Saturday, August 31, 2019

Legal and Ethical Aspects of Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance of Employees”

mANAGEMENT 350: hUMAN RESOURCE mANAGEMENT| â€Å"Legal and Ethical Aspects of Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance of Employees†| | By: Chakana Moore, Patricia Davis, Eric Luken, Michelle Dailey, Jeffrey Webb| | 11/21/2011 Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance Human Resource Management Research Project November 21, 2011 Legal and Ethical Aspects of Electronic Monitoring and Surveillance of Employees Introduction Workplace monitoring has been a point of discussion within businesses as Human Resource Management feels that there is a need to watch their employees and how they conduct themselves at all times during the work day. Unless a government employee, employees are subject to any monitoring the employer deems necessary. Monitoring of e-mail and voicemail, as well as personal searches is within the rights of employers. Conducting video surveillance and tracking internet use are also rights of employers. There are legal as well as ethical aspects of employee monitoring which will be discussed in this paper. Specifically, we’ll expound on two specific organization examples that illustrate the growth of workplace monitoring. Next, issues and challenges of employee monitoring will be discussed. Lastly, sound recommendations based on our research will be given because it affects the people within the organization. It’s vital for workers to understand why monitoring is important and managers to respect and understand that employees have rights as well. Company/Organizational Examples Many companies utilize monitoring and surveillance. They have to learn to balance employer and employee rights. Businesses have the right to ensure that the employees are performing their jobs properly in a secure environment. On the other side, employees feel they should be protected at work and away from work. Since technology allows for employees to take large sums of valuable company secrets or data with them, workplace monitoring has increased. Common workplace monitoring includes e-mail and voice mail, internet use, and surveillance at work. Workplace monitoring has grown because of several forces. First force was the expansion in available technology, ranging from the internet to global tracking devices, which enhanced video capabilities and improved information systems software. Another force mentioned in our textbook is the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, which led to the passing of USA Patriot Act. Robert L. Mathis, John H. Jackson 502) This Act allowed government investigators to engage in broader monitoring of individuals, including workplace, in order to protect national security. One concern raised in the workplace is the privacy rights of employees. Employees can feel they are being threatened because of the monitoring. â€Å"Right to privacy† is an individualà ¢â‚¬â„¢s freedom from unauthorized and unreasonable intrusion into personal affairs. However, constitutional rights to privacy are generally inferred through the U. S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment’s rights which usually apply only to state actions. (Kopp) In an employment context, state actions are fairly narrowed to protecting federal, state, and municipal employees; private-sector employees must look elsewhere for protection. A possible source for such protection from employer snooping includes federal legislation and state common law tort actions such as invasion of privacy. The primary piece of federal legislation suggesting employee privacy interest is Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). McCubbins) There are three exceptions under the ECPA. The first one is the â€Å"provider exception† which says if the employer is providing the telephone, e-mail, or internet services to the employee being monitored, there is little doubt that the employer is protected from employee privacy claims. A second exception is the â€Å"ordinary course of business. † Under this exception, the employee can monitor employee com munications to ensure legitimate business objectives as assuring quality control, preventing sexual harassment, and preventing use of excessive telephone or email usage. Last exception is the â€Å"consent†. â€Å"Consent† exception applies to even when the sender of the intercepted communication has been assured that all email communications would remain confidential and privileged. In Smyth v The Pillsbury Company, Smyth sent emails to his supervisor that contained unprofessional comments from his home computer. Because his supervisor gave consent to the company to intercept the emails and the emails were later retrieved by the courts, Smyth was terminated and was not able to be protected under the consent exception. A second commonplace monitoring method used by employers is internet tracking. Internet tracking can be used to visit non-work websites like Facebook and Yahoo accounts. Statistics show over 90% of employees admits to visiting other websites doing work hours. About 76% of firms monitor internet use. This can help companies prevent employees from going to inappropriate sites which could possibly create legal issues. For instance, a New Jersey case contained a log that showed one employee accessing porn websites. This activity caused an employee to be arrested due to repeatedly logging on that site when told by his supervisor to stop. Also, this type of activity draws attention to companies and causes law enforcement to get involved and companies can be charged with aiding and abetting legal behavior if found with evidence. A third form of employee monitoring is the use of video surveillance at work. Video surveillance can create a lot of issues in the workplace. Businesses use them on retail floors and in production areas, parts and inventory rooms, and lobbies. According to the annual survey, Workplace Monitoring and Surveillance Survey 2001 conducted by the American Management Association, more than three-quarters of all major U. S. firms are recording and/or reviewing the e-mail messages and telephone calls. Also, surveillance can be used to monitor software in the workplace. One surveillance capability of software monitoring can include workplace software that runs on monitored computers is hidden and difficult for an employee to find or the software could be present and monitoring their every keystrokes. Monitoring software cannot be terminated without the network administrator’s permission. Major issues/challenges Video surveillance is a great way for managers to ensure that their employees are behaving ethically. All managers want to make sure that their company’s time and money are being spent in the right way. Video surveillance will show what is going on within the company, but with the installation of video cameras some problems are likely to arise. Some of the top problems we found will be discussed over the next three paragraphs. The first problem that may arise is deception. This occurs when the company installs video camera for the first time and they don’t inform the employees. If the employer lies about the locations of the camera, this can be considered a form of deception and can open up the possibility for a lawsuit to take place. The employer must be completely honest with their workers in order for the camera to be of good use. With the evolution of technology there are different ways to ensure the company’s time is being used the right way and with doing that, employers must tell the employees that they will be videotaped while at work. There have been lawsuits surrounding uninformed employees and the courts have ruled in favor of the employee. Violation of confidentiality occurs when the company distributes information of an employee. This can happen in different ways such as the company giving out information to someone who doesn’t have the right to have it; for example, distributing video tapes of employees in a theft apprehend interview or job interview. With the installation of video surveillance there will be varying reactions. Only authorized management staff should watch the tapes and not distribute the tapes to unauthorized users. The biggest problem that companies can face from installation of video surveillance is invasion of privacy. This can happen when businesses install video surveillance in employee bathrooms or any other inappropriate place an employee will dwell. It’s reasonable that companies want to do what they can to prevent employees from stealing from the company whether that is merchandise or time. It’s also reasonable that companies want to prevent any conflict that can arise during work. Through the installation of video surveillance, problems can be prevented due to the video surveillance serving as evidence of any unethical behavior. Recommendation/Implementation Based on our research, it is highly recommended that organizations have a structured surveillance and electronic monitoring system within the workplace. Having an accurate system in place will most likely have a positive impact on the people that work within the organization. Also, it will protect the company from unmerited/unwanted lawsuits. Surveillance systems within the workplace show that employers are taking the initiative to make their employees feel safe. Employers utilize surveillance systems to ensure employee security by placing them externally within the outside parameter of the business including parking lots, street corners, garages, and poorly lit areas. Internal cameras can help decrease workplace violence and theft within the company. If employees know they are being watched, they are less likely to cause confrontations or to steal because of the threat of being caught on tape. One negative impact that internal cameras can have on employees is it may affect employee morale because it can make employees feel like they are not trusted and that they are always being watched. However, organizations have to be careful not to violate employee privacy laws by placing video surveillance within restrooms, changing rooms, or private areas. From a legal standpoint, advances in electronic technology and telecommunication have created additional problems for human resource managers through the use of emails, internet, voice mail, and instant messaging. Monitoring all employees’ electronic usage is critical in order for the company to protect itself from lawsuits and from potentially damaging the company’s image. Having a structured system in place will significantly help a company be proactive instead of reactive in their disciplinary steps to correct or eliminate the abuse of their internal electronic systems. The employer should have scanners that are equipped with scanners that will screen for inappropriate pictures or wording and a firewall that will block inappropriate internet websites that the company does not approve of. If an employee is flagged by this scanning system, hey should be disciplined immediately according to company policy and human resource professionals should thoroughly document the incident to prevent lawsuits or in the event a lawsuit is filed they are well prepared to prove that the company was justified in their disciplinary actions they took. The correct strategic approach to electronic mo nitoring and surveillance is to have an in depth employee handbook which is an essential tool for communicating information regarding the workplace policies and disciplinary actions. The handbook should be a downward communication that flows from the top management to the rest of the organization. However, the organization should create a company culture were employees also feel comfortable with upward communication that enable managers to learn about employee concerns because several of the employee handbook violations are reported by lower level employees. Within the employee handbook, employers should have a video surveillance policy informing employees about their surveillance system, informing them that the surveillance system is only performed for legitimate business purposes, and that they strictly limit those who view the surveillance videos. Also, there should be an electronic communications policy that employees are required to sign a permission form that states, they will comply with the policy. This policy should clearly outline that electronic use is provided by the employer for business use only; the use of media for personal use is restricted and is subject to employer review; all passwords must be available to the employer; and the employer reserves the right to monitor or search any media without notice. Organizations must ensure that they are balancing employer and employee rights by using electronic monitor and surveillance systems for business purposes only. Conclusion Surveillance of employees in the work place comes down to investments and the right to be involved in almost all aspects of that investment. Involvement in one’s interest is a good thing but if used excessively, any good things can be harmful. 90 percent of works admit to the use of their computer for non-work related issues, this is an impressive stat that any intelligent business owner would not ignore. Ignoring this stat turns your back on the quality and quantity of work you are paying your employees for, not including legal issues that can be devastating to your company. Internet surveillance seems to be a much need necessity for large companies were as video surveillance is needed for almost every company. Video surveillance is only the epitome of technology and ethical monitoring. Now business has the means of protecting tangible, non-tangible, and human investments at all times. This act starts by insuring employees that they are protected and procedures are in place to keep them working along an ethical passage. This is why it is important to inform those in the work of surveillance, it discourages unwanted behavior, this does not only protean to employees but to outsiders as well. How many times have you see signs of surveillance? Some says â€Å"Smile, you are being watched,† this very smart thing to do in this day in age. Everyone would love to watch every moment of their child’s development but no one has the time and resources to do so. What if you could? What if this was your job? Sure you would try to do so with the best of your abilities, but at the same time, you would have to give them private time. So, there is a clear line between protection and Violation of Confidentiality and Invasion of Privacy Working for any company is a privilege not a right, but it is a right for privileged peopled to be protected ethically. Works Cited Kopp, k. Electronic Communications in the Workplace: E-mail Monitoring and the Right of Privacy, 8 Seaton Hall Const. L. J. 861. 1998. McCubbins, G. Daryl and Jeretta Nord/Tipton F. â€Å"E-Monitoring in the Wokplace: Prviacy, legislation, and surveillance software. † COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM. Vols. 49, No 8. August 2006. Robert L. Mathis, John H. Jackson. Human Resource Managemnet, Twelfth Edtion. Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2008, 2006.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Cultural Analysis – Taiwan

