Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Communications - Essay Example They note that simulation and virtual interaction largely address the â€Å"communication challenges.† On the other hand, the research study performed by Salend, Duhaney, and Montgomery (2002) emphasizes the importance and impact of cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the persons involved in and/or during the communication process. In contrast to Salend et al. (2002), the study and findings of Meirovich, Galante, and Kanat-Maymon (2006) reveal that perception of the sender towards the receiver, and vice-versa, affects the act of communication. Here, the literary review -- concerning the nature, and ways of studying the peculiar character, of communication process -- is essentially premised on the vitality of correct communication act within the organization/group in particular and the society in general. On the other hand of the scale, Manchester United (MU) defender Rio Ferdinand â€Å"forgot† to participate in the random and routine drug test activity slated on 23rd of September, 2003. The British football star was moving house at the time of drug testing. As a result, the Football Association (FA) made a drastic decision to leave out Ferdinand from the England squad bound to Turkey for the 2004 European Championship. The FA’s verdict is grounded on the misconduct of the football athlete: not showing up in the scheduled drug testing. On the other hand, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and the MU team deciphered the FA’s decision as an insinuation that Ferdinand is guilty of being a drug dependent. By and large, the football star’s â€Å"forgot† reasoning and the eventual verdict reached by the FA spawned a massive controversy both for Ferdinand in particular and the British football game in general. Ferdinand’s case i s a battle essentially dealing with communication processes and the barriers inherent in an ineffective communication. This essay examines the elements and varieties of

Culture critique of dominant economic narrative assignment Essay

Culture critique of dominant economic narrative assignment - Essay Example In the plot summary, Norma Rae, a single parent of two, works in a textile milling company. Incidentally, she works in a company where all of her family members and fellows are also employed. The working conditions are more than just terrible: the ambiance is hot, depressing and covered in dust, and jammed with an ear-piercing clang of obsolete equipment. The working conditions are relatively unhealthy and potentially injurious. Most of all, the benefits do not seem to equate the amount of work carried out by the workers: inferior salaries, extended working hours, and marginal health protections. Seen this way, there is indeed a marginalizing and struggling employment conditions among those belonging to the working class, especially women. The perspective of class in the America possesses a quality that is relatively difficult to pin down. In an unprejudiced and fundamental expression, it is a dominant reality in the United States. But still, the intricacy and changing aspects of cla ss relations, especially the undercurrents of class brawl, have been touched on by the mass and popular culture in conditions that equally personalize and compress the inconsistencies characteristic in such dealings (Giroux, 1). In other words, the notion of class has been downgraded to expectable methods that signify modes of conceptual shorthand. Apparently, highly influential industries like the Hollywood have taken the part of a no inferior or negligible role in contending with the class-based issues in ways as to deprive them of any societal definition. This turns out to be, for the most part, apparent when evaluating how the world's biggest entertainment industry has described the working class in life, culture and civilization. With relatively small number of exemptions, Hollywood's dealings with the those belonging to the working class and happenings has been portrayed by the kind of reductionism that operates simply to support those myths and moral standards that provide th e conceptual foundation for the predating arrangement of social relations (Giroux 2). The form and substance of most Hollywood movies, including "Norma Rae", that touches on the issue of the working class, especially women, provide the content in plane, superficial illustrations that convey nothing regarding the hidden existing reality of the life and skirmish of the working-class. Basically, the representation of the working class life and culture is established within the ideas that weigh in to its concealment (2). Social mobility substitutes class brawl in movies such as Blood brothers, Working Girls, and The Devil Wears Prada. Illustrations of psychosis and short-lived irrationality flourish in movies such as Taxi Driver and Joe. In "Norman Rae", there is a subtle exaltation of masculinity and a fete of racism and sexism, which provide the description of the plot of the film. Aside from the struggle that Norma gained from belonging to the working class, and working in a rather m asculine type of job, there is a racial indignation in the fact that the salaries

Human Resources Management. Basic knowledge Essay

