Culture Exercise Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Culture Exercise - Research Paper Example My great grandmother and her mother (both deceased) belonged to the Cherokee cultural group. My family is a nuclear one, and my mother (deceased) was the only child of my grandmother. My mother has three children including my sister and brother. My maternal grandmother is still living, and she is the head of the family where my elder sister, her two adult children, and five grandchildren live. My husband and I live in a separate house, and we have †¦ children. Language formulations All our family members speak, read, and write English; it is the primary language we use. The closest language formulation I could identify is the use of slang by my family members. It seems that none of my family members uses the language of Ebonics. Some common Cherokee slang is unique to this Native American tribal group, and they have originated as local dialects within the US Cherokee communities. The slang we use may be unfamiliar to someone who does not belong to this family culture. Religious belief system My family of origin follows a particular religious belief system. Our religious practices or denominations include Baptist, Holiness, and Christian Methodist Episcopal. There are no additional special rituals. Religious belief is particularly important to the family because it notably influences the way the family members lead their life. Except the religious belief system, no specific philosophy is followed by my family. Admittedly, the intensity of religious belief is declining from generation to generation. Power holder in the family In our family culture, female is the head of the most of the households because male members are absent from family due to their choice. In some cases, male members are not present in the family due to increased substance abuse or imprisonment. Today, many African American leaders are vehemently working to make male members aware of the importance of family living. They also strive to enable women to choose mates who would help raise th e family. Although my grandmother is the matron of the family, each household enjoys the power to make its own decisions. Female members are the decision makers in the family because male members pay less attention to family affairs. Individual importance As per the current family structure, primary importance is given to individuals rather than the family unit. However, this family philosophy is subjected to changes under certain circumstances. To illustrate this, there is a shift of focus from individuals to the family unit with the death of my grandmother’s brother on 22nd May 2013. Once everything associated with this death is resolved, the focus will be shifted to individuals again. Every individual has unique views; hence, he/she perceives and deals with things differently. I give more importance to the family unit than individuals. Therefore, I primarily focus on the needs of my grandmother, husband, and my children. Celebration of holidays The thanksgiving celebration is the major celebration of the family. For this celebration, every family member gathers at grandmother’s home. Usually, we all do not gather at a place for any other celebration. However, it seems that family members living outside grandmother’s home usually celebrate Christmas, Easter, and other special occasions at their own homes. Special rituals My grandmother’s grandmother was a slave and was not allowed to practice her traditional ways. As a result, her children were

How do you think that the Legal Services Act 2007 will change the Essay

How do you think that the Legal Services Act 2007 will change the Legal Profession - Essay Example To note, lawyers are duty-bound to preserve the respectable reputation of their profession. Also, it has been observed that restrictive legal practices prevent professional competition among legal practitioners (Mortensen, Bartlett, & Tranter, 2010). As such, in 2003, the Blair administration commissioned Sir David Clementi to conduct a review of the profession’s regulatory structure (Mortensen et al., 2010). Clementi’s report envisioned three major reforms which were adopted under the act: (1) the creation of the Legal Services Board (LSB); (2) the establishment of the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC); and (3) the authorization of alternative business structures. This set-up has actually been described as consumer-focused and competition-based. The LSB is meant to supervise or oversee the present professional bodies (Mortensen et al., 2010). It can only exercise its intervention power upon finding that the approved regulators have seriously failed or persistently fail ed in its responsibilities (Mortensen et al., 2010). The OLC on the other hand acts as the single handler of all complaints due to unsatisfactory legal services (Mortensen et al., 2010). This body accords the Ombudsman the power to issue orders against erring legal practitioners (Mortensen et al., 2010). ... n a store of knowledge that was more than ordinarily complex†; (2) secure a theoretical understanding of the field with which it tackles; (3) apply its complex and theoretical body of knowledge to the practical and feasible solution of social and human dilemmas; (4) â€Å"strive to add to and improve its stock knowledge†; (5) transmit the knowledge to newcomers formally and deliberately; (6) provide requirements for admission, proper conduct and legitimate practice; and (7) be imbued with altruism (cited in Bowie, 1988, p. 743). Law complies will all the aforementioned requisites. The most important quality is having an altruistic spirit -- the concern for public good. This separates law from the other occupations. It is the core of the profession. In this context, if altruism is absent, then law becomes a business. Business has never been regarded as a profession (Bowie, 1988). Business people are self-centered (Bowie, 1988). They are primarily motivated by self-interes t (Bowie, 1988). This description is clearly in contrast with the seventh quality which Flexner suggested. There is a need to emphasize this point since the Legal Services Act works opposite to the cited principle. The third envisioned reform will make the legal profession a business. Allowing alternative business structures between lawyers and non-lawyers is not the kind of competition that can solve the problem on poor legal services. The change will not lower the number of customer complaints. Stated in another sense, the ends will not justify the means. It is against the basic theory of professionalism (Moorhead, Sherr, & Paterson, 2003). It would be better to implement rules which can enhance the ability of lawyers and enlighten them of the importance of public service. The legal profession must

