Research Paper on Bullying Essay

Bullying is a problem that is evident around the world, and is occurring right now, at this very moment. The issue of bullying is complicated; some believe it should be taken seriously, yet we often disregard it. If you place yourself in the shoes of the victim, the issue is not a joke but extremely serious. Bullying is the unwarranted, aggressive behavior towards a victim that involves a bully, a victim, and those who are witnesses and occurs over a period of time. The bully is a person who uses strength and physical or verbal abuse to intimidate their victim who is usually weaker (physically or emotionally) than the bully. The bully and victim can be male or female. Research has shown that adults, parents, teachers, and school staff rarely respond or intervene when bullying occurs. These studies show that one in four teachers see nothing wrong with bullying and will only intervene four percent of the time (dosomething. org). Adults often believe that bullying is â€Å"just part of life. † They usually do not understand or see the consequences that will take place in this â€Å"part of a young person’s life† for the victim and the bully. The victim’s need for help and the bully’s cry for attention are telling us that something needs to be done. Bullying has countless, negative consequences, if nothing is done to prevent it, for both the bully and the victim. Bullying Must Be Prevented! The consequences of victimization from bullying are many and can be very serious. Some of these consequences may include poor academic performance, and physical and mental consequences. Bullying can have a negative impact on a student’s academic performance. Research has shown that bullies target victims who may have a high academic performance. The bullying begins with friendly teasing but then will increase to verbal attacks. When this occurs, it will cause the victim to lose his/her confidence. He/she will feel outcast, depressed and alone. The school does not often help or intervene. Statistics show that over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective (dosomething. org). As a result, the victim may begin to pay less attention in class his/her academic performance will drop. Previous studies of bullying behavior have tended to focus on risk factors and consequences associated with the primary roles of the victim, such as mental health. The victim will feel depressed and an outcast. He/ she will have very low self esteem. â€Å"School is a place where children learn socializing and other skills that will be useful later in life. Bullied students are likely to shy away from any social situation so that they can protect themselves. This stops them from developing healthy relationships with other people† (helium. com). Bullying can be associated with the victim’s past, present and future. In childhood, victims will be faced with poor mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety. This can be brought from childhood to adulthood and may cause the adult to have poor functioning as she/he goes through daily life. Finally, research has linked bullying to suicide. â€Å"Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University†(bullyingstatistics. org). Physical ailments have also been associated with bullying. Physical ailments may be caused by hitting, pushing tripping, slapping, spitting, stealing or destroying possessions, including books, clothing, or lunch money and many others. Physical bullying can occur to and from school and is most frequently used during middle school due to this period of life when everyone is trying to fit in. A victim may come home from school with bruises, cuts, or other unexplained injuries having damaged clothing, books, or possessions, often â€Å"losing† things that they take to school. Bullying has countless negative effects that have many risk factors. If these effects are not prevented, bullying will begin to become â€Å"part of life† but with mental, physical, and academic consequences to the victim. Bullying Is Not A Problem There are many cons in bullying. Some may say that bullying is not a problem. Some say that bullies need to bully, that it is just part of growing up. Some will also say that bullying is not even a big deal. â€Å"Bullies have always been with us. Back in the day, my generation was told to either walk away or hit them back. No one really took bullies very seriously† (Pauline Wallin, Ph. D. bullying: What’s the big deal? †The Patriot-News). In this context, Pauline tells us that bullying is not taken seriously and that bullies will always be with us. If bullying was a phase of life, why are people dying from bullying? â€Å"A British study reported 44% of suicides occurring in kids 10 to 14 was caused by bullying. † Teachers are not intervening when bullying is taking place. â€Å"1 in 4 teachers see nothing wrong with bullying and will only intervene four percent of the time. Over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective† (dosomething. rg). A victim will sometimes feel it is their fault for being bullied. For instance, they might think they are weak and do not have good friendships. They may think of themselves as failures and not worthy of being helped by others. Victims are not failures and are worth being helped. We need to focus more on bullying for the victim’s sake. Bullying has many negative consequences on the victim, including suicide, school shootings, and fighting back. There are many reasons why victims turn to