Many violent films are box office hits Essay Example

Many violent films are box office hits Essay Between 2000B.C. and 44 A.D., the ancient Egyptians entertained themselves with plays re-enacting the murder of their god Osiris, and the spectacle, history tells us, led to a number of copycat killings. The ancient Romans were given to lethal spectator sports as well, and in 380 B.C. Saint Augustine lamented that his society was addicted to gladiator games and drunk with the fascination of bloodshed. Nowadays, before the age of eighteen, the average American teen will have witnessed eighteen thousand simulated murders on TV, it is to no surprise that First Lady Laura Bush, said that American children, Im afraid, are addicted to television. And it has been considered that TV is the single most significant factor contributing to violence in America (Ted Turner). Violence in the media and particularly in film is not always considered a negative aspect since some think that it benefits people in ways that is hard to do in everyday life, especially young people, in everyday situations. T he reason for violent films being box office hits could be for a variety of reasons, but one thing is for sure, people enjoy watching the downfall of others.Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior (2005) was designed to showcase as much action as possible. There are fixed fights, double-crosses, and city-wide chases and that makes the film have a charm that is winning. Lines like Dispose of them and meet me in the cave will encourage a mixed reaction and this allows different viewers to see the film in different ways. This is done due to the way in which the line is put across. It is done in a relaxed manor and could suggest the character is sadistic, or the tone could suggest that it is not the first time that he has effectively sentenced someone to death. This ambiguity could be drawn from the experience one has in the particular genre. The particular selling point of this film is that it is advertised to have No Stunts, No Wires, No CGI. This unique selling point will attract an audience to go and see the film, particularly audiences that are already fans of the martial art genre. The sort of martial arts in the film is such that has not been seen before which gives it a break from the conventional martial arts used in these sorts of films. This could contribute to why violent films become box office hits.The director, Prachya Pinkaew, uses many different media institutions to help the audience to really get involved with the film. Using these allows not only regular martial arts genre viewers to enjoy the film, but people who are new to it. One of these techniques is to use different camera angles. In countless moments in the film, low-angle shots are used on Ting (lead character) to represent the power and presence that he has. There is one instance when he is about to fight against a character who could be characterised as Tings rival and these shots are used a lot in the build up to the fight. This is to make the audience feel confident that he will win. In this part icular moment, the equilibrium is broken because he actually loses the fight. This shows a new side to Ting and shows the audience that he is, like everyone else, only human. The fact Prachya Pinkaew (director) shows that Ting can lose makes the audience sympathise with him more when he fights from then on. The lighting used in the film also shows the audience something that one might not notice if the low-key, high contrast lighting was not used.The fact that this lighting is used, and usually only before and during a fight scene, emphasises certain minute details. At one point in the film, when Ting is about to fight his rival for the second time, there is a close up of his body and low-key lighting is used. This lets the audience see the definition of his body and appreciate the extent to which he is strong. Another way in which the audience may be attracted to seeing his muscles is that this is homoerotic. Assuming that the audience is going to mostly be male to this violent mar tial arts film, his muscles will allude to the ideology of toughness. Especially in this film also, the violence which is displayed throughout could be a brutal representation of sexual release. Furthermore, the viewing of his muscles and the definition of them will allow the audience to understand the control he must have needed to get that body. It would have taken training for hours and eating correctly. This control could be something that the men in the audience, primarily, could be envious of. These techniques allow the viewer to understand more about the situation and thus let them enjoy it more than they may have without such techniques.One negative view that an audience has of the effect of violence in film is the hypodermic needle model. This is when it is believed that the violence the people see in the media encourages viewers to imitate what they see. Jeffrey McIntyre, a legislative and federal affairs officer for the American Psychological Association, said The evidenc e is overwhelming. To argue against it is like arguing against gravity. and there is a lot of evidence that supports this view. The only problem is, is that the only thing someone can do is assume that it was violence in films that provokes certain crimes. The most famous example would be the murder of James Bulger. Two children, both 11, abducted and killed the two year old boy. It is believed that the boys had access to one of their fathers violent film collection and watched them regularly. One of the murders on one of the films is allegedly very similar to the one committed by the boys.Theres nothing wrong with adults having access to adult entertainment, but theres a problem when kids do (Bakari Kitwana) This would support the argument that violence does cause people to imitate what they see but as is argued against this, despite what films show, the bottom line is that people have the ability to think for themselves. If people do imitate what they see, it is down to the person , not the indoctrination by media violence. The idea that one might imitate what they see around them is shunned in Ong Bak when the helper of Ting suggests that he fights for money but Ting, despite the fact that it was happening all around him, says no. This denial, to what could be seen as a form of peer pressure, from the hero passes a message to the audience that even if everyone is doing something, or someone you might look up to, this does not mean you have to do it. This sort of message in the film and similar films in the genre, could account for some of the popularity of them due to the subliminal messages in them, thus leads it to be box office hits.All films nowadays come with a certificate and details of what is in the film, written by the British Board of Film Classification. With this, one can determine what is in the film before hand so is not forced to watch it. It is up to the consumer to decide what they want to watch and if they decide to watch it, they should fe el that they are able to see violence in film and not be affected in a negative way. People cannot see the type of violence that they see in films, in everyday life and, even if it sounds sadistic, this is a release for people. This just means it is something different that one can basically only experience through the media. Ong Bak has a different fighting style than your conventional martial arts film and therefore allows people to see something different. This difference to the norm and the release that violence in film may bring could contribute to the fact that a lot of violent films are box office hits.The way in which the actual martial arts are presented to the audience is different also. The majority of films in this particular genre just show the fights as the come. Ong Bak experiments with different techniques to emphasise what has just been done. One such example of this is the use of