Hugh Hefner Essay

Hugh Hefner was an extraordinary innovator, entrepreneur and revolutionist. The sex obsessed pop culture and generation can recognize the seed of its foundation for being planted by a man who chose to do as he wished. Still yet to be uprooted despite its negative nature, the media has embraced sex as a great advertisement. Hugh Hefner fits into a special category of leadership called transformational. Transformational leaders enhance their followers’ morale and performance through various avenues and that’s exactly what Mr. Hefner completed. In a world where public indecency was frowned upon and sexual behaviors were kept behind closed doors, Hugh Hefner did the unthinkable. Although Hefner was successful in his career, he was not always proactive. During his early years, Hugh Hefner was called unenthusiastic by his professors and teachers. Surprisingly, that is a key is a key element to any type of leadership, positive or negative. Luckily that attribute developed for Mr. Hefner which enabled him to become a great professional and businessman. Later on Hugh Hefner served in the United States army for two years and resigned in 1946. During his time in the army Mr. Hefner did not exhibit great leadership skills as well. It would seem that Hugh Hefner was not born a leader according to the text. Though he was blessed with traits of the Great Man theories, he lacked skill and application of leadership. After Hugh Hefner’s retirement from the army he enrolled in college at the University of Illinois. Hugh Hefner was not a very involved student during his college career but he managed to land a job at the widely know Esquire Magazine corporation. Starting off as a typewriter, Mr. Hefner worked his way to become a publicist, b ut quit after he was denied a five dollar raise. That attitude showed the Hugh Hefner was detrimined to make money and was not taking no for an answer. It all started when Hugh was taking a few graduate sociology courses at Northwestern University; he wrote a paper about the Kinsey report, which produced a more open discussion of sexual acts in America. Mr. Hefner is widely known as the greatest bachelor of all time due to his Playboy magazine which first launched in December 1953. After Mr. Hefner’s first publications began to sale featuring Marilyn Monroe, the critics stepped in. Even though earning a staggering forty three million dollars in net worth feels great, it does not come easily. While people called Mr. Hefner things like pervert and degenerate, his money began to speak and people began to listen. Soon those criticizing words changed into rebel and genius. It was a terrific time to release a new sexy magazine right after the great depression. People needed something to get their minds off of the economy and nothing does that better than sex. Playboy magazine was named after an automobile company in Chicago because Hugh Hefner thought it resembled high class and high class is what he became. As CEO and owner of Playboy magazine Mr. Hefner is in a class of his own. Mr. Hefner being himself and sticking to an idea that fought so much controversy at its time of creation represents volume to his authentic style of leadership. Hugh Hefner has been an icon and trendsetter in the Anglo culture and will be remember for a long time. He shaped media and transformed it into something new. Professional Hugh Hefner is an icon of business and entrepreneurship but how does the common American view him? Though Hugh Hefner has made great contributions in business, what has his efforts done to society? With most great businessmen there reaches a debate of morality and ethics. On the side of business you have a man that transformed mass media and produced more revenue. While on the side of morality you have a man that made a country lustful mainstream sex addicts. The real question is that what can you classify Mr. Hefner as; pseudo transformational or transformational? Was his personal achievement worth the so called â€Å"perversion† of media? In the business aspect, sex is the most widely used form of advertising since the release of Playboy and yes it sells. The term sex sells means as true statement. People want to feel sexy and the want to feel attractive, so if a product is conveying that message then why not buy it? The level of sexual content in advertisements has definitely got out of control since the 60s but there are more channels of communication in media now. Some individuals may say that Mr. Hefner is not responsible for everybody’s’ actions. The opposition could say that leaders, especially transformational ones are the ground breakers and innovators who people follow. It is true that Hefner brought change to marketing and media because that’s what transformational leaders do; they bring change. Other than his external impact