Managing New Product Development Essay

New product development requires organizations to facilitate cooperation and coordination between department boundaries within the organization. To facilitate this cooperation and coordination, organizations form cross-functional new product development teams to lead and manage the development process for new products. There are several variations that these teams can be formed and managed. New product development teams can be structured into four types: functional, lightweight, heavyweight, and autonomous (Schilling, 2008). In functional teams, members remain in their respective departments and report to their regular manager. In this type of team, members meet periodically to discuss the project. This type of team is usually temporary and team members may only spend a small amount of time on team projects (Schilling, 2008). In lightweight teams, members are still a part of their functional departments, as with functional teams, however, unlike functional teams, a lightweight team has a project manager and a dedicated liaison to facilitate communication and coordination between functions (Schilling, 2008). Heavyweight team members are removed from their functional departments and are collocated with a project manager. The project managers in heavyweight teams are usually members of senior management with significant authority to command resources. Under a heavyweight team, members are assigned full-time to the project. This helps ensure cross-functional coordination and communication (Schilling, 2008). Under autonomous teams, members are completely removed from their functional departments and dedicated full-time to the development team. In this type of team, membership is sometimes permanent. This type of team is headed by a very senior manager with full control over resources contributed from different functional departments (Schilling, 2008). Autonomous teams often create their own policies, procedures, and reward systems, apart from the rest of the organization. They are also held fully responsible for the success or failure of any given project. In many ways, autonomous teams behave as if they are independent decisions within the organization. This allows rapid and efficient new product development because they do not have to deal with organizational procedures, which could slow the development process (Schilling, 2008).There are many challenges managers face when  managing innovation. Alcatel – Lucent has a proven record of accomplishment with teams within the Bell Laboratories. Alcatel – Lucent prides itself on being the place where innovation, through vision and technology, intercept the needs of its customers from incubating start-up projects to performing fundamental and applied research. Bell Labs is the engine behind innovation at Alcatel – Lucent designing products and services that are at the forefront of communications technology. More than any other institution, Bell Labs has been at the forefront weaving technological fabric of modern society (Alcatel – Lucent | Innovation, 2006 – 2010). Their scientist and engineers have made seminal discoveries, launched technical revolutions that have reshaped the way people live, work, and play. They have built the most advanced and reliable communications networks in the world. Bell Labs has helped Alcatel – Lucent take the lead in shaping tomorrows broadband networks powered with service intelligence at every network layer (Alcatel – Lucent | Innovation, 2006 – 2010) Bell Labs enjoys a rich tradition of inventions and innovations that have fundamentally changed the way people communicate and share their lives. Bell Labs utilizes an autonomous team format that recognizes both multiple dimensions of research as well as cross-discipline (cross-functional) interactions are critical to the innovation process. Bell Labs scientific disciplines include mathematicians, algorithmic scientist, physical scientist, nanotechnologist, software and computer scientist, and many other specified scientist and researchers (Alc atel – Lucent | Innovation, 2006 – 2010). Bell Labs research culture can be summed up in two words: innovating innovation. They are continuously reevaluating, reassessing, and improving how its research contributes to Alcatel – Lucent. Its scientist are a flexible group with a commitment to venturing new paths and seeking out new approaches to product development (Alcatel – Lucent, 2010). At Bell Labs, there is a culture of innovating innovation that is based on two key criteria: a critical mass of scientist and an entrepreneurial persona. The critical mass of diverse scientist and engineers generate big ideas and work through those ideas from multiple angles, allowing them to approach complex issues from a variety of perspectives and integrate those perspectives into groundbreaking new products and services. Their adoption of an entrepreneurial persona ensures that some of the most promising near term research assets are driven into  the business and carried into the market. This process allows Bell Labs res earchers work together to direct research insights and innovations into commercialized products and validate them in the marketplace (Alcatel – Lucent, 2010). Bell Labs is a research organization with a unique and diverse set of expertise that stretches across a wide gamut of scientific disciplines that has played a major role in some of the most revolutionary inventions of the last hundred years. It is an organization that has left huge footprints on the communications landscape and continues to explore new paths in unchartered territory (Alcatel – Lucent, 2010). Over the next five to ten years, Bell Labs and Alcatel – Lucent will continue to be at the forefront of telecommunications solutions and innovations. There market position will only improve with new breakthroughs in communication devices that provide the best solutions for today’s enterprises and governments. References Alcatel – Lucent | Company Overview. (2006 – 2010). Retrieved April 30, 2010, from Alcatel – Lucent – About Us: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/wps/portal/AboutUs/Overview/?lu_lang_code=en Alcatel – Lucent | Innovation. (2006 – 2010). Acatel – Lucent | About Alcatel – Lucent Innovation. Retrieved April 30, 2010, from Alcatel – Lucent – About Innovation: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLd4w3MfQFSYGYRq6m-pEoYgbxjgiRIH1vfV-P_NxU_QD9gtzQiHJHR0UAAD_zXg!!/delta/base64xml/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS80SVVFLzZfQV9CVEg! Alcatel – Lucent. (2010). Innovating Innovation. Retrieved July 6, 2010, from Bell Labs | Alcatel – Lucent: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLd4x3DnAFSYGYRq6m-pEoYgbxjggRX4_83FT9IH1v_QD9gtzQiHJHR0UAZYL6lQ!!/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvd0ZNQUFzQUMvNElVRS82X0FfNDND Schilling, M. A. (2008). Strategic Management of Technological Innovation, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Digital Media