suicide. One reason is that they feel alone and feel that they have no one to turn to for assistance. They don’t know that their parents, teachers, and other adults could be a solution to their problem. The cause for a school shooting is unknown. Most school shootings are shown to be linked with bullying. â€Å"In 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the 1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied (stopbullying. gov). The victim is taking the situation of bullying into his own hands and is taking revenge on the bully. The victim may use physical violence to hurt the bully to fight back and protect themselves. Bullying is a problem that must be taken seriously. If bullying is not taken seriously, it may lead to consequences that are numerous and will cause multiple problems, for the bully and the victim alike. Opinion and Solutionâ€Å"There are about 160,000 children that miss school every day out of fear of being bullied† (bullying statistics). Bullying is a problem that is evident around the world, and is occurring right now at this very moment. Because many consider it to be a problem, many want to prevent bullying. Bullying is being identified on school campuses and many schools put in programs to deal with the issue. But is this enough? Do our parents and other adults even notice or care about what events take place during school? One in four teachers see nothing wrong with bullying and will only intervene four percent of the time (dosomething. org). And do we know how children really feel after school each and every day? Over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective (dosomething. org). Not enough people are taking bullying seriously. Some parents and other adults will consider bullying â€Å"a playful activity† or â€Å"just another part of life†. The issue of bullying is complicated; some say it should be taken more seriously, yet we are often prone to neglect it. Forms of bullying have evolved, but ways to deal with it have not. Theodore Roosevelt says, â€Å"Knowing what’s right doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right. † There are many solutions to bullying. Children who are being bullied or victims of bullying can talk with an adult. But our adults must recognize the problem with bullying. There will be signs if your child is being victimized during school when she comes home. â€Å"Being alert and observant is critical, since victims are often reluctant to report bullying† (greatschools. org). If you are alert and aware of this taking place, action must be taken immediately to prevent future consequences. By this you must approach the school and make it clear that you want immediate action. Teachers need to set up a non-bullying environment in their classes. This will help children understand and let them know that bullying is a problem that must be prevented.

Leadership in a Team of Millennials Essay

Leadership in a Team of Millennials Essay Principles of Leadership Sociology Essay Example Principles of Leadership Sociology Essay Example The aim of the current report is to address the question of what need to be done to become a better leader in the face of people and challenges that exist in my organization. The report begins by re-stating the leading of millennials in the contemporary organizations and the challenges that people can encounter when trying to lead in an old-fashioned style of leadership. As dynamic and outgoing are the millennials, trying to maintain the status quo will work only in extremely rare occasions. However, most of the time, millennials will resist any attempt to stop change, exclude them from where decisions are made, or inhibit their attempt to grow professionally or receive recognition and promotion. The paper uses a number of theories in leadership and change to describe different approaches that could be used by leaders leading a millennial-packed organization. SELF-REFLECTION: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO LEAD MILLENNIALS Upon discussion of the theories and principles of leadership and change, the paper also inculcates my personal journey towards attaining the principles espoused in the theories. It highlights the personal transformation process that I have had to undergo, including overcoming my fears and doubts, and adopting an open door policy to allow smooth and constructive communication between millennials themselves, on one hand, and me as their leader on the other hand. There is an action plan in the report which encompasses the following areas: Personal transformations including self-confidence and open door policy for leadership; Having the feeling of being first among equals, and the adoption of servant leadership as my primary style of leadership; Opening up communication channels to encourage and promote learning through opinions and views; the regular briefing meetings where people say what they have learnt and how they want it applied in the organization. The conclusion offers a re-statement of my commitment to pursue humble and effective leadership for my team. Leading a team of outgoing and dynamic millennials can be both exciting and challenging at the same time (Sorensen 2007, p. 12; Northouse 2010, p. 4). As a leader, it is paramount to regularly check the level of satisfaction and contentment of the people in a team, especially one that is dominated by millennials. It is for a reason that the tastes, preferences, and desires of millennials fluctuate with what is going on in the