Forced Labour Prison Camps Cultural Studies Essay

Forced Labour Prison Camps Cultural Studies Essay China has a long history and has been through many political changes to this day. This work emphasizes the Chinese human right problems, labour rights in the country and cases of companies that are good and bad examples of business ethics. Furthermore there is an emphasis on how Chinas economy is faced against the human rights issue and CSR corporate social responsibility of the companies studied. Human rights in China hit the international sense when confronted with the people that are forced to work in prison camps. The denial of these rights to the people makes them live below the level of acceptance for economic reason of other cause, e.g. (supply chain of multinationals). And they continue doing it and selling the goods produced internationally. As regards the Labour Rights, China is a recent player that had in 1995 created the first comprehensive Labour Law. On the other hand, Independent worker unions are not allowed making the government with full empowerment control by the m easures of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU). As to balance between good and bad examples we have pointed out HEG Electronics Samsungs Chinese Supplier (as a bad example) and KPMG China William E. Connor Associates Ltd. (as good example). The first company, the bad example, seems to use child labour, excessive overtime, lack of safity educantion, lack of labour protection and so on. That creates a big gap between official labour law and the actual fact. The second examples are two companies, based in Hong Kong, that are doing a good job in maintaining a clear evironment of work to employees and taking care of business, social and public sectors. INTRODUCTION : China has a 5,000-year history of civilization. We decided to have a brief review of some key dates that have marked Chinas history, which will allow us to get a better understanding of what is happening today in China. Our first focus will be on the period from 1966 to 1976, known under the name of Cultural Revolution. (Szczepanski, n.d.) Under the lead of Mao Zedong, the young people of China rose up against what they called the Four Olds : old customs, old culture, old habits and old ideas. Mao Zedong, used this wave of communist movement to bring the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) in charge of the country. The revolution generated a big chaos for the Chinese people and the country as a whole. The economy was collapsing, objects associated with Chinas pre-revolutionary past were liable to be destroyed, religion was banned, etc. Most importantly, for the entire decade of the Cultural Revolution, schools in China did not operate; this left an entire generation with no formal education.pointed out by Szczepanski (n.d.) The sufferings for the chinese population was enormous. At the end of the 1970s, the CPC had learned painful lessons from the cultural revolution and decided to shift the focus from national work to socialist modernization, as well as adopted the policies of reform and opening-up. The second focus of Chinas recent past will be on the Democracy movement in 1989.( BACKGROUND TO THE 1989 DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT, n.d.) During the spring of 1989, a peaceful protest movement had been carried out by students and civilians in Chinas major cities over a period of two months. More than a million people demanded a democratic reform and a halt to Chinas escalating corruption problem. The troops of the govermnent opened fire on unarmed students and civilians who resisted the suppression. It is said that more than 2000 people died and around 500 were imprisoned, but the official numbers of dead, imprisoned or disappeared people is unknown because the Chinese government refuses to carry out a investigation or accounting of the events of June 1989. Today, China has a major political and economic importance in the contemporary world. Its phenomenal economic progress has made China one of the most important players in world economy. Its growing economic power has strengthened its political authority in Asia and the world. China is still widely perceived as a country which does not, or only scantily respects human rights. This poor reputation does not just refer to Communist China in general and the Cultural Revolution, but has been carved into our brain since the violent crackdown of the 1989 democracy movement. Whether we are outspoken critics of China as one of the worst human rights offenders or feel it is better to praise China for its progress than to nag on the shortcomings, it is clear that the issue is of major importance and that the future of China and human rights are interdependent. Tiananmen Square 1989 China Laogai forced labour prison camps As we have seen in our introduction, China is still in their first steps of becoming a democracy in western standards. Its recent history is marked by communism, where human rights were not always respected. One example to illustrate this are the forced labour prison camps known as Laogai. We will see how these camps are directly or indirectly linked to western corporations and how products made by people in those prison camps under very poor working conditions end up in our hands. First of all, lets have a closer look what a Laogai camp exactly is: The term Laogai means reform through labour, which is the Chinese system of labour prison factories, detention centers, and re-education camps designed by Mao Zedong in the early 1950s. It has been adapted across China to punish and reform criminals by enforcing them working as free labour. However ¼Ã…’instead of looking at the contribution to the Chinese economy made by those prision labour force ¼Ã…’the Laogai system hightlights the deprivation of individuals of basic human rights. It can be easily found inside the Laogai system that prisoners are frequently exposed into cirrcustances such as cruel,degrading treatment and oftentimes tortured. These human rights abuses ¼Ã…’ to a large degree, violate both Chinese and international human rights norms. (Pejan, n.d.) While, The Laogai system has also been criticized of creating an incentive to incarcerate increasing numbers of potentially innocent individuals. (THE LAOGAI: EXERCISING DICTATORSHIP OVER DISSENT,n.d.) It has been noticed by LAOGAI RESEARCH FOUNDATION(2011, p.5) that Chinas Laogai system is mainly drived by production for both domestic and international consumption. The involements of Laogai camps in production process are highly varied. For instance, Laogai prisoners may take care of the whole production process of one certain item or just simply assemble part of it. The thing is those products made under laogai system are not accepted by U.S. law. Which means it is illegal to import products produced in Laogai camps to the USA market. However, it seems this law is not widely respected by big multinational corporations. As Corsi (2006) argued in his article that most of U.S companies ¼Ã‹â€ including Wal-Mart ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °are willing to sell Chinese made goods by taking advantage of the chinese slave labor. Moreover, even worse in Europe, there is no regulation exist that forbids the importation of such goods, claimed European Parliament(2010). More recently, the broadcaster Al Jazeera pointed out the Laogai camps by launching a documentary called Slavery: A 21st Century Evil.