Introduction: You may have heard of digital media, but you may have no idea what it is and how it can help you out when it comes to marketing. It's definitely important that you get up to speed so you can use this to benefit your business. Basically digital media refers to any type of electronic media out there. Today media can be accessed in many ways, including with hand held devices like mobile phones, laptops, desktops, mp3 players, and more. Digital media must be stored in an electronic way, so there is a lot of digital content on the internet today, including text content, pictures, audio content, as well as video content.Through the history of internet, digital media has been developing in various ways. Here's we'll take a look at how it has affected the Internet and ways that it may be integrated moving forwards (Rogers 2006). One type of digital media is text; this in fact represented the very first explosion of  this  type of content  out there on the Internet. When t he Internet first got big, there was an explosion of content on the web, especially with all the text editors and word processing options out there today (Rogers 2006).Larger companies started to put date on computers instead of storing it in cabinets, and the internet definitely allowed a great way to share, transfer, and store content as well. As the Internet grew, images began to appear. Instead of just text emails, soon people could send photos, and soon photo sites for sharing photos began to pop up. Then in the middle 1990s, audio began to become an important part of digital media with the mp3 files that could be easily used. Soon music and more was shared online with sites that allowed you to share audio.Last in the digital media development was video. YouTube definitely made video sharing a hugely popular form of modern media distribution and this is continuing to grow as we speak today. Now with new technology seen in things like the iPhone,  this new form of virtual medi a  is available in handheld devices as well, and no doubt  this sector  is only going to continue to grow in the future (Rogers 2006). Now that you understand a bit more about the technology side, you may be wondering how it can help your business.Well businesses are using digital media for marketing more and more today, realizing that there is a huge marketing field out there and that  it can help to draw in visitors and can even provide better search engine visibility with you. Text content can be kept updated on your site and helpful content is a great part of good marketing. Expertise in your field can really help your business and get traffic flowing into your business website. Photos, charts, diagrams, and models are always popular online and will help you to get more visibility as well.Audio allows you to use music on pages or to do podcasts for your business. Creating videos is a popular method of digital media marketing today, and videos do very well in search engin es (Rogers 2006). With the popularity of digital media, it is definitely important that you continue to create and use it for good marketing and business results. Even if you have to hire someone to help out, the benefits will make it worth the money. So knowing about and using digital media is definitely important for your business success todayProblem statement: Most people accept the idea that the media can influence people. But the degree of that influence, as well as who is most-impacted, when, how and why, have been the subjects of great debate among communication scholars for nearly a century. Media effects refers to the many ways individuals and society may be influenced by both news and entertainment mass media, including film, television, radio, newspapers, books, magazines, websites, video games, and music.To understand digital media effects, it is first critical to consider how media are used and for what purposes. Communication scholars have traditionally fallen into tw o camps – functionalists, who believe the media audience tends to be in control and active, and critical/culturalists who believe the audience has less control and is therefore more passive. The balance may lie somewhere in the middle and may vary from country to country. Purpose of the study: In this paper we are going to study and evaluate the digital media and its effect on children in general.The following text is a general idea: Youth spend an average of ;7 hours/day using media and the vast majority of them have access to a bedroom television, computer, the Internet, a video-game console, and a cell phone. In this paper we review the most recent research on the effects of media on the behavior and health and well-being of children and adolescents. Studies have shown that media can provide information about safe health practices and can foster social connectedness.However, recent evidence raises concerns about media's effects on aggression, sexual behavior, substance use , disordered eating, and academic difficulties. We provide recommendations for parents, practitioners, the media, and policy makers, among others, for ways to increase the benefits and reduce the harm that media can have for the developing child and for adolescents. More than 50 years of media research attests to the significant influence of media on child and adolescent health.Both â€Å"old† media (television, movies, magazines) and â€Å"new† media (the Internet and social networking sites, video/computer games, cell phones) can have an impact on virtually every health concern that practitioners and parents have about young people, including aggressive behavior, risky sexual behavior, substance use, and disordered eating. Although the media are not the leading cause of any of these problems, the research reviewed here suggests that they are significant.Yet, despite the evidence of potential harm, there is also evidence that media can be beneficial for youth (eg, by increasing empathy and acceptance of diversity through modeling of prosocial behaviors and developing children's early literacy skills through educational programming). Those concerned with child and adolescent health need to be aware of the research on the effects of modern media on youth. Theoretical framework: Literature review: Media affect youth not only by displacing time they spend doing homework or sleeping but also by influencing beliefs and behaviors.According to social learning theory, children and adolescents learn by observing and imitating what they see on the screen, particularly when these behaviors seem realistic or are rewarded. Cognitive development theory asserts that children's cognitive capacities at different stages determine if and how they understand media content. For example, children younger than 8 years who are not yet able to comprehend persuasive intent will be more vulnerable to advertising.In addition, media present youth with common â€Å"scriptsâ €  for how to behave in unfamiliar situations such as romantic relationships. Finally, superpeer theory states that the media are like powerful best friends in sometimes making risky behaviors seem like normative behavior. With the variety of theories suggesting a potentially powerful effect of the media and the growing empirical evidence for negative impact, one might hypothesize that parents would take care to limit exposure to detrimental media content.However, the â€Å"third-person effect† (a well-documented phenomenon in the communications literature) shows that teenagers and adults think that the media influence everyone except themselves or their children Violence and Aggression By the age of 18, the average adolescent will have seen an estimated 200 000 acts of violence on television alone. Much of the violence on television and in movies is presented in a sanitized and glamorized fashion, and in children's programming it often is presented as humorous.More than 1 0% of 10- to 14-year-olds saw 40 of the most violent movies in 2003. Both music videos and rap music have become increasingly violent. Interactive media can encourage antisocial beliefs and behavior in children and adolescents, particularly because violence in new media has been found to be prevalent as well. A recent analysis of video games revealed that more than half of all games contain violence, including ;90% rated as appropriate for children aged 10 years and older.Health professionals worry most about first-person shooter video games. In the aftermath of the West Paducah, KY school shooting, it was discovered that the shooter had never fired a real gun in his life before that day, yet his marksmanship was both accurate and lethal. Researchers believe that repeated exposure to mediated violence can lead to anxiety and fear, acceptance of violence as an appropriate means of solving conflict, and desensitization, with resulting increases in aggression and decreases in altruism. In particular, the portrayal of justifiable violence that is common in American media—â€Å"good guys versus bad guys†Ã¢â‚¬â€places children at risk because it is so powerfully reinforcing. The relationship between media violence and real-life aggression is nearly as strong as the impact of cigarette smoking on lung cancer not everyone who smokes will get lung cancer, and not everyone who views media violence will become aggressive themselves. However, the connection is significant. The most problematic forms of media violence include attractive and unpunished perpetrators, no harm to victims, realism, and humor. SexResearchers investigating the impact of exposure to sexual content in media on adolescent sexual beliefs and early sexual initiation have found modest but significant associations, particularly in the realm of pornography. In a national sample of 1500 10- to 17-year-olds, nearly half of the Internet users had been exposed to on-line pornography in the prev ious year. In a sample of middle-school youth, exposure to sexually explicit (X-rated) content predicted perpetration of sexual harassment (for males), more permissive sexual norms, having oral sex, and engaging in sexual intercourse while in high school.Longitudinal studies now exist that have linked heavy exposure to sexual content in mainstream media with more rapid progression of sexual activity, earlier coital behavior, greater risk for and unplanned pregnancy, and sexually transmitted disease. One explanation for this relationship may lie in the role of the media as a â€Å"superpeer† that gives adolescent audiences a consistent message that sex is normative and risk free. In addition, media play an important role in providing sexual information to adolescents in the United States and in shaping their beliefs about how males and females behave in romantic relationships.Television shows geared toward teenagers actually have more sexual content than adult-oriented shows, yet there is little mention of the need for contraception or for responsibility. Virtually every Western country makes birth control available to adolescents, including allowing birth control advertisements in the media, but the major US television networks balk at airing ads for contraception. This flies in the face of the fact that a substantial body of evidence shows that giving teenagers’ access to condoms does not lead to earlier sexual activity.Parents and child advocates often express concern over children connecting with strangers on-line. Although there have been disturbing cases of Internet sexual predatory activity by adults on children, most recent studies of Internet safety have suggested that sexual solicitation of minors is more likely to occur by other minors. Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook enable adolescents to present themselves publicly, sometimes in very sexually suggestive ways; however, adult on-line predators are not using social n etworking sites to find or entice their victims.One national survey of â€Å"sexing† with cell phones, conducted with 13- to 19-year-olds, revealed that 20% had sent and 48% had received sexual messages. However, social networking sites can also be used prosocially for safer-sex campaigns, for example. Substance Use In the United States, more than $22 billion is spent marketing and advertising drugs ($13 billion on tobacco, $5 billion on alcohol, and $4 billion on prescription drugs), and many research studies have shown that it has a significant impact on adolescent use.Children and teenagers can also see considerable alcohol and drug content in on-line videos. Recent studies of social networking sites have found that substance abuse is referenced in 40% of the profiles. Portrayals of tobacco are also prevalent in the movies: ? 70% of movies made in the United States today contains smoking, and smoking is rarely associated with negative health outcomes. Longitudinal prospect ive studies have revealed that exposure to movie smoking at baseline (grades 5–8) predicts smoking initiation 1 to 8 years later.Experimental research has helped illuminate why exposure to movie characters' smoking is associated with smoking initiation: viewers who identify with the storyline and the characters are more likely to increase their intention to smoke. Obesity and Eating Disorders Numerous American and international longitudinal studies (one of them as long as 26 years in duration) have shown that media use is contributing to the current epidemic of obesity worldwide. However, the mechanism for why heavy television-viewing, in particular, is predictive of children's weight status is unclear. Food marketing may be 1 culprit.Children and teenagers see 4400–7600 ads per year for junk food and fast food on television alone. Randomized, controlled experiments have provided evidence that exposure to junk food advertising has an impact on children's food beliefs a nd preferences. The Internet now presents a new concern. As the Kaiser Foundation noted, â€Å"There is a vast amount of food related content online, with the potential to significantly expand and deepen children's exposure to food marketing messages. Apart from the influence of advertising, eating while viewing may lead to greater food consumption.College-aged students showed significantly greater consumption of food when subjects were watching television versus listening to classical music. The investigators hypothesized that satiety cues are suppressed in viewing conditions. Although the evidence that television-viewing displaces physical activity is equivocal, researchers are now examining whether heavy media use, particularly at nighttime, displaces sleep. Children who do not get enough sleep are more likely to engage in sedentary behaviors (such as television-viewing) and less likely to engage in physical activity.The media play a crucial role in the formation of body self-im age and may be responsible for creating unrealistic expectations and body dissatisfaction. Females who are regular readers of fashion and beauty magazines in early adolescence are more likely to suffer from a distorted body image during their teenaged years. A natural field experiment in Fiji revealed that the prevalence of eating disorders increased dramatically after the introduction of American television programs, which show excessively thin female lead characters.On the Internet, there are now ;100 proanorexia Web sites that not only encourage disordered eating but offer specific advice on purging, severely restricting caloric intake, and exercising excessively. School Performance and Learning Problems The possibility of a connection between television-viewing and ADD or other learning disabilities is currently an issue of great controversy. An initial study in 2004 revealed an