world. Furthermore, most millennials are well educated and well informed people who have a strong sense of independence and resolve (Tyson 1998, p. 49). They want democracy and involvement in decision making and their opinions must be heard even if it contrasts with the culture or policies of the organization. For this reason, any person who leads a group of millennials must have better professional development programs that allow him or her to have capacity to guide and lead the organization in a way that is acceptable to the majority of the people in the organization. This, however, does not mean that professional development will eliminate all the challenges that an organization and its people face in the daily operations. It means that the leader must embark on a lifelong learning in terms of acquiring different leadership approaches to accommodate different preferences and desires of the people in the organization (Quinn, Spreitzer Brown 2000, p. 89). The purpose of this self-reflection paper is to expound on what I should do, as a leader of a team of millennials with a variety of needs. During my practice, I have discovered that members of my team are well acquainted with the fast-changing and challenging environment that is today’s contemporary workplace. Thus, they know what is needed to be done and can identify the goals appropriately, although they want incentives to accomplish the goals. Millennials are also fond of recognition in which form the organization chooses to, including mere mention of good work to compensation for work well done and promotion. They are ready to embrace change provided they know what they are changing, which means that they are involved in major decisions at the organization. Interesting, millennials have timelines as to which position they should be occupying in the organization. They also want to be included in the process of decision-making especially in matters that touch their work. Mor eover, millennials want a servant leadership approach without the conventional boss-servant relationship that defines traditional organizations. The process of leading has been always expressed in the context of the principles and practices of the leader. However, with changing times and needs of the work environment followers and situations are coming into play. The world today is in the need of a leader who is a servant and transformational (Quinn, Faerman, Thompson Clair 2007, p. 15). I have always tried to espouse these kinds of leadership styles with my team of millennials. Even though I am in the process of learning about change, I always encounter situations that conflict with my principles and values. Millennials want to be involved in the process of making decisions even though it may be inconsequential to them. This can be good and bad at time in relation to my style of leading. However, I have put in place action plan to help me cope with the challenges from within and outside of myself. Countering my Fears and Doubts and about my Ability to Lead One of the obstacles for good leadership is the fear of failure and the doubt about the decisions that ought to be made. Leading a team of millennials that want change instigates fear in me because I think that I may not satisfy what they want. As people who are always dynamic and acceptance of change, some of these changes may not be pleasant or welcome to the leader. Nevertheless, the challenge comes into play when the leader is under obligation to honor the call for change. As Quinn (2000, p. 6) noted, change is not something that comes easily although it may be the only constant in nature. The question that lingers in my mind as I go to my place of work is what the next change is going to be at my organization. In a way, I act as an agent of change, although with doubt and fear. This does not, however, mean that I am under pressure to facilitate the change that my team members want. Northouse (2010, p. 50) argues that leaders should allow their followers to influence them althoug h leaders ought to accept only the influence that is positive towards the common goal of the group. This is where servant and transformational leadership come into play. Servant leadership means that I want to serve the people that I lead. I do not want them to feel that I am imposing and coercing them to do things that they do not like. Transformational, in the sense that I want them to see and appreciate the common shared goal at the organization and strive to work in support of that goal. Coupled with a sense of being a leader, sometimes I am fearful that I will not achieve the two seemingly opposing view of having to embrace the characters of my team while also focusing on the goals that we must accomplish as an organization. Doubt comes in when I fail after accepting the influence of the millennials in some decisions. While my team of millennials is outgoing and want to be involved in making decisions, a good part of their contribution may not work for our organization. In some occasions, I have allowed their views to be inculcated in the decisions we make as a group. Unfortunately, a few of those occasions ended up disastrously. However, this does not mean that I should not allow their views in decision-making as that will be more disastrous towards the goals that we have as a team. The Lewin’s model calls for unfreezing of doubts when trying to accommodate the views of the followers in a team (Quinn 1996, p. 33). I know it works in very many occasions; but I can