Individual analysis of an organisation of student's choice Assignment

Individual analysis of an organisation of student's choice - Assignment Example Wal-Mart emerged as a global retailing corporation from being a local retailer with the successful implementation of a unique and undisputed supply chain and operations management system within the business. The major characteristics of the operations management of Wal-Mart which have driven the success of the company on a global platform are the unique inventory management systems, non-replicable everyday low pricing strategies, the use of high end technology and integration in the supply chain and a centralized procurement and distribution system. Wal-Mart has become the undisputed leader in the retail segment through the use of the everyday low pricing strategy which has driven high volume of sales and subsequently increased profitability for the company. Wal-Mart is acclaimed for having maintained the highest operating profit margins, inventory turnover and sales per square feet among the retail companies operating in the United States and other countries in the world. The operat ions management of Wal-Mart has played a key role in the popularity of the company and the emergence of the company as the number one retail business among many players in the retail industry. Wal-Mart as a business has both internal and external stakeholders. Both the internal as well as the external stakeholders of the company have much interest in the activities and management of the business. The internal stakeholders of Wal-Mart include the shareholders, the management and the employees of the company. On the other hand, the external stakeholder group comprises of mainly the customers, suppliers, distributors, competitors and the governments of the countries in which the stores of Wal-Mart operate. The most important internal customers are tee employees and the most critical external customers of Wal-Mart are the customers of the business. Wal-Mart is renowned for managing its human resources very well and is currently

Budget Information Problem Based In Metroline Travel Engineering Accounting Essay

Budget Information Problem Based In Metroline Travel Engineering Accounting Essay This report outlines a budget information problem based in Metroline Travel engineering and logistical function. The report also presents a discussion and analysis of a budget information problem with reference to the problem solving frame work. The project also includes the 4 Ps within the marketing mix, limitations of incremental budgeting, 10 criteria which are proposed for good-quality information and a financial analysis of the logistical function overtime cost. These analyses are necessary for competent decision-making. In addition, the report concludes with an investigative examination of these problems and plausible recommendations to address the companys deficiencies. Also noteworthy, advantages and disadvantages using the SMART framework with recommendations and implications will also be outlined. Contents Assignment 02 1 A budget information problem within the logistical function 1 B629/BZX629 Managing 2: Marketing and Finance 1 Report Prepared by: Kelemn Wyllie 1 Senior Material Support Manager 1 Metroline Travel 1 Tutor 1 Mr. Jay Naik 1 1 Date of the Report: 25-08-2010 1 Contents 3 TMA Part 1 5 Introduction 5 Stakeholder Analysis 6 Problem Statement 7 Figure 4 Internal Engineering Value Chain Analysis 7 Analysis 9 10 Conclusion 14 Recommendation 16 Figure 12 recommendations within the budget control loop 16 Bibliography 21 Appendix 22 TMA Part 2: TMA Activities 38 Activity 1: Week 6 Table 6.1 Three new tasks you could do at work 38 Activity 2: Week 6 Table 6.2 Costs Rewards associated with the proposed 3 new work 39 Activity 3: Week 6 Table 6.3 Communicating your proposed idea to peers in the organisation 40 Activity 4: Week 7 Table 7.1 How I currently deliver the service and how it could be improved 41 Activity 5: Week 8 Table 8.1 Focus group research on a marketing problem 42 Activity 6: Week 9 Table 9.1 Investigate marketing planning in my own organisation 43 Activity 7: Week 9 Table 9.2 The Marketing Plan 44 Activity 8: Week 10 Part A What financial information do you deal with at home and at work? 45 Activity 8: Week 10 Part B Share with other students what you hope to achieve by studying finance 46 Activity 9: Week 10 Table 10.1 Stakeholders financial information needs 47 Activity 10: Week 10 Table 10.2 Financial information requirements 48 Activity 11: Week 11 A completed version of Table 11.1 Garden Furnishings: solving the problem 49 Activity 12: Week 12 A Word Document noting your/your line managers budgetary information requirements 50 Activity 13: Week 12 Part A A completed version of Table 12.2 Template for cash budget 51 Activity 13: Week 12 Part B A Word document discussing practical application of master and cash budget information to problems of Garden Furnishings 52 Activity 14: Week 12 Resolving a budget information problem 53 TMA Part 1 Introduction As senior material manager in a public bus company called Metroline Travel. A subsidiary company owned by the Singapore based ComfortDelGro Corporation. See Appendix for profit and loss account and other related financial information as of 31st march 2010. The worlds second largest listed land transport company. The senior material manager supervises a team of 15 material support managers across London. These personnel are the logistical team and their core responsibilities are the supply, storage and procurement of parts to engineering (core activity). The logistical hierarchy is illustrated in figure 1. Figure 1 Metroline Organisational Structure (Logistical Department) Stakeholder Analysis Stakeholder analysis is a useful technique used to