slow-motion. After Ting does a particularly hard bit of fighting skill, it will show i t again in slow motion and in some instances, repeats it several times. This will allow the audience to really get a feel to what has happened and just how hard it is to do. When asked, the director said that the reason this was done was to show off what Tony Jaa (Ting) could do. The convention of using slow motion opens up many opportunities for director to emphasise not only the achievement in the film, but Tings body as well. Yet again, this is homo-erotic and the audience will take pleasure in seeing the muscles work and the strain and stress of the action performed. There is one scene in the film that is actually only put in so that the audience could see the extent of Tony Jaas abilities.This scene is a chase through market and Jaa is seen to be jumping over cars and through loops of barbed wire. This scene brings a lot of action early on so that the audience will stay interested throughout. During this part, slow-motions and repetitions of the action is used somewhat excessiv ely to highlight to the audience what they have just seen. When a feat is seen again, it is usually from different angles as well which shows the audience certain aspects of it that they may not have picked up on the first time around. This bombardment of action would be likely to entice the audience to pay much more attention to the film than they might usually do. This increased attention would be needed in violent films as violence itself is very simple. If someone annoys someone, they hit them. This is something that can be done in film but life is not like that and there would be consequences. This simplicity could lead to them enjoying it more, promoting it through word of mouth and thus accounting for the popularity of the film.There are other arguments against violence in film and one such argument is that it de-sensitises the audience to violence in general. This is called the culmination effect. According to this theory, violence in film excites children but the more they see, the more they need to excite them, this result in them becoming less shocked by real life violence. Donald Roberts, a professor at Stanford, disagrees with this and says that the industry insisted that viewing had little or no effect on youngsters. Having said this, the CBS (popular television channel) President, Les Moonves, says that Anyone who thinks the media [have] nothing to do with [youth violence] is an idiot. This is a very bold statement from someone of his position and someone who has his influence is likely to be listened to and he is suggesting that violence in film does have a negative affect on society in general and thus makes it debauched.Even with all the evidence against violence in film, arguments still exists to protect media violence and one of these is the argument that it is a form of free expression. It is a common view that even if all media violence was censored, it will not solve the root causes of violence in society. Deciding what is acceptable con tent is a subjective exercise and should not be done by the government but by the parents of, or the people who watch the films. Many of the films banned in the past are considered classics today. This could be because the audience has been de-sensitised to the violence over the years, however, this does not change the view that one should be offered free speech. If media violence is one such free speech, then it should be allowed. The fact that these previously banned films become popular in the future could be because of the fact that they were banned. It is human nature for people to want what they cannot have and by banning the films; it entices people to see it. This could explain the popularity of some violent films.Despite the arguments that violence in film de-sensitises the audience, some say that it actually sensitises people to the effects of violence. Some violence in film can be so horrific that it actually puts people off violence and makes them more aware of its conse quences. Some people relate to this theory and could go and see violent films for this reason, thus making them box office hits. To further this idea, the majority of violence in film is done against the bad people in the film by the heroes. Ong Bak is filmed in this way and shows the lead character, Ting, only using violence when he feels he has to. This judgement, some might argue, cannot be made by someone, but since the audience becomes so well acquainted with Ting and his apparently selfless ways, we accept his decision to be correct. At first he refused to fight but does so after the man taunting him hits a woman.He does not go as far as defending her because it was only when he hit her he helped, before that he was throwing her around and Ting did not bat an eyelid. Throughout the film, Ting is constantly faced by people who are trying to kill him but when we see him defending himself, he does so in a manner that merely neutralises the enemies. This is another element of fant asy because when faced with someone who wants to kill someone else, just neutralising them would very likely be difficult to do, to say the least. Through this, he is not justifying that knocking someone out is the right thing to do because he only fought when he had to, like at gun point and for the fate of his village. This represents that killing is an act done by evil people and is not a good thing. After he has succeeded in what he set out to do (save his village), Ting returns home and becomes a monk. We see him as a monk and accept that he has become a better person due to saving the village. This shows that even though he has committed acts of violence, he has become a better person.This is another idea of fantasy that he can just return from all the violence and go back to being a monk. This shows composure and independence on Tings part but if prevoked, can defend himself. This fantasy could be another appealing factor of violent films. This brings back the idea of control . In order to become a monk would take years of discipline and training, like learning the art of Muay Thai would be, and this control could be an attractive attribute for the audience. On top of the representation of killing as a negative thing, the fact that the type of fighting used is unique and has rarely been seen before, it may make people more interested in the particular culture. Muay Thai, which is the fighting style used, is a big part of Thai monk lifestyle and this film is educating the audience about this. This is a type of free speech as it is allowing the directors and writers to tell a story to educate. The Director himself, Prachya Pinkaew, said that he made the film to not only show the unique and magnificent art of Muay Thai, but to teach people about the beliefs that the Thai community encompass. Even though not all violent films do this, the fact that this film does, could account for its popularity, along with other martial arts films, or violent films in gene ral.Whether the violence in films is presented as a good or a bad act, it is very rare, if ever that the film shows the consequences of the acts of violence. This theory suggests that inhibitions about violent behaviour are broken down due to the fact that it goes unpunished in films on the most part. It is not just a punishment that is lacking in the films but when someone gets shot, that someone is paralyzed, that these people have families. Theres no one, unless theyre totally isolated, who isnt affected by that. (Robin Williams) This would not make the audience, especially children, aware that there are any consequences and make them more likely to be violent to others.Media violence is qualitatively different to real violence and this is the view of people who see violence in film as a type of artistic expression. Gerard Jones, a comic-book creator, says that violent films allows people to pull themselves out of emotional traps integrating the scariest, most