Structural-Functionalist And Social Conflict Essays -

Structural-Functionalist and Social Conflict The study of social stratification is the study of class, caste, privilege, and status that is a characteristic of a particular society. It often varies according to how society is organized especially in terms of production and work. The definition of social stratification is differential ranking of human individuals who compose a given social system and their treatment as superior or inferior relative to one another in certain socially important respects (Parsons, Analytical Approach to Social Strat,69). The structural-functionalist theorist, believe that society can be subdivided into its various parts: economy, ecology, religion, sexuality, and so on and then be analyzed from the different sections listed. Social inequality plays an important role in the running of our society. This influential and controversial argument was set forth some fifty years ago by Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore(1945) (Macionis,245). The structural-functionalist, believe that a society that has unequal rewards will operate more smoothly and make people want to strive to do better things with their lives. A person who washes cars for a living compared to a lawyer, says that one worked harder to get where they are, and the lawyer receives more pats on the back than the car washer ever will. We live in a society in which you must work for everything you get. Some have more ambition than others, which makes our world run the way it does. Social-conflict theorists on the other hand see the social stratification term from a whole other perspective. They say that rather than helping the society as a whole, the social stratification only benefits certain groups while taking away from the left over amounts. Opportunities and wealth are often passed down in families, but our system stops the pattern with their inheritance law (www.ucg.edu.lmt.soc.com). The productive system has brought great disparities in our productive system. Karl Marx also thought that misery would drive the working majority to organize and ultimately overthrow capitalism. In conclusion, both the structural-functionalist and the social conflict theorists have very strong and explained theories. I believe that in todays world the structural-functionalist theory is very accurate and seems to be true in our everyday lives. The media makes it so clear to everyone that an education is the only way to make it in the world. The United States has advanced tremendously in the past century and continues to expand in technology, making it essential to have a college background and extensive educational background. Its our choice on where we want to go in life and I feel that no one can shape it for us, we must do it ourselves.

Net Censorship Essays - Pornography Law, Censorship, Free Essays

Net Censorship Essays - Pornography Law, Censorship, Free Essays Net Censorship Most of us have used it. Most of us find it useful, Some of us find it entertaining. Some of us find it offensive. ?It? is the Internet. The Internet has dramatically changed our society. It brings together people and their ideas from all around the world in a short amount of time. It is expanding daily to allow new ideas and thought s to be transmitted quickly and easily with the single click of a button. One can find information on almost any subject there. Yet many people are trying to censor it. The Internet contains racist thoughts, sexually explicit material and much more inappropriate material. But who is it inappropriate for and why should it be censored? In 1996 the Communications Decency Amendment was passed by congress. This amendment imposed a $100,000 fine or a 2-year jail term on anyone who used the Internet to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass anyone else. Pro-censors believed the act to be necessary in order to extend the standards of decency to the new telecommunications device. Anti-censors thought the amendment was acting like the ?thought police.? Recently though the Supreme Court overturned the Communications Decency Act in the civil case of Reno v. ACLU. This new law states that the Internet deserves the same level of speech protection as books or other printed material. Even with this new law in effect many people are still trying and some are succeeding at censoring the Internet. They are creating schemes to block and rate the net. A meeting recently took place at the White House about this subject. Several industry leaders and the government agreed to try to originate a variety of systems to block and regulate controversial online speech. Despite the Supreme Court these leaders are inching toward the dangerous and incorrect understanding that the Internet is like television and should be rated and/or censored. During this meeting many announcements took place. Netscape, a major online server, proclaimed their plans to join Microsoft, a major computer company, and adopt the Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS). PICS is a rating standard that established a consistent way to rate and block online content. IBM also had an announcement: They have decided to make a $100,000 grant to Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSAC), another rating system. They did this in hopes of encouraging it?s use. Senator Patty Murray of New York announced of a proposed legislation that would tax civil and ultimately criminal penalties on those who mis-rate a website. What will be the result of all these actions? The Internet will become bland and homogenized. The major commercial sites will still be readily available but those who circulate quirky and idiosyncratic speech, those who create their own home pages or post to controversial news groups will be the first to be blocked by filters and made invisible by the search engines. They will still be there but available only to those with the know how and the tools. Does this material deserve to be censored anyway? Internet users know best what they are looking at. If it offends them, they should move on. The primary responsibility for determining what speech to access and what speech not to access should remain up to the Internet user not filters. Many parents have a problem with their children and the Internet. There are many suggestions and ideas for controlling what they are viewing. The parents should also have they computer in a room where they can look over the child?s shoulders every once in a while to check up on them. The parents should put time restrictions on usage of the computer. There are many solutions to this problem. In conclusion the Internet is a quickly growing addition to our culture., It informs, entertains and can possible offend. But with the Supreme Court?s ruling, no one should be allowed to censor it. The Internet is a never-ending worldwide conversation that deserves the highest protection from government intrusion.

