Police Enforcement And Law Enforcement Essay - 2455 Words

Statement of the Problem Much too often the public’s perception police use of force is different from those who are in law enforcement. This view is greatly influenced by a range of factors, including portrayals in the media, and intensified by the rising weight of social media. In today’s society, incidents of use of force can establish a false account for the public regarding police actions, even though it is not statistically represented or backed by data. Law enforcement officers encounter danger every day while performing their duties. The foremost duty of law enforcement officers are to serve and protect citizens. Most law enforcement agencies do this successfully however, many people view law enforcement officers as the enemy. Citizens need to be better informed about law enforcement and why officers take specific actions in certain circumstances. In our society, police are in a very dangerous position when it comes to the amount of force they can use when dealing with an individual. According to Harmon (2008), officers use discretion when determining the best approach for the situation, whether it be physical force or persuasion. They must take the correct action, even when dealing with minor things, because if they are too forgiving or to forceful they will be reprimanded by supervisors and the public. Should police be permitted to use force? Which circumstances warrant use force and what are the limits of force they can use? These questions are oftenShow MoreRelatedPolice Enforcement And The Law Enforcement2570 Words   |  11 PagesThroughout law enforcement history there has been events that have occurred or changed made to better law enforcement for both the officer and the community. Since the early 1900s, law enforcement has been a part of our society and been there to enforce laws and protect the citizens of our country. Law enforcement has not always been the same though. Before we had what our current law enforcement is today, we had a much rougher version, one that always did not enforce the law, one with less laws to enforceRead MorePolice Enforcement And Law Enforcement Essay1754 Words   |  8 PagesCommunity policing is also a project set to connect the police community to overall society and avoid the mistreat of citizens and or prevent corrupt officers. Brooks states that policing is predicated essentially [on] operating in the community and not being of the community(Kaplan, 2015 , para. 6). The idea that police officers do not need to part-take in society is a statement that should not be acceptable in the roles of law enforcement. When police officers do not connect to the society members, thereRead MorePolice Enforcement And The Law Enforcement2203 Words   |  9 PagesWhat is law enforcement? The term has different meanings for individuals in our society based on personal experiences. Law enforcement officers are members of society that come together in an organized fashion and enforce the law. Law enforcement officers enforce the law by deterring, punishing individuals and rehabilitating them. Law enforcement officers have been a part of our society since the beginning of our democracy. Law enforcement officers are public servants to the public to maintain peaceRead MorePolice Enforcement And Law Enforcement Essay2037 Words   |  9 PagesEvery day, law enforcement officers encounter danger while carrying out their duties. The foremost duty of law en forcement officers are to serve and protect citizens. Most law enforcement agencies do this successfully. However, many people view law enforcement officers as the enemy. People need to be better informed about law enforcement and why officers take specific actions in certain circumstances. In our society, police are in a very dangerous position when it comes to the amount of forceRead MoreLaw Enforcement Police Enforcement Officers2330 Words   |  10 PagesAbstract Law enforcement officers are faced with the challenges of using the appropriate amount of force during arrests or apprehensions and are criticized by the public on a daily basis. Not all excessive force is restricted to physical violence; this is where brutality fits in. The reasons for these actions might be explainable, or unacceptable. It may appear that the law enforcement officer is taking advantage of the situation, when in fact they may be following procedure, and in turn can articulateRead MoreLaw Enforcement : A Police Officer1596 Words   |  7 PagesLaw Enforcement Ask anyone who is interested in a career in law enforcement why they choose that career, and they will say it is to help their community and make a difference in the world. In an average day an officer patrols his given area to keep the safety of the people. For instance the the presence of a police officer in the neighborhood keeps away the criminals who break into homes while people are at work or asleep. It is hard for people to imagine what a world without law enforcementRead MorePolice Officers And Law Enforcement1082 Words   |  5 PagesLaw enforcement officers equipped with body-worn cameras lower external use of force complaints and better compliance during police and citizens encounters creates a more positive experience for police and law-abiding citizens. In recent years, law enforcement officers have come under tremendous scrutiny by the public due to police officers’ use of excessive force. Several deadly force incidents captured on video and not captured caused the arrest or dismissal of police officers. Video footageRead MorePolice Brutality And The Law Enforcement846 Words   |  4 Pagesdemonstrating the brutality of law enforcement has been becoming more frequent over the past couple of years. When you hear about these cases of police brutality, how often is it that law enforcement officials are punished for the crime they have perpetrated? Most of the time the law enforcement officials, who are very well in the wrong do not get any kind of punishment whatsoever for the crimes that they have committed and it all comes back to the power that they have. Police brutality cases have beenRead MorePolice Agencies and Law Enforcements812 Words   |  3 PagesPolice Agencies Law enforcement is a major element to keeping the balance of a society. Yet, it is an incredibly complex endeavor. In this country, the execution of law enforcement has been broken up into local, state, and federal agencies that all address varying elements of law enforcement, and often in collaboration with each other. The current structure of law enforcement in this country is very complex. There are various types of police agencies broken up based on differing jurisdictionRead MorePolice Officers And The Law Enforcement970 Words   |  4 PagesIn this society we live in, we rely on our local law enforcement to help enforce laws that supposed to protect us from harm, and investigate crimes when an individual violates a particular law that need to be brought to justice. All police officers are trained to know all the rules and regulation in the handbook of the court of law. One the contraire, there are still some individuals police officers in this nation who abuse their authority of having those rights to serve and protect us from danger

Environmental Ethics Free Essays

1. Your case study will begin by looking up and writing a solid, detailed definition of: BIO-MAGNIFICATION. In order to understand the ethical dilemmas that corporations are facing we must look at some of the more obvious areas to the public: polluted water supplies, polluted air, dirt, etc. We will write a custom essay sample on Environmental Ethics or any similar topic only for you Order Now They understand bio-magnification and so does the EPA. Research and explain what this scientifically means and how it is applied when the EPA conducts the testing on ground water, as an example. (one page is required) Bio-magnification is a â€Å"Result of the process of  bioaccumulation  and biotransfer by which tissue concentrations of chemicals in organisms at one trophic level exceed tissue concentrations in organisms at the next lower trophic level in a food chain. – Environmental Protection Agency, 2010 (â€Å"Biomagnification,† 2012). In other words, bio-magnification is the increase in concentration of a substance that occurs in a food chain as a consequence of one of the following: persistence (cant be broken down by environmental processes), food chain energetics, and or low (non consistent) rate of internal degradation/excretion of the substance (often due to water-insolubility). Biological magnification often times refers to the process by whereby certain substances such as pesticides or heavy metals move up the food chain, work their way into our rivers, lakes and streams, are eaten by aquatic organisms such as fish, which in turn are eaten by large birds, animals or humans. These substances become concentrated in tissues or internal organs as they move up the food chain (â€Å"Biomagnification,† 2012). In summary, bio-magnification is the process whereby the tissue concentrations of a contaminant, such as pesticides or heavy metal, increase as it passes up the food chain through two or more trophic levels. . The second part of this case is about â€Å"genetically modified foods†. Debate the concept that utilitarian is concerned regarding the rights of consent when dealing with potentially harmful new technologies. (2 pages are required) a. Conduct research on genetically modified foods using at least 2 sources and take a position. What is gen etically modified foods? Genetically modified foods  (GM foods, or  biotech foods) are foods derived from  genetically modified organisms. Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by  genetic engineering  techniques. These techniques are much more precise  than  mutagenesis  (mutation breeding) where an organism is exposed to radiation or chemicals to create a non-specific but stable change. Other techniques by which humans modify food organisms include selective breeding; plant breeding, and animal breeding, and  somaclonal variation. Since genetically modified food has been introduced into supermarkets, there has been much controversy as to whether it is actually safe (â€Å"Genetically modified food,† 2012). Genetically modified foods in the US include over 40 plant varieties that have completed all federal requirements for commercialization (Whitman, 2000). . Is it ethical or not to produce these foods? It is ethical to produce the foods as long as the genetically modified foods are being produced for ethical reasons, such as meeting the ever growing hungers need of our world population. One ethical dilemma that is presented with genetically modified foods is â€Å"fairness in the use of genetic information†, which means â€Å"who should have access to personal genetic information, and how it will be used† (â€Å"Genetically modified foods,† 2012)? Another is privacy and confidentiality of genetic information, or who owns and controls genetic information? c. Do the benefits outweigh the costs? The benefits GM foods include enhanced taste and quality, reduced maturation time, increased nutrients, yields, and stress tolerance. Other benefits of GM foods include improved resistance to disease, pests, and herbicides. Also, new products and growing techniques are benefits of GM foods. Environmental benefits of genetically modified foods include conservation of soil, water, and energy and better natural waste management. The costs of GM foods include potential human health impacts and potential environmental impacts including unknown effects on organisms and loss of flora and fauna biodiversity. Another cost to weigh with GM Foods is the possibility of world food production domination by a few companies. Also, increased dependence on industrialized nations by developing countries is a cost to be considered when thinking about GM foods. Ethically, GM foods run the risk of potentially violating organisms’ intrinsic values and stress for animals. I do not believe the risks outweigh the benefits. I am afraid of what will happen while we are tampering with mother nature. d. Are these foods harmful to human consumption? It is not yet known if the foods are harmful to human consumption. The long term effects on humans after consuming GM foods is not yet known. e. Who is lobbying for this new breed of food? Business, governments, individuals, and why? Who benefits from these foods: financially, ethically, and humanitarian? Businesses lobby for this new breed of food. These businesses can acquire a patent for their GM foods and ultimately corner the market on said food items which is extremely financially beneficial for these businesses. Individuals in third world countries and impoverished countries benefit the most from GM foods. Our governments must find a way to regulate the GM Food industry in such a way that it is ethical and fair to individuals and companies. Thousand of starving people can be saved by implementing the GM food procedures but the risks of long term consumption on the human existence is unknown and therefore makes it very hard to decide whether or not it is ethical to produce GM foods. Works Cited Biomagnification. (2012, July 8). Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Biomagnification Biomagnification. (2012, July 8). Retrieved from http://toxics. usgs. gov/definitions/biomagnification. html Genetically modified food. (2012, July 8). Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food Genetically modified foods and organisms. (2012, May 17). Retrieved from http://www. ornl. gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood. shtml Whitman, D. (2000, April). Genetically mod ified foods: Harmful or helpful?. Retrieved from http://www. csa. com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview. php/review. pdf How to cite Environmental Ethics, Essay examples

