The Effects of Hip Hip on Our Culture Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Hip Hip on Our Culture Essay The Effects of Hip-Hop in Our Culture There are many differing opinions on whether or not Hip-Hop has a detrimental effect on our culture and youth today. The question I ask is whether it is life portraying art, or art portraying life? Anytime there is an increase in crime, and a decrease in the number of high school graduates there must be something left to blame. Although it may seem easy to say that the media has an effect on the way we see things around us, to what extent is that true? I grew up during the rise in Hip-Hop and believe that it does have both a positive and negative effect on my generation. Early Hip-Hop was viewed as a way for young urban New Yorkers to freely express themselves. It was a new art form accessible to anyone. You didn’t need a lot of money or expensive resources to rap. You didn’t have to invest in lessons, it was a verbal skill that with enough practice anyone could perfect (www. daveyd. com/rapphist3). Another reason hip hop became popular is because there were no set rules. Anyone could rap about anything as long as you were original and rhymed to the beat (www. daveyd. com/rapphist4). Those facts still are true today. If you went into an inner city public school you may be surprised at the number of young children who aspire to become rap artist. In the Black community music, dance, and art is at the forefront of our culture. Many of these traditions are due to our African Heritage, and will probably remain embedded in us for generations to come. Hip hop has created a lot opportunities for black businesses, and entrepreneurship. It has created wealth for Artists that were born in and lived much of their lives in financial hardship. They are given a record deal and many become rich almost instantly. This may have an adverse effect on young impressionable adults. Fancy cars, Enormous jewels, expensive clothing, and the most beautiful women from around the world fill music videos and other media outlets that cover Hip-Hops culture. The lyrics in most songs today express the benefits of being rich, being famous, and having anything that you desire with no discretion or consequence. The agony in this is that everyone wants to me a Millionaire. Are we really afforded the opportunities that we hear about, see portrayed, and even sing along to? For a lot of young adults the answer is yes. With little education, not a lot of money and a few good hooks they also can be a millionaire or wealthy. Hip-Hop not only sells records but also dreams. Young adults idolize Hip-Hop artists and believe that they should also have the things that they were able to obtain. Hip-Hop has also caused controversy about the way women are portrayed in videos and also within the lyrical content of its music. I personally believe that if a woman is in a video doing provocative things and dressed in an inappropriate manner that is her choice. These women choose to put themselves in these situations. I also believe that certain language used to described women in many songs are offensive but we all have a right to freedom of speech. Reality is there are women who don’t respect themselves as society expects them to. More women today are open with their sexuality and may view what was once taboo as okay. Some women see it as a profession that they are being paid to do, what you see in a video is simply acting and not who they really are. Hip-Hop is an art and we sometimes loose sight of that. Just as in movies, something’s are fiction, just a figure of imagination. The media overall has an influence in our society. Music, television, magazines, and newspapers, all play apart and how we perceive ourselves, others, and the world around us. The way an individual interprets things are solely based on their own opinions, views, and lifestyles. The Media feeds you information and everyone digests it differently. So, the question remains does life imitate art of does art imitate life? In Hip-Hop the answer is art imitates life. The images that are seen and the lyrics that are heard are simply an artist painting a picture of the world around them. The picture isn’t always pretty or relatable but its life. It’s the issues that go unaddressed by our government, it’s the stories of poverty, it’s the pain that a lot of young adults feel, it’s the dreams of making it, and for some just a good beat to dance to. It is the responsibility of parents to censor what they allow their children to watch, read and listen to. Home is the first influence in our lives. We are a product of our environment and so is Hip-Hop.