Human Resources Management. Basic knowledge - Essay Example The process of globalization influences both public and private sectors of economy. It does not influence business under the conditions of competition produced by adding new participants to the market; this process promotes benchmarking as the best mean of developing business. For instance, the experts in UK are worried with the fact that specialists from the USA and the rest of Europe occupy leading positions in various companies or institutions of public sector. (Hunter et al.) These changes that affect competitive environment and working background forced human resource management reconsider its significance and roles, and adopt its functions to the demands of the present day. The process of reconsidering and revaluation of the HR role shows that the changes have already started, and this process slowly goes on. There are no investigations, reflecting the stages of the process, but the specialists speak about some significant points that indicate progressive nature of the process. In the middle of 90s HR professionals defined the process of changes that in the sphere of HR. Dave Ulrich is one of them. Some of his writings are devoted to this question and the nature of evolution that occurred in the sphere of HR during last fifteen years. He draws new roles in the sphere of HR. ... This function also includes watching relations among employees and establishing a new role to keep performance on high level - the role of employee champion. One more significant role is given to change agent, who should be occupied with the obstacles that may disturb successful business development and with the ways of keeping the business course on right direction. (Ulrich, 2005) In the article "Role Call" Ulrich provides a comparison of the roles in the process of changes, examining how the nature and purpose of each role changed within recent years. He enumerates the following roles that were relevant to the sphere of HR at the beginning of the 90s: "coach, enabler, advocate, change agent, initiative leader, employee champion, business partner, HR leader, strategist, rapid deployment specialist, internal consultant, operational supporter, knowledge facilitator, thought leader, competency professional, client relationship manager and even human capital steward and manager of firm infrastructure." (Ulrich, 2005) At first, he suggested changing the terms defining the specialists, as the essence of their work and functions changed. Employee champion - employee advocate and human capital developer As it has been said above, he provided a framework showing the changes that occurred within these roles. The first of them is shift from the role of employee champion to employee advocate and human capital developer. To say more precisely, this role divided into two separate roles. Here is the definition of "employee champion" provided by Ulrich in one of his previous works: "Employee champions listen and respond to employees and find the right balance between demands on employees and resources available

Culture critique of dominant economic narrative assignment Essay

Culture critique of dominant economic narrative assignment - Essay Example In the plot summary, Norma Rae, a single parent of two, works in a textile milling company. Incidentally, she works in a company where all of her family members and fellows are also employed. The working conditions are more than just terrible: the ambiance is hot, depressing and covered in dust, and jammed with an ear-piercing clang of obsolete equipment. The working conditions are relatively unhealthy and potentially injurious. Most of all, the benefits do not seem to equate the amount of work carried out by the workers: inferior salaries, extended working hours, and marginal health protections. Seen this way, there is indeed a marginalizing and struggling employment conditions among those belonging to the working class, especially women. The perspective of class in the America possesses a quality that is relatively difficult to pin down. In an unprejudiced and fundamental expression, it is a dominant reality in the United States. But still, the intricacy and changing aspects of cla ss relations, especially the undercurrents of class brawl, have been touched on by the mass and popular culture in conditions that equally personalize and compress the inconsistencies characteristic in such dealings (Giroux, 1). In other words, the notion of class has been downgraded to expectable methods that signify modes of conceptual shorthand. Apparently, highly influential industries like the Hollywood have taken the part of a no inferior or negligible role in contending with the class-based issues in ways as to deprive them of any societal definition. This turns out to be, for the most part, apparent when evaluating how the world's biggest entertainment industry has described the working class in life, culture and civilization. With relatively small number of exemptions, Hollywood's dealings with the those belonging to the working class and happenings has been portrayed by the kind of reductionism that operates simply to support those myths and moral standards that provide th e conceptual foundation for the predating arrangement of social relations (Giroux 2). The form and substance of most Hollywood movies, including "Norma Rae", that touches on the issue of the working class, especially women, provide the content in plane, superficial illustrations that convey nothing regarding the hidden existing reality of the life and skirmish of the working-class. Basically, the representation of the working class life and culture is established within the ideas that weigh in to its concealment (2). Social mobility substitutes class brawl in movies such as Blood brothers, Working Girls, and The Devil Wears Prada. Illustrations of psychosis and short-lived irrationality flourish in movies such as Taxi Driver and Joe. In "Norman Rae", there is a subtle exaltation of masculinity and a fete of racism and sexism, which provide the description of the plot of the film. Aside from the struggle that Norma gained from belonging to the working class, and working in a rather m asculine type of job, there is a racial indignation in the fact that the salaries