Consumerism in Harvey Norman-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Disucss about the Consumerism in Harvey Norman. Answer: Consumer decision making can be defined as a systematic process through which the prospective buyers can recognize their demands, obtain necessary statistics about it, measure up the options provided by the rivals in the same business and then ultimately contemplate the buying choice. Indeed, constructive consumer decision-making process is said to be the deciding factor in the profitability quotient of any business organization (Solomon, 2014).This report outlines the fact to discuss the consumer decision-making process of Harvey Norman along with its many services, processes and communications involved in the complete aforementioned process. Identification of services, processes and communications of Harvey Norman: Harvey Norman is a renowned organization, which specializes in providing high-end quality furnishing products, electronic applications and communications to the customers. (Chugh Grandhi, 2012). Harvey Norman is well known for favorably influencing the consumer decision-making process towards itself then the other competitors doing business in the same sector. The most attractive services available in the Harvey Norman website - The most attractive services offered by Harvey Norman are computers, vacuum cleaners, cleaning devices, beauty care products, beds and furnishing products, kitchenette contrivances and others. Harvey Norman also specializes in the provision of various specialized products under the above-mentioned category of commodities. The most attractive processes available in the Harvey Norman website- Print service This service provides information about the Harvey Norman products to the customers in the form of stylized business cards, attractive posters, and graphic oriented printing materials. Delivery service - The delivery service of Harvey Norman ensures that the preferred products of the consumers are delivered to the customers in a speedy, efficient and economical manner at their doorsteps. Finance service- At Harvey Norman, customers can choose to purchase their chosen products with limited financial capability with the help of online loans and with the new option- Interest Free. Monitoring of pricing strategy- This service assists customers to purchase Harvey Norman products at the current available market price so that the customers do not get the feel that they have been deceived or subjected to unfair pricing tactics (Nagle, Hogan Zale, 2016). The service of returning and refunding of products- Harvey Norman maintains a very strictly checked refund and repair policy regarding the provision of any defected or damaged products to the customers so that the customers do not get a bad perception about the company and it is seen to it that they are properly compensated. The most attractive communications available in the Harvey Norman website- Harvey Norman maintains a very informative e-commerce website where customers get the facility to satisfy their quench of knowledge about any specific product or service. Customers can clearly understand the features, quality, price of their chosen products from the given catalogues without any hindrance (Craft, 2012). For instance, when a customer is browsing the website for a particular divan, he or she can easily visualize the offered price, any special discounts or rebates and the delivery process (com.au 2017). The different features of the divan are also clearly mentioned in the website to guide the customers unerringly in their decision-making process. The website also communicates the complaint centre number and address to the customers in case they face any issue with the quality of the product such as erroneous delivery of a different product other than the placed order or receiving a tampered product ("Interest Free | Harvey Norman Australia", 2017). The Harvey Norman website also provides information about the locations of all their retail stores as country wise to the viewers so that they can visit to the nearby Harvey Norman store in person and see the available products (Holmes, Byrne Rowley, 2013). Therefore, it can be said that the communications provided in the Harvey Norman website helps to facilitate consumer decision-making process. The steps in the consumer decision making process of Harvey Norman that each service, service or communication covers: Desire- The first step desire instigates the stimulus of the customer to search for a product at a particular store. The descriptive information about products available at the Harvey Norman website covers this step. Apprehension of problem- The second step frames the mindset of the customers to think that a feature of a particular product or the product itself would resolve their problem of inadequacy or unmet desire. The information available in the printing service of Harvey Norman website about the features or the unique usability of the products covers this step. Probing for information- The third step aids the customers to contemplate a mental list of all the products that might be suitable to meet the challenges or the wants of the particular customer. The inviting and the fanciable retail store establishments of Harvey Norman cover this step. Assessment of all the products characteristics- The fourth step assists the customers to measure the effectiveness of all the other products available at Harvey Norman and including the ones available at the rivals (Oliver, 2014). The varied and the classified range of products available at the Harvey Normans portfolio such as computers, television sets, carpets, gaming products, BBQ products and others covers thus step. Buying products- The fifth step ultimately helps the customers to buy the chosen products or services in exchange of a monetary settlement or payment (Floh Madlberger, 2013). The delivery service, the finance service and the pricing strategy of Harvey Norman cover this step. Post buying conduct- The sixth step is the most important step. Nowadays, the companies always maintain and provide follow up service to the customers after the completion of the transaction. The service of returning and refunding of products and the online customer help desk available at the Harvey Norman website covers this step. Provisions or recommendations of any additional communications /services: Harvey Norman must take the initiative to conduct surveys and keep itself updated on a monthly basis to gather information about the wants, choices, preferences and desires of the consumers because the desires and whims of the consumers and the market trends are constantly evolving and changing at a rapid pace. Harvey Norman must segregate the global market demand based on geographical, demographic, cultural and social factors (Wedel Kamakura, 2012).By adopting this service, Harvey Norman can manufacture products suitable for all the sections of customers and effectively beat the other competitors engaged in the same trade. Harvey Norman must evolve their companys website by making it more impressionable and receptive. The website content should be interesting and stimulating to the viewers and should not bore them with repetitive data. Conclusion From the above discussion, it can be concluded that Harvey Norman is a leading company in the world, specializing in the provision of good quality beddings, furnishing products and electronic gadgets. The services, processes and communications that are provided by Harvey Norman to enhance the consumer decision-making process are simply outstanding, beguiling and enthralling. This particular feature of Harvey Norman has enabled it to rank among the top ten productive companies in the global consumer goods sector. References Chugh, R., Grandhi, S. (2012). E-Tailing: A Snapshot of Australias Top 25 Retailers.Strategic and Pragmatic E-Business: Implications for Future Business Practices: Implications for Future Business Practices, 297. Craft, S. (2012). Mouse that roared (why Australian retailer Harvey Norman changed its mind about electronic commerce).Strategic Direction,28(3). Floh, A., Madlberger, M. (2013). The role of atmospheric cues in online impulse-buying behavior.Electronic Commerce Research and Applications,12(6), 425-439. Harveynorman.com.au (2017) Harvey Norman Retrieved from https://www.harveynorman.com.au/catalogues/current-catalogue [Accessed on: 11.11.2017] Holmes, A., Byrne, A., Rowley, J. (2013). Mobile shopping behaviour: insights into attitudes, shopping process involvement and location.International Journal of Retail Distribution Management,42(1), 25-39. Interest Free | Harvey Norman Australia. (2017).Harveynorman.com.au. Retrieved 12 November 2017, from https://www.harveynorman.com.au/customer-service/finance-options/interest-free Nagle, T. T., Hogan, J., Zale, J. (2016).The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing: New International Edition. Routledge. Oliver, R. L. (2014).Satisfaction: A behavioral perspective on the consumer. Routledge. Solomon, M. R. (2014).Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being(Vol. 10). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Wedel, M., Kamakura, W. A. (2012).Market segmentation: Conceptual and methodological foundations(Vol. 8). Springer Science Business Media

Write a letter to a friend about your favorite TV Essays - Fiction

Write a letter to a friend about your favorite TV program. Write what you like and what you don't like about it. Dear John, It has been a long time since we last spoke. I hope everything is going well for you and your family. Knowing how much you love watching TV series, I am writing this letter because I want to inform you about a serial I have been watching for some time. It is an American TV series named "Game of Thrones" which is an adaption of a fantasy novel written by author George R. R. Martin named "A Song of Fire and Ice". "Game of Thrones" is an epic drama set in a fictional medievalish world where various clans fight each other for power. What I like the most about this show is the fantasy setting combined with a complicated and rich plot. You are introduced to a plethora of interesting characters, each one with his personal backstory and motives. Furthermore, I like the atmosphere of uncertainty in every episode that keeps you on a constant tension. One of the most noticeable disadvantages of this show is that you cannot get attached to any of the protagonists because everyone is possible to die at any given time. Lastly the biggest drawback watching "Game of Thrones" is the high probability of getting spoiled about what happens next in the story. The huge popularity of the show got many viewers into reading the books it is based on so it steals the sense of surprise if you watch it afterwards and you know the story beforehand. "Game of Thrones" is one of the most fascinating TV shows I have ever watched. It's a perfectly told tale that will get you absorbed in it before noticing. I really wish you follow my suggestion and start watching it. I will be looking forward to your next letter, telling me about impressions of the show. Yours, George

