Kraft Foods Board of Directors Essay Example for Free

Kraft Foods Board of Directors Essay Reviewï ¼Å¡ Kraft Foods Inc. is a global snacks powerhouse with an unrivaled portfolio of brands people love. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Kraft Foods Group, Inc. will discharge the Board’s responsibilities relating to compensation for executives and independent directors. In fulfilling its responsibilities, the Committee will have full access to all of Kraft’s books, records, facilities and personnel. The Committee will also have the authority to conduct investigations and to retain independent counsel and advisers, as it determines necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities, including sole authority to engage, retain, approve fees and other retention terms of, and terminate compensation consultants. - HP’s Board of Directors Name/Title| Current Board Membership| Ralph V. Whitworth, 57Independent Non-Executive Chairman| Sovereign Bank, Na (pennsylvania), Hewlett-packard Co.| Meg Cushing Whitman, 57President, Chief Executive Officer Director| Hewlett-packard Co., Zipcar, Inc., The Nature Conservancy, Inc., Teach For America, Inc., Zaarly, Inc., Procter Gamble Co.| Marc L. Andreessen, 41Independent Director| Tinyco, Inc., Zend Technologies, Inc., Glam Media, Inc., Kno, Inc., Ebay, Inc., Stanford Hospital Clinics, Hewlett-packard Co., Hewlett-packard Development Co. Lp, Facebook, Inc., Skype Sarl, Tidemark Systems, Inc.| Ann M. Livermore, 54Director| Hewlett-packard Co., United Parcel Service, Inc., Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital| Rajiv Lochan Gupta, 67Lead Independent Director| Hewlett-packard Co., Information Resources, Inc., Avantor Performance Materials, Inc., Stroz Friedberg Llc, The Vanguard Group, Inc., Delphi Automotive Llp, Affle Pte Ltd., Tyco International Ltd., The Conference Board, Inc., Delphi Automotive Plc| Shumeet Banerji, 53Independent Director| Hewlett-packard Co.| Gary M. Reiner, 58Independent Director| Hewlett-packard Co., Box, Inc., Norwalk Health Services Corp., Appirio, Inc., The Norwalk Hospital Association| Patricia F. Russo, 60Independent Director| Alcoa, Inc., General Motors Co., Kkr Management Llc, Kkr Co. Lp, Hewlett-packard Co., Merck Co., Inc., The Partnership For A Drug-free America, Inc.| Ray J. Lane, 66Lead Independent Director| Alertenterprise, Inc., Spikesource, Inc., Virsa Systems, Inc., Visible Path Corp., Xsigo Systems, Inc., Elance, Inc., Hewlett-packard Co., Special Olympics, Inc., Greatpoint Energy, Inc., Ausra, Inc., Quest Software, Inc., Kenandy, Inc., Carnegie Mellon University, Enigma, Inc., Hara Software, Inc., West Virginia University, Luca Technologies, Inc., Think North America, Mevio, Inc.| Reviewï ¼Å¡ HP announced changes to its board of directors. Raymond J. Lane has decided to step down as chairman of the board, to be replaced on an interim basis by Ralph V. Whitworth. The board is commencing a search for a permanent nonexecutive board chairman. In addition, John H. Hammergren and G. Kennedy Thompson, after eight and seven years of service to HP stockholders, respectively, have decided to leave the board. Both directors will continue to serve until the May board meeting. The board is commencing a search for two or more new independent directors. This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. - Macy’s Board of Directors Name/Title| Current Board Membership| Terry J. Lundgren, 61Chairman, President Chief Executive Officer| Macys, Inc., National Retail Federation, Procter Gamble Co., The Partnership For New York City, Kraft Foods Group, Inc., Federal Reserve Bank Of New York| Steven F. Bollenbach, 70Independent Director| Time Warner, Inc., Ludwig Institute For Cancer Research Ltd., Los Angeles World Affairs Council, Mondelez International, Inc., Macys, Inc., Kb Home| Craig E. Weatherup, 67Independent Director| Macys, Inc., Starbucks Corp.| Sara L. Levinson, 62Independent Director| Macys, Inc., Harley-davidson, Inc., Cmi Marketing, Inc.| Joseph L. Neubauer, 71Independent Director| The Jewish Theological Seminary Of America, The Barnes Foundation, The University Of Chicago, Catalyst, Inc., Macys, Inc., Verizon Communications, Inc., Aramark Refreshment Services Llc, The Horatio Alger Association Of Distinguished Americans, Aramark Holdings Corp.| Paul C. Varga, 49Independent Director| Brown-forman Corp., Macys, Inc.| Marna Cupp Whittington , 65Independent Director| Macys, Inc., Oaktree Capital Group Llc, Phillips 66| Meyer Feldberg, 71Independent Director| New York City Ballet, Inc., Managed High Yield Plus Fund, Inc., Global High Income Fund, Inc., Macys, Inc., Revlon, Inc., Strategic Global Income Fund, Inc.| Deirdre P. Connelly, 52Independent Director| Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers Of America, Macys, Inc., Human Genome Sciences, Inc.| Joyce M. Rochà ©, 66Independent Director| Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., Tupperware Brands Corp., Macys, Inc., Association Of Governing Boards Of Universities Colleges, Dillard University, Att, Inc.| Review: Managing a nation-wide retail business requires a team of committed, talented and experienced executives. Macy’s stores and direct-to-customer business compete with many retailing formats in the geographic areas in which they operate, including department stores, specialty stores, general merchandise stores, off-price and discount stores, new and established forms of home shopping (including the Internet, mail order catalogs and television) and manufacturers’ outlets, among others. In addition to competing with these other retailers for customers, Macy’s also must compete very aggressively for executive talent. These talented executives are accountable for the performance of the business units they manage and are compensated based on that performance.

