Internet Search Synopsis Essay

The first website, National Institute of Mental Health, deals with different mental illnesses including eating disorders. This website is considered to be credible because of many factors. The number one factor would be that it is recently updated. It is indicated that the website was last reviewed on April 22, 2009. This is important because it means that the latest news regarding mental illnesses and eating disorders can be found. It also means that the people behind the website checks the site if there are errors. It also has an About Us page and a Contact Us page so people can obtain further information about mental illnesses. The organization also has a Privacy Policy, which is important because â€Å"the presence of privacy policies also appears to influence the perceptions of website credibility† (Lazar, Meiselwitz, & Feng, 2007, p.18). The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) offers assistance to people who may have gambling problems. They promote public awareness regarding the problem and can be contacted to obtain counselors who deal with this type of problem. Unlike the previous website, NCPG does not have a privacy policy nor does it indicate when the website was last updated. However, it has an About Us page and contact details are posted on the web site’s homepage. It also has a domain extension of .org, which can be a determinant of the site’s credibility. The National Eating Disorders Association is the third website to be reviewed. The About Us page contains videos that talk about what the organization is all about. It does have a Contact Us page for those who want to avail of the organization’s services. The site also offers users links to other resources that might be helpful when researching about eating disorders. It appears that the three websites are accurate and authoritative, which make them credible. â€Å"†Accuracy is one indicator of quality and suggests the author or host feels a degree of responsibility for the image or content that’s put forth† (Friedman, 2004, p.159). However, the National Institute of Mental Health’s website is the most credible of all three websites reviewed due to the completeness of the requirements of a good website.

Compare Single Life and Married Life

Essay #1 Values or Traditions that Identify Colombia Colombia is located in South America and borders with five different countries such as Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil. Colombia has been claim as â€Å"the tropical paradise†. Most Colombians are friendly, religious, and hardworking. First, in Colombia most people are friendly, happy, helpful, and caring. Although, people have been affected by the Drug War, Colombians don’t lose their positivisms, and willing to help and care for others.For instance, it is very common to hear people in the streets talking loud, laughing, and most of them have known between each other for years. Neighbors care for each other and help each other with food, or moral support. Colombians love to dance and eat great food in parties that most of the times are not special events; they are created in the spirit of happiness. Second, most Colombians were raised with Catholic believes in the past.Now in Colombia there are a variety of religions, however Colombia’s stronger believed is â€Å"El Nino Jesus†. Another important tradition for all Colombians is â€Å"The Christmas Season†. For example, From December sixteen to the twenty four families and friends get together to pray and remember the path of Jesus birthday by singing, eating, and having treats for the little kids. This is the most amazing time for almost everyone and most especial for young kids since they spend quality time with families and friends.Therefore, families choose a different home to do â€Å"La novena† because that particular house is offering dinner and treats for the guests. Therefore this tradition had passed from generation to generation. Lastly, most Colombians are hard working people, well known around the world for this quality. Most Colombians are well educated and professionals, and some of them have the opportunity to succeed in Colombia, while others travel to succeed in other countries.For exampl e, people often travel to the United States to improve their lives and even though they are professionals they end up working in different fields none related to their profession, while others advance their education by working extra hard to accomplish their responsibilities and excel. For example, Sofia Vergara is a well know Colombian actress who came to the United States to better her carrier and she has excel incredibly. In conclusion, Colombians are conspicuous by their values and traditions and because they are recognized by other countries as people that are most often happy, responsible and have great faith.

Introduction Business Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Introduction Business Law - Case Study Example Bahrain Consult is obliged to deliver the stated goods to Gulf Retailers premises and the person delivering the goods must confirm the receipt of purchase with the buyer. The contract provides an offer to buy or sell the goods fpor the acceptable price in relation to the offer given according to FOB terms. Bahrain Consult agreed to deliver the stated goods to Gulf Retailers according to the given specifications. Gulf retailers ordered for 300 tons of alluminium at a price of 500 Bahraini per ton. According to article 31 of the business contract law, the supplier is obliged to deliver the goods at the specified place, in the specified quantity and quality and in a timely manner. Article 35 also obliges the Bahrain to deliver the stated goods according to thequantity, quality,a nd other specified describtions. The law only applies if the quantity and time are fixed on the contract. Barhain Consult was bond by the contract that specified the specific goods and the specified quantity to be delivered between 11am and 3pm on Tuesdays. According to article 33, if the CIF contract states that the seller must deliver the goods before payments are made then the seller has no other obtion than to abide by the rule. Gulf Retailers agreed on the contract that Barhrain will recive a deposit of 250 Barhaini Dinars and the balance to be cleared upon arrival of goods. Both parties are bond by the contract and therefore, the buyer is obliged to collect the goods and pay for the balance as per the purchase price agreement. However, article 38 states that the seller has the authority to countercheck the goods with the purchase order before giving out the payments. It was agreed between thew two parties upon the delivery time and day. Article 34 of CIF act provides an obligation for the seller to deliver the goods at the time and place specified in the purchase order. Section II provides an obtion for the third-party to conform the goods and ensure they are delivered

Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Strategy - Essay Example Donald Hambrick and James Frederickson present a framework for strategy design insisting that a strategy has five distinct elements (Hambrick & Fredrickson, 2005, p 51). Providing the answers to five questions will distinguish these five elements allowing them to form a unified whole. Loblaw Companies Limited is the largest food retailer in Canada and also a leading provider among general merchandise, financial products, pharmacies and financial services. They have over 1000 corporate and franchised stores and they employ more than 135,000 employees, both full time and part time. As such they are one of Canada’s largest private sector employers (Loblaw Companies Limited, 2011). Strategies of a company should contain the answers to pertinent questions as to how the company will be a leader among their competitors, where will they base their activity, what is outlined in the company’s business and marketing plans to assist the company in reaching goals, how fast and in wh at order should our actions be planned to get where we want to be and in what economic ways will we realize our returns (Hambrick & Frederickson, 2005, p 3). Deciding the arena, or where the company will be active should not be a generalized decision but as specific as possible in order to focus strongly in implementing successful strategy that will allow them to expand and consider the possibility of one day reaching the status of a product, service, or company that could be considered general by the population. There are very few of these we consider to be general, meaning they are obviously the leader and most often thought of in a particular industry with little competition; the fact is that they just are and there aren’t many decisions to be made or choices when a product, service or company reaches the status of being general. Though there are many general products, such as bread, shoes, cars , etc. there are actually very few that when we think of the general word ther e is only one choice that comes to mind. This would also be considered defining the scope of the business (Collis, Rukstad, 2008, p2). While Loblaw’s mission is to be ‘Canada’s best food, health and home retailer their mission also includes innovative products at great prices (LobLaw Companies Limited.-2, 2008)’. Loblaw’s chose as it’s arena restoring innovation by making their brands and assortment of products worth changing supermarkets for and targeting consumers with specific brands and assorted product specialties that are hard to find in other supermarkets. Their brands wanted to strengthen and also revitalize product development, to simplify and also to grow. These areas are considered the arena the company has chosen to be active in. Core priorities of the company also describe strategy the company will use to achieve goals and reach milestones. LobLaw operations planned to focus on achieving greater performance and increasing engagem ent among colleagues, strengthening the customer experience, simplifying assortments and improving price perceptions (LobLaw Companies Limited.-2, 2008) Enhanced decision making support, an improvement in company infrastructure, along with better talent retention, motivation and development are also vehicles the company’s strategy includes in order to reach the goals their plans have outlined. Various vehicles are less effective than those which are concentrated and strong efforts utilizing only a few strategies at once in order to focus efforts. Differentiator’s used by LobLaw are those factors and attributes that LobLaw will use to differentiate itself among competitors; while not necessarily having one product that is used as differentiator among competitors companies can also have the best combination of differentiators can allow an

Genzymes CSR Dilemma Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Genzymes CSR Dilemma - Case Study Example All this point out to a dire need in the market for intensive research and development of a new drug for T.B. Genzyme although incapacitated with scarce resources has been able to create good partnership with ‘The TB Alliance Partnership’. The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development provided a highly skilled biotechnology firm. The funding of the partnership by the Gates and Rockefeller foundation provides a sure way of capital funding for the rigorous and expensive venture into the development of an effective drug. Outsourcing the research to pharmaceutical giants such as Bayer and GlaxoSmithKline ensures that appropriate machinery and skill is put into play in the development. With Genzyme vast infiltration into the developing countries, potential targets could be sourced for screening although it would require sufficient funding which was possible with the funding by the two foundations. In the current context of HAND, Genzyme aims at maximizing returns as much as helping people suffering from common treatable but neglected highly infectious diseases. To do this, Termeer should consider the potential for the firm’s resources and capabilities to achieve competitive advantage over their competitors. Termeer should consider using the Resource- Based Model of Above Average Returns (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson 17). This model assumes that every organization should develop its own resources that should be unique into capabilities. These capabilities arise out of integration of resources into a task that should be dynamically managed. These resources and capabilities should serve as a competitive advantage for the firm. This brews core competencies that enable the firm to produce products that are unique and non-imitable in the market place by competitors to give a leverage to the returns. Through practice and continued use of these resources, the firm creates a strong capability to develop new products that

Current Financial Article Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Current Financial Article Summary - Essay Example Homeowners are required to post insurance for titles of their properties for the purpose of gaining protection from property claimants. The author averred that â€Å"a 1974 federal law gives purchasers the right to choose† (McClay, 2011, par. 3) the title insurers, which, not all homeowners are aware of. Title insurers underwrite policies that protect the property from unforeseen claims. They, or the agents who sell the policies, conduct a land records search to make sure the property history is clean. The insurance pays for expenses related to defending against claims on the property and covers any valid claims. Homeowners who are refinancing are usually required to buy a policy, often for a lower rate (McClay, 2011, par. 8). The experience of a retired computer engineer, Tom Strange, faced with considering the title insurance offered by his mortgage broker, manifested a substantial savings that ensued from his searching the internet for alternative options. The offered price from Strange’s mortgage broker for the title insurance was $1,870. Upon exercising his right to select other alternatives, he was able to get a title insurance that was pegged a price half than what was offered by his mortgage broker. Actually, as revealed by McClay, the search for alternative options was only made possible when homeowners were revealed to â€Å"receive a summary of their closing costs earlier in the buying process. It’s been required by law since January 2010 that lenders must provide accurate closing costs within three business days of receiving a mortgage application† (McClay, 2011, par. 4). The three-day leeway in time prior to the submission of the application to refinance the mortgage makes it possible for homeowners to search the web and to compare quotations of costs from various title insurers. In analyzing the substantial amount in savings, the report revealed that be doing away with

