ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Abstract In 20 th century, theory of social control began to be studied when belief system had great control on behavior of human beings more than specific laws. Social control is enforced by formal or informal means. The social values in any individual are as a result of informal social control which is exercised without stating the rules and expressed by use of customs and norms. Most traditional societies use informal social control embedded in customary culture and socialization of its members establish social order. There is sanctioning of deviance in informal control which benefit conformity garners. Individual society norms are relative in different cultures and different times. Introduction Social control referrers to mechanisms put in place to regulate behavior of individuals in the society or a group of people. The purpose of such a regulation is to provide conformity making individuals comply with rules governing a particular society or even a group of people. Most of mechanisms used in social control are applicable in more than one culture especially if they are intended to preserve peace. There are basically two forms of social control according to sociologist; where values and norms are internalized. This form is referred to as informal social control mechanism. The other form tries to come up with sanctions which are meant to either punish or reward individuals on their conduct. Informal social control mechanisms Informal control is intended to punish people or reward them for a behavior that is unacceptable or an acceptable conduct. This form of social control mechanism is generally practiced by society without regard to laid down explicit rules. Instead it is practiced through people’s customs and traditions as well as any other socially accepted value which the individuals have inherited. It dominates the norms in the society and uses suctions that are informal like criticism, ridicule and sarcasm on an individual where the society feels he or she is wrong from people’s expectations. It also uses shaming, disapproval and guilt through which the society expresses its judgments. Where the conduct of a person in the society is extreme that person may face social discrimination and even be excluded from the society. Controlling the society become more of controlling individual’s mind as he is so much ingrained in his personality. This method is commonly used by traditional societies where it is
In life, one is automatically expected to encounter situations that will inadvertently from time to time lead them to encounter stress (Spielberger, 1981). Be it in our own personal lives, career or academics incidents always seem to arise that make our minds just want to shut down and – for lack of a better word – take a breather. Many a time, our careers are the biggest contributor towards this phenomenon – deadline expectations, targets to be achieved, constrained relationship with both management and fellow staff – all seem to weigh down on us and cripple our capacity to think (Braswel & Miller, 1993). Of the many careers one can imagine that of law enforcement is without a doubt highly ranked when it comes to work related stress. The job of a police officer demands control, and a lot of self control for that matter (Clark, 2001). Picture a world where police officers go around carelessly shooting people for no good reason, arresting innocent by-standers and raiding premises without warrant to do so (Spielberger, 1981). Civil rights groups would have a field-day if such an event were to occur. This just goes to show the level of calm and maturity that officers need to portray and retain every time they report for duty. Yet, the fact still remains that even policemen and police women are humans. And like any other being on this earth, they will have to in one way or another relieve their stress (Clark, 2001). We have seen how much restraint it calls for when an officer is in the line of duty. Therefore the involuntary question arises how do these men and women exhibit stress, whom does it affect and how or what are the measures put in place to handle when an officer feels frustrated (Gershon, 1999). There are the obvious signs of stress in any person – strained relations with family and colleagues, reactions seem uncalled for over what might be considered petty issues, decline in one’s productivity levels at work and a number of other signs and symptoms (Ibid, 1999). These are very well generalized ways of identifying a stressed personality, however, when it comes to analyzing stress in the police force the following areas seem to be a recurring point in case studies. Firstly, life is a very sacred gift and taking of another human’s life is an awfully traumatic and complex idea to fathom. In the instance when an officer is confronted with a life and death scenario, the options being to either kill or be killed, such an officer faces an overwhelming decision to make (Clark, 2001). The trauma that is associated with killing someone may haunt him or her (that is the officer) for many years to come or even for life if not provided with the necessary help to instigate closure, especially if engaged in the line of fire where both parties are shooting at each other with even more lives at stake (Braswel & Miller, 1993). Secondly, in circumstances similarly linked to this would be the police’s partner murdered in the line of duty, as they would put it. This is a person with whom the affected officer has closely bonded with moreso, if the two had been paired up for a lengthy period of time (Spielberger, 1981). One would feel as though they
