Significance of social media in business operations

Introduction Background to the study Contemporarily, change is one of the most constant elements that businesses have to take into account in the course of their operations. This assertion highlights why the past few decades have been characterized by profound social, economic, and technological transformations emanating from external market forces such as political, economic, technological, social, and legal environments.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Significance of social media in business operations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These changes have led to the emergence of a myriad of opportunities and threats within the business environment. Changes occurring in the macro-environment have led to an increment in the rate of invention and innovation. In addition, social and technological changes have motivated entrepreneurs to invest in new and continuous product development in the pursuit for economic sus tainability. The Internet is categorised amongst the top innovations of the 21st century. Its development has led to the increment in the number of innovations that are being undertaken. The emergence of numerous web-based applications and platforms is one of the ways through which the Internet has been utilized. Internet development has led to the increment in the rate of connectivity amongst consumers. Its development has significantly influenced consumers’ behaviour. Moreover, the impact of the Internet can be felt through a myriad of applications in various market segments such as investing, shopping, banking, learning, and entertainment (Brunty et al. 2013). The trend with regard to technological innovation will continue into the future. Consequently, it is fundamental for businesses to embrace the emerging technological changes in order to achieve business continuity. Businesses should evaluate how they can utilize emerging changes in order to succeed. For example, orga nizations and entrepreneurs should take advantage of the technological innovations (Brunty et al. 2013). Social networks are one of the innovations that entrepreneurs can utilize in their quest to achieve their goals. Jadhav et al. (2009) define social network to include â€Å"a social structure made of nodes, which are usually individuals or organizations tied by one or more specific types of relations, such as financial exchange, friendship, trade and web links amongst others† (p. 49).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Social networks have transformed communication in organizations significantly. Conventionally, the media was used to communicate to target population. Social media has transformed this form of communication. Currently, social media provides businesses with an opportunity to interact with existing and potential customers. Apart from marketing, businesse s can also utilize social media in other areas of management, such as human resource management and research and development. Statement of the problem The high rate of innovation with regard to social networks has led to the emergence of a wide range of social media technologies. The social media that have been developed can be categorised into various classes, which include content communities, collaborative projects, virtual social worlds, social networking sites, and virtual game worlds. On the other hand, social technologies relate to emails, instant messaging, picture sharing, and blogs. Despite the numerous social media technologies that have been developed and their significance to business success, only a few businesses have integrated these technologies in their operation. The significance of social media technologies in enhancing competitive advantage and business continuity is highlighted by Thomas and Wasmund (2011) who posit that there is â€Å"not a business or an ent repreneur that should not be using social media in one way or another† (p. 16). Moreover, a study conducted by Optus in 2010 revealed that only 28% of small and medium-sized enterprises had integrated social media in their operation, which represents a relatively small proportion of all SMES. Despite this scenario, Waters (2013) posits that social media is here to stay; thus, it is imperative for entrepreneurs to evaluate how they will utilize social media in order to improve their competitive edge.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Significance of social media in business operations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Research objectives This research intends to achieve the following objectives. To evaluate how organisations and entrepreneurs can utilise social media in order to maximise profitability. To investigate the social media strategies that organisations can integrate in order to improve organisatio nal performance and productivity. Research questions To achieve the above objectives, the following research questions will be taken into account. How can businesses utilize social media to maximize their profitability? What social media strategies can individuals and organizations integrate in order to improve their businesses’ performance and productivity Significance of the study Organizations cannot develop competitiveness by only being conscious of changes of occurring in the business environment. However, they have to align their operational strategies to market changes. Thomas and Wasmund (2011) are of the opinion that organizational change is a key element in firms’ effort to survive. Dealing with such change requires organizations to be agile and anticipate possible changes. This study will give organizations’ management teams insight on how they can utilize social media to develop their competitive edge. Some of the areas that will be evaluated rela ting to marketing, research and development, and human resource management. Analyzing how social media can be used in these areas will improve the likelihood of businesses adjusting their operational strategies accordingly; thus improving their business foundation. For example, using social media will improve the probability of achieving diverse business goals such as profitability and developing a strong human capital base. Literature review The evolution of existing technology and the emergence of new technology have led to transformation of the business environment. Hundreds of social networking sites have been developed over the Internet in the past few years.