Produce a report analysing past 3years financial performance of Essay

Produce a report analysing past 3years financial performance of Stanley Leisure plc - Essay Example hows the ability of the firm to meet its short term obligations from the most liquid assets, the trend is the same except in 2006 where there is a slight improvement. Reasons: The reason for the decline of the liquidity position is due to a poor working capital management policy embraces by the firm. Implications The firm's ability to meet its short - term inducing financial obligations is declining over time. 2. Profitability Profitability of the firm can be measured using the gross profit margin ratio, operating profit margin ratio and the net profit margin ratio. Observation Profitability of the firm declined in 2005 compared to the 2004 results before shooting up again in 2006. This is shown by the gross profit/ margin ratio declining from 4% in 2004 to 3.2% in 2005 before shooting to 10.4%. And lastly, the net profit margin ratio has also followed the same trend - 1.34% - 1.29% - 5.25% Implications The implications of the above observations can be adequately analysed on a ratio by ratio basis. (a) Gross Profit Margin Ratio This ratio shows the ability of the firm to control the cost of goods sold expenses. It means that for every 100% of sales 9Turnover) the gross profit was 4%, 3.2% and 17.3% for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively. The cost of sales comprised of 96% (100% - 4%), 86.8% (100% - 3.2%) and 82.7% (100% - 17.3%) for the years 2004, 2005, and 2006 respectively. This shows that the firm is not able to control its cost of goods sold expenses. (b) Operating Profit Margin Ratio This ratio shows/ indicates the ability of the firm to control its operating expenses such as telephone insurance premiums, salaries & wages distribution expenses etc. It shows that 95.77% (100% - 4.23%); 96.6% (100% - 3.4%) and 89.6% (100% - 10.4%) of sales revenue was... This ratio shows the ability of the firm to control the cost of goods sold expenses. It means that for every 100% of sales 9Turnover) the gross profit was 4%, 3.2% and 17.3% for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively. The cost of sales comprised of 96% (100% - 4%), 86.8% (100% - 3.2%) and 82.7% (100% - 17.3%) for the years 2004, 2005, and 2006 respectively. This shows that the firm is not able to control its cost of goods sold expenses. This ratio shows/ indicates the ability of the firm to control its operating expenses such as telephone insurance premiums, salaries & wages distribution expenses etc. It shows that 95.77% (100% - 4.23%); 96.6% (100% - 3.4%) and 89.6% (100% - 10.4%) of sales revenue was incurred to meet a) Cost of goods sold expenses and b) Operating expenses. Even though there was an improvement in 2006, the rates are still low and the firm must look for means and ways of further curbing the operating expenses. This ratio shows how the firm is able to control its financing expenses (interest charges), operating expenses and cost of goods sold expenses. For XXXX co, it means that for ever 100 of sales revenue only 1.34, 1.29 and 5.25 remained as profit after tax and 98.66; 98.71 and 94.75 relate to the amount incurred in paying off expenses including tax and interest charges. Investments are simply total assets.

The cooling off period Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The cooling off period - Assignment Example The subsequent paragraphs will explore and define each category into details with an aim of distinguishing them from one another, Mass murderers refer to individuals who kill four or more people in one location at a particular time. It could be a few minutes or last several days but the location remains the same. Most of this type of killers do end up committing suicide or are killed by the police. Mass murders are influenced by several factors. Mass killing can result when the killers choose a specific target which they think is causing them stress and therefore execute killings to satisfy their ego. It could also take another form where the killers attack targets that have no connection with them but belongs to groups the killer dislikes. It has also been observed that most mass killings are motivated by the existence of some hatred between assailants and their victims which is provoked by a specific event that sparks the killings. Spree murderers or killers on the other hand refer to those who kill two or more victims in more than one location in a fairly rapid succession. Spree killings tend to be rare and the spree killing teams consist of a submissive lover and a dominant leader. The occurrence of their murders in separate locations is considered a single event because it lacks a cooling off period. Mass and spree murderer are actually rare but it is believed that strict gun controls may help prevent some incidences of the would-be spree or mass killings. But this measure is unlikely to control serial killing. Serial killer or murderer refers to a person who has killed three or more persons, the murders have taken place in three or more separate locations at different times and has been involved or engaged in an emotional cooling off period between the murders. It is estimated that serial killing alone has contributed to 20% of the murders in the United States. Four subtypes of serial

Curious Incident of a dog in the nighttime“ - Mark Haddon Essay Example for Free

Curious Incident of a dog in the nighttimeâ€Å" Mark Haddon Essay In the Curious Incident of a dog in the nighttime from Mark Haddon, the author is trying to bring us nearer to the life of an autistic child by showing us his realm of thinking and behavior  Haddon creates in his book a story that actually stands more in the background. The story talks about the autistic ï ¬ fteen-year-old narrator, Christopher John Francis Boone, who ï ¬ nds the dog of a neighbour dead in the garden. He wants to ï ¬ nd out who killed the dog and wishes to write a book about it. He is standing in front of many problems to ï ¬ nd out what really happened, because his father doesnt like the idea that he is meddling in the business of others. In trying to ï ¬ nd his book his father took away from him, he ï ¬ nds letter from his mother, who seemed to be dead at the beginning when in actuality she is still alive. After that, he is convinced his father is a liar and the murderer of the dog, and he runs away to his mom in fear that his own dad wants to kill him. At the end of the book they are showing the difï ¬ culty to get conï ¬ dence back from an autistic child. In the foreground is the behavior of the autistic Christopher Boone. Directly from the beginning we notice that something is different with Christopher Boone. The book never directly talks about autism, but several aspects let us know this. The capitals in the book are counted as prime number; this language technique lets us directly go in the mind of Christopher Boone. His thinking is that prime numbers are acting like life: logical, but impossible to fully comprehend. This missing of comprehension of human being is lined throughout the whole book, for example that he has difï ¬ culty determining people’s emotions from their facial expressions, but he can name each country in the world, their capitals and every prime number up to 7057. Christopher recognizes his social limitations, and he focuses instead on the extraordinary intelligence he displays in other regards. His complex brain is shown in the book with mathematical forms and information about space and physics.  Christopher Boone is the only one in his class who is making the A-level in mathematics, with the wish to ï ¬ nish it in physics too and when he is adult he would like to be an astronaut.  These inputs, whether we understand them or not, are helping the reader to get more and more into the way of thinking of this autistic child. We are reading the  entire book through the eyes of Christopher, the narrator, showing us just what he is seeing and feeling. This technique is extremely important for the story and the message of the book.  Christopher’s poor social skills are shown from the beginning to the end of the Book. He quickly feels overwhelmed and his social deï ¬ cits lead to misunderstandings and conï ¬â€šicts. He doesnt let people touch him, when an ofï ¬ cer tries to touch him he assaults him and has to go to the jail. But even during that incident, he enjoyed the fact that his cell has perfect dimensions and he feels secure. Christopher’s obsession with the physical details of his surroundings, particularly aspects of color, number, and time†¦serves as a great asset to him in his investigation. When his father arrives, even he is allowed to touch him, other than with his hands spread like a fan. The truth is one of the most important things for him as an autistic child, because his logical brain may explode with a lie because there are going to be a million new possibilities. This difï ¬ culty with an autistic child is also shown in the role of the parents. His mother, who is thought to be dead at the beginning, was running away because she couldnt handle the relation with her own child. The father as well, who was always calmer and had a better relation with his child, is coming to a point of desperation. Christopher wants to ï ¬ nd out who killed the dog, the investigation into which he tries to stop because of his own guilt. However, his child is special and he doesnt want to hear what his dad is saying and changing the words in his mouth. The dad also is unable to be honest with his child, and invents the story of the dead mother to protect him. Christopher has a strong desire for order, and he works to remove any sense of disorder from his life. For instance, his system for determining how good the day will be, despite its apparent illogicalness, provides him with a  sense of control over the ambiguities and uncertainties he encounters every day. The difï ¬ culty of a normal day with an autistic child is shown well at the beginning. The farther we go into the book; it loses a bit of consequence. The author is giving us several different aspects of an autistic child. What makes the story so special is that at the end Christopher is over breaking his fears in running away from his father because he killed the dog and lied to him. Another problem that is shown in the book is the difï ¬ culty in creating friendships. Christopher is going to a special school; hes calling the other children stupid and dumb because nobody has his level of logical thinking. He has no friends, the only person he is talking with and trusting is Siobhan. At the beginning we dont know who this person is, which lets us think he has a friend in his age that he can communicate with. At the end we realize it is his teacher and it is really interesting to see the methods and the ideas that the teacher is giving or training with Christopher. The book tries to show the world what is going on in a child with autism. Of course, it is not a guide on how to handle autistic children, it is just a tale intended to help non-autistic people to understand better the thinking of this child. The author himself worked in preparation for his book with autistic children. In my opinion the book is really well structured and successfully brings the message that it should bring. Myself as a total beginner in this arena of thinking, now know more about this illness and about the rules and regulations that thinking in the head of such a child seem to follow. The difï ¬ culties surrounding this illness are really well represented in the role of the parents. We are just seeing the thoughts of him and his feelings, but the story is really good at creating just enough clues to see more between the lines. The mother who is running away because of her failure to cope raising her own child, the dad who is trying to handle this struggle all alone and who is just able to do that by constantly lying to his own child. The book was published in two versions, one for children and  once for adults. In my opinion, the title and the story of the book seems more for children than for adults. However, when you take a look at the message and the background of this boy, and let the story be a side issue, it is a really sensible and informative book about the life of a child with special issues. It seems that the end is a just a little bit thin and it seems that the author was not that careful enough at wrapping up the ending with the fears and consequen ces of autism. The book was criticized with the idea that the author is giving inaccurate descriptions about a child with autism, although the novel never mentions autism. Seeing as Christopher displays several of the symptoms that are included in this illness, they take the logical conclusion. I would recommend this book to everybody who wants to read a funny, informative and lovely story about a boy with special needs. The logical thinking presented which also teach a little bit about math and physics is what makes this ï ¬ ctional book really interesting.

