Work Law Policies

Introduction Industrial relations and work policies are crucial factors of economic growth and development for a capitalist nation. Australia, being a capitalist nation, is one of the developed countries that have been in labour crisis for a long time. The involved stakeholders have been striving to unveil the best work policies and industrial relations that would bring a lasting solution to the citizens.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Work Law Policies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Unfortunately, the political regimes have ascended into power by using these mysteries as stepping stones, whereby, the ruling government fails to deliver the best policies, thus giving a clear path for the opposition who seem to have what the citizens have yearned for a long time. In 2007, the Rudd-led opposition party had a renowned mantra for campaigning in the federal election of Australia. There was a heated debate i n the entire nation concerning the existing industrial relations and working policies that were seen to have deprived employees of their rights, and had been introduced by the Howard’s ruling government. The public was tried of the working policies and industrial relations and it felt inferior to the government and employers who denied them labour rights as required by the international labour rights. According to the international industrial relations organisation, the work policies and industrial relations must adhere to three factors, which include efficiency, equity, and voice (Wooden â€Å"Industrial Relations Reform† 244). Looking into these factors; firstly, the efficiency of a policy is determined by factors that include streamlined enforcement of regulations, reasonable employees’ benefits, and effective training programs. Secondly, the ability of a policy to enhance equity is determined by its ability to advocate for the rights of employees in relation to living wages and salaries, safety at the workplaces, health insurance, non-discrimination policies, discipline and dismissal policies, and work to family balancing. Finally, the ability of a policy to promote the voice of employees is determined by its position to allow employees to join labour unions at will, participate in the decision-making processes, and enjoy the freedom to air their grievances without the fear of victimisation. These factors form the basis for judging the validity and efficiency of such policies in a country.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This paper compares and contrasts the â€Å"Forward with Fairness† (2005) with â€Å"Work Choices: A New Workplace Relations System† (2005) with regard to their adherence to efficiency, equity, and voice. However, it is important to note that the Forward and Fairness policy was introduced as a political agenda aimed at counteracting the Work Choices and thus it seems more efficient though it could not have been implemented without hitches that are discussed in this paper. Work Choices: A New Workplace Relations System In 2005, John Howard, the then Australian Prime minister, together with his political affiliates argued that Work Choices was a modernised and simplified method of regulating work and industrial relations in Australia. Howard’s Work Choices received criticisms that were beyond reasonable doubts, since the majority of Australians felt the need to have workplaces that guaranteed fairness and freedom to employees. The government had failed to ensure that employees had such rights at the workplaces, and the citizens were longing for a change of government in the next federal election (Rudd and Gillard 20). In 2005, the Australians were in full support of the implementation of the Work Choices for it promised better working conditions and hence impro ved living standards. However, this anticipation did not materialise due to various factors that lied in the relations between the government and employers. The government could not have implemented the policies because of the lobby activists that operated from within and the great influence of employers in the economic growth and development of the country. Hence, the problem was in the poor leadership that considered the interests of a few and ignored the needs of the vast majority. Looking into the components of the Work Choices, the first was â€Å"New protections of minimum wages and conditions† (Wooden â€Å"Implications of Work Choices† 108). Howard and his affiliates promised to look into the needs of Australian employees in relation to protection and wages at the work place (Kramp 52).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Work Law Policies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This clause w as supposed to be implemented by setting up an independent body to look into the employees’ wages and salaries in an effort to promote their living standards. The independent body was supposed to set up policies that defined the minimum wages that could be given to different qualification standards in the country (Lye and McDonald 34). Secondly, it was supposed to set up standards for safety net, through which the government would set the minimum set of conditions for employment. Those conditions included maximum working hours in a day for an employee, the right to have an annual leave and its minimum duration, and the right to have a personal leave based on personal affairs such as sickness and parental care leave. Those minimum conditions were passed into law and were implemented by the Fair Pay Commission. The commission noted that all labour agreements concerning the salaries and wages between the employer and the employee should meet those minimum conditions. In addition , Work Choices stipulated that the maximum number of working hours in a week should not exceed thirty-eight, in excess of which overtime pay must be offered as per the number of excess hours. Concerning the annual leave, the employee has a right to have a payable annual leave of at least four weeks and five weeks for shift workers. However, the Fair Pay Commission noted that an employee has a right to cash out a leave and the employer had no right under the law to force an employee to do so or to refuse to do so if the employer wishes. Concerning the personal leave, an employee has at least ten days of paid personal leave in twelve months that is cumulative, but a compulsory compassionate leave of two days to care for the ill and attending funerals of the loved ones. If the compassionate leave occurs after exhausting the twelve days of both compassionate and personal leave, an employee may be given an additional two unpaid days in the case of an emergency leave. In the case of a par ental leave, an employee has a right to take up to fifty-two days of unpaid leave in the case of birth or adopting a child, but both parents cannot take leave exceeding one week in the case of birth or else three weeks for adopting a child. In the case of casual employees, an eligible employee for this policy should have served for at least twelve months continuously under one employer.