Forum Discussion Activities Essay Example for Free

Forum Discussion Activities Essay Please post your response to ONE of the following questions in the Forum by Wednesday, midnight, of Week 3. Then please post at least three responses to other student’s postings by Saturday, midnight, of Week 3. * You are the Vice President of a US based software company. You have been tasked with exploring the possibility of setting up a software development operation in India. You have heard that the rigid caste systems can affect business operations. Do you think it is possible to use a typical US management style in India or should you adjust to the local Indian managerial style and employment practices? Explain. Forum Discussion Week 3 – Question #2 Businesses create strategies for setting up relationships with other countries based upon the type of product involved and whether their entry is in the product market or the resource market. â€Å"Strategy† within this global framework most closely resembles a ‘marketing strategy’ that addresses target markets, segmentation, positioning and allocation of resources. Discuss the various strategies outlined within the text reading and which one or two seem to fit your final project country and product best. Provide a glimpse of your final paper by discussing the product and country you have selected and post and respond to students related to what product you have chosen and whether you are entering in the product or resource markets. Written Assignments Case Study 2 Write a 2-3 page analysis of the Case Study entitled, â€Å"Argentina’s Monetary Crisis† located in Chapter 10 of the text. Upload the paper to the Assignments Drop Box by Saturday, midnight, of Week 3. Course Project: Market Entry Analysis You should have by selected your country and product and begun your environmental research. A learning objective this week is to move from environment to strategy. Outlining your country and product choice, begin a thread on the Forum related to entry strategies as outlined in the text. Elicit comments from your classmates on your choices and begin to formulate your strategy. Learning from this milestone can be incorporated into the final paper due Week 5. * You are the Vice President of a pharmaceutical company that makes anti-malarial drugs. You are looking at the possibility of opening up a factory as a JV with the local government in an African country with high levels of malaria. At present, the majority of people in this country cannot afford the high prices of anti-malarial drugs from outside the country, but by building the plant locally, you would not only provide jobs but also your company could supply anti-malarial drugs to the local population at half the current price. In a meeting with a local government official, you are told that the plant can go forward if you pay the official $100,000 in cash. What are your options and what would you do? My options are to pay the $100,000 or not to pay it based on the company policy. Facilitation payments are still permitted by some countries. We would give the $100,000 to the officials in cash, and then we would also try to negotiate a 5 year tax break. And to recover the $100,000 given to officials, we would charge an extra 15 cents per vaccine sold to recoup the $100,000. We would say the fund is just the price of doing business and setting up relationships outside the US. This bribery is similar to what some city inspectors do when they want to give you a hard time. There has been times where if you didn’t have a nice hot cup of coffee with a $100 bill under it that the inspector would fail you just so you would have to pay another $250 for another inspection. The $100,000 that we would pay as a company could negotiate a vast amount of things per the article below. Interestingly, when the FCPA was initially passed in 1977, the facilitating payment exception was found under the definition of foreign official. However, with the 1988 Amendments, a more explicit exception was written into the statute making it clear that the anti-bribery provisions â€Å"shall not apply to any facilitating or expediting payment to a foreign official, political party, or party official the purpose of which is to expedite or to secure the performance of a routine governmental action . . .† The statute itself provided a list of examples of facilitation payments in the definition of routine governmental actions. It included the following: * Obtaining permits, licenses, or other official documents; * Processing governmental papers such as visas and work orders; * Providing police protection, mail services, scheduling inspections; * Providing utilities, cargo handling; or * Actions of a similar nature. http://tfoxlaw.wordpress.com/tag/facilitation-payments/ You are the Vice President of a US based software company. You have been tasked with exploring the possibility of setting up a software development operation in India. You have heard that the rigid caste systems can affect business operations. Do you think it is possible to use a typical US management style in India or should you adjust to the local Indian managerial style and employment practices? Explain. I would say yes I would use a typical US management style in India. I agree that adapting to India’s culture, managerial style and employment practices are great and would probably be best. But for the very same reason we are expanding aboard and going to India is because our business model has already been accepted by the culture. You only expand to markets if they