Identity, Work and Labor Essays - 990 Words

What are the differences between work and labor? There are many differences between work and labor. At the same time, it is complex to point out these differences because they are subtle. To illustrate one difference between work and labor, here is an example from a building site. The manager or contractor organizes the structure of the tasks that need to be executed. The laborers are those who are doing the heavy work, laying bricks, digging the holes and carrying the lumber. The manager, foreman and the laborers, however, are all working at the site. It is only those doing the heavy work that would be considered to be laboring. Some people work very hard and they really enjoy their work, while others find work to be a chore, could at†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, they had only taken a vacation a few times in their entire careers. Joe Robinson says, â€Å"Vacations can makes people with A-type personalities feel worthless, † (Vacation Doesn’t Work, New York times, 2008). I think very differently and I would encourage them to take vacations or to explore new things in their life. It was really hard for me to see how they became slaves to their work and didn’t receive extra payment for the extra time they worked for years and years. Some of these people retired and were so disrupted in their lives that they didn’t know what to do. Shortly after they retired they became sick and died. The work gave meaning to their life. The author, in the â€Å"Ant and Grasshopper†, Aesop (86), the author describes that the ant works very hard during summer to store food for the winter. She labors through the task while the grasshopper sang and didn’t care about the winter. Life is so much more intricate than this; people are a lot more complex than insects and it is not always easy to accomplish those tasks that the workers or the boss had impose on their selves to accomplish a specific task or project. Their level of constant worry and pressure is intensified when they have a dead line to finish a task. Nevertheless in the corporate world people have to follow certain schedule. For example the employees at some large companies need to sign in and out when they arrive at work andShow MoreRelatedAs I have shown, throughout his essays, Gordon establishes a narrative of the past in the Diaspora1200 Words   |  5 Pagesestablishes a narrative of the past in the Diaspora which is distinctly negative, dra wing on images of the Jewish people as passive and parasitic, alienated from nature and labor and accordingly without a living culture. Through his ideology, Gordon establishes an idea of the perfect relationship between people, nature and labor; a relationship that must be withheld in order for a people to be a living, creative culture. Gordon asserts that the Jewish people have been kept apart from the natural sphereRead MoreWorking Class Solidarity:Rebuilding Youngstown1205 Words   |  5 PagesWorking-Class Solidarity; Rebuilding Youngstown Undoubtedly work and place influence its surroundings. Youngstown, Ohio is emphasized as one in particular. As a result â€Å"steelmaking fueled the area’s economy and defined its identity† (68). The city was represented in newspapers, art work, postcards, and many texts as both â€Å"impressive and attractive† (75), as well as â€Å"imposing, confusing, and uninviting† (86). Considering the conflicting representations, steelmaking â€Å"also suggest(s) a key element ofRead MoreFather Son And The Father1353 Words   |  6 Pagesdirectly. Stevens inability to communicate with his father blatantly highlights the emotional barrier between the two characters. Furthermore, by relinquishing his father of his duties, Stevens will be effectively stripping the man of his professional identity. Stevens is unable to directly demote his father, however, further suggesting that he is unwilling to fully assume the figure of dominance over his father. If Stevens were t o directly address his father on this professional level, he would fullyRead More Examining the American Identity Essay837 Words   |  4 PagesExamining the American Identity â€Å"Americans aren’t idyll daydreamers; they take the initiative.† (Cato.org) In his statement, Edward Hudgins, the director of regulatory studies at the Cato Institute, captures the essence of â€Å"Americaness.† Since the publishing of Ben Franklin’s Autobiography in 1790, this definition of Americans as go-getters and self-made-men has become stock. While Franklin’s life story helped define the American identity, the discussion of what an American is began decadesRead MoreOverseas Chinese and Chinese People Essay1615 Words   |  7 PagesAmericans have their ancestors in other countries. Even though they are called â€Å"Americans†, they have a special identity, that is, hyphenated Americans actually. Chinese-Americans have been one of the large groups of hyphenated Americans since a long time ago. This passage mainly observes the living conditions of Chinese-Americans in America and tries to analyze how the hyphenation identity impa cts their thoughts and life. The first section gives a brief introduction about Chinese-American, includingRead MoreThe Rights Of Immigration And Citizenship Essay1564 Words   |  7 PagesThe high presence of immigrants in ‘vulnerable’ labor markets make the pathways for migration and citizenship critical in accessing agency. The legality of labor for immigrants affects the vulnerability of immigrants. The ‘under the table’ nature of many economic opportunities presented to immigrant populations changes the stability of accumulating capital or creating economic mobility. The ‘off the books’ nature changes the agency to immigrants to gain their wages, protest exploitation and to attainRead MoreMarx And Engels s Impact On Society1349 Words   |  6 Pagesbelieved could use revolution to bring an end to capitalism. The proletariats were a class that depended on selling their labor to survive. Being just another commodity exposed them to the c hanges of competition and the market. Manufacturing factories changed the nature of work for laborers and devaluated and alienated workers. Division of labor and machines caused laborers’ work to lose individual character and they become slaves of the bourgeoisie. Marx recognized that exploitation of workers didRead MoreThe Flaws of Prison Labor Essay687 Words   |  3 PagesThe Flaws of Prison Labor The debate over prison labor has existed as long as the concept it’s self. Opponents claim that it exploits prisoners, takes away jobs from the general population, and puts people in danger by allowing convicts access to their personal information. While supporters of