CAGB Report Essay Example for Free

CAGB Report Essay Introduction   Good morning. Today we will be discussing the topic of membership into the Chicory Association of Great Britain (CAGB). It has come to the attention of Sunshine PR that everyone serving on the CAGB committee has a farming background. Thus, each of you should realize that anyone desiring to join the CAGB must be given simple, yet detailed information. With that being said, Sunshine PR perceives membership into the CAGB as an opportunity for farmers to expand into large retail chains in the local area. Right now, these retail chains are dependent upon imported exotic vegetables. Yet, Sunshine PR has realized that local independent farmers can provide fresh vegetables that are home-grown to these businesses. Therefore, the company would like to brief you on the benefits of independent farmers acquiring membership you’re your establishment. While there is a budget of only â„“50,000 for a national PR campaign, Sunshine PR feels the money can be stretched. One way of doing so is to get local celebrities, rock stars, supermodels, and other professionals that are highly esteemed in the public’s eye to donate their time and efforts for this cause. Thus, the purpose of this presentation is to detail a PR campaign for the CAGB to acquire members who can provide fresh, home-grown vegetables to local UK retailers.   Outline   First, we begin with a brief outline of what will be addressed throughout this presentation. Sunshine PR will look at the Situation, Step-by-Step approach, Objectives, Message Strategies, Target Strategies, Implementation, and Evaluation. These items will be defined as this presentation continues. Sunshine PR will also discuss the various Stakeholders available. Therefore, this presentation will answer the following questions: Project management Where are we now? Where do we want to be? What are we doing to get there? Who do we need to talk to? How will we know we’ve arrived? Practicalities. This means the physical constraints, the facts, and the feasibility of this project. Approvals.   Therefore, we can now begin. Project management   Sunshine PR has been given this opportunity to run a PR campaign for CAGB. Our company is very thankful for this opportunity. Sunshine PR has been in business for many years. As a result, we have helped a variety of clients from a diverse background. However, Sunshine PR would like to benefit CAGB by helping the association raise awareness in regards to the importance of chicory in this area. Sunshine PR understands that the budget is only â„“50,000. Yet, we believe this amount is durable to get the point across. Therefore, the Situation being looked at is one in which local farmers need the opportunity to sell home-grown vegetables to local markets. By doing so, money remains at home versus the current situation of local retailers importing vegetables and thus, spending money elsewhere. Where are we now?   By money being spent elsewhere, our economy is losing opportunities to expand. Therefore, the CAGB needs to raise awareness about the benefits of local independent farmers becoming a CAGB member. Yet, membership should come with the understanding that ‘chicory is a bushy perennial herb with blue or lavender flowers’. It can be used in salads, as a coffee substitute, as a sweetener. Chicory can also be put in yogurt. [Picture of chicory taken from Microsoft clipart]   Thus, the opportunities for making profits in providing chicory to local retailers are endless. Consequently, Sunshine PR has come up with membership packages suitable for experienced, upcoming, and future independent British farmers that the CAGB can offer its members. These packages come in six levels of membership, similar to those packages found at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations website. These memberships include the following: Member MCAGB. This package offers several possibilities into full membership with the CAGB. Associate ACAGB. This package is open to those farmers with at least 3 years of farming experience or a CAGB approved qualification. Affiliate. This package is open to those farmers with lesser than 3 years of farming experience or those who are working in a related industry. Student. This package is open to those studying a CAGB approved qualification. Affiliate Studying. This package is open to those studying a farming qualification that is not CAGB approved. Fellow FCAGB. This package is awarded to those farmers who have made an outstanding contribution to the United Kingdom.   This brings us to the Step-by-Step approach. It answers the next question. Where do we want to be? With this PR campaign, the CAGB wants to be in the driver’s seat. This means that all farmers joining the CAGB will come on-board with the idea in mind of returning profits back to the local community. In order for this step to be successful we need to: Inform Address Evaluate Implement In order for the CAGB to get anywhere, it must first (a) Inform the general public of what the association is all about. Thus, the CAGB will be making the general public aware that the association plans to help local farmers deliver fresh, home-grown vegetables (in particular, chicory) to local retailers. In this approach, some of the local celebrities can be seen in a commercial drinking a cup of coffee that is made from home-grown chicory.   Next, CAGB needs to (b) Address. In this step, the general public should be made aware of all the jobs being lost by local retailers importing vegetables. By putting even one farmer out of business, that means plenty of local residents (who work on these farms) being put out of work. Not only that, it extracts from the distribution channels in which the vegetables can be delivered. For example, local distributors do not have to go overseas to pick the vegetables up. Also, the chances of the money being made from the sell and/or purchase of local products actually being spent locally increases.   Third, the CAGB should (c) Evaluate. In this step, an Evaluation of all the costs to the CAGB, its members, and the retailers should be examined. Costs to the CAGB have already been predetermined as â„“50,000 to run the PR campaign. However, the CAGB should note that hidden costs may exist as well. Hidden costs are those costs associated with something going wrong or an unpredictable event occurring. This means it is possible for costs to exceed â„“50,000. As a result, Sunshine PR will leave between â„“5,000 to â„“10,000 to account for potential costs beyond our control in the Miscellaneous Section of the budget. Thus, Market Research will play a key role in the implementation of this PR campaign. In order to find out who is interested in buying fresh vegetables, we need to probably pay consumers to take surveys. Not only that, we can find out what types of vegetables local retail chains want to sell by interviewing them. Information about Market Research possibilities can be found at the Communication Research website.   Fourth, after the full details of the budget have been decided (and Market Research has been analyzed), our company must get with the CAGB to discuss how to (d) Implement. In this stage, we must decide who will be a part of this campaign, all the types of media to use, who the target audience will be, when the project will begin, and how much to charge the farmers who decide to join one of the various levels of memberships. Of course, all of these things can be decided upon the acceptance of this proposal from Sunshine PR by the CAGB committee. Consequently, we can go to the next question. What are we doing to get there?   