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Increased research and development with regard to the Internet have culminated in the emergence of diverse social media platforms. Some of the common online social networking sites include Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr, and MySpace. Social networking sites have undergone exponential growth due to increased investment in research and development. It is estimated that approximately 4 out of 5 citizens in the United States are developing, creating, and participating in social media. Leanne (2012) is of the opinion that social media has been integrated into the consumers’ everyday life, which underscores the importance of integrating emerging social media networks in business operations. Remenyi (2008) opines, â€Å"Social technologies are no longer a fad or something that will pass-by but will have a significant impact in every role, every kind of company and in all parts of the world† (p. 397). The impact of social media on business operations is something that requires bus iness leaders should consider proactively. Remenyi (2008) further asserts that social media is increasingly becoming a key element in business operations. In a bid to benefit from the emerging social media trends, it is imperative for businesses to evaluate how they can best utilize social media. Various scholars have suggested a number of ways in which entrepreneurs can utilize social media. Marketing The emergence of social media has had a significant impact on the consumers’ behavior and experience. Millions of people across the world can access market information courtesy of social media via platforms like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and Linkedin, among others. Social media has increased the consumers’ power with regard to directing the conversation about a particular brand. Consumers do not only purchase products and remain contented. However, there has been an emergence of a trend whereby consumers are increasingly turning to various social media platforms for gu idance with regard product brands. Moreover, social media has provided consumers with an opportunity to share their product experience with the online community. Surviving in such an environment requires businesses to adapt to changing consumer expectations and behavior. Failure to implement this strategy may adversely affect an organization’s brand. For example, failure to take into account what consumers are saying on social media may expose an organization’s failure in delivering the brand promise. Consequently, it is imperative for businesses to adjust their marketing strategies to change in consumer behavior (Sweeney Craig 2011). Marketing is one of the areas in which businesses can utilize social media marketing. The success of organizations in their marketing practices is influenced by the effectiveness with which the communication strategy has been integrated. Social media has transformed marketing from being one-dimensional phenomenon with regard to communica tion. Conventional communication mediums such as newspapers, television, and radio were about delivering the intended message to the target audience. However, social media has transformed marketing communication from being a one-way phenomenon to a two-way phenomenon. Despite the significance of social media in marketing, there are some critics who are of the opinion that social media undermines the human element (Sweeney Craig 2011). Social media ranks amongst the essential marketing communication tools of the 21st century. Currently, organizations and entrepreneurs can utilize various social media platforms to improve their marketing capability. Examples of such social media platforms include Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. The effectiveness of these tools in creating market awareness arises from the emergence of a trend whereby consumers are using the Internet as a major source of product information. Therefore, it is fundamental for entrepreneurs to formulate an effective socia l web by integrating diverse social media platforms such as illustrated in figure 1 below. Source: (Oracle 2012) The social web should be comprised of different spaces, which include spaces owned by the entrepreneur, spaces hosted, and the spaces in which the entrepreneur participates. The space owned by the entrepreneur may relate to the business official website, the contact center and the knowledge base while spaces hosted relate to YouTube and Facebook. Businesses can exploit this trend in consumer behavior by designing a fan page on social media sites such as Facebook, which will play a critical role in increasing an organization’s customer base. Currently, it is estimated that approximately 165 million Twitter users, 500 million Facebook users, and 75 million LinkedIn users. Additionally, approximately 200 billion videos are watched daily on YouTube (Thomas Wasmund 2011). Using Facebook is relatively easy, which means that it is not a platform for only large businesse s but also the small and medium-sized enterprises. Developing fan pages will enable businesses to leverage on social media viral capabilities. Businesses should also design short videos containing the products and services issued and post them on social media platforms such as YouTube. Other social networking tools that can be used to post videos include Youku, which is a Chinese video streaming service. Youku has assisted major companies such as IBM, Google, Pepsi, Nike, Mercedes-Benz and Nokia generate revenue. Consequently, using such tools will lead to the creation of a viral effect on the videos. Moreover, interacting with consumers through social media leads to the development of a strong customer relationship. For example, an organization is able to access market feedback regarding its products and services. Safko (2012) is of the opinion that social media provides consumers with a 360-degree feedback mechanism. Thus, social media provides entrepreneurs with a perfect opportu nity to respond to customer complaints and opinions hence enhancing the level of customer loyalty (Safko 2012). Businesses and entrepreneurs should also interact with the online community through social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Yelp, Foursquare, Slideshare, and YouTube. Integrating social media also plays a critical role in increasing an organization’s sales revenue and hence the level of profitability. Integrating with customers through various social media sites increases the likelihood of businesses and entrepreneurs, developing a clear understanding of the prevailing consumer needs (Bodnar Cohen 2011). Consequently, an organization can be able to align its products to the prevailing customer needs. The high rate of technological development with regard to ICT has led to the emergence of mobile devices such as Ipad and Ipods. In a bid to improve their effectiveness with regard to creating market awareness, it is essential for businesses to integrate mobile social media, which is achievable via developing a mobile social media application that is customised to a particular business. This platform will increase the effectiveness with which an organization creates product and services awareness to potential consumers who do not have personal computers. The past few years have been characterized by an increment in the number of consumers who own tablets, iPads, and iPods. Consequently, it is imperative for entrepreneurs to take into account the developments in the social media. Human resource management Staffing; talent acquisition and management The success of both