identify the key people within the logistical function framework. These key personnel are very important to the organizational structure because they have tremendous power and influence which affects the performance and future resource planning allocated from senior management. Managers should consider the organisations responsibilities and commitment to all its stakeholders. (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 196) According to Mendelows matrix these can be grouped into to 4 categories which are illustrated figure 2 in Metroline Travel below: Figure 2 Mendelows matrix High Low C- Keep Satisfied D- Key Players A- Minimal Effort B-Keep Informed Low HighPower Level of Interest A- Drivers B- Operation, Suppliers C- Finance department D- Engineering (Core Activity) Assumptions To make the problem more bounded: Material managers have complete autonomy over their overtime Material manager received invoices on a Friday in May, June and July Budgets are formed outside the control of the logistical function Cost can be divided in to fixed and variable cost The material managers are constraint to 19 hours per week overtime (limiting factor) in line with the EU working time directive Problem Statement Budgets are used for detailed planning in the allocation of resources in a business. This information is important to management and stakeholders alike in assessing the activities and performance of an organisation, illustrated in Figure 3. The logistical function overtime budget is based on an incremental budgeting principle with an absorption costing approach for allocating cost per material managers. The incremental budgeting principle is based on 9% of their base salary plus current inflation. However, the material mangers overtime for May, June and July allowance were over budgeted which would affect workers long term motivational level working on a weekend. This over-budget affects the controlling, planning and decision-making of its activities. This overtime process is very important in maintaining a reliable service to engineering. Figure 3 Information direction Senior material support manager Material mangers Engineering The value chain consists of a series of activities that create and builds significance in maintaining a bus. An organisation can consider the activities in its value chain and assess if they are value added activities or non-value added activities. (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 190) This is illustrated in figure 4. Figure 4 Internal Engineering Value Chain Analysis EQUIPMENT ENVIRONMENT OTHER OTHER INPUT MACHINERY OUTPUT TOOLS QUALITY CHECKS REPAIR REPORT ENGINEERS BUS REPAIR MANAGEMENT PARTS GARAGE OVERTIME OTHER MATERIAL MANAGERS OTHER PROCESS PEOPLE As their line manager; I was tasked by the head of purchasing and logistics to investigate and place corrective actions to bring this over budgeting back under control. This over- budget is illustrated in figure 5. Figure 5. Material Managers Overtime budget as of the 31 July 2010 MONTHS January February March April May June July USER Material manager 1  £800  £900  £100  £100  £445  £520  £549 Material manager 2  £0  £220  £200  £220  £458  £612  £323 Material manager 3  £0  £100  £500  £461  £552  £144  £66 Material manager 4  £0  £50  £100  £110  £100  £222  £366 Material manager 5  £0  £60  £631  £100  £223  £141  £316 Material manager 6  £200  £100  £211  £250  £300  £44  £342 Material manager 7  £0  £600  £0  £54  £642  £335  £559 Material manager 8  £102  £0  £200  £0  £452  £500  £445 Material manager 9  £200  £0  £130  £0  £452  £900  £498 Material manager 10  £500  £0  £45  £0  £100  £626  £613 Material manager 11  £100  £200  £115  £225  £100  £225  £889 Material manager 12  £0  £200  £25  £445  £252  £225  £789 Material manager 13  £200  £0  £255  £235  £231  £995  £145 Material manager 14  £0  £120  £22  £122  £85  £452  £445 Material manager 15  £0  £100  £12  £144  £200  £100  £112 Total =  £2,102  £2,650  £2,546  £2,466  £4,592  £6,041  £6,457 Budget  £4,000  £4,000  £4,000  £4,000  £4,000  £4,000  £4,000 Cost variance  £1,898  £1,350  £1,454  £1,534 - £592 - £2,041 - £2,457 adverse adverse adverse Total Budget-  £48,000 Monthly allowance  £4,000 Daily rate-  £12.60 Weekend rate-  £20.23 Analysis Market segmentation is an important marketing task described by Bonomo and Shapiro (1983), cited by Sargeant (2009). It has a number of advantages which can be used to identify existing and potential customers. By placing customers into different groups by successful targeting their needs and managing their expectations. Figure 5. Organisational market segmentation criteria (Operating variables) Engineering (core activity) Heavy user Suppliers Medium user Finance department Medium user OTHER Light users After speaking with the material managers and investigating their overtime sheets for the months for May, June and July submitted to payrolls. The investigation using; the problem solving framework (The Managers Good Study Guide, PG 69). I found that the material managers were working more on a weekend to incur the over budget this is illustrated in figure 6 in appendix, which the daily rate is  £12.60 while the weekend rate is  £20.23 The budgeting system can seriously influence the level of motivation and culture of an organisation, because budgets play a central role in (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 155). This was because of an increase of activity; 40 plus financial invoices received from the finance department over May, June and July were received on a Friday and could not be completed that day because of day to day activities. These invoices needed to be resolved as soon as possible and took some time to process on the data base system for payment for the following week from finance illustrated