The Global Sports Retail Industry

Introduction The global sports retail industry has achieved a rapid growth over the last ten years. It is also expected to continue growing over the next five years, with an estimated growth rate of about 6% per annum to reach about $130 billion by 2020 (United Nations 2014). The rapid rate of growth in this industry is due to a number of factors.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Global Sports Retail Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the major factor contributing to the industrial growth and development at a faster rate is the dynamism in the demand for sports goods. For instance, studies have shown that there is an increase in the demand for sports goods or sport-style products in various parts of the world, especially Asia. The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive report based on the industrial analysis of the global sports retail business. It will examine the industry ba sed on the conventional techniques of industry analysis, including forced field analysis, porters 5 forces, PEST and SWOT analysis. This paper argues that the sports industry stands a better chance to develop rapidly over the next five years, giving corporate and other players a good chance to improve their economic development and financial health. Force field analysis Force field analysis is an important tool in the process and technique of decision-making (Lewin 2000). It aims at analyzing the forces for and against industrial or corporate change in order to provide corporate leaders with information needed to make effective decisions. In addition, the technique helps corporate leaders communicate the reasons behind their need for change in the corporate management area, which makes it easy to convince stakeholders that a change or project is needed. In particular, the force field analysis model yields information that has two effects (Cartwright 2009). It can provide information that supports the idea of change, thus calling the corporations involved to go ahead with a project, a change of a program.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The forces favoring the growth of the sports retail industry Population growth: The increased rate of world population is an important factor supporting the rate of growth for sport retail industry. In particular, the growing demand for sports and sport-style products is high in areas with a high rate of population growth, especially in a number of Asian countries (Cai Du 2013). Statistics indicate that out of the estimated 7.14 billion people in the world, about 4 billion live in Asia, accounting for more than 55% of the total world population (World Bank 2013). Together, the populations of India and China make about 2.6 billion people, providing evidence of the increased rate of demand for sports products in thes e areas (Randers 2012). For instance, the increase in the demand for sports-style products was more than 4% in China between 2005 and 2010 (Research markets 2012). Overall, the rate of demand for these products is more than 3% per annum (Mullin, Hardy Sutton 2013). The high population is the largest player in the increased rates of demand. Improved economies: Another major factor supporting the rate of growth in the sports retail industry is the trend of economies in various parts of the world. In North America, the economic situation has improved rapidly since the end of the global recession. Between 2010 and 2013, the economy of the US increased by 2.3% per annum (Coates Humphreys 2003). In addition, other regions have enjoyed improved economic growths since 2010. For instance, the economy of the south east Asian region has improved by more than 3%, while that of the near and middle east nations has achieved a growth rate of more than 4% per annum (World Bank 2013). In addition, despite few cases such as Greece, Italy and Spain, the European Union has achieved an improved growth rate in its economy, which is expected to reach 2.1% per annum (Smith Stewart 2012). South America has some of the most rapidly developing economies in the world. The number of people attaining the middle class level is increasing rapidly, while poverty rates are declining. In nations such as Brazil and Argentina, the economic growth has developed rapidly over the last five years. This explains the rising demand for sport-like goods in these areas. In addition, African nations have the world’s largest rates of economic growth.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Global Sports Retail Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the recent past, a number of African nations have achieved an economic growth rate of more than 5%, with some reaching a high of 8%, including Ghana, Angola and Senegal (Brei singer, Diao Thurlow 2011). In addition, most countries in the region have a growth rate of more than 4%, with the most significant including Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Ethiopia and Ivory Coast (World Bank 2013). The youth factor: In the modern world, the status of the young people has increased significantly. With an increase in the number of young people taking part in the economic building such as employment and business, most nations have experienced in increase in the demand for products and services that support youth affairs. Among the most important industry supported by this phenomenon is the sports retail industry. In North American, South America, Asia and Europe, growth of the sports retail industry is favored by an increased rate of youth participation in various aspects of the economy. According to studies, young people have a tendency of being active in sports or wearing sport-like clothing and shoes. In addition, the empowerment of the young people thro ugh financial support and improvement of employment opportunities in Asian nations, in particular, has supported the increase in the demand for