Monday, January 27, 2020

The Maori people in New Zealand

The Maori people in New Zealand This essay will critically analyze Kevin Glynn and A.F. Tysons article, Indigeneity, media and cultural globalization. In this article Glynn and Tyson speak on behalf of the Maori people in New Zealand and discuss factors surrounding globalization of western media and its influences on the indigenous people. This critical essay will focus primarily on Glynns and Tysons positive and negative issues surrounding globalization, funding concerns for indigenous media and benefits surrounding glocalization. Globalization, which is the reduction of differences between nations whether cultural or ideological (Straubhaar et al 2009, 503), as a negative issue is expressed quite well within this article. Among these issues discussed within the article, two primary issues that were of greater interest and more detail were the deconstruction of the indigenous culture and the lack of funds for media related indigenous projects.(Glynn and Tyson 2007, 208) The reason why globalization has such a massive effect on these cultures is that the media (i.e. television, magazines, radio) is barraged with foreign, in this case western, cultural media which overflows and almost completely obliterates any trace of the old culture that once was there. This idea revolves around the hypodermic needle theory, where ideas and beliefs from outside media are metaphorically injected into the minds of these indigenous cultures to the point where their former culture is clouded by this new influence and sometimes lo st forever.(Straubhaar et al 2009, 414-415) In the case of the Maori they were granted funding for a television station and a dramatic television show (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 207), but compared to the ever-growing western populous and media those indigenous populations will find it very difficult to sustain some essence of their culture within the society. Glynn and Tyson refer to the lack of funding for major media projects for indigenous people (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 208), which may have been an issue in 2007 but as of 2009-2010 the funding for these media projects have actually increased to an extra $20.1 million (Maori Television 2009) which allows for a much richer variety of television and film and will assist in stabilizing the Maori culture. A broad claim is also made ending the funding portion of the article which refers to a worldwide lack of funding for dramatic indigenous television which in fact is not quite the case (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 208). Countries such as Austral ia provide major funding for indigenous media ranging in the $30 million mark (Australian Government 2009), there are also a vast amount of indigenous films that have been made and released to the public for instance the film Smoke Signals (The Internet Movie Database 1999), which grant a rich experience of indigenous cultures and these too would have to be funded by the country in some way. A prime example in Canada would be the dramatic television series North of 60 which still airs today (although in re-runs) on CBC was granted 6 seasons (90 episodes, each 60 minutes long) and 5 made for TV movies and had lasted a total of 6 years (1999 2005) (The Internet Movie Database 1999) which is close to, if not more than, many shows that are brought forth by western cultures such as Corner Gas (6 seasons, 107 episodes) and even the original Star Trek series (3 seasons, 80 episodes) (The Internet Movie Database 1999). Therefore this claim made by Glynn and Tyson, although appropriate for some countries and New Zealand itself at that time, is not the soundest claim to make as it is, as shown, not the case for other countries in the world. This funding issue in indigenous media leads to a very interesting aspect of the article where Glynn and Tyson make note of both glocalization and globalization as also having a positive effect on the culture instead of a purely destabilizing effect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Glocalization, which is the combination of global ideologies with that of more local ones, (Straubhaar et al 2009, 113) as a positive reinforcement of indigenous culture is an interesting factor in this article. The authors introduce an efficient example of glocalizations benefits with a Maori television drama called Mataku. (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 207) With the creation of this television drama the indigenes are able to present their culture and beliefs not only to their own people, in order for preservation, but with the addition of English subtitles and a supernatural theme (which are present and popular in many western programs such as X-files), (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 206) the indigenes are able to incorporate a more global population and allow their culture to be better understood and be preserved through all populations. The reference to this television show shows without a doubt that by mixing together popular ideolog ies from different cultures into one main idea creates common ground for both cultures to share which not only benefits the indigenous of the land but also all other populations who share in the common interests that these programs present. To refer back to Glynn and Tysons issues surrounding funding for indigenous media, this idea of glocalization also plays against their negative outlook on globalizations effect. By creating this common or middle ground of media it would make sense that by drawing in more of an audience outside of the intended group with popular and mystifying themes such as the supernatural (in Matakus case) these shows would link up with similar westernized media and the demand would hopefully grow. With the growth of demand comes more funding as more people will want to see new episodes. This point is brought forth exceptionally by Glynn and Tyson when referring to the Maori co-creators of the series Mataku, Bradford Haami and Carey Carter (2007, 207). This is done by pointing to Ginsburgs coined term border-crossers, which is the ability to cross between two different cultures (in this case western and Maori cultures) and present their messages to them both effectively. (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 207) By using this ability and accomplishing the task of border crossing more efficiently and on a more frequent basis, the Maori people may have a greater chance of preserving their culture. As for globalization as a more positive effect, Glynn and Tyson touch upon the term cultural hybridity, which means the mixture of two cultures to create a seemingly local culture (2007, 211), and use it efficiently to show that the effects of these mixtures of cultures do in fact lead to more beneficial means for indigenous societies to preserve their culture and language. This can be seen in the article where Glynn and Tyson make note of Lisa Parks examination of cultural hybridity where post-colonial technology is used as a means to transmit pre-colonial cul tural media to the globe (2007, 212). This is a really interesting fact because no matter how much pre-colonial populations feel that their cultures are wasting away, they still take part in post-colonial activities in order to keep their culture afloat. Therefore globalization may in fact present negative effects on cultures but they also help preserve the culture by allowing a larger reach of cultural media to a more global population and the authors of this article, Glynn and Tyson, make this point very clear and use sufficient evidence to prove this claim.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Telecommuting :: essays research papers