in figure 7 . In addition, the limitation of the incremental budgeting, this budgeting type has inefficiencies and imperfections which were not noticed, until the increase of activity. Figure 7 total financial invoice hours to completion Using the 4 Ps- Price- Was the increase in the usage of overtime to complete the receipt of engineering invoices which will affect the material managers long term motivation coming into work allocating resources and imposing constraints on activity (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 155). Product- Was the volumes and frequency of the engineering invoices given on a Friday identifying those areas that require corrective action (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 155). Promotion- The finance manager; a senior manager requesting this activity be completed as soon as possible assessing how well managers have carried out their responsibilities (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 155). Place- Is material managers working location assessing how well managers have carried out their responsibilities (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 155). Budgeting is needed to provide managers at different levels with useful information to keep on the right road. This is illustrated in 11.2 the pyramid of purpose. This information is received for decision making. Corporate level- Provide a bus service to Transport for London Material manager overtime Support engineering Provide a bus service to Transport for London Provide parts and technical information Business level- Support engineering Operational level-Provide parts and technical information Operating Level-Material manager daily overtime Analysis of information criteria not being met There are 10 criteria which are proposed for good-quality information for decision-making; this is illustrated in figure 8. However the material managers overtime sheets were being sent directly to payroll, which added to the budget information problem. 1 Relevant- Their line manager had no knowledge of Material managers overtime 7 Timely- No Knowledge of Material managers overtime being over budget until at the end of the month 8 Communicated to the right person- Overtime sheets were sent directly to payrolls Figure 8 10 criteria which are propose for good-quality information for decision-making 10 Less costly than the value of the benefits it provides 9 Communicated via the right channel 8 Communicated to the right person 7 Timely 6 Concise 5 Trustworthy 4 Complete 3 Sufficiently accurate 2 Clear 1 Relevant Good-quality information for decision-making Analysis of the absorption costing approach From the cost analysis, the logistical function has a total budget figure of  Ã‚ £48,000. This is calculated by applying the  normal budgeted hourly rate of  £12.60 which is the budgeted man (direct labour) hours per manager according to normal capacity illustrated in figure 9, by the using the incremental budgeting principle. Figure 9 cost assignment is both Indirect cost- variable Overtime brought on by finance invoices Cost object Bus repair Direct cost- fixed Weekly overtime to provide parts and technical information to engineering The indirect and direct costs are equally distributed illustrated in figure 10, using the absorption costing approach which all cost is allocated to the main budget. This prevents monitoring of actual hours against the  actual spend within the budget. The resulting variances  should have enabled the logistical function to monitor the productivity and efficiency of all the managers. Hopefully, you can then see if there is a pattern or a reason for persistent adverse variance. The analysis will provide you with some clues about incentivize or modify  such behaviour via the budget building process. Figure 10 Relationship between costs Direct cost Variable cost Overtime brought on by finance invoices  £20.23 Fixed cost Weekly overtime to technical information to engineering  £12.60 Indirect cost Break-even analysis Break-even analysis identifies the level of activity and risk at which an organisation can generates no surplus or deficit. In the case of an over-budgeting issue; it relates to the point where the logistical function is in budget and will not be penalized for being over spent illustrated in figure 11. TotalJanuary February March April May June July  £2,102  £2,650  £2,546  £2,466  £4,592  £6,041  £6,457 Over BudgetNet Total =  £26,854 Total Budget- £ 48,000 Monthly allowance  £4,000 =  £48000- £26,854 =  £21,146 21,146(Fixed cost)/ 6 months =  £3,524 per month in overtime remaining  £3,524/ 15 material managers=  £234.93 per manager Direct cost  £234.93/  £12.60 = 18.64(Contribution) weekly hours per month or Indirect cost  £234.93/  £20.23 = 11.61(Contribution) weekend hours per month Figure 11 Break-even analysis Conclusion From the analysis, there is a clear budget information problem within the logistical function; the problem solving frame work has identified several problem areas. By Using the 4 Ps to illustrate Material managers working more on a weekend which has a higher premium rate than daily working. The limitations of the incremental budgeting; as an effective forecasting tool. 10 criteria; which are essential for good-quality information for decision-making. In which 3 criteria are not being met. In addition, not identifying true cost drivers within the budget. In which material managers that are working more on a weekend are not identified. These factors combined have affected the logistical function staying within their overtime budget. Recommendation Budgeting is part of the control process in organisations: the control loop (Understanding marketing and financial information, P. 134). The setting objectives, planning and implementing tasks, monitoring