(2012) Shortly after this, the international broadcaster Al Jazeera was forced to close its offices in China.( Al Jazeera English forced out of China,2012) http://www.taichichuan.co.uk/information/articles/images/heterodox001.jpg Labour Rights: In China, as we saw with the example of the Laogai prisons, basic human rights can be closely related to the labour rights. We will now have a closer look on the evolution of labour rights in China and how they are (or not) respected by international corporations. Chinas socialist legal system was first set up in 1949. During he period from 1949 to the mid-1950s, China promulgated the Common Program of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, in the character of an interim constitution and some other laws, which had a significant influence on consolidating the new-born political power, maintaining social order and reviving the national economy. The concept of a labour law is very recent in China. Its first comprehensive labour law went into effect on January 1. 1995, and represents the regimes most recent efforts to grapple with problems brought on by the transition to a socialist market economy. The PRC Labour Law extends a number of specific benefits to workers. These include  « guarantees  » respecting equal opportunity in employment, job selection, compensation, rest, leave, safety and health care but also vocational training, social security, welfare, and the right to submit disputes to arbitration. The Peoples Republic of China has seen many changes in the structure of its economy and in the treatment of workers employed by economic enterprises. While the Labour Law of the PRC represents a major step toward articulating legal norms on the protection of workers rights, it still reflects the imperatives of Chinese government policies of economic growth and the Chinese Communist Partys concerns with political control. Thus provisions on contract labour and the role of trade unions appear to serve the interests of the Party/state to a greater extent than they do the interests of Chinese workers. The new law also faces significant impediments to full implementation. Nonetheless, in the context of the transition to a socialist market economy the new labour code does represent significant progress in the ongoing challenge of managing labour relations in China. In 2008, the government introduced a Labor Contract Law that rolled back some of the laissez-faire approaches to the workforce that the government introduced in the 1990s. This new law abolished the system of at-will employment for most full-time employees and required employers to provide employees with written contracts. Since 2008, the government has also revisited its policy of tight control over the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU). While all unions must still be approved by and affiliated with ACFTU, it appears that the government is allowing the ACFTU greater authority to advocate for the rights of workers than it did just a few years ago. That said, the government continues to imprison workers who advocate for the formation of independent trade unions. In China, 2010 was a year of significance in the development of labour-related legislation. It saw the 60th anniversary of New Chinas first Trade Union Law and the 15th anniversary of the countrys first Labour Law. It was also a year that witnessed a significant increase of labour disputes in the country, including the scandal of workers suicides in Foxconn (Apples contract manufacturer for many products) and the strikes in Honda China. It was against this background that an international conference Chinese Trade Union and Labour Law: Past, Present and Future was organised in August in Beijing to critically review and assess these laws and their implementation as well as other relevant issues concerning labour in China and to identify the prospects for Chinese workers in future.( Zhao,Zhao and Fan, 2011) It has been well illustrated in World Report 2012: China (2012), China 2011 presented a lack of representative work union which creates a problem for the workers that cannot ask for the betterment of wages and general conditions. The government prohibits independent labour unions which makes out of All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) the only legal representative of workers in China. Systemic discrimination on migrants is continued to be imposed by the hukou (house hold registration), said a government survey on migrant workers in January. The system unfairly limits the access to housing, medical services, and education. In august 2011 the government ordered closure of 24 illegal private schools that catered to migrant children. Most found alternate schools other had their children was sent to hukou-linked schools in rural areas because the parents could not afford school in Beijing. 1) HEG Electronics Samsungs Chinese Supplier Employs Underage Workers With the example of HEG Electronics we will try to illustrate that the labour rights in China are in some cases not respected which leads to poor working conditions for their employees. China Labour Watch, a non-profit organisation based in New York. As stated on their official website, they have been aimed at assessing and re-evaluating labour conditions in hundreds of manufacturing factories most of whose partners are transnational companies. In August 2012, it published a report called Samsungs Supplier Factory Exploiting Child Labor(2012) which points out the following working conditions in HEG Electronics: Child Labour Abuse Hiring Discrimination Excessive Overtime Labour Contracts, Wage Rates, Reward and Punishment System Appalling Cafeteria and Dormitory Conditions Lack of Safety Education and Labour Protection The problems also haven been addressed by European Parliament (Infringement of normal labour standards in some Chinese factories, 2012), especially the abuse of underage labour. As indicated by members  of  China  Labor  Watch, the student labour accounts for 80% of total labour force in HEG factories and most of them work under the same harsh working conditions as adults but with even less wage paid. (China  Labor  Watch, 2012,p.3) Furthermore, an interesting website called stop samsung no more deaths! describes the correlation between Samsung and his subsidiary HEG Electronics: Samsung provides fixed assets and other equipment to the Chinese contractor, the survey said. More than 50 Samsung employees are posted to HEG production facilities.