Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl - Essay Example â€Å"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl† shows a clear example of the inhumane abuses placed upon slaves. It was written by the slave girl herself so that the information is firsthand. The author tells about her experiences and observations about slavery. As a girl, Harriet Jacobs was blessed to have a master who treated her well. She was not sent to the farm as would any male servant would have been treated. Instead, she was taught to do household chores and even sew. Perhaps these are instances that gave her also the privilege of having been taught by her mistress to read and write. She experienced better days compared to other slaves who would be out in the field under the heat of the sun, whipped by overseers when unable to perform well and constantly exposed to the harsh treatments of slave owners. She was even given time to play whenever her mistress perceived she was tired from sewing. This made Jacobs’ situation quite odd for a slave. She was made to enjoy l ittle joys as a child. As a result, she perceived life better than his brother did. Initially, Jacobs fancied that someday, she could gain her freedom in a manner that is praise-worthy. Unlike her brother who told her that gaining freedom is easier said than done, Jacobs held positive outlook in her life about her situation. Later in her life though, Jacobs proved his brother to be right when she experienced many bitter circumstances. First, she witnessed how her grandmother was cheated on about her mistress’ debt form her as well as her long-promised freedom. Luckily, her former master’s relative knew her well and therefore bought her when she had the chance to do so. When Jacobs served her new master, she became the object of her male master’s sexual abuses. Consequently, the master’s wife despised and hated her. Being a woman and a slave, Jacobs was vulnerable to such circumstances. The situation was true in so many circumstances as revealed by the nar rations of the author but she never dreamed of becoming a victim herself one day. She claims that she vowed to never degrade herself and the people that she loved in such a manner however her circumstances pressed her to use her womanhood. Perhaps because Jacobs thought when opportunity presented itself that her womanhood has been violated by her master anyway, that she would rather benefit from it. The author met an unnamed white man to whom she willingly gave herself to and was soon to sire her son. Whatever pressures the woman might have been is of course not for people to judge or question but this shows how a woman can use whatever she has for her own benefit. Of course this is not to praise and encourage such manner of solving problems but it shows how a woman can always be armed with the benefits of being a woman. On the contrary, it is also important to mention that the author’s being a woman has been a disadvantage because she was vulnerable to sexual abuse. It is co nsidered in this condition that male slaves are at an advantage over their female counterparts. There have been no reported sexual abuses toward them and this makes their situation better than women and if there would have been cases, they are not at a disadvantage at all because they do not become pregnant. For the women slaves though, their affairs with the opposite sex, whether consensual or not, is difficult to hide because there was a great probability of

Concept of culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Concept of culture - Essay Example â€Å"Culture is essential for the existence of a society, because it binds people together† (Kartha). Some of the major aspects of culture include social norms and values, language, religion, ceremonies and festivals, food, clothing, and arts and literature. Cultural relativity is an important concept related to culture. It means that any good or bad deed is related to the cultural norms and values. An action, which is socially approved in a culture, is good whereas an action, which is not approved in a culture, is a bad action. Almost all cultures tend to be ethnocentric in nature. The reason is that people belonging to any specific culture or society usually perceive things according to the perspective of their own cultures. For example, a person living in the Indian society will see every matter of life according to the mindset developed by Indian culture. He/she will not see any matter from the perspective of American or European culture. Therefore, we can say that cultur e not only influences the living style and mindset of people but also plays a considerable role in shaping behaviors and characteristics of the people living in any society. Works Cited Kartha, Deepa. â€Å"What is Culture.† Buzzle.com, n.d. Web. 19 Jun. 2011.