Implications of Information Technology on LAPD Essay Example for Free

Implications of Information Technology on LAPD Essay Los Angeles is one of the cities in the United States, in the year 2010; the city is approximated to have a population of four million people, with an area of four hundred and sixty eight square miles. In 1869, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) was created to serve the area. Currently, LAPD is the third most prevalent police department in the United States. The police force faces an array of challenges Corwin, (2004), these includes governance, financial constraints, resource allocations, sustainable evidence gathering and storage, crime detections and operational priorities. Brief background of the organization Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has been in the forefront in innovative techniques in an effort to fight crime, the technological systems proposed to be adopted by LAPD, takes into consideration the implementations which are currently in place. LAPD has adopted several Information Technology centered techniques which includes remote camera surveillance system, automatic license plate-recognition system, computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system and facial-recognition software. The information Technology driven approaches adopted by LAPD have had strategic implications on the performance of the police department Chu, (2001), considering the diverse challenges encountered by the police force; the technologies are also envisioned to offer a competitive edge, to the police force in fighting crime. The report considers and evaluates the strategic implications of information technology in the police force in future. Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has been cooperating with several partners in implementation information technology driven solutions to fight crime. Over the past the department has utilized Information Technology in gathering watertight evidence in criminal cases and gaining public trust, the phased implementation of installation of video cameras in one thousand six hundred cars, to serve more than twelve thousand officers, to cost approximately $25 million is evidenced highlight of the utilization of Information Communication Technology. Northrop Grumman has long history with the American armed forces, the company was contracted in the year 1996 to plan and construct the Los Angeles Police Department Emergency Command Control and Communications System with subsidiary self-sufficient emergency dispatch centers, the project lasted for five years. With diverse experience, they have assisted the police to deploy computer-aided dispatch (CAD) the police boast of Emergency Communication System which integrates CommandPoint(tm) Mobile applications from Northrop Grumman and computer-aided dispatch (CAD) Discussion of Current Business Issues Governance has been a business challenge in the United States police force, Los Angeles inclusive. There has been a mix up in roles and responsibilities of the police officers, where at times the states have had mixed hierarchies confounded by bureaucratic empires and fiefdoms. Furthermore, there have been a massive amount of units, which has complicated the crime fighting due to diverse hierarchy of reporting structures. The current business environment calls for paradigm shift to increase accountability and transparency. Governance in the police force has also been an issue in waning public confidence, the current business environment favors self perpetuating oligarchy, this call for implementation of systems that favor accountability to the public. As regards financial expenditure in the police force, the police have over the years been consumers of tax, without resultant direct creation of wealth. Business wise, the police force have been viewed as liabilities to the tax payers, the fact that criminals have been advancing in technology calls for a rejoinder in form of technological advancement from the police quarters, this comes with increased expenditure. Moreover, the area covered by the Los Angeles police department is wide, with the ever increasing population means that the financial expenditure rises with time, however, the prevailing economic situations means that there are several competing needs for the funds available; this has curtailed monies allocated to the police department. The business environment also involves utilization of resources. Human resources, which in this case involves police officers and Information Communication Technology staff are the essential resources in the LAPD, currently, the legendary system requires the police department to have trained personnel to manage the network infrastructure. The systems also have the police department utilizing its own network link, which is very expensive in terms of maintenance as well as the regular training of officers as argued by Glenn, (2003), to update on the latest encryption techniques, so as to maintain the integrity of data. A crucial examination of the duties and responsibilities of all the officers has at times generated duplication of responsibilities, with several officers dedicated to supervisory duties rather than in directly fighting crime, therefore the roles of the officers have to be defined and the human resource streamlined to meet the customer demands, which in this case, is the public. The biggest challenge however has been escalating crime and solution lies in effectively detecting and avoiding crime. Some researchers have argued that senior police officers condone the practices associated with fiddling the figures, Cooking the Books also referred as gaming, to portray crime levels as decreasing, by techniques such as cuffing, stitching, skewing, nodding. The business issues are weakness in terms of evidence to charge suspects, where suspects have escaped judgment due to weak evidence mechanism, Joycelyn, (2008). Moreover, with the escalating number of criminals, officers have at time had to rely of the strength of their memories to remember all the suspects, in addition some suspects may be available in the police departments’ database, but the officers may not be able to access the data while in the field. There is therefore a need of a system which can capture and sustain evidence, while assisting the officers identify criminals hence improving security in Los Angeles. Another current issue is the operational priorities challenge where the priorities of the police force have been diversified and not in agreement with the Peelian principles, which lays emphasis on protection of life and property and the prevention and detection of crime, in this case anything else is a distraction. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has faced the challenge of operational priorities, where the systems being utilized have demanded the officers to concentrate on maintaining the systems; there is therefore need to implement a system which fosters Peelian principles. The current business environment has therefore a myriad of challenges, the police at all times are expected to have a strategic competitive advantage over their competitor – the criminals. The police have to adopt a paradigm shift which invilves adoption and implementation of Information Technology driven solutions, the application of not only creativity but also imagination in the approach to its adoption gives credence to the common caution to innovators that you cannot use yesterday’s tool for today’s job and expect to be in business tomorrow. With respect to Los Angeles Police Department, , LAPD cannot afford to keep using traditional methodology of detecting and fighting crime and expected to beat the criminals who are advancing with technology. Discussion of Proposed Solution The proposed solution lies in total implementation of the Emergency Communication System which integrates CommandPoint(tm) Mobile applications and computer-aided dispatch (CAD). The implementation of CommandPoint Mobile interfaces acts as a link between the command centre and the field units, improving access to the latest information by the field officers while fostering exchange of information, between the field officers, command centre and other interested police forces within the United States, such as the detectives and crime busters. The envisioned solution should in addition encompass remote camera surveillance which posses’ intelligent video competence to tenuously recognize and scrutinize apprehensive occurrences, when illegal actions transpire the police officers can be alerted. The automatic license plate-recognition system (PlateScan) involves patrol vehicles fitted with video cameras and mobile data computer, where the scanned license plates are systematically compared with existent data in databases incase the vehicle may be of need to the law enforcers. The facial-recognition software works in concord with camera surveillance system to scrutinize the captured images of human faces, then quickly and accurately judge against images contained in the database, these video cameras are deployed in patrol vehicles. This is envisaged to address the problem of identification of suspects, since suspects can be identified in shorter times. To interconnect the several disperse officers in the field, LAPD’s Information and Communications Services Bureau adopted, it is proposed that the officers utilize public network to decrease costs while improving security by increasing coverage, using public network also reduces the human resource constraint the network shall have, since the police shall not have to maintain their own network, neither to they have to maintain the network. With the implementation of the automated field reporting system and Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), the need for mobile communication with high speed broadband was imminent, the legendary system was restricted to certain areas, while operating in low speeds of 19. Kilo bits per second, the proposed solution is to consider the existent LAPD installed Sprint Data Link where the patrol vehicles are fitted an antenna connected to an EV-DO Sierra Wireless 595 connection card in a Dell D610 laptops installed with Windows XP operating system SP2, 1 GB of RAM, a DVD drive, and an 80 GB hard disk, the police can easily access databases, crime-analysis data, photographs, fingerprints, reports and mapping data,. The fact that Sprint is a private network calls for need to increment the security measures. The proposed solution includes utilization of registered modems by the officers to avoid unauthorized access to the network; this is fostered by end-to-end encryption as well as the providers’ authentication server. Computer Aided Dispatch in combination with the proposals above provides the officers indispensable wide source of information for strategic decision making. The utilization of information technology has been fostered further by Bluetooth fingerprint scanners; currently the scanners are limited in application. However, it is proposed that every patrol vehicle to be equipped with fingerprint scanners, such that persons with clean history cannot be subjected to suspicious arrests, this addresses the issue of arbitrary arrests therefore improving the customer image of the police force, furthermore, the devices to be utilized by the officers should be GPS capable therefore the police can accurately determine locations and positions with precision. The utilization of a private mobile broadband network is intentioned to reduce the costs associated with network access since utilizes high speeds, with minimal costs, furthermore, officers are relieved the duties of maintaining the network. The laptops have to preserve the image determined for mission critical systems to guarantee dependability and security with minimal downtime without dependence on Information Communication Technology personnel; this requires the deployment of Anti-Executable and Deep Freeze as a comprehensive solution on the MDC laptops. Deep Freeze allows the users to promptly reboot the laptop to return it to its original Configuration, this has avoided the need to substitute the laptops when a problem occurs. This is in addition to Anti-Executable’s whitelist technology which standardizes the operating environment by regulating the programs installable. This has been adopted to reduce the number of personnel required to keep the systems in performance mode, therefore addressing governance challenges. The proposed solution is not immune of challenges, considering that the operations are in data sensitive environment, the shifting of the computing environment from MDT to MDC denote new software and hardware, this introduces threats and vulnerabilities. Using more than one thousand five hundred laptops and modems introduces new threats and probable software configuration issues. Windows XP is predisposed to external threats such as spyware, viruses, and other malware. The strategic utilization of Information Technology in LAPD The future of LAPD in utilization of Information Technology has great potential. The Department has optional innovations which include empowering police on foot; horseback or bicycle patrols with high-speed data network access by facilitating handheld devices to utilize wireless data cards, the officers can effectively access the data, from the centralized station, without necessarily using patrol vehicles. Furthermore, having high definition video streamed from cameras and patrol cars to a centralized system in the station enables the police to have real-time information of scenarios as they unfold. In addition, the department can integrate GPS information into the dispatch system for mobile resource management. Recommendations Whereas the police department has been faced with an array of challenges such as the large population size and density, the bulky geographical area, and further complicated by the cultural diversity of the residents. Information technology has been extolled as the ultimate solution, while progressing efficiency of the Department. Implementation of the proposed system shall enable the LAPD reduce costs associated with networking, since they shall be utilizing public network and already available software such as Windows XP, Deep Freeze and Anti-Executable. Moreover, the system shall require fewer officers to manage, hence reducing costs while addressing governance challenges by ensuring that officers get access to all the requisite information as and when needed, hence avoiding bureaucracy in accessing information. While fostering the relationship with the customers – the public, the officers shall also be able to detect and deal with crime as it occurs, while getting substantial and immense evidences against criminals. The system also enables the officers to concentrate on their operational priority – fighting crime in Los Angeles. To protect the people of Los Angeles therefore, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) should adopt information technology driven solutions which are anticipated to offer several merits in the next three years and beyond. These strategic impacts of the proposed system are intentioned to have a competitive advantage over criminals, these strategic impacts include enhanced coverage, faster response to emergencies, mapping capabilities and harmonization of communication among the police personnel, connectivity to the investigators and detectives as well as to the entire United States police unit – hence reducing or even eliminating crime in Los Angeles.