Abstract This paper is an analysis of culture within Taiwan. It will focus on how different cultural elements and dimensions effect and influence business in Taiwan. This paper will also look into the implications for businesses from the United States seeking to conduct business within Taiwan. Taiwan has a unique blend of traditional Chinese cultural as well as modern Western influences. It is an open and welcoming culture and one that plays an important role in the East Asian economy. Global Business Cultural Analysis: Taiwan Introduction to Taiwan Taiwan is a small island country located off the east coast of China in Asia. Also known as the Republic of China (ROC), it is the place where the ROC settled after losing control of mainland China to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Taiwan’s population is made up of mostly Han Chinese with a few other Chinese ethnic groups and a smaller number of aboriginal tribes. The official language spoken in Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese; however, about 70% of people in Taiwan speak both Mandarin and a dialect known as Taiwanese. Another dialect call Hakka is spoken by about 15% of the population and the aboriginals have several other dialects as well (Deaton & Paxson, 2000). Taiwan has unique political status because of their strained relationship with China. At present, the PRC claims it has control over Taiwan and its territories, even though the PRC has never has exercised any governmental control over those regions. China has threatened to put political pressure on any country wanting to officially recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation, which has led many countries, including the United States, to only recognize Taiwan in an unofficial capacity. These countries, while still doing business with Taiwan, are forced to only officially recognize China, thereby reducing Taiwan’s global influence (Friedberg, 2005). On the economic front, Taiwan has done very well in the past few years, experiencing rapid economic growth. It is commonly referred to as one of the East Asian Tigers, a group which includes Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. The countries in this group were relatively poor until around the 1960’s when they underwent educational reforms. These educational reforms, coupled with their cheap yet dynamic workforce helped industrialize their countries and spark rapid economic growth. â€Å"In the 21st century, all four regions have since graduated into advanced economies and high-income economies† (Vadra, 2010, p. 0). Although the economic growth rate in Taiwan has slowed recently, it remains at a relatively high, yet sustainable rate. What are the major elements and dimensions of culture in Taiwan? Taiwan, like almost every country, has many different elements and dimensions of culture woven together to form an intricate and unique society. These components of so ciety affect day to day life in both obvious and also unexpected ways. Taiwan has the same core grouping of cultural elements that one would think of affecting any country: communication, religion, ethics, moral values, social structure, and education. However, the main elements which control the actions of most individuals and society as a whole will differ from other countries. For Taiwan, education and religion along with social structure play the major roles in the shaping of Taiwanese culture. It will be found that the main, guiding cultural elements in Taiwan, such as their religions, the sources from which they get their values and attitudes, and also their feelings of responsibility, are especially different from the main cultural elements guiding most of the western world. 1. 2. Communication Communication plays a major role in any functioning society. The way people communication and interpret the communications of others can drastically shape the actions of a society. Communication within a culture can usually be defined as either low context or high context. In low context cultures, â€Å"cultural behavior and beliefs may need to be spelled out explicitly so that those coming into the cultural environment know how to behave† (Satterlee, 2009). On the other hand, in high context cultures, â€Å"as a result of years of interaction with each other, many aspects of cultural behavior are not made explicit, because most members know what to do and what to think† (Satterlee, 2009). Communication within Taiwan is high context, with more nonverbal forms of communication used than in low context countries, such as the United States or United Kingdom. Even the official spoken language of Taiwan, Mandarin Chinese, is a high context language (Hall, 2000). High context communication. High context communication implies that â€Å"there is less verbally detailed communication and less written/formal information. Instead, there is a more subliminal understanding of what is communicated† (Kuo-Ying & Majtaba, 2010). Duties and responsibilities are frequently assumed or subtly implied rather than directly assigned or commanded. Elements of communication in high context cultures such as Taiwan include indirect and embellished verbal messages, avoidance of directly challenging another person’s opinions, and situational changes. Also, an importance is placed on personal face-to-face interaction. Nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication plays a large role in the communication process in high context countries like Taiwan. Elements, such as facial expression, eye movement, the tone of voice, gestures, and body language are all important parts of communication within Taiwanese culture. Religious beliefs Taiwan has a large population of people practicing eastern religions such as Buddhism, Taoism and small bits of Confucianism, as well as a small but growing Christian and Catholic population (Chou, & Chen, 2005). It is also common for individuals to do some mixing of religions to accommodate their personal ideas or desires. Most religions in Taiwan incorporate ancestral worship, which is a large part of the religious practices in Taiwan. Ancestral worship even affects national holidays within Taiwan. Ancestral worship in Taiwan. Ancestral worship is a religious act born from the belief that an individual’s ancestors have a continued existence after death and that these spirits of deceased family members have the ability to influence things in the physical world. Ancestral worship is practiced by some out of respect and honor for their ancestral heritage. For others, however, it is practiced more out of fear of upsetting spirits that may possibly influence the individual’s fortune on earth. In Taiwan, several national holidays are focused around ancestral worship practices. Among these holidays is Tomb Sweeping Day, a holiday where families visit the graves of their ancestors to attend to their burial place as well as pay homage. Another holiday which sprang from the traditions of ancestor worship is Ghost Festival, which is a time where people place food outside their homes to feed wandering spirits. Chinese New Year also has its roots in the traditions of ancestor worship and is a time often used by families to pay their respects to their ancestors (Newell, 1976). The role of Buddhism in Taiwan. Buddhism and Taoism are the two foremost religions practiced in Taiwan. Combined, they are practiced by more than 75% of the religious population in Taiwan (USDS, 2008). Although Buddhism teaches the putting aside of earthly ties and possessions, including family, influences from both Taoism and Confucianism and integrated some forms of ancestral worship into practiced Buddhism within Taiwan. The role of Taoism in Taiwan. Taoism and Buddhism together are the two largest religions in Taiwan. The beginning of the Taoist religion came from the early Chinese nature worshipers. Taoist beliefs center on the idea that all things have a natural order and that through obtaining harmony with nature one can obtain eternal life. These beliefs add to the non-confrontational aspects of Taiwan’s high context culture. The role of Confucianism in Taiwan Confucianism, though practiced in Taiwan by lesser numbers than Taoism or Buddhism, is to many â€Å"an honored school of thought and ethical code† (USDS, 2008). Very similar to Taoism, Confucianism has more of a focus on performing well within society and also ritualistic ancestor worship. The Role of Christianity in Taiwan. Christian churches have been active in Taiwan for many years, and today, the population includes a small but significant percentage of Christians† (USDS, 2008). Both Catholic and Mormon churches are set up in Taiwan, but their numbers are much smaller. A majority of the aboriginal population in Taiwan are Christian. Ethical practices Ethical standards are often tied very closely to the culture in which they are practiced. According to Stedham, Yamanura, and Lai in an article examining Japanese and Taiwanese ethics: â€Å"ethics cannot be understood independent of the local cultural fabric† (2008). Taiwanese tend to be very utilitarian representing â€Å"a collectivist culture that tends to be more homogeneous and has a greater group orientation† (Muk, 2007). Therefore, ethical decisions made by Taiwanese people are likely to focus on the wellbeing of their social group. Values and attitudes â€Å"Values are invisible and a ‘core element of culture’. These invisible values become evident in behavior. Decision making and the resulting actions and behavior are manifestations of the predominant values in a culture† (Stedham et al. , 2008). In Taiwan, many of the values center around the individual’s social groups, most notably, the family. Saving face is another factor which often influences and motivates decision making within the Taiwanese culture. The concept of face is â€Å"related to the preference for harmony and avoidance of conflict. One aspect of face is concerned with a person’s moral character which can only be earned by fulfilling one’s obligation to others† (Stedham et al. , 2008). Face also includes â€Å"one’s reputation or prestige which can be earned through accomplishments or through bureaucratic or political power† (Stedham et al. 2008). Great lengths will be taken to avoid situations which might cause damage or embarrassment for one’s self or other resulting in a loss of face. Another factor affecting Taiwanese cultural attitudes is the concept of guanxi, which literally translated means relationship. Having a good reputation and relations on both a personal and professional level is very important to Taiwanese people. Attitudes toward gender within Taiwanese society. Gender, though in the process of equalizing, still plays an important role within Taiwanese society. Research indicates that women in Taiwan’s job market â€Å"suffer lower earnings than men as job opportunities are not made available to them due to the labor market discrimination, family responsibilities, or lack of job mobility† (Bishop, Gronder, Liu, & Chiou, 2007). However, due to the fact that Taiwan’s industry is constantly growing, with more jobs in the labor market being filled with female workers, discrimination against females in both hiring and compensation is effectively diminishing over time (Bishop et al. , 2007). Generational differences. Younger generations tend to follow the religious or ethical guidelines set by their predecessors more out of tradition than true belief. Therefore, there is some movement away from previously accepted religious thoughts and ideas within the younger generations in Taiwan. Recent research indicates that â€Å"young Chinese people seem not to identify themselves with traditional Chinese values and Confucian ethics. Maybe it is the result of conflict between Eastern and Western cultures. However, traditional thoughts still significantly influence most people in Chinese ocieties† (Lin & Ho, 2009). Social structures Social structures are very important in Taiwan because the culture is quite Unitarian in its design. One of the largest and most central social structures in Taiwan is family and filial piety. Religion, because of its widespread acceptance, is also a major social structure in Taiwan. Another important social structure is politics with many people in Taiwan voicing their opinions on political matters, especially those matters dealing with mainland China. Military service also has bearing within society, and is an inevitable part of young men’s lives in Taiwan due to the fact that military service is compulsory. The importance of filial piety. Especially popular in Confucian households, filial piety is, along with brotherly love, considered the ‘roots’ of humanity. It is believed that the way perfect virtue and human perfection will become evident as an individual shows care and respect for these ‘roots’ of humanity (Ruiping, 2006). This belief translates into strong familial ties within the Taiwanese culture, as well as deep feelings of responsibility to one’s family. The cultural effects of politics. A Datamonitor country profile of Taiwan stated: â€Å"the issue of reunification with mainland China continues to dominate domestic politics and international relations. With both the People’s Republic of China (the mainland) and the Republic of China (Taiwan) claiming to be the legitimate authority over Taiwanese land, frequent tensions between the two are common† (2010). Within Taiwan, the debate over international policy with China is ongoing, with some in favor of increasing ties with the mainland and others advocating more independence for Taiwan. Another aspect of the strained relationship between Taiwan and China is the fact that China has greater influence in the global arena and has therefore been able to stop Taiwan’s efforts in seeking to gain global recognition as a sovereign national by the United Nations. China has also threatened severing diplomatic standings with any country to officially recognize Taiwan as its own nation. Therefore, many countries, including the United States maintain unofficial diplomatic ties with Taiwan, keeping their official diplomatic status with China intact. Mandatory military service. It is written into Taiwanese law that males between the ages of 18 and 22 are eligible for selective compulsory military service. Service duration is 12 months. Males students seeking higher education can obtain deferments, were they have several years to complete their education before serving their time in the military. Also, any citizen between the ages of 19 and 36 are considered eligible for drafting into the Taiwan military (USDS, 2008). Education Education is a very important part of Taiwanese society. Because of the high population density in Taiwan, there are high levels of competition for spots in top universities as well as positions in the job market. Academic excellence is so emphasized by parents that it often creates stress for students, who feel pressured to be the best. Emphases on education. Even though Taiwan’s laws mandate education through the ninth grade, approximately 95% of students go on to some form of higher education. Many parents see education as the best way to advance their children’s future. Taiwan also has a large number of cram schools for subjects ranging from math and English to sports. Students will often spend several hours after the normal school day or on weekends getting extra tutoring and study at cram schools. High stress levels in education faced by students. According to statistical analysis by Cheng Kai-Wen, some of the biggest contributors to stress for Taiwanese college students include fear of inferiority, excessively high expectations from parents, anxiety about the future, and lack of sleep (2009). Many parents believe that a better life can be achieved through academic excellence and therefore push their children to perform well in school. This mind set from parents can lead to children who feel guilt or shame when they are not performing up to expectations. Though Taiwan has not seen the high rates of student suicide that its Asian neighbor South Korea has experienced, it is not unheard of for students to take their own life after poor test performances. Higher education. Higher education is popular in Taiwan and, due to an increasing number of universities, greater numbers of students are able to attend under-graduate and graduate schools. How are these elements and dimensions integrated by locals conducting business in Taiwan? Successful businesses will understand the culture they are operating within and seek to incorporate elements of that culture into their policies and practices in order to be more appealing to their target markets. Therefore, many elements of culture will automatically be integrated into locals’ businesses. In Taiwan, cultural elements such as religion, education, and attitudes are sown into the fabric of local businesses. This section will examine how elements such as religion, education, and ethics are taken from the surrounding culture and integrated into local businesses within Taiwan. 