Learning Team Reflection Essay Example for Free

Learning Team Reflection Essay I guess for me I am struggling with how to forecast and predict what is important enough to know what criteria is relevant information to use for the success of my organization. Since I only work in one area of the whole organization how do you predict when you are not privy to important information to know what direction to go in. I am hoping to learn how to think way outside the box and be able to see the bigger picture. One question I do have though will the company be as successful if I only concentrate on the success of the area I work in? I get how strategic management can be beneficial to an organization, and I get how ethics should play a role as well. I see the way people have done wrong actions in a company is almost like having cancer in your organization. It can slowly take over or be swift and destroy a organization. I see both issues in my work place. People riding the cuff of what is wrong behavior and out right breaking the rules. All of that behavior disrupts the goal of the organization to run effectively and efficiently. Looking forward to further discussions. After completing the assignments and reading the objectives I think I am comfortable talking about environmental scan both internal and external and how it is different from a SWOT analysis. Environmental scanning is made up of observation, reviewing, and ultimately circulating the data gathered from external and internal envi ronments based on the decisions made by the staff of the organization. This process is applied by the organization in the case of a worst case scenario; it allows an organization to carefully take care of conflicts compared to struggling to salvage a situation which is causing financial setbacks for the organization. In regards to discussing the external factors of an organization and why they should be reviewed as part of the internal environmental scan, below are some reasons why this should happen. 1. Economic forces: Regulates the transferring of materials, money, energy, and information (Wheelen Hunger, 2010, p. 99). 2. Technological forces: Is what generates problem-solving inventions (Wheelen Hunger, 2010, p. 99).  3. Political–legal forces: Is what allocates power and provides constraining and protecting laws and regulations (Wheelen Hunger, 2010, p. 99). 4. Sociocultural forces: Is what regulates the values, mores, and customs of society (Wheelen Hunger, 2010, p. 99). In regards to discussing some of the internal considerations of an organization and why the organization should evaluate them as part of the internal environmental scan, the following are some reason: 1. Value: Is when it provides customers value and competitive advantage (Wheelen Hunger, 2010, p. 138). 2. Rareness: Is when other competitors possess it (Wheelen Hunger, 2010, p. 138). 3. Imitability: Is when it becomes costly for others to imitate (Wheelen Hunger, 2010, p. 138). 4. Organization: Is when the organization utilizing the resource to its advantage (Wheelen Hunger, 2010, p. 138). There is a difference from Environmental scan and a traditional SWOT due to the environmental scan gathering data while the SWOT is more involved with gathering information and research to establish an ultimate plan. In last week’s class I got a better understanding of the 4 phases of strategic management which are basic financial planning, forecast-based planning, externally oriented strategic planning and strategic management. By emphasizing what strategic management actually means to an organization I was able to get a more in depth concept of the benefits such as how performance can be improved by providing organizational learning tactics understanding the strategic vision of the organization. I can actually relate to this because I have recently completed my green belt lean six sigma which allows me to be part of working groups that have been task to identify gaps and improve business processes and practices in various area in the logistics directorate in which I work. By being part of a working group at work and also being in this strategic management class I truly believe that this will increase my development in the area of strategic thinking to be an impact player in my organizati on. I look forward to these next few weeks. Reference Wheelen, T.L., Hunger, J.D. (2010). Concepts in Strategic Management and Business Policy (12th ed.). Retrieved from University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.

