Toyota Company Limited Essay Example for Free

Toyota Company Limited Essay BACKGROUND When we talk about company, we are talking of the world’s seventh largest corporation. On the car manufacture Industry, the company is the third ranked. Toyota is a Japan based motor company that manufacturers cars, vans, Lorries and tractors selling them to a wide variety of global markets. It is also a renowned manufacturer of tracks and motor car accessories. Toyota Company started in 1937 with the headquarters currently based in Japan. The very first car that the company manufactured was the Toyota AA in the early 1930s. Later, new brands emerged like the Luxuries, Lexus. These gave rise to more Luxurious brands like the Tundra, Camry, Scion and Prius. Currently, the company manufactures and sells millions of vehicles each year. In 2008 for instance, it plans to manufacturer more than ten million vehicles. The company has set up marketing bases in the UK and parts of Asia to help in the marketing of its vehicles. To-date, the company boasts of profits of up to $ 12 billion (made in 2006) accompanied with increased sales. To further boast its market share, the company has acquired stakes in other automobile companies like ISUZU Motors (6%) and in Fuji industries (8%). The company’s shares are traded publicly on the New York stock exchange. Products and Services offered Toyota produces the following Toyota type of cars: Hilax Surf, Land Cruiser, RAV4, Caldina and Auris. Other brands include Vitz and Lexus. Toyota also offers financial services such as giving credit in form of Loans to small and medium enterprises. The company offers these financial services to over twenty five countries across the globe. The Toyota subsidiaries operating these financial services are wholly owned by the parent Toyota Company. Started in Australia, the services are now offered Europe, USA and Asia. Besides, automobiles, the company also make robots and has even entered the textile industry. The company is best known in making computerized loans and sewing machines. Corporation culture and Management The company has development out of certain believes which the members of staff and top corporate directors hold. To them, management decisions are based on long-term developments rather than school-term objectives. There is a culture of consensus in decision-making as opposed to chest thumping and neglect. There is also the culture of people avoiding fixing of problems, instead of getting quality of work is advocated for. There is always the desire of using only high technology in the manufacturer of vehicles that would satisfy customers. The company doesn’t believe in wastages. By-products of processes are used as raw materials of other processes. Work is planned in such a way that there are no over-production unnecessary motions of medicines. Waiting costs are also kept at a minimum through thoroughly calculated machine operations. The company deals with its clients with the highest level of accountability. Every brand of vehicle truly represents what its descriptions are. The profit margins and mark-ups (of cost) are calculated without customer exploitation. Mission statement â€Å"To have a profitable growth through the provision of the best services to customers and support is the dealers. The company aims at becoming the best companies across the globe. Organizational structure Toyota has a flat organizational structure with the managing Director who doubles as the Chairman being at the top. Down the hierarchy is the General Manager and various managers who report to the General Manager. These are: Financial Manager, Marketing Manager, Commercial Manager, After-Sales Manager and the Administration Manager. The Commercial manager controls the retail sales, marketing, Fleet sales, Long-term rental, and daily rental. Under the financial manager are the internal control , accounting and the financial analysis departments. The After sales manager governs the Buying and Purchase shops, customer care and accessories. Departments under the admistrative manager are the human resources, financing, Information Technology, Purchasing and Quality control management. All these work towards realizing the overall goals of Toyota. Decision-making strategies In Toyota, everybody is brought into board as far as   decision making is concerned. However, the junior staff do not make decisions rather are given the chance to express their suggestions in a written platform. It is on the basis of these suggestions that policy is formulated by top management. SWOT analysis is greatly employed before decisions can be made on pertinent issues. SWOT means Strengths, Weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The management evaluates what their strengths are before a decision to embark on a new brand is reached and before making any new acquisitions among other several decisions. Other new opportunities are also rated against the company’s strengths. The company uses the knowledge of its weaknesses to seek for means of reducing them against the threats imposed by the environment The pros and cons of every aspect is also looked at before decisions are made. The direction the decision would take would then depend on the number of   merits and demerits if a given path is undertaken. In complex areas, the company applies scientific processes like linear programming and other stochastic models to make decisions. Motivational Strategies Top management get their goals executed through the employees. It is therefore important to ensure that employees are motivated for them to effectively carry out their daily chores. The management of Toyota has however ensured that its workforce is highly motivated to avoid problems associated with demotivation such as go-slows, sit-downs and strikes. One of the things that Toyota has done is to empower employees. Toyota comprises of very many departments each of which is occupied by persons qualified in that field. Every department has been left to make control its own activities whereby people are left to make their own decisions. There is little or no interference from the top management who feel that such an arrangement makes the employees to feel a sense of ownership of the company. To foster empowerment of employees, suggestion boxes are evenly distributed within the company premises. They use these boxes to air their grievances without fear or intimidation. This doesn’t end here because the management meets regularly with the employees to deliberate on the findings of their suggestions. Benefits Employees of Toyota get some rebates/discounts on the market price of the vehicles. This special concession has been in existent for quite some time. Workers also obtain gifts for better performance be it in the sales and marketing department or the assembly department. The gifts range from cash to even free motorcars. In this way they are motivated to perform even better in the season that would follow. The Toyota company’s employees also have a savings plan/ scheme to which they make annual savings. This gives them financial security even after their terms of services expire. They do not fall short of a healthy insurance Scheme that gives them a surety of compensation incase one gets ill or is injured while serving the company.