1. 2. 3. Religion in local business Research done on the affects of religion in business negotiation styles indicated that the principles of Buddhism as well as Confucianism can have an effect on the business making decision made by Taiwanese (Farazmand, Tu, & Daneefard, 2011). Business decision made will take into account the good of the group over the good of the individual. Also, because of the high religious population, there is a large market for items used in religious practices such as incense burners, paper money, good luck charms, prayer beads, and religious ornaments. Education and its effects on business With increasing levels of education in Taiwan has come increased competition for better and higher paying jobs. This increased competition has led to a rapid growth in the number of people obtaining higher education degrees, such as masters or doctorate degrees (Wang, 2003). Taiwan’s economy is very open to small business owners, which gives those with the education and desire to start their own business a welcoming and available environment. Business ethics and attitudes In Taiwan it is believed that â€Å"ethical standards and moral conduct must come from within business people† (Cavico, Majtaba,Venezia, & Venezia, (2011). Many ethical standards and cultural attitudes in Taiwan are rooted in their religious beliefs, especially the teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Taiwanese businesses incorporate these standards of hard work, and family responsibility. Often, the unwritten cultural norms are relied upon to govern the decisions of employees. Also, the concept of corporate social responsibility is gain more popularity in Taiwan, with more people calling for corporations to operate in a more honest and open manner (Ip, 2007). Generational differences. As the new generations shift away from the traditional religious practices and beliefs held by previous generations there is also a shift in moral and ethical standards. Thought possibly to be a result of the increasing embracement of Western culture, this shift in viewpoint within Taiwan could actually be beneficial for American businesses within Taiwan due to the fact that the younger generations are moving more towards Western values and ideas. After researching moral cognizance in both the United States and Taiwan, Cavico et al. ecommended a stronger push not only for business ethics education, but for the incorporation of teaching ethics into every aspect of education (2011). How do these factors compare with culture and business within the United States? The differences between high context and low context cultures include communication differences, relational differences, as well as religious and educational differences. Research has shown that there is a â€Å"significant di fference between Taiwan and America in individualism/collectivism attitude† (Jung-Tsung, 2010). Communicational differences Communication differences between the United States and Taiwan involve so much more than a simple difference of spoken languages. There is a completely different style of communicating with different backgrounds of understanding as well as different personal beliefs and goals. Businesses in the United States operate within a low context culture whereas businesses in Taiwan operate within a high context culture. To cross this barrier will require American businesses to have an understanding of high context communication and managers that are capable of working within a high context environment. Comparing high context and low context cultures. â€Å"High context communication tends to be more indirect, ambiguous, and understated than low context communication, which is direct and precise, and expresses feelings and intentions rather open† (Usunier, & Roulin, 2010). Therefore, business communication may contain more implied concepts in Taiwan than business communication in the United States. Religion in the workplace The United States approach to dealing with religion in the workplace has been one of suppressing outward signs and discussion of religion so as to avoid any potential conflict which may arise. Taiwan tends to be more accepting of displays of religion, probably due to their focus on group harmony. Many prominent businessmen in Taiwan are very open about their religious affiliations, making charitable donations in the name of their religion (Hoh, 2002). Religious discussion is allowed and sometime encouraged, but when issues become uncomfortable or divisive it is ignored or avoided. Education emphasis in the US compared to in Taiwan In Taiwan, there is an emphasis put on education by parents and also businesses looking to hire new employees. In fact, education is emphasized so heavily that â€Å"attendance at  cram  schools  is an experience that the majority of Taiwanese have while growing up† (Liu, 2012). This causes individuals to seek higher education such as graduate degrees or doctorates in order to obtain highly contended, higher level jobs. Social Structures One of the main differences between Taiwanese social structures and those in the United States is the strong family connection maintained by the Taiwanese people. While Americans still view family as an important group in society, the feelings of filial piety in the United States are not as deep and motivating as they are in Taiwan. Also, religion, while still a factor in American culture is not as prevalent to the culture as it is in Taiwan. What are the implications for US businesses that wish to conduct business in Taiwan? Businesses seeking to conduct business within Taiwan should have a clear and complete understanding of how business is done in Taiwan. Not only should they learn laws and regulations which will be relevant to their desired business, but they must also study the culture to understand the people and what motivates and inspires them. Businesses from the United States who are studying the culture of Taiwan will discover important differences between American and Taiwanese ways of doing business. They will then need to incorporate policy which will successfully blend the needs and goals of their business with the needs and goals of the Taiwanese culture. Possible miscommunication Whenever companies conduct business in a foreign country, language must be taken into account. The Taiwan’s national language is Mandarin Chinese, with some of the population speaking Hakka along with some aboriginal dialects. There has been a strong push recently to learn English in Taiwan, with English classes being mandatory in school and a large number of English cram schools open for further training. Even so, the English level may be quite low, so American businesses seeking business opportunities in Taiwan should have interpreters who have a complete knowledge of both languages. An understanding of the culture is also important when communicating and research on cultural do’s and don’ts should be conducted before initiating communication to avoid confusion and unintentional offense. For example, it is offensive in Taiwanese culture to give a clock or watch to someone as a gift because it symbolizes the termination of the relationship. A full understanding of the culture will help businesses from the United States in forming good relationships and create good guanxi for their company in Taiwan (Stedham et al. , 2008). Accommodating religious freedom It is important for American businesses to understand and facilitate the different religious practices in Taiwan. As simple as insuring employees have adequate time off for important religious holidays and not requiring them to break their religious convictions, such as vegetarianism, respecting and accommodating the religious beliefs of the Taiwanese will help to insure the success of a prospective business there. The cultural element of avoiding conflict will help to make sure no religious discrimination or fighting will take place so businesses need not worry about that aspect as much as they do in America. Ethical policies Businesses from the United States with operations in Taiwan should have ethics policies that are written with the Taiwanese culture in mind. They should remember that, often times, there is no need to spell everything out specifically. With the concept of corporate social responsibility become more prevalent in Taiwan, it will be important for American business to highlight appropriate social involvement (Ip, 2007). Understand employee’s family focus. One aspect that businesses can encourage their employees to focus on is family. This will demonstrate the company’s commitment to one of Taiwan’s most important social structures, the family. The encouragement and facilitation of strong family ties will go a long way to establish a favorable public image for foreign companies operating within Taiwan. Effects of current political environment Taiwan’s economy is currently independent of China; however, any foreign business in Taiwan would be wise to watch the political relationship between mainland China and Taiwan very closely. Taiwan has been slowly moving towards closer ties with China which would allow China to â€Å"assert increasing influence over Taiwan. As a consensus emerges in Taiwan on establishing closer relations with China, the thaw [of political tensions] is calling into question the United States' deeply ambiguous policy, which is supposed to serve both Taiwan's interests (by allowing it to retain its autonomy) and the United States' own (by guarding against an expansionist China)† (Gilley, 2010). Should China be allowed to exert control over Taiwan’s economy and political environment it could drastically change the way foreign businesses are allowed to operate in Taiwan. The effects of national healthcare on business. While healthcare is not a major cultural issue, it is useful to note that Taiwan currently has nationalized healthcare, offering inexpensive healthcare to all their citizens. While some in Taiwan oppose this system of healthcare because it can be easily abused, national healthcare would affect businesses by lowering their employee coverage costs. Conclusion With favorable ties to the United States and growing acceptance of the Western world, Taiwan is a promising opportunity for businesses from the United States. With careful research and consideration of the culture, Taiwan could be a very profitable venture. American companies in Taiwan should be careful not to ignore the strong cultural elements in Taiwan, such as religion, family, and communication differences. However, because of Taiwan’s willingness and eagerness to work with foreign business and to expand its global presence, it is very open to foreign commerce. Taiwan’s rapid growth and solid economy can be a very useful tool in the future as they seek to gain wider global acceptance. Taiwan’s favorable economic situation provides the ideal environment for businesses from the United States. American businesses can take advantage of the available workforce and welcoming culture found in Taiwan. Ultimately, Taiwan is a culture that is based in tradition, yet still open to new ideas and influences. The people are friendly and accepting of foreigners into their culture. They are eager to share their culture with others. On the business side of things, Taiwanese companies work together with many American corporations and the both the culture and regulations in Taiwan in favorable to incoming businesses. Even though Taiwan has faced many challenges in the past and will continue to face those challenges in the future, mainly the task of reaching satisfactory and beneficial foreign relationships with China, Taiwan has remained strong and continued to grow. Taiwan is certain to have a bright future in the world arena. References Bishop, J. A. , Grodner, A. , Liu, H. ; Chiou, J. (2007). Gender earnings differentials in Taiwan: A stochastic frontier approach. Journal Of Asian Economics,  18(6), 934-945. Chou, T. , ; Chen, M. (2005). An exploratory investigation of differences in personality traits and faith maturity among major religions in Taiwan. Chinese Journal of Psychology,  47(4), 311-327. Datamonitor: Taiwan. (2010). Taiwan Country Profile, 1-76. Deaton, A. , ; Paxson, C. (2000). Growth, demogra phic structure, and national saving in Taiwan. Population and Development Review,  26, 141-173. Erling, H. 2002). Buddha business. Far Eastern Economic Review,165(35), 54. Gilley, B. (2010). Not so dire straits. Foreign Affairs,  89(1), 44-60. Hall, E. T. (2000). Context and meaning. In L. A. Samovar ; R. E. Porter (Eds. ). Intercultural communication: A reader (9th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co. Farazmand, F. A. , Tu, Y. , ; Daneefard, H. (2011). Is religious culture a factor in negotiation: a cross-cultural comparison of Iran, Taiwan and the United States. Journal Of International Business Research,  10(1), 27-44. Friedberg, A. (2005). The future of U. S. -China relations: Is conflict inevitable? †Ã‚  International Security  30(2), 7-45 Ip, P. (2007). Corporate social responsibility and crony capitalism in taiwan. Journal of Business Ethics,  77(1-2), 167-177. Jung-Tsung, T. (2010). Cross-cultural comparisons between Taiwan and America. Interdisciplin ary Journal Of Contemporary Research In Business,  2(4), 116-129. Kai-Wen, C. (2009). A study of stress sources among college students in Taiwan. Journal Of Academic & Business Ethics,21-8. Kuo-Ying, H. , & Mujtaba, B. G. (2010). Stress, task, and relationship orientations of Taiwanese adults: an examination of gender in this high-context culture. Journal Of International Business & Cultural Studies,  31-13. Liu, J. (2012). Does cram schooling matter? Who goes to cram schools? Evidence from Taiwan. International Journal Of Educational Development,  32(1), 46-52. Lin, L. , & Ho, Y. (2009). Confucian dynamism, culture and ethical changes in Chinese societies – a comparative study of China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. International Journal Of Human Resource Management,  20(11), 2402-2417. Muk, A. 2007). Cultural influences on adoption of SMS advertising: A study of American and Taiwanese consumers. Journal Of Targeting, Measurement & Analysis For Marketing,  16(1), 39-47. Newell, W. H. (1976). Ancestors. Chicago, IL: Aldine Publishing Company. Ruiping, F. (2006). Confucian Filial Piety and Long Term Care for Aged Parents. HEC Forum,  18(1), 1-17. Satterlee, B. (2009). Cross Border Commerce  (pp. 40 -43). Roanoke, VA: Synergistics Inc. Stedham, Y. , Yamanura, J. H. , & LAI, S. (2008). Business Ethics in Japan and Taiwan: Relativist and Utilitarian Perspectives. Asia Pacific Business Review,  14(4), 535-551. United States Department of State, Background Note: Taiwan. (2008). Background Notes on Countries of the World: Taiwan, 1-12. Usunier, J. , & Roulin, N. (2010). The influence of high- and low-context communication styles on the design, content, and language of business-to-business web sites. Journal Of Business Communication,  47(2), 189-227. Vadra, R. (2010). India's Trade with Asian Tigers. Journal Of Marketing & Management,  1(1), 49-69. Venezia, C. C. , Venezia, G. , Cavico, F. J. , & Mujtaba, B. G. (2011). Is Ethics