In order to get to the point where our local farmers are servicing the local retailers with fresh vegetables, the CAGB must first make the local farmers aware of its organization. Some of the ways to accomplish this goal include: Establishing public relations as a critical component of [CAGB] organizational success; Empowering current and future public relations professionals who represent a broad spectrum of diversity†¦ Building a community of leaders to serve the profession [CAGB members] and the Society [United Kingdom]; and Enhancing universal understanding [in particular, the United Kingdom areas] of, and appreciation for, the power and value of public relations, while adhering to the highest standards of ethics and excellence. As a result, some Objectives are needed. These objectives help us to understand the next question. Who do we need to talk to? The CAGB needs to talk to farmers. In addition to farmers, the CAGB needs to talk with local retailers, the general public, the media, banks, and so forth. Therefore, one of the main objectives is to determine who all the Stakeholders (as those just mentioned) are. As a result, the Stakeholders need to be broken down into manageable components. [Picture of farmer extracted from Microsoft Clipart] Thus, Sunshine PR has listed the Stakeholders into five parts: Public. The public includes the media and local community. Overseas. In the overseas part, we need to find out who the local retailers are importing to and then determine how we can undercut the prices the local retailers are paying for imported vegetables. Financial. In this section, we need to decide how the farmers who join the CAGB will be helped from a financial standpoint. Maybe set up partnerships with local banks for those farmers who become CAGB members is a good start. Government. Here, we want to inform our government of what is going on. Perhaps the government wants to get involved because by business staying at home, more money becomes available for taxation purposes as well. Commercial. In this section, we want to decide who the suppliers of the products will be, the wholesalers that exist, and the retailers available for this opportunity. No medium should be left unturned. Internal. In this section, we need to get CAGB members on board, management needs to be kept current on what is going on, and if any unions exist for the farmers, then we need to make sure the independent contracts are signed between the farmer and the local retailer so all details of what is to occur are known. In this manner, no surprises that will incur extra costs can result from a retailer telling a farmer they did not deliver all that was expected or from a farmer telling a retailer that they cheated them out of some money. This brings us to the next question. How will we know we’ve arrived? Well, we will know this from our Message Strategies and Targeting Strategies. First, we need to have two Message Strategies: (a) One is to understand that by local farmers selling chicory to local retailers, the partnerships will lead to more jobs and a better economy in the UK and (b) The other is to know that the PR campaign will raise total awareness of the fact that the CAGB will help independent farmers acquire business with local retail chains providing that the farmers choose to become a CAGB member.   Moreover, the PR campaign will help the general public to understand what the CAGB is and who the CAGB can help. In this aspect, the Targeting Strategy includes (a) Consumers—in this case the Consumers are the general public, the Suppliers are the farmers, and the Distributors are the local retail chains. In addition, (b) the Targeting Strategy includes the Media. Who is the media? Well, the media includes local television stations, newspapers, radio stations, billboards, and other methods of advertisements. Therefore, the Consumers should know that the products sold at local food retail chains will be fresh and home grown. Furthermore, the Media should know that the CAGB is trying to help farmers stay in business, local retail chains sell fresh products, and consumers eat fresh and healthy goods that come from home-grown vegetables. In a matter of speaking, this means CAGB will be helping those at home help themselves.   Significantly, CAGB can align its Strategies with Target Public Relations’ Objectives as presented by PRCA.   Target’s PR programme for SMEs had a number of defined objectives:   To sustain media coverage and Powergen’s reputation for ‘energy expertise’ amongst SMEs throughout the year—including during the summer period, when warm, sunny days mean the issue of energy consumption at work is of much less interest to both journalism and SMEs.   To build a relationship between Powergen and SMEs, capitalizing on the fact that no other energy supplier is talking directly to them.   To broaden the perception of energy to include ‘personal energy’ and positivity in line with Powergen’s overall brand objectives, led by the irreverent ‘Bob’ advertisements starring comedian Simon Day.   This brings us to possible practicalities or constraints. As a result, we need to discuss them. Practicalities.   One of the main constraints is how to regain the business that has already been lost to companies exporting vegetables to the United Kingdom. Within this constraint is the fact that comments often influence decisions. Therefore, what we say throughout this PR campaign will be under a microscope. In simple terms, this means we will be quoted. This issue was discussed in an article presented at the Institute for Public Relations  (IPR) website. In the article, Paine discussed,   In the media and in most news groups, the vast majority of what is said about a particular organization is neutral. But the unfettered and unfiltered nature of the blogosphere [media] brings more opinions and frequently more negative opinions. Remember to step back as far as you can and remain objective. Think like your target audience. Just because someone leaked a piece of information or got a name wrong is not reason to respond or get involved in a discussion. Yet, as mentioned earlier in this presentation, â„“50,000 is not much. Therefore, limited funding is another practicality. Still, a third practicality is getting independent farmers to realize that CAGB membership is important to them achieving a sustainable competitive future. However, it is important to know that this PR campaign may not be enough. Overbury wrote, ‘For many PR agencies and departments, the place they will look for that expertise and new media familiarity will be those just joining the profession’. Thus, we come to understand that it is possible to acquire new CAGB members and therefore, help them sell chicory to local retail chains. Approvals.   We need to implement the objectives and strategies discussed in this presentation for two reasons: (1) Job vacancies and (2) To connect. First, we can open up more jobs by helping farmers sell locally. This, in turn, betters the community. Second, we can connect people-to-people by helping them to develop relationships with one another. In this manner, culture does not get lost as it sometimes does when international companies come in with their goods and services. Also, it should be noted that email can be one of the main methods (social media) of both corresponding and obtaining approval as determined by PR Studies.   Also, it should be mentioned that the UK economy will face global turmoil and high oil prices in the upcoming year. Therefore, our economy is in for a bumpy ride, as pointed out by Giles. Remarkably, we can use this to our advantage to get local retail chains to contract with local farmers who are members of the CAGB. Not only that, the fact that oil prices have increased means that it is getting difficult to keep up with the currency exchange. As a result, inflation is possible, as The Economist discussed.   Therefore, getting Approvals for implementation of the items mentioned in this CAGB Report are very achievable.   Consequently, let me suggest that the campaign begin by us purchasing a list of consumers’ email addresses and sending out a bulk, but relevant email  detailing what we are trying to accomplish. We can then ask the consumers to answer the survey and send the email back to us for a free cup of coffee or something along those lines.   