Plastic Surgery). Furthermore, appetite suppressants and meal replacements have become a multi million dollar business. These products are essentially the first stepping stone to eating disorders. Mary-Kate Olsen is one of the many celebrities who have been affected by the disease of anorexia, one of the many eating disorders and these celebrities should not be considered as role models. Women need to have self confidence and need real role models to emulate. With these messages given to women they are put in a situation where they feel pressure to look or act a certain way. The media is a formidable force, and one that is not going to change easily, but it is a woman’s decision to either be influenced by it or to ignore it and live a healthy lifestyle. There are several negative media effects on teenagers. Media is responsible for creating ideals about body image. The amount of excessive violence in media through television, movies or video games tends to increase aggressive tendencies in teenagers. The amount of celebrity hype created by the media glorification of unhealthy habits like smoking, drug abuse, unprotected sex and alcohol can encourage these habits in teenagers, which can permanently impact their lives. All of these aspects create social change throughout the world. The most major changes of note have been how different communication sources transmit important information, how violence and sex is demonstrated through the media, and women's increased role as consumers of mass media. Media has also contributed to increase the overall awareness of teenagers about their surroundings.

Managerial Accounting Essay

01)How does managerial accounting differ from financial accounting? A: Managerial accounting is concerned with providing information to managers for use inside the organization. Financial accounting is con ¬cerned with providing information to stockhold ¬ers, creditors, and others outside of the organi ¬zation. 02)Pick any major television network and describe some planning and control activities that its managers would engage in. A: Five examples of planning activities include: 1.Estimating the advertising revenues for a future period. 2.Estimating the total expenses for a future period, including the salaries fo all actors, news reporters and sportscasters. 3.Planning how many new television shows to introduce to market. 4.Planning the network’s advertising activities and expenditures. 5.Planning each television show’s designated broadcast time. Five examples of controlling activities: 1.Comparing the actual number of viewers for each show to its viewership projections. 2.Comparing the actual costs of running a production studio to the budget 3.Comparing the revenues earned from broadcasting a sporting event to the costs incurred to broadcast the event. 4.Comparing the actual costs of producing a made for television movie to its budget. 5.Comparing the actual cost of providing global and local news coverage to the budget. 03)If you have to decide whether to continue making a component part or to begin buying the part from an overseas supplier, what quantitative and qualitative factors would influence your decision? A: the quantitative analysis would focus on determining the potential cost saving from buying the part rather than making it. The qualitative analysis would focus on broader issues such as strategy, risks, and corporate social responsibility. 04)Why do companies prepare budgets? A: companies use budgets to translate into formal quantitative terms. Budgets are used for various purposes, such as forcing managers to plan ahead, allocating resources across departments, coordinating activities across departments. These various purposes often conflict with one another, which makes budgeting one of management’s most challenging activities. 05)Why is managerial accounting relevant to business major and their future careers? A: Managerial accounting is relevant to all business students because all managers engage in planning, controlling, and decision making activities. If managers wish to influence co-wokers across the organization, the must be able to speak in financial terms to justify their proposed courses of action. 06)Why is managerial accounting relevant to accounting major at the futures careers? A: The institute of Managerial Accountants estimates that 80% of accountants work in non-public accounting environments. Accountants that work in corporate, non-profit, and governmental organizations are expected to use their planning, controlling and decision making skills to help improve performance. 07)Pick any large company and describe its strategy using the framework in the chapter. A: Amazon.com competes in terms of operational excellence. The company focuses on delivering products faster, more conveniently and at a lower price than competitors. Its using the planning, controlling and make decision making. 08)Why do management accountants need to understand the company’s strategy? A: Planning, controlling and decision making must be performed within the context of company’s strategy. 09)Pick any large company and describe three risks that it faces and how it responds to those risks. A: the company is NIKE, which has suppliers in over 40 countries. One risk that NIKE faces is that its suppliers will fail to manage their employees in a socially responsible manner. NIKE faces the risk that unsatisfactory environmental performance will diminish its brand image. The company is investing substantial resources to develop products  that minimize adverse impacts on the environment. NIKE faces the risk that customers will not like its new products. The company uses focus groups research to proactively assess the customers’ reaction to its new products. 10)Provide three examples of how a company’s risks can influence its planning, controlling and decision-making activities. A: Airlines face the risk that large spikes in fuel prices will lower their profitability. They may reduce this risk by spending money on hedging contracts that enable them to lock-in future fuel prices that will not change even if the market prices increases. 11)Pick any large company and explain a three ways that it could segment its companywide performance. A: Procter&Gamble could segment its performance by product category (Beauty and grooming, Household care, Health and well-being), product line ( crest and tide), and stock keeping units ( Crest cavity protection toothpaste, crest extra whitening toothpaste and crest sensitivity toothpaste). 12)Locate the website of any company that publishes a corporate social responsibility report (also referred to as a sustainability report). Describe three nonfinancial performance measure included in the report. Why do you think the company publishes this report? A: Timberland publishes quarterly corporate social responsibility metrics ( www.earthkeeper.com/CSR/csrdownloads.) there of those metrics include metric tons of carbon emissions the percentage of total cotton sourced that is organic and renewable energy use as a percent of total energy usage. He’s corporate slogan of â€Å"doing well by doing good† suggests that the company publishes CSR reports because that its financial success is positively influenced by its social and environmental performance. 13)Why do companies that implement lean production tend to have minimal inventories? A: companies that use learn production only make units in response to customer orders. They produce units just in time to satisfy customer demand, which results in minimal inventories. 14)Why are leadership skills important to manager? A: organizations are managed by people that have their own personal interests, insecurities, belief, and data supported conclusions that ensure unanimous support for give course of action is the exception rather than the rule. Managers must possess strong leadership skills if the wish to channel their co-wokers’ efforts towards achieving organizational goals. 15)Why ethics important to business? A: Ethical behavior is the lubricant that keeps the economy running.