Math Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Math Project - Essay Example The body structures like kidneys, respiratory structures have been able to be shown on their functionality which has played a major role in improving the treatment of its illnesses. Mathematical models have also helped in the coming up with structures like structures and machines contributing largely to the development of technology. Buildings are first sketched into shapes which are preferably and through that they are able to calculate on the materials to be used in the buildings. Through the models people have tried to come up with various ideas on how they can construct and also improving on the kind of structures to be put in place. Bigger and better buildings have been able to be constructed through mathematical models improving its technology as they use better machinery (Berry 2006, pg.41). Through the models most of the people who have visualize are able to put up into images and the mathematical modeling they are able to come up with building of various different shapes (Kl amkin 2007, pg.45). This has led to the emergence of machineries which are used in making work easier. Scientists find it easier to use models in coming up with ideas while creating machines in different fields. Mathematics models help in solving engineering complexities brought about by the technology evolution. It assists by giving out possibilities to be used in order to manage the technological complexities incurred. They are able to give new ideas or solutions in fewer periods thus more innovations leading to a positive effect to the industry saving time and money. Graphs have also contributed largely in determining the trend or behavior of certain things like in medicine it is used in hospitals in testing pulse rate, blood pressure and other illnesses. Through the graphics instruments in mathematical modeling various people are able to use in stating their industry’s potential like the industry is able to tell if there has been a rise in their profitability and also be able to see their trend and compare it with other competing companies (Gibbons 2005, pg.12). Mathematical models have been used as a teaching guide to the children as they are taught various shapes. In education and also industries it has been able to help in calculation of volume, mass which makes it easier. It has been used in calculating the amount of cement in building, construction and also in medicine in finding the amount or quantity of medicine to patients. Mathematics has contributed largely to the world’s technology evolution. Its contribution has played a major role in many technologies being discovered either scientifically as is assists in calculation etc. Most of the building or infrastructure has majorly depended on calculations in order to put up structures (Berry 2006, pg.67). Through calculus and geometry they are able to construct a sketch on the architecture world. Mathematics provides the platform for architecture through the measurements for example math ematics contributes the unit of measurement for building in meters, inches or feet in which technology simply encodes and decodes. Mathematics also contributes to building of technological hardware because it creates basis of forming these hardwares through shapes and sizes. Sizes in the sense that the developers use inches and centimeters to create these hardwares otherwise technology would not have a standard for example the developers of computers use inches to

Why organizations changes as well as why they fail to change Thesis

Why organizations changes as well as why they fail to change - Thesis Example ent 52 Secondary Research 52 Interview 55 Types of research format 59 Structured format 59 Semi-structured format: 60 Unstructured format 60 Survey 61 Likert Scale 63 Data gathering procedure 65 Quantitative data gathering 66 Qualitative data gathering 68 Secondary data gathering 68 Online Interview data gathering 69 Statistical Treatment of data 71 Ethical Concern 73 Secondary Analysis and Discussion: 75 Secondary analysis 75 Discussion: 80 Results and Analysis 94 Questionnaire Analysis: 94 Analysis of the Interviews: 119 Conclusion and Recommendations: 127 Summary of Findings: 127 Limitations 130 Recommendations for further research 132 References 133 Appendix 141 Introduction: â€Å"There has been increasing research on organizational change that seeks to explain both why organizations changes as well as why they fail to change†. Most theories and literatures have been published between 1960s and 1980s. The dual authority in matrix organization has become as a controversial application and a big argument between pros and cons around the world. The main arguments and theories of dual authority in matrix structure have appeared since 1962 and until current days. The following studies show different views and perspectives between some authors and researchers which indicate that dual authority can be a real concern in the organization structure. Therefore I have selected the main arguments and studies which most of them still exist until now.   1- The book â€Å" MATRIX MANAGEMENT SYSTEM HANDBOOK† â€Å"1984   The author â€Å"David Cleland, professor of engineering management, Pennsylvania†Ã‚   Although the book was published before more than twenty years, I have found two critical points about implementing the dual authority in matrix organizations, one of them still take place in many books and many studies but without making sure of its validity   1. Under designing matrix structure and implementing the dual design, the author bel ieves that â€Å"the more differentiated the organizational unit, the more difficult it is to achieve the required degree of integration†. He believes that matrix organization must reflect the external and internal factors before the implementation and he sees the members as critical factor in this case. The author adapts the notion of Gannon which says that the highest degree of differentiation and integration can be attained with the matrix organization design. â€Å"P.234, section III, The human factor in matrix organization, MATRIX MANAGMENT SYSTEM By David Cleland†Ã‚   The question is   Does the implementation of matrix organization on the ground have really achieved the highest degree of differentiation and integration? (This can be tested by comparing the performance of the units based on the degree of differentiation and integration)   2. â€Å"Implicit in much of the thinking behind dual leadership is the notion that satisfaction and productivity can both be obtained simultaneously. One manager, with natural inclination toward the task or goals of the group, can place more emphasis upon planning, organizing, and controlling group performance. The other manager, with a natural inclination toward people can act as the satisfier, consoler, and emphasize. One works toward increased productivity, the other toward improved morale and group cohesiveness. Both styles are needed for group effectiveness

Huxley - lowry Essay Example for Free

