The Significance of Ethnographic Observation

Commodification of Human Life in Modern Society Essay Example

Commodification of Human Life in Modern Society Essay Example Commodification of Human Life in Modern Society Essay Commodification of Human Life in Modern Society Essay Essay Topic: Life Is Beautiful The Man Of Mode Commodification of Human Life: In Modern Society Assignment 2: Question 2 SOC 440: Sociological Theory Fall 2013 By: Emma Wright Question: Chapter 6 in the Hurst book (Living Theory) focuses on the commodification of Human Life in Modern Society. Examine the key areas of commodification that are discussed in the book and discuss them in terms of how society influence and/or determine our human behavior, and how in turn the individual behavior influences society. This morning I woke up earlier than usual so that I could enjoy some peace and quiet before I started my day. I made some coffee and watched the news thinking in the back of my mind that I needed to shower and fgure out what I wanted to wear to school. Although I would love to stay in my sweatpants and tee shirt, I realized that I would feel much better about myself if I wore something more presentable. But really why should I wear something nice? Why should I put make-up on? Who cares if I am in sweatpants or if I am wearing Jeans? All of those thoughts ran through my neaa ana I came toa conclusion tnat I typlcally Teel netter aoout myselT wnen I Know that others are viewing me the way I want them to view me! Subsequently, Hurst ums this up by saying that the worth of individuals is generally measured in terms of their social and economic success and the lifestyle they present to the rest of society. The influences of society determined my behavior and my personal outlook on how I wanted to be viewed by others. There are three main areas of focus that will give clarity to the understanding of how modern society influences and/or determines our human behavior. And in turn how we as individuals influence the society as well. First area Hurst speaks of is the superficial self and how the image of the body in modern society has evolved into a hysical and emotional roller coaster! Creating a positive self-image is hard to maintain because the society has placed a vision of the ideal version of beauty. Today men and women are constantly focused on how to stay on beat with the latest fashion, behavioral trends, etc. During the 1980s women were sought to have this image that beauty included strength and thinness. Over time, the perception of being very thin has qualified as being beautiful. Class and economic status also plays a role in how society influences our behaviors. Depending on the lifestyle you chose to live, you are expected to act and eact in a certain manor. Being sensitive on how to present oneself also involves controlling the other physical aspects of the behavior. Basically what is happening in this case, as Hochschild explains it, is that the emotions and feelings, rather than being ways to find out about oneself, become a commercial resource used to satisfy customers. The superficial self is Hurst way of describing how society has influenced us to place certain expectations and behaviors on what the ideal image of beauty truly is. Society influences us first handedly through commodities, such as celebrities. The world of celebrities has greatly evolved the value of human life. The commercial sport industry seeks to organize events on strict market principles, mainly through the pursuit of capital accumulation, rather than the satisfaction of individual personal and social needs. In a broad sense, celebrities are a social creations. World celebrities set many standards by which society feels they must follow. The physical and emotional attributes that celebrities pursue shape our daily social influences. This idea that celebrities live such a wonderful, successful, and plentiful lifestyle play uch an empowering behavior and mindset to the U. S. society. We must try to live up to those standards in order to fit in as most of the U. S. population would feel. The admiring identification with celebrities not only makes them seem different or even better than us but it also reinforces celebrities as a center of cultural capital in our society. Our influences and feedback towards the world of celebrities affects their behaviors as well. They will continue to climb the totem pole as long as we will show positive emotion towards their lifestyle. And the reverse is the same; in he sense that we as a society feel that it is necessary to mock the celebrities in order to fit in a certain crowd. Weber supports this by saying, the task of the acting, willing person: he weighs and chooses from among the values involved according to his own conscience and his personal view of the world. Which is the act of choice itself is his own responsibility. Although society evolves through patterns of behavior, our minds wlll only allow us to Tollow tnose IT we consciously agree wit n tne actions on nana. This shows us how the value of human life is not always as it seems. Weber was very clear in his view that the rational institutions of modern life cannot provide us with a set of ultimate values by which to organize our lives. The more absolu te the values and the more determined the individuals wish to enact upon them, then more the individual will devote themselves to fulfilling that