association between daily hours of television-viewing at the ages of 1 to 2 years and subsequent atte ntional problems at the age of 7.However, a more recent study in which 59 children with ADD and 106 comparison children were examined actually revealed that the latter had more impairment in their cognitive processes after viewing television than the former. At least 4 studies have shown an impact on academic performance, especially if there is a television set in the child's or teenager's bedroom. Other Health Effects Heavy television-viewing has also been associated with hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, an increased prevalence of asthma, sleep disorders, mood disorders, psychological distress, and depression.These were largely correlational studies and, therefore, did not necessarily show cause and effect. Prosocial Effects Despite the negative effects listed above, the media can be powerfully prosocial and educational. Children and teenagers can learn antiviolence attitudes, empathy, tolerance toward people of other races and ethnicities, and respect for their elders. Video ga mes can be beneficial as well, including improving compliance with chemotherapy regimens in adolescents with cancer.Important and useful public messages can be successfully embedded into primetime television shows that are popular with adolescents. In an episode of the television program Friends, for example, Rachel tells her boyfriend Ross that she is pregnant although they had used a condom. A national telephone survey conducted with Friends viewers after the episode aired found that adolescents learned that condoms are not fool-proof and were more likely to discuss contraception with their parents.Similarly, a recent episode of Gray's Anatomy was effective in teaching viewers about HIV and pregnancy. Research into the impact of digital media on relationship formation and maintenance has revealed that on-line communication and on-line self-disclosure can stimulate adolescents' social connectedness and, thereby, their well-being. However, the benefits of socializing on-line are not equal for every child or adolescent. The positive Internet effect holds only when adolescents predominantly talk with their existing friends.Communication technologies that are most often used to communicate with strangers (eg, chat in a public chat room) or more solitary forms of Internet use (such as surfing the Web) have negative effects on social connectedness. TRADITIONAL MEDIA AND NEW MEDIA Children and adolescents spend more time with media than they do in any other activity except for sleeping—an average of ;7 hours/day. Children's bedrooms are replete with media technology: by 2005, two thirds had a television set, one half had a VCR or DVD player or video-game console, and nearly one third had Internet access or a computer.Media impact is increased significantly with the presence of a bedroom television: viewing increases 1 to 2 hours/day, risk of overweight increases by 31%, and the likelihood of smoking doubles. When a television is in the bedroom, parents are le ss able to monitor viewing habits , children participate in fewer activities such as reading and hobbies, and sleep is shortened Field Observation: Focus group: One of the aims of my research paper was to understand what children feel about the way they are affected by the Digital media. To do this i used one of our qualitative methods – focus group.A focus group is a method that is used by researchers to find out what people’s opinions and views are. During a focus group the researcher(s) will ask questions to stimulate discussion within the group, while taking note of what people are saying about particular issues. The focus group were conducted in Notre dame college-lwaize in total, 10 young people (5 males and 5 females) took part, who were all aged between 9 – 12year. Question asked during the focus group: * Do Digital media take a lot of your time? * Do you feel lost when you are not connected? Do you go online to check for new updates? * Do you feel you a lways have to go online to learn/view information? * Do you forget to eat when you are connected? * Do you use online social networking to retrieve any type of information? * Does spending time on social networking affects on your grades in a negative way? * Do you think you can stop yourself from always connecting online? * Are you unable to continue your day without checking for updates of news / friends online? * Has social networking sites made you become depressed? Do you enter sexual websites? * Do you talk with stranger people online? Analysis: After the focus groups were done, the information was analyzed and i was able to put together the information to have a basic result. I can say that each person had his/her own view, the information was not possible to evaluate and conduct on a percentage scale. The focus group study it showed that the males spend more time on social networking sites then men. They believe they do spend more time online which allows them to play ad ent er many kind of websites.All participants believe online social networking is time consuming and has its negatives. Some of the negatives given about online social networking. Some positives were: it has allowed a number of people to be curious to want to know more information, to learn more, to be able to communicate with people in different countries and be entertained. Solution and recommendation: Parents should limit total screen time for children older than 2 years to no more than 1 to 2 hours/day, and avoid screen time for children younger than 2 years.Also keep children's bedrooms free of screen media; and co-view media with their children and discuss the content.. Parents also need to avoid exposing young children to PG-13– and R-rated movies, given the prevalence of violent and sexual content in higher-rated film sand the new evidence that movie scenes that depict drinking alcohol and smoking may be very influential in teenagers' decisions to use alcohol and tobacco. In addition, parents can be mindful of their own media practices, because studies have shown that the strongest predictor of children's heavy media use is parents' heavy media use.Parental efforts to interpret, elaborate, and provide supplemental information on topics introduced by television have been found to be successful in countering negative or harmful content. In a recent study on exposure to sexual media content, adolescents who report that they discuss the content of what they see on television are less likely to engage in risky sexual activity. Moreover, Schools have not kept pace with modern media, especially in violence prevention, drug prevention, and sex education programs.With the amount of sexual suggestiveness currently displayed on television and in movies, schools no longer have any excuse for not providing comprehensive school-based sex education programs for children and adolescents, including full discussions of contraception and discussions of how sex and sex uality are portrayed in the media. Similarly, drug education programs must progress beyond scare tactics to incorporate principles of media education, teaching young people how to deconstruct alcohol and tobacco ads and, therefore, become more resilient.Conclusion: During the past 50 years, thousands of research studies have revealed that the media can be a powerful teacher of children and adolescents and have a profound impact on their health. To date, too little has been done by parents, health care practitioners, schools, the entertainment industry, or the government to protect children and adolescents from harmful media effects and to maximize the powerfully prosocial aspects of modern media. More research is needed, but sufficient data exist to warrant both concern and increased action. Digital Media Introduction: You may have heard of digital media, but you may have no idea what it is and how it can help you out when it comes to marketing. It's definitely important that you get up to speed so you can use this to benefit your business. Basically digital media refers to any type of electronic media out there. Today media can be accessed in many ways, including with hand held devices like mobile phones, laptops, desktops, mp3 players, and more. Digital media must be stored in an electronic way, so there is a lot of digital content on the internet today, including text content, pictures, audio content, as well as video content.Through the history of internet, digital media has been developing in various ways. Here's we'll take a look at how it has affected the Internet and ways that it may be integrated moving forwards (Rogers 2006). One type of digital media is text; this in fact represented the very first explosion of  this  type of content  out there on the Internet. When t he Internet first got big, there was an explosion of content on the web, especially with all the text editors and word processing options out there today (Rogers 2006).Larger companies started to put date on computers instead of storing it in cabinets, and the internet definitely allowed a great way to share, transfer, and store content as well. As the Internet grew, images began to appear. Instead of just text emails, soon people could send photos, and soon photo sites for sharing photos began to pop up. Then in the middle 1990s, audio began to become an important part of digital media with the mp3 files that could be easily used. Soon music and more was shared online with sites that allowed you to share audio.Last in the digital media development was video. YouTube definitely made video sharing a hugely popular form of modern media distribution and this is continuing to grow as we speak today. Now with new technology seen in things like the iPhone,  this new form of virtual medi a  is available in handheld devices as well, and no doubt  this sector  is only going to continue to grow in the future (Rogers 2006). Now that you understand a bit more about the technology side, you may be wondering how it can help your business.Well businesses are using digital media for marketing more and more today, realizing that there is a huge marketing field out there and that  it can help to draw in visitors and can even provide better search engine visibility with you. Text content can be kept updated on your site and helpful content is a great part of good marketing. Expertise in your field can really help your business and get traffic flowing into your business website. Photos, charts, diagrams, and models are always popular online and will help you to get more visibility as well.Audio allows you to use music on pages or to do podcasts for your business. Creating videos is a popular method of digital media marketing today, and videos do very well in search engin es (Rogers 2006). With the popularity of digital media, it is definitely important that you continue to create and use it for good marketing and business results. Even if you have to hire someone to help out, the benefits will make it worth the money. So knowing about and using digital media is definitely important for your business success todayProblem statement: Most people accept the idea that the media can influence people. But the degree of that influence, as well as who is most-impacted, when, how and why, have been the subjects of great debate among communication scholars for nearly a century. Media effects refers to the many ways individuals and society may be influenced by both news and entertainment mass media, including film, television, radio, newspapers, books, magazines, websites, video games, and music.To understand digital media effects, it is first critical to consider how media are used and for what purposes. Communication scholars have traditionally fallen into tw o camps – functionalists, who believe the media audience tends to be in control and active, and critical/culturalists who believe the audience has less control and is therefore more passive. The balance may lie somewhere in the middle and may vary from country to country. Purpose of the study: In this paper we are going to study and evaluate the digital media and its effect on children in general.The following text is a general idea: Youth spend an average of ;7 hours/day using media and the vast majority of them have access to a bedroom television, computer, the Internet, a video-game console, and a cell phone. In this paper we review the most recent research on the effects of media on the behavior and health and well-being of children and adolescents. Studies have shown that media can provide information about safe health practices and can foster social connectedness.However, recent evidence raises concerns about media's effects on aggression, sexual behavior, substance use , disordered eating, and academic difficulties. We provide recommendations for parents, practitioners, the media, and policy makers, among others, for ways to increase the benefits and reduce the harm that media can have for the developing child and for adolescents. More than 50 years of media research attests to the significant influence of media on child and adolescent health.Both â€Å"old† media (television, movies, magazines) and â€Å"new† media (the Internet and social networking sites, video/computer games, cell phones) can have an impact on virtually every health concern that practitioners and parents have about young people, including aggressive behavior, risky sexual behavior, substance use, and disordered eating. Although the media are not the leading cause of any of these problems, the research reviewed here suggests that they are significant.Yet, despite the evidence of potential harm, there is also evidence that media can be beneficial for youth (eg, by increasing empathy and acceptance of diversity through modeling of prosocial behaviors and developing children's early literacy skills through educational programming). Those concerned with child and adolescent health need to be aware of the research on the effects of modern media on youth. Theoretical framework: Literature review: Media affect youth not only by displacing time they spend doing homework or sleeping but also by influencing beliefs and behaviors.According to social learning theory, children and adolescents learn by observing and imitating what they see on the screen, particularly when these behaviors seem realistic or are rewarded. Cognitive development theory asserts that children's cognitive capacities at different stages determine if and how they understand media content. For example, children younger than 8 years who are not yet able to comprehend persuasive intent will be more vulnerable to advertising.In addition, media present youth with common â€Å"scriptsâ €  for how to behave in unfamiliar situations such as romantic relationships. Finally, superpeer theory states that the media are like powerful best friends in sometimes making risky behaviors seem like normative behavior. With the variety of theories suggesting a potentially powerful effect of the media and the growing empirical evidence for negative impact, one might hypothesize that parents would take care to limit exposure to detrimental media content.However, the â€Å"third-person effect† (a well-documented phenomenon in the communications literature) shows that teenagers and adults think that the media influence everyone except themselves or their children Violence and Aggression By the age of 18, the average adolescent will have seen an estimated 200 000 acts of violence on television alone. Much of the violence on television and in movies is presented in a sanitized and glamorized fashion, and in children's