Importance of Understanding Cultural, Ethnic, and Gender Differences Essay Example for Free

Importance of Understanding Cultural, Ethnic, and Gender Differences Essay The United States is and will continue to be a very diverse place. More than 8 million legal immigrants came to the U. S. between 1981 and 1990, and an undetermined number of undocumented immigrants enter the United States each year. In addition, the United States includes people of many religions, languages, economic groups, and other cultural groups. In order to be a successful manager in today’s very diverse society a manager needs to be open and understanding of cultural differences, different ethnicities, and gender differences among employees. Diversity is the presence of people from a wide range of backgrounds all possessing different traits. Some possible contributors to diversity include but are not limited to differences in age, race, ethnic origin, culture, physical abilities, religion and sexual orientation. As the text book states, ‘bringing diverse workers into an organization is seldom a seamless transition. ’ People tend to prejudge and place stereotypes or generalized beliefs that all members of a group possess the same characteristics from different cultures, race, or sex; this must be overcome. To be effective, managers and employees need to recognize, respect, and capitalize on each other’s differences. By being diverse in its employees, a business has a better opportunity for new ideas and growth potential. As discussed this week in class, when the department head turned down the Jamaican friend for the position, even though he seemed better qualified, it showed stereotyping and prejudices can have a negative effect in the workplace. The situation made for an uncomfortable, even negative environment in the workplace. By the department head’s negative behavior it caused a barrier for productivity and potentially harmed working relationships. It is essential in today’s business world for managers and professionals to understand the importance of cultural, ethnical and gender differences to make a positive work environment possible. While performing the ball and sock experiment, I was put outside of my comfort zone and was forced to see what it was like in someone else’s shoes. I found the lefty experiment to be awkward and difficult. I started in the early morning as I was getting ready for work. The seemingly thoughtless tasks that I completed every morning such as showering, brushing my teeth and hair, and eating breakfast now became hard and tedious. I continued the experiment when I returned home from work. Preparing dinner as a lefty was virtually impossible and almost dangerous. Most tasks as a lefty were manageable after some time and practice, but operating a knife was not. I am sure that with a little time and patience these tasks could have become easier to me. I can see how it could be frustrating living as a lefty in a right handed world. This is the same concept as being from a different culture, ethnicity, and gender then those in your workplace. Although the transition into a new company can be difficult, with time and some adjustment it is possible. I can relate the ball in the sock experiment to the importance of understanding cultural, ethnic, and gender differences in the work place because adjusting to something that we are not accustomed to can be challenging. It is important to understand that people we come into contact with everyday come from a background that we may not know much about. It can be difficult to adjust when meeting new people or entering a new work environment. I believe an organizations success can be attributed to its ability to embrace diversity and appreciate the benefits. A workplace who supports diversity can supply an assortment of solutions to problems. A diverse workplace can facilitate a broader service range. It can allow a company to provide their service to those all around the world. I think the most significant benefit to supporting diversity in the workplace is the inspiration it gives to all of its employees to perform to their greatest capacity. Diversity allows employees to come together to accomplish a common goal as a team. Employees will feel comfortable to share their viewpoints and ideas to execute a goal or solve a problem. I believe diversity opens the door for workplaces to achieve higher productivity, result in higher profits, and benefit the community. Diversity may not be something that people are familiar with and may even have a difficult time adjusting to, which is similar to trying to using your opposite hand in daily tasks. I believe understanding diversity will show employees the importance of it in the workplace and how it can enhance the quality of work.