fervently denied fr agments of their psyches into fuller sense of selfhood through fantasies of superhuman combat and destruction. What this means is that people can relate to the hero in violent films and by relating to them, or as a child, pretending to have superhuman powers, could help them conquer many different aspects such as the feeling of powerlessness or social competition. Children need violent entertainment in order to explore the inescapable feelings that they have been taught to deny (Melanie Moore, Ph.D., psychologist) This makes violence in films very beneficial and helps both adults and children in events that they may have felt uncomfortable doing beforehand. This would defiantly work with Ong Bak as Ting uses his violence only for good and as a necessity or defence to achieve his aim. The audience could relate to this character. This help that this, and likely, many other martial arts films and violent films brings, could be another factor to why this genre of film is particularly po pular and are successful as box office hits.As in every film in this genre, there are characters that are delineated to be bad. These characters are represented, through obvious techniques to be evil so that the audience can identify them easily and know who to dislike. The techniques that they use are that they simply contrast the character of Ting onto another. Everything that Ting is good for, (honour, loyalty, selflessness) the bad characters are the opposite. They are presented to be hurting innocent people, performing acts of meaningless vandalism and most of all, hating and hurting the character that the audience feel connected to the most, Ting. If the hero in any film is hurt by another character (the villain) then this character will be disliked by the audience. This technique is used most but more subtle techniques are used as well. When the villains are seen, they are seen to be obviously different from the hero. One villain is British, for example, and starts to taunt t he art of Muay Thai.This character also has long black hair that covers the majority of his face. This technique of hiding the characters face suggests he has something to hide which is usually an attribute to a villain. There is another character that is presented to be evil by his fighting style and the way in which people react to him. When the character is seen, others move away and cower as they are afraid of him. The reason for this soon becomes evident as he fights viciously with broken bottles and chairs. Unlike the previously mentioned villain, this character is not shown to be British, or anything else for that matter as all he does is scream and growl. This simple technique of not giving a character lines and simply making him scream will automatically give the audience the impression that he is evil. The fact that Ong Bak, and martial arts films in general, are made so that the evil characters are easily identifiable, will not force the audience to consider the ulterior motives of characters that appear quite often in modern films, and just enjoy the martial arts action that people would have gone to see.Even considering that violence in films may help some people by relating to the hero in the story, there are still many negative effects it can bring, and not all of them are violence based. Racism can also be brought about by the violence that is seen in some films. Some of these films focus on crime committed by black people and lead people to believe, especially in America, that it is all true, that black people are the sole reason for crime and that they all carry guns. This leads to racism by the people who believe this and could even lead to more violence. Actor Tim Reid says that hes not sure black folks fully understand the power that media has in our life. He is talking about the power of indoctrination that it has. The fact that people will see violence being committed by a black person in a film and assume that that is what they are like .There is neither substantial evidence for or against the accusation that violence in film has a negative effect on its audience but there are many reported incidents that appear to have been the result of witnessing violence in film. It has been said that consistent exposure to stories and scenes of violence and terror can mobilize aggressive tendencies, desensitise some, isolate others, intimidate many and trigger violent action in a few. (George Gerbner, Author of Terror in the Mass Media) On top of this, it can help some through difficult times and give others confidence to act on something they felt intimidated by previously. One cannot place a label on violence in film being a good or a bad thing, but each individual person is entitled to their opinion on the matter.David Link, for example, says What is really the issue here is the war within human nature, the conflicts between what we know to be the law and what we feel. This suggests that some people watching media violence might not appreciate what they feel within themselves, they could be worried about there own violent feelings. However, others might have enjoyed it for what it was, a simple film with inconsequential violence. Violence affects everyone differently and could be bad for some, but good for others. It would be safe to assume that the majority felt it as a positive thing and this could account for the popularity of violent films and explain why they are commonly box office hits.

The Basic Characteristics of Effective Writing

The Basic Characteristics of Effective Writing Experiences in school leave some people with the impression that good writing simply means writing that contains no bad mistakes - that is, no errors of grammar, punctuation  or spelling. In fact, good writing is much more than just correct writing. Its writing that responds to the interests and needs of the readers and reflects  the writers personality and individuality. Basic Characteristics of Effective Writing Good writing has a clearly defined purpose.It makes a definite point.It supports that point with specific information.The information is clearly connected and arranged.The words are appropriate, and the sentences are concise, emphatic, and correct. Good writing is the result of a lot of practice and hard work. This fact should encourage you: it means that the ability to write well is not a gift that some people are born with, not a privilege extended to only a few. If youre willing to work, you can improve your writing. Most professional writers - those people who make writing look easy - will be the first ones to tell you that often its not easy at all: There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly: sometimes its like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges.(Ernest Hemingway)If I have anything to say to young writers, its stop thinking of writing as art. Think of it as work. Its hard physical work. You keep saying, No, thats wrong, I can do it better.(Paddy Chayefsky, interviewed by John Brady in  The Craft of the Screenwriter. Simon Schuster, 1981)One is never happy. If a writer is too happy with his writing, something is wrong with him. A real writer always feels as if he hasnt done enough. This is the reason he has the ambition to  rewrite, to publish things, and so on. The bad writers are very happy with what they do. They always seem surprised about how good they are. I would say that a real writer sees that he missed a lot of opportunities.(Isaac Bashevis Singer, quoted by Valerie Wells in Isaac B. Singer on Writing, Life, Love and Death. [Miami]  Sun-Sentinel, August 4, 1991) Writing is just work - theres no secret. If you dictate or use a pen or type or write with your toes - its still just work.(Sinclair Lewis) Dont be discouraged by the thought that writing rarely comes easily to anyone. Instead, keep in mind that regular practice will make you a better writer. As you sharpen your skills, youll gain confidence and enjoy writing more than you did before.