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Different Treatment Organizations in Prisons

There are various treatment programs in prisons that I have discovered by contacting several organizations. I will described a wide range of programs offered to inmates that help target special needs such as education, behavioral change, spiritual awareness, vocational training, parenting classes, HIV prevention, and drug education. I will describe each treatment programs that I have found and discuss the purposes of each program. A program called the Volunteer Prison Education Program was launched in July 1997 at the Rikers Island Prison. I called and spoke with Joan Bloomgarden, who described this program as a quality educational experience to inmates who would otherwise not have access to learning. This unique program involves volunteer educators to motivate inmates to help themselves, their families and one another to create a learning community within the prison system. The purpose of this program is to promote positive behavioral change, assist in prevention of crime, work cooperatively with prosecutors, and to actively involve the families of inmates in crime prevention. Courses offered are Child Development, Understanding Your Anger, Art Education in Prison: Toward Enhancing Self-Esteem, Conflict Resolution: Practical Exploration, Basic Understanding of Money Management, and Basic Eye Care. I contacted The Prison SMART Foundation Incorporated and spoke with Thomas Duffy, who was able to provide me information regarding their unique stress management and rehabilitative training program delivered to hardened criminals in U. S prisons. The purpose of this program is to teach the proper breathing techniques to help inmates reduce and manage their stress levels in order to help them think more clearly and to help them think about their actions. Taught by Prison SMART Foundation volunteers, this 6 to 10 day program utilizes advanced yoga breathing exercises and is based on the dynamic cleansing effects of the breath on the body and mind. As a result, they enjoy increased self-esteem and self-empowerment. Thousands who have completed the Prison SMART Foundation's stress management programs are living proof. Prison administrators have reported that inmates who have participated in this program are easier to handle and exhibit less acting out in confrontational situations. I contacted the Prisoners for Christ Outreach Ministries based in Kirkland, WA, and spoke with Greg Von Tobel, to learn more information about programs offered to inmates. Prisoners For Christ services include: Church Services and Bible Studies, Two Year Bible Study Correspondence Course, One to One Visitation Outreach, Pen Pal Outreach, Special Projects Outreach, Literature, Heart to Heart Christmas Giving Program, Wives Outreach, Parent Outreach, Van Transportation Outreach, and Northwest Transitional Housing. The purposes of these services are to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the jails, prisons, and juvenile centers of the Northwest. In addition, Prisoners For Christ work with the men, women, and children who are incarcerated to become fully functioning, tax paying citizens and to assist their families. Statistics shows that last year alone, 16,326 inmates (men, women, and youth) attended these programs in 19 different institutions. About 6% of inmates made their first time commitments to the Lord Jesus Christ. I wanted to learn about several other types of treatment programs offered in prisons, so I contacted the California Department of Corrections. They have implemented several programs designed to benefit both the inmates and the public. I will briefly describe each of these programs and the purpose each one offers. The Joint Venture Program, opened its doors in 1991, where private employers can contract with the California Department of Corrections to set up their businesses on prison grounds and hire inmate workers at competitive wages. This gives inmates the ability to provide economical benefits such as providing restitution to victims, becoming taxpayers, paying support to families, compensate costs for their incarceration, and mandatory savings to provide funds after release from prison. The social benefits are the ability to develop good work habits, gain job experience, decrease inmate idleness, and to return to society motivated and skilled adults. The Mother Infant Program is designed to help mothers reestablish bonds with their children, teach them valuable skills, and prepare them to return to society as working adults. Parenting classes, pre-employment training, and drug education classes are offered to help build better parenting relationships and brighter futures for inmates while they serve their time. In parenting classes, they learn how to talk and relate to their children and how to discipline effectively. Both mothers and children may also receive counseling. In pre-employment training, they gain practical information about applying, landing and keeping a job. Since the majority of the mothers have had some sort of chemical dependency in the past, they also attend drug education classes. The classes are geared to keep them from returning to their old habits, make them aware of the dangers of drug addiction, and show them how drugs not only impair their lives, but especially their children†s. The California Conservation Camp Program intents to train and use inmates for conservation and development of natural resources. These conservation camps are located in some of the state's most secluded wilderness areas. They provide a large force of trained crews for fire fighting, resource conservation, and emergency assignments as necessary. In addition to fire fighting, other tasks assigned to inmates are graffiti removal, reforestation, levee repair and flood control, pine bark beetle eradication and preservation, illegal dump site cleanup, wildlife habitat rehabilitation, and park and cemetery maintenance. During non-work hours inmates are involved in special projects such as repairing toys for disadvantaged children or on projects with the elderly or disabled. In some camps vocational training programs are available. In others, inmates work on a variety of special projects such as road construction and prison building, which allow them to still learn and strengthen skills. As they repay their debt to society, camp inmates provide a real economic benefit to local communities. In a typical year, they will work 2 million hours on fire fighting and fire prevention. They also will spend almost 6 million hours on conservation projects and community service activities. Those who successfully complete training at prison conservation centers in Northern and Southern California learn how their effectiveness and their lives depend upon discipline and teamwork. When the time comes for parole, inmates have been exposed to good work habits and teamwork in the camp setting. This exposure provides them with a purpose, goals, and a sense of accomplishment in doing a job well done. Computer refurbishing program, launched in 1994, was developed to refurbish used computers for California's K-12 public schools. The California Department of Corrections trains inmates to refurbish donated computers then turns them over to the schools. Currently, the California Department of Corrections is responsible for 60 percent of all refurbished computers placed in California public schools. The donated computer equipment comes in various states of disrepair. Some computers are obsolete for business purposes, others need minor repair and still others can only be used for parts. In the first year, nearly 2,000 refurbished computers made their way to California classrooms. By the end of 1997, 13 prisons had refurbished more than 35,000 computers for California schools, saving them close to $33 million. Through this program, the inmates learn and practice skills that will help prepare them for a future outside prison. I contacted San Quentin State Prison, and spoke to Barry Zack, to find out about any treatment programs offered. One particular program called HIV Prevention Education is required for all men entering the prison. This program offered since 1986, is to help inmates see the personal side to HIV, increase perception of risk, increase knowledge of HIV/AIDS, and reduce the risk of HIV, STDs, hepatitis and tuberculosis in prison and after release. Since 1991, inmates have received comprehensive peer education training to work as peer educators. The training covers several topics such as public speaking techniques, awareness of alcohol and drugs and their impact on high-risk behaviors, HIV-related multi-cultural awareness, and HIV/AIDS in our society and in the world. About 40 peer educators are trained each year. After training, the peer educators conducts various services such as teaching an HIV prevention orientation class, providing individual counseling, and providing prevention case management. Two different programs are offered to inmates prior to their release from prison. One program is specifically for HIV + inmates and is offered as a two-week, 8 session intervention that includes such topics as self-esteem, health maintenance, community resources, stress management, substance use, legal issues, and barriers to care after release. The other program, conducted two weeks prior to an inmate†s release, offers individual sessions to discuss preventing, acquiring, or transmitting HIV after release from prison. Topics covered include using condoms, avoiding drug and alcohol use, and avoiding needle sharing. I contacted The Federal Bureau of Prisons where they currently operate 42 residential treatment programs with an annual capacity of over 6,000 participants. For the 30 percent of Federal inmates who have a history of moderate to severe substance abuse this program is able to provide drug treatment to all inmates who need it and are willing to accept it. This program offers inmates up to 500 hours of treatment, which focuses on individual responsibility and to deter future criminal behavior. The goal of this program is to help identify, confront, and alter their attitudes, values, and thinking patterns that led them to their criminal behavior and drug or alcohol use. This program includes sessions on Screening and Assessment, Treatment Orientation, Criminal Lifestyle Confrontation, Cognitive Skill Building, Relapse Prevention, Interpersonal Skill Building, and Wellness. I have found these treatment programs to be suitable and adequate. Each organization, I spoke with has concluded that these programs not only offers benefits to the individual but also to society as a whole. There are economic and social benefits that can be gained from these programs that I have just described. I have listed a wide range of programs that help target special needs for inmates that may help deter future criminal behavior. We need these programs to help rehabilitate these inmates while they are serving their time in jail. It has been stressed that jail alone cannot deter a criminal from reoffending. By providing these various programs to inmates, we can help them become drug-free, educated, hard-working individuals prior to being released from prison. Hopefully, whatever program an inmate has participated in can help change their behavioral patterns, which may help reduce