Media Frames and Hip Hop Culture Free Essays

string(116) " music has questionable lyrics, hip hop artists are the primary suspects when it comes to bringing out the censors\." The media has an increasing presence in all of our lives, and there has been a lot of research conducted on the various ways that it affects the very ideas that pop into our heads, the impressions we formulate of other cultures and musical genres, on foreign policy and the things that we buy. It’s obvious that the media is playing a role in our daily lives, but to what extent is it affecting the way hip hop music and the culture itself are understood by the average citizen, specifically children? Via the radio, the newspapers, magazines and most commonly, the television and internet, is it possible to see just how these easily available media are influencing younger people and those of an older age bracket and notice what kinds of frames the media are using with regards to hip hop? This paper will take a look at the available literature sources on the subject of media messaging and hip hop culture and review the established theories, as well as use household surveys to examine just how much exposure children in America actually have to mass media. Media framing is the process by which the media chooses its context for a news story and portrays it with a certain slant – common framing is done with a conservative viewpoint or a liberal one, and often as pertains to the hip hop culture the frame is that of a violent, consumerist culture (Robinson 20). We will write a custom essay sample on Media Frames and Hip Hop Culture or any similar topic only for you Order Now Media framing is a technique by which journalists and reporters give basic context to their stories, and framing can tend to promote a particular political or social agenda or because of a fundamental lack of knowledge on the subject. Ramsey (pp 22-40) thinks that it is a case of the latter, since researchers and sociologists tend to regard hip hop cultures in American as being quite separate from the rest of the population to begin with. This isolation, to whatever degree it is actually apparent in these subcultures, is portrayed by the media and therefore understood by all viewers and listeners as the truth. Americans who are not a part of the hip hop culture are easily made to notice themes in hip hop music that relate to violent gang mentality and blatant consumerism that sees younger black people showing off expensive clothes, jewelry and cars. Mukherjee calls this media frame the â€Å"ghetto fabulous† and explains how what was originally an isolated feature of the hip hop culture has become widespread due to media attentions. This primary isolation is one of the major frames used by the media to portray a specific picture of hip hop culture, and these depictions are undoubtedly helping to shape the hip hop scene in the mind of the average television viewer and magazine reader. Saunders describes the generalized version of hip hop culture as a group of thieves, graffiti artists, vandals, drugdealers, sex-obsessed men, objectified women and joyriders (37-134), and unfortunately although this is a part of the underground culture of both the hip hop artist and the people listening to the music, the author accepts that there is more to it than this perception. Although it has been correctly noted that these themes are recurrent in rap music, an individual listener could easily fail to notice these same themes – or any other recurrent themes, for that matter – inherent in other types of music or even literature and film. The media has honed in on the negative themes in rap and hip hop music, however, and uses such sensationalist aspects of the culture and music to deliver a message of negativity, and create fear. The attentions unrelated groups of people have tried to intervene and have such songs and music videos censored. This has not generally had a positive effect on hip hop lyrics, and in fact has actually helped to raise the popularity of such music and the culture surrounding it (Davidson 74). Where once hip hop was purely restricted to the groups of black Americans forming their own subculture, now media attentions (both positive and negative) have brought hip hop and rap music to larger numbers of people who wouldn’t have originally had access to it. With the widespread hip hop scene, people of other ethnic origins and social situations are discovering the music and starting to participate in the culture, and this can be attributed in a large part to the success of the Motown Corporation (Neal). Some of the aspects featured in hip hop music, like graffiti, can be looked at as holding a specific role within the culture itself. Graffiti, for example, can be viewed as a â€Å"microcosm of how people communicate, participate, and learn within a community† (Rahn 137), specifically within the hip hop communities of urban America. Although it seems unlikely that media bodies realize exactly what they are portraying to viewers and readers of popular magazines, stories about graffiti artists involved in the hip hop lifestyle are being framed in such a light as to highlight the rebellious qualities of the subculture. Graffiti is portrayed in a conflicting way; negative in that it defaces public and private property and can be used to mark gang territory, but also mildly positive in that it is obviously an artistic outlet. The artistic aspect has a negative side