Democracy in Nigeria Challenges

Democracy in Nigeria Challenges NIGERIAN DEMOCRACY TODAY: THE EXPECTED DIVIDENDS AND CHALLENGES BY FRANKLINS A . SANUBI, Ph.D Abstract After a long period of military interregnum, the anxiety and high expectations which characterized the disposition of the local Nigerian polity shortly before 1999 had almost waned in barely a decade of the country’s democratic experiment due to bad and corrupt governance resulting in some fresh pessimism about the workability of democratic governmentt in the country These expectations which have been encapsulated into a new paradigm in Nigerian politics known as â€Å"dividends of democracy† have aroused some academic and policy concern about the claims of those who professed to have secured some â€Å"dividends† for their people and those who believed that such acclaimed dividends are a ruse. Using a structural-functional analytical framework in a descriptive research design, this paper presents some of the relevant arguments for and against the claim to the dividends of democracy in Nigeria, pointing out some of its key challenges. It observes among others, th at while the claim to attaining dividend of democracy may be arguable under the platform that the adoption of democratic governance in Nigeria may have secured some favourable external image for the nation in recent years, there are ample evidence that much of the claims by political actors to dividends of democracy are not supported by tangible functional structures of an enduring democracy The paper recommends among other things, a vigorous pursuit of the institutional fight against corruption and an expedited reform of the country’s electoral system. Introduction The peculiarities of a nation’s practice of democracy distinguish it from another’s. As a social process, democracy should naturally be expected to respond to the dictates of its immediate milieu while as much as possible it aspires to some universal principles or standards in its practice. From its definitions as ‘a government of popular sovereignty’ democracy permits the majority of the governed to have its â€Å"will† enthroned in governance at least in deciding who should direct its own affairs in political authority at elections. In Nigeria’s barely half-a-century of political independence, some attempts at democratic governance may have totalled up only to nineteen years of its nationhood. Of this however, much will be desired of any one to identify the boundaries of a ‘true democracy’ as defined above if any, that is existing in the Nigerian experience. Typically, a democracy is characterized among others, by a regular general election, a highly defined electoral procedure, a high degree of the rule of law (with an independent and transparent judicial structure) and a people whose human rights is optimally guaranteed by existing executive, legislative and judicial institutions. While it may be argued at some academic forum that no ideal (true) democracy can be found in any nation today, there is however much compelling impulse to associate some current western democracies with a high degree of ideal democratic phenomenon. The Nigerian democracy would, comparatively rank very low in such continuum in terms of both practice and dividends. Democratic Dividends: A Definition Our discomfort with the use of the term â€Å"dividend† in the analysis of political performance, and especially in Nigeria where self-interest seems to vehemently override nationalistic aspiration, lies not in its auspiciousness but in its origin. The term â€Å"dividends† is a business one, particularly in the area of investment. To expect a dividend in future is to invest today. Investment is seen from the point of view of economics as â€Å"part of present income spent on goods or services in order to generate a high future income†. Such goods however are investment goods as distinguished from consumer goods. This view of investment sees the process as a â€Å"risk taking† endeavour. To assure a risk-taker of a dividend is to minimize his risks elements while investing. Higher risks bring higher dividends. The most successful investors therefore belong to the class of high risk takers. By importing this process into politics, Nigerian politicians may b e described as political investors who see their attainment of political office as a management of political investment rather than a call to service for one’s fatherland. Hence, when you hear an average political office holder talk of dividends of democracy, he is implicitly referring to the size of the national cake he is able to cut for himself, albeit his people. Democratic dividends in Nigeria may therefore not be seen merely as yielding a desired purpose of attaining national good governance for the benefit of the entire polity but particularly as an expression of a competitive struggle for natural economic resources to the satisfaction of competing individuals or groups often defined in ethnocentric terms. Yet this term â€Å"dividend† of democracy has been a household one in the language registers of political actors in Nigeria. Structural-Functionalism and Democracy: A theoretical framework An auspicious social theory under which the analysis of the â€Å"dividends of democracy in Nigeria† may be comfortably made is the theory of structural-functionalism. The functionalist school believes that the understanding of a given system (under this circumstance, the Nigerian political system in the democratic dispensation) must necessarily comprise not only the understanding of the institutions (or structures) which make up the system but also their respective functions1. The adherents of structural-functionalism insist that these institutions must be placed within a meaningful and 1 Igwe, O. (2007) Politics and globe dictionary, New ed., Aba: Eagle Publishers dynamic historical context if they are to be properly understood an idea that stands in sharp contrast to the prevailing approaches in the field of comparative politics such as the state-society theory and the dependency theory. The structural-functional approach is based on the view that a political system is made up of several key components including interest groups, political groups and branches of government. According to Almond Powell, a political system performs some key functions such as political socialization, recruitment and communication2. Socialization may be seen as a process by which a society passes along its values and beliefs to succeeding generations while from a point of view of politics, socialization (and hence political socialization) may be described as a process by which a society inculcates civic virtues, or the habit of effective citizenship. Political recruitment on the other hand may be seen as a process by which a political system generates interest, e ngagement and participation from citizens while communication describes a process by which a system promulgates its values and information. A variant of structural-functionalism based on the analysis of Gabriel Almond sees all political systems as comprising four major characteristics namely: that all political systems including the simplest ones have political structures; that the same functions are performed in â€Å"all political systems even if they may be performed with different frequencies and different structures; that both the political structures of the primitive and the modern societies are multifunctional no matter how specialized they are and; that all political systems are mixed in the cultural sense†3. 