underage drinking Essays

underage drinking Essays underage drinking Essay underage drinking Essay E. Donahue Matt W. English 101 9/24/2013 Am I an Adult Yet? Some would argue that the drinking age shouldnt be lowered because of three very real risks, drunk driving, alcohol poisoning, and violent or destructive behavior. Drunk driving is a stain on our civilization. An average of 17,000 individuals die each year in drunk driving related deaths. It seems quite plausible that were alcohol to be legalized for those under the age of 18, the 15. 1% of 18 to 20 year olds who drink before getting behind the wheel would rise significantly. A brief stroll through nearly very campus in America reveals keg parties, crowded bars filled with fake ID minors, and rowdy sorority and fraternity functions. When you consider that adolescence is a time of great impulsivity and tendency for violence and destructive behavior, the dangers of legalizing alcohol for minors become that much more real. The main problem with the United States having a drinking age of 21 is that the age of majority is 18 (19 in Alabama and Nebraska), as it is throughout most of the world. That is the age when a person assumes the legal rights and responsibilities of an adult. Consequently, anyone in the United States who has reached the age of 18 is legally eligible to vote, run for office, enter contracts, marry, engage in consensual sex with other adults, adopt children, Join the military, be subject to the draft, purchase tobacco, and purchase pornography; that is, everything under the sun except buy a beer. Just over half the 15-year-old boys reported drinking alcohol in the previous week, with an average intake of 14.5 units. This compared with 46% of 15- year-old girls drinking an average of 11.2 units. In their first year of secondary school, 5% of boys and girls said they had drunk alcohol in the previous week. This rose to 18% of boys and 19% of girls by the age of 13. Among the drinkers aged 11-13, the average consumption was 8.3 units by the boys and 4.6 by the girls. The findings came from a survey of more than 7,000 pupils at 225 schools in England, carried out by the National Centre for Social Research and National Foundation for Educational Research in autumn last year. A full report will be published later this year. Previous surveys showed the proportion of 11 to 15-year- olds drinking alcohol in the previous week rose from 20% in 1998 to 27% in 1996 before falling to 21% in 1998 and 1999. Last year the proportion rose again to 24%. A spokesman for the charity Alcohol Concern said: It reinforces our belief that there needs to be much more emphasis on education and prevention in terms of making people more aware of the dangers of alcohol misuse. Young bodies are just not made for drinking alcohol. The survey showed the proportion of 11 to 15-year-olds using drugs in the last month rose from 7% in 1998 to 9% in 2000. The proportion using drugs at least once during the previous year rose from 11% to 14% over the same period. At the age of 11, 3% had tried drugs over the last year mostly cannabis. Older children were more likely to have experimented, with 28% of 15-year-olds saying they had taken cannabis in the previous 12 months, 9% stimulants such as cocaine, ecstasy or amphetamines, and 1% heroin. Among 11 to 15-year-olds, 10% said they were regular smokers (at least one cigarette a week). Last year anti-smoking campaigners welcomed figures showing the proportion of young smokers fell from 13% in 1996 to 9% in 1999. The most prolific smokers were 15-year-old girls, with 26% owning up to being regular smokers compared with 25% in 1999. Sir Paul Nurse, director general of Imperial Cancer Research Fund, said the figures showed why the government was wrong to postpone legislation to ban tobacco advertising. Young peoples smoking rates have been falling since 1996 and it would be tragic if we were seeing the beginning of a reversal in this trend The government is sitting on a bill that would save thousands of lives each year and would protect precisely this group of vulnerable people. A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: We remain on course to meet our tar get of reducing smoking among the 11-15 age group to 11% by 2005 and 9% or less by 2010. We are concerned by the small increase in the percentage of young people who have used drugs in the last month and in the last year. However we are encouraged that the percentage of pupils reporting use of heroin and cocaine -the drugs which cause the greatest harm has remained low. On the rise in teenage drinking, she said: We look forward to the publication of the main report which will provide more detailed information on the young peoples drinking behaviour, and we will continue to monitor trends. A separate report on teenage drinking published by the Scottish executive found a rise in drinking among 12 to15-year-olds in the period 1998-2000. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Thirty-nine young people died in 1999 after sniffing butane lighter refills, according to a report on UK deaths from volatile substance abuse by St Georges hospital medical school in London. Deaths due to gases, aerosols, glues and similar substances declined steadily over the past 10 years, but still account for one in 60 deaths among teenagers between 15 and 19. Is Your Teenager Using? The changes that youve noticed in your teenager may just be signs of growing up, but some can be dead giveaways for alcohol and drug use. Continued alcohol and drug use will affect your childs behaviour, attitudes and even choice of friends. If your child is using alcohol and drugs, its a good bet he (or she) is doing everything possible to keep that activity hidden. The last thing he wants is for his parents to give him a hassle about his newly found entertainment. But continued alcohol and drug use will affect your childs behaviour, attitudes and even choice of friends. Here are some signs to look for, if you think that your child may be using: Mood Swings Most teenagers go through normal mood swings. But look for extreme changes one minute happy and giddy followed by withdrawal, depression, or fits of anger or rage. New Friends? If you child is using, chances are he will begin hanging out with others with similar interests. Has your child suddenly turned away from his old friends? Is he hanging out with an older (driving age) group or with those that you suspect are using drugs? Bad Performance in School Has your childs attitude toward school suddenly changed? Have his grades gone from pretty good to very bad? Has he been skipping classes or school altogether? Physical Health Have you noticed a change in appetite? Does your child suddenly have digestive problems. Has he been treated for medical conditions that might be attributed to substance abuse, like gastritis or ulcers? Have his sleeping patterns changed? Evidence Have you notice any alcoholic beverages missing? How about the medicine cabinet? Anything missing there? Have you found unexplained empty containers around the house or grounds? Any paraphernalia? Has he suddenly started smoking cigarettes openly? Attitude Has your child developed a negative attitude against anti-drug or anti-alcohol programs, materials or literature? Has he been in trouble with the law for any reason? Has he developed a bad attitude toward any authority figures in his life? Have you found that your child has generally become dishonest about things? Little Things Have you noticed a change in hairstyle or fashion choices? Is he suddenly using breath mints consistently? Has he lost interest in tidiness in his room or does he pay less attention to personal hygiene? Overt Signals Has anyone ever told you your child is drinking or using drugs? Do you know that he has experimented. Has he suddenly developed the need for additional money, for vague or unexplained reasons? Have you ever seen him stagger? Or have you noticed any slurred speech? Changes in the pupils of his eyes, or redness or bloodshot eyes? Conclusion: A Better Way Instead of stigmatizing alcohol and trying to scare people into abstinence, we need to recognize that it is not alcohol itself but rather the abuse of alcohol that is the problem. Teaching about responsible use does not require student consumption of alcohol any more than teaching them world geography requires them to visit Nepal, or teaching them civics requires that they run for office or vote in presidential elections. We teach students civics to prepare them for the day when they can vote and assume other civic responsibilities if they choose to do so. Because either drinking in moderation or abstaining should both be equally acceptable options for adults, we must prepare students for either choice. To do otherwise is both irresponsible and ineffective, if not counterproductive. A recent study of the effectiveness of alcohol education programs compared those that present an abstinence-only message with those that present drinking in moderation as an option. It is clear that programs accepting responsible use are demonstrably more successful than are no-use-only programs.29 In spite of noble intentions and the expenditure of massive amounts of time, energy, and money the best evidence shows that our current abstinence-oriented alcohol education is ineffective. Simply doing more of what is not working will not lead to success; it is essential that we re-think our approach to the problem. Our youth are too important and the stakes are too high to so otherwise.

Presidential Cabinet and Its Purpose

Presidential Cabinet and Its Purpose A presidential cabinet is a group of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government. Members of the presidential cabinet are nominated by the commander in chief and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.  White House records describe the role of presidential cabinet members as being to advise the president on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each members respective office. There are 23 members of the presidential cabinet, including the vice president of the United States. How the First Cabinet Was Created Authority for the creation of a presidential cabinet is granted in  Article II Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution  gives the president the authority to seek external advisors. It states that the president can require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices. Congress, in turn, determines the number and scope of executive Departments. Who Can Serve on the Presidential Cabinet? A member of the presidential cabinet cannot be a member of Congress or a sitting governor. Article I Section 6 of the U.S. Constitution  states   ... No person holding any office under the United States, shall be a member of either house during his continuance in office. Sitting governors, U.S. senators and members of the House of Representatives must resign before being sworn in as a member of the presidential cabinet. How Members Are Chosen The president nominates cabinet officers. The nominees are then presented to the U.S. Senate for confirmation or rejection on a simple majority vote. If approved, the presidential cabinet nominees are sworn in and begin their duties. Who Gets to Sit on the Presidential Cabinet? With the exception of the vice president and attorney general, all cabinet heads are called secretary. The modern cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of 15 executive departments. In addition, seven other individuals have cabinet rank. Those seven others with cabinet rank are the: White House chief of staffEnvironmental Protection Agency administratorOffice of Management Budget directorU.S. Trade Representative ambassadorU.S. Mission to the United Nations ambassadorCouncil of Economic Advisers chairmanSmall Business Administration administrator The secretary of State is the highest-ranking member of the presidential cabinet. The secretary of State is also fourth in the line of succession to the presidency behind the vice president, the speaker of the House and Senate president pro tempore. Cabinet officers serve as the heads of the following executive agencies of the government: AgricultureCommerceDefenseEducationEnergyInteriorJusticeLaborHealth and Human ServicesHomeland SecurityHousing and Urban DevelopmentStateTransportationTreasuryVeterans Affairs History of The Cabinet The presidential cabinet dates to the first American president, George Washington. He appointed a Cabinet of four people: Secretary of State  Thomas Jefferson; Secretary of the Treasury  Alexander Hamilton; Secretary of War  Henry Knox; and Attorney General Edmund Randolph. Those four cabinet positions remain the most important to the president to this day. Line of Succession The presidential cabinet is an important part of the presidential line of succession, the process that determines who will serve as president upon the incapacity, death, resignation, or removal from office of a sitting president or a president-elect. The presidential line of succession is spelled out in the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. Because of this, it is common practice not to have the entire cabinet in one location at the same time, even for ceremonial occasions such as  the State of the Union Address. Typically, one member of the presidential cabinet serves as the designated survivor, and they are held at a secure, undisclosed location, ready to take over if the president, vice president and the rest of the cabinet are killed. Here is the  line of succession to the presidency: Vice PresidentSpeaker of the House of RepresentativesPresident Pro Tempore of the SenateSecretary of StateSecretary of the TreasurySecretary of DefenseAttorney GeneralSecretary of the InteriorSecretary of AgricultureSecretary of CommerceSecretary of LaborSecretary of Health and Human ServicesSecretary of Housing and Urban DevelopmentSecretary of TransportationSecretary of EnergySecretary of EducationSecretary of Veterans AffairsSecretary of Homeland Security