sport goods and services, which supports the growth of the sports retail industry. Restraining forces Economic recession: Although the world economy has achieved a relatively good rate of recovery from the 2007-2010 economic recession, the effects of the phenomenon is still affecting most countries. For instance, the recession made the US economy lose by more than 4% per annum (Bjork 2012). In particular, the employment rate declined significantly, with the rate of unemployment reaching about 8% per annum (World Bank 2013). The number of people that lost jobs during the time is significant, with a good number being young people. This also took place in Europe and Asia, which affected the industrial growth rates. With a high number of people losing job opportunities due to the impact of the recession, the number of people purchasing luxury sp ort goods declined significantly in most nations in Europe, Asia and North America.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Porter’s Five Forces Analysis of the Global Sports Retail Industry A five force analysis of the global sports retail industry is important in determining the effectiveness and micro environment forces that affect the industry’s ability to meet the demands of its customers, achieve profitability and the overall growth. The buyer power, new entrants, competition rivalry, supplier power and threats of substitutes provide evidence of the industry’s state at a given time. Buyer Power in the Global sports retail industry In sports retail industry, consumers have the largest role in driving the business of the industry. The power of the consumers is evident in pricing, especially when competitors tend to outdo each other based on pricing strategies. In the recent past, most competitors in the industry have been trying to attract more consumers through discounts and services to increase their market share. Buyers reap the benefit of obtaining products at competitive pri ces. However, statistics have shown that the number of people aged 45 and above seeking to use sports product in managing their health has increased significantly, especially in the developed world (Quan 2010). This trend has allowed consumers to look for fashion that is mostly associated with sports. The high rate of competition between retailers in the industry based on production of goods meant to meet the specific demands for various social groups has enhanced the power of buyers in the industry. In addition, the amount of product differentiation in the market for sports goods has increased, with companies manufacturing products based on the specific needs such as jogging, cycling, skating for health purposes and those meant for real sporting activities (Andersen, Van Raalte Brewer 2001). This has given consumers a wide range of choice, enhancing their power in the control of the industry. However, there are only a small number of retailers in the oligopolistic sports retail ma rket, which has restrained the buyer power because forward integration is difficult as the buyers are mainly the consumers, making their chance of taking over less significant. Nevertheless, the overall power of buyers in the industry is rated â€Å"moderate†. The power of suppliers In the global sports retail industry, the suppliers are the corporations involved in manufacturing, including Nike, Reebok, Adidas and Puma. These organizations are multinational and large corporates that control the industry. They are globally branded with reputation and value due to high quality products they offer to the market. This makes the bargaining power of the industry to be significantly low. They have almost become the main decides of the prices for sports products. Forward integration seems to be relatively high because the retailers are threatened by the suppliers. For instance, a number of suppliers have been acquiring retailers, which makes the suppliers take over the control of th e retail industry. A good example is the acquisition of Hargreaves Sports, a retail business in the industry, by Nike. Nike used this opportunity to set up an exclusive fully branded outlet for sports good in Nike town, London, in 1999 (Deng 2009). On its part, Reebok opened a fitness center known as Reebok Sports Club in London, England, which provides consumers with a wide range of exclusively branded Reebok products for health fitness purposes (Yu 2011). Moreover, the suppliers use marketing strategies such as advertising, promotion, corporate social responsibility and sponsorship for sports clubs and fitness welfares, achieving the overall control of the industry. Overall, the power of suppliers in the retail industry for sports good in the world is high. Rivalry among competitors There is a considerably good level of competition between main players in the retail business in the global sports industry. The concentration ratio as well as HHI is important measures of rivalry in t he industry based on market share. These markets shares can be obtained in the Mintel’s report (2008) as shown in appendix 3. In this case, it has been shown that the concentration ratio is the market share that the four major competitors in the global retail industry are JJB Sports, Sports World, DJ Sports and Supermarkets/retail chains in various parts of the world. As shown in the appendix, the CR reveals that the four major competitors sell about 75% of the total output, which means that the degree of rivalry is high. In addition, the calculations in the appendix show that the HHI of the industry is about 1683, which lies between 1000 and 1800. This means that the market is moderately concentrated. Threat of new entrants As shown above, the CR and HHI degrees are relatively high, with the number of major players in the industry remaining relatively low. Each of the players has a large number of stores in various parts of the world. They compete among themselves to increas e their market shares. In