also fail much more in a very significant project that can bring the organization down. To counter this doubt, I have embraced a transformational kind of leadership where I make sure that the millennials that I lead understand the consequences of the decisions that they are suggesting (Penrose Pitelis 2009, p. 17). In many occasions, they have come to appreciate the dangers involved and changed their minds to a better approach. However, I have also changed my mind as a leader to follow their opinions where we are all convinced that it is the best direction for our organization. Feeling Lonely but Not Alone Leadership can be very lonesome especially where the followers and the leader are not concurrent with one another. Concurrence means that these two should support one another in ideas, decisions, and general management (Nohria Khurana 2010, p. 21). As a leader, I have tried to be close to the people that I lead to avoid being alone at the top of the organization. Loneliness and uncertainty come when the leader is not in tune with the needs of the people that he/she leads or does not respond to the needs of the people that form the group. My millennial team members are fond of promotions, they want transparency in the running of the organization, and they want recognition in their work. These are the things that I have put on my list to draw them closer to me as I try to satisfy their needs as members of the group. The ability to feel part of the team does not come easily. It involves a process of personal transformation, discarding one’s values and principles, and attainment of new systems of perspective to be able to identify and respond the to the needs of the people in the team (Kofman Senge 1993, p. 9). Millennials have unpredictable behavior changes. They want to respond to the changes and things that are happening thousands of miles away from them, having seen or read them through the Internet. Some of these behaviors can cause me as a leader to be indifferent or question what the millennials want. They are likely to delineate me from the people that a lead; seeing that I do not need to embrace them as they demand. The Model II of leadership developed by Argyris (1976, p. 57) explains what may happen in such a circumstance. He argues that a leader who is under pressure from the followers is likely to develop defensive mechanisms and control measures that establish a boundary between him/her and the people in the team. I have always strived to avoid reaching a level where I become differentiated and removed from the people that I lead. I strive to embrace them even as they embrace me. My role as a leader is to listen to the people, minimize anxiety, and embrace the spirit of learning and accommodation of divergent views on different matters that affect the leadership and general operations at the organization. The self-reflection journey as a leader is important as it assists to question ones weaknesses and strength (Joyner 2006, p. 19). More often than not, leaders tend to think that they are immune to discrimination or isolation by the rest of the people. Previously, I used to come at my place of work and go straight to my desk and start responding to issues and complaints. I discovered that I had no time for personal interactions with the members of my team. When I started interacting with them, I began to appreciate the roles that they play and get a glimpse of their needs and agitations, which for some reasons were not reaching me as their leader. The rest of the leaders with information were also afraid to approach and discuss it with me even after they got the information. However, after opening up to the rest of the team members, we have become equals and are free to share everything that affects any of our members including family issues. The journey of transforming the way I lead and manage the team of millennials that work under me began by personal transformation. It was evident when I started considering them as equals. I have been able to cultivate confidence, integrity, honesty, openness, creativity, and innovation both on my side and on the side of the people that I lead. This is in line with Demming’s observation that personal transformations can open doors for every possibility, especially for a leader of millennials like me (Joyce, Nohria Roberson 2003, p. 34). A Servant or a Leader Millennials are fond of both. They want a person who is a servant first then a leader second! In my time working with millennials, I have come to the conclusion that more millennials are inclined to a servant-like kind of leading. It contrasts with my previous style of leading which was more of confrontational. This is the style practiced around the world in many organizations (Freeman 1991, p. 54). Servant leadership is based on the ideas, philosophies and practices of the leader with the aim of enriching the lives of both the leader and the people being led. This is according to Robert Green leaf who first coined the term â€Å"servant leadership.† Greenleaf puts it correctly in his work when he notes about servant leadership It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. The conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servantfirst to make sure that other peoples highest priority needs are being served (Criswell Campbell 2008, p. 44). I have aspired always to become a servant le ader who is capable of addressing the needs of the people that a lead to maximum level possible. The philosophy and actual practice is presumed in the tenet of being â€Å"first among equals.