prison labor argue that it helps the economy as well as benefits prisoners. On this issue I stand on the side of the supporters. By having prisoners work we are accomplishing several beneficial thingsRead MoreDual Career Families1654 Words   |  7 Pageshome and completed the majority of the domestic work. The traditional marriage has definitely changed, as it has become more of a norm for both the husband and wife to maintain separate careers. Research has identified numerous variables that affect the stability of a marriage. The factors that have been identified as affecting marriages and in turn influencing divorce rates include: financial stressors, domestic workload, job stressors, identity strains, and marital interaction time. The resultsRead MoreHurricanes And Its Impact On The United States1107 Words   |  5 Pagesdescriptive chronologies by David L. Niddrie and David M. Ludlow to name a few. By reviewing and using all of these resources, Louis A. Pà ©rez concluded that the 1840’s hurricanes had an effect on agriculture, social relations, and the overall national identity of Cuba. The Cuban coffee, tobacco, and sugar productions transformed in the 19th century due to the hurricanes of 1842, 1844, and 1846. The productions of coffee, tobacco, and sugar prior to the 1840’s hurricanes were profitable businesses. Many

Essay on Formal Analysis of Art - 696 Words

Formal Analysis of Art Formal Analysis of Art The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh is consistent of his typical artwork. He uses the lines free and loose making it an expression of his contour lines. The spacing between the stars and the curving contours making it a dot to dot effect. Van Gogh’s, The Starry Night† portrays his personal emotion. He writes to his brother about his painting almost as if he would be confused himself about the painting. The village is dark but at the same time it is peaceful compared to the dramatic sky life. In Sol Le Witts, Wall Drawing it uses an ordered form and symmetrical form called classical lines. The line Sol Le Witts uses is considered a connection between two separate points. Although†¦show more content†¦All the qualities of this art work create the effect that Diego Velazquez is trying to accomplish through the viewer. Velazquez also portrays himself working at a large canvas in his art work. This is also the effect he wanted to accomplish to the viewer. The effect of illusion is that he is watching you, in return to you watching him in his art work. Nighthawks by Edward Hopper use the elements of light in his art work. The formal qualities of his art work are the contrast between the tones. The light in the art work amplifies particular items in the diner. For instance, the cherry wood countertops and the tops of the stools in the diner are shown as the contrast of the light. The colors of the objects are also made to shine through the art work. The outer part of the diner is only noticed through the green tile that is lighter around it. The element of light is used to contrast the change in the objects. The diner also partially blends in with the background of the art work. This effect is also accomplished through the lighting used by Edward Hopper. The color element used in the art work is expressive. The color contrast in the objects are what make the lighted objects stand out in the way that you can see and focus on what the figures are doing. You have a server, a gentleman and a lady at the end of the bar and t he figure that is sitting alone is not lighted so you tend to keep focused on your lighted figures. The viewer ofShow MoreRelatedEssay on Art Formal Analysis601 Words   |  3 PagesArt Formal Analysis Examining the formal qualities of Homer Watson’s painting Horse and Rider In A Landscape was quite interesting. I chose to analyze this piece as apposed to the others because it was the piece I liked the least, therefore making me analyze it more closely and discover other aspects of the work, besides aesthetics. The texture of the canvas works very well with the subject matter portrayed in the painting. The grassy hill side and the leaves of the trees are especially complimentedRead MoreFormal Analysis Of An Art Work Essay854 Words   |  4 PagesPrimary Research: Formal Analysis of an Art Work The art work that I have chosen for this formal analysis of an art work is the Painter of Paestum’s piece titled â€Å"Red-figure lebes gamikos (marriage vessel) it was made with terracotta red clay. This piece was made between 340-330 B.C. It is approximately 10 inches in height. The present location of this art piece is at The San Antonio Museum of Art in the Greek Late Classical section. The collection is a permanent collection from Gilbert M. and DenmanRead MoreArt History Formal Analysis - Comparison1659 Words   |  7 PagesFormal Analysis Paper The pieces Ann Whitley Russell, done by an unknown artist in around 1820 and Lady Frances Knowles, also done by an unknown artist, in the mid-late 17th century are both examples of portraits that portray the sitters in diverse yet insightful ways to viewers. Both Ann Whitley Russell and Lady Frances Knowles are works of art composed of oil paint on canvas. Although these portraits are different, the aspects of space, color, and composition are all important elements thatRead MoreComparison Art History Formal Analysis Essay868 Words   |  4 Pages1. Cimabue Virgin and Child Enthroned 2. Giotto Virgin and Child Enthroned The Giotto and Cimabue are obviously different versions of the Virgin and Child Enthroned. But because they are different versions they have their differences. When i first look at the Cimabue piece the first thing i focus my eyes on is the sweet, tender, loving face the Virgin has on her warm yellow face. Her eyes are looking outward towards the audience which i feel helps you feel like you are part of the enthroningRead Moreart history formal analysis Renoir luncheon of the boating party4340 Words   |  18 Pagesï » ¿ARTS103OL Art Appreciation FORMAL ANALYSIS FORMAL ANALYSIS of: Luncheon of the Boating Party By Auguste Renoir For ARTS103OL Art Appreciation Instructor: The intent of this paper is to provide a greater understanding of the selected art object. Through objective analysis of the formal elements that make up the art object and considerations of the social and cultural climate in which it was conceived, a greater understanding of the art objects significance will be achieved. PartRead More Literature - Formalism, The Hershey Bar of Criticism Essay661 Words   |  3 Pagesdifferent types of critical work and analysis. But to make a complicated matter simple, we can say pretty safely that formalism refers to critics or criticism that, first and foremost, emphasize the form or structure of a work of art and assume that nothing in that form or structure is really accidental or insignificant. That is, the formal elements in a work of art all mean something, in relation to one another and to us. By looking at the architecture of art—how it is constructed, what its elementsRead MoreArt past to Present Essay741 Words   |  3 Pages How would you define art? What criteria would you use? -After being in the Creative Arts class my ideas about what art really is and how I would define it has changed. To me art is something that an artist has thought of and then made it. I also think that art should be something that stimulates the senses or the mind in some way. Whether it me a painting with a hidden meaning or music which stimulates your hearing senses. 