2. Almond, G.A. Powell Jnr. B.G.(1966) Comparative politics: A development approach, Boston: Little Brown.. 3 Offiong, O.J. (1996) Systems theory and structural functionalism in political analysis. In A.O. Oronsaye, (Ed.) Nigerian government and politics, Benin City: United City Press. As a political system in transition (as Nigeria,) moves from one state of equilibrium to another, the various political institutions or structures should be expected to bring about a required social change in their performance of the socialization, recruitment and communication functions. A social change according to Talcott Parsons occurs through four distinct and inevitable processes namely: differentiation ( that is, the increase in the complexity of social organizations); adaptive upgrading (that is, social institutions becoming more specialized in their processes) inclusion ( where groups previously excluded from a society because of such factors as race, gender, social class etc are now accepted) and; value generalization (that is, the development of new values that tolerate and legitimate a greater range of activities) 4. The application of democratic governance in Nigeria should therefore be seen from a structural-functional perspective as a desire to effect a required social change in our political development by the various democratic institutions performing their required functions in that respect. The Nigerian democracy therefore will be not meaningful, that is, not structurally functional, if it is not performing its required social functions (or yielding the expected dividends). The Dividends of Nigerian Democracy and the Challenges If any thing else, Nigerian democracy should be directed at fulfilling the nation’s philosophical goals as expressed in the official document of its Second National Development Plan (1970-1974) namely: â€Å"the creation of a free and democratic society; a just and egalitarian society; a united, strong and self reliant nation; a great and dynamic 4Kuper, A. (1988) The invention of primitive society: Transformation of an illusion, London: Routledge economy and, a land of full and bright opportunities for all citizens†5. Expectedly, Nigerian democracy should ensure the enthronement of a national consciousness, integrity and service. There should be strong desire to build one’s own nation by its citizen rather than a plunge-it-down syndrome typical of much of our current dispensation. Democracy should provide equal opportunities to genuine service-minded individuals to express themselves in seeking political office through elections. Democracy should be a platform for the provision of political enlightenment for the teeming apathetic and economically-emasculated people of the countryside and metropolises. Democracy is expected to guarantee an un-biased allocation and application of naturally determined national economic resources for the benefit of the entire polity while providing relevant opportunities for component region or states to harness local potentials for healthy competitive development initiatives. Democracy should provide relevant safeguards against corruption and unauthorized acqu isitions of national resources by individuals and groups who see themselves high above the corporate goals of the nation. Judicial safeguards in terms of regular prosecution and punishment should especially be adequately entrenched into such a political system. Democracy should provide relevant and adequate checks and balances between the three organs of government and as much as possible a freer press as the fourth estate in the realm. The phenomenon of wanton arrest, detention of journalists and the forceful closure of media-houses whenever they purvey any information acclaimed by political authorities 5. Federal Republic of Nigeria, (1970) Second National Development Plan 1970-1974, Lagos: Federal Ministry of Information,,p.32 as inimical to their existence (albeit the corporate existence of the nation) typical of our current democratic experiment will therefore require some policy refinement and for policymakers to demonstrate subtlety. Democracy should be expected to yield the above ascribed â€Å"dividends† to Nigeria through its practice over the years. Alternatively, the Nigerian democracy has yielded few, if any, of the ascribed dividends to its citizens. The typical dividends however has remained the propagation of ethnic dominance in the appropriation of national resources through what Deutsch6 describes as aa zero-sum game approach in form of appointments to vital national and state positions, regional self determination through the core vs. peripheral perception of resource allocation7, , thus engendering a clamour for regional economic independence popularly called â€Å"resource control† by the oil bearing peoples of the Niger Delta. Notwithstanding and on the positive side, democracy may have succeeded somewhat in sensitizing the citizens in appreciating the need for good governance among political office holders. There is a growing wave of civic awareness among people in Nigeria today than it had ever been. The increasing quest for probity and accountability and the adoption of due process principles (even with its default) may be regarded as a vital recipe for the re-branding of our local democratic culture and practice. But for the seeming inadequacies such as the area of official responsibility and accountability, and electoral malpractice, the Nigerian practice of democratic governance may have helped to 6 Deutsch, M. (1973), The resolution of conflicts: Constructive process, New Haven: Yale, 7 Noel, C.L. (1969), A theory of ethnic stratification: Social problems. Journal of Sociology, Vol. 16.(2). grow the nation’s international image as a major regional power in the African sub-region. The United Nations has often called on Nigeria to lead its team in the execution of its major international (especially African regional) economic, social and military initiatives. Nigerian’s growing involvement in regional peace keeping and other humanitarian missions and the African continent derives mainly from its recognition not only primarily as an economically-endowed nation, but also as a democratic entity with abundant hope. This perhaps may be adjudged as the most important dividend of the Nigeria’s democracy so far. Much however is yet to be desired of this image as its electoral process undergoes reform. The impetus provided by Ghana and South Africa in their respective recent elections have further strengthened the national call for electoral reforms and political transparency. The relevance of such call is underscored by a growing optimism in the national popu lace about the possible workability of the democratic arrangement as a better alternative in governance after having been overwhelmed by military dictatorship (with it accompanying slow pace of economic development) for over two-thirds of its nationhood. By a tacit recognition of the â€Å"expected† and â€Å"perceived† dividends of the Nigerian democracy, it becomes a little easier to identify some of the major challenges of the Nigerian democratic experience so far. At the apex of the challenges is the issue of electoral reforms. The want of a credible independent electoral process has unfortunately