Marijuana and Its Legalization Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marijuana and Its Legalization - Research Paper Example Many people have different opinions and ideas regarding the use of marijuana. Some feel that it is a negative habit which causes very ill effects on people. Others feel that there is nothing wrong with the use of marijuana, and in fact it may even be beneficial in certain situations. These beliefs lead to different actions towards marijuana. Some choose to use it despite laws in their area that prohibit it, while others choose to stay away from it at any cost. This paper's aim is to provide objective, honest and fact-based arguments regarding the positive effects of marijuana, as well as provide effective arguments that support the legalization of marijuana. This document does not support the rampant and careless use of marijuana as a substance but instead promotes the legal and controlled use and distribution of marijuana, similar to laws governing alcohol and its use. This paper will discuss certain arguments that support the legalization of marijuana and divide the topics of argum ent as:†¢Ã‚  Introduction to marijuana and its effects†¢Ã‚  Effect of marijuana's legalization on the health industry†¢Ã‚  Effect of marijuana's legalization on economics and tax revenue †¢Ã‚  Effect of marijuana's legalization on crime †¢Ã‚  Some of marijuana's negative effects †¢Ã‚  ConclusionThe belief that marijuana has any beneficial effects to a user’s health has been argued for a very long time. Many people believe that taking marijuana has no negative effects on a person’s health, and according to altmed.creighton.edu, some medicinal uses of marijuana.

Magazine article on E-books Essay Example for Free

Magazine article on E-books Essay Cassettes-sidelined! DVDs –gathering dust! VHS-retired! Technology mutates and evolves leaving redundant platforms in its place. Much of the time technology is beneficial and change is good, however occasionally change is not so auspicious and we do not realise what we have lost until it’s truly gone. The book. The Bible, The odyssey and The Gruffalo (and that’s not even mentioning the poets). All books which have stood the test of time and are still being read as much today as the moment they were published; with these texts societies were bound and broken; lessons were learned and empires fell; all to the humble book. However the brazen veteran; the book; is endanger of being stripped of its crown by the young and brash E-book. In the words of Northrop Frye books are the only piece of technology which has not become socially defunct–Yet! They have stood firm whilst DVDs, tapes and vinyl like empires, rose and fell. However the frog like e-book with its dull boring features and its fabulously annoying Wifi connectivity could be the bane of books. E-books are vastly growing in nature, like a weed; multiplying on every train, beach and plane you see them they are growing in number and his suggested by 2016 there will be nearly 10 billion of these dastardly devices roaming the world. Even the mere existence of E-books has created a whole new type of piracy where people are ripping off hard working authors and publishers by getting counterfeit e-books online for free. This illegal practice was consummated by the emotionless e-book. These characterless devices rob the tangible nature you get from books. The feel of the paper the smell of the ink all contribute to the sensation we get from reading. E-books rob this from us and sadly soon children will not understand this interaction as they will be more familiar with the blistering headache the monotonous e-book provides.

Submarine warfare :: essays research papers

Submarine Warfare It took World War I to prove the worth of submarines. Prior to that time, submarines played only a small role in the plans of fleet commanders, serving primarily only as coastal defense units. For the most part, fleet commanders ridiculed the idea that the submarine had a place in naval strategy and tactics. They believed that the submarine was only a play thing. It diverted time and money from other more useful and dependable branches of the service. This view was to suddenly change when, on 17 September 1914, the German submarine force proved the importance of undersea warfare. On that day, the German submarine U-9 spotted a cloud of smoke and penetrating masts on the horizon. As they came closer, Otto Weddigen, commanding officer of the U-9, could make out three cruisers steaming abreast at a speed of about 10 knots. Each was seperated from the others by two miles. Weddigen gave the order to dive. At 6:20 a.m., he ordered the first torpedo fired. It hit the cruiser HMS ABOUKIR, which began to list heavily. Within 25 minutes, she had capsized and sunk. ABOUKIR had been cruising with her sisters HMS CRESSY and HMS HOUGE. When ABOUKIR was rent by an explosion and sank, the commanding officers of the CRESSY and HOUGE assumed that she had struck a mine. They closed in and began rescue operations. HMS HOUGE was next to go. Two torpedoes struck her hull --sinking her in less than 10 minutes. A glimpse of the U-9's periscope suddenly m ade CRESSY's captain aware of what had occured. CRESSY tried to make a run for it. It was too late. At 7:17 a.m., Widdigen fired two more torpedoes. CRESSY rolled over on to her beam ends. Fifteen minutes later, she joined her sisters at the bottom. The news that the German submarine U-9 had attacked and sunk three British armored cruisers in the North Sea caused the entire world to sit up and take notice. Submarines were immediately given more thoughtful consideration. Germany entered World War I with but 28 submarines.

Emo Culture Essay

Like the social and fashion trends of eras long gone, emo is not simply about the way you dress – it is a lifestyle. It culminates in your clothing, shoes, hairstyle, attitude and – most importantly – musical selection. This section describes the emo lifestyle and attitudes. People do tend to adopt at least the attitudes of the music they listen to most even if they don’t admit it. This is because a lot of people are not able to separate themselves from the ideas that are expressed. Music is different from other art-forms in that it penetrates the soul in a way something visual cannot. People seem to like to group together for some reason, its in our nature, and â€Å"emo† is just another group or sub-culture. People â€Å"join† it because they might agree with some, most or all of what the group is generally about. Being â€Å"Emo† is just another way that people are trying to express themselves, really the same as other street styles, just with a different soundtrack. In the end, each of the people who have chosen to follow the scene is their own person- they are just part of a scene that is tipped as being defiant and unacceptable- something most young people are drawn to. [To the Top!] What are Emo’s like? Firstly, labeling someone as an emo based on their hair style is a poor way to interpret personal expression, just as calling someone a goth based on their preference for black clothing. Whether or not a person listens to emo music, writes emo poetry, or adopts an alternative lifestyle is a personal decision that does not automatically have anything to do with the colour or cut of their hair. Emo styles are unique, individual looks that say a lot about the persons style, but the emotions behind them may never be understood by anyone else. When referring to a person’s personality and attitude, most definitions of emo include a number of the following terms: sensitive, shy, quiet, sad, introverted, glum, self-pitying, mysterious and angst ridden. Depression and broken-heartedness are sometimes used to describe the emo personality. Emo’s feel society doesn’t accept them, they are outcasts and nobody understands them! This is generalising and it is important to note those into the emo / scene culture can obviously also be the opposite of the personality traits listed above as with anyone. At its core, emo is all about being upfront with your emotions. Hot Topic even issued a patch that read, â€Å"cheer up, emo kid!† These personality traits are often identified by his/her music and fashion (generalising here). For example the emo band Hawthorne Heights contains multiple references to unrequited love, emotional and relationship problems. Many of these traits are present in most teenagers and not just emos! The courting of misery and death is a long-established teenage tradition. When death is a long way off, you can afford to be more morbid about it. In particular, Goths and Emos are a rebellion against sporty, manly cultures. Frailness, which conveys a sense of vulnerability has been associated with the male emo’s in particular, but from what I know this isn’t particularly valid. Finally touching on the term â€Å"scene† that has become popular since the emo subculture kicked off. Scene kids I believe are more about the style and looking like an emo without the personality of it all. In other words, scene kids are the ones that dress emo, but only because it’s a trend or you could say Scene is Emo without the emotion. The term is subject to significant debate like emo though.

Samsung vs. Apple: New Foundation and Platform

This paper is based on the article titled ‘Samsung vs Apple, The Battle for Design Dominance’ written by Haydn Shaughnessy and retrieved from www. forbes. com. The article is about Samsung vs Apple executing a new foundation and platform for business strategy. This is a key change in the business strategy of the software organization. This material is very important and relevant to the course content of business strategy because of the following reasons: ? It talks about business strategy of one of the leading cell phone organization in the country and how it is changing its business strategy to adapt to the changing environment. It helps us understand the importance of change in business strategy with changing times. ?It talks about computation and new business strategy which includes Social strategy, platform strategy and radical adjacencies. This helps us understand the change a new business strategy brings in any organization. There are also many practical managerial implications of this material: It talks about the social media strategy of Samsung battle with Apple and how their new design studio has the ability to bring software and hardware together in a new way.It gives us an idea about how important it is to get the demographics write on the social media and adapt or strategy accordingly. Secondly the article also helps us understand the importance of Samsung and platform in a banking organization further emphasizing on good quality software. Thirdly, it stresses on the importance of radical changes in operations to adapt to the changing markets, which can be the only survival strategy. ARTICLE RETRIVED FROM http://www. forbes. com/sites/haydnshaughnessy/2013/03/17/samsung-vs-apple-when-design-thinking-came-to-town/2/ /