† This can be a challenging fete to achieve especially in the contemporary world where everybody is looking for power and influence. However, the good thing about servant leadership is that it helps the leader to grow together with the team members. The leader sees himself/herself as a servant of the people with the intention of helping them to grow in the personal aspirations. One of the enduring qualities that I have acquired as a servant leader is the ability to listen to others (Clawson 2006, p. 67). Listening and communicating are the qualities that I work for in my action plan of conquering my sense of entitlement and desire to achieve greater things for myself and team members. I ensure that the language which I use to communicate with millennials is perfectly suited to their needs. I also give them time to air their views through forums and regular meetings at the organization. The aim is to help millennials to get what they need in honest and truthful way. This has not been easy always because of the resistance from other leaders at the organization, who may not be as progressive as I am. Some of the leaders at the organization are old folks who do not understand the dynamics of leading millennials in the 21st century (Cameron Quinn 1999, p. 23). They want to maintain the status quo by suppressing the millennials and thwarting any attempt to have change at the organization. Nevertheless, I also listen to their argument, communicate with them in a clear manner, where we want to go and marshal their support for the common good of the organization. This approach has worked in most cases and I have found that I do not even need to be present for some creative ideas to be implemented or the needs of the millennials to be addressed. An example is the organizing of training and conferences at the organization where different groups in my team are able to learn what is new in their professional areas. This is a part of the larger professional and career development which is at the heart of the millennials. Change as an Agent of Harmony and Unity The millennials are awash for change. They have glamour for change that can only be quenched by change itself. This is a fact that I have always strove to include in my leadership approaches. As people living in a world controlled by technological advancements, innovations and creativity, the millennials sometimes can be persistent in agitating for change without knowing why they want it (Bridges 2001, p. 30). Knowing why change is needed is a significant part towards the attainment of that change. According to Simon Sinek, millennials want change because they feel entitled to new things. As outgoing and dynamic people, they want to move with the rest of the world. Thus, what works for one organization well must also work for this organization (Boyer1994, p. 56). It is a part of the global movement spearheaded by millennials who view themselves as agents of change in their places of work. However, knowing why change is needed is a better point than just calling for change. This is my area of interest; how to make them see the actual reason why change is needed. Sometimes, I have come to discover that the change we agitate for could knock us off as an organization. As I leader, I always communicate with the millennials about the need to have well thought decisions about change. Sometimes, it seems like my views are contradicting what they want for themselves, but as a servant leader, I know that my desires is to develop and help them to achieve their needs (Belasen 2000, p. 70). One of the ways that I use to bring harmony and unity among my teams is meetings and conferences, where everyone has the opportunity to be heard while also listening to the other people. The act of involving everyone in the decisions about change has allowed me to have a calm and inclusive leadership void of feelings of desperations. I do not struggle when I want to pass any ideas to the people that I lead. Leadership is somehow coming to me as a natural predisposition even though deep inside myself I know that I am afraid of failure. I am also afraid that the people I lead might be more intelligent than I am. This is a good thing but is also a challenge to me to embrace learning and professional growth in my career as a leader. As much as I want the best for myself, I also want to grow in my knowledge and wisdom and I have been doing this by interacting with others in my team and learning from them as well. The focus is to become what I am not by learning and experiencing difficult and challenging circumstances and situations in my leadership (Bandura 1986, p. 32). The millennials in my team are people with high affinity for knowledge. I do not feel embarrassed to ask something that I do not know from anyone of them. In fact, many of them are excited to teach me something new and we are almost forming a habit of having a learning session every week. It allows people to say what they have learnt throughout the week, and what they would like incorporated in our daily management of the team. In true sense, I am following through the Lefton Bozzotta’s (2004, p. 17) and Bessler’s (1970, p. 80) theory of change by striving to become what I have always been rather than what I have not always been. I knew in my heart that I am a servant leader, but the conventional way of leading in many organizations forced me to start with an autocratic way of leading.