created institutional safeguards for political parties (especially incumbents) to exploit the existing political machinery for their electoral advantages. The office of the president has most often exploited its advantage as the appointing institution to impact significantly on the activities of the successive electoral commissions in the country. The result is that electoral rigging have been institutionalized often with threats of arrests on credible opposition. In the 2007 state and federal elections particularly the former, this anomaly was not only typical of but also rampant. Democratic government are expected to be less prone to corruptive tendencies since there are supposedly more institutional safeguards against them than the military regime. Unfortunately, the Nigerian democracy is yet to vindicate itself as a better alternative in this respect. Phenomenally, what may be regarded as some institutional arrangement created by government against corruption and other economic crimes though looked initially very impressive and praiseworthy during the moribund Obasanjo’s civilian regime, were later overrun by the same political structure (particularly the executive and legislative arms) which had seen such an arrangement as an erosion of their political and economic ambitions. Thus, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practice Commission (ICPC) became after an initial euphoria, figments of their creator’s imaginations. Corruption still remains a major challenge to Nigeria’s democracy. The ethnocentric clamour for economic self determinism, especially by the people of the Niger Delta has aroused a new awareness about the inevitability of good governance in the area of equitable distribution of natural resources especially in a plural society like Nigeria. The hydra-headed problem of the Niger Delta crisis is a logical aftermath of governments’ inability to address the special environmental and economic needs of the Niger Delta peoples and symptomatic of the continuing absence of agreement on a workable revenue sharing formula after a trial of several sharing principles over the years. This phenomenon has created additional challenges for the attainment of the expected dividends of democracy. Conclusion and Recommendations The claim to the attainment of democratic dividends by political actors in Nigeria will remain as contestable in certain areas as there exist elements of political inadequacies in the three key theoretical areas of political socialization, recruitment, communication. By consolidating on its growing international image as a regional centre of hope, Nigerian policymakers should invest much energy on the institutional fight against corruption by allowing the relevant statutory agencies already created for this purpose to exercise their mandate without unnecessary executive intervention. The pursuit of electoral reform in an attempt to enthrone a great degree of (if not total) internal and external credibility in our public elections should be more vigorous and expeditious so that as early as 2011, fresh and enduring dividends in that aspect can be become visibly clear. Until democratic practice in Nigeria provides more functional evidence in terms of enhanced political participation, eq uitable and acceptable process of resource allocation, credible electoral practice and a political culture of national integrity and transparency, it will remain sharply contestable to lay claim to the attainment of a meaningful dividend of democracy in Nigeria. 1

Complete Case: Amgen Whistleblowing Essay

Read and write up an executive summary on the case, including answers to the following questions. 1. How did Amgen’s unethical behavior contribute to the problems with Medicaid kickbacks? 2. Why does the public consider this scandal to have an unethical dilemma? 3. Explain what is meant by whistleblowing? Include your opinions and identify any gaps between public expectations of ethical standards and universal professional codes of ethical standards. Case : Amgen Whistleblowing Case Amgen, a Thousand Oaks, California–based company, had the unenviable task of dealing with lawsuits filed by 15 states in 2009 alleging a Medicaid kickback scheme.1 To make matters worse, two additional whistleblowing lawsuits were filed against the company in Ventura County. The complaints, which don’t appear related to the fraud alleged by the group of states, were brought by former employees who said they had uncovered wrongdoing at the biotech giant and were terminated after they raised red flags to superiors. One employee alleged the company violated federal law by under-reporting complaints and problems with the company’s drugs after they hit the market. The facts of that lawsuit are described below. Former Amgen employee Shawn O’Brien sued Amgen for wrongful termination on October 9, 2009, alleging he was laid off in October 2007 in retaliation for raising concerns about how the company reported complaints and problems with drugs already on the market. O’Brien worked as a senior project manager for Amgen’s â€Å"Ongoing Change Program,† according to the lawsuit filed in Ventura County Superior Court. His job was to improve Amgen’s â€Å"compliance processes with high inherent risk to public safety, major criminal and civil liability, or both,† according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that in April 2007, Amgen’s board of directors flagged the company’s process for dealing with post-market complaints about drugs as a potential problem. Federal law requires drug companies to track and report to the Food and Drug Administration any problems with their drugs after they hit the market. In June 2007, O’Brien was put on the case. He soon uncovered facts that Amgen was not adequately and consistently identifying phone calls or mail related to post-marketing adverse events of product complaints. That year, O’Brien warned the company about the seriousness of the issues but, he claims, the company would not take any action or offer any support. In August 2007, O’Brien took his complaint to a senior executive/corporate officer (unnamed) and warned that Amgen’s process for dealing with post-market problems wasn’t adequate. In early September of 2007, O’Brien’s managers instructed him to stop all work and not discuss the issues any further with anyone. Approximately four weeks later he was informed that he was being terminated as part of Amgen’s October 12, 2007, reduction in the work force.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck Essay