as well, however, since the media can only seem to look at graffiti art in a good way if it is an expressive emotional outpouring from an impoverished neighborhood (Rahn). Basically, hip hop artists are only getting attention from the media for negative qualities in their music and lifestyles, at least as perceived by the media itself and the majority of average citizens watching the news and reading the magazines and newspapers. People see rappers on TV when they are involved in gang related crimes and gun violence, or when their lyrics have come under scrutiny for what is deemed unsuitable content. Although every genre of music has questionable lyrics, hip hop artists are the primary suspects when it comes to bringing out the censors. You read "Media Frames and Hip Hop Culture" in category "Essay examples" The media frames hip hop and rap artists in an unfavorable light the vast majority of the time, citing them in one all encompassing category that is violent, untrustworthy and obsessed with material possessions. Unless a person is directly involved in the hip hop scene, they are very unlikely to hear about positive things going on within the culture. The media on the whole simply reports on negativity within the hip hop world, something that many artists are understandably frustrated with. What this media framing is proving to the hip hop culture is merely an ignorance on behalf of media and the general viewing audience towards black American society. With very few years – relatively speaking – of freedom and equality between black people as a minority group in America and the majority whites, black Americans have found themselves grouped together in poor areas still facing huge difficulties in achieving better standards of living. These societal factors have had a huge impact on the subculture of blacks themselves, resulting in part in hip hop music as both a rebellious act and a validation of black survival in an often hostile larger environment. Mollyanne Brodie used her book Kids and Media in America: Patterns of Use at the Millenium to discover just how much of an impact media images such as these portrayals of hip hop culture are affecting young children throughout the country. The results of these surveys are instrumental in understanding the role of media framing in American children with regards to hip hop music and culture. She noted that although there are ways of discerning how long a television set is on during the day in the average household, there is no real way of knowing which programs or advertisements are seen by which members of the family. With specialized surveys distributed to households in the United States, Brodie collected answers from members of different families to work out just how much time children were spending watching which kinds of shows on the TV during the day. â€Å"The ‘in-home’ sample consist[ed] of 1,090 young children, ages 2 through 7 years, and relie[d] on parent responses to questionnaires† (Brodie 18). Keeping in mind that children can lack vital information about the programs they are watching and other related questions, it was up to parents to share the viewing habits of their children and this data was collected to get a firm, solid look at the American child and media influences. The conclusions were that today’s young person in the United States spends more time with media sources than any other preceding generation, and that this is likely to increase in the near future. With the television, computers, the internet and advanced mobile technologies, kids have access to more information than ever before and the media therefore has access to the kids as well. For this reason, the media has taken on a more powerful role than ever before in human history. The findings of these surveys were conclusive in revealing the simple fact that kids can go about their daily lives without fully realizing how they are being affected by the barrage of media images, and when it comes to the hip hop culture this is no different. Negative comments, news stories and lyrical debates are at the forefront of a young person’s mind, since survey statistics have proven that music is the most important aspect of a child’s life, especially in the teenage years. Hip hop has infiltrated the routine of the average youth due to censorship issues, gang reports and all kinds of negative imaging, however it is with this younger generation that the truth behind the hip hop culture is beginning to be truly appreciated. The average youth experiences difficulties that are thematically similar to that of the oppressed and underprivileged black American who is a part of the hip hop culture, and kids are able to make this connection when they take a look at the music coming out of such groups. Rap and hip hop were born out of frustration and the need for freedom of expression, which is just what the average teenager is looking for as well. With this fundamental likeness, youths turn to hip hop music as a way to bond with each other and feel validated in their opinions and feelings of loneliness and desperation. Lyrics about gang violence can represent the need to fit into a group, while songs featuring bling and ownership can represent the ultimate triumph over adversity. Kids can really relate to this kind of music despite media imagery that portrays it as negative, because they are used to having themselves portrayed in a negative way by their parents, schoolteachers and