Impacts of Globalization on Dell

Impacts of Globalization on Dell Globalization has had major effects on the corporate culture of DELL, in the global environment DELL has also benefited from the technological advancements. The drivers of globalization have improved the methods and systems of international transportation, dominating the international commerce, its impacts have been felt by dell. Technology has not only enabled DELL to enter into the world business, but it has allowed the worlds economy to be fused into a single point of operation which has enabled DELL to gain an interdependent system of operation. The world has transformed into a global village due to the help of the information technology which allows the companies such as DELL to shares new ideas. Technological revolution has no uniformity in its effect; it has assumed different forms at different situations depending on the forces which can be economic, political, or cultural. Technology is the key factor in the development of DELLs strategies. The source of technological advancements at DELL is due to the search for the increased economic efficiency and the desire to reduce the cost that the society has to pay for the availability its products. The purpose of the technological advancements is to improve the usage of the available natural resources through the gadgets such as those provided by DELL. Globalization has enabled DELL to improve its Productivity and the competitiveness, this is the function of knowledge which is generated due to the information processing by the globalized firms and the territorial organization into the networks of production, management and distribution, All of DELLs core economic activities are global since they have the capacity to work as an individual unit in the real time. Globalization has had major impacts on DELL, Many activities which were previously involved in the face-to-face interaction, or those that were local, can now be conducted across great distances. DELL has gone through a significant de-localization in its social and economic exchanges. Due to globalization, DELL has been de-localized, it has been able to adopted new technologies which involve interaction with its customers. The most strategic and crucial activities especially in the economic sector have been networked around the globalized system of the inputs and outputs.ÂÂ  What happens in local environment of a company is increasingly influenced by the activities of other global companies and the international systems which operate many miles away. For instance, an innovation in the worlds commodity and the money markets can cause a significant impact on other products across the globe.ÂÂ  Companies and international systems are increasingly becoming interdependent. Globa lization has a marked acceleration to the rate of expansion of the DELL which spans along with the significant improvements in the economic activities. The technological advancements enable DELL to tap new skills and new opportunities for employment of its workforce. This increases the ability of the company to run its activities effectively and carry out its financial obligations in a more effective manner. The technological advancements combined with increased rate of globalization increases the importance of developing the corporate culture, for economic necessity/social demands, and for resource availabilities which affects the scope and the pace of technological adoption in each industry and the consuming community. However, the technologies that have been described above appear to have the most promise for the significant global effects which are riddled with the uncertainty, with the progress in time, the unforeseen technological developments and its effects on may eclipse the economic or the political growth trends. Globalization may cause other trends with the technical challenges that do not have the significance in the global effects in the near future but can become significant with time. Due to the globalization DELL is facing stiff competition from its competitors, the leadership and the participation in the development in the technical area depends on the several factors, this include the future regional economic arrangements international and amount of the public and the private sector research for developments and capital investments. There are signs for a more stiff competition amongst the economic alliances, which increases the support for the global intellectual property protection, more globalization, and the division of the responsibilities for a faster growth in the technological front. Technology brings the benefits and prosperity to a company, it may sideline others and create new dimensions. Technology helps to alleviate some severe hardship, it will create real economic development. Those companies which are not willing or able to adapt to new technological opportunities may fall further behind. The market weakness of a product of a developing company due to the lack of the economic incentives will be insufficient to drive the acquisition of the new technology or skills. Many companies are threatened by the fact that the corporate cultures that have had long-term existence are threatened by the new ways of living which has been brought about by the technological advancements. DELL has seen the benefits of technology, this is partly due to the changes which are difficult to prevent. However the corporate culture of any company can preserve certain values and the cultural values which have an impact on the guiding regulations and protections which affect its technological development corporate social responsibility DELL is committed to the highest ethical standards, it does the right thing and operate with the integrity and transparency, DELL has build and maintained credibility and trust with its employees, the customers, partners, stockholders, and the community Dells global principles guide the company as it globalizes its operations, enters new markets, and expands its global employment base. Dells goal is to be a green company to the communities where its products are consumed. Its global principles are based on the corporate values and policies regarding the social and environmental stewardship as adopted from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the fundamental conventions of the International Labor organization, the International Organization for Standardization, as well as the experience of other corporations around the globe. The company is committed to using its unique direct businesses to model and make technology more affordable and accessible to people and all the institutions around the world in order to take the advantage of the tremendous economic and the social benefits of more technological advancements. To achieve its objectives. DELL has done the following; It has used its customer model products to bring affordable technology to both new and the emerging markets, as well as established new ones. It has grown its global employment base to tap the diverse ideas and new