large and small enterprises is dependent on the quality of human capital developed. Jacobson (2009) posits that a strong human capital base contributes towards achievement of the set organizational goals. Firms can post job adverts on various social media platforms in an effort to improve the number of potential applicants. Fans on social media platforms can share job adverts with t heir friends and family members seeking a job (O’Leary et al. 2011). Leanne (2012) is of the opinion that social media has been utilized by organizations in conducting a background evaluation of job candidates. Some of the sites that have previously been used concerning these aspects relate to LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. LinkedIn is ranked amongst the most effective social media platform with regard to recruitment of professionals (O’Leary et al. 2011). Its effectiveness hinges on the presumption that the platform is used to share professional information of its users. It is estimated that approximately 50% of Fortune 100 firms depend on LinkedIn in their recruitment drive. Therefore, using LinkedIn is considered very cost-effective (Pride, 2009). By the end of 2012, Facebook had a following of over 900 million users. Consequently, employers can obtain substantial background information regarding job applicants without having to leave their office. A survey conduc ted by Microsoft revealed that approximately 79% of managers in the US had utilized social media in their employee recruitment processes. Seventy percent (70%) of the managers revealed that they had rejected job applications because of the posts and comments on online platforms by the applicants. This aspect highlights the importance of developing good online reputation by posting positive comments. Social media provide organizations with an opportunity to expand their talent pool by improving its connectivity with passive jobseekers (Leanne 2012). Another avenue through which businesses can use social media entails ensuring that the employees comply with the set rules and regulations. Consequently, it is imperative for HR managers to ensure that an effective internal communication system is implemented. A study conducted by KPMG shows that organizations could use social media to develop the employees’ talent. For example, an organization can leverage on social media by ensur ing that they are connected with special interest groups such as mentoring group and volunteerism. Organizations can also utilize social media by developing expert directories comprised of employees who are conversant with one another. Mobility and collaboration Emergence of new technology and change in employees needs presents a major challenge for HR managers in their pursuit to develop a strong human resource base (Somers et al. 2009). For example, the emergence of mobile social media devices has led to the creation of a prospect for immediacy amongst the modern workforce. Organizations can use social media to improve the degree of collaboration amongst employees. Currently, organizations are increasingly using projects in their quest to improve their performance. However, successful implementation of projects is dependent on the degree of coordination amongst the project team members. Using various social media platforms improves communication and interaction within project team s as illustrated by Thomas and Barlow (2011) who posit that a team â€Å"remains the most flexible and the most powerful unit of performance, learning, and change in any organization† (p. 30). Through social media, project team members can be able to share valuable knowledge and information. Incorporating social media is also paramount in developing a strong multigenerational workforce. Safko (2012) is of the opinion that communication â€Å"serves as a strategic change level by facilitating the transition of awareness to the actual ownership and adoption and integration of social media tools and guidelines† (p. 6). Research and development The number of social media users has grown exponentially. This trend is expected to continue into the future. Consequently, social media provides organizations with an opportunity to undertake research and development. Soderman and Dolles (2013) are of the opinion that this goal is achievable via undertaking marketing research throu gh the social media platforms. For example, an organization can utilize the customers’ responses on social media regarding its products and services in their new product and continuous product development processes. Moreover, a number of social media monitoring tools have been developed due to increased innovations with regard to social media. Radian6 and Spredfast.com are some of the companies that have developed platforms that can be used in the process of conducting marketing research. The platform is comprised of well-developed web-based software that can be used in managing social media marketing. Using such tools can enable an organization to evaluate the profitability potential of its target market by analyzing the size of the target audience and their level of market engagement. Gaining such knowledge can give entrepreneurs insight on how to improve its branding strategies. Other web-based software that can assist businesses in determining the number of visitors who v iew the firm’s social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube updates have been developed (Soderman Dolles 2013). Research methodology The success of a particular study is influenced by the quality of the research framework adopted. Creswell and Clark (2011) posit that it is fundamental for researchers to incorporate an effective research design outlining the method collecting and analyzing the data collected (Maxwell 2005). Both qualitative and quantitative research designs were used in this study. Qualitative research design enabled the researcher to acquire a substantial amount of data from the target population by conducting an in-depth analysis of the subject under investigation. On the other hand, quantitative research design was incorporated in order to improve the process of interpreting the research findings, which will be achieved by integrating numerical aspects of the phenomenon. Population and sample Organizational leaders and in dividual entrepreneurs from well-established businesses were targeted as the study population. This choice of the target population was informed by the knowledge that such individuals have sufficient knowledge regarding on the importance of ICT in the operation of an organization. Random sampling technique was incorporated in selecting the sample. Thus, the researcher was able to eliminate bias in selecting the sample; all the individuals in the target population had the same likelihood of being selected as the target population (Deming 2002). A sample size of 100 respondents was selected from the target population. Data collection Primary and secondary methods of data collection were adopted. Secondary data were obtained by reviewing published reports and