addition, they have dominated the market for a long time, providing quality products. Therefore, for new entrants in the market to succeed, they must impress consumers that their products are quality. In addition, the entry of supplies in the market, especially through acquisitions and mergers or joint ventures with the existing retailers, has made it difficult for new entrants to tap market share in the industry (DePamphili 2013). Therefore, the overall threat of new entrants is low. Threats of substitutes In footwear, the price of sports shoes is likely to change when substitutes change in prices. In this case, substitutes include products from local companies, which is common in various parts of the world. PEST analysis Political The global sports retail industry seeks to increase the volume of sales of sports goods and services to the global clients. The key players involved in this industry include Foot Locker, JD Sports, Sports Direct, Sports World, J JB Sports and supermarket chains. These companies face political challenges in their business. For instance, the politics of control of the industry is evident. Suppliers seem to be fighting each other at the retail level. For example, Nike and Reebok have strategies to acquire or partner with selected retailers in order to lock out other suppliers (Slater Lloyd 2004). This brings a tense political environment between the suppliers and the retailers. In addition, retailers are flexing their muscles by moving beyond Europe and North American to venture new markets in Asia and South America, especially in China, India, Brazil and other nations in the Southeast Asian region. In all of these regions, the political environment is diverse. For example, there are laws to protect local companies in some nations like South Korea and China. Taxation and legal politics are evident. In addition, the companies are considered western products, which affect the perceptions of the people in foreig n nations. Economical Retailers of sports products seek to increase their market share and profitability. To do this, they tend to increase their outlets, which make it necessary to hire a large number of employees in Europe, North America as well as foreign markets. This contributes to the overall growth of the economies where the outlets are based. In addition, it is worth noting that labor affects these companies. In Europe, the cost of labor is higher in France and Germany than in Britain. Similarly, the cost of labor is high in North American and Europe than in China and South Korea. Thus, most factories are located in Asia. It means that the retailers have to open new locations in Asia and sometimes obtain supplies from these areas. Social Sports products are associated with sports cultures at a given time and location. In Europe, North America and other westernized nations, sports are a major social factor, with few social restrictions attached to it. Sportswear of different kinds and styles are allowed. However, in some nations such as those using strict Islamic laws, including Saudi Arabia, as well as those with strict cultural laws like North Korea, some sports and sportswear are not allowed, especially those though to expose certain parts of the bod. In addition, some cultural laws prohibit women from taking part in sports or wearing certain sports clothing. Technological analysis The internet technology has improved business processes. Sports retail business is one of the most affected industries. Currently, most consumers are increasingly moving to online shopping, where it is possible to select and order products. Thus, most retailers have implemented e-commerce as part of their business processes. SWOT Analysis Strengths The sports retail industry is one of the fastest growing industries, thanks to an increase in the number of middle and aged people using sporting activities to enhance the quality of their lives. According to statistics, the num ber of baby boomers population in North America and their similar population in Europe are concerned with their health. They have increasingly been using sporting activities as the most effective solution to improve their health and quality of life. Thus, the retail business is likely to remain strong over the next few decades. Weaknesses Sports products are mostly luxury goods and services. They do not have a high priority in most households. Therefore, frequent economic recessions and other financial problems are likely to affect the demand for these products (Mehta 2013). Thus, retailers face the risk of frequent decreases in demands. Opportunities As mentioned, the increase in global population, especially in Asia, South America and Africa, provides the sports retail business with chances for expansion and growth. In addition, the rising state of economics in various parts of the world means that the demands for these products are likely to rise. Moreover, the trend of using spo rting activities to meet health demands is increasing throughout the world. Threats Although the number of retailers is relatively low, the current players face a threat of new entrants in the market. For instance, the increased tendency of suppliers to enter the retail market is a major threat. In addition, emerging nations like China, India and others have a quest for entering the market. They are encouraging corporations to go global, which means that some of their retailers in this industry are likely to enter the market in the future (Development Research Center of the State Council 2009). References Andersen, MB, Van Raalte, JL Brewer, BW, 2001, â€Å"Sport psychology service delivery: Staying ethical while keeping loose†, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 12-17. Bjork, GJ, 2012, The Way It Worked and Why It Won’t: Structural Change and the Slowdown of U.S. Economic Growth, Praeger, Westport, CT. Breisinger, C, X. Diao, X Thurl ow, D, 2009, â€Å"Modeling growth