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition to the first component of the Work Choices, it also offered for ‘The Protection against Unlawful Termination’ from a workplace. Work Choices promised Australians that it would continue to protect employees against unlawful termination from their working places regardless of the size of businesses where they are employed. However, there were definitions of unlawful termination and according to Work Choice; unlawful termination is the dismissal of an employee from the workplace because of temporary absenteeism at workplace duet o injuries or illness, or willingness to join a trade union. Others include acting on behalf of other employees like in the case of airing their grievances, participating in proceedings that would tarnish the image of an employer, dismissal based on gender, race, disability, or any other form of discrimination, and refusal to negotiate with an employer. In the case of unlawful dismissal, the Work Choices stipulated that employees were e ligible to a compensation of at least $4000. Looking, into the above first component of the Work Choices, it emphasised on all the three factors that a good working policy must adhere to, which include efficiency, equity, and voice. The second influential policy for the Work Choice was the ‘Awards’. The policy stipulated that workers would remain eligible to their awards regardless of their coverage by workplace agreements. In addition, it defined the awarding conditions of an employee under which an employee is fully eligible to receive the award from the employer. Those conditions included long service leaves such as annual and parental leaves, but other conditions that had been included in other jurisdictions were removed and they included superannuation, notice on termination of employment, and jury service. However, under the awards, there were some removable elements from the awarding offer and they included traineeships, independent contractors, and labour hired workers for they served under temporary labour agreements. By considering the above policies of Work Choices, Australians were anxious of attaining a simpler and fairer labour system that would have boosted their living standards. Howard and his affiliates promised to protect the rights of both the employer and the employee by introducing an office of the workplace rights, which would have the mandate of ensuring that the protection of the two parties is guaranteed. This office would also ensure that both the employee and the employer meet their obligations and impose penalties on the offender in the case of breaches of the agreement (Watson 169). In addition, Howard promised that the office of work choices would ensure that both the employees and employers know their rights by offering civic education. However, the new policy would not interfere with the role of the existing Australian Industrial Relations Commission that deals with dispute resolutions at the work place. Work Choic es was believed to concentrate on introducing mechanisms that would boost cooperation between employees and their employers. In so doing, there had to be a transitional stage that is often filled with reluctance and disputes, but it left the issues of dispute resolutions amongst the employees and their employers. This gap could have resulted to minor conflicts that are easily solvable ending up in the industrial courts due to lack of undefined dispute resolution mechanism, which would pose great risks to the employees serving under unfaithful employers. Forward and Fairness Interestingly, forward and fairness is an improvement of Work Choice resulting from the gaps that were left in the drafting and implementing stages of the Work Choices policy. The policy was developed in 2007 under the watch of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard who were members of parliament belonging to the Labour Party that was then the Australian official opposition in Howard’s government. According to Rudd and Gillard (16), Work Choices failed to achieve fairness and flexibility at workplaces and it had resulted in the creation of imbalances in the workplaces for two years that it had been in existence. Howard’s government came under much criticism due to failure to deliver much of its promises that had initially adhered to efficiency, equity, and voice. For instance, under the Australian Workplace Agreements, many employees had lost penalties in cases where employers were found to have unlawfully dismissed them, it failed to emphasise on the payments of overtimes, shift allowances, and other awards that had been promised to the citizens before the introduction of the Work Choices. Forward and Fairness promised Australians that it would reverse the situation once the Labour Party ascended into power after the 2007 federal elections. Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard put more emphasis on their ability to introduce fairer and more flexible policies in the Australian industrial relatio ns and a smooth transition from the Work Choices laws. Mr. Howard did not apply a smooth transition mechanism in his introduction for the Work Choices, but instead he did a rapid transition that resulted in the abolition of some labour institutions, thus giving rise to crises in the country’s labour sector. During the transition in 2006, many citizens lost their jobs as employers were afraid of retaining their contracts (Befort 11). The haste transition had adverse effects to the entire implementation process due to reaction from the opposition and the affected citizens. In addition, some employers got an opportunity to act unlawfully by dismissing contractual workers based on expired contracts and as a result, there were numerous disputes in the industrial courts, which overwhelmed the government. This scenario led to the dismissal of cases that lacked enough evidences and in most cases benefiting the unfaithful employers. Therefore, Rudd and Gillard had learnt from the mist akes of their counterparts and opted to apply a transition mechanism that would not allow for negative reaction from the employers, employees, and the public. In addition, the Work Choices also seemed to have created an imbalance between the employer and employees by inflexible pay arrangements. For instance, the pay arrangement did not specify the employees’ pay limit for eligibility, which exposed the employer to financial risks. Hence, they specified the upper limit of eligibility to be $100,000 and above, where employee earning less than that amount was eligible for the awarding system (Ryan 206). According to Cooper (289), after a successful ascension into power, Rudd and Gillard made a smooth transition that took more than twelve months. By 2009, there had been a great change in the manner in which industrial regulations were conducted in Australia. It is interesting to note that in the transition plan, they had considered the need for employers, who were bound to the o ld order of Australian Workplace Arrangement, to be given enough time to adapt to the new system before its complete abolition, which would be effected after twelve months. That period was necessary for both the employees and employers since it was enough to change the mentality and get prepared to comply with new regulations (Cooper 290). In addition, the Labour government under the leadership of Kevin Rudd assured the citizens of Australia that it would ensure that they have strong and fair safety net of balanced industrial relations and effective award protection. In addition, employees would not be in a position to get into working conditions that undermined the safety net, as had been the case in the Howard’s regime. He promised to ensure that collective enterprise bargaining would be his tool for attaining the desired flexibility between the employees and the employers (Baird, Hancock, and