Published in 1952, East of Eden is a novel written by John Steinbeck, a Nobel winner). It tells the story of the intertwined lives of two families- the Trasks and the Hamiltons amidst a backdrop of California’s Salinas Valley (Steinbeck, 2003). The novel follows the stories of these two American families from the Civil War to World War I (2003). It is said that the novel, which was published ten years before Steinbeck received a Novel, drew inspiration from the Bible and was dedicated to Steinbeck’s sons- Thom and John IV (Pearson, 1995). The title itself was culled from a Biblical verse, depicting Cain as he set out in the land of Nod, east of Eden (Genesis 4: 16 New International Version). Told in third-person point of view by a narrator who sometimes offers annotations, swings among characters’ vantage points and even suspends the story with snippets of human history, East of Eden tackles the universal theme of good vs. evil, the fall of Adam and Eve and the bitter enmity of Abel and Cain. Dramatizing the societal sins of Salinas Valley and the individual members of the Trask and Hamilton clans, the novel aims to resolve the dilemma on how evil may be overcome by choice. Spanning the period between the American Civil War and the end of the First World War, it dovetails the lives of two brothers- the gentle Adam and the rough Charles. Adam marries the scheming Cathy who deceives him and ran off with Charles on the night of their wedding (Steinbeck, 2003). After giving birth to twin boys, Aron and Cal, Cathy leaves her children to Adam and returns to a life of debauchery. The rivalry between the siblings reignites as they vie for their father’s attention and approval (2003). The story is beautiful and revolting as it unravels the universal problem man has to face: choose to be good or remain on the dark side. The tone is somber, philosophical and perhaps even propitious. Showing how illustrious as a writer should be, Steinbeck is able to create characters with various tempers, contrasting them realistically as possible, polar opposites as one may say. There is Adam, who may very well be the archetype of good intentions and Cathy, the scheming prostitute whom Adam fell in love with. It is also Adam who has been deceived the most, reminiscent of the betrayal of the serpent in the biblical Eden. The novel is peppered with shades of Cain and Abel. In the same vein, the agony of parental rejection, an issue touched with the story of the biblical brothers, is again explored in the novel, like the acceptance of Adam’s puppy gift and the rejection of Charles’ knife gift, reminiscent of Abel’s accepted gift and the rejection of Cain. Cyrus Trask favored Adam over Charles, for no distinct reason. Later on, Adam repeats the cycle with his own sons, favoring Aron over Cal. Throughout the novel, the tension is palpable, giving the reader the proper stimulus to continue reading. It also helps that the setting, Salinas Valley is actually a real place, giving a pragmatic voice to the novel. The words used by Steinbeck are easy to read and understand , and is not loaded with so many symbols that would make the reader spend 98% figuring out what the symbols stood for rather than letting the words flow and grasping its essence. There are no flowery words, either. This is a good sign on the part of Steinbeck, allowing the readers to comprehend the gist without resulting in a head ache. The flow of the story is also commendable, especially as it expands from 1860 to 1918. The incorporation of â€Å"timshel† is also appropriate, fortifying the theme of good winning over evil, of human making the power to decide. East of Eden is grounded in pragmatism and the handling of good and evil may be simple but it speaks one universal truth: that there is good and there is evil and that human beings are flawed, perhaps influenced by their genes or shaped by circumstances, but they have the choice whether to follow that footstep and repeat the mistake or make their own paths and break the cycle. References Pearson, P. (1995). East of Eden. Retrieved February 17, 2009, from National Steinbeck Center Website: http://www. steinbeck. org .html Steinbeck, J. (2003). East of Eden. New York: Penguin Books.

Dystopia In Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury - 1168 Words

â€Å"An imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect,† is the definition you’d read if you searched up the word, â€Å"utopia.† Humans strive to achieve perfection- the perfect grade, a perfect family, having a perfect life, being the perfect person- to be flawless. We as humans, typically desire for what we dont have. After all, our world is not perfect at all. We face hardships, anxieties, pain, and much more. But could this desire for perfection start instead, imperfection? Could it start a dystopia instead of a utopia? Could our wish for happiness create a world of unhappiness? Well in the pursuit of happiness and conflicting with what is right, yes. For an example, let’s look into â€Å"Fahrenheit 451† by Ray†¦show more content†¦The parlor walls are all entertainment for society- what the government is feeding them, propaganda. The people are despond ent, not admitting it. This is shown on pg.13, â€Å"‘We get these cases (pill overdose) nine or ten a night. Got so many, starting a few years ago, we had the special machines built. With the optical lens, of course, that was new; the rest is ancient. We don’t need an M.D., case like this; all you need is two handyman, clean up the problem in half an hour. Look’- he started for the door- ‘we gotta go. Just another call on the old ear-thimble.’† This is how frequent, people commit suicide in this society, with nine or ten calls a night. So frequent, this is typical for them. Where it’s simple, â€Å"All you need is two handyman,† they said. But why did they make the society like this, if, in the end, it leads to unhappiness- a dystopia? Beatty explains to Montag, the burning of books on pg. 57, â€Å"‘Colored people don’t like Little Black Sambo. Burn it. White people don’t feel good about Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Burn it. Someone’s written a book on tobacco and cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people are weeping? Burn the book. Serenity, Montag. Peace, Montag. Take your fights outside. Better yet, into the incinerator.’† They’re not dealing with these problems.Show MoreRelatedDystopia Depicted in Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 Essay868 Words   |  4 PagesIn Fahrenheit 451, the reader gets a very vivid description of the deplorable dystopian society by reading only the first few pages. Fahrenheit 451 was written by Ray Bradbury in 1953. A dystopia is an imaginary place where everything is as miserable and horrific as it could possibly be for the citizens. Guy Montag is the central character and a fireman, under the command of his superior fireman, Captain Beatty. Montag walks home with seventeen year old Clarisse, who asks him manyRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4511193 Words   |  5 Pagestrue today? In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, ideas such as dystopian society, the dulling of emotions, personal freedom, and government censorship are utilized to illustrate how technology, the advancement of society, and government control has blindfolded the population from the creativity, knowledge, and truth of the past. Bradbury employs each of these ideas frequently throughout the novel to further enhance the deeper meaning behind his masterpiece. When one looks at Fahrenheit 451 like a workRead MoreFarenheit451/Gattaca, Relationship Between Man and Machine1243 Words   |  5 Pagesgenre of fiction revolving around science and technology, usually conveying the dystopian alternative future context, the pessimistic resultant of society. Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and Andrew Niccols Gattaca (1997) both explore the values and concerns of human existence. Despite the difference in context, Gattaca and Fahrenheit 451 both extrapolate the relationship between man and machine in a metaphorical sense. Both pose similar dystopian concepts of a machine like world. Through theRead MoreFigurative Language In Fahrenheit 451 By Ray Bradbury702 Words   |  3 Pages â€Å"Don’t face a problem, burn it.