progress, reviewing results and adjusting tasks are crucial in staying and planning budgets illustrated in figure 12. Based on the investigative examination and analysis of the problems; these recommendations should improve the over- budget situation and return productivity. Figure 12 recommendations within the budget control loop Check against overtime sheets past weeks If not working- restart from the begin of the loop Operational level Provide parts and technical information Use recommendation outlined in action plan to control material manger overtime budget- budget building process Using the SMART framework from (Understanding marketing and financial information, Pg 122) the action plan will be outlined as the following Recommendation Timeline Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats (Price) Material manager weekly overtime sheets sent to senior material manager 1 week to start Giving back control to the line manager by improving the Relevant, Communicated to the right person and Timely elements of information Increase of Senior material manager workload To start a new process, which can be adapted throughout the company and monitor usage for next year budget review Material managers might feel disempowered which might affect there motivation (Place) Weekend overtime needs pre-approval 1 week to start Giving back control to line manager by improving the control element of the budgeting loop. In addition the material having to work on a weekend might increase their morale Increase of Senior material manager workload To start a new process, which can be adapted throughout the company and monitor usage for efficiency of material mangers Identification of cost drivers Control of weekend working (indirect labour) Material managers might feel disempowered which might affect their motivation (Product) + Promotion Finance manager giving the invoices on a Monday instead of a Friday 2 weeks to start Spread the work load of the material manager Direct labour cost Increase of material managers weekly workload Weekend overtime can be used to complete other essential engineering task Build up of daily work that carried over from day to day Rolling budgets Next financial year Flexibility is built into the budgeting system to deal with any changes arising from day to day activities Updated much more frequently increasing work load It encourage a high level of learning and flexibility Rolling budget can be expensive in terms of management and administrating time. Which might affect management morale and less time to manage Activity based costing Next financial year Understand what and where is driving costs Very time consuming, checking each material managers overtime sheet for cost drivers Understand of cost drivers  before an informed decision can be reached If inappropriate drivers are selected. then it could lead to incorrect decisions  resulting in loss of efficiency,  de-motivation of staff and eventual failure of the business Work shredding to engineering administration clerks 2 weeks Reduce in material manager weekend overtime- It asserts, on quite strong evidence, that 80% of our results are generally produced by 20% of our effort and that the remaining 80% of our effort is swallowed up in achieving that last 20% of our results Increase in administration clerks workload Training have to be provided- cost Training and development Increase in errors by new users. Responsibility still remains with material manager 1640 Words References B629/BZX629 Managing 2: Marketing and finance Understanding marketing and financial information by Produced for the course team by Andrew Lindridge and Haider Ali (Marketing) and Graham Francis and Michael Lucas (Finance) The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA 2010 The Open University The Managers Good Study Guide by Academic Editor: Sheila Tyler 2007 The Open University Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA Booms, B. H. and Bitner M. J. (1981) Marketing Strategies and Organization Structures for service firms in Donnelly, J.H. and George, W. R. (eds) (1981) Marketing of Services, Chicago: American Marketing Association, pp. 47-52. Hope, J. and Fraser, R.(2003)Beyond Budgeting: How Managers Can Break Free from the Annual Performance Trap, Boston, M.A., Harvard Business School. Francis, G. Et al, (2009), B629 Managing 2, Marketing and Finance, Understanding marketing and Financial Information Part 3, the Open University, Milton Keynes Lindridge A et al,, (2009), Understanding Marketing and financial Information, B629/BX629, Managing 2: Marketing and Finance Part 2, Chapter 6, The marketing Mix, Managing Channel Conflict ,Communication difficulties / Expectation Role Incongruities pg21, the Open University, Milton Keynes Johnson and Scholes (1993) Mendelows matrix, Exploring corporate strategy PG. 177 New York: Prentice Hall, 1993.   Bonomo, T. V. and Shapiro, B. P. (1983) Segmenting The Industrial Market, Lexington, Lexington Books, cited in Sargeant, A. (2009) Marketing Management for Non profit Organisations, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Bibliography Examples, Francis, G (2009), Understanding marketing and financial information, B629/BX629 Managing 2: Marketing and Finance Part 3, the Open University, Milton Keynes Lindridge, A et al, (2009), Understanding marketing and financial information, B629/BX629 Managing 2 : Marketing and Finance Part 1, the Open University, Milton Keynes Lucas, M et al (2009), Managing 2: Marketing and finance, Course Activities 3, the Open University, Milton Keynes Francis, G (2009), Understanding marketing and financial information, B629/BX629 Managing 2: Marketing and Finance Part 3, the Open University, Milton Keynes Tyler, S. (2007), The Managers Good Study Guide, 3rd edition, the Open University, Milton Keynes.