programming it often is presented as humorous.More than 1 0% of 10- to 14-year-olds saw 40 of the most violent movies in 2003. Both music videos and rap music have become increasingly violent. Interactive media can encourage antisocial beliefs and behavior in children and adolescents, particularly because violence in new media has been found to be prevalent as well. A recent analysis of video games revealed that more than half of all games contain violence, including ;90% rated as appropriate for children aged 10 years and older.Health professionals worry most about first-person shooter video games. In the aftermath of the West Paducah, KY school shooting, it was discovered that the shooter had never fired a real gun in his life before that day, yet his marksmanship was both accurate and lethal. Researchers believe that repeated exposure to mediated violence can lead to anxiety and fear, acceptance of violence as an appropriate means of solving conflict, and desensitization, with resulting increases in aggression and decreases in altruism. In particular, the portrayal of justifiable violence that is common in American media—â€Å"good guys versus bad guys†Ã¢â‚¬â€places children at risk because it is so powerfully reinforcing. The relationship between media violence and real-life aggression is nearly as strong as the impact of cigarette smoking on lung cancer not everyone who smokes will get lung cancer, and not everyone who views media violence will become aggressive themselves. However, the connection is significant. The most problematic forms of media violence include attractive and unpunished perpetrators, no harm to victims, realism, and humor. SexResearchers investigating the impact of exposure to sexual content in media on adolescent sexual beliefs and early sexual initiation have found modest but significant associations, particularly in the realm of pornography. In a national sample of 1500 10- to 17-year-olds, nearly half of the Internet users had been exposed to on-line pornography in the prev ious year. In a sample of middle-school youth, exposure to sexually explicit (X-rated) content predicted perpetration of sexual harassment (for males), more permissive sexual norms, having oral sex, and engaging in sexual intercourse while in high school.Longitudinal studies now exist that have linked heavy exposure to sexual content in mainstream media with more rapid progression of sexual activity, earlier coital behavior, greater risk for and unplanned pregnancy, and sexually transmitted disease. One explanation for this relationship may lie in the role of the media as a â€Å"superpeer† that gives adolescent audiences a consistent message that sex is normative and risk free. In addition, media play an important role in providing sexual information to adolescents in the United States and in shaping their beliefs about how males and females behave in romantic relationships.Television shows geared toward teenagers actually have more sexual content than adult-oriented shows, yet there is little mention of the need for contraception or for responsibility. Virtually every Western country makes birth control available to adolescents, including allowing birth control advertisements in the media, but the major US television networks balk at airing ads for contraception. This flies in the face of the fact that a substantial body of evidence shows that giving teenagers’ access to condoms does not lead to earlier sexual activity.Parents and child advocates often express concern over children connecting with strangers on-line. Although there have been disturbing cases of Internet sexual predatory activity by adults on children, most recent studies of Internet safety have suggested that sexual solicitation of minors is more likely to occur by other minors. Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook enable adolescents to present themselves publicly, sometimes in very sexually suggestive ways; however, adult on-line predators are not using social n etworking sites to find or entice their victims.One national survey of â€Å"sexing† with cell phones, conducted with 13- to 19-year-olds, revealed that 20% had sent and 48% had received sexual messages. However, social networking sites can also be used prosocially for safer-sex campaigns, for example. Substance Use In the United States, more than $22 billion is spent marketing and advertising drugs ($13 billion on tobacco, $5 billion on alcohol, and $4 billion on prescription drugs), and many research studies have shown that it has a significant impact on adolescent use.Children and teenagers can also see considerable alcohol and drug content in on-line videos. Recent studies of social networking sites have found that substance abuse is referenced in 40% of the profiles. Portrayals of tobacco are also prevalent in the movies: ? 70% of movies made in the United States today contains smoking, and smoking is rarely associated with negative health outcomes. Longitudinal prospect ive studies have revealed that exposure to movie smoking at baseline (grades 5–8) predicts smoking initiation 1 to 8 years later.Experimental research has helped illuminate why exposure to movie characters' smoking is associated with smoking initiation: viewers who identify with the storyline and the characters are more likely to increase their intention to smoke. Obesity and Eating Disorders Numerous American and international longitudinal studies (one of them as long as 26 years in duration) have shown that media use is contributing to the current epidemic of obesity worldwide. However, the mechanism for why heavy television-viewing, in particular, is predictive of children's weight status is unclear. Food marketing may be 1 culprit.Children and teenagers see 4400–7600 ads per year for junk food and fast food on television alone. Randomized, controlled experiments have provided evidence that exposure to junk food advertising has an impact on children's food beliefs a nd preferences. The Internet now presents a new concern. As the Kaiser Foundation noted, â€Å"There is a vast amount of food related content online, with the potential to significantly expand and deepen children's exposure to food marketing messages. Apart from the influence of advertising, eating while viewing may lead to greater food consumption.College-aged students showed significantly greater consumption of food when subjects were watching television versus listening to classical music. The investigators hypothesized that satiety cues are suppressed in viewing conditions. Although the evidence that television-viewing displaces physical activity is equivocal, researchers are now examining whether heavy media use, particularly at nighttime, displaces sleep. Children who do not get enough sleep are more likely to engage in sedentary behaviors (such as television-viewing) and less likely to engage in physical activity.The media play a crucial role in the formation of body self-im age and may be responsible for creating unrealistic expectations and body dissatisfaction. Females who are regular readers of fashion and beauty magazines in early adolescence are more likely to suffer from a distorted body image during their teenaged years. A natural field experiment in Fiji revealed that the prevalence of eating disorders increased dramatically after the introduction of American television programs, which show excessively thin female lead characters.On the Internet, there are now ;100 proanorexia Web sites that not only encourage disordered eating but offer specific advice on purging, severely restricting caloric intake, and exercising excessively. School Performance and Learning Problems The possibility of a connection between television-viewing and ADD or other learning disabilities is currently an issue of great controversy. An initial study in 2004 revealed an association between daily hours of television-viewing at the ages of 1 to 2 years and subsequent atte ntional problems at the age of 7.However, a more recent study in which 59 children with ADD and 106 comparison children were examined actually revealed that the latter had more impairment in their cognitive processes after viewing television than the former. At least 4 studies have shown an impact on academic performance, especially if there is a television set in the child's or teenager's bedroom. Other Health Effects Heavy television-viewing has also been associated with hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, an increased prevalence of asthma, sleep disorders, mood disorders, psychological distress, and depression.These were largely correlational studies and, therefore, did not necessarily show cause and effect. Prosocial Effects Despite the negative effects listed above, the media can be powerfully prosocial and educational. Children and teenagers can learn antiviolence attitudes, empathy, tolerance toward people of other races and ethnicities, and respect for their elders. Video ga mes can be beneficial as well, including improving compliance with chemotherapy regimens in adolescents with cancer.Important and useful public messages can be successfully embedded into primetime television shows that are popular with adolescents. In an episode of the television program Friends, for example, Rachel tells her boyfriend Ross that she is pregnant although they had used a condom. A national telephone survey conducted with Friends viewers after the episode aired found that adolescents learned that condoms are not fool-proof and were more likely to discuss contraception with their parents.Similarly, a recent episode of Gray's Anatomy was effective in teaching viewers about HIV and pregnancy. Research into the impact of digital media on relationship formation and maintenance has revealed that on-line communication and on-line self-disclosure can stimulate adolescents' social connectedness and, thereby, their well-being. However, the benefits of socializing on-line are not equal for every child or adolescent. The positive Internet effect holds only when adolescents predominantly talk with their existing friends.Communication technologies that are most often used to communicate with strangers (eg, chat in a public chat room) or more solitary forms of Internet use (such as surfing the Web) have negative effects on social connectedness. TRADITIONAL MEDIA AND NEW MEDIA Children and adolescents spend more time with media than they do in any other activity except for sleeping—an average of ;7 hours/day. Children's bedrooms are replete with media technology: by 2005, two thirds had a television set, one half had a VCR or DVD player or video-game console, and nearly one third had Internet access or a computer.Media impact is increased significantly with the presence of a bedroom television: viewing increases 1 to 2 hours/day, risk of overweight increases by 31%, and the likelihood of smoking doubles. When a television is in the bedroom, parents are le ss able to monitor viewing habits , children participate in fewer activities such as reading and hobbies, and sleep is shortened Field Observation: Focus group: One of the aims of my research paper was to understand what children feel about the way they are affected by the Digital media. To do this i used one of our qualitative methods – focus group.A focus group is a method that is used by researchers to find out what people’s opinions and views are. During a focus group the researcher(s) will ask questions to stimulate discussion within the group, while taking note of what people are saying about particular issues. The focus group were conducted in Notre dame college-lwaize in total, 10 young people (5 males and 5 females) took part, who were all aged between 9 – 12year. Question asked during the focus group: * Do Digital media take a lot of your time? * Do you feel lost when you are not connected? Do you go online to check for new updates? * Do you feel you a lways have to go online to learn/view information? * Do you forget to eat when you are connected? * Do you use online social networking to retrieve any type of information? * Does spending time on social networking affects on your grades in a negative way? * Do you think you can stop yourself from always connecting online? * Are you unable to continue your day without checking for updates of news / friends online? * Has social networking sites made you become depressed? Do you enter sexual websites? * Do you talk with stranger people online? Analysis: After the focus groups were done, the information was analyzed and i was able to put together the information to have a basic result. I can say that each person had his/her own view, the information was not possible to evaluate and conduct on a percentage scale. The focus group study it showed that the males spend more time on social networking sites then men. They believe they do spend more time online which allows them to play ad ent er many kind of websites.All participants believe online social networking is time consuming and has its negatives. Some of the negatives given about online social networking. Some positives were: it has allowed a number of people to be curious to want to know more information, to learn more, to be able to communicate with people in different countries and be entertained. Solution and recommendation: Parents should limit total screen time for children older than 2 years to no more than 1 to 2 hours/day, and avoid screen time for children younger than 2 years.Also keep children's bedrooms free of screen media; and co-view media with their children and discuss the content.. Parents also need to avoid exposing young children to PG-13– and R-rated movies, given the prevalence of violent and sexual content in higher-rated film sand the new evidence that movie scenes that depict drinking alcohol and smoking may be very influential in teenagers' decisions to use alcohol and tobacco. In addition, parents can be mindful of their own media practices, because studies have shown that the strongest predictor of children's heavy media use is parents' heavy media use.Parental efforts to interpret, elaborate, and provide supplemental information on topics introduced by television have been found to be successful in countering negative or harmful content. In a recent study on exposure to sexual media content, adolescents who report that they discuss the content of what they see on television are less likely to engage in risky sexual activity. Moreover, Schools have not kept pace with modern media, especially in violence prevention, drug prevention, and sex education programs.With the amount of sexual suggestiveness currently displayed on television and in movies, schools no longer have any excuse for not providing comprehensive school-based sex education programs for children and adolescents, including full discussions of contraception and discussions of how sex and sex uality are portrayed in the media. Similarly, drug education programs must progress beyond scare tactics to incorporate principles of media education, teaching young people how to deconstruct alcohol and tobacco ads and, therefore, become more resilient.Conclusion: During the past 50 years, thousands of research studies have revealed that the media can be a powerful teacher of children and adolescents and have a profound impact on their health. To date, too little has been done by parents, health care practitioners, schools, the entertainment industry, or the government to protect children and adolescents from harmful media effects and to maximize the powerfully prosocial aspects of modern media. More research is needed, but sufficient data exist to warrant both concern and increased action.