† (Bradbury 115). This is a quote from the book, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Fahrenheit 451 follows Montag’s journey after he begins to realize the truth about books. The overall theme is censorship and more importantly the result of it. In the beginning of the novel, Ray Bradbury focuses on figurative language to convey his theme. Throughout the first part, Bradbury uses many forms of figurative language such similes, metaphors, and irony. One example ofRead MoreCritical Analysis Of Fahrenheit 4511266 Words   |  6 PagesTo begin, in Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury incorporated: a censorship aspect intended for the book, social commentary, and the social critical analysis which relates to conflicts in our world today. To continue, censorship can be considered a â€Å"threat† to society, for example, Bradbury uses the concept of the overuse of media and how it can affect the world and the people around you. Furthermore, Bradbury’s key focus was to satirize the excessive use of television and the media as a news and entertainmentRead MoreCharacterization Of A Hero In Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 4511272 Words   |  6 Pagesthe world and all of its inhabitants. Fictional novels portray heroes as people that make a difference in the community. This characterization of a hero is also true in Ray Bradburys novel, Fahrenheit 451. Rodney A. Smolla introduces the main character in â€Å"The Life of The Mind and A Life of Meaning: Reflections on Fahrenheit 451† stating that â€Å"Montag begins the novel ostensibly proud of his profession and settled in life, but we soon find that there is disquiet beneath the surface† (897). ThroughoutRead MoreRay Bradbury s Worthy Of The Curriculum1796 Words   |  8 PagesCollin Rineer CP American Lit and Comp Mrs. Mayo Nov 10, 2014 Ray Bradbury, Worthy of the Curriculum? Ray Bradbury is an American author who has written many books including Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury should be included in Penn Manor’s American Literature Curriculum because of his works of science fiction, one being Fahrenheit 451, that use politics and a unique style to create these situations and settings that show the strange things that happen in the human mind rather than strange thingsRead MoreRay Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4511120 Words   |  5 PagesBy definition, a dystopia is â€Å"an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one† (Oxford Dictionary). However, it may not be so far from nonfiction as had been thought. The modern United States is starting to express traits that classify a dystopia, such as dehumanization, individuality suppression, and the ever-growing gap between upper and lower class. The United States is heading down the path of becoming a dystopianRead MoreFahrenhei t 451 Critical Essay1607 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Lintang Syuhada 13150024 Book Report 1 Fahrenheit 451 Critical Essay Human beings are naturally curious. We are always in search of better ideas, and new solutions to problems. One of a basic idea of Indonesia has been freedom of thinking and a free flow of ideas. But in some societies, governments try to keep their people ignorant. Usually, this is so governments can keep people under control and hold on to their power. In trying to keep people from the realities of the world, these oppressiveRead MoreEssay about Fahrenheit 451 as a Criticism of Censorship943 Words   |  4 PagesFahrenheit 451 as a Criticism of Censorship      Ã‚  Ã‚   Ray Bradbury criticizes the censorship of the early 1950s by displaying these same themes in a futuristic dystopia novel called Fahrenheit 451. In the early 1950s Ray Bradbury writes this novel as an extended version of The Fireman, a short story which first appears in Galaxy magazine. He tries to show the readers how terrible censorship and mindless conformity is by writing about this in his novel.    In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury

Drug Trafficking During The United States Essay - 1312 Words

Drug trafficking has been an ongoing epidemic in the United States, as well us other countries for an unimaginable amount of time. Illegal drugs varying from heroin and cocaine are primarily the main drugs that get smuggled in the United States from South America. Even marijuana and methamphetamine have been popular in the drug smuggling â€Å"industry†. These gangs go to a variety of different extents to get the job done. Drug trafficking increases the violence levels These drugs have been smuggled through the Southwest Border since the 1970s and are attempting to expand the distribution of those drugs into eastern U.S. markets. The countries of drug production have been seen as the worst affected by prohibition. In many countries worldwide, the illegal drug trafficking can be directly linked to high violent crimes. This is especially true in third world countries, but has still been seen as an issue for many developed countries all over the world. Drug trafficking increases the risk of violence and crime due rise of addiction along with an increase of death. It also effects the along with correctional system effects.to its high costs, Nearly all of the heroin produced in Mexico is destined for distribution in the United States. Organized crime groups operating from Mexico produce, smuggle, and distribute various illegal drugs after trafficking them across the US border. Trafficking groups that operate from Mexico tend to avoid penalties by their stealthy methods of smugglingShow MoreRelatedDrug Trafficking877 Words   |  4 PagesDrug Trafficking in the United States Americans like to hide thoughts of the bad in society, one of these thoughts often hid or forget about is drug trafficking. Drug trafficking effects everyone from the one-percent down to the people of poverty. Billions of dollars of drugs are bought and sold, with billions more being spent to fight the trafficking of illicit drugs in the United State. With all the money spent to prevent drug trafficking Americans need to understand the harmful effects. Drug TraffickingRead MoreWar On Drugs And Drug Trafficking960 Words   |  4 Pagesof the United States, it is plagued by human trafficking, drug trafficking, and weapons trafficking. One of the most harmful organized crimes is drug trafficking. What makes drug trafficking organized is the system of production to distribution. Drug trafficking organizations have a hierarchy of power from the kingpins to the couriers. Drug also has political influence they are able to bribe and blackmail politicians. Trafficking drugs is a multi-billio n-dollar business, and the United States is oneRead MoreIllicit Drug Trafficking : An Organized Crime1481 Words   |  6 Pagesthis paper was to gather research of the topic called illicit drug trafficking. It explores 10 online research articles and websites that relate to illicit drug trafficking. These articles however, vary in their research about the topic. It begins by stating how illicit drug trafficking is considered an organized crime. Two of the main drugs that are trafficked are cocaine and heroin. As a result of drug trafficking, the war on drugs has been a problem for many decades in different countries. Read MoreDrug Trafficking And Its Effects On America1600 Words   |  7 Pages In a country of