Free Essays on The Healthy Choice

There are more than three-hundred thousand fast food restaurants in the United States. Fast food is so popular because it is convenient, predictable, and fast. Fast food has become a part of the busy American lifestyle. Fast food is often high in calories, sodium, fat and cholesterol, however. This does not mean that fast food is bad, but it does mean that it should be fit into a balanced, healthy diet. Fast food restaurants are often held responsible for the growing number of Americans with obesity. Obesity is the excess accumulation of fat in the body and is becoming a growing problem in the United States today. There are more than forty-five million that are overweight and more than twenty million obese people in the United States today. Obesity is becoming a major problem among children as well- over thirty percent of children are overweight (Leonidas, MD). Many Americans have a lack of knowledge of what they are ingesting. In 1990, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act went into effect, requiring that all restaurants have nutrition pamphlets that contain the common name of the product, the name and address of the product’s manufacturer, and the net contents in terms of weight, measure or count (Cubed). Most pamphlets fail to include key ingredients, such as Trans fat, that add to weight gain. Trans fat is a unsaturated fatty acid produced by the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils. This fat is present in most commercial baked and fried foods. Trans fat is high in fat, calories, and it raises cholesterol levels (Wootan). It is possible to eat a healthy, low fat fast food meal. In deciding to check out ingredients, fat and calories in order to pick a healthy food choice, a self-evaluation of what each individual person’s body needs in order to lose or maintain weight would be an advantageous idea. There are a few different factors that should be taken into consideration. Body mass index is one factor that should ... Free Essays on The Healthy Choice Free Essays on The Healthy Choice There are more than three-hundred thousand fast food restaurants in the United States. Fast food is so popular because it is convenient, predictable, and fast. Fast food has become a part of the busy American lifestyle. Fast food is often high in calories, sodium, fat and cholesterol, however. This does not mean that fast food is bad, but it does mean that it should be fit into a balanced, healthy diet. Fast food restaurants are often held responsible for the growing number of Americans with obesity. Obesity is the excess accumulation of fat in the body and is becoming a growing problem in the United States today. There are more than forty-five million that are overweight and more than twenty million obese people in the United States today. Obesity is becoming a major problem among children as well- over thirty percent of children are overweight (Leonidas, MD). Many Americans have a lack of knowledge of what they are ingesting. In 1990, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act went into effect, requiring that all restaurants have nutrition pamphlets that contain the common name of the product, the name and address of the product’s manufacturer, and the net contents in terms of weight, measure or count (Cubed). Most pamphlets fail to include key ingredients, such as Trans fat, that add to weight gain. Trans fat is a unsaturated fatty acid produced by the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils. This fat is present in most commercial baked and fried foods. Trans fat is high in fat, calories, and it raises cholesterol levels (Wootan). It is possible to eat a healthy, low fat fast food meal. In deciding to check out ingredients, fat and calories in order to pick a healthy food choice, a self-evaluation of what each individual person’s body needs in order to lose or maintain weight would be an advantageous idea. There are a few different factors that should be taken into consideration. Body mass index is one factor that should ...

Free Essays on The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz Setting â€Å"The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz† is written by Mordecai Richler. He elaborates many wonderful and foretelling settings. â€Å"Before him spread a still blue lake and on the other side a forest of pine trees.† (page 106) This setting describes Lac St. Pierre, a lake where Duddy wants to buy land around. When Duddy was young, about fifteen, his grandfather Shimka, told him that, â€Å"A man without land is nobody.† This statement etched itself as a vivid image in Duddy’s mind. Duddy listened to his grandfather and bye the age of eighteen he was making movies and selling pinball machines so he could buy all the land around the lake. â€Å"At the time, however, most Jewish boys in Montreal who had been to high school had gone to F.F.H.S and, consequently, had studied out of â€Å"The World’s Progress† (revised) with John MacPherson.† At the beginning of the novel Duddy had attended Fletchers Field High School (F.F.H.S.). He was fifteen at the time and he was not that bright. Duddy lives in the Jewish ghetto of Montreal. Montreal is the main setting in this novel because this is where Duddy both produces and sells all his films. â€Å"Some six miles from Montreal, set high in the Laurentian Hills on a shore of a splendid blue lake, Ste. Agathe des Montes had been made the middle-class Jewish community to own a resort many years ago.† Ste. Agathe is another important setting in the novel. Duddy worked as a waiter there when he was seventeen and here he met Yvette. When the two of them had gone for a walk, Yvette showed Duddy a lake, and at first sight Duddy knew he had to buy al l of the land on this lake and he would do anything to abtain the money. The setting in â€Å"The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz† helps the ongoing story. At the beginning of the novel Duddy lives in a Jewish ghetto in Montreal where he is raised by his father, Max, and goes to school at F.F.H... Free Essays on The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz Free Essays on The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz Setting â€Å"The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz† is written by Mordecai Richler. He elaborates many wonderful and foretelling settings. â€Å"Before him spread a still blue lake and on the other side a forest of pine trees.† (page 106) This setting describes Lac St. Pierre, a lake where Duddy wants to buy land around. When Duddy was young, about fifteen, his grandfather Shimka, told him that, â€Å"A man without land is nobody.† This statement etched itself as a vivid image in Duddy’s mind. Duddy listened to his grandfather and bye the age of eighteen he was making movies and selling pinball machines so he could buy all the land around the lake. â€Å"At the time, however, most Jewish boys in Montreal who had been to high school had gone to F.F.H.S and, consequently, had studied out of â€Å"The World’s Progress† (revised) with John MacPherson.† At the beginning of the novel Duddy had attended Fletchers Field High School (F.F.H.S.). He was fifteen at the time and he was not that bright. Duddy lives in the Jewish ghetto of Montreal. Montreal is the main setting in this novel because this is where Duddy both produces and sells all his films. â€Å"Some six miles from Montreal, set high in the Laurentian Hills on a shore of a splendid blue lake, Ste. Agathe des Montes had been made the middle-class Jewish community to own a resort many years ago.† Ste. Agathe is another important setting in the novel. Duddy worked as a waiter there when he was seventeen and here he met Yvette. When the two of them had gone for a walk, Yvette showed Duddy a lake, and at first sight Duddy knew he had to buy al l of the land on this lake and he would do anything to abtain the money. The setting in â€Å"The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz† helps the ongoing story. At the beginning of the novel Duddy lives in a Jewish ghetto in Montreal where he is raised by his father, Max, and goes to school at F.F.H... Free Essays on The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz The novel â€Å"The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz† is about a poor Jewish boy named Duddy growing up in the ghetto streets of Montreal on St. Urbain street. Duddy didn’t have a lot going for him, he had a brother named Lennie going to University leaving him behind and a father named Max telling stories about the Boy Wonder someone who Max believed in but didn’t believe in Duddy. Duddy only had one person to look up to and that was his grandfather Zeyda, who believed in Duddy and Duddy told him his hopes and dreams. Out of all Duddy and Zeyda talked about there was always one thing that Duddy remembered best of all. Zeyda told Duddy a â€Å"man without land is nothing†. That one sentence changed Duddy’s whole way of thinking. He became hooked on it. Building up to reach that one goal, or better thought placed in his head by his most respected friend. He worked hard to show everyone that he wasn’t nothing but something by getting his own land. It corrupted him to the point that anything would be done to keep this vision lined up and close until he reached it, breaking all moral code, leaving no honour. But to say, he, in his own way was the Boy Wonder. Stopping at nothing for this dream made relationships extremely hard for Duddy because he would even hurt the people he, so called loved to get to this dream. Duddy wanted to be in Max’s eye, someone Max could tell stories about or show off to his friends, mostly a son to be proud of. Duddy wanted to prove to every, mostly Max that he was more then just some dumb kid that was always getting in trouble and going nowhere in life. Max would tell his friends about his other son Lennie that was going to become a doctor and go to University. When Max’s friends asked about Duddy Max would tell them that Duddy was a good kid but dumb like his old man, meaning he didn’t think Duddy would go anywhere in life. Another thing that Max loved to tell about was t...

Should You Come Clean About Lying on Your Resume [INFOGRAPHIC]

Should You Come Clean About Lying on Your Resume [INFOGRAPHIC] We’ve all embellished our resumes from time to time. We’ve put down Excel proficiency knowing full well that the only thing we know how to do is copy and paste into a spreadsheet. We’ve listed ourselves as fluent in Spanish even though we barely passed high school Spanish (don’t judge me). But where do we draw the line between stretching the truth and lying? And when do you we come clean about lying on our resumes? If lying on your resume gets you the job but also gets you fired, is it really worth risking your professional reputation? Let’s take a gander at this infographic to get a better idea of when you should come clean about lying on your resume:Â   Source: [GQ]

Writing and Reporting News, page 94, exercise 2 Assignment

Writing and Reporting News, page 94, exercise 2 - Assignment Example In the article, it brought about the divide between the republicans who do not support gay marriage. Gay marriage has been on debate for a very long time on whether to make it legal on various states. In an article written by Rick Pearson on November 6th, 2013 about the legalization gay marriage in Illinois as having made a boost to the Democrats in the forthcoming elections. Furthermore he continues that high unemployment rate coupled with financial woes could tract the party too. In a newspaper article written on June 11th by Jennifer Weigel, a research finding linking social media to narcissism was reported. This came as a concern as many people in our society use social media for communication. She reported that the common social media sites like Facebook and Twitter promoted the culture of narcissism. In an article written by Jan Wiezorek, it more focused on college orientation programs. In campus, it is evident that quite a number of factors need to be considered during orientation process. This include issues like HIV, drug abuse and alcohol, HIV, Homophobia among others. Manchir, Rick Pearson and Michelle. "Poll: Same-sex marriage still divides GOP voters in Illinois." 17 February 2014. Chicago Tribune. . Pearson, Rick. "Marriage vote could re-engage 2014 campaigns." 6 November 2013. Chicago Tribune. . Weigel, Jenniffer. "University of Michigan study links social media and narcissism." 11 June 2013. Chicago Tribune. . Wiezorek, Jan. "College Orientation Programs Are Focusing On