skills, this has increased its understanding of the global customer needs by bringing the desirable technology and new jobs to the world community. It has developed the global network of suppliers aimed at improving the performance and lowering the cost of its systems. To improve on its corporate social responsibility DELL has devised a direct way of working delivers ensures that value is delivered to its customers. It is also based on the distinct company values, this acknowledges the companys responsibilities to the following groups; Its employees; DELL treats all the employees with high dignity and respect a factor which provides the opportunity for all of its employees to succeed. Consuming community; DELL has strived to be an eco-friendly company which is responsible to the community and for environmental stewardship. Its global suppliers and their employees: DELL ensures that its acts are ethical and also encourages responsibility in terms of employment of the environmental practices from its suppliers. Dell has made it clear that it will grow its global operations and manage its expansion responsibly with respect to its corporate culture by observing the following; It will conserve the natural environment and protect all the resources of its host countries and the consuming communities. It will provide high quality jobs with good benefits through the employee training in the new communities, and provide the work environment which protects the health and the safety of the employees, customers, contractors, and the general public. It will always communicate its expectations to its suppliers and work in collaboration with its employees to promote high standards of work and behavior. It will maintain respect to the laws, values and the culture of its host countries. Ensuring positive contribution to the community, both individually and organizationally. As a competitive employer DELL provides the following; Meaningful working conditions characterized by a safe, secure and very healthy environment, high quality jobs with very competitive benefits, Job opportunities for further training and professional advancement which is open to every employee, Reward its employees based on the performance results and their contribution both to its business and the community, it will create a workplace which values diversity. DELLS approach to diversity is mainly defined by its recognition of both the similarities and differences in addition to its inclusiveness, respect and the corporate culture which allows the individuals to make positive contribution to their potential. In cases where DELL will establish its business in the new locations, it will give maximum support to the local authorities in order to provide jobs and create numerous employment opportunities through the following It will create new opportunities for its qualified individuals that are either unemployed or underemployed; It will provide the ongoing on-the-job training programs and the professional growth opportunities. Instill a culture of the best performers does best Develop a breed of knowledgeable the workers. Address the digital divide through the provision of the community-based education to the youths. It will ensure minimized disruptions to its employees in case their jobs are changed, if they have been relocated or eliminated as Dell builds the global presence by Providing fair notification in regard to the employment changes, Strive by retaining and placing the employees with good performance by promoting them to new positions in the company, Work closely with the stakeholders in order to ease the transition from Dell to the next employment opportunity for employees who prefer to seek career opportunities outside of the Dell company. Seek to ensure that any disruption caused to the communities in which Dell employees experiences job changes is minimized. DELL is determined to ensure that its suppliers around the world understands and embraces the high standards of ethical behavior by treating their employees with high dignity and respect, its therefore a requirement that all the suppliers should partner up and adhere to Dells supplier principles or the industrial principles as outlined in the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct. To achieve this DELL will play an active role in the industrial group developing and the promotion code of Ethics. It will also continually solicit and make reviews for the feedback of the stakeholder organizations. DELL will also work with the local authorities in every region of its operation and stakeholders to by understanding the community priorities and draft means of how it can play the role of addressing the community environmental issues. It will make it possible for its employees to make the difference in the community affairs through volunteerism and support of the non-profit organizations. DELL ensures faster response in the case of the natural disasters. It has also Leveraged its Foundation and its corporate commitment to equip the youths for the digital economy. Environmental influences on DELL its ability to achieve its objectives and deal with competitors. Environmental factors have both positive and negative impacts on the industry and the market growth potential of the product/service. The following environmental factors affect the global operations of DELL, The Government actions Government actions, be it current or under consideration have on several occasions affected DELL by either supporting or detracting its strategy. This is in the consideration of the subsidies, safety, efficacy and the operational regulations, the licensing requirements, restrictions to the access to materials and the price controls. The demographic changes, anticipation in the changes of the demographic environment also impacts to the growth of the potential of the industry and the market.The emerging technology, the technological changes may not favor the actions of DELLs enterprise. The cultural trends, the cultural changes such as the fashion trends and the life style trends may not support DELLs offering to penetrate the market. DELL operates within the larger framework of the external environment which shapes the opportunities and poses the threats to the companies. The external environment is a conglomeration of complex, and rapidly changing institutions and the forces that affect the organizations ability to serve the customers. The external forces are not controlled by the organization; these forces may be greatly influenced or affected by the organization. Therefore, it is necessary for the Companies such as DELL to understand the environmental conditions because they affect their strategic decisions. The external environment has major impacts on the determination of DELLs marketing decisions. This organization can be successful if it scans its external environment in order to respond to the profitability to of its needs and the target market trends. To adopt into the marketing, it requires the company to provide greater customer values as compared to its