(stopsamsung,2012) On the HEG Electronics website you can find the following statement: Heg always adhere to the people-oriented concept, so that development for staff development rely on employees, corporate efforts to the fruits of development to benefit the general staff. Employees are our most valuable resources and wealth, and the healthy growth of the employees is the success of our cause and an important foundation for enterprises to obtain sustainable development and protection. We always adhere to the people-oriented, advocating equality and non-discriminatory employment policies to respect and protect the legitimate rights and interests of employees and cherish the staff of life, health and safety; respect for labour, respect knowledge, respect talent, respect for creation, major decisions and important production operating activities focus on the mobilization of all the staffs enthusiasm and creativity, and focus on improving the quality of staff. Enterprise development innovations to benefit the general staff efforts to achieve the organic unity of the enterprise value and the value of employees. Enriching the cultural life of the employees, the company is active in a variety of cultural and recreational activities such as basketball, soccer, table tennis, and staff in his spare time to relax, keep fit, cultivate character, enhanced teamwork for employees to create a good the casual environment conditions. If you put into contrast HEG Electronics declaration on their website where they describe their employees as their most valuable resource and wealth and the report from the organisation China Labour Watch which points out that the company is exploiting child labour, you can deduce that there is a big gap between what is the official labour law and what some companies are doing on an everyday basis. 1) KPMG China Caring Company Award KPMG China has been presented with the Caring Company Award by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service for tenth consecutive years (from 2002 2012). The award recognises private companies in Hong Kong which demonstrate good corporate citizenship. It is complimented by the Outstanding Partnership Project Award in 2006 and 2008, which honours KPMGs partnership with the Society of Community Organization (SoCO) for supporting the children in need and Youth Business Hong Kong (YBHK) for mentoring the entrepreneurial youth on starting up and running their businesses respectively. The mission of the Caring Company Scheme is to build a caring community by encouraging corporate citizenships and strategic partnerships among the business, public and social service sectors in Hong Kong. Awards are presented each year to recognise organisations with outstanding involvement in corporate social responsibility programmes. 2) William E. Connor Associates Ltd. One of Worlds Most Ethical Companies Behind some of the biggest household names in luxury fashion and home accessories is a name the average consumer may not know, William E. Connor Associates Ltd. (www.weconnor.com). The Hong Kong based global sourcing company, representing elite worldwide brands, announced today that it has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, the leading U.S. business ethics think-tank, as one of 2012 Worlds Most Ethical Companies. Connor is the first Asia based company in the sourcing industry to receive the award. Meeting demanding scrutiny, Connor secured a hard-earned spot on the list by employing and maintaining upright business practices and initiatives that are instrumental to the companys success; benefit the communities in which the company operates; and raise the bar for ethical standards within the industry. Connors business model is unique among its global competitors the company does not hold an equity interest in any factory, nor receive any financial benefit from factories. Connors earnings are generated only from client commissions. Connor has the highest standards in the industry, ensuring their clients and ultimately, consumers receive apparel, decorative items and furniture, manufactured under responsible, fair working conditions. Conclusion: China is a country that is economically very relevant in the present times, but it potentially could easily become the first world power in a certain period of time. The question is: is China ready? On our opinion, it has a long way to go, specially on the ethics field. On one hand, it is undeniable that there has been some change over the years, implementing new legislation to protect workers and to regulate the business environment, but on the other, China still has a lot of dark episodes where human rights are not respected at all, and in order to progress, this has to change. To make this possible, a good initiative would be eliminating the Laogai prisons. They were created many years ago, and the fact that they still exist is a sign of the poor mentality that remains in certain areas of the country. To push this forward, western countries should also put political pressure on China, making them see that human rights must be respected above all things. Another good improvement would be the implementation of a renovated corporate social responsability. Although there has been some efforts, companies in China are far behind in this matter compared to other parts of the world. The end does not justify the means, and child labour or overexplotation are not acceptable in a country with so much economic weight. With a new CSR, the ethical awarness of the companies will be higher, and as a consecuence, the reputation of many enterprises will change. China has a lot of work to do, but future could be very bright if the rights approaches are taken. The good examples that we have found in our research show the path to follow, and hopefully with the years they can become a model of how an ethical country should be.