options and structural change to reach middle income country status: The case of Ghana†, Economic Modeling vol. 26, pp. 514–525. Cai, F Du, Y, 2013, The China Population and Labor Yearbook: The Approaching Lewis Turning Point and Its Policy Implications, Brill, New York. Cartwright, D, 2009, Field Theory in Social Science and Selected Theoretical Papers, American Psychological Association, Washington, D. C. Coates, D Humphreys, BR, 2003, â€Å"The effect of professional sports on earnings and employment in the services and retail sectors in US cities†, Regional Science and Urban Economics, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 175-198. Deng, T, 2009, â€Å"Just Done It—Nike’s New Advertising Plan Facing Global Economic Crisis†, International Journal of Business and Management, vol. 4, no. 3, p. 102. DePamphili, D, 2013, Mergers and Acquisitions Basics: All You Need To Know, Academic Press, New York. Development Research Ce nter of the State Council, 2009, â€Å"China: Seeking for new breakthrough in coping with crisis†, Manage World vol. 6, pp4–18. Lewin, K, 2000, â€Å"Defining the Field at a Given Time†, Psychological Review vol. 50, pp. 292–310. Mehta, M, 2013, â€Å"How Does the Global Economic Crisis Affect Textile, Apparel Sourcing?† Apparel Technology. Web. Mullin, BJ, Hardy, S Sutton, WA, 2013, Sport Marketing, Human Kinetics, New York. Quan, K, 2010, â€Å"Use of global value chains by labor organizers†, Competition Change, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 89-104. Randers, J, 2012, 2052: A Global Forecast for the Next Forty Years, Green Publishing, Vermont: Chelsea. Research markets, 2012, â€Å"Global Retail Sports Apparel Market 2012-2017: Market Trends, Profit and Forecast Analysis†, Research and Markets. Web. Slater, J Lloyd, C, 2004, â€Å"It’s gotta be the shoes: exploring the effects of relationships of Nike and Reebok sponsorship on two college athletic programs†, Sports Marketing and the Psychology of Marketing Communication, vol. 191. Smith, A Stewart, B, 2012, Sports Management: A Guide to Professional Practice, Allien and Unwin, London. United Nations, 2014, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2013 Revision, UN Publications, New York. World Bank, 2013, Global Economic Growth Will Accelerate in 2014, WB publications, New York. Yu, X, 2011, â€Å"Impacts of corporate code of conduct on labor standards: A case study of Reebok’s athletic footwear supplier factory in China†, Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 81, no. 3, pp. 513-529. Appendix Figure 1: Position of Asian population in the top 20 most populous nations in the world. Figure 2: World Population growth rates Figure 3: Supply and demand for sports goods follows this trend Figure 4: Force Field analysis for sports retail industry Calculations for rivalry in the sports retail market CR4 = Market Share (JJB Sports + JD sports + Sports Worl d + Supermarkets) CR4 = 33% + 16% + 13%+ 13% CR4 = 75% HHI = SQUARE [Market Share (JJB Sports + JD sports + Sports World + Supermarkets)] HHI= 1089+256+169+169 = 1683 This assessment on The Global Sports Retail Industry was written and submitted by user Adonis Barr to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

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When they had many families needing help they knew there volunteers would need training, this became the pioneer in the profession of social work, something that our foundations are based on today. The main foundation of COS was to change policy to help the people suffering the effects of poverty, something that social workers do now, the general council of social workers are still working to help those suffering the most and work towards giving help to those who have unable to find help elsewhere and give social work support as well as signpost to other services that may help them further. From this time more acts were introduced including the Public health act of 1872. During this time poverty was never really defined they understood what brought it about like unemployment or illness, if they had defined poverty it may have helped introduced different acts to prevent it. In the 1900s poverty was ever increasing, the settlement movement started its idea was to establish settlement houses in poor areas with the idea that the middle class would volunteer to live with them, sharing their knowledge and help alleviate the poverty of their poor neighbours. From this movement many initiatives emerged and helped to improve conditions of all poor areas of society and help all individuals. This movement focused on the causes of poverty providing a number of services including education and health services. This settlement movement is another foundation of social work practice today, no we dont live with the individuals in need, but the whole reason of social work is to use our education and knowledge to alleviate the problems they have and help them emotionally, practically and financially, which is just what these volunteers did. Although some argued that this was normative because some wanted the divide between the poor and higher classes. (Laybourn, 1995) Al though this movement was important the more powerful COS submerged as the controversial nature of social work, there was individuals that were not eligible for help these were still at the workhouse, and most of these individuals were women who bore children out of wedlock. Although the settlement movement was also necessary in society in focusing on poverty, it focused on a more structured analyses of poverty and its impact on human behaviour by practising interventions at a community level, which is needed now to help small communities help each other as well as individually. The nature of social work practice then focused on individuals and a significant element of this time is the elimination of hearing clients voices and the incomparable knowledge of the professionals working