Effective leadership characteristics

Effective leadership characteristics Intro (just a rough outline) Transformational vs transactional (here Im thinking to say something along the lines of â€Å"when evaluating leadership characteristics, the team identified more with transformational leadership† Our group used ranking to decide order in which we would prioritize (Exhibit 1 does the team want to include this?) Effective leadership has many characteristics that make it what it is, but weve narrowed down the list after tough debates and inspirational personal experiences. Effective Leadership Characteristics Visionary Ranked First To be an effective leader, our team believes that being a visionary is the most important characteristic. The team went through various different words with a similar tone, such as â€Å"strategist†, â€Å"innovative†, and â€Å"a thinker with depth and breadth†, but none of them encompassed such a broad meaning as visionary did. Being a visionary encompasses all of the above key descriptors and includes the ability to think ahead in a manner that is neither rash nor unrealistic. Having vision gives clarity to the integral processes that follow the vision during implementation. Our team examined previous class discussions on transformational leadership and having a vision was a key aspect that was critical in order to successfully fulfill other leadership requirements. For example, being a good communicator is definitely an advantage; however, without a vision, the information communicated is questionable. This is why we ranked it first. Competency Ranked Second The team initially had varied opinions about competency because of our diverse perceptions of what being competent really means. Some perceived it as unnecessary as leaders who have vision can align their followers and make them accountable for achieving the vision. Others perceived competency as more than that they viewed it as a characteristic that is not only technical but also involves knowing what steps to take in order to achieve the vision and how to effectively communicate those steps. Nevertheless, technical competency is of instrumental value as it increases efficiency due to the breadth and depth of knowledge. Other rational that served vital in convincing the rest of the team was that having competence increases ones self-confidence, helping them to better motivate and articulate their position. Communicator Ranked Third Being an outstanding communicator is essential to being an effective leader. The entire team was aligned with making this a core characteristic of effective leaders. The discussion highlighted the need to firstly communicate the vision and subsequently, to maintain a flow of information around the organization. The team discussed how when this was done in our personal experiences, we felt more involved and important in the company. One key point of reference for us was the class discussion on transformational leadership. Within all four aspects (idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration), communication was either directly or indirectly a factor in being able to successfully be a transformational leader. Motivational Ranked Fourth A term that we feel is related to being a good communicator is being motivational. We believe they go hand-in-hand. Our reasoning for selecting â€Å"motivational† was because in order to achieve the vision, a leader must align his or her followers one person is often not enough. The group spoke about several different characteristics related to motivational that we also wanted to include on the list; however, while short-listing, we came to the conclusion that several of those were related to being a motivational leader. For example, the team brainstormed â€Å"inspiring† as a characteristic. Although this is a distinctive quality to have in a leader, we felt that being motivational was the appropriate term because, in a business context, it relates to stimulating ones interest in the vision while we saw inspirational as invoking a more general sense of desire to accomplish something. The team also saw a motivational leader as one who will create more leaders and this is essential in todays business environment as it has been said that many organizations are over-managed, but under-led. High Integrity Ranked Fifth The team was divided on whether or not to include integrity in the characteristics of effective leaders. Some of the team was concerned with the fact that leaders who have committed unethical deeds (i.e. the executives of the Enron scandal) did not have integrity yet were still effective in being successful prior to the scandal. We spoke in great detail about the article â€Å"Leadership Warts and All†, and although we found many of the points to be intriguing; some of the team members were inundated with questions like â€Å"are we setting our standards too low? Should we not expect honesty and integrity?† We had thoughts surrounding the idea that â€Å"it is okay to fail, and you should not compromise your values in the name of success†. The others brought up the class discussion on the first day when we spoke about leadership not having the classification of good or bad but the members for integrity highlighted that it depends on perception. Those who followe d Adolf Hitler believed he had integrity. More of the team was convinced, but there was still hesitation because according to them, â€Å"leadership is not a moral concept† (Kellerman, 2004, p. 5) being an effective leader has nothing to do with your values. The turning point was our discussion about the topic of leaders that lack integrity but are high on charisma; the â€Å"Danger Zone†.Questions that were raised within the group circled around â€Å"although the leader could be effective, how long could he or she sustain leadership before their low integrity was publicized?† Examples of this include the leaders of Enron or Nortel after the scandals, their leadership was completely overthrown and their credibility was no more. If one does not have credibility, how will he or she attract followers? Empathy Ranked Sixth The team spoke about empathy in great detail. We were heavily inclined to say â€Å"no† to empathy being a top characteristic, however there were two that felt strongly about it. The discussion revolved around what the true definition of empathy is is it related to the way you communicate to people, knowing their situation or is it a feeling that you have when you understand anothers circumstances? We answered it by giving real-life examples of how empathy is a characteristic that is more than communication. A personal experience within the team was one that many individuals face as part of an organization. Our teammate had fallen ill one day and telephoned his manager to let him know that he was unwell. The manager, showing a lack of empathy, instructed him to come into work anyway. The manager failed to put himself into our teammates shoes and this negatively affected his perceived leadership style. The teammate felt more and more disengaged, almost resentful towards his ma nager. An example from a team member who had a great experience was about how his manager was empathetic towards the specific direction in which he wanted to go. He would take the time to understand our teammates future aspirations and would make it his duty to seek out the most relevant projects. In another real life experience, the manager would take the time to understand the diverse culture of his team so that he would be more empathetic to the differences surrounding them. These experiences were a catalyst to emphasize the fact that empathy was a definite characteristic of effective leaders amongst our team. Passionate Ranked Seventh In all great leaders there is a purpose and intensity. To our team, passion is an internal and self-generated tool.   