How Have Cell Phones Changed Our Society Research Paper

– 1 – Alexia Corbett 3-12-2009 CELLULAR PHONES INFLUENCE(s) AND IMPACT(s) ON SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS This paper seeks to explore how cellular phones (cell phones/mobiles) have influenced and impacted social interactions and interpersonal relationships. There have been a number of suggested theories and studies that have been contributed to the rising popularity and commonality of cell phones as to how they are affecting the way individuals are interacting in society.Some of these include, a change in the concept of time and space (Fortunati, 2002), lack of face-to-face interaction (Thompson and Cupples, 2008), the maintenance of relationships, social absences, and social dependency (Reid and Reid, 2004). In addition to these ideas, it has also been suggested that the use of cell phones has had a negative affect on social relationships, grammar, and increased social anxiety (Tully, 2003). BACKGROUND Technologies are an ever-changing aspect of this day and age. New gadgets and ideas are always trying to simplify life and bring people closer together.The cellular phone was first developed in Sweden in 1956, but had no conveniences about it, nor did the average person have access to it. It weighed 90 pounds, and was as inconvenient as having a landline with a 10-foot long cord. Following several trials and developments, in 1978 Bell Labs, working with Motorola created the first generation of a cellular network (Fortunati, 2002). Although this first generation network was not approved by the FCC until 1982, it brought into focus the ability to create a – 2 – form of communication that would allow anyone to make a phone call when it was convenient for them.Following improvements within the second and third generations of cell phone networks and accessibility, cell phones went from becoming an item of luxury for those who could afford it, to an everyday necessity. For anyone operating in the modern world, in addi tion to being able to make phone calls on a cellular phone, in 2000 SMS (Short Message Service) was introduced to allow individuals to send a message to someone else’s mobile device without the necessity of making a phone call. Today, the global cellular phone market now stands at approximately 1. billion subscribers, and is forecasted to reach 3 billion by the end of 2010 (Reid and Reid, 2007). In contrast with instances in the past, having a cell phone of your own is more of the social norm vs. not having a cell phone of your own. Cell phones are taking over on a global level not just a local level, which allows individuals to have the sense of security that wherever they go, they will be able to remain in social contact with those whom are in their social networks. Communication and the way that individuals interact with each other is a huge dynamic of sociology.The cell phone is changing the way in which all of this interaction occurs, which makes it sociologically releva nt. With the creation and accessibility of cell phones, more and more individuals own their own cell phone, and using them everyday to communicate within their social network. Cell phones also make individuals available anywhere, and anytime, which changes the way that individuals are choosing to interact in social settings with other individuals. In this paper I will show how the cell phone has had an impact on social relationships and social interactions in today’s society.I will first show how the concept of having a cellular phone has changed the concept of social space and time among social relationships and interactions. Second, I will show how individuals have shown to have some form of a dependency to the use – 3 – and possession of a cellular phone. Following that, I will provide research that demonstrates how SMS (Short Message Service) has taken on its own form of communication in relationships, and has become more predominate in comparison to voice c alls.Lastly I will provide an overall conclusion of the impact that the use of cellular phones has had in regards to social interactions and interpersonal relationships. The Change of Space and Time/Proximal Relationships Since the 18 th century, the idea of using the telephone has always been a fixed mentality in regards to accessibility. The phone was located at a fixed location, usually in a home or office, and you would have to be in that location where the phone was in order to be able to receive and answer incoming phone calls.This bore the concept of â€Å"sitting and waiting by the phone† for someone to call, since at one time it was the only option. With the development of technologies, there have been ways to alter this mentality; there was the creation of the answering machine, which allowed for you to access messages from missed phone calls when you returned home, which did not always allow for a prompt relay of a message nor reply, and more recently the creation and distribution of the cellular phone. Cellular phones have taken this concept and spun it around on itself.With the development of cellular phones, individuals are able to remain in close and instantaneous contact with members of their social network regardless of where they are in the world. In addition to keeping up with social relationships, individuals have also been able to increase productivity with their work because they can be hundreds of miles away from the office, and still have instant access to their e-mail, documents and contacts wherever they are (Tully, 2003). There is no longer a disconnection. – 4 –The concept of being accessible