Isaac 89). In conclusion, it is evident that Forward with Fairness Policy was an improvement of the Work Choices. Upon the drafting of the Work Choices implementation plan in 2005, Australians were happy to have a promising future in relation to the improvement of the work place relations, but due to poor implementation strategy, this goal never materialised. Hence, judging the Work Choices by the nature of its appearance in the implementation plan, it was valid in the sense that it adhered to efficiency, equity, and voice. On the other hand, Forward with Fairness is a better policy than the Work Choices since it was founded with consideration to the mistakes that had been made in the implementation process of the former policy. Rudd and Gillard had noted that the failure of the Work Choices hinged on poor implementation strategy that did not consider the transition process needed for adaptation to the new industrial policies by both employers and employees. Hence, they adopted the title ‘Forward with Fairness’, and they achieved the desired results . Works Cited Baird, Marian, Keith Hancock, and Joel Isaac. Work and Employment Relations:  Ã‚  An Era of Change, Sydney: The Federation Press, 2011. Print. Befort, Stephen 2009, Invisible Hands, Invisible Objectives: Bringing Workplace  Law and Public Policy into Focus. PDF File. 26 Sep. 2013. www.ilera-directory.org/15thworldcongress/files/†¦/Thur_W4_BUDD.pdf. Cooper, Rae. â€Å"Forward Labour with Fairness? Industrial Relations under in 2008.†Ã‚  Journal of industrial relations 51.3 (2009): 285–296. Print. Kramp, Ole. Minimum Wage Legislation in Australia, Germany† GRIN Verlag, 2009. Print. Lye, Jenny, and Ian McDonald. â€Å"The Effectiveness of Incomes Policies, Enterprise Bargaining and Inflation Targeting in Australia.† Australian Economic Papers 43.1 (2007):21-38. Print. Rudd, Kelvin, and Julia Gillard 2007, Forward with Fairness Policy Implementation  Plan.PDF File. 26 Sep. 2013. www.airc.gov.au/kirbyarchives/2009exhibn /documents/07042 8FWF.pdf‎. Ryan, Mathew. â€Å"Workplace Relations Reform, Prosperity, and Fairness.† Australian  Economic Review 38.5 (2009): 201-210. Print. Watson, Ian. â€Å"Minimum Wages and Employment.† The Australian Economic Review  Ã‚  37.1 (2008):166-172. Print. Wooden, Mark. â€Å"Implications of Work Choices Legislation.† Agenda 13.2 (2006): 99- 116. Print. Wooden, Mark. â€Å"Industrial Relations Reform in Australia: Causes, Consequences and Prospects.† The Australian Economic Review 34.8 (2001): 243-262. Print. This research paper on Work Law Policies was written and submitted by user Raul S. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Best TV Shows About College Life

Best TV Shows About College Life If not for television, would we know how it feels to have the experience of raising 8 kids? Would we understand the thrill and rush that comes with learning to express yourself in high school through song and dance? What about the strength, bravery, and courage of a woman trapped in a religious theocracy that is simply doing what she can to survive and get herself out? While the plots for shows mentioned above may take their liberties with emotion and drama to create visually stunning programming and ratings producing statistics, something is to be said for those shows that create a more realistic window into the everyday lives of people. One of the most important of those experiences being, of course, college life. Television has, over the decades, created a wide range of shows that are meant to represent college life. Some take a more whimsical approach to the topic, like when Sabrina went to college and learned that life with magic isnt just hard in high school. Others take a more simple approach, choosing to pick and pull sugar coated lessons from college meant to entertain, rather than provide thoughtful insight into a character or experience like when Saved by The Bell took it to the College Years.. However, not all shows are designed to just be purely for entertainment. Some of the best tv shows about college put the focus on the characters and their complicated and sometimes tragic backstories, the political realness that comes with being different in a place where you have a voice to express it, and the all to familiar sense of falling in and out of love with the person you are becoming. Throw in a bit of bad cooking, take-out, deadlines, and romance, and you have the makings of a truly great tv show about college life. Here is our list of the Best TV Shows About College Life! Dear White People This critically acclaimed show about college life comes from Justin Simien. Dear White People focuses on a group of African American students at an Ivy League school that is trying to balance their school life with the â€Å"post-racial† society we are currently in. While sometimes misguided, their actions put them in situations that give voice to current social and political issues facing minority college students today. What makes Dear White People so great, is that it is for everyone. The show doesnt just focus on stereotypical â€Å"black-anger† or â€Å"white-guilt†, instead, it shows us what life is like learning to interact with people on both sides who just dont know better than what they have been raised to believe. With an intelligent script and a standout cast, this is one college life tv show that you are sure to binge watch! Grown-Ish Something about college show spin-offs always tends to do well and Grown-ish is no exception. A spin-off of ABC’s blackish follows their eldest daughter as she traverses her way between what the series creator calls â€Å"that in-between place where you are not quite an adult but facing grown world problems for the first time.† What we love about this show is its very real ability to show how the character struggles with not always getting what she wants. Too often we go to college assuming that we have finally made it, only to realize that we are only just beginning the first steps into adulthood. This show provides an excellent view of what this can make us feel like, and more importantly, the do’s and donts of how to react to it. Veronica Mars Veronica Mars follows the story of a girl who had everything in high school, and, after a series of personal events, finds herself an outcast in her school and neighborhood. Turning lemons into lemonade, she begins her journey of healing and self-discovery working as a private detective for her father. While the first 2 seasons of this show put Veronica in high school, the final third season explores her transition into college life. The confidence, bravery, and cunningness needed to survive those harsh high school years are just enough to help her keep a hold on things as they turn upside down in college. What we love about Veronica Mars and her college years is watching what type of greatness can be achieved out of tragedy. No story is better for watching someone who fell from grace so to speak, rise up to be better, smarter, and more capable than they had ever dreamed of being. Different World This Cosby Show spin-off follows the life of Denise Huxtable as she journeys through her college life at a historically black college. What makes this so real is that it represented life for African Americans in a way that hadnt been done on TV at the time. Fully diving into the social and political challenges that people of color were facing at the time was highly instrumental in teaching and motivating African American students to