surveys on the subject. However, it was ensured that only credible sources of data were utilized. Thus, only relevant data was collected. On the other hand, primary methods entailed using data collection instruments such as questi onnaires and interviews. Analysis and presentation The objective of this research is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the role of social media in enhancing the level of profitability in businesses. Moreover, the study intends to investigate the social media strategies that organizations can integrate in order to improve organizational performance and productivity. The researcher asked questions with regard to these aspects and obtained varied responses, as illustrated herein. Analysis of research questions The researcher asked the respondents a number of questions to gauge whether the respondents have had any experience using social media in their marketing processes. Seventy percent of the respondents were of the opinion that they had used social media for personal purposes at one point. On the other hand, 30% of the respondents said that they had not incorporated social media in life, which explains the low rate of integration of social media in business operation espec ially amongst small businesses. When asked whether social media is important in their business operation, the respondents gave varied opinions as illustrated in the chart below. Strongly agree 47% Agree 38% Disagree 2% Uncertain 9% Strongly disagree 2% Total 100% Despite concurring that social media marketing through emerging social media networks is valuable for business operation, only 37% of the respondents said that they have used Facebook in their business-to-consumer marketing processes at one point. On the other hand, 29% of the respondents said that their organisations had integrated social media in their business-to-business marketing activities, which represents a relatively low rate of integration of social media in marketing activities. Considering the significance of effective market communication in business operation, it is imperative for entrepreneurs to align their business operation to market changes. The researcher was interested in knowing whethe r the businesses have integrated any social media in their traditional market communication activities. The results obtained varied as illustrated in the chart below. Strongly agree 23% Agree 45% Disagree 12% Strongly disagree 17% Uncertain 3% Total 100% In addition to computer-based social media platforms, the researcher intended to know whether the respondent’s businesses had developed mobile-optimised social media platforms. Ninety-seven (97%) of the respondents said that their businesses had not done so, which underscores the low rate of social media appreciation amongst business activities. In a bid to understand the businesses’ commitment to social media marketing, the researcher sought to understand the number of hours that the businesses commit to undertake social media marketing per week. The results obtained are illustrated below. Number of hours per week Percentage response 0 50% 1-5 20% 6-10 11% 11-15 9% 16-20 5% 21-25 3% 2 6-30 1% 31-35 1% Total 100% When asked about the benefits of social media in an organisation’s marketing practices, the respondents cited a number of benefits as illustrated below. Benefit cited Percentage response Increased exposure and insight on market changes 89% Development of customer loyalty 76% Improvement in business partnership 69% Reduction in marketing expenses 86% Increased sales 88% Eighty percent (80%) of the respondents said that an organisation could utilise the market feedback obtained in their continuous product innovation by undertaking an online market research. The respondents were of the opinion that organisations can use social media to gain insight on consumer complaints regarding the firm’s products and services. Moreover, the research can be focused on both the competitors and the customers. Despite their concurrence with the role of social media in research and development in an organisation’s operations, 90% of the respondents said that their businesses have not adopted social media in gaining market intelligence. The study also intended to evaluate the extent to which entrepreneurs have incorporated social media in their human resource management practices. The responses obtained in this regard show that businesses have not appreciated the role of social media in developing a strong human resource base. The chart below illustrates the responses obtained. Social media HR management Percentage response Employee recuritment and selection 10% Internal organisational communication 55% Talent management 5% No involvement 30% Discussion From the literature review, it is evident that innovations with regard to information communication technology are likely to continue into the future. Social media is one of the greatest revolutions of the 21st century. The high rate of innovation with regard to social media means that its importance in our daily lives is likely to increase. Co nsequently, it is imperative for businesses to evaluate how best they can utilise the new technology. Some of the areas that entrepreneurs can consider integrating include marketing, human resource management and market research. The study shows that social media can improve the effectiveness with which an organisation undertakes its marketing activities. One of these activities relates to creating marketing communication. Businesses can use different social media platforms for advertising their products and services. The likelihood of a business creating market awareness regarding its operations to a wide range of potential customers is high considering the high rate at which customers have integrated social media in their lifestyle. Moreover, social media marketing can enable an organisation to develop a strong relationship with other parties in the supply chain. Another major benefit of social media marketing is that it is cost-effective. Czinkota (2009) is of the opinion that a huge gap exists between social and traditional media. Czinkota (2009) posits that it is imperative for both large and small businesses to evaluate how they can incorporate social media in their human resource management practices. The study confirms that social media networks are redefining how businesses undertake their HR management practices. Previously, entrepreneurs relied on traditional methods of recruit employees, which no longer the case as businesses are relying on the connectivity of job applicants through various social media platforms in order to understand their background. Consequently, an organisation is in a position to develop a strong workforce. Social media can also be used to nurture a strong organisational culture. For example, a business can use social media to interact with internal stakeholders such as employees, which will lead to the creation of a sense of involvement amongst employees. Consequently, the probability of developing a strong degree of