2. 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Abstract Expressionism was typically defined by Pollack’s â€Å"action painting† methods, which sought to objectify the painting process in a complex and busy style of â€Å"rhetoric† applied to canvases laid on the ground and dripped or splashed with paint. RothkoRead MoreAnalysis Of Leonardo Da Vinci s Madonna Of The Rocks1014 Words   |  5 PagesFor the Formal Analysis Essay, I have chosen the following artist and work of art to discuss: Leonardo da Vinci (Italian, 1452-1519), Madonna of the Rocks, c. 1495-1508, oil on panel, 75Ãâ€"47 in. The National Gallery, London. The subject of the Vinci’s Madonna of the Rocks (Fig 120) portrays four human figures under the cave with a landscape as background. In the center, the modeled Virgin Mary is seated on the ground. By her side is John the Baptist, who she has her arm over. Across from John the

Lets Fire All the Managers Free Essays

Already title is caching our attention : â€Å"First, Let’s Fire All the Managers†. Intriguing start changes in the list of charges against the modern management system. The author is showing his critic for complicated system, where we have hundreds of managers in various level. We will write a custom essay sample on Lets Fire All the Managers or any similar topic only for you Order Now He lists three main problems. As first is the costs of management which is very expensive. At second he shows that typical management hierarchy increases the risk of â€Å"calamitous† decisions with bad judgment. And as third multitiered management structure systematically disempowers lower-level employees. For all this three he is giving examples to make sure that readers will understand the problem. After that there is a lot of information about how this system is working and how the place of work is organized. So now we have question. Wouldn’t it be great if we could achieve high levels of coordination without a supervisory superstructure? To confirm theory author is giving very strong arguments by describing new management model called self-management which is in use at American company Morning Star. There are no employees, there are only â€Å"colleagues† which are taking personal responsibility for what they have done. And each person is at the same level. So if there is any problem other colleagues going to help to resolve it. There are no managers all the decision are made in the group of employees : â€Å"Around here, nobody’s your boss and everybody’s your boss. † To be sure that each employee now what he is doing and what kind of opportunities standing in front of him there are management courses , seminars which provide necessary information. As author is showing company have got only great achievement and there is only few small disadvantages. He is giving very strong arguments about almost â€Å"utopia† organization where everybody are happy. Everything sounds perfect but is it real? Using the Google’s I found Morning Star company. â€Å"One of the best, world’s leading tomato ingredient processor†. And as author shows, they have got self-management system in use. As a founders of the new system they create website â€Å"Self-management Institute† which provide all necessary information about new system . Self-Management is an organizational model where functions of a manager (planning, coordinating, controlling, staffing and directing) are pushed out to all participants in the organization as opposed to a select few. From that website we can read the main issue of new system, which is: self-directed work teams, employee empowerment, distributed decision making, â€Å"flattening† the organization, elimination of bureaucratic red tape . All of that is already successfully working in Morning Star company. To be sure author of article Gary Hamel , decide to check on his own that system. What he saw was very fast developing company where without even one manager, people working very efficiently. And the most important is that they know what they doing and feel responsible for that. They are more loyal and are better judgment because they are not lack of context and understand the facts from the ground. System, called pancake-flat, is not complicated, because there are no bosses. But who is making the big decisions? Giving power to everybody is scary, danger, for sure there must be someone responsible more than others. Summary. How can a big company survive without structure? For company like Morning Star where from the beginning the main system was self-management and all the structure was already prepared system was easy to absorb. In my opinion it would be difficult to put that system in mega companies with 100,000 employees. It would look like a loud school class with pupils, when teacher left for a moment and everybody doing what they want even when they were said to read book . That is why in big companies there always must be someone who is going to manage a group. It is almost impossible that 100,000 employees will work efficiently without manager. Self-Management gives a great deal of freedom to colleagues; isn’t that dangerous? Freedom must be balanced with responsibility in any organization. Ofcourse employees need to feel free when they working no one like big pressure and stress on top of work. But if we going to say â€Å"Feel free†, probably their going to put their own targets first. If we gonna left them on their own, we will never be sure if they doing what they where asked for and don’t waste our time and money. The company creates an environment where people can manage themselves by making the main mission the boss and truly empowering people. Where everybody are on the same level, and every one are bosses. It is sounds like â€Å"One for all and all for one†. For sure one thing is good in system like that. It is much cheaper without managers which have to be paid