Gran Torino Essay Example for Free

Gran Torino Essay After a while, the two bonded and where Walt helped him through manhood by toughening him up, providing dating advice and helping him get a job in construction. During this, Walt learned that Thao had tried to steal the car to be a part of the gang that he confronted earlier in the movie. Throughout the rest of the movie, the gang had harassed Thao by destroying his construction tools, conducted a drive-by shooting, sexual and physically assaulting Thao’s sister. He then realized that Thao and his sister will never safe as long as the gang is still in the neighbourhood. For this reason, he had gone to the gang member house and committed one final act to help save them. In this paper, the effects of social construction of race and how it is portrayed in the film will be examined. First, the concept of social construction will be analyzed, providing an overview of the definition and its effects. Furthermore, how it is illustrated in the film will be examined. Race as a Social Concept Historically, race has been utilized to differentiate individuals based on their biological and physical appearance. Traits including body shape, skin color and hair style were used to divide individuals into particular racial group (Machery and Faucher, 2005, pp. 1208). However, no empirical evidence exists to supports these classifications. This, in turn shows that differentiations are not rooted biologically or based on getting differences. Rather, the concept of race is explained through process of social construction. Through the lenses of social constructionism, it does not deny the evident physical differences in skin color and characteristics of individuals (Rothenberg, 2008, pp. 10). It simply sees these differences on a continuum of diversity rather than as reflecting innate genetic differences among people† (Rothenberg, 2008, pp. 10). Therefore, race exists due to society’s placing significance on the differentiation between individuals. Effects of Social Construct of Race Takaki stated that â€Å"race†¦has been a social construction that has historically set apart rac ial minorities from European immigrant groups† (as cited in Rothenberg, 2008, pp. 9). Throughout time, the categorization of race had form white hierarchy and domination over other groups of race. This in turn caused an effect of inequality, marginalization and unfair treatment towards particular groups. Asians, Blacks, Aboriginals, and Latinos are among the groups who are subjected to this form of treatment. Some examples include the justification of enslavement of black people, and the denial of access to Canada for non-white individuals. The success behind these social constructs is these divisions of race appear to be natural and a part of everyday lives rendering it to be invisible (Perry, 2011, pp. 16). Thus making it easy to be taken for granted (Perry, 2011, pp. 6). As Michael Omi and Howard Winant (1994) stated, Everyone learns some combination, some version, of the rules of racial classification, and of her own racial identity, often without obvious teaching or conscious inculcation. Thus we are inserted in a comprehensively racialized social structure. Race becomes ‘common sense’—a way of comprehending and being in the world. (as cited in Perry, 2011, pp. 16) Therefore individuals are aware of these divisions but choose to accept it as it has become a natural dynamic in society. Identifying Asian The concept of race is a social process that constructs differences creating divisions among individuals. Throughout time, the classification of certain groups has resulted in prejudice and stereotyping of particular racial groups. This is portrayed in one scene in Gran Torino when Walt was looking with scorn at Thao’s grandmother and said, â€Å"Why the hell do this chinks have to move in this neighborhood for? † (Eastwood, 2009). The protagonist’s use of the word â€Å"chinks† shows the stereotypical label of the Asian community. Chinks† is used to refer to the epicanthic fold found in the inner angle of the eye (wisegeek, n. d. ). This use of this term is associated to the racialization of the Asian race because this difference in appearance was utilized to negatively identify members of this group. Other perceptions in the film include Walt’s snarky comments such as â€Å"aren’t Asians supposed to be smart? Or the assumption as the Hmong as â€Å"jungle people† (Eastwood, 2009). These stereotypical and prejudiced statements are seen extensively throughout the movie. The irony of it is the statements reflect society’s views of the Asian identity. This leads to the notion that through the social process of differentiating groups based on racial traits and characteristics leads to the division of races with the effect of oppressing some. This, sequentially cause the stereotypical and prejudiced associations to be made. If society had not placed a meaning on physical appearance or characteristics, the racial assumption would not exist. Furthermore, if no classification were made towards these individuals, the Asian race will not exist. Youth Asian as Gang Members The Montreal police define a street gang as ‘a group of individuals, usually adolescents and/or young adults, who use the power of group intimidation in order to carry out, on a more or less regular basis, violent criminal acts’ (as cited in Chan and Mirchandani, pp. 116). Police documentation had identified five ethnic groups where street gangs originated (as cited in Chan and Mirchandani, 2002, pp. 117). Among the five is the Asiatic ethnic group (as cited in Chan and Mirchandani, 2002, pp. 117). The process of police construct of race in terms of street gangs involves the process of racialization (as cited in Chan and Mirchandani, 2002, pp. 123). Robert Miles defines it as â€Å"a process of categorization through which social relations between people are structured by the signification of human biological characteristics in such a way as to define and constructs social collectivities† (as cited in Chan and Mirchandani, 2002, pp. 12). It is when negative characteristics, traits and behaviour are associated with particular groups (Jiwani, 2011, pp. 43). This is due the perception and presumed differences of the group (Jiwani, 2011, pp. 43). In terms of the police construction of police, this can be seen through the provision of â€Å"Images of violence-prone ‘ethnic youth’ from war-torn countries (it is taken as given that the ‘ethnic youth’ in question are male) (as cited in Chan and Mirchandani, 2002, pp. 123). When compared to children in Quebec, Ontario, a police man stated â€Å" ‘ Here in [Quebec] our kids are born with a hocky puck in their hand, but there [a country of origin of immigrants] they come into the world with a grenade in their hands† (Symons, 2002, pp. 18)†The culture belief portrays the racialization of the street gang issue (Symons, 2002, pp. 118). The ideology that street gangs originated from the upbringing in a war-torn country signifies street gangs as an immigration issue. As another police stated â€Å"‘They have guns there [in country of origin],â€⠄¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ‘It’s part of their more’† (Symons, 2002, pp. 118). This is seen with the portrayal of the Hmong gang in Gran Torino. Earlier in the film, Sue had shared to Walt that the reason they resided in America and is to escape the violence that is occurring in their homeland (Eastwood, 2009). By providing this background story of escaping a war torn country and the portrayal of young Asiatic gangs terrorizing the neighborhood, supports the racialization of Asiatic gang members. This has come from the social process of constructing that living a life in a war-torn country makes the individual a gang member. Since this living condition is associated with the Asian youth, these members are automatically perceived as a gang member. Other scenes in the film include the portrayal of the ethnic group Latinos as gang members, which are also identified as the patent of street gangs Minority groups and Immigrants as Criminals A key stereotype of Asians race is that of the mysterious, devious, fearsome Asian† (Zong and Perry, 2011, pp. 115). This consecutively marks the group as different and foreign which causes them to be feared and avoided. (Zong and Perry, 2011, pp. 115). Within society this is reflected through minorities and immigrants being â€Å"over police and under protected† by the criminal justice system (as cited in Chan and Mirchandani, 2002, pp. 69). Often times, during the legal process, immigrants are provided longer sentences and severe punishments compare to those who have lived in Canada for 20 years and more (Chan and Mirchandani, 2002, pp. 8). In terms of other minority groups, Blacks and Aboriginals are overrepresented in the correctional system ((Zong and Perry, 2011, pp. 115). Individuals in society are aware of these unfair treatments, but many still links race and crime together. This is due to the belief and perception of immigrants and minorities as dangerous and different. It is important to note that these factors cannot be found when looking at the white population. This leads to the notion that â€Å"‘Canadians’ do not break the law, but racialized ‘immigrant groups do’† (Chan and Mirchandani, 2002, pp. 9). The portrayal of minority groups and immigrants in the film can be seen when no white individual is shown to be a criminal. The members of the street gangs were of Latino, Black and Asian descents. The white characters portrayed were successful businessmen, a hero and a priest. In fact, the protagonist was a Korean War veteran where he killed several men in battle. Instead of being convicted for his actions, he was provided a medal of honor. The portrayal of these scenes shows that white individuals do not commit crime and so cannot be identified as criminals. Society had classified certain inviduals to be part of the Asian and Black race dividing them from the white population. Throughout various events and social processes the perception of Asian and Black race to be dangerous was constructed. This in turn had let these groups to be viewed as criminals. This is believed to be taken a significant effect due to unfair treatment and portrayal of minorities and immigrant in the criminal justice system. White as ‘powerful’ The notion of race as a social process has caused an effect where certain groups are marginalized. Within the society, a white individual is the dominant and superior while others are oppressed, and inferior. This perception has led to the view of that the white population is powerful compared to the other racial groups. The portrayal of this can be seen with the protagonist of the film. Thao and the other gang members had gone to his house to attack him. During the fight, Walt comes out pointing a rifle towards the gang threatening them to get off his lawn and leave. By doing this, he earns the respect of Thao’s family and the Hmong community. To show their gratitude, they showered him with gifts, meals and flowers. Through the remainder of the movie, Walt was shown to be a leader, influencer and hero. He was guiding Thao away from becoming a gang member by providing a job, teaching about manhood and purchasing items for him. He was also shown as a savior when he gave up his life so that Thao and his family can live a life without any gang violence. Within the racial context, the representation of Walt as the savior illustrates the ideology that white is powerful, whereas the Asian group is seen to be helpless, powerless and vulnerable. This leads back to the notion of social constructionism where the division of race had caused some groups to be in power and the others as powerless. In this case, the white group is seen to be of dominance while the Asian group is perceived to be inferior and vulnerable. Conclusion A once popular belief in society was that everyone was born into distinctive biologically and natural based differences known as race (Rothenberg, 2008, pp. 9). However as time passed, the notion of race had transformed into the idea that it was created through human interaction known as social construction. In other words, through social processes, the differences between racial groups were constructed and not from nature itself. However, through the development of division among groups, some were placed in a position of power while others in a minority position. Throughout time, the white group have become the dominant and powerful group over other racialized group. This, sequentially have led to several unfair treatment, marginalization, and oppression against this group. These effects have been portrayed in the film Gran Torino in regards to the racial group of the White and Asian. Through social constructionism, prejudices and stereotypical terms have been used to identify the Asians groups. Secondly, the notion of Asian youth as gang members. Thirdly, the perception of Asian individuals as criminals. Lastly, the ideology of white power over Asian groups. These reflections of currents societal beliefs and perception towards the White and Asian groups originated from the process of social construction. In other words, the reason why it the racial groups of Asians and White exist is through social collectivities . If society did not place a meaning towards the differentiation among individuals, race would not exist, thus these assumptions would be of non-existent as well. References Eastwood. C. , Gerber, B. , amp; Lorenz, R. (Producer). (2009). Gran Torino [Motion Picture]. United States of America: Warner Brothers. Jiwani, Y. (2011). Mediation of Race and Crime. In B. Perry (Ed. ), Diversity crime and justice in Canada. (pp. 39-56). Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press. Jiwani, Y. (2002). The criminalization of race and the racialization of crime. In Chan, W. , amp; Mirchandani, K (Ed. ), Crimes of Colour (pp. 67-86). Toronto, Ontario: University of Toronto Press. Machery, E. , amp; Faucher, L. (2005). Social Construction and the Concept of Race. The Philosophy of Science Association, 72, 1208-1219 doi: 0031-8248/2005/7205-004. Perry, B. (2011). Criminal Justice/Social Justice. In B. Perry (Ed. ),  Diversity, crime, and justice in  Canada  (pp. 3-38). Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press. Rothenberg, P. (2010). Race, class, and gender in the United States  (8th  ed. ). New York: Worth Publishing Symons, G. (2002). Police constructions of race and gender in street gangs. In Chan, W. , amp; Mirchandani, K (Ed. ), Crimes of Colour (pp. 115-127). Toronto, Ontario: University of Toronto Press. Zong, L. , amp; Perry, B. (2011). Chinese Immigrants in Canada and Social Injustice: From Overt to Covert Racial Discrimination. In B. Perry (Ed. ),  Diversity, crime, and justice in  Canada  (pp. 106-124). Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press.