other authority figures. Media framing of the hip hop culture might not be affecting the youth of America in a straightforward way, but it is affecting them nevertheless. The older generations are reacting in the expected manner, however, when they tend to latch onto the negative side of hip hop and work to eradicate it from the American music scene. Parents are becoming concerned about their children participating in what they consider a different culture of music and behavior, and the media is merely serving to continue this sort of thinking. When people see rap music videos, they have years of pre-conceived notions in their minds, placed there by the media, and so it becomes very difficult to differentiate between real opinion and actual negativity. A person tends to consider issues such as this based on the information they already have, and then value that information on the source that it came from. If the source is trusted, a person will tend to follow that train of thought; if not, they might look further into the issue to find features of it they can relate to themselves. It is this characteristic of each individual person that leads them to a certain degree of media influence. Where an adult who trusts major news sources and hears that rap music is synonymous with violence and crime might believe it with few questions, a teenager who has become wary of any older authority figure who hears the same thing will probably not accept this as the complete truth. Brodie’s surveys helped to prove what most of us already thought to be true: the media is playing a huge role in our perception of the world, particularly with the younger generations. â€Å"A typical 11- to 14-year-old gives more than 6 ½ hours per day to media, and because he or she often uses several media simultaneously, encounters almost 8 hours per day of media content† (Brodie 190). These conclusions do go to support secondary sources like the essays The Ghetto Fabulous Aesthetic in Contemporary Black Culture and Sold Out on Soul: The Corporate Annexation of Popular Black Music. Both papers solidify the notion that the media has a great impact on hip hop portrayal throughout America in every aspect, particularly in music and consumerism. Researchers are in agreement with statistical evidence that proves children in America are incredibly susceptible to media influence, although it is clear that there are other factors that determine just how a young person will react to the same media frames in hip hop. Works Cited Brodie, Mollyanne, Ulla Foehr, Donald Roberts and Victoria Rideout. Kids and Media in America: Patterns of Use at the Millennium. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Davidson, Sandra. Bleep! Censoring Rock and Rap Music. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999. Rahn, Janice. Painting without Permission: Hip-Hop Graffiti Subculture. Westport, CT: Bergin and Garvey, 2002. Mukherjee, Roojali. The Ghetto Fabulous Aesthetic in Contemporary Black Culture. Neil, Mark. Sold Out on Soul: The Corporate Annexation of Black Popular Music. Ramsey, Guthrie. Race Music: Black Cultures from Bebop to Hip-Hop. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2003. Robinson, Piers. The CNN Effect: The Myth of News, Foreign Policy, and Intervention. London: Routledge, 2002. Sanders, Bill. Youth Crime and Youth Culture in the Inner City. New York, NY: Routledge, 2005. How to cite Media Frames and Hip Hop Culture, Essay examples

Ethnographic free essay sample

The problem of gaining access can provide important insights into the nature and organization of the social setting under study. In what ways can issues influence the outcome of ethnographic research? What strategies can researchers adopt to overcome obstacles to access? ‘Ethnography is branch of anthropology which has aided social researchers in the quest for a deeper understanding of different societies, social groups or cultures’ (Hammersely, 1995p365). The purpose this essay is to gain an insight into the problems that researchers encounter when the try to gain access to certain fields they wish to investigate. There are many obstacles associated with this research approach and invariably can impact on the outcome of the research. My essay will outline the key features of ethnography and the challenges that greet the researcher as the go about conducting their research. We will focus mainly on the problems related to access, how these challenges are approached and the tactics that are used to overcome these difficulties. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethnographic or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ‘The access negotions can be construed as involving multiple views of what is profane and what is open to investigation vs. What is sacred or taboo and closed to investigation unless the appropriate respectful stance is assumed’ Barbara Stein The qualitative research method is a particular useful for acquiring knowledge on why specific groups act the way they do. Researchers are not interested in how often people use illegal drugs or how often people visit sex shops but instead why people do what they do! What is their motivation? And do they think their behaviour is acceptable or unacceptable within their own social setting, it is for this reason that gaining access to certain social settings can prove difficult. Hammersely and Atkinson have revealed this to us in the form of two social settings. These