bigger salary. Reading this article I started to thing that that was the main problem. And thet is why new system was invented. To save the money. In my point of viewself-management system is very intresting and very innovative. By the example of Morning Star company I can assume that it can work. Author is sure that is possible to improve this system in much bigger companies. And with that I can not agree. It can not work everywhere and with every person. It always depends on the place (where company is), kind of company, (it worked in a simple agricultural organization doesn’t mean it is gonna work at New York) and employees characters (there is always leading person and someone who only want to do his job) . References: Books: 1. Nic Peeling, Brilliant Manager, (2010), What the best managers know, do and say, 3rd edition, Great Britain, Harlow: Pearson 2. Richard Templar, (2011), The rules of Management, second edition, Great Britain: Pearson 3. Scott Adams, (1996), Dogbert’s Top secret Management Handbook, New York: Harper Collins Publishers Inc. Websides: 1. Self management Institute, http://self-managementinstitute. org 2. Morning Star, http://www. morningstarco. com, (accessed on 11/12/11) Article which I used: Gary Hamel, (2011) First, Let’s Fire All the Managers, http://hbr. org/2011/12/first-lets-fire-all-the-managers/ar/1, (accessed on 06/12/11) How to cite Lets Fire All the Managers, Papers

McDonalds stands for American cultural imperialism Essay Example

McDonalds stands for American cultural imperialism Paper Consideration of the facts, statistics and the phenomenal growth of McDonalds- with a product that is closely associated with American culture- makes McDonalds a form of representation of American cultural imperialism on rest of the world. The essay considers different perspectives about the issue; for example, McDonalds as a global organisation, its justification for the charges made by social activist and consumers perception of the company image. The essay also integrates the consideration of adverse influences of McDonalds on different culture or nations, the economic implication for countries or communities in which it operates and mixed reactions of consumers to the American cultural imperialism that is reflected through McDonalds. Due to the controversies and complex nature in constituent terms of the concept Cultural imperialism, most attempts to define it end up creating abstract complexities in the name of definition (Tomlinson, 1991; Barnett, 1997). However in order to understand American cultural imperialism through McDonalds it is important to define cultural imperialism. Schiller, (1976) defined cultural imperialism as Sum of the process by which a society is brought into a modern world system and how its dominating stratum is attracted, pressured, forced and sometimes even bribed into shaping social institutions to correspond to or even promote, the values and structures of the dominating centre of the system. (Tomlinson,1991:9) . It is worth noting that in the context of cultural imperialism Watson, (1997) has taken culture to mean as popular music, television, film, video, pulp, fiction, comic, advertisement, fashion, home design, and mass produced food. We will write a custom essay sample on McDonalds stands for American cultural imperialism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on McDonalds stands for American cultural imperialism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on McDonalds stands for American cultural imperialism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer John Tomlinson, (1991) argues that the word imperialism has a connotation of some a form of domination linking it to empire, thats why cultural imperialism in third world points to the link between present cultural domination and colonial past. Said, 1997 has also emphasised the sense of domination that underlying the modernist production that is represented through global giants like McDonalds (Laura Chrisman, 2003). McDonalds is one of the crucial developments in America in twentieth-century that has influenced the world (Ritzer, 1996). In 1955 the first franchise of McDonalds was opened, by 1991 the number had reached to 12,000 outlets through out the world (Boje et al, 2006). Rigg (1994) states that McDonalds total sales in 1993 had reached 23. 6 billion, achieving the profit of 1. 1 billion. The total sale of the average US McDonalds outlet is 1. 6 million a year (cited in Ritzer, 1996). By the end of 2006 the company had 31,000 restaurants throughout the world that generated the revenue of $ 21. 6 Billion (McDonalds Annual Report, 2006). And today McDonalds Corporation is running restaurants even in places like Mecca in Saudi Arabia where a product that is associated with modernity and pop culture is difficult to imagine. The influence of McDonalds has reached far beyond confines of the United States and the fast food business (Schlosser, 2002). In a survey of school children it was found that 96% of the students could identify Ronald McDonalds in name recognition which is second to Santa Claus (Greenhouse, 1986). Because of its phenomenal success, there are restaurants throughout the world which copy McDonalds such as the fast food croissanteries in Paris, the chains of fast food restaurants like Nirulas that sells mutton burgers and the restaurants like Juicy Burger in Beirut (Ritzer, 1996). The influence of McDonalds on the way we live today is so deep rooted that the Golden Arches are universally more recognised than the Christian cross (Schlosser, 2001). On the opening of the McDonalds in Moscow a student was observed to exclaim that it was a real peace of America (Ritzer, 1996). McDonalds have a central place in popular culture (Fishwick, 1983). According to Smart (1999) brand names like McDonalds represents high profile symbols that are overloaded with variety of complex cultural association and their continual growing presence in almost all nations and its appeal serve as evidence of its deep-rooted existence, power and success of American commercial and cultural imperialism. Eric Schlosser (2002), observe that a generation ago American embassies and oil companies were the usual targets of overseas demonstration against American imperialism but these days fast food restaurants particularly McDonalds have assumed that symbolic role. Even the media portrays McDonalds as the American culture. For example, movies such as Coming to America, Falling Down, Moscow on the Hudson, Time after Time, Sleeper and Ten Men, have symbolised the American culture through McDonalds (Ritzer, 1996). Kellner (1999) points out the cultural dimension of the McDonalds corporation