with them. Only now is the service users voice being recognised again. (Adams et al, 2009) The Poor Law was the basis of the development of services for the 20th century, including the national insurance act, these new services were introduced to avoid having to rely on the Poor Laws. (Alcock, 2003) The government laid the basis of the future social services, the major concern was that all areas should be given the same services, these new services were provided away from The Poor Law to evade the association. Even though these new ideologies were introduced to provide services to all individuals there was still a stigma attached, even now there is still a stigma attached to the term service user, although governments have changed their policies to use different terms some still have the same meaning. A major report produced regarding the welfare of individuals was the Beveridge report. This report focused on how Britain could be rebuilt after the war. In 1945 labour was elected and promised to introduce a welfare state. The welfare state involved introducing new services these included family allowances, the national health services and housing acts to name a few. The welfare state was produced to encourage the provision of services for the public not as a response to poverty. (Laybourn, 1995) this is where a major criticism lies within debates regarding the welfare state within current governments. In the 1950s the provision of welfare state services became problematic, government interventions at the time didnt help and caused further problems so the Conservative government took over and cut the help given to the poor and sick. This then made the distribution of income more imbalanced and although attempted to make the poor more hardworking and self sufficient it didnt work. One report that impacted policy and practice during the 1960s was the Seabohm report 1968, this report re-introduced poverty. This paper was tasked to review the organisation and responsibilities of the local authority personal social services in England and to consider what changes are desirable to secure an effective family service. (Seebohm, 1968, pg11.) Prior to this report social work was spread across various local authorities and different government sections, because of this the report found that there was inadequacies in the quality of provision and access was very difficult. The report recommended a new local authority department providing a community based and family orientated service, which will be available for all When this recommendation was brought into action new social services department were formed. Seebohm did foresee problems which were highlighted in the report, it stated that having separate departments for children and adults would make it difficult to treat the familys needs as a whole. Another important Report was the Barclay Report, 1982 that looked into the role of a social worker, in its opening line it states that too much is expected of social workers. It found that it was a profession that was confused about its role and because of intense media scrutiny was struggling with its work load. It found that there was an ongoing need for social workers to fulfil many functions including promoting community networks, working with other services and acting on clients behalf and to act as resources for all individual who need help. The report did criticise social work departments for taking a reactive stance towards social problems, dealing with those needs which are forced upon their attention but failing to develop overall plans which link the voluntary, volunteer, statutory and private services in an area into a coherent plan (p.38) which is still a problem today. Although these reports have all highlighted how good social work is and how much its needed there are so many problems involved in the profession. Firstly because every government have changed the way the work as soon as they get used to it, it changes again, yes the changes could be for the better but are these just changes for changes sake? The labour government have imposed new policies and directives for social work but after 8 years there are still problems within social work some which could be easily acted upon. We will only know if these new policies and new social work task force works over time. As its been highlighted earlier in this assignment there is still an implication involved in being a service user just as there was being a pauper. Whilst researching the different acts and welfare ideologies that have been introduced throughout the timeline Ive used Ive realised that there are more similarities than comparisons between a services user and pauper. They still have problems accessing help and there are many families who still dont ask for help because of the stigma. However new approaches have introduced service user involvement by defining what help they want and defining the quality of help they receive. A recent report by Beresford, Shamash, Forrest and Turner, 2007 research service users vision for adult service they found that the process of accessing social care was frequently negative for service users, the assessments were very dependent on the quality of the staff carrying it out, which shouldnt be happening all social workers should work to one high standard it shouldnt be a lottery of if you get a good one or not. Access to communicating with the social worker was low and that many of the service users questioned had gaps in their services making them feel insecure. A major problem through history has been a struggle to get good support for these individuals. Whilst researching this topic I realised that service users know what they want and can easily highlight the problems at the minute one report found while welfare bureaucracy has been condemned by governments for a long while service users still identify problems. One individual said that we shouldnt have to