Conclusion   So, now this presentation comes to concludes. Please keep in mind that the main issues to be addressed in the PR campaign concerns us making the general public aware that they can purchase fresh vegetables if the local farmers are given the opportunity to sell to the local retail chains. Thus, the main goal is to get the independent local farmers to become members of the CAGB so that they can have the opportunity to sell their chicory and other vegetables to local retail chains. Remarkably, this will help the UK reduce the heavy reliance on imported exotic vegetables. As a result, by local farmers selling to local retail chains, the local economy will be able to create a sustainable competitive economy. Thus, in order for us to achieve a better future, let us narrow the bridge the gap between our consumers, our local farmers (suppliers), and our local retail chains (distributors). Thank you. Microsoft PowerPoint ¹. Public Relations: Theory Practice: Week 3 PR Campaign Planning, slds. 1-19. 2007. retrieved 27 November 2007, PRTAPWK03_-Planning_Models Microsoft PowerPoint ². Public Relations: Theory Practice: Week 4 Stakeholding Media Relations Consultancy practice, slds. 1-18. 2007. retrieved 27 November 2007, PRTAPWK03_-Planning_Models   Wikipedia, Chicory, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, 2007, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicory Wikipedia, Chicory. Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), Membership grades, CIPR, 2007, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://www.cipr.co.uk/membership/index.htm   CIPR, Membership grades. CommunicationResearch.org. Market Research, 2007, retrieved 27, November 2007, http://www.communicationresearch.org/search/ Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Mission, PRSA, 2007, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://www.prsa.org/aboutUs/strategicPlanning.html?WT.ac=ABOUT_StratPlanningTopNav Microsoft PowerPoint ². Slide 17. Target Public Relations, Campaign: ‘Britain’s Most Energetic Boss’ B2B campaign, PRCA, September 2004-February 2005, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://www.prca.org.uk/assets/pdf/boss.pdf Target Public Relations, Objectives, p. 2. K.S. Paine, How to measure Social Media Relations, Institute for Public Relations, April 2007, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://www.instituteforpr.org/files/uploads/How_to_Measure_Blogs.pdf Paine, p. 7.   K Overbury, Behind the Spin: What happens when the â€Å"new media† isn’t new enough?, PublicSphere, 27 June 2006, pp. 1-2, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://publicsphere.typepad.com/behindthespin/2006/06/what_happens_wh.thml PR Studies, Only connect, 21 November 2007, retrieved 27 November 2007, http://prstudies.typepad.com/weblog/ C Giles, UK—Economy Trade: Warning given of ‘bumpy ride’ for economy, The Financial Times, 28 November 2007, retrieved 28 November 2007, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/48855d02-9d3e-11dc-af03-0000779fd2ac.html The Economist, Finance Economics: Countdown to lift-off, The Economist Newspaper Limited 2007, 2007, retrieved 28 November 2007, http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10191717   M Varley, Relevance is â€Å"king† of DM, Centaur Communications Ltd, 27 November 2007, retrieved 28 November 2007, http://www.mad.co.uk/Logon/

Event management

Event management Introduction to Event Management Event management is a continuous process that revolves around the utilization of project management practices, in the creation and programming of events such as conferences, seminars, festivals and business exhibitions (Polivka 1996). It involves the planning, monitoring and controlling of activities and resources that would be used, as an event evolves from a preliminary concept into an active and operational implementation. The process of event management involves studying the purpose of the event, identifying the prospective target audience, inventing a suitable event concept, planning and coordinating the logistics and finally executing the proposed event (Renton 1994; Passingham 1995). It is important to note that event management continues even after the execution of the actual event. Post-event analysis is necessary to gauge the ultimate success or failure of an event. Event Report HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Introduction Since the discovery of HIV/AIDS at the end of the 20th Century, cases of new infections have been on the rise in alarming rates, particularly in African and Asian countries (Petersen 2006; David 2009). This is in spite of educational and awareness campaigns, by both governmental and other non-governmental organizations (NGOS). The fact that more people have easy access to information regarding the pandemic has not changed HIV prevalence in most countries. It is becoming clearer that the spread of the HIV virus might be due to other reasons and not due to a lack of behavioral change or mere ignorance. HIV/AIDS awareness days have been used to try to educate the population and determining possible factors for the rising infection rates. It is fast becoming reality that most of the methods used to educate the population might be ineffective in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Many events are held every year trying to address this pandemic. According to Rockstroh et al. (2008), while some events might help in reducing infections, others end failing. This indicates that the organizational methodology plays a key role in determining their overall success of events. Main Purpose of Event The main purpose of this HIV/AIDS awareness day was to inform and educate the community on several topics related to HIV/AIDS. Despite the fact that most people know of HIV/AIDS, many myths and misconceptions about the virus persist. People still believe in these myths and uphold the misconceptions about the virus. The purpose of the event was to clarify and remove these myths and misconceptions, through the education of the target population on the facts about the disease. Scope of the Event: Target Audience According to Danta and Dusheiko (2008), in this era of HIV/AIDS, awareness and education about the virus deserves a national audience, if not an International one. However, the target audience in this event was the local community in Darling which is a rural town in South Africa. The age range was between the ages of 15 years to 35 years, as this age group is the worst affected by the pandemic. Nevertheless, older people were allowed to attend the event, as it was a public meeting of global importance. The main reason for having a small target audience was due to two factors. Firstly, it is easier to convey a message to a smaller group of people without distorting the information. Moreover, it is also easier to involve a small target audience in an events activities, as it is financially feasible (Cotterell 1994; Goroll et al. 2000). Figure (1) Venue The event takes place in a secondary school in Darling which is a small town in South Africa to delver a specific message to local and international youth. The school is not just a place to learn but it is also a place to educate. Time The end of the school year is a suitable time for this event in order to direct youth from different negative situations that they may experience at this period of time to productive experiences involving responsibilities and exciting social and educational event (Srevent, 2010). Figure (3) Theme The main theme of the event is the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. The slogan is listen, you may get it! to educate youth that they may be infected by HIV/Aids if they do not follow the safe medical practice. Feasibility of the Event Since HIV/AIDS being a global pandemic, the event received financial support from the Government, (NGOS) international donors and local organizations. The physical resources required included tents, music sound equipment and a performance stage among many others. Most of the support personnel were volunteers and local youth. Due to massive support from organizations, the miscellaneous costs were easily achieved. Format of Event This HIV/AIDS awareness day took a paradigmatic shift from the