Migration In Malaysia and Economic Impact

Migration In Malaysia and Economic Impact Throughout human history, migration of human beings is a pre-requisite of human progress and development. Without migration, human being would be doomed to an existence worse than that of the animals. Even animals migrate to seek a better life. The first humans migrated out of Southern Africa thousands of years ago and spread throughout the world and people have been moving about since then. People also migrate because of factors like wars, poverty, discrimination, and for political or even religious reasons. In modern times, people often migrate for security, work and even for education opportunities. Organised immigrant labour migration and free immigration in Malaysia took place under the British colonial administration in the 19th century. During this period, the British required immigrant labour from China, India and Indonesia to help them in the exploitation of natural resources of the colonised countries establishing plantations and building infrastructure. It is mainly because of immigrant labour provide a steady, adequate and cheap supply of workers at a time when the locals labour was either deemed unsuitable or was not interested in working under the same harsh conditions as migrant labour. This period of free movement into Malaya saw large numbers arriving to work as well as returning home. However, because of free immigration and economic difficulties in the countries of origin, many immigrant workers decide to settle down in Malaya permanently. Malaysias rapid economic development since independence has relied on Malaysian workers moving from rural-to-rural and rural-to-urban areas and immigrant workers, especially from Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other Asian countries. In the case of movement from rural-to-rural areas, rapid migration was swift mainly by government intervention in rural development and agriculture. Rural-to-urban migration accelerated after government intervention in urban and industrial development was stepped up, especially after the second Malaysia Plan. The push and pull factors at the international level in the region also caused workers to migrate to Malaysia for employment. The accelerated economic development programmes and the sustained high economic growth rates in Malaysia over approximately three decades caused the influx of immigrant workers to meet the increasing demand in the Malaysian labour market. WHY PEOPLE MIGRATE There are many theories that attempt to explain why people migrate. Among others is the need and stress theory  [30]  . This theory holds that every individual has got his own needs to be fulfilled. These needs take various forms including economic, social, psychological and cultural. The higher the chances that an individuals needs will not able to be fulfilled, the higher the stress he suffers from. If this stress grows beyond tolerable limits, the individual will force himself to move to a different area, which seems to promise possible fulfilment of his needs. The migration of people from one country to another country is not a new phenomena. Since early days of colonialism, the colonial powers travelled around the world in search for raw material and new territory. Some of them moved to seek for freedom of worship and some even moved because of the instability of the government. The migration of Muslims from British India to form an Islamic state of Pakistan is one of the biggest voluntary migrations in history  [31]  . Wars and conflicts are another reason for mass movements of people and this kind of movement is categorized as refuges. Because of the situation are so serious, the international consciences were moved and many voluntary organisations were formed to assist these refugees. The Vietnamese Boat People is a good example of the mass movement of people of this nature. Today, we still can see refugees fleeing their country because of war and a good example is the latest situation in Liberia and Sudan. These people who enter another country through unofficial channels are known as illegal immigrants who later, may create problem to the host country. In modern days, seeking for a better life and a stable economy become the main factors that influences migration. Sociologist have long analysed migration in terms of the push-pull model  [32]  . This model differentiates between push factors that drive people to leave home from pull factors that attract migrants to a new location. Push factors occurs within sending states, that is, those that send migrants abroad, while the pull factors occur within receiving states, that is states that received migrants from abroad. Push factors are negative aspects of the sending country, while pull factors are positive aspects of the receiving country  [33]  . In fact, these differentiating factors are really two sides of the same coin. In moving migrants must not only see a lack of benefits at home but also a surplus of benefits abroad. There are also more ambiguous factors, called network factors that can either facilitate or deter migration. Generally, the network factors are the networks of friends and relatives already settled in destination countries that serve as sources of information and anchor communities for newcomers  [34]  . The network factors also include, cost of travel, the ease of communication and international business trend. These factors are not related to a specific country, but still have a profound effect on international migration. The Pull Factor Generally, there are two factors attracting migrants to receiving countries. First, the higher standards of living and higher wages; economic provide the both biggest push and pull factors for potential migrants  [35]  . Second, Labour Demand; almost all developed countries have found that they need immigrant labour. Rich economies create millions of jobs that domestic workers refuse to fill but immigrant workers will cross borders to take  [36]  . In the case of Malaysia, a wave of labour migration began in the early 70s where shortage of labour became critical especially in the plantation sectors. In mid 80s, the labour shortage becomes acute and this has attracted more immigrant workers into the