Writer's choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Writer's choice - Essay Example To her, the 6-year old protagonist is a symbol of the racially discriminated, belonging to the weaker sex and ultimately representing those who are unable to fight for their basic rights. She is the epitome of the Black race, considered to be survivors because they are rough and tough. Similarly, Henry Giroux uses the same approach to call the attention of his readers to see what the images after Katrina really meant. Racism, feminism and violence may be the thesis of Hook’s argument but Giroux shifts from racism to specifically point out the social issue on class, where the poor are involved. Katrina may be just a story of disaster to many people but to the second writer, it is a calamity that exposed the naked truth about how the poor are disregarded in America. During Katrina, decaying bodies of different colors including Whites, males and females, young and old; were left alone for several days. Giroux mentions that this shows how the poor are not given much attention; they were not the priority of the government. It may not be necessary to mention but perhaps, if only the cadavers will not become threats to the health of people and the political status of officials, they would have been totally

International student's pros and cons in America Research Paper

International student's pros and cons in America - Research Paper Example Primarily, it is the opportunity to interact with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Interrelating with people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds broadens the horizon of foreign students. Intercultural communication enhances the learning process for international students, especially as regards different cultures. This experience makes them more open-minded and appreciative of other cultural traditions. Being an international student also brings about broader knowledge of religion, gender, race, sexual norms, and others (Choudaha 6). America is one of the most diverse regions in the world and international students here have the special opportunity to expose themselves to new cultures, languages, and ideas that they can share to everyone at home. Basically speaking, there are numerous benefits for international students in America. There are numerous ways for these international students to learn from their new social, cultural, and educational environment, like dual-degree courses, short-term study abroad programs, and workshops. Many international students admit that their experiences studying abroad are not just motivating and interesting, but also life-changing and revolutionizing (Harper & Quaye 15). However, these positive aspects of being an international student in America are usually overshadowed by the major challenges that foreign students have to confront in order to succeed academically. In summary, several advantages of studying in America include becoming more broad-minded and appreciative of differences and uncertainty, gaining knowledge of various cultures, and acquiring proficiency in a second language. Furthermore, according to Harper and Quaye (2009), students desire to study in America because they understand the importance of experiencing culturally diverse environments to widen their own perspectives and become cross-culturally knowledgeable and experienced, and to enhance

Information Systems Ethics in Triad Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Information Systems Ethics in Triad - Coursework Example These States, respectively, were: The USA, The Sultanate of Oman and South Korea. Clarification of cultural norms is proposed so as to promote effective cross-cultural communication among the regions. Ethics in USA. Dominated by universal Business ethics and are thus able to intermingle with the ethical norms elsewhere. Ethics in Oman. The ethical values of all Arab nations lie primarily upon the principles of Islam. Islam coins the word ‘Akhlaq’ to represent ethics. The ethical values othe f Oman are thus based upon those prescribed by the religion of Islam. Their compatibility with ethical values in the rest of the triad countries is fluent as the Islamic ethics are no different. Ethics in South Korea. The Korean Cultural preferences benefit Organizations over individuals. Perfectly compatible with global ethical norms, the Korean ethics emphasize upon the building up of relationships and organizational harmony. In order to determine the ethical fronts affecting the In formation Systems a number of variables are chosen. ... The analysis was done by deploying the statistical test or ANOVA was used to compare the obtained results. The non-cultural variables like age, gender etcetera affecting the responses they were put through multiple regression tests. For this purpose, the cultural variable was recorded into three dummy variables for each of the triad countries. Findings Targeting the factors that are affecting the IS usability and are similar and different in the three selected countries ethically obtained responses. Banker’s responses were the dependent variables while culture was the independent variable. Demographics of the 520 respondents are stated next: Since the questionnaire was divided into three sections namely the employees using employers IS resources for their personal use during work, employees using employer’s IS resources for their personal use after work and employers deploying observation upon employees restricting their activities to office work only. Conclusions The c ultural variable was indeed seen as a strong factor that affected the responses of the respondents. It was observed that the three countries had a number of similarities in their ethical values. However, it was observed that there were certain disagreements as well and it was sought that negotiations and accommodations would be planned so as to minimize those differences and introduce an eventual universal code of ethics for the usability of Information Systems worldwide. ROLE OF RESEARCH METHODS IN COMPUTING Research possesses integral importance in any field of life. With respect to computer science, the domain of research becomes even more important. This is owing to the fact that computing devices have become inevitable for the human race.  