Race and Gender Discrimination essays

Race and Gender Discrimination essays __________________________________________________________________________ Analogies between racial and gender discrimination are highly problematic, both theoretically and historically. Discrimination can perhaps be better understood when analogized with cancer. Discrimination, like cancer, kills humanity. Discrimination, like cancer, comes in many specific forms. And each form of discrimination, like cancer, must be recognized treated with specific and focused efforts. The purpose of this paper is to show that when we recognize the differences between racial and gender discrimination we validate history and are more aptly able to end the current oppression of racial minorities and women. Ten years ago one of the most exclusive golf and country clubs in America, Shoal Creek, admitted its first black member after controversy surrounding the club's racial exclusionary policies nearly derailed the club's coveted plans to host the championship tournament for the Professional Golf Association. Today, the National Council for Women is waging a similar war on a different golf and country club. The National Council for Women discovered that Augusta National golf and country club, a private club, and home to a popular Professional Golf Association tournament, excludes women from the ranks of its membership. As such, the National Council for Women is using the same platform used by civil rights leaders to end racial exclusionary policies at Shoal Creek to attack Augusta National and its gender exclusionary policies. Specifically, The National Council for Women requested that corporate sponsors of the tournament including, IBM and Citibank withdraw their financial from the tournament at Augusta National. In addition, The National Organization for Women also requested that CBS refuse to televise the tournament at Augusta National. Furthermore, The National Council for Women has also requested ...

13 of the Worst Ways to Start a Job Interview Conversation

13 of the Worst Ways to Start a Job Interview Conversation Building a good rapport with your interviewer is key. And you should always find ways to break the ice and make both of you comfortable right out of the gate. But if you step a toe too far in any one direction, you can risk blowing the whole thing by making someone uncomfortable, or worse, offended. Here are 13 terrible ways to get the job interview conversation going. If you were considering any of them, get to work on Plan B! (i.e. safer, more neutral conversation starters).1. â€Å"How about Trump/Clinton’s speech yesterday?†Unless you’re interviewing for a job in politics and you can be sure this question won’t lead you astray, stay away from anything political. Especially the polarizing nature of a presidential election. You’d be much better off with the weather.2. â€Å"The craziest thing just happened to me!†No one cares. Also, they’re going to be looking for signs of what sort of coworker you’d be. If they think you†™re going to be the one running in every morning on a rant of drama about your coffee order, they’ll hesitate to hire you.3. â€Å"A priest, a rabbi, and Superman walk into a bar†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Even if your jokes are hilarious and everyone says so, don’t tell them at an interview. The chances are too good that they would go awry. Besides, it’s unprofessional.4. â€Å"Did you have a good dinner at Nobu with your pal Steve?†While an interviewer will appreciate your having done your homework, looking into them on social networking sites and such, you don’t want to sound like a stalker. Stick to professional achievements or widely documented hobbies.5. Questions with one word answersDo yourself a favor and don’t set yourself up to get a one-word answer. Give yourself some room to work and let the conversation build.6. â€Å"How do you know Bob?†If you have a mutual contact, either know before you go, or don’t bring it up.7.  "I’m hired!†You may think this is cute and confident. But it could backfire and come across as overconfident, brash, or even aggressive.8. â€Å"Friday at 4 p.m.? You must be ready to get out of here!†No matter whether your interview is the very last of the week, don’t suppose or comment on your interviewers wants or activities after the fact. Who knows, they might be working until 8 p.m. and then you’ll look like a slacker.9. â€Å"Which position is this again?†No matter how many jobs you’re applying for, never go into an interview unprepared. Always know the title, the responsibilities, the salary, and anything else you could know- including your interviewer’s name and role.10. â€Å"I’ve got another appointment after this†Even if this is true, you can’t say it. They’ll likely not hear anything you say after you make it clear they aren’t your top priority.11. â€Å"You look great in that out fit.†Just say no to comments about personal appearance. Compliments like â€Å"I like your earrings† are fine, but when you reference someone’s appearance or physique, that comes too close to sexual harassment for (not even) your first day.12. â€Å"Where do you get your hair/nails done?†See above. Also†¦ just†¦ focus on the job you’re interviewing for.13. â€Å"Here are my deal breakers.†While there is an appropriate time for you to share your salary needs and specifications- and even to inquire about certain aspects of the job that would make or break it for you, never open with this. And never be too assertive with your demands. Wait to be asked and frame it less aggressively.