Essay on Satire, Sarcasm, and Irony in Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Satire, Sarcasm, and Irony in Catch-22  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Joseph Heller's narration, dialogue, and characterization in Catch-22 all create a unique perspective of war and our society's bureaucracy. The satire, sarcasm, irony, and general absurdity of the novel provide a view of the irrationality of man's behavior. The horror that is portrayed in Catch-22 is intensified by the humorous way in which it is portrayed. Distortion and exaggeration highlight the characters and scenario while magnifying the confusion. Parallel structure and repetition serve to reinforce the novel's themes.    The most important and prevalent aspects of Heller's style are satire, sarcasm, and irony. Heller pokes fun at the faults of society. At the same time, this humor emphasizes Heller's social commentary much more effectively than he could by simply coming out and stating his opinion.    Satire is particularly important in Catch-22. It is often used to highlight the idiocy of the military hierarchy. It also conveys a sense of humor that opposes and intensifies the dark seriousness of the book.    Language is also satirized when Heller makes fun of the "official" jargon used by military personnel. Sarcasm could be considered a counterpart of satire. The characters portrayed in the novel use sarcasm profusely. The author's view is made clear with the blatant sarcasm used by both Yossarian and the narrator: "...how much reverence can you have for a supreme Being who finds it necessary to include such phenomena as phlegm and tooth decay in His divine system of creation?"( 98)    Irony is another important aspect of the novel. Irony is an integral part of the "Catch-22" philosophy. The irony of the "catch" is that it perpetuates itsel... ... in the novel. For example:    "I'm cold," Snowden said softly. "I'm cold" "You're going to be all right, kid," Yossarian reassured him with a grin. "You're going to be all right." "I'm cold," Snowden said again in a frail, childlike voice. "I'm cold." "There, there," Yossarian said, because he did not know what else to say. "There, there." "I'm cold," Snowden whispered. "I'm cold." "There, there. There, there."    All of these aspects of style come together very well. They play off of each other and are combined easily and appropriately. It is this culmination of styles that makes Catch-22 so effective.    Works Cited and Consulted Heller, Joseph. Catch-22. New York. Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Kennard, Jean E. "Joseph Heller: At War with Absurdity." Contemporary Literary Criticism.(75-87) Ed. Roger Matuz. Detroit:L Gale 1990.

Problems We Face in Our Daily Lives

E & B Hassan Anjum Problem 1 Inconvenience of getting ready in the morning Background: This is a problem that every person faces, be it a kid getting ready for school or an adult going to office. Why do people complain about it? Obviously the reason is pretty simple. It is time consuming. People want a solution that helps them to cut this time. Solutions tried (TIPS): There isn’t any such specific product which helps people to tackle this problem. But we do have some tips regarding this situation on the internet http://www. wikihow. com/Get-Ready-in-the-Morning ttp://parentables. howstuffworks. com/family-matters/3-free-get-ready-school-printables-make-your-mornings-easier. html (This isn’t relevant to the topic but is an interesting idea for kids to learn getting ready themselves in the morning. ) http://www. wikihow. com/Get-Ready-for-School-%28for-Girls%29 Possible solution (Product) : It is a wild idea but I really fancy the idea of some iron man machine look alike which has all the tools and equipment ( Eg Robotics controlling hairbrush , tooth brush etc) for getting ready in the morning.Morever, we have an input device ( probably an augmented reality screen which helps us to decide what clothes to wear). And all these processes involved in getting ready are controlled by robotics. All we have to do is choose what clothes to wear and enter the machine. All the functions are performed simultaneously. Morever this machine would have the capabilities to give one a bath. So the 2nd problem of bathing could be integrated as well. Just a wild idea . I know it sounds a bit complicated but still a possibility.Problem 2 Sound Pollution Background: Sound or noise pollution is another common problem that one faces in his daily life. It can be caused in many forms. Be it some construction work going on in the community, the roaring of vehicle engines in the morning, highway noise or probably some late night party going on in the neighbourhood. Noise poll ution has become a serious concern due to its adverse effects. Solutions that already exist: http://www. youtube. com/watch? =-jevPIJmABA&feature=related This vid shows us the different materials to sound proof a room. Pretty common thing And as Janet and Josh have mentioned already http://www. audimutesoundproofing. com/ Something portable but too big to carry around. Possible solutions : Sound proof remote (Press a button and it sound proofs the room) P. S , Yes this idea has been discussed and mentioned before. Other solutions such as sound proof walls, ear muffs are too mainstream. And SORRY for the delay !!