Source Annotation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Source Annotation - Essay Example On average, Americans spend 20 to 30 or even 100 times as much on medical services and devices as what they would cost in a shopping mall (Zuckerman 1). The article tries to get a reason for the high costs. It cites the partnership of most hospitals and private insurance companies as one reason for the fee hike. The insurance companies have a power in negotiating with hospitals over a patient covered by them. They pinpoint the hospital in their grid of providers. Insured patients can get discounts that are thirty to fifty percent beyond low Medical care charges. Zuckerman (2) further adds that doctors tend to over-test to avoid malpractice and misdiagnosis to avoid malpractice and misdiagnosis. The high-tech devices used in the hospitals drive the costs to bizarre levels too. The author of the article has used information from the analysis of works of medical practitioners. For example, he has cited one Steven Brill, who initially exposed the impact of insurance companies on hospitals. The study also has much of its information from the federal government sources such as where it points out that readmissions alone cost over $25 billion a year and that medical care budget may well hit $600 billion this

Relating to video Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Relating to video - Essay Example While this particular film is able to provide an overview to the current conflicts and the complexities of the region, there is still the need to move further into the history of Jerusalem and the practice of religions that continue to dominate over the region. Historical Feedback of Film There are several balanced points with the history of the film, as well as limitations in recounting the realities of the three faiths in Jerusalem. Generally, the narrative of including the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religion into one film is one which defines an equal balance. The viewer is able to see how each of the dynamics between the religions works within the region and represents a component of life among those that are involved in Jerusalem. More important, the timing for each one, personal stories and the link to the basic history of the development of the religions is balanced. The viewer is able to get an overview of what occurred in the region as well as how this has affected others that are living in the region today. The concept of balancing the history is one which is also seen as effective in terms of relating the 4000 year history to today. The narrators are able to show how the long history can be traced back by all of the religions. This, in turn, becomes a reason behind the conflicts today. Most of the historical conflicts become ingrained with each of the generations, religious beliefs and the aspects that are associated with the region. These are combined with an understanding of how some of the central conflicts, because of their deeply rooted problems with obtaining the Holy Land, have led to continuous misunderstandings at a social, political and individual viewpoint. The video is able to interpret this specific understanding of history clearly and effectively. This specific balance then gives the viewer a general insight into the complexities of both history and the current day conflicts that are a part of the region. While there is a balance fro m this perspective in terms of the historical feedback, there are also several elements that limit what is told from all three perspectives. The first type of imbalance is from the timing of the video. This doesn’t provide in – depth insight into the historical findings, different interpretations and other livelihoods of what has occurred within all three religions. Instead, it skims the surface of what is occurring and creates a generalized dynamic about the specific region. When one moves into the deeper history of Jerusalem or looks at other aspects or perspectives, different pieces of information may be found that are either contradictory or which provide further insight outside of what the film offers. The imbalance between stories continues with the perspective which is taken in terms of the audience. The historical component is to look at how the 4000 year old history has affected Jerusalem and created roots of conflict in the city. This is followed by the persp ectives which show the deeply rooted opinions and behaviors of those who are in the city. The movement into the roots and the examination of how the ideals are today leads to a gap in the history. There is an understanding of what has occurred in the beginning and how this has changed today. However, there are other layers of history

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

Death Penalty - Essay Example Death penalty has been a controversial issue in the international community. Many nations have been disturbed and argued about the best way it can be handled. This has made generation of questions on how best the capital offenders can be punished in order to have justice for both the offenders and victims of the circumstances. The bill of rights supports the right of individuals to live and associate freely. On the other hand, the same legal provision is also used to condemn capital offenders to death sentence. The religious community questions the legality of the death sentences and at the same time urges citizens to follow the law. It is still ironical when they defend the law breakers. Many countries stress that the justice system must be observed for the victims. Several views have been given on this issue. They are legal, religious, political and socialist perspectives. There are arguments about the pros and cons of execution. Publicized studies have also confirmed that many innocent people have been wrongly executed. On the other hand, the issue of terrorism is a threat to state, especially when the perpetrators are not brought to book. What should be the best action to take? This has brought divergent views. Generally, opinion is divided on the step to take on this issue. Some people insinuate that it will be very expensive on the tax payer’s side if execution is allowed. It costs about between two to five times more to execute a criminal than to maintain a criminal in the prison for the rest of the life (Paternoster and Bacon 91). Those against argue that the financial amount required is pegged on the long court procedures, legal wrangling and many endless appeals. A criminal can be on death row for up to 20 years (Baumgartner, Boydstun and De Boef 47). This is very expensive for the state due to the said legal procedures. Supporters of the death penalty state that it is better to use state resources to penalize the murderers in order to save lives of innocent people. They categorically state that this action creates crime deterrent. Crime would always be on the increase if there is no any stern action taken against these people (Vaughn 98). According to research carried out in P ennsylvania alone, there are ineffective defense attorneys who fail to conduct satisfactory investigations to support their clients. This has lead to conviction of innocent suspects, especially those involved in complicated cases (Hood and Hoyle 105). Many cases are confirmed that some lawyers made mistakes and the judges have made rulings based on their findings. It is also argued that death penalty is barbaric form of punishment. Paternoster and Bacon state that all forms of death penalty are unfair (55). In exemplifying this, the argument states, whether it is through lethal injection, hanging, using the firing squad or electric chair, this state sanctioned murder is not fair before a crowd of people (Paternoster and Bacon 56). For instances, California physicians refused the demand by the government to use lethal injection as a means of execution hence execution was stopped. They claimed that there are many constructive ways in addressing violent crimes and those two wrongs do n ot make a right (Baumgartner, Boydstun and De Boef 78). However, the proponents of death penalty action feel that this is the only way to deter criminals from any further illegal actions. They argue that justice must be served in favour of the victims. Most fundamental legal provision is that punishment should always fit the crime. In addition, justice delayed is justice denied (Morris 70). Those against death penalty sentences say that it is bad because the state should not use killing to show that murder and manslaughter are bad. There should be another appropriate method. Prison alone is effective because life there is quite deterring, as stated by those who are against the death penalty. They quote, ‘

Do the reading and answer the 7 question below Coursework

Do the reading and answer the 7 question below - Coursework Example The older Chinese in our families opposed the discussion and asserted that women are fixing problems that do not exist. Definitely, this increased the ire of the more hot-headed members of my ingroup. She managed to control her anger, but I could see that she was enraged with her red face and nearly-tearful eyes. In this example, two groups competed over the power to influence the youth, wherein power is a limited resource that cannot be easily shared, as in the Realistic Conflict Theory. The outgroup wants females to remain submissive and perform largely domestic roles, while the ingroup desires gender equality, including equal roles and responsibilities in their home and work lives. 2. b. Indicate the vitalities of these two groups (high/medium, low, etc.) by comparing their relative positions on the main vitality factors separately -- as well as their overall relative vitalities. Importantly, how did you arrive at these sets of judgments? Since we are now in the United States of America, the outgroup mentioned in #1 has medium vitality compared to when they are in the rural areas of China. In China, many people continue to have gendered ideas about women’s and men’s functions and social status, especially when their culture and religion teach gendered values. Here in the U.S., we have high vitality in terms of mass media, education, government services, industry, religion, culture, and politics, especially when it comes to the discussion of gender issues. However, if I will analyze the same aspects that give our ingroup the vitality, they are not completely promoting gender equality. Mass media, for instance, sends mixed messages regarding traditional and non-traditional female roles and functions. Education continues to teach that some jobs are more appropriate for males than females because of the continuation of burden for females to take care of their families, so they rarely have

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

Death Penalty - Essay Example Death penalty has been a controversial issue in the international community. Many nations have been disturbed and argued about the best way it can be handled. This has made generation of questions on how best the capital offenders can be punished in order to have justice for both the offenders and victims of the circumstances. The bill of rights supports the right of individuals to live and associate freely. On the other hand, the same legal provision is also used to condemn capital offenders to death sentence. The religious community questions the legality of the death sentences and at the same time urges citizens to follow the law. It is still ironical when they defend the law breakers. Many countries stress that the justice system must be observed for the victims. Several views have been given on this issue. They are legal, religious, political and socialist perspectives. There are arguments about the pros and cons of execution. Publicized studies have also confirmed that many innocent people have been wrongly executed. On the other hand, the issue of terrorism is a threat to state, especially when the perpetrators are not brought to book. What should be the best action to take? This has brought divergent views. Generally, opinion is divided on the step to take on this issue. Some people insinuate that it will be very expensive on the tax payer’s side if execution is allowed. It costs about between two to five times more to execute a criminal than to maintain a criminal in the prison for the rest of the life (Paternoster and Bacon 91). Those against argue that the financial amount required is pegged on the long court procedures, legal wrangling and many endless appeals. A criminal can be on death row for up to 20 years (Baumgartner, Boydstun and De Boef 47). This is very expensive for the state due to the said legal procedures. Supporters of the death penalty state that it is better to use state resources to penalize the murderers in order to save lives of innocent people. They categorically state that this action creates crime deterrent. Crime would always be on the increase if there is no any stern action taken against these people (Vaughn 98). According to research carried out in P ennsylvania alone, there are ineffective defense attorneys who fail to conduct satisfactory investigations to support their clients. This has lead to conviction of innocent suspects, especially those involved in complicated cases (Hood and Hoyle 105). Many cases are confirmed that some lawyers made mistakes and the judges have made rulings based on their findings. It is also argued that death penalty is barbaric form of punishment. Paternoster and Bacon state that all forms of death penalty are unfair (55). In exemplifying this, the argument states, whether it is through lethal injection, hanging, using the firing squad or electric chair, this state sanctioned murder is not fair before a crowd of people (Paternoster and Bacon 56). For instances, California physicians refused the demand by the government to use lethal injection as a means of execution hence execution was stopped. They claimed that there are many constructive ways in addressing violent crimes and those two wrongs do n ot make a right (Baumgartner, Boydstun and De Boef 78). However, the proponents of death penalty action feel that this is the only way to deter criminals from any further illegal actions. They argue that justice must be served in favour of the victims. Most fundamental legal provision is that punishment should always fit the crime. In addition, justice delayed is justice denied (Morris 70). Those against death penalty sentences say that it is bad because the state should not use killing to show that murder and manslaughter are bad. There should be another appropriate method. Prison alone is effective because life there is quite deterring, as stated by those who are against the death penalty. They quote, ‘