Huxley lowry Essay The similarities between the societies in Aldous Huxleys Brave New World and Lois Lowrys The Giver are extraordinary, but at the same time, are significantly different. The underlying concept is the same: both stories take place in the future where happiness is the societys ultimate goal. Individuals in both societies are conditioned and genetically engineered to be happy and content, and emotions are repressed or eliminated entirely. The stories are set in technologically advanced futures where it is possible for things like cloning, genetic selection, and brainwashing to control the populace. Brave New Word is set about 600 years from the present where the whole of human society is dominated by World Controllers whose main goal is ensure the societys happiness and stability. The fundamental principle behind this society is utilitarianism, which seeks to attain the maximum level of overall happiness of every individual. This was achieved by limiting the persons intelligence and scope of emotion to match his or her job or social status. The people are also socially conditioned by drugs and constant brainwashing. Drug-induced happiness though the substance soma, is the social norm. It is a society that permits hedonism and sexual promiscuity, but does not allow the concept of love and family to exist. The utilitarian goal is to make the society â€Å"happy† and thus be more efficient. It aims to create social stability by ensuring that limitations are placed on the abilities of each individual. In The Gift, the people are genetically engineered not to see color and distinguish music. In addition to that, the â€Å"Sameness† of every individual is the goal that was to be attained. Both The Gift and Brave New World portray highly structured societies where there is no place for genuine love and family in its truest sense. However, family and childhood arrangements are portrayed differently: in Huxleys novel, there are no â€Å"families† or definite partners but there exists a caste system, as opposed to Lowrys novel wherein families are created by matching up men and women based on personality. In both cases, the members of the society have no control over their lives and their futures are decided by others. This is definitely not a beneficial arrangement in the context of living a full, purposeful life. For example, in Brave New World, the population was controlled through technological interventions that actually change what they want in life. Embryos were conceived, in assembly lines wherein each one is engineered with qualities that would give them a predetermined role in society. When people are living happy lives where pain and anguish are eliminated, both societies in Brave New World and The Giver seem ideal at first glance. War, poverty, and ugliness, and in the case of The Gift, even memories have been eliminated and everyone seems to be permanently happy. Who does this kind of society benefit? In Brave New World, the people are trained to become good consumers and workers to keep the economy strong. A caste system where every individual is contented with their designated caste is created to ensure the functioning of the society. In The Gift, people are assigned their own roles in the community, including their partners and children. This is beneficial to society as a whole in a sense that the arrangement easily maintains its existence without trouble. In a superficial level, it looks like the human race is better off being â€Å"happy,† but in a deeper context, the ways by which this â€Å"happiness† is achieved robs the very of meaning of life. Life in those societies is cheap and without worth, since every person is replaceable. Existing just for the sake of it is not living at all—as Huxley succinctly quotes: â€Å"the purpose of life was not the maintenance of well being, but some intensification and refining of consciousness, some enlargement of knowledge. † The state of bliss has been attained by eliminating the very things that defined humanity—art, music, literature, philosophy, and all things that generate passion and emotion. This is definitely not beneficial to any society, and would not bode well within our own society today. The individuals in both novels have no genuine feelings—they are living a mindless, passionless existence. Ultimately, a society where individualism and creativity are frowned upon, where people do not make choices on their own, and live in false happiness is not a beneficial one to the individuals that comprise it and to humanity as a whole. Bibliography Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 1998. Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1993.

Sample Marketing Plan Essay Example for Free

Sample Marketing Plan Essay The following pages contain an annotated sample marketing plan for Blue Sky Clothing. At some point in your career, you will likely be involved in writing—or at least contributing to –a marketing plan. And you’ll certainly read many marketing plans throughout your business career. Keep in mind that the plan for Blue Sky is a single example; no one format is used by all companies. Also, the Blue Sky plan has been somewhat condensed to make it easier to annotate and illustrate the most vital features. The important point to remember is that the marketing plan is a document designed to present concise, cohesive information about a company’s marketing objectives to managers, lending institutions, and others who are involved in creating and carrying out the firm’s overall business strategy. Five-Year Marketing Plan Blue Sky Clothing, Inc. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This five-year marketing plan for Blue Sky Clothing has been created by its two founders to secure additional funding for growth and to inform employees of the company’s current status and direction. Although Blue Sky was launched only three years ago, the firm has experienced greater-than-anticipated demand for its products, and research as shown that the target market of sport-minded consumers and sports retailers would like to buy more casual clothing than Blue Sky currently offers. They are also interested in extending their product line as well as adding new product lines. In addition, Blue Sky plans to explore opportunities for online sales. The marketing environment has been very receptive to the firm’s high-quality goods—casual clothing in trendy colors with logos and slogans that reflect the interests of outdoor enthusiasts around the country. Over the next five year, Blue Sky can increase its distribution, offer new products, and win new customers. COMP ANY DESCRIPTION Blue Sky Clothing was founded three years ago by entrepreneurs Lucy Neuman and Nick Russell, Neuman has an undergraduate degree in marketing and worked for several years in the retail clothing industry. Russell operated an adventure business called Go West!, which arranges group trips to locations in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, before selling the enterprise to a partner. Neuman and Russell, who have been friends since college, decided to develop and market a line of clothing with a unique—yet universal—appeal to outdoor enthusiasts. Blue Sky Clothing reflects Neuman’s and Russell’s passion for the outdoors. The company’s original cotton T-shirts, baseball caps, and fleece jackets and vests bear logos of different sports—such as kayaking, mountain climbing, bicycling, skating, surfing, and horseback riding. But every item shows off the company’s slogan: â€Å"Go Play Outside.