Tokugawa Yoshimune and His Kyoho Reform Research Paper

Tokugawa Yoshimune and His Kyoho Reform - Research Paper Example The major characteristics of the new period were more definitely illustrated than ever before during the Kyoho era, when the general reform initiatives of Tokugawa Yoshimune, the eight shogun, and the difficulties that resulted in to them, took over the scene. The severest of these new difficulties involved the personal finances of the shogunate, which had been unsuccessful in matching national growth. The agricultural production of Japan by the 18th century was approximately 60% more than it had been a hundred years prior; though, on the contrary, the financial status of the central government was dropping annually (Hauser 2010). In a country teeming with all forms of commercial and agricultural enterprise, the central government was plainly not capable of securing enough for its own. According to Hauser (2010), beginning from 1722, having relieved from the possibility of resistance from the Senior Council and strengthened the economy, Tokugawa Yoshimune focused on financial reform. Tokugawa Yoshimune and his Kyoho Reform Tokugawa Yoshimune was born in 1684 in Wakayama, child of a daimyo of Kii. Yoshimune was assigned daimyo of Sabae han thirteen years after, but after the death of his elder brother in 1705 he was relocated to Kii (Hall 1991). In 1716, after the demise of Ietsugu, bakufu heads designated Yoshimune his heir, rewarding Edo a ruler knowledgeable in supervising a large area. The newly assigned shogun did not have any connections in the bakufu, yet he was able to slowly appoint his own people in important positions and by the 1720s was firmly in charge (Hall 1991). Particular attributes of his regime were notable. While Tsunayoshi had conformed to rules based on a powerful principle, Yoshimune moved fluidly in reaction to situations; his flexibility is indicative of the political ideology of Ogyu Sorai (Titsingh 1834). His restructuring started vigilantly, encouraged by problems left by the prior regimes of Tsunayoshi, Ienobu, and Ietsugu, respecti vely. Nevertheless, since the 1720s the array of reform increased significantly in obvious response to the joint effect of recoinage plans previously in force and a wave of social disorder and crop declines (Hall 1991). That enhanced array, which marked the 1720s the glory days of the Kyoho reform, engaged the bakufu more profoundly into public and political administration than ever before. Governing the vast, intricate, environmentally limited, and highly monetized civilization of 18th-century Japan was extremely difficult. In 1728, after attaining the zenith of progress, Yoshimune committed a number of years to combating unforgiving agricultural problems, the Kyoho food crisis, and uncontrolled fluctuations of the price of rice that seriously upset samurai way of life (Hall 1991). The difficulties pushed Yoshimune to reevaluate core strategies and in 1736 to enforce a major change in monetary policy. The change led to a 15-year phase of governmental strength that was attained in s pite of, or, more accurately, at the cost of, long-term agricultural failure. The economic troubles of the government was very severe, and a solution had to be determined at once to ease the hardship. The shogunate, in 1722, informed the daimyo about its problems and obliged them to bring in rice to its stockrooms at the pace of ‘one hundred koku for each ten thousand koku of domain assessment’ (Hall 1991, 449)—koku is a Japanese term for ‘

Is the Death Penalty Just and Applied Fairly Research Paper

Is the Death Penalty Just and Applied Fairly - Research Paper Example The issue of capital punishment, more specifically the death penalty, is a topic that can split the American public as far as their view points to two extreme sides. There are those who are against the death penalty and those who are for the death penalty. The death penalty can be such a polarizing topic that there are 16 states that have abolished the death penalty as opposed to the 34 states as well as the United States government and the military supporting it (Jones, 2002). The death penalty can be defined as the taking of a human’s life for their crimes or imposing the punishment of death for their crimes. A question arises that whether this death penalty is just and applied fairly? The death penalty is just and it is applied fairly and according to a Gallup Poll in May of 2002, 7 in 10 Americans agree. There is a vast majority of the Americans who insist on abolishing the death penalty of the mentally retarded at least. Almost 82% of the American population opposes death penalty for this particular group while the rest support the action. The case of Andrea Yates created this ratio in court. She was found guilty of murdering her five children but was mentally ill herself. Nearly 75% of the people opposed death penalty for her. History tells that America has been fairly constant in its decision for death penalty under the age of 21. This has varied over many years. They have refused to be supportive in this regard. In 1965, when 45% favored the death penalty in general, only 21% were in favor of applying the rule on juveniles. During the colonial era of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, England regarded