on society as a businessman Hugh Hefner’s internal love for his employees will always be remembered. The famous Playboy mansion is home to all of Hefner’s employees if wanted. Each Playboy bunny is given a salary and has virtually no living expenses under Hefner’s management. While living in the playboy mansion, institutional collectivism is greatly reinforced. According to the Michigan University studies Hugh Hefner would produce an employee oriented management. His high consideration for his employees would back that statement. As a leader, living with your bottom level employees is a noble deed and shows his openness as a leader. The technical term for that practice is called authentic leadership and Mr. Hefner is just that. From an outward perspective it seems as if working for Mr. Hefner has a lot of positives. It would appear that all employees would be considered as members of the in group but the everyday relationship between him and his employees is uncertain. He created an environment where people could feel like they were trusted at the Playboy mansion. Mr. Hefner did not stop with a just a magazine, he created an enterprise and true corporation. Like a real entrepreneur Mr. Hefner added on a hotel, trademark clothing accessories and clubs. Though most of his projects were unsuccessful, Playboy still remained profitable due to the success of the magazine. Further analysis of Mr. Hefner as businessman is important to understand if an individual wants to critique his leadership abilities. Throughout the years many studies have taken place on leadership and Hugh Hefner proves most correct. Under a diagnostic of the three skill approach created by Katz in 1955 Mr. Hefner would be a great example of upper level management. As we know, human skills are required in all levels of management. This shows the important of communication in organization. If a person lacks good communication skills most likely they will not be an effective businessman. According to Katz’s theory, top level management requires a high level of conceptual thinking. Luckily Mr. Hefner was granted a 152 on his IQ test, so quick problem solving capabilities come naturally to him. As far as technical skills, Mr. Hefner definitely possesses them but now he does not have to continue using them in his current position. Referring back to Katz’s theory, upper level management does not need technical skills because their job now involves overseeing the company to fit standard and tradition. However, one could see a flaw in that people will not respect someone who is above them but cannot complete every task at hand. Fortunately, that is not a problem for Hugh Hefner having work for a rival magazine which he eventually overcame in market share. Hugh Hefner according to the skills model possessed most if not all the individual attributes and competencies which manifested great leadership outcomes. There is no doubt that Mr. Hefner obtained both general and crystallized cognitive abilities through traits and education. It would appear that his motivation came from monetary value as a lot of great businessmen. Hence him quitting his job at Esquire only to create a better magazine and more revenue in his bank account. His competencies were second nature due to his genius level IQ and out came one of the greatest bachelors and entrepreneurs of all time. In 1959, two brilliant young men Raven and French created the five bases of social power. The five bases is a great way to analyze Mr. Hefner’s impact socially within the company of Playboy. Hugh Hefner’s main sources of social power came from referent, expert, legitimate and reward. Hugh Hefner uses expert social power because he has a great understanding and knowledge of the magazine industry, which he has been working in for over 60 years now. He has legitimate power because he was once the CEO, but still owns the company. Mr. Hefner definitely tries to show off his reward power with to his employees with free lavish living at the Playboy mansion. Further into his career Hugh Hefner suffered a stroke that could have ended fatally. Due to his stroke, Mr. Hefner passed down Playboy enterprises to Christie Hefner, his daughter which had been working for Playboy in the editorial staff. Like a real leader Mr. Hefner never stepped down and still serves on the executive board. His love and compassion for his company kept it going strong while he led by example. Mr. Hefner will be remembered as a lot of things but one of them is undeniable, he is a true leader. Hugh Hefner was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the American Society of Magazine Editors in 1998 and also received the Henry Johnson Fisher award, which is the highest award for a magazine publisher in America. Since retirement Hugh Hefner has spent most of his time doing philanthropy.

