Media Images Essay -- Body Image, Beauty

I confess that I am one of those women who look forward to monthly magazines telling me the new month’s facade of â€Å"beauty†. Starting at a very young age, women are convinced that in order to be happy, accepted, respected, successful, sexy or beautiful; they must fit a particular mold that society has formed for them. The media defines the accepted and changing representation of beautiful and perfect that women feel they must achieve. As mentioned in the video Killing Us Softly 4, we’re told that women are acceptable only if they’re young, thin, white, perfectly groomed and polished, plucked and shaved. Any deviation from this is not ideal or acceptable. This standard of attractiveness for women that is portrayed in the media is not only unrealistic, but unattainable by most women. This body type that we see in advertisements as acceptable or desirable is one that fewer than 5% of American women have, According to Juan-Hwan & Lennon (2007). Women enga ge in a comparison between their bodies and these unrealistic images on beauty. There are so many images of â€Å"beautiful† women, which people try very hard to mimic. These images are everywhere and hard to ignore as the average woman sees 400 to 600 advertisements per day. According to Millard (2009), â€Å"advertising heavily influences beauty standards and that women in particular compare themselves with models despite the gap between retouched perfection and reality.† (p. 147). These standards emphasize unrealistic body types and because most women are not gifted with the ideal body size and shape, conforming to these ideals of female beauty is difficult. These messages of ideal beauty are difficult to ignore. Millard’s article on Dove’s â€Å"Real Beauty† Campaign stated the following: When... ...of beauty and women are oppressive in that they contribute to the limitation and restriction of women. In advertising, women are portrayed as being inferior which is false and objectifying. The obsession with thinness, the ideal image of beauty and oppression of women are all public problems that affect us all, man or woman. Inner beauty is forgotten and deemed unimportant in our society. The problems leave us with nothing but a shallow, depressed, miserable, unrealistic society with standards that leave people feeling inadequate and rejected. The media should give a more realistic body type for women to look up to. Women need to work together to help change attitudes, and neutralize the negativity that society and the media create. We can refuse to take the media so seriously and try to challenge the idealistic images in advertising and their demeaning messages.

Nuclear Weapons

The invention of nuclear weaons has been one of the most significant events in the history of humanity. It not only changed the conduct of military warfare, but also completely transformed the geo-political equation by placing humanity’s level of control on its own future through coming in possession of such omni potent means that could wipe out every form of life from earth overnight. The memories of the atomic attack on the Hiroshima and Nagasaki have lived as a constant reminder of the supreme havoc that atomic bombs can inflict. These memories are reinforced further by the repeated instances of nuclear testing and research into the production of atomic weapons that are much more powerful and lethal in comparison of their predecessors. The pursuance of the research into atomic and nuclear weapons, or the weapons of mass destruction, has created a deep ideological and political divide in the world. On the one hand are people supporting nuclear weapons, arguing them as essential tools   to maintain prospects of global peace and also as means to ensure the safety of nations possessing them. While on the other side are people, who see nuclear weapons inherently as a threat to the survival of mankind and campaigning for a world without fear and apprehensions; for a world of the post nuclear age where the veil of the threat of an impending catastrophe is forever lifted over. This paper shall look into the debate on the nuclear policy and relevance of nuclear weapons as a medium to ensure global peace, while critically evaluating the arguments presented on both the sides. It shall also look into the prospects of a nuclear free world and the visions such world entails for humanity. Constructing a nuclear doctrine The debate on the feasibility and utility of nuclear weapons has raged since the day the first military use of nuclear weapons was reported on 6th August, 2006   (Katz, 1987). The standard argument of the advocates of nuclear doctrine have centered on the deterrent effect of the nuclear weapons against any potential attack or threat of aggression (Franklin, 1991). One of the most frequently cited example is that of role played by nuclear weapons in bringing a swift end to the Second World War, with minimum possible casualty in the process (Graham, 2005). They