through advertising campaigns and promotional stunts, trying to create an experience of fun, of family togetherness, and of Americanisation associated with the McDonalds experience. Thus he argues that the one bite into a BigMc is actually consuming the sign values of good time, communal experience, consumer values, efficiency as well as the pleasure of the product. According to him McDonalds is not just selling the fast food, but a family adventure of eating out together, intergenerational bonding and a communal experience as repeated in their advertisements again and again. So the eating at McDonalds includes the consumption of sign values such as inexpensive food, a family outing, Americana or Modernity (Kellner, 1999,). It can be said that McDonalds is a combination of elements of globalisation and internationalisation (Vignali, 2001). According to Royle (2000) in order to succeed abroad McDonalds had to introduce a major cultural change so that their quick service food was uniquely American. Ritzer (1996) has based his theorisation of the phenomenon of McDonaldization on Webers concept of rationalisation that according to him is the domination of more and more sectors of American society and the rest of the world by the principals and key features of McDonalds fast food chain (Kellner, 1999). Retzer (1996) has explained that the principals of McDonaldization have restructured many diverse fields from the food, media, education, and even death. Kellner (1999) too agrees that the McDonalds fast food restaurants are sociological artefacts that can be analysed to generate more general and macro level of conceptualisation. According to Ritzer (1996) McDonaldisation influences not just the restaurant business but also education, health care, travel, leisure, dieting, politics, the family, and almost every other aspect of world society. He argues that McDonaldisation has proved to be an unstoppable process by dominating the seemingly unreceptive institutions and parts of the world. McDonaldization involves revolutionary set of business practices and a revolution in one very important cultural element that is the way people eat (Smart, 1999). In a similar way Pendergrast (1993), have used the term coca-colonization to suggest the continual American Cultural Imperialism. Katz (1994) has too referred Nike as dream machine that seeks to redefine culture through the power of sports . Barry Smart (1999) stresses the point that the expansion of the McDonalds Corporation through its franchised fast food outlets is the significant representation of American economic and Cultural imperialism. It should be noticed that there are various instances of resistance to McDonalds and its rationalisation of food production and consumption (Smart 1999). Ritzer (1998) has referred to the critical reactions in Jerusalem on opening of the New McDonalds by quoting the comment McDonalds is contaminating all of Israel and all of the Jewish people of a kosher restaurant inspector. Webster, (1993) too have referred to several comparable examples of community resistance to the McDonalds corporation in Paris and elsewhere in the France (cited in Ritzer 1998). Constantino, (1978) observes that global organisations like McDonalds are just economic bodies but their operations have direct effect on the culture of the developing countries and they target common masses of local societies in order to maximise their consumers. They try to cultivate a lifestyle that is inappropriate for developing nations by creating new needs, redirecting attitudes and by changing values. They try to induce western culture on segments of population who are most prone to absorb consumer values (Constantino, 1978). Finkelstein, (1999) agrees that McDonalds is an ambiguous product of modernity, because as an economic structure, it is well industrialised it makes the product efficient and profitable but at the social level it lends credence for the modern existence in an iron cage. According to Finkelstein, (1999) the snacks from McDonalds are a type of privatised and individualistic pattern of consumption that doesnt build bonds of belonging. The social harmony of eating in McDonalds is superficially short-lived. Global McDonanldisation produces international identities and images although it creates thin communities (Finkelstein, 1999). Munch (1999) argue that because of consumption of cultural products in a global cultural market common standards of life have vanished and according to him this is an irrational effect of rationalisation process that is turning the whole world into a market for professional organisations. Warde (1997) observes that many forces operate simultaneously to create collective orientation towards selecting food i. e. ocio-cultural forces, media representation of taste, and socio-demographics circumstances program people to similar consumption pattern. Klein, (2000) too believes that the attack from the global companies on the choices people make regarding consumption happens on different fronts for example locally, with few super brands that use their capital power to wipe away small and indepen dent businesses, and legally Consumer companies like McDonalds using Libel trademark suits to hound anyone who brings unwanted twist on a pop culture product (Klein, 2000). McDonalds have influenced the way of life of a significant portion of the world. Fast food that is provided in McDonalds is the form of American culture that the consumers globally literally consume. By copying American eating habits of fast foods (McDonalds), people from all over the world have started to look like obese fast food loving Americans (Schlosser, 2002). Kellner, (1999) takes the argument against McDonalds by stating that McDonalds encourage such a type of food that is closely associated with risk of cancer and heart disease but also actively promoting same culture where at presence of such diseases are not considered as a problem (McLibel Support Campaign, 1994). The growth of McDonald since 1997 in Japan has accelerated the shift in Japanese eating habits. The sale of fast food industry doubled in 1980 which resulted in the doubled rate of obesity in children in Japan (Schlosser, 2002). In a similar way eating large quantities of meat has substantial negative effect on health and McDonalds have sold more than 100 Billion hamburgers (Spencer et al, 2005). Eric Schlosser (2001) referred to a study conducted by Wootan et al in 2006, in which they observed that at McDonalds the nutrition information at point of decision making was often difficult to find or completely absent. Samuelson R. , J. , 1989, argues that there are people who refer McDonalds as a mixture of