Effective leaders should have the ability to concentrate on their purpose, motivate not only themselves but also their followers to the common purpose. Their attitude sets the mood for everyone around them and their followers get excited if the leader is excited. There was a general consensus within the team for passionate to be one of the main characteristics. The feeling was solidified even more with a personal example of an effective team lead who was extremely passionate about his work in software coding. The team lead would spend his own time learning more about coding. He would share his findings with the team in a manner that was both exciting and intriguing. Both his work and the teams work were positively influenced because of the authentic passion this leader shared. Becoming a More Effective Leader Building a Transformational Leader During our analysis, we discovered that these characteristics are dependent on each other in order to be effective. Leaders with a vision need to be able to communicate that vision passionately in order to align their followers. In â€Å"Leadership for Extraordinary Performance†, Joseph DiStefano highlights the need for the visionary to express â€Å"personal confidence and enthusiasm† (DiStefano, 2000, p. 1). Leading your organization with passion is extremely important when communicating the vision. It seems as though a leader without vision, passion and communication is an ineffective leader, while a leader that has a high degree of all three is a motivational leader (refer to Exhibit 2a). He or she has a consistent vision in mind, and is able to communicate that vision effectively with enthusiasm which is a critical step in aligning your followers and motivating them to achieve the vision. The story discussed above about the leader who was so passionate about coding was not the only attribute that made him the best leadership experience for our teammate. He was able to see ahead and know what the team needed to do before anyone else did this is what differentiated him from the rest of the team. Team 423 argues that if you have passion and are able to communicate that to your colleagues, you are an engaged team member. It is your ability to be a visionary in addition to those that makes you a leader. In combination with the above characteristics, we feel that leadership is also dependent on ones competencies. If a leader has vision, communication skills and passion but no competency, he or she is ill-equipped to be effective (refer to Exhibit 2b). One of our team members worked under a CEO of a small company. The CEO was a former salesman and his interests were only focused on increasing sales and not building customer loyalty or providing adequate support. He had a vision of using the products uniqueness in the industry to market it to customers; he had the communication skills and passion to both inform and align his employees; however the company suffered as time went on because he did not factor in the customer relations aspect of the business. His lack of knowing what to do to be successful led the company to many reports with the Better Business Bureau and constant customer complaints to the head office. Building on our illustration of how these characteristics are dependent upon each other, we proceed to analyze motivational and empathetic. Although motivational was touched upon with communication, the team feels that it is also separate because of the need for individualized consideration. We are speaking about these characteristics not in terms of broadly aligning employees, rather in terms of providing them to employees based on their own set of unique strengths and weaknesses. A leader without empathy and motivation becomes a â€Å"power wielder† (Kellerman, 2004, p. 3) given that he or she has the other characteristics we have discussed (refer to Exhibit 2c). Being a more effective leader means, as Robert Goffee and Gareth Jones put it, â€Å"giving people what they need, not what they want† (Goffee Jones, 2000, p. 7). Effective leaders are genuinely concerned with what their employees aspirations are and will point them in the right direction even if it means co mmunicating areas of weakness. While pointing out the weakness, the leader should also motivate the employee to improve and achieve his (her) goal. When a leader has all these characteristics, we believe that he (she) is very close to becoming what we believe, is an effective transformational leader. Nevertheless, how good are all of these characteristics if the leader cannot uphold them? Once the leaders integrity is broken, his (her) characteristics are no longer legitimate. The fundamental vision which was so necessary becomes a fraud. The leader that has all the above characteristics cannot be exhibiting a true display of being a visionary (refer to exhibit 2d). Staying true to your vision, or in other words, leading by example, is undermined when a leader does something that is inconsistent with their values or vision. The team also feels that there is a lack of genuine motivation and empathy for the employees and this leads us to believe that an effective leader with low integrity is really a pseudo-transformational leader.One of our teammates had an experience where his manager would display all of the positive characteristics we have spoken about to his own managers, however, the reality was he was taking credit for successful projects and blaming others for failed initia tives. The display of leadership, in this case, was false and it served to undermine his leadership ability to our team member. On the contrary, a leader with all characteristics is a full and effective transformational leader. Leveraging Natural Strengths Some leaders are naturally stronger in one characteristic, and they leverage that to be more effective. (Can someone think of an example to put in here Made up or real is fine) Leaders who lack technical knowledge can benefit from leveraging their other strengths. Relying and trusting your employees to use their expertise you may not have empowers them and is a vital aspect in creating more leaders. We are in accord with Goffee and Jones when it comes to revealing select weaknesses to establish trust, collaboration, and solidarity. While leveraging natural strengths is something the team believes should be done, a leader should be looking to continuously improve. In class we discussed effective leaders who may not be comfortable speaking in public, and saw how one leader drastically improved his skills by joining a Toastmasters Club. We are also increasingly seeing more managers in training programs to increase their competencies in new technologies and methodologies. Using These Characteristics to Differentiate Leaders from Managers The teams analysis also revealed distinguishing factors between leaders and managers. We found that managers and workers relate more to the day-to-day work and tend not to think about the long-term strategy or vision of the organization and therefore, some processes that should be maximized to achieve long-term gains are completed to attain short term success. Through our personal experiences, we also found that they are more focused on performance rather than development and improvement. A visionary leader attaches the skills of his (her) team in to a vision, incorporating performance into team development and advancement while placing importance on both long-term and short-term strategies. â€Å"Leaders motivate people; managers manipulate assets† (Cuneo, 2005). How can managers be better leaders by motivating their employees? In all of our positive personal experiences, motivation was a key aspect. Being motivational does not need to mean inspiring a crowd of five hundred. Instead, the team appreciated open-door communication and individualized inspiration through words of encouragement when we failed, and recognition when we succeeded. We specified leaders who guided us in the right direction instead of telling us the exact move. Beginning with a simple â€Å"good job, youre almost there!