country. The Push Factor Generally, there are several reasons driving people to emigrate from their home country. First, lack of jobs/poverty; economic provides the main reason behind migration  [37]  . In some countries jobs simply do not exist for a great deal of the population. In others, the gap between the rewards of labour in the sending and receiving country are great enough so as to warrant a move. Second, civil strife, war, political and religious persecution; some migrants are impelled to cross national borders by war or persecution at home  [38]  . Some of these migrants end up in receiving countries as refugees or asylum seekers. Third, environmental problems  [39]  ; environmental problems and natural disasters often cause the loss of money, homes and jobs. The Networking The demand-pull of jobs is linked to the supply push of low wages and joblessness by migration networks. Migration network encompasses everything that enables people to learn about opportunities abroad and take advantage of them. Others are motivated to go abroad by family members who are working or settled down in the host country, contractors, labour brokers and other often-shadowy middlemen or tekong who promise the migrants better deals. WHY MALAYSIA BECOME MIGRANT DESTINATION The theory of migration occurs because of the sending and receiving factors mainly due to the push-pull and supply-demand forces. The influx of immigrant workers to Malaysia is not a recent phenomena. Malaysia replicates the complexity of international migration that exercises both of imports and exports of labour. Better economic growth and Malaysias geographical location that shares common borders with it neighbouring countries has become a pull-factor for migration to Malaysia. In contrast, the economic disparity, inequality and poverty in the country of origin serve as the push-factor for them to migrate, looking for jobs and better living. Generally, there are many other reasons why these immigrant workers choose Malaysia as their destination. First, Malaysia geographical location, second, the stable and sound government, third, labours shortage, fourth, higher wages and finally, the employer attitudes. Geographical Location Malaysia geographical location, which is in the centre of South East Asia is easily accessible either by land or sea. In addition, the easy access and the shortage of enforcing agencies along the extended shores and entry points into Malaysia have caused the entry of many illegal immigrants undetected. Stable and Sound Government Since independence, Malaysia has been governed by a stable government and with sound economic growth. This political and economical stability has become the main attraction for migration. Comparatively, Malaysia has been seen as the most stable nation in this region in comparison to her neighbours. As such, others have regarded this country as an oasis in the region. Labour Shortage Malaysia has been experiencing a very high level of industrial development and it has developed further to be classified as a newly industrialized country. Therefore, from the human assets perspective the country has generated a huge demand of the work force especially unskilled workers for immediate employment in the industrial and manufacturing sectors. The labour shortage in Malaysia has become an important issues and employing immigrant workers is considered to be the most viable short-term solution. Higher Wages Generally, the immigrant workers in Malaysia can be regarded as an economic migrant. Comparatively, Malaysian employers pay higher wages to the immigrant workers for a similar job back home. This situation is made even worse, where the wages offered is considered low for the local workers. Thus, it opens the job opportunities to the immigrant workers. The Employer Attitude The Malaysian employers attitude is also another pulling factors that attracted foreign workers. Beside that, it is suspected that there has been a simultaneous entry of huge number of illegal workers as well. Similar to the legal workers, the illegal workers were also employed in the construction, manufacturing and service sectors at a very low wage rate. It is a known fact that employers prefer this arrangement for various reasons such as a lower overhead cost and preventing them from registering to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), Social Security Organization (SOCSO), medical and social benefits. For the illegal immigrants, because of their unlawful status, they become less demanding in terms of salary and other privileges. As for the employers, in order to boost their production, the illegal immigrant workers can be easily employed to work extra hours with minimum wages. THE MIGRANT COUNTRY OF ORIGIN Most of the immigrant workers in Malaysia came from her neighbouring countries; Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand  [40]  . However, in early 90s, immigrant workers from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and few other countries started to dominate the Malaysias labour workforce. Therefore, it is only realistic to identify the country of origin of the immigrant workers and examine the push factors that make them migrate to this country. Indonesia Being the largest country in this region with 1.9 million sq km, Indonesia is facing administrative problems in trying to govern the nations vast regions equally. To develop the whole country, it requires massive effort and resources and this have created a gap between the provinces. Some parts of the country enjoy multi multi-fold development while others are still left far behind  [41]  . The problems of socio-economy seem to have centred on its big population, since Indonesia is the fourth most populous country with approximately 225 million. The Indonesian economy is dependence on oil and gas, plywood, textiles, rubber and palm oil. However, the limited resources and infrastructure available were not adequate to accommodate the demands of growing population  [42]  . This among other factors has caused poverty, which is estimated 24% of its population. Beside that, unprecedented turmoil in recent years, first the Asian financial crisis, followed by the fall of President Suharto, the first free election since 1960, the