enroll in university and find an outlet to be the type of change they wished to see in the world. Mixed into the all-star cast, and the strong storylines was also a lot of fun, laughs, pranks, and hilarious misunderstandings. Truly one of the best television shows about college ever created! Community This NBC sitcom features a ragtag bunch of students that get together, initially, to form a study group. As time continues, they form a rather unique, bond that pulls them through the ups and downs of life at a community college. What makes Community great is that the setting isnt your typical university where everyone is bright eyed and bushy tailed with a long and exciting future ahead of them. With it being a community college, the age of the characters widens,providing a unique perspective into the world of people when they think that they have done everything right and it all turns out so wrong. The best part about this college life tv show is that it uses humor and hijinks to prove a lesson that most are looking for in college just be yourself, because nobody knows what they are doing! Felicity Felicity followed a small town girl who thought she would follow a small town boy to the Big Apple to win him over. While Felicity led a sheltered existence, she soon learns that life doesnt always go as planned and that finishing the day off as the same person you started it isnt always possible. What makes Felicity so great is the fact that it best represents what happens when we thought we had a plan, and even something better comes along. The endless possibilities that hit us in our college years provide the foundation that we build all future decisions on and the story of Felicity’s journey is a moving and inspiring one that is sure to connect with anyone who wanted to follow their heart to a better life. The Magicians The Magicians comes from a book of the same name and follows a group of students doing a postgraduate program at Brakebills a school for magic. Often described as a darker and more adult version of Harry Potter, this show, in reality, is so much more. What makes this show so great is the fact that the magic aspect isnt a huge deal in the show. Or at least it is just as important as showing the characters leveling up of their emotional and mental prowess in addition to their magical one. Love, betrayal, stress, and anxiety all fold together beautifully to show a college experience that has everyone constantly stressed and worried if they are going to make it to the next day. That is surely something that everyone can relate to. And while the extra sci-fi touch to it may be a bit much for some, we are confident that it is just enough to keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more! Whether we love watching them because the stories are more relatable, or because the characters are more believable, (no teenager is ever that clever in real lifeever), one thing is for certain, they are the shows that touched our hearts and got us through some of the best and worst times in that wonderful time we call college life. Image credit: IMDB

Sacred Heart University Admissions and Acceptance Rate

Sacred Heart University Admissions and Acceptance Rate Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut admits over half of the  applicants each year. Those interested in applying to the school will need to submit an application, letters of recommendation, and official high school transcripts. While SAT or ACT scores are not required, prospective students can submit them if they would like. Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) Sacred Heart University Acceptance Rate: 57  percentGPA, SAT and ACT Graph for Sacred Heart Admissions: Sacred Heart University does not require applicants to submit standardized test scores with their application. You are welcome to do so if you want them to be considered.Northeast Conference SAT score comparisonNortheast Conference ACT score comparisonCompare SAT scores for Connecticut collegesCompare ACT scores for Connecticut colleges Sacred Heart University Description Founded in 1963, Sacred Heart is a relatively young Catholic university. The 69-acre campus is located in Fairfield, Connecticut, 90 minutes from Manhattan. The university has a 13 to 1  student/faculty  ratio  and an average class size of about 22. Sacred Heart has  45 degree  programs. Among undergraduates, business and psychology are the most popular. The school frequently ranks well among northeastern colleges. On the athletic front, the Sacred Heart University Pioneers compete in the NCAA Division I  Northeast Conference. The school fields 31 Division I teams, and students can also participate in 28 club sports. Enrollment (2015) Total Enrollment: 8,532  (5,428 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 36 percent male / 64 percent female88  percent full-time Costs (2016 -17) Tuition and Fees: $38,300Books: $1,200 (why so much?)Room and Board: $14,450Other Expenses: $2,650Total Cost: $56,600 Sacred Heart University Financial Aid (2015 -16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 100 percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 99 percentLoans: 68  percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $15,033Loans: $11,047 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors:  Accounting, Athletic Training, Biology, Business Administration, Communication Studies, Criminal Justice, English, Finance, Nursing, Political Science, Psychology What major is right for you?  Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 83 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 58 percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 64 percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports:  Fencing, Football, Wrestling, Volleyball, Basketball, Golf, Soccer, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, BaseballWomens Sports:  Rowing, Rugby, Fencing, Golf, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball, Bowling, Basketball, Cross Country If You Like Sacred Heart, You May Also Like These Schools Boston University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSouthern Connecticut State University: Profile  Yale University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphNew York University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphQuinnipiac University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphAlbertus Magnus College: Profile  Hofstra University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBrown University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWesleyan University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphProvidence College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Connecticut: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of New Haven: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Sacred Heart University Mission Statement Read the complete mission statement at sacredheart.edu/pages/115_mission_statement.cfm Sacred Heart University is a coeducational, independent, comprehensive institution of higher learning in the Catholic intellectual tradition whose primary objective is to prepare men and women to live in and make their contributions to the human community. Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