Arkanul Islam and Aqeeda ul-Islam

Arkanul Islam and Aqeeda ul-Islam Task 2 The relationship between Arkanul Islam and Aqeeda ul-Islam The relationship between the arkanul Islam and the aqeeda ul-Islam is fundamental to the Islamic Faith. These two concepts provide part of an ethics basis to Islamic life and the link is inseparable. To achieve Allahs mercy and favour in life, a Muslim must practice first and foremost the Arkanul Islam or the five Pillars of Islam (practiced by the Sunnis). The Aqeeda ul-Islam are the â€Å"Articles of Faith† and give meaning and purpose to the Arkanul Islam. The pillars are so central and important to Islamic life, that by not following them, one is not truly submitting themselves to Allah and is therefore not a Muslim. And without the meaning given by the Aqeeda ul-Islam the deeds of the Arkanul Islam are meaningless in Allahs eyes. The five Pillars of Islam require the articles of belief before the act of a deed is meaningful. The submission to the six articles allows all deeds a Muslim may perform to be righteous and positive. The Aqeeda ul-Islam have six articles of belief. The articles are: 1. Belief in Allah, the only God 2. Belief in all the Prophets sent by God 3. Belief in the Angels 4. Belief in the Quran 5. Belief in the Day of Judgment and in the Resurrection 6. Belief in Destiny and Gods chosen path The five Pillars are set down in the Quran in various suras and provide a template of life for a Muslim. The most important Pillar and also the most conceptual is Shahadah, or the acceptance of Allah and his final messenger the Prophet Muhammad. This deceleration ties in with the Tawhid concept of God, a monotheistic and indivisible entity. A Muslim practices the Pillar of Shahadah simply by never relinquishing his belief or questioning the truth of the oneness of Allah or the Hadith, the teachings and stories of the Prophet. This declaration ensures that Allah is completely central to a Muslims life in every way. The praying of a Muslim towards Mecca, Salah, is an indication of his worship to God and also the giving of thanks towards Him. The most important aspect of salah is that a Muslim dedicates this time five times a day only to the worship of Allah. He asks Allah for guidance along the path of good that He has willed for him. But if the Muslim has no niyyah, then his prayer is worthless and the deed is not counted by God. Zakat in Arabic means purification. This purity is taught to a Muslim by sharing his wealth and to eradicating poverty and inequality in his community. The Zakat purifies the giver of selfishness and greed. To Allah, all of humankind is equal in His eyes, and wealth should be distributed fairly, for everything in Creation belongs to Him. Sawm is the abstaining from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk in the month of Ramadan. This teaches a Muslim directly the suffering and plight of the poor and its purpose is one of understanding. Also it allows a Muslim closeness to God and to express their dependence on Him and His benevolence. The Hajj in a Muslims life is his pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. A Muslim should try and make the journey at least once in his lifetime if he can afford it. The hajj demonstrates the solidarity of the Muslim community and their total submission to Allah. The pilgrimage to Mecca is the most arduous and demanding deed of the Pillars, a pilgrim not only must travel from all parts of the world but also strive for self-improvement throughout the journey and understand why he is on the pilgrimage. The five Pillars of Islam essentially teach a Muslim humility, respect and worship for his Creator. Every deed performed throughout a Muslims life whether it is a holy act or not must always be performed with the mind-set that Allah is watching and judging everything. It is simply not enough for a Muslim to practice the five Pillars and not understand or accept their meaning and the doctrines of the Aqeeda ul-Islam. The deeds of the Arkanul Islam are charitable acts as well as acts of worship and faith declaration towards Allah, but they also provide an ethics system fundamental to a believers life. Without niyyah or pure intention, the deeds become worthless in the eyes of God. One must understand and feel the significance of his acts before they are counted to his benefit. References: www.liveleak.com/view?i=2ee_1193085474 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Pillars_of_Islam en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqidah www.thenoblequran.com/sps/sp.cfm?secID=AQDloadpage=displaysection.cfm www.qss.org/articles/Aahaad.html