norm, as it addressed the matters at hand using a very different style. Most events that address HIV/AIDS events are often education oriented, whereby attendees are literally taught in classes or discussion groups about HIV/AIDS. This event incorporated the appeal of sports, music and other fun activities to teach the audience and particularly youth on how to protect themselves from infection. Figure (5, 6, 7) How did Event Address the Theme The main theme of the event was the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. The event started with a keynote speech from health experts and local officials. This was followed by some inspirational music from invited artists. In addition to entertaining the audience, the artists ensured that the songs they were performing were informative and relating to the theme of the event. Musical performances where interchanged with short dramas and skits about HIV/AIDS. The most interesting thing was that some of these musicals and skits were played out in the local dialect and thus grabbing the full attention of the audience. Not only were these plays informative, but also captivating and interesting. The performances were followed by mini-competitions including soccer contests, short races and fun games for the younger age groups. The teams participating were drawn from the local population. Each of the sports uniforms they wearing conveyed a different message about the dangers of HIV/AIDS. Just before the winning teams were feted, a soccer ball was inserted inside a condom, just to illustrate how elastic condoms can be, much to the amusement of the young audience. The speeches were deliberately short, to efficiently capture the attention of the audience. Appleby (2002) argues that, research shows that young people do not like long speeches and formalities. Therefore, the event organizers ensured that keynote speakers were short and precise while focusing on the main message. There was a question and answer session, whereby participants had the chance to ask their queries. All the questions were answered satisfactorily by the team of doctors who were invited to the event. The audience also got a chance to be tested for HIV, free of charge. The team of professional counselors ensured that participants underwent voluntary counseling sessions before and after testing. The fact that the tests were free got a huge response from the audience. The tests were confidential and those who tested positive probably received references on where they could start receiving treatment. The coordination of the event was superb. There were no conflicts in the delegation of duties. Every person had his or her role to play, as the event activities were being executed. In addition, there were no hitches or time delays; indicating the high level of planning and preparation. The event manager must have put in. Event Closure At the closure of the event, participants received freebies such as T-shirts, umbrellas, utensils and caps branded with anti-Aids messages. For those who did not understand the message through the speeches, they surely got it through the branded items. In addition to the free items, informational pamphlets were given out to the participants. This will certainly ensure that those who did not get the chance to attend the event can still learn about the virus through from the informational pamphlets. Conclusion The superb organization of this HIV/Aids Awareness day is a clear indication that creative thinking plays a key role in determining the ultimate success of an event. There are so many HIV/AIDS awareness events these days, but most of them employ existing concepts thus, leading to poor attendance. Creative thinking is the mental process that involves the discovery of new and brilliant ideas. It is the ability to invent new ideas by combining, changing or reapplying existing ideas. In event management, creative thinking assists event managers and organizers to identify ideas that could capture the attention of their target audience in a captivating way. In this case, the HIV/AIDS awareness event incorporated brilliant ideas such as sporting activities, music, skits, fun games and other competitions. Since it was a youth event, these ideas were irresistible to the target audience, and played a key role in the general success of the event. The participants were not only educated about HIV/AIDS, but also got a chance to enjoy and entertain themselves. The planning and preparation of the event was equally superb. An event coordinator was responsible for identifying event tasks and delegating duties to the team members. This ensured that the chances of responsibility conflicts arising were minimal. The estimations were also realistic, the time intervals between event activities were manageable enough to ensure that no activity was rushed or delayed. Event management goes beyond the execution of the actual event. An event is said to be successful, if it is executed and completed within the allocated time, the budgeted costs and the specified levels. Changes to the scope should be minimal and the event should meet the required qualities and standards. Technical hitches are sometimes allowed, as they are often unforeseen. In this HIV/AIDS awareness event, the manager surpassed the minimum event goals, by ensuring that the targeted audience who did not get a chance to attend the meeting still received information about HIV/AIDS, from the pamphlets. In addition, the event ran smoothly without any time delays, changes to the program or any other impediments. As a result, the event was considered a success.

literary essay joy luck club :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Joy Luck Club   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Amy Tan’s novel â€Å"The Joy Luck Club† there are many themes and imagery throughout the book, but one theme that is relevant and stands out is the issue, â€Å"Cruel men? Weak men? Fair portrayal of men?† The novel is based on women in the Chinese traditional families, but does not discuss the men. What role do they play in their lives? Were they the people that made there lives unbearable? The men that will be looked upon are associated to the Jong, The Hsu, and the St. Clair family. Although many people would believe that the men in â€Å"The Joy Luck Club† were vindictive, they have shown that they not only are they feeble but that the weak men over power the cruel, and through their actions this statement will be apparent to all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Jong Family have two key males that fit the description of cruel and or weak men. The first was Tyan-Yu, Linda Jong’s first husband. Lindo and Tyan-Yu’s wedding was arranged marriage. Lindo’s parents were forced to depart their home leaving Lindo behind. Even though she was only twelve years old, Lindo belonged to the family of her betrothed. The Huangs, the family of Tyan-yu, were very wealthy and took little interest in Lindo which lead to the first impression that Tyan-yu was a cruel man by the way he acted. He and his family made her stay in their servants’ quarters and made her perform physical tasks, such as cooking, washing dishes, cleaning, and embroidering clothes. Tyan-yu would make her sleep on the couch lying to his mother so that he would not get himself into trouble which was a sign of weakness on Tyan-yu’s part. Lindo proves this by saying â€Å"That’s when I could see what was underneath Tyan-yu. He was scared.†. (58) Lindo’s marriage was miserable, for there was no love in it. Tyan-yu, feeling no emotion for his wife, would not touch her. Matters were made worse when everyone wondered why Lindo did not become pregnant and for this came trouble. Tyan-yu was to much of a coward to make any moves and left it all for Lindo to do herself. Lindo found out that â€Å"it was his fear that made Lindo think he had no desire for any woman. He was like a little boy that had never grown up†. (58) Lindo totally changed her view of Tyan-yu from once being terrified of him, to feeling as if she was playing the role of an older sibling.