struggling economies, many have viewed the drug trade as one South American’ s most successful businesses. Latin America s drug trafficking industry has been depicted in United States popular culture through motion pictures such as Scarface and Traffic. The purpose of my research is to take away society’s perception of what Hollywood has depicted drug trade to be and bring out what narcotics trafficking really is, as well as trying to coincide with the motivations of those peopleRead MoreThe Illegal Drug Business1361 Words   |  5 PagesThe Drug Business Paper Introduction The smuggling of drugs has been a part of the society for over a century in most parts of the world. This form of business has flourished mostly in the developed countries such as the United States of America, where the demand for drugs is high while there is no or very small production in the country. The production in the countries where drugs such as cocaine, heroin, cannabis, etc are supplied is banned mostly under the respective local laws, and thereforeRead MoreEssay Drug Trafficking, Consequences, and Accountability1453 Words   |  6 Pages The illegal drug trafficking found throughout Latin America is not an issue that can be solved by either a government or an individual alone. Unfortunately, it is also an issue that requires more than one solution in order to solve the problem. Each Latin American state is unique, as are the various citizens who inhabit them. As drug trafficking is a transnational force, Latin American governments often find themselves not only at odds wi th one another, but with larger political and economic powersRead MoreDrug Trafficking And Its Effects On America964 Words   |  4 Pages In regard to Latin America, this area is a crucial geographical zone for drug trafficking and production. Due to the location, the drug trade has found its perfect home, vast mountains and forests enable huge farms to produce and ship drugs to any region they want. Whether it is Colombia, Peru or one of the many countries found to be in this vast collection of drug trafficking, it is apparent that they all share similar geographies that allow the trade to continue. As a result of this, countriesRead MoreHuman Trafficking Is in America1354 Words   |  5 PagesHuman Trafficking is in America, it’s in backyard and most don’t even know it. Many Americans believe that this horrible action only takes place in countries such as China, Japan, India, and Ghana but no; it happens in the United States also. The definition of human trafficki ng is the â€Å"illegal practice of procuring or trading in human beings for the purpose of prostitution, forced labor, or other forms of exploitation† (dictionary.com). Slavery was abolished in 1865 in the 13th amendment in the constitutionRead MoreHIDA Case Study1087 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the summer of 2017 I interned at Chicago HIDTA. HIDTA stands for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas. The agency’s main goal is to combat drug trafficking by disrupting drug trade and dismantling drug operations. Furthermore, HIDTA assists agencies in deconfliction to allow operations to function properly and without interference. HIDTA was created by Congress in the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 and assists Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that operate in areas that haveRead Moreâ€Å"The War On Drugs Is A Big Fucking Lie†. In Recent History,1560 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The war on drugs is a big fucking lie† In recent history, there has been much rhetoric surrounding the eradication of cross-border drug trafficking. The â€Å"war on drugs† was introduced in the 1970s by Nixon, who wanted to eliminate the drugs coming into the United States, since they were seen by him as a threat to our nation. Many laws have been enacted with the purpose keeping illicit drugs out of the United States, yet they do so through the use of nativist ideology, which upholds white supremacy

Answer the question Example

Essays on Answer the question Speech or Presentation Math problem and micro economics Question one Labor demand is given by w=32-0.2E Number of workers E= 30 million in Arizona Number of immigrants = 5million Solution a) Market clearing wage if the immigration is not allowed We know that w=32-0.2E therefore W= 32-(0.2Ãâ€"30) = 26 dollars Market clearing wage when borders are open will be; We know that the number of workers migrating is 5 million Therefore w= 32- (0.2 Ãâ€"5) =31 dollars The immigration surplus will be 31-26= 4 dollars. b) In the case that the workers are skilled the supply of labor in the Arizona area would be elastic in that they would provide competition to the native workers. The equilibrium wages will rise because of the need to reward the skilled immigrants who will in turn return that through the labor they would provide (Stonecash 125-128). Question two We know the supply of labor is determined by; w=10 +8E Labor demand curve w = 60-2E Labor demand increases to w=80-2E a) To get the wages we simultaneously solve the equations W=10+ 8E†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..i W= 60-2E†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..ii W=80-2E†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦iii Solving ii and iii we arrive to W= 20 this is achieved after the demand increase. Thus the demand increases by 20 after the house booming. Therefore from this we can get the labor supply 20= 10+ (8Ãâ€"E) 20-10=8E E= 10/8 = 1.25 b) Demand Supply Equilibrium Question 3 a) Supply of curve of the company is E=20w-120 Marginal cost of labor curve MCE= 6+ 0.1 E Assuming a perfect elastic labor demand for the demand curve; If each hour 10 can are produced 10Ãâ€"$5 = $50 made in one hour 50=6+ 0.1E 44=0.1E E=440 workers 440+120=20W W=$28 This compares to the equilibrium wage in that this can be varied and in most cases it’s reasonable and affordable for the company. b) MC Demand MR Equilibrium Quantity Question 4 Number of residents= 100,000 Average salary= $ 50000 1% of 50000 =$50 The cost of constructing the spotlight will then be 50Ãâ€" 100000= $ 5000000 If the spotlight is not constructed, on the first year the population will be 99998 people but if its constructed the population will be 99999 people The minimal statistical value of a life will be 9999/100000 Ãâ€"100 = 99.9%\ Question five Arlington town For Bibster Inc. probability of injury is zero For Heel Toe co., probability of injury is one Preferences represented by U=2W-8X a) For this firm, probability of injury is zero Therefore U= 2W Which is U= 2Ãâ€"$19 =38 For the heel toe U= 2W -8 Therefore 38= 2w-8 W= $15 b) If the injuries are reduced to 50%, the worker utility will increase but this would depend on the availability of safe equipment and the nature of the operations that the workers are exposed to. Greater worker utility will also depend on the availability of personal protective equipment used by the worker. On the other hand, less worker utility will result if the worker would steel be exposed to the same working conditions as before, lack of self-protective equipment and also poor supervision by the supervisors Less worker utility due to high risks caused by the same exposure to risks Risks Workers Works Cited Stonecash, Robin E.  Principles of Macroeconomics. South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.