† or â€Å"I know you can do it, lets try that again† proved to be effective and meaningful. According to Level 5 Leadership, a manager is described as competent, but not a leader.Our team interpreted this as a technically competent manager who lacks the softer characteristics such as empathy, vision, motivation, and etcetera. Competency is a necessary requirement for an effective manager; however it is not the foremost characteristic a manager can possess. In class, we discussed how Level 5 Leadership can be seen in any level on the pyramid. Many people possess humility and professional will at all levels it is something that transcends your leadership capabilities. Improving Leadership in Business Today In todays business world, several new issues have come into play and the leadership characteristics we discussed are relevant to the times we face at the present. In class, we spoke about multi-generational workforces, ethics, and diversity. The team will briefly discuss how each one of these issues can be positively affected by leadership. The multi-generational workforce we face today goes both ways. Older employees are taking advantage of continuing to work after the age of sixty-five and the younger generation is storming the workforce with new expectations to suit their lifestyles. Being able to manage each end of the spectrum will prove to be an asset to any leader. Through communicating effectively, a leader can avoid the problems that arise when dealing with a multi-generational work force. Speaking to your employees about their expectations and goals are paramount to being able to successfully manage both older and younger workers. We cannot assume that a younger worker wants to be the CEO of the company, just as we cannot assume that an older worker does not want to spend time outside of the office with his (her) colleagues. Using communication to directly ask the employees what they want out of the job will help to avoid misunderstandings as well as misconstrued expectations of the other. Empathy is also a characteristic that is essential in managing a multi-generational workforce. Being able to understand where someone is coming from means taking the time to comprehend their reasoning for certain matters, but it also means providing them with what they need based upon their experiences. A person with empathy can connect to and build trust with several different types of people based on the fact that they are able to understand where the other is coming from. A leader must make the â€Å"effort to understand why people do what they do† (Cook Ross Inc., 2004). After understanding your workers, it becomes easier to motivate them. We developed insight into motivation after discussing our different experiences. What motivates us as people varies; even the style of motivation varies. Some members responded well to a realistic motivator while others enjoyed a more casual, humorous style of motivation. Learning about your employees helps determine the style of motivation you should adapt. â€Å"It takes twenty years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it† (Warren Buffet). This quote describes how easy it is to falter in the area of integrity. Ethics has become a key aspect of leadership today. With the number and magnitude of corporate scandals, it is easy to say you stand for something than it is to actually prove it. Effective leaders must stand by the values they purport, therefore, they should not keep values that they may have the possibility of violating. The team is not saying this is easy, but it is a standard that should be upheld especially when thinking about future leaders. A manager must lead by example and focus on the behavioural outcomes more than the performance outcomes.Set the expectations at where you believe you can legitimately operate at leaders are not perfect after all. In todays globalized market, diversity is an ever-increasing factor in organizations. We feel that the struggles of managing diversity can be mediated with a competent, empathetic, and communicative leader. Competency comes into play when a leader is aware of differences and able to manage diversity. The manager should be able to align the thought processes of diverse interest groups to the common vision. How do they accomplish this? Through empathy and communication. We discussed a personal experience earlier of how a manager took the time to understand his diverse team by openly communicating about differences in cultures and work ethics. Politicians often learn to attract a very diverse array of voters. Barrack Obamas slogan, â€Å"yes we can†, was centralized enough that it applied to various groups in the United States but his meetings with senior citizens versus Mexican immigrants were extremely different. The two groups had different priorities and expectations. A manag er who takes the time to understand where his (her) employees are coming from, will find it easier to motivate them successfully. In conclusion, based on our analysis and course material study, we believe that there is no perfect recipe or readymade solution to be an effective leader. However, having the characteristics discussed above and using them appropriately places one on the right track to be an effective leader.

The Moral Degeneration of Broadcast Media Essay -- Argumentative Persu

  Ã‚  Ã‚   As our technologies advance and our collective morality decreases, the American people are faced with a dilemma which impacts greatly the foundation of our society. What is acceptable in the media? Broadcast media is the most widespread, effective, accessible means of conveying information in the world today. With 98% of American homes having a television set, and 2/3 of those homes receiving cable, TV and movies are the most pervasive means of corruption yet known to our society. So readily available, one does not even have to leave his/her home to be affected by it. Even a child, not yet able to read, can access and be affected by broadcast media. The indecency and violence on television, coupled with the pornography, indecency, obscenity, and violence in movies, have a staggering effect on the moral state of our society. In return, the collective moral state of our society, and what is deemed acceptable by the majority, allows television and movies to contain such abhorrent and vulgar materials. The result is a downward spiral of entertainment feeding off of a dwindling moral state while at the same time promoting its degeneration.    HOW MUCH IS DUE TO BROADCAST MEDIA?