competitors. It is impossible for an organization such as DELL to develop a very strong competitive position and strategies without the knowledge of its competitors in terms of their strengths and weaknesses. In view of this three levels of competition have been identified to exist. This include; Direct competitors which are the firms competing for the same customers with the similar products, Product competition which involve the substitute products, and Competition at the level of the consumers purchasing power. Pure competition involves many firms, with each selling identical products, but neither of them is powerful. The monopolistic competition has many firms which are selling slightly differentiated products. Oligopoly is a very small number of firms selling its products, it can act collusively. Monopoly is where a single firm sells in the market for without the substitutes. DELLs economic environment is made up of the factors that affect its consumer purchasing power and the spending patterns. The economic factors include the business cycles, inflation rates, unemployment levels, the interest rates, and the amount of the income. The Changes in the economic variables have significant impacts on the marketplace. For example, the income affects the consumer spending which in turn affects the sales for the organizations. Demographics factors identify the marketers their current and potential customers, the location of the customers, and how many customers are able to buy what the marketers are selling. Generally, Demographic factors involve the human populations in reference to size, density, the location, age, sex, race, the occupation, and other statistical aspects. The Changes in the demographic environment can affect DELL by resulting into the significant opportunities and the cultural threats which presents themselves to the organization. The major trends for the marketers in the demographic environment may include the worldwide population explosion, changing of the age structure, ethnic groupings and the educational mix, the emergence of new types of households; and the geographical shifts in the population. The Social/cultural forces are somehow difficult and uncontrollable variables to predict. It is therefore of great importance for DELL as the marketers to understand and appreciate all the cultural values of the environment under which they operate. The cultural environment consists of the forces which affect the societys basic values, its perceptions, and the preferences, the values and beliefs which include equality, level of achievement, the youthfulness, efficiency, the practicality, the self-actualization, freedom, the humanitarianism. The changes in the social/cultural environment tend to affect the customers behavior, which in turn affects the sales of the products. DELL being the producer of electronic gadgets it must be aware of the trends in the cultural environment including the individual changes in personal views of themselves, and the world around them and the movement towards the self-fulfillment. The aim of this section of the paper was to examine the environment and its effects to DELL, the ecosystem refers to the natural systems and the resources that are needed as the inputs by the marketers or affects that the marketing activities have. The environmental concern about the physical environment has been intensified due to the climatic changes. The environmental consciousness is significant to DELL to the sensitivity associated with the electronic waste disposal. To avoid the shortages in the raw materials, DELL can make use of the renewable resources (such as forests) and alternatives (such as solar and wind energy) for nonrenewable resources. It can also limit the energy consumption of its products by increasing the efficiency. DELL can also built Goodwill by voluntarily engaging in the anti-pollution activities and the conservation of the natural resources. Dell will help protect the natural environment by: Considerations on how it will devise the means for minimizing the environmentally sensitive materials, optimization of energy consumption by its products, and promotion of the dematerialization in its product designs. Minimization of the environmental impacts on the communities where DELL has its facilities can be achieved by the implementation of the programs which reduce the wastes, enhance the conservation of the resources, and prevent the pollution. DELL also provides the easy and affordable recovery of the solutions for end of life products from its customers, including the re-use program which benefits the non-profits and the underserved communities. DELL also prohibits the export of the electronic waste to developing nations. Dell adheres to the stringent standards for the product safety to protect its customers. DELL has also revised its policies to protect the critical technology by complying with all laws as laid down by the United States and those of other countries which concerns the imports or exports of the products/ services, the software packages and technology, this also includes the regulations which restrict the sale of the advanced technologies to rogue or organizations. (Peter, 2011) Dell respects its customer privacy all over the world through the restricting the collection, storage and illegal use of personal details or private information to specific the purposes such as the processing of purchases, provision of the services and support, and the sharing of its products/service and its news with the customers.

Yoga Essay -- essays research papers

The term Yoga has a few meanings. It's both a school of thought in the Hindu religion, and a system of mental and physical exercise developed by this school. All forms of yoga originated in India. People who follow this school, and practice any form of yoga are called yogis, or yogins. Students study under prolonged and careful guidance of the teacher, known as the guru. The first syllable 'gu,'; in Sanskrit means light; the second syllable, 'ru'; means light. A guru is a spiritual teacher who leads the pupil from darkness to light. Literally, yoga means 'the union of mind and body.'; In Sanskrit, the language of India, yoga means discipline. Many people in western countries practice some form of yoga exercise in hope of improving their health, and achieving peace of mind. Various forms of yoga have become popular in Europe and the United States. Transcendental Meditation is a simplified version of the yoga of Hinduism. Bhakti-Yoga involves the dedication of all actions and thoughts to a chosen God. Hatha-Yoga, stresses difficult bodily postures and breathing techniques. It has become very popular as a method of gaining and improving health. Certain people also study this form of yoga because of the control they develop over certain bodily functions. A new concept in fitness combines gentle stretching with techniques from Hatha Yoga to perform the most effective, relaxing ways of exercising. It is called Yogacise. There are other forms of yoga that are practiced in India. T...

