Monday, January 27, 2020

Reading Habits Among Student Of Faculty Information Management Education Essay

Reading Habits Among Student Of Faculty Information Management Education Essay Proverb says reading is warehouse of knowledge. By reading we can get a number of knowledge and information that is being developed or have evolved though. Anyway, all is never separated from the act of reading. In particular, the student or students for these jobs require them to read. That is read, read, and continue readings. As a hunter of science, the book is a major source of knowledge for them. Hence, reading something that is very important in our lives if we want to succeed in life. There are lots of understanding about the reading by some of the figures. Among Klein, ddk (in Faridah Rahim, 2005: 3) that make the definition of reading includes: first, reading is a process. The point is the information from the text and the knowledge possessed by the reader has a key role in the form of questions. According to Harris and Sipay (1980) described the process of reading as a process for the interpretation of the meaning of the symbols printed or written. In addition, Kenedy (1981) also defines reading as the ability to detect a visual form (graphic symbols that represent the language and the writing or words), connecting it with the form of sound or meaning of the note and then based on past experience, understand and interpret its meaning. For Mohairaini Yusoff (1989), has concluded the process of reading as a complex treatment and cannot be observed. Only two components of the agreed key skills inherent in the reading skills of skills to recognize and condemn the w ords and the skills to understand what is read. Reading is something that should be in our lives as human beings as long as we live on this Gods earth. Reading is the roots strength of an individual, but of a nation and a country. Without someone to read that there would be no knowledge or experience, without the knowledge and experience of how someone is able to govern or to lead a country and family. Therefore, reading is something very important in life if we want to succeed. In addition, reading is a science which is important to us. Many forms of knowledge can be gained by reading habits, but the reading can improve a person thinking and enhance their skills or expertise in any field of endeavor. Reading also benefited as the reading we can fill the free time and with these we will not waste time with things that are not useful as is happening now is like illegal racing activity, loitering, and so forth. In fact, reading can calm the mind and reduce the burden and to read, we can disseminate the knowledge gained from reading to others. Now we can also read and heard through the mass media in our country Malaysia, the ministry tried to set up various programs to encourage people to read because we are Malaysian government is aware that people are not reading less knowledgeable, and this will affect the performance of our country. Among the programs are held at each school talks about the importance of reading to enhance knowledge, sales day books, NILAM program at the school, the programs readers and many programs have been organized. This program is held by the ministry in collaboration with the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MALAYSIA and also the school. From here we can see the importance of reading to the individual, especially the students and students of higher education. To get a good future they must have a high knowledge and to get the high knowledge they must reading and have reading habits inside them. They must think reading is not just to fulfill their field in their study but they must think reading is to make a knowledge that is really treasure for them. Here we will know the higher education student skill in reading. This means that how they read, for what they read and how they interpret their reading into study or their works. Beside that we also can know the important of reading for the higher education student. How the faculties keep their student in reading habits and what programs that already being handled to keep the student reading. ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND The research of mine will be conducted in Universiti Teknologi MARA, Campus Puncak Perdana, Shah Alam. My research scope will be among student of Faculty Information Management (FPM). UITM was establishing on 14 October 1967 by Tun Abdul Razak and by the mid-70s, but at that time the campus was already in full operation. Now UITM have 26 campuses. It is including UITM Campus Puncak Perdana. Campus Puncak Perdana was establish in the year of 2005.There are 3 Faculty in this campus, it is Faculty Information Management, Faculty Account, and Faculty Technology Creative and Artistic. Faculty of Information Management, UiTM, takes pride in being the pioneer in providing professional education to fulfill the manpower need of the country in three very important fields, namely: Information Management, Library Management, and Records Management. Our academic programmes, supplemented by industry attachments, equip graduates with knowledge and skills to take on the challenging demands of managing information in various forms and in various types of organizations. Our graduates become the main driving force for the development of a knowledge-based society, transforming Malaysia into a developed nation, ensuring that the countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s rich reservoirs of knowledge are systematically organized, maintained and enhanced for optimum value. To achieve this aim, the programmes consist of the blended components from four main areas: Information Technologies, Professional and Technical Aspects of Information and Records Management, Public Relations, and Usersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ Needs and Services. To achieve the goal of the Information Management Faculty, the student must active reading and they must have the skill to manage their reading, information, knowledge, information literacy, become the information proficiency