loss of East Timor, independence demands from restive provinces, bloody inter-ethnic and religious conflict and devastating tsunami had worsen the economic situation, increased the inflation and unemployment rates. Thailand Like Indonesia, Thailand is also facing the problem of poverty, where 80% of the population lives in the rural areas and most of them are poor farmers. The reason is simple; the Thai government is concentrating more on defence rather than the socio-economy development of the country. Philippines The Philippines, which consist of 3,666 islands, is facing almost similar problem like Indonesia in terms of administration and developments of the provinces. Beside that, religious conflict between Islam and Christian has imposed serious threat to the country. This is coupled with the uneven development between the provinces, which has created a disparity situation amongst the citizen while the armed revolution by the militant groups in Southern Philippines post a major threat to its internal security. Bangladesh This small country with a large population is facing many problems. The high rates of poverty and political instability of the country has influenced the citizen to look for better opportunities in other countries. The country also constantly experiences natural disaster such as floods and drought, which made the situation worst. Myanmar The close policy of Myanmar to the outside world is one of the reasons for the backwardness of the country. The poverty rates is very high amongst the population of 85% Buddhist. Being a poor country, Myanmar faces the same socio-economy problem and political instability, which hinder the development of the country. Nepal With its ancient culture and the Himalaya as a backdrop, the landlocked Kingdom of Nepal has for many years been the destination of choice for foreign travellers in search of adventure. The country with an area of 147,181 sq km and 26.3 million people is one of the poorest countries in the world where more than 40% of its population is estimated to live in poverty. Being a landlocked country with limited agriculture and other industries, Nepal economy relies mainly on tourist industries. However, the current political turmoil and the growing Maoist guerrilla insurgency movement that keeps the tourist away are now undermining the Nepal economies. Maoist rebels have been waging a campaign against the constitutional monarchy in a conflict that has left more than 11,000 people dead since it started in 1996. Based on the UN reports, it is indicated that, the rebellion has displaced more than 100,000 people  [43]  . Nepal also has been at odds with neighbouring Bhutan over the repatriation of thousands of refugees living in camps in Nepal. The refugees, Bhutanese of Nepalese descent fled violence in their homeland in early 1990s. With these ongoing problems, worsen economy and political situation has drive away the people to look for a better living in other countries. Other Countries Other than the countries mentioned, there are also immigrant workers from India, Pakistan, China, Middle East and even African countries. These countries are also facing the same socio-economy problem and political instability. However, the numbers is not as high as the other immigrants from the Malaysias neighbouring countries. Some enter the country legally but had extended their stay although their visa had expired. Their main reason in doing so is to earn a better living in this country. SUMMARY In summary, Malaysia needs the immigrant workers for the development, but their presence should not dominate the labour work force because they will definitely pose some positive and negative impact as well as threat to the national security. The positive and negative impact of their presence varies. From the economic perspective, their employment helped the continuous development and economic growth of the country by filling the gap of the acute labour shortages. On contrary, their presence and employment depress wages and this has reduced the competitiveness of local workers and frustrates attempt made by the trade unions to improve their working terms and conditions. A productive and competitive workforce is crucial for Malaysia in order to develop a knowledge-based economy and to achieve its aspiration of becoming a fully developed nation. However, most of the immigrant workers are unskilled or semi skilled labours with lower academic background. Therefore, the government has to formulate a comprehensive policy governing this requirement, which will definitely incur extra cost and procedures to the employer. As a result of this bureaucracy, the employer often blamed the process of importing workers as being lengthy and tedious process. Therefore, they recruited illegal workers who are readily available for employment. Socially, being less educated, poor and lower social class, these immigrants workers seem to be un-stabled economically, physically and mentally. As a result, negative competitions for a better living can emerged from these situations. For example; their incursion into non-designated jobs like petty trading imposes unnecessary competition to the local traders. They also compete with the locals for cheaper housing especially in the urban areas, which resulted the rise in rental and short supply of houses. Some of them are even move into developing new illegal squatters and this has impose strain on the basic amenities in the areas. Any slightest conflicts resulted from this competition might turn into social clashes between the immigrants and the locals. Immigrant workers have also been seen as a threat to security and political stability. This stems from their ignorance of the countrys law. This can be seen from various activities such as, illegal entry, involve in criminal activities, over staying, opening government land illegally, and many others. These activities will definitely have serious implication on security. Illegal entry for examples, implies that Malaysias has porous borders and was unable protect the borders, allowing not only economic migrants to come through but also any subversive elements. Illegal entry will also enables those with contagious diseases to filter through and spread it to the population.