Modern public life Essay

â€Å"Modern Public life could not exist or function properly without the Media† In this essay I will be discussing the above statement and arguing that without Media, modern public life could not exist. I will first explain some key terms to help in the argument including explaining the meaning of the term Public Life. According to the Collins Dictionary â€Å"The Public is people in general or the people of a particular place. Public is used to talk about the feelings and behaviours of people in general. If someone is a public figure or is in public life, they are well known. Public is used to talk about things being said or done so that everyone can hear them or see them†. What is meant by the term Public Life is a space where a body of people can come together to discuss issues relating to their group. These groups can be very small like a book club or large like the United Nations and they can discuss anything from the latest Bryce Courtney novel to world peace. Geoffrey Craig in his book The Media Politics and Public Life explains the concept of public life as: â€Å".. A body of people within a society and a domain within which debate about that society occurs†¦ The public is also a subject, and people come together as a public in modern times when they engage in readings of the events, the stories and the debates that circulate in the society. â€Å"(2002. P49) Public life occurs where private issues are brought to the attention of the general public through the use of the media. Without out the media it would be private life, not public life. Media, as defined by the Collins dictionary is the plural of medium which â€Å"is a means of communicating or teaching something. † When we talk about the media we do not just use traditional forms of media like newspapers, television and radio but we also use other forms of media like movies, the internet, transnationals companies and communication technologies. All of these forms of media are sites where the meanings of public life are played out, debated and evaluated. Our everyday lives could not function properly without the media. Media is a drug that we cannot live in a democratic society without. We listen to the radio on the way to work to hear the traffic reports and to know where the multi-novas are hidden. When election time comes, we can’t invite John Howard round for dinner to discuss his policies so we rely on the media to show us them through television radio and newspapers. When a cyclone is coming our way, how do we know to lock up the house or leave town? The media inform us. Even the very early smoke signals were a form of media, a form of communication. It is important to stress here that there is no way that public life could function without the use of the media as the understandings of our society, the norms and values of the world in which we live are the products of living in a mediated world. We as a public only ever see the representations of a breaking story through the television or in the paper. We rely on the media to tell us breaking stories that are happening around the world because of our geographical locations. John Hartley (1992 P1) has noted: â€Å"while [the public domain and the public] don’t exist as spaces and assemblies, the public realm and the public are still to be found, large as life in the media. Television, popular newspapers, magazines and photography, the popular media of the modern period, are the public domain, the place where and the means by which the public is crated and has its being. † In talking about public life we must clarify the notion of having a public sphere. By public sphere we mean any activities that occur in the public eye or that is brought to the attention of the public through the media. Habermas argues that the original public spheres originated with the early Bourgeois movement in the tea houses, libraries and reading societies in England. It was here where people gathered to discuss issues concerning their lives and the society in which they lived. What made this a public sphere was that the people were all gathered in one place discussing issues that were relevant to them. Although this was regarded as one of the original democracies that were a voice for the people, Habermas also understood that the early tea house publics were not totally representative of the communities for which they were fighting for. In the early days women were not included in the tea house discussions, also, only a certain class of people were allowed to enter the tea houses and those that could not read would not need to go to reading houses or libraries. Of course those that could not travel to these public events had no said either. This limited the voice of the people to only those that were upper-class, well educated men that could travel. This was not representative of the wider communities. The next stage in the evolution of public life was when the printing presses made literature available to the mass public. This literature was free from state control and was the newest site for public life to be played out on. Of course if you were illiterate the medium was useless but for those that could read and had access to the literature a new public was formed. The reading public was not tied by geographical restrictions. The development of film was again a new medium that with it brought a new public. By now we have to understand that there are a huge amount of publics that all have their own issues to debate. A person can be part of a number of publics at one time. She may be a single mother, working at the supermarket, she is part of the conservative party, is a part of a sci-fi reading club, she buys Thai cooking books, buys red wine and goers to wineries, is part of a mothers group at day care, has a network of other single friends on the internet and is part of a union at work. All of these publics want very specific things and all lobby for different things, the private issues become public when they are played out through the different types of media. Without the media the issues would not be brought into the public spotlight and would likely not be resolved. It is essential to point out that modern public life is played out through our media consumption and not through our everyday experiences. We collectively watched the September 11 attacks through our televisions, listened to the disaster unfold on our radios and read about and saw the pictures of the devastation in newspapers. Without these sites we would not have experienced it at all. This highlights the fact that we rely on the media to get information that would not readily be available to us. Peter Dahlgren argues that the public sphere is not just a â€Å"marketplace for ideas or an information exchange depot but also a major societal mechanism for the production and circulation of culture†. This idea of the media framing culture is very important because it gives the media great power to give meaning to our identities. Culture, which consist of ideas, customs, norms, values and attitudes are shared by the people of a particular country. Campaigns that promote a type of culture are often produced by government and portrayed through various media outlets. Popular campaigns that frame our culture are the domestic violence ad â€Å"Australia says NO to domestic violence† and the drink driving