Positive Psychology Theory And Core Concepts Psychology Essay

Positive Psychology Theory And Core Concepts Psychology Essay School bullying is a growing public concern as it can have detrimental effect on subjective well-being of children and adolescents worldwide. Bullying can be defined and refered to as intentional , oppresive behavior against another person that causes pysical and/psychological harm and can be classified into four categories: Physical bullying such as; hitting, pushing, kicking, spiting and punching. Verbal bullying such as; name-calling, teasing, insultting and verbal threats. Social exclusion behaviors behaviors such as; ignoring victims, spreading rumours about victims, exclusing from social groups by indirect threats to friends of victims. Acts of extortion such as; asking for money or other material objects. (Olweus, 1994). Bullying can have a negative effect on victims, bullies and bystanders and impact psychosocial and physical health as well as academic aspiration(Hui, Tsang Law, 2011).Several research studies show that students with poor interpersonal relationships to family, peers and teachers are more prone to be involved in peer victimization(Wong et al., 2008). Many of the victims of bullying suffer negative affects such as; anger,anxiety,decreased self-esteem or depression(Ng Tsang,. 2008; Fung Wong,. 2007). Some victims of bullying may as a result turn into bullies themselves(Lam Liu,. 2007) and contribute to the comlex social interactions that involve schools, homes, parents, peers, adults, victims and bullies(Vreeman Carroll,. 2007). Many of the most common types of classroom and/or school antibullying interventions target three key areas; training social skills, changing group norms and increasing self-efficacy((Hui, Tsang Law, 2011). .Egan Todorov (2009) found that implementing inte rventions across entire schools lead to higher rates of succes and implementing it into the regular curriculum would be most effective(Misha, 2008). Smith collegues(2004) found that several factors that affected the school climate such as interpersonal relationships and the quality of communication were not usually implemented in the school-wide interventions. The social context play a key role in promoting bullying behavior (Espelage Swearer,. 2003) and in creating a negative school climate. Implementing a positive psychology intervention might prove usefull as a positive school climate promote positive development in children and adolescents and reduce aggression.(MIshna,. 2008;Smith et al,. 2004; Whitted Dupper,. 2005; Orpinas Horne,. 2006) Positive Psychology Theory and Core Concepts should be applied to facilitate long-term well-being in School bullying Positive psychology is the scientific study to understand , test, discover and promote factors (e.g strengths and virtues) (Sheldon et. al. ,2000) that enable individuals and environments such as institutions and communities to thrive and flourish(Seligman Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). To Flourish means to live with an optimal range of human functioning which is characterized by four key components; Goodness, Generativity, Growth and Resilience(Frederickson Losada,. 2005). Studies supports the adaptive effects of positive affects(for a review, see Lyubomirsky, King, Diener, in press) such as having a positive affect on attention(Frederickson Branigan,. 2005; Rowe , Hirsch Anderson,. 2005), increased intuition(Bolte, Goschkey, Kuhl ,.2003), creativity and broaden behavioral repertoires(Frederickson Branigan,. 2005). Fredericksons (Frederickson, 2004). Positive emotions is a key component in intervention. The Broaden-and-build theory describes how positive emotions can broaden an individuals thought action patterns, and that although feeling good is a temporary experience, it can lead to a build up of enduring personal resources (social, intellectual, psychological and physical over time and this can produce an upward spiral towards increased subjective well-being(Frederikson, 2004). Hefferson Boniwell(2011) found that positive emotions not only mark or signal health and well-being, but also produce health and well-being this notion implies that th e positive emotions transform individuals for the better and can make them more knowledgeable, effective, resilient and socially integrated()Frederickson, 2004). Isens (1990, p. 89) research also supports the broaden-and-build theory that positive emotions produces broad , flexible cognitive organization and ability to integrate diverse material. Negative emotions such as anxiety and depression can lead to a more narrow attention(Frederickson, 2004). An important question that arises when implementing the broaden-and-build theory is, how much positivity is needed to flourish(Frederickson, 2004). Negative emotions have always been the focus of traditional psychology and Baumeister, et al(2001) concluded that Bad is stronger than good and to be able to overcome the overwhelming effect of negative emotions, Fredericks needed to found out how much positivity was enough to make a difference. With the help of Losada (1999) and other researchers (Losada Heaphy, 2004) Frederickson found t he positivity ratio, stating that three positive emotions or more would negate one negative. This positivity ratio also has an upper limit where the effect decreases.It can be difficult to cultivate positivity as an individual, but there are several methods that Fredrickson Kurtz suggest might help, such as changing ones outlook from being positive to being open, appreciative.., curious and kind(2011. p. 44) but also that creating high quality relationships can prove valuable to increasing positive emotions. An evidence based intervention plan tailored to case. The first part of my intervention(Gratitude Intervention) will focus on positive emotions in the PERMA model of well-being and the intervention method used will be to make the students keep a journal to count blessings for 2 weeks time. Froh, Sefick Emmons(2008) found that making students count blessings were associated with higher levels of optimism, life-satisfaction and lowered negative emotions. The second part of my intervention will focus on building positive relationships by using the VIA-test from www.Viacharacter.org. VIA stands for values in action and is a self-report test that consist of 240 questions that will help individuals to identify their top character strengths out of the 24 strenghts in the VIA Classification. They will then form groups of in class based on the indentified strengths.Character strengths can then be implemented in a positive psychology intervention where the students are asked to apply one of their top character strengths in a new way, every day for one week. This is also congruent with the three pillars of positive psychology wich consist of positive experiences, strength based character and positive institutions. The PERMA model is a model of well-being and consist of five important elements: positive emotions, engagement, meaning, accomplishment and positive relationships. The 24 character strengths underpin all 5 elements in the PERMA mode l of well-being and using your highest strengths can lead to more postive emotions, more engagement, more accomplishment and to better relationships(Seligman, 2011 ; Hefferson Boniwell, 2011). The character strengths are divided up into 6 virtues. Wisdom and Knowledge: creativity,curiosity,open-mindedness,love of learning,perspective, innovation Courage: bravery,persistence, integrity,vitality Humanity:love,kindness, social intelligence Justice: citizenship, fairness, leadership Temperance:forgivenessandmercy,humility,prudence,self control Transcendence:appreciation of beauty and excellence,gratitude,hope,humor,spirituality Critical reflections about your intervention plan: What might the pitfalls be? One of the main pitfalls of my intervention plan is positive psychology relies heavily on the notion that there are only negative or positive emotions, but Larsen et al.(2001,2004) concluded that this view is too simplistic as feelings are often mixed. Hefferon Boniwell (2011, p22-223) also argues that hope on one hand can be positive, but also lead to negative emotions like anxiety. Other researchers critize that positive psychology focuses to much on positivity and thus negating the potential of benifits of negative moods, such as bonding over negative complaints and events(Kowalski, 2002). Positive psychology interventions does not come with a one-size fits all as individuals, institutions and countries might have similar values or strengths but different ways of expressing them. Defensive pessimism might be another way of expressing this for certain individuals. The body of research being conducted on children and adolescents is growing. The interventions might also come of as b eing some kind of overt mind control when we try to make individuals focus on only the positive aspects of life.

Henry Thoreau and Science :: Literature Poems Ecology Papers

Henry Thoreau and Science Though best known as a literary figure, Henry Thoreau showed a lasting interest in science. He read widely in the scientific literature of his day and published one the first scholarly discussions on forest succession. In fact, some historians rate Thoreau as one of the founders of the modern science of ecology. At the same time, Thoreau often lamented science’s tendency to kill poetry. Scientific writings coupled with his own careful observations often revealed life to him, but in other ways rendered nature lifeless. Modern-day Thoreauvians are also aware that science has largely become a tool for control and increased consumption, rather than for the appreciation and protection of wild nature. This paper explores some of Thoreau’s reflections on science and "system," and presents his view of the proper role of science in our lives. As will become clear, Thoreau’s worries are occasioned by his own scientific endeavors. His responses to science’s insuffici encies are reformist, suggesting ways to improve and supplement science rather than discard it. Why do precisely these objects which we behold make a world? Why has man just these species of animals for his neighbors; as if nothing but a mouse could have filled this crevice? — Walden (1) Introduction Henry Thoreau, like Goethe before him, showed a lasting interest in science. (2) He belonged to the Boston Natural History Society from 1850 onwards, and read widely in the current scientific literature. Beyond this, Thoreau was intensely interested in the scientific puzzles suggested by his own rambles around Concord, Massachusetts. In the years following Walden’s publication he observed more systematically and tested his hypotheses more rigorously, and published one of the first scholarly discussions on forest succession. Some historians rate Thoreau as one of the founders of the modern science of ecology. (3) At the same time Thoreau often lamented science’s tendency to kill poetry. The scientific writings of others and his own careful observations often revealed life to him, but at other times rendered nature lifeless. (4) Modern-day Thoreauvians are also aware of science’s role in the imperialistic conquest of nature. We love the wild, yet science has largely become a tool for control, commodification and increased consumption, rather than for the appreciation and protection of nature. (5) The proper role of science in human society and in our own lives is thus an important issue. This paper explores some of Thoreau’s reflections on science and "system.

United NAtions :: essays research papers

United Nations â€Å"5 W’s† What: The political organization established 1945 by the allied powers who were later joined by other nations Who: Today there are 191 nations in the United Nations but It was originally started by those who were fighting against the axis powers. Where: It was decided to have it located in the Eastern United States, they bought land with money given by John D. Rockefeller Jr. along the East River in NYC. When: The United Nations was officially coined such in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The term was not used officially until Jan. 1, 1942, when 26 states joined in the Declaration by the United Nations. Why: The war effort needed to be joined so that they didn’t make peace separately. The need for an international organization to replace the League of Nations was not stated until Oct. 30, 1943. Six Bodies: General Assembly: It meets in regular yearly sessions under a president elected from among the representatives. The regular session usually begins on the third Tuesday in September and ends in mid-December. Special sessions can be convened at the request of the Security Council, of a majority of UN members, or, if the majority concurs, of a single member Security Council: It is charged with maintaining peace and security between nations. While other organs of the UN only make recommendations to member governments, the Security Council has the power to make decisions which member governments must carry out under the United Nations Charter. Economic and Social Council: It assists the General Assembly in promoting international economic and social cooperation and development. Trusteeship Council: It was established to help ensure that non-self-governing territories were administered in the best interests of the inhabitants and of international peace and security. They suspended operation in 1994. Secretariat: It provides studies, information, and facilities needed by United Nations bodies for their meetings.