Business Overview of Amway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Overview of Amway - Essay Example This has been a prudent approach in business as it has enhanced its performance all over the world (Jones 23). Apparently, the company has been recording a positive growth over the last seven years. In the recent reported sales, it was declared that the company made sales amounting to over 11 billion USD. This shows that it is a company that is on the helm of attaining greater performance. According to Forbes, the company was ranked as one of the largest private companies in the United States clinching number 25 in 2012. Similarly, Deloitte ranked it number 114 among the largest global retailers in the year 2006. Market Advantages. Amway is a company that has been appreciating a larger market share with each passing year. This poses an advantage to the company as it accrues greater sales. This is a market advantage for the company as it increases its sales (Deangelo 12). Due to globalization, the company has spread its company affiliations in many other countries. This is an added ad vantage as it gets greater demand for its products. For instance, the company has spread its market share in over 100 countries and territories in the world. This creates a substantial demand for its products since there are many people that will create a demand for the products in all these countries. Similarly, the approach of using other companies to sell its products has been to the advantage, since it has many retailers and outlets (LLC Books 13). This creates a large supply chain of the products all over the market. As such, the company continues to make greater sales, which is an advantage over other retailers in the market. Amway is a company that has substantial amounts of capital for investments, mergers and takeovers. As such, it has the resources that are needed to extend its market share. This has made it possible for the company to make international expansion. This poses an advantage to the company as it increases the demand market for its products. When there is suff icient capital, the business makes initiatives of investing in providing other products that enhance its performance. Similarly, the company has a vital resource which is labor (Jones 32). It has more than 20, 000 employees who are vital in fostering development. With such a large number of employees, the company is likely to make a positive accrual in its business. This is due to the efficient and sufficient labor that is available. This states the reason why the business has been marking an improving in a seven year streak. Amway is headed by a competent management team. The performance of a company is dependent on the management team. Therefore, a company that has a competent management team is likely to make greater performance in the market. This is one of the strategies that are used by Amway (LLC Books 11). Through the leadership of Andel and Devos, the company has been able to incorporate a perfect management team that deals with its operations. As such, the company has been making positive performance and an improvement over time. Similarly, it has its headquarters in Michigan, which is a strategic place. This makes operations easier as the company focuses more on making an improvement. Branding. A business is determined by the performance of its brands in the market. Strong brands in the market reflect a positive accrual to a business as they attract a larger market niche. To begin with, Amway has a number of well performing brands in the m

Apple Case Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Apple Case - Research Paper Example Material resources comprise of the company’s unique hardware and innovative workforce, while intangible assets include exceptional software and overall technology. As can be discerned from a competitive strength evaluation, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Dell are two of the strongest industry partisans, hence greatest competitors to Apple. For example, HP reported total net revenue of 127 billion dollars in 2011, with personal systems accounting for 40 billion; IT services at 36 billion, enterprise systems at 22.2 billion, and printing devices at 25.8 billion dollars. Dell Inc., on the other hand, reported net revenues amounting to 61.5 billion dollars in the 2011 fiscal year (Gamble, 2012). Despite Apple’s leadership, as characterized by a 68% overall market share, the company was overshadowed by the aforementioned competitors in some areas of specialty. For instance, in the provision of PCs to the American market, HP led with a 26.1% market share, Dell followed with 22.3%, while Apple came in third with 10.7%. Other potent competitors, especially in the global PC industry include Lenovo/IBM, and Acer, which attained a market share of 12.5% and 10.6% respectively in the 2011 financial year. These Statistics clearly show that Apple derived its highest percentage of revenues from sectors other than sale of personal computers. The collection of more revenue from non-computer devices clearly shows that the company’s greatest strength lies in personal media gadgets and not in computers. For example, in the middle of the 2012 fiscal year, Apple controlled a 68% market share in the tablet computer market. Further Apple’s iPod/iTunes fusion allowed the com pany to gain a 65% market share of the American digital music scene, coupled with a 23% share of all music sales in America. None of the principal rivals in this area managed to accrue more than a 5% market