Theories Of Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay

Theories Of Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay Introduction The field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) shows to have become more important around the world. The role of business and the way it is perceived by society has gone through several changes throughout the history. Over time, until today, an increased awareness of the impact of business and its interaction with social and environmental issues have emerged. Companies are today obliged to some certain responsibilities in the society where they are active. The most basic responsibilities are laws and rules that they have to supply under. Organizations today are forced to show that their business stands for something more than just profits, and that their activities add some value, or at least do not negatively affect the community around them (Ledwidge, 2007). What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) CSR is a concept that has many different definitions and a concept that is growing in the corporate world today. Look in most journal articles and you can find the list. But do the people really understand what exactly means by corporate social responsibility? van Marrewijk, (2003) defined CSR is regarded as the panacea which will solve the global poverty gap, social exclusion and environmental degradation. Refer to a work by Abeysuriya et al, (2007), corporate social responsibility of CAR common purpose for facilitating the move towards a socially and ecologically sustainable future through voluntary business activities. Boyd et al, (2007) defined corporate social responsibility as general sense reflects obligations to society and stakeholders within societies impacted by the firm. Beckman et al, (2009) pointed out that CSR known as the organizations status and activities with respect to its perceived community responsibility. CSR is developing in the ethics, marketing, and management fields. The ethics consists of three types of issues i.e., macro-, meso- and micro-level based. The macro- and meso- refer to stakeholder engagement and micro- is center of specific such as code of ethics. van Marrewijk, (2003) defined CSR is regarded as the panacea which will solve the global poverty gap, social exclusion and environmental degradation. Ethical challenges Robinson et al, (2006) noted that one challenge entrepreneurs face is about how to define the ethical dilemma explicitly, so as to address it within the context of the entrepreneurial purpose. The ethical issues in business has to do with making the right choices and there is often no apparent single right way and may meet optimist expectations. Entrepreneurs are therefore frequently faced with choices in business that creates tensions between their need to be ethical and their desire to optimize profits. This tension may sometimes manifest as a fundamental choice between private gain and public good, though this is perhaps to simplistic a way to view the matter Robinson et al, (2006). The author noted that any decision where moral considerations are relevant may give rise to an ethical dilemma. In general, an ethical dilemma may result from a decision that: requires a choice between rules has no rule, precedent or example to follow morally requires two or more courses of action, which are practically incompatible should be taken (in self-interest), but which appears to violate a moral principle The process of Corporate Social Responsibility Figure 1: Phases and steps within the CSR process (Extracted from ORiordan and Fairbrass, 2008) ORiordan and Fairbrass, (2008) demonstrated the potential moves (CSR processes, phases, and steps diagram) in figure 1. According to the authors, there are two distinct stages can be identified i.e. strategy development and strategy implementation of CSR. The strategy development phase includes the following factors: Values which drive the strategy; Alternatives which encompass the various range of options available to decision makers (e.g. using an analogy from chess, the pieces on the board that are available to be moved); The strategy (or action) which is the ensuing results from the decisions taken in the two earlier steps of phase 1. The implementation phase marks stage two of the CSR process. It includes the factors: Implementation and control which involve the technical aspects of implementation at a more tactical level and the crucial step of control of the entire process (i.e. the feedback loop); Finally, the output step is included based on the rationale that a results-orientated approach is beneficial to ensure an effective and efficient use of managerial resources. Theoretical foundation Refer to Clark, (2000) CSR consists of four steps process i.e., awareness or recognition of an issue, analysis and planning, response intern of policy development and implementation. The process of CSR also includes environmental assessment, stakeholder management, and issues management. Becker-Olsen et al, (2006) mentioned that CSR a link between social initiatives and improved financial performance. According Besley and Ghatak, (2007) CSR is dependable with profit-maximization in competitive markets. In equilibrium firms sell ethical brands and neutral brands, and consumers self-select according to their valuation of the public good. According to Margolis et al, (2008) the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate financial performance across eight categories of CSR and found that different initiatives have significantly different impacts on financial performance. Pies et al, (2009) documented that the ordonomic approach can be used in business ethics to foster effective leadership skills and encourage CSR. The ordonomic perspective is a valuable framework for discussing the meaning and role of ethics in effective leadership and CSR in the age of globalization. The authors explained that the ordonomic approach provides a three-tiered conceptual framework for analyzing society and social interaction (refer to figure 2). Figure 2: the three-tiered conceptual framework of the ordonomic perspective (extacted from Pies et al, 2009) This framework distinguishes between the basic games of antagonistic social cooperation, the meta-games of social rule setting, and the meta-meta games of rule-finding discourse. The authors stated that the basic game of social interaction refers as cooperation is only made possible by the existence of institutions, i.e., rules. for mutual advantage. The meta game is rule-setting processes that are geared toward creating a mutually advantageous social structure. Finally, the meta-meta game serves as a rule-finding discourse. Its discursive practices aim at critically discussing semantics and with the goal of developing shared perceptions as to the social interdependence of the players (Pies et al, 2009). Levels of Corporate Social Responsibility Carroll (1991) stated that CSR consists of four level basic responsibilities to society i.e., economic, legal, ethical and discretionary. From these four level responsibilities, Carroll uses to build his CSR model (refer to figure 3). Philantropic Responsibilities Ethical Responsibilities Legal Responsibilities Economic Responsibilities Be a good corporate citizen. Contribute resources to the community; improve quality of life Be ethical. Obligation to do what is right, just and fair. Avoid harm Be profitable. The foundation upon which all others rest Obey the law. Law is societys codification of right and wrong. Play by rules of the game Figure 3: The pyramid of corporate social responsibility (Extracted from Caroll 1991) Refer to the Carrolls model, economic responsibility is the foundation of the pyramid. The next level involves legal responsibilities, which is followed by ethical responsibilities. At the top of the pyramid is philanthropic responsibilities which is to be the highest level of corporate responsibility. Economic and Legal Responsibilities Economic responsibilities mean that the core activity of a business is to provide goods and services. The legal responsibilities refer to companies cannot only focus on the profit motive; simultaneously they are expected to act in accordance with current laws and regulations transmitted by federal, state and local communities as the ground rules under which business should operate (Carroll, 1991). Table 1: Economic and Legal components of Corporate Social Responsibility (extracted from Carroll, 1991) Economic Components (Responsibilities) Legal Components (Responsibilities) 1. Perform in a manner consistent with maximizing earnings per share. 