Monday, January 20, 2020
Treyvon Martin and Clarence Thomas Essay -- Political Spectacle, Polit
On February 26, 2012, an apparently innocent teenager was shot as he walked home through his neighborhood late at night. The Trayvon Martin killing and trial has recently been one of the primary topics covered by the media in America. The response to the news coverage of the case has been staggering. Students have organized hoodie marches and created Facebook groups to protest the unjustified murder of the young man. However, is the American public as well informed as it pretends to be? Americans have an unsettling susceptibility to manipulation from the media. In 1991, a similar event occurred in the case of the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings, where Supreme Court nominee, Clarence Thomas, had his personal affairs put on display for America. This event ignited unrest in womenââ¬â¢s rights and civil rights groups across the country. Americans were surprised to discover that the nation had been blind to these supposed political injustices for years. The Clarence Thomas confir mation hearings cloaked a staggering message to the American people about mediaââ¬â¢s role in manipulating American sentiment by sensationalizing the news coverage relayed to the American public. The original purpose of the Clarence Thomas hearings were to determine if George Bushââ¬â¢s nominee for Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas, was a legitimate nominee for the prestigious role of Supreme Court justice. However, the hearings quickly developed into little more than a ââ¬Å"political spectacle.â⬠A political spectacle ââ¬Å"is public in the sense that it deals with aâ⬠¦ scandalous action that carries instant and wide appeal no matter who does itâ⬠. The spectacle was tailored so that it would reach and catch the attention of millions of viewers. In order to accomplish th... ...ide, ââ¬Å"Deconstructing the Political Spectacle: Sex, Race, and Subjectivity in Public Response to the Clarence Thomas/ Anita Hill ââ¬Å"Sexual Harassmentâ⬠Hearings,â⬠American Journal of Political Science 37 (1993): 701. Dianne Rucinski, ââ¬Å"Rush to Judgment? Fast Reaction Polls in the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas Controversy,â⬠The Public Opinion Quarterly 57 (1993): 575. Frances Trix and Andrea Sankar, ââ¬Å"Women's Voices and Experiences of the Hill-Thomas Hearings,â⬠American Anthropologist 100 (1998): 32. Larry Hugick, "On Night before Vote, Support for Thomas Remains Strong," Gallup Poll News Service 56 ( 1991): 2. Murray Edelman, Constructing the Political Spectacle (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988), 99. Thomas P. Kim, ââ¬Å"Clarence Thomas and the Politicization of Candidate Gender in the 1992 Senate Elections,â⬠Legislative Studies Quarterly 23 (1998): 399.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Human Adjustment
If the motives of organisms were all immediately and easily satisfied, there would be no need for adjustment. Various hindrances, however, tend to thwart the direct satisfaction of motives. A dog may not find food available and ready to be eaten every time that the pangs of hunger assail.The human, impelled by such motives as those of mastery or social approval, is frequently unable to reduce his drives immediately. He meets with thwarting in the form of material obstacles, of competition from other similarly motivated individuals, and of hindrances resulting from his own lack of ability. But a strong motive, once aroused, tends to keep the individual in a state of activity. Stimulated by the drive-tension, the individual makes one reaction after another until at length some response is found which will reduce the drive.This exploratory activity which begins when a drive is aroused and ends when the drive is extinguished :s probably the most general pattern of animal and human behavi or. It may be termed the adjustment process. NORMAL AND ABNORMAL MODES OF ADJUSTMENT PROCESS There are three main elements in the process of adjustment. A. Motive. The process of adjustment begins with some inspiration or need present in an individual. B. Thwarting Conditions. If environmental factors do not hinder the fulfillment of needs, adjustment probably comes about and there are no problems.But thwarting circumstances steer forward the process of adjustment. C. Varied responses. In the event of non-fulfillment of needs, an individual reacts in many ways. These responses can be normal as well as abnormal. As a result of these reactions, the individual makes an adjustment with his environment. The process of adjustment begins with inspiration. Inspiration is objective-oriented. As a result, individual performs activities aimed at the objective. Many a time obstructions confront these activities.These obstruction evoke different responses in different individuals, the response m ay vary for trying work harder to giving it up to thinking an alternative plan to meet the objective. Evaluations of an individual's personality adjustment can be done as per the following criteria: a. Balance of Personality. The main criterion of personality adjustment is the formulation of personality. All the mental faculties like intelligence, emotions, desires and determination are fully involved in it and these function in unison.A well-developed personality is flexible, determined and cohesive. The ability to adjust is proportionate to the integration of personality. An individual with well-adjusted personality is balanced and realistic. He is not easily upset by failures an disappointments, and his emotions, needs, thoughts ND other mental activities are also balanced. On the other hand, a maladjusted individual's personality is imbalanced. His life is devoid of peace and he deprives others too of their peace. B. Minimal tension. Another sign of well-adjusted personality is minimal tension.Non-fulfillment of needs gives rise to tension. This tension lasts till needs are fulfilled. In other words,the adjustment of an individual can be gauged from the amount of tension he has. C. Harmony between Needs and Environment. The amount of harmony is directly proportionate to the amount of adjustment. An individual with a well-adjusted personality keep his needs and desires in consonance with the state of his environment and alters his environment according to the demand of his needs. Thus achieving mutual adjustment from both the sides accounts more success.Five groups of adjusting responses may be distinguished on this basis. These groups represent only a convenient arrangement arising from the practical necessity of making some division. They should not be interpreted as fundamentally distinct types of adjustment. 1 . Adjustment by defense. This adjustment mechanisms characterized by excessively aggressive conduct, usually involving group participation often of an undesirable or antisocial character. The defense mechanisms, by reducing the fear tensions and satisfying the original drives, lead to an adjustment of a sort.Since all persons have* deficiencies of varying degrees, defensive behavior is a normal and almost universal human trait. Only when defense mechanisms become exaggerated in character and excessive in scope do they present serious psychological problems. 2. Adjustment by withdrawing. This is considered the defensive adjustments that how a marked failure to participate in social activity, either in the form of passive exclusiveness or of active refusal. These are usually accompanied by substitute satisfactions of an individual and symbolic sort in the form of fantasy.Another way in which many individuals respond to thwarting is by retreating from the situations in which they experience adjusting difficulty. Withdrawing is a normal form of adjustment in a statistical sense, for practically all persons make use of it to some extent. Exclusiveness, like all other forms of defense, is a maladjustment only in reapportion to the degree of its employment, being normal when it does not seriously interfere with an individual's social effectiveness, pathological when he withdraws to such an extent as to affect his perception of reality.The exclusive type of adjustment originates from the same psychological pattern as do the other types. Confronted with the frustration of some strong motive, the individual makes varying responses until some form of behavior is discovered that will reduce his emotional tensions. In many instances the satisfying action is found in exclusiveness and timidity which are voiding responses to the stimuli responsible for the maladjustment. The exclusive behavior is adjusting, for by avoiding the attempt to cope with his environment, the individual eliminates the possibility of failure.The logic of exclusiveness is that, by not trying, failure is avoided. In the early or ââ¬Å"varied r esponseâ⬠stage of adjustment to thwarting, it is typical for the reaction of timidity to alternate with the more aggressive types of defense. For an individual to be shy and exclusive at one moment, and to be bold and overbearing in the next, often seems inconsistent, but it has psychological coherence since both forms of response indicate attitudes of inferiority and fears of social criticism.Since shy and withdrawing persons are not as much of a nuisance to those around them as are the more aggressive individuals, their maladjustments often escape notice* This is especially likely to be true of school children, for teachers quickly discover the annoyingly active child who compensates, rationalizes or lies, while the withdrawing youngster is often considered as a model of perfect deportment. For the same reasons, the seriousness and extent of outdrawing forms of adjustment is usually underestimated by teachers and parents. 