Companies and business leaders around the world are constantly faced with a predicament of ensuring that their organizations and employees adhere to the scope of ethics and the nature of ethical obligations within their respective market industries. The guiding and important underlying laws or assumptions required in a system of thought that supersede the choice of right from wrong are expressed and explained by ethical theories (Hartman & DesJardins 2010). For business leaders to be able to deal with any surprises and occurrences they need to be well acquainted with ethics and what it entails. In this sense ethics refers to “well based principles of right and wrong that direct what we as humans ought to do, in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, equality, or particular merits. Ethical principles enjoin virtues of honesty, compassion, and loyalty” (Hartman 2006). Hence, ethical theories endeavor to be comprehensible and methodical enough to be able to provide answers to the most essential practical ethical questions. In most circumstances ethical theories are the foundation for ethical principles and whenever actions are being defended upon, by business people it is common to find the principles and not the theories appealing. There are several theories that include: deontology, utilitarianism, casuist, virtue, kantianism, aristotelianism, consequentialism among others (Hartman & DesJardins 2010). In the case of MetaLife, a life insurance company, it is prudent for them not to try and justify the allegations by offering excuses but to come out and offer corrective measures, so as to assure their customers and stakeholders of their integrity. The insurance sector as a whole should adhere to the set down ethical codes of conduct as the deontological theory states. According to this theory, obligations and duties should be conscientiously supported and followed by everybody when faced with an impasse (Hartman 2006). It is quite evident that the employees in the sales division of MetaLife are not aware of the deontological theory of ethics. This is due to the negative exposure received by the company over its deceptive practices leading it to settle huge class actions law suits. Hiding and giving of excuses will not in any way help the public image of the company. While the Kantian theory holds that ethics is choosing the right actions, the deontological theory asserts that human beings are controlled by definite strong ethical guidelines. According to Kantianism, it is MetaLife’s obligation to own up to its wrong and try and find ways of correcting the mess. Its employees have not been keen on observing the ethical code of conduct ther
Introduction The theory of panopticism is very crucial for social and political development in society. This theory is built around the concept of a panopticon. This is a circular building that has an observation tower at its center and an outer wall surrounding it. The wall of the panopticon has cells for its occupants. It seeks to explain the concept of security in the society. The modern era embraces the use of technology in almost all societal aspects including security (Backer, 2008; Tække, 2011). This paper explores the theory of panopticism as expounded by Michel Foucault. It links this theory to several aspects in society. These include surveillance in a technology conscious society and power. Also, it relates the concept of synopticism as explored by Methiesen to panopticism by Foucault. It uses simple, best, and updated prevailing societal examples to explore this concept. Panopticism theory by Michel Foucault The theory of panopticism as expounded by Michael Foucault explains how power relations take place in society. The society is characterized by power systems that determine many political and social relations in society. Foucault explains this theory in his book titled “Discipline and Punish: The birth of the Prison”. This book is written metaphorically where life is likened to a panopticon. According to Foucault, all aspects of life in the society are controlled by the authority. Therefore, the actions of people in the society are shaped, not by the strength of the locus of authority, but the fear of sanctions from those in power. This is a real concept and can be likened to the theory of power by Gene Sharpe among many other political theorists. Foucault uses the example of the ancient cities in which lepers were separated from the healthy population by the authority. People in early societies were separated by the authority that led to the formation of classes in cities. The authority discovered that it was easy to control people when they are subdivided into segments. Each segment has its characteristics, behaviors, and preference. This is the basis on which the Panopticon was developed (Backer, 2008). The panopticon is used metaphorically and denotes a circular building that has multiple rings of cells on top of one another. There is a tower situated in the central part of the building that is used for monitoring the activities of the occupants. The occupants are prisoners. The cells have enough space for more
Tradition and Customs In Saudi Arabia, handshake and smile depend on one’s religion. A pat on the back during conversations or negotiations may mean waiting for a while (Butters 2014). Misplaced eye contact and grins on strangers may provoke some Saudis who may then instead of saying “hi” will ask who you are. Dress code communicates a lot in Saudi Arabia. A person with a suit will often be recognized as a visitor (Long, 2005). Dress code is an important custom in Saudi Arabia. Women need to have a headscarf, especially when visiting rural areas. Shorts, tight pants, sleeveless and short-sleeved tops should be avoided. Individuals should try and dress as close as possible to the locals (Sadi & Al-Buraey 2009). Confident visitors are less often attacked. It is advisable that while walking on the streets, one should remain as composed as possible even when lost (Janin & Besheer 2003). Common Etiquette Before taking photographs, it is important to ask for permission. The same group of Saudi women believe that taking their photo is taking their soul. Saudi Arabia is characterized by street vendors and to avoid being harassed or embarrassed, individuals should speak as few words as possible such as “no, thank you” (Ottaway 2012). It is also important to be aware of events such as prayer hours. This will prevent rude moves, such as eating on the street while others are fasting, praying, or scheduling meetings on holy days. Leisure Time There are several entertainment establishments that offer different leisure activities to clients of all cultures. It is important to only take beer in selected restaurants since the country has a strong policy against public drinking. During an invitation for leisure in Saudi Arabia, it is important to note that nothing is expected of the guest. It is the responsibility of the inviter to pay all the bills for drinks, snacks, and meals that may be offered (Volkman 2005). Reference List Butters, A 2014, “Saudi’s Small Steps”. Time International , vol. 174 no. 2, pp. 22-26. Janin, H, & Besheer, M 2003, Saudi Arabia , Abu Dhabi: Marshall Cavendhis. Long, D 2005, Culture and Customs of Saudi Arabia , New York, NY: Greenwood Press. Ottaway, D 2012, Saudi Arabia’s race against time , Web. Sadi, M, & Al-Buraey, A 2009, “A framework of the implementation process: The case of saudization”. International Management Review , vol. 5 no. 1, pp. 70-73. Volkman, T 2005, Cultures of Transnational Adoption, California, Ca: Duke University Press.
