Design and Contemporary Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Design and Contemporary Culture - Essay Example In support of their ideologies, the authors present the case of the crisis of Victoria in British Columbia that saw the rise of teenage violence in the early 2000s. The authors explain how this violence and chaos were brought out as a social crisis in the state after years of hiding owing to the fear of tarnishing the city’s image. The authors also use other cases of youth violence and crime, as well as, the responses towards these situations, in support of their arguments regarding social construction of crises. In essence, the authors explain the role of the media in both, representing the real picture during crisis and its inability to grasp the intricacy of the truth of the crisis1. This first section of the article also explains what is to be covered in the next sections, and facilitates the comprehension of some of the ideas and concepts regarding social construction. Representation. Having introduced the story of youth violence in the first section of the article, Oâ₠¬â„¢Brien and Szeman examine the concept of representation as is relates to social construction. The term representation is defined as the social construction of meaning by use of sign systems2. ... Representation affects people’s thoughts and perceptions concerning certain events, hence its role in social construction. To, further, elucidate their ideas regarding representation, the authors also draw attention to the structuralist theories of representation, as well as, the rules of representation in social construction. As explained in the article, the structuralist theories of representation are focused on the indirect meanings of words and cultural practices, as opposed to, their direct meaning. Put simply, these theories put more emphasis on how words mean instead of what they mean4. O’Brien and Szeman provide the example of the semiotic theory in support of this, and they explain how this theory has had a major impact on culture. Essentially, the semiotics theory consists of two main elements including the langue and parole. The langue is what the authors refer to as the what the meaning is, where as the parole refers to how the meaning is presented. The lang ue is also associated with the system as a whole as existent on the abstract level, whereas, parole has been closely linked with individual utterances5. O’Brien and Szeman also discuss the rules of representation, and how their application in social construction. The authors explain the rules of representation are quite simple and they involve drawing the line between storytelling and the depiction of actual events. While these two principles may have a relation in social construction, the authors explain that the ability comprehend the role of these two elements in social construction is imperative. It provides individuals with the ability to draw out made up stories from actual realities. To support their argument, O’Brien and Szeman provide

STI and HIV Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

STI and HIV - Essay Example Nearly 88% of these people are in the sexually active and economically productive age group of 15 to 49 years (National AIDS Control Organization 2006, 11). Therefore, most people living with HIV are in the prime of their working lives with many of them supporting families. The remaining 8% of the infected population are above 50 years and another 4% are children (National AIDS Control Organization 2006, 11). The spread of HIV in India has been very uneven. Although the overall rate of infection in India has been very low, certain regions and certain population groups within the country have extremely high rate of infection. The infection rates are extremely high in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and the far north-east states of Manipur and Nagaland. Together these states account for 64% of the HIV burden in India (National AIDS Control Organization 2006, 14). Prevalence Rates Overall the prevalence of HIV for adult males and females has shown a declining trend in the past five years. In 2006, it was 0.36% while in 2002 it was 0.45% in 2002 (National AIDS Control Organization 2006, 11). ... 2007). One of the major concerns regarding the epidemic of HIV in India is the increase seen in the proportion of infections among children and adults above 50 years. Among children, the prevalence of HIV was 3% in 2002 which increased to 4% in 2006 (National AIDS Control Organization 2006, 13). Similarly, the prevalence of the disease was 6% among adults above the age of 50 which has increased to 8% in 2006 (National AIDS Control Organization 2006, 13). Transmission route In India, nearly 88% of the transmission of STI/HIV happens through heterosexual contact (The World Bank 2008). Other routes of transmission include perinatal (4.7%), unsafe blood and blood products (1.7%), infected needles and syringes (1.8%) and other unspecified routes of transmission (4.1%) (The World Bank 2008). It is interesting to note that in the high prevalence southern states of India, STI/HIV has been found to spread primarily through heterosexual contact while in the high prevalence north-eastern states , the disease has been found to spread mainly among injecting drug users and sex workers (National AIDS Control Organization 2006). Researchers believe that the HIV epidemic in India has followed the ‘type 4’ pattern (The World Bank 2008). This is a pattern where new infections occur among the most vulnerable populations like the female sex workers, men who have sex with men or the injecting drug users. The infection then spreads to ‘bridge’ populations like the clients of sex workers or sexual partners of drug users and finally it enters the general population. Studies have revealed that long distance truck drivers and male migrant workers make up significant proportions of clients of sex workers (UNGASS 2008). In

John Stuart Mills Essay On Liberty -- John Stuart Mill On Liberty

John Stuart Mill's Essay On Liberty The main theme of on liberty was the individual. Everything else, society, education,government and so forth had their basis in the individuals rights to his own liberty. No one, no member of society, government, even God, if he appeared before an individual, could inforce his will upon him. That is not to say that you couldnt change someones mind through discussions, but instead, that no one had a right to force his views upon another. Your happiness is yours(individual) to enjoy without any infringements. Conversations between individuals or groups of individuals is essential in developing the notion of liberty. Mill claims that you should feel free to convey your views openly without forcing them onto others. After all, a man who learns from no one but himself has a fool for a teacher. There is however an exception to this rule. That is, if an individual in any way harms or comes onto anothers rights to liberty, or causes a social threat, hence he or she is subjected to forced inclinations by other members of society. For example, walking around nude on the streets of Cairo might be your cup of tea, alas, in Cairo they prefer coffee. In other words, if you offend other individuals, you are in fact infringing on their rights as free citizens who poses a sovereign mind. However if you choose to remain nude while in the comfort of your hotel room in Cairo, then there is no reason why you shouldn't....