† Blue Sky sells clothing for both men and women, in the hottest colors with the coolest names—such as sunrise pink, sunset red, twilight purple, desert rose, cactus green, ocean blue, mountaintop white, and river rock gray. Blue Sky attire is currently carried by small retail stores that specialize in outdoor clothing and gear. Most of these stores are concentrated in northern New England, California, the Northwest, and a few states in the South. The high quality, trendy colors, and unique message of the clothing have gained Blue Sky a following among consumers between the ages of 25 and 45. Sales have tripled in the last year alone, and Blue Sky is currently working to expand its manufacturing capabilities. Blue Sky is also committed to giving back to the community by contributing to local conservation programs. Ultimately, the company would like to develop and fund its own environmental programs. This plan will outline how Blue Sky intends to introduce new products, expand its distribution, enter new markets, and give back to the community. BLUE SKY’S MISSION AND GOALS Blue Sky’s mission is to be the leading producer and marketer of personalized, casual clothing for consumers who love the outdoors. Blue Sky wants to inspire people to get outdoors more often and enjoy family and friends while doing so. In addition, Blue Sky strives to design programs for preserving the natural environment. During the next five years, Blue Sky seeks to achieve the following financial and nonfinancial goals: Financial Goals 1. Obtain financing to expand manufacturing capabilities, increase distribution, and introduce two new product lines. 2. Increase revenues by at least 50 percent each year. 3. Donate at least $25,000 a year to conservation organizations. Nonfinancial goals 4. Introduce two new product lines—customized logo clothing and lightweight luggage. 5. Enter new geographic markets, including southwestern and Mid-Atlantic States. 6. Develop a successful Internet site, while maintaining strong relationships with retailers. 7. Develop its own conservation program aimed at helping communities raise money to purchase open space. CORE COMPETENCIES Blue Sky seeks to use its core competencies to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage, in which competitors cannot provide the same value to consumers that Blue Sky does. Already, Blue Sky has developed core competencies in (1) offering a high-quality, branded product whose image is recognizable among consumers; (2) creating a sense of community among consumers who purchase the products; and (3) developing a reputation among retailers as a reliable manufacturer, delivering the requested number of products on schedule. The firm intends to build on these competencies through marketing efforts that increase the number of products offered as well as distribution outlets. By forming strong relationships with consumers, retailers, and suppliers of fabric and other goods and services, Blue Sky believes it can create a sustainable competitive advantage over its rivals. No other clothing company can say to its customers with as much conviction â€Å"Go Play Outside†! SITUATION ANALYSIS The marketing environment for Blue Sky represents overwhelming opportunities. It also contains some challenges that the firm believes it can meet successfully. Table A illustrates a SWOT analysis of the company conducted by marketers to highlight Blue Sky’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The SWOT analysis presents a thumbnail sketch of the company’s position in the marketplace. In just three years, Blue Sky has built some impressive strengths while looking forward to new opportunities. Its dedicated founders, the growing number of brand-loyal customers, and sound financial management place the company in a good position to grow. However, as Blue Sky considers expansion of its product line and entrance into new markets, the firm will have to guard against marketing myopia (the failure to recognize the scope of its business) and quality slippages. As the company finalizes plans for new products and expanded Internet sales, its management will also have to guard against competitors who attempt to duplicate to products. However, building strong relationships with consumers, retailers, and suppliers should help thwart competitors. COMPETITORS IN THE OUTDOOR CLOTHING MARKET The outdoor retail sales industry sells about $5 billion worth of goods annually, ranging from clothing to equipment. The outdoor apparel market has many entries. L.L. Bean, REI, Timberland, Bass Pro Shops, Cabello’s, and Patagonia are among the most recognizable companies that offer these products. Smaller competitors such as Title IX, which offers athletic clothing for women, and Ragged Mountain, which sells fleece clothing for skiers and hikers, also grab some of the market. The outlook for the industry in general—and Blue Sky in particular—is positive for several reasons. First, consumers are participating in and i8nvesting in recreational activities that are near their homes. Second, consumers are looking for ways to enjoy their leisure time with friends and family without overspending. Third, consumers are gaining more confidence in the economy and are willing and able to spend more. While all of the companies listed earlier can be considered competitors, none offers the kind of trendy, yet practical products provided by Blue Sky—and none carries the customized logos and slogans that Blue Sky pans to offer in the near future. In addition, most of these competitors sell performance apparel in high-tech manufactured fabrics. With the exception of the fleece vests and jackets, Blue Sky’s clothing is made of strictly the highest quality cotton, so it may be worn both on the hiking trail and around town. Finally, Blue Sky products are offered at moderate prices, making them affordable in multiple quantities. For instance, a Blue Sky T-shirt sells for $15.99, compared with a competing high-performance T-shirt that sells for $29.99. Consumers can easily replace a set of shirts from one season to the next, picking up the newest colors, without having to think about the purchase. A survey conducted by Blue Sky revealed that 67 percent of responding consumers prefer to replace their casual and active war more often that other clothing, so they are attracted by the moderate pricing of Blue Sky products. In addition, as the trend toward health-conscious activities and concerns about the natural environment continue, consumers increasingly relate to the Blue Sky philosophy as well as the firm’s contributions to socially responsible programs. THE TARGET MARKET The target market for Blue Sky products is active consumers between the ages of 25 and 45—people who like to hike, rock climb, bicycle, surf, figure skate, in-line skate, ride horses, snowboard or ski, kayak, and other such activities. In short, they like to â€Å"Go Play Outside.