Factors Contributing to Intelligence Success or Failure Essay

Factors Contributing to Intelligence Success or Failure - Essay Example This researcher argues that the intelligence community can successfully deliver its contribution to denuclearization process (Cordesman & Al-Rodhan, 2006). When those deployed are able to concretely provide accurate and sensible information to commanders and national legislatures for an effective understanding of complex counterinsurgency environment. This information must be holistic and integrated analyses from the ground and are logically reflective of the inherently complex â€Å"shades-of-gray† empirical truth, with mix conventional and systematic military that are color-coded in categories (Flynn & Flynn, 2012). Conversely, the intelligence community will fail if it lack rigorous study and evaluation of the issues, and when their information are not backed with empirical evidences to support suppositions, hence failing the analysts to logically see the holistic and integral reality of an issue (Flynn & Flynn, 2012; O’ Hem, 2012). The state, military officials and international body’s decision-makings on security management rely on evidences or proofs (Heuer, 1999). It is therefore expected that the intelligentia must be thorough, rigorous and comprehensive in its military intelligence leadership (Heuer, 1999). The latter’s policy and doctrines require the delivery of integrated and fused intelligence to inform officials without neglect of the fact that their work demand functional and technical and technical aspects of intelligence analysis (Heuer, 1999; Kan, 2011). It is expected that those who are deployed in this nature of job have depth interests on many tools for analysis such as, (a) political, economic, social, technological, logistical, and ecological analysis (PESTLE); (b) strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis (SWOT); (c) business analysis; (d) forensic analysis; (e) demographic, historical and operational analyses; (f) psychological and socio-cultural analysis; and, (g) all forms of quantitative an d qualitative method of research. Being on the ground, they should be able to identify who are the friendly and non-friendly stakeholders that are supportive or not supportive in the collaborative efforts of denuclearizing Iran and the rest of the world. Connable (2012) proposed that intelligence staff should deliver a holistic understanding of the environment; mapping groups and persons to depict the bigger picture of the issue; and help commanders appreciate the complexity conflicting and conflicted nature of identity, motivation, loyalty, and behavior of those involved in the nuclear production trade. Through this, decision-makers seek relatively practical and clear analyses of all stakeholders and break their identities and relations (Connable, 2012). It is also important that initial alliance to those opposed on nuclear production in the domestic arena are established to facilitate the development of a political environment where public education are undertaken pertaining to th e impact of nuclear production in their very own community and how these affect its neighboring countries as well. Using praxis as evidences to produce accurate, realistic, and practical analyses from all-source fusion will be ideal, albeit acknowledging the limits of information collection in areas where they are somewhat impaired or where evidences do not exists. Their goals, within these processes, must be analytic in approach and needs to be pliant to unique circumstances and

Chinese media on the relations between government and media Essay

Chinese media on the relations between government and media - Essay Example To start with, the story of Chinese media commercialization started in 1978 and formally broke the previous subsidized propaganda epoch for local media (Zhao 1998, p. 52). However, the real situation with economic reform did not change media dramatically and government saved its authoritarian mechanism of ruling national news making. Thus, current tension in the relations between Chinese government and society have a long-term story (Spence 2013, p. 700). In fact, Shirk (2011) supports this idea by providing evidence that CCP occupied all the media (including periodic, television, radio and later the Internet) within the country after 1979 (p. 1). Precisely, the fact that right after the reform (in 1979) there still existed 69 totally controlled by the government newspapers signalizes of rather remained propaganda than new type of journalism in the country. Even though certain magazines experienced commercialization in 1980s, they originated from â€Å"politically safe† areas, like fashion and computers . In practice, this tendency results in cases of silence on potentially scandalous stories about Communist Party members, as it happened with Li Zhen. In other words, the early period of commercialization concerned only the sphere of advertising as â€Å"the new lifeblood†. Thus, it is relevant to state that media reform happened without radical change of relations between the government and Chinese society. In this situation, further commercialization did not change the previous control of CCP over social diversity.