Sr. :: essays research papers

Alternative Dispute Resolution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alternative Dispute Resolution is the most important aspect in the court’s structure because it allows to resolve disputes before ever having to spend money or time. Having to use the court system to resolve disputes can take several years and cost a lot of money. Companies have taken into their system ADR because it can solve problems faster and cost less money. Every company can sure have ADR in every single case they have because they can save tons of money and time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Not always disputes can be solved, this means that people have to take that extra mile to solve the dispute. If the parties do not agree with the decision taken by the arbitrator it can be appealed. The Congress made an act, the Federal Arbitration Act, they promote the dispute for the courts at the state level. The Uniform Arbitration Act is that people before been send to court they have to go through other ADR. There are many forms of ADR: arbitration, meditation, conciliation, minitrial, fact-fading and judicial referee. In ADR you use the most common form that is arbitration. This form is where the parties involved choose and impartial third person to listen and decide who should win the dispute. This third person is chosen by the American Arbitration Association. The courts that address this issues depend on what the arbitrator says. The court tend to have great deference with the arbitrator. There are many cases that get solved with ADR but some do not. There is something that comes into my mind every time I hear ADR, it is that you can save money and time when you use arbitrators. Personally I have been there and it does really save time and money. I had a case between X and myself. In this case I was arguing because my car’s transmission broke down and my car was still in warranty and because of some engine alterations they void my warranty. When I was told that my warranty was voided I went to DACO and they told me that they were going to help me get my car fixed with warranty. I think to myself that thanks to DACO I did not had to pay one thousand pure american dollars. DACO in my case worked as and arbitrator and help me get my problem solved in a couple of days and also made me save money. Sr. :: essays research papers Alternative Dispute Resolution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alternative Dispute Resolution is the most important aspect in the court’s structure because it allows to resolve disputes before ever having to spend money or time. Having to use the court system to resolve disputes can take several years and cost a lot of money. Companies have taken into their system ADR because it can solve problems faster and cost less money. Every company can sure have ADR in every single case they have because they can save tons of money and time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Not always disputes can be solved, this means that people have to take that extra mile to solve the dispute. If the parties do not agree with the decision taken by the arbitrator it can be appealed. The Congress made an act, the Federal Arbitration Act, they promote the dispute for the courts at the state level. The Uniform Arbitration Act is that people before been send to court they have to go through other ADR. There are many forms of ADR: arbitration, meditation, conciliation, minitrial, fact-fading and judicial referee. In ADR you use the most common form that is arbitration. This form is where the parties involved choose and impartial third person to listen and decide who should win the dispute. This third person is chosen by the American Arbitration Association. The courts that address this issues depend on what the arbitrator says. The court tend to have great deference with the arbitrator. There are many cases that get solved with ADR but some do not. There is something that comes into my mind every time I hear ADR, it is that you can save money and time when you use arbitrators. Personally I have been there and it does really save time and money. I had a case between X and myself. In this case I was arguing because my car’s transmission broke down and my car was still in warranty and because of some engine alterations they void my warranty. When I was told that my warranty was voided I went to DACO and they told me that they were going to help me get my car fixed with warranty. I think to myself that thanks to DACO I did not had to pay one thousand pure american dollars. DACO in my case worked as and arbitrator and help me get my problem solved in a couple of days and also made me save money.

Audience Perception of the Stereotypical Black Image on Television Essa

Audience Perception of the Stereotypical Black Image on Television In the introduction to the section on understanding social control in Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, Paula Rothenberg states â€Å"The most effective forms of social control are always invisible†(507). One of the most prevalent forms of invisible social control the creation and perpetuation of stereotypes. Studies have shown that stereotypes can become so ingrained in the minds of those exposed to them that the target of the stereotype might not only believe the mythological image, but also inadvertently act out the image they are expected to play (Snyder). In addition, those who subscribe to the stereotypical images of others will â€Å"notice and remember the ways in which that person seems to fit the stereotype, while resisting evidence that contradicts the stereotype†(Snyder 514). Stereotypes control by creating false images that work to maintain the status quo and keep those who hold power in their positions of power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For stereotypes to be an effective method of social control, they must be created, dispersed and perpetuated. Though the process of using stereotypes as social control is invisible, as Rothenberg declares, the distribution of those images is anything but invisible. The average American watches between 30-31 hours of television per week (World Book). That constitutes the number of hours for a full-time job. This statistic illustrates that television is an incredibly powerful medium for dispersing information, entertainment, and misinformation: â€Å"negative images of African-Americans propagandize misinformation about African-Americans†(Cosby 137). Misinformation about disadvantaged groups in America has historically found plenty of airtime on television: â€Å"television brings to an otherwise heterogeneous audience a single set of values and social descriptions produced to the specifications of the owners of the broadcast industry and their advertising sponsors†(Matabane 21). These images have been shown to affect the way these groups are perceived and acted towards by the white mainstream (Ford 1997). The combination of the prevalence of negative images of minorities and the scientific proof of the effect these images on the behavior of the majority group lead to an invisible form of social control perpetuated through a most visible medium. Th... ...African-Americans on Person Perception.