fill out forms to be made to feel like beggars, not unlike The Poor Law and paupers opinions. There is still social exclusion, the poor will stay poor because they have just enough to get by so they wont stop, think and revolt. But do social workers maintain this, because they help them just enough, finding the quickest thing they can do to help them not necessarily the best way in the long run. New Labour has had so much time to make improvements and rectify social exclusion but child poverty is getting worst. How much have rights helped service users, many reports have found that they feel more responsible and confident about the help they are receiving when they have been more involved in the decision processes. Although some still feel like they are hidden away from society and when they have more experience of their disability they need to be acknowledged. The report by Beresford et al, 2007 also found that service users would like a watchdog with service users and professionals and they should be the judges of quality. One dilemma that social workers face is working towards anti discriminatory practice, equality should be the core of provisions of service, and it needs to take into account religion and backgrounds. Yes some progress has been made involving diversity for example the race equality act, still lots of progress needs to be made. There are many barriers when considering the major historical events that brought about social work and the values it has now. We see that welfare state is a necessary condition of social work flourishing and to defend it or is it temporary in which internationally social work will then erupt from something else. One barrier when understanding which major events affected what social work is today is our understanding of the history of social work, the history isnt concrete it changes daily. Most of the history of social work comes from COS as its origin and its methods are still used today. However Laybourn, 1997 has found other methods that were used that have yet to be examined this may have been because COS was used in London and this would have an effect on the history, power will always influence history. To conclude social work has changed significantly and is still very important and we will progress to help all individuals, we need a larger voice though to talk about the problems we face as a profession to ensure that service users and pauper have fewer similarities. I believe that service users have shifted from paupers as they have much more freedom and rights now, yes there are still similarities which need to be focused on to improve our system and we could probably be a better service if problems hadnt occurred along the way to affect how we work, we also need to refuse to let policies be imposed on us when they dont improve on what were already doing. Rights are now benefiting service users but we need to ensure it stays like this. Whilst working towards anti discriminatory practice and equality for all we need to ensure our values are the same that we contribute to a fairer society by reducing disadvantage and exclusion and promoting fair access to resources. Many policies a nd acts have been the bedrock of what social work is today and without them social work would be very different.

Entertainment: Fun or Influential Essay -- Media Women

The Greeks seemed to believe that entertainment was meant to provide a person with an outlet to relieve stress. Such an assumption would lead one to believe that the form and content of entertainment is a matter of personal choice. However, entertainment has the underlying current of influencing what is normal and acceptable in society. Furthermore, culture is affected to the point of unsavory entertainment permeating the lives of those who avoid such forms of entertainment. Entertainment is not merely a personal choice. Entertainment is an instrument of influence on society. Young girls experience stardom and are forever changed by the experience. Sometimes the change leads them in a positive direction and other times it leads them in an opposing negative direction. In Hit Her, Baby, One More Time, Traiste states â€Å"Britney Spears embodies the disdain in which the culture holds its young women: the desire to sexualize them while young, and to degrade and punish them as they get older† (Traiste 431). Spears embarked on her journey into entertainment as an innocent young girl. However, over time she evolved into a tainted, dim reflection of her former self. It would seem that even her parents played a role in her spiraling downfall as she struggled to remain in the limelight. Tabloids cherished the young star. However, they ripped her to pieces as her life began to plunge into an abyss. Certainly, there is a high price to be paid to when one compromises. Spears popularity influenced the actions of young girls who may have seen her as a role model. It most likely would not have been detrimental for young girls to follow in her footsteps in her early days of success. In contrast, continuing to mimic her ac... ...en they produce movies that depict Blacks and Asians in stereo typical roles that are demeaning. Furthermore, they affect how society views individuals and how those individuals are treated, because they shape culture with the movies they produce. People may embark into the world of media for fun and relaxation, but the reality remains that the media shapes their views and beliefs in the process. Entertainment is not just for fun. Furthermore, entertainment shapes the morals and values of people and the value placed on people. Works Cited: Jackson, Samuel L. "In Character." Latterell, Catherine G. Remix. Bedford/St. Martin, 2010. 455-457. Steritt, David. "Face of an Angel." Latterell, Catheine G. Remix. Bedford/St. Martin, 2010. 451-454. Traiste, Rebecca. "Hit Her, Baby, One More Time." Latterell, Catherine G. Remix. Bedford/St. Martin, 2010. 431-434.