Power in Employee Relation

Power in Employee Relation Introduction Kelly (1998, p. 88) notes that ‘power is perhaps the most widely used concept in the field of industrial relations, yet little research on the subject of power either theoretically or empirically has been done, â€Å"†¦.to the extent that it now represents a major theoretical lacuna (gap) within the discipline (Kirkbride 1985, p. 44).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Power in Employee Relation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Rose (2004, p. 6) defines power as â€Å"†¦ the extent to which one party to a relationship can compel the other to do something he otherwise would not do voluntarily†. Employment relationships, according to Rose (2004, p. 8) it refers to â€Å"†¦the study of the regulation of the employment relationship between employer and employee, both collectively and individually, and the determination of substantive and procedural issues at organizational and work place levels.† The paper critically examines the importance and implications of power in employment relationships, its comparison to policy and the inherent conflicts. Literature Review The players in employee relations theory include employers and managers, employer representatives, employees and workers, employee representatives, the state, its agencies and other supra -national bodies. Faber Dunlop (1958, p. 28) pioneered the systems approach’. He defines it as a sub system within the industrial society. â€Å"†¦an analytical subsystem of society†. By this definition, power becomes a consequence of distribution of power in a bigger society. Kirkbride (1985, p. 47) criticizes this definition on three grounds: it ignores any critical investigation into the processes of power within industrial relations. The systems approach rejects the importance of behavioral processes in favor of structural processes (102). Furthermore, the systems approach creates a po ssibility of conflict within the industrial relations because it does not recognize opposition (Poole 1981, p. 75).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Unitary theory assumes that there is no possibility of opposition because the organization body is viewed as one integrated family, bound together by the values of the organization. Power as a concept is neglected by the unitary approach (Kirkbride 1985, p. 46). Action theory gives recognition to the theory of power in industrial relations â€Å"†¦it focuses on the relative power of the parties in the exchange relationship† Kirkbride (1985, p. 45). Though it lacks a definite form, two branches of analysis are clear, analysis of decision making of the various players in the industrial relations framework and of the interaction between the players. However, it fails to elaborate how an agreement is reached dur ing the bargaining process. It has restricted focus on the negotiating table. The major strong point of the action theory is that it focuses on behavioral theory. Because of the inherent weakness on the negotiation table, it does neglect the possibility of conflict within the different organizations in the industrial relations frame work (Clarke 1977b, p. 109). Pluralist theory assumes distinct sectional groups within an organization, each with competing interests. Through joint regulation or collective bargaining, Flanders (1970, p. 19) argues that the diverse and competing interests can be regulated. Hyman (1975, p. 69), argues that pluralist focus on regulation conceals the firmness of power in the process of industrial relations. He asserts that employment relationship â€Å"†¦can never be frozen in a single rule.† However, it is rather dynamic and changing. The Marxist Perspective emphasizes the issue of power (Glaser Strauss 1967, p. 71). According to the Marxist, since the capital owners own the means of production, they have more wealth and therefore have advantage over the suppliers of labor. When there is a larger pool of labor, capital is at an advantage because the labor supply exceeds its demand, the labor price is low. Hyman (1975, p. 72) observes, â€Å"It is true that the possession of scarce skills, or the existence of a tight labor market may help lessen the imbalance. Hyman (1975, p. 75) observes â€Å"for a while the powers of the employer are enormous he is at the same time dependent on his labor force.†Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Power in Employee Relation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Capital may be dependent upon labour in a number of ways; the Marxist position points that the relationship between capital and labor may continuously fluctuate. The Marxist perspective offers a useful perspective into the analysis of power and employee relation s. However, his view of power as a zero-sum game phenomenon and failure to develop power at micro level attract criticism (Kirkbride 1985, p. 47). Discussion Employment relations is the contemporary term for industrial relations, the theoretical perspectives and the way their points of view can has been discussed in the literature reviews. Modern management approaches today strike a balance between unitary and pluralism. The approach chosen depends on the employee relations climate. When trade union power is low, management makes the decision, when union power is high, then negotiation and consultation are adopted (Purcell Sisson 1983, p. 210). The bargaining power of the unions can be estimated based on membership density, strike frequency statistics, bargaining outcomes, structural factors and leadership. The 