view. Values are critical because they give direction and meaning to life, which provides worth to our lives. Weber believes that human life is a value in itself is becoming less important. Since the early 1980s, the value of human life has been defined economically rather than socially, religiously and so forth. Simmel on the other hand, suggests that money becomes a universal standard in which qualitative differences between objects are erased. I agree with Simmel in this point of view because society has influenced individuals into believing what their own personal worth is. Sadly enough, we can never be satisfied with Just being able enjoy the value of human life. As the population increases, the value of human life will continue to decrease based on the patterns of life. We are influenced daily by the demands and expectations of the world to act and dress a certain way in order to eceive the benefits we desire. Even within the United States, the value placed on human life appears to depend on the social status of the victims involved. That belief influences individuals to desire a level of gratitude that they wish to live for. There is an inner motivation that drives each behavior to respond in the way that it does. As I spoke before, I chose to wear nice clothes and put make-up on because I want to live up to the social status that I live in now and desire to be a part of in the future. I am motivated to make certain decisions in hopes to benefit from them later. The commodifications of human life are existing throughout every behavior preformed. Patterns evolve over time which give us meaning in how we will perceive things. Social status and economy will always influence society in how we chose to live. Those statements are broad but can be simplified easily; by knowing that society influences us to value our life accordingly to the perception of what is acceptable. OUTLINE Intro My application of how society influences me on a daily basis I ne supernclal selT Three key elements: the superficial self, the world of celebrities, the value of human life Maintaining a positive self- image Modern societies view of beauty Influences of personal behaviors based on societal expectations The world of celebrities Basic understandings of how celebrities shape our societies view on the good life More about social status rather than personal fulfillment We tend to live our lives in mockery of celebrities behaviors in order to stay on beat with the evolving world. center of cultural capital The value of human life Webers view on rational institutions Diminishing importance of life throughout society My agreement with Simmels point of view Our dependency of living a life in monetary value

Tesco's failure in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Tesco's failure in America - Essay Example Reasons for the Failure Market Positioning Positioning may be defined as the process of creating an image in the minds of the target market for the brand (Ferrell, O. et al., 2000). This positioning can be functional, symbolic or experiential. Functional positioning tries to solve problems and provides benefits to the customers (e.g. - Wall mart’s everyday low prices); symbolic positioning creates affective fulfilment (e.g. - Apple’s products give an ego boost to owners) and experiential positioning provides both rational and emotional fulfilment (Lao, 2013). TESCO entered USA through Fast and Easy (F&E) stores. The F&E stores were positioned between the discount supermarkets and the upscale organic stores. F&E stores were labelled as stores which will provide ‘healthy’ food at low prices. Thus TESCO tried to position itself between Wal-Mart and Trader Joe’s (Sonne & Evans, 2012). The positioning of F&E was neither functional nor symbolic. Wal-Mart succeeds due to its promise of everyday low prices whereas Trader Joe’s provides snob value to the rich and entices them to be different and buy organic food. Trader Joe is clearly positioning it’s product for the rich and Wal-Mart for the mass market. TESCO’s positioning was not enticing to either of the 2 segments. There was no market which wanted health organic food products at low prices in USA. Only 3 % of American population follows the healthy lifestyle unlike in UK and Europe where this trend is the norm (Sonne & Evans, 2012). ... Trader Joe is clearly positioning it’s product for the rich and Wal-Mart for the mass market. TESCO’s positioning was not enticing to either of the 2 segments. There was no market which wanted health organic food products at low prices in USA. Only 3 % of American population follows the healthy lifestyle unlike in UK and Europe where this trend is the norm (Sonne & Evans, 2012). Thus positioning itself as a store with a healthy image in a nation which loves fast food and soda was the biggest mistake committed by TESCO. This was one of the main reasons for their failure in USA. Customer Relationship TESCO had a troubled relationship with USA customers. This was because it ignored the cultural differences between USA and UK.TESCO looked more like a coloniser who stuck on to its customs and culture rather than adopt the culture of the new country. Some of the mistakes leading to a troubled customer relationship were – Low Brand Recognition USA unlike Europe is obses sed with brands. Americans are willing to spend more money if they consider the brand good and worthwhile (Piercy, 2012). Fresh & Easy was an unknown brand to them. The name TESCO was not associated with F&E stores in any way. TESCO focused its money and resources in opening more stores rather than advertisements on brand building. The Fresh & Easy stores were also highly dependent on private labels in a market which likes to see and buy branded products. This was a big mistake in a country which likes to buy branded products. Lack of Service In order to keep the costs low, F&E stores had adopted the self check out system. The staffs in F & E stores were also kept