Relationship Characteristics

1. According to p. 117 in Ch. 5 of the textbook, what are the four characteristics that define intimate relationships? Why does building relationships involve a degree of risk? The four characteristics that define intimate relationships are emotional availability, emotional attachment, and behavioral interdependence. When you meet someone new rather it is an intimate relationship or building a new friendship, it is always hard because you have to build trust and get to know that person. Then there is always the possibility of rejection, betrayal, or disappointment. People’s expectations sometimes set them up to be hurt and then sometimes their expectations are â€Å"reasonable† but the other person is just hurtful. Whenever 2 people are involved, you have but so much control over what will happen 2. Refer to Table 5. 2 on p. 132 in Ch. 5 of the textbook. What are three characteristics of a healthy relationship? Why is it important to be aware of the unhealthy characteristics of a relationship? Three characteristics of a healthy relationship are trusting and being honest with yourself and each other, resolving conflicts in a rational, peaceful way, and lastly practicing safer sex methods. It is important to beware of the signs of unhealthy characteristics for yourself and also for maybe a loved one or a friend. When someone is in a unhealthy relationship sometimes it can lead to more violent things such as suicide, death, or any act of violence. So knowing the signs in the long run can help saving a life. Also read  Driver’s Ed Module Reflection Journal 3. According to p. 119 in Ch. 5 of the textbook, there are bonds that are common to both friends and lovers. What are the five common bonds? The five common bonds that both friends and lovers have in common are nurturance, enhancement of personal well- being, mutual regard, mutual trust, and lastly security.

Comparison of Chinese and Isl essays

Comparison of Chinese and Isl essays During the first millennium CE, two great civilizations, China and Islam, arose. Both of these civilizations had cultural advantages over other peoples and had a great deal of influence on all who they came in contact with. These civilizations were similar in the way they interacted with other civilizations. This interaction took place through trade, religion, and war. China interacted through trade with Japan, India, Islam, Korea, and Rome. Through trade, not only were products exchanged, but culture and ideas as well. Chinese silk and pottery became popular all over the world. Buddhism spread from its native India to China and then from China to Japan, Korea, and many other nations in Southeast Asia. Korea became incorporated into China through war, but soon adopted much Chinese culture as its own. The Chinese and Japanese writing systems are exactly alike due to the Japanese modeling their civilization after the Chinese. Confucianist ideas originated in China, but spread to all parts of the globe because of cultural diffusion. Food from many civilizations became part of the Chinese diet because of their interaction with other peoples. The Islamic civilization also interacted with other cultures through trade. They traded with China, India, and Persia. They learned rug making from the Persians, gained knowledge of spices and numbers from the Indians, and felt the luxuriousness of silk because of the Chinese. They also gave to other cultures. Through war and conquest, they spread their religion from its birthplace in Saudi Arabia to Spain, Africa, and Malaysia. They gave the world their knowledge of medicine, algebra, and chemistry. Like China, their influence had a great impact on all who knew of their culture. The Chinese and Islamic civilizations were two of the greatest of their time. They interacted similarly with other cultures through trade, religion, and war. Both gave much to the world ...