death as a penalty for crimes such as treason, manslaughter, robbery, rape, murder, counterfeiting, arson, burglary, theft – or any capital crimes of the like. The American colonial past and the present followed the same footsteps. Over the period of time it became illogical to apprehend the same punishment for all these crimes, hence it was deduced that only the gravest of crimes will be awarded with death. However, America followed the tradition of refusing to show any understanding towards the minority which denied any such punishment. It is researched that they did not follow the tradition blindly but due to the institutional structure prevailing in the eighteenth century, the role of capital punishment was broader than it is today. As mentioned above, the notion of death penalty varied from state to state. The northern colonial penal codes were more severe than those in England because of the varying religious origins of the colonies (Banner, 2002). Coincidentally, the era of American colonization coincided with the stiffening of the criminal law prevailing in England. The crimes that seemed minor to most of them such as poaching deer, stealing minor amount of cash and the like, started to be regarded as deathly and consequential. Colonies which had a larger number of slaves tried them and punished them for every little crime they did. As long as slavery was common, the system continued to function with more terror and bitterness. Much was done out of racial differences. Blacks were accused and caught for crimes more frequently. The crimes that were committed by the whites were left unattended in most cases. What was to be done with such kind of inequality? Execultions of the criminals were conducted on the roads for better

Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Market - Essay Example The mobile phone is an advanced form of the Samsung Galaxy S3. It is also a differentiated product of the rival mobile phone company, Apple. Of late, Samsung has positioned itself to take over the market for manufacture of smart phones. The company has been innovative because they were among the first to manufacture smart phone. A smart phone is a mobile phone that is built on a mobile operating system that has more advanced capability of computing and connectivity as compared to the common feature phone (Tidd, 1997). The phone is made up of very special features that make it different from other smart phones and, thus more preferred by many people. Such features include owner recognition ability, high processing speed; a screen that is only recognizes the owner and finger prints identification ability. Industry and market structure of Samsung Galaxy S4 Samsung operates in the telecommunications sector. This is because the company manufactures gadgets used for communicating, such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets and smart TV’s. Samsung Galaxy S4 itself is used to exchange messages, telephone calls, and emails. This phone in a competitive market because there are other smart phone companies, for example, Apple, Techno, LG, Nokia and Alcatel. However, Samsung has been more innovative thus has gained a competitive advantage over these other companies because it has managed to differentiate its products from other rival products. Samsung Company has warehouses in many locations in the world. The major locations are China, Singapore, Japan and India. The most productive of all these firms is located in China. China has the largest population in the world that supplies cheap labour to the Samsung firm in China. The population is also well equipped with the latest manufacturing technology that ensures materials are not wasted. In addition, China has all the minerals that are required to manufacture the several parts of this phone. All these cheap deals put Sa msung at a competitive advantage. In addition, China enjoys cheap electrical energy from coal and nuclear power. This combination of cheap overheads makes the final product cheap compared to those of the rival companies (Urban, 1980). Samsung Galaxy S4 can also be said to be in a competitive market because it experience competition from other electronic companies that produce communication gadgets. For example, companies that manufacture laptops are in competition because they all access internet and used to achieve other communication purposes (Tidd, 1997). The phone is also in competition with iPhone, iPod and tablet companies, thus it is experiencing true competition. Elasticity of Samsung Galaxy S4 Samsung Galaxy S4 is a special product because its demand rises despite the high price. The smart phone is bought, especially, by those with high disposable incomes. However, it is also bought as a product to show off especially by people who do not have enough disposable income. The product was made with target customer being the well off in society but many have acquired it because of its versatile nature (Urban, 1980). The product, therefore, experiences complete elastic kind of demand. Elastic kind of demand has very little or no effect on, especially price of luxuries such as Samsung galaxy S4. Therefore, the price of the phone remained constant despite competition from Apple, Nokia and LG. Laws of supply and demand have affecting production and pricing of Samsung Galaxy