validly argue that without the strikes, Japan would have continued to fight till the last man down, taking up the number of casualties on both sides as well as war expenditures to enormous levels (Franklin, 1991). Since then, the nuclear doctrine has been religiously incorporated in the defense strategy of every major nation, with immense literature created to cite the absolutely necessity and inevitability of nuclear weapons as the only possibly way to ensure global peace and a war free world (Franklin, 1991). Post the end of the Cold War proponents of the nuclear policy have further argued the necessity of effective nuclear policy, especially in the view of the dangers posted by spilling of nuclear weapons in the hands of some of the non responsible nations (Graham, 2005). However, the doctrine of nuclear deterrence has been severely arraigned by the critics for its short comings and narrow visions that it take of subtlety of world geo-politics and the overly simplistic way in which it treats the question of deterrence and global peace (Gottemoeller, 2002 ). Nuclear policy and the race on building up nuclear arsenal have been criticized from ethical, moral, political, practical and strategic point of view over more than half a century, especially in the context of the modern history of humanity that has been torn apart by unimaginable horrors of wars and genocide in the 20th century (Muller, 2004). Thinkers, intellectuals and scientists and many military strategists have strongly argued for a nuclear free world, based on the strong premises that peace is impossible to achieve from those tools that have capacity to utterly destroy life (Cimbala and Scouras, 2002; Cortright, 1999). Their argument is persuasive to reason as it is ironical as a concept and theory to achieve peace by destruction. The only probable way by which nuclear weapons can bring peace is through complete annihilation of people, creating a world where no life would exists to conflict and compete. Even the history of the post nuclear world does not inspire any confidence in the effectiveness of nuclear weapons as a deterrent (Graham, 2005). In more than sixty years after the end of Second World War, innumerable conflicts and at least three wars of international proportion, involving nations equipped with nuclear power have belied the theory that nuclear weapons can act as any potential deterrent to wars (Cimbala and Scouras, 2002). It only creates a danger in escalation of threats of nuclear arm race, where nations without nuclear weapons are trying to possess these coveted means of mass destruction, to create a world of nuclear mutual self destruction (Franklin, 2002). It’s a fact that technology can not be limited as a prerogative to a limited number of nations, as the this dangerous technology spreads out, there are every possible chances that it can be utilized by at some point of time, by some irresponsible and unaccountable regime to create a havoc of unparalleled magnitude (Muller, 2004). The theory of nuclear deterrence also looses its credibility in the face of rise of terrorism as the new danger facing the new world (Graham, 2005). Nuclear deterrence did not act as any deterrent to the attack on the World Trade Centers in 2001, or in London bombing in 2006. On the contrary they create a new and infinitely more powerful threat where possible proliferation of nuclear weapons to terrorist groups can jeopardize the entire concept of national defense strategies of many nations. Conclusion Nuclear weapons can not act as means to achieve global peace. They are weapons of mass destruction, weapons that can kill hundred of thousands of people instantly, razing civilizations to dust, leaving behind death and a scarred earth that would be inhabitable for many generations. This trail of death can not be a harbinger of peace. Global peace can only be achieved by systematic end of nuclear arsenals, and strictly banning the research, testing and possession of nuclear weapons. Reference H. Bruce Franklin. 1991.The Nightmare Considered: Critical Essays on Nuclear War Literature.: Nancy Anisfield – editor. Bowling Green State University Popular Press. Bowling Green, OH. Gottemoeller. Rose. 2002. Tactical Nuclear Weapons: Time for Control. Taina Susiluoto – editor. United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. Place of Publication: Geneva. Milton S. Katz. 1987. Ban the Bomb: A History of SANE, the Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy. Praeger. New York. Richard R. Muller. 2004. Getting Mad: A Nuclear Mutual Assured Destruction, Its Origins and Practice. Henry D. Sokolski – editor. Strategic Studies Institute. Carlisle Barracks, PA. Stephen J. Cimbala and Scouras, J.   2002. A New Nuclear Century: Strategic Stability and Arms Control. Praeger. Westport, CT. Thomas Graham Jr. 2005. Sixty Years After Hiroshima, A Nuclear Era. Current History. Research Library Core. David Cortright. 1999. Ban the Bomb. Sojourner. Humanities Module.   