Critical Thinking Evaluation

Critial Evaluation of an Academic Source NMN Capella University ED5001 Critial Evaluation of an Academic Source This paper is a critical evaluation regarding the suitability of using scholarly articles as an academic source. We will analyze the â€Å"Critical Thinking: An Extended Definition† that discusses various scholar definiitons on what is critical thinking and the process of critical thinking. Checklist for Critical Evaluation Peer Review Is the article peer reviewed? This article is a peer review. Is the article primary, secondary, or tertiary?This article is tertiary. Main Issue What is the main issue or problem the author is focusing on in this article? The main issue that the author is focusing on is the idea that in the academic world the word critical thinking is used frequently, but the way it is defined is so broad that at times it is hard to apply these definitions. It seems that various scholars have a different definition for critical thinking, and in most ca ses the definitions are lacking in terms of giving direction on the process of thinking critically. Significance of the IssueDiscuss the significance of the issue which is the focus of the article. The significance of the issue in this article is the author is trying to tell those in the academic world that the idea of critical thinking is so broad that those in the various disciplines need to see there needs to be continuous discussion regarding the idea of critical thinking. This idea that there’s no one answer with reagrds to defining critical thinking. Why is it important? I think its important because according to the article that the different disciplines have a different way of looking at critical thinking.This main reason is why the author feels that everyone should discuss this idea of critical thinking on a continuos basis. Having discussions on a continuous basis allows scholars from various disciplines to look at varying perspectives of critical thinking that they wouldn’t otherwise see in their own discipline. On what do you base your assertions regarding its significance? I base my assertions from the different definitions of critical thinking from various scholars from different backgrounds that the author discussed. Author’s PurposeWhat is the author’s main purpose(s) in writing the article? The main purpose of the author writing this article is to promote the discussion between scholars of different academic disciplines regarding the definition of critical thinking and the ways it can be applied. Author’s Point of View What is the author’s point of view? The author’s point of view is that critical thinking has a broad a definition and can be applied in different ways depending on how the person is looking at it. Conceptual Foundation What are the main concepts presented in the article?The main concepts presented in this article first the idea that there’s no clear and precise definition o f critical thinking. The second main concept that I found in the article is the idea of knowing and asking quality questions. The other concept that I got from the article is the idea that the term critical thinking has different meaning in various contexts. What information is the author using, and what is its relationship to the main issue? The information that the author is using is to look at various scholars from different disciplines definition and app;lication of the term critical thinking.Does the information used appear relevant, significant, valid, and sufficient for the conclusions being drawn? Yes I believe it is relevant, significant, and sufficient enough to be used to draw a conclusion. Do you have enough information to determine whether the information is relevant, significant, and valid? Yes I do, because the author has provided us with how different disciplines define and use the term critical thinking. The author is able to show us how broad and unclear the term c ritical thinking is. Author's Assumptions What unstated assumptions is the author making in the article?The unstated assumptions that the other is making the article is the idea that all academic disciplines use critical thinking as a basis in their field of study. Another assumption that I think is being made is that scholars in various disciplines don’t agree across the board with regards to defining critical thinking and its application. Author’s Conclusions What conclusion(s) are being drawn by the author? The author I think is concluding that this article will help speakers, scholars, listeners etc. to not only understand the term critical thinking better, but also help them to use the term in academic literature.What are the implications of the conclusion(s)? The implication of the conclusion is the fact that the author is making the assumption that a lot of people don’t understand and/or know how to use the term in general especially in academic literatur e. Problem Areas What potential problems do you see in the author's reasoning? I thinking that the author might be a little bias in making the assumptuion that just because the term critical thinking definition is so broad that most scholars don’t discuss with each other in order to understand the context that theyre using the term.What potential problems are there with the author's use of information? The author doesn’t really show how he determined the various scholar definitions he chose to use in making his various points. You don’t know if his selections were subjective or objective. What point of view is ignored by this author, or has not been considered in dealing with the issue? Summary of Critical Evaluation Would you use the article in support of your own writing? I don’t think I would use this article in my own writing. Why or why not?The reason I wouldn’t use this article because it seems to be a one-sided argument, and the author seems to make a lot of assumptions about what goes on in the academic world in terms of using the word critical thinking. What limitations would you place on its use? The limitations I would place is that the author may have placed too much of his opinion in the article. References Capella University. (n. d. ). Critical thinking model. Retrieved from http://media. capella. edu/CourseMedia/PSYC4900/criticalThinking/criticalThinking_wrapper. asp