A Comparison of House of Usher, Bierces Beyond the Wall, The Black Cat

Parallels in Poe's House of Usher and Bierce's Beyond the Wall, Poe’s The Black Cat and Bierce's John Mortonson's Funeral, and in M.S. Found in a Bottle by Poe and Three and One are One by Bierce.      Ã‚  Ã‚   When one decides to become an author, one can not help being influenced by his predecessors, causing some of one's work to reflect and echo the predecessor's. Such is the case between Ambrose Bierce and his predecessor, Edgar Allen Poe. Excluding the obvious fact that both Poe's and Bierce's short stories show an attraction for death in its many forms, depictions of mental deteriorations, supernatural happenings, and ghostly manifestations, there are other similarities and parallels. Examples of them appear in Poe's short story "Fall of the House of Usher" and Bierce's short story "Beyond the Wall", Poe's "The Black Cat" and Bierce's "John Mortonson's Funeral", and in "M.S. Found in a Bottle" by Poe and "Three and One are One" by Bierce. Beyond the Wall vs The Fall of the House of Usher In "Beyond the Wall", the descriptions of the setting, the words Bierce used, and the way the story opens reminds one of Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher." In both stories the narrator travels to the house of a childhood friend whom the man has not seen in many years. The narrator begins his journey on "... the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens...". Poe creates the feeling of despair by writing about how "a insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit" when the narrator saw "the melancholy House of Usher." He looked upon "...the simple landscape features of the domain - upon the bleak walls -... upon a few rank sedges - and upon a few white trunks of decayed ... ...n stories; so what's the use?" Bierce was able to hold his own with almost any story he had written with the masters, like Mark Twain, Brett Harte, and of course, Edgar Allen Poe. Bibliography Ambrose Bierce, The Complete Short Stories of Ambrose Bierce. University of Nebraska Press, 1984. Dedria Bryfonski, "Ambrose Bierce." Twentieth Century Literary Criticism, Volume One. Gale Research Company. New York, 1978. Cathy N. Davidson, Critical Essays on Ambrose Bierce. G. K. Hall & Co. Boston, Massachusetts. 1982. Arthur Miller, "The Influence of Edgar Allen Poe on Ambrose Bierce." American Literature. Volume Four. May 1932. pp 130- 150. Edgar Allen Poe, Edgar Allen Poe: Eight Tales of Terror. Scholastic Magazine, Inc. New York, 1978. Edgar Allen Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales. New American Library. New York, 1972      

The Maturation of Pip in Great Expectations :: Free Great Expectations Essays

The Maturation of Pip in Great Expectations In Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, the author begins the tale by revealing Pip's arrogance towards previous companions. By the end of the story, we learn of Pip's love and compassion for everyone. In Great Expectations, during the middle of the book, Pip creates a rather low opinion of himself acting arrogant and conceited to others. For example, When Joe is coming to visit Pip, Pip thinks to himself, "I was looking forward to Joe's coming not with pleasure, thought that I was bound to him... If I could have kept him away by paying money, I would have paid money (pg.841). Evan though Joe protected and assisted Pip throughout his juvenile years, Pip was still embarrassed by him. Pip is an ungrateful person showing Joe no gratitude. In addition, when Pip learned who his benefactor was he replied, "The abhorrence in which I held the man, the dread I had of him, the repugnance with which I shrank from him, could not have been exceeded if he had been some terrible beast (pg.876). Pip is surprised by this intrusion of his mind realizing that Miss Havisham did not raise him to be with Estella. Evan though Pip was not raised to be with Estella he is an vicious human being thinking such vile thoughts against a man that gave him the life of a gentleman. In relation, as Provis lays down to sleep Pip reflects on meeting him, "Then came the reflection that I had seen him with my childish eyes to be a desperate violent man:" (pg.879). Pip can only think of what horrible things Provis performed. Pip is an unforgiving person, still thinking of Provis as a convict after all he did for him. Pip displays himself as a heartless feign, believing himself to be of upper society and forgetting people who helped him through his journey of life. In the end of the novel, Great Expectations, Pip redefines himself as a dependable honorable character. For example, when Pip is hovering over Provis' deathbed he says, "Dear Magwitch, I must tell you, now at last, You had a child once whom you loved and lost, she lived and found powerful friends. The Maturation of Pip in Great Expectations :: Free Great Expectations Essays The Maturation of Pip in Great Expectations In Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, the author begins the tale by revealing Pip's arrogance towards previous companions. By the end of the story, we learn of Pip's love and compassion for everyone. In Great Expectations, during the middle of the book, Pip creates a rather low opinion of himself acting arrogant and conceited to others. For example, When Joe is coming to visit Pip, Pip thinks to himself, "I was looking forward to Joe's coming not with pleasure, thought that I was bound to him... If I could have kept him away by paying money, I would have paid money (pg.841). Evan though Joe protected and assisted Pip throughout his juvenile years, Pip was still embarrassed by him. Pip is an ungrateful person showing Joe no gratitude. In addition, when Pip learned who his benefactor was he replied, "The abhorrence in which I held the man, the dread I had of him, the repugnance with which I shrank from him, could not have been exceeded if he had been some terrible beast (pg.876). Pip is surprised by this intrusion of his mind realizing that Miss Havisham did not raise him to be with Estella. Evan though Pip was not raised to be with Estella he is an vicious human being thinking such vile thoughts against a man that gave him the life of a gentleman. In relation, as Provis lays down to sleep Pip reflects on meeting him, "Then came the reflection that I had seen him with my childish eyes to be a desperate violent man:" (pg.879). Pip can only think of what horrible things Provis performed. Pip is an unforgiving person, still thinking of Provis as a convict after all he did for him. Pip displays himself as a heartless feign, believing himself to be of upper society and forgetting people who helped him through his journey of life. In the end of the novel, Great Expectations, Pip redefines himself as a dependable honorable character. For example, when Pip is hovering over Provis' deathbed he says, "Dear Magwitch, I must tell you, now at last, You had a child once whom you loved and lost, she lived and found powerful friends.