Taco Bell: Reengineering

| | |[pic] | |Taco Bell- A Reengineering Success Story | |A Reengineering Success Story | | | | | | | Contents 1. About Taco Bell3 2. The Problem Starts3 3. Reengineering to the Rescue3 4. The After Effects6 About Taco Bell The franchise, Taco Bell is an eatery that needs no introduction. Taco Bell Corp. based in Irvine, California is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. , and the United States’ leading Mexican style quick-service restaurant. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos signature Quesadillas, grilled stuft burritos, nachos, and other specialty items such as the Crunchwrap Supreme, in addition to a wide variety of Big Bell Value Menu items. Taco Bell serves more than 2 billion consumers each year in the more than 5,800 restaurants in the US. In 2005, Taco Bell generated sales of $1. 8 billion in company restaurants and $4. 4 billion in franchise restaurants. More than 80% of their restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees. There are currently more than 278 restaurants operating in Canada, Guam, Aruba, Dominican Republic, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Asia, Europe and the Philippines. The Problem Starts In 1983, analysis showed that the Taco Bell’s total cumulative growth since 1978 was a shocking negative 16% compared to a positive 6% of the total industry. This prompted the management to pinpoint immediately what was going wrong and where. This led them to identify the following factors: †¢ Lack of business vision for the company †¢ Reliance on obsolete management and operational practices, which focused more upon the processes rather than the customers themselves †¢ Top-down structure with multiple levels of management †¢ Following traditional approaches, which assumed what customers wanted without even asking them All the above factors were resulting in slower and costlier service. Having identified some of the key areas that needed improvement, Taco Bell started reengineering itself out of troubled waters. The more they listened, the more they found out that what customers wanted was very simple- good food, served fast and hot, in a clean environment and at a price they could afford. Reengineering to the Rescue The old system of operations at Taco Bell was based upon traditional operational practices, which were grossly insufficient for the economic and business climate of the 21st Century. This entire set-up was based upon certain assumptions, which include the following: †¢ Assuming that the restaurant knew what the customer wanted without even asking them. This led them to falsely believe that the customer wanted fancier decor, broader menus, outdoor playground etc. , instead of quality food at affordable prices. Investing in large kitchen areas, which in some instances covered over 70% of the total area in the mistaken belief that it would improve customer satisfaction †¢ Operating the restaurant along the lines of a manufacturing company rather than a retail outlet. Doin g away with this concept led to the development of novel ideas like K-Minus and TACO. †¢ Believing that the only segment they could target was the one within the restaurant’s premises. This translated into $78 million, whereas outside the restaurant, the total market came to about $600 billion in the USA alone. †¢ Limiting themselves to the goal of becoming a value leader in the quick-service restaurant industry rather than the value leader for all foods for all occasions. Reengineering the setup at Taco Bell involved several steps, including: †¢ Complete reorganization of human resources †¢ Dramatic redesign of operational systems †¢ Doing away with entire levels of management †¢ Creation of jobs like â€Å"market manager† †¢ Replacing area supervisors with market managers and reducing their numbers †¢ Eliminating district managers and promoting restaurant managers †¢ Reduction in the costs of everything about the business except the cost of the food and its packaging The management process was completely and dramatically reengineered–three layers were eliminated, including the entire â€Å"district manager† supervisory level. Every job in the system was redefined. Restaurant managers were given greater latitude to run their own businesses, and ultimately became â€Å"Restaurant General Managers. † In short, Taco Bell followed only one rule during the entire process of reengineering- â€Å"Enhance those things that bring value to the customer and change or eliminate those that don’t. † With this motto their corporate vision became clearer, â€Å"We want to be number one in the share of stomach[1]. † This was a vision of the company becoming a leader in the restaurant business and not just the Mexican food business was articulated. They also changed their restaurant structure by: †¢ Limiting kitchen area from 70% to 30% †¢ Increasing the customer area from 30% to 70% †¢ Doubling the seating capacity in the area available Additionally, reengineering led Taco Bell to introduce two new methodologies, namely K-Minus and TACO (Total Automation of Company Operations). [pic] Figure 2 Taco Bell’s two new methodologies K-Minus means kitchen less restaurant, based on the nature of the company. All of their food was cooked outside the restaurant in central locations. This stemmed from the concept that food should be retailed instead of manufactured. TACO (Total Automation of Company Operations) provides each restaurant with a Marketing Information System (MIS) and empowered the employees with computer know-how. It eliminated paper-work and allowed more time to be spent on customers. It helped keep track of sales minute by minute. Such programs served as agents of change for more innovative ideas such as new and varied points of distribution (like street corners and concessions stands) etc. This case study brings forth the following conclusions: Reengineering businesses is very much a reality and is not limited to the confines of a textbook. If done properly, it can virtually turn around any business; be it consumer goods (Kodak), restaurants (Taco Bell) or financial institutions (IBM Credit). The customer must be the starting point for all reengineering methods, concepts, ideas and processes. Resistance to change must be anticipated and appropriate steps must be taken to deal with it. Every company that seeks to be reengineered should seek a motto that makes its corporate vision clear, like that of Taco Bell. The After Effects These changes have had a huge impact on the company. Taco Bell went from a failing regional Mexican -American fast food chain with $500 million in sales in 1982, to a $3 billion national company 10 years later, with a goal to expand further to $20 million. While the environment was not a factor in Taco Bell's reengineering, it has benefited through the reengineering process. For example the TACO program (Total Automation of Company Operations) provides sophisticated MIS technology for all employees, saving thousands of hours of paperwork — and thus paper — as well as promoting self-sufficiency and reducing time spent on administration. The K-Minus program, or kitchenless restaurant, established a system where the large majority of food preparation occurs at central commissaries rather than in the restaurant, pushing 15 hours of work a day out of the restaurant, improving quality control and employee morale, reducing employee accidents and injuries, and resulting in substantial savings on utilities. The K-Minus program saves Taco Bell about $7 million a year. ———————– [1] The company introduced a new performance measurement called â€Å"the total share of stomach. † Instead of measuring success as market share of the fast-food market, Taco Bell set the goal of becoming the value leader for all foods for all meal occasioned. That created a broader vision and stimulated the development of new innovations.