all that is Vulgar in American culture (cited in Ritzer, 1996). Emerald Group Publishing limited (2007) has published that even though McDonalds is trying to create the company image as an ethical company promoting diversity, concern for the planet and encouraging healthy lifestyle choices however the biggest argument against McDonalds is inherent in its global position that anti global activist see as the crux of the problem. However while taking side of cultural imperialism David Rothkopf, 1997 state that, the vanishing of cultural distinctions might be a sign of progress of civilisation and a tangible sign of enhanced communication and understanding. The famous McLibel case was followed closely by different social activist, however Campbell K. et al (2001) found that the McLibel case did not had a measurable negative impact on McDonalds. But still the critics of fast food and McDonalds in particular are diverse such as farmer, leftist, anarchist, nationalist, environmentalists, consumer advocates, health officials, labour unions and defenders of animal rights. The reason for their targeting the fast food restaurant chain of McDonalds is so ubiquitous, for that it threatens the fundamental aspects of national identity i. e. how, where and what people eat (Campbell et al, 2001). Accordingly Storey (1993), recommends that people, as active participant of local culture should be educated for selecting or rejecting new changes in culture, making meaning, attributing values to the developments in the culture etc. On the other side the growing Americanisation of the world is very oblivious and it is expressed through growing popularity of the movies, music videos, television shows, clothing and the Fast food restaurants like McDonalds from the United States (Schlosser, 2002). Higher income, busier lifestyle, the ease of availability storage, and greater variety in food choices have all resulted in repeat patronage to Fast food restaurants like McDonalds (Veeck et al, 2000). At the same time due to the transitional culture a large number of people are nowadays systematically and directly involved in more than one culture and this has certain amount of influence on the type of lifestyle that appeals to people (Hannerz, 1990). The study by Curtis et al (2007), found that presence of female gender, higher income levels, younger adults, the existence of children in the home and the positive opinion concerning the taste of the western food are the determining factors for the choices of type of food people make. According to Jones et al (2002), McDonalds provide consumers value for money-meals and also to some extent it is identified with an active commitment to community values and community activities. Curtis et al, (2007) observes that the increased consumption of western style convenience food in urban centres is likely the result of modernisation of the consumer preferences, where the consumption of imported foods, is viewed as a sign of modern living. He also argues that McDonalds provide a moderate cost solution for families looking for a modern dining experience, the new form of entertainment in china. In a study Watson (1997) found that there has been a change in the target audience of McDonalds. For example twenty years ago McDonalds catered to children of Hong Kongs wealthy elite however these elite have abandoned McDonalds and have moved to up Market to more expensive places. As a result McDonalds have turned to be a mainstay for working class people, who are attracted by its low cost, convenience, and predictability. However McDonalds annual report in 2006 has presented many facts about company which try to provide justification for its global position and also shed some light on the organisations involvement with local communities for their welfare through employment opportunities, Health education, safety trainings, educational scholarships, and environmental practices. It is worth noticing that McDonalds ( its owner) invest more than $1 Billion annually on employee training and development to create a platform for opportunities and growth for its employees (McDonalds Report, 2006). The company is proud to express the fact that 40% of its staff began their career at the restaurant (McDonalds Annual Report, 2005). McDonalds celebrate diversity in terms of employee backgrounds. 20% McDonalds employees are African and approximately 25% of all McDonalds owner/operator are minorities. McDonalds have secured number one position in Business Magazine for Hispanic, 2005 for its efforts to champion diversity in every aspect of the business. The company is also deeply involved and concerned for the communities in which it operates. For example Taiwan hygiene programme that teaches hand washing skills to children, New Zealand seat belt safety programme, US sue the dinosaur programme, Netherland Ronald sports programme, Russia fire prevention programme, Australia cancer education, McDonalds education Scholarship for children. In the past McDonalds have received more than 60 awards for corporate responsibility and environmental leadership that includes place among 50 best employers in 2006 Canada, best employer of the year in Brazil 2005, Latin America one of the best place to work 2005, Environmental leadership award (2001), corporate conservation leadership award, animal welfare award, toy safety award. According to Adams (2006), who is one of executive officer at McDonalds McDonalds make deliberate choices concerning our food quality, available menu, choices, visibility of nutrition information, and educational message on energy balance and claim that these efforts demonstrate their commitment to the consumers health and wellbeing. McDonalds offers efficiency for consumers which means it is a best available way to get from being hungry to being full (Adams, 2006). It also offers the calculability in terms of portion size, cost and time required to get the product. One can predict the quality and service of the product over the time in all locations (Ritzer, 1996). As a way to avoid the fear of American imperialism, McDonalds tries to purchase as much food as possible from the countries where it operates (Schlosser, 2002). Silverstone (1995) in his paper has cited the criticism made by Lyon, Taylor, and Smith, about George Ritzers belief that the impact of McDonalds on society is essentially bad and they see such a perspective as a biased. They argue that McDonalds is serving a useful role on the high street and it can be seen as slick satisfaction of consumers needs. Silverstone, (1995) has also referred to the McDonalds reaction to the charge of providing unhealthy food that their product form part of an