Essay --

Interactions in the global political economy always result in outcomes such that winners and losers are produced in each political activity. These outcomes vary from country to country depending on factors governing the country’s economic and political environment. Outcomes here range from monetary and trade policy outcomes to outcomes from crises. It is a widely accepted view that outcomes in the global political economy are, most of the time, a result of economic as well as political factors. One of the influential political factors is concerned with institutions. According to North (1991), institutions act as constraints that shape interactions between politics, economics, and society. Furthermore, political institutions are important in initiating rules about policymaking process, weighing preferences of different interest groups, and determining the extent to which interest groups affect policies (Hiscox, 2008). In terms of trade, demands for trade policies from special i nterest groups are converted into policy consequences that affect how people behave, which in turn determines the winners and losers. In view of regime formation, domestic institutions such as electoral and political systems and the distribution of governmental powers are said to have an influence on multilateral regimes through credibility (Cowhey, 1993). Apart from this, whether a country is likely to implement free trade policies or not also largely depends on the type of political systems that country has; democracy, autocracy, or monarchy. In this essay, I would like to focus on the importance of domestic institutions especially electoral systems, political systems, and veto players in producing the trade policy and crises outcomes in the global politica... ...ther the Democrat party can accumulate enough support to replace the government. If not, in order to end this cycle, there might be a need to reconsider the compatibility of democracy with Thailand’s political structure. As seen, institutions such as electoral systems and veto players are an important factor in determining outcomes in the global political economy both in terms of trade policies and crises. Regarding trade policies, having a democratic regime is likely to bring about economic growth through trade liberalisation. In reference to tackling crises, democracies and autocracies have equal chance of experiencing a crisis; however, a democratic country tends to recover faster because it is relatively easy for the population to replace the unsuccessful leader. Ultimately, strong and stable domestic institutions are the foundation of a country’s development.

The Fragile Being Essay -- Developing Countries, Inadequate Access to

Women and men deserve equitable opportunities to achieve a reasonable standard of a healthy living. However, in developing countries, the interplay of various economic, social, cultural and biological factors render women underprivileged to attain their rights to decent nutrition, health care services and health information. Nevertheless, some issues affecting women’s health are shared, in part, by the opposite gender. Inadequate access to nutritious food, and the resulting malnutrition, is perhaps the greatest dilemma for the health of women in developing countries. Indeed, undernutrition is the leading risk factor of under-five mortality in girls, accounting for around seven deaths per thousand children in low- and middle-income countries [1]. Rising food prices, climate change, wars and conflict have caused unprecedented food insecurity in various parts of the developing world [2]. It has been estimated that nearly 20% of the population of developing countries is affected by chronic food deficit [3]. The Global Hunger Index reports that 969 million people live on less than US $ 1 per day, and that 923 million people go hungry everyday [2]. Though malnutrition is a concern for both sexes, women are more vulnerable due to gender-based inequitable access to food [1]. Women are also more likely to suffer the repercussions of food insecurity because of their biological roles during pregnancy and lac tation and the resultant increase in nutritional demands. In pregnant women, malnutrition stunts the immune system and homeostatic mechanisms of the body, leaving them vulnerable to developing infections and maternal complications such as miscarriage and obstructed labor, besides increasing the risk of maternal mortality [4]. Cont... ...throughout the ages, neglect of their health needs and concerns has caused them to endure immense suffering. Further, the health of women is closely intertwined to the well-being of the next generation of children. Malnourished women are likely to have poor birth outcomes, in particular, intra-uterine growth retardation, preterm birth and infants with low birth weight [4,12]. Such infants also have a higher neonatal and infant mortality compared to those born to healthy mothers [4]. The issue of women’s health thus has an enormous impact on the society as a whole and needs to be addressed as a priority. To what extent this issue has actually been prioritized, remains a question unanswered. Women deserve to be afforded treatment at par with their male counterparts to safeguard their fragile existence, and to give them a just opportunity to excel in their abilities.