and many more. The student must have good reading habits to become the skilled persons. Having good reading habits will make them professional in this field. The students also know how to handle the information from overload because they have skills because of their habits in reading. Although, Faculty of Information Management produces good workers on manage the information and they also produce the librarian. So, here they need to produce a program to increase the reading habits among students. Before they can conduct program, they must have the reading habit. From this they can conduct and handle student and people to have reading habits and they can give their experience on reading habits. PROBLEM STATEMENT Reading habits is very important to students especially student in higher education. They need to read more than other people. This is because students have to read to broaden their knowledge. Not to read just for school assignments, but read to give them knowledge. With this knowledge, they can complete their tasks quickly and have knowledge of their contents. In addition, reading can also prepare students to stand up and speak in front of the class, especially in the presentation works. Without reading difficult for them to speak fluently to describe the contents of their hard work and also to answer questions raised by colleagues and lecturers. Therefore, we have the knowledge to read high. However, the students reading is just to finish their assignment not for keep their knowledge. They think that finish their assignment is more important than reading for knowledge. This can give impact to the students and also to the faculty. This is because the faculty of Information Management wants to produce the workers that have a quality and having knowledge in manages information, without reading is it hard to produce this kind of workers. After the student finish their studies, they will go for works, if they not works as what the employer want this can give impact for Faculty. Employer would dispute the ability faculty in produce are capable students in the world of works. In this field of studies, need the student read more than often because from reading student will know about the management of information and what they need to do. The first problem in this area is lack awareness about the important of reading. Reading habits can give them more knowledge not only in studies but also knowledge about worlds. The second problem is students are always narrowed in reading minds. They can only be read if asked or to complete their assignment. In fact, they prefer to read scientific material about such gossip. The third problem is the limited collection materials in the library and the lack of Internet services. When there are limited collections of materials in the library so students refer to not go to library and also they will read this limited collection and this will occur problem on student reading habits. Lack of using the internet or browsing internet the student will get not enough information and they will get limited information and this will make they have a limited knowledge. The forth problem is student easy to feel bored in reading especially read books and article without any picture. They refer to read the visual form of reading materials. This kind of reading concept would not make the student feel bored easily. Besides that, visual material of reading will help the student to faster remember their readings. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study are as follows: To investigate the student awareness about the important of reading. To investigate frequency of student go to library. To investigate the materials of the student often to read and borrowed from library. To investigate the using of the internet by student; is that they use the internet to learn, reading or something else. To investigate is there any program being handle at the faculty to attract the student to go library and read; is it the student attend the program. RESEARCH QUESTION The research questions of this study are as follow: What is the purpose of reading for student? What is the frequency of the student come to library? How often the student come to reading program handle by the faculty and library? How much the materials that student read per day and how many material they borrowed from library? What the material the student often use to read and study; internet or printed materials? SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH The scope of this study is about the reading habits among student of Faculty of Information Management. How important reading habits in order to fulfill the career as a student, need of the student and ths will plays a big rle to produce the quality works and leading to successful academic person. This research is being conduct among student in Faculty of Information Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, campus Puncak Perdana. The scope of this study are limited to two main areas, which is the contents of the study that is base on the title and the location of the study which is I have chose in Faculty of Information Management Campus Puncak Perdana, UITM, Shah Alam. The study of this research covers several elements. The elements are how often student go to library to make a reading for them self, how much materials they read per day, what kind material they read, and their ability in reading. The respondents for this study comprises of the students in Faculty Information Management and in this faculty there are four courses, IM220 (Library Science Management), IM221 (Information Systems Management), IM222 (Records Management), and IM223 (Resource Centers Management). This faculty located at University Teknologi MARA, Campus Puncak Perdana, Seksyen U10, Shah Alam. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Independent Variable Dependent Variable Reading Skill Reading Habits Material Library services Reading Habits Program MATERIAL READING SKILL READING HABITS READING HABITS PROGRAM LIBRARY SERVICES FIGURE 1: THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK RELATIONSHIP INDEPENDENT VARIABLES AND DEPENDENT VARIABLES The conceptual framework indicates the relationship which consists of the dependent and independent variables. The framework denotes the four variables which causes to single variable which were affected by the independent variable. Reading habits is dependent variable, variance in which to be explained by the four independent variables which are reading skill, materials, library services, and reading habits programs. The independent variables in this case are reading habits skills, materials, library services, and reading habit programs. Thus, it is very important of the reading habits in produce the good future and ability in works, also can make a higher knowledge. On the other hand, the dependent variable is the reading habits. It can be seen clearly that the independent variables have influenced the dependent variable. This research indicate and elaborate clearly that the reading skill, materials, library services and reading habit programs in student life as an independent variables that will affect and support the student life, works and student futures by having the reading habits among themselves as a dependent variables. OPERATIONAL DEFINITION Reading Habits According to North Regional Education Laboratory, definition of reading is, for many years, three basic definitions of reading have driven literacy programs in the United States (Foertsch, 1998). According to the first definition, learning to read means learning to pronounce words. According to the second definition, learning to read means learning to identify words and get their meaning. According to the third definition, learning to read means learning to bring meaning to a text in order to get meaning from it. But, according to the free dictionary, reading is the act or activity of one that reads. The definition of habits according to dictionary.com is, habits are an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary: the habit of looking both ways before crossing the street. Habits also can be define as a particular practice, custom, or usage, a dominant or regular disposition or tendency; prevailing character or quality. From both definition we can understand that reading habits is the act or activity of one that reads acquired behavior pattern as regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Healthcare Utilization

Health care reform is a not only an ongoing topic of debate statewide, but nationwide as well. Health care reform is a popular topic right now all over the United States. This paper will discuss the various ways that health care reform measures have expanded or inhibited access to care as well as how these changes effect the utilization of healthcare. Also covered will be universal health care, a discussion of what this consists of and how current care identifies or contrasts with it (University of Phoenix, 2013). The cost for a patient receiving care has been on a steady incline, nearing â€Å"$2. 6 trillion in 2010, over ten times the $256 billion spent in 1980,† (Kaiser Foundation, 2013, para. 1). Contributing to these rising costs is advanced medical technology. Not only does the updated technology affect the cost of health care, but it offers patients a more updated, safer solution compared to equipment and procedures of the past. The rising cost of health care seriously impacts people who may already be suffering financially, denying them the ability to receive proper medical care. There are a limited amount of Americans that can afford routine care with a primary care doctor. Many patients are forced to resort to using the emergency room on an as needed basis. In order to ensure more Americans receive the health care they need, a change in the system must occur. Health care reform is built upon the current health insurance system as a way of providing access to system to provide more people with the ability to gain medical insurance coverage. Health reform also establishes an easy way for consumers to compare and purchase health insurance as well as protect consumers legally. The current plan for health care reform will make it possible for low income families to qualify for medical coverage through federal programs. The health reform will also encourage additional employers to provide health insurance policies that cover preventative measures for employees. This reform would also protect patients from unreasonable rate increases to their policies. Although health care reform is intended to increase the accessibility of healthcare, it also comes with the potential to be a financial disaster for he government and patients alike. Becoming effective in 2014, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will require states to cover individuals with incomes not exceeding 133 percent of the federal poverty level, under the age of 65 and not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid. â€Å" The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care and will create the transformation within the health care system necessary to contain costs,† (Responsible Reform, 2012, para. ). One issue that will still be present will be the limited access to preventative and primary care because Medicaid will only ensure non-routine visits. Forcing patients to visit emergency departments or urgent care offices will increase costs and pose a threat to not only the patients but the physicians, hospitals, and government agencies behind the funding (Douglas Holtz-Eakin, 2010). Health care reform will not only affect patient coverage but will force changes within the utilization of health care as well. The changes made from health care reform have a major impact on health care by influencing the level of spending within the health care industry. These rates of health care utilization are direct indicators of the type of care patients are seeking. The rates also define how services may vary from one region to the next. As noted above, health care reform will expand patient utilization of the emergency department and urgent care offices nationwide. Universal healthcare would be an example everyone being covered for basic