Is the Democracy Good for the Economy of the Country Essay

Is the Democracy Good for the Economy of the Country - Essay Example Institutions in a particular country matter and history plays an important role because, in order for an economy to perform well, it should have started off well [Sokoloff et al 2000]. A country with a history of poverty is likely to remain poor. A worker who is on low subsistence wages is likely to be struggling to gather his basic necessities and to simply survive. Therefore he cannot function as an entrepreneur. He is caught in the vicious cycle of grinding poverty and is unable to accumulate enough money to invest in any business enterprise or even earn interest from savings. Further, such an individual will not be considered a good risk by credit institutions and he will not be able to secure loans either, in order to invest in capital and another start-up costs to fund any enterprise [Ghatak 2002]. Therefore the extensions of credit facilities and loans of money are restricted to rich entrepreneurs, who become a select few who cannot accelerate the growth of the per capita inco me of the majority and thereby also accelerate economic growth. Â  As opposed to this, the United States and Canada, for example, started off working on land that was not rich in crop and was difficult to cultivate. Hence, there was more scope for individuals to thrive and adopt the role of the entrepreneur as they took up the challenge of land cultivation. This resulted in a more egalitarian society where wage differences were not really so high. Therefore these nations started off with a predominantly higher per capita income, and this improved and advantageous economic situation continues even today. Credit institutions in these nations are strictly monitored by Government and interest rates are controlled. Due to the safety net of Government regulations and control and a historically corruption-free environment, more people are able to qualify to receive and repay loans {Piketty 1997] thereby increasing economic activity by investments and consequently improving economic growth.