† Social Psychology Quarterly. 60. 1997 (266-278). Frye, Marilyn. â€Å"Oppression.† Race, Class, and Gender in the United States. Ed. Paula Rothenberg. New York: Worth, 2001 (139-143). Gray, Herman. Watching Race. Minneapolis: Univ. of Minnesota, 1995. Lewis, J. and S. Jhally. Enlightened Racism. Boulder: Westview, 1992. Malik, Sarita. Representing Black Britain: Black and Asian Images on Television. London: Sage, 2002. Matabane, Paula. â€Å"Television and the Black Audience: Cultivating Moderate Perspectives on Racial Integration.† Journal of Communication 38(4). 1998 (21-31). Ross, Karen. â€Å"In Whose Image? TV Criticism and Black Minority Viewers.† Ethnic Minorities and the Media. Ed. Simon Cottle. Buckingham: Open University, 2000 (133-147). Rothenberg, Paula. Ed. Race, Class and Gender in the United States. New York: Worth, 2001. Snyder, Mark. â€Å"Self-Fulfilling Stereotypes.† Race, Class and Gender in the United States. Ed. Paula Rothenberg. New York: Worth, 2001, (511-517) World Almanac & Book of Facts 2003, p282, â€Å"Statistics on the average number of hours Americans spend watching television per week as of October 2001.†

The Pursuit of Happiness in Fahrenheit 451 :: Fahrenheit 451 Essays

Happiness plays an important and necessary role in the lives of people around the world. In America, happiness has been engrained in our national consciousness since Thomas Jefferson penned these famous words in the Declaration of Independence: â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness† (Jefferson). Since then, Americans have been engaged in that act: pursuing happiness. The problem however, as Ray Bradbury demonstrates in his novel Fahrenheit 451, is that those things which make us happy initially may eventually lead to our downfall. By examining Guy Montag, the protagonist in Fahrenheit 451, and the world he lives in we can gain valuable insights to direct us in our own pursuit of happiness. From Montag and other characters we will learn how physical, emotional, and spiritual happiness can drasti cally affect our lives. We must ask ourselves what our lives, words, and actions are worth. We should hope that our words are not meaningless, â€Å"as wind in dried grass† (Eliot). History Before we look into specifics, we’ll examine the history and development of â€Å"happiness† as a philosophy. Of course, the emotion of happiness has always existed, but it began to be seriously contemplated around 2,500 years ago by philosophers like Confucius, Buddha, Socrates and Aristotle. Shortly after Buddha taught his followers his Noble Eight Fold Path (which we will talk about later), Aristotle was teaching that happiness is â€Å"dependent on the individual† (Aristotle). Probably more than any of the early philosophers, Aristotle promoted happiness as a central component of human life. The Greeks used a term, eudaimonia, which is often used as the Greek word for happiness. However, most scholars translate it as â€Å"human flourishing† or â€Å"well-being of the spirit.† Along with eudaimonia, terms like arete, â€Å"virtue†, and phronesis, â€Å"practical or moral wisdom†, are at the core of Greek philosophy. So if you could have asked Aristotle â€Å"What components or values must a person have in order to live a fulfilling life?† He probably would have answered, â€Å"Virtue, wisdom, and spiritual well-being.† Would Aristotle have been pleased with the futuristic world of Fahrenheit 451? Probably not. Certainly, the lack of virtue, learning, and the false sense of happiness would have astonished any of the early philosophers. Physical Happiness

Influence of Sex in Society

Sex plays a major role in today's society. From television, radio, music, and advertisements, to video games, the Internet, and even art and pictures, all forms of media use sex to help sell their products. With the public being exposed to so many different types, the overuse and exploitation of sex is common. Is sex a useful tool, or a ploy to get the attention of the public? Before discussing sex in the media, one must understand why it has come to be that people use sex as a gimmick. â€Å"The writing of modern history has resulted in a viewpoint that is nothing short of a stag party. The history of women is ignored, hushed up, and censored in the most literal sense of the term. This method of eliminating the social and political destiny of half of humanity is the most effective form of supremacy. † (Janssen-Jurreit, 1982, pp. 15-16) The world we live in today is still man-made, no less now then in the nineteenth century. Eve Zaremba states in Privilege of Sex: â€Å"Women's self-awareness as females has until very recently reflected the world's (i. e. men's) image of them; how well their personal performance matched male expectations. As English Canadians began to develop an identity in 19th century society, they mirrored the â€Å"ideals† for women of the Victorian period: gentility, weakness, ignorance and submissiveness. (Zaremba, 1974, p. i ) These individual roles, as described by Oneill and Leone in Male/Female Roles: Opposing Viewpoints as the relationship of a man or woman to society on the basis of gender, became essential in shaping male and female attitudes towards one another. Over the past twenty years remarkable changes in these traditional male and female roles have been witnessed. The subsequent impact on men, women, and families due to these changes is believed