Performance Management System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Performance Management System - Essay Example Performance management incorporates all the activities that increase the probability of goals being achieved. Performance management system is aimed the goals are met in both efficient and effective processes. Managers classifies a person has having successfully hurdled all so-called performance management systems. For example, the marketing employee is required to sell one car within one week. If the employee sells two cars, then the sales personnel is said to have passed his or her performance management requirements. On the other hand, if the employee is not able to sell a single car within the prescribed accounting period, the sales employee is classified as having failed his or her performance management system test. With the implementation of the performance management system, the people are guided in order they will stay on the right path. The path is equated with compliance with all job responsibilities. A person who is not being watched can be tempted to delay one’s work schedules. A person who is paid a daily wage would have a lesser drive to accomplish task when compared to a worker who is paid based on the quantity of work done in one day. The latter worker works faster because he or she knows that more work translates to more pay. On the other hand, employee who is paid on a daily basis will receive the same pay not taking into consideration the quantity of work done.

Profiles of an Effective Teacher Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Profiles of an Effective Teacher - Essay Example In addition, it is the role of the school principles to hire reliable teachers with all the qualities of effectiveness. From the research effective teaching is described as a practice used to cultivate learning skills, create motivation, and instill knowledge to students. Skills and competencies of an effective teacher could be demonstrated when teaching in class, planning their lessons, modes of motivating students in classes among others. However, to improve the level of effectiveness of the teachers, principals should play a big role by devising various activities that could assist in guiding the teachers. The principal should supervise the teaching practices and evaluate the progress of the teachers to find whether they are on the right track towards effectiveness. The principals should come up with the ways to reward effective teachers and also creating guidelines that can assist the teachers to develop their skills and competencies. To improve the achievement of schools, principals should create strategies that could impart positive changes in the performance progress of both the teachers and students alike. The principals should adopt five domains implemented by Marzano (2013). Firstly, the principals and the teachers should develop data the focuses on the improvement of the students’ performance both at school and outside the school. Secondly, the teachers and principals should improve the existing instructions continuously that seem to pull back the performance of the school. Thirdly, the school should have a definite and reliable curriculum based on effective teaching and learning practices. Fourth, cooperation and collaboration among the teachers, principals, parents, and students should be put in place in the schools’ virtues.

The cost of language switch of Billinguals Essay

The cost of language switch of Billinguals - Essay Example The paper takes a thrust at an evaluation of researches from a largely psychology approach detailing various experimentation outcomes that shed light into the dynamics of the complexities of switching language for the bilinguals. This paper culminates in form of a discussion and suggestions to the educators and for the bodies of knowledge covering the entirety of the spectrum of stakeholders in the language learning and acquisition and domains particularly for bilinguals Bilingual speakers normally have to shift across the two languages in their communication activity and particularly in speech production. The fundamental fact here is that the bilinguals have to separate their two languages and settle for the appropriate lexical alternative; one language for effective communication purposes. Abutalebi J et al 2007) note that in the sense of the foregoing, the process entails that the bilinguals have to be possession of effective neural mechanisms that will suffice to facilitate smooth switching and to avert the highly likely chances of interference or the probable competition between the two language alternatives. This is particularly so considering the fact that the first and second languages both posses protruding neuro-anatomical bases as illuminated by the topical neuro-imaging researches. Bilinguals have to possess feasible lexical selection. This highlights the dynamics that characterise the process in which bilinguals have to go through in the techniques of switching between languages. The switch demands various neural mechanisms and facilities which have been illumined by various researches and propounded models. The broad range of varying challenges or costs that a bilingual incurs in the process of switching between languages demands a deeper exploration. The process evidently involves various psychological transitions and processes which will be explored in this study. The concern and keen interest around the nature of

The significance of inflation expectations in the monetarist Phillips Essay

The significance of inflation expectations in the monetarist Phillips Curve and t0he implications for the conduct of economic policy - Essay Example Inflation has been one of the most widely discussed topics by economist of the twenty first century. The term can simply be defined a general and persistent increase in the price level over a period of time Major economies of the world have been affected by it and economic analysts throughout the world have put in their expertise to curtail the damages that inflation is capable of doing to an economy. Mr. Alban William Phillips was one of those economists who will always be remembered for his contribution to the world of economics. He’s gathered fame all over the world for his research on inflation and unemployment. He started his work by gathering ninety five years of data relating to the UK wage inflation and unemployment. He was of the view that there is some direct or indirect link among these two important economic indicators. When he plotted the data on a graph, Mr. Phillips concluded that there is an inverse relationship between the rate of unemployment and the level of inflation in an economy. According to Mr. Philips there was a tradeoff between unemployment and inflation. High levels of unemployment tend to be linked with low levels of inflation and vice versa. Accordingly, if the government would want to reduce the unemployment rate it then it would have to settle with high rates of inflation. The Phillips curve concluded that deciding upon whether to have high rates of unemployment or to go for high rates of inflation was merely a matter of government policy as the two of them could not be achieved together – they were mutually exclusive. ... And this is how the price level rises and inflation occurs. The Phillips curve can further be divided into two time phases, namely the long run and the short run Phillips curve. The two curves are slightly different from each other in that they depict a different side of the picture. In the short run Phillips curve, high rates of unemployment are associated with low rates of inflation and vice versa. In such a situation the economists generally have to take a decision as whether to contain inflation or unemployment. Choices will generally be made after taking the overall economic situation of a country into consideration and definitely the decision made will not be beneficial for all. If the government decides to go for low rates of unemployment, low income earners will face a burden of high prices due to inflation. However, the long term Phillips curve looks at the story from a very different angle. The long run Phillips curve is normally drawn as a vertical line. This line can move both ways but generally it tends to move in (to a lower rate of unemployment) as time passes by. The idea behind long term Phillips curve is that in the long term there will be a certain rate of unemployment regardless of the level of inflation. This level will remain there since some people will always be unemployed due to job switching, frictional and seasonal unemployment. According to Mr. Friedman Milton, an economist, there is no tradeoff between the rate of unemployment and the rate of inflation in the long run as is denoted by the vertical Phillips curve. According to the long run Phillips curve, efforts made by economists to reduce the unemployment level below the natural rate of unemployment

Acquisition in the mining sector of Austrailia Essay

Acquisition in the mining sector of Austrailia - Essay Example To strengthen their financial position dominant players of this industry across world, and especially in Australia turned to mergers and acquisitions. Year 2011 witnessed global mergers and acquisition of $.162, 439 million with 43percent higher than previous year in terms of value (e Ernst & Young, 2012). In Australia alone, total value of M&A deals in mining and metal sectors in year 2011 was $.38, 594 million as compared to $.23, 469 million in the year 2010. Mergers and acquisitions in mining and metal sectors of Australia also witnessed large inbound and outbound deals. This report sheds lights on the aim and objective of these deals based on two case studies from Australian mining sector. Case studies used for the purpose are: Atlas Iron acquiring Giralia resources ($.805 million) and BHP Billiton acquiring HWE mining ($.732 million). Both deals been successfully completed in year 2011with both parties of two deals belonging to same continent. The two case studies witnessed ove rall aim of acquisitions by two firms to enhance their resource base, increased synergy in their operations and undertake low risk transactions. The capital agenda guiding these transactions was to preserve, optimize, raise and invest capital (e Ernst & Young, 2012). Atlas Iron acquiring Giralia resources was mainly driven by motif to increase it resource base. BHP Billiton acquiring HWE mining was aimed to improve synergy and efficiency in operation with undertaking contractor firm within BHP Billiton’s umbrella. Successful completion of deals benefitted both parties as well as their shareholders. In the end with reference to the academic literature both deals are discussed to extract level of alignment and support from literature. Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 ACQUISITION IN THE MINING SECTOR OF AUSTRAILIA 4 ATLAS IRON ACQUIRING GIRALIA RESOURCES 8 DEAL DETAILS 9 BHP BILLITON ACQUIRING HWE MINING 12 DEAL DETAILS 12 SUPPORT FROM LITERATURE 13 TRANSACTION ALLIGNMENT W ITH LITERATURE 15 CONCLUSION 16 REFERENCES 17 INTRODUCTION Australia stands on the leading position on mega acquisitions table with Australian BHP Billiton acquiring Petrohawk Energy of US (Oil & gas sector) with $.11, 776 million in cross border acquisition (e Ernst & Young, 2012). Mining sector of Australia also remained active to enhance its capacity, strengthen operations and portfolio. With considerable activity of Australian companies in acquisitions in the year 2011, this report will explore various areas of these acquisitions. Two inbound acquisitions deals in Australia with Atlas Iron acquiring Giralia resources ($.805 million) and BHP Billiton acquiring HWE mining ($.732 million) in focus, following areas are explored and discussed in this report: Were both deals able to achieve success completion within defined time? Details of both details. Type and level of discrepancy arisen, if any. For instance resistance from management or shareholders etc. Overall aim of the acquis ition Benefits to the acquirer and Benefits to the target firm (acquired firm). Level of support these deals can leverage from the academic literature. ACQUISITION IN THE MINING SECTOR OF AUSTRAILIA In the year 2011, the mining and metal sectors have successfully emerged as strong sector with growth trend after riding the high global economic uncertainty. Among other options to raise capital, mining sector provided an ideal environment for mergers and acquisitions specifically; however, while total deal value was up 43% on the prior year to $162.4bn, volumes were down 10% to 1,008 deals, highlighting the difficulty in evaluating, financing and executing deals (e Ernst & Young, 2012). (e Ernst & Young, 2012) (e Ernst & Young,