campaign, that enforce that fact that those things are going against our culture and that that type of behaviours is not accepted. These campaigns are dependant on the media getting the message out there. The main media technologies that are responsible for the communication of public news are television, radio and print and these all function as journalism. These are seen as the most trustworthy sources of information as they are governed by laws that protect privacy, defamation and the use of misleading information. Journalisms main role is to seek the truth and tell the masses. Although these forms of media are self regulated (to be free of outside influence) their guidelines that journalists have to abide by are strict to keep the freedom to self regulate. Television is the most powerful mass medium and is an absolute must in every household. In my house alone there are four televisions and there are only 2 people living there. â€Å"A productivity commission report found that Australia’s spend over 20 hours per week or 36% of their leisure time watching television†(Productivity Commission 200, P62). The ability to actually see an event or person and hear them speak makes television the most trustworthy of the media outlets. Politicians often measure the success of a campaign on the presentation of their image/policy/media events. Although television has taken over from the print media as the most popular type of news media, many argue that the print media are the most influential mass medium for political debate. Agenda setting for the day is mostly done by the ‘quality’ morning newspapers. Newspapers are often more detailed in their dissemination of public life because they are not restricted by the time factor that is TV. Radio is the secret weapon in the fight for a public life. The radio doesn’t have the ability to show the audience an event or doesn’t even give them a chance to read about an issue but it is the most pervasive forms of media as it can be listened to whilst driving or doing the housework. Politicians often use talkback radio as a direct link to the public. It is often the closet the general public will get to speaking with high profile players. Because the media is the chief agency to communicate public life and the world that we know is based on the representations of the media, there is much scrutiny placed on the authenticity of the stories that are shown to us. In Australia there are laws that ensure that one source does not have monopoly over the content of our media, Australia’s former prime minister Paul Keating put it best when he said that the cross ownership laws meant you could be a ‘prince of print or a queen of screen’ but not both. This means that one person will not be in control of all of the media of our country and so a true representation of society’s issues would be presented by the media. Again without the media, Australia would not be able to be a democratic society and have a public life. Through many different sites issues and events are played out and become open to the scrutiny of the general public. These different issues and events create discussion between the people that read or hear about them and this is what is meant by a public life. People that are hundreds of miles away from each other can be discussing the same issues without even having to talk to one another. These systems of communication enable us to live in a democratic society, a society where we can chose who leads us in government and we can discuss issues relating to our society. This would not happen if wasn’t for the role of the media. Without the media to portray issues and events we would never hear about a sale on in the city or about governmental policy that is set to affect us all. Public life as we know it would not be able to function properly without the media. References Craig, Geoffrey. Chapter 1, 2 and 3. The Media, Politics and Public Life. Victoria: Allen and Unwin, 2004. Cunningham, Stuart and Graeme Turner. The Media and Communications in Australia. St Leonard’s, Sydney: Allen and Unwin, 2002. Dahlgren, Peter. Television and the Public Sphere: Citizenship, Democracy and the Media. London: Sage, 1995 Grossberg, Lawrence, Ellen Wartella and D. Charles Whitney. â€Å"The Media and the Public. † Media Making: Mass Media in a Popular Culture. Thousand Oaks, CA:Sage, 1998. 357-374 Habermas, Jurgen. The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere: An Inquiry into the Category of Bourgeois Society. Trans, T. Burger. Cambridge: Polity, 1992. Scannell, Paddy. â€Å"Public service broadcasting and modern public life† Media, Culture and Society. 11(1989):135-166. Thompson, John. â€Å"The Media and the Development of the Modern Societies† The Media and Modernity. Cambridge: Polity Press, 1995. 44-69 Wark, McKenzie. Celebrities, culture and cyberspace: the light on the hill in a post-modern world. Sydney: Pluto Press, 1999. 128-136 http://malagigi. cddc. vt. edu/pipermail/icernet/2004-January/002743. html http://www. zip. com. au/~athornto/thesis2. htm http://www. gseis. ucla. edu/faculty/kellner/kellner. html.

To Honor the Fallen

To Honor the Fallen Free Online Research Papers It is with a great sense of honor and pride, which I am going to give the following speech for all of those who have fallen at war. However, to my great dismay, I feel as if the world has been compiled on top of me. It is by my word that the brave men who have fallen will either leave this world with a legacy or nothing. The most challenging task which I must conquer here today is to tell you, the people of this great country, the truth in a manner which will not be considered far-fetched or perhaps false. Those who have witnessed the war first hand, or have lost a loved one to the terrible nature of it, may find my statements to be accurate and just, whereas those who have no correlation to it might find my statements to be exaggerated. A man can only bear to hear others being praised for so long, at a certain point they begin to question their ability to equal the greatness of those being praised. I believe I should begin with our ancestors, not only is it proper, but it is fitting. Without the sacrifices which they gave in years passed, our great nation would not be here to this day. Because of our ancestors, this country has developed from generation to generation and the result has been a land without prejudice, a land without oppression, but instead a land of democracy and of freedom. Because of their bravery, our country has a glorious past, and we the people can all have a great sense of pride to be a part of it. As for our own fathers, they deserve praise just as all of our ancestors, because they have done nothing but augment the nation which was given to them. As our generations continue to blossom and proceed into the next phase of their life, all we can try to do is live up to the legacy which was left behind by our forefathers, and continue to add to this great nation. As for all of our ancestors which helped to free this land of its tyrannical rule from the Briti sh Empire, every citizen is eternally in your debt. A key factor to the greatness of America is our diversity. Our country is composed of all different ethnicities and this is what makes us so unique. We receive great minds from countries all over the world daily and not only do they bring potential, but