healthcare services, and no individual would be denied care as long as they are legal residents in the geographical area covered. The ideal concept would assure that all citizens should have access to affordable, quality health care which differs from the current system. Universal health care programs are government directed through various regulations, mandates, and laws that determine the type of care provided and who is eligible for coverage. Universal health care is a publicly funded health care delivery system. There are certain instances where the patient will be responsible for partial costs, the portion the single payer insurance did not cover. The opposing argument against universal health care is that doctors accepting the insurance offered through the universal program would make less money, therefore influencing the level of care provided to patients. Some also believe it is each individual’s responsibility to take care of their medical coverage, not the responsibility of the government. Some feel it is yet another burden to the current fiscal crisis. They fail to realize the majority of the uninsured are employed citizens that simply cannot afford the rising costs of care. One similarity of the current care in the United States with universal health care is Medicaid and Medicare. Patients covered by these programs must meet government guidelines and receive specific care that is covered by these. The difference between Medicaid/Medicare and universal healthcare is that there is no equality to health care accessibility; the government is determining who is eligible and what is covered. The government determines what services can receive and eligibility. Medical coverage in the United States appears to be a luxury in today’s economy and universal health care would change that view. As am insured dependent, I am covered by blue cross blue shield health insurance. I am able to see my primary care physician with a co-pay and very little out of pocket expenses upfront for minor illness, and accidents. If for some reason I wouldn’t have healthcare anymore. I would be eligible for Medicaid but compared to the coverage I currently have, it would not be much assistance but in an emergency. Not only would it limit my medical coverage, I would all but lose preventative care as well as dental coverage. If universal health care were put into effect through a health care reform, preventative care should be a necessity. Not only does it ensure good health of Americans, it cuts costs in the long run by preventing medical emergencies and undiagnosed conditions. While the health care reform is an ongoing debate, utilization of health care accessibility needs to expand. Coverage for all Americans needs to expand, not just providing access to an emergency room but preventive care as well. The concept of universal health care would ensure that all Americans receive access to quality health care.References Douglas Holtz-Eakin 2010, Healthcare reform and Medicaid: Patient Access, Emergency Department Use, and Financial Implications for States and Hospitals retrieved July 10, 2013 from: http://www.americanactionforum.org/files/HCR_Medicaid Kaiser Foundation (2013). U.S. health care costs. Retrieved July 10, 2013 from http://www.kaiseredu.org/Issue-Modules/US-Health-Care-Costs/Background-Brief. aspx Responsible Reform (2013). The patient protection and affordable care act. Retrieved July 10, 2013 from http://dpc.senate.gov/healthreformbill/healthbill04.pdf

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Globalization: Toms a Commodity Fetish Essay

Globalization is the international influence, change, and interaction within or between countries and or nations. This creates an idea of connectedness between the facilitating nation and the nation being influenced. Within this interaction and influence on another nation there becomes this desire to become a â€Å"trendsetter† through the use of products and other various commodities throughout the world. One such example can be seen through the United States which is associated with so many different types of brands such as Coca-Cola or Nike. These influences and trends though cannot be simply placed anywhere, rather they are developed and strategically thought of where they would be best placed and as well alternated to fit within a new environment for optimum consumption. These changes can either hinder a product or can help it through the way in which it is advertised and accepted into the local market. Such an example can be seen through TOMS shoe company where their goal is â€Å"to show how together, we can create a better tomorrow by taking compassionate action today† (Toms.com). TOMS’ business model of buy a pair give a pair is marketed to the U.S. in a way that plays with people’s emotions so that their product becomes a fetish through the idea that once a pair of shoes is bought people are doing good for another person; in particular children in other countries without shoes. This correlates with both Marx’s commodity fetish theory, the cultural imperialism theory and Mazzarella’s idea of the impact of imagery through the direct way TOMS is directed to the consumer and as well how there is an indirect influence from the TOMS shoe company onto the other various countries that they take their shoes to through the positive imagery that is created through the global impact that the company is trying to make. TOMS was started by founder Blake Mycoskie in 2006 after he had gone to Argentina in 2002 and saw the extreme poverty and health conditions and in particular children without shoes (toms.com). The original product came from an Argentine shoe called an alpargata which was worn by the local farmers in the region; it’s a canvas or fabric material with rubber soles. Mycoskie took the alpargata to the U.S. but changed and reinvented it for the American market so that there could be a product that made a positive impact, which ultimately translates to the â€Å"One for One† campaign, where with every one pair of shoes bought another pair would be given to a child in need (toms.com). The reason for the production and