The Three Little College

Students Once Upon a time, there were three piglet sisters who decided to take the next step in their life a go to college. After twelve years of grade school the felt that going to college was greatest achievements of all. The three piglets' names were: Jasmine who was majoring in Nursing, Vanessa who was majoring in Criminal Justice, and Elizabeth who was majoring in Accounting. They all had outstanding grades so there college of choice was ISIS. Before they knew it, they were now known as the USC Trojan!Moving day came along and they were all signed up to live in a dorm together which made the college experience even better. â€Å"Hey Jasmine, did you bring the hair dryer? † Vanessa asked, one's, sissy I brought the hair dryer and all our other hair supplies, don't worry. † Jasmine replied. These sisters Just wanted to make sure they had everything†¦. What do you know they made it to their dorm and were ready for their classes to start? Everyone's' classes starte d the next day. As the next day comes to an end the piglets meet In the dorm and tell each other how amazing everyone's classes are. This is amazing!!!! † Elizabeth shouted. As years go by and the sisters are closer and closer to their graduation date, they each decided that they should move into a small house with some other roommates. A few months go by and they moved into a house with four other people who they have been friends with since the beginning of their college experience. â€Å"Just a few more months left you guys! We can do this! † yelled out one of the roommates, Rebecca. Before they know It they are down to Just a few weeks till graduation. Everyone Is excited but that Is all bout to change.See what they didn't realize was that the City of Los Angels is known for having severe earthquakes during this time of year. So while all the girls made a visit to the mall†¦ BANTAM!!!!! Out of nowhere a 7. 8 earthquake struck the City of Los Angels! Things were thrown everywhere, people were falling, buildings were falling down to pieces, people were yelling! This earthquake was a very serious one and the coast wasn't clear until half an hour later! Can you Imagine?! The girls were safe because they made the best choice and found a large sturdy table to take over underneath.The girls were devastated about what happened but they decided to not think about It and Just think about their soon to be graduation. As they headed back home, Jasmine yelled, â€Å"Ahhhhhhh, What happened here! † Their house collapsed from top to bottom, they then realized their house was right above the San Andrea Fault. Jasmine and Rebecca started sobbing, no one knew what to do. Elizabeth starting talking to the girls and said, † Common you guys we can't let this get to us we are close to graduation we need to be excited not sobbing tears even If our house Is own to pieces, In the mean time we can stay at my Grandmas house. â€Å". â€Å"Ahhhhhhhh!! !! â€Å", â€Å"Wahoo†, ‘Yahoo! † the crowd shouted. The girls were graduating after four long years. The girls, ‘We did It you guys! † 3 PIGS By Jog]tailboard college of choice was USC. Before they knew it, they were now known as the USC the hair dryer? † Vanessa asked, miss, sissy I brought the hair dryer and all our other comes to an end the piglets meet in the dorm and tell each other how amazing guys! We can do this! † yelled out one of the roommates, Rebecca. Before they know it hey are down to Just a few weeks till graduation.Everyone is excited but that is all one and the coast wasn't clear until half an hour later! Can you imagine?! The girls to not think about it and Just think about their soon to be graduation. As they headed are close to graduation we need to be excited not sobbing tears even if our house is down to pieces, In the mean time we can stay at my Grandmas house. ,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. â€Å"Ahhhhhhhh!!!! â€Å", †Å"Wahoo†, Niamey! † the crowd shouted. The girls were graduating after four long years. The girls, â€Å"We did it you guys! †