the rate of recidivism. Different Treatment Organizations in Prisons There are various treatment programs in prisons that I have discovered by contacting several organizations. I will described a wide range of programs offered to inmates that help target special needs such as education, behavioral change, spiritual awareness, vocational training, parenting classes, HIV prevention, and drug education. I will describe each treatment programs that I have found and discuss the purposes of each program. A program called the Volunteer Prison Education Program was launched in July 1997 at the Rikers Island Prison. I called and spoke with Joan Bloomgarden, who described this program as a quality educational experience to inmates who would otherwise not have access to learning. This unique program involves volunteer educators to motivate inmates to help themselves, their families and one another to create a learning community within the prison system. The purpose of this program is to promote positive behavioral change, assist in prevention of crime, work cooperatively with prosecutors, and to actively involve the families of inmates in crime prevention. Courses offered are Child Development, Understanding Your Anger, Art Education in Prison: Toward Enhancing Self-Esteem, Conflict Resolution: Practical Exploration, Basic Understanding of Money Management, and Basic Eye Care. I contacted The Prison SMART Foundation Incorporated and spoke with Thomas Duffy, who was able to provide me information regarding their unique stress management and rehabilitative training program delivered to hardened criminals in U. S prisons. The purpose of this program is to teach the proper breathing techniques to help inmates reduce and manage their stress levels in order to help them think more clearly and to help them think about their actions. Taught by Prison SMART Foundation volunteers, this 6 to 10 day program utilizes advanced yoga breathing exercises and is based on the dynamic cleansing effects of the breath on the body and mind. As a result, they enjoy increased self-esteem and self-empowerment. Thousands who have completed the Prison SMART Foundation's stress management programs are living proof. Prison administrators have reported that inmates who have participated in this program are easier to handle and exhibit less acting out in confrontational situations. I contacted the Prisoners for Christ Outreach Ministries based in Kirkland, WA, and spoke with Greg Von Tobel, to learn more information about programs offered to inmates. Prisoners For Christ services include: Church Services and Bible Studies, Two Year Bible Study Correspondence Course, One to One Visitation Outreach, Pen Pal Outreach, Special Projects Outreach, Literature, Heart to Heart Christmas Giving Program, Wives Outreach, Parent Outreach, Van Transportation Outreach, and Northwest Transitional Housing. The purposes of these services are to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the jails, prisons, and juvenile centers of the Northwest. In addition, Prisoners For Christ work with the men, women, and children who are incarcerated to become fully functioning, tax paying citizens and to assist their families. Statistics shows that last year alone, 16,326 inmates (men, women, and youth) attended these programs in 19 different institutions. About 6% of inmates made their first time commitments to the Lord Jesus Christ. I wanted to learn about several other types of treatment programs offered in prisons, so I contacted the California Department of Corrections. They have implemented several programs designed to benefit both the inmates and the public. I will briefly describe each of these programs and the purpose each one offers. The Joint Venture Program, opened its doors in 1991, where private employers can contract with the California Department of Corrections to set up their businesses on prison grounds and hire inmate workers at competitive wages. This gives inmates the ability to provide economical benefits such as providing restitution to victims, becoming taxpayers, paying support to families, compensate costs for their incarceration, and mandatory savings to provide funds after release from prison. The social benefits are the ability to develop good work habits, gain job experience, decrease inmate idleness, and to return to society motivated and skilled adults. The Mother Infant Program is designed to help mothers reestablish bonds with their children, teach them valuable skills, and prepare them to return to society as working adults. Parenting classes, pre-employment training, and drug education classes are offered to help build better parenting relationships and brighter futures for inmates while they serve their time. In parenting classes, they learn how to talk and relate to their children and how to discipline effectively. Both mothers and children may also receive counseling. In pre-employment training, they gain practical information about applying, landing and keeping a job. Since the majority of the mothers have had some sort of chemical dependency in the past, they also attend drug education classes. The classes are geared to keep them from returning to their old habits, make them aware of the dangers of drug addiction, and show them how drugs not only impair their lives, but especially their children†s. The California Conservation Camp Program intents to train and use inmates for conservation and development of natural resources. These conservation camps are located in some of the state's most secluded wilderness areas. They provide a large force of trained crews for fire fighting, resource conservation, and emergency assignments as necessary. In addition to fire fighting, other tasks assigned to inmates are graffiti removal, reforestation, levee repair and flood control, pine bark beetle eradication and preservation, illegal dump site cleanup, wildlife habitat rehabilitation, and park and cemetery maintenance. During non-work hours inmates are involved in special projects such as repairing toys for disadvantaged children or on projects with the elderly or disabled. In some camps vocational training programs are available. In others, inmates work on a variety of special projects such as road construction and prison building, which allow them to still learn and strengthen skills. As they repay their debt to society, camp inmates provide a real economic benefit to local communities. In a typical year, they will work 2 million hours on fire fighting and fire prevention. They also will spend almost 6 million hours on conservation projects and community service activities. Those who successfully complete training at prison conservation centers in Northern and Southern California learn how their effectiveness and their lives depend upon discipline and teamwork. When the time comes for parole, inmates have been exposed to good work habits and teamwork in the camp setting. This exposure provides them with a purpose, goals, and a sense of accomplishment in doing a job well done. Computer refurbishing program, launched in 1994, was developed to refurbish used computers for California's K-12 public schools. The California Department of Corrections trains inmates to refurbish donated computers then turns them over to the schools. Currently, the California Department of Corrections is responsible for 60 percent of all refurbished computers placed in California public schools. The donated computer equipment comes in various states of disrepair. Some computers are obsolete for business purposes, others need minor repair and still others can only be used for parts. In the first year, nearly 2,000 refurbished computers made their way to California classrooms. By the end of 1997, 13 prisons had refurbished more than 35,000 computers for California schools, saving them close to $33 million. Through this program, the inmates learn and practice skills that will help prepare them for a future outside prison. I contacted San Quentin State Prison, and spoke to Barry Zack, to find out about any treatment programs offered. One particular program called HIV Prevention Education is required for all men entering the prison. This program offered since 1986, is to help inmates see the personal side to HIV, increase perception of risk, increase knowledge of HIV/AIDS, and reduce the risk of HIV, STDs, hepatitis and tuberculosis in prison and after release. Since 1991, inmates have received comprehensive peer education training to work as peer educators. The training covers several topics such as public speaking techniques, awareness of alcohol and drugs and their impact on high-risk behaviors, HIV-related multi-cultural awareness, and HIV/AIDS in our society and in the world. About 40 peer educators are trained each year. After training, the peer educators conducts various services such as teaching an HIV prevention orientation class, providing individual counseling, and providing prevention case management. Two different programs are offered to inmates prior to their release from prison. One program is specifically for HIV + inmates and is offered as a two-week, 8 session intervention that includes such topics as self-esteem, health maintenance, community resources, stress management, substance use, legal issues, and barriers to care after release. The other program, conducted two weeks prior to an inmate†s release, offers individual sessions to discuss preventing, acquiring, or transmitting HIV after release from prison. Topics covered include using condoms, avoiding drug and alcohol use, and avoiding needle sharing. I contacted The Federal Bureau of Prisons where they currently operate 42 residential treatment programs with an annual capacity of over 6,000 participants. For the 30 percent of Federal inmates who have a history of moderate to severe substance abuse this program is able to provide drug treatment to all inmates who need it and are willing to accept it. This program offers inmates up to 500 hours of treatment, which focuses on individual responsibility and to deter future criminal behavior. The goal of this program is to help identify, confront, and alter their attitudes, values, and thinking patterns that led them to their criminal behavior and drug or alcohol use. This program includes sessions on Screening and Assessment, Treatment Orientation, Criminal Lifestyle Confrontation, Cognitive Skill Building, Relapse Prevention, Interpersonal Skill Building, and Wellness. I have found these treatment programs to be suitable and adequate. Each organization, I spoke with has concluded that these programs not only offers benefits to the individual but also to society as a whole. There are economic and social benefits that can be gained from these programs that I have just described. I have listed a wide range of programs that help target special needs for inmates that may help deter future criminal behavior. We need these programs to help rehabilitate these inmates while they are serving their time in jail. It has been stressed that jail alone cannot deter a criminal from reoffending. By providing these various programs to inmates, we can help them become drug-free, educated, hard-working individuals prior to being released from prison. Hopefully, whatever program an inmate has participated in can help change their behavioral patterns, which may help reduce the rate of recidivism.

