Supply chain relationship management Research Proposal

Supply chain relationship management - Research Proposal Example The first benefit is that it results in job creation. Such kind of jobs results in various roles for the employees like managers, sales, distributors, warehousing etc. There are mainly two classification of retailing depending on the identification of products. It was necessary to allow grouping of the products on the basis of the forecast methods, replenishment methods, planning system etc. The two classifications are Functional or staple products and Innovative Products. There are many challenges in retail supply chain. One challenge is that it can be very costly if the supply chain is not properly designed. There are many other glitches which are both external and internal to the business. Another major problem facing them is Suppler Reliability. If any supplier fails to do any of his function then there will be no product for them to sell (Coyle, Langley, Gibson, Novack and Bardi, 2008, p. 211). This can result in result in loss of consumers, lost profits and declining sales turn over. Hence in the process of selection of supplier it is very important to choose any reliable supplier. In today’s scenario, potential markets and outsourcing can have a major impact on the way a retail supply chain is structured. Presence of low cost for innovative products from Asian and China countries has resulted in paradigm shift to global manufacturing from local manufacturing. Hence this affects the supply chain in terms of cost and complexity. Bullying happens in retail sector where the companies like Wal-Mart have been accused of bullying small retail outlets. Retail stores are now taking full potential of the technology by carrying out many of their activities online. Hence such devices have increased the efficiency of small and medium retail business. But the main point of contention is that it could take forever for the company to generate returns on their investment (Mentzer, 2001, p. 186). The data