Backyard burgers

The Back Yard Burgers operates and franchises fast food restaurants across the United States. It has its headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. The fast food chain is famous for its charbroiled freshly prepared gourmet hamburgers and sandwiches. The chain has 183 outlets, 44 of which are company-operated and 139 are franchisees. Since its inception in the year 1987 the company has expanded considerably following a well defined marketing and operating strategy. The fast food industry has also witnessed a gradual change over the years and the emerging market trend has enormous potential to tap.The rising competition and changing demographics in this industry has presented new challenges to the existing companies. What are the forces that will drive the market demand and how effectively can the companies adapt themselves to these changing forces are some of the questions that need to be analyzed in a broad perspective. The paper analyzes the existing strategy and brand positioning of the B ack Yard Burgers – the emerging market trends and the capability of the company to adapt to these changing forces.The paper also recommends changes in the company’s operational and marketing strategy to face these challenges in the coming years and establish a strong market presence. Introduction The fast food industry Home cooked food has rapidly given way to over the counter fast food service appealing to the taste buds of the masses. This change in food culture was fuelled by a number of factors that made a huge impact on the American lifestyle. The rising number of women joining the work force leaving them with lesser time to spend in the kitchen and cook for their families is seen as the predominant factor.A number of companies and brands came to the forefront to tap this extensive revenue generating business. Well known brands like McDonalds, Wendy’s and Burger King have been widely recognized by the consumers. The success model was adopted extensively to generate more outlets over the country and build a global presence. The past four decades has witnessed an enormous growth in the fast food industry in the United States. Small stalls and outlets selling homemade burgers and hotdogs have invaded every nook and corner of the country.Most of the fast food outlets offer hamburgers, pizzas, sandwiches, and other snack items with accompaniments like French fries, soups, beverages, and desserts. Fast and efficient customer service, effective management, and aggressive marketing strategy drive the profitability of companies in this industry. The industry has propelled chains of restaurant outlets across the nation with universal brand positioning strategies. The franchise concept has seen wide acceptance in this business arena. This business requires voluminous processing of ready to eat food items, packaging, and delivery at a fast pace.Hence fast and efficient customer service is of prime importance. Another distinctive feature of this i ndustry is the location of these outlets – supermarkets, railway stations, airports, petrol pumps, and other high traffic areas. Back Yard Burgers – an introduction Lattimore M. Michael founded the Back Yard Burgers in the year 1987 in Cleveland, Mississippi. He started as a grocery store owner and extended his business to providing delicious homemade burgers that became quite famous in the area.Aided with a bank loan and family investment Michael opened the first double drive through restaurant on March 21st, 1987 in Cleveland, Mississippi. This outlet offered charbroiled Black Angus beef burger dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup. The popularity of this outlet generated franchisee inquiries and a year later in 1988 a franchise store was opened in Greenville, Mississippi. The success of these outlets paved the way for 180 restaurant outlets across 20 states by the year 2007.â€Å"To deliver the highest quality service and best tasting food in a clean environment for a fair price† states the mission of the fast food restaurant chain. Quality food, exceptional service, and clean dining environment are the key ingredients to the success of Back Yard Burgers. After all it is only great food and good service that will keep customers returning for more. The fast food chain continued to do big business till the mid 90s recording sales of $17. 2 million and a net profit of $682,000 in 1994. The consecutive years witnessed a gradual decline in sales and profit margins.What went wrong and how could this situation be redressed? The study reflects the company strategy and policies adopted over the years, the issues and shortcomings faced by the company and its remedial measures. Back Yard Burgers – The business model The Back Yard Burgers has 183 outlets of which 44 are company-operated and 139 are franchisees. The principal source of revenue for the company is from company-operated restaurant sales, franchisee fees, area development fees, and royalty fees paid by the franchisees. 84. 9% of revenue is accounted to direct restaurant sales and 10.8% to royalty fees from the franchisees. Royalty and advertising fee revenue is calculated on the sales amount reported by the franchisees on a weekly basis. Franchisee fee is realized when the company has assisted the setting up of the franchisee in terms of training, site location, equipment, structural design and operating guidance. The area development fee is applicable when a franchisee has been given the right to develop, own, and operate additional units of Black Yard Burgers outlets in certain geographical areas.Other revenue items include sale of proprietary food product to franchisees and payment from other vendors on volume purchase from the franchisees. The company’s operating strategy endorses a diverse menu that is not only fresh but also competitive with other food chains in terms of quality and pricing. The c ompany also emphasizes the restaurant design having a single drive-thru concept in integration with an indoor dining area. Training and supervision of franchisee and company operated restaurant staff is given due priority to meet the goals of a prompt, friendly and efficient customer service.Growth strategy model The company growth strategy focuses on increasing sales through good quality food and efficient service. Addition of dining rooms to create a pleasing ambience and a memorable dining experience, opening of more franchised outlets along with increasing number of company operated restaurants are synonymous to increased sales and revenue. Back Yard Burgers started with a small double drive through outlet catering to 120 to 140 cars per hour generating sales of $600 per hour at peak times.The concept was widely popular and within a year the company saw growth in number of outlets using the franchisee model. The success of the franchisee model was mainly due to the low startup c ost and seen as an attractive investment option. The setting up of a franchisee on leased land and a building structure required an investment of $260,000 to $400,000 as compared $1 million investment for franchisee of other reputed fast food brands. Back Yard Burgers maintain a dedicated staff for training and assisting the opening of new franchisees and supervising the franchisee operations.The team helps in monitoring and assessing the quality of food being served, cleanliness of the restaurant, and the service efficiency. They ensure strict adherence to company guidelines and policies. The team sends a report to the franchisees with their observations and in case of any lapses in any area the suggestions to overcome these shortcomings are also given. This strategy keeps the company updated with all facts and ensures an overall supervision over all its franchisees. The company enters into a 10-year agreement with the franchisees that is renewable for a fee of $500.The key to succ ess in the franchisee model is uniformity. The uniformity of outlets in terms of design, color-coding, logo, style, menu, and quality is extremely important. Customers are drawn to known brands and the uniformity of the outlets assures them of the brand and quality of service. The franchisee strategy spells success and but with ever changing market trends and rising competition managing this strategy is getting tougher. Market Competition Back Yard Burgers faces stiff competition from three major brands that have gained acceptance and popularity among the masses.Burger King, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s are the biggest competitors that Back Yard Burgers has to face today. The global recognition of the McDonald’s brand and its universal presence makes it one of the biggest challenges that Back Yard Burgers face. The visibility of the McDonald’s has spread to such an extent that even toddlers recognize Ronald McDonald. The success of McDonald’s encouraged others to tap this huge market in the fast food industry. This saw a rise in number of fast food outlets in the country.Wendy’s and Burger King are also growing brand names that have given stiff competition to fast food giants like McDonald’s. Their success is attributed to their marketing strategy that involves deep market penetration and brand recognition among children and adolescent who form a large chunk of the consumer base. Back Yard Burgers face stiff competition from supermarkets and convenience stores too that offer the consumers take out meals and discount stores like Wal-Mart too pose a challenge to the company. The home delivery system introduced by companies like Dominos is also eating away the market share of the company.So what are competitive forces that the Back Yard Burgers face? †¢ The brand popularity and image recognition of the McDonald’s trademark logo and character in the form of Ronald McDonald that has become iconic in the fast f ood industry. †¢ The training of personnel in the hamburger industry given by McDonald’s that has provided a new career avenue for the youngsters. †¢ The innovation in the menu and product offerings by Wendy’s targeting the matured consumer base. †¢ The penetration of market segments by Pizza Hut, Dominos, cafeterias, and coffee joints.†¢ The introduction of home delivery system of pizzas by Dominos. †¢ The option available to the consumers with take-away meals from convenience stores. †¢ The widespread openings of discount stores like Wal-Mart. These are some of the major competitive challenges faced by the company. A look into the strategies of big brands like McDonald and Wendy’s highlights the importance of branding. It is the force of a strong brand presence that drives the consumer taste and preference. Brands create a consumer expectation with their consistency and uniformity of service and quality.Strong brand awareness corr elates with loyal consumer base and increased revenues in the fast food industry. An effective strategy to achieve this goal is the company logo that portrays the company’s image in the consumer minds. In the initial stages Back Yard Burger had managed to capture the consumer interest with its homemade burgers and sandwiches. Consumers came back for more of the great taste and quality of food being served to them. As part of its expansion strategy, Back Yard Burgers had entered into a Development Agreement with the YUM! Brands Inc., for sub licensing of the Back Yard Burgers concept and trademarks in the year 2002. YUM! Brands were given the right to open ten Back Yard Burgers outlet as part of multi brand units with Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC. But this agreement fell through and further discussions were terminated. Lattimore M. Michael, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Back Yard Burgers, had stated on this development, â€Å"While we are disappointed with today's developments, we are optimistic about the future of the segment of the quick-serve restaurant industry that seeks to provide premium food and service.We will continue to focus on our principal growth strategy of setting our restaurants apart from other fast-food competition by serving freshly prepared, great tasting food comparable to that of the best full-service casual dining restaurants. † SWOT Analysis An elementary step to analyze the company’s strategies and policies is to assess the strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats that are faced by the company. A SWOT analysis can provide the framework for identifying and analyzing the company’s opportunities and future course of action to achieve the marketing goals.The strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats for Back Yard Burgers is identified in the subsequent paragraphs. Strengths: †¢ Home cooked quality of hamburgers and other products offered on the menu that the consumers fe el worth the money to pay for. †¢ Cleanliness of the restaurant premises and fast efficient service by the staff. †¢ Rapid expansion strategy using the franchisee concept to tap the regional markets. †¢ Strict control of the over the franchisee operations and management right from the site selection to establishment and starting up of the restaurants.†¢ Well-trained and experienced staff committed to training and assisting the franchisees as part of company franchise program. †¢ Black Angus Beef Burgers charbroiled and grilled to perfection with variety of toppings is one of the USPs of the company. Weakness: †¢ Declining market share with other big brands playing a dominant role. †¢ Weak brand positioning and brand awareness †¢ Low control over franchisees at later stages of operation †¢ Slow growth of revenue Opportunities †¢ Brand development and brand positioning – creating an awareness among the consumers†¢ Tapping t he overseas market †¢ Promoting healthy alternatives to attract the health conscious segment of the consumer base. Threats: †¢ Competition from big brands and other upcoming eateries and joints †¢ Growing awareness of the consumers to healthy eating habits Advertising and Promotion Strategy Since the inception of the company’s first outlet in Cleveland, Mississippi in the year 1987, Back Yard Burgers depended mostly on the word of mouth publicity to spread awareness and promote its home cooked burgers.New outlets that opened in the subsequent years expanded not only the company’s consumer base and revenue but also stressed the need for aggressive marketing strategy to sustain the increased cost of operations. Back Yard Burgers started advertising on the television in the year 1993. The initial advertising campaigns were titled â€Å"the great burger wars† that took a punch at the competitors. In June 1994 the company launched a series of campaigns that featured Dennis R. Phillipi, a popular comedian in Memphis who soon became famous as Dennis the â€Å"Back Yard Burgers Guy†.The commercials projected the burgers as bigger, tastier, and healthier than those offered by the competitors due to its grilled cooking method that melted most of the fat. The advertising campaigns were effective in increasing sales and raising the revenue by 10 to 15%. Launch of new products and subsequent commercials on the television featuring Dennis Phillipi was an effective strategy. The company used the audio of these commercials in radio advertising that was cheaper. In addition the company also used direct mail advertising.The company collects 1% of taxable sales from each franchisee and company-operated restaurants that goes to the national advertising fund. 50% of this fund is utilized for marketing promos through various channels like radio, television, and print media. The rest 50% is used for market research, new product testing, and development, improvising on the operational front. The company’s marketing director monitors product launch and new restaurant opening promotions and marketing managers with a well-trained staff.The management works in collaboration with the franchisees towards advertising and promotion of its restaurants. The advertising fee earned by the company increased from $314,000 in July 1, 2006 period to $318,000 in June 30, 2007 period. The $4000 increase over the earlier period is accounted to the 1% of sales that goes to the national advertising fund as per company policies. The company also recorded an increase in the advertising expense from $668,000 in the July 1, 2006 to $814,000 in June 30, 2007 that attributes to approximately 5% of the net restaurant sales on advertising in the past year.(see annexure for the comparative income statements). The company has been stressing on the advertising and promotion strategy but it has not been very effective. There are some important points that can be highlighted in this respect. †¢ The company has not been able to create brand loyalty and brand awareness in spite of good quality products and effective marketing strategy. This could be attributed to low brand visibility. This can be remedied with aggressive market campaigns that aim at the younger generation since this is the biggest consumer segment for the fast food industry.Strategies that aim for deeper market penetration, fun logo that people can relate to enjoyable food and moments are essential for brand positioning. â€Å"Fun logo† is a concept that the consumers can equate with good times. The simple logo of McDonald’s is easily identifiable and children and youngsters can spot it from a distance – this is one of the best examples of effective brand positioning. †¢ The other concept that the Back Yard Burgers can adopt is the use of bright color-coding for their outlets and the signboards.A bright color scheme attracts th e younger generation and gives it an inviting look. The uniformity in look and feel of the franchisee restaurants and the other company-operated restaurant is essential to make an easily identifiable picture in the consumer minds. †¢ In running a successful brand promotion campaign the essential point is to identify the consumer segment. Who are the consumers and the target focus group for this chain of restaurants? The children and adolescents who form a major chunk of the consumer group typically favour the fast food industry.The working people segment is another segment that will stop by for fast and filling food in their office hours. Fast service food is ideal meal for this segment. Campaigns attracting these two segments will create brand awareness and spell higher revenues for the company. †¢ Last but not the least the quality of food and service efficiency is the crux of the fast food industry. A good and satisfying meal will have the consumers returning for more. The satisfied and happy customer will not only promote brand loyalty but will have high recommendations regarding the food and service to their friends and families.This is the greatest form of publicity that a fast food outlet can expect. External factors affecting the fast food industry There are a number of external factors that have a deep impact on the sales and revenue earnings of the fast food chains. The changing demographics, shift in consumer taste and preference, eating habits, increase in cost of supplies and labor, economic condition of the geographical area in which the outlets are located – all these are some of the factors that affect the profitability of the business. Pricing strategyFamilies and individuals in the higher income group are most frequent visitors to the fast food restaurant. The disposable income plays an important role in determining consumerism in this sector. The prices on the menu card is not so important when it comes to catering to high d isposable income group. But that restricts the customer base and may not be an ideal situation for the company. Today’s lifestyle has incorporated the fast food industry into its daily schedule. The Wendy’s or the McDonald’s have menu cards that suit the pocket of the low-income segment group too.Recently McDonald’s had introduced the Dollar Menu where all items cost $1 only. It was a runaway hit with the teenagers and youngsters. The variance in price has enabled McDonald’s to attract customers from all segments. In response to this pricing strategy Wendy’s and Burger King also introduced low priced meals to suit the pocket of all segments. Back Yard Burgers on the other hand have higher priced burgers at $3. 59. The premium priced menu card has not found acceptance with all consumer segments but the management does not want to compromise on the price of the products.It believes that in terms of quality of the food items the prices are reas onable. Back Yard Burgers wanted to distinguish itself from the cutthroat competition in the industry with premium quality products. The management strategy holds good in terms of quality and service but is it good enough for the survival of the company? A look at the sales figures for the past 3 years gives an indication of the sales and revenue trend. Consumer taste and preference The ever changing taste buds and increasing changes in lifestyle of the consumer has kept the fast food industry on their toes.Rising mobility, increasing number of women joining the workforce and hectic schedules leave very little time for a home cooked meal. The need for faster options in food and service was felt that led to the tremendous growth in the fast food industry. Quick serve burgers, pizzas and sandwiches accompanied by French fries and coke became the ideal meal for the average Americans. A diet rich in fat and sugar attracted the consumers in plenty. This resulted in obesity and a disease prone society. Diabetes, heart problems were some of the impacts that the cheesy diet had on the consumers.Lawsuits were filed against some major players in this field like McDonalds for the growing obesity among children and adolescents. This awakened the consumers of fast food and they realized the necessity for healthy alternatives. Health conscious consumers are more alert of what they eat and how it can affect them. The industry witnessed a radical change in consumer taste and preference. This brought about a sharp decline in revenues for the fast food industry. The fast food chain operators brought about a change in their strategy by adding salads, fruits, and soups to the menu cards.Low calorie burgers and sandwiches are offered in addition to the regular menu items. This offers the customers with choice to healthier meal options. Back Yard Burgers has also adapted to the changing consumer preference by adding nutritious salads and milkshakes to their menu card. Introduction of grilled charbroiled burgers that claim lesser fat and lower calories have attracted the consumer interest and taste. Healthier and tastier alternatives in food items prepared with fresh ingredients are the strategic point of Back Yard Burger’s customer service.This has not only earned it a good reputation among the loyal consumers who return for more of the great quality food and taste but has also strengthened its market position. But the fast food industry cannot ensure consumer loyalty since the interest of consumers is flickering. They always want to try something new and better variety of options in food that they consume. To serve the changing tastes of the consumer and maintain their interest the restaurant needs to constantly make changes to its menu card by adapting to their taste buds.Back Yard Burgers should keep this mind while formulating their operating strategy. With more fast food companies offering a wide range of products and services, Back Yard Burgers s hould also draft changes to its existing operating structure. One way of achieving this objective would be to combine the essential features of both fast food and full service restaurants. A menu card that features in a regular full service restaurant integrated with fast food service will work wonders for the company – boosting sales and revenue with an increasing consumer base.Event catering and home delivery service could also open newer avenues for the company. Manpower Issues The fast food industry is a labor driven sector. It has an extensive requirement of manpower to serve the increasing flow of consumer traffic at the outlets. Skilled labor with fast pace of work is the basic requirement for this job. It is mostly youngsters who are eligible for this job but it can be stressful and at times hazardous. This industry requirement for long hours of duty, on the toe at all times and attentive to the needs of the customer is quite an uphill task.There is no doubt that the emergence and growth of this industry sector has solved the unemployment problem to a great extent. Many youngsters have found a living in this industry but the pay packages earlier were not very attractive. The pay scales have no doubt improved now but the work conditions remain almost the same. The Back Yard Burgers currently employ over 10,000 people throughout their chain of restaurants. Each restaurant employs around 25 employees, of which some are part timers. A company-operated restaurant has a unit supervisor and two co-unit supervisors.Each unit supervisor reports to the district manager. A district manager has about five to eight restaurants in their supervision. Their role constitutes of keeping tabs on all aspects of operations and management of the restaurants in their jurisdiction. Each of these district managers’ report to the Director of Operations. The company endorses strict training and personnel development strategy. All personnel have to go through a pers onnel-training program on fast friendly and efficient customer service, restaurant cleanliness, and proper management of day-to-day operations.The employees have to go through classroom sessions that brief them about aspects of food safety, sanitation, laws, and regulations related to the food industry and operational aspects of restaurant. The company envisages labor to be a critical factor in the coming years since the opportunities have increased manifolds. The demand for skilled labor is rising and this will lead to higher wages and compensation packages. Managing and retaining quality workforce in this industry will be a little difficult task and the key to effective manpower management is to keep the employees happy and satisfied with their jobs.Financial Analysis The Back Yard Burgers has 183 restaurants – 44 company-operated and 139 franchisees as on June 30, 2007. The sales figures indicate total revenue of $12,610,000 as compared to last year sales figure of $11,695 ,000. Restaurant sales accounted for $10,688,000 that is a 10. 3% increase from last year figures of $9,686,000. Out of this 10. 3% increase of revenue, 6. 8% is attributed to the addition of two new company-operated restaurants till Jun 30, 2007 since July 1, 2006. The remaining 3.5% increase in the revenue from restaurant sales is from the existing restaurants. Statement of income for the period July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007 The statement of income shows a net income of $209,000 only for the current year as compared to $576,000 in the previous year. An increase in the general and administrative expenses and increased advertising expenditure accounts for the lower net income of the company. The annual turnover of the company in the year 2006 was $44,710,000 as compared to $41,000,000 in the year 2005. The company reported a 9% annual growth in sales.