The purpose of this memo is to highlight the issue of strategic decisions that should be taken based on the suggestions given by the members present during the meeting. The Willy’s Candy Company has recorded low sales volume and profitability in recent years. This, therefore, calls for a proper strategic approach that can be used to ameliorate the situation. During the meeting, the CEO Mr. Chester A. Wonka III proposed a decision to merge the organization with the Swiss Company. The decision was rejected by some of the members who were present during the meeting. My stance as a Strategic consultant is that mergers and acquisitions are not appropriate when the organization is experiencing low sales revenues and profits. Selling the organization at this stage will result in a low valuation of the company’s assets and stocks. Instead of being merged, the organization should consider acquiring other companies in the market. It will enable the organization to increase its market share. Another suggestion was given by the CFO, Mr. Swifty Miller, who proposed that the organization should acquire smaller companies in the same industry. The approach will enable the organization to diversify its product lines and increase and target many consumers from different market segments. Even though this suggestion was good, raising funds through debentures is not appropriate for the company, especially at this stage, when the cash inflow is low. The approach may lead the organization to more financial problems. The best approach, in this case, is to raise the funds through equity financing. Mr. Megan Lee, who is the vice president in charge of marketing, proposed that the company needed to give more attention to advertising and new product development. The sales vice president believed that with increased investment in advertising and development of new products, the company had the opportunity to increase its sales in the market. However, as noted earlier by the CEO, the company has invested in the advertisement, the outcome has not been very pleasing. The company should change the advertising strategy. The strategy to be adopted in this should entail the adoption of consumer responsive product advertisement strategies. The idea to develop a new product should also be considered as this will enable the organization to diversify its product line. Chief operations officer, Mr. Robert Johnson, suggested that the company has valuable opportunities to reduce the cost of operations by reducing expenditures in various areas of the company’s operations. The operations officer suggested that the organization can outsource some of the functions within the organization to reduce cost. He strongly believed that if the organization could adopt cost reduction initiatives, the m
Humor is also a rather widely used topic in Asian cinematography. The kinds of humor observed in it differ substantially depending on the director and his or her view of reality and cinematography. The focus of this paper is the consideration of the functions humor fulfills in the two famous Japanese films – “Branded to Kill” by Seijun Suzuki and “Double Suicide” by Masahiro Shinoda. To begin with, neither film can be called a comedy in its essence. The first one is a traditional Japanese gangster thriller, while the second one presents a reproduction of the 18th-century story picturing the life of the Japanese samurais. Nevertheless, there are numerous funny episodes in both films which make it easier for the watchers to catch the ideas of the films. For example, “Branded to Kill” presents examples of the director’s quick-witted and often seemingly strange humor from the very background of the story it tells. The main hero of the movie, a skillful killer Hanada, is pictured as a person who can get sexually excited only after sniffing a bit of boiled rice (Branded to Kill, 1976). Moreover, the film is filled with other minor funny episodes including Hanada’s treatment of his wife who is seen naked in the film more often than dressed, the scene of Hanada’s apartment where the walls are covered with dead butterflies, etc (Branded to Kill, 1976). The film by Shinoda also has certain humoristic, and sometimes cynical, episodes that reflect both the black humor of the film director and his attitude towards life and the troubles he discusses in the film. For example, the very idea of a respectable man, Jihei, falling in love with a prostitute, Koharu, and being ready to destroy his family for her sake seems rather ironic. Moreover, the episode when Osan, Jihei’s spouse, offers him to sell her clothes to buy Koharu out of her sex slavery is also a manifestation of the black and cynical humor of Shinoda. Finally, the climax of the black humor in this film is the scene of Jihei and Koharu making love at the graveyard before deciding to commit double suicide (Double Suicide, 1969). Accordingly, the functions performed by the above-considered humor scenes in both films are somewhat different. In “Branded to Kill”, the very plot of the story is built around the ironic background, i. e. around the fact that Hanada is addicted to sniffing boiled rice. This element of humor,