can be simply categorised as â€Å"open† and â€Å"closed† (Byrman, 2008, p403). Open social settings are generally institutions or organizations such as schools or firms while on the other hand ‘Closed’ social settings are associated with groups like gangs and criminals. For research to take place in a closed social setting the ethnographer will sometimes go undercover or in ‘covert manner’ often in disguise in order to fit in with their research subjects. By using this method members of that group are less likely to change their behaviour and a true picture of the situation can be observed. Obviously taking notes is a no-no. The researcher also has to rely on memory and this can have a negative impact on the accuracy of their research findings. Covert research also requires a lot of careful planning and patience and can also be extremely dangerous when dealing with criminal elements. This can be seen in Wolf’s study of ‘Harley tribe’. In this situation he disguised himself as a biker, customized his bike and took on the persona of a fully fleged biker so he could become involved with this group (Hammersley and Atkinson, (1995 p57-58). He lacked patience and asked too many questions when he met several members of the Kings Crew MC in a motorcycle shop. The members of that group became increasingly suspicious and distrustful of him, even though he looked the part. In the end he was forced to approach another group of bikers (Hammersley and Atkinson (1995 p58). This illustrates that the possibility of gaining access can be easily delayed in the primary stages of research. When researchers decide to take the covert route, they must ensure long term and stable access to a social setting for their ethnographic research. A lot of ‘outside observation’ must take place in order to know what behaviour is accetable in certain social circles so that they fit in. This is essential to ensure that the results of the research provide a clear picture of the social group. lose lips, sink ships† Once the researcher has gained access It is important that an interviewer remains impartial and professional at all times Expressions of disbelief, shock, anger, disgust or scepticism should be avoided. Once you have gained their trust and an effective rapport with the interviewee has been established, expressing your personal attitudes, revulsion or disgust at their opinions will only jeopardize the purpose of the interview. â€Å"The right man for the right job† is also a key factor.

Customer Service and Design Alternative Courses free essay sample

Case 1. TECSMART ELECTRONICS Identify the problem: Formulate objectives: Design alternative courses of action: Analysis of the ACA: a. advantages b. drawbacks Conclusion: Recommendation: Case 2. CAN SIX SIGMA WORK IN HEALTH CARE? Identify the problem: New culturein the hospital Formulate objectives:  · To be able to make it easy to employees and all staffs the new framework to be used.  · Design alternative courses of action: Analysis of the ACA: a. advantages b. drawbacks Conclusion: Recommendation: Case 3. TOYOTA MOTO CORPORATION, LTD. Identify the problem: Losing quality products. Formulate objectives:  · To be able to consitently provide quality products.  · To be able to regain quality edge. Design alternative courses of action:  · Inspect every process in the production system to ensure delivery of quality products to customers. Analysis of the ACA: a. Advantages:  · High quality products.  · Customers satisfaction to products. b. Drawbacks:  · Costly  · Time-consuming Conclusion: Toyota became a victim of its own success. Because of its focus in becoming the number one auto maker in the world, it affected its product quality. We will write a custom essay sample on Customer Service and Design Alternative Courses or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Customers began to face safety related problems in Toyota vehicles. Toyota had sacrificed its legendary quality and ignored its own management principles and customers. Recommendation: I would recommend them to forget their own pride in having their own principles and management, if it will lead them to a low quality products and unsatisfied customers. It is good if they would focus on providing quality and always conduct an inspection before giving away products to customer to ensure quality. Case 4. THE NIGHTMARE ON TELECOM STREET Identify the problem: Inefficient customer service system. Formulate objectives:  · To be able to improve cutomer service experience.  · To be able to provide quality service to customers.  · To be able to provide efficient service.  · To be able to give fast transaction. Design alternative course of action:  · Recreate the customer service system  · Hire additional customer service representatives to entertain calls Analysis of the ACA: a. Advantages:  · Customer satisfaction to efficient service.  · The more the employess, the more persons can facilitate customers need to entertain their needs and concerns. b. Drawbacks:  · More cost is shouldered by the firm.  · Time-consuming. Conclusion: In order to satisfy customers need to be entertain, the firm is in a need of new employees. As a customer myself, I also get pissed of to systems like this because it is very time consuming. Recommendation: I would highly recommend to hire more employees in order for the customers need to be entertain urgently and efficiently. If it is possible to reform the system, it is much better.