Physics lap report Lab Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Physics lap - Lab Report Example Start answering all preliminary questions. You may discuss the questions, but do not write as you talk- this way everyone will have unique answers. Make sure to sketch your graphs where you are told to. 1. Sketch the distance vs. time graph for each of the following situations- clearly label each of the situations with its corresponding letter so you can place these different types of motion on the same graph. 4. Using Logger Pro, produce a graph of your motion when you walk away from the detector with constant velocity. To do this, stand about 1Â  m from the Motion Detector and have your lab partner click ; start walking slowly after you hear Motion Detector begin to click. 9. Repeat the process until your motion closely matches the graph on the screen. Each time you click the button the previous data is overwritten. Explain changes that needed to be made in comparison to step 7: 13. To test your prediction, start Logger Pro by clicking . When you hear the Motion Detector begin to click, walk in such a way that the graph of your motion matches the target graph on the screen. Was your prediction correct? Explain changes that needed to be made in comparison to step 12: 1. Using the Motion detector and Logger Pro, create a graph of position vs time where it shows a body constantly accelerating away from the detector for a period of 3s. First discuss with your group what the graph should look like and draw the graph on a piece of paper and attach it to your

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Management accounting Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management accounting - Research Paper Example $120 + $6.50 = $126.50 * 500 = $63,250 (Total cost) Total sales for purchased hard drives = 500 * $154.00 = $77,000 Total profit generated from purchased hard drives = $77,000 - $63,250 = $13,750 If Malibu Systems Inc. concentrates on the ZEON hard drives market, it could make an annual profit of ($13,750 + $216,125) $229,875. By producing manufacture memory chips, Malibu Systems Inc. can sell up to 3,500 memory chips per year at a price of $65.00. Annual sales - $227,500. Production costs – $62.25 * 3,500 = $217,875 Profit generated from production and sales of memory chips – ($227,500 – $217,875) = $9,625 Production of memory chips for Malibu Systems Inc. is not a brilliant idea to invest in because it gives lower profit margins than production of Zeon hard drives. Part 2: Contribution Margin per Unit for; Purchased ZEON hard drives Contribution The formula for determining contribution is the sale price minus variable costs (Eisen 2007, 35). Selling price for e ach ZEON hard drive that has been purchased $154.00 per hard drive The variable cost incurred $0.85 per hard drive Contribution margin ($154 – $0.85) = $153.15 Manufactured ZEON hard drives Contribution Selling price for

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Communication Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Communication - Research Proposal Example Lack of well co-ordinated communication has always made organizations especially the healthcare providers in big problems that may not be easy to solve ones they hit irreversible point. Some of the administrative issues in a healthcare facility and the sector in general include the adjustments required for the care to be given to the patients. This entails how the health status of the patient is progressing since the last medical service offered or administered at a given instance. Another important aspect of this has to do with management planning which need to be done in respect of the charges on the services offered to the patient. This is a very important aspect of management since the funds generated from the services and prescriptions administered to the patients and other clients forms the basis of successful operation and the overall quality of service delivery. Billing department has particularly been at the Centre of this problem when the nurses fail to inform them of addit ional services or prescription to the patients. This has always led to lack of accountability and significantly affect their planning. Introduction It is important for an organization to put in place interventionry measures for improving communication.Healthcare sector has been undergoing a myriad of changes that need in-depth consideration for any significant progress. Communication is one such tool that has been tasked to bring sanity among nurses and healthcare managers. Improper management of information has far reaching effects both to the healthcare stakeholders and the society at large. There have been several cases of legal battle and unethical actions resulting from poor consideration of communication as a fundamental tool for the nursing services provision. One aspect of this has always been realized from inadequate data to indicate the progress of the patients and guide the management on issues like billing and the overall performance of the nurses as they deliver their s ervices. It is important to note that information covers the better part of healthcare provision and in the event that this goes missing a significant loss is eminent. It is therefore important that a lot of effort is put towards improving the healthcare sector from training to actual practice of the nurses and clinician. Statement of the problem Among the several issues that have been discussed as the challenges to the healthcare sector communication is very critical and this calls for interventionary measures. This is the link between the nurses, management and the patients. It is therefore important that this is done with sound strategy and effectiveness for smooth co-ordination of activities in the healthcare facilities. The main focus of communication concept in this case is recording and retrieval of patient data to the administration. It is imperative that the nurses know that communicating an existing problem that pose a threat to the facility and the health of the patients is primary to the welfare of the society. Work-setting problem The inherent less attention given to some aspects of communication by healthcare management is critical when it comes to the overall performance of the sector. The healthcare management should also underscore the significance of free and healthy interaction with its staff so that it would be easy for them to note any anomaly in their behavior. The interest of the patient should come first since the cardinal role of the nurses is to save life and this would suffice the definition

Monday, August 26, 2019

Effect of Pesticide on Lake Erie Research Proposal

Effect of Pesticide on Lake Erie - Research Proposal Example Pesticides are sprayed aerially on crops and water to protect them from pests that chew up the crops and contaminate the water. However, the aerial spraying also causes chemicals used in the pesticides to spread in the atmosphere and water bodies thus contaminating the environment (G. Chesters and J.G. Konrad). Spraying of pesticides temperature-specific and there are certain conditions when they must be done. Ideally, pesticides are sprayed when there are little or no wind and when a temperature inversion exists between 3 and 10 meters above the ground. The lack of wind movement prevents the pesticides from spreading around. However, such conditions rarely exist and pesticides are spread around inside and beyond the region pesticides are sprayed (G. Chesters and J.G. Konrad). Lake Erie is affected by "five most heavily applied agricultural pesticides. They are metolachlor, atrazine, cyanazine, acetochlor and alachlor." The lake water has heavy concentration of these chemicals.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Art Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art Analysis - Research Paper Example The image’s materials comprise diverse plants, fruits and vegetables that normally represent Europe’s annual four seasons. The Initial glance, which entails a casual look usually is more fascinating, which captures a person’s attention besides curiosity captivated by the artist’s fantasy. The image’s mainframe encompasses a tree knotty trunk on which the artist makes holes for the ears, mouth and eyes, whereas other features he employs fruits, vegetables and plant twigs (Kaufmann 45). Arcimboldo in making this image initially he preferred a very knotty trunk as the mainframe where he proceeded on to make holes on it (Kaufmann 26). The holes were for mouth, eyes and ears coupled with making dents at some areas for the knotty trunk to assume the actual shape of a human head. Arcimboldo does not utilize any mode of technique or process but instead employs immensely his creative imagination coupled with fantasy. Consequently, his unique technique contrasted with the then artwork’s styles and genres, which earned him critics who accused him of having defied the accepted art’s regulations (Kaufmann 61). Conversely, these critics did not become a hindrance to his style but continued instead. In this image, Arcimboldo besides using the branched knotty trunk, he also employs moss strands to represent beard or hair, sunflower on the chest and shoulder, plaited straw cloak and fruits (grapes hanging from the twigs and apples) (Kaufmann 170). The most striking features of the 60.4 x 44.7 cm image encompass the protruding twigs and numerous stumps, which seem embedded on the entire man’s face. Hence, this gives the image actual texture of a man’s face, which extends even to the neck like a real portrait. Additionally, the light illuminates mostly in the front contrary to the back, which prompts the image to be having limited space in front than at its rear. This image’s content entails featuring the annual seasons

Saturday, August 24, 2019

United States Negotiation with the Taliban Research Paper

United States Negotiation with the Taliban - Research Paper Example Development of the economy is of great value if the public is involved in negotiations. The interest groups should ensure common goal of economic development is achieved through democratic participatory governance. A developing economy is bound to be free from conflict.   The Taliban should not be negotiated with as they are perpetrators of terrorism. The terrorist activities amount to loss of millions of innocent lives. Just like the 9/11 tragedy where many innocent Americans lot their loved ones. Conflict ensued when the US military invaded Afghanistan and Pakistan to flush the out terrorist groups. This led to the declaration of Global War on Terrorism.   This action blocked the air tube to terror bases of Taliban.Children’s rights are violated by being taken as child soldiers as right wing supporters of the Taliban regime have been used to fight in their military wing. This denies the young minds the right to education and also it leads to psychological trauma. Deterio ration of security since the Taliban regime hosted the AI-Qaeda a terrorist group responsible for the 9/11 bombing of the World Trade centre in New York. The regular strikes made by the terrorist’s organizations have led to high insecurity levels to countries affiliated to the US. Some sectarian groups also indulged in armed and terrorist activities against their rival groups bringing fear and terror in the society. Engaging in drug trade so as finance their activities is one the reasons that the Taliban should never be negotiated.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Critically evaluate the behaviours and traits for effective lead Essay

Critically evaluate the behaviours and traits for effective lead - Essay Example This process can be effective through appropriate management of change to adapt to all the environments of the business. Change management refers to an organized and planned approach that helps to address the various variations that occur in the business environments. This also involves the appropriate response mechanisms for responding to changes that may occur among the workplace because of the changes that the business adopts. Change management involves an outline of a process to follow in order to experience an overall transformation in the whole business together with its employees. This guideline represents different steps that an individual has to adhere to so that the organization and its employees are coordinated towards the process of fulfilling its objectives. Create a Sense of Urgency An organization can only change if it can acknowledge the change. The leaders of the organization and its employees must recognize the need for change. The leaders of the organization partic ularly the managers should strive to inform employees about the need for change in the organization. This is done by developing a sense of urgency in the organization and its employees about the outlined procedures to revolutionize the organization. The management should be able to convince the employees through instilling positive thinking amongst the employees. This can be done by explaining the future circumstances to employees and potential future threats that may necessitate a change. This is to prevent the company from falling into such pitfalls. The company can also examine opportunities that can be possible in the future, if the company adopts different mechanisms of approaching its business environment. The company can give forth-convincing explanations about the change it needs. This is a strong motivator to speech and thinking among employees in order to arrive at the necessary change. This will also attract support from other areas of interest such as customers and other industries that may have interests in the company. This further boosts confidence for the company’s proposal since all parties are able to accept the change (Green, 2007, 167). Form a Powerful Coalition The organization should focus on leading the change to realize change. The company organization needs to bring a group of experienced individuals that are able to further the objectives of the organization towards change. Individuals from different levels of the company’s hierarchy, who draw their power from different sources, should be pooled together because they can offer the necessary advice on how change can be realized. This coalition will offer a priceless effort towards furthering the company’s urgency by build the required momentum towards change (Cameron & Green, 2009, 121). Create a Vision for Change The organization should be able to consolidate its ideas of change and bring it to the individual’s level of understanding. The vision for change should summarize the core values that the organization aims to achieve and should be effectively comprehended by the coalition formed to push for it (Vukotich, 2011, 41). Communicate the Vision The organization should ensure that its vision is thoroughly communicated and embedded in the organization. This is done through frequent expression of this vision in the decisions that the company makes,