anywhere and anytime has shown to have both positives and negative results in a social setting; older generations for example have typically been scornful of younger generations pulling out their cell phones in restaurants, classrooms, public transportation and other public spaces (Banjor, Hun and Sundar 2007). Cell phone u sage in a public place typically generates a negative response when used in close approximation to other individuals, as it is seen as a disturbance to their personal space, with little or no consideration from the cell phone user.Social interaction signifies that we are aware of the existence of others, as well as implies active engagement between two or more parties (Banjor, Hun & Sundar 2007). Cell phones have allowed individuals to surpass time and space and have any conversation that they choose, wherever they choose. With public conversation comes public invasion, meaning that you are invading into other’s personal spaces by talking out loud about your own personal spaces coming off as inconsiderate and/or rude which links to alienation of oneself.A trend that is becoming more apparent is present absences; this is the concept of how an individual’s presence in a social setting changes regardless of their physical presence, they are only half-present (Fortunati 20 08). After a ring or buzz of their mobile phone, they are drawn away somewhere else, away from their present situation and/or conversation. Through observation, researchers have found that individuals typically will not hesitate to interrupt an ongoing conversation to answer the ringing of their cell phone.This has several repercussions. In answering the ringing cell phone, the individual who is presently being conversed with, has described feeling a sense of being left alone, which can cause social anxiety, as well as resentment/annoyance towards the individual who answered the phone call (Humphreys 2009). The change of space and time through the use and accessibility of cellular phones has changed the way in which people communicate with other individuals.With the ease of being – 5 – accessible anywhere at anytime, individuals are finding that they are becoming dependent on their cell phone on a day-to-day basis. Cell phones are allowing individuals to stay in a cons tant connection with anyone and everyone in their social network. In the next section I will explain how this dependency is being seen, created and acted upon by individuals. Cell Phone Dependency As mentioned above, cell phones are becoming increasingly popular among the general population. Due to their increasing popularity, more and more people are obtaining them for themselves.In having a cell phone, individuals are becoming reliant on them from day-to-day to stay in contact with other individuals in their social networks, as described throughout this section. Cell phones are not a new concept for all generations. There are individuals who have gown up in the cell phone age, and do not think anything of it. Today, 45% of adolescents aged 12-17 possess a cellular phone in the United States (Leung 2008), making it one of, if not the, most popular way to communicate with other individuals. While cell phones have become less of a tatus symbol and more of a fashion statement, they ha ve also created an unspoken social dependency. Leisure boredom, which is a category of dependency to cell phones described as an individual who is found to become bored with their current situation, has proven to lead to cell phone dependency (Leung, 2008). For adolescents and young adults, as leisure boredom arose, they were more likely to be found engaging in SMS messages, making phone calls, accessing the internet from their phone or playing a mobile driven game.Once there is an element of boredom his or her attention is drawn immediately to his or her cell phone device for an instant connection – 6 – to someone, somewhere. Through a series of surveys it was shown that the higher rate of leisurely boredom, the more frequent use of a cell phone occurred (Leung 2008). Sensation seeking behavior has also linked adolescents and young adults to have the desire to take risks with relationships, rules and roles (Leung 2008). Individuals seek out entertainment and avoid bor edom; as with anything there are appropriate times and inappropriate times.This concept translates over to cell phone use as well, people will use their cell phones at appropriate and inappropriate times, simply to satisfy a social urge/want/need. This category was supported significantly by relationships between individuals who were cell phone addicted via sensation seeking, demonstrating that the cell phone was used more for entertainment, information and social connectivity (Leung 2008). For example, an individual using their cell phone on the side of the road when they break down vs. using their cell phone to just say ‘Hi’ to someone, or chitchat with another person.Self esteem, a third dependency category examined the standardized idea that individuals with low self esteem typically do not communicate as much with others, and are more prone to expect a negative response from those whom they do contact. However, it is thought that individuals who have low self estee m will actually use their cell phone more to try and establish social networks, and build relationships without having all of the pressures of a face-to-face encounter with an individual, as well as to try and reach out to other individuals (Reid and Reid 2007). Research shows that individuals ho have low self-esteem seek out more frequent use of the cell phone to seek to establish