Industry analysis. Parking services Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Industry analysis. Parking services - Term Paper Example QPark is focused at going international after ensuring that it meets the needs of its customers in the Philadelphia market. In order to ensure that it is ready to meet the diversified needs of global customers, QPark will rely on Porter 5 model that deals with five forces which include bargaining supplier power, competitive rivalry, bargaining power of buyers, threat of new entry and threat of substitution. By analyzing each of the Porters aspects, QPark will have the ability to face off its competitors while at the same time maintaining loyalty and trust among all the stakeholders. On supplier power, for instance QPark will access how easily the suppliers will drive up our prices in the market. Another major aspect covered by Porter is competitive rivalry. In order to be successful in Philadelphia market, we will undertake a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis to determine our position in the market. It is vital to note that there is no high level of riv alry that QPark will face in the Philadelphia market. However, in a scenarios where we face large number of competitors and where they offer similar products most likely we will have less power since buyers and suppliers will have more alternatives.2. Bargaining power of our buyers is another primary aspect that will affect our pricing strategies of our services. Some of the major aspects that will influence the bargaining power of our buyers include information availed to our buyers, the sensitivity of our customers towards our prices and our switching costs as compared to those of our customers. Our buyers will have a bargaining power. In this way they will put vital pressure on our product thus ensuring that they get a quality product that is worth their money. Despite giving our buyers opportunities to exercise their bargaining power, QPark will ensure that the business sales are enough to cover the fixed as well as variable costs incurred by the company. To address the threat o f substitution in our business, we will emulate modern technology and extensive marketing awareness campaign as well quality improvement. In this way, our customer will be more attracted to our services thus putting at bay our key competitors in the Philadelphia market. Being a major aspect by Porter model, threat of new entry will have an implication on our business3. Key threat of the new entrants is stiff competition. Additionally, the ability of other firms entering the car park industry may result to production of similar products thus making it hard for customer to differentiate QPark from its competing brands4. This implies that to create a difference between our services and those of the competitors; we will adopt an effective marketing mix that includes price, promotion, product and place. Business trends refer to those factors that will affect the ability of local and international firms to cope with their customers and to make sustainable profit. Example of business trend includes cost of input that determines whether the business is viable, raw material needed component increasing or decreasing or stable in costs. In the parking industry, business owners have to decide whether to increase the cost of goods or cope with the losses alone. Innovation is one of the key strategies being adopted in the industry. For instance, through self services which are automated in nature, QPark will be in a position to track customer’s vehicle even after default on payment. Environmental trends entail government

Classical Conditioning At Work (Pschology) Essay

Classical Conditioning At Work (Pschology) - Essay Example 3. The smell of the food is the Unconditioned Stimulus and Kyle’s hunger and drooling is the Unconditioned Response. The ring of the Microwave, which is associated with the food, is the Conditioned Stimulus and Kyle drooling whenever the bell rings is the Conditioned Response. 4. Lucy’s cousin’s scream and cry and dragging Lucy brutally into the house while playing is the Unconditioned Stimulus and Lucy’s fear is the Unconditioned Response. The proposition of playing outside later becomes the Conditioned Stimulus and Lucy’s fear of ‘wasps’ associated with playing is the Conditioned Response. 5. The situation in which Pooyi had to give a speech in the English class is the Unconditioned Stimulus. Pooyi getting nervous and fearing that she would be sick is the Unconditioned Response. The fact that Barbara was sitting in the front row with too much Passion perfume makes the smell of the Passion perfume the Conditioned Stimulus and Pooyi feeling extremely nervous and sick to her stomach every time she smells Passion perfume is the Conditioned Response. 6. The electric razor shorting out and burning the chin of Moussa is the Unconditioned Stimulus. The pain and shock Moussa must have experienced then is the Unconditioned Response. Situations where Moussa has to handle electric toasters, coffee makers and toaster ovens are instances of Conditioned Stimulus and Moussa’s fear of them is the Conditioned Response. 7. The electric shock is the Unconditioned Stimulus and the cat’s shock and pain is the Unconditioned Response. The blue light that was paired with the electric shocks is the Conditioned Stimulus and the cat’s heart racing when the blue light is presented is the Conditioned Response. 8. The sickness that Juma felt is the Unconditioned Stimulus and her suffering is the Unconditioned Response. The meatballs

Suicide In Pop Music Culture Media Essay

Suicide In Pop Music Culture Media Essay Growing up is hard enough for most teenagers and music has always acted as is an important crutch for them to turn to when times are hard. Music plays a vital role in youth culture and has also become a question of morality when it comes to specific music genres that may be deemed inappropriate because of the content and message their music gives out (Zillmann and Gan, 1997; Ter Bogt, 1997). Some believe particular genres of music are potentially dangerous to young people and the music and its performers are professed as encouraging and propagating adolescent substance use, violating the law for glorification, delinquency (Christenson and Roberts, 1998). Genres which are included in this bracket are heavy metal and rap, having a particularly negative image in the media. In past and current years, the artists of these genres have felt the heat from the authorities that deem their musical content inappropriate material for the younger generation to listen to, believing it is responsible for teen suicides and other negative behavioral (Binder, 1993; Fried, 2003). The Questions Suicide is a popular theme in sub-cultural styles of music. There have been many articles in the press about artists and bands that have been blamed and targeted for the supposed responsibility of teenage fans committing suicide after listening to their music. But is it fair to be so blasà © and blame these artists because their music contains suicidal references? Should the finger be so starkly pointed at these artists? Is it justifiable and fair? If not, who is to blame? The parents? Our education system? The media? All these points will be addressed in this article and concluded thoughtfully after cross-examination and circumstantial evidence presented. The Beginning-Elvis starts it The beginning of this debate started when Rock and Roll, a new genre of music, exploded into the media in the 1950s. Elvis Presley was the forefather and the voice of this generation. He created a new of type of music that people had never heard before; a