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The various stages in the development of warfare Essay Example for Free

The various stages in the development of warfare Essay Technology defines the strategic agenda of a nation at any given time; in particular, the concepts of war, crisis, terrorism and therefore military warfare. Military technology has allowed for Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles, Precision Guided Munitions, Long Range Theatre Nuclear Weapons, Ballistic Missile-Carrying Submarines and many more. New military concepts have arisen out from the advancement of military technology, for example arms races or Mutually Assured Destruction; all of these complex military terminologies were unheard of in the middle of the 19th century, therefore showing how drastic warfare has developed since then. As military warfare has an extremely strong influence on the state of international relations as it affects the balance of power and the polarity of the world, it is important to understand both why and how the wars that happen today have expanded. The industrial revolution in the middle of the 19th century brought about a fundamental transformation in military technology; gone were the cavalry wars with spears as weapons and castles as defence, in was the mass production of war machinery. Nearly every aspect of warfare changed, and has been advancing and increasing ever since. The firepower of guns and bombs evolved from 3/4 rounds per minute muzzle loading muskets to machine guns capable of firing 650 rounds per minute1; although first used in the 1883 American Civil War which led to 600,000 dead, machine guns were widely used in World War One and helped make 400,0002 British casualties in the Battle of the Somme. From the middle of the 20th century the focus moved to weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons, where technology allowed for more range and accuracy, and ICBMs and PGMs are capable of wiping out whole towns. Due to this, war has extended from armies to ordinary civilians, therefore potentially increasing death tolls and creating more fear among inhabitants of a country at war as attacks can be secret. The mobility and transport of armies has also changed which has an effect on the development of warfare; the pre-mid 19th century wooden sail powered ships with cannons used during many of the British invasions of India, Australia and Africa proved impractical and from the 1870s onwards, iron steam powered battleships were built. This allowed for access to enemy lands by sea with a lower risk of being sunk, and so invasions became easier, for example the Boer War from 1899 to 1902. The industrial revolution of the mid 1800s created advanced railways so soldiers could be deployed rapidly; this increased the speed of wars from the traditional wars on foot, and prevented enemy stated from having time to prepare for war. The introduction of the motorcar in the beginning of the 20th century also helped the mobility of warfare, with army trucks being used in most of the wars since then; in addition, the invention of tanks and submarines combined strong defence with the ability to attack, therefore causing more damage with fewer home casualties. The development of aircraft since the mid 19th century has been extremely significant; the first victims of air war were Arab villagers in Libya during the Italian war on Turkey 1911-123, and although aircraft was used in World War One, the turning point of air warfare was the Second World War, where the Blitzkrieg strikes on British civilian towns by the German Luftwaffe created a new warfare that involved ordinary inhabitants. Similarly, in recent air strikes on Afghanistan and Iraq by technologically advanced fighter planes such as B-1 and B52 bombers have further increased the speed and devastation caused by war. Protection has also changed over the years, from impractical individual heavy metal armour used by armies before the mid 19th century to much more alternative methods of protection. In World War One, the use of trenches to protect soldiers proved ineffective, however the civilian attacks during the Second World War meant that new types of protection were introduced: air raid sirens, blackouts and gas masks from enemy air warfare. Technology in the late 20th century extended methods of protection to Electronic Counter Measures to locate enemy weapons even before they are deployed the ultimate method of protection. This would not have been possible without the advancement in artificial intelligence through sophisticated computers to perform operations such as detecting long-range missiles from satellite cameras. The advancement of military warfare is due to a number of things: the progression of science and development of human intelligence mainly as a result of better education and more of a desire to be all-knowing has created more effective and practical ideas for warfare. In addition, the influx capitalism after the industrial revolution has meant that the munitions industry has profit to be made, and as capitalism seems ever increasing the production of weapons has also amplified. Also, countries around the world have increased their defence spending budgets therefore more money is constantly being spent on inventing the best, most destructive, powerful weapons. This, along with the enlarged competition between states to have the most advanced technological warfare machinery has led to a number of disputes which set the agenda for international relations at the time. The Cold War between Russia and the United States from the middle of the 20th century until the collapse of the Soviet Union mainly consisted of an unofficial arms race: repeated, competitive and reciprocal adjustments of their war making capacities between two nations4, with both countries building up baroque arsenals of ICBMs and the most advanced nuclear bombs. Action-Reaction models such as the Cold War creates a security dilemma not just for those involved but for the whole world: An action by any state to increase its military strength will raise the level of threat seen by other states and cause them to react by increasing their own strength5. An example of this recently could be the nuclear proliferation of the nine states who presently have nuclear weapons; countries who dont have nuclear arms may feel threatened by those who do and wish to build up their arms, and so this potential horizontal proliferation would in turn make those who have arms build up theirs even more, creating increased vertical proliferation. Nuclear multi-polarity in the world is likely to be dangerous as there is more chance of rogue states using their weapons and creating more prolific, devastating wars. While many argue the move to nuclear warfare is better than outdated methods of warfare such as battles as it creates deterrence between states to use their weapons. This could be proven by the fact that since the invention of nuclear weapons in the middle of the 20th century there has been no nuclear wars; however the example of the United States atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 show how much devastation and horror they could cause. Also, the new threat of biological and chemical weapons has added to the potential threat of large-scale modern warfare that no longer involves a countrys army only; it seems like the world could potentially be moving into a second nuclear age. The progress between offensive and defensive warfare has also changed since the middle of the 19th century; however it seems to have followed a regular pattern. Pre 19th century cavalry wars were largely offensive wars, with attacks on foot and high casualties; the first World War consisted of mainly defence tactics like building extensive trenches; the second World War was again offensive, with air warfare bombing campaigns; the evolution of nuclear arms is largely as a defence mechanism, for example the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction; and recent wars such as the US attacks on Iraq and Afghanistan have been mostly offensive bombing campaigns. Another factor to consider of how warfare has changed is how the world is not entirely a multi-polar earth; recently, it seems like a potentially unstable combination of unifying centripetal and separating centrifugal forces struggling over the periphery. In addition, the threat of non state actors has also changed warfare; until recently, the enemy could be located in one state, however the main problem for western democracies in international relations today is the threat of terrorism, with the Al Quaida network appearing all over the world. This creates the problem of not knowing where to attack, and counties such as America attacking countries like Afghanistan just because they believe they were harbouring terrorists after the September the 11th attacks. It is likely that warfare technology will advance in the future despite the disarmament issue over the past few decades. While superpower countries like the United States continue with their arms building, refuse to ratify the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty or participate in talks regarding the Antiballistic Missile Treaty in June, and continue to own 95% of the 31,000-plus nuclear weapons along with Russia6, the Doomsday Clock might actually reach midnight. After World War One, Sir Edward Grey said that the horrors of the Great War would make it possible for states to find as least one common ground on which they should come together in confident understanding: an agreement that, in the disputes between them, war must be ruled out as a means of settlement that entails ruin7. Obviously, this idea seems much too idealistic when we look back at the technological advancements in warfare since World War One, which can maybe suggest that states will always dispute and technology will always adva nce the terrifying thought of a future super-war is very possible. BIBLIOGRAPHY Buzan, Barry, Strategic Studies: Military Technology and International Relations, London: Macmillan, 1987 Freedman, Lawrence, The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy, London: Macmillan, 1989 Goldstein, Joshua, International Relations, New York: Longman, 1999 Gray, Colin, The Second Nuclear Age, Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 1999 Waltz, Kenneth, Man, the State and War, New York: Colombia University Press, 1959 www.thebulletin.org 1 Buzan, Barry, Strategic Studies: Military Technology and International Relations, London: Macmillan, 1987 2 http://www.phoenixpress.co.uk/articles/events/somme-battle-of-pp.asp 3 Freedman, Lawrence, The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy, London: Macmillan, 1989, p4 4 Steiner, Barry, Arms Races, Diplomacy and Recurring Behaviour: Lessons from Two Cases, Beverly Hills: Sage, 1973 5 Rathjens, G. W., The Dynamics of the Arms Race, in Herbert York (ed.), Arms Control, San Francisco: Freeman, 1973 6 www.thebulletin.org 7 Grey, Edward, Twenty Five Years, New York: Frederick A Stokes Co., 1925, p285

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Husserls Phenomenology Essay Example for Free