Horizontal Integration - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 2937 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Overview: The introduction of the company Davis Service Group; which is the biggest company in the UK and Europe in the provision of textile maintenance service (in the main) along with the wash room services, laundry, dust control mat and work wear rentals. Besides that it worked even in the US (Davis services Group) and their focus to grow was very straight forward that is why they give preference to horizontal integration in 2002 and take over Berendsen company (leader of the market of Europe in the same nature of business), the acquisition of the company was helpful as it was not much difficult for the Davis group to take over the Berendsen but also Berendsen was the market leader but not well off like Davis Group. The leading company of the textile in Europe is berendsen with 80 service stations and 7300 employees. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Horizontal Integration" essay for you Create order The work of these service stations is to manage the laundry, maintenance, textile rental, and supply. It also has the supply and manufacturing basis in Sweden and Estonia. Information about Berendsen Two major ways on which company may grow Horizontal integration: The horizontal integration in the normal words can be expressed as the expansion of the existence business into the same nature of the business, for example if the business is running in some particular field like trade of some particular goods or services is extended into the same sort of product called horizontal integration. We can give the example of the merger of Morrison’s with subway (can be a good example of horizontal integration), hence this is the best known Britain’s horizontal integration merger in Feb, 2004. Which was according to growth and expansion of the business was the right and wise decision. (Flouris, T. G. And Oswald, S. L., 2006) Examples of horizontal integration of any company Horizontal integration of the business can be understandable as the companies which are working throughout the world when ever these are merging or taking over the other companies, firms or bodies actually these or they are buying the shares of the company and become the owner of the company happened in the same sort of business. There are few examples of such companies below, which did the integration both horizontally as well as vertically. Though I discussed earlier example of the horizontal integration i.e. Morison’s with the subway. Forgetting the after affects regarding the situation in the stock market the integration made the positive result in the expansion and growth of the business. Vertical integration the vertical integration can be illustrated as the expansion of the business in some irrelative nature of the business, means the expansion in some other nature like a company involves in selling the goods only and expanding the business in providing some services means add services as a part of their business is called vertical integration. Examples of vertical integration of company Examples of the companies which have extended their businesses in non similar way of business are called vertical integration of the companies; the example of such integration made by the company wall mart and its takeover to the Asda and then merger of kingfisher also is the example of the vertical integration of the companies. This take over was the example where three different type of the businesses joined together to put the business grow further ahead, like Davis Services Group did before with sunshine and other units of the business. Option available to Davis Company in making growth strategy During making the decision of the company of Davis services the company had several options available to grow but the company chose to go for the horizontal integration where they carry out the business in full strength as the acquiring of the Berendsen company by Davis Services Group really become helpful for the Davis group of company to grow in already strengthen gripped up market by Berendsen. the options available to Davis was first of all to see that which markets were the most suitable to them to carry out the business, which should be suitable regarding the market analysis like, language, currency, traditional and cultural differences etc. though they had to take the decision after passing out from all these points. It is the law of the business that I should be running according to the demand of the customers. So they had choices of expanding accordingly the order they used to follow in their nation and they succeeded as European union is the most reliable market for th e business growth. How these options would benefits the company The company having the same nature of business running but not very much profitable as Davis is in the Britain. Hence there was the financial assessment of the company were taken by the Davis completely where the company is being watched in the way to its financial responsibilities, current assets, current liabilities, companies good will etc is being calculated after that Davis group assumed the present condition and manage the funds by selling the share of  £150 million as well as  £425 million borrowed from the new bank.Q2: Business grows when they have the resources to expand and opportunities exist for growth. Explain how the acquisition of Berendsen provided such a good opportunity for the Davis Service Group. How businesses get the growth The Davis services Group were the leader in their own market in UK, the need to expand was the great opportunity to get growth even beyond the limit of one nation. For that reason the company had an opportunity to grab the already working firm names berendsen. Financial requirements Capital needed to start and capitalise the business is the basic requirement, we should know how capital will use in business also the equity that will be provided for the business. The source should be well known if the loan for initial capital is taken on security replacement of equity. Current business position It is also necessary to determined the current position of the business at the time of buying the business, hence same strategic step has been taken by the Davis group as per on acquisition of the company berendsen. DVSG? Davis Service Group PLC, The(LON)? 