culture, and culture is a valuable asset to have. Brilliant minds such as Albert Einstein have immigrated to America for reasons of oppression and injustice. People seek our land for our great freedoms and this is something which every American should be proud of. Without our high rate of immigration, our country would not have received some of the great minds it has seen and we would not be nearly as advanced and unique as we are today. Furthermore, we are a people who know how to free our minds of business. We enjoy our leisure time and we have more than plenty of ways to spend it. Ranging from professional sporting events to movie theatres to concerts, we have plenty of ways to rid our minds of cares for ample amounts of time. Our cities are some of the most magnificent the world has ever seen. Cities such as Chicago and New York, which host countless numbers of plays, operas, and exhibits, give us an insight into other cultures to the point where we feel as if they are our own. The possibilities and luxuries in our land are endless. With hard work and dedication, a person can become whatever it is they desire, whether it be an oil executive or a math teacher. Our government does not control its people and force them into jobs which they see fit, everyone is given their own chance and that chance is our ticket to the American dream. This is the reason why America is such an amazing place, the world is truly yours. Our constitution is of its own breed. We do not copy the laws of other countries, but instead we take them into account. We constructed our own ideals and with them intertwined ideas from other countries, thus producing a constitution of fair means. We are a democracy which favors the whole of our people, not the rich, not the poor, but the entire spectrum of classes. Class is not an issue in resolving a question of merit, and poverty is certainly not an obstacle which stops a citizen from achieving his goals. Any man and every man in our land have the chance to become great, and that is what makes this country worth fighting for. The freedoms which our government ensures excel beyond our political life, and into our everyday life. We are a people who are accepting, and we do not feel the urge to offend our neighbor by commenting on their private relations. â€Å"To each his own† is an ideal by which we as a majority thrive, and it has been successful in keeping our country at equilibrium. Our military policies are completely different from that of our enemies. Our shores are open to the rest of the world, and we do not exclude any foreigners due to race, creed, or nationality. Although tragedies occur such as the attacks on the world trade centers, we are a people who unite in hardship. We are a people who falter but do not fall. But most of all, we are a people who rise to adversity. On September 11th, 2001 terrorists attacked civilians in our country in the most cowardly of ways. As a nation we united and rose above the atrocities which occurred. We reacted in a collected manner with dignity and honor; we did not act like savages and take out our anguish on their citizens. Due to our nation’s success, certain countries have become envious and decided to consider us their enemy. We do not raise our young to believe that the greatest glory one can achieve is to take lives, including their own. We are polar opposites of the people who feel the entire world population, excluding them, is infidels. Culture, understanding, and refinement are the three keys which we teach to our children. Understanding of other people’s cultures and ideals are as important to us as education. This is the difference between us and the savage. The men fighting in the Middle East are preserving everything about our way of life. They are protecting our freedoms and our liberties from the dangers of the outside world. The people who choose to threaten our harmonious way of life do not have the blessings which we have to lose and this is what truly fuels their fire. Without their strong character and bravery, our nation would be without security, and most likely, our nation would not be. The soldiers who died defending our nation decided not to run and hide in the midst of battle, unlike the cowards which they must face. Our honorable soldiers instead chose to die fighting, with honor, than to survive as a coward. I have given praise for the soldiers who have fallen to the best of my ability. What is left now is for you, the survivors, to live up to the standards of our fallen. We all must understand and appreciate the power of our nation, and realize, none of this could be possible without the courage, honor, and immense dedication which was given by those who have died preserving it. We must save in our hearts a section solely for those whose glories will never wither away. For those who have lost a father, a son, or maybe even a friend, weep no longer, for they have gained an honor which will never grow old, and they will forever be immortalized on this earth. Research Papers on To Honor the FallenThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 Europe19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraBringing Democracy to AfricaQuebec and CanadaRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceWhere Wild and West MeetHip-Hop is ArtComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito

John Q Public II essays

John Q Public II essays Everybody lock your doors, get a gun, protect yourself! Mr. John Q Public II is planning to prepare the ground for an ever-more vicious and brutal campaign of terror! As this letter will make clear, he keeps saying that he holds a universal license that allows him to make things worse. Isn't that claim getting a little shopworn? I mean, we were put on this planet to be active, to struggle, and to put inexorable pressure on him to be a bit more careful about what he says and does. We were not put here to control, manipulate, and harm other people, as Mr. Public might insist. Sure, he talks the talk, but does he walk the walk? No, don't guess; this isn't audience participation day. I'll just tell you. But before I do, you should note that he is too mindless to read the writing on the wall. This writing warns that he believes that he can send flippant oafs on safari holidays instead of publicly birching them and get away with it. Sorry, but I have to call foul on that one. Need I point out that this is a very real and serious concern? Viewing all this from a higher vantage point, we can see that Mr. Public should think about how his epigrams lead barbaric, insipid mendicants to promote a form of government in which religious freedom, racial equality, and individual liberty are severely at risk. If Mr. Public doesn't want to think that hard, perhaps he should just keep quiet. There's no mystery about it, no more room for fairy tales, just the knowledge that his apparatchiks tend to fall into the mistaken belief that it is his moral imperative to dominate or intimidate others, mainly because they live inside a Mr. Public-generated illusion-world and talk only with each other. For one thing, he backstabs his advocates. But more important, it's astounding that he has found a way to work the words "gastrohysterorrhaphy" and "anthropocentrical" into his threats. However, you may find it even more astounding that he has spent untold hours tryi...