3. Adjustments involving fear and repression.Although fear is a factor in all maladjustments, it appears with special prominence in phobias, which are irrational specific fears. Repression, another general characteristic of maladjustment, will also be investigated in this section. Strong emotional responses of an undifferentiated character are natively elicited by stimulation to an excessively intense or tissue- injuring nature. Rather early in childhood a number of more specific emotional tatters emerge from the diffused matrix of primitive emotion, this individuation arising from the operation of processes of adjustment and learning.The responses to overwhelming situations such as loud noises and violent loss of support, toward which the child can make no effective adjusting response, become crystallized into the pattern of emotion, disorientation and flight that may be designated as fear. Many situations in the common experiences of older children and adults also call forth a normal fear response. In some instances fear is the resp onse to a danger signal or symbol of impending possible injury.Because he has learned the consequences of various situations, the individual may react to the menace of prospective injury with the same emotional quality as to the injuring situation itself. The greatest number of fear experiences of normal adults probably occur in situations involving a narrow escape from catastrophe, such as occur occasionally when driving an automobile. Fear responses are most readily aroused in adults when an intense stimulation is presented very suddenly, under circumstances that permit the use of no habitual adjustment that would enable the individual to cope with the situation.Repression as adjustment, a viewpoint which supplements the foregoing account in a valuable manner is that which regards repression as a variety of adjustment or species of defense mechanism. The event the memory of which is repressed was a stimulus for a fear of disapproval, hence when the recall occurs it acts as a symbo l or substitute for the original guilt or shame-provoking situation. The fear of social disapproval thwarts one of the strongest of the common motives and therefore calls for adjusting behavior. The individual must adjust to the substitute symbol as he would to the disapproval itself. Adjustment by ailments. The most spectacular forms of adjustment are those which ape physical ailments, including pains, paralyses and cramps. These mechanisms constitute a large part of the field of the psychoneuroses and lie in the borderland between psychology and medicine. 5. Persistent nonadjustable reactions. If all forms of adjustment fail, the individual may show states of exhaustion, anxiety and ââ¬Å"nervousness' which are the result of an unreduced emotional tension In Karen Horned adjustment to basic anxiety, she has categorized three patterns or modes of adjustment: 1 .Moving Towards People In this pattern of adjustment, individual moves towards people in order to satisfy his needs for af fection and approval, for a dominant partner to control one's life and to live one's life within narrow limits. This is a type of person who is complaint type, who says that if I give in, I shall not be hurt. This type of person needs to be liked, wanted, desired, loved, welcomed, approved, appreciated, to be helped, to be protected, to be taken care of and to be guided. This type of person is friendly, most of the time and represses his aggression. 2. Moving Against PeopleIn this adjustment mode, the neurotic need for power for exploitation of others is for prestige and for personal achievements are to be fulfilled, when an individual moves against people. This hostile person thinks that if he has power, no one can hurt him. 3. Moving Away from People In this adjustment mode, the neurotic need for self-sufficiency, perfection, independence and UN-salability are classified. This person is a detached type, who says that if I withdraw, nothing can hurt me. These three adjustment patte rns are basically are incompatible, for example, one cannot move against, towards and way from people at the same time.The normal person has greater flexibility he uses one adjustment mode to another as conditions and situations demand. The neurotic person cannot easily move from one adjustment mode to another, rather he is less flexible and ineffective in moving from one adjustment mode to another. Fraud's ego defense mechanisms and Karen Hornet's adjustment techniques are the same. However, Karen Horned has added few new and usable techniques of adjustment, which are: I-Blind Spots Let us take an example, ââ¬Å"you are extremely intelligent student and you responded to our teacher's question very stupidly, so this experience hurts your ego'.Therefore, you are going to deny it and ignore it because it is not in accordance with your idealized self image of an intelligent person. Now this experience is a disowned one and it will reappear as a blind spot in your personality. You will not accept it and it will reappear as a problem in your personality. This is similar to Sigmund Fraud's repression. 2-Rationalization It is giving good reasons or making good excuses to protect your ego. So rationalization by Freud and Horned are the same. Let us take an example: A student arks very hard for his CSS exam but fails in it.He says, ââ¬Å"l don't want to be a civil servant, all civil servants are corrupt since I am an honest person I do not want to be a civil servantâ⬠. The story of the fox and the grapes is another example of rationalization. 3-Excessive Self-Control Excessive self-control is actually rigid self-control at all costs. It is guarding one's self against anxiety by controlling, any expression of emotion. In real life a puritan character has been created who maintains tight emotional control under all circumstances. Example: An individual under extreme grief and depression expresses no emotion.An individual under state of extreme happiness shows no e motion. 4-compartmentalizing It means dividing your life in to various compartments; one set of rules controls one compartment and another set of rules controls another compartment. For example, a teacher does not permit his students to cheat in the class, but the same teacher while playing a game of cards cheats with his colleagues. So there is one set of rules which applies to one compartment and another set of rules which applies to another compartment of his personality. 5 ââ¬â Sterilization Sterilization is similar to Fraud's projection.In projection, individual blames others for his own shortcoming. For example, a student did not prepare for his exams properly, and after getting a low grade, would say, the teacher was against me or the question paper was out of the course, instead of seeing the fact that the preparation was insufficient. Our team lost the match, because the umpire was against us while the fact is that our penalty corner conversion was poor. 6- Arbitrary Ri ghtness To the person utilizing this adjustment technique, the worst thing a person can be is indecisive or ambiguous.When issues arise that have no clear solution one way or the other, the person arbitrarily chooses one solution, thereby ending debate. An example would be when a mother says ââ¬Å"You're not going out Friday night and that's the end of itâ⬠A person using this adjustment will arrive at a position and when doing so all debate ends. The position the person takes becomes the truth and therefore cannot be challenged. The person no longer needs to worry about what is right and wrong or what is certain and uncertain. 7 ââ¬â Elusiveness This technique is the opposite of arbitrary rightness.The elusive person never makes decision about anything. If one is never committed to anything, one can never be wrong, and if one is never wrong, one can never be criticized. If a person decides to go to college and fails, there is no excuse. If, however, the decision to go to college is delayed, because of lack of money, or any other reason, this technique is called elusiveness, where the person never makes a decision about anything. 8 ââ¬â Cynicism Cynics are individuals who do not believe in the value of anything rather they try to make every individual realize the meaninglessness of their goals and objectives.Karen Horned believed that Cynics are individuals who derive pleasure by making an individual realize that he is worthless and his goals and aims in life are meaningless. Personality Disorders DEFINITION Personality is one's set of stable, predictable emotional and behavioral traits. Personality disorders involve deeply ingrained, inflexible patterns of relating to others that are maladaptive and cause significant impairment in social or occupational functioning. The disorders include marked limitations in problem solving and low stress tolerance.Patients with personality disorders lack insight bout their problems; their symptoms are either e go-synoptic or viewed as immutable. They have a rigid view of themselves and others and around their fixed patterns have little insight. Patients with personality disorders are vulnerable to developing symptoms of Axis I disorders during stress. Personality disorders are Axis II diagnoses. Many people have odd tendencies and quirks; these are not pathological unless they cause significant distress or impairment in daily functioning.DIAGNOSIS AND ADSM-IV CRITERIA 1 . Pattern of behavior/inner experience that deviates from the person's culture and is manifested in two or more of the following ways: _ Cognition Affect Personal relations Impulse control 2. The pattern: Is pervasive and info expiable in a broad range of situations _ Is stable and has an onset no later than adolescence or early adulthood _ -?