Igor Stravinsky Essays - Igor Stravinsky, , Term Papers

Igor Stravinsky As a composer, Igor Stravinsky knew many conductors. Later, he wrote an essay about them. What could he write about them? What would your typical composer have to say about conductors? Surprisingly, when Stravinsky wrote about conductors he became very critical. Sarcasm and mockery permeate throughout the passage when he discusses them. Stravinsky uses a few schemes to convince his reader of the conductor's insignificance. First, the language Stravinsky uses in his passage is very caustic. In a few places, he goes beyond his arguments into simple denunciations and attacks on the conductors. "The conductor is encouraged to impose a purely egotistical, false, and arbitrary authority, and that he is accorded a position out of all proportion to his real value in the musical, as opposed to the music-business, community," he says in one of such places. It is obvious that Stravinsky holds a personal grudge against the conductors; being a musician, he must have come across them many times. He says, "conducting, like politics, rarely attracts original minds." Stravinsky uses the word "original" in a different way than it is normally used. In English, "original" means first, or new. In Russian, however, to call a person original means to say that he is smart, that he comes with resourceful ideas. Since Stravinsky was Russian, that is what he probably meant. Therefore in his first sentence, Stravinsky say! s that, more or less, almost all conductors are stupid. The whole passage is more of an insult to all conductors, rather than an informative text. Secondly, Stravinsky uses comparisons to politicians in order condemn the conductors. "Conducting, like politics, rarely attracts original minds ? His [the conductor's] first skill has to be power politics," he says in the first paragraph. Politicians are always thought to be corrupt, dishonest, and insidious. In fact, politician is a word that is always associated with something evil. This method of attacking is effective, though primitive; there is a bit of politics in practically every job. Furthermore, Stravinsky fails to note exactly how a conductor is similar to a politician, apart from saying that conducting, like politics, is not a profession for the exact and standardized disciplines. In another quote, he compares the effect of the public on the conductor's ego to the effect the sun has on a tropical weed. Again, this is based more on emotion than cold logic; yet, it manages to convince the reader that conducting is not a profession to be admired. It is clear that St! ravinsky is not appealing to the logic of the reader, but to his emotions. Another strategy Stravinsky uses is sarcasm. He shows a quote naming a conductor to be a "titan of the podium, and is such very nearly the worst obstacle to genuine music making." Furthermore, he names the conductors to be "great," and he discusses the "cult of the great conductor." These names, as opposed to his entire passage, are ironic. After spending an entire passage criticizing conductors and their so--called "greatness," praising them seems satiric. As we have seen from his language and comparisons, it is part of Stravinsky's strategy to undermine the conductors in any way he can, and sarcasm fits well into his plan. The sarcasm is an effective way of criticizing the conductors: Stravinsky even finishes the essay with it in his last sentence "If you are unable to listen to the music, you watch the corybantics, and if you are able, you had better not go to the concert." Most of Stravinsky's argument is based on the fact that people mistake the conductors gestures for the meaning of the music, and place more emphasis on the conductors looks rather than the way he makes music sound. This makes the people think the conductor is "great" while the conductor is actually unfit for his role. This is part of a human tendency to "judge a book by its cover," to formulate an opinion based on what something appears to be, while a closer examination may reveal something different.