21 century has witnessed a decline in both union strength and influence due to the shift from manufacturing to services in the developed world. The smaller workspace in the service sector has hindered union organization and recruitment. Even though, employees still have a voice- â€Å"a whole variety of processes and structures which enable and at a times empower, employees, directly and indirectly to contribute to decision making in the firm† (Boxall Purcell 2003, p. 162). The employees can air their voice formally and informally, directly or through representation, collectively or individually depending on the intention. Some forms of employee voices are bottom-up arising from a desire among the employees to be listened to. In most cases however, management often initiates the modalities for employee voice either out of pressure from employees or as a strategy to be more inclusive. Dundon Rollinson (2007, p. 121) call the difference between how much influence employees report have over management decisions and how much influence they would like to have, the â€Å"representative gap†.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Wilkinson et al. (2004, p. 306) acknowledged four categories of employee involvement and participation that give employees varying levels of power in their work places; downward communication, upward problem solving, representative participation, and financial participation. Downward communication is a top- down strategy communication from management to employees, for example, through newsletters, notice boards among others. It does not give the employees much power. Upward problem solving empowers the employees to improve work processes. They suggest solutions to specific problems and this gives them great possession over decisions. Under representative participation, the employees interest are represented by their leaders (elected workers representatives) (McBride 2004, p. 82). It provides employees with some degree of influence over a number of issues such as work councils and advisory councils. Trade union representation often has a greater power over decisions because failure t o respect employees views can result in industrial action. Collective bargaining, refer to joint regulation of specific aspects of the employment relationship between employers and recognized trade union representatives (Faber Dunlop 1958, p. 56). Workers capitalize on their solidarity that gives them a stronger bargaining position against management. They focus on substantive issues like payment and conditions of work. Finally, according to Marchington et al. (1992, p. 63), financial participation, allows the employees to have financial share in the firm. Strauss (2006) asserts that financial participation compliments voice initiatives. It seeks to develop long term relationships between the employees and their employer by linking the overall firms success with an individual reward. They include employee share ownership, sharing of profits and payment of bonuses. In conclusion, it is clear that the concept of power in employee relation has evolved over time. List of References Cla rke, J., 1977b. Workers in the Tyneside Shipyards in McCord, N. (Ed) (1977) Essays in Tyneside Labour. History. Newcastle: Department of Humanities. Dundon, T., and Rollinson D. 2007. Understanding Employment Relations. McGraw Hill: Maidenhead. Faber, F., and Dunlop J., 1958. Industrial Relations Systems. New York: Holt. Flanders, A 1970, Management and Unions: The Theory and Reform of Industrial Relations. Glaser, B., and Strauss A. 1967. The discovery of grounded theory. Chicago: Aldine. Hyman, R. 1975. Industrial relations: A Marxist introduction. London: Macmillan. Kelly, J., 1998. Rethinking Industrial Relations: Mobilization, Collectivism and Long Waves. London: Routledge. Kirkbride, P. 1985. Power in industrial relations research. Industrial Relations Journal, vol.16, pp. 44-56. McBride, J. 2004. Renewal or resilience? the persistence of shop steward organization in the Tyneside maritime construction industry. London: Capital Class. Poole, M., 1981. Theories of Trade Unionis m: A Sociology of Industrial Relations. Routledge Kegan Paul. Rose, E. 1994. The Disorganized Paradigm British Industrial Relations in the 1990s. Employee Relations, vol. 16, no.1, pp. 27-40. Wilkinson, A et al. 2004. Changing patterns of employee voice: Case studies from the UK and Republic of Ireland. The Journal of Industrial Relations, vol.46 no.3 pp. 298–322.

Free Essays on John Gotti

The American gangster has become as American as †¦say†¦apple pie! For decades people have both marveled at and been reviled by this genre of criminal activity in the United States. Few organized crime figures have completely captured the attention of the public as John Gotti has over the past 20 years. We have had our celebrity mobsters in the past. Underworld figures like Al â€Å"Scarface† Capone and Jack â€Å"Legs† Diamond captured the public’s fascination during the 1920s. In the 1930s it was a different brand of criminal that became popular. Bank robbers like John Dillinger, â€Å"Pretty Boy† Floyd, and â€Å"Baby Face† Nelson were the rage of what was known as the Mid-West Crime Wave. The 1940s brought us Benjamin â€Å"Bugsy† Siegel and the killers of Murder, Inc. Along with the glamour these individuals provided, their murders made for exciting front-page headlines, not to mention sensational photographs. While there were no prominent names during the 1950s, that decade nevertheless brought organized crime to the forefront, due to the efforts of