Corporate Social Responsibility and branding Essay Example for Free

Corporate Social Responsibility and branding Essay 1. Introduction In this chapter the background of the thesis will be presented and discussed. Moreover, a literature review, research problem and research questions will be introduced in order to get an understanding of the study purpose. This is followed by the limitations and disposition. 1.1 Background The companies of today are very aware of what the public and other stakeholders demand from the companies ´ way of handle their responsibilities (Burchell, 2008). In order to form a strategy for the protection of their brand image and reputation many companies find themselves engaging in Corporate Social Responsibility activities (Kotler and Lee 2005), from now on abbreviated CSR. The desire of doing well and doing good in the society in which the company is operating have been of increasing interest world wide during the last decade. As a result, corporate reporting on social responsibility initiatives can more often be found in companies ´ marketing strategies (Kotler and Lee, 2005). Even though CSR activities are increasing among today ´s organizations there is still lack of a general universally definition of this concept (Crowther and Capaldi, 2008). But in a broad perspective CSR is understood and described as the way companies integrate social, economic and environmental matters into their internal organization (values, culture, decision making and strategy), which leads to establishment of better society, wealth and better practices within the company (Horrigan, 2010). Considering the breadth of CSR it can subsequently be described in many different names: corporate responsibility, corporate sustainability, corporate accountability, corporate citizenship, sustainable development etc (Benn and Bolton, 2011). In a shorter explanation, CSR can therefore be explained as the relationship between a corporation and its stakeholder (Crowther and Capaldi, 2008). Already in 1972 the American professor in Business Administration, Dow Votaw, stated that the amount pages on social responsibility written in our time would fill up a small library. As it turns out, he was right. CSR is here to stay. The idea of taking responsibility beyond what the law demands has increased since the millennial shift (Borglund, DeGeer and Sweet, 2012). Especially big organizations, both in the public and private sectors, are engaging in these kinds of activities (Burchell, 2008). The benefits of a company ´s usage of CSR activities can lead to a better position in the market and a positive return on investment. On top of that of course the benefits for society, such as improvement of life or a cleaner environment (Kotler and Lee, 2005). On the other hand, many view CSR mainly as a step towards a reputation as a responsible business and as good citizens (Burchell, 2008). Either how, risks by avoiding to use this concept can lead to lack of legitimacy for the organization. Meyer and Rowan (1977) also claim that when having a business it is important to be accepted and to be legitimacy in the environment as well as having effective and structured internal processes to survive. According to Grusch (2006) consumers actively scrutinize the local behavior of international companies. Their out-sourced ventures are also being observed, and information regarding possible bad behavior reaches the ears of the public much more quickly than it used to. Consequently, to the stakeholders awareness and other factors that can have an impact on a companys survival, it is therefore important for companies to establish competitive advantage. Differentiation is a way to secure competitive advantage. By using a differentiation strategy a company ´s key strengths and core competencies builds up, and this is where CSR has an important role for a company ´s brand as it gets differentiate by incorporating it in the corporate image. This kind of action can generate to better brand attitudes and in the long run this will result in brand loyalty (Grant, 2008). 1.2 Literature review 1.3 Problem discussion As stated in the background, CSR is a burning question among today ´s companies. Stakeholders are starting to put more pressure on companies ´ responsibility in the society they are operating in, therefore, in order to get a competitive advantage CSR has become a major tool in their marketing strategy (Kotler and Lee, 2005). A branding law defined by Werther and Chandler (2005) shows that CSR will evoke attitudes towards the brand. Are these attitudes positive it will be lead to positive purchase decision and loyal customers, which give companies competitive advantage (Roper and Fill 2012). In Kotler and Lee ´s book (2005) Corporate Social Responsibility – Doing the most good for your company and your cause, they are describing examples of well-known organizations that have used CSR to increase their brand value. It has therefore been a shift focus in the CSR debate, nowadays it is more a debate of how CSR activities should be used and how effective it can be used as a branding tool, rather than if companies should use this concept or not (Smith, 2003). Based on the debate the question that arises is therefore: in what way should CSR activities be used in order to be effective for a positive attitude towards the brand? Today there are many studies relating to the area of CSR. Research does suggest there is a positive relationship between CSR and consumer attitudes towards brands and companies (Creyer and Ross 1997; Ellen, Mohr and Webb, 2000; Lacey and Kennet-Hensel, 2010). It is also shown in studies that CSR activities influence how the consumer behave when a certain brand appear in their mind (Becker-Olsen et al., 2006; Nhattacharya and Sen, 2004). However, most of these studies are focusing on people and brand perception in developed countries. The literatures were more specialized of how the CSR influences image of the brand in the western world and how the western public persuaded the brand of the CSR activities. When doing literature research, the amount of research studies about CSR in developing countries were of a narrow amount. No study could be found about CSR ´s link to branding in a developing ´s countries perspective, further, about how the locals ´ (employers of the company and the consumer in the developing country) brand perception of CSR activities are. As the real life stories in Kotler and Lee ´s book (2005) showed that CSR has an effective link to the brand. However, most of the organizations were conducting the CSR activities in the country they operated in and the society had a good knowledge of what CSR is. Likewise, a study showed that the brand would be effected and look different if the consumers were aware of CSR of the companies (Boulstridge and Carrigan 2000). So the question that can be asked and discussed is if it will appear an effective link to a company ´s brand in a country that is not developed? A research gap is therefore identified. If we place and conduct a study conducted in a western world in a developing country ´s context, would the outcome be the same? Would there be a similar link between CSR and branding there? 1.4 Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to get a deeper understanding of the link between a company ´s CSR and its branding in a developing country. Based on the purpose the following research questions will be presented: 1. What kind of CSR activities are being used to effectively increase positive attitudes towards the company ´s brand? 2. In what way is a company ´s CSR linked to its brand in the Philippines? 3. And how do these attitudes create value for the brand? 2. Methodology In this chapter the research methodology applied in this thesis will be discussed. A description regarding the method design of the study will be explained in the following order: research design, data collection, validity and reliability and data analysis. 2.1 Research approach There are three type of studies identified by Yin (2003): exploratory, explanatory and descriptive. An exploratory research design tries to define the research question and form the hypothesis. A descriptive research in the other hand, tries to describe a different characteristic of a phenomena that arises. When doing a descriptive case study the data collection is being guided by theories. When conducting the explanatory research design it is about how it explains course of events and relate how things happened (Yin, 2003). According to Yin (2003) this thesis can be seen as a descriptive research as it will focus on describing what impact CSR has on branding. When using a descriptive research the problem is structured and understood, which means that existing literature about the topic of CSR and branding (Ghauri and Gronhaug 2010). And this kind of research is mainly done when a researcher wants to gain an even better knowledge of a specific topic (Gill and Johnson, 2010). Due to the research purpose, which is to investigate how CSR influences on a company ´s brand in the Philippines this research method fits the best among the three other ways. 3.2 Research design I chose case studies method, because it enhances the understanding of what is going on in a particular case and it can involve a detailed investigation (Yin, 2009). This information that is gained from case studies are therefore relevant to answer some of my problem and research questions as I want to investigate companies ´ CSR activities and observe these activities in order to understand its impact on the brand which is the data collection in my first section of the study. By a case study approach observations of a companies ´ activities can be captured, which is in a way impossible to capture through questionnaires and interviews (Ghauri and Gronhaug, 2010). 3.3.1 The case study In the beginning of March I will travel to the Philippines to carry on an eight weeks field study which will give me the opportunity to study some Swedish/International companies ´ CSR activities and how these activities affect their brand perception by interviewing the consumers and workers in country. The case study will therefore obtain information to fulfill my purpose. The choice of companies: The information obtained will be from companies that use CSR activities in the Philippines. In order to fill the research gap I will be aiming for to study companies with well-known CSR activities. 2.3 Data collection A qualitative method will be used in order to collect the information for this thesis. Regarding to Trost (2005) a qualitative method is described as a method where the interviewer gathers the information on the interviewee ´s feelings, thoughts and experiences. Hence, to the search of a deeper understanding of how CSR affects the brand perception, this qualitative approach fit the purpose of the thesis because it can give me a deep information regarding the employees ´ and consumers opinions and feelings towards CSR in the Philippines and the brand which is the aim of this study. 2.3.1 Qualitative interview design Semi-structures face-to-face-interview. 4.4 Validity in qualitative research â€Å"Descriptive validity refers to the degree to which the actual description holds true† (Ghauri and Gronhaug, 2010 p. 210). Bias: When interviewing the respondents a â€Å"lifting† description of the brand can appear, because they have been chosen to do this certain interview about the companies’ actions. Language is the basic tool of interviewing, and may especially be important in qualitative interviewing (Kvale, 1989). The interviews will be conducted by me in English and since communication is a very important in order to get the information it can appear some small misunderstanding as English is not my mother language. But by conducting a face to face interview, the body language and face expression will increase the validity of the interviews. REFERENCES Kotler, P., Wong, V., Saunders, J. and Armstrong, G. (2004). Principles of Marketing, 4th European edition. New Jersey: FT- Prentice Hall. Burchell, J. 2008. The Corporate Social Responsibility Reader. London and New York: Routledge. Kotler, P. and Lee, N. (2005)  ´Corporate Social Responsibility – Doing the Most Good for Your Company and Your Cause ´, Hoboken, New Jersey. Crowther, D. and Capaldi, N. (2008). The ashgate research companion to Corporate Social Responsibility. MPG Books Ltd, Bodmin, Cornwall Suchman, M. C. (1995) Managing Legitimacy: Strategic and Institutional Approaches. Academy of Management Review, Vol 20;3, p 571-610. Benn, S. and Bolton, D. (2011). Key Concepts in Corporate Social Responsibility. SAGE Publications Ltd: London Werther, W.B. And Chandler, D. (2005)  ´Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility as Global Brand Insurance ´, Business Horizons 48:317-24. Boulstridge, E and Carrigan, M.†Do consumers really care about corporate responsbility? Highlighting the attitude behavior gap.† Journal of communication management, (2000): 359-360 Gill, J and Johnson, P, 2010, Research Methods for Managers 4th Edition. SAGE Publications Ltd Ghauri, P and Gronhaug, K, 2010, Research Methods in Business Studies 4th edition. Pearson Education Limited. Trost, J, 2005, Kvalitativa intervjuer. Studentlitteratur, Lund. Halvorsen, K. (1989). Samhà ¤llsvetenskaplig Metod. Oslo: Studentlitteratur AB Yin, R.K, 2009, Case Study Research – Design and Method. London: SAGE Ellen, P.S., Webb, D.J. Mohr, L.A. (2006). Building corporate associations: consumer attributions for corporate socially responsible programs. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 34 (2), 147-57. doi: 10.1177/0092070305284976 Creyer, E. H., Ross, W. T., Jr. (1997). The influence of firm behavior on purchase intention: Do consumers really care about business ethics? Journal of Consumer Marketing, 14(6), 421–32. doi: 10.1108/07363769710185999

The Battle for Control of Political Science Education :: Political Science Politics

The Battle for Control of Political Science Education Abstract Quantitative analysis, formal modeling, and other forms of hard science dominate the leading journals and research institutions of American political science. To justify a hard scientific approach to the study of politics demands elaborate philosophical argument. In particular, it demands answers to three questions: What is the character of political life (the ontological question)? How and what can we know about politics (the epistemological question)? What purpose should political knowledge serve (the normative question)? Yet few of today’s hard scientists offer sophisticated answers to these questions because one by-product of their hegemony in the discipline has been the banishment of political philosophy to the margins of the curriculum. Indeed, political philosophy is the most distinguished victim of today’s â€Å"normal science.† This essay offers graduate students a program by which to test the claims of hard science in a radical manner. It demons trates how reflection on personal experience, the study of history, and the study of philosophy offer different ways of scrutinizing the ideology of hard science. Each raises formidable challenges to the hard-scientific project. Some see the current conflict in American political science as little more than a battle over occupational resources. It is a battle over who gets hired, who gets published, and who leads our professional associations. What meager response the current â€Å"Perestroika† protest movement has elicited from hard scientists has focused on these issues. The conflict is partly a battle over scarce resources, but the protesters have also presented a radical critique of hard science as a means to study politics. Hard scientists have met this critique with silence. The protest will not disappear with a more equitable division of occupational spoils. Its substantive challenge, too, demands a response. The focus of the debate is the definition of â€Å"science† as it is applied to the study of human beings. Today’s protest movement is not anti-scientific, as some adherents of the hard-scientific establishment have tried to stigmatize it. Unlike post-modern thinkers, most protesters associated with Perestroika think of themselves as scientists. But what sort of science is possible when the object of study is a human society? Science has always been a contested concept, even in the realm of the physical sciences, and it remains so today.