+ significant distress in functioning _ Is not accounted for by another mental/medical illness or by use of a substance The international prevalence of personality disorders is 6%.Per sonality disorders vary by gender. Many patients with personality disorders will meet the criteria for more than one disorder. They should be classified as having all of the disorders for which they qualify. CLUSTERS Personality disorders are divided into three clusters: Cluster A-?schizoid, psychotically, and paranoid: Patients seem eccentric, peculiar, or withdrawn. _ Familial association with psychotic disorders. Cluster a-?antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic: emotional, dramatic, or inconsistent. Familial association with mood disorders.Cluster C-?avoiding, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive: or fearful. Patients seem Patients seem anxious _ Familial association with anxiety disorders. Personality disorder not otherwise specific deed (NOSE) includes disorders that do not fit onto cluster A, B, or C (including passive-aggressive personality disorder and depressive personality disorder). Personality disorder criteria-? CAPRI Cognition Personal Relations ETIOLOGY _ Biological, genetic, and psychosocial factors during childhood and adolescence contribute to the development of personality disorders. The prevalence of personality disorders in minimization twins is several times higher than in dogmatic twins. TREATMENT _ Personality disorders are generally very dif cult to treat, especially since few patients are aware that they need help. The disorders tend to be chronic and feeling. _ In general, pharmacological treatment has limited usefulness (see individual exceptions below) except in treating coexisting symptoms of depression, anxiety, and the like. _ Psychotherapy and group therapy are usually the most helpful.Cluster A These patients are perceived as eccentric or hermetic by others and can have symptoms that meet criteria for psychosis PARANOID PERSONALITY DISORDER (PDP) Patients with PDP have a pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others and often interpret motives as malevolent. They tend to blame their own problems on others and s eem angry and hostile. They are often characterized as being pathologically jealous, which leads them to think that their sexual partners or spouses are cheating on them. Diagnosis requires a general distrust of others, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts. At least four of the following must also be present: 1 . Suspicion (without evidence) that others are exploiting or deceiving him or her. 2. Preoccupation with doubts of loyalty or trustworthiness of acquaintances. 3. Reluctance to confine De in others. 4. Interpretation of benign remarks as threatening or demeaning. 5. Persistence of grudges. 6. Perception of attacks on his or her character that are not apparent to others; quick to counterattack. 7. Recurrence of suspicions regarding FL delimit of spouse or lover.DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS _ Paranoid schizophrenia: Unlike patients with schizophrenia, patients with paranoid personality disorder do not have any fixed delusions and are not frankly psychotic , although they may have transient psychosis under stressful situations. _ Social disenfranchisement and social isolation: Without a social support system, persons can react with suspicion to others. The differential in favor of the diagnosis can be dad by the assessment of others in close contact with the person, who identify what they consider as excess suspicion, etc.COURSE AND PROGNOSIS _ Some patients with PDP may eventually be diagnosed with schizophrenia. _ The disorder usually has a chronic course, causing lifelong marital and Job-related problems. Psychotherapy is the treatment of choice. Patients may also benefit from antiquity medications or short course of antispasmodics for transient psychosis. SCHIZOID PERSONALITY DISORDER Patients with schizoid personality disorder have a lifelong pattern of social withdrawal. They are often perceived as eccentric and reclusive. They are quiet and unsociable and have a constricted affect. They have no desire for close relationships an d prefer to be alone.Unlike with avoiding personality disorder, patients with schizoid personality disorder prefer to be alone. A pattern of voluntary social withdrawal and restricted range of emotional expression, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety contexts. _ Four or more of the following must also be present: 1 . Neither enjoying nor desiring close relationships (including family) 2. Generally choosing solitary activities 3. Little (if any) interest in sexual activity with another person 4. Taking pleasure in few activities (if any) 5. Few close friends or confidants (if any) 6. Indifference to praise or criticism 7.Emotional coldness, detachment, or flattened affect _ Paranoid schizophrenia: Unlike patients with schizophrenia, patients with schizoid personality disorder do not have any fixed delusions, although these may exist transiently in some patients. _ Psychotically personality disorder: Patients with schizoid personality disorder do not have the same ec centric behavior or magical thinking seen in patients with psychotically personality disorder. Psychotically patients are more similar to schizophrenic patients in terms of odd perception, thought, and behavior. COURSE Usually chronic course, but not always lifelong.Similar to paranoid personality disorder: Psychotherapy is the treatment of choice; group therapy is often beneficial. _ Low- dose antispasmodics (short course) if transiently psychotic, or antidepressants if combine major depression is diagnosed. PSYCHOTICALLY PERSONALITY DISORDER Patients with psychotically personality disorder have a pervasive pattern of eccentric behavior and peculiar thought patterns. They are often perceived as strange and eccentric. The disorder was developed out of the observation that certain family traits predominate in FL rest-degree relatives with schizophrenia.A pattern of social deaf cists marked by eccentric behavior, cognitive or perceptual distortions, and discomfort with close relations hips, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts. _ Five or more of the following must be present: 1 . Ideas of reference (excluding delusions of reference) 2. Odd beliefs or magical thinking, inconsistent with cultural norms 3. Unusual perceptual experiences (such as bodily illusions) 4. Suspiciousness 5. Inappropriate or restricted affect . Odd or eccentric appearance or behavior 7. Few close friends or confine daunts 8. Odd thinking or speech (vague, stereotyped, etc) 9.Excessive social anxiety Magical thinking may include: Belief in clairvoyance or telepathy Bizarre fantasies or preoccupations Belief in superstitions Odd behaviors may include involvement in cults or strange religious practices. _ Paranoid schizophrenia: Unlike patients with schizophrenia, patients with psychotically personality disorder are not frankly psychotic (though they can become transiently so under stress), nor do they have fixed delusions. _ Schizoid personality crosier: Patients with schizoid personality disorder do not have the same eccentric behavior seen in patients with psychotically personality disorder. Course is chronic or patients may eventually develop schizophrenia. Personality type for a patient with schizophrenia. Performed Psychotherapy is the treatment of choice to help develop social skills training. Short course of low-dose antispasmodics if necessary (for transient psychosis). Antispasmodics may help decrease social anxiety and suspicion in interpersonal relationships. Cluster B Includes antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders.These patients are often emotional, impulsive, and dramatic Patients diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder show superficial conformity to social norms but are exploitive of others and break rules to meet their own needs. Lack empathy and compassion; lack remorse for their actions. They are impulsive, deceitful, and often violate the law. They are skilled at reading social cu es and appear charming and normal to others who meet them for the FL rest time and do not know their history. Pattern of disregard for others and violation of the rights of others since age 15.Patients must be at least 18 years old for this diagnosis; history of behavior as a child/adolescent must be consistent with conduct disorder _ Three or more of the following should be present: 1. Failure to conform to social norms by committing unlawful acts 2. Deceitfulness/ repeated lying/manipulating others for personal gain 3. Impulsively/failure to plan ahead 4. Irritability and aggressiveness/repeated FL sights or assaults 5. Recklessness and disregard for safety of self or others 6. Irresponsibility/failure to sustain work or honor FL uncial obligations 7. Lack of remorse for actionsDrug abuse: It is necessary to ascertain which came FL rest. Patients who began abusing drugs before their antisocial behavior started may have behavior attributable to the effects of their addiction. Usual ly has a chronic course, but some improvement of symptoms may occur as the patient ages. _ Many patients have multiple somatic complaints, and coexistence of substance abuse and/or major depression is common. _ There is t morbidity from substance abuse, trauma, suicide, or homicide. Symptoms of antisocial personality disorder-?