Context of the Problem The proponents of introduction baseball league to community often argue that the economic benefits of the league are huge. However academic economists have cited a number of non viable statistical relationships amongst the varied measures of baseball league and economic growth. However this research is perhaps better placed in capturing the impact of baseball league because it is not subject to the different errors that are said to be experienced in the assessment of economic development made by advocates of the league (Kern, 2000, pp.78). The advantages of introducing baseball league to area can be recognized from two perspectives; the quality of life benefits and the economic development benefits. The benefits of economic development can be measured in terms of changes in the economic results such as incomes, jobs and profits. Benefits relating to quality of life can be considered in terms of intangible social advantages that impact how the community looks at itself, the pattern in which community members behave and the contentment derived by community members (Kern, 2000 pp. 72). Benefits related to the baseball league in the locality have now become close to and synonymous with the advantages associated with having a business. It is known that the main baseball leagues do not have a large number of franchises because of which there is intense competition amongst large cities that can support professional franchises. The strongest argument as to why baseball league should be introduced is that the community values the teams that thrive in the locality and hence they have a basis in rewarding them. Additionally a baseball league implies that more young people will play games and may eventually become a strong reason for more talented players to join the teams in the future. Even if the baseball league is introduced there is no assurance that fans will be attracted to the games nor is there any guarantee that the teams will become more competent (Baade, 2005, pp 14). Economic benefits primarily relate to profits derived by owners of the teams because they save a lot of money after paying players their dues. The new league will create new jobs and enhanced incomes. Extra jobs will be created in constructing a new facility, in operating the league and in other related businesses. There will be a jump in the number of restaurants and hotels that start operating from the vicinity of the area where it is played and those that are alrea
The status of women in the United States throughout history The history of American women has been popular among many scholars, especially after 1970. In the past, historical studies were male-dominated, with women being ignored over time. Throughout the history of the United States, women had a low profile in society. They, therefore, held low profile jobs in the country, with most of them being slaves, housewives, and witches, just to mention a few. Most of them were not educated, and those that did hold little education. Status of women in the United States today A lot has changed with regard to the status of women in the United States in the recent past. Women have gone against all odds to make advances in almost every field despite the high degree of discrimination in the nation. For instance, most of the professions that were thought to be male-dominated or physically strenuous have now been filled up with women who are, in fact doing well in such occupations. Nevertheless, there seems to be a level up to which women can reach and not go beyond. Thus, despite the achievement of women in society, equality with men has never been achieved. This is evidenced by the fact that most of the top positions in the United States are still being held by men. Overall, the status of women in the United States today has risen, making most women independent. “One women’s leader says: We used to think we had to marry doctors [to achieve status and financial security]. Now we know we can be doctors ourselves” (Kane and McCabe, 2013, p.1). Concepts of masculinity and femininity in society and media Masculinity and femininity in society and media come about when men and women understand what it means to be of either gender. That is, a man is able to see himself as a man in society and perform the duties of a man as required by organization. The same case applies to women. For example, men are required to be the providers of their families as women take care of the domestic roles, among other duties in the homes. The media, on the other hand, plays a significant role in defining the roles of men and women in society. It should, however, be noted that there will still be instances of men describing themselves as feminine and women defining themselves as masculine. The historical status of GLBT people The GLBT people have been in existence for a long time in the world’s history. However, their presence was not known until after the Second World War, when most of the groups rose up. In the past, GLBT people had no say in society and in other parts of the world; they were thought to be outcasts and condemned from community. In Europe and the United States, same-sex behaviors were unacceptable in the society, and any person found guilty of that offense was considered to have committed a severe crime and punished under sodomy and sumptuary laws. Any movements for the GLBT people were held secretly since they were deemed to be illegal. In addition to this, the GLBT people were stigmatized because of lack of access to healthcare despite having serious hea