Hul Asignment – Case Study1

1. Employee benefits and Long Term Settlement Although initially positive about the move, the ICU workers had begun to demand more money to compensate for the increased travel costs and the more expensive food at the TF. (case study p. 5) The issue was escalated to the corporate head offices who decided that ICU employees would be granted a cafeteria premium of Rs. 25 per day but not a conveyance allowance. (case study p. 7) The three units had different policies for: Tea breaks Lunch breaks Holiday lists Festival advances Pay structures Designations Working timelines: ICU – seven days in three shifts TF – six days in two shifts TIU – five days in a single shift The LTS also covers machine speeds, productivity, medical T&Cs, prayer times for religious groups. (case study p. 8) Factory unions present their charter of demands to the factory management. Factory management negotiate with the Central Industrial Relations Committee for an overall package that the committee would sanction as a pay out. Local management then negotiate with the unions and it is signed off once the majority of unions agree. (case study p. 8) Each day after 28th of February that the LTS is not agreed the employees lose out on whatever salary increment the agreement contained. (case study p. 8) Older workers are more concerned with pensions, newer workers want to increase take home pay. (case study p. 9) (case study p. 9) The current LTS is for the Tea Factory, the LTS for the TIU expires in 2010 and for the ICU in 2011. Any agreements in the TF LTS will set precedent for future settlements. Consequences There will be uncertainty and unrest amongst the employees until the issues are resolved. Need to improve employee engagement. Precedents will be set for future settlements. So considerations should be given to how working conditions can be best standardised. LTS negotiations have in the past become violent resulting in the breakdown of communication and adverse effects on the business. (case study p. 8) Employees are losing out on benefits while waiting for this to be sorted so it is in everyone's best interest to resolve it quickly. Solutions A good package will be an effective tool for recruitment and retention of colleagues and help to sustain staff motivation and engagement. According to Bratton and Gold (2007, p. 364) â€Å"the reward system is an important consideration when the organisation is trying to attract suitable employees, and once workers are members of the organisation, their task behaviour and levels of performance are influenced by the reward system. † A recent article by Manisha Chada of the people matters from India has noted the concept of rewards is gaining increasing popularity, particularly due to the diverse needs of an evolved workforce. Other factors that should also be considered are competitive salaries, comfortable lifestyle, job security, career enhancement options, and work-life balance Effective communication with employees plays a vital role during the restructuring period of any organisation as it helps to properly inform the employees about the changes. This helps to remove the uncertainty and allay fears amongst employees and therefore may overcome any resistance that may result thereof. Casio (2002:96) believes that â€Å"open and ongoing communication is critical to a successful restructuring effort†. Paton and James (2000:45) believe that â€Å"effective communication that is designed to inform, consult and promote action will help in overcoming both resistance and ignorance amongst employees†. Owning shares will provide employees with financial incentives that will make them more committed to the organisation and more motivated at work. If the company is more profitable, employees will gain financially through dividend payments and an increased share price. Many companies in India such as †¦ have employee contribution pension schemes so employees can choose if they want to put money into the pension or keep it in their take home pay – a certain amount of salary can be allocated and company would match up that to a set limit. This would give the older employees the option to put more money into their Relocation of workers – we feel that it is unfair that colleagues have been relocated and now have extra travel costs and travel time. The company could arrange a bus to pick up employees from certain agreed points and ferry them to the Tea Factory. This could improve colleague commitment as it would show that takes on board their feedback. I would suggest that the management team should put in place a core package for all employees that can be replicated for the ICU and TIU. Additional benefits could be added dependant on grade and performance. According to an article on Employee Satisfaction in the Journal of Industrial Management and Data Systems, this would contribute to colleague engagement and motivation. Policies on tea breaks, lunch breaks, festival advances, holiday policy and prayer times could be standardised for all colleagues. It would be wise to carry out a review of the grading structure of all three parts of the Tea Factory and to standardise grades and job titles and pay for colleagues performing similar roles throughout the organisation. Arguments How are we going to persuade the CEO and management to agree to an improved package. What about the younger people, will they realise the importance of a pension scheme? – Perhaps it would be a good idea for the company or unions to educate the employees about the pension scheme. It would also be a good idea to allow employees to amend the percentage that they contribute at certain times. The management have already declined to pay travel costs individually –could help to build relations between employees and gain confidence from the employees. 2. Issues between the management and the unions The challenge of managing the disparate workforce will fall to the Factor Manager, the Commercial Manager and the HR Manager. The HR manager, is female, 26 and this is her first assignment. (case study p. 2) There was no HR team in place when Suchita arrived at the factory. All previous managers had been male, native to the state and had four to five years of experience. One worker had said to her â€Å"you’re younger than even my daughter, and I don’t like the fact that I have to report to you. † Suchita has hired an experienced local man onto the HR team to ease relations with the workforce. (case study p. 6) The leader of the TF Union C is argumentative, and the union is more uncooperative than the others. The leader barged into Suchita’s office on her first day in the factory and threatened to strike if an issue was not resolved. case study p. 5) The ICU unions had not been part of a large multinational before and were wary of standardised processes. They also felt that they were not compensated on a par with other HUL unions and looked to the upcoming merger to gain a significant pay out for their people. When Suchita arrived, the TF and ICU had separate factory managers. Just after she started the ICU manager quit and t wo months later she learned that the TF manager would move to another role in Dec 2008. The abrupt change in managers increased the union’s unease. case study p. 6;7) Union leaders have highlighted the differences in working T;Cs amongst the different units. (case study p. 8) ICU employees became more resistant and reluctant to change as the move drew nearer. (case study p. 8) Management have adopted a tough stance on negotiations – see p. 8. As the older workers were replaced inter union rivalries resurfaced. (case study p. 9) Unions are becoming increasingly possessive of their members in order to preserve their group identity and importance. (case study p. 9) Consequences If the unions are not organised effectively there is a potential that they will strike. The issues with management structure such as the change in TF and ICU managers are leading to unrest and need to be resolved. The ICU unions possibly need help to integrate into the TF structure as they are becoming very wary about the changes and could cause unrest and protest amongst the employees. Union rivalry is increasing, could be bad for the business therefore it would be better to stabilise the structure as soon as possible. Change management. Integration. Solutions To reduce issues between management and unions: Employees should be allowed to take part right from the beginning of restructuring process. Employees are more likely to be supportive of any changes if they are allowed to genuinely take part in meetings and workshops where the envisaged changes are discussed at the outset Every attempt should be made by management to share all the necessary information with employees accurately and at appropriate times. This will create an atmosphere of trust and commitment amongst employees and will also enhance the integrity and credibility of management and their intentions; Employees must always see some benefits coming out of the change process and management must ensure that these gains are clearly understood by all the relevant employees. Reward structures that are clearly understood by employees as well as facilities such as the cafeteria must be reconsidered as important elements of the change processes A strategic human resource blueprint for retention, re-skilling and movement of employees to new roles and functions must be developed and be made known to all relevant parties. More coaching and training for the local managers including HR manager. Equality and diversity policy and provide training to the colleagues. According to an article by Kathy Gans it is important to gain a good understanding of how changes will impact the workforce. It would be a good idea to conduct surveys to gauge the feelings of employees and then analyse the results to put together a plan. Gans identifies that it is important to spend time with managers, supervisors and union leaders to establish their buy in to the process as they will play a significant role in influencing colleagues. Gans also identifies that communication is key to successful change management. It is important to communicate the reasons for the change to the workforce. In this case, we believe that the move of the TIU and the ICU will be beneficial for the company as a whole but will also bring benefits for the employees such as greater stability and job security. Regular, targeted communication will help develop employees’ understanding of the process. Changes do affect organisations and employees. Employees become insecure, confused about their jobs and therefore, less productive. According to Anderson and Anderson (2001:1) the success of 21st Century organisations will depend on how successful leaders are at leading and managing this change. They argue that most organisation leaders are found wanting when it comes to leading change successfully. Andersons Nine- Phase Change Process Model could be utilised. One to one communication with employees would also help them to voice their fears whilst allowing management to challenge any misconceptions. In 1993 Lloyds bank merged with TSB – this is a good example of communication to employees. At the start of the process they made a promise to their employees that they would be open and honest with them, whether the news was good or bad. This helped to build trust with employees at the start of the process and we would recommend it as a strategy. Union forum – structure a communication process between the unions and management. Suggest that the unions from the ICU and TF merge – these two have similar processes and are both factory based. The TIU work is completely different and the unions are national rather than local so it may be best for them to remain separate. 