organis ational identification amongst employees is developed. In their quest to gain new market intelligence. Consequently, social media can be defined as a double-edged showed in that entrepreneurs can understand both positive and negative market feedback regarding its operation (Czinkota 2009). Previously, businesses had a limited scope within which they would have undertaken market research. Today, businesses can undertake market research on potential customers who are widely dispersed. Consequently, businesses are able to adjust their products and services to the prevailing market needs. Moreover, such a market research can enable a firm to develop products that can be accepted in the international market. Thus, the likelihood of achieving profit maximisation goal is high. The study also shows that an organisation can use social media to improve its public image by interacting with customers. For example, an organisation can gain insight on how its products and services contribute to c ustomer satisfaction. Moreover, an organisation can use social media to clarify its position and strategy to deal with the crisis that occurs in the course of its operation. Integrating social media in managing crisis will enhance the process by making it participatory. Thus, the likelihood of attaining effectiveness and efficiency in managing product and store loyalty amongst the customers will be improved. The study shows that there is minimal integration of social media in business operations, especially amongst SMEs. Conclusion and recommendations Social media has undergone significant transformations over the past few decades as evidenced by the large number of social media platforms. Their emergence has had a significant impact on society’s behaviour and experience. Consequently, it is imperative for businesses to consider the most appropriate ways through which they can integrate social media in their operational strategies. However, the study shows that businesses, es pecially SMEs have not fully appreciated the contribution of social media in their operation. Integrating social media in business operation can enhance an organisation’s competitiveness in a number of areas, which include marketing, human resource management and product research and development. Integrating social media in organisations’ marketing practices can lead to improvement in the firms’ level of profitability by creating sufficient market awareness regarding the product and service offered. Therefore, the likelihood of increasing the sales revenue is high and hence profitability is high. The study also underscores the importance of social media in developing a strong human resource base by using social media in their employee recruitment drives. Using social media in the recruitment drive enables an organisation to tap talent from a relatively wide labour market. Thus, an organisation can be able to develop a strong human capital base. The study also sh ows that organisations can also use social in gaining market intelligence on various aspects. Therefore, businesses and entrepreneurs should consider integrating social media in their marketing, human resource management and operational processes. However, it is important for businesses to ensure that they have integrated effective corporate governance and ethical mechanisms in order to improve the effectiveness of utilising social media. A holistic internal strategy on how to utilise social in the businesses operation should be formulated. Moreover, a strong team comprised of individuals who are conversant on how to utilise social media in marketing, human resource management and research and development should be formulated, which will increase the likelihood of successfully incorporating the social media strategy. Reference List Bodnar, K Cohen, J 2011, The B2B social media book: become a marketing superstar by generating leads with blogging, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Email a nd more, John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken. Brunty, J, Helenek, K Miller, L 2013, Social media investigation for law enforcement, Elsevier Science, Oxford. Creswell, J Clark, P 2011, Designing and conducting mixed methods research, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks. Czinkota, M 2009, International marketing, Cengage Learning, London. Deming, W 2002, Sample design in business research, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Jacobson, J 2009, 42 rules of social media for small business, Superstar Press, Cupertino. Jadhav, M, Kamble, R Patil, M 2009, ‘Social media marketing: the next generation of business trends’, Journal of Computer Engineering, vol. 3, pp. 45-59. Leanne, M 2012, ‘Social media and employment: Is there a limit?’ Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, vol. 4 no.1, pp. 1-8. O’Leary, S, Sheehan, K Lentz, S 2011, Small business smarts; building buzz with social media, Praeger, Santa Barbara. Oracle: Is social media transform ing your business. 2012. Web. Maxwell, J 2005, Qualitative research design: an interactive approach, Sage Publication, New Jersey. Pride, W 2009, Business, Cengage Learning, New York. Remenyi, D 2008, The 5th international conference on intellectual capital, Academic Public International, New York. Safko, L 2012, The social media bible; tactics, tools and strategies for business success, John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken. Soderman, S Dolles, H 2013, Handbook of research on sports and business, Edward Elgar, Cheltenhan. Somers, G, Cain, J Jeffrey, M 2009, Essentials VCE business management. Units 1 and 2, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Sweeney, S Craig, R 2011, Social media for business; 101 ways to grow your business without wasting your time, Maximum Press, Gulf Breeze, FL. Thomas, D Barlow, M 2011, The executive’s guide to enterprise social media strategy; how social networks are radically transforming your business, Wiley, Hoboken. Thomas, M Wasmund, S 2011, The smar ter way to do business, Capstone, Chichester. Waters, M 2013, Guide to starting a business, AuthorHouse, London. This report on Significance of social media in business operations was written and submitted by user J0anna 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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Longing for Freedom - Coursework Example Once in the small and the forgotten places he finds on the map (the book is named for the blue highways that are the small state and county roads on his map) it may be an out of the way diner or caf, a little college community, even a monastery, he retells histories and tales that make these places significant in their own way. He found out much that was new and strange to him: one thing that struck him and made him think was repeatedly finding one shoe as he made his way across the country. Where was the other shoe Why would someone throw one shoe out the car window What good was the other one, alone He finally concluded, without much conviction, that all those