new relationships and try and gain an element of control in their social relationships. This makes it easier for individuals with lower self-esteem to form and maintain social relationships. Along with the factors listed above, many individuals have stated that they cannot imagine not having their cell phone with them on a daily basis. The integration of cell phones – 7 – into our daily lives is exaggerated in how younger generations talk about not being able to imagine themselves without their phones now (Thompson & Cupples 2008).Their imaginaries include cell phones; their senses of self a re tied up with this technology as is evident in the following quotations: I just can’t imagine myself without a cell phone now. . . when I don’t have my phone I always feel like I’m missing something . . . (Samantha, 14) My phone’s always in my skirt pocket at school so it’s just always there. And if I, like, leave it in my locker by accident, or it’s in my bag, I panic ’cos I don’t know where I’ve put it ’cos I’m used to having it in my pocket . . . it’s just a permanent part of you. Michelle, 15, emphasis added) Individuals are forming an attachment to their cell phones, which enables them to think that they cannot function without their cell phone on a day-to-day basis. There are many factors that lead to cell phone dependency, such as leisure boredom, sensation-seeking behavior and low self esteem as described above. Another aspect of the cellular world that contributes to dependency and changes the way in which we socially interact on a daily basis is SMS Text Messaging. SMS Text Messaging as a Social InteractionShort Message Service (SMS/Text Message) was first developed in 1990 in an effort to allow operators to notify customers when there was some type of a service issue or a network problem. This service has now become one of the most common ways in which individuals use their cell phones to communicate with others. In 2002 80% of all cell phone users in the United States were ‘Talkers’, however by 2006 that number was almost reduced by half, dropping to only 42%, with the other 58% being ‘Texters’ (Fernando 2007).Many researchers have expressed concern that the increased use of SMS messaging will cause face-to-face interaction to become non-existent, as well as poor grammar by frequent – 8 – users. Research has shown however, that text messaging between individuals can actually create stronger ties between individuals as well a s act as a buffer to face-to-face interactions with a new individual. Communicating through a text message allows individuals to not only take their time composing a more thought out reply, but it also alleviates the pressures that accompany a first encounter/face-to-face meeting.With the popularity of SMS messaging, individuals are using it more and more, and in an effort to send more text messages, a new language is being created that is making experts worried that grammar will overlooked. Individuals who are regular texters have created new acronyms for various words to get their point/idea across faster than if they were to type out the entire message. For example; LOL is the same as saying Laughing Out Loud, OMG is equivalent to Oh My God, and finally TTYL, which refers to Talk To You Later.SMS/Text messaging has become more popular among younger generations in comparison with older generations. Sending and receiving text messages is a form of communication with others that can be secretive and discrete; parents/teachers cannot intercept or have access to what is being sent back and forth. In 2001 Nokia conducted a worldwide survey of 3,300 people, under age 45, over 80% of those that were surveyed reported that text messaging was the most used function on their mobile phones (Reid and Reid 2004).With its popularity growing at an exponential rate, text/SMS messaging has also become a new way for individuals to form new relationships, and strengthen existing ones. Teens admitted spending nearly an equal amount of time talking as they do texting each month. The feature is so important to them that if texting was no longer an option, 47 percent of teens say their social life would end or be worsened – especially among females (54 percent compared to 40 percent of males) (CTIA Survey 2008).In addition, individuals claim to see text messaging as a comfortable, easy and effective means of communication for younger people (Thompson and – 9 – Couples 2008). Without the pressures that come along with a voice or face-to-face conversation, text messaging allows individuals the time to spend composing their thoughts and making edits to their responses before sending them to others. Composing thoughtful responses to text messages also allows for an element of privacy at any given time and /or place for individuals to communicate, thus relating back to the change in concept of Space & Time.Messaging back and forth allows for an often unseen and unheard communication between individuals, as well as fewer limitations to where and when they can communicate, and text messaging has served more for ‘filler’ communication, and less for functional/practical communication between individuals. Filler messages relate to messages regarding, friendship maintenance, romantic, social functions, and/or boredom and loneliness.A study on a group of undergraduates showed that only about one third of the text messages that were bein g sent were actually functional/practical information; the rest was a combination of filler messages (Reid & Reid 2004). Social interactions via text message seem to serve as more of an instant personal contact with