Redesigned SAT Essay Prompts

Social Anxiety A Mental Health Problem - 1636 Words

Have you ever felt like you are overly nervous in social situations? Well if so, then you might have a mental disorder called social anxiety. Social anxiety could almost be a thing of the past unless a person chooses not to get treatment for it. There are many different treatments and skills to help reduce social anxiety by a ton. Social anxiety should not stop anybody from doing the things they love. So many other people have this disorder and do not want to get help because they do not want to admit they need help. There are multiple causes, effects, and treatment to clarify if someone has social anxiety. During the road to recovery, it may not be as easy as it seems, but people should always remember to keep their head up. Social†¦show more content†¦1). Although stress can help motivate people to do their homework, it could also cause anxiety if it is severe enough(Kahn para. 1). There is no exact cause of social anxiety, but scientists think it is environmental and genetic factors combined(Higuera para. 4). Some conditions that can cause people to have social anxiety are worrying about being judged, being the center of attention, being in situations with strangers, and avoiding talking to people because they feel like they are going to be embarrassed(â€Å"Social† para. 5). Genetics and seeing a lot of anxious behavior can cause social anxiety; however, it is not certain how it is related to social anxiety(â€Å"Social† para. 10). Even though social anxiety can run in families, scientists are not sure how it is actually linked to genes(Higuera para. 6). Whenever people are around their families frequently, they learn to react the same way their family members do which can lead to social anxiety(Higuera para. 6). When people notice a great deal of anxious behavior around them, they could catch on and start acting the same way(Nordqvist para. 16). Shy and bottled up children are more likely to have social anxiety than other children(Nordqvist para. 16). Overprotective parenting is another cause of social anxiety(Nordqvist para. 16). If social anxiety runs in the family,

Technology And Learning Enabling Or Subverting - 1362 Words

Topic Technology and Learning: Enabling or Subverting, Chapter 12 Analysis of Required Reading Position 1: Technology Enables Learning As we employ new technological tools, our views about technology itself change. Advances are being made in areas such as solar energy, radio, television microwave, medical imaging, satellite communication, and laser surgery and our children need to be able to keep up with these and other technological advances now and in the future. After all, technological knowledge is needed in pretty much all modern occupations. In the schools, â€Å"Technology demonstrates daily its practical value in classroom instruction, teacher and student research, improved school design and operation, increasing student interest and teacher scope, and interlinking the school and the globe† (Nelson, Palonsky, McCarthy, 2013, p. 280). Hardly anyone uses chalkboards and textbook anymore, and teenagers, better known as â€Å"screenagers†, have a unique relationship with technology with or without it in the classroom. As far as teachers’ roles in the classroom with technology, they are transformed into â€Å"guides to the side† using technology for the actual instruction and assessment while they serve as designers and organizers of instructional material, facilitators of the actual learning, and knowledgeable, supportive mentors. Some may doubt the benefits of learning from and with technology, but studies have shown using technology has improved outcomes in cognitive knowledgeShow MoreRelatedManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 Pagesclear that all this complexity has been changing the fundamental dimensions of business strategy and the meaning of its implementation. These changes affect a broad range of decisions, including the following: ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  ââ€"  How to invest in technology How to lead meaningful human resources initiatives How to maintain alliances successfully What the speed of new product or service development should be What the appropriate time horizons for investments and financial planning are How to implement