solitary shoes were the result of people dangling their feet out the window, with one shoe accidentally flying off and out onto the roadside. "On the old highway maps of America, the main routes were red and the back roads blue. Now even the colors are changing. But in those brevities just before dawn and a little after dusk - times neither day nor night - the old roads return to the sky some of its color. Then, in truth, they carry a mysterious cast of blue, and it's that time when the pull of the blue highways is strongest ..." Blue Highways is more than just an autobiographical road novel - it contains innumerable aspects of the 'American road culture', ranging from ethnical problems and the undeniable importance of diners to the true significance of road literature. In other words, W. Least Heat Moon somehow assists in determining the myth of the road and he invites the reader to join him on a more abstract kind of road, namely that from the past to the present. Having Native American ancestors himself, Least Heat Moon also lays enormous emphasis on the aspect of race and ethnicity on the road. Why do people leave home to go on such an extended road trip What is the myth of the road that fascinates so many And above all, what do such road protagonists expect to find or discover on the road For William Least heat Moon the journey is on the one hand a sort of escape from home and on the other hand it obviously represents an attempt to forget or even heal. "Etymology: 'curious', related to 'cure', once meant 'carefully observant'. Maybe a tonic of curiosity would counter my numbing sense that life inevitably creeps toward the absurd. 'Absurd', by the way, derives from a Latin word meaning 'deaf, dulled'. Maybe the road could provide a therapy through observation of the ordinary and obvious, a means whereby the outer eye opens an inner one." (Blue Highways, p.17) As the name 'Least Heat Moon' already indicates, his ancestors were Native Americans and thus his journey is as well an occasion to search for his origins, to somehow trace his ancestral roots. Most road protagonists set out alone with the simple reason to find their true self. For William Least Heat Moon this search for himself requires the loneliness of the back roads and this purity of experience. However, although the loneliness of the back roads is quite an important aspect, Least Heat Moon knows that it is exactly his traveling alone that also brings him into contact with people that makes him

Exceptionalism, Isolationism, and expansionism with reference to Essay

Exceptionalism, Isolationism, and expansionism with reference to videos and assigned readings - Essay Example An examination of a developed country’s foreign policy such as America is essential in determining the importance of an effective foreign policy. A critical analysis of the American foreign policy portrays an interconnection of exceptionalism, isolationism, and expansionism. A manifestation of this interconnection is clearly seen during the Mexican - American War. This is because the war arguably marks the first steps of America’s rise to a global power. The Mexican – American War revolved around territorial disputes between America and Mexico. This implies that the entire Mexican – American War can be considered to be based upon American expansionism. This is because America sought to expand its territories into Mexico in areas considered to have some significance. America claimed that the border was at Rio Grande while Mexico argued that the border was at Nueces River. A border at Rio Grande meant that Mexico would lose a significant portion of land to America. In 1945, President Polk sent American troops under the leadership of General Zachary Taylor to the Nueces River to take over the disputed land. Polk’s actions can be considered to have been facilitated by his position as provided by America’s foreign policy where the president is recognized as the commander in chief of the army and navy. America’s presence was met by opposition from the Mexican troops at a time that saw the death of 11 Ame rican soldiers and imprisonment of several more (The Mexican American War, 2006). However, this was followed by a series of other conflicts in Mexico in which the American troops occasionally emerged victorious and consequently the occupation of Mexico City by Americans. In addition to increased expansion interests to the South, America also had keen interest in expanding the Northern borders such as California. This period that saw increased concentration on expansion can be considered to have marked America’s first attempts of becoming a

Conflict theory

Conflict theory Abstract With the development of the labeling theory, many researchers found experimentation and data collection easier to finding predictors in criminal behavior. Assuming that criminal behavior is constantly existent, according to Emile Durkheim, it is debatable whether crime is beneficial to society. Despite appeals for controlling crime in specific terms of the Classical School, there are complications in todays society that can effect later generations based on the theory of conflict and control. Since competition, dominance, and control are persistent in an individual’s way of life, their behavior is dictated as such through their social class, but also within the behaviors of those opposing them, causing consistent conflict. This paper will explain conflict theories, the theorists and the variables involved, and the select policy implications that can benefit and cripple society for a more stable living environment. Keyword(s): society, conflict, competition, criminal behavior, control, Quinney Conflict Theory The rich versus the poor. The right versus the wrong. The healthy versus the sick. The righteous versus the evil. What these all have in common there is conflict between them all. Whether created based on social status or by some form of problem within individual lives, conflict resides as a form of power or control over others. In today’s society, communities are overpowered by unfair wages, improper education fees, unjust regulations for jobs, and immoral methods of social prosperity within social classes. This continued with a conflict of employment, where jobs are either available for those who want to work or people complain due for certain demands without placing any effort for them. By placing conflict on certain ideals, the rationale of life is divided further to where dominance and control will deconstruct standards ways of life. Main Idea of Conflict Theory The main idea of the conflict theory is an offshoot of the labeling theory. Conflict theory assumes that the rich or powerful have the upper hand in society their philosophy is that conflict in society is inevitable and resources are in demand, and control over these resources brings about a majority of these conflicts in society (Williams McShane, 2014). Whether the conflict between classes lasts between economic status and social status, the theory gathers the assumption of classes dominating