business of shoes is due to two reasons first many children in impoverished places live in areas that have unsafe terrains, such as a lack of unpaved roads. Second, there are also health concerns that are transmitted from the soil which is caused by not wearing sh oes. Lastly TOMS did some research and found that many schools require children to wear shoes to the classroom and without shoes or even the right color of shoes that child would not be able to go into the classroom (Daniel:2011:2). With this Mycoskie was able to start a business that now has manufacturing sites in China, Argentina, and Ethiopia (Daniel:2011:4). These production factories are divided up into two â€Å"departments† where the Argentinean and Ethiopian factories are where the donated shoes are produced only and the China factory is where the shoes that go to the United States are produced (toms.com). Because TOMS is a private company meaning that they are â€Å"a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company shares to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the company’s stock is offered, owned and traded or exchanged privately† (businessnow.com). This then allows TOMS to be more private and less in the open about what is going on in their factories and other various production stages. However, TOMS is open about their manufacturing practices and according to the TOMS website they ensure that no children are working in the manufacturing process of their shoes. As well they want to help their supply employees through training them and educating them in the knowledge of what human trafficking is and as well slavery prevention. They â€Å"follow local labor standards†; which fluctuate from place to place which gives a very vague reality of what their â€Å"real† standards are. TOMS’ website does say that all factories are audited by third parties, each employer signs a code of conduct in which they are agreeing to follow the stipulations to TOMS company, there are regular visits made by TOMS production staff to make sure they are working and adhering to the code of conduct and other various working standards, and that all their standards are based off of the International Labor Organization Compliance Standards (toms.com). The intent of such standards, then, is to establish a worldwide minimum level of protection from inhumane labor practices through the adoption and implementation of said measures. â€Å"It is the aim of international labor standards to ensure the provision of such rights in the workplace, such as against workplace aggression, bullying, discrimination and gender inequality on the other hands for working diversity, workplace democracy and empowerment†(ilo.org). The basic stages of the production of the shoes goes from a team that draws up the ideas of the shoes, to a mock make-up of the shoe, then the design goes to the factories where they are made and then shipped to the U.S. where they are distributed to the various relaters and non-profit organizations that they partner with for â€Å"shoe drops.† Overall though, there is little information of the production stages and how the production facilities are like; which causes concern seeing as how they have built their ima ge on doing good for others and want to have a positive impact on the local economies. It becomes important to acknowledge that TOMS is a â€Å"for-profit company with giving at its core† (toms.com). TOMS partners up with other various non-profit organizations that run parallel goals and standards as TOMS does. This then means that each non-profit organization that TOMS partners with needs to meet certain criteria. There are six requirements that the organizations need to fulfill to be able to partner up with TOMS. First they need to have repeated giving which is where the potential organization must have the capability to be active within the same communities on a regular basis throughout the years. Second they need to have high impact which means that the organization’s mission and goals need to support health and education in a fashion that underlies the principle of giving a child an opportunity they normally would not have. Third enhancing impact through partnership, TOMS strives to make an influential impact in communities where they donate and the partnering organization needs to have their mission and goals coincide with TOMS’. Fourth, they need to be considerate of the local economy so that there is not a negative impact on the economy only a positive one. Fifth they need to be able to receive large shipments of TOMS’ shoes so that they may distribute the shoes to the places they focus on. Lastly, the potential partnering establishment needs to be comprehensively founded on health and education, so that the distribution of the new shoes not only supports TOMS’ mission but runs parallel with the establishments’ goals (toms.com). These non-profit organizations are not only an important aspect to the overall business of TOMS through the ability to give out the donated shoes but as well to spread the word about TOMS to the various communities that they reach. Non-profit organizations play a key role throughout the TOMS company process. Without these partnering organizations there would not be as frequent â€Å"shoe drops.