Andy Warhols Installation of Shoes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Andy Warhols Installation of Shoes - Essay Example The essay "Andy Warhol’s Installation of Shoes" states the famous installation, Installation of Shoes, of Andy Warhol. The artist in question used this collection to tell people that not only the finest examples of art should be presented, but ordinary things as well. I find this particularly interesting and inspiring since it opens a completely new perspective on what is art: from then on every object that is found in reality could be presented as a work of art. I think that the goals which were originally set by Warhol correspond to my own goal, namely allowing people to develop a different, more accurate understanding of what art is. Speaking of what makes the collection that I present personal, I might suggest that I often use squishy toys to deal with some stress that I am exposed to. That is why these toys and this collection means to me a lot: it is almost a silent witness of all stress that I have endured in my life. One might suggest that because of this the memories that are attached to work are negative; however, the situation is quite the opposite: thought I experienced stress every time it touched a squishy toy, I felt a relief from it when I put it away. That is why the memories are quite good. As it has already been mentioned the major influence on my work is Andy Warhol’s Installation of shoes. The process of making my art work was simple: I make boxed out of color paper and attached them together by the sided. Afterwards, I placed a squishy toy inside of each box.

A Symbolic Look at Hillary Rodham Clinton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Symbolic Look at Hillary Rodham Clinton - Essay Example There are some who fear strong woman, while there are also those who revere them. The question is should someone like Hillary Rodham Clinton be celebrated for her intellect and accomplishments, or should she not and for whatever reason Mrs. Clinton for arguments sake is a very strong willed and determined person who knows what she wants, and knows how to get it. In reading personal biographies of her it can be assessed that she came from a strict upbringing in Chicago, and would ultimately finish out her education at Yale Law school where she would meet the future President of the United States William J. Clinton. Ms. Rodham at the time was probably what you would have called a 'traditional Yankee', while her soon to be husband was what most would call a "southern boy". Both exhibiting strong brains and wills, these two would join together and form one of the most powerful political relationships in modern history. During the course of their marriage Mrs. Clinton would stand by her husband as he served as such things like Governor of Arkansas, and then the ultimate prize of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Observers of Hillary can note that the most important role to her is that of mother to their daughter Chelsea who tu rned 25 in February of 2005. Mrs. Clinton has come to be known for her positives, as well as her negatives. Mot notably being the failed health care package that her husband had put her in charge of in 1994 to get it passed through Congress. As most know, it not only did not pass through Congress, but it also gave the members of the Republican party enough ammunition to sail through the midterm elections that year, and retake control of both the House and the Senate. Hillary Clinton is symbolic in that she also reaches out there, often times risking her own credibility, in order to see something succeed. She stuck her neck out as well during the 2000 Senate race in New York when the GOP took advantage of the "carpet bagger" moniker, and tried to use it against Mrs. Clinton to their full advantage. She of course would end up victorious, and continues to serve the state of New York until her term is up in 2006, and has given all inclination that she will seek another term. To be someone that would be considered to be symbolic, they would have to be a person who through action separates themselves from those around them in a notable way. Someone whose actions clearly distinguish themselves from others due to their nature, and the nature in which the perpetrator went about perpetrating the action. Their action(s) prove as a symbol for which they are as a person, and what they stand for on any given issue. Along with her fellow First Lady's, Mrs. Clinton is immortalized through the White House's database of biographies for both the Presidents and their wives. In her biography, the author writes of Mrs. Clinton that, "As the nation's First Lady, Hillary continued to balance public service with private life. Her active role began in 1993 when the President asked her to chair the Task Force on National Health Care Reform. She continued to be a leading advocate for expanding health insurance coverage, ensuring children are properly immunized, and raising public awareness of health issues. She wrote a weekly newspaper column entitled "Talking It Over," which focused on her experiences as First Lady and her observations of women, children, and families she has met around the world. Her 1996 book It