one another for the sole purpose of control within a social hierarchy. Complex or Abstract? The perspective of the conflict theorists would be categorized as complex because of the variety of philosophies within the conflict theory. For example, the pluralist conflict perspective assumes struggles based on various groups by numerous reasons including economic and social status (Williams McShane, 2014). Many problems may occur within one section of groups within a functioning society that may collide with other groups, like budget expenses and manpower for war. These problems emerge at any point through everyday life, and can be deterred. However, it is society that dictates the change to take one course of action or another. As a result, the impeding action from one person can influence another, but also hinder an individual to act against the judgment of one for the benefit of resources or availability of needs and services. Because power is synonymous with resources, the social class structures implies, with conflict, that those who can obtain certain luxuries within the social hierarchy can benefit better than others in a plethora of ways. As a result, competition occurs and conflict resumes through domination and control over the others. What Are We Studying? The interdisciplinary natures of this theory involve the affluent members of society controls the resources in society and uses the law as the way for control. For pluralist conflict perspectives, as stated earlier, those who could obtain the resources over others would thrive better than others. However, research towards criminal justice assumes that â€Å"power groups determined to use criminal law to advance their own special interested or to impose their moral preferences on others† (Williams McShane, 2014). In layman’s terms, there will be powers within reason to control others based on employment, economic status, social status and other factors that will impede on others. Therefore, competition will always be present within society, and conflict will always occur. However, society dictates that without competition and conflict, then structures of society, including government, would be flawed, and crimes would not be as a individually punishable as it is today. According to Marxist criminology (cited by Williams McShane, 2014), conflict due to limitation of resources and scarcity in distribution of said resources like power can create conflict with those do have power and those who do not. This imbalance stems towards dominance and control and, as a result, dwindles down the middle zone of social hierarchy. Theorists of Conflict Theory Though there are several theorists that benefited from the development of conflict theories, one notable for the most profound change in the theory was Richard Quinney in the 1960s and 1970s. Using his dual degree in social and psychology from Carroll College, his later works in education gathered the â€Å"Lone Ranger† mentality of American values towards his perspective of time (Williams McShane, 2014). His most influential production within the conflict theory is the six propositions of the social reality of crime, where conflict was the product of reaction. Since certain classes react to specific behaviors like criminal behavior, they associate those behaviors to be defined as criminal and subject those behaviors as such for power and gain at a societal level, whether through dominance in numbers of in favor of public appeal. As a result, the divide between the upper and lower classes is strained where the lower classes emulates those around them deviating from the norm a nd subjecting to criminal behavior. Variables of Conflict Theory In the basis of the conflict theory, the variables are more strained towards the individual, but the differences in experimentation differ on a monumental scale. While the dependent variable is the sole individual, the independent variable is redefined to the basis of social status, including finances, employment, and other methods of competition within society. These independent variables also include competition in education, economic status, mental and physical health, and living status (house versus apartment). Because of these implications on the individual and their impacts towards his or her life in society, their life places them in a specific class to where they will be conflicting with others due to how they live their life. Whether they engage in criminal acts as a result is entirely subjective and speculative at best, but any of those factors can assume that criminal behavior can occur. Qualitative Versus Quantitative Based on the information provided by other theorists, the studies involving conflict theory are assumed to be qualitative. For example, under the justifications of conflict theory made by Quinney and Steven Spitzer during the 1970s, Spitzer developed five types of â€Å"problems populations,† where conflicts would most likely occur in society, and the observations he recorded between two different areas of social status presume that no need for control will exist if one group does not impose a threat on the other (Williams McShane, 2014). These observations, including those recorded by Karl Marx over the industrial class, subject nothing to statistical data to support their findings, and the observations by the sole individual create more reliable data to make their findings more conclusive. Conflict Theory: The Good and the Bad While the theory itself is proven to be beneficial to proving common behaviors within society and proving the behaviors associated with social status and social class, it can be commonly proven that the opportunities given to select individuals will lessen and heighten and chances of criminality. With conflict theory, competition and dominance will instill negative behaviors affluent to criminality, stemming criminal behavior and delinquency through any individual based on any factors of socioeconomic status. However, the theory assumes that all people within a specific class will compete and lead to criminal behavior. For example, the entirety of the lower class will dwell into crime because of the lack of resources the upper class have that the lower class need creates conflict between the two, proving Quinney’s proposal as earlier stated. Though this does prove criminal behavior within conflict, it does not substantiate and validate the findings of all forms of conflict. It only assumes conflict as a common predictor to all forms of crime rather than proving a certain variable can be the first step to all criminality. Instead, the form translates to the socioeconomic status as an overgeneralized example, therefore, causing reliability of all statistics to be flawed. Macro-theory Versus Micro-theory Based on the information provided earlier, this would be classified as a micro theory. The study of social struggles between the poor and the middle to upper class. The disparity in resources or social status causes the greatest conflicts. The laws are implemented to favor the