Race to the Top Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Race to the Top - Research Paper Example The assessment was supposed to be common for everyone throughout the state for purposes of uniformity. Disabled students were considered so they could also participate in the program. Those with the language barrier especially in English were given special accommodations. The program was meant to measure certain standards that previous programs could not. The main aim was to make scoring uniform so that colleges could use the same results for placement purposes. The discussions of the pros and cons of that program are meant to help us decide on whether the program was effective or not. Cons The first issue is that the program applies the use of multiple-choice questions in their assessment. In as much as such kind of questions reduce subjectivity when marking and scoring, they have been shown to narrow the curriculum. In addition to this, scanty reading and guesswork is highly used when answering such questions leading to untrue scores. It is impossible to tell what a student knows a nd what concepts were never understood. There was the introduction of performance tests in the 1990’s to help improve on the programs. These kinds of assessment included doing practical work, science experiments and extended essays, which enabled the student to apply theory into practice. This was to be seen as a success, but a problem arose in reliability of the scores; score results in some places could not be used to make any important inference. The tests were made of fewer questions and this meant that the area covered was not as extensive as any test should. The seriousness of the validity of performance tests was so vast that by 2002, only a few such kind of tests were given. Seeing all these disadvantages, the federal funding decided increase the number of tests and instead use a range different types of assessments. Nevertheless, this would increase the total cost of developing the tests and even scoring. It was also seen that teachers are forced to pull out of schoo l to score the tests and the inability of such teachers to engage in other activities that foster professional development. Teachers are bound to learn more during their first scoring exercise but this would change over time because of the teacher’s knowledge that scores are compared. In as much as there is professional improvement in instructions given to class, it is very hard for a teacher to change instructions that will cater for the unique needs of each student. In cases where a student was required to express what they know like in performance tests, language and inability to write essays was a hindrance to the accomplishment of many students. Apparently, only valid test scores can be used to make inferences, valid tests are those that give the same result if issued to the same group for a second time. However, such scores cannot be used to test teacher and principal quality because they do not directly do so. This may seem like very small areas but in terms of test re liability and validity, a problem in a small area is bound to make the whole test insignificant. Pros In order to know if an assessment system works, it is important to subject it to rigorous effectiveness exercises. Also for validity, it is important to make tests uniform and to standardize the conditions under which every test is given (Dietel 4). This kind of system enabled educators to perform the two exercises

Positive Impacts of Digital File Sharing Article

Positive Impacts of Digital File Sharing - Article Example With the rapid advancement and popularization of the internet, digital file sharing technology is now permeating into people’s daily life. Having noticed this trend, musicians and music retailers are now focusing on the online market leading to large changes in music culture. The virtual market has great potential: Both the accessibility and diversity of music have been greatly improved. Although online file sharing community has seemingly led to a decline in the sales of albums and the quick emergence of piracy, relative studies indicate that it does have a positive influence on the economy of the music industry as a whole, generating more revenue for music producers. While technology gives the go-ahead to distribute music all over the world with a touch of a button and makes it possible for artists to advertise on an unmatched scale it also permits music piracy anywhere, anytime. This is the unauthorized replication of goods protected under intellectual property law. This was the case when music technological advancement started back in the 1920s. Artists only got paid for sales of music purchased by radio stations but not the number of times their music got airplay. Then followed the invention of the cassette tape, which and very poor sound quality. This was followed by CDs that were largely pirated and artists got no revenue from it. The invention of file sharing and internet in the music industry increased the piracy rates, but the positive impacts that these digital platforms have brought are more than any piracy losses. Boorstin S. Eric, a lawyer graduated from Princeton University, once conducted a study about the impact of the emerging online music retail industry on total disc sales. He combined data on population characteristics with Nielson SoundScan data on CD sales for 99 metropolitan areas in the years 1998, 2000, and 2001: The total sales in music during the year 2002 were the US $32.2 billion; 41% in North America, 18.6% in Asia, 34.5% in Europe. Japan had more than 80% of the total sales in Asia, leaving Latin America and the rest of Asia and Africa to have 3.1% and 2.7% respectively.

Bruce Dawes poems Essay Example for Free

Bruce Dawes poems Essay Bruce Dawes poems explore the impacts of consumer culture and are an indictment of the growing materialism in modern society. In Enter Without So Much As Knocking (1962), Dawe portrays a world dominated by consumerism, which has lead to `conformity, and eroded the individuality of many people. The idea that our view of the world can only be seen through television and that our experience of life is restricted and controlled by it is highlighted in the satirical poem, Tele Vistas.(1977) This idea is revisited in The Not So Good Earth. (1966) Television in consumer society is the prime source of information and entertainment. Dawe expresses his concern that we have become desensitized to human suffering because it is presented to us as entertainment. The central message of the satirical poem Enter Without So Much As Knocking by Bruce Dawe is that â€Å"you are dust and unto dust you shall return†. Dawe’s biblical allusion emphasizes that it doesn’t matter how many consumer items and materialistic things are bought, everybody ends up the same way, back to dust again. Society is portrayed as the product of the consumer age and human life is determined as a by-product, lacking in real value and soon rendered obsolete. Dawe suggests that contemporary society is false and superficial. The intertextual reference to Bobby Dazzler epitomizes this: an empty smile behind the welcoming faà §ade reinforced through the superficial clichà © â€Å"all you lucky people† undercut by Dawe’s mocking tone in â€Å"and he really was lucky because it didn’t mean a thing to him†. The family is defined in terms of what they look like in advertising jargon: the mother is economy size. Consumerism now defines identity or lack of individuality. This brings the idea that in order to belong to a consumer based society, the individual must conform. This idea is reinforced through negative listing in â€Å"he was old enough to be realistic like every other godless money-hungry back-stabbing miserable so-and-so†. The derogatory labeling is a clichà ©d reference to the gossiping and derisive comments that characterize the materialistic culture Dawe is criticizing in his poem. Tele vistas (1977) is another satirical poem where humans are identified on the terms of brand names of communication companies, â€Å" Sanyo-orientated, Rank-Arena bred†. This use of metaphor reinforces how identity is shaped by  consumer culture – their character/personalization is determined by their choice of technology. The modern god is television and its viewing content is being satirized heavily by Dawe. This poem thoroughly ridicules the dominance of television media in our lives. Reality is defined by media constructs – relationships and human conversation comes second. Through Dawe’s indictment of consumer culture, he raises the issue that modern society lacks identity, individuality and purpose and that contemporary Australians are typically co-dependent on television for basic human interaction, †a faulty tube led to their meeting†. The romantic cliche’s juxtaposed with references to television suggest that the relationship of the couple would not have occurred without TV. The demise of the relationship is foreshadowed through the juxtaposition of ‘ever-faithful’ with an alliterative metaphoric reference to ‘’World at War’ in the final lines of the poem. Dawe suggests that relationships built on shared consumerism are ultimately shallow and unstable. The Not So Good Earth, like Tele Vistas, is centered on the commonplace activity of watching television. Dawe expresses his concern that individuals have become desensitized to human suffering because it is presented as entertainment. Vivid imagery of human suffering is juxtaposed with the upbeat tone to describe the satisfaction achieved by a good quality picture. This is made evident through the phrase, â€Å"using the contrast knob to bring them up dark, all those screaming faces†. Life footage is depicted as a product like a movie to be judged on its value to the consumer through, â€Å"on the quieter parts where theyre just starving away†. It is a very satirical poem that creates black humor. Through the characters complete insensitivity and absence of either empathy or sympathy, Dawe expresses amazement at the complacency of people in our society. A metaphoric and satirical reference is made by the poet commenting on the destruction of less privileged communities â€Å"We never did find out how it finished up Dad at this stage tripped over the main lead in the dark, hauling the whole set down smack on its inscrutable face, 600 million Chinese without a trace†. The light tone that focuses on the loss of the TV trivializes the loss of life referred to in these lines. By adopting the voice of a consumer Dawe parodies consumer culture and exposes the insensitivity that accompanies  shallow materialistic values. Enter Without So Much As Knocking (1962)outlines how consumer culture has eroded the individuality of people. This is also evident in Tele Vistas (1977) as Dawe portrays that life can only be seen through a television screen, not through common encounters. The Not So Good Earth (1966)is a very satirical poem that creates black humor through the idea that society has become desensitized to human suffering due to consumerism.

Context and Principles for Early Years Provision Essay Example for Free

Context and Principles for Early Years Provision Essay Indentify four different approaches to working with children and record these in the table below. Explain how each approach has influenced current early year’s provision in the UK Approaches to working with children and how has this influenced current early years provision in the UK? There are four different approaches to working with children †¢Reggio Emilia †¢High/Scope †¢Montessori †¢Steiner 1.Reggio Emilia we use Reggio Emilia this comes from a town in Italy the heart of the approach is a focus on partnerships with children and parents and them begin involved in their own learning children need control over some of their own play and learning we acts as facilitators. children learn using all their senses, children learn from play and enjoy being with others need a rich environment so they can learn and express themselves in a variety of ways EYFS linked practitioners provide opportunities for child led play, themed enabling environments that prompt us to think about how rich the environments are for children, emphasis on sensory and outdoor play, children learning through play with others. E.g. When Children play in a group with peer they learn social and emotional skills. 2.High/Scope The High / Scope approach began in the United States as a way of improving outcomes for disadvantaged children. It research shows which stresses that children should be involved in decision making and take responsibility. And setting using approach will typically expect that children learn through play their own imaginary learning. Review that and report back to other children is believed to be active learners and play through using lots of variety resource for learning. Also routines are very important in children s life to gain stability. EYFS link practitioners are provide verity of opportunities for child –initiated play. Also practitioners are encouraged to talk to children about their learning and extend that activity with involving them self. E.g. providing role model also character such as a doctor, police men and builder cloths and equipment for play 3.Montessori: The originally approach that method organised by Maria Montessori, who want to use this method for Disable children to improve children outcome. This approach is important for practitioners as an observer of children who can support children learning sensitively by making appropriate involvement. The term ‘play with a purpose’ is at the heart of Montessori as equipment and resources have specific learning objectives and provide children with step by step challenge to make progress. Using EYFS link practitioners are need to observes children individually in order to provide for their play and learning activity. E.g. Providing focus activity such as metal maths, or counting objects asking lots of questions and teaching different approach to get the answer. 4.Steiner: The Steiner approach has it origins in the work of philosopher Rudolph Steiner who founded a school after the First World War (1918) known as the Waldorf School. The Steiner approach emphasises the importance of fostering children’s creativity and imagination, their understanding and exploration of the natural world and the natural world and the important of the practitioner as a role model. A routine from a key part of the kindergarten as does a blend of adult-directed and child-initiated play. Manufactured toys are not used as these are thought to inhibit children’s natural curiosity and imagination formal reading and writing does not begin until children are 7years old and there is an emphasis on working according to children’s personalities. EYFS link practitioners supposed to plan adult-directed plat activity and provide for child –initiated play also encourage babies and toddlers to play with natural world objects. Such as acorn, tress left, stick, w ater puddle.