Effective Performance Appraisal Essay Example for Free

Effective Performance Appraisal Essay In spite of this fact, however, there are some elements which are common to all effective performance appraisal systems, regardless of the actual method(s) used in the system. These elements will be discussed shortly. However, before examining these common links, a brief overview of performance appraisal as it is currently practised in American organisations is in order. Current Trends in Performance Appraisal As previously noted, controversy over the best performance appraisal system continues. The dilemma was highlighted in the 19 May 1980 issue of Business Week where the editors concluded that managers want a system that will pinpoint specific marginal behaviour that should be reinforced or discontinued, serve as a personnel development tool, provide a realistic assess ­ ment of an employees potential for advancement, and — a particularly hot issue in the 1980s — stand up in court as a valid defence in discrimination suits. Has the search for a best system affected what companies actually do in performance appraisal? A study conducted by Taylor and Zawacki[2] in 1981 set out to answer this question y sending a mail questionnaire to 200 firms located throughout the United States — these companies were selected at random from the Fortune 1000. Eighty-four (42 per cent) were returned and used in the study. The size of respondent firms ranged from less than 1,000 employees (nine), 1,000-5,000 employees (63), and more than 5,000 employees (12). Non-respondent firms did not vary significantly in terms of size. This study, which duplicated a previous one conducted in 1976, asked what kind of performance appraisal system was used for management and blue-collar employees. It also asked for the interval between ratings, productivity and employee reaction to the appraisal system, anticipated changes and respondent satisfaction to the present system. While it is not possible to go into all the detailed findings of this study, some of the most pertinent information is summarised below. ? While in 1976 43 per cent of the respondent firms had used a traditional performance appraisal system (e. g. , forced distribution) and 57 per cent had used a collaborative system (e. g. , MBO), in 1981 these figures had changed to 53 per cent and 47 per cent respectively. In other words, the proportion of companies using a traditional approach to performance appraisal had increased while the proportion of those using a collaborative approach had decreased. Several respondents provided written comments stating that they had changed to quantitative (i. e. traditional) systems in recent years in reaction to legal challenges to their previous collaborative system. In 1981, 39 of the 41 organisations using a traditional system used a graphic rating scale. Of the collaborative forms, 23 firms used MBO and 11 used a BARS system. The percentage of firms not satisfied with their current appraisal system increased from only nine per cent in 1976 to 47 per cent in 1981. In addition, those with collaborative systems were more likely to be satisfied, while the majority of firms with traditional systems expressed dissatisfaction. As far as the effect of the type of system used on employee attitudes went, 37 per cent of the ? IMDS January/February 1988 13 ? companies using a traditional approach felt that it had improved employee attitudes while 63 per cent felt it had not. Of those companies using a collaborative approach, 77 per cent felt it had improved employee attitudes and 23 per cent felt it had not. ? Of the 22 firms indicating that they anticipated changing their performance appraisal system in the near future, 12 were moving from a collaborative system to a traditional system. This is especially interesting in light of the fact that, in the 1976 study, the majority of firms indicating that they were considering a change said that the move would be from a traditional to a collaborative approach. While the 1981 study did not delve into the reasons behind this shift in attitude, Taylor and Zawacki conjectured that it was due to governmental and legal pressures for precise (i. e. , quantitative) measures which overwhelmed a desire to help people develop and grow towards becoming more effective employees. Of the firms surveyed, 49 per cent felt that their performance appraisal system had improved employee performance (roughly the same proportion found in 1976). However, the number of firms that did not believe employee performance had improved as a result of the appraisal process had gone from four per cent in 1976 to 19 per cent in 1981 — and none of these firms anticipated changing their system! (5) The appraiser should be given feedback regarding his/her effectiveness in the performance appraisal process. (6) The performance appraisal system, regardless of the methodology employed, must comply with legal requirements (notably, Equal Employment Opportunities guidelines). Since the factors listed above are consistently highlighted in the literature as essential elements of an effective performance appraisal system, each of them warrants individual attention. Performance Goals Must Be Clearly and Specifically Defined Special emphasis should be placed on this phase of performance appraisal, since the lack of specifically defined performance goals will undoubtedly undermine the effectiveness of the entire performance appraisal process. The key performance areas need to be identified, assigned priorities and stated in quantifiable terms whenever possible. The mutual goal-setting process between a manager and subordinate associated with Management by Objectives is a particularly beneficial way to foster acceptance and internal motivation on the part of the employee[3]. As is often the case, if multiple goals are established, they should be ranked so that the employee has a clear understanding of which areas may warrant more attention and resources than others. Furthermore, every attempt should be made to describe performance goals in terms of their time, quality, quantity, and monetary dimensions. This will reduce the opportunity for misinterpretation about what is to be accomplished and what limitations there are. The quantification of goals will also make it easier for the manager and the employee to measure the employees progress towards achieving the objectives. The need for quantifying objectives is succinctly summed up by George Ordione: If you cant count it, measure it, or describe it, you probably dont know what you want and can often forget it as a goal. There is still too much, do your best, or Ill let you know when its right, going around in todays organisations. If you cant define the desired type and level of performance in detail, then you have no right to expect your subordinate to achieve it. [4] ? To summarise, it would appear that while most firms wish to use a collaborative form of performance appraisal, they feel thwarted by outside forces (notably Equal Employment Opportunities requirements) in their attempts to implement such a system within their organisations. The dilemma, then, is finding a workable solution which will meet both constraints. The remainder of this article will take a look at these two seemingly conflicting areas (effectiveness vs. efensiveness) and how they can be integrated into a meaningful performance appraisal system. Elements of an Effective Performance Appraisal System While various authors use different names and modified descriptions for them, the following factors seem to be universally accepted by most authorities on the subjects as requisites for an effective performance appraisal system: (1) Performan ce goals must be specifically and clearly defined. (2) Attention must be paid to identifying, in specific and measurable terms, what constitutes the varying levels of performance. 3) To be effective, performance appraisal programmes should tie personal rewards to organisational performance. (4) The supervisor and employee should jointly identify ways to improve the employees performance, and then establish a development plan to help the employee achieve his/her goals. The Varying Levels of Performance While setting performance goals is a crucial first step in the process, managers also need to concentrate more attention on identifying what constitutes the varying levels of performance. If the organisation uses the typical poor, fair, good, very good and excellent scale of performance, the manager has a responsibility to identify at the beginning what levels of performance will produce a very good or excellent rating. However, setting specific goals for organisational performance is not enough — managers also need to relate performance to the individuals rewards. Agreeing on what is to be accomplished and what varying levels of performance represent in terms of evaluation and rewards is crucial for the performance appraisal process to be effective[5]. Since the first two steps of this process (i. e. , defining performance goals and setting performance standards) IMDS January/February 1988 14 are closely connected, an example of how these steps might be achieved is warranted. A prerequisite for setting performance goals is to establish job tasks. To measure performance realistically, objectively and productively, we must base our reviews on job content rather that job constructs. Constructs are broad, often self-evident terms which describe a general task, activity or requirement. Richards refers to them as garbage words in terms of their usefulness as performance standards). An example might be communication skills. While few would argue the need for skills in communication for many employees, the problem is how to define the term in light of the requirements of the specific job in question. Will the employee be required to: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Write memos? Write letters? Conduct interviews? Deliver public speeches? Present pr oposals to clients? Describe features and benefits of a product? Resolve face-to-face conflicts? Handle customer complaints? Write job descriptions? Describe and define job standards? Manage meetings? Present ideas to top management? Initiative: Resourceful in taking necessary or appropriate action on own responsibility. Unsatisfactory Poor A routine Often waits unnecessarily worker; usually for direction. waits to be told what to do, requiring constant direction. Satisfactory Good Excellent Seeks and gets added tasks for self; highly selfreliant. Assumes responsibility. Does regular Resourceful; work without alert to waiting for opportunities directions. or Follows improvement directions with of work. little follow-up Volunteers suggestions. Table I. drinks per bottle, etc. In turn, these indicators should be broken down into measurable standards, as shown in Table II. As shown, when identifying what constitutes the varying levels of performance, we need to decide what we can expect in terms of outstanding performance, what is satisfactory and what is the minimum level of perfo rmance we can tolerate. One could argue that these are subjective determinations, and this is of course true. What is important, however, is that once these determinations have been made, performance can be measured objectively against the standard. It is important to keep in mind that standards should be set based on what we require or need in the performance of a job and not on our assessment of a specific individuals ability to do the job. Unless we specify the behaviour we want in the context of job content requirements, it will be near impossible objectively to measure someones performance under the generic construct of communication. We must determine the sort of communicating the job requires of the employee. Some organisations attempt to aid supervisors by providing rating scales which are anchored to descriptions of performance (i. e. , the BARS approach), such as the one shown in Table I. While this type of scale is certainly a vast improvement over those that offer no anchors (rating descriptions) at all, we could still argue over the ratings. The standards are subjective and unmeasurable, both undesirable traits in any performance appraisal system. To overcome these problems, the job should be broken down into responsibilities, with a series of performance indicators provided for each responsibility. In turn, these indicators should be accompanied by objective and measurable performance standards. An example will help illustrate the process. A bartenders job can be broken down into several responsibilities, including mixing drinks, cost control, inventory control, house keeping, safety, law enforcement, supervision, customer relations, etc. In turn, each of these responsibility areas can be broken down into several performance indicators. For example, performance indicators of the job responsibility mixing drinks might include complaints, returns, brands used, appearance, speed, number of Personal Rewards and Organisational Performance To be truly effective, performance appraisal programmes should tie personal rewards to organisational performance. Too many reward systems are based on time on the job, are divided evenly among employees, or offer too little incentive to increase motivation significantly. As noted by Harper[3], performance appraisal systems need to be designed with the three Es of motivation in mind. The first E refers to the exchange theory, which states that people tend to contribute to the organisations objectives as long as they believe they will be rewarded. The second E refers to the equity theory, which states that motivation is tied to the relative, rather than the absolute, size of the reward. For example, if person A does 25 per cent better than person B, but gets only five per cent more in a merit increase, then person A is likely to feel that management has actually punished him or her for doing noticeably better than person B. The third E is the expectancy theory of motivation, which asserts that motivation is a combination of the persons perceived probability (expectancy) of receiving a reward and the worth of the reward. Even when the reward is great, motivation may in fact be quite low if the employee does not believe that he or she has a reasonable chance of achieving the necessary level of performance to get the reward. Conversely, if the employee believes that the probability of receiving the reward is high, there will be little motivation if he or she does not need or value the reward. IMDS January/February 1988 15 Job: Bartender Job responsibilities Mix drinks, etc. Indicators Complaints Returns Measurements used (recipe) Brands used Appearance Time No. of drinks per bottle, etc. feedback to managers about the quality of their performance appraisal ratings would seem to have several advantages: ? ? It is relatively inexpensive and easy to develop and implement. The feedback is based on ratings made by each manager as part of the formal performance appraisal process. This enables the feedback to be tailored to the individual. The feedback can provide managers with a basis upon which to compare their ratings with those made by other managers. This normative type of feedback is rarely available to managers; as a result, there is very little information upon which they can evaluate how lenient or strict they are. A feedback system should help to ensure comparability of ratings among managers, which in turn may increase employee satisfaction with the appraisal process. That is, employees are more likely to perceive that their performance has been evaluated equitably since managers are using the same standards when evaluating performance. ? Job: Bartender Standards Job responsibilities Mix drinks Indicators Minimum Complaints 4/week Satisfactory 2/week Outstanding 0 ? Table II. In summary, then, for a performance appraisal programme to be successful in this area, it must: (1) Tie rewards to performance (2) Offer a high enough level of reward (3) Have the level of reward reflect the relative differences in the various levels of performance (4) Tailor the rewards to the needs and desires of individual employees. Development Plans Ideally, the performance appraisal programme should be comprised of two separate sessions between the manager and the employee. In the first session the manager and employee review the level of performance from the previous period — what went well, what did not, and why. This session also identifies the employees strengths as well as the areas that need to be improved. The manager then encourages the employee to prepare a development plan to be discussed at the second meeting. The development plan is intended to identify areas that should be improved upon during the coming period. The subordinate should be encouraged to: (1) Concentrate on those areas that will affect results (2) Select three or four particular areas for improvement rather than an unrealistic and unmanageable number (3) Set improvement goals that are specific and measurable[6]. Whatever the end result happens to be, the employee needs to be the principal author (although the manager should offer help and suggestions) since people tend to be more motivated to accept and implement a plan of their own making. IMDS January/February 1988 16 Indications of the usefulness of such a feedback system were documented in a study by Davis and Mount[7] in which managers were provided feedback vis a vis the ratings they gave to employees. In response to a questionnaire distributed one week after they had received feedback regarding the quality of their performance ratings, 79 per cent of the managers indicated they were either satisfied (seven per cent) or very satisfied (72 per cent) with the feedback; 93 per cent said they considered it when making subsequent performance evaluations; 70 per cent said it influenced their ratings either appreciably (47 per cent) or substantially (23 per cent), and 79 per cent said the feedback had utility for making managers ratings more comparable. The test results from this study indicated that the feedback also significantly reduced the presence of leniency error (the tendency to skew the rating distribution towards the higher rating categories) in the managers ratings. This is significant from an organisational perspective because of the multiple uses of performance ratings in organisations. Often, performance ratings are the criterion on which selection tests are validated and often provide the basis on which merit pay increases are determined. According to Davis and Mount, improving the psychometric quality of the ratings may enable the tests to be validated more effectively and provide a more equitable method for distributing pay increases — an important consideration, as previously discussed. Conforming to Guidelines Obviously, in addition to the other factors which have already been discussed, another practical consideration which must be taken into account is that any performance appraisal system, regardless of the methods employed, must comply with all Equal Employment Opportunity guidelines. While a complete discussion of this important area is beyond the scope Feedback Regarding Effectiveness It is surprising how infrequently organisations provide their managers with information about their performance appraisal ratings. However, providing of this article, the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, put together by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and several other agencies in 1978, deserve special mention. These procedures were meant to clarify the exact requirements which appraisal and other selection systems must meet, and include the following points: (1) To continue using an appraisal system that has adversely affected one or more protected groups, the company must demonstrate that the system is valid, that it is job related, and that it accurately measures significant aspects of job performance. (2) The company must establish that there is no other available method of achieving the same necessary business purpose that would be less discriminatory in its effects, and none can be developed. According to the courts, the plaintiff (employee), rather than the defendant (company) must show the availability of the alternatives. The EEOC has told employers what they cannot do, but it has not provided them with definitive guidelines for solving the performance appraisal puzzle. However, some help in this regard was provided in the Autumn, 1980 issue of EEO Today[8]. (1) Base your appraisal on a comprehensive job analysis. EEOC guidelines dictate that you measure job performance against specific, clearly defined standards of performance. The performance you appraise, says the EEOC, must represent major critical work behaviours as revealed by a careful job analysis. Without a clear, written statement of job responsibilities, you increase your risk of EEO liability. (7) Submit the appraisal to several reviewers, especially if it is negative. To prevent conscious or unconscious bias from creeping into the appraisal process, develop a multilevel review system. Have your superior review and sign the appraisal. This system of checks and balances will reduce the risk of losing a court action. Final Comment As can be seen from the foregoing discussion, an effective performance appraisal system involves much more than a mere annual or biennial evaluation of an employees past performance. Nonetheless, astute managers are becoming increasingly aware of the value of their human resources, viewing them as an investment rather than merely an expense or overhead to be minimised. Accordingly, many organisations are taking the time and effort necessary to develop an effective performance appraisal system in order to help their people achieve their personal goals, which in turn allows the organisation to meet its own objectives[9]. Unfortunately, many managers still object that they just do not have the time to make performance review and development an ongoing process. However, if management is defined as the ability to get things done through people, and if we accept the fact that an effective performance evaluation process helps in getting the most important and productive things accomplished, then what else should managers spend their time doing? References 1. Fletcher, C. , Whats New in Performance Appraisal? , Personnel Management, February 1984, pp. 20-2. 2. Taylor, R. L. and Zawacki, R. A. Trends in Performance Appraisal: Guidelines for Managers, Personnel Administrator, March 1984, pp. 71-80. (2) Know the details of your companys 3. Harper, S. C. , A Development Approach to Performance nondiscriminatory policies. You and every other Appraisal, Business Horizons, September-October 1983, pp. manager in the company should aim for the 68-74. uniform application of all appraisal guidelines. 4. Mellenhoff, H ow to Measure Work by Professionals, Management Review, November 1977, pp. 39-43. (3) Avoid subjective criteria. According to the Albemarle Paper Co. v. Moody decision, subjective 5. Richards, R. C. , How to Design an Objective PerformanceEvaluation System, Training, March 1984, pp. 38-43. supervisory appraisals of job performance are 6. Kellogg, M. S. , What to do About Performance Appraisal, inherently suspect if they produce adverse impact American Management Association, New York, 1975. against a protected group. To stand up to the 7. Davis, B. L. and Mount, M. K. , Design and Use of a scrutiny of the courts, these judgements must Performance Appraisal Feedback System, Personnel be considered fair and job-related. Administrator, March 1984, pp. 1-7. 8. Block, J. R. , Performance Appraisal on the Job: Making it (4) Document! Keep records. That is the only way Work, Prentice-Hall, Inc. , Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1981. you can support whatever subjective judge ­ 9. Butler, R. J. and Yorks, L. , A New Appraisal System as ments creep into the appraisal process. (They Organizational Change: GEs Task Force Approach, are inevitabl e. ) Personnel, January-February 1984, pp. 31-42. (5) Aim for a group of appraisers who have common demographic characteristics with the group being appraised. This criterion was established in Rowe v. General Motors. When only white males appraise blacks, Hispanics, women and other protected groups, the courts question the fairness of the. system. Once a system is challenged and shown to have adverse impact, the company must prove its validity. (6) Never directly or indirectly imply that race, colour, religion, sex, age, national origin, handicap, or veteran status was a factor in your appraisal decision. Making any disciminatory statement, orally or in writing, will make your organisation subject to court action. Additional Reading Kaye, B. L. and Krantz, S. , Preparing Employees: The Missing Link in Performance Appraisal Training, Personnel, May-June 1982, pp. 23-9. Performance Appraisal: Curre. Practices and Techniques, Personnel, May-June 1984, pp. 5799. Heneman, R. L. and Wexley, K. W. , The Effects of Time Delay in Rating and Amount of Information Observed on Performance Rating Accuracy, Academy of Management Journal, December 1983, pp. 677-86. The Trouble with Performance Appraisal, Training, April 1984, pp. 91-2. Gehrman, D B. , Beyond Todays Compensation and Performance Appraisal Systems, Personnel Administrator, March 1984, pp. 21-33. IMDS January/February 1988 17