† These â€Å"shoe drops† are where the donated shoes are given to the children in the targeted area. Each organization plays a key role through going to different places that they see fit and in need of shoes. Even after the shoes have been delivered, TOMS continues to maintain relationships with its giving partners and the communities (toms.com). TOMS constantly monitors its partners for accountability. Additionally the organization recognizes that one pair of shoes is not going to last for the child’s entire lifetime. â€Å"Therefore, as the children grow out of their shoes—approximately every six months—TOMS provides replacement shoes to these same children on a regular basis† (Daniel:2011:5). A schedule is set up with the identified community and local giving partner to maintain a regular Shoe Drop for the children. TOMS’ believes that repeat giving allows it to understand the local’s needs more thoroughly. TOMS also works to adapt its products to account for the region’s terrain, weather, and education requirements (toms.com). However, despite the use of these non-profit organization partnerships there is still a need to spread the word about what the TOMS company is all about and what they are trying to do. The TOMS company does not use conventional advertising in the sense that they use television or newspaper ads rather they use social media to spread what they are doing through the various outlets such as viral videos, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Tumbler, and Youtube. Its approach has allowed TOMS to reach a vast audience worldwide. TOMS maintains its own blog to educate the public about current events in the company. Additionally, many consumers create their own digital content regarding their experiences with TOMS Shoes. By encouraging events and word-of-mouth communication, TOMS is allowing consumers to do much of the marketing for the company. There is a very strong need for participation from the consumers to spread the word and the idea behind TOMS; so much so that they invite the consumer to be part of the â€Å"movement† (toms.com). The movement for TOMS is a wide range of various activities that the consumers can participate in; from on campus programs, one day without shoes, and most importantly buying their shoes so that another pair can go to a child in need, in other words â€Å"One for One.† The images that are presented in these pictures and information videos there becomes a very powerful image behind them. This coincides with Mazzarella’s argument that the image is a powerful image and how that powerful image then is a created for a local identity on a particular product for each specific place. With TOMS there is a sense of creating a local identity through who the audience is but there is more of an idea that anyone can join in what they are about and doing no matter the age or stage of live one is in. Because, the TOMS Company is asking participation from the consumer they in essence are also asking them to create a meaning behind their purchase and consumption of their shoe product; this in turn causes the shoes to become fetishized. The shoes take on a new meaning for the consumer other than just another pair of shoes. They become a symbol of hope, a chance for a child, a generous gift, and an opportunity for change for the consumer (cite). According to Marx’s theory of the commodity fetish when an object is treated as alive it becomes a fetish. As well Marx argues that capitalism produces its own fetishes through turning basic human needs such as food, warmth, shelter, and shoes into wants; they try to seduce the consumer. The consumer does not think then of the use value the product just becomes something that they want and more often than not the wants are very shallow (Marx). However, TOMS tries to put an anti-shallow want on their shoes through the use of playing with the consumers emotions. TOMS plays at the heart-strings of the consumer so that there becomes an emotional link between the consumer and the product; if the shoes are bought then a child is getting helped. As Marx points out there is an emotional quality in the product and this is often heightened through the way in which it is advertised. Even though TOMS does not use the conventional ways of advertising they do however, put a positive feeling into their information videos that add and heighten this emotional affect. TOMS shoe company falls into this idea of a commodity fetish because TOMS is asking the consumer to fill in the space between the product and the means of it; to fill in the gap according to Marx. TOMS makes its product seem so enticing for the consumer to do good that often times it is forgotten that the company is a for-profit company and it almost gets seen as a non-profit company because of the way in which the company brings forth what it is trying to do. This in turn changes the meaning of the shoe from just a shoe into what the consumers want it to mean. The meaning of the product is not just individually made but socially created and functioning but the use value remains the same; the meaning of the commodity is never locked down rather it is always change and fluxing with the social aspect and get filled with personal lives and not just the companies meaning (Marx). However, even though there is a positive spin on consuming TOMS shoes it’s important to look at how TOMS only releases certain information on what they are doing and their product; they present everything that they do in a way that they are always doing good and nothing bad. This in turn ties in with Cultural Imperialism. Cultural Imperialism is the indirect influence of one culture onto another. It can be argued that while TOMS is having an impact and therefore influence on the cultures that they donate the shoes and have factories in they are in essence having a more influence on the American economic culture through the way in which they have â€Å"revolutionized† the way in which to build a business model (Mendez:2011:7). They did this through the way in which the company was created under the premise that sales equal the good done. Mycoskie said, â€Å"†¦we know every day that we’re going to give away one pair of shoes for every one we sell, and that’s that. If we can’t make the business work that way, then the business just doesn’t work.† Many small businesses have now started to model their practices after this one-for-one model however they have not been as successful as TOMS especially if these companies are truly non-profit organizations (thewor ld.com). According to a Wall Street Journal â€Å"Toms is going a step further than most in blurring the difference between brand and charity; the brand doesn’t exist outside the charitable work.