Essay --

Furniture can enhance the appearance of any space and add value to the house while improving the function. Wall cabinet is one of a furniture range that can be used in a kitchen, living room, bedroom, office and many other spaces. Wall cabinets are built in a wide variety of designs, material, functions and sizes. Most wall cabinets are simply for storage but nowadays, people require durable, sturdy, long lasting yet affordable furniture with improved functionality. Modular furniture provides components that can be combined to meet individual needs and tastes which utilize all space where it can be interchanged and adjusted. In order to create a successful design of a modular kitchen cabinet, appropriate hanging mechanisms are needed. It is important to understand the properties of materials and design of the hanging mechanism so that proper utilization can be achieved to ensure efficient product design and user safety. Material selection is among one of the most important aspects that must be taken into account before any hanging mechanism is produced. This is because material plays an important role in determining the suitability and durability of the hanging mechanism design. Nowadays, more advanced materials have been used to replace conventional materials because advanced materials offer more advantages (Myrdal, 2009). For instance in furniture manufacturing, conventional material such as solid wood have been replaced with alternative lumber such as particle board, plywood, glulam, LVL or OSB because of their economic and production efficiencies. This study is aimed at discovering a better solution by providing an alternative material and design to make the most important part of a wall mounted cabinet which is the hanging... ...gs but could produce a higher strength product. Therefore, using this material as hanging mechanism could lower raw material cost and at the same time provide a strong and eco-friendly alternative hanging mechanism. Hypothetically, if the proposed design (French cleat) and material (LVL) has the same or better qualities than the existing design and material, it can be used as the hanging mechanism in modular kitchen cabinets. Therefore, the thesis is proposing a new design of hanging mechanism using LVL which could probably give similar or better loading capacity and mechanical properties as compared to existing designs used in kitchen cabinets. Due to the lack of natural resources, the alternative material which is engineered wood product offers additional advantages as it retains the structural properties of wood and may be used as a substitute for solid wood.

Hucks Identity :: essays research papers

3/08/01 Huck's Identity That The danger of not knowing who you are, this could lead to disastrous effects in your future life. Throughout the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn the main character Huck is having adventures and trying to find out who he is. Through each step of the book, Huck tries to disguise himself as somebody else to see if maybe he's the character that he is playing. Finally at the end of the book he realizes he is the person who started out in the beginning of the book but with maturity and self identity. This whole book is about a character named Huckleberry Finn trying to find himself in the world, this should be more closely examined, why does he want to be someone else.?, and what do his adventures teach him. Life, change, identity, they are all a big part of this book as well as life in general. Huck is a person who the author Mark Twain tries to portray as lost in himself as well as in society. Huck throughout the book is looking for an identity that he believes he will find on his journey down the Mississippi river. "I'd go down the river fifty mile and camp in one place for good, and not have such a rough time tramping on foot."(pg31) Why does he want to get away from his life? I think Huck's character is very independent and he has his own thoughts on where he wants to end up in life. In his old life everybody was always telling him what to do where to go how to eat and he was getting sick of it. On page 4 he says "All I wanted was to go somewheres; all I wanted was change , I warn't particular." He was looking to get out of his old life and into the life that he thought was right for him. Where there was no boundaries or limits, he wanted to be free from the shackles of Christian home life. What did his adventures on the river teach him about his own personality and character? They taught him what he already knew in the beginning of the book that he is himself. If he tries to hard be somebody else he is never going to achieve that self-fulfillment that he so desires in the beginning of the book. I also believe that his companionship with the black slave Jim helped to shape his character as a human being.