Should boys and girls be in separate classes? Essay

â€Å"Single-sex education can be especially harmful for children who do not conform to gender stereotypes. Peers are often the strongest enforcers of sex roles. Boys who do not fit the tough, athletic mold and girls who do not fit feminine stereotypes are subject to bullying or exclusion from other children.† Kimmel, M. (2008). Guyland: The perilous world where boys become men. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. â€Å"It appears that bullying is more severe in single-sex academies, which lack the buffering effects of the opposite sex.† Jackson, C. (2002). Can single-sex classes in co-educational schools enhance the learning experiences of girls and/or boys? An Exploration of Pupils’ perceptions. British Educational Research Journal, 28, 37-48. †When children are separated based on simple biological characteristics, there is potential for serious harm. First, the very act of segregation fosters the belief in deep, far-reaching behavioral and ability differences, which runs counter to the true, statistically modest sex differences that do exist.â€Å" Hyde JS (2005) The gender similarities hypothesis. American Psychologist â€Å"Research shows that segregation promotes stereotyping. When teachers emphasize gender, for instance, by lining up boys and girls separately, the children develop more stereotypic views of gender than peers in classrooms where gender is not emphasized.† Hilliard, Lacey J.; Liben, Lynn S. 2010. Differing levels of gender salience in preschool classrooms: Effects on children’s gender attitudes and intergroup bias. Child Development, 81: 1787-1798. â€Å"In fact, segregated classes also increase teachers’ stereotyping.† Datnow, A., Hubbard, L., & Woody, E. (2001) Is single-gender learning viable in the public sector? Lessons from California’s pilot program. Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. â€Å"She found that after two weeks of teachers using gendered language and divisions — lining children up by gender and asking boys and girls to post work on separate bulletin boards — the students showed an increase in gender-stereotyped attitudes toward each other and their choice of toys, and they played less with children of the other sex.† Penn State â€Å"Sex Segregation in Schools Detrimental to Equality.† ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 Sept. 2011. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. More behavior problems â€Å"Gender segregation has negative consequences for social behavior. Research has shown that children who spend more time playing only with same-sex peers show increased gender-typed activities, and their behavior becomes increasingly gender-differentiated.† Martin, C. L., & Fabes, R. A. (2001). The stability and consequences of same-sex peer interactions. Developmental Psychology, 37, 431-446. â€Å"For instance, boys with more exposure to same-sex peers become more aggressive over time, and certain boys, such as those with less self-control, are placed at greater risk for behavior problems.† Fabes, R. A., Shepard, S. A., Guthrie, I. K., & Martin, C. L. (1997). Roles of temperamental arousal and gender segregated play in young children’s social adjustment. Developmental Psychology, 33, 693-702. Main point 2: Prevent socialization between different gender Crossed gender friendship â€Å"By contrast, children in a co-ed class have a wider opportunity to find others they are comfortable with. This is supported by a large recent study of middle and high-school students, where greater numbers of cross-gender friendships were found to reduce the overall level of aggression, compared to schools in which such friendships are rarer.† Faris, R., & Felmlee, D. (2010). Status struggles: Network centrality and gender segregation in same- and cross-gender aggression.American Sociological Review, 76, 48-73. Learn about each other â€Å"To be successful, children must learn to live and work with others whose beliefs, backgrounds, skills, and interpersonal styles are different from their own. Research has clearly shown that children who have interacted with  diverse individuals are better prepared for this task.1 The experience of sharing, working, and learning with children of both genders is vital to developing healthy relationships in both their future families and workplaces.† Orfield, G., Frankenberg, E., & Garces, L. M. (2008). Statement of American social scientists of research on school desegregation to the U.S. Supreme Court in Parents v. Seattle District and Meredith v. Jefferson County. Urban Review, 20, 96-136. Ineffective No advantages â€Å"Our examination of the existing studies leads us to conclude that there is not scientific evidence for positive effects of single-sex schooling,† said Liben. â€Å"That’s not to say that academic outcomes are definitively worse, but neither are they definitively better. Advantages have not been demonstrated.† Penn State â€Å"Sex Segregation in Schools Detrimental to Equality.† ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 Sept. 2011. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. Expensive Counterclaim: Different learning style Supporting evidence â€Å"Their argument is that girls and boys have very different brains, with boys oriented towards math, science and reasoning, and girls excelling in personal relationships and emotion. In this view, the sexes should be parented and educated differently, and steered towards separate careers.† Rivers, Caryl, and Rosalind C. Barnett. â€Å"Education.† Single-Sex Schooling Loses Ground for Good Reasons. N.p., June 2013. Web. 25 Feb. 2015. Counterclaim evidence â€Å"Some supporters of single-sex schools claim that brain differences between boys and girls require different teaching styles. But neuroscientists have found few differences between male and female brains, and none has been linked to different learning styles.† â€Å"It’s simply not true that boys and girls learn differently,† she said. â€Å"Advocates for single-sex education don’t like the parallel with racial segregation, but the parallels are there. We used to believe that the races learned differently, too.† Lewin,  Tamar. â€Å"Single-Sex Education Is Assailed in Report.† The New York Times. The New York Times, 22 Sept. 2011. Web. 23 Feb. 2015. Links https://thesanfordschool.asu.edu/acces/evidence-based-answers-0