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The broadcast media, through television and movies, is guilty of promoting an immoral society. Everyone who watches television and movies are effected and influenced by what is seen in them. Children learn that those ways are acceptable. Eventually after so much exposure, which causes desensitization to immoral ways, adults who at first tolerate them begin to accept them as well. Studies on both children and adults have shown them to have more violent tendencies after being exposed to violence in movies and on TV. As for indecenc... ... can succeed in regaining, rebuilding it's collapsing moral state.    Works Cited Hundt, Reed.   "Television, Kids, Indecency, Violence, and the Public Interest" Speech given at Duke University School of Law.   9 Feb, 1996.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     http://www.netreach.net/~kaufman/Hundt.FCC.kids.html Kaufman, Ron. "How Television Images Affect Children"   http://www.netreach.net/~kaufman/children.html Marks, Alexandra.   "Washington Turns Up the Debate on T.V. Violence."   Christian Science Monitor.   14 July, 1995. Weinraub, Bernard.   "Los Angeles Bishop Asks for Film Guidelines."   The New York Times. 1 Oct. 1992.        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Web Pages without author, cited by number) 1.   "Freedom of Expression"   http://www.aclu.org/library/pbp14.html 2. "Definitions of Pornography, Obscenity, and Indecency"   http://pw2.netcom.com/~mimnyc/obscporn.html

18th century :: essays research papers

The Eighteenth Century During the 18th century, Louis XV became the King of France at age 5. A new style, Rococo, was introduced which created a more slender and delicate appearance with an asymmetrical balance. Also, during this period of time France was involved in many wars which caused the country to go into debt. Louis XV died in 1774 who was known to be the most hated king. His grandson, Louis XVI became king. At the age of 14, he married an Austrian princess, Marie Antoinette, who did not like the customs and etiquette of the French court. Due to the success of the American Revolution, which France assisted in the financing of, Frenchmen were encouraged to reform the government and society. In 1789, the French government went bankrupt resulting in the writing of the constitution. The center of France became Paris. Louis XV, at the age of 13, returned to Versailles and the palace was once again the center of royal life. It became not as important during the reign of Louis XVI, because of Queen Marie Antoinette and her dislike of the French etiquette. She was extravagant in her spending when France was having financial difficulty. Marie and her friend created a fashion for peasant-style dresses and hats. Her lifestyle was a cause in the decline of support for the monarchy. For England, the center of fashion was London, but small towns and country estates had their own social class structure and had an interest in fashion. Fashionable clothing was divided based on the time of day. Men’s garments were divided by undress or lounging clothes, dress was daytime or evening wear, and full dress was the most formal evening dress. Nightgown was not for sleeping but a dressing gown or informal robe that was worn indoors. A powdering jacket was worn when the men had their wigs powdered. Women’s clothing was divided as undress, half dress or morning dress. Habit was a riding costume or a tailor-made costume. Her coat was not for outdoors, but was the petticoat. Her coat was called a greatcoat. The Flying Shuttle was invented in 1733, which increased the production of clothing. Cotton became less expensive. Textiles that had elaborate and sophisticated patterns were manufactured in Europe. The 18th century influenced male tailors to make men’s suits and coasts and women make dresses for women. The 18th century styles reflected the increased trade between Europe and the Far East.

Voices By Dacia Maraini - Book Essay -- essays research papers

Repeated images of Angela Bari living an imprisoned life in Voices by Dacia Maraini play an important role in book. The internal and external forces surrounding Angela Bari lead her to a life of confinement and domination. If Angela Bari had broken away from her confinement she may have prevented her untimely death by exposing the ill ways of her stepfather, Glauco Elia. Angela's secretiveness, self-doubt, and compliance with others lead her to victimization. It is not until her unfortunate murder that Angela's imprisonment gets unraveled. Her distorted emotions are revealed as this relatively unknown young woman's death is investigated. Journalists trample inside Ms. Bari's life without any regards to her in an attempt to solve this murder mystery (17). Angela's body was discovered by the porter of her apartment who is 'astonished that there should be so little blood on the floor'; when he discovers that she is lying on the ground dead after being stabbed several times (18). This is the first clue that Angela is cornered in her own little world. She has little blood, which is regarded as the seat of emotions, and her lack of such nourishment suggests that perhaps she was never nurtured. Furthermore, her cause of death, internal hemorrhage, suggests that those feelings imbedded within her were lost rapidly and uncontrollably (19). The obscure grasp Angela has of her emotions is just one facet of her imprisonment. Angela's imprisonment is traced back to its roots in adolescence, when at the young age of eight her father dies leaving an 'empty gap'; in her life 'that couldn't ever be filled'; (189). Shortly thereafter her mother remarries, and her bondage evolves. Her new family life is the main source of her isolation. It is, as though her family remained 'cocooned inside its own cultural and linguistic bunker'; (6). Similar to many, her family was like a 'minefield'; (39). The most explosive is Angela's new father who sexually abuses her (214-215). 'He loved her without respecting her . . . and treated her as if she belonged to him'; (213). He felt as though he were taming her (233). He obviously sees nothing wrong in what he is doing as he claims, 'I'm very content with my household of women'; (190) as though they were objects. In addition, he does not see anything wrong with Marco beating Angela's sister, Ludovica. 'I know he beats her up but I think wi... ...aked, would be overcome by an excruciating desire to touch her, caress her, to penetrate her, even to rape her because in some way she was really asking for this . . . at the same time that brought out the wish to kill her. (237) Angela's life was marked by this torture. Glauco Elia lived so that he could dominate and overpower Angela like so many people did, but in the end no one was able to really control her. Just as she began to truly break away from her prison by exposing the 'horrible things'; that encompassed her she is murdered by her stepfather because he loses all his sense of power. She tells him that he had 'ruined her life, her body was dead, forever, dead'; (241). Similar to Michela who has trouble finding Glauco's house even when she has directions (183-185) Angela is unable to find a path that will lead her past Glauco and his dominance. Even after her death Angela Bari's soul 'isn't at peace'; (55). Her body does not 'remain whole until the Day of Judgement';, (57) but similar to her life she is 'brutally torn apart'; (22) at her death. Even her family does not come to Angela's funeral (7) further illustrating the isolation Angela was bound to during her lifetime.