Ensure The Success Of Your Business Commerce Essay

Ensure The Success Of Your Business Commerce Essay In order to remain in business, business owners and organisations need to take proactive steps all the time to ensure that their businesses remain at a competitive edge, hence the need to strategically manage the human resources of the organisation to ensure overall success of the business. Human resource management (HRM) is a strategic, integrated and coherent approach to the employment, development and well-being of the people working in organisations (Armstrong, 2009). However, Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) is a proactive management of the employees of a company or organisation. Strategic human resource management includes typical human resource components such as hiring, discipline, and payroll, and also involves working with employees in a collaborative manner to boost retention, improve the quality of the work experience, and maximize the mutual benefit of employment for both the employee and the employer. (BusinessDictionary.com) This article will look at different models of strategic HRM, the importance of strategic HRM, an analysis of an HRM framework, the HRM process and the development of strategies as well as an assessment of the roles in strategic HRM. Models of strategic HRM Although there is some acceptance of the idea that strategic HRM should support the strategic direction of the business, there is no agreement on the best way of doing this. Two normative models epitomise the relationship between labour management and organisational strategy. The first is explored in the best practice or universal school. The second approach, where integration between strategic HRM and organisational strategy is an essential feature, is explored in the contingency and configurational schools (Porter, Bingham and Simmonds 2008). Comparison of Universalistic and Contingency models of HRM Universalistic model Contingency model There is an existence of best human resource management practices and all organisations should adopt these best practices. There are not best practices but for effectiveness, an organisations HR policies must be consistent with other aspects of the organisation. A universal relationship exists between individual best practices and the organisations performance. The main contingency factor is the organisations strategy, or the internal and external environment which is described as vertical fit. One single practice leads to a greater organisational performance. They do not consider either synergetic interdependence relationships or integration mechanisms. Many contingent works focus on a single practice i.e. a single practice is dependable on the other to achieve the goal of the organisation. REASONS FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF HRM IN ORGANISATIONS The human resources remains the most important asset of any organisation and the overall importance of human resource management is to ensure that the organisation is able to achieve success through its entire workforce in order to ensure a successful business. In the area of strategy, the HR department improves the organisations bottom line with its knowledge of how human capital affects the success of the organisational as a whole. Leaders with expertise in HR strategic management participate in corporate decision-making that underlies current staffing assessments and projections for future workforce needs based on business demand. It enables the organisation to strategically deal with HR issues which in-turn enables employees to work effectively in order to achieve the organisations goals and objectives. Human resource managements allow organisations to prioritize their organisational and business strategies hence attracting and retaining and the development of competent employees. Another reason of HRM in organisation also lies in its importance as a Legal requirement. The HR department of organisations ensures compliance with employment laws. They complete paperwork necessary for documenting that employees are eligible to work in the U.K. The employment laws also states that employers have an obligation to provide safe working conditions for their entire workforce. Hence, workplace safety and risk management specialists from the HR area manage compliance with U.K. Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 by maintaining accurate work logs and records, and developing programs that reduce the number of workplace injuries and fatalities. Workplace safety specialists also engage employees in promoting awareness and safe handling of dangerous equipment and hazardous chemicals. HRM FRAMEWORK The purpose of the HRM framework is to ensure the adoption and implementation of a fair and transparent process which in-turn will retain the valuable skills and experiences of employees within the organisation. It ensures that effective consultation takes place with employees and their representatives on how these processes will be applied, ensuring effective outcomes for employees, customers and all stakeholders. Harvard framework of HRM Harvard framework is a strategic map to guide all managers in their relations with employees and concentrates on the human or soft aspect of HRM. It was developed by Beer et al in 1984. This framework is based on the belief that the problems of historical personnel management can only be solved when general managers develop a viewpoint of how they wish to see employees involved in and developed by the enterprise, and of what HRM policies and practices may achieve those goals. Without either a central philosophy or a strategic vision which can be provided only by general managers HRM is likely to remain a set of independent activities, each guided by its own practice tradition. (Armstrong, 2009) The Harvard model outlines four HR policy areas as follows: Human resource flows recruitment, selection, placement, promotion, appraisal and assessment, promotion, termination Reward systems pay systems, motivation Employee influence delegated levels of authority, responsibility, power Work systems work design and alignment of people. Which in turn lead to the four Cs or HR policies that have to be achieved: Commitment Congruence Competence Cost effectiveness HRM PROCESS AND STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT HR processes are the basis for the management of customers satisfaction with Human Resources. Customers feel comfortable and their level of satisfaction increases when there is an understanding of the HR processes, how they are connected and how they interact. In order to achieve continuous customer satisfaction these processes needs to be measured and regularly monitored to identify any gaps in the processes and improve on it for the benefit of the all stakeholders. HRM processes The HRM processes consist of the following basic areas: Planning (strategic HR planning, job design) Attracting (recruitment and selection) Attracting applicants from which to begin the selection process. This can either be from internal or external sources. Recruitment is about finding and engaging the people the organisation needs to make up its workforce. Team meetings, notice boards, intranet are methods of sourcing for people internally, and radio/TV adverts, local newspaper adverts, posters, job centre plus recruitment agencies are methods of external recruitment. Selection is assessing the suitability of potential employees and predicting which applicant will be able to carry out a job role successfully. It is characterised by the competence, experience, qualifications, education and training of the applicant. Developing (induction, orientation, training of the work-force, career development, talent management, leadership development, performance appraisal) Training the employee in order to acquire the needed skills for the job. Talent management is the process of identifying, developing, recruiting, retaining and deploying talented people with special gifts, abilities which enable them to perform effectively Retaining (compensation, benefits) HR Controlling HR strategy development HR strategies set out what the organisation intends to do about its human resource management policies and practices and how they should be integrated with the business strategy and each other (Armstrong, 2009). Strategy development is about choosing the most appropriate course of action for the realisation of organisational goals and objectives, in order to achieve the organisational vision. The process of developing HR strategies involves the following steps: Conduct a SWOT analysis of your organization. Determine the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats/risks that affect the business and organization, focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of the workforce. The current skills of the workforce should also be taken into consideration in order to identify where skills and/or education levels may be improved. After the SWOT analysis, take a look at the organisations overall performance against target(s) for the previous year(s) in order to find out what how well the organisation has done or what problems, issues and/or challenges were faced. Afterwards identify factors that could be responsible for any change that has taken place. Set quantitative targets by drawing up SMART objectives for the future. SMART objectives are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. Develop an action plan for implementing the HR strategy. Create a timeline for the successful completion of key objectives. As long as the strategy is detailed and also depending on how big the organisation is, options may be made available for heads of departments to choose how best to deal with issues at a departmental level. Introduce and communicate the action plan to your organisation as the overall success of the strategy lies in proper implementation. Organise meetings, discussion and training sessions for senior management to raise awareness and reinforce the importance of their acceptance of the HR strategy plan letting them know how they will benefit from the plan on a personal level. ASSESSMENT OF ROLES IN STRATEGIC HRM The role of human resource managers in strategic HRM is kind of bi-dimensional as they are responsible for the development of strategic solutions that promote departmental and organisational success, and also manage the functional aspects of human resources. Workplace Safety Creating