style of music the younger generation connected with. This voice represented their drive for life, their sexuality and belief in living their lives in the way they wanted, not their parents. This new way was rejected and considered by the authorities as a danger to the youth as they tried to repress this new artist by implementing bans and censorships. Perhaps one of the most famous incidents of censorship was when Presley appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. The show was broadcast with Presley only being filmed from the waist up, as his gyratory hip movements were deemed too obscene to air. The older generation shouted about their intense abhorrence and that they regarded this type of behavior to be damaging to the teen generation. They believed that it would create an epidemic and it needed to be stopped. Yet with all this press attention focused on Presley, all this actually did was to swell the desire in the fans for him and his music. This did exactly the opposite to what the authorities wanted and propelled him to fame. They made him into the bad-boy superstar that sold millions of records worldwide by giving him his free publicity. This was the beginning of the extremism of politics in music that would occur in the future. The 70s; a precursor to 1990s accusations In 1972, Gilbert OSullivan spent six weeks at the top of the Billboard charts with the song Alone Again. In this song, OSullivan contemplated throwing himself off a nearby tower because he had been betrayed by everyone. Leonard Cohen threatened to slit his wrists in Dress Rehearsal Rag (1971) for similar reasons. Yet because OSullivans appealed to the conservative Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences society, musical threats of suicide did not provoke anything neighboring on a moral panic in those years. The theme of suicide was incorporated into mainstream pop culture in a thoroughly romantic fashion, just as it had been in romance novels and tragic opera where suicide was common place, yet deemed acceptable in this period. MTV and radio split 1981 was a turning point for dividing the younger and older generations in musical appropriateness. On August 1st, MTV began transmission. It is fair to say that music television has assumed radios responsibility for breaking new acts (Shuker 1994, ch. 7). Radio and MTV became divided down the middle on this generation gap. Radio broadcasts the old, the familiar and the reassuring, while music television assumes responsibility for the new, the unfamiliar and the shocking. FMs audience does not seem to change its tastes or look for the thrill of the new. FMs audience listened to the Eagles in the 1970s on its record players, it tuned into FM in the 1980s so it could listen to the Eagles on its car radios, and now it is the 1990s and it still wants to listen to the Eagles perhaps so it can remember the 1970s. (Turner 1993, p. 145) Commercial radio has emerged since the 1970s as one of the most evidently sites of cultural struggle. This is especially between the baby boom generations, for whom rock radio has become a predictable asylum from the anxieties of life. Yet their children for whom hip-hop, alternative and metal stand for nothing less than the manifestation of their status as musical outsiders. Types of music to blame and court cases Rock critics no longer judge music worth on grounds of composition but instead spew careless stereotypes. Heavy metal is widely generalized to be perceived as dark, depressing music to listen to. Many of the songs are reflective of the artists I-dont-give-a-damn attitude, in visual appearance and dark lyrical content. Heavy metal is the most recent target that is attracting extremist accusations that it induces its listeners to experience occultism and Satanism ranging through to sexism and racism to murderous and suicidal tendencies. (Shuker 1994, pp.260-2). Metal evolved in the 1970s out of mainstream album-oriented rock, typified by bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple which, in turn, had their roots in the blues-based hard rock of 1960s acts like Cream and Jimi Hendrix. But because they were hardening musically at precisely the moment when radio and its coveted baby boomer demographic were softening into adult-oriented formats, metal bands were driven underground, promoting their records by means of relentless touring and by word of mouth. There is no hard evidence to support that heavy metal music is actually instructing its listeners to do bad things, just peoples perceiving this music in this way because it is not happy, bouncy music. A 1993 study showed heavy metal inspired happy feelings in most fans, with the small number of those who reported feeling worse more likely to already suffering mental health problems. Many people feel that it is a cathartic way of venting and getting rid of their frustrations. Is it right to expect the artist to take responsibility when a teen does commit suicide after obsessively listening to their music? Is there any just cause in blaming them because their lyrics contain depressive material? Some people seem to think so. The 80s saw an influx of court cases against artists and it was also the decade that introduced the Parental Advisory stickers. In 1985, Parental Advisory stickers were affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to audio and video recordings in the United States containing offensive language and/or content. Albums began to be labeled for explicit lyrics, after pressure from the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC). It has become known as the Tipper sticker because of Tipper Gores visible role in the PMRC. 1985 saw British heavy metal artist Ozzy Osbourne making his first court appearance on charges that the song Suicide Solution had caused nineteen-year-old John McCullom to attempt suicide, regardless of Osbournes repeated claims that Suicide Solution was written about the death of AC/DCs Bon Scott and that, therefore, it carried a positive anti-suicide message. The case was dismissed on the grounds that song lyrics are protected speech under the First Amendment. Another court case was brought against Judas Priest in 1990, in which the song Better By You, Better Than Me was alleged to have caused the suicide of Raymond Belnap and the attempted suicide of his friend James Vance. What was different about this case was the fact that this case pivoted on the allegation that the band had hidden subliminal messages, buried into their recordings. The attorney for the accusation claimed that satanic messages could be heard when playing the music is backwards. Judge Jerry Carr Whitehead ruled explicitly at the beginning that the court was not interested in the unconcealed lyrical content of rock songs because it was protected by the First Amendment; only the so-called subliminal messages were in question, he ruled, because they did not constitute an open exchange of information. The leading sound expert for the prosecution, attempted to persuade the court that he had expose the backwards words Do it in the song and that this was a clear provocation fo r its listeners to commit suicide. This case was thrown out of court when Judas Priest, defending themselves, chose a section of the song and told the jury that they would hear a certain silly phrase when they played that particular part backwards. Sure enough, this silly phrase is what they heard and the case was thrown out of court.