Electronic assignment coversheet Essay

Except where indicated, the work I am submitting in this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted for assessment in another unit. This submission complies with Murdoch University’s academic integrity commitments. I am aware that information about plagiarism and associated penalties can be found at http://www.murdoch.edu.au/teach/plagiarism/. If I  have any doubts or queries about this, I am further aware that I can contact my Unit Coordinator prior to submitting the assignment. I acknowledge that the assessor of this assignment may, for the purpose of assessing this assignment: reproduce this assignment and provide a copy to another academic staff member; and/or submit a copy of this assignment to a plagiarism-checking service. This web-based service may retain a copy of this work for the sole purpose of subsequent plagiarism checking, but has a legal agreement with the University that it will not share or reproduce it in any form. I have retained a copy of this assignment. I will retain a copy of the notification of receipt of this assignment. If you have not received a receipt within three days, please check with your Unit Coordinator. I am aware that I am making this declaration by submitting this document electronically and by using my Murdoch ID and password it is deemed equivalent to executing this declaration with my written signature. Optional Comments to Tutor: E.g. If this is a group assignment, list group members here MBS502 Trimester 1 2011/2012 Assignment problem In January 2008, three good friends, Joe, Moe, and Shmo retired from academia. Each is an expert in different areas of financial management, investment strategy and retirement planning. They decided to start a financial advisory service in uptown Boyup Brook. Joe contributed $100,000, Moe contributed $50,000 and Shmo contributed $200,000 to establish the service. They also borrow another $50,000 from Joe’s wife, Flo. The loan was to be repaid by giving her the first $10,000 of the profits made each year. It was also agreed that Flo would be the office manager on a salary of $45,000 per annum. They bought an appropriate building in Boyup Brook  and, with the money left over, they built an extension/granny flat in which Shmo lives. Joe, Moe and Shmo agreed that all major decisions relating to the management of the service would require all three to agree. The day to day management of the office was to be left to Flo. Boyup Brook has a large and growing population of retired farmers and public servants who are always concerned about the health of their retirement nest eggs. Joe, after discussions with Moe, Shmo and Flo, registered the business name, â€Å"The Money Doctors† because he believed they work with surgical precision when it comes to financial decision making. Business cards were duly printed and ties were designed with a pattern of dollar signs. In the recent past the following incidents occurred or were discovered. 1 Joe, Moe and Shmo had, earlier this year, discussed ways to improve the services they provided to clients. One of the key areas they identified was their computer system and internet access. They agreed that an investment of up to $10,000 was appropriate and affordable in the current financial climate. While on a recent visit to Perth, Shmo attended the Perth International Education Expo. While there he encountered an old friend from his academic career, Elmo, who was also retired and was now an agent for Educational Computer Operators (ECO). Shmo told Elmo all about his exciting life in Boyup Brook and about the service he operated with their mutual friends, Joe and Moe. The computer industry had, apparently, also been hard hit by the economic crisis and Shmo sensed that a bargain could be obtained. Shmo ordered 4 computers, a new server and a 24 month broadband satellite internet service. The total cost was $20,000. As part of the deal, for signing up at the Expo, Shmo was given $100 worth of Lotto tickets. As luck would have it, one of these tickets won a share of the first division prize of $1,000,000. When the computer system arrived with the invoice demanding immediate payment, Flo knew nothing about it and Shmo was unavailable as he was on holiday in the Bahamas. 2 The service had a client, Mrs. McTavish, the widow of a prosperous farmer. Always one for a safe investment, Mrs. McTavish only accepted advise relating to Blue Chip shares and investments and normally only dealt with Shmo. However, as a result of the recent world economic meltdown and the harrowing stories seen on a Current Affair on TV, Mrs. McTavish was growing  very concerned about the health of her investments and how to make up for capital losses. Moe, in Shmo’s absence, sensed an opportunity and recommended to Mrs. McTavish that she invest in a company called Southern Land Opportunities (SLO) and to finance this investment by selling $1,000,000 worth of Commonwealth Bank and Telstra shares. Mrs. McTavish had always allowed Shmo to take care of the details of selling and transferring money to the appropriate accounts and investments. This company, SLO, was one which Moe had established with his latest friend, Poe. It had no other share capital, no bank account and had not carried on any business. Within a week of the transaction, Moe had disappeared and no trace can be found of him or Mrs. McTavish’s money. Mrs. McTavish has already employed one of Perth’s biggest law firms and has brought an action against â€Å"The Money Doctors†. Using only Partnership Law as it exists in Western Australia, answer the following; 1 Is â€Å"The Money Doctors† a partnership, and if so, who are the partners? 2 Who is liable for the contract with ECO? 3 Who is liable to Mrs. McTavish? Question one, The Money Doctors is a partnership by the definition as this activity covered by all four parameters by the partnership as below and also according to following rule of Western Australian Law; â€Å"Partnership is the relation which subsists between persons carrying on a business in common with a view of profit†. Partnership Act (WA) 1895 S/7 (1) Also the four element of partnership has been carried out,  Agreement, as all parties agreed to, start a financial advisory service, pay certain amount as initial investment, purchase a building, lend money from a third party. As result there was a conducive agreement among the partners. Business being carried out, according to the mentioned cases the business being carried out and the case of Mrs. MC Tavish and her previous experiences and the made trust in time with Shmo is the strong evidence of having business carried out. In common, all the parties have agreed to make major decision together by having all parties opinion and also they have chosen a name, business card and USD sign on their ties for the partnership together based on common understanding. View of profit, in return of the lend money all parties agreed to pay $ 10,000 each from the profits which shows the partners had a view of profit. Question two, IRAC Issues, Whether all the partners were agreed to invest and improve the services provided to client by improving computer systems? Does Shmo have the authority to purchase $20K worth of computer equipment? How ECO dealt with Shmo? Were there enough evidences of apparent authority from ECO to accept the deal? Whether if all the partners are liable to pay against Shmo’s commitment? Rule of law, â€Å"Every partner is jointly liable for any breach of contract – only one right of action against all the partners.† (Partnership Act 1895) [S16] WA â€Å"The case of Panorama Developments (Guildford) Ltd v Fidelis Furnishing Fabrics Ltd† [1971] 2 QB 711 By deification and based on four elements of partnership it is clear there is a partnership and according to above mentioned law (Partnership Act 1895) [S16] WA Shmu has the apparent authority to act on behalf of the firm. The case of [1971] 2 QB 711 court has held as the secretory had apparent authority to act on behalf of the company so the company is liable against the made commitment. Application, As Shmo was acting on behalf of all parties carrying the business cards and wearing the tie with company logo he was having apparent authority to act on behalf of the firm even though the partners agreed to certain level of investment it doesn’t concern the second parties and the made commitments. The rules of Law which needed to be considered in this case is section 16 of Western Australian low â€Å"Every partner is jointly liable for any breach of contract – only one right of action against all the partners.