African American Identity Essay

It was a hot August day as sweat beat down on Thomas Jefferson Brown. He had been working in the field 2 hours before the hot sun had made its presence known. He looked back over the drying field, hoping that this crop would provide for his family better than last years crop had. Thomas watched his oldest son, Nathan, who worked down one row of the field while staring intently at the cotton plants as he picked the cotton. Nathan was a very inquisitive young man who had just yesterday asked his father what it was like being a slave for Mr. Walter Johnson. When his father had told him that in a lot of ways life was so much easier than now, Nathan had given him a look that allowed Thomas to know that his son could not understand. How could he understand? Nathan had not grown up a slave and seen that while it was extremely difficult, there was a feeling of stability to life then. Yes, Thomas Jefferson Brown had endured the beatings and yes he had watched as his Mother and eventually his sisters had been sexually assaulted, but how do you tell a young man such as Nathan that such was the way of life; it was to be expected, along with the comfort of knowing where your next meal was going to come from. Since Tomas had been freed after the great war, He s and his family had endured much more than that; having watched the lynching of two of his brothers and numerous friends. They were the lucky ones though, Thomas thought, while looking up at the fiery ball of heat known as the sun. They did not have to endure other hardships; their suffering was over. Yes it was hard for Nathan to know that life was indeed easier as a slave than a freed man, and maybe, just maybe, things would change during Nathan’s lifetime. Thomas Jefferson Brown wiped his brow once more and continued on picking the cotton? Even though the civil war ended in 1865, African Americans still faced an uphill battle to obtain rights that were afforded other Americans. This was in spite of the fact that 24 African American soldiers earned our Nations highest honor; the Congressional Medal of Honor, during the Civil War. Even with the passing of the 13th Amendment in 1865 banning slavery and the 14th Amendment giving African Americans citizenship and equal protection under the law, there were still so many other issues that would deprive African Americans of their lawful rights, such as having the first African American elected into the 41st Congress in 1869 continuing through 1901 with the 57th congress, which had no African Americans. This trend would continue until the election of 1929 before another African American was elected to congress. In 1873 the Supreme Court decision ruled that the 14th-Amendment guarantee of equal protection of the laws extended only to federal civil rights, thus removing southern states from the duty to protect the civil rights of African Americans, but it was just not their rights that were taken; but their lives as well. Between 1882 and the end of 1900, 1751 African Americans and 1105 white Americans were lynched for trying to further the African American cause (National). Given all of this discrimination and violence, it is hard to imagine that anyone would be willing to further the African American cause, but many stood ready to not only give of themselves, but perhaps even to give their life for this noble cause. African American writers were presented with these problems of equality and self esteem, and yet have truly transformed and continue to support a freed people, to obtain all of their rights. What follows is from three writers who each in his own way contributed mightily to the African American cause. They are W. E. B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, and Glen Loury. First, we have W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt) Dubois, who was born on February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Dubois was one of the most influential black leaders of the first half of the 20th Century. Dubois shared in the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, in 1909. He served as its director of research and editor of its magazine Crisis until 1934. He was the first African American to graduate from Harvard University, which he accomplished in 1896. At first, Dubois thought that African Americans could be freed through the Social Sciences, but quickly became disillusioned with this idea and began to believe that freedoms could only come about by agitation and protest(Chew). Dubois recognized that the African American’s of his day faced many problems, not the least of which were of the life threatening variety. After his disillusionment with helping African Americans through the social sciences, Dubois thought that African Americans needed to develop their own culture, which was definitely more American than African. Dubois enjoyed the unique African American culture, particularly that of the Negro spiritual songs. Dubois thought that African Americans should not give in to what white Americans expectations were of African Americans, but to continue to develop as a people. Dubois wrote that all people regardless of their culture, heritage, sex, should be treated as equals. Dubois also thought that African Americans should not worry about competing with the world as a group, but that they should join together to help each other. He eventually was forced to leave the United States because the government considered Dubois an agent of the Soviet Union. That is why he immigrated to Ghana, first obtaining Ghana citizenship, joined the communist party and eventually died there in 1963. Dubois was there for all future African Americans to follow his example. Dubois founding of the NAACP led to many victories for the rights of all Americans, most of which he never saw. Next we have Marcus Mosiah Garvey, who was born in Jamaica on 17 August 1887. Mr. Garvey is best remembered as a pivotal figure in the struggle for racial equality, not just in the United States but throughout the world as well. He founded the UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association) and African Communities League in 1914 while still in Jamaica, and also championed the ‘back to Africa’ movement of the 1920s. Of the Africans who departed, Garvey thought, some had left independently while others were brutally removed for economic gain and exploitation. Garvey perceived that the main problems facing not only African Americans, but Africans as