>> This proved that if you are listening hard enough, you can hear anything you want to hear making this claim incongruous. This case, and others like it, went a long way towards legitimizing the once-preposterous claim that subliminal messages are frequent in heavy metal music and that they exert an almost hypnotic power (Billard 1990; Henry 1990, p. 65). Lead singer, Rob Halford, noted in the aftermath of the trial, What we went through . . . we considered that simply an attack on our artistic expression. It was nothing to do with real subliminals.'(Burns 1990, pp. 100-14) The 1980s saw the biggest increase in teen suicides. Lawrence Grossbergs definitive study of American culture under neo-conservatism, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place, has woven its political agenda into the mainstream of North American life, where it now manifests itself both as a moral panic. A vote from this book states: In 1940, the major problems were listed as: talking, chewing gum, making noise, running in the halls, getting out of turn in line, wearing improper clothing, not putting paper in waste baskets. Forty years on in 1982: rape, robbery, assault, burglary, arson, bombings, murder, suicide, absenteeism, vandalism, extortion, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, gang warfare, pregnancy, abortion, and venereal disease (Grossberg 1992, pp. 185-8). Teen suicide had reached truly epidemic proportions, and has continued to escalate. The study concludes: Individuals born in the latter part of the twentieth century, are at far greater risk [than their predecessors] for developing [suicide-related] mood disorders and these disorders are manifesting themselves at a younger age (Birmaher et al. 1996, pp. 1,428-30). While it is easy for the conservatives to blame this epidemic on rock music, it is nothing but speculation and there is no hard evidence to back up their ideological views. A 1997 AACAP study entitled Precipitating factors and life events in serious suicide attempts among youths aged 13 through 24 years concluded that the most common occurrence of serious suicide attempts were relationship breakdowns, other personal problems, and financial difficulties. (Beautrais et al. 1997, pp. 1,543-51) Dr Barry Goldfinkel of the University of Minnesota Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division, insists: Ninety out of 100 kids who kill themselves meet a psychiatric diagnosis. Kids dont commit suicide just because theyve been treated harshly or lifes dealt them a bad hand. Its the internal process going on, not merely the fact of ones horrible existence. (Wartik 1995, p. 23) Marilyn Manson In the late 90s, Goth-rocker Marilyn Manson arrived on the scene. He was one of the biggest stars that rose through MTV and one of the most controversial to date. He stormed to the top of the charts, catapulting to worldwide fame. Manson was not your average artist. His image has been described as a brickolage of jack boots, leather, lingerie, black lipstick, eerie contact lenses and cadaverous face paint (Hebdige 1979, pp. 102-4; Thigpen 1997, p. 68). He has been arrested for exposing himself on stage and criticized for his indulgence in self-mutilation. His music was inexorably tangled up with criticism of his appearance and the visual content of his videos and he was the next scapegoat for the PMRC to target. In his opening remarks as host of the 1998 Grammy Award Show, sitcom actor, substance abuser and convicted drunk driver Kelsey Grammer promised that Marilyn Mansons skinny white ass would not be appearing on the show. It was a truly extraordinary moment. Referring explicitly to his own teenage daughter, Spencer, Grammer couched this slur in the form of an inside joke for the baby boomer parents of children with seemingly inexplicable musical tastes. In so doing, he affirmed not only the intractable conservatism of the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences but also the arrogant hegemony of his own generation within mainstream musical culture. The show proceeded to reward Bob Dylan with Album of the Year, James Taylor with Best Pop Album and Elton John with Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, while lavishing unbridled approbation upon the newest crop of corporate hit-makers, including Babyface, LeAnn Rimes, Hanson and the ubiquitous Spice Girls. Mitch Miller could not have orchestrated a more thoroughgoing tribute to the pop music status quo in America. The influence of music-based subcultures on suicide has been the subject of debate for many years. The above quote goes to show the hypocrisy and the neo-conservatism attitude that has settled in society,just like the text in Grossbergs book, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place. When the Columbine High School massacre happened, it was exposed that the teenagers responsible listened to Marilyn Manson. When two girls raped a nun with a crucifix and tortured her to death, it was discovered that they too, listened to Marilyn Manson. Gesticulations were made and the finger pointed at Manson for being responsible for poisoning their minds and making them commits these murders and suicides, through his music. Democratic Senator Joseph Lieberman called him perhaps the sickest artist ever promoted by a mainstream record company (Jeffrey 1996, p. 3) and put enormous pressure on his label, Interscope to cease selling his records. This was at the height of Mansons third album Antichrist Superstar. The album had reached Billboard Top 200 Album Chart at Number 3 and Manson had become the perfect scapegoat for the ethical guardians. Much like what had happened with Presley, history was repeating itself and by his position in the charts, it is obvious to see that this press was helping sell more records than ever. It is clear from his autobiography that Manson takes himself and his music very seriously, that his analysis of organized religion is both personal and ideological, and that his music is not intended to induce self-destructive behaviour but to inspire strength and independence. He told a panel for discussion on MuchMusic (Canadas music video network): I see what I do as a positive thing. I try to bring people closer to themselves. That may be further away from God but thats closer to themselves. I think thats a good thing. I think that makes people stronger. . . Im trying to tell people to believe in themselves because thats all that they have to believe in. I think thats a positive thing. (MuchMusic 1996) It seems that Manson is not just a guy with a burning ambition to be an adored Rock star. He is a man that is trying to get people to open their eyes to the conformist ideals of the neo-conservative army which he believes have been trying to brain wash a nation, into believing it needs shelter and protection from themselves. He has fought back against the machine and made his messages loud and clear. A tee-shirt for sale at his concerts summarizes his agenda concisely: Warning, the music of Marilyn Manson contains messages that will Kill God In your impressionable teenage mind, as a result you could be convinced to Kill your mom and dad And eventually in an act of hopeless Rock and Roll behavior you will Kill yourself. Please burn your records while there is still hope. Manson published an open letter on the Columbine killings in Rolling Stone in which he reiterated the critique of American society that has been so forcefully articulated in his music: When it comes down to whos to blame for