† (Partnership Act 1895) [S16] WA. The case is very similar to The case of â€Å"Panorama Developments (Guildford) Ltd v Fidelis Furnishing Fabrics Ltd† [1971] (2 QB 711) which the secretory hired a luxury car for personal use and court held that the company is liable to pay for the rented car as the secretory had apparent authority using company facilities and previous experiences. Conclusion, Due to the apparent authority law â€Å"Every partner is jointly liable for any breach of contract – only one right of action against all the partners† (Partnership Act 1895) [S16] WA. And the case of â€Å"Panorama Developments (Guildford) Ltd v Fidelis Furnishing Fabrics Ltd† [1971] (2 QB 711 The Money Doctor has to pay for Shimo commitments as he had the apparent authority against to supplier and ordered consignment regardless of even Shmu has act over the internal agreement within the partners. Question three, IRAC, Issues, What are the firm responsibilities as Financial Advisory firm? Is the firm as Financial Advisory has the right to act and to accept money from the clients and transfer the fund? Is the established relationship between Mrs. McTavish and Shmu is based on firm responsibilities and authorities or just been made in time due to personal relationship and successful experiences. Whether if Mrs. McTavish knows Moe is involved with the SLO? Is there any evidence to prove how the transaction took place? Cash or bank to bank. As the SLO has no bank account why McTavish should trust to transfer such amount of money to unknown account? If McTavish gave the money to Moe in cash whether she knows Moe is acting beyond his apparent and actual authority? Rules of law, There are different factors to be considered in this case, As a Financial advisor Money Doctors should not accept cash and additional to that Moe had breach the contract and abused McTavish trust for the sake of personal ambitions. Therefore in this case below rules of law has to be considered, Where any money or property of a third person is received by one partner, acting within the scope of his real or apparent authority in the partnership affairs, and is misapplied by that partner, and where any money or property of a third person, being as such in the custody of the firm, is misapplied by any partner, the firm shall be liable to make good the loss. (Partnership Act 1895) [Section 18.1] WA Where by any wrongful act or omission of any partner acting in the ordinary course of the business of the firm, or with the authority of his copartners, loss or injury is caused to any person not being a partner in the firm, or any penalty is incurred, the firm is liable therefor to the same extent as the partner so acting or omitting to act. (Partnership Act 1895) [Section17.1] WA Application, According to Western Australia, Partnership Act law 1895, and Section17/1 if money or property is received by a partner in the scope of the real or apparent authority and misapplied the firm is liable to make good the loss. And Section 18/1if by any wrongful act or omission of any partner acting in the ordinary course of the business of the firm, or with the authority of his copartners, loss or injury is caused to any person not being a partner in the firm, or any penalty is incurred, the firm is liable. In this case partners were agreed to establish a financial advisory service to the clients and in the case of Mrs. McTavish she was allowing the Shmu to make the transactions on her behalf which is outside the authority of Financial Advisor. Based on the made trust Mrs. McTavish decided to act the same with Moe which no level of trust been made with Moe and Mrs. McTavish therefore more information is required to make sure if Mrs. McTavish knew Moe is acting beyond his authority otherwise the rules of law (Partnership Act 1895) [S18.A] WA is applicable. Based on Agency law â€Å"If agent acts outside his/her actual and apparent authority s/he may be liable to both TP and PR† According on the given information the SLO company has no bank account therefore there is no way for Mrs. McTavish to transfer the money to bank account so the only possible way is for Moe to take the cash by himself and  transfer the money to another account. There are not enough information and evidences if Mrs. McTavish knew Moe is acting beyond his authority to refer the case to agency law as laws of Agency Law and Partnership Law can be applied in both fields. Therefore based on the actual given information and Partnership law â€Å"Partnership Act 1895) [Section 18.A] WA† and Partnership Act 1895 [Section17.1] WA is applicable. Conclusion, If there were enough evidences that Mrs. McTavish did not know that Moe is acting beyond the actual or apparent authority Moe solely would be liable to Mrs. McTavish as accepting money for the transaction was out of his apparent and actual authority but there are not enough evidences therefore the firm is liable to Mrs. McTavish according to abve mentioned rules of law. References, Partnership Law (WA) : Australasian Legal Information Institute http://www.austlii.com PARTNERSHIP ACT 1895 PARTNERSHIP ACT 1895 http://www.austlii.com/au/legis/wa/consol_act//pa1895154/ The case of Panorama Developments (Guildford) Ltd v Fidelis Furnishing Fabrics Ltd† [1971] 2 QB 711 PARTNERSHIP ACT 1895 – SECT 16 16 . Liability of partners http://www.austlii.com/au/legis/wa/consol_act//pa1895154/s16.html (Partnership Act 1895) [Section17.1] WA PARTNERSHIP ACT 1895 – SECT 17 17 . Liability of firm for wrongs http://www.austlii.com/au/legis/wa/consol_act//pa1895154/s17.html PARTNERSHIP ACT 1895 – SECT 18 18 . Misapplication of money or property http://www.austlii.com/au/legis/wa/consol_act//pa1895154/s18.html

Ethics in Advertisement of United Colors of Benetton

As the students of MME (Economics and Management studies), we have chosen the topic, which involves our study program, which is the Marketing and Consumer behavior. Our topic is focused on the advertisement and the practices of United Colors of Benetton Company. Their way of marketing seems to be directed â€Å"another way† and it has been discussed several times whether their strategy is ethical or not in the past. First we would like to highlight the basics of the United colors of Benetton company and then all the classical kinds of moral reasoning theories will be described (Utilitarianism, Deontology) applied on the United Colors of Benetton advertising strategy. Virtue ethics is not going to be discussed as it is not a suitable approach for this case. Utilitarian and deontological approaches are going to serve as a mean for understanding whether it would be wise for Benetton to change its strategy or stick to its traditional way of marketing and ignore the voice of public opinion. The United Colors of Benetton strategy  United Colors of Benetton is an Italian company that thanks to its unusual way of advertising is dicussed all over the world. It is one of a few companies that does not insist on showing its products in the advertisements. Instead of the product controversial motives are used presenting different kinds of social issues (eg. rasism, terrorism, social tabus). â€Å"The Benetton United Colors campaign illustrates how modern advertising has been radicalized into an explicitly political forum. † (Tinic, 1997) Since United Colors of Benetton has started with this advertising strategy many critical reactions have occured. As a result of this negative publicity many Benetton? s adverts were banned in several countries. The criticized aspect is mostly the fact that Benetton is an organization trying to reach the profit and high level of awareness among consumers. Therefore its goal is similar to most of other businesses. However, Benetton? s representatives are trying to persuade the public about their concern in pointing at most dicussed issues in the world and increase general awareness about these problems. United Colors of Benetton uses shocking motives, in other words fear appeal, in its adverts. Fear appeal is used in eg. stop smoking, prevention against AIDS and drugs advertisements. Scary and eye-catching motives are used in