someone else, without having to worry about your personal appearance and actual interaction. Sending and receiving text messages is a new concept for most generations, and changes the way in which individuals are required to interact.By communicating through text message, individuals are not required to interact with others socially in a face-to-face manner, they can do it all via messaging. While this is a convenient way and discrete way to communicate with another person, it has changed the way that individuals are reacting with others not only in a social setting, but also in how they are maintaining their existing relationships, and building new relationships. – 10 – CONCLUSION Our society today is one that is based on technology, and technological adva nces.Technology as a whole will always have an effect on the way that individuals function in society, and while there has not been a lot of research on the effects of cellular phone use, it has both positive and negative consequences. Cell phones in their small time in existence have changed the way in which individuals are interacting with each other. Cell phones have provided avenues for individuals to stay connected on a new level that does not depend on space or time, but is readily accessible at any time, anywhere.Never being disconnected has allowed social networks and relationships to be strengthened as well as new relationships formed. Cell phones have also allowed individuals all over the world whom, without the cell phone would never have access to all of the networks, assets and information that they do via the mobile phone. While it has provided a new avenue to social networking and interactions, the change in the space and time concept has also had a negative affect as well.Many of us have likely experienced a situation where we have been in the presence of a cell phone user who is engaging in some form of rude behavior that lacks respect for the individuals around them. Cell phones have changed the way that individuals socially interact. Individuals are communicating more via text messages and cell phones than they are face-to-face, changing our social environment. Individuals have become enveloped in their cell phones and less aware of their social surroundings, missing out on possible new social interactions.There is still a lot of future research still needs to be done on the long-term affects of the mobile phone and social relationships. Something that should be looked at is how the mobile phone effects relationships over time, as well as what the long term health effects are, and how the access and use of cell phones varies through different socioeconomic classes. However, you – 11 – can see how in its short history, cell phon es have already had a huge impact on the way individuals interact with one another. – 12 – References â€Å"Teens Who Text. â€Å"2008.Communications of the ACM 51(11):19-19 (http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=aph&AN=35211892&site=ehostlive). â€Å"New Information Technologies and the Fate of Rationality in Contemporary Culture. â€Å"2006. Russian Social Science Review 47(6):65-85. Agosto, Denise E. and Sandra Hughes-Hassell. 2005. â€Å"People, places, and questions: An investigation of the everyday life information-seeking behaviors of urban young adults. † Library & Information Science Research (07408188) 27(2):141-163. Atkin, Charles K. 1972. â€Å"Anticipated Communication and Mass Media Information-Seeking. The Public Opinion Quarterly 36(2):188-199. Boase, Jeffery. 2008. â€Å"Personal Networks and the Personal Communication System. † Information, Communication & Society 11(4):490-508. Fernando, Angelo. 2007. â€Å"If you text it, they may come. † Communication World 24(4):11-12 (http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=ufh&AN=25547883&site=ehostlive). Fortunati, Leopoldina. 2002. â€Å"The Mobile Phone: Towards New Categories and Social Relations. † Information, Communication & Society 5(4):513. – 13 – Hu, Yifeng, S. S. Sundar and Omotayo Banjo. 006. â€Å"Cell Phone Usage and Social Interaction with Proximate Others: Ringing in a Theoretical Model. † Conference Papers — International Communication Association:1-30. Humphreys, Lee. 2005. â€Å"Cellphones in public: social interactions in a wireless era. † New Media & Society 7(6):810-833. Igarashi, Tasuku, Tadahiro Motoyoshi, Jiro Takai and Toshikazu Yoshida. 2008. â€Å"No Mobile, No Life: Self-Perception and Text-Message Dependency among Japanese High School Students. † Computers in Human Behavior 24(5):2311-2324. Katz, James E. 2007. Mobile Media and Communication: Some I mportant Questions. † Communication Monographs 74(3):389-394 (http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=aph&AN=26386708&site=ehostlive). Leung, Louis. 2008. â€Å"Leisure boredom, sensation seeking, self esteem, and addiction: Symptoms and patterns of cell phone use. † Pp 359-381 in Mediated Personal Communication. Edited by S. B. Barnes, E. A. Konijn, M. Tanis, and S. Utz. New York, NY: RoutledgeMcfedries, Paul. 2002. â€Å"All Thumbs. † IEEE Spectrum 39(10):68 (http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=aph&AN=8930492

Group Brand Audit Project Essay