law enforcement. It began with the televised Kefauver hearings in the early 1950s and made a big splash with the infamous Appalachin conclave in 1957. The turbulent 1960s passed none too quickly with its political / sociological upheaval and in gangland we saw for the first time warring within the various crime families – the Gallo / Profaci War and the Banana War. As the 1970s dawned gangsters began not only vying for newspaper headlines, but now television airtime. Mortal mob enemies â€Å"Crazy Joe† Gallo and Joseph Colombo were the media targets of New York City and the city knew how to promote them. Both flamboyant characters would meet brutal, albeit well-publicized endings. By the mid-1980s federal law agencies, with the help of local law enforcement, began to dismantle organized crime families across the country. In the midst of this effort, John Gotti stepped fo... Free Essays on John Gotti Free Essays on John Gotti The American gangster has become as American as †¦say†¦apple pie! For decades people have both marveled at and been reviled by this genre of criminal activity in the United States. Few organized crime figures have completely captured the attention of the public as John Gotti has over the past 20 years. We have had our celebrity mobsters in the past. Underworld figures like Al â€Å"Scarface† Capone and Jack â€Å"Legs† Diamond captured the public’s fascination during the 1920s. In the 1930s it was a different brand of criminal that became popular. Bank robbers like John Dillinger, â€Å"Pretty Boy† Floyd, and â€Å"Baby Face† Nelson were the rage of what was known as the Mid-West Crime Wave. The 1940s brought us Benjamin â€Å"Bugsy† Siegel and the killers of Murder, Inc. Along with the glamour these individuals provided, their murders made for exciting front-page headlines, not to mention sensational photographs. While there were no prominent names during the 1950s, that decade nevertheless brought organized crime to the forefront, due to the efforts of law enforcement. It began with the televised Kefauver hearings in the early 1950s and made a big splash with the infamous Appalachin conclave in 1957. The turbulent 1960s passed none too quickly with its political / sociological upheaval and in gangland we saw for the first time warring within the various crime families – the Gallo / Profaci War and the Banana War. As the 1970s dawned gangsters began not only vying for newspaper headlines, but now television airtime. Mortal mob enemies â€Å"Crazy Joe† Gallo and Joseph Colombo were the media targets of New York City and the city knew how to promote them. Both flamboyant characters would meet brutal, albeit well-publicized endings. By the mid-1980s federal law agencies, with the help of local law enforcement, began to dismantle organized crime families across the country. In the midst of this effort, John Gotti stepped fo...

Profile of Jane Addams, Founder of Hull House

Profile of Jane Addams, Founder of Hull House Humanitarian and social reformer Jane Addams, born into wealth and privilege, devoted herself to improving the lives of those less fortunate. Although she is best remembered for establishing Hull House (a settlement house in Chicago for immigrants and the poor), Addams was also deeply committed to promoting peace, civil rights, and womens right to vote. Addams was a founding member of both the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the American Civil Liberties Union. As a recipient of the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize, she was the first American woman to receive that honor. Jane Addams is considered by many a pioneer in the field of modern social work. Dates: September 6, 1860- May 21, 1935 Also Known As: Laura Jane Addams (born as), Saint Jane, Angel of Hull House Childhood in Illinois Laura Jane Addams was born September 6, 1860, in Cedarville, Illinois to Sarah Weber Addams and John Huy Addams. She was the eighth of nine children, four of whom did not survive infancy. Sarah Addams died a week after giving birth to a premature baby (who  also died) in 1863 when Laura Jane- later known just as Jane- was only two years old. Janes father ran a successful mill business, which enabled him to build a large, beautiful home for his family. John Addams was also an Illinois state senator and a close friend of Abraham Lincoln, whose anti-slavery sentiments he shared. Jane learned as an adult that her father had been a conductor on the Underground Railroad and had helped escaped slaves as they made their way to Canada. When Jane was six, the family suffered another loss- her 16-year old sister Martha succumbed to typhoid fever. The following year, John Addams married Anna Haldeman, a widow with two sons. Jane became close to her new stepbrother George, who was only six months younger than her. They attended school together and both planned to go to college one day. College Days Jane Addams had set her sights on Smith College, a prestigious womens school in Massachusetts, with the goal of eventually earning a medical degree. After months of preparing for the difficult entrance exams, 16-year-old Jane learned in July 1877 that shed been accepted at Smith. John Addams, however, had different plans for Jane. After losing his first wife and five of his children, he didnt want his daughter to move so far away from home. Addams insisted that Jane enroll in Rockford Female Seminary, a Presbyterian-based womens school in nearby Rockford, Illinois that her sisters had attended. Jane had no other choice but to obey her father. Rockford Female Seminary schooled its