† Which helps explains why they have been so successful in selling their product because they are blurring those lines between the product brand and the charity aspect which often times is not the case when a major company wants to do charity work. Because of this blurring of the lines between corporate and charity this causes an influence in the United States corporate culture. Even though it may not be global in the sense that it’s an American company influencing the American corporation world it still is a type of cultural imperialism. However according to Mazzarella cultural imperialism is the tool that is used to create chaos in which only the ad companies only have the solution to. Again with the way in which TOMS places their imagery through social media sources there almost becomes an indirect way that they are trying to portray the good they are doing in the forefront while whatever other impacts they may be occurring to the wayside so that it appears there is no influe nce created by TOMS and its industry both throughout the world and the United States local economy. Overall, TOMS shoe company is one that wants to bring good to those in need. However, there are several questions that arise such as if they are doing what they say they are why are their production facilities and practices so hidden? Or why don’t they allow people to see just how much the difference in facilities in the United States and their factories in Argentina, Ethiopia and China? Lastly are they truly only having positive impacts to the local economies in which they donate their shoes or are they also having a negative one as well? The company is very open on the good they are doing and create a very powerful image that directly relates to the fetishism of their shoes with the consumer and their desire themselves to have a positive impact through their consumption of a product rather than guilt. As Mazzarella states the â€Å"global is constructed locally just as much as the local is constructed globally† (2003:17). This can be seen through how with the local imagery that is created in the United States that is seen as a positive image of TOMS is directed to the rest of the world even though while it may appear very true there are still many things about the overall corporation the TOMS company keeps hidden from the consumers eyes. This then is also how their cultural imperialistic impact is played through how the positive image is translated from the local to the global. Overall, TOMS offers a solution to short-term symptoms of poverty but does not address the root cause of poverty (Costello:2012:12). In conclusion it might be better to buy a pair of shoes for half the price and then write a check for a foundation that support the local economies infrastructure that TOMS is impacting so there can be more of a long-term impact rather than a short-term. However, there is a desire to create a positive impact and while there can never be a perfect model to create a business that is always creating a positive impact the TOMS company just might be on to something. Works Cited Bartter, Jacqueline. â€Å"A New Model of Corporate Social Responsibility.† Iprs.uscs.edu. University of California, San Diego, 2012. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. http://irps.ucsd.edu/assets/001/503681.pdf Costello, Amy. â€Å"Buy One and Give One, Inside TOMS Shoes†. Tiny Spark. Chronicle of Philanthropy. March, 15, 2012. F., Daniel. â€Å"Toms: One For the Movement.† University of New Mexico, 2011. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. http://danielsethics.mgt.unm.edu/pdf/TOMS%20Case.pdf Marx, Karl, and David McLellan. Selected Writings. Oxford [Eng.: Oxford UP, 1977. Print. Mazzarella, William. Shoveling Smoke: Advertising and Globalization in Contemporary India. Durham: Duke UP, 2003. Print. â€Å"TOMS SHOES LOGO.† TOMS Shoes & Eyewear Official Store. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. â€Å"International Labour Organization.† International Labour Organization. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2012. â€Å"TOMS Shoes: Does Buy-One-Give-One Work? | PRI’s The World.† PRIs The World RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Www.TheWorld.com: The World’s Home Page.† Www.TheWorld.com: The World’s Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2012.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

The Discovery Of Saudi Arabia - 1163 Words

I asked a friend of mine to come with me to visit the Asian Art Museum. I told him that the Museum is exhibiting pieces of recent archeological discoveries of Saudi Arabia. Since we were both Saudis, we felt curious to explore the museum for the first time. When we arrived to the museum, we paid 15 dollars each because we were adults. It was not until we finished our visit that we realized that we could have used our student identification cards to pay only 10 dollars each. However, we did not feel bad about it because we agreed that our visit was totally worth the price; if not, what we paid for the entrance was very little. Brief exploration of the Museum’s galleries: I was taking notes about my visit while exploring the content of the museum. The Asian Art Museum is exclusively exhibiting recent discoveries of Saudi Arabia, under the title of â€Å"Roads of Arabia.† The â€Å"Roads of Arabia† section is divided into four galleries. Each gallery contains objects that present a theme. For example, the first gallery, which takes place in the Ocher gallery, has the theme of â€Å"Prehistoric Arabia.† The gallery contains archeological objects and tools that date back to a million years ago. Some archeological discoveries such as tools and stones show the presence of prehistoric human settlements in today’s Saudi Arabia. The theme of the second gallery is â€Å" Incense Roads,† as it is held in the Hambrecht gallery. This gallery contains ancient objects that are associated with the incenseShow MoreRelatedSaudi Arabia And The Islamic World1648 Words   |  7 PagesWhen it comes to the Middle Eastern continent the mo st significant and popular country is known as Saudi Arabia. The fact following certain aspects and a shared history with Islamic religion makes it the most well known place in the world for Muslims as well as the entire Arab world. Saudi Arabia lies and covers most of the Arabian Peninsula, inclusive of the Red Sea. 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