to be, by many social historians, caused by the re-emergence of the women's movement. (p. 13) Though a positive alteration of roles has occurred, how is it that children of this century still may obey stereotypes? â€Å"A baby is born knowing nothing, but full of potential. † (p. 19) Oneill and Leone believe that the process by which an individual becomes a creature of society, a socialized human being, reflects culturally defined roles and norms. The first crucial question asked by the parents of a newborn baby is â€Å"What is it? A boy or a girl? † (p. 25) Other queries about attributes of health and physical conditions are only brought up afterwards, the first priority is to establish its sex. † Indeed, almost immediately, gender identity is permanently stamped on the child by the name it is given. † (p. 26) Recent research has established beyond a doubt that males and females are born with a different set of â€Å"instructions† built into their genetic code. Studies at Harvard University and elsewhere show that marked differences between male and female baby behaviour are already obvious in the first months of life. Females are more oriented towards people. Male infants, on the other hand, are more interested in â€Å"things. † Stanford psychologists Karl Pribram and Dianne McGuinness conclude that women are â€Å"communicative† animals while men are â€Å"manipulative† animals. Some people believe this is hereditary, while others think that if boys and girls were brought up in exactly the same way then all behavioral differences between men and women would evaporate. Beginning in early adolescence, children develop their own ideas of male and female roles with the perception of the conduct and activities of his or her parents and other adults in their world, including characters on television. Young people are exposed to advertising from a very early age. The effect, says the Ontario Ministry of Education, especially of advertising on television, â€Å"has a significant bearing on girls' and boys' behaviour, and their aspirations. To most children the commercial message is another piece of information received from the television set. It is often difficult for them to distinguish truth from fiction, particularly when the fiction is packaged in compelling words, striking images, and catchy music. † (Ontario Ministry of Education, 1975, pp. 5-7) An overwhelming amount of the visualizations that young kids see are the stereotypical images of women and girls. â€Å"This almost makes it seem legitimized, states Hon. David Macdonald, as it is reinforced and perpetuated by the mass dissemination of these images in broadcasting. (Macdonald, 1979, p. 3) Children know in their minds that women, like men, come in all ages, shapes, sizes, and colours, but they do not see this represented in the broadcast media. The increasing diversity of women's lives is also omitted in most broadcasting. For example, commercials and programming most often portray women as mothers performing domestic tasks, as economically dependent homemakers, or as sexual lures for products or decorative objects. â€Å"Such images constitute a limiting or narrowing of women's, men's, and children's perceptions of themselves and their roles in society. † (pp. -5) Sheila Copps made public her comments that â€Å"sexist and racist stereotypes were prominent in advertising. † (Curtis, 1996, p. 6) A member of the Canadian Advertising Foundation (CAF), Patrick McDougall, fired back by saying Copps had no clue what the CAF does and adds that Canadian advertising has immensely cleaned up its act and that there is very little if any sexist advertising being broadcasted. (p. 6) The overall content of television nowadays has changed dramatically from that of the past. Today characters deal more and more with important issues such as teen pregnancy, stds, spousal abuse, and birth control. Impoco, 1996, p. 58) Five to ten years ago, this subject matter was unheard of for use in programming content, as TV families tended to be occupied with trivial things such as outrageous clothing and hairstyles. Although Canadians have improved their broadcasting standards, not everyone is completely following their trend. In an intensive study done on American programming, it was found that a sexual act or reference occurred every four minutes on average during prime time. (p. 59) â€Å"Sex Sells,† the old adage goes. (Menzies, 1996, p. ) Sexiness, as a component of the good life, is a staple for advertisers – Coca-Cola decorated its drug-store posters at the turn of the century with coquettish young women who male drinkers wished to date and female drinkers to emulate. (Carter, 1996, p. 53) Finnish yogurt makers ran an ad with hot, young, well-built Finnish boys holding containers of yogurt, with the slogan â€Å"Less fat, more taste†¦. Eat it. † This aroused a scandal and nationwide debate. A formal pole was conducted on these ads and some interesting statistics were produced. Two-thirds of respondents were male, and two-thirds thought the ad was sexist. There was a sharp contrast in the female contingent, as the vast majority of whom thought the ads were sexy and quite acceptable (Holland, 1996, p. 31) These stats just prove that when the shoe is on the other foot, women view ads much in the same way that men do, and men are offended at seeing themselves portrayed as objects. Nowadays everyone seems so sensitive about anything brought up in the media. â€Å"Even when it comes to the etiquette of using sex appeal in advertising, it seems that there is a wrong way (exploit women) and a right way (exploit men). The pendulum has swung the other way now. If one is to gaze upon an exposed chest in an ad these days, chances are it belongs to a man. Male models have emerged as the politically correct â€Å"babes† of the 90's. Yet, pray tell, where is the massive public outcry? † (Menzies, 1996, p. 9) Mediawatch, an organization that â€Å"monitors† the depiction of women and girls in the media, admits that you certainly see more naked male flesh today, than you did three years ago. They contend that the effects of objectification on men and women aren't equal because â€Å"men and women aren't equal to begin with. Author of this column, David Menzies writes â€Å"Hmmm, I still dunno. Isn't a double standard, by any other name, still a double standard? † (p. 