Your group assignment is to pick a brand from the list of brands(attached) and conduct a thorough brand audit. Each group must study and analyze a different brand. Brands will be assigned on a â€Å"first come, first serve† basis. Post your group’s choice of brand and gp number on the â€Å"questions for Prof/TA† board so that everyone can see your group’s choice. This way, the other gps will know which brands are already taken on a first come first serve basis. Once your gp posts a Brand choice (that is not already taken)- it’s yours. The brand audit analysis will be based on information from public secondary sources, company web sites, as well as your own professional experiences and insights. Surveys or primary research are not required but can certainly be conducted and used as needed. The final Powerpoint report should be submitted using the assignment link on elearning. The length of the Brand Audit report should be approx. 30-40 ppt slides (not including any appendices or references). Typically a thorough audit requires 30-40 hours of work which divided among 6 or 7 gp members usually amounts to an average of about 5-6 hrs of work per student. The following format and guideline will help streamline the approach and the process. A tentative example is available for you to review on page 132 of the textbook. This Rolex example is only that†¦an example†¦just a very brief and concise example. I. Brand Inventory A current, comprehensive profile of how all products and services sold by a company are marketed and branded. Read Also: List of Exploratory Essay Topics This is mainly the supply-side view of the company and the brand. Should include (but not limited to): History of the brand Identification of all brand elements (logos, symbols, characters, packaging, slogans, trademarks). Brand architecture. Description of attributes of the product/idea/service. Profile of direct and indirect competitive brands (use points of parity and points of difference). Include market share and other relevant facts and figures. ‘Brand Architecture’ and ‘Hierarchy’ and ‘brand product matrix’ (where applicable). Pricing, profitability and market share of the brand. Distribution channels and policies. Supporting marketing communications/promotional programs. Brand personality as reflected by the brand elements and existing marketing mix. 1 II. Brand Exploratory This is usually the more challenging research and analytical component of this assignment. Actual consumer perceptions may or may not reflect those intended by the marketer. The Brand exploratory is aimed at understanding what consumers feel and think about the brand in order to identify sources of brand equity. Should include (but not limited to): Customer knowledge of the brand (include â€Å"Brand Mental Map†). Brand Associations: awareness, strength, favorability, consistency and uniqueness of brand associations. Main sources of Brand Equity (possible threats to Brand Equity) Customer-Based Brand Equity Pyramid (CBBE pyramid) Problem areas/inconsistencies of perception vs. market reality. The size, profile and buying behavior of the most important customer segments. The depth and breath of ‘Brand Awareness’. A perceptual map showing the brand and its main competitors along the most important brand attributes. III. Conclusion & Recommendations: Should include (but not limited to): SWOT analysis. A proposal for a ‘positioning’ statement. Recommendations concerning how to measure, build and manage additional Brand Equity. IV. Appendix: Supporting/additional Tables, Charts, Graphs, Figures, Photos, etc. V. References: List only the material that you actually refer to in the report. Choose from this list of Brands (most of them from Business Week’s 100 Best Global Brands) Post your gp’s choice on the â€Å"Ques for Prof/TA† board on a first come first serve basis.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd ) - 1062 Words

PTSD Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD History, Diagnosis, Presentation and Neurology and EEG and treatment Even though traumatic experiences were first discussed in the context of patients with hysteria , which had both psychological and somatic symptoms, by Freud, William James, and Pierre Janet, it was not until World war I that trauma was identified as a factor in mental health disorders by the professional mental health community. (Herman, 1997).Post-traumatic Stress Disorder was first incorporated as a diagnostic category by American Psychiatric Association in DSM-III In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association included posttraumatic stress disorder as a diagnostic category in the DSM-III (1980), the first time that trauma was†¦show more content†¦(DESNOS; Pelcovitz et al., 1997). The second trauma construct is complex trauma (CPTSD), as defined by Herman (1992, 1997) and Courtois (2008), with its emphasis on ongoing deleterious acts of violence, entrapment, or inadequate care, over an extended time period. Traumatic reactions, or symptoms, may include the triad of reexpe riencing, avoiding or numbing, and hyperarousal descriptive of PTSD, as listed in the DSM-IV-TR (2000), as well as the seven symptoms associated with complex trauma, or CPTSD (Courtois, 2008; Herman, 1992) which are Neurology of PTSD Ford (2009) describes the effects of trauma in childhood in the context of brain changing from learning to survival mode, which leads the individual who experienced trauma to be on high elert, more reactive, and unable to regulate their emotions. According to Ford (2003, p. 31), the developmental areas that get affected due to trauma are 1] attention and learning; [2] working (short-term), declarative (verbal), and narrative (autobiographical) memory; [3] emotion regulation; [4] personality formation and integration; and [5] relationships (attachment) The traumatic stressors also result in the over arousal of the limbic system, and this persistent arousal leads to undeveloped cortex, poor emotion regulation and poor cognitive skills. With the help of the