Friday, January 3, 2020
Social Problems Of Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, And Mental...
The presentations I have viewed throughout the last few weeks in class have given me a whole new understanding of different social problems. The variety of social problems presented introduced me to a couple of social problems I had not given much thought to before. It also surprised me that every person in the class knew at least one person that had been affected by a certain social problem. Through the solutions presented in these presentations, I have gained knowledge of I can personally help eliminate some aspects of different social problems. The three presentations I believed to be the most intriguing were on the social problems of alcoholism, drug addiction, and mental illness. The first presentation was focused on howâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦The second presentation discussed the issues that are influenced by drug addiction. The presentation by Y.C. was titled: ââ¬Å"Living with an Addictionâ⬠. Addiction plays a role in driving under the influence, stress, and ab use. The interviewee in this presentation was named Bernard and Bernard was the interviewers father. Bernard is unemployed and has been actively using drugs for over twenty years. He described drug using to just be something to do in his leisure time. Y.C. described her fatherââ¬â¢s remorse for not playing a bigger role in her childhood and blamed this lack of effort due to his drug addiction. Y.C. understand now that drug addiction took her father away from her. Since then, Bernard has reached out for help and Y.C. helped Bernard get into a rehab program. This presentation displayed how deeply drug addiction can affect family relationships, but that there are solutions to overcoming drug addiction which I believe is useful to learn in a social problems class. The last presentation focused on how mental illness can affect people especially veterans. This presentation discussed how depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can lead to divorce, homelessness, and suicide. The in terviewer, K.L. interviewed a United States Veteran by the name of Jones. Jones contained PTSD and depression after two wars he was deployed in. When he came home these illnesses affected his marriage and relationships, and his life got so bad that he became homelessShow MoreRelatedSoc 203 social problems1286 Words à |à 6 Pagesï » ¿ Alcoholism: A Social Problem I. Introduction Alcoholism is a major social problem that not only has an impact on the life of an alcoholic, but family members as well as society. Alcoholism is the third most common mental illness that affects more than 17 million people in the United States according to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse. Alcoholism does not discriminate against age, race nor gender. II. Scope Alcoholism is defined as a disorderRead MoreStigm Notes On The Management Of Spoiled Identity1643 Words à |à 7 Pagesconsidered a form of stereotype or labeling of a person or group based on their illness and handicap. The topic that I will be discussing in this paper is Alcoholism, how people who are alcohol dependence are stigmatized and ways to help reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with it. Stigma is a negative attribute imposed by society on people that can cause discrimination. Stigmatized people lacks social acceptance because they possess traits that damage their identity and prevent themRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Addiction On Children1506 Words à |à 7 PagesIntroduction When an individual is struggling with drug addiction problems, the family is affected physically, mentally, and emotionally. The disease not only changes the addictââ¬â¢s whole life, but it changes the lives of their family members as parents get torn apart from themselves and each other. The role of each family member begins to shape around what is in the best interest of the addict. This research paper is an overview of the effects that raising a drug addicted child has on parentââ¬â¢s ability toRead MoreAlcohol Abuse Essay 171300 Words à |à 6 PagesAlcohol Abuse Drinking alcohol is woven into the social fabric of our culture, and indeed many people enjoy the social and cultural connection of sharing a drink together. However, because drinking is so common in our society, realizing you or a loved one has a drinking problem can be a challenge. à The consequences of alcohol abuse are serious. Alcohol abuse causes extensive damage to your health, your loved ones, and society. It results in thousands of innocent deaths each year, and exacerbatesRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcoholism On The United States1383 Words à |à 6 Pages Ariel Herrera Alcoholism in the United States Alcoholism has been a societal issue that does not discriminate in terms of boarders. Although it is an international problem, this paper will focus on its implications in the United States of America. Alcoholism is defined as an obsession or addiction to the intake of alcoholic liquor or the mental illness and behavior resulting from alcohol reliance (Adewale and Ifudu 2014). This paper analysis the demographic differences in alcohol engagementRead More alcohol Essay examples805 Words à |à 4 Pages Alcoholism, chronic and usually progressive illness involving the excessive inappropriate ingestion of ethyl alcohol, whether in the form of familiar alcoholic beverages or as a constituent of other substances. Alcoholism is thought to arise from a combination of a wide range of physiological, psychological, social, and genetic factors. It is characterized by an emotional and often physical dependence on alcohol, and it frequently leads to brain damage or early death. Some 10 percent o f the adultRead MoreAlcoholism And Its Effects On Society1099 Words à |à 5 PagesWhat is addiction? Many people think that they are not addicted to something. Addiction is a chronic illness and if it left untreated, it could be fatal (2015, February, 3). This disease is located in the limbic system of the brain. It is behaviourally symptomatic. Addicted people become dangerous and irresponsible; they display a destructive behavior. At that time addicts lose loved ones, jobs, friends, and stable life. It destroys families and everything in its path. Addiction affects peopleRead MoreMental Illness And Substance Abuse901 Words à |à 4 Pagesexists between mental illness and substance abuse, which may have complications on the actual treatment for mental illness. It is very important for the addiction counselor to properly understand both the differences between acute primary psychiatric disorders and any underlying psychiatric symptoms, caused by alcohol and other drugs. Sometim es the addiction needs to be treated first in order for the mental illness to be properly identified and successfully treated. Also addiction counselors needRead More The Etiology of Addiction Disease Model Essay examples1522 Words à |à 7 PagesAddiction is like all behaviours ââ¬Å"the business of the brainâ⬠. Addictions are compulsive physical and psychological needs from habit-forming sustenances like nicotine, alcohol, and drugs. Being occupied with or involved in such activities, leads a person who uses them again and again to become tolerant and dependent eventually experiencing withdrawal. (Molintas, 2006). Addictive drugs cause dopamine neurons to release dopamine, the pleasure hormone. The narcotics disable the neurons that wouldRead MoreDrug Use And Substance Use Disorder Patients1291 Words à |à 6 Pagesbe concerned as a nation; however, this very problem is an essential topic globally. 230 million drug users are found worldwide and 19.9 million of those are Americans that have used illicit drugs in the year 2007 alone (as cited in Michaelââ¬â¢s House, n.d); Furthermore, America makes up 4 percent of the global population and our nation manages to occupy two-third of the illegal drug use worldwide (as cited in Buggle, 2013). The National Institute on Drugs (NIH) (2011) cited 1.8 million people in the
Thursday, December 26, 2019
The Palace of Palenque Royal Home of Pakal the Great