Analyse The Social Media Usage Of Business †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Analyse The Social Media Usage Of Business. Answer: Introduction The following is the proposal of doing research on gathering data on using social media by the companies and what are the advantage and disadvantages of using this platform (Sigala et al. 2012). Hence the objectives of the project and scope of the project is outlined in the below. Summary of the literature review done on the topic is also discussed briefly. The theories and social web aspects that have been identified are given and based on that the research methodology is formed. The different aspects of using the primary and secondary method of data collection, interview and questionnaire-forming method is proposed in the later part. The different factors like reliability; validity is discussed in the following chapter (Leonardi et al. 2013). The sampling method and sample size selected for the data is also be included as well with the research limitations and research schedule in a chart. Project objectives The main objectives of this project is To critically analyse the advantage and disadvantage of using social media platform in the different business activity To critically analyse different concepts of social theories that can be analysed and used for conducting further studies in the field To analyse the influence of the social media utility To provide a relevant recommendation for organisations that are using or willing to use this as a business activity conducting platform Project scopes The scope of this project lies in the potential benefit of using social media in business activity in different operations of business. The market opportunity of using the social media and advantages that the company must be aware of and disadvantages that they must be keeping distance can be suggested as the scope of this project (Panneerselvam 2014). The article or journal is insightful in giving Small or medium sized organisations to strategise in their social media incorporation plan. Literature review The journals and articles that are gathered in this context emphasizes on the advantages and disadvantages of using social media in the in business operations. This literature review also includes the social exchange theory, social spiral viral models and demonstration of critically analysed staircase model. This models also relates to the social media and network business must adopt to for getting better advantage of this platform in required aspects of the business (Sigala et al. 2012). It has been clearly opined in the business that the small sector companies and smaller and medium sized business always uses this platform more than other big organisations uses for its operations. The have found the social media platform useful. The major aspect of using the media has also increased because of the wide range of audience that can be approached by this (Picazo-Vela et al. 2012). Building a brand is essential for some industry and thus approaching more of the customers and maintaining the customer relationship management has also been important for the companies using this. Customer retention is also one of the major objectives that can be backed up by the social portal. However, this method of reaching the customers is also disadvantageous when there are complainants of the customers negatively affect the implementation process (Leonardi et al. 2013). Some of the most common tool used for recruitment and customer relationship management are Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and also the official Websites of different business. In this platform, the more loyal customers will follow the accounts of the pages that are easily available for them. This has also been helpful in converting the leads that has been generated from the social media usage. The staggering number of users who are using the social media as of 2017 the number has come to 2.46 billion people, are a ripe customer base for reaching them on different purpose (Laroche et al. 2013). To create and increase the brand value of the company or to reach new customers; gauging the influence of the company in their customers; gauging behavioural issues in customer relationship are very much eased by the using social media tools. Again, the disadvantages of using these tools can be cited, as the company must use it in their advantage, while maintaining social ethics. The performance of those organisations is dependent upon it and gets affected by different comments. Social exchange theory is based upon the customer interaction and potential rewards and awards systems of using the interaction. The organisations can relate to these things as there is also a cost benefit analysis associated with this theory. There is a profitable side of using the social interaction with the marketers as well as a punishment. The punishment here will be if the customers do not turn up for purchase. The positive interaction is needed though there wont be a possibility of repeat purchase. The interaction must have a humane touch to sustain the social relations as bots would not be effective in this aspect of business (Sigala et al. 2012). The social spiral viral model suggests that the content that the business shares in the web where it is used by all the potential customer or audience of the company must be implanted strategically. The campaigns and advertisements that are used must be integrated with all marketing programs of the company. Thus the social media optimisation concept has been put through. This activity is rather technological for undermining the business corporationss whole marketing strategy (Patinoe et al. 2012). The factors takes into consideration of the target market audience, positioning of the company and its products and social media behaviour patterns of the brands audiences. The main theme of this model is content created in terms of getting g more views in the internet. The social staircase model takes into consideration the strategy, presence, tools and conversation. All the factors must be considered in the forming the business strategy. The probability of measuring the presence of the bu sinesss or the products visibility in the social web is significant for the applicability of enriching the content delivered in terms of increasing the brands value. The message must be conveyed in one or other way (Reynolds et al. 2014). Research questions Primary questions What are the advantages and disadvantages of using social media platforms in business activities? Secondary questions What are the opportunities in using social media in business activities? What can be suggested as the behavioural patterns of using social media users? What is the positive and negative impact that the business has in enriching the brand value through social media? Research design and methodology Qualitative and quantitative research. Qualitative research for this report will be done on the chosen company BHP Billiton. The 5 managers of marketing department will be selected for getting the attitude