the adverts to show what harmful consequences could a certain activity cause. Some of Benetton? s adverts also use fear appeal but the problem is that in regular commercials where fear appeal is presented, possible solution or prevention against the problem is presented in the message (eg. prevention against AIDS – use condoms). Benetton has been trying to call attention to actual social issues but they never provide any other information than the company’s trademark. Beyond complaints about individual Benetton advertisements, there appears to be an undercurrent of unease caused by the fact that social problems have been linked to the sale of designer clothing. † (Tinic, 1997) Therefore our paper is going to dicuss whether the advertisements of United Colors of Benetton are ethical or not based on the theoretical framework related to moral reasoning. The company? s philosophy is based on the conviction of Mr. Benetton who says that â€Å" communication should no be commissioned from outside the company, but it should be conceived from within its heart. The United Colors of Benetton (UCB) emphasizes that the communication should be no longer connected with the consumer but with the individual. â€Å"By entering the universe of values, the brand frees the product from the world of merchandise and manufacturing and makes it a social being of its own. By addressing an individual rather than a customer, the brand can identify its target on the basis not of age or income, but of a shared vision of what is important, starting from a set of common values. † ( Luciano Benetton) First idea of Benetton’s company was written in the early 60’s because their sweaters were marketed into the many different countries with different people’s skin tones. The â€Å"united† name became a metaphor pretty soon thus the name of Benetton’s company was changed to the United Colors of Benetton. One of their first add showing no racial differences saying â€Å"All the colors of the world† was the start of the new era of their many times controversial marketing strategy discussed all over the world. Three separate cycles of building Benetton’s value As it was mentioned above, the strategy of Benetton’s advertising campaign leads to many discussions and criticism and many of ads were prohibited in several countries. Their strategy is divided into 3 main cycles. The cycle of Difference The first and oldest cycle started in the 80’s and was concerning to the racial, religious and sexual conflicts and differences. All the conflicts are based on tabus and on a difference that separates rather than unites. The Benetton’s plan was to integrate opposites and to unite differences under a single flag – the Benetton’s logo. The ads were not so controversial. As in the following cycle – the cycle of the reality. The cycle of reality This cycle starts in the early 90’s as the answer to the Gulf War (the ad showing the war cemetery. This ad was refused to print it by several newspapers. This kind of ads showed the reality of the life – but paradoxly – the most censured campaign showing the newborn baby (as the eruption of real life) caused the biggest scandal. Another campaigns showing the real, high drama situation were censured too. There are pictures of some of them: The pictures of AIDS patient, the soldier and the Albanian emigrants were not taken for the ad campaign but were the agency photos used for conveying styles. They were showing the real world. The cycle of free speech and the right to express it Last and the most recent cycle campaign was actually created as the answer to the second cycle. The reaction to the real life photos was often violent and not accepted by the critics. Benetton has been fighting for having a free speech and right to express it by new kinds of campaigns (trying to highlight the AIDS issues, homosexuality, racism, etc. ) Utilitarianism approach Utilitarianism is the moral reasoning approach theory, which is answering the question, what is right and wrong in various situations. The effects and consequences determine the right or wrong action. The greatest good for the greatest number may be defined as a utilitarian approach. Pleasure and pain measurement is based on the Cost benefit analysis. The founder of utilitarianism was Jeremy Bentham. He was saying that ethics is more or less a mathematical equation (total happiness plus pleasure minus pain). The negative consequences would have a negative impact on the society and it would create the unhappiness. Everyone who would stick to the rule – the security would be given as well as predictability and certainty leading to the overall happiness. For a Benetton’s company the happiness may be described as the total way of the company’s philosophy. Their goal is not only increase their profits but also the social awareness of the real life problems concerning all of us. The pain involves those who protest against the Benetton’s adverts. The amount of those who protest against the Benetton’s adverts is rapidly decreasing and the Benetton’s strategy has been getting more and more accepted. This means that the Benefits (Happiness) outnumbers the Costs (Pain) thus according to the Utilitarian approach of moral reasoning – the Benetton’s campaign is ethical. â€Å"A utilitarian could condone or even prescribe an act of deception if the positive consequences outweighed the negative consequences. † (van den Belt, 2010) From the utilitarian point of view, even if Benetton? s advertisements are being criticized, it still brings a lot of positive results (eg. increased awareness about the brand). Both positive and negative evaluation enable the brand to be seen and perceived among consumers. Deontological approach Deontological approach as well as utilitarian approach are concerned about a practical solution of a problem more than a philosphical/abstract solution that is more typical for virtue ethics. The core principle of both deontological and utilitarian approach is finding the right thing to do in a certain situation. On the contrary, there is a dissimilarity between these two approaches as utilitarianism is more focused on consequences and deontological approach emphasizes side features of the actions (eg. ishonest or fraudulent behavior). In case of United Colors of Benetton , there is a question if it is correct and ethical to use social issues and catastrophical motives in their commercials. According to questions â€Å"What should I do? † or â€Å"What is the right thing to do? † the solution from the moral perspective would probably be elimination of controversial motives from Benetton? s advertisements. The reason why this solution would be chosen is calming of the situation – decrease of criticizm among the consumers. The public would be satisfied ith not being exposed to unpleasant images of Benetton? s adverts. On the other hand, from the business perspective, Benetton would lose its unique way of increasing awareness both about the social issues as well as about the brand. Based on deontological approach Benetton should change its strategy and use less controversial motives. The company should not only think about instrumental values but should also take into account tha fact that â€Å"human beings have moral dignity and possess intrinsic value† (van den Belt, 2010). Due to this reason the company should not only strive for the profit and increased awareness. Choice of less controversial motives or change of advertising strategy could be one of the solutions. â€Å"It is exclusively the good will of the acting person that renders his action morally appropriate, where one should act out of duty, not out of prudence. † (van den Belt, 2010) Moral issue related to this citation are in case of Benetton as follows: ? never injure anyone with your advert messages? but it does not necessarily exclude the fact that ? Benetton? s commercials should always please everyone?. The way Benetton does its advertisements is unique in the market. There have already been many trials of other companies to copy this strategy but they were never successful. Advertising strategy of Benetton is so distinct from others that losing such a competitive advantage in the market could cause harmful consequences for the company. That does not mean that opinions of the consumers should be ignored. The voice of public should definitely be taken into consideration.