are the right fit for the company. Bringing something new, innovative and showing India the way that our US company does business may just be intriguing to the country and accepted in ways never seen before; the only thing that matter is if the product sells. McDonalds is a great example; McDonalds is everywhere and consumers shop with McDonalds because the golden arches are known globally, and the business model is a cookie cutter from store to store, nothing changes. Understanding how cultural differences can affect the way in which a business is practiced, Employing local citizens, mixing managerial staff ,educating ourselves about the culture are great and must do’s, but keeping the company’s business model intact and adjusting to the environment is the key to protecting ourselves from the danger of being ill-informed. Business and money are both universal languages and there are more ways to make it work within a proven system than not. Businesses create strategies for setting up relationships with other countries based upon the type of product involved and whether their entry is in the product market or the resource market. â€Å"Strategy† within this global framework most closely resembles a ‘marketing strategy’ that addresses target markets, segmentation, positioning and allocation of resources. Discuss the various strategies outlined within the text reading and which one or two seem to fit your final project country and product best. Provide a glimpse of your final paper by discussing the product and country you have selected and post and respond to students My product selection is infection prevention, innovative sterilization, disinfection and hand hygiene products that will be sold in Canada. * The International Strategy I think would work the best for my product. Medical products and medical technical equipment accounts for $8.8 billion in US export revenue which is ranked number 6 on the list of top exports to Canada from the US. Infection prevention, innovative sterilization, disinfection and hand hygiene products are produced in the US but, are needed worldwide. Currently the US is the major exporter Medical products, medical technical equipment to Canada; also Leading US pharmaceutical companies have production, RD facilities, and distribution offices in many locations across Canada. Among them are Abbott Point-of-Care, Johnson Johnson, Pfizer, Novartis, and others. The medical devices industry in Canada is also among the largest in the world. Medical device companies operating in Canada incorporate advanced technologies and the newest discoveries. Our main focus is on helping to ensure the safest possible environments for patients and their families, healthcare workers, providers and communities. Our quality infection prevention products help care for both the people and the world we live in. * The Global Standardization stratedgy is great because the pro that will be sold are all relatively standard, and will be distributed the same way. Customization is not needed to the products themselves, the only thing that will need adjustments is the language, all sterilization equipment, solutions, and products are manufactured the same and have the same technology. http://www.jnj.com/connect/about-jnj/company-structure/medical-devices/ http://www.aspjj.com/us/about/asp-mission-vision http://www.jnj.com/connect/about-jnj/company-structure/medical-devices/ http://www.worldsrichestcountries.com/top_us_exports.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_%26_Johnson http://www.canadafaq.ca/what+are+the+top+industries+in+canada/ I am selling a pacemaker in Australia. The International Strategy would be the best for my product. It is produced in the US currently and does not need customization to sell in Australia. Pacemakers fulfill a universal need. Australia imports 85-90% of medical devices. Currently the US is the major exporter of medical supplies to Australia followed by Germany, Japan and the EU. There is no pressure to reduce costs. A strategic alliance may be needed down the road if a strong competitor does start to emerge. It is important that the pacemaker evolves over time or competitors will develop a better product. Global Standardization may be an option because customization of the pacemaker is not needed. It is a universal product. Costs will be low. Aggressive pricing can be used. The drawback is a competitor may create a better product through evolution. Localization would not work because customization is not needed. Consumer tastes and preferences do not come into play for this product. Transnational is also not needed at this time because cost is not a factor and customization for local demands do not exist. This is a complex strategy that I will not need to apply. Because of local culture, I will need to find a local agent to work with in Australia. The aging population, demands for a higher quality of life and increasing affluence have created a demand for quality medical devices. Reference: Global Business Today My project is to import car care and weather resistant equipment into Canada. This is not a new idea and it is not a product that cannot be found really anywhere in the world. The strategy that seems to fit my project best is the international strategy. The reason is that it is not unique in idea. The vital importance is expanding the market for the product. There will be minimal change to the product and with the non existent trade barriers of NAFTA importation will go smoothly. Since the majority of the Canadian population lives so close to the US borer transportation costs will not extend far beyond deliveries to the NorthEast/NorthWest. The other option would be a Localization