9) There is another more serious problem then offending the genders, with sex in the media today.. â€Å"Advertising images featuring young models in suggestive poses are sending out sinister messages to pedophiles,† according to one of Australia's leading forensic psychiatrists, William Glaser. He argues that some advertising messages are giving pedophiles subconscious approval to commit crime. It's a very subtle thing, but a young girl posing suggestively in a revealing bikini can send out the wrong message,† Glaser says. He adds â€Å"I don't blame the advertising industry, but feels it fuels the fire when it comes to pedophilia. † (Johnson) Also, the attractiveness of sexual aggression as crime news, and therefore as prime news, has been recognized by many newspapers lately. â€Å"While comfortably hidden under the cloak of objective crime reporting, sexual violence can be endlessly exploited for its titillating value, its crypto – pornographic quality and its sexist slant. † (Johnson, 1997, p. 24) As rape and sexual assault became a more serious social problem in the 80's, this prime news story has helped many papers to sell more copies in the competitive news market, while creating an impression of responsive and responsible reporting. â€Å"Newspapers are adept in sensing issues that arouse general interest and they then subtly alter the terms of the debate to achieve the end result of selling newspapers and making a profit,† alleged authors Maria Los and Sharon Chamond. â€Å"There is a thin line when it comes to educating the public on a problem, or exploiting it for it's shock value. † (Los and Chamond, 1997, p. 93) Although this is a horrible exploitation, there is yet another form of media that rivals this problem. The Internet is the worst for having excessive sex in the media, as it is not regulated. All of the other forms of broadcasting have some sort of committee or association that analyzes and approves all ads and shows before they are released to the public. With the Internet, there currently are no real ways of suppressing the content. There are programs such as Net Nanny that will not open sites containing certain material, but what's stopping a kid from going over to a friend's house or to school and going to the Playboy site? With it's vast geographical span, the Internet has the most numerous amounts of possibilities for media purposes, due to it's ability to reach anyone that can access a modem. Problems such as pornography and hackers generate a fear in a lot of people and scare them from using one of the greatest information resources of our world. We've all seen and heard how sex is used in today's media. With all of these problems and outcries being raised about it, some may as why is it used at all? Well sex is a part of life, everyone's life. It is a common ground to all people. Everyone will experience it or will be or have been affected by it. Producers, advertisers, writers and musicians must believe that if they include it in what they're trying to sell to the public, people will somehow relate to it, and be drawn in by it. A lot of times, writers and critics just go overboard and over analyze things that may not be as terrible as they make them out to be. Sex in advertising can be a useful and educational tool, when employed properly, but if people in the media offend just as much of society as they win over, by producing worthless, excessive overloads of eye candy, then the use of sex is wasted.

Digital Fortress Chapter 14

Becker gazed down at the cadaver. Even hours after death, the Asian's face radiated with a pinkish glow of a recent sunburn. The rest of him was a pale yellow-all except the small area of purplish bruising directly over his heart. Probably from the CPR, Becker mused. Too bad it didn't work. He went back to studying the cadaver's hands. They were like nothing Becker had ever seen. Each hand had only three digits, and they were twisted and askew. The disfigurement, however, was not what Becker was looking at. â€Å"Well, I'll be.† The lieutenant grunted from across the room. â€Å"He's Japanese, not Chinese.† Becker looked up. The officer was thumbing through the dead man's passport. â€Å"I'd rather you didn't look at that,† Becker requested. Touch nothing. Read nothing. â€Å"Ensei Tankado†¦ born January-â€Å" â€Å"Please,† Becker said politely. â€Å"Put it back.† The officer stared at the passport a moment longer and then tossed it back on the pile. â€Å"This guy's got a class-3 visa. He could have stayed here for years.† Becker poked at the victim's hand with a pen. â€Å"Maybe he lived here.† â€Å"Nope. Date of entry was last week.† â€Å"Maybe he was moving here,† Becker offered curtly. â€Å"Yeah, maybe. Crummy first week. Sunstroke and a heart attack. Poor bastard.† Becker ignored the officer and studied the hand. â€Å"You're positive he wasn't wearing any jewelry when he died?† The officer looked up, startled. â€Å"Jewelry?† â€Å"Yeah. Take a look at this.† The officer crossed the room. The skin on Tankado's left hand showed traces of sunburn, everywhere except a narrow band of flesh around the smallest finger. Becker pointed to the strip of pale flesh. â€Å"See how this isn't sunburned here? Looks like he was wearing a ring.† The officer seemed surprised. â€Å"A ring?† His voice sounded suddenly perplexed. He studied the corpse's finger. Then he flushed sheepishly. â€Å"My God.† He chuckled. â€Å"The story was true?† Becker had a sudden sinking feeling. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† The officer shook his head in disbelief. â€Å"I would have mentioned it before†¦ but I thought the guy was nuts.† Becker was not smiling. â€Å"What guy?† â€Å"The guy who phoned in the emergency. Some Canadian tourist. Kept talking about a ring. Babbling in the worst damn Spanish I ever heard.† â€Å"He said Mr. Tankado was wearing a ring?† The officer nodded. He pulled out a Ducado cigarette, eyed the no fumar sign, and lit up anyway. â€Å"Guess I should have said something, but the guy sounded totally loco.† Becker frowned. Strathmore's words echoed in his ears. I want everything Ensei Tankado had with him. Everything. Leave nothing. Not even a tiny scrap of paper. â€Å"Where is the ring now?† Becker asked. The officer took a puff. â€Å"Long story.† Something told Becker this was not good news. â€Å"Tell me anyway.†