well was that they must first go back to Africa and free their African brothers before moving on to other parts of the world. Through the organizations that Garvey had formed (UNIA and ACL), he reasoned that until Africa is free and redeemed, not only in name but in reality, no one would be free, Black or White. Garvey reasoned that no matter what one’s race was we are all bound together by the Creator, which is Spirit. The Creator has a purpose for everyone and that purpose did not include being made a slave or subject to anyone for that matter. While Dubois and Garvey did not see eye to eye on the issues involving African Americans, Garvey did align himself closely with Dr Robert Love, and Dr Loves teachings that a race could progress no further than the dignity and esteem of their women and younger girls. Garvey and Love thought that the best way to plant the seeds of dignity and self-esteem would be through the woman and younger girl. Last, we have Glen Loury, who was born in 1948. Mr. Loury is a professor of economics at Boston University while also being a consultant to the Federal Trade Commission. Mr. Loury has devoted a major portion of his career to the study of race and public policy. He is the author of ‘On the Need for Moral Leadership in the Black Community’, ‘Responsibility and Race’, ‘Impact of Affirmative Action on Equal Opportunity: A New Look’, and most recently ‘A New American Dilemma’. Mr. Loury saw many problems facing not only African American, but also all Americans, including the civil rights policies of 1960-1985, which seemed to have been based on equality of outcome rather than on equality of opportunity. Mr. Loury also thought that affirmative action policies created backlash. Loury maintained that all Americans should have equal rights with none being given favorable treatment over any other. Loury reasoned that it is hard to justify denying admission to an elite college to anyone who struggled to be able to pass the admissions exam; while admitting a member of a designated minority group, who did not work near as hard to earn his score and is only admitted based on his minority status. Such actions build resentment towards these policies and are only heightened when defenders of the policies claim that to question these policies is to engage in a racist act. Mr. Loury contends that giving preferential treatment with no sound explanation only led to more heightened tensions and is a very grievous error on the part of those who merely wish to be advocates of affirmative action. Loury did see, that there was a proper use of affirmative action, such as on police forces around the country that had a significant percentage of African American citizens and yet none on the police force. These Authors present their own conclusions and reasoning’s for what happened to the African Americans previous to, and of their own time. These writers used the influences of other African Americans and were also pioneers themselves. All of these writers believed in equality for everyone and thus did share at least one common goal. In Mr. Dubois we have a writer and scholar who originally thought that through a study of Social Sciences and doing what was right could African Americans receive their rights, and yet Dubois was able to refocus and remain firm in his opinions of helping each other and thus able to help not only the African American’s of his generation, but the ones to follow as well. Mr. Dubois saw all of the problems besetting African Americans and knew that they must unite, working together, to build a culture of their own, that would allow all African Americans to have a better life. Mr. Garvey on the other hand, perceived that until the rights and freedoms were restored in the entire African continent, Africans elsewhere would always be treated as second-class citizens. Garvey along with Dr Robert Love, thought that it was through the African women, especially the younger women, that Africans had a chance to make a difference in providing a better future. Mr. Loury saw problems that came about because of the Civil Rights movement, and that African Americans should not merely rely on being a minority to get ahead in life, but instead grab the opportunity that was before them so as not to create a political backlash. Each of these writers have stood their ground for what they believe in, and our world we live in today is better for it. Each of these writers, in their own time, helped frame not just African Americans lives but has truly transformed and continues to support a freed people, obtain all, of their rights. Works Cited Chew, Robin â€Å"W. E. B. Dubois Sociologist, Author & Civil Rights Leader 1868 ? 1963†³ February 26, 2005. 6 Feb 2006 Dr Coony, Mark â€Å"Race and Affirmative Action† 6 Feb 2006 Du Bois, W. E. B. â€Å"Of our Spiritual Strivings. † Cultural Conversations The Presence of the Past. Ed Stephen Dilks, et al. Boston: Bedford/St Martin, 2001. 131-145 Garvey, Marcus â€Å"Motive of the NAACP Exposed† Cultural Conversations The Presence of the Past. Ed Stephen Dilks, et al. Boston: Bedford/St Martin, 2001. 153-154 Loury, Glenn. â€Å"Free at Last? A Personal Perspective on Race ad Identity in America. † Cultural Conversations The Presence of the Past. Ed Stephen Dilks, et al. Boston: Bedford/St Martin, 2001. 173-180 â€Å"Marcus Garvey Biography† November 2000, K. W. Spence-Lewis Consultant Researcher Community Health and Planning Plant Science. â€Å"The Making of African American Identity VOL II 1863-1917† National Humanities Center 6 Feb 06 Bibliography Chew, Robin â€Å"W. E. B. Dubois Sociologist, Author & Civil Rights Leader 1868 ? 1963† February 26, 2005. 6 Feb 2006 Dr Coony, Mark â€Å"Race and Affirmative Action† 6 Feb 2006 Du Bois, W. E. B. â€Å"Of our Spiritual Strivings. † Cultural Conversations The Presence of the Past. Ed Stephen Dilks, et al. Boston: Bedford/St Martin, 2001. 131-145 Garvey, Marcus â€Å"Motive of the NAACP Exposed† Cultural Conversations The Presence of the Past. Ed Stephen Dilks, et al. Boston: Bedford/St Martin, 2001. 153-154 Loury, Glenn. â€Å"Free at Last? A Personal Perspective on Race ad Identity in America. † Cultural Conversations The Presence of the Past. Ed Stephen Dilks, et al. Boston: Bedford/St Martin, 2001. 173-180 â€Å"Marcus Garvey Biography† November 2000, K. W. Spence-Lewis Consultant Researcher Community Health and Planning Plant Science. â€Å"The Making of African American Identity VOL II 1863-1917† National Humanities Center 6 Feb 06.