327.25 +3.75? (1.16%?) 17 Jul 12:34 GMT Open: 327.25 High: 329.00 Low: 322.75 Volume: 44,541 Avg Vol: 0 Mkt Cap: 557.59M Disclaimer Digital Look, Davis Service Group (DVSG), viewed 13 July 2009, https://www.digitallook.com/companyresearch/10168/Davis_Service_Group/company_research.html Major achievements It includes the detail of the developments in the company which includes patents and prototypes of the company and any crucial contracts that needs to be in place of product development. Statement of purpose, Make it easy for the reader to realize at first glance both your needs and capabilities. Entrepreneur, Elements of a Business Plan, viewed 13 July 2009, https://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/businessplans/article38308.html#ixzz0LVWlPcRU Acquisition of the berendsen by Davis was really a good decision After getting followed up with all the necessary elements of growth to a businesses of any nature it is necessary to see the acquisition of the berendsen and Davis weather companies took really a good decision or what outcomes showed it decision wrong. According to Mr. Roger dye the whole of the acquisition was very pleasant and basic reason for the takeover was to lead and grow the market, he said the reason why they chose berendsen was that It was leader of the Europe market, just like Davis Group in UK. He said that geographically still UK is the main market but the European market was growing rapidly and still doing so. The offered qualities of the company are Moreover he said one of his another interview where he was briefly discussing the company’s performance Strategic Growth Concept, The Elements of the Business Plan, viewed 13 July 2009, https://www.strategicgrowthconcepts.com/services/Business-Information-Articles_I33/Article-The-Elements-of-the-Business-Plan_A30.html â€Å"Competence in the operations that we manage a safe pair of hands (what we say we are going to deliver, we will deliver). Ethically very strong, high levels of trust etc. A well supported progressive dividend policy. I think these are the sort of things that come to mind.† ROGER DYE, FD of Davis Service Group says key challenge and opportunity is to deliver on Sophus Berendsen acquisition, viewed 13 July 2009, https://www.t wst.com/notes/articles/lys024.html Q.3 What aspects of European Union markets have particularly encourage any of the growth strategies? Discuss how the European Union markets encouraged the strategies of growth Business strategically growth of the Davis group after the acquisition of the berendsen company, how it is being supported by the European Union for the better growth of the strategic business. The European Union market encourages the growth of Davis Service Group with the berendsen in Europe very much. If you are going to put setup of the business overseas it enables you growth specially if it is EU, with500 million potential customers and single market of 27 countries. As common currency is used in the whole market of currency it is easily doing the business (buying and selling) in much of the EU and a skilled workforce. Expansion overseas business has to take a number of factors into account. These include: (V. C. and at all, 1999) language curre ncy culture different legal and administrative systems Variable skill levels. Discuss the aspects of the European market I. Peace and stability Before becoming a real place of peace for the first half of the 20th century one can’t think Europe as a united state, only one person have thought about it. French foreign Minister Robert Schuman give idea originally given by Jean Monet, on 9 May 1950, proposed establishing a European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). Its production is dealt under the high authorities of the union. II. Safety and security To make the region work suitable to work, business and the living standards, lots of efforts are under observations specially the effort of combine work of the police from different countries are the effort to meet any terrorist activities. Hence this was also the very strong point to work in the area from the growth point of view in strategic thinking. III. Economic and social solidarity Basically it is made to bring change in political stability and solidarity but now EU has become the icon of economic and social solidarity as a rapid and fast growth is going on. To meet their contingencies the EU made funding to meet any future unexpected loss. Thus providing better access to outlying regions and boosting trans-European trade. IV. Values EU stands for a view of humanity and a model of society that the great majority of its citizens support. The Davis decided to grow its industry in the EU (European Union) Market. It sold other parts of the business to put more effort to make textile business well especially in the market like EU. This allows company to re-invest their profits and expanding the business. (Swann, D., 1992) Q no. 4 If the company were to expand into new areas of the globe, where would you recommend and why? What factors might encourage or discourage this choice? Which areas would be more focused or suitable for the company’s expansion? If the company has to expand somewhere in the near future, to me it will be expanding the china market because the market in china is having a lot of scope even more than the European Union market. Factors that encouraging the choice of expand here I am going to talk about the important factors which are necessary in the expansion of any company weather it is the type of integrations (vertical or horizontal), besides the thinking of merging and taking