Ethical aspects of Social Media Marketing

This essay will focus on the topic ‘Critically evaluating the ethical aspects of social media marketing in the United States’ and the principal question assessed throughout this writing will be ‘Have social media marketing acted ethical or not? ’ According to Nielson Report (2013, p. 3), ‘Social media marketing typically refers to two practices involving social media- the use free tools and paid media’.According to Gaski (1999 cited Smith 2000, p8), marketing ethics is defined as â€Å"standards of conduct and moral judgements applied to marketing†. In relation to social media, these ethics guide the operations of marketing on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or Youtube (Eagle, 2009). With the rapid growth and adoption of social media, the ethical concerns on social media has also significantly increased. (Mutula, 2012).The author further examines the following categories: 1. 1Social Media Research According to Smith, (200 1), -â€Å"be truthful, protect privacy, don't model inappropriate behaviour, don't be offensive, be fair and balanced, avoid stereotyping and protect children’’ are the seven basic ethical standards for marketing, which are applicable to the present social media marketing. However, all businesses has a legal responsibility to comply with the legislation of their country.In the United States it is the Federal Trade Commission which regulates advertising and marketing laws in the country. (Smith, 2001: Federal Trade Commission, 2013) Social media research is the initial stage of marketing; a technique or an approach used by the marketers to conduct market research on social media platforms. The foremost issue that has commenced is the ethical aspect of using social media for market research purposes; the gathering of data and conducting research on consumers and competitors. (Patino et. al).In addition, it is the fundamental responsibility of marketers to protect consu mer personal data by ensuring that the data is only used for research purposes and makes sure that they adhere to the social network guidelines and regulations of the company. (Mareck M, 2011) However, companies violate these rules and steal customer information without their consent for research and marketing activities, which is unethical and against the FTC Act.Evidently, it was reported by the FTC, in May 2011, 32 legal actions were taken against  organisations that have failed to maintain protection for consumer sensitive data thus breached consumers’ privacy rights. For example, in February 2013, a social networking app generated by Path. Inc. , acquired consumer personal information without their consent and settled FTC charges for infringing Consumer Privacy Act also in the meantime the same company was charged for violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, from approximately 3000 children personal information was collected without getting parent s’ consent which was claimed to be highly unethical.  (Federal Trade Commission 2013).Moreover, social media has assisted companies to monitor their employees on social networks. Many reports and cases have been lodged against those companies for unethical practices, by involuntarily retrieving personal information of employees. Such cases involve companies use specialised softwares or access employees’ user name and password of Facebook and Twitter accounts, to trace tweets and posts of what employees post on social networks.As a result, in regard to the newly imposed social media privacy legislation, companies were seized to make settlements on the charges of violating Employee Privacy Protection Act. (Eaglesham, J. and Rothfeld, M. , 2013) Furthermore, social media marketing has become a major threat to the competitors since the birth of social media, and with the aid of market research it has become a trend for brands to practice unethical and unlawful activities such as creating fake accounts, fake endorsements, fake blogs, fake community groups and tarnishing competitors’ brand reputation on social platforms.  (Ray, 2011)1. 2 Viral Marketing and Advertising Viral marketing is the spreading of information between users on social media and it has become the defining marketing trend; techniques used to promote company product/ service and brand name on social media. For example, viral campaigns are marketing techniques widely used to spread the Word-Of-Mouth (WOM) and it can be in the form of viral videos via Youtube, Facebook statuses/posts, or blogs on social media.Thus, viral campaigns build awareness and promotes the company product and image on social media. (Fergusan. R, 2008) For example, ASDA has effectively used this strategy for their promotional campaigns, like the Christmas doesn’t just happen by magic Video 2012 which went viral on Youtube. However, viral marketing can be an adverse impact to the company and unet hical too.For example, Celeb Boutique thought of implementing the viral marketing technique of trending hash tag on Twitter, instead of a positive brand recognition it caused a negative impact to the company brand image and was humiliated virally. (Smeets, 2013) In terms of ethics, such cases include: companies that attack other companies indirectly, being dis honest unprofessional and dis respectful on their campaigns.For example: As reported by The Economic