students in both academics and religion in a strict, regimented atmosphere. Jane settled into the routine, becoming a confident writer and public speaker by the time she graduated in 1881. Many of her classmates went on to become missionaries, but Jane Addams believed that she could find a way of serving mankind without promoting Christianity. Although a spiritual person, Jane Addams did not belong to any particular church. Difficult Times for Jane Addams Returning home to her fathers house, Addams felt lost, uncertain about what to do next with her life. Postponing any decision about her future, she chose to accompany her father and stepmother on a trip to Michigan instead. The trip ended in tragedy when John Addams became gravely ill and died suddenly of appendicitis. A grieving Jane Addams, seeking direction in her life, applied to the Womens Medical College of Philadelphia, where she was accepted for the fall of 1881. Addams coped with her loss by immersing herself in her studies at the medical college. Unfortunately, only months after shed begun classes, she developed chronic back pain, caused by the curvature of the spine. Addams had surgery in late 1882 which improved her condition somewhat, but following a lengthy, difficult recovery period, decided that she would not return to school. A Life-Changing Journey Addams next embarked upon a trip abroad, a traditional rite of passage among wealthy young people in the nineteenth century. Accompanied by her stepmother and cousins, Addams sailed to Europe for a two-year tour in 1883. What began as an exploration of the sights and cultures of Europe became, in fact, an eye-opening experience for Addams. Addams was stunned by the poverty she witnessed in the slums of European cities. One episode in particular affected her deeply. The tour bus she was riding stopped on a street in the impoverished East End of London. A group of unwashed, raggedly-dressed people stood in line, waiting to purchase rotten produce that had been discarded by merchants. Addams watched as one man paid for a spoiled cabbage, then gobbled it down neither washed nor cooked. She was horrified that the city would allow its citizens to live in such wretched conditions. Grateful for all of her own blessings, Jane Addams believed it was her duty to help those less fortunate. She had inherited a large sum of money from her father but was not yet sure how she could best put it to use. Jane Addams Finds Her Calling Returning to the U.S. in 1885, Addams and her stepmother spent summers in Cedarville and winters in Baltimore, Maryland, where Addams stepbrother George Haldeman attended medical school. Mrs. Addams expressed her fond hope that Jane and George would marry one day. George did have romantic feelings for Jane, but she didnt return the sentiment. Jane Addams was never known to have had a romantic relationship with any man. While in Baltimore, Addams was expected to attend countless parties and social functions with her stepmother. She detested these obligations, preferring instead to visit the citys charitable institutions, such as shelters and orphanages. Still uncertain of what role she could play, Addams decided to go abroad again, hoping to clear her mind. She traveled to Europe in 1887 with Ellen Gates Starr, a friend from the Rockford Seminary. Eventually, inspiration did come to Addams when she visited Ulm Cathedral in Germany, where she felt a sense of unity. Addams envisioned creating what she called a Cathedral of Humanity, a place where people in need could come not only for help with basic needs but also for cultural enrichment.* Addams traveled to London, where she visited an organization that would serve as a model for her project- Toynbee Hall. Toynbee Hall was a settlement house, where young, educated men lived in a poor community in order to get to know its residents and to learn how best to serve them. Addams proposed that she would open such a center in an American city. Starr agreed to help her. Founding Hull House Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr decided upon Chicago as the ideal city for their new venture. Starr had worked as a teacher in Chicago and was familiar with the citys neighborhoods; she also knew several prominent people there. The women moved to Chicago in January 1889 when Addams was 28 years old. Addams family thought her idea was absurd, but she would not be dissuaded. She and Starr set out to find a large house situated in an underprivileged area. After weeks of searching, they found a house in Chicagos 19th Ward that had been built 33 years earlier by businessman Charles Hull. The house had once been surrounded by farmland, but the neighborhood had evolved into an industrial area. Addams and Starr renovated the house and moved in on September 18, 1889. Neighbors were reluctant at first to pay them a visit, suspicious about what the two well-dressed womens motives might be. Visitors, mainly immigrants, began to trickle in, and Addams and Starr quickly learned to set priorities based upon the needs of their clients. It soon became apparent that providing childcare for working parents was a top priority. Assembling a group of well-educated volunteers, Addams and Starr set up a kindergarten class, as well as programs and lectures for both children and adults. They provided other vital services, such as finding jobs for the unemployed, caring for the sick, and supplying food and clothing to the needy. (Pictures of Hull House) Hull House attracted the attention of wealthy Chicagoans, many of whom wanted to help. Addams solicited