† They might not be experts at the sports they engage in, but they enjoy themselves outdoors. These active consumers represent a demographic group of well-educated and successful individuals; they are single or married and raising families. Household incomes generally range between $60.000 and $120,000 annually. Despite their comfortable incomes, these consumers are price conscious and consistently seek value in their purchases. Regardless of their age (whether they fall at the upper or lower end of the target range), they lead active lifestyles. They are somewhat status oriented but not overly so. They like to be associated with high-quality products but are not willing to pay a premium price for a certain brand. Current Blue Sky customers tend to live in northern New England, the South, California, and the Northwest. However, one future goal is to target consumers in the Mid-Atlantic states and Southwest as well. THE MARKETING MIX The following discussion outlines some of the details of the proposed marketing mix for Blue Sky products. PRODUCT STRATEGY. Blue Sky currently offers a line of high-quality outdoor apparel items including cotton T-shirts, baseball caps, and fleece vests and jackets. All bear the company log and slogan, â€Å"Go Play Outside.† The firm has researched the most popular colors for its items and given them names that consumers enjoy—sunset red, sunrise pink, cactus green, desert rise, and river rock gray, among others. Over the next five years, Blue Sky plans to expand the product line to include customized clothing items. Customers may select a logo that represents their sport—say rock climbing. Then they can add a slogan to match the logo, such as â€Å"Get over It.† A baseball cap with a bicyclist might bear the slogan, â€Å"Take a Spin.† At the beginning, there would be ten new logos and five new slogans; more would be added later. Eventually, some slogans and logos would be retired, and new ones introduced. This strategy will keep the concept fresh and prevent it from becoming diluted with too many variations. The second way in which Blue Sky plans to expand its product line is to offer items of lightweight luggage—two sizes of duffel bags, two sizes of tote bags, and a daypack. These items would also come in trendy an basic colors, with a choice of logos and slogans. In addition, every product would bear the Blue Sky logo. DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY. Currently, Blue Sky is marketed through regional and local specialty shops scattered along the California coast, into the Northwest, across the South, and in northern New England. So far, Blue Sky has not been distributed through national sporting goods and apparel chains. Climate and season tend to dictate the sales at specialty shops, which sell more T-shirts and baseball caps during warm weather and more fleece vests and jackets during colder months. Blue Sky obtains much of its information about overall industry trends in different geographic areas and at different types of retail outlets from its trade organization, Outdoor Industry Association. Over the next three years, Blue Sky seeks to expand distribution to retail specialty shops throughout the nation, focusing next on the Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. The firm has not yet determined whether it would be beneficial to sell through a major national chain such as REI or Bass Pro Shops, as these outlets could be considered competitors. In addition, Blue Sky plans to expand online sales by offering the customized product line via Internet only, thus distinguishing between Internet offerings and specialty ship offerings. Eventually we may be able to place internet kiosks at some of the more profitable store outlets so consumers could order customized products form the stores. Regardless of its expansion plans, Blue Sky fully intends to monitor and maintain strong relationships with distribution channel members. PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY. Blue Sky communicates with consumers and retailers about its products in a variety of ways. Information about Blue Sky—the company as well as its products—is available via the Internet, direct mailings, and in person. The firms’ promotional efforts also seek to differentiate its products from those of its competitors. The company relies on personal contact with retailers to establish the products in their stores. This contact, whether in-person or by phone, helps convey the Blue Sky message, demonstrate the products’ unique qualities, and build relationships. Blue Sky sales representatives visit each store two or three times a year and offer in-store training on the features of the products for new retailers or for those who want a refresher. As distribution expands, Blue Sky will adjust o meet greater demand by increasing sales staff to make sure it stores are visited more frequently. Sales promotions and public relations currently make up the bulk of Blue Sky’s promotional strategy. Blue Sky staff works with retailers to offer short-term sales promotions tied to event and contests. In addition, Nick Russell is currently working with several trip outfitters to offer Blue Sky items on a promotional basis. Because Blue Sky also engages in cause marketing through its contribution to environmental programs, good public relations have followed. Nontraditional marketing methods that require little cash and a lot of creativity also lend themselves perfectly to Blue Sky. Because Blue Sky is a small, flexible organization, the firm can easily implement ideas such as distributing free water, skiers, and discount coupons at outdoor sporting events. During the next year, the company plans to engage in the following marketing efforts: Create a Blue Sky Tour, in which several employees take turns driving around the country to campgrounds to distribute promotional items such as Blue Sky stickers and discount coupons Attend canoe and kayak races, bicycling events, and rock climbing competitions with our Blue Sky truck to distribute free water, stickers, and discount coupons for Blue Sky shirts or hats. Organize Blue Sky hikes departing from participating retailers. Hold a Blue Sky design contest, selecting a winning slogan and logo to be added to the customized line. PRICING STRATEGY. As discussed earlier in this plan, Blue Sky products are priced with the competition in mind. The firm is not concerned with setting high prices to signal luxury or prestige, nor is ti attempting to achieve the goals of offsetting low prices by selling high quantities of products. Instead value pricing is practiced so that customers feel comfortable purchasing new clothing to replace the old, even if it is just because they like the new colors. The pricing strategy also makes Blue Sky products good gifts—for birthdays, graduations, or â€Å"just because.† The customized clothing will sell for $2 to $4 more than the regular Blue Sky logo clothing. The luggage ill be priced competitively, offering a good value against it competition. BUDGET, SCHEDULE, AND MONITORING Though its history is short, Blue Sky has enjoyed a steady increase in sales since its introduction three years ago. Figure A shows these three years, plus projected sales for the nest three years, including the introduction of the two new product lines. Additional financial data are included in the overall business plan for the company. The timeline for expansion of outlets and introduction of the two new product lines is shown in Figure B. The implementation of each of these tasks will be monitored closely and evaluated for its performance. Blue Sky anticipates continuing operations into the foreseeable future, with no plans to exit this market. Instead, as discussed throughout this plan, the firm plans to increase its presence in the market. At present, there are no plans to merge with another company or to make a public stock offering.