Cialis Case Study Marking Scheme Essay Example for Free

Cialis Case Study Marking Scheme Essay Question 1 (25 Marks Total): According to information provided in the case, identify 3 main ED market segments. Describe each segment’s characteristics, including opportunities and barriers for adoption. Focus on key ED segments essential for future marketing campaign, as opposed to all possible segments. If sufficient information is provided in the case, identify potential size of the segment. -Correctly identifying demographics/age as a segment (2 marks) -Discuss main each age sub-group 20-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+ segments (2 marks) and main barriers/opportunities to Cialis adoption: ED as a normal part of aging vs. waiting for condition to go away (2 marks); reasonably justified additional factors (up to 2 marks) -Correctly identifying Viagra usage status as a segment (2 marks) -Estimating size of Current Viagra Users/Viagra Drop-outs/Never tried Viagra segments – (1 mark) -Describing main barriers/opportunities to Cialis adoption by each sub-group: focus on willingness to try Cialis dimensions (2 marks); possible reasons for dropping Viagra use (2 marks); reasonably justified additional factors (up to 2 marks) -Correctly identifying Benefit of Duration as a segment (2 marks) -Describing main barriers/opportunities to Cialis adoption by each sub-group of prior Viagra users drop-outs vs. current users and those who have not tried Viagra (4 marks); reasonably justified additional factors (up to 2 marks) -Partial marks awarded for ED market segments not mentioned above and a convincing argument/description for such segment’s importance (up to 6 marks) Question 2 (10 Marks Total) – Discuss evolution of the Viagra brand, how it is positioned on the market vs. public’s perception of the brand and resulting opportunities for Cialis -Discuss early endorsement by Bob Dole and positioning (ie ED is a serious disease, targeting older age segment) (3 marks), followed by Mark Martin and change in targeting/brand messaging (associating Viagra with success and excitement, targeting younger age group) (3 marks) -Discuss the image of Viagra in popular culture and opportunities for Cialis (ridiculing public images creating barriers for men to overcome; partner perceives that her husband’s desire is a result of taking the pill, not genuine desire) (4 marks). Question (3) (20 Marks Total): Describe Pro’s and Con’s of positioning Cialis (1) vertically based on duration of benefit and (2) horizontally based on attitudes toward sex. For this question, consider potential success with each market segment described in Question 1 and discuss differences in profiles of Cialis vs. Viagra. Consider whether each positioning increases demand in general or converts Viagra users. -Pro’s and con’s of Vertical positioning based on ’36 hours vs. 4’ hours. Should include the following: oConvenience/Spontaneity/Week-ends (1 Mark) oEconomics/Frequency (1 Mark) oPotential safety concerns (1 Mark) oNo interaction with high-fat meals (1 Mark) oOr other factors, justified (up to 2 Marks) oEffective use of information provided in the case, particularly in-depth interviews to justify position (2 Marks) oEffective analysis of appeal to each segment (3 Marks) oEffect on demand (1 Mark) -Pro’s and con’s of Horizontal Positioning based on attitude towards sex for Cialis vs. Viagra. Should include the following: oRomantic lifestyle (1 Mark) oExcitement/success (1 Mark) oMore natural sex dynamics for couples (1 Mark) oHero-enabler/Man is the hero vs. the pill being hero (1 Mark) oOr other factors, justified (up to 2 Marks) oEffective use of information provided in the case, particularly in-depth interviews to justify position (2 Marks) oEffective analysis of appeal to each segment (3 Marks) oEffect on demand (1 Mark) QUESTION 4 (35 Marks Total) – By answering each of the sub-questions 1 through 5, discuss how you would launch Cialis into the market, paying careful attention to the fact that incumbent may create certain barriers to overcome; consider benefits for Cialis market share vs. the entire category and fit with each market segment. 1)Briefly state your marketing strategy (horizontal vs. vertical); summarize your product positioning and launch strategy (5 Marks Total) 2)Describe your chosen product attributes in the context of your positioning (hint: describe only attributes you can control: color, packaging, name, etc) (5 Marks Total) 3)Describe your pricing strategy and provide annual per customer revenue estimate (13 Marks total) -Analysis pricing target and market segments (5 Marks) -Analysis for pricing above/below Viagra (5 Marks) oFactors that should be covered: ï‚ §Price image effects ï‚ §Economic benefit to patient ï‚ §Consumer willingness to pay ï‚ §Impact of coverage by Health Plans -Per Customer Revenue Estimate (3 Marks Total): oEstimate revenue based on patient pills per year and proposed price (2 Marks) taking into account dropouts (1 Mark) or other relevant factors (up to 1 Mark) 4)Describe primary aspects of your launch strategy with respect to Pull vs. Push marketing (7 Marks Total). -Analysis should include the following factors: oAnalysis of relevant physician behavior – urologists vs. generalists; doctors may refuse prescriptions and do not initiate treatment oAnalysis of relevant consumer behavior oRole of partners oProduct promotions, other means to encourage trying Cialis oSales force requirements oConsistency with each target market and positioning 5)Describe your Communication Strategy (5 Marks Total) oAnalysis should include the following factors: ï‚ §Communication to each market segment ï‚ §Communicating to patients, partners, Viagra users, and physicians ï‚ §Which mediums should be deployed ï‚ §Who should be featured in adds, what age group(s), gender ï‚ §Event sponsorships and/or endorsements QUESTION 5 (10 Marks Total): Given your responses in Question 4 and by responding to sub-questions 1 and 2, discuss how Pfizer may respond to your Cialis positioning and how this may be addressed post product launch (7 marks); Discuss how Cialis could anticipate and respond to introduction of Levitra by GSK (3 marks). 1)Discuss how Pfizer may respond to Cialis positioning (7 marks) oAnalysis should include the following factors: ï‚ §Most likely response(s) from Pfizer ï‚ §Viagra’s long presence in the market ï‚ §Promotions/discounts on Viagra ï‚ §Thoughtful argument how Cialis camp might respond oDiscuss how Cialis could anticipate and prepare introduction of Levitra by GSK (3 marks). oAnalysis should include the following factors: ï‚ §Levitra profile ï‚ §Most likely positioning by GSK ï‚ §Response, if any, by Cialis camp