One of the finest examples of Maya architecture is without a doubt the Royal Palace of Palenque, the Classic Maya (250ââ¬â800 CE) site in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. Fast Facts: Palenque Known For: The palace of the Maya king Pakal the GreatCulture/Country: Maya / UNESCO World Heritage Site in Palenque, Chiapas, MexicoOccupation Date: Classic Maya (250ââ¬â800 CE)à Features: Palace buildings, courtyards, sweat baths, Pakals throne room, reliefs, and painted stucco murals. Although archaeological evidence suggests that the Palace was the royal residence of Palenques rulers beginning in the Early Classic period (250-ââ¬â600 CE), the Palaces visible buildings all date to the Late Classic (600ââ¬â800/900 CE), the period of its most famous king Pakal the Great and his sons. Relief carvings in stucco and Maya texts suggest that the Palace was the administrative heart of the city as well as an aristocratic residence. The Maya architects of the Palace inscribed several calendar datesà on the piers within the palace, dating the construction and dedications of the various rooms, and ranging between 654ââ¬â668 CE. Pakals throne room, House E, was dedicated on November 9, 654. House A-D, built by Pakals son, contains a dedicatory date of August 10, 720. The Architecture of the Palace at Palenque The main entrance of the Royal Palace at Palenque is approached from the north and east sides, both of which are flanked with monumental staircases. The complex interior is a maze of 12 rooms or houses, two courts (east and west) and the tower, a unique four-level square structure dominating the site and providing a stunning view of the countryside from its top level. A small stream at the back was channeled into a vaulted aqueduct called the palace aqueduct, which is estimated to have held over 50,000 gallons (225,000 liters) of freshwater. This aqueduct likely furnished water to Palenque and to crops planted north of the Palace. A row of narrow rooms along the southern side of the Tower Court may have been sweat baths. One had two holes for the passage of steam from a subterranean firebox to the sweat chamber above. Sweat baths at Palenques Cross Group are symbolic onlyââ¬âthe Maya wrote the hieroglyphic term for sweat bath on the walls of small, interior structures that did not have the mechanical ability to generate heat or steam. U.S. archaeologist Stephen Houston (1996) suggests they may have been sanctuaries linked to divine birth and purification. Court Yards All of these rooms are organized around the two central open spaces, which acted as patios or courtyards. The largest of these courts is the East Court, located on the northeast side of the palace. Here a wide-open area was the perfect space for public events and the site of important visits of other nobles and leaders. The surrounding walls are decorated with images of humiliated captives illustrating the military achievements of Pakal. Although the layout of the Palace follows a typical Maya house patternââ¬âa collection of rooms organized around a central patioââ¬âthe Palaces interior courts, subterranean rooms and passages do remind the visitor of a maze, making Pakals Palace Palenques most unusual building. House E Perhaps the most important building in the palace was House E, the throne or coronation room. This was one of the few buildings painted in white instead of red, the typical color used by the Maya in royal and ceremonial buildings. House E was built in the mid-7th century by Pakal the Great, as part of his renovation and enlargement of the palace. House E is a stone representation of a typically wooden Maya house, including the thatched roof. At the center of the main room stood the throne, a stone bench, where the king sat with his legs crossed. Here he received high dignitaries and nobles from other Maya capitals. We know that because a portrait of the king receiving visitors was painted over the throne. Behind the throne, the famous stone carving known as the Oval Palace Tablet describes the ascension of Pakal as ruler of Palenque in 615 and his coronation by his mother, Lady Sak Kuk. Painted Stucco Sculpture One of the most striking features of the complex palace structure is its painted stucco sculptures, found on piers, walls, and roofs. These were sculpted from prepared limestone plaster and painted in bright colors. As with other Maya sites, the colors are meaningful: all worldly images, including the backgrounds and bodies of humans, were painted red. Blue was reserved for royal, divine, heavenly objects and personages; and objects belonging to the underworld were painted yellow. The sculptures in House A are particularly remarkable. A close investigation of these shows that the artists began by sculpting and painting naked figures. Next, the sculptor built and painted clothing for each of the figures on top of the naked images. Complete outfits were created and painted in order, beginning with the underclothing, then the skirts and belts, and finally ornaments such as beads and buckles. Purpose of the Palace at Palenque This royal complex was not only the residence of the king, provided with all the comforts such as latrines and sweat baths, but also the political core of the Maya capital, and was used to receive foreign visitors, organize sumptuous feasts, and work as an efficient administrative center. Some evidence suggests that Pakals palace incorporates solar alignments, including a dramatic inner courtyard that is said to demonstrate perpendicular shadows when the sun reaches its highest point or zenith passage. House C was dedicated five days after a zenith passage on August 7, 659; and during nadir passages, the central doorways of houses C and A seem to be aligned with the rising sun. Edited and updated by K. Kris Hirst Selected Sources French, Kirk D., Christopher J. Duffy, and Gopal Bhatt. The Urban Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering at the Classic Maya Site of Palenque. Water History 5.1 (2013): 43ââ¬â69.à Mendez, Alonso, and Carol Karasik. Centering the World: Zenith and Nadir Passages at Palenque. Archaeoastronomy and the Maya. Eds. Aldana y Villalobos, Gerardo, and Edwin L. Barnhart. Oxford: Oxbow Books, 2014.à Ossa, Alanna, Michael E. Smith, and Josà © Lobo. The Size of Plazas in Mesoamerican Cities and Towns: A Quantitative Analysis. Latin American Antiquity 28.4 (2017): 457ââ¬â75.à Redmond, Elsa M., and Charles S. Spencer. Ancient Palace Complex (300ââ¬â100 BC) Discovered in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114.15 (2017): 3805ââ¬â14.à Stuart, David. Reconstructing a Stucco Text from Palenqueââ¬â¢s Palace. Maya Decipherment: Ideas on Ancient Maya Writing and Iconography.à 2014. Web.
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Essay Abraham Lincoln - 1426 Words
As the 16th president, Abraham Lincoln was known to be the greatest American President. He guided his country through one of the most catastrophic experiences in its history, the Civil War. He was a very unique president, being the first president to have a beard, being the tallest president standing at 6ââ¬â¢4 and also being the first to be assassinated. Abe Lincoln accomplished many things in the 4 year term he had served before being assassinated. With his intelligence and hard work, he made a difference in the United States. For example he released the Emancipation Proclamation which was one of his greatest accomplishments. He passed the Homestead Act, Morrill Act, and National Banking Act. If Abraham Lincoln had not becomeâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Abraham Lincoln had various jobs. He worked as a store keeper, and later was chosen to become militia captain in the Black Hawk War and postmaster. Lincolnââ¬â¢s political career began in 1832. Even though he did n ot win a seat in the State Legislature, two years later he won a seat as a Whig. He served four terms as a Whig and by doing so he started becoming popular statewide. Lincoln later began to study law and in 1836 he was licensed to practice. Being successful he moved to the new capital Springfield. November 2, 1842 he married Mary Todd who came from a very wealthy family later had four sons by the name of Robert, Edward, William, and Thomas. Out of the four only Robert had survived into adulthood. Forming a partnership with William H. Herndon Lincoln became Illinoisââ¬â¢s brightest lawyers. In 1858 Lincoln ran against Stephen A. Douglas for Senator. He lost the election, but in debating with Douglas he gained a national reputation that won him the Republican nomination for President in 1860 (www.whitehouse.gov/). As president of the United States, Abraham accomplished a lot in four years. One of his major achievements that will always be remembered and still recognized today that had made a difference in the United States was the Emancipation Proclamation. It was his hard work that had kept the union together during the civil war. He did have to face many problems during the Civil War such as him not being prepared for such battle because he had to beShow MoreRelatedWheres Abraham Lincoln in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter?542 Words à |à 2 Pagesnovels Pride and Prejudge and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Grahame-Smith has collaborated on two film adaptations, Dark Shadows, and his own novel, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Seth Grahame-Smith and his wife, Erin, live in California with their two children Jacob and Joshua. Currently Grahame-Smithââ¬â¢s novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is being adapted for film, and Smith is said to be writing a sequel/ spin off of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, staring Henry Struges. BothRead MoreThe Legacy Of Abraham Lincoln928 Words à |à 4 PagesP. Thomas, Abraham Lincoln: A Biography (Southern Illinois University Press, 2008). â⬠¢ David Herbert Donald, We Are Lincoln Men: Abraham Lincoln and His Friends (Simon Schuster, 2004). â⬠¢ Roy Morris Jr., The Long Pursuit: Abraham Lincolnââ¬â¢s Thirty-Year Struggle with Stephen Douglas for the Heart and Soul of America (Bison Books, 2010). 