Just War Theory

War is said to occur when one state declares hostility against another by which it places the people and resources under its authority to enmity against their adversaries as well as their resources (Gardam J, 1993). According to broadminded ed war historian and theorist Jeffrey Rodgers Hummel, there is an implication of the above definition.In placing its people as well s resources to hostilities, each state is in reality declaring war on three phases; first and foremost as to the other state; second as to the people of the other state; and thirdly as to its own dissenting citizens, should they fail to act in accordance with the State’s demand for manpower and resources (Gardam J, 1993).Going by the above definition offered by Jeffrey R. Hummel, just war would comprise that the war should have a just beginning. That is, it must be declared in reaction to violent behavior; the response has to be reasonable and according to the level of aggression, it has to be begun by an appro priate authority in opposition to appropriate enemy; it has to be conducted in proper manner that is justly†¦that is no harming of innocent people knowingly or intentionally (Gardam J, 1993). The war must have a just originThe just war theory asserts that war should originate only if there is violation of rights and only in self-defense. These rights should be individualistic rights as opposed to those that lead to war, for instance breach of a country’s sovereignty on a realistic altitude. Nevertheless, a difficulty arises at once. The fundamentals necessary to judge the justness of the war’s origin for instance, time and relevant information are not often available at the point war is declared.In deciding the idea of German Catholic participating in war during the Nazi period, it was once remarked by a publisher that â€Å"A scientific judgement concerning causes and origins of the war is absolutely impossible today because the pre-requisites for such a judgeme nt are not available to us. This must wait until a later time when the documents of both sides are available† (Allen C, 1966). The war must be a reasonable response As per the theory, it is grimacing for a provoker to be shot whether he acted on purpose or accidentally.While exercising self-defense the level of force utilized has to be proportional to the force used by the aggressor, while the aim of the responsive force should be articulated on the tenets of protection or restitution. Thus, a war with a just origin should have first exhausted all lesser force employment that could have consummated the desired objectives. It becomes crucial to elucidate one idea that the war should be left with the people with, that the state has consigned their rights of defense with.The question is whether States’ declaration of war places all its citizens to take part in hostilities even though a small proportion of them have been aggressed. Secondly, does aggression directed towards those consigned with the right of defense bind all others under declaration of war? If so, the contract appears to be calculated to enhance the level of violence of any differences as opposed to providing protection or restitution. The war has to be declared by a proper authority and against a proper enemy.Under this theory, the proper authority to exercise a right of self-defense against an aggressor is an agent or individual upon whose rights have been violated. Thus, under this heading a state is interpreted to be a proper authority. Here the assumption is that the war is declared against a state that is proper enemy. Just war should have a just ending On the ordinary observation, a just war (precisely since, it is not a campaign) should finish with the reinstatement of the status quo ante. The model case is a war of hostility, which ends justly when the provoker has been conquered, his attack repulsed, the old boundaries reinstated.Conceivably this is not quite enough for a jus t ending: the wounded state might merit compensations from the aggressor state, so that the damage the aggressor's forces meted out (Gardam J, 1993). In considering the atomic bombing of Japan, Was the bombing just? Was it moral? The use of atomic bombs was not meant to be confined to military targets, as these are obviously weapons mass destruction and could not fail to terrorize the civilians. From point of view of justice, discarding the rule that excludes civilians from deliberate attack represented a grave injustice from which the world requires to recover.If the aim was to end the war this could have been achieved without dropping those bombs on civilians (Gardam J, 1993). Appearing in the Nation, an article by Richard Falk titled â€Å"Defining a just war† in issue of Oct 29, he asserted that the war in Afghanistan qualified to be the first just war since World War II (Roberts A, 1993-1994). Although in the issue Falk went on to warn that the justice of the cause could be â€Å"negated by the injustice of improper means and excessive ends†, he did not relinquish his original affirmation.This utterance came from one of the prominent and respected advocates of international peace and justice. How true was his assertion about just war in Afghanistan (Roberts A, 1993-1994)? Interpreting Falk’s position as saying US war could be just, as long as it adhered to the ideologies he articulated, his argument nevertheless was manifestly wrong. First, on the ground that the principles were broken as of the start of the war and secondly, on the dismissal of alternative action that could have solved the impasse through the United Nations.How could this war be justified if the bombings lead to starvation of many millions of Afghanistan’s due inability of aid agencies to deliver their services to the civilians prior to the felling of the first bomb? On the other hand, prior knowledge of humanitarian crisis that could be occasioned by bombing serves to negate it from being construed as just war. First, the war did not meet the criteria of discrimination (not to harm civilians). Secondly, on the proportionality of the force (force should not be greater than the provoking cause), the force employed was greater compared to that of the aggressor (Roberts A, 1993-1994).The war in Afghanistan largely did not meet the criterion of necessity that calls upon force not to be applied if there are other non-violent means available. Before the onset of the bombing, Taliban Ambassador to Pakistan had proposed that they were ready to try Osama bin Laden if America provided evidence connecting him to the attacks in the New York and Washington. Going by the words of this ambassador, it is clear that this war could have been avoided if US offered the evidence they were demanding in order to prosecute the culprit (Mintz A, 1993).In addition, the ambassador had indicated that under Islamic law legal proceedings could begin. Thus, infact tri al could begin pertaining to the raised allegations followed by evidence being provided in court. However, what happened is that Washington refused to offer evidence, declared its demands were not subject to negotiation and started bombardment of Afghanistan (Mintz A, 1993). Whether Taliban’s offer was serious or not, Washington never bothered to follow, conversely going to war faced with such conditions eliminates the criterion of necessity.Vietnam War first assumed the aspect of political dimension with many at last being pressed towards moral arguments. Of course, the war was seen to be completely irresponsible, and one that could not be won. Its costs, even if the Americans were egoistic, were above the normal. The war was fought unjustly since it involved a lot of brutality by the Americans, a factor that was seen by many as the one that led to the defeat. In a war for â€Å"hearts and minds† as opposed to land and resources, justice stands out to be the main aspe cts to victory.Vietnam War served to educate states that there was a need for state to fight justly and to crown it all, justice has become military necessity. Vietnam was the first war that saw the need for emphasizing the jus in belle principle. It enumerated that Wars unpopular at home should not be fought in addition to wars whereby the state is unwilling to commit its resources. As mentioned earlier Vietnam War was based on doubtful justice and the war was fought unjustly, as it irritated the civilian population. By losing the hearts and minds of the civilians led to the loosing of the whole war.Modern warfare requires that there be support from different civilian populations, expanding past the population facing instantaneous risk. Nevertheless, moral regard for civilians at risk is crucial in winning great support of the war. America has in the past-confused just wars as crusades, as if a war can be just only where the forces of good outweigh those of evil. However, as for Ge orge Bush (elder) he appeared to understand that war, is properly a war of armies, a combat between combatants, through which the citizens should be protected.In good faith, there was nothing of a just war in Iraq bombing in 1991. The civilians there were not protected, since there was destruction of electricity networks as well as water purification plants (Mintz A, 1993). Demolition of infrastructure, that is, significant for civilian existence was rampant during the Gulf War. Nevertheless, American approach in Gulf War was due to compromise among what justice would have necessitated. There was no controlled bombing and collectively as opposed to Korea or Vietnam, targeting was far more unlimited and selective.Conclusion Many people acknowledge that we are faced with moral duty to avoid the evils of war. However, this realization poses many difficult questions, when as responsible individuals we witness tormenting injustices for instance, ‘ethnic cleansing’ (Gardam J, 1993). With millions of lives being risked by war, one is bound to consider if war should ever be justified and if so, for what purpose? In answering the above, it is first important to consider principles of just war theory and finally correlate these principles to historical as well as ongoing conflicts.On the just cause, figures like Ronald Reagan are seen to assert that whether in self-defense or defense for others, remain the only classified cause that justifies waging war. There is a need to justify military intervention in secessionist or revolutionary wars. The conduct of war should also be in accordance with the principles of discrimination and proportionality. Civilians should not be directly targeted ad costs of military action should be proportionate to the expected advantages of ruining military targets. ReferenceAllen C. Isbell, (1966). War and Conscience Abilene, Texas: Biblical Research Press, p. 82. Gardam, Judith Gail. (1993) Proportionality and Force in Internati onal Law. American Journal of International Law, Volume 87, Issue 3, 391-413. Mintz, Alex. (1993). The Decision to Attack Iraq: A Noncompensatory Theory of Decision Making. The Journal of Conflict Resolution, Volume 37, Issue 4, 595-618. Roberts, Adam. (Winter, 1993-1994). The Laws of War in the 1990-91 Gulf Conflict. International Security, Volume 18, Issue 3 134-181. Just War Theory The theory of just war is a military ethics doctrine tracing its origin from catholic and Roman philosophy. The Catholic Church in the United States of America was very vocal in the 1960s in asserting the theory of just war especially in their pastoral letter that were released in 1963 known as ‘The challenge of peace: God’s promise and our response. ’ Moral theologians, international makers and ethicists on just war theory maintain that for any conflict to qualify as just it should meet religious, philosophical and political justice criteria.When our eyes are cast back in the history of America, it is true that US has been involved in various wars for example the First World War, the Second World War and Afghanistan war. In the light of the just war theory, was United States ethically right to enter into these wars? This is what this research will mainly focus on. It will analyze the reasons that made US to enter into these wars from ethics point of view using th e theory of just war as the parameter. The paper starts with a short introduction then the main points and at the end there is a conclusion which is basically the summary of the key points.At the very end of this paper is a list of the resources that are used in this research, properly formatted in accordance with MLA formatting style. According to the United States Catholic Bishops, for any military action to be applied to a conflict it must meet four conditions for it to be legitimate. First of all they say that for any military action to be taken, the damage caused by the aggressor must be enormous, specific, grave and lasting. Secondly, it should be used as the last option that is, when all other means at disposal proves to be ineffective or impractical.Thirdly, the prospects of success before entering the war must be high. The fourth and the last criterion is that there should be lesser evils and disorders than the much that the aggressor(s) caused (Evans 4) Generally there are two sets of criteria for determining whether war is just or not. The first addresses the right to enter in the war while the second one is about the conduct of the military in the war. The former holds that the reason for joining the war must be just but should not for used for revenging or repossessing things captured in other words the cause must be just.In comparative justice principle, injustices suffered by one party must exceed that of the other. Again, war cannot be waged by anybody thus can only be waged by a legitimate authority. It is also argued that there must be high chances of winning the war for fighting a losing battle is wastage of resources. Also war should be used as the last resort or when all other methods have failed. Finally the gains of entering the war must be equal to the loss and harms incurred or in short, macro-proportionality must apply.After the war begins, the just war theory holds that any military action should only target specific places and indiv iduals especially the enemies and their strongholds and the condition of proportionality must apply or put in another way, the amount of force to be used must be gauged by the amount of harm caused and that only a minimum force must be put to task for the goal is not to destroy and harm civilians but to correct the mistakes that were done by the aggressor(s) (Evans, 5)According to the just war theory the entry of United States in the First World War in 1917 could be said to have been just this was because the decision to join the war was made by a legitimate body and not by a single individual. The then president Woodrow Wilson asked the congress to convene twice to determine the way forward. It was in order for US to declare war on Germany as it kept on violating all the agreements that had been made for example it violated the agreement that it would suspend all unrestricted submarine warfare.Germany had also tried to entice Mexico to join the war against US on condition that Germ any would help it to liberate itself from the United States. The other reason was that Germany attacked all neutral ships that neared what was referred to as zones irrespective of what they carried. This affected US in that its passengers were killed and the trade network was interrupted. (Coffman 25) In accordance with just war theory, if the harm is long lasting and grievous then the war is just. The same was the case in the First World War where the US was losing its people and property due to German’s malicious activities.Again as per this theory the war was just because it was used as the last option. At first the US never wanted to join the war and was following the policy of isolation. It used diplomatic talks and signing of agreements to shun war but this proved to be futile and the only option that was left was war. This war was geared towards stopping what Germany was doing and correcting the mistakes that were done and was not meant as a revenge but when the war da mage assessment is done, the damage caused by this war was more than what the aggressor had caused thus as per this theory’s principle the war could be said to have been unjust.(Coffman 26) The US entry on the world war II could also be said to be just according to the just war theory because it was declared by a legitimate body in 1941 after Japan attacked US spheres of interest in Pearl Harbor. Though the war was declared by a recognized legitimate body according to this theory it could be regarded as unjust because it was more of revenge than order restoration. The US wanted to challenge Japan which had proved to be a bother in the Pacific region.The harm that Japan had caused as per the just war theory was not grievous, lasting or that big enough to have merited the consequences that resulted. Just war theory holds that the harm caused by the war should not exceed the damage done by the aggressor but in the case of Japan, the war caused enormous damage in fact about 100,0 00 people perished when the US dropped atomic bombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. This is a clear indicator that US was not only targeting the combatants and their strategic positions but also targeted the civilians and thus in the light of the above the war was unjust.(Coffman 27) As per this theory the war could be said to have been just because the chances of US winning the Second World War were high although this was later proved to have been a miscalculation for it extended longer than expected and that was why the US was forced to resort to atomic bombs. This war could also be said to be unjust if it is judged the theory’s principle that argues that war should not be used as a means of achieving personal gains and in this case US used it as such.It wanted to protect its interests in the Western Europe nations because it had invested a lot in those countries in terms of loans and war materials and thus if they were to be defeated by Germany then this would have meant losing all that it had invested. (Gaido and Walters) The third war that will be analyzed using this theory is the US entry in the Afghanistan war in 2001. According to this theory, this war was justified in all ways. The war was declared by a legitimate institution that is the US government and was in response to terrorist activities of bombing the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.This was the height of terrorism and that was why the US was forced to act. The war was thus meant to control terrorism but not to avenge. When the issues of damages that were caused by these attacks are assessed, they were enormous that the amount of harm that resulted from this war and for this reason the war was just. As per the theory, the war should be used as the last resort and this is what happened in Afghanistan. The US had tried to use all other methods that were at its disposal and they proved to be ineffective. Terrorism continued to be on the increase despite the measures that were taken against it.The US had tried to hold talks with terrorists asking them to stop their terrorism activities. They kept attacking US citizens and other areas of interest and at this time it was pushed beyond limit and had to act. (Gareau 16) As per the just war theory, there is no need to engage yourself in a losing battle but here the US was confident enough that it would win this war and indeed it won thus on the light of the above, the war could be said to have been just. In conclusion, the just war theory is a theory that is used to determine whether the war is just or not.It holds that the war is just if is declared by a legitimately recognized body, if the chances of winning are clear, if it is for correcting the harms done as opposed to revenge and if it is used as the last option when all other methods have failed. Using it to determine whether US was just to enter in the First World War, Second World War and the Afghanistan war, it is right to justify US entry in the first world war an d the Afghanistan war but using the same criteria its entry on the second war could not be justified. Works Cited:Evans, M. Just War Theory: A Reappraisal. Edinburgh University Press, 2005 Coffman E. M. The War to End All Wars: The American Military Experience in First World War. University Press of Kentucky. 1998. Gaido, D. and Walters, D. Socialist Workers Party/Workers Party Split. The Second World War: What the War is About. 2005 http://marxists. catbull. com/history//etol/document/fi/1938-1949/swp- wpsplit/swpwp01. htm Gareau, F. H. State Terrorism and the United States: From Counterinsurgency to The War on Terrorism. Zed Books, 2004