donations from them, allowing her to build a play area for the children, as well as to add a library, an art gallery, and even a post office. Eventually, Hull House took up an entire block of the neighborhood. Working for Social Reform As Addams and Starr familiarized themselves with the living conditions of the people around them, they recognized the need for real social reform. Well-acquainted with many children who worked more than 60 hours a week, Addams and her volunteers worked to change child labor laws. They provided lawmakers with information they had compiled and spoke at community gatherings. In 1893, the Factory Act, which limited the number of hours a child could work, was passed in Illinois. Other causes championed by Addams and her colleagues included improving conditions in mental hospitals and poorhouses, creating a juvenile court system, and promoting the unionization of working women. Addams also worked to reform employment agencies, many of which used dishonest practices, especially in dealing with vulnerable new immigrants. A state law was passed in 1899 that regulated those agencies. Addams became personally involved with another issue: uncollected garbage on the streets in her neighborhood. The garbage, she argued, attracted vermin and contributed to the spread of disease. In 1895, Addams went to City Hall to protest and came away as the newly-appointed garbage inspector for the 19th Ward. She took her job seriously the only paying position shed ever held. Addams rose at dawn, climbing into her carriage to follow and monitor trash collectors. After her one-year term, Addams was happy to report a reduced death rate in the 19th Ward. Jane Addams: A National Figure By the early twentieth century, Addams had become well-respected as an advocate for the poor. Thanks to the success of Hull House, settlement houses were established in other major American cities. Addams developed a friendship with President Theodore Roosevelt, who was impressed by the changes she had effected in Chicago. The President stopped by to visit her at Hull House whenever he was in town. As one of Americas most admired women, Addams found new opportunities to give speeches and to write about social reform. She shared her knowledge with others in the hope that more of the underprivileged would receive the help they needed. In 1910, when she was fifty years old, Addams published her autobiography, Twenty Years at Hull House. Addams became increasingly involved in more far-reaching causes. An ardent advocate for womens rights, Addams was elected vice-president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) in 1911 and campaigned actively for womens right to vote. When Theodore Roosevelt ran for re-election as a Progressive Party candidate in 1912, his platform contained many of the social reform policies endorsed by Addams. She supported Roosevelt but disagreed with his decision not to allow African-Americans to be part of the partys convention. Committed to racial equality, Addams had helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909. Roosevelt went on to lose the election to Woodrow Wilson. World War I A lifelong pacifist, Addams advocated for peace during World War I. She was strongly opposed to the United States entering the war and became involved in two peace organizations: the Womans Peace Party (which she led) and the International Congress of Women. The latter was a worldwide movement with thousands of members who convened to work on strategies for avoiding war. Despite the best efforts of these organizations, the United States entered the war in April 1917. Addams was reviled by many for her anti-war stance. Some saw her as anti-patriotic, even traitorous. After the war, Addams toured Europe with members of the International Congress of Women. The women were horrified by the destruction they witnessed and were especially affected by the many starving children they saw. When Addams and her group suggested that starving German children deserved to be helped as much as any other child, they were accused of sympathizing with the enemy. Addams Receives the Nobel Peace Prize Addams continued to work for world peace, traveling around the world throughout the 1920s as the president of a new organization, the Womens International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). Exhausted by the constant travel, Addams developed health problems and suffered a heart attack in 1926, forcing her to resign her leadership role in the WILPF. She completed the second volume of her autobiography, The Second Twenty Years at Hull House, in 1929. During the Great Depression, public sentiment once again favored Jane Addams. She was widely praised for all that she had accomplished and was honored by many institutions. Her greatest honor came in 1931 when Addams was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to promote peace worldwide. Because of ill health, she was unable to travel to Norway to accept it. Addams donated most of her prize money to the WILPF. Jane Addams died of intestinal cancer on May 21, 1935, only three days after her illness had been discovered during exploratory surgery. She was 74 years old. Thousands attended her funeral, fittingly held at Hull House. The Womens International League for Peace and Freedom is still active today; the Hull House Association was forced to close in January 2012 due to lack of funding. Source Jane Addams described her Cathedral of Humanity in her book Twenty Years at Hull House (Cambridge: Andover-Harvard Theological Library, 1910) 149.