5. Similar Articles: â⬠¢ Mary Frances Berry, ââ¬Å"Lincoln and Civil Rights for Blacks,â⬠Volume 2, Issue 1, 1980, pp. 46-57 (Journal of The Abraham Lincoln Association)Read MoreThe Life Of Abraham Lincoln754 Words à |à 4 PagesValenzuela 1 Issac Valenzuela Mrs. Barr 7th Grade Literature May 24, 2016 The Life of Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was born and raised in a log cabin. He was born on February 12, 1809. His mother was a great Christian. She often told them stories from the Bible. One day, Lincolnââ¬â¢s mother died of poisoned milk when he was only nine. Abraham Lincoln was one of the tallest presidents in our history. He was six feet, four inches tall. When he was elected president, he started theRead MoreThe Legacy Of Abraham Lincoln1521 Words à |à 7 PagesAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Lincoln led the United States through its Civil Warââ¬âits bloodiest war and its greatest moral, constitutional, and political crisis. In doing so, he preserved the Union, abolished slavery, strengthened the federal government, and modernized the economy. Born in Hodgenville, Kentucky, Lincoln grew up on the western frontier in Kentucky and Indiana. Largely self-educated, he becameRead MoreThe Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln861 Words à |à 4 PagesAppomattox Courthouse, one of America s greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln, was shot and killed by a man named John Wilkes Booth. Specifically, John Wilkes Booth was an American play actor and a big sympathiser for the Confederacy. Booth was well known for his hatred towards the President and his crazy ideas and motives, which lead to the killing of Lincoln. Many conspiracies and theories today believed the assassination of Abraham Lincoln was handled by John Wilkes alone, but other conspiracies believedRead More Abraham Lincoln Essay706 Words à |à 3 Pages Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the U.S (1861-1865) who brought the Union to victory in the Civil War. Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Kentucky. His father was Thomas Lincoln and his mother was Nancy Hanks, both were pioneer farmers. When Abraham Lincoln was two they moved to nearby Knob Creek, Indiana. The following year his mother died. In 1819 Abraham Lincolnââ¬â¢s father married Sarah Bush Johnston, a kind widow who gained Abraham Lincolnââ¬â¢s friendship. Abraham Lincoln grew upRead MoreThe Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln1064 Words à |à 5 PagesColin Shafer Abraham Lincolnââ¬â¢s Assassination President Abraham Lincoln was the first United States president ever to be assassinated while in office. He was president during the Civil War and had many people that did not like him. John Wilkes Booth did not like Abraham Lincoln and was responsible for the Presidentââ¬â¢s death. Abraham Lincoln was born in Harden County, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. His parents were Thomas and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. In 1818, his mother died while he was just nine yearsRead MoreThe War Of Abraham Lincoln906 Words à |à 4 Pageselection of Abraham Lincoln. South Caroline issued the ââ¬Å" Declaration of the Causes of Secessionâ⬠because they believed Lincoln was anti-slaver (Bartels). However during the most consequential period in American history, on November 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected as the sixteenth president of the United States and the first Republican President. As the commander in chief the union army, Lincoln needed to bring an end to the war and reunite the nation. On November 19, 1863 Abraham Lincoln gave one ofRead More Abraham Lincoln Essay576 Words à |à 3 Pages Abraham Lincoln, from the backwoods of Hodgenville Kentucky, rose to become one of the greatest presidents of the United States. During his attempt to keep the Union in the Civil War, h e gained more power and authority than any president before him. A excellent politician, Lincoln was always looked upon for leadership for he put reason and thoughtful decisions behind his word.Abraham Lincoln, born to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hawks on February 12, 1809, was conceived in a log cabin built by his fatherRead More Abraham Lincoln Essay1617 Words à |à 7 Pages Abraham Lincoln Why I chose to research Abraham Lincolnââ¬â¢s life. Ever since I was a small boy in elementary school, and all throughout my grade school days, there were many great names that were spoken of and taught about. Names such as George Washington, (our first president) John Hancock, John Adams, and Mark Twain were among many others who contributed to the betterment of our great country, the United States of America. Yet there was one name that resounded in my classrooms, and in my ears
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Marketing Management Market of Singapore
Question: Discuss about the Marketing Management for the Market of Singapore. Answer: Introduction The BreadTalk Group Limited is a Singapore based bakery company that was established in 2000. This company is famous for the range of variety of cakes and breads they sell in the market of Singapore. The company has decided to expand the market and increase the range of customers. In this assignment, the marketing strategies that are required for BreadTalk in order to expand their business at the international level are discussed in details. At present, the market segment of BreadTalk is limited to Singapore and in the southern region of Asia. Hence, in order to establish as a global brand, it is necessary for the company to strengthen their market in the South East Asian region. They need to make full use of the healthy reputation they have in the Asian region that can help them to increase the brand awareness in the international market. Market segmentation and target market are the most important strategy tools for a business organization (Wedel and Kamakura 2012). These can help them to divide the market based on the consumer choice and characteristics of a particular market. The excellent quality of bakery products of BreadTalk can is best for the class of people, who like to have good experience with food. With the help of inspiring tagline like Bread can communicate with you and Breads that can inspire the customer to think differently it is possible to attract the consumers, who are passionate about food. Moreover, with the help of situation analysis, it is possible to make the best use of the opportunities that exist in the consumer market or a region. With the support of the marketing mix tools, it is possible for BreadTalk to make strategies for the critical parameters or business like product, place, price and promotion. The products for BreadTalk includes innovative bakery and the price of these products are usually kept on the higher side so that it is possible to maintain the premium quality. The company has nearly 1000 outlets in the Asian region and in order to rise at international level they need to open stores outside the Asian countries. They can use the strategy of Bread Showroom with a view to promote their products (Breadtalk.com 2016). The premium quality and the wide range of breads, pastries, cakes and other popular bakery products that are sold by BreadTalk are the biggest strength that will help the company to retain the present reputation. With the help of revolutionary and innovative marketing strategy, the company can gain significant competitive advantage over their rivals bakery companies. The company can also diversify into ne w sectors with the help of innovative bakery products. This will help the company to attract the customers from the rival companies like Cheesefactory and Starbucks and thereby expand the market segment. They can also make full use of the opportunities that exist in the countries outside the Asian region. Hence, the BreadTalk is able to establish their reputation as an international bakery brand with the help of appropriate marketing tools. Reference Breadtalk.com. (2016). BreadTalk Group - Our Strategy. [online] Available at: https://www.breadtalk.com/en/strategy [Accessed 30 Sep. 2016]. Wedel, M. and Kamakura, W.A., 2012.Market segmentation: Conceptual and methodological foundations(Vol. 8). Springer Science Business Media.