Crime in Australia: An Overview

Crime in Australia: An Overview What is Crime What is Crime? Crime can be defined as breaking the law. The government or authorities usually set laws that the citizens must follow, punishment is prescribed for those who bleach those laws. The laws provided by a state are an example of behavior codes that influence society. The legal or criminal justice system enforces the law and punishes those who break it. There is a social stigma associate with crime. It is important to note that all breaches of the law are not criminal such as civil offenses and breach of contract. The tag ‘crime’ is usually reserved for the offences that cause harm or injury to the public, individuals or the state. Social, political, economic and psychological conditions influence the definition of crime and how the law is enforced. These changes may criminalize or decriminalize behavior. The statistics on crime will have to take this factor into account. Who is the Criminal? A criminal is deviant who does not follow social codes that exist in the society. Legally, a criminal is a person who breaches the law and commits a crime. This offender is the tried before a court of law for breaking the law. A criminal is usually found to be guilty of the charges put against him/her. A sentence or punishment is give to such an individual. Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers Types of crime In Australia crimes are legally classified as either indictable or non-indictable. Indictable offenses are heard in a superior court in the presences of a jury. However, non-indictable offenses are heard in magistrate courts and jury is not necessary. Although there are many differences in the various jurisdictions, a conclusion was made that offenses include; fraud, burglary, robbery, rape, assault and homicide. Crime is categorized as violent, public order or property crime in the criminal justice statistics. Violent crimes consist of assault, sexual violence, robbery, kidnapping or abduction and homicide. Robbery to some extent is a property crime. However, it’s considered a violent crime since the threat of violence is a graver offence. Criminal justice system in Australia Australia’s criminal law has evolved from the initial law adopted from the English common law. Australia’s federal government is made up of the national government and six states. The commonwealth government enforces its own laws. Commonwealth offenses include drug trafficking, breach of social security laws, property and personal offenses that occur within the commonwealth. Every state has its own criminal law. States like; Tasmania, Western Australia and Queensland have enacted the criminal codes. The other states; Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales use the common law. Currently gender, race, policing, law and crime are some of the topics for debate in the criminal justice system. Stakeholders are kin on establishing a relationship between crime, gender, race and the legal justice system. However, the issue has not received adequate media and political attention. Gender Race According to statistics on Australia’s workforce in criminal justice work there are more men compared to women. It is a ‘man’s’ job. Examining gender shades more light on criminology and victimization. Information and statistics provided also shows Australian indigenous white male represent the largest population in the prisons. The author observes, â€Å"That a specific group of approximately 2% of Australia’s female population accounts for half of the overall number of indigenous Australian women who are in prison.† These findings are astonishing. In addition, statistics also reveals that majority of those working in criminal justice are white males. The population of indigenous white men is larger than that of indigenous Australian women. Evidently, there is a racial disparity in the workforce of the criminal justice system in Australia Policing The role of the police in the legal justice system is analyzed by Cunneen in his book; Conflict, Politics and Crime: Aboriginal Communities and the Police. The author examines the over-criminalization of Australia’s indigenous people in relation to their colonial past. He developed a theory that there is a relationship between criminalization and colonization of the indigenous people. Cunneen gives attention to the role the police play in the process of criminalization of the indigenous people. He notes that the law enforcers particularly the police have limited effectives; their policies and practices are shortcoming. The police need to change their colonial policing style and culture. A zero tolerance approach towards crime has been adopted however, it is important to protect human rights and to use good judgment. Police have a vital role in crime prevention and reaction. However, more emphasis should be placed on crime prevention. The police need to organize targeted patrols, follow ups for victims with repeat allegations, faster improved response to victims, problem identification and development of solutions as well as cooperation with other law enforcing agencies. For this changes to take place successfully a cultural and mind set change is fundamental. (Brereton, David) Age The minimum age for trial in Australia’s juvenile court and in the adult courts varies. Nonetheless, 7 years is the minimum age for trial in a juvenile court and 16 years for trial in an adult court in most states. In some jurisdictions criminal charges such as murder, rape and treason are tried in adult courts. Sexuality Crime and society in Australia Women have often been the victims of crime. A study was conducted on the victimization of women in Australia. The survey on sexual and physical violence was carried out on women between 18 to 69 years. The definition of physical violence included threats, arm twisting, attempted suffocation and use of weapons like knifes or a guns. Forced sexual engagement, unwelcome sexual touch and attempts of sexual violence. According to the report 10% of the women who participated in the survey had experienced male violence that year or the previous one. The number of women who expreinced physical violence was twice as high as that of the ones who experienced sexual violence. The statistics indicated that 5% of the physical violence was perpetrated by a