1. Perform in a manner consistent with expectations of government and law. 2. Be committed to being as profitable as possible. 2. Comply with various federal, state and local regulations. 3. Maintain a high level of operating efficiency. 3. Be a law-enduring corporate citizen. 4. Maintain a strong competitive position. 4. It is important that a successful firm is defined as one that fulfils its obligations. 5. It is important that a successful firm is defined as one that is consistently profitable. 5. Provide goods and services that at least meet minimal legal requirements. Ethical Responsibilities Refer to Caroll, (1991) ethical responsibilities represent standards, norms and expectations that consumers, employees, shareholders and the community look upon as fair, even though they are not transferable into laws. The ethical responsibility is the voluntarily responsibility by the company to act in a manner that is fair and justice and to avoid or at least minimize the risk that the shareholders of the company is affected in any negative manner. In the latest years the ethical responsibility has created high expectations on corporate managers and social pressure forces the companies to act in a manner that is far beyond their legal responsibilities. Philanthropic Responsibilities Philanthropic responsibility is always voluntarily and could be implemented through both devote the employees time and the companys money for the best of the society and always try to strive for improving the world around them. The societal approach indicates that companies are responsible to the society as a whole, of which they can be seen as an integral part (Carroll, 1991). Table 2 Ethical and Philanthropic components of Corporate Social Responsibility (extracted from Carroll, 1991) Ethical Components (Responsibilities) Philanthropic Components (Responsibilities) 1. Perform in a manner consistent with expectations of societal mores and ethical norms. 1. Perform in a manner consistent with the philanthropic and charitable expectations of society. 2. Recognize and respect new or evolving ethical moral norms adopted by society. 2. Assist the fine and performing arts. 3. Prevent ethical norms from being compromised in order to achieve corporate goals. 3. That managers and employees participate in voluntary and charitable activities within their local communities. 4. It is important that good corporate citizenship be defined as doing what is expected morally or ethically. 4. Provide assistance to private and public educational institutions. 5. Recognize that corporate integrity and ethical behaviour go beyond mere compliance with laws and regulations. 5. Assist voluntarily those projects that enhance a communitys quality of life. Different approached had been used by van Marrewijk, (2003) i.e, three theories about different levels of CSR (refer to figure 4). Figure 4: General model of CS/CR and its dimensions. (van Extracted from Marrewijk, 2003) According to van Marrewijk, (2003) there the ultimate objective of CSR is to obtain Social Sustainability. This cannot be achieved without the different levels of CSR, in economy, social and environmental issues. In the shareholder approach it is clear that the central aim for a company is the pursuit of profit maximization and that the social responsible activities are not concerned with the corporate body but are a major task for the government and the public sector. In this process CSR is only interesting in the way that it contributes to achieve he objectives of the company, which in the long run is profitability for the owners. Theories of Corporate Social Responsibility The implementation theories correspond to the basis to create a model that describes a CSR implementation process According to Carol, (1991) business and politics communities have been influenced by the globalisation process and the displacement of values from material to immaterial values that has taken place. Refer to a work by Garriga and Melà ©, (2004) CSR theories associated with four groups i.e., (table 3) Instrumental theories The corporation is used strategic tool for wealth creation. There are three main groups of instrumental theories which depend on the economic objectives. The three groups are; Maximizing the shareholder value According to the authors, any investment social demands that contribute to maximizing the shareholder without deception and fraud are include in this group. It has been noted that the shareholder value maximization as the supreme reference for corporate decision-making. Strategies for achieving competitive advantages Garriga and Melà ©, (2004) noted that this group of theories are concentrated on long term social objectives by knowing how to allocate resource and create a competitive advantage. There are three approaches can be included within this strategies i.e., social investments in competitive context, natural resource-based view of the firm and its dynamic capabilities and strategies for the bottom of the economic pyramid. Cause-related marketing Cause-related marketing refers as the process of formulating and implementing marketing activities and the goal is to enhance company revenues, sales or customer relationship by building the brand through the acquisition of, and association with the ethical dimension or social responsibility dimension (Garriga and Melà ©, 2004). Political theories The authors pointed out that political theories focus on interactions and connections between business and society and on the power of business and its inherent responsibility. There are two major theories can be distinguished through Corporate Constitutionalism and Corporate Citizenship Corporate Constitutionalism The authors mentioned that the firm has power to influence the equilibrium of the market. Social powers of the firm are internally and externally without destroy power. They channel organizational power in a supportive way and protect against unreasonable organizational power. Corporate Citizenship Corporate citizenship refers as responsibilities and possible partnerships of business in society. It has been reported that some theories on corporate citizenship are based on a social contract theory. Corporate citizenship theories generally have a strong sense of business responsibility towards the local community, partnerships which are the specific ways of formalizing the willingness to improve the local community and for consideration for the environment. (Garriga and Melà ©, 2004). Integrative theories According to the authors, the integrative theories depend to social demands for its existence continuity and growth. Social demands means society interacts with business and gives it a certain legitimacy and prestige. In addition, the authors noted that the theories of this group are focused on the detection and scanning of, and response to, the social demands that achieve social legitimacy, greater social acceptance and prestige. Issues management The concept of social responsiveness broadens with the concept of issue management which refers as a process for making a corporate response to social issues. Issues management is a process of the corporation can identify, evaluate and respond to those social and political issues which may impact significantly upon it. The principle of public responsibility Public policy consists of law, regulation and broad pattern of social direction reflected to public opinion, emerging issues, formal legal requirements and enforcement or implementation practices. Garriga and Melà ©, (2004) noted that if business adhered to the standards of performance in law and the existing public policy process, then it would be judged acceptably responsive in terms of social expectations. Stakeholder management Stakeholder management focuses on the public responsibility