the high school murders in Littleton, Colorado, throw a rock and youll hit someone whos guilty. Were the people who sit back and tolerate children owning guns, and were the ones who tune in and watch the up-to-the-minute details of what they do with them. I think its terrible when anyone dies, especially if its someone you know and love . . . This kind of controversy does not help me sell records or tickets, and I wouldnt want it to. Im a controversial artist, one who dares to have an opinion and bothers to create music and videos that challenge peoples ideas in a world that is watered-down and hollow. In my work I examine the America we live in, and Ive always tried to show people that the devil we blame out atrocities on is really just each one of us. So dont expect the end of the world to come one day out of the blue its been happening every day for a long time. (Manson 1999) The Answer In the wake of the Columbine tragedy, the authorities are franticly trying to find short term answers to the problem of teen suicides and the bloody massacres that occur along side this. This is a problem that has not been identified and many feel that they are searching for answers in the wrong place. For example, after Columbine, the teenagers were considered to be the enemy when schools in America installed metal detectors at the entrances to stop children bringing guns into school. A short term answer to a continuing problem, surely the education and up-bringing of the child are key factors, (not the tools society hands to them on a plate, ironically)? Tipper Gores Parents Music Resource Center, feels that certain music groups are to blame for the suicides and have attacked the music industry. They professed to say that because one suburban teen had written down the lyrics to Fade to Black before taking her life that this was evidence and Proof that this music was responsible and encouraged the teen to kill themselves. In the year 2007, the next new wave of music has arrived and instead of heavily metal being targeted, emo and hip hop are now seemingly liable. Over a decade on, have we learnt from our past mistakes in teaching our misguided youth? It seems not. Just weeks ago, the Virginia Tech tragedy occurred when another troubled teen went on a rampage, killing his classmates and school teachers and then turned the gun on himself. Parents and schools have renounced their responsibility to these teens. In their absence, a psychiatric empire has been created to provide easy answers through medication. A host of psychiatric drugs provided the easy solution to teen suicide. In the absence of parents and teachers who care, todays suburban teens can pharmaceutically control their feelings. But, t what price? Teen suicides may have declined, but, it seems that these medications have helped some teens externalize their depression, erupting into rage. Of course, blaming the medication for the violence is as wrong as blaming the guns, the music or the violent video games and movies. It is not what teens hear in their music or see in the movies or video games that causes the rage. Its the teens inability to handle their feelings of abandonment. But perhaps people in the public eye should take some responsibility if they are communicating with people on such grand scales, as Rock stars do. Beto Cuevas, the lead singer of La Ley, felt he had to do something when he discovered a fan had committed suicide after finding out she could not meet her idols. This was the last straw in her tragic ending but Cuevas felt he had to do something and thought, that through music, he could write a song that would reach his fans. In many ways its about people helping people, Ive talked to fans who said the song has left them thinking about options. Its a problem we have in our daily lives. Sometimes its as simple as listening to someone, your children. Troubled youths have taken comfort in the darker forms of rock music- just as music lovers of all ages find consolation in the music that seems to articulate their losses, their pain and their grief. The problem lies in lacking parent and community supports. In the wake of two Australian teenage suicides, Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, has called on parents to support their children more. I think the greatest thing that has to be said about this is that parental responsibility in the end is the key to behavior by children. Government cant educate parents if they dont have an instinct for responsibility. And while there are things the Government can do, there is a limit before you start running up against freedom of speech.

Boxing Should Be Banned

Akeira Golden March 28, 2013 Ms. Lewis Critical Reading Boxing is Dangerous and should be banned The article suggests that boxing needs a fighting chance but I would disagree on that. Boxing is a dangerous sport that can result in death, concussions, and forms of dementia from too much head blows throughout their career. Boxers like Benny †kid† Paret and Deuk koo kim have died in the ring due to injuries sustained during a fight. Boxing involves powerful people pounding each other in the head, and ribs until one has won.Even doctors see boxing as a dangerously unacceptable sport. Although boxing can cause injuries that you may see for example, black eyes, broken nose and swollen mouth, it also can cause injuries that are inside like internal bleeding caused by too many blows to the ribs. The sport of boxing maybe fun and entertaining to watch but dangerous in reality and should be banned. Many boxers are married with children, they can have one fight cause them not to see they daughter face again. Study shows too many blows to the eye can result in blindness.Boxing can be dangerous to the boxer that wins for instance in November 2011, James Butler lost against Alien Grant, so he invited him to the middle of the ring to congratulate him but instead he hit him with a haymaker breaking his jaw etc. Some boxers don’t know how to take their lost like a man in end up trying to retaliate. Everyone knows the Holyfield- Tyson fight when holy field and Tyson was going head to head in trying to win , when Tyson was upset that Holyfield was head-butting him he did a cannibalistic move and bit off his ear spitting it on the boxing ring floor.One fight resulted in a boxer losing his ear just because of retaliation. Boxing should be banned all the cons that’s in boxing and what boxing is all about. People killing each other and not getting penalized for it because it’s a sport. What about those families who are sitting in the audience watching their relative fall to the floor not knowing if he’s dead or just badly injured? Some may see boxing as a fun sport that gets you into shape but not see how boxers are getting damaged for the rest of their lives. In conclusion, boxing should have never been permitted so it definitely shouldn’t be given another chance.In the ring pounding each other brains out body parts on the floor, blood flying everywhere for what? A title?. Boxing doesn’t make sense it’s a sport where you are able to beat someone to death and not get penalized for it. I disagree with the author that thinks boxing needs a fighting chance. He may only think that because he sitting back and watching others beat their selves to death and he not in the ring getting himself hurt. These people be scarred for the rest of their life instead of using their strength to do something productive they use it to beat people to death.