scale measurement of them towards their system. The other staff of the company is selected for surveying. The qualitative research questionnaires will be based on open ended and the 40 more respondents for the online survey method. The qualitative research method will be for measuring the attitude of the managers towards their own strategy and survey will be interpreted and analysed for further insights in companies effective measure of social media uasge. Reliability and validity of research methodology The two methods of doing research are qualitative and quantitative research. Qualitative method is using the categorical variables and observations in the data and quantitative is using the variables that are numeric or alphanumeric characters. Reliability and validity of research conducting a research is ensuring the validity and reliability of research. These are the main concerns of conducting a research. Reliability The main concern of a designing the research in qualitative and quantitative way is to ensure the reliability of data gathered. This is reliability and validity takes into consideration, the ethics of conducting a research program. Reliability is defined as a testing and evaluation of the data to measure the applicability, transferability and credibility of the measures. Validity The validity of doing any research is take the concept and construct validity approach to maintain the ethics of doing the research. Whereas Concept validity takes into consideration the imperceptivity of conceptions. Variable specification Here the dependent and independent variables are the ones that are identified for doing the research. One of the variables is advantage or disadvantage of using social media for business and therefore, the dependent variable is positive or negative impact of doing research. Research approach and design There can two kinds of approach in doing a research, one is deductive and another is inductive in nature. This research is more inductive and less deductive in nature. In this process, research is done in designing the research, data is then collected, and after careful observation analysis and recommendation is given (Mackey and Gass 2015). Data collection process To initiate the research, primary data will be collected from BHP Billitons official website and the particular companys human resource and marketing managers will be questioned about the social presence of their company. After gathering the primary data the secondary sources like journals in the social media effectiveness topic will be identified and analysed while doing the research. Based on the findings the hypothesis will be constructed and analysed (Flick 2015). Data will be collected by the interview with the managers and online survey of the staff. Sampling method and sample size Sample is selected based in the research design and based in the target audience for the questionnaires prepared (Mackey and Gass 2015). The sample here selected for primary research consists of the human resource managers and marketing or more accurately the digital marketing managers of any company that have effective social presence in the social media through any other portals. The sample size selected is of 50 respondents. The probability sampling approach would be a best approach to conduct this research (Smith 2015). Interview and questionnaires designing The approach to get response in the respondents will be done through structured questionnaires and direct and structured interview method (Taylor 2015). The variables that are identified in the research to more use on are advantage/disadvantage of using social media and business activity that gets positively and negatively affected by those factors. Research limitations The limitation of doing this research lies in the constraint of framing strategy of research that can be useful for further study. Using the social media is has its own limitations like not getting access to different company information used directly or indirectly by the company. The models that are reviewed in the literature review are not independent and entire strategy would fall if organisations do not considers all the factors that needs to be considered (Silverman 2016). Time schedule Figure: Time schedule chart Source: created by author Conclusion Therefore, from the above text it can be concluded that using social media has its pros and cons for a business. Doing the research on this topic and the method doing the research is given in below. Summary of the literature review done on the topic is also discussed briefly. The different aspects of using the primary and secondary method of data collection, interview and questionnaire-forming method is proposed in the later part. The different factors like reliability; validity is discussed in the following chapter. The sampling method and sample size selected for the data is also be included as well with the research limitations and research schedule in a chart. References Flick, U., 2015.Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research project. Sage. Laroche, M., Habibi, M.R. and Richard, M.O., 2013. To be or not to be in social media: How brand loyalty is affected by social media?.International Journal of Information Management,33(1), pp.76-82. Leonardi, P.M., Huysman, M. and Steinfield, C., 2013. Enterprise social media: Definition, history, and prospects for the study of social technologies in organizations.Journal of Computer?Mediated Communication,19(1), pp.1-19. Leung, D., Law, R., Van Hoof, H. and Buhalis, D., 2013. Social media in tourism and hospitality: A literature review.Journal of Travel Tourism Marketing,30(1-2), pp.3-22. Mackey, A. and Gass, S.M., 2015.Second language research: Methodology and design. Routledge. Miller, T., Birch, M., Mauthner, M. and Jessop, J. eds., 2012.Ethics in qualitative research. Sage. Munch, S., 2012. Improving the benefit corporation: How traditional governance mechanisms can enhance the innovative new business form.Nw. JL Soc. Pol'y,7, p.i. Panneerselvam, R., 2014.Research methodology. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd.. Patino, A., Pitta, D.A. and Quinones, R., 2012. Social media's emerging importance in market research.Journal of Consumer Marketing,29(3), pp.233-237. Picazo-Vela, S., Gutirrez-Martnez, I. and Luna-Reyes, L.F., 2012. Understanding risks, benefits, and strategic alternatives of social media applications in the public sector.Government information quarterly,29(4), pp.504-511. Reynolds, D., Creemers, B., Nesselrodt, P.S., Shaffer, E.C., Stringfield, S. and Teddlie, C. eds., 2014.Advances in school effectiveness research and practice. Elsevier. Sigala, M., Christou, E. and Gretzel, U. eds., 2012.Social media in travel, tourism and hospitality: Theory, practice and cases. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. Silverman, D. ed., 2016.Qualitative research. Sage. Smith, J.A. ed., 2015.Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. Sage. Taylor, S.J., Bogdan, R. and DeVault, M., 2015.Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. John Wiley Sons.