Implementation Of Marketing Strategies In Marvel Inc

Implementation Of Marketing Strategies In Marvel Inc Ronald Perelman an investor brought Marvel and caused a decline in late 1990s when Marvel filed for bankruptcy. This caused chaos in the company and battles were common among the various parties. But like Marvels characters a savior called Toy Biz, Inc came to the rescue and on October 1, 1998 they acquired Marvel Entertainment Group and named it Marvel Enterprises, Inc. After this change the company started to perform and the future was looking better. At present it is owned by The Walt Disney Company and known as Marvel Entertainment, LLC. Marvel provides its services through the means of comics, T.V., movies, toys, video games, etc. and has created a universe of great characters for the audiences. Marvels Characters Profile Marvel has 8000 various characters in all and each of these characters has helped to create Marvel Entertainment, LLC, therefore in this section some of the valuable characters of the company will be identified and what they brought to Marvel. The most famous characters in the Marvel Universe are Spiderman, Wolverine, The Hulk, Captain America the Punisher; these are considered to be among the top 10 comic characters ever (Albert, 2010). Five of Marvels characters are among the top 10 and in terms of market share for the year 2010 Marvel has acquired 45.52% of unit share and 40.66% for dollar share (Doran, 2010), which makes them number one in the world. In addition T.V. and movies have also helped in the popularity of the characters, as due to the release of Spider-Man Trilogy, X-Men Trilogy, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men Origin: Wolverine, etc. in the movie section and The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes, Iron Man Armored Adventure, Wolverine and the X-Men, The Spectacular Spider-Man, etc. have been ruling the T.V. (Marvel Characters, Inc., 2010). Among the five top Marvel characters Spider-Man is considered to be the most popular as the story line has been innovating through the years. The popularity of this character is so huge that every kid and adult appreciates this character and this craze has grown with the release of several comics, T.V. shows, action figures, movies, video games, etc. The story of Spider-Man begins by Peter Parker being bit by a spider that ends up causing a mutation in him, which giving him extra-ordinary powers like climbing walls, shooting webs and a spider sense. The actual cause for this characters popularity was the character Peter Parker (Spider Man) who has issues like every other teenage boy and is also in love with one of the lead characters Mary Jane Watson and together it created not just a superhero story but also a love story that helped to attract teenagers. As for the other characters they also have similar story lines e.g. The Hulk and Captain also got their powers due to mutation, where as Wolverine is a Mutant himself and The Punisher takes revenge for the loss of his loved ones. In terms of villains that Marvel has created characters like Magneto, Doctor Doom, Galactus, Loki, Dark Phoenix and Kingpin, which are also among the top 10 comic book villains. As can be seen in the above table Marvel holds the market in this aspect as well and these characters have also played a major role in the popularity of the comics as people love to see their heroes defeating the most powerful villains. Marvel has always tried to give exactly what their market demands, whether it is their heroes, villains or story line and this has given them great success. Market Segmentation and Distribution Plans Comics Books The most famous characters have been the Spider-Man, X-Men and Fantastic Four and have also provided huge revenues. The major segments could be identified as male teenagers and young adults. These comic books were distributed using three ways which were direct market, mass market and subscription sales basis. The direct market distributers consisted of comic book specialty stores who had a large carrying capacity that could take as many products as Marvel liked; this was also lions share to the net revenue. The mass market consisted of bookstores and newsstands and these were distributed in huge stores like Wal-Mart and Target but offered a limited selection of comics. The subscription sales basis was a concept where the target market could directly purchase comics from Marvel for a subscription fee which tends to be on monthly or yearly basis. In 2003 Marvel sold almost 3.6 million copies and this were divided among the kids teens market and young adult market. The figure below wil l identify the market share of the market segments on the comic books in terms of percentage which is 56% for Young Adults and 44% for Kids and Teens. Figure : Comics Market Segment sales for 2003 Toys Manufacturing Toys are not the major revenue provider for Marvel but play a critical role towards loyalty as the major market for these products are kids from the age of four to twelve and collectors who increase the market value of the products especially action figures. Marvel sold the entire characters toy manufacturing license to TBW a Hong Kong based independent company for a royalty fee of 15% but this was with the exception of Spider-Man who rights belonged to Sony. The marketing and even the sales of these toys were done by Marvel themselves. With exception of some few selected figures that were sold through specialty stores and comic-book stores the figures were sold using the means of retailers, mass merchandisers, mall-order companies and variety stores. In terms of market segmentation kids accounted for 80% and the other 20% were collectors and this will be shown using a pie chart. Figure : Toys Market Segment in terms of Market Share Licensing Motion Pictures Marvel licensed all of their major characters to Movie Companies some of them being Spider-Man to Sony, X-Men to 20th Century Fox, The Hulk to Universal, The Punisher to Lions Gate, etc. and with exception of The Punisher all the other major characters were box office hits. The Movie that has made the most gross revenue was Spider-Man whose production cost was $139M where as the gross revenue was $404M in US and $822M worldwide. In relation to the rights the various studio determine the release timing and strategy but Marvel retained the merchandising rights and never contributed to the movie production marketing expenses. The revenue sharing consisted of 7% to 16% on gross revenue and 50% on the operating profit minus production costs, costs of prints, advertising expenditures, and distribution fees. In terms of market segmentation all of the motion pictures are R or PG-13 rated and this meant that the major segment consisted of Adults above the age of 18, as for the other segments they would teens between the age of 13 and 17. Other Media These are mainly DVD, video games, and also licensing to theme parks, shopping malls and special events. In relation to DVD a certain number of characters appeared in Lions Gate animated DVD and as for video games licensing Marvel have several licensing contracts with various game creators like Activision, Encore, Universal Games, THQ, and Electronic Arts (EA). In terms of market segmentation these were similar to motion pictures and were mainly teenagers and adults. Strategy and Recommendation In this section specific strategy with some recommendations will be mentioned which would help Marvel Enterprises, Inc. to grow and improve their present strategies. Comic-Book Publications At present Marvel is ranked as the best comic book publisher with market share above 40% and some of their recent growth has been due to the Avengers, Siege, Secret Avengers, and Uncanny X-Men and most of their new releases sold for $3.99 which is $1 more than their usual prices which means that even though prices increased the readers were willing to pay for them. In the above table it can be noticed that DC has many more comics in the list than Marvel but in actual The Avenger made huge sales which contributed to the increase in market share of the company. Marvel underperformed with the sales of graphic novels trade paperbacks as DC was able to achieve three of the top five spots (Doran, 2010). This clearly means that Marvel need to reconsider their strategy and they should consider bringing back Wolverine, Spider Man, The Hulk, etc. and even though Deadpool and Iron Man have been in the top ten they still are not one of the major sales characters for Marvel (Doran, 2010). Marvel at present is trying to bring some of the older and non famous characters in to the picture but the issue is that these characters have never been able to attract the market in the past so even considering bringing them would be to some extent risky but instead Marvel could consider making special appearances from some of the more famous characters like Spider Man, Wolverine, The Hulk, etc. and this intern would give the newer character some much needed support to become famous. Toy Production Toys play an important role in creating customer loyalty as kids and adults alike can read or watch their favorite characters and as long as there is nothing new but when it comes to toys and action figures there will always be a continues demand for it, thus it is important to focus more on trying to bring new toys to the market. The most sold toy for Marvel in a decade has been The Hulk Hands which sold 4 million units in 2003 but the thing to notice is that after the release of The Hulk Hands no other toy as mad an impact on the sales, thus Marvel might consider creating newer toys that could be in the same standard as The Hulk Hands. Another strategic issue is their toy makers as at present Marvel produces all their toys from one Toy Company and this is also the reason why there is no new creative ideas coming forth as after some period of time every company exhausts their creativity and resources, consequently the right decision for Marvel would be to change their producers or m ay be even have more than one producers for various characters and this will force competitions between the producers to make newer and better products one of the products that could work is making trading cards like Baseball, WWE, Yu Gi Oh, etc., this is an easy method to keep the children and youngsters interested in the characters. In addition to that the company could also hire an external company to keep a track of the quality and durability of the products this will help to keep the company on their toes thus driving them to success. Motion Pictures Marvel has sold rights of Spider Man, Iron Man, The Hulk, X-Men, etc. to various studios and there are many more characters that have been expected to make the re-entry in the movie industry like Thor, Captain America, Ghost Rider, Deadpool, Magneto, etc. but the issue here is that due to whatever reasons the movies are releasing at an extremely slow pace which to some extent is causing a fall in the market share and according to speculations the major reasons for releasing some of these characters is to make the movie The Avengers which includes some of the most famous characters of Marvel but the issue would be that it would take at least three years for the release as there are at least 3 more characters that have to be released. So a valuable recommendation would be to try to force the studios to release these movies at a quicker pace or to give the rights of the other remaining characters to the other studios as most of these characters could be released at the same time period. Other Recommendation Marvel has to first embrace that DC comics may not be performing well at present but their misfortunes could change quickly thus Marvel needs to understand that DCs major hope in terms of movies, comics and T.V. are Superman and Batman. Batman has recently gained a large market due to the release of The Dark Knight which has shifted the movie market in their favor and this is mainly due to their villain The Joker played by Heath Ledger. On the bright side Marvel has also released several movies that have created interest in the market but to tackle this problem Marvel will need to try and release the Avengers which seems to be the only story in their arsenal that could shift the whole market and at the same time release toys and video games which will help the market growth. Another recommendation would be to take more interest in the companies that are producing their characters whether through toys or movies as any mistake from the companies could truly damage their characters imag e and having control on what goes on in the movie and the toy company would be one of the better options for them and this could easily be done by sending one of their creative personals to be involved in the products.