An Ethical Evaluation Of The Israeli Palestinian Conflict Religion Essay

An Ethical Evaluation Of The Israeli Palestinian Conflict Religion Essay The Middle East is perhaps the most important region in the world. For followers of the three monotheistic faiths, it contains several holy cities, with the most important being Jerusalem. The violence in the region, specifically in Israel-Palestine, makes it difficult for observers of these religions to worship as they please. There have been many efforts to resolve the conflict begun in the first half of the twentieth century, from peace talks to international laws. However, nothing seems to have helped. The solution needs to be one that benefits all in the region and is ethical. It is impossible, however, to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the current definition of ethics being used ethics of obligations, rights, and claims. Instead, a new ethics of fairness and forgiveness needs to be followed. Memory also needs to experience a shift from a focus on vengeance to a focus on remembering justly. Terms Defined In order to better understand the terms used by different groups examined within this paper, it is necessary to define basic terms and indicate in which ways they will be used. Israel will be used when referring to the present country of Israel. This does not include the occupied territories and is limited to the present day land. Eretz Israel will be used when necessary to describe the historically Biblical land of Israel. Any other forms of Israel discussed will be defined by the year or another trait. The occupied territories (OT) as a term will be used when discussing both the West Bank and Gaza Strip or, in different time periods, any of the lands Israeli forces occupied. If this is the case, the year will be given as well as a geographical description. During the Six Day War in 1967, for example, the Sinai Peninsula would also be an occupied territory. The West Bank was conquered by Israeli forces during the 1967 Six Day War and have been in relative control of the territory ever since. Current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning yet more Israeli settlements within the West Bank. However, international organizations such as the United Nations believe the continued settlements to be illegal.  [1]  The Gaza Strip was controlled by Egypt until the 1967 war, when Israeli forces invaded and conquered it. In 1994, the Palestinian Authority (the governing body of the occupied territories) took political control of lands in the strip not being used by Israeli arme d forces or settlers. East Jerusalem was taken over by Israeli forces during the Six Day War. According to UN Resolution 181, Jerusalem is supposed to be an international city, with a special international regime which shall be administered by the United Nations.  [2]   Fundamentalism is defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica as a type of militantly conservative religious [and/or political] movement characterized by the advocacy of strict conformity to sacred texts.  [3]  To the American public, this term generally is associated with Islamic fundamentalists. Within any religion, however, there can be different groups of fundamentalists. Islamic fundamentalists often restrict themselves to very literal interpretations of the Quran, their main holy text, and the Hadith, a book about the life of the Prophet Muhammad. Islamic fundamentalists are often associated with Islamism. Not all Islamic fundamentalists are Islamists, but generally speaking, all Islamists are Islamic fundamentalists. Islamists want a religious state, with Islamic law, or Sharia, replacing secular laws. Islamists also promote the notion of pan-Islamism, or the unity of all Muslims, and the elimination of non-Islamic influences, such as western ideals, practices, and more.  [4]  For many, this means waging a holy war against outsiders, known as a lesser jihad in mainstream Islam. Jewish fundamentalism is a little more difficult to explain. Gush Emunim is an example of one such group. Zionism is the notion that the Jewish people need to reestablish their homeland in Israel. After the founding of Israel, Zionism evolved into the thought that the Israelis have the right to occupy the entire land of Israel. For some, this means Eretz Israel. There are Zionists who support the state of Israel without religious views coming into play. These are not usually fundamentalists. Zionist fundamentalists are those who use religious viewpoints to support an extreme Zionist cause one that usually involves the occupation of lands in Eretz Israel and the expulsion of all non-Jewish people from Israel, specifically Muslims. The Current Problem with Ethics in the Middle East The area of ethics is difficult to define. The average person tends to believe that it involves laws and/or religions. However, ethics can be better defined as standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues.  [5]  Religions and philosophies do serve as moral compasses for many individuals, but people who do not subscribe to any particular religion still can be ethical and moral. Ethics can be situational or static, and, like other values, can be compromised. Ethics is also involved in notions of justice. While ethics deals with notions of right and wrong, justice utilizes ethics and law in order to come to a fair conclusion regarding specific cases. Highly publicized viewpoints on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, such as those presented by groups like Hamas, often cite a problem of retribution and justice when discussing relations with groups on the other side. There is too much of a focus on achieving justice, or retribution, for past actions. For many, this justice is a requirement for future peace negotiations. However, retribution is not always the right way to achieve a just end nor is it always an available option. There is also a problem with the use of rights. Each group to be evaluated claims the other has no right to exist, whether it is through their actions or ideologies. Israel should not exist, say those who agree with Hamas and Hezbollah, because the inhabitants had no right to occupy the land held by the Palestinians. They believe that they are defending their homelands against Israeli invaders and use this to justify their actions. Many Israelis believe that groups such as Hamas have no right to exist because of their ideological and physical attacks against Israel. These groups create a security problem for Israeli citizens, so Israelis believe any actions against the Palestinians are justified. The problem with claiming that one group has more of a right to exist in an area than another is that rights are very tricky: Rights are, in the words of the legal philosopher Ronald Dworkin, trumps over all other claims. They can also become barriers to compromise and to peace, since it is more difficult sometimes impossible to give up rights than to give up mere preferences of other claims.  [6]   Current peace-seeking groups do try to address some of these problems. Gush Shalom, for example supports a Right of Return for Palestinian refugees where the Israeli government will help to set the Palestinians up in Israel, or even another country. Palestinians can also choose another method of compensation. However, until the work of groups like Gush Shalom can become more mainstream, it does not seem like the above problems can be rightly addressed. From the current ethical standpoint, no one can win. The Middle East has been in turmoil for many years and, as a result, thousands of lives have been lost in the violence. There can be no justice, in the traditional sense of the word, for these victims. There is no way to muddle through the claims on all sides to determine exactly who started what first, or to get retribution for all those who have hurt and suffered. Justice can only occur once we alter our current stance on justice. Presentation and Evaluation of Group Ideologies Each of the following groups has been chosen because of their fundamentalist ideologies and their popularity among the common people within their countries. Hamas has gained political power in the Gaza Strip, giving them legitimacy amongst people residing there. However, their link to terrorism as a result of their ideological beliefs has limited the ability of other countries to recognize Hamas right to lead. Hezbollah faces a similar problem within Lebanon, on a more violent scale. Gush Emunim is the only group to have virtually ceased to exist, except in acceptance of ideology. The beliefs of this group have now become the norm for many living within Israel. Hamas was founded in 1987 and grew out of Egypts Muslim Brotherhood. The next year, however, Hamas published their charter one that began to separate itself from the nonviolent message of the Muslim Brotherhood.  [7]  The group slowly turned into a combination of Islamic fundamentalism and Palestinian nationalism.  [8]  The organization gained power through its extensive social programs. The bulk of their current budget goes to schools, healthcare, soup kitchens, and other social services. Since coming to power in the Gaza Strip in 2006, Hamas has consistently attacked Israel and other Palestinian groups who recognize Israels right to exist through media and physical means. Hamas charter calls for the destruction of Israel and the creation of an Islamist state in its place.  [9]  It is only this, they believe, that will cease the colonization and western influences in Middle Eastern lands. Hamas refuses to recognize the right of Israel to exist. This combined with terrorist links have caused several countries to refuse to recognize the right of Hamas to lead. These counties have since ceased all funding and support. Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim political group in Lebanon created as a result of the 1982 invasion of Lebanese lands by Israeli forces. Hezbollah won popularity within Lebanon through their social programs. Their political leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has a very religious background, but does not serve as the religious leader.  [10]  Hezbollah sees the destruction of the Israeli state and the replacement of Israel with an Islamic state as a long-term goal.  [11]  More immediate goals include the establishment of an Islamist state within Lebanon and the expulsion of western powers and influences.  [12]  The main idea is that an Islamist state is the only one which an outside western force will not be able to invade and take over.  [13]  Hezbollah sees violence as a method to bring about the change that they seek. The group itself is quick to point out, though, that they have moved to a less violent and imposing platform based on political action instead of terrorism.  [14 ]  Hezbollah has indeed taken to involvement in political life within Lebanon. It remains a minority group within the Lebanese Parliament. In August of 2008, the Lebanese Parliament approved a national unity cabinet, giving Hezbollah veto power with eleven of thirty seats.  [15]   Both Hamas and Hezbollah have taken extreme positions against Israel. These groups have resorted to violent means in order to get their point across in the past, and continue to do so today. Ironically, these actions have only gotten these groups condemned by international organizations. Violence causes more problems for the people they are trying to help as well as harming others unnecessarily. Hamas has focused too much on their claim to the land which now makes up Israel. From a logical standpoint, there is no way to de-establish Israel and give what Hamas would consider ample justice or retribution. Founded in 1974, Gush Emunim subscribes to an extreme form of Zionism, which calls for Israeli control over Eretz Israel. The group is theological in nature, though this does not make it exclusively religious. The Jewish people have been chosen by God, according to the Bible. The goal of Gush Emunim is to establish settlements in the Palestinian territories in order to eventually regain control of the lands given by God, as well as to promote this goal among others. For members of this group, there is no room for compromise, and to give up the control of any part of Eretz Israel would be blasphemy and a sin against God.  [16]   Gush Emunim began to set up settlements in the occupied territories in the mid to late 1970s. Due mainly to ideological issues, the settlements ended up facing a large amount of resentment and problems with the nearby Arab settlers. They asked for the Israeli government to step in and, eventually, the government felt as though it was forced to do so due to public opinion and violence around the settlements.  [17]  Gush Emunim then set up more settlements in order to reach its goal. To further complicate peace talks and other negotiations in recent years, former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has been purported to be a big supporter of Gush Emunim.  [18]   Gush Emunim focused too much on the right of the Israeli people to rule over all of Eretz Israel and not enough on the possible consequences of their actions. While they did come close to achieving their goal, supporters of Gush Emunim forced the government into an awkward position and ended up alienating Palestinians. Using religiously-related rights to these lands also put outside groups in an awkward position. Who is the United Nations to say that God did not give all of Biblical Israel to the Jews? Movements for Peace The following groups have been chosen for their peace-achieving efforts in the Middle East. Gush Shalom is a predominantly Jewish organization, having starting in Israel. The International Solidarity Movement is Palestinian-based. However, like other peace-seeking groups, members of both organizations come from a variety of places. Both groups support the Palestinian struggle. However, the connections between the International Solidarity Movement and possible terrorism are pushing people with the potential to make a difference away. Founded in 1993, Gush Shalom is a very well known peace movement group active within Israel.  [19]  The group is extremely concerned with the treatment of the Palestinian people. They recognize the problems caused by Israeli forces and focus on creating a partnership between the two countries in order to have a more prosperous future. The groups main goals are related to ending the occupation and bringing peace to the region. Unlike other groups, Gush Shalom recognizes the Right of Return of the Palestinian refugees, allowing each refugee to choose freely between compensation and repatriation to Palestine and Israel, and fixing by mutual agreement the number of refugees who will be able to return to Israel in annual quotas.  [20]  Even more than that, Gush Shalom has proposed that Israel could help set up Palestinian refugees in another country.  [21]  No one within the organization is paid for their work, as all involvement with Gush Shalom is voluntary.  [22]  The o rganization has won several awards for its efforts to bring peace to the region. The group also works closely with the Palestinian Liberation Organization. This relationship even led to a draft of a peace agreement between the two organizations.  [23]  In this agreement, a two-state solution was discussed, wherein the border of the Palestinian state was defined as the lines of the cease-fire agreement of June 4, 1967.  [24]  A council would be established for Israelis and Palestinians to rule Jerusalem, the capital of both states, together.  [25]  This was first brought up by the United Nations.  [26]  The most interesting part of this document is how Gush Shalom handles the refugee problem. As mentioned before, Palestinian refugees have a choice between staying in Palestine, moving to Israel, or establishing lives in another country.  [27]  A truth commission of historians would be established, whose report on the major problems in Israel and the occupied territories would eventually placed in the textbooks of both countries.  [28]   From an ethical standpoint, Gush Shalom is pushing a new, radical point of view. Other peace groups advocate for the equality of Palestinian peoples and the establishment of a two-state solution. However, this is the only public organization that has made it a priority to investigate the problems inherent in the Middle Eastern conflict and publish them for future Israelis and Palestinians to read about and learn from. Gush Shalom is also one of the only Israeli-based groups petitioning for a Right of Return for the Palestinian people. They recognize the need for massive negotiations and compromise in order to achieve peace. If political groups can take the ideas and positions given here by Gush Shalom, peace could be possible. The biggest problem standing in the way of politicians and groups is how to get elected in Israel while running on this kind of platform. The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) was founded in 2001, with the express mission of assisting the Palestinian people in gaining support for their cause, as well as offering a degree of protection and a way to voice their opinions.  [29]  The ISM promotes nonviolent forms of fighting the occupation, like protesting, marching, and documenting problems between Palestinians and Israeli armed forces (IDF).  [30]  Perhaps the most important part ISM plays is the assistance they give to Palestinians during emergencies, like escorting ambulances through checkpoints.  [31]   In recent years, there has been some controversy over ISMs possible support for suicide bombings. There have been several poorly worded documents in which ISM leaders and other ISM-related people have seemingly supported suicide bombings carried out by Palestinians.  [32]  There have also been some connections to terrorists.  [33]  However, ISM states that they oppose the tactic of suicide bombings, especially those that have been carried out against civilian targets. We dont however think that it is a more brutal tactic than dropping a bomb from a fighter plane on a civilian-occupied apartment building, firing a tank shell down a crowded city street, or placing dynamite in a family home. They are all brutal and repulsive acts.  [34]   ISM also goes on to say that suicide bombings are simply weapons of desperate people who just do not have access to other weapons. While they believe these bombings are reprehensible, it is, in their opinion, an understandable move by an oppressed people fighting for their basic rights.  [35]   While this group is doing very real things to help the Palestinian people within the occupied territories, it is also far too focused on being anti-Israel. There are not a lot of occasions where the ISM and Israeli groups can work together, because of the problems within the ISM handling publicity issues. The poorly worded documents and possible ties to terrorism referred to above have a lot to do that. Despite ISM issuing statements to counter these claims, there are still a lot of concerned people and organizations who are leery of being involved with ISM. ISM workers also face a lot of danger, and many have been killed as a result of their work mostly by the IDF.  [36]  Because of these problems, it is also difficult to say, from an ethical standpoint, how helpful this organization is. It does provide helpful services to Palestinian farmers, like help with harvesting and protection from the IDF. However, there are just too many warning signs for this group to be fully embrace d. A Change in Ethics Evaluating the situation in Israel-Palestine using the current system of ethics does not work. The ethics of rights, obligations, and duties, brings with it too many questions and too many opportunities for disagreement and exclusion. Rights bring up claims which cannot necessarily be disputed or worked with. Obligations and duties require more of a direct acknowledgement of wrongs one group has perpetrated against the other. Unfortunately, in this conflict, there just is no way to keep score. Details of conflicts are too murky in most cases to concretely say which party started what problem. With that in mind, how can it be determined which party owes the other more? This task would be so time-consuming and tedious that there is no way it would benefit those currently in the situation. And so, the world must find a different way of viewing the ethics of this conflict. In his book, The Prophets, Abraham Heschel comes to the realization that there is a better form of ethics, one based not on obligations but instead on fairness. This is based on his unique understanding of the link between justice and righteousness. In essence, they are separate ideals, though they are linked: Righteousness goes beyond justice. Justice is strict and exact, giving each person his due. Righteousness implies benevolence, kindness, generosity. Justice is form, a state of equilibrium; righteousness has a substantive associated meaning. Justice may be legal, righteousness is associated with a burning compassion for the oppressed.  [37]   Justice, then, is more concrete and straightforward. It is something that is currently rewarded, but instead should be automatic.  [38]  However, it can be misused and corrupted.  [39]  This corruption can lead to a perversion of justice, where oppression is rampant.  [40]  Righteousness is needed to help keep justice pure. It involves the quality of a persons character.  [41]  Righteousness is what helps to give justice a more personal touch, moving from a notion of retribution to one of satisfaction and assistance. Justice involves the claims of one person or group and the responsibility of another person or group to answer that claim.  [42]  This works because of the sense that each person in a community is tied together.  [43]  What one person or group does to help another also helps the community as a whole. Righteousness is what helps people to give to the community and to assist each other. In the traditional sense of the word, justice requires retribution jail time, fines, or other punishment to fit a crime or wrong-doing. However, there are situations in which the classic notion of retribution is unthinkable or improper. If one of the parties has died, it becomes more difficult to seek justice for him or her. It is also difficult to handle justice when there are too many conflicting stories to produce proper retribution. Both of the above occur in the Middle Eastern conflict. As exemplified in the story of Cain and Abel, sometimes options other than punishment must be explored: Cain, slaying his brother, does not receive the punishment he deserves. Though justice would require that Abels blood be avenged, Cain is granted divine pardon and protection.  [44]  Here, in a situation where retribution may have been understandable, God instead decides to forgo this form of justice for one of protection and forgiveness. Forgiveness does not dictate that retribution be gi ven for an action, but instead requires a surrendering of grudges and anger. It should be personal and conditional: We may forgive the criminal; is it right to forgive the crime? I may forgive a wrong done to me; but do I have the right to forgive a wrong done to others? Unconditional forgiveness may be found in Pandoras box, a fine incentive to vice. Anger is a reminder that man is in need of forgiveness, and that forgiveness must not be taken for granted.  [45]   When this is applied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the real importance of this distinction takes shape. An outside entity cannot fix the conflict, or bring it to an end. It is not the place of the United Nations or other countries to forgive the Israelis and/or the Palestinians. In order for peace to occur, a Palestinian may have to forgive the Israeli people as a whole for wrongs done to them in the past, just as an Israeli may have to forgive the Palestinian people. Does this forgive the crimes themselves? Absolutely not. Does this justify what has occurred between the two parties? Again, the answer is no. However, it is only with this mindset of starting anew that the people involved in this conflict can move beyond past actions and start to look ahead into the future. According to Heschel, then, justice does not have to involve retribution. His ethics of justice involve fairness, righteousness, and forgiveness instead. Using righteousness, Heschel acknowledges the necessity for a personal touch to how justice is carried out. Forgiveness gives us the idea that it is acceptable to forgive a wrong instead of seeking retribution, and that it is a God-like quality. Forgiveness does not dismiss the wrongs committed, but simply clears both the aggressor and victim of some level of guilt and pain. Heschel worries a lot about the misuse of justice. When the human factor is removed from consideration, the compassion that righteousness brings into the equation is gone and no real justice can be had.  [46]  Righteousness must accompany any form of justice, because There are many ways of evading the law and escaping the arm of justice. Only a few acts of violence are brought to the attention of the courts. As a rule, those who know how to exploit are endowed with the skill to justify their acts, while those who are easily exploited possess no skill in pleading their own cause. Those who neither exploit nor are exploited are ready to fight when their own interests are harmed; they will not be involved when not personally affected. Who shall plead for the helpless? Who shall prevent the epidemic of injustice that no court of justice is capable of stopping?  [47]   Israelis, then, can be seen to be the skilled exploiters, while the Palestinians do not possess a real ability to fight for themselves. The international community does not help out, unless their well-being is threatened. The United States will hold peace talks, but beyond that, little governmental help is offered to the Palestinians. What the Palestinians need is a prophet of sorts, someone to voice the problems they face. Where Can the Alternate Understanding Be Seen Today? Former President Jimmy Carter could be the Palestinians prophet. He was instrumental in bringing about a more peaceful period in the Middle East when he hosted the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel in 1978. In the end, three different conclusions were made. The Gaza Strip and the West Bank were to be given the opportunity to rule themselv