rich, and leave the poor at a distinct disadvantage, forcing them to remain where they are without any distinct change in their standards of living. Personal Reflection I wholeheartedly agree with the main idea of this theory. Conflicts in society are inevitable. People, in general, have aspirations and ambitions, and when others with a different philosophy or mindset disagree, this causes friction or conflict. In some instances, a person’s ambition can spiral out of control, causing the ambition to take a desperate edge and become something negative everywhere the initial intentions are noble. Another point of this theory I agree with is the rich or affluent have the upper hand in society. They have the money, which translates into power, and results in them having a profound advantage over the poor. Money gets you notoriety, political power, and, at times, can buy them justice. Despite the influence of class with money, money does not guarantee class. It simply gives you better opportunities. There are just as many poor people with class, integrity and honesty as the privileged. Policy Implications Because many areas within society are crippled due to the introduction of conflict theory, there are various policy implications that can complement and prevent certain behaviors from occurring. As stated in earlier papers, one common solution to reducing crime and any form of recidivism is the factor of minimum wage. By increasing minimum wage state-wide, more jobs are created and higher opportunities of living are created for the lower and middle class. This would constitute a better standard of living pursuant of the American Dream, but there are issues. Since people are already assumed to be competitive, the works of specific individuals in certain classes, including the upper class, will still create conflict. For example, in the sake of unions, the beginning of unions was to give workers some rights and affordable wages to wear the workers could provide for their families and have sustainable living. Over time, the workers would want more and more until the owners would make co sts to their own lives and the workers are no longer in control. The workers’ competitiveness and willpower to ask for more consistently causes instability between the working class (proletariat) and the owners (bourgeoisie). There has been speculation to whether increasing wages would help, but inflation would result for standards of living because competition will exist through dominance and control. However, what if wages were made a set limit regardless of education or status, and set based on employment. One person is paid ten dollars an hour as a cashier for McDonalds while another person is paid 30 dollars an hour as a police officer to ensure the protection of the communities he is sworn to protect and serve. Competition with wages will still occur as well as conflict due to the bias of employment and stereotypical bias. Therefore, wages changing isn’t beneficial to society, but it assists those as a readily available solution to react quickly and only in the moment to assist. At the same effect, another possible solution towards conflict theory in society is providing free education for all citizens, regardless of economic status. In Germany today, all colleges have been made free for tuition, which may lead most American citizens who have usable visas and are seeking further education to head overseas for an easily affordable education (Salles, 2014). Because of this drastic change in policy, the United States could implement this, but the system of government seems too controlling towards the middle and lower class to let anything happen to their puppets in the masquerade of life they ordain and manipulative for the upper class to gain. Since most students attending colleges in the United States are toppling with debt due to high tuition rates, it seems more reasonable for governments to be conflict with one another based on public policy, but the individuals are given better opportunities between the two as a means for a higher standard of living. References Salles, J.M. (2014). â€Å"This Country Just Abolished College Tuition Fees.† Thinkprogress.org. Retrieved from http://thinkprogress.org/education/2014/10/01/3574551/germany-free-college-tuition/ Williams III, F.P. McShane, M.D. (2014). Criminological Theory (6th Ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Essay --

1. Describe how your company will address the five product levels: core benefit, basic product, expected product, augmented product, and potential product. Core Benefit – Every consumer while purchasing a deodorant has an inner urge to feel inflated with the smell of deodorant. The most fundamental benefit or service the customer is buying is towards meeting the urge of every activity. As a company, we would like to meet the customer needs like good fragrance, better price etc. Basic Product – At this stage, it is the basis product which would try to satisfy the inner needs of the consumer. On this stage the product only contains values those are totally necessary for it to function. Hence while manufacturing and selling product, it would be ensured that the product deserve the value for which it is purchased. Expected Product – A set of attributes and conditions buyers normally expects when they purchase the product. Hence starring from manufacturing till selling the deodorant, it would be ensured that, we have met the customer needs from the product. Further, we should try to manufacture different variety of deodorants with many specifications to meet the customers’ expectations in this section. Augmented Product- As per this level, it exceeds customer’s expectations. The new competition is not on what firms manufacture in the factory but between, what they add to their factory output in the form of packaging, services, advertising , customer advice, financing, delivery arrangements, warehousing, and other things that people value. Hence we would prefer to understand the products of competitors and try to bring the different features in the product which will allure the customer. Each augmentation adds costs and slowly becom... ... utilization of the product. Consumers are becoming increasingly health conscious, so it is essential to display the contents of the product especially in the case of food products as most people prefer to avoid high calorie products. Injurious products such as a cigarettes and other related items should carry a statutory warning. Governments issue regulations about labeling from time to time. The government encourages the manufacture of products that are ecofriendly. One such step in this direction is to provide a labeling with the name â€Å"ECOMARK† for those products that meet certain criteria. Such criteria could lead to effective reduction in the harm caused to the environment, when such products are disposed of. In United States, government issues â€Å"ECOMARK†, when the products meet the set of standards along with the requirements of the American Standard Institute.