principle and combines groups with a stake in the firm into managerial decision making (Garriga and Melà ©, 2004). Corporate social performance Refer to Garriga and Melà ©, (2004) the corporate social performance theories includes social legitimacy with process for giving appropriate responses. The corporate social performance also include the principles of CSR, expressed on institutional, organizational and individual levels, processes of corporate social responsiveness, such as environmental assessment, stakeholder management and issues management, and outcomes of corporate behavior including social impacts, social programs and social policies. Ethical theories Garriga and Melà ©, (2004) documented that ethical theories focus on the ethical requirements that strengthen the relationship between business and society which is based on principles that express the right thing to do or the necessity to achieve a good society. Normative stakeholder theory The authors noted that the normative stakeholder theory is a way to integrate social demands. Normative stakeholder theory has a normative core based on two major ideas stakeholders are persons or groups with legitimate interests in procedural and/or substantive aspects of corporate activity (stakeholders are identified by their interests in the corporation, whether or not the corporation has any corresponding functional interest in them) and The interests of all stakeholders are of intrinsic value (that is, each group of stakeholders merits consideration for its own sake and not merely because of its ability to further the interests of some other group, such as the shareowners). Universal rights Universal rights (human rights) UN Global Compact includes in the area of human rights, labor rights and the environment protection as a basis for CSR. Sustainable development Sustainable development requires the integration of social, environmental, and economic considerations to make balanced judgments for the long term. In order to maintain the sustainable developmenet there is a need for the organizations aims and intentions be aligned with the organization strategy, as an appropriate response to the circumstances in which the organization operates (Garriga and Melà ©, 2004). Table 3: Corporate Social Responsibility Theories and related approaches (extracted from Garriga and Male, 2004) The common good approach Refer to the authors, this approach maintains that business, as with any other social group or individual in society, has to contribute to the common good, because it is a part of society and it shouldnt be harmful to society. Morimoto and Hope, (2005) are using Grounded Theory approach to undertake the complex issues CSR auditing. According to the authors the grounded theory is grounded in the data; developed from it by the analysis process and tested in the existing data for verification. It is systematic rigor and thoroughness from initial design, through data collection and analysis. Chih et al, (2009) institutional theory on CSR comprising a series of propositions specifying the conditions under which corporations are more (or less) likely to behave in socially responsible ways such as financial performance and economic environment, competition, legal environment, private regulation and the presence of independent organizations, business education environment, and employer-employee relations Another study by Frederiksen, (2009), the author had chosen two kinds of teleological moral theories, i.e. egoism and utilitarianism, and two kinds of deontological moral theories, i.e. libertarianism and common-sense morality and moral theory, i.e. utilitarianism and common-sense morality. From the authors finding, the companies act in CSR is not according to their CSR policies on goal-orientated teleological moral theories, such as ethical egoism or utilitarianism, but they prefer on duty based common-sense morality. In addition, managers mainly perform with goal-oriented teleological moral the ethical guidelines, utilitarianism and this theory is in disagreement with deontologically oriented theories i.e., common-sense morality. Teleological moral theories Egoism According to Frederiksen, (2009), CSR concerned with benefiting the company such as employees, the local community and companys self-interest. Ethical egoist refers to any kind of social arrangement that would be rational for their own best-interest. Therefore, egoism in a company should to do good or refrain from doing harm only if it is good for the company, normally meaning if it helps to maximize profit. Utilitarianism It has been stated that the relationship between CSR and utilitarians is companies have a moral obligation to promote the best possible outcome, i.e. maximise happiness from an impartial perspective. Impartiality refers as the one is impartial in relation to who the benefactor is and who the beneficiary is such as those who closely related to the company, employees (Frederiksen, 2009). Deontological moral theories Libertarianism The author noted that the relation of CSR and libertarianism, it is believe that companies have no moral obligation to positively help anyone; they are only morally obligated not to violate anyones negative rights. Common-sense morality The relationship between CSR and the common-sense orientation believe that companies have a moral obligation not to violate anyones rights and that they also have positive duties towards certain groups, such as employees, the local community and others closely related to the company. The author mentioned that common-sense moral principles seem to be principles concerning special obligations; for example special obligations towards shareholders or other closely related groups. Hsieh, (2009) documented that there are two prominent theories of corporate purpose i.e., stakeholder theory and corporate citizenship theory. Stakeholder theory The corporation ought to be managed for the benefit of all its stakeholders Corporate citizenship theory It emphasize business enterprises in respecting and defending human rights and in contributing to social welfare and human development within society Refer to Padgett RC, Galan JI, (2009), resource-based view (RBV) theory related to CSR in the sense of they can generate competitive advantages; the firm is also affected by external factors. RBV in the study of CSR is explained by the emphasis it places on the importance of specific intangible resources, such as know-how, corporate culture and reputation for firms to obtain competitive advantages. Table 4: In summary of Corporate Social Responsibility Theories Theories Types of theories Authors CSR theories associated with four groups Instrumental theories- strategic tool for wealth creation Political theories- on interactions and connections between business and society and on the power of business and its inherent responsibility Integrative theories- social demands for its existence continuity and growth. Ethical theories- ethical requirements that strengthen the relationship between business and society Garriga and Melà ©, (2004) Undertake complex issues regarding CSR auditing Grounded theory It is systematic rigor and thoroughness from initial design, through data collection and analysis. Morimoto and Hope, (2005) Institutional theory CSR comprising a series of propositions specifying the conditions under which corporations are more (or less) likely to behave in socially responsible ways such as financial performance and economic environment, competition, legal environment, private regulation and the presence of independent organizations, business education environment, and employer-employee relations Chih et al, (2009) CSR associated with two kinds of teleological moral theories and two kinds of deontological moral theories. Teleological moral theories Egoism Any kind of social arrangement that would be rational for their own best-interest to help maximize company profits. Utilitarianism To promote the best possible outcome, i.e. maximise happiness to those who closely related to the company, employees. Deontological moral theories Libertarianism The companies have no moral obligation to positively help anyone; they are only morally obligated not to