Monday, December 2, 2019
Olympics Raising the UKs Profile
Executive Summary The Summer Olympics is among the worldââ¬â¢s favorite sporting event. The popularity of this event means that the sport has a global audience. Apart from the sporting aspect of the Games, the Olympics are also seen as an avenue by sponsors to market their products.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Olympics Raising the UKââ¬â¢s Profile specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With the next Olympics scheduled for the summer of 2012 in London, preparations are underway. The body tasked with this responsibility is the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games. This report examines the marketing practices that the organisation is using to raise its profile, as well as the technological challenges and opportunities at its disposal. Introduction Every four years, in recent decades, thousands of athletes all over the globe, with a similar number of coaches and officials, and accredited media repre sentatives and hundreds of thousands of spectators have gathered for more than two weeks to participate in, report on and watch a sporting event which is in turn viewed on television, listened to on the radio, read about in the print media and followed on the Internet by billion of people around the world. Each Olympic Games has cost enormous sums of money to stage, funded by the taxpayers, sponsors, and television companies and their advertisers. Sporting records have invariably been broken, and national and international heroes created. It is the worldââ¬â¢s biggest peace-time event: the Summer Olympic Games (Girginov Parry, 2005). This report critically examines the marketing practices of the organizations tasked with staging the event, the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG). The report will, in particular, evaluate the effectiveness of the marketing practices adopted by the organization, and the use of new technology for future competitive advantage. B rief history of the modern Olympic Games The history of the Olympic Games begins at least 3000 years ago in ancient Greece. In their ancient form, while they celebrated physical excellence, the Games served a primarily religious purpose. In their modern form, while still ostensibly about physical excellence, they also play a cultural and economic, and often political, role. The history and global significance of the Olympic Games, in sporting, cultural, economic and political terms, therefore, justifies their serious consideration as an object of academic enquiry (Veal, 2007). There is a widespread sense of public ownership of the Olympic Games, which does to extend to other sporting events such the World Cup.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The relationship between the media and the Olympic Games For some 25 years, newspapers enjoyed a monopoly for coverage of the Olympic Games. Interestingly, the arrival of new media forms has always been perceived as a threat and usually had to face strong opposition. In 1920, the first radio station, KDKA, went on air in Pittsburg, USA. KDKA is also accredited with broadcasting the first ever-sporting event, which was a boxing match in 1921 (Smith, 2000). Broadcasting services in Great Britain began in 1922 with the establishment of the British Broadcasting Corporation. Sports commentary, however, was not allowed until 1925. Radio commentaries were covering the Olympic Games in Paris (1924), Amsterdam (1928), and Los Angeles (1932), but due to technical limitations, this medium remained local and regional until 1936 (Findling Pelle, 2004). By the time that the radio made its genuine debut as an international communication medium at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, television had already made its appearance. The first regular television services began in Germany in 1935, followed by Britain in 1936, France in 1937, the former USSR in 1938 and the United States in 1939. However, it was not television, but the cinema, which was responsible for making the first moving pictures of an Olympic Games: in 1900 in Paris and a special feature on the Olympics in 1912, in Stockholm. These developments in cinematography had an impact on the TV coverage of the Games, which began in 1936, in Berlin (Dorling Kindersley Publsihing Inc., 2000). Over the years, the relationship between the Olympics and the media has evolved into three intertwined symbolic associations- economic, promotional, and passion. The economic association is based on the economic interests of the two companies. TV companies pay fees for rights, but at the same time derive profit because of the advertising revenue from sponsors (Shilbury, 2003). The promotional association suggests that sport is a major source of revenue and program content. It is, therefore, in the best interest of other media to sustain and promote a positive image of th e Olympics. The passion association stems from the media dual responsibility to inform, analyze and comment, and to be a counter-authority. Despite their economic interest in sport, it is the nature of the media to keep a distance from it, to maintain their credibility, and to serve the truth and their audience. The International Olympics Committee grants TV rights to air Olympic Games based on exclusivity per country or region, and free coverage to the largest possible audience (Preuss, 2004).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Olympics Raising the UKââ¬â¢s Profile specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The interaction between the Olympics and the mass media resulted in a transformation of the Games from being merely a sporting competition for aristocratic elite, to a special genre appealing to millions. When the organizers of the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games demanded remuneration for the right to televise the compe titions, this unprecedented decision was met with a massive outcry from the networks (Girginov Parry, 2005). They argued that the Olympic Games were a news event, similarly to the print media; television should also have free and open access. The organizers insisted that the Olympics were an entertainment event and, therefore, subject to a rights fee, before contests could be included in television programming. This episode proved critical for the development of the Olympic Games as a media event (Mullin, 2007). The Olympics, as a genre of media experience, has a number of characteristics (Rogan Rogan, 2011). First, they are televised and rely on the impact of visual images. Second, the Games interrupt daily routines and at times virtually bring the life in a country to a halt. Third, the Olympics are monopolistic in the sense that all channels focus on the event, and it is very close to being watched at nearly all times (Girginov Parry, 2005). In addition, the Olympics competiti ons are live and unfolding. The IOC and the host city organize them in a location outside the media. The Games are also not spontaneous but pre-planned, announced and advertised in advance. In particular, the Olympics have unusual and unprecedented audiences who are drawn to watch television individually, as a family, a group of strangers in front of a street screen, as a community in the pub, or a virtual community on the Internet (Smith, 2000). The above characteristics of the Olympic Games as a media event portray them as a social construct, which is achieved through the contribution of three main actors: the IOC and the host city, TV networks, and the global TV audiences (Dorling Kindersley Publsihing Inc., 2000).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is important to note that the social construction of the Games has economic consequences, one of which involves the transformation of the audience from sport followers to a commodity with an economic value expressed in terms of its size and composition. Subsequently, audience demographic reports and media usage patterns become crucial for the commercial success of the media and of the Olympic Games (Girginov Parry, 2005). Millions of dollars are paid for broadcasting rights, but broadcasters charge their advertisers tens of thousands of dollars per second of airtime. Such profits are, however, contingent upon the delivery of certain viewing figure levels and failure to achieve these could result in huge losses for the media companies. For instance, NBC had to refund some US $ 90 million to its advertisers as compensation for the low ratings achieved by their coverage of the Barcelona Games of 1992 (Findling Pelle, 2004). Marketing through the Olympics The above discussion of th e integration of the media in the Olympic Games lays a foundation for the discussion that is going to follow about the marketing practices for LOCOG. This is because the kind of marketing strategy that is adopted by the body is typical of any sport marketing approach, which is largely depended on the mass media. Sport marketing can be approached through two different perspectives: marketing of sport and marketing through sport. On the other hand, marketing through sport is typical of a scenario where large corporations use sporting as an avenue to promote and advertise their products, usually to specifically identifiable demographic markets known to follow a particular sport. The perspective of sport marketing that is going to be given prominence in this report is that of marketing through sport (Jackson Andrews, 2005). Technological challenges and opportunities facing LOCOG The victorious bid team made some big promises in Singapore and wasted little time coming out of the blocks quickly. Sebastian Coe, chairperson of the LOCOG announced a first one hundred pays plan. One of the most important initial moves was the separation of the body responsible for building the infrastructure for the games- the Olympic Deliverance Authority- from the one responsible for the commercial and operational side of making the Games happen- the London Organizing and Committee of the Olympic and Paralympics Games (Great Britain