In this assessment am going to be discussing theories of communication Essay Example

In this assessment am going to be discussing theories of communication Essay Example In this assessment am going to be discussing theories of communication Essay In this assessment am going to be discussing theories of communication Essay In this assessment am going to be discussing theories of communication and am going to be including Argyles stages of communication cycle and Tuckman stages of group interaction. They are many ways barriers can be affected and in this assignment I will be talking about the languages how it effect communication, culture, background and area you live in. I will also be covering the way it can be overcome. What is effective communication? Effective communication is when the person/people understood what your message is. For example if you are talking to youths in London than you could use slang but if you used slang to an adult than they wouldn’t understand what you are trying to say. And you also need the right tone of voice because you can’t talk to fast or too slow if do talk to fast than the person/people wouldn’t be able to keep up with you and the communication wouldn’t be effective. Its also good to look at people when you are talking to them but sometimes even this effect communication because in some African cultures (sierra Leone) its rude to look at someone in the eye especially if they older than you. Tuckman stages of groups interaction Communication in groups can also be influenced by the degree to which people feel they belong together. When people first meet in a group they often go through a process of group formation. Many groups may experience some sort of struggle before people unite and communicate effectively. One of the best known theorists to explain group formation stages is Tuckman (1965). Tuckman suggested that most groups go through a process involving four stages. Forming- people meeting for the first time and sharing formation. storming- involves tension, struggle and sometimes arguments about the way the group might function Norming- sees the group coming together and consciously or unconsciously agreeing on their group values. Performing- being an effectively performing group. The communication cycle Effective communication involves a two way process in which each person tries to understand the viewpoint of the other person. Communication is a cycle because when two people communicate they need to make sure the other person has understood the message. Good communication involves the process of checking understanding, using reflective or active listening. Michael Argyle stages of the commutation cycle. Michael Argyle (1972) argued that interpersonal communication was that could be learning and communication was a skill that could be learning to drive a car. Argyle emphasised the importance of feedback in skilled activities. When you drive a car you have to change your behaviour depending on what is happening on the road. Driving involves a constant cycle of watching what is happening, working out how to respond, making response and then repeating this cycle until you reach your destination. According to Argyle, skilled interpersonal interaction (social skills) involves a cycle in which you have to translate or ‘decode’ what other people are communicating and constantly effectively. Verbal and non-verbal communication is not always straightforward. The communication cycle involves a kind of code that has to be translated. You have to work kind of code that has to be translated. You have to work out what another person’s behaviour really means.

Website review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Website review - Essay Example Design of the website plays integral role in making it a success/ user friendly. Hence, if the design is simple to use, easy to engage in and effective to learn from then the website will be popular among the users. Thus, the design of Shmoop is explicitly clear and given in F-pattern. According to a recent survey, viewers mostly view websites in an F-pattern style, giving their whole attention towards top and left sides of the screen and ignoring anything on the right side. Thus, Shmoop’s main bar is on the top-middle section of the webpage and grid based layouts in the left corner. Every option on the main page is prominently visible; one does not have to search for desired section to research from, but can easily see it on the main-page. The main page is also not cluttered with pictures and designs. There are images like a backdrop on it, but they do not divert the attention from the content or purpose of the webpage. The main font style throughout the website is â€Å"Ariel† however, size is differed. In headings 18 size is used and for topic description 10.5 is used. Color behind the content is white, which is good because it makes it easier to read and at extreme right and left corner are some advertisements and informative clickable images on the website. Navigation is simple and does use a hierarchal pattern of browsing so one can also view from where he started his browsing from. Once, one chooses and clicks from the subjects on the main page, the second page shows all the sub-topics of it, from there one can chose desired subject matter, which shows all the information in a grid format. The language used to describe any matter under study is simple, engaging, and often humorous but efficient. Shmoop does not take any time to load and even the images on the web load in less than a minute. The best part is the web entails everything from teenagers’ study options to career advice and test

What is the role of mass media in liberal democracies Do you think the Essay

What is the role of mass media in liberal democracies Do you think the media fulfil these functions (Base your answer on liberal theory and the political econ - Essay Example But, evidence from electronic and print media today reveals that the media houses have largely failed to live up to their defined roles. This essay will expound on this thesis by way of citing relevant examples from scholarly sources. One of the talking points amongst the intelligentsia is the dangers posed by lack of diversity and representation in the mainstream media’s coverage. The phenomena of media concentration, which has seen greater consolidation in the last decade, gives rise to production of news content that serves the interests of select media elite. This concentration of power in the hands of large media conglomerates makes it easy for them to set the political agenda on the national scale as exemplified by Rupert Murdoch’s near monopoly ownership of media space in Britain. It is no surprise then that the issues that they cover are infested with their personal biases, prejudices and interests. The general public, made helpless by this system, are presented a narrow political agenda that holds no real significance for them (Eldridge, Kitzinger & Williams, 1997, p. 27). In other words, while the media has the power to elicit a policy response from the government, the outcomes tend to ben efit the media elite and ruling classes rather than people. Only a few news stories get picked for publication/broadcast among numerous other pieces competing for the same space/time. The journalists in charge of deciding the news content are subject to personal biases, external coercions (both implicit and explicit) and other constraints that influence their decision making. For these reasons, there are only a minority of journalists who adhere to standards of objectivity and professional integrity, while the rest succumb to various pressures consciously or otherwise. This decline in journalistic ethos is seen across geo-political entities and cultures,