violate anyones negative rights. Common-sense morality and moral theory Principles concerning special obligations not to violate anyones rights and that they also have positive duties towards certain groups; for example special obligations towards shareholders or other closely related groups. Frederiksen, (2009) There are two prominent theories of corporate purpose Stakeholder theory the corporation ought to be managed for the benefit of all its stakeholders Corporate citizenship theory It emphasize business enterprises in respecting and defending human rights and in contributing to social welfare and human development within society. Hsieh, (2009) Resource-based view (RBV) RBV theory allows to analyse the effect of RD intensity on CSR Resource-based view (RBV) theory Importance of specific intangible resources, such as know-how, corporate culture and reputation for firms to obtain competitive advantages. Padgett and Galan, (2009) Corporate Social Responsibility Implementation Marimoto et al, (2005) there are six key elements to the achievement of successful CSR are perceived as good stakeholder management, good corporate leadership greater priority for CSR at board level, integration of CSR into corporate policy at all levels and in all divisions of business, regulation at the national and international level understood and demonstrated across all areas of business, active involvement of, and good coordination between, government business, NGOs and civil society. Raps (2005) noted that in order to achieve successful implementation of CSR, there is a need to understand a long-term process that requires creativity and careful planning. The author pointed out ten critical points to overcome and improve the difficulties in the CSR implementation context. Commitment of top management Refer to Raps, (2005), the importance of having top-managers working hard to achieve the purpose of the strategy is crucial for the implementation to succeed. Top-managers must influence middle managers in order to get their true message forward; they cannot relay on and believe that the middle-managers perception of the implementation is the same as theirs. Involve middle managers valuable knowledge The author pointed out that to make use of the knowledge that middle managers possess and make sure they are involved increases their motivation and make them feel like they are a part of the process. This motivation boost is important for everyones everyday day work since the middle managers engagement increases the awareness of the implementation throughout the organization. Communication is what implementation is all about Refer to Raps, (2005) illustrates in his communication-model how it is possible to provide appropriate information regarding implementation throughout the organization (Figure 5). Figure 5: Issues to be addresses in the communications plan (Extracted with Raps 2005). Integrate point of view It is essential to see the implementation as a method used integrated within all aspects of the company. Traditionally implementation often overemphasizes the structural aspects e.g. organizational structure and disregards other existing components such as cultural aspects and human resources perspective. All of these aspects need to be taken into consideration to create an integrated measure for implementing activities (Raps, 2005). Clear assignment of responsibilities To avoid power struggles between departments and within hierarchies, there should be a plan with clear assignments of responsibilities regarding detailed implementation activities. This is a preventive way of proceeding. Responsibilities are clear and potential problems are therefore avoided (Raps, 2005) Preventive measures against barriers Change is a common phenomenon for companies today and the companies that are capable of handling change has a great advantage. The ability to manage change has become a core competency. A great challenge within strategy implementation is to deal with potential change barriers. Therefore, it is important to prevent these barriers and by changing the way they view and practice strategy implementation, senior executives can effectively transform change barriers into gateways for a successful execution (Raps, 2005). Emphasize teamwork activities Teamwork is an important part when implementing a strategy. It is however often forgotten when it comes down to implementation process activities (Raps, 2005). Respect the individuals ´ different characteristics Human resources are valuable and intangible assets within a company. Latest studies indicate that HR is the key factor for successful implementation (Raps, 2005) Take advantage of supportive implementation instruments According to the author, there are two implementation instruments can be applied i.e., the balanced scorecard and the supportive software solution. The balanced scorecard provides a functionality to translate a companys strategic objectives into a coherent set of performance measures. In addition, it provides a framework to integrate the strategic planning and meets the requirements that the strategic planning system itself can display. The software solutions can be helpful to improve the quality of strategy implementation and provides clear assignments of responsibilities throughout the organizations implementation process. Calculate buffer time for unexpected incidents The author reported that the most important in strategy implementation is the exceeding of time restrictions. The important key is to find out the time-intense activities and harmonize with the time capac

Public Art Essay -- Art

Public Art â€Å"Any drawn line that speaks about identity, dignity, and unity is art,† (Chaz Bojorquey) is a statement that I agree with. Art is perceived differently from all people based on their culture, religion, personal taste, and many other factors. I believe that as long as what has been created is meaningful to either the creator or even to somebody that is viewing it, it should be considered art. Art in the public is a very controversial subject that brings up the important question of, â€Å"Should public art be considered as real art,† personally I think that it should be. I believe that the difference between art that is placed in a gallery and art that is visible by a community is the fact that what is acceptable in a gallery is different than what is acceptable on the streets of our communities. When art can and will be viewed by the members of that town, there must be some line that cannot be crossed. There are many aspects that make public art an important addition to our communities, and there are also aspects that may be negative in the eyes of some. My love for art, as a whole, has a large affect on my acceptance of art in the public, but my love does not blind me to the reasoning as to why people may not agree with it. There are many different forms of what is to be considered public art. It can range from sculptors, paintings, murals, mosaics, graffiti, tagging, and even more. Many people often forget about the excitement that art has to offer; the way that it makes people feel is a sensation that can truly not be replaced by any other sight. Having something symbolic and cultural in your community enlightens the people that live there. It is what sets you apart from any other town. For instance it give... ...something that is often under appreciated or forgotten. Having art in the public more may be a large step toward teaching the future generations to appreciate creativity and participate in being creative. If something as simple as ground green marbles in a tar road can take my (a seventeen year old girl) breath away then imagine the reaction that could be expected from art being every where. My biggest fear is art being forgotten and with the beauty it has to offer being around more for everyone to see could eliminate that fear. Public art should be appreciated even though it may not be understood by all. It is a way to bring in tourism, excitement, beauty, creativity, and pure enjoyment to communities. I would like to end my paper with a quote from Pablo Picasso that expresses the way I fell about art, â€Å"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.†