Comparing and Contrasting High School Teachers and College Professors E

Most people see teachers and professors in the same light. They perform similar tasks. They teach. However, they are separated by a fine line of distinction. High school teachers help a student build a foundation of knowledge, and train the student to focus on learning. College professors help to shape and define a student’s foundation of knowledge, and challenge the student to cultivate the mind. High school teachers and college professors have similar goals and guidelines, but they take a differing approach to achieving the end result. The way the class is conducted, academic expectations, and view of student responsibility are a few of the contrasts between high school teachers and college professors. A high school class and a college class are conducted in different ways. In high school, teachers exercise control over the flow of information, while college professors encourage the student to seek out pertinent information. Throughout the year, a high school teacher will remind the student of upcoming due dates and assignment requirements. If a student misses a test or homework assignment, the teacher will provide missing notes or study guides so that the student is kept up to date with the rest of the class. For example; when I was in high school, I missed a week of school to go on vacation with my family. My mother spoke with my teacher before we left and he agreed to let me turn in my homework when I returned to class. Furthermore, my teacher allowed me to make up the single quiz that I missed during my absence. Neither the late homework, nor the missed quiz reflected in my grade. A college professor would have made me choose between a good grade and a vacation with my family. In contrast, the college professor... ...udent to monitor their own progress and find solutions to problems as they arise. A college professor will not listen to excuses, nor will the consequences of failure be withheld. For example; I failed a math final by a mere six points, but the rules dictate that a c minus is not passing. It was my responsibility to realize that I needed help with math before I took that final. I had to face the consequences and take the course again. A high school teacher provides a foundation of knowledge in preparation for the higher expectations of college. The college professor works to encourage independent learning, critical thinking, and self reliance. High school teachers and college professors may have differing points of view, but both affect the world as a whole. Henry Adams once said â€Å"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.’

My Critical Response to Secret History by: Leonora Sansay Essay

The novel â€Å"Secret History† by Leonora Sansay for readers it is a little complicated. It is mainly talking about a young lady that travels a lot with her sister. Her sister and her husband got divorced and she started writing some stories in the form of letters. The novel â€Å"Secret History† is showing us how bad the way of treatment was in Europe and the marriage at this time was a hard issue. The women were treated badly and people had a lot of problems because they used to get in a relationship and it was not allowed at this time, so this created more problems. Sansay in the novel is showing us on her writing the various sides of gender and marriages in a very nice way of writing. Sansay has her own way of writing that you see a little bit complicated but when you read till the end she gives readers the conclusion behind what she writes. In â€Å"Secret History† Sansay is showing us her personal experiences that she had with Mary and Clara her sister. She had a lot of problems with her husband and she has been always gloomy and unhappy. Mary writes letters to Burr and she is explaining about how her sister’s husband is bad with her and he treated her in a horrible way. She also wrote about the Haitian culture and how they live under the colonial law and their regulations. They had ethnic and culture problems and they faced a lot of fighting and brutality with the Haitian’s, but the female was so strong together. Sansay does not seem to like the British in this novel and she said that they are thieves and they robbed them unlike the Americans. In the horrors of St. Domingo, Sansay also showed us how the female under the Haitian revolution were oppressed especially when it comes to marriage. They had a lot of brutality at this time and there were always problems with the military and the people who lived there. The relationship with men and women were very complicated and it has to be under colonial powers. In some of Mary’s letters she said that by participating in the balls, this changed Clara’s condition and made her feel better, because she was depressed because of her marriage. The balls seem to be good for female and male to get to know each other more and break that oppression that females have under the colonial powers. In the novel, readers find out that the French people think that will only how they will look it will make certain of their triumph and they would win women’s hearts, and also conquering the Haitian powers. Clara also in having a relationship with Rochambeau and this shows how female/ male used to deal with each other at the time of the Haitian revolution and that Rochambeau is taking advantage of Clara at war time so that he can stop her from departing the island. This is an example of how women were abused under the Haitian rule and they were an example of its outcomes. Rochambeau always wants to overpower and defeat Clara, whenever she introduces herself as the wife of the French colonial, and this shows an example of the married people relations with each other. Mary and Clara decided to go to Cuba, they were always introduced to other women that have a lot of problems with their husbands and they were all looking for their freedom. At the end of the novel, readers see the difference of how the women used to be and how they started to have their freedoms back. There was no more danger and threatening from the black women to white women. â€Å"Secret History† is a great example of violence, and the difference between the time of the Haitian revolution and the time after it.