Christian College Thought Paper Essay

Going to school can offer many experiences. We are taught that we should do well in school so we can graduate, continue on to college, and from there have a job. But what if we went to college where the scholastic dream meant more than just attending your typical classes? What if you not only found yourself, but you found your spiritual path as well? Looking at colleges and finding the right one that offers what you need to succeed after graduation can be a time-consuming task. There are many colleges now, and they all offer something different. Times have changed so much that we can now attend college online. When reading Arthur F. Holmes book, The idea of a Christian College the four main themes I found were; understanding the student life, how liberal arts applies to life, how a Christian college can inspire other parts of your education and the results of education with Christian liberal arts. College Life as a Student According to Arthur F. Holmes’ book The Idea of a Christian College, many young people attend college or university, and their parents encourage them, without any gripping sense of what college is all about, beyond tentative vocational goals or questionable social aspirations. (Holmes pg 3) Many students are attending college because they have been programmed that way. They show up for class day in and day out, not very sure of the purpose or meaning behind it all. College students in this economy need to have a college education to get a job. Most students become misguided by outside influences of college life and end up partying away their tuition money. The  social scene becomes more important when the focus is lost. There is a lot of stress put on a new college student from the beginning of the registration process all the way to the classroom. So how do you choose the school and stay on track for success? Looking into a Christian college, you might think, â€Å"Why choose a Christian college over a secular college?† Its distinctive atmosphere should support an education that cultivates the creative and active integration of faith and learning, of faith and culture. (Holmes pg 6). With the idea of a Christian college, we have God-given, God-preserved, God-restorable potential, a potential to be developed, disciplined, and invested in response to God. In a Christian college gaining our education, we are more than just becoming the future job; we are already molded and placed here for a reason, a reason that God knows and one we journey for self discovery. If we do not work on the entire being while we are expanding our minds and stretching the muscle, then how do we expect to become that person that God has placed us here for. We need to not only focus on our education but on the entire being from the spirit within. Why doesn’t this all come easily since we are all made in God’s image? It’s because we are all human and given free will. The foundation of the theological mandate for Christian involvement in higher education can be focused on four concepts: creation, the human person, truth, and the culture mandate. (Holmes pg 13) Following what God’s will has for us and not to misuse them, value what he has given to us. Truth, if we confess that God is, the all-wise Creator of all, then he has perfect knowledge of everything we ever sought to know or do. All truth is God’s truth, wherever it may be found. (Holmes pg 17) Liberal Arts Liberal art teaches you to think. We are taught many things in our education that may not have anything to do with our career directly. These other classes allow our minds to grow and stretch in all areas of real life. Vocations and jobs are made for people, not people for vocations and jobs. The question to ask about an education is not â€Å"what can I do with it?† but  rather â€Å"what is it doing to me as a person?† (Holmes pg 25) When we go off to college, we are going with fresh minds to be taught and molded into our future career. Liberal education is an open invitation to join the human race and become more fully human. (Holmes pg 35) Understanding liberal arts and how the purpose of it will enrich our lives further within our career goals is very helpful in succeeding in the world. The most embracing contact between Christianity and human learning is the all-encompassing world and life view. The contemporary university tends to concentrate on the parts rather than the whole and to come away with a fragmented view of life that lacks overall meaning. (Holmes pg 57) The Result of an Educated Person What would a well-rounded, educated person look like, be like, and know? To train specifically for just one job and not allow yourself the freedom to educate your whole being will only limit you in the future. To cover and explore a range of capacities that help you feel part of a whole human race, develop yourself — not just into a farmer or a physician or a businessman, but as a human being. Be reflective and moral in everything you do. Become a thoroughly responsible agent; that is the mark of an educated person. (Holmes pg 101) Fostering morals and virtues, believing in the quality of life, and applying those in our education, as well and learning from our experiences will enlighten us as humans. Taking the gifts that God has given to us and by his freeing us from the bondage of sin, we move forward with realistic hope. Faith, love, and hope bring to life purposefulness, expectations, and humility. (Holmes pg 102) After reading this book I have found that there is much more to having an education. I have focused my attention on just one thing — becoming a nurse. My life experience of working in the hospital is to have core values such as understanding, honesty, faith, and openness. When Arthur Holmes writes â€Å"Not just verbal skills and powers of communication but grace and eloquence therein as well, the ability to say the right thing in the right way at the right time,† it reminds me of my blessings. (Holmes pg 103). If  we put god first in our lives everything else will fall into place for us such as, work and school. By going to a Christian college I found I am learning how to educate my spirit.