3. Company Cultures – unified culture and the cafeteria issue The integrated factory would be occupied by 250 workers reflecting three distinct cultures and seven different organised trade unions. (case study p. 1) Biswaranjan Sen (head of project) is concerned that there is a need for a â€Å"one factory† way of doing things that tapped the best of the three cultures. (case study p. ) â€Å"The underlying philosophy with which this company has been run for many decades is the belief that what is good for India is good for us,† maintained HUL’s CEO and Managing Director Nitin Paranjpe, adding , â€Å"the only way you can succeed is to remain relevant to the society in which you operate. Therefore, social and societal needs and contexts, as they changed in this country, have been at the forefront of what we’ve done. † (case study p. 2) The CEO’s main concerns were about plans to bridge the cultural gap. (case study p. 9 ) Suchita was not sure whether it would be better to integrate the TF and the ICU immediately or to wait. There were business benefits to integrating the units. The two business cycles are different, ice cream peaks just before summer while tea peaks in winter. The integrated units would provide an opportunity to train workers across different businesses and to break the physical separation of workplaces. (case study p. 9) Tea Factory (TF) The workforce at the Tea factory is aging (53+ years) and they have previously experienced challenging times. They were positive about the change of strategy to use the Tea Factory as a central hub. New initiatives were embraced and inter-union rivalry played out in the background. case study p. 3;4) The TF workers were put out by the changes made for the TIU workers, one Union leader complained â€Å"We work in 40 degree C on the shop floor in the summer; they sit in air conditioned offices. Our food, too, was made better only after the others came. What are we, their poor country cousins? † (case study p. 4) Between 2005 and 2008 many workers, including some of the union reps, retired. New colleagues came in who were not as affected by the issues of the past and the culture began to change. Union rivalry increased. (case study p. 5) There are three unions (case study p. ): Union A – one of the stronger factory unions, composed mainly of veterans with almost 20-25 years of experience. Union B – the factory’s oldest and at one time largest union – though now smaller than Union A after some of its most powerful and respected leaders had retired. Union C – the forceful and argumentative style of its leader was reflected in the general uncooperativeness of the union. The factory unions have on a number of occasions demanded to know why they do not receive the same privileges as the ICU. (case study p. 9) Tea Innovation Unit (TIU) Previously located in the Regional Corporate Office, the two unions agreed to move to the Tea Factory on the condition that their office space was maintained with similar standards for food and other benefits. (case study p. 4) New plush air-conditioned offices were installed with a separate entrance creating two separate units with distinct cultures. (case study p. 4) There are two unions that are structured and hierarchical like British unions. They are not local unions, they have a structure, maintain offices and function like an organisation. They are efficient and progressive and don’t relate to the factory unions. case study p. 5) Ice Cream Unit Acquired by HUL in 1998. HUL introduced many of its standard systems and policies – such as quality assurance and workplace safety but the culture and way of working had not changed. Job promotions were not standard, and even designations and titles were different across grades. The working culture was very laid back and r elaxed. (case study p. 4) The set up was familial, workers lived nearby and new each other’s families. Workers often went beyond the scope of their work to deliver what the business needed and supported management’s efforts to increase production efficiency. The relationship between management and the two unions was cordial. (case study p. 4) The ICU workers were initially pleased with the announcement that they would move to the Tea Factory as the TF had better facilities for employee welfare and recreation. One union leader remarked â€Å"By bringing more things here you are strengthening the entire unit and improving our job stability. † (case study p. 5) The two ICU unions are affiliated with the State political parties. Because of the cordial relationship with management they were the most approachable. They had not been part of a large multinational before. They have a different approach to the LTS, treat their existing LTS as a guideline only. Cafeteria Issues When the TIU relocated to the TF the canteen food was upgraded at greater cost to match the better meals at the Regional Corporate Office. The TF unions refused to pay any more for their food so despite the fact that all other cafeterias were operated on a no profit, no loss basis, HUL agreed to subsidise the difference. (case study p. 4) ICU workers argued that the food at the TF was more expensive than their previous cafeteria and wanted compensation for the difference. (case study p. 5;7) The issue is important to workforce as food is culturally significant and is interwoven into the social, religious and artistic lives of the people. (case study p. 7) The ICU workers were granted a premium of Rs. 25 per day. This increased tensions over the cafeteria(case study p. 7) The TIU unions argued that the cafeteria was a basic condition of employment in relocating to the TF and their terms cannot change. (case study p. 7) The TF unions stated that management increased the menu when the TIU came in, now they want to water it down when the ICU comes in. Is it fair that it changes each time a new unit comes in? case study p. 7) The factory unions would almost certainly resist management’s effort to change the cafeteria’s full lunch subsidy, and the other unions had already made it clear that they were adamantly opposed to separate menus. (case study p. 10) Consequences How to build greater transparency and trust with employees? If the cultures are not integrated r ivalry and jealousy between the units will continue to increase which could lead to strikes and a mistrustful and de-motivated workforce. An unhappy workforce is less productive and less supportive of management initiatives so solutions need to be found. The employees are unhappy about the cafeteria for various reasons. Solutions The organisation cannot function properly with several dominant cultures. One dominant culture will therefore have to be adopted for the new organisation. it is imperative for managers to equip themselves with conflict handling techniques to enable them to effectively manage the change process. An organisational restructuring process will only be successful if it aligns all the aspects of the organisation. Johnson and Scholes (2002:534) argue, â€Å"If change is to be successful, it also has to link the strategic, operational and everyday aspects of the organisation†. Before SmithKline merged with the British-based Beecham Group a few years ago, the Philadelphia-based drug manufacturer wanted to find out whether the corporate cultures of the two firms were sufficiently similar to make the merger succeed. During the merger, over 2,000 people from both firms were divided into more than 200 teams to figure out how to integrate their respective structures, systems, and cultures. â€Å"From the very beginning, they were learning how to work together,† Integration integrate the corporate cultures of both organizations. This involves combining two or more cultures into a new composite culture that preserves the best features of the previous cultures. Raytheon is applying an integration strategy as the defense and aerospace conglomerate develops a new culture for the half-dozen companies that recently merged or were acquired. 56 Integration is most effective when the companies have relatively weak cultures or when their cultures include several overlapping values. Integration also works best when people realize that their existing cultures are ineffective and are therefore motivated to adopt a new set of dominant values. However, integration is slow and potentially risky, because there are many forces preserving the existing cultures. Separation A separation strategy occurs where the merging companies agree to remain distinct entities with minimal exchange of culture or organizational practices. Insignia Financial Group, a South Carolina real estate firm, has applied a separation strategy to its more than 30 acquisitions over the past decade. â€Å"When we buy the companies, we leave the infrastructure in place,† says Henry Horowitz, Insignia’s executive managing director. â€Å"We’re buying a successful company. Why would we want to disrupt something that works? And the morale becomes terrible if you start decimating. †Separation is most appropriate when the two merging companies are in unrelated industries because the most appropriate cultural values tend to differ by industry. Unfortunately, few acquired firms remain independent for long because executives in the acquiring firm want to control corporate decisions. Therefore, it’s not surprising that only 15 percent of acquisitions leave the purchased organization as a stand-alone unit. Cafeteria to offer a range of food at various prices of the colleagues can pick and mix their meals and pay as much or as little as they want to. There is no staff development scheme in place, perhaps factory workers could develop towards a role in the Tea Innovation Unit – could help to break down the barriers between the units and dispel rivalry. Could include training relevant to role e. g. health and safety, equlity and diversity (Motivation and engagement) Listen to the employees not everything through the unions, employee forums and possibly one to ones with colleagues to develop two way communication between management and employees. Colleague engagement surveys Allow feedback from employees on managers, develop psychological contracts with employees. Staff social events to break down barriers Multiskill the workforce, perhaps ask for volunteers at first then roll out further. Allow employees to work flexible patterns. 4. Colleague issues – development, motivation, staff levels Tea Factory In the ‘90s HUL adopted a strategy of regionalising tea production. As a result production at the Tea Factory decreased and between 1989 and 1998 there were eight rounds of voluntary redundancy. (case study p. 3) Workers heard stories of those who had taken VRS and had not done well. As a result some higher level employees voluntarily downgraded to ensure job security. case study p. 3) In the 90’s the workers perception was that the company made a lot of money and there was no need to worry. There was reluctance to acknowledge that although the company as a whole was profitable; their unit might not be contributing to that performance. (case study p. 3) Management need to replace the many worker who retired between 2005 and 2 008. They are concerned about the emergence of a new set of opinion leaders. (case study p. 8) Newer workers who had not witnessed the downturn of the Tea Factory were less restrained in their demands. In the old days, the workmen would come in on Sunday for training, even without overtime pay, although they didn’t know how it would benefit them. †¦ they were that motivated. Now, we have to persuade the new recruits to come in on a Sunday. And we pay them overtime! † (case study p. 9) Consequences Management need to replace the employees who retired as the rest of the workforce will be under pressure to cover until the positions are filled. Newer workers are no longer motivated by fear of losing their job so a way needs to be found to motivate them. Colleagues need to be kept informed of the performance of the unit so they can act accordingly. Solutions Consider perspectives and experiences of local employees. Consider interventions that could bring the best out of the employees e. g. introduce a reward and recognition scheme to reward performance. (Motivation) Create a performance culture – introduce targets, regular one to ones, plans for output an deliver against it – link output to bonus Older employees bring a diverse range of skills, could use them in a different capacity e. g. coaching and mentoring the new staff.