strategy as we could focus on specific markets such and alternative transportation vehicles equipment that are used in the snowbound areas. The Localization strategy is the most important in the marketing aspect.The localization and transnational strategies are the best matches for my proposed product which is a UK-based channel on YouTube that is mostly ran from the United States. My product is based on my current occupation and we have several international channels that have launched with steady success. There are four major international business strategies: globalization, transnational, international, and localization. Globalization strategy occurs when a firm focuses on profit by utilizing economies of scale, localization, and learning efforts. This strategy is the most helpful when firms are pressured to reduce costs and local responsiveness is low. International strategy occurs when a firm creates value by selling products internationally that were created domestically and do not require significant customization. Transnational strategy occurs when a firm tries to achieve lower costs by economies of scale, localization, and learning efforts and also focusing on products that are tailored to local markets. Economies of scale and learning efforts will not be factors within my strategy, however localization plays a large role. Because some of the content on the channel will be created in the UK to create a sense of community, creative contractors will create the content which lends itself to a more identifiable relationship with consumers. Expanding a content-based business from the United States to the UK benefits best from concise localization strategy. Content that is tailored for a consumer in the UK adheres to high local responsibility. Because both countries are English-speaking, content can be shared by both venues and avoid translation costs or and also reduce cost of creating content. This may help alleviate the localization strategy’s characteristic struggle to lower the high pressure for cost reductions. References: Hill, C. W. (2011). Global Business Today (7th Edition ed.). New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill. I am selling a pacemaker in Australia. The International Strategy would be the best for my product. It is produced in the US currently and does not need customization to sell in Australia. Pacemakers fulfill a universal need. Australia imports 85-90% of medical devices. Currently the US is the major exporter of medical supplies to Australia followed by Germany, Japan and the EU. There is no pressure to reduce costs. A strategic alliance may be needed down the road if a strong competitor does start to emerge. It is important that the pacemaker evolves over time or competitors will develop a better product. Global Standardization may be an option because customization of the pacemaker is not needed. It is a universal product. Costs will be low. Aggressive pricing can be used. The drawback is a competitor may create a better product through evolution. Localization would not work because customization is not needed. Consumer tastes and preferences do not come into play for this product. Transnational is also not needed at this time because cost is not a factor and customization for local demands do not exist. This is a complex strategy that I will not need to apply. Because of local culture, I will need to find a local agent to work with in Australia. The aging population, demands for a higher quality of life and increasing affluence have created a demand for quality medical devices.

The Future of Oil Article Analysis

The Future of Oil Article Analysis Analyzing the Logic of an Article Student Name: Jennifer R. Thomas Article Number and Name: Article 26 Its Still the One by Daniel Yergin Work Cite: Jackson, Robert M. Global issues 13/14 (1st ed.). Date: 2-23-2017 BACKGROUND What qualifications does the author have for writing an article on this subject? (This may also apply to quotes within the article.) Daniel Yergin received a Pulitzer Prize for The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power, published in an updated edition this year. He is chairman of IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates. (p.113, Jackson) Yergin is the founder of Cambridge Energy Research Associates, (CERA), a member of the National Petroleum Council and a Global Energy Expert. Hes a graduate of Yale University with a BA and Cambridge University with a PH. D and has two honorary degrees, one from The University of Houston and the other from the University of Missouri. http://www.cnbc.com/daniel-yergin/ Chair of a task force for the U.S. Department of Energy, (p. 111, Jackson) When and where was the article first published? Does this affect its credibility? The article was published by the Foreign Policy in September/October 2009, pages 90, 92-95. Foreign Policy is a very reputable resource and Daniel Yergin has a very extensive background and knowledge about the Oil industry, however, the article is not a recent as most valuables resources are or that I would like to base my conclusions off of. I would have to say that the information provided by Daniel Yergin is credible but would like to see updated information to verify/confirm this article. ARTICLE ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION Describe the main purpose, what conclusions the author drew, and what assumptions the author made in this article. The purpose of the article is to give a perspective of the future of Oil globally and the impact Oil will make on regions globally. Volatility impacts many people, not just those in the oil market and worldwide. The article explains how the oil industry has