Verizon Strategic Analysis Essay Example

Verizon Strategic Analysis Essay Example Verizon Strategic Analysis Paper Verizon Strategic Analysis Paper Verizon Mission Statement With the use of pro-formal balance and income statements, detailed ratio analysis and industry trend tracking we hope o increase share holder wealth while expanding our market share and bringing innovative new products to the consumer. B. Existing Mission Our Nilsson at Verizon Is simple, to be the best and only choice for consumer telecommunication needs. C. Existing Objectives Big changes are happening in the way people communicate, as innovative technologies reshape consumer behavior around convenience, ease of use and instant gratification. With wireless phones, e-mail, instant messaging and the Internet, customers have a range of choices for connecting to people and information. The changes in technology are affecting more than Just phone calls and ext messages. For example, you no longer have to Walt days to mail pictures of your vacation to friends and family you can now share your experiences Immediately using a camera phone or a broadband computer connection. The twin phenomena of increased mobility and broadband availability are restructuring industries and transforming our society. Nearly two-thirds of all American homes now subscribe to both wireless and hireling services, and wireless calls now outnumber calls from traditional hireling telephones. As a measure of the popularity of camera phones, Verizon Wireless customers sent or received more than 30 million stricture messages in just the last three months of 2004. Finally, online usage has grown significantly in the last few years, as 70 percent of U. S. Households now have access to the Internet, and over one-third of those homes are served with a broadband connection. As Americas broadband appetite increases, so too will the sophistication of a new generation of digital devices. Soon, the ability to communicate will be embedded in most electronic devices and will become an essential part of major home appliances. To meet these escalating demands for communication, Verizons new wireless and fleer broadband technologies have the o provoke our customers Walt all ten Downtown n teeny wall need Tort years to come. As new high-capacity applications continue to become an integral part of our daily lives, Verizons premier communications services will deliver the speed, mobility and control our customers need to stay connected. By providing these services, we enable our customers to enjoy the rich communications experiences made possible by converging technologies. D. Existing Strategies Revenue Growth Our emphasis is on revenue transformation, devoting more resources from traditional services, where we have been experiencing access line shoes, to the higher growth markets such as wireless, hireling broadband, including digital subscriber lines (DSL) and fiber optics to the home (Verizons Bios product), long distance and other data services as well as expanded services to enterprise markets. In 2004, revenues from these growth areas increased by 20% compared to 2003 and represent 53% of our total revenues, up from 47% of total revenues in 2003 and 43% in 2002. Verizon reported consolidated revenue growth of 5. 7% in 2004 compared to 2003, led by 23. 0% higher revenue at Domestic Wireless and 7. 4% total data revenue growth at Domestic Telecoms. Verizon added 6,294,000 wireless customers, 1,240,000 DSL lines, 2,337,000 long distance lines and more than 750 Enterprise Advance sales in 2004, meeting its revenue objective of $250 million. Operational Efficiency While focusing resources on growth markets, we are continually challenging our management team to lower expenses, particularly through technology-assisted productivity improvements. The effect of these and other efforts, such as the 2003 labor agreements and voluntary separation plans, has been to significantly change the companys cost structure. At December 31 , 2002, Verizon had 226,000 employees compared to 202,000 at December 31 , 2003. Domestic Telecoms salary and benefits expenses declined by approximately $1 billion in 2004 compared to 2003 as a result of the voluntary separation plans. Workforce levels in 2004 increased to 210,000, driven by wireless and hireling broadband growth markets. Capital Allocation Verizons capital spending continues to be directed toward growth markets. High-speed wireless data (EVADE), replacement of copper access lines with fiber optics to the home, as well as voice over the Internet (Poi) and expanded services to enterprise markets are examples of areas of capital pending in support of these growth markets. In 2004, approximately $900 million of capital spending at Domestic Telecoms was reallocated from traditional products to growth products. Cash Flow Generation The financial statements reflect the emphasis of management on not only directing resources to growth markets, but also using cash provided by our operating and investing activities for the repayment of debt in addition to providing a stable dividend to our shareowner. At December 31 , 2004, Verizons total debt was $39,267 million, a decrease of $6,113 million from $45380 million at December 31, 2003. Recommended Mission and Vision Statement Verizon Communications Inc. NYSE:VS.), a DOD 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wire line and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. At Verizon innovation and being on the forefront of technological advancements insures Verizon Wireless operates Americas most reload wheelers network. Verizon Business operates one AT the most expansive, wholly-owned, global IP networks. Verizon Telecoms is deploying the nations most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged ammunitions, information and entertainment services to customers. Based in New York, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 252,000 highly trained and dedicated employees. The Verizon commitment is to put our customers first by providing excellent service and great communications experiences. This is what we do and this is why we exist. By focusing on our customers and being a responsible member of our communities, we produce a solid return for our shareowner, create meaningful work for ourselves and provide something of lasting value for society. As a result, Verizon is recognized as a great company. In order to keep this commitment, we always honor our core values. Integrity is at the heart of everything we do. We are honest, ethical and upfront because trust is at the foundation of our relationships with our customers, our communities, our stakeholders and each other. We know it is critical that we respect everyone at every level of our business. We champion diversity, embrace individuality and listen carefully when others speak. We hold ourselves to a very high standard of performance. We prize innovative ideas and the teamwork it takes to make them realities.