overall balanced diet (McDonalds Food: The Fact, 1994). It should not be ignored that McDonalds places the nutrition information in easy to read graphic format on the packaging for the consumers to understand their dietary requirements (McDonalds Annual Report, 2006). Since the underlying values of the target audience have changed, McDonalds could not solely rely on convenience and product consistency as a unique selling point (Schroder et al, 2005). Watson, 1997 too agrees that in post modern upbringing the boundaries of the status, style, and taste dissolve almost as fast as they are formed. What is in today is out tomorrow as a result McDonalds is giving strong corporate emphasis on consumer health, quality and socially responsible initiatives must be taken (Schroder et al, 2005). According to study carried out by Emerald Group Publishing limited (2007), McDonalds have made significant changes in its product line to reflect todays healthy eating concerns and the more sophisticated taste of twenty first century consumers. In conclusion, due to its phenomenal growth, McDonalds does represent American cultural imperialism. The domination of American culture in the rest of the world has helped McDonalds Corporation in its tremendous growth and consequently McDonalds has strengthened the power of American culture in the world. It shows that the relationship between American cultural domination and the growth of McDonalds is positive. However from the companys point of view, McDonalds offers the world the service that satisfies the consumers needs with due consideration to ethical issues. And for consumers it is an affordable and convenient way of experiencing the modern living. However anti-globalisation activists resist McDonalds for the adverse effects it has on native cultures and argue that the culture represented by McDonalds is inappropriate for the common masses. After considering different perspectives it can be concluded that McDonalds does represent American cultural imperialism but it can not essentially be seen as bad or good for the nations of the world. However, consideration should be given to the importance of native culture, the role it plays in peoples life and the effect of American culture on developing countries where such American influence is not suitable.

The Impact of Social Media in Our Daily Lives

The Impact of Social Media in Our Daily Lives What Is Social Media? Social media is an electronic tool that serves to connect people remotely at their convenience. Some of the versions of this tool are LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, among others. MEDIA INFLUENCE FEMALE PERCEPTION OF THE BODY IMAGE. AGREE OR DISAGREE? There are several reasons why social media is important in our everyday life as outlined herein: Reason 1.  It helps people connect with their friends and make some new ones as well. Reason 2.  It helps people share what they are doing or details on where they are with the rest of the world. Reason 3.  It is also an avenue where you can order social media essay online or buy social media essay as well. What Social Media Are the Most Popular? Pinterest The importance of images on the web cannot be overemphasized and that is why Pinterest continues to gain praise as the only platform that has attracted the highest number of unique visits on a monthly basis. It makes use of the pinboard-style which is quite enticing and can be used to collect best images. Pinterest is also infiltrating the shopping market even as retailers take to using it. WhatsApp This tool has become one of the most popular platforms for instant messaging and can either work with data or internet connection to send or receive messages. Other than that, you can send voice messages, photos, and videos too. WhatsApp comes with customized features as well such as notification sounds, profiles, and wallpapers. Better still, you can allow it to connect to the address book on your phone for all your contacts to be transferred to it. Facebook This is the most popular social network on the internet with a record number of active users and those who take the time to log in on a daily basis. Just after WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger is the second most popular app in the world, used for messaging. You should also expect the dominance of Facebook to continue in future after its acquisition of Whatsapp. Twitter If you need access to instant news, then, twitter should be your number one choice. Twitter is a microblogging network that allows you to share different kinds of multimedia content through tweets. Many individuals continue to use it throughout the world as they enjoy the aspect of unfiltered feed. It is simply the best platform to discover what is happening in the rest of the world instantly. How Social Media Influence Us Social media has both positive and negative influence on individuals. The Good Immediate access to information Twitter delivers instant details on what is happening around you and the rest of the world from various sources hence, it is impossible to miss a thing. A level playing field for business Previously, for your business to be known you had to invest heavily in advertisements. Contrary to that, nowadays businesses can speak to the world through social media, which is a better option. The Bad Talk without action Though social media is an invaluable communication tool, today we see hashtag conversations that cause people to vent on these platforms but no action is taken in the end. Hiding behind anonymity It goes without saying that many are using social media to hide their identities for mischievous reasons. Hence, habitual pranksters and trolls have found a haven on this platform. VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA CAUSES VIOLENCE IN CHILDREN Where Will Social Media Be in 10 Years? It is true that in the coming days you should expect a revolution in the world of social media. Some of the things to expect are that businesses will be keen to align their strategies in accordance with social media trends. The other thing that businesses will do is train their call center, staff. That will be in line with responding to Twitter, WhatsApp, and Messenger questions directly sent from clients. This will ensure prompt responses and better customer service for enhanced productivity. Social media is already part of our lives and we need to embrace it. However, it is important to set boundaries on the extent to which we should allow it to control our lives. If you need a social media essay, feel free to place an order. We can help you with writing any type of academic paper. Focus on something more important than a  college degree.