Times, in April 2012, Nokia launched an aggressive viral campaign against Samsung, comparing it’s Lumia smart phone with Samsung’s intentionally emphasizing that Nokia phones are invincible and can blow away other smart phones, this campaign was highly unethical and against the FTC Advertising and Marketing Act of being dishonest and deceptive to stakeholders such as competitors (Mukherjee, W, 2012) According to FTC (2013), â€Å"All businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure that advertising is truthful an d not deceptive’’.Advertising shouldn’t target on vulnerable audiences such as children and should comply with the FTC standards regarding children privacy issues.For example: Kelloggs company made false claims on social networks that it’s Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal benefits children and improves their immunity, this was done by giving false evidence that the attentiveness of children can be improved by 20percent clinically, this advertisement was unethical as it infringed the standards of FTC† (Federal Trade Commission, 2013) Furthermore, it was alleged that companies pay celebrities millions of dollars to advertise and promote their brand on Social networks.Recently, Snickers was suspected in promoting their brand on Twitter in the form of tweets through prominent celebrities such as Rio Ferdinand and Katie Price in 2012. As a result, the Fair Trade officers advised celebrities that advertisements that doesn’t reveal as a promotion or an en dorsement is a ‘deceptive advertising’ and warned Snickers, it is against the FTC standards. However, the complaints accusing Snickers for deceptive advertising were forwarded to the Advertising Standards Authority to take further investigations on this unethical behavior.  (Barnett, 2012: Federal Trade Commission, 2013)1. 3 Engagement Process Social media enables companies to interact with customers more directly than any other forms. Engagement process is one of the major ethical challenge for companies as it involves the process of directly engaging with customers on social networks and has become a common practice for companies. Social media is used by employees on behalf of the company and it can endanger the company reputation via social media by using it unethically.Even though, engagement process is an important component for marketing and public relations it can still be treacherous if used unethically. (Institute of Business Ethics, 2011) In a survey carried out by the Ethics Resource Centre, 45percent of U. S employees witnessed misconduct at work in which 65percent from those reported to be immoral behaviour, in consequence was alleged for violating the workplace ethics law. The study reveals that social media appears to be a major contributor to this issue.  (Ethics Resource Centre, 2011)In March 2010, Nestle Facebook fan page was hovered with negative remarks from its fans after the palm oil campaign, in response, the employee who controls the fan page posted offensive comments which violated the company policies hence, led to bad publicity and boycott activities from the public. (The Guardian, 2011) In 2012, many big brands faced serious catastrophes on social networks. Such circumstances follows; when McDonald tried to promote its brand via Twitter using hashtags, unfortunately the customers on Twitter posted unfavourable comments of consuming McDonald’s food.Other examples such as the American Apparel and The Gap faced a colossal destructive responses from its customers for posting disapproving ads at the time of Hurricane Sandy. (Anon, 2012) 1. 4 Ethical Social Media Marketing Vs. Unethical Social Media Marketing Conversely, a survey carried out by the IBE reveals, businesses that operate ethically on social media is significantly greater than the proportion of businesses that operate unethically.The above pie chart illustrates that 48 percent of the respondents say that businesses operate very/fairly ethically. (Institute of Business Ethics, 2012) Nevertheless, IBE survey found that it was a decline from 58 percent to 48 percent of views that assumes businesses operate very/fairly ethical on social media. Therefore, the change in the percentage from 2011 to 2012 ascertains that the negative impressions on ethical business behavior have increased radically. (Institute of Business Ethics, 2012) ConclusionSocial media marketing has positive and negative effects: the importance for social media has increased tremendously due to the immense benefits such as the increase in awareness, promotion, engagement and research; if social media is used unethically, may lead to lead to bad publicity and tarnish the company reputation. The varied arguments evidences of statistics and cases from different organisations strongly condemns that social media marketing is unethical; the unethical use of social media practiced by businesses outweighs the ethical use of social media marketing.All in all, the author finds social media marketing unethical hence, may create a huge impact on the company and brand image negatively. However, if social media is properly used, it will result positive outcomes for the brand; if misused, the consequence will be a social abuse. Therefore, the author suggests to use social media vigilantly and consider the business ethics standards of their country before taking further steps