Parliament, 2009). Effectively, this separated the day-to-day public purse commitments to regenerate East London from the revenue generation and Games delivery private sector responsibilities. This has proven to be a significant and successful move. While both organizations are joined at the level of the Olympics Board, each is free to develop the culture and approach that match their very different immediate priorities (Mullin, 2007). London has hosted Olympic Games twice in the past: in 1908 and 1948. Indeed, it is the only city to do so thrice. This im plies that the LOCOG has a point of references to refer. It is able to correct its past mistakes, and improve its successes. However, the fact that London has hosted the Games in the past and, hence, can borrow a lot form the past is limited by the dynamic nature of technology, which is a key factor in organizing and staging the event. One of the central challenges for London 2012 organizers has been to build a plan for the Games against a staggering technological pace of change (Rosner Shropshire, 2010). Coe and his team had no idea in 2005 when the bid was won what technologies would be contemporary in 2012 by 2012, and which would still be a figment of fanciful imaginations. The technology for London 2012 represents both a challenge and an opportunity for the Organizing Committee and its partners. The biggest challenge that is facing the LOCOG and its technology partners, which include BT, Atos Origin and Cisco Systems, is to deliver information around the world in real time (Ro gan Rogan, 2011). Internet development is changing and evolving at such a pace that even short time frame comparisons offer little guidance. For instance, the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano generated one terabit of data, or five times as the preceding Lillehammer Games. This amount of data can now be purchased for 60 British pounds on eBay (Mullin, 2007). This implies that the LOCOG and its technology partners are faced with the technological challenge of handling vast amounts of data. In addition, the lure for sponsors to grasp the moment to display their technology on the worldââ¬â¢s biggest stage makes it worth the risk in order to create the ultimate corporate case study (Shilbury, 2003). BT, one of the main technology partners with LOCOG has embraced the challenge of delivering for London 2012. The scale of the media scrutiny is, vast and failure is not an option for both LOCOG and its technology partners. If BT communications lines go down in the middle of yet another World R ecord for Usain Bolt in the Menââ¬â¢s 100 Meter Final, or in the final strokes of Greg Searleââ¬â¢s gold medal 20 years on from his first, BT and LOCOG will be culpable in the eyes of the global public. London clearly signaled its desire to embrace new technology in all its forms with the early launch of its contemporary logo. The early message that the London 2012 Olympic Games would be a ââ¬Ënew mediaââ¬â¢ Games was initially greeted with skepticism. However, LOCOG insisted that it could not be sure how the action would be distributed come 2012, that alternative methods of distribution to the TV screen or internet would be necessary and that the logo would need to work in all new media environments. These initial aspirations have been made a reality by the new media. For instance, the BBC Trust has recently approved plans to distribute BBC New through mobile phone applications. However, this, move is regarded as surrounded with controversy because it puts the BBC in di rect competition with commercial broadcasters; the new media market (Mullin, 2007). Marketing practices used by LOCOG There is a unique breadth of skills, which are required in an organization such as LOCOG to deliver the Olympic Games. Effectively, it is parts sports body, part business, part political entity and part project management organisation. In its business approach, LOCOG has to embrace marketing practices that ensure that its books stay balanced. This has been done through a number of ways, one of them being sponsorship. As a discipline, sponsorship has traditionally been rather uncomplicated. Rights holders such as LOCOG have a long tradition of selling attachment to their sporting event based on market value of their assets. The assets include advertising hoardings, tickets, television billboards, and corporate hospitality (Preuss, 2004). Nevertheless, sponsorship in the Olympics is quite different from sponsorship in other games such as World Cup. This is because ther e is no advertising inventory to bundle into the organizers sponsorship deals since the Games would unusually be shown on non-commercial terrestrial television in the domestic UK market. In addition, part of the equity in the Olympic Games brand is that the Games remain the only global sports property to continue to avoid any commercial messaging within the venues themselves. While this is part of the appeal and difference of the Olympic Games, and arguably valuable legacy of the obsession with amateur deals, it makes life harder for Organizing Committees (Jackson Andrews, 2005). Another marketing strategy that is being used by LOCOG is merchandising. A short visit to the Adidas store in Oxford Street demonstrates that this phenomenon has gone full swing. Aisles are often full of the very tourists Britain aims to lure come Games-time. This is an area, which the Beijing Games failed to maximize, probably because the implications of a scale merchandising operation were too explicitly commercial in a communist country. Certainly, the sponsor village was hidden away in the outskirts of the Olympic Park, in Beijing. In contrast, products could already be found on the shelves in London as early as of 2010 (Rogan Rogan, 2011). Following the above marketing strategies coupled up with ticketing, LOCOG now has the vast majority of its revenue commitments filled. This puts it in an admirable position since it is able to consider supplier deals, which shave cost from the accounts, as well as drive revenue. Traditionally, Olympic Organizing Committees have been criticized for fire sales at the end of their tenure. For instance, Vancouverââ¬â¢s final; sponsor signed up a matter of weeks before the event. This is far less likely concerning London 2012. Instead, there are expectations of creative supplier barter deals, which minimize significant remaining cost liabilities for the organizers and maximize the impact of the Games (Great Britain Parliament, 2009). Recommenda tions for strategic responses to the above discussions There is no doubt that the LOCOG is enthroned with a big task of organizing and staging the London 2012 games. One of major challenges discussed earlier that the organisation is facing is the dynamic nature of the technology. If the organisation has to ensure that its promise of staging an Olympics that has never being witnessed, it has to be at par with the technological advancements of the day. This can be achieved by collaborating with technology companies that are able to deliver real time events to the global audience, hence, ensuring that consumer get real value for their money (Rosner Shropshire, 2010). Given the global reach of the event enhanced by the new media, there is no doubt that marketers are bound to take advantage of the event and use it to market their product even if they are not official sponsors (Great Britain Parliament, 2008). This phenomenon is known as ambush marketing. As such, LOCOG should put in pla ce the necessary measure and legislation to deal with such cases. This is because such behaviors deprive the real sponsors the exclusive rights to market the event, which beats the logic of paying the rights fee. Fortunately, the organisation did take the requisite measures as seen with the creating of the Olympic Rights Association to oversee the use of the Olympic Brand (Great Britain Parliament, 2008). Conclusion In conclusion, this report has a brief history of the modern Olympic Games and the role of the media in the Games. The report dealt in depth with the marketing practices that LOCOG, which is organizing for the Olympics in 2012, is using. The report saw that sponsoring and merchandising are some of the key strategies embraced by the organisation. The report has also examined the technological challenges and opportunities faced by the company. The rise of the new media is posing a major threat and opportunity for the organisation, but this can be remedied by choosing the r ight technology partners. Reference List Dorling Kindersley Publsihing Inc., 2000. The Olympic Games. London: Dorling Kindersley. Findling, J., Pelle, K., 2004. Encyclopedia of the modern Olympic movement. London: Greenwood Publishing Group. Girginov, V., Parry, J., 2005. The Olympic games explained: a student guide to the evolution of the modern Olympic Games. London: Routledge. Great Britain Parliament., 2009. Potential benefits of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. London: The Stationery Office. Great Britain Parliament., 2008. Preparing for sporting success at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond. London: The Stationery Office. Jackson, S., Andrews, D., 2005. Sport, culture and advertsing: identities, comodities and the politics of representation. London: Routledge. Mullin, B. J., 2007. Sport marketing. London: Human Kinetics. Preuss, H., 2004. The economics of staging the Olympics. London: Edward Elgar Publishing. Rogan, M., Rogan, M., 2011. British and t he Olympic Games: past, present and legacy. London: Troubador. Rosner, S., Shropshire, K., 2010. The business of sports. New York: Jones Barlett Publishers. Shilbury, D., 2003. Strategic Sport Marketing. London: Alen Unwin. Smith, S., 2000. The Olympics at the millenium: power politics, and the games. New York: Rutgers University Press. Veal, A. J., 2007. The Olympic Games: a social science perspective. London: CABI. This report on Olympics Raising the UKââ¬â¢s Profile was written and submitted by user Jul1us to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)