A typical day for most people in today's world starts out with an early commute to work. People working in the city know what a hassle it is to deal with the many thousands of other trying to make their way to work. Dealing with long commutes and traffic congestion is a commonplace in today's fast-paced society. What if you had a chance to do most of your work at home? Would it be beneficial to you and your company? That is a common question one, which more and more companies are finding out is the future of business. For most people, a chance to work at home would be ideal. Paper work and long term considerations for companies may actually be planned better at home as opposed to a busy work office or cubical. Professionals such as accountants, consultants, marketing professionals and other information-age workers can benefit from telecommuting (people who work at home). This is not to say that all work would be completed at home. There will be times when actual face to face meetings will be necessary for such problems as office disputes and responding to co-workers needs. Working at home will allow for any task in which being alone is not a hindrance. Throughout the United States there are over eleven million people working at home at least part-time. In cities such as New York, federal legislation put into effect required a decrease in the amount to commuters that drive the city's streets during rush hour. Forced to make changes, Merrill Lynch decided to give the telecommuting program a try. Merrill Lynch started a program where potential telecommuters working at the firm, go through an extensive training course by taking a two-week stint in a simulation lab where they are isolated from co-workers and managers just as they would at home. Some people find it more productive while others realize that telecommuting is not for them. Most telecommuters will find the job comfortable if they themselves are self-motivated and focused. According to Gil Gordon, a telecommuting consultant in New Jersey, if you would like your firm to offer telecommuting, 'Go in with a proposal, not a request.'; Show you boss why telecommuting will benefit the company. Explain that less office space will be needed and how employees of company's that offer telecommuting often have a better retention rate than company's that do not.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Ghana is a mixed but capitalist oriented economy” critically examine this statement Essay