Contract law coursework - Consideration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Contract law coursework - Consideration - Essay Example The fact that past consideration cannot constitute valid consideration was depicted in Eastwood v Kenyon2. In this case the guardian of a young girl obtained a loan in order to defray the cost of her education. After the completion of her education this girl entered holy wedlock. Her husband agreed to repay the loan. The court opined that the guardian of the girl was not entitled to enforce the promise because of the fact that the loan was availed by him to educate the girl constituted past consideration which had been completed long before her husband had made the promise to repay this loan. However, in Pau On v. Lau Yiu Long past consideration was deemed to be good consideration. In this case the court decided that for a new contract, an advantage that was bestowed or a disadvantage that had been undergone in the past could be deemed to be valuable consideration if payment was forthcoming. Further, the court opined that commercial pressure cannot be considered to be coercion if it is a reasonable business practice3. In all such exceptional cases the original act should have been conducted by the promisee at the behest of the promisor; an unambiguous perception should exist between the parties that remuneration would be made available for performing the contract and the promisee should have agreed to these terms, prior to receiving the consideration, which must be enforceable as a legally binding contract. In the month of February road repair work commenced in front of Tommy’s establishment. This made access to Tommy’s establishment difficult and resulted in a drastic reduction of business. The Arcadia Company consented to reduce the rent, for a period of three months, to  £30 per week. The road repair work was over at the end of three months and normalcy was restored. However, due to the road repair work a lot of dust had accumulated and Tommy was compelled to engage

Characteristics of a Learning Organization Research Paper

Characteristics of a Learning Organization - Research Paper Example These organizations also end up repeating the same mistakes over and over again. The best example is situation whereby an organization spends a lot of time restructuring and repeating initiatives because the previous initiatives did not lead to the desired results (Boranmoon, 2005). My preferred learning organization is Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE). In addition, the Social Care Institute for Excellence is able to promote learning and leadership in its operations at all levels. The type of leadership promoted by the Social Care Institute for Excellence is able to promote accountability in various levels of leadership. Leaders as well as individuals are made accountable for their actions whenever they engage in decisions that do not contribute to the success of the organization. Organizations that encourage responsibility and accountability often become clearer and stronger in their dealings. These organizations also realize that they are able to produce good leaders of tomorrow who can bring change in the society in which they live in. creating responsible individuals is also important because they help in achieving the common goal to the organization. The Social Care Institute for Excellence’s vision, mission and values can fit well into an overall strategic direction. Learning organizations can only ensure that there is responsibility among individuals if they work through strong network of relationships and helping one another in correcting their weaknesses, rather that creating a working environment in which individuals work under pressure to achieve their objective (Boranmoon, 2005). The Social Care Institute for Excellence also ensures that there is a conducive learning environment for all individuals. The organization should take advantage and use the available intelligent resource within the organization to improve in their service delivery. This can only be achieved if every individual is given a chance to develop their skills and talents. Further, social Care Institute for Excellence engages both internal and external stakeholders in the decision making process. They them respond with adequate measures towards the issues generated by stake holders. Stakeholders must always be included in the decision making process for any learning organization to achieve their objectives. Lack of concern towards the views of the stakeholders can only lead to more complications in the process of implementing certain projects. Success in the implementation of all projects and activities of a learning organization depends upon the cooperation among all stakeholders (Boranmoon, 2005). Social Care Institute for Excellence ensures that there is sustainability thinking within the organization’s culture. Each and every individual within the organization should be made to think that they are very important to the sustainability of the organization. When individuals within the learning organization feel that they are very insi gnificant in the progress, the productivity may be affected thus affecting the ability to meet the set objectives. Every individual within the learning organization must feel a sense of worth in the operations and management of the organization (Boranmoon, 2005). Social Care Institute for Excellence incorporates the efforts of several individuals. It is more that just one person and it arises from the collaboration of individuals in groups