The Cold War :: History, USSR, The Space Race

Imagine a world where everyone has nothing, this was the USSR during the Cold War. The Cold War was a 40 yearlong war between the USA and the USSR. The US and the USSR never had any direct contact, but what they did do was have "races". These "races† were the Nuclear Arms race and the Space race. The Nuclear Arms race was not so much an arms race as it was a defense race. This is because with both sides have nuclear bombs, both of them would have enough bomb power to retaliate (Hart 440) The Space Race was, as the name says, a race to see who could get up in space first. Amazingly nuclear arms helped fuel man to get up in space. The Cold War was a war between the USSR and the US. Even though they never fought directly there were many wars between democracy and communism. Most of the wars between 1950-1990 were part of the Cold War (BrianPOP). For example, the Korean War (1950-1953) and the Vietnam Conflict (1955-1975) are two well-known wars that happened because of communism. (Wikipedia). The Korean War was a war fought between North and South Korea. North Korea was Communist and Soviet backed, while South Korea was part of the UN (Dolan 9). Like the Korean War the Vietnam Conflict was a war fought between North and South Vietnam. Also like the Korean War the South was democratic while the north was communist (Wikipedia). Some of the wars fought between Communism and Democracy happened in a smaller scale. For example, in Germany 1938, the Soviet Union limited transport into the city of Berlin. Germany at this time was split into two sections, Democratic and Communism. The French, British, and America controlled the West, while Russia controlled the East (HowStuffWorks). The city of Berlin was divided between the two sections, East and West Berlin. In 1938, Stalin stopped transport into the city by putting up blockades, blocking all roads and railroads that led out of the city (Hart 438). Stalin was doing this to starve out the Allies so they would get out of the city. The Allies didn’t move, but what they did do was fly planes into the city of Berlin and dropped off food and supplies (Hart 438). Ten months later Stalin gave up on the blockade and took it down (Hart 438). During the Cold War, Berlin was hit again by the influences of Stalin.

A Night at the Opera

A Night at the Opera Analysis Paper A Night at the Opera is a 1935 American comedy film starring the Marx brothers. Groucho Marx, Chico Marx and Harpo Marx. The Marx brothers influence on comedy can still be seen in todays films. There is very few comedians that have ever had as long a lasting influence or been as well-known as they are. It is absolutely astonishing that after over seventy years, it still portrays the same amount of enjoyment and laughter in â€Å"modern† viewers as it did when the film was first distributed.The language of their comedy has not dulled over time, aspects of Marx brother humor can be found throughout sit-coms, movies, comedic acts and especially cartoons. I have been a huge fan of the show called I Love Lucy since I was about 7 years old, but I never knew that the Marx brothers had such an influence on the show and that they based a lot of there comedy scenes from the Marx brothers, and Harpo had actually starred in one of their episodes as well . In the film A Night at the Opera they have a singer names Ricardo Baroni, and in the set of I Love Lucy her husbans name is Ricky Ricardo.I feel as if since A Night at the Opera played such a big influence on their show that maybe they were trying to place that name in there as some type of contribute to them and their film. I also have seen many scenes in the cartoon Tom and Jerry that tie in together from the Marx brothers. This is just proof that from Groucho's wisecracking word play, Chico conning every person he can when he has the chance, to the way Harpo's doesn't speak and frankly comes off really dumb founded. There sense of humor is timeless and forever will be a true classic.