There is not one single definition for a mixed economy, but the definitions always involve a degree of private economic freedom mixed with a degree of government regulation of markets. A mixed economy is an economic system in which both the private enterprise and a degree of state monopoly (usually in public services, defence, infrastructure, and basic industries) coexist. Investopedia defines a mixed economy as an economic system that features characteristics of both capitalism and socialism. A mixed economic system allows a level of private economic freedom in the use of capital, but also allows for governments to interfere in economic activities in order to achieve social aims. This type of economic system is less efficient than capitalism, but more efficient than socialism. All modern economies are mixed where the means of production are shared between the private and public sectors. A mixed economy is also called a dual economy. Most modern economies feature a synthesis of two o r more economic systems. The public sector works alongside the private sector, but may compete for the same limited resources. Mixed economic systems do not block the private sector from profit-seeking, but do monitor profit levels and may nationalize companies that are deemed to go against the public good. Mixed economic systems are not laissez-faire systems: the government is involved in planning the use of resources and can exert control over businesses in the private sector. Governments may seek to redistribute wealth by taxing the private sector, and using funds from taxes to promote social objectives. Capitalism allows prices to be set by supply and demand forces and socialism fixes prices through central planning. Capitalism is a socio-economic system that allows private owners to profit from the goods and services they provide. Investopedia defines capitalism as an economic system based on the private ownership of capital and production inputs, and on the production of goods and services for profit. The production of goods and services is based on supply and demand in the general market (market economy), rather than through central planning (planned economy). Capitalism is generally characterized by competition between producers. Other facets, such as the participation of govern ment in production and regulation, vary  across models of capitalism. One of the cornerstones of this system is the right of the individual to choose what to produce, how to produce it, and what price to sell it for. It is popular in   nations that value the freedom of the individual over the stability of the society. Most modern nations use some form of capitalism, such as state, corporate, or social market. Capitalism is also called the free market system. Capitalism requires unregulated supply and demand and little or no government interference in matters of trade. Each individual is free to produce what he or she wants and to sell it at whatever price the market will support. These decisions are typically made by the laws of supply and demand: if there is no demand for a particular product, the producer won’t be able to make a profit, but if the demand is high, he Capitalism is often closely associated with economic growth, as production and price are determined by the market rather than by governments. Private property rights provide individuals with the freedom to produce goods and services they can sell in the market. In the 1990s, the government continued to play a decisive role in the direction and pace of economic development in Ghana. Under the Economic Recovery Program initiated in 1983, the government tried to shift the burden of economic growth from government to the private sector through a dual strategy of cutting government spending and promoting private production. In particular, the government tried to boost export production through currency devaluations, tax incentives, and government-funded development projects. At the same time, budget deficits were almost entirely wiped out. Currently, Ghana is a mixed economy but depends mostly on the private sectors. The production of goods and services in Ghana is based on supply and demand in the general market (market economy), rather than through central planning (planned economy). With Ghana’s economic system, trade, industry and the means of production are controlled by private owners with the goal of making profits in a market economy. It can therefore be concluded that Ghana is a mixed but capitalist economy.

Friday, January 3, 2020

Technologies in the World Wide Organizations Free Essay Example, 2000 words

The technology was based on the client-server workstation model using three servers (one operational and two backups). Most of the processing was undertaken by 25 MHz Intel 486 PC and the decision-making code was written in C . The usability was expected through the windows 3.0 operating system. The Project Management Methodology (PRINCE) was chosen, despite neither LAS nor contractors having experience in it. The software that was used failed to identify the closest ambulance at hand. It also failed to recognize every 53rd vehicle in the fleet. This was caused by an error in a formula provided by Datatrak to SO. Communication channels became overloaded and inaccurate vehicle locations were generated. The workstations started being locked up and the system was too slow to respond for CAs. Error messages were not dealt with timely and the status information received from the ambulances were found to be unreliable. The crew used ambulances different from what was allocated which co mpounded the confusion. The technology was based on the client-server workstation model using three servers (one operational and two backups). Most of the processing was undertaken by 25 MHz Intel 486 PC and the decision-making code was written in C .We will write a custom essay sample on Technologies in the World Wide Organizations or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page The crew used ambulances different from what was allocated which compounded the confusion. The system slowed down largely and lead to increase in load. It became a vicious circle because the increase in load leads to slowing of the system. This resulted in calls not reaching the ambulances. The system was unable to identify duplicate calls, and calls were being lost in the system. Service deteriorated and the staff and public lost confidence in the service. The GIS software that was used did not relate the geographical distance to time. The technology used could not calculate the closest vehicle especially when the resources are few. The software bugs in the resource proposal software caused this failure to locate the nearest resource. Whether the load could cope with excessive demand was not to put to test before implementing it. The functional aspects were not understood; the Radio dispatch and communication system never tested -- live operation would pr ovide the opportunity for "full review of radio network capability. " The two backup servers and the rest of the backup system were never tested.