Husserls Phenomenology Essay Why is phenomenology such an important branch of philosophical thought in terms of understanding media and its social, political, and technological impact? Phenomenology is the philosophical thought that focuses on the structure of subjective human consciousness. This philosophical movement was founded by Edmund Husserl who â€Å"wants to describe our experiences as they are given from a first person perspective† (Zahavi, 2003, p. 13). Husserl describes the conception of reality in 3 parts. Firstly there’s the world and its external beings, this being the world around us made up of other things and other people. Secondly we have ourselves, and thirdly we have our subjective consciousness, the way we perceive the world around us. Husserl divides phenomenology into two parts, the noesis and the noema, the noesis being the part of an experience which explains the activity, be it an emotion, perception, judgement, or imagination. The second part is the noema, which is the way we perceive the experience, our own meaning of it, the way we conceive it. This study can be differentiated from Kant’s method of analysis which focuses on reality consisting of objects and events as they are understood by subjective human consciousness. The two main divisions of Kantian phenomenology are the noumena and the phenomena. The noumena are things independent of the mind; an object or event that exists without the use of human senses, while the phenomena are any observable occurrences. Kant theorises that what we experience through our senses questions what roles we play in terms of truth and reality. Both Kant’s and Husserl’s interpretation of phenomenology are important branches of philosophical thought when understanding media and it’s social, political, and technological impact. The political impact that media has is stretched further than the democracy of governments. The politics that media focuses on can vary from contestants on a television show to the Presidential debates of the United States. When we watch any form of politics on an edited television show, all we’re seeing is what’s presented to us; the phenomena, we experience what is given to us. It is only by our senses that we’re able to perceive what’s happening on the show. This relates to Kant’s method of analysis which states that what we experience through our senses allows us to question truth and reality. Only what we see on television enables us to question this. What is edited out or what happens back stage is the noumena, it’s not perceivable by our senses and therefore according to Kant we’re unable to comprehend it. The X Factor relies heavily on humiliation in its audition process to get viewers. Many of the advertisements for the X Factor auditions show hopeful contestants being booed or laughed at on stage by the audience. Spin off shows called â€Å"The X Factor: Best and Worst Auditions† are created purely for our entertainment. Although it may seem that the media is using a contestant’s pain for their own gain, it is argued that â€Å"by now, those appearing on reality TV should have acquired a basic understanding of its textual codes and mode of production, and should therefore be prepared for any possible outcomes†(Watts, 2011, p. 36). When schadenfreude, â€Å"enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others† (Merriam-Webster), is shown on television, the audience is faced with an ethical dilemma. They have to decide based on the phenomena around them what is right or wrong. It is up to the individual audience member to decide whether they feel the contestant is able to understand the codes of reality TV and whether the humiliation is acceptable or not. One contestant on the 2012 X Factor auditions, Zoe Alexander, was highlighted in the media due to her vulgar outburst on stage after the judges slammed her down for singing a song by an artist (Pink) for whom she had previously been a tribute act for. After saying she wanted to move away from being a tribute act and focus on her own career, she went on to sing a song by the artist Pink. According to what was shown on television, the contestant made a bad choice and was ridiculed on stage for it. She was jeered at and this resulted in her swearing at the judges and throwing her microphone on the ground. The audience were left with feelings of embarrassment for her; from what was presented to them the audience could only see her outburst. The political division of the show was between this contestant and the X Factor, and the audience had clearly picked a side. After the audition had been aired on television it soon came out that the contestant had been told to sing a Pink song by the X Factor production team prior to her audition. In interviews after the show Alexander stated â€Å"When the judges rejected me I realised I had been manipulated by the X Factor for the previous six weeks. They lured me in, coaxed me and even chose my song all with the intention of setting me up for a fall. †(Daily Mirror). It was only after the audience had become aware of the back stage antics that they were able to switch their political viewpoint to that of the contestant. The impact that media has on politics is shown through the way the media is able to influence the minds of audiences by only showing certain parts of the story. Parts of the show were edited out in order to create a political imbalance between the show and contestant. After the contestant told her side of the story, the audience realised that â€Å"There is now good reason to believe that there is a surprisingly vast range of ways the scene around you could have been visibly different from the way it actually is†(Noe, 2006, p. 191). The noumena, which was not something the audience could understand, was what was edited out of the show, as we could not sense it, it was independent of our minds. According to Kant, as soon as we become aware of it, it becomes a part of our phenomena and is now an observable occurrence. By understanding phenomenology it’s clear that it is an important part of the political impact that media has. Kant’s thoughts on phenomenology relate much to Platonism. The allegory of the cave is a metaphor to describe that what we believe to be reality may not be complete, and that illumination is needed for us to see the truth. Plato explains that the freed prisoner â€Å"wouldn’t be able to see a single one of the things he was now told were real† (Plato, 2006, p. 280). Plato gives us four levels of knowledge: shadows, objects, ideas, and forms, â€Å"in the first place, shadows, and in the second place, reflections† (Plato, 2006, p. 244) The first two levels are within with the realm of sense, shadows are things we have interaction with but no knowledge of, and objects are able to be perceived with knowledge but they still rely on senses to be seen. The next two levels eradicate senses and rely on intelligence. Ideas and forms are reflections of the lower levels and are seen as the ‘intelligible world’. In a similar way, Kant theorises that reality exists on many levels, with the phenomena being what we can sense, and the noumena being what we cannot sense, independent of the mind. Both Plato and Kant agree that knowledge is primarily reliant on sense but does not have to rely on sense alone, and that reality exists on a series of levels. The concept of realism has made huge advancements in technology over the last decade. With great progression in technology, media such as video games and cinema have transformed immensely in terms of how real they appear to their targeted audiences. New technology such as 3D cinema and D-Box enables audiences to be transported even further into the world of the film by creating a false sense of reality. By wearing 3D glasses and sitting in a stimulation chair, the cinema is able to allow the audience to be absorbed into the world of the film even further than ever before. These technological advances exhibit the power phenomenology has to intensify the experiences of watching a film or playing a game. Certain media are created to illuminate our phenomena by their transmission and the form that certain media take, â€Å"What we know of the world  (including cinematic representation) has to do with our experience of phenomena, that is, the way things appear to us. †(Casebier, 2009, p. 4) According to Husserl, knowledge â€Å"remains within experience† (Husserl, 2012, p. ), so all we know of cinema and videos games is merely a recreation of what we already know from our experiences. However it isn’t just cinema that does this, advancements in technology have enabled other media to do the same; 3D televisions and mobile phones are created for the same reason, to create a fabricated reality, a place where people can have all of the fun without any of the responsibility. Video games are created with a goal to make an interactive world which can be perceived similar to real life but without the consequences that comes with reality. Racing games are made with cars that look and sound more realistic to appeal to audiences, stimulation controllers to enable you to feel like you’re actually driving a car, but when you crash your car you’re able to start another race, when in reality there would be serious consequences. However, the question of truth and reality regarding technology can be argued against. Plato states that the representation of reality is not as clear as we may think it is. Plato states that â€Å"the quickest way is to take a mirror and turn it round in all directions, before long you will create suns and stars and earth† (Plato, 2006, p. 70). When he is told that this will only create reflections and not reality, Plato states that an artist would do the same with a paintbrush. This allegory shows that what’s real and what’s true is hard to determine because everything is a representation of the ultimate reality. Therefore the images created in technology such as video games and cinema can be seen as a construction or representation of an ultimate reality, what we perceive as real life experiences. As Husserl states â€Å"Natural knowledge begins with experience† (Husserl, 2012, p. ), it is from our experiences of real life that we’re able to even comprehend the constructed reality that is shown in media such as video games and cinema. However, being too involved in these types of simulated realities can be dangerous, they can distort our minds by making us confused between the difference of what’s true and what’s real. What is acceptable in a simulated video game such as Grand Theft Auto, such as beating people up, shooting people, stealing cars, woul d not be acceptable in real life. A distinction is needed in the mind between what is real and what is true. These experiences show the importance that phenomenology has in terms of understanding the impact media has on technology. Husserl states that human experiences are subjective, and this is true especially when referring to photography and the social impacts that certain media have on the world. Photographs are a special type of image, one that holds a subjective experience personal to the people who are in them and the people who took them. â€Å"It is not merely the likeness which is precious in such cases – but the association and the sense of nearness involved in the thing. (Sontag, 2001, p. 183) Instagram is a social networking app which allows users to upload pictures onto a database which is viewable by ‘followers’. Similar to social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter, users can follow each other and comment on pictures that are uploaded. With the invention of such social applications personal photographs no longer serve as just memories or subjec tive images, they also serve as a way to exhibit your experiences to your social circle: your friends and family. The way we communicate and share with each other has been changed. No longer do photographs have to be developed and stuck in an album for everyone to see them, now you can upload a picture onto Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any similar social networking sites and it can be viewed by hundreds of people from your social circle at the same time. By sharing our experiences socially we’re able to project our experiences into the minds of others; â€Å"We behold the living experiences of others through the perception of their bodily behaviour† (Tymieniecka, 1983, p. 300). Even though pictures that are ploaded onto social networking sites are able to be sensed by others in terms of being able to see them, they will be not be aware of the meaning behind the pictures. The noumena of the pictures will be the meaning behind them; the memories and emotions that are attached with the image will not be visible to everyone who looks at it, only the people who have previous knowledge of the image will be able to have a deeper understanding of what it’s about. No matter how much you look at a photograph it will have different memories and connotations for each person who views it. The way we communicate with each other has changed in many others way than just photography. The impact media has on society is seen through the change in our communication with each other with tools such as Whatsapp and Skype. With the use of just a mobile phone you’re able to communicate with other people in so many different ways; We’re no longer limited to just calling or texting each other, now we’re able to video call, send pictures, on Facebook people are able to send each other virtual animals to each other; media has impacted the way we communicate so much so that the levels of communication are unlimited. Through doing so we’re expanding our experience of communicating with each other and therefore according to Husserl we’re expanding our knowledge of each other. The level of impact media has on communication is clear because through new methods of communication comes more information we have of each other. Phenomenology is important for understanding media and its impact on many aspects such as politics, society, and technology. Both Kant’s and Husserl’s analysis of phenomenology are vital branches of philosophical thought when thinking about the influence that media has. Through politics, media is able to hide certain aspects of the truth in order to manipulate the minds of the public. Kant’s theory of the phenomena and noumena is shown here as what the audience perceive as the truth is merely a part of it; the parts that are kept out are the noumena. What’s not perceivable by our immediate senses becomes independent of the mind. When it comes to technology, the impact that media has refers mainly to realism. The question of what is true and what is real comes into place. Media such as video games and cinema are able to create other worlds of reality in which people are absorbed into. Husserl states that it is through experience that knowledge is made, so media takes the experience that we have in the real world and build upon to create realities that are more idealistic to live in; Worlds in which people are free to do as they choose without any consequence. The only consequence of this is if people become so involved in these created worlds that they’re unable to distinguish between reality and constructed reality in the form of games or cinema. Through social issues it’s clear that phenomenology is an important issue in terms of how much of an impact media has. Social network sites enable people to share their experiences with their friends and family. Photographs no longer have to be shown to others in a physical album, now they’re visible all over the world. Husserl tells us that it is through others being and their bodily behaviour that we’re able to understand them. Therefore it’s clear that the impact that media has on society is the change of how we communicate with each other. By having new ways of talking to other people, there’s also new ways of understanding each other. Phenomenology shows that with a wider experience of communication, we’re gaining knowledge of whom and what we communicate with. Kant and Husserl both have different methods of analysis according to phenomenology, but ultimately they’re both concerned with the way the world appears to us and our subjective understanding of the world around us.