Lonmin Plc company analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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Narcotics - Research Paper Example A five year ban was imposed on people found with five grams of crack whereas a similar mandatory ban was imposed on people who possessed 500 grams of powder cocaine. It was because of this disparity that another act was implemented in year of 2010 known as The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010. This act lowered the ratio of possession of crack cocaine to powder cocaine in relevant terms of 100:1 into 18:1. The act has been praised by many authorities as it tends to lower down the disparity between the people who used to commit these crimes and also save millions of dollars for the government (FAMM 2011; Stewart 2010). The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 was signed by President Obama to lower the disparity between the crimes which involved powder cocaine or crack. The Act is not only being implemented for the people who will commit the crime but it is also being made retroactive so that people who are sentenced for the act are allowed some concession too. The Act was introduced after years of reports and research which proved that powder and crack were almost the same drugs with the same lethality. In 1995 the USSC issued a report to the Congress about the Anti Drug Abuse Act of 1986. It put forward that 80% of the crack offenders were black and this was causing serious racial disparities between the races as these blacks were considering the Act to be biased. It was in 1995 that an act was being sought by the USSC regarding the disparity but such an attempt was rejected by the Congress then. In 2002 another report was filed by the USSC which put forward that pharmacologically the harmful effects of c rack were similar to that of powder cocaine. It also put forward that the amount of violence in the crimes involving crime were being exaggerated by the reports and was rather creating a disparity of races. In 2007 the USSC filed another report to the Congress which appealed

Understanding & Researching Consumer Buyer Behaviour Essay

Understanding & Researching Consumer Buyer Behaviour - Essay Example Understanding & Researching  Consumer Buyer  Behavior However, it is vital to take note that local market situations, exchange systems, as well as certain cultural aspects, play a significant role in how consumers perform impulse behaviors. This paper will examine the nature of impulse buying, describing the how marketers can incorporate knowledge of customers’ impulse buying tendencies to their marketing strategies. Nature of Impulse Buying Behavior Impulse buying is essentially unreflective behavior that fails to conform to the rational, well-thought decision making standpoint in terms of consumer buyer tendencies or actions. The process of impulse buying is an extremely complex goal process that centers on reaction and emotion as its primary driving forces. This is largely because consumers engage in the process of impulse buying without engaging in concrete thoughts regarding their actions or conducting an evaluation of their intended deeds. According to Rook (116) consumers engaging in impulse buying are unlikely to consider the implications or think carefully and logically prior to making the purchase. The attention of such consumers is channeled towards the immediate gratification inherent in responding to the desire or urge to make the purchase instead of identifying and solving a preexisting issue or finding a product to fulfill a predetermined need. In addition, consistent with other forms of impulsiveness, impulse buying is also immediate, meaning that the process occurs in the span of several minutes and is not premeditated. Impulse Buying Behavior After the year 1982 when marketing researchers started to re-focus their attention on impulse buying actions, marketers started to ponder over the behavioral dimensions inherent in impulse buying. However, recently marketers appear to believe that impulse buying involves both affective and hedonic components. For instance, in his researcher, Rook (89) provided the assertions of consumers who reported that they felt the products â€Å"calling† t hem nearly demanding that the consumers purchase the products. This indicates on intense emphasis on the behavioral aspect of impulse buying, which, in turn, resulted in the definition of impulse buying as behavior that takes place when consumers experience sudden urges, usually persistent and powerful to purchase something instantly. The urge or purchase is hedonically intricate and has the potential of stimulating emotional conflict. Furthermore, impulse buying typically occurs with diminished consideration of its consequences (Rook 191). There are essentially five critical aspects embedded in impulse buying. These elements include a spontaneous and sudden urge to act; the action in this sense being the urge to make a purchase. Secondly, impulse buying also involves a position of psychological disequilibrium whereby a consumer’s emotions are in disarray concerning the act of making a purchase. Thirdly, impulse buying involves the emergence of psychological struggle and conf lict as consumers struggle with the urge to buy on impulse. Furthermore, impulse buying entails a dramatic reduction in the consumer’s cognitive evaluation abilities. This reduction is what forms the urge to make an instant purchase without taking into consideration the immediate or long term implications of such