Current Issues in Athletics Essay

Deviant behaviour is defined as behaviour which does not adhere to widely-accepted social or cultural norms. Deviance in sports is not something that has just begun; rather, it has been portrayed and, at times, exaggerated to the extent where there are reflections of obvious problems in professional sports, if not society as a whole. Deviance in sports began as soon as sports became an important competitive lifestyle for the individuals participating and witnessing the events. The athlete is often the most scrutinized individual in terms of sports deviance. This is especially true today as many cultures have embraced individuals who want to live out their childhood dream to become a professional athlete as they have viewed top athletes as role models. With this constant pressure to perform well and the agenising lifestyle of constantly being in the spotlight, many athletes find themselves doing anything it takes to win. This article will look at the type of deviance associated with athletics for example: Drugs, gamesmanship etc. Playing sports brings out the competitive sides of many athletes. To most athletes, winning is everything, and they will do absolutely anything to make sure they win, including the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Performance- enhancing drugs include: 1. Anabolic Steroids 2. Hormones including: 1. Erythropoietin (EPO) 2. Human Growth Hormone (hGH) 3. Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-1) 4. Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG) 5. Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) 1. Beta-2-Agonists 2. Hormone Antagonists and Modulators 3. Diuretics 4. Even recreational drugs These substances are banned at ALL times. Using drugs to cheat in sport is not new, but it is becoming more effective. . The problem of drugs in athletics is that as fast as scientists devise new tests for detecting traces of drugs in the body, there are other scientists that are devising more new products that enhance performance. According to the Us Anti- Doping agency, if an athlete tests positive for doping of any of the banned substances there is a range of measures taken as punishment: 1. Loss of sponsorship deals 2. Loss of income 3. Wiping out of previous achievements 4. Damage to future career prospects Under their Code, if an athlete tests positive for a prohibited substance they are usually liable for a one-year ban. An athlete may be eligible for a reduced sanction if they can prove they bore ‘no significant fault or negligence’. Substances and methods used to dope have health consequences. Many can be lead to severe health issues or even death. The use of recreational or social drugs is banned in sport. Whilst an athlete can be in a compromising situation with peers outside sport, it’s important for athletes to recognise that social drugs such as cannabis can be detrimental to sporting performance and result in a positive test result weeks later. An example of drugs use is European champion sprinter Dwain Chambers. Who tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid in 2003. The allegation was strongly denied by his coach. He was one of Britain’s best hopes for a gold medal at following year’s Olympic Games, Chambers allegedly failed a test for the newly discovered drug tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) which was thought to be undetectable. Traces of the drug were found in a urine sample that the European 100 metres champion and record holder provided during an out-of-competition test at his training base in Saarbrucken, Germany, on August 1, the Guardian newspaper reported. At this time if Chambers failed the test and was banned from athletics for two years and from the Olympic Games for life. Though in 2008 he returned to athletics and competed in the European championships running the 60m to win silver. In the same year he also launched a High Court appeal against his lifetime ban from the Olympics but the decision of the British Olympic Authority (BOA) was upheld. Though in 2012 The Court of Arbitration for Sport over-ruled the BOA’s lifetime Olympics ban for drug cheats, freeing Chambers up to compete at London 2012. He won the 100m at the UK Olympic trials with a time of 10.25sec and was selected for Team GB despite not running under the Olympic ‘A’ standard. Another example of doping is female GB sprinter Bernice Wilson. She was banned by Uk athletics this year as she tested positive for the anabolic steroid testosterone and Clenbuterol. Clenbuterol, similar to the asthma drug salbutamol, is used to treat breathing disorders as a decongestant and bronchodilator. It causes an increase in aerobic capacity, blood pressure and oxygen transportation, and speeds the rate at which fats are burned. It is officially classified as a sympathomimetic steroid. She was given a 4 year ban from athletics by the court of appeal and she will not be allowed to compete until 2015. In my opinion I think athletes should be given lifetime bans from their sport because when their stories come out about them doping it doesn’t give them a good image towards the younger generations that look up to and idolise these athletes. Linford Christie who served a two year drug ban from athletics competeion, said that atheletics â€Å"is so corrupt now and I wouldn’t want my child doing it.† The world Anti-Doping agency has launched the campagin ‘Say NO to doping’ which aims to educate people on theeffects of performance enhancing drugs on both their health and sporting career. I believe more of these programmes should be set up and more people made aware of the consequences faced when taking drugs. Gamesmanship: Another form of deviance is Gamesmanship. There is a fine line between cheating and gamesmanship. What you might consider cheating simply could be â€Å"part of the game† to another. Gamesmanship is defined as the use of dubious methods to win or gain a serious advantage in a game or sport. It has been described as â€Å"Pushing the rules to the limit without getting caught, using whatever dubious methods possible to achieve the desired end.† A form of gamesmanship in athletics is a false start. An athlete can choose to abort the start after the â€Å"on your marks† and â€Å"set† commands and before the firing of the starting device by raising his hand or standing up. Thiscan intimitate the other competetiors on the starting blocks as once in the starting blocks the competetiors are not allowed to move until the gun has been sounded to signal the start of the event. The athlete may also be warned for improper conduct by the referee if the action was determined to be inappropriate. Sometimes competitors can disturb other athletes at the starting line and this may be considered a false start. If a starter isn’t satisfied that all competitors are ready to proceed with the race, he will order the competitors to â€Å"stand up.† The most famous example of a false start was Usain Bolt in the 100m final at the World Championships in Daegu. Bolt reacted, 0.104 seconds before the gun was fired. A second gun crack confirmed his his disqulification. Though in recent studies and slow-motion replays of the start of the race show how Blake’s left leg twitched in the instant before Bolt pushed off from the blocks. Some commentators have suggested that Blake himself could, and maybe should, have been disqualified. The IAAF rules state that once the athletes are in the â€Å"set† position, they must not move, and Blake’s leg clearly twitched. It was that rule which caused Dwain Chambers to be disqualified in his semi-final. Another example of a false start was Christine Ohuruogu who was disqualified from the 400m in the worldchampionships in 2011. Such events are extremely rare in the 400m, but Ohuruogu came out of her blocks way ahead of any of her rivals. She told Channel 4 that, â€Å"I knew it was me straight away. I can’t believe it. I just wanted to get a good start as I knew it was going to be a fast round.† Under the new false-start regulations brought in by the IAAF at the start of 2010, she was allowed no warning nor second chance and was shown a red card by officials before being ushered off the track in a state of shock she commented to the BBC that, â€Å"I’ve just wasted all that hard work, it’s just wasted.† Gender issues and equality: Gender issue take two different forms in athletics. The two forms: 1. Gender equality- The number of men and woman in sport 2. Gender issues- Verifying the eligibility of an athlete to compete in a sporting event that is limited to a single sex. Gender issues are a rare occasion in athletics. The issue arose a number of times in the Olympic Games where it was alleged that male athletes attempted to compete as women in order to win. The first mandatory sex test issued by the IAAF for woman athletes was in July 1950 in the month before the European Championships in Belgium. All athletes were tested in their own countries. Sex testing at the games began at the 1966 European Athletics Championships in response to suspicion that several of the best women athletes from the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe were actually men. At the Olympics, testing was introduced at the 1968 Olympic Winter Games in Grenoble. While it arose primarily from the Olympic Games, gender verification affects any sporting event. However, it most often becomes an issue in elite international competition. The most famous example is Caster Semenya, a South African middle-distance runner and world champion. Semenya won gold in the women’s 800 metres at the 2009 World Championships with a time of 1:55.45 in the final. She was scrutinized because of her masculine appearance and it raised concerns and complaints to the International Association of Athletics Federations, the governing body for all international athletic competitions outside the Olympics. She was banned from competing as gender tests where carried out on her. It took until July 2010 for the IAAF cleared her to compete. The main issue is gender inequality in sport. In the past, and still to an extent today, many women have been stereotyped into domestic roles, leaving fewer opportunities or activites available for them to participate in as sports where viewed to be male dominant. It wasn’t until the 1980’s a more enlightened and equal approach began to emerge which allowed womans sports to blossom in the UK. For the first time in the 2012 London Olympic Games, every country that was competeing had women in their teams. Women this year made up approximately 45% of the atheltes whereas in 1948 in Los Angeles only 24% of those competing were women. Only 16 years ago, in Atlanta, 26 countries did not send any women at all, according to website Muslim Women in Sport. Lord Coe, the London 2012 chairman, said: â€Å"We’ve had more women competing in these Games. Some of the big, high-profile moments have focused on women. It’s really moved the agenda on.† But Jowell said the ongoing gender imbalance was â€Å"symptomatic of wider discrimination against women in sport†. Sport England has an aim to get more women back into sport. Sport England’s most recent figures, published last month, showed that one in eight women play sport in regularly England compared with one in five men. Among disadvantaged communities, the number of women drops to one in 10. They will invest  £10 million into 20 projects to reduce the gender gap. Racism: Racism in sport is a problem which is manifest around the world. It has led to a wide range of controversial incidents which have been reported in the media. The sport itself does not induce racism. The people that participate in the playing, organization, and implementation of sports bring racism into sports. One of the most notorious examples of racism in an international sporting event occurred in the 1936 Olympics, which were held in Berlin, Germany, in the Nazi era. German Chancellor Adolf Hitler hoped that the Olympic events would display the superiority of the Aryan race—that is, he hoped that the white athletes would greatly surpass athletes of other racial or ethnic backgrounds. When black American track and field athlete Jesse Owens (1913–1980) won four gold medals, a stunned Hitler angrily left the stadium. German fans, however, received Owens well and cheered his accomplishments. Though in more recent events Greek champion triple jumper Voula Papachristou has became the first athlete banned from competing at the London 2012 Olympic Games for posting racist and offensive comments on Twitter. Papachristou a supporter of the far-right political party Golden Dawn, posted the offensive tweet, which she now claims was a joke. The tweet said: â€Å"With so many Africans in Greece, at least the West Nile mosquitoes will eat home made food!!!† This was to be her first Olympics where she was to be recognised for her triple jumping but instead she was recognised for all the wrong reasons. Another example of racism in athletics was the Australian athlete John Steffensen. He claims he was racially abused by Athletics Austrailia by not being selected for thr 4X400m relay event in the London Olympic Games. He commented in a Channel 9 interview saying, â€Å"I’ve put up with being racially vilified by this federation, being discriminated against on many teams,† he said of AA’s decision to name the 19-year-old Solomon ahead of him for the one-lap race.† â€Å"†¦You think I waste my time running at training for fun? For this?† â€Å"No, they can have athletics. I don’t need to do this no more.† â€Å"I don’t think it helps the legitimacy of our sport or the selection criteria, and I think it only makes our sport look stupid. Athletics Austraila chief Dallas O’Brien says John Steffensen’s claims of racism are â€Å"regrettable† but no disciplinary action will be taken against the 400m runner. Education and sport in schools: Physical education and sport in schools has become a key issue involved in education. Targets have been set for schools to create more time for sports. It is said that in primary schools pupils should have 75-90 minutes of physical education and in secondary school; the amount of time and range of activities can become mnore flexible. They must aim though for minimum of two hours of sport per week. According to the British government: Every secondary school will receive funding up to the end of the academic year in 2013 to pay for one day a week of a PE teacher’s time to be spent out of the classroom, encouraging greater take-up of competitive sport in primary schools and securing a fixture network for schools to increase the amount of intra- and inter-school competition. Lottery funding from Sport England will also be deployed to build a framework of competitions as part of the new School Games. Though in recent surveys, doctors found 17 per cent of boys and 16 per cent of girls between 12 and 15 are classed as either overweight or obese and nearly three quarters of children are not getting their recommended 60 minutes of daily activity. But with the recent London Olympics the number of children regularly taking part in competitive sport has gone up, a new government report shows, but it’s still less than half of all pupils – increasing from 28% last year to 39% this year. This shows major events have had an impact on younger children but as it states there is still not enough young peole taking part and there is a many of excuses for avoiding it. Even when people leave school at the age of 18 involvement in sport drops dramatically as they have no longer sport as a complusory part of their acedemic cirriculum. The British government along with Sport England have launched their campaign ‘Sport; a habit for life’ this will focus mainly on the youth, facilities and physical education in schools all over the UK with the aim of increasing participation.