changed over the years due to such things as technology, climate change, how it is used and how much is used. What is the authors point of view for this article? (What other points of view are there? Cushing Oklahomas oil allows them to play a role in the price of oil. Oil trading is a financial asset but unstable. Oil prices over the years have fluctuated from a high dollar to a very low dollar per barrel rate, with prices varying from $147.27, $59.87, $32.40 and as low as $10.00/barrel. Big oil industries have grown and control over eighty percent of the oil industry, while the smaller ones have disappeared. Oil get sold and traded to be turned into gasoline jet fuel, diesel, home heating oil and more. The demand for oil has changed, how we use it, how much we use and technology can change the energy portfolio as well. The oil industry has changed in that if offers pension funds, endowments, and hedge funder and includes money managers to assist with the finances attached to the oil industry. Oil use will increase as energy demands increase in the up and coming years. The increase in oil demand has impacted the pricing of oil. The increasing demand has also caused tension betwe en countries such as China and the U.S. and Britain and Germany due to scarcity. China has secured future oil by giving loans to those countries that are oil producers. The conflict between China and the U.S. is not just about oil but includes coal to where they both are the largest consumers of coal and the largest resources of coal as well. Climate change also impacts the future of oil which gives an additional reason to drive down the demands for oil. Technology needs to be used to find an alternative for oil use. Ideas of alternatives are electric cars, advanced biofuels, solar systems, new building designs, massive investment in wind, integrating electric cars with the electricity industry, and a revolution in the internal combustion engine. (p. 112, Jackson) The Government has taken an increasing interest, giving incentives and subsidies that will drive technical change. Decrease demands and becoming more energy efficient has been a focus of the United States and has been doin g well. Resources do however show that there is enough oil to keep up with the demands for years to come but restricted access, tax systems, civil conflict, geopolitics, rising costs for exploration and production and uncertainties about demand could interfere with oils reaching consumers. The final conclusion is that the oil market is not constant and that many things change the supply and demand of oil and the price of oil, the oil industry is unstable. List new terms introduced and define them. You may also include any important information that was presented in this paper. Volatility- Liability to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse. www.dictionary.com Somnolent- sleepy, drowsy, tired, lethargic, sluggish. www.dictionary.com WTL-West Texas Intermediate (p. 110, Jackson) Hedgers- A person who builds or repairs hedges (any barrier or boundary, a row of bushes or small trees planted close together, especially when forming a fence or boundary www.dictionary.com Speculators- the financial players. (p. 110, Jackson) Supermajors- a term applied to the six largest Oil companies in the world. www.oilprices.org Paper Barrels- an oil cargo that is sold and traded on the open market, but not actually shipped. www.wisegeek.com Muskier-as an odor www.dictionary.com Wherewithal- that with which to do something; means or supplies for the purpose or need, especially money. www.dictionary.com Were any propaganda techniques used in an attempt to influence readers? Explain. (See explanations at the end of this document.) I found this article to have very little if any propaganda. The article was based on statistics and was pretty matter of fact. One attention grabber for me were the highlighted statistics throughout the article, such as the bold and underlining of the cost of oil per barrel on page 111 and the on page 112 on the number of barrels the world demand rose. These would be a form of bandwagon propaganda. Page 110 also described the Oklahoma sun as hot, sweet crude oil, could be described as a form of propaganda. Other propaganda was the use of big name oil companies that people are familiar such as Exxon Mobile and Chevron and other not so big but still familiar like Amoco and ARCO. CRITICAL THINKING ARTICLE-SPECIFIC QUESTIONS * Refer to the weekly folder for the questions you are required to answer. The questions are located in the Critical Thinking section at the end of each article. Question # Answer 1 The age of oil is changing because the government is giving subsidies and incentives that will drive technology change and help decrease the demands for oil. Climate change also impacts the change in the new era. In addition to climate change and technology, there are now more players in the oil industry like financial managers, investors, hedgers funds and more. 2 The demand for oil is changing in that the demands are decreasing, take the example of the United States who are twice as energy efficient as they were in the 70s, electric cars are gaining more attention, advancement if biofuel, solar systems that are now being given attention as well as the wind. The government is giving more attention to energy efficient ways to improve the economy and reduce the demand for oil. 3 The U.S. and China relationship is one that not only deals with competing over oil but they also compete over coal as well. They are the largest resource of both. They have the same interest new technology solutions for the emissions released when coal is burned. 