over we are to discuss some of the factors which can be effective in making the expansion use full as I discussed above the market which I think is most suitable worldwide for the expansion of the business. Davis needs to see some company at china for merging or taken over as the Chinese companies also will be quite very much cheaper than the rest of the world . Factors discouraging the choice of expand Globally managing the staff is quite a big problem as the distance of china and Britain is very far. The timing difference according to me is the biggest problem in the assessment of efficiency of work and better communication Due to big difference in the region the shipment charges can cost high. Q.5 how would you advice the company to go about making a decision on their strategic choice? Company’s choice of making decision should be strategic When a company forms it is passing from the different several phases at the time when it reaches to its peak in term of business development as well as profit ability and the market grip. The strategically approach of the business tells to do the expansion hence if the company like Davis Service Group which was the market leader in its field which I already discussed in early tasks of the report. If we see that choice of making decision towards the expansion of the business in some new market, it could be either the emergence of new system or merging/ taking over to some already working firm. Hence in both cases the major discussion is that, the decision of expanding the business in some new market is strategic. Being an analyst we have to make sure that all the strategies should work together to improve the position of the business. Suggestion in making strategic choice, could they do expansion or not If the company suppose going to take the decision for expansion in some new markets they have to make few points very clear from the top to bottom. Means the company should have first of all resources to buy share or to merge the other company (resources include all the expenses even after buying the business), market situation should be already favour able to company even if need of improvement is there. Try to observe the few positive aspects of the business expansion try to go to a reason able place to expand. Try to grab either new market where no similar sort of business done before or find someplace where the chances of the growth are expected more as per reason of experience (Market like china providing good development chances). The question that could they do that expansion or not are very important to be understand because the phenomenon of expansion is really belong to the present condition of the market situation. Hence present market situation of the company is quite very good the market grip of company over the business is too strong n othing wrong can be said because there share price also rises all the sectors where the company is working, the work is going very efficient following diagram could show us the clear view of situation of the company. (Johnson, G. and at all, 2008) Q.6 As a strategic consultant to the company, what other or alternative strategic measure would you have recommended to the company and why? Recommendation to the company at strategic point of view The company though is working efficiently along with that the areas where the company makes its decisions to get more growth is work ware uniforms 33%, hotels and restaurants 19%, health ware 29%, facilities 10% and sales and production is 9%. Hence the company is working in this kind of situation where it needs to make a concentration on so many things together at a time/ multi tasks like that but in the same nature of the business. Compete successfully: The competition with the other competitors of the business either the big one or sets of small ones is very necessary such business strategies should come under considerations so that the market situation is all the time become under control of the company and hence the market capturing factor of some other company to grow also be kept under consideration to it. As a strategic consultant of the company As a strategic consultant of the company we have to follow few main points through which we can offer the company few good choices to make it well in its work. Suppose the company is working all over well but there is one competitor arose to the market and becoming famous. Basically that happens because of the bad policies and not to having a good eye on the competitor’s activities, so the analysis for the competitor is very much advise able on the routine basis. Like the company Pepsi and coca cola almost making the same sort of brand cold drink and there is very tight competition between those two. For meeting this level of observation the company must work hard even in order to look what is happening in the competitor’s mind as well as analyze it at early stage and try to rectify it with their better policies. Reference Flouris, T. G. And Oswald, S. L. (2006), â€Å"Designing and executing strategy in aviation management†, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Price, V. C. and at all (1999), â€Å"The enlargement of the European Union: issues and strategies†, Routledge Swann, D. (1992), â€Å"The Single European market and beyond: a study of the wider implications of the Single European Act†, Taylor Francis Johnson, G. and at all (2008), â€Å"Exploring Corporate Strategy†, Pearson Education www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/businessplans/article38308.html#ixzz0LVWlPcRU assessed on 13th July 2009 www.twst.com/notes/articles/lys024.html assessed on 13th July 2009 www.strategicgrowthconcepts.com/services/Business-Information-Articles_I33/Article-The-Elements-of-the-Business-Plan_A30.html assessed on 13th July 2009 www.digitallook.com/companyresearch/10168/Davis_Service_Group/company_research.html assessed on 13th July 2009 www.development.thetimes100.co.u k/case-studydavis-service-group111-278-0.php assessed on 13th July 2009