non-partner while 3% of the sexual violence was also committed by a non-partner. The report defined a non-partner as a friend, relative, acquaintance, workmate or stranger. General, partner sexual and physical violence are hardly reported to the authorities. Most victims find it easier to speak to their families and friends than report to the police. Table 1: Reports by victims of violence to family members, friends and the police. Partner violence Non-partner violence Family 42% 51% Friends 55% 57% Police 15% 16% The main question here is why the female victims of violence fail to report to the police. One of the most common reasons given by the victims was that they thought the case was minor or they thought that nothing could be done to help them. Has the legal system failed those whom it should protect? Its necessary to evaluate how informed the public is on individuals rights. Another area of concern is how much a person should take or allow themselves to be subjected to, in relation to violence before they can speak and seek legal justice. In 2001 and 2002 about 18 women were victims of gang rape and assault. The Ashfield gang rape perpetrated by the â€Å"K† Pakistani brothers is an example of such cases. Their victims were teenage girls from different ethnic backgrounds. The crime was comparable to Lebanese gang rapes in Sydney. Australia’s law defines rape as â€Å"unlawful sexual act with another person by force; without their consent.† The rapists’ video taped most of their rape and this was used in court as evidence. The criminal justice system judged and punished the perpetrators. The â€Å"K† brothers were sentenced to 15 to 24 years imprisonment. They were convicted for a total of 70 years for the 28 rape charges against them. In November 2005, an appeal made by three of the brothers was rejected. Instead in 2006 there term was extended by the Supreme Court (New South Wales). On of the brothers however, committed suicide in his cell. By 2007 the brothers were to face additional rape charges. During the court proceedings the issue of cultural difference between Australian and Pakistani culture arose. The rapist claimed that they did not understand what consent meant according to Australia’s terms. According to them the girls’ behavior was a form of consent. They claimed that their victims behaved in a way that Pakistani girls would not especially if they were not willing to cooperate. The presiding judge dismissed their claims and openly told off their lawyer for making such an argument. The above incident is an example of immigrants been the perpetrators of crime. The difference in culture is certain no excuse for committing such crimes. It is important to question how allowing immigrants into Australia influences crime. Certainly, different definitions of crime exist in varying countries and culture. What measures are in place to ensure that the interest of Australia’s population is safeguarded? Women are also victims of trafficking in Australia. These women are usually trafficked from other countries especially Asia and forced to work in as sex workers. The media highlighted this issue and claimed that government agencies helped the perpetrator. According to the media the government mismanaged cases by victims of trafficking and deported those women without giving them any compensation for the crimes committed against them. In response Australia’s parliament set up a joint committee to investigate the issue. The committee’s findings acknowledged that people trafficking is a major crime in Australia. Most of the trafficked people were unaware of the nature of work they would have to do in Australia. The committee was also concerned about the ease with which traffickers could access visas for hundreds of trafficked victims without raising any suspicion. Approximately 300 to 1000 women are trafficked into Australia annually. The trafficked women were forced to work not only in the sex industry but also in clothing and textiles, domestic work, construction and in the hospitality industry. Most of these victims were physically, sexually and mentally assaulted. Moreover, their working conditions were atrocious. Immigration has increased in Australia. In the 20th century more Asians have immigrated to Australia. This has lead to the increase of Asian gangs and criminal activities by these gangs in the major cities. Racial power struggles are evident even in politics. The ‘one National party’ was branded as Nazis by the Jews in Australia. The Australia-Israel Review printed the article with the aim of intimidating the party members. The attempts by the whites in Australia were shunned unlike the Aborigines. The whites were doing what the Aborigines had done but there move was termed as racist. The Aboriginals or the indigenous Australian people have in the past organized themselves on racial basis. They have also received special treatment from the government. They even have their own Aboriginal Law Council. The Aborigines account for 2% of Australia’s population. However, according to statistics by the Australian Institute of Criminology the Aborigines make up 30% of the inmates. (The Argus, 1985). Recent years have also witnessed crimes organized by a race against another. For instance the 2005 racial violence in Sydney is an example. There was a week long all attack on Muslims following an alleged attack of life guard in North Cronulla beach by a Lebanese man. Innocent people were attacked as gangs took advantage of the situation to target individuals based on their race. The government and the media did not do much to calm the situation. Moreover, to some extent the government was responsible for fueling such an attack. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks Muslim-Australians were subject to state surveillance, police raids and fear mongering. Media coverage on war on terrorism worsened the situation making all Muslim Australians to be labeled as terrorists. Media coverage on the Sydney riots appeared to support the violence. For instance, the Daily Telegraph, December had the heading â€Å"Fight for Cronulla: we want our beach back†. Past rape cases that in involved Lebanese men give justification to the attackers to claim that all Lebanese men are rapist. Clearly, such a claim has no basis because a number of Lebanese men were convicted of the crime it does not justify the punishment of an entire race. Terrorism is one of the challenges that this generation has to address. However, it is not justified to attack person and destroy property belonging to people because they belong to a particular race that is accused of terrorist acts. The division on racial lines was evident in the riots with different groups lashing out at others openly. The world is quickly becoming a global village. Therefore there is a need to understand, accept, cooperate and work with people from different cultures, races, ethnicity and religion. Tolerance should be emphasized in the current generation not violence or crimes against any particular race. A study done by the Australian government on juvenile offending revealed that ethnic minority youth were more likely to be offenders. Unemployment among the youth (15-19 years of age) was the main reason for engagement in crime. The unemployment rate for the minority youths was three times higher than the general unemployment rates of other youths. For instance the unemployment rate for Vietnamese Australian males doubles that of the general Australian youth rate. (HREOC 1993:223) The report by the Australia Bureau of Statistics showed that juveniles accounted for 13% of those in police custody. In 2003, persons between the ages of 15 and 19 accounted for the highest crime rate and booking. The juvenile offenders were four times more than the other offenders. Juvenile offenders were mostly charged with unwanted entry, theft, assault and motor vehicle theft. Cases of juvenile homicide, sexual violence, robbery and fraud were very minimal. (ABS, 2003) It is a matter of concern that youth engage in crime either individually or in gangs. Unemployment is one of the reasons given for this behavior. However, it is necessary to examine racial employment discrimination in terms of race. Statistics have shown that there is a large disparity between unemployment rates of minority youths with that of youth in general. A report by Australia Criminology Department showed that female homicide offenders were highest among 20 to 24 year olds. This was the same case for the men. (2003). Homicide cases for female offenders between 15 to 24 years of age had fluctuated in the 1990’s. A report prepared by the National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) showed that in 2003 there were 341 cases of homicide in Australia. This was a 6% decrease compared to the findings of the previous year. Murder cases accounted for 89% of the homicide case in 2003 while the rest were manslaughter. Domestic related disputes were responsible for most of the female homicide incidences. The female victims were killed due to disputes related to child custody, break ups in a relationship and other partner conflicts. However, most of the homicide victims were male. They accounted for 67% of the homicide victims with men between the ages of 25 and 44 being the largest target. Compare to the women at all ages the male homicide victims were more expect for ages under 15. The female homicide victims had decreased by 15% compared to a survey done the previous year. (Australia Bureau of Statistics 2004) A survey done in South Australia, Queensland and Victoria indicated that 175,872 offenders were booked in 2003. 138,232 were male while 37,640 were female. Compared to the females, males were four times more likely to be offenders. The offending rate for men was 3,148 per 100,000. (2002-2003) Rehabilitation of the inmates is a subject that needs to be given priority as far as enforcement of the law in Australia is concerned. Research has revealed that rehabilitation of female inmates seems to emphasis on those convicted of minor offenses compared to those who have committed criminal offences like homicide. The research reveals that female prisoners with long term charges have limited and impersonalized rehabilitation. CONCLUSION Juvenile crime cases have increased worldwide. However, the crimes performed by the deviant youth are not as serious as those perpetrated by adults. In Australia the juvenile offenders rate has doubled, with most of the perpetrators been male youths. (AIC, 2003). It is argued that the main reason why juvenile booking rates have increased is because the youth are easier to arrest and prosecute. Their level of crime organization is generally less complex compared to that of adults. The main concern is how to rehabilitate youth crime offenders so that they do not continue to engage in crime in their adult life. Generally, fewer women are perpetrators of crime compared to women. However, they are often victimized, in relation to sexual or physical assault. The victims of human trafficking in Australia are mostly women. Crime rate are higher among certain races in Australia, especially among the minorities and the immigrants. This is mainly due to the racial disparities that exist in terms of employment opportunity and discrimination. Australia has made various initiatives to stop crime. As part of a crime prevention effort the National Community Crime Prevention Program was instituted in 2004. Its grant program received a funding of $ 65.5 million for the period between 2004 and 2008. These funds were to support grass root programs on crime prevention, improve safety in the community and reduce the fear associated with crime. The public, politicians and law enforcers should focus on crime prevention. It’s of utmost importance to change the perception on crime. It is not enough to react to criminals acts by arresting, taking to trial and convicting perpetrators. The government and its legal agents need to examine what can be done so as to address the issue of crime before it occurs. Prevention of crime should be given more attention. Instead of hiring more law enforcing officer, building more prisons and funding the criminal law justice system the funds can be used to improve development in the country. It is not enough to set up agencies to address the issue of crime. More far reaching initiatives need to be taken. Issues such as perception, equality in terms of opportunities and affirmative action for minorities, culture change and enforcement of the law without any bias should be considered in relation to crime and crime prevention. References Adam, G peter G. 1999. 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