4 Article 3 is complemented by Yergins article, article 26 because both are making the point that the challenge of reducing consumption of fuel/oil is a difficult challenge and will involve many competitors, better technology and the involvement of the government. ADDITIONAL NOTES OR OBSERVATIONS This article was interesting because I did not realize how much the United States and China were in competition over oil and coal. I am old enough to remember some of the fluctuation in the changing of gas prices. I also find the information of this article very useful because of recent debate that a group of co-workers and I were having over climate change, energy efficient cars and biofuels. A team member was looking at purchasing an energy efficient car, which we found the team was divided as to for or against the talk of climate change and its existence. PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES Bad (or Sad) Names The use of words, phrases, or expressions with negative connotations. Examples: slob, prude, moron, embarrassing Glad Names The use of words or phrases with positive, pleasant connotations. Examples: warm, lovely, delicious, lemony fragrance Testimonials The recommendation or endorsement by prominent and/or influential people. Example: Professional baseball star Derek Jeters advertisements for a credit card Transfer The use of names, phrases, or symbols to influence acceptance. Example: Using a movie stars photograph on the cover of a magazine to get people to buy it Just Plain Folks The use of dress, behavior, or other devices in an attempt to identify a product or person with ordinary people. Example: Photographs of the President of the United States eating spaghetti or chopping wood Card Stacking The presentation of only that information or those arguments most favorable to a particular point of view. Example: Making a list of all the advantages of buying a new car without making a similar list of all of the disadvantages Bandwagon The use of the fear of being different to influence behavior. Example: Twenty million people jog for their health. Shouldnt you? A 10-STEP PROCESS FOR ANALYZING AN ARGUMENT by Brian W. Carver After you have read the passage carefully, distinguishing between purported facts and opinions, answer the following questions thoroughly. What is the authors conclusion? What premises does the author provide to support this conclusion? What assumptions (unstated premises) are required for the authors argument to be valid? Do the premises seem uncontroversially true? If not, explain. Do the assumptions seem uncontroversially true? If not, explain. Are all terms in the argument adequately defined? If not, explain. Are there other facts, not discussed, that would be helpful to know in evaluating the argument? If so, explain. Does the author appeal to emotion or use words designed to influence our response? (e.g., discounts, hedges, assurances, repetition, etc.) If so, explain. Is your well-crafted version of the argument valid? That is, suppose the premises and assumptions are true, regardless of their actual truth or falsity. Ask yourself, given their truth, does the conclusion have to follow? (If so the argument is valid, if not, it is invalid.) If a clear valid/invalid answer is difficult, explain why. In your opinion, is your well-crafted version of the argument sound? That is, does it both have a valid form and have all true premises and assumptions? (If so, it is sound, if not, it is unsound.) Explain your answer. Retrieved from https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~brianwc/courses/thinking/2002fall/analyze.html

What is the Definition of Terrorism? :: Terrorist vs Freedom Fighter

The concept of terrorism is exceedingly difficult to define. Author Gerald Seymour first said in his book Harry’s Game that, â€Å"One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter†. Each individual may view terrorism in a different light. Because of this, there is currently no universal definition of terrorism. However in recent years, it has become increasingly more important to form a definition of terrorism, especially while working in the media. The word terror dates back to the French Revolution. â€Å"A terrorist was, in its original meaning, a Jacobin who ruled France during la Terruer† (Moeller 20). Terrorism has clearly become much broader in the years since its origination. Since the concept was first birthed in France it has been used for separatist, nationalistic, political and religious ends, etc. In the book â€Å"Packaging Terrorism†, author Susan Moeller states that, â€Å"the goal of terrorism is to send a message, not to defeat the enemy†. I think this is an incredibly important concept when one is trying to define terrorism. The goal of terrorism is more about inspiring fear. Terrorists do not generally target high-up government officials, but innocent civilians like those killed in September 11. When an act of terrorism is committed, the effect spreads beyond the victim. When members of Black September killed the Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics, there were 11 victims of the attack. Black September’s target, however, was greater than just the Israeli athletes. They inflicted a worldwide terror. When defining terrorism, one must realize that the message is often the goal of the attack. The U.S. Department of State defines terrorism as, â€Å"The calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological†. Whereas the Belgium Red Cross says that terrorism is committed â€Å"for the purpose of intimidating the population, forcing a third party to act or destablishing or destroying the fundamental structures of a country or of an international organization†.