Moving the NHS from public sector to private sector Essay

The National Health Service (NHS) is a state run entity set up by the Labour government after 1948 as part of the welfare state. It was originally run by local authorities with funding from public money allocated by central government. Though in recent years this money has been moving to the private sector and many have speculated that this is privatisation by stealth. In this essay I will attempt to understand this process by giving some historical context to the events of the last few decades while pointing out some of the advantages and disadvantages, and the forms it could take, of privatisation. In conclusion I hope to point to a future where the NHS can exist with public money and private management. †It came out of a working class movement. The ‘powers that be’ introduced various health and welfare reforms after the Second World War in response to working class agitation and mobilisationæ ¢  health system seemed a better option than a Russian revolution†1 This is a institution that does not fit easily into the world of market liberalisation and globalisation, but it is a right many people feel should be free and is even recognised by the U.N. as a fundamental human right. Selling off the NHS, as previous Tory governments have done to other parts of the U.K.s infrastructure †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦would be politically unacceptable especially given the general popularity of the NHS and its entrenched public nature.†2But reform and change have accrued. The first change, by the Tories in 1983, was in the way funding was allocated. †For example, budgets where previously allocated on the basis of geographical areas’ needs†¦Now funding is alloca ted as payment per patient†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 3 This change allowed for the transfer of money from the public to the private sector. This can be seen in the provision of private long term care †which grew from 175,000 places in 1985 to 650,000 in 1998. This growth was funded almost entirely out of the public purse†4 This has led to a system where money is now thrown at the private sector through arrangements such as Independent treatment centres (ISTCs) and the private finance initiative (PFI). One such arrangement †Ravenscourt Park cost   to set up and closed with a deficit of. These are figures that have to be borne by the NHS†5Clearly the NHS is now a half-way house between the public and private sectors. While the present Labour government seems set on pushing ahead with more ways of privatisation. John Carvel noted that  Ã¢â‚¬ Health secretary Patricia Hewitt is preparing to transfer NHS hospitals buildings into the private sector as part of a bn scheme to promote competition in the health service†¦companies bidding for contracts†¦will be allowed to take over NHS premises, doctors and nurses.†6The implementation of this document are already in motion. Recently DHL gained a contract worth 6bn to provide non pharmaceutical supplies for ten years. Payment will be made †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦according to the savings it can make, which the government estimates at some n.†7So while this may seem like a good idea †Effective implementation of grand investment projects†¦is hardly the governments strong point.†8 So to make this work DHL would have to be finely regulated. Given enough freedom so that they can destroy cosy past relationships, but not be allowed to bully suppliers and lower standards due to a need to please shareholders and make profit. To see what problems a health service run for profit creates we only have to look at the USA and its private health system. The system of HMOs was set up in the 1970s by the Nixon administration. We can see from these comments recorded on the Nixon White House tapes, (Nixon quotes), that this system was created not to look after patients but to make profit. While the US may have the most advanced health care system available, if a customer does not have enough money or adequate insurance their options are limited. These problems where highlighted in Michael Moores’ documentary Sicko, which compared the US system to that of Cuba, Canada and the UK. It could be said that the narrator was unabashed in his bias against the HMOs, but the case shown, that healthcare will become unaffordable for average people, may arise here if privatisation becomes widespread. At the same time though because of the lack of reinvestment in the NHSs’ infrastructure and Gordon Browns’ adherence to EU spending targets, alternative funding methods must be found. A recent study by the European Health Consumer Index (EHCI) showed the UK at 17th place behind Ireland, Czech Republic and Estonia in provision of healthcare. Three countries a long way behind the economic development of the UK. In fact while per capita spending placed the UK in 12th place, the Czech Republic placed 21st showing  that efficiency targets are possible if money is spent wisely.9This of course is the main argument for the involvement of the private sector in the provision of health care. That they will cut bureaucracy, while subjecting spending plans to stringent management oversight and thus provide better services for cheaper. Unfortunately the †reduction in public provision of long term care, NHS dentistry, optical services and elective surgery shows the trajectory for the NHS under the PFI.†10 We only have to look to Austria to find a publicly funded health system that allows patients who †..regardless of salary, are entitled to use the services of the health system for free although they do pay higher income tax†.11 While looking at the EHCI tables we see Austria ranks in first place but only spends (figure here) more than the UK per capita. This suggests that the UK could indeed improve services without the need of the private sector but this would involve raising taxes, a strategy both political parties seem wary of due to potential lose of electoral support. One new potential direction for the health service could be the internet. The main advantage of the internet is the access to knowledge that it can provide the customer while providing savings within the administration of the NHS. Unfortunately there is one problem that would need to be overcome, computer illiteracy. In most cases those with health problems will be the older members of society, those who are the least computer literate. This suggests to me that while saving could be made, they would not be worthwhile while we have a generation of customers who do not feel comfortable with computers or the the internet. In the long term there is potential, but unfortunately it does not provide any solutions in the short. In does seem that the disadvantages of privatisation on its present course do seem to outweigh the advantages. The present government though has already started down a path that appears to be irreversible. While many within the service would agree that reform is necessary the problem is that healthcare is seen as a fundamental right provided by the NHS, a endowment to the citizens of the UK after the trauma of World War 2 and the sacrifices they had endured. The UK government has also shown on many occasions that it cannot regulate private companies, that are funded through public funds, to  put the general public before profit. Looking at past privatisations of industries we can see, even in the case of the most successful, telecommunications, that this sector lags behind other European countries such as France where for example broadband infrastructure is far ahead of that provided in the UK. Thus in conclusion the only solution that I can see is a single payer system with strong enough legislation that creates †European wide regulation in the shape of pharmaceutical price controls and levies on research and education†12 In effect creating a new framework that allows the private sector to provide to provide healthcare. This way the tax payer can benefit from the private sectors skill in delivering increased productivity and value for money, while protecting against its’ overwhelming desire for profit. 1http://www.thecornerhouse.org.uk/gatsprivatiationhealth.htm2ibid3http://www.healthmatters.org.uk/issue 41 p12-134ibid5http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1931236,00.html6http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,,1575243,00.html7http://store.eiu.com/product/1860000186-sample.html8 ibid9EHCI 2007 study10Bmj.com 1/4/9911Irish Independent, 6/9/07 The Austrian health service is the best in Europe†¦, Gemma O’ Doherty12http://www.healthmatters.org.uk/issue 48 summer 2001 p 11

george suerat essays

george suerat essays George was born in Paris France on December 2nd 1859 He grew into a handsome dark tall man who. He was a very dignified man who was always neat and tidy. He was the son of a comftable family and they were never really in any financial trouble his father Antoine-Christophe was a not a great family man and preferred to go to his Suburban villa and tend to his flowers rather than be with his family. In fact he was a self-funded retiree and lived in a secluded house in Provence and visited his family only once a week in Paris. Antoine-Christophe worked as a legal official and was rather withdrawn and some of this attitude rubbed off on George later on in life. George had a brother, Emile, and a sister, Marie-Berthe. Georges mother, Ernestine Faivre was also very quiet person but in a warm kind of way and was very much the loving parent. She was raising the family by herself, she was the all the family warmth that George was ever too need. The family lived in an apartment located on the B oulevard de Magenta and was close to a park that was to become the focal point of some of Georges bet works the garden was called le Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. Georges mother took George to the garden a lot and was a place they use to frequent whenever they had spare time and it was renowned for its artistic inspiration. George was introduced to painting during his early schooldays by an uncle, Paul Haumont-Faivre on his mothers side this encounter was to shape the rest of his life and career. Paul was a textile trader and was a self confessed amateur painter. During his time with his uncle George began to fall in love with art and later in 1875 was to join a drawing night school where he was taught by a sculptor named Justin Lequien. Three years later George was admitted to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts where he was tutored by Henri Lehmann. There he was taught how to copy the old masters in the louver. A year later a long with some of his...

Selling Halloween Making Money with Spooky Stories

Selling Halloween Making Money with Spooky Stories Halloween in January? Yep. When you write seasonal articles you have to think six to eight months in advance. While you cozy up to a fire, staving off the chill from snow and ice outside, start making notes about seasons months from now . . . like Halloween! Halloween is my favorite holiday when else do you get to enjoy dressing up, eating candy, scaring your friends, and having spooky good fun? For the writer, Halloween is also a great holiday to make a few extra dollars as many magazines are looking for Halloween-themed articles and features. As well as running Halloween features alongside regular content, many magazines like Better Homes and Gardens release a special Halloween issue, and they need articles to fill these pages. Halloween features dont even have to be spooky or scary. Many magazines expand on Halloweens seasonality Like any seasonal feature, Halloween stories need to be pitched several months in advance, so get your spooky cap on and start submitting for next years Halloween features. Halloween Travel Have you ever explored an historic building that you knew was haunted, or enjoyed a city ghost tour hosted Missouri Lifemissourilife.com/contributor-guidelines Horizons Magazine (Alaska Airlines)alaskaairlinesmagazine.com/horizonedition/guidelines/contributor/ Craft Projects Halloween is a great time for kids and adults alike to get creative with costumes and decorative projects. If youve got a crafty idea for a spooky costume, a cute Halloween accessory, or a simple project kids can create themselves, send a tutorial in to a craft magazine. Kids and parenting magazines also often accept craft tutorials. Family Fun Magazinehttp://familyfun.go.com/magazine/contact-us-819817/ Bead Button Magazinehttp://bnb.jewelrymakingmagazines.com/en/Magazine/Submission%20Guidelines/2001/07/BeadandButton%20Submission%20Guidelines.aspx Spooky Food With harvest season in full-swing, food is definitely on our minds over Halloween. What about a spread of pumpkin-themed dishes for the family? Or recipes for healthy Halloween treats the kids will love? Food magazines love receiving innovative twists on seasonal favorites. Country Womancountrywomanmagazine.com/contributor-guidelines/ Delicious Livinghttp://newhope360.com/contact-delicious-living  Horrible Fiction If you write fiction and are thinking of penning a classic Halloween horror tale, there are plenty of magazines waiting to receive your spooky stories. Tor.com fiction submissionstor.com/page/submissions-guidelines Apex Magazinehttp://apex-magazine.com/submission-guidelines/  Lifestyle Features Halloween definitely isnt just for kids. Adults love to dress in costume and enjoy Halloween parties and dates. Perhaps you could write a guide to grown-up Halloween parties, or a recipe for pumpkin-cocktails for a lifestyle magazine. Do you know a couple that got married on Halloween? Maybe you could write about their unusual wedding for a bridal magazine? Bust Magazinebust.com/info/submit-to-bust.html Bride and Groom Magazine (Various States)phoenixbrideandgroom.com/aboutus_writers.php Parenting Tips Between helping with costumes, keeping kids safe and helping them make healthy choices, Trick-or-Treat season can be a nightmare for parents. If youve got some tips on making trick-or-treating safer, healthier and more fun for children, parenting magazines would love to know how. Treasure Valley Family Magazinetreasurevalleyfamily.com/component/content/article/13-footer/46-editorial.html Parents Magazineparents.com/parents/file.jsp?item=/help/writers_guidelines Halloween is a great jumping-off point for a whole range of different article pitches. Magazines are always looking for content on this popular holiday, and submitting new ideas around old topics will definitely get your query a second look. Good luck, and happy haunting!