Five Misspelled Idioms

Five Misspelled Idioms Five Misspelled Idioms Five Misspelled Idioms By Maeve Maddox Some idioms are confused in the speaking; others just in the spelling. The following idioms are usually pronounced correctly, but they are often misspelled in writing. 1. waiting with bated breath The word bated in this expression is often misspelled â€Å"baited.† For example, â€Å"Were waiting with baited breath  to hear if Rosie ODonnell is officially coming back to daytime screens.†    The word  bated is from a shortening of the verb  abate.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"To bate† means â€Å"to reduce, to lessen in intensity.† The expression â€Å"bated breath† is the only survival of the word in modern English. Read more here. 2. lo and behold People use this to mean something like â€Å"and then see what happened.† The idiom is frequently misspelled as â€Å"low and behold.† Lo is an old form of â€Å"look.† Read more here. 3. pore over Not to be confused with the noun pore (an opening in the skin), the verb pore means, â€Å"to study or examine carefully.† In expressions like â€Å"pore over a book† and â€Å"pore over my taxes,† the word is often misspelled as pour (to transfer liquid). Read more here. 4. toe the line This expression derives from the practice of lining up with one’s toe touching a line that has been drawn on the ground. Competitors line up to begin a race or some other competition. When everyone â€Å"toes the line† in this way, conformity has been achieved. In modern use, the expression occurs almost always in a political context with the meaning of â€Å"to conform to a political party’s platform.† It is often miswritten as â€Å"tow the line.† Read more here. 5. pique one’s interest/curiosity The French borrowing pique means â€Å"to stimulate.† The word is sometimes misspelled as peek and peak. Here are some examples, one of them from a site that offers marketing advice: â€Å"It was that statement that peeked my interest in acting,† says Loretta. Lingerie styles, construction, and cultures have always peeked my curiosity. Udemy has really  peaked my interest. Headlines That Will Have Peaked My Curiosity Read more here. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your StoryWriting the CenturyComma Before Too?

Global & International Business Contexts (Chilean wine industry) Essay

Global & International Business Contexts (Chilean wine industry) - Essay Example The highly competitive environment in the telecommunication sector has led to low pricing of the communication services that has reduce the cost of the business infrastructure for companies in Chilean markets (William,  Beaujanot  and  Zuniga, 2010). The administrative infrastructure has also been favourable for quick registrations reduced the time of obtaining licences for the new companies entering the wine industry (Rugman and Collison, 2012). The physical infrastructure in Chile supports the growth of wine industry as the country has high efficient air port and sea port facilities to support the distribution of wine. The government has always encouraged development of skills of the available manpower. This has been advantageous for the Chilean wine industry as the efficiency of the workforce is closely linked to the business output (Wines of Chile, 2013). The weakness of the Chilean conditions lay in the lack of good quality of education at various levels in the education s ystem. The government has been coordinating for laying the infrastructure of proper training and development, specialized training for certain industries like the wine industry to provide favourable business environment for the investors. The wine industry of Chile, however, faces the risk of natural disaster like earthquake, volcanoes, etc. Due to these disasters, the wine industry has faced million dollar losses as a result of the damages on the physical infrastructure like the airports, transport facilities, etc. However, the overall industry environment supports adequate level of production to meet the export requirements of the wine industry. The foreign currency regulation is weak in Chile due to which the wine... The strategies and the rivalry prevailing among the wine producers in the Chilean wine markets are also important for analysing the Chilean wine industry. The level of competition in the Chilean wine industry in quite healthy in nature that has the objective of producing quality wine products for supplying to the customers in domestic and foreign markets (Jenster, Hayes and Smith, 2005). The Chilean wine industry has witnessed strong regional competition among the wine producers. Due to the high prospects and the lucrative business opportunities in the wine industry of Chile, there have been foreign direct investments in this sector. The foreign investors have increased their presence in the Chilean wine industry thereby increasing the competition for the production of good quality of wine at competitive prices. The instances of joint ventures have also been noticed in the wine industry. The joint venture between Err azuriz and Mondavi is an example. Thus the competitive rivalry in t he wine industry has been quite intense which led to the increase in performance of wine production and supply over the years. The areas of weakness of the wine industry are also important to analyse the investment proposal of the new business. The wine industry of Chile lacks in the area of governance among the wine producers and suppliers operating in the market (Visser and Langen, 2006). The wine producers and the suppliers lack mutual trust among each other. The practise of copying the marketing and distribution styles of other players has been observed. The Chilean wine industry has shown signs of regional differentiation.