a work environment free from unnecessary hazards is a strategic role of every human resources manager. Strategic development for workplace safety entails risk management and mitigating potential losses from on-the-job injuries and fatalities. Workers compensation insurance is an area in which a strategic plan helps lower company expense for insurance coverage. Reducing accidents through training employees on the proper use of complex machinery and equipment is one of the functional tasks associated with creating a safe work environment. Compensation and Benefits The compensation and benefits structure partly determines the companys business reputation and image. Decisions made by human resources managers pay scales and employee benefits can impact employee satisfaction, as well as the organisations ability to recruit talented workers. Job evaluation, labour market conditions, workforce shortages and budget constraints are factors that HR managers consider in a strategic plan for pay and benefits. Employee Training Human resources managers strategic role with respect to employee training and development prepares the workforce for future positions within the company. Succession planning, promotion-from-within policies and performance evaluation factor into the human resources managers role. Training and development motivate employees, and in some cases, improve employee retention. Recruitment and Selection Employee recruitment and selection is also a part of employee relations though it is a separate discipline itself. Therefore, a human resources managers strategic role is to combine elements of employee relations into the employers recruitment and selection strategy. Employee Relations The sustainance of an employee relations program is an important element of human resource strategy. It includes salaries, benefits, health and safety, training and employee development. The strategic role of a human resources manager in this regard is to determine how to identify and resolve workplace issues that may jeopardize productivity, performance and working relationships. They develop tools such as employee opinion surveys and action plans, monitor compliance with labour and employment laws, address employee concerns, and provide training and guidance to supervisors and managers. In conclusion, the development of effective human resource strategies is vital to the prolonged existence and success of a business. In time past, personnel management was concerned only with the processing of applications, payrolls and staff benefits but human resources strategy today involves executive leadership teams consulting with human resources experts to develop complementary goals for human resources and the overall business.

Money Now or Cancer Later? Essays -- Drugs, Legalization of Marijuana,

The new debate over drugs is the passing of the legalization of marijuana for medical use. In ancient texts, there is a described time and use for cannabis to treat diseases and it continues on from over two thousand years ago to today (Johnson). The argument is widely debated and has been on the lap of congress for over one hundred and seventy-five years (Johnson). The political debate now isn’t just over legalizing it, it’s about do we allow it to be legalized so we can tax it now and pay for the after effects later, or do we not allow it to be passed and still arrest people in states that allow it and are following the rules? The thing stopping most of the passing is the FDA’s statement that, â€Å"Smoked Marijuana Is Not Medicine.† To the average person walking down the street is that marijuana is smoked or baked into food. With the college student usually knowing that ‘Special Brownies’ will give you a high from the marijuana baked into i t; a high school student usually knows that a joint of marijuana will give you a high because it’s a drug. So the typical misconception with the whole legalizing of marijuana is that just legalizing it doesn’t mean it is legal to use it in a smoking manner. When I was researching this topic for my paper, I asked a lot of my friends still in high school and college on why they wanted the bill to pass in Missouri. They told me that they wanted it passed so they could get permission to grow and smoke the plant from their doctor for their ‘illness’, or to go to the marijuana dispensing machines and get some for the fun of it. Then they laughed and walked away. This was also the reason why I was so against it from the start. Legalizing the drug so anyone who found a quack doctor could get a Schedule ... ...g/treatment/findingandpayingfortreatment/managinginsuranceissues/the-cost-of-cancer-treatment>. Johnson, Albert T., and States United. Medical Marijuana And Marijuana Use. New York, N.Y.: Nova Science, 2009. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 17 Apr. 2014. Miron, Jeffrey A. The Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition. Rep. Cambridge, MA: Harvard U, 2005. Www.cannabis-commerce.com. Marijuana Policy Project, June 2005. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. . "Tobacco-Related Cancers Fact Sheet." American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society, 21 Feb. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. . "We Do Not Inherit the Earth from Our Ancestors; We Borrow It from Our Children." Quote Investigator. WorldPress, 26 Jan. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.