Cultural studies of Organization communication Essay Example for Free

Cultural studies of Organization communication Essay According to Saran and Kalliny (2009), there are many theories which explain the organizational behavior relative to changes in the structures. Saran and Kalliny (2009, para. 4) continue to explain that there are many variables potentially affecting the implementation process including corporate culture issues, such as formalization, decentralization, functional differentiation, leadership, job satisfaction and job involvement and organizational dynamic issues, such as resources and communication. The review of literature about this topic focuses on these key areas by providing historical and contemporary issues that have been captured within the scope of this research. Communication is one of the most essential things that an organization requires to prosper in any market especially during turbulent business environments. Dubrin (1997) was of the opinion that communication is a very important aspect that unites all systems of the organization. Managers spend most of their time communicating with different stakeholders to create an efficient flow of activities. Knowledge management is very vital to managers since the efficient operation of any organization depends on how information is managed. The long term survival of any organization depends on the ability to manage information and knowledge for the efficient communication. People exchange, process and use information through the system of knowledge management (Bakan et al, n. d. ). Organizational structure defines the various divisions within an organization and establishes a system of coordinating the various resources for the achievement of the goals and objectives. Decision making process follows the structure of the organization to ensure all responsible individuals make the appropriate decisions. The managers create a system of collecting information and ideas from all stakeholders during the process of decision making to ensure all parties are included in the decisions of the organization. All the forces to the organization must be considered during the decision making process, that is, environmental forces, technological forces and the strategies being adopted by the organization. The restructuring process must ensure that the managers create systems which make maximum use of the resources available to the organization. The definition of tasks, allocation of different resources and the arrangement of resources as well as tasks should match the structure, goals and objectives of the organization. Organizational structure provides the systems to be followed during division of labor, when delegating authority and responsibilities, when establishing units of command, and the span of control. The structure of the organization defines the strategies to be adopted when delegating authority and responsibilities (Porter, 1985). The use of technology is encouraged in developing organizational structures which match the needs of an organization. The use of information communication technology has increased as the need for efficiency in both private and public corporations intensifies. Technology helps people learn about the use of better knowledge about improving their systems. Good governance in organization requires the establishment of a clear organizational hierarchy to define the roles of each individual involved in the activities of the organization (Wade, 2002). The use of technology has been encouraged by many organizations to adjust the existing structures to fit new strategies that are required for improved performance. When new technologies are adopted, the management must introduce other structures to ensure their implementation takes place efficiently. The people working in an organization need to be educated and persuaded about the new technologies being adopted by the organization to ensure they utilize them for the benefits of all stakeholders (Evan Black, 1967). The technology must be relevant to the goals and objectives of the organization. The organizational factors must be well studied and analyzed to introduce a better system which is in line with all systems of the organization. Increase in technological innovation has attracted much attention especially due to the existence of scarce resources within the organization. Managers reshuffle the workers in their organization as well as creating other structures to ensure the organization adopts the new technologies being introduced (Rogers, 1995). Saran and Kalliny (2009) are of the opinion that implementing new technologies is complex and involves uncertainty. The uncertainty brings about conflicts between different stakeholders of the organization due to the new structures introduced. The uncertainty may create resistance from the people involved in the activities of the organization. The management must conduct adequate research about the best strategies to implement the technologies to ensure minimum resistance emanates from the individuals working in the organization (Rogers, 1995). However, Gill (2003, pg. 316) identified that many organizations do not conduct adequate research before implementing their new technologies and this has led to â€Å"low success rate, given the importance of the same in a very dynamic and ever changing business environment, where customers not only demand new products and services but also newness in the product offering. † Implementing new technologies requires introducing changes within the structure of the organization and behavior change is essential to ensure all stakeholders readily accept the new ideas. Behavior change is difficult where there is uncertainty about the technologies to be adopted. This may hinder implementation of the innovations. Organizations take a longer period to adapt to new changes compared to individuals. Fariborz (1991) suggested that the revolution in technology being observed today requires organizations to integrate the variables of the organization with implementation strategies. He continued to explain that technologies are the main vehicles of change and that individual, organizational and environmental factors affect the implementation of many technologies and innovations. Accepting change is the basis of introducing new technologies within the organization (Saran Kalliny, 2009). For an organization to adapt to new technologies there is need to link the organization to the appropriate technologies which match the structures within the system. The innovations and technologies adapt to the organizational and industrial structures with time and the management must be patient enough to allow the new systems become incorporated into the processes of the organization (Van De Ven, 1986). There is a learning process involved in the adoption of new strategies. The old systems must be done away with to ensure the people do not revert to them. The culture of the organization should be adjusted to accommodate the new changes. Changing the culture requires changing the attitudes and values of the people involved in the activities of the organization. Changing the culture is not an easy thing and many people will become opposed to these strategies since there are gains and losses to many people when new systems are introduced. The culture of an organization defines the values, norms, and attitudes that people have. The management must create structures which match the culture of the organization. The culture determines the best strategies to be adopted by the people working in an organization. The managers have a responsibility to establish a culture which suits the needs of the workers and other stakeholders of the organization (Bridges, 1991). The implementation of innovations and technologies requires a process to ensure all the stakeholders respond to the new systems successfully. The process starts from acquiring knowledge about the new systems, forming attitude about it, adopting or rejecting the new decisions, implementing and confirmation. Until the decisions are implemented, all activities prior to this involve mental processes. The installation of the ideas into real sustainable process is the final stage which determines the success of the management to implement its strategies (Pierce and Delbecq, 1977). Corporate restructuring allows the managers bring changes within the organization to accommodate new and better structures which improve the performance of an organization. The need to globalize domestic markets has forced many organizations to adopt better structures to create new market opportunities, overcome threats from organizations and diffuse models of business that relate to globalization. To improve the costs and revenue structures of the organization, managers have developed variety of objectives to ensure all aspects of management are captured (Jones, 2002). Formalization within the organizational structure provides the procedures to be observed when conducting the various activities by the individuals working in the organization. Organizational hierarchy describes the jobs and the amount of freedom provided to the stakeholders of the organization (Cohn Turyn, 1980). For the effective adoption and implementation of new technologies, the formal structures must be followed when performing duties within the organization. All systems of the organization should be properly coordinated to ensure the implementation of the new ideas is successful (Kim, 1980). Formal procedures are introduced within the organization to reduce stress which may originate from confusion that occurs when systems are not properly coordinated. Formal structures provide the lower level employees of the organization with equal opportunities to avoid discretion in the allocation of duties and rewards. The planning process requires the management to create a properly coordinated system that will bring about successful implementation of new technologies (Zaltman, Duncan Holbek, 1973). The use of communication is expressed in the organizational hierarchy where formal communication procedures are established. All people must adhere to the communication structures that the management has established for effective operation of activities. The organizational chart provides the flow of authority, information and other resources. The managers restructure the organizational structure as need arises and provide new roles to different individuals. Restructuring the organization requires creating a proper system so that all individuals can adjust accordingly (Bakan et al n. d. ; Porter, 1985). The global recession that affected all global economies in the world forced many organizations to adopt new strategies to improve their performance as well as ensure the corporate survival in the global markets. Many organizations have restructured their systems to adapt to the new changes brought about by the effects of the recession. To reduce the increasing costs of production, managers are adopting a downsizing strategy (Harman, 2009). The reduction in sales volume in the global markets provides managers with the decision to create better systems and structures which improve the image of the organization in the global markets (Dewar and Dutton, 1986). Hitt et al (1994) established that over the last two decades, many organizations have carried out extensive re-structuring process to cope with the changing global markets. The media and communications industry has been characterized by increasing competition in both local and global markets. Organizations need to restructure their activities to accommodate the changes in the global markets. Gregory (1999) provides that â€Å"corporate downsizing has been implemented by a large number of American firms in an effort to become more flexible and responsive to increased competition. † The strategy to down size many organizations have not been responsive to the strategy of reducing the costs of production. The impacts of downsizing upon the employees of these companies have been worse. Cases of stress among the remaining employees have been reported by organizations which have used downsizing as a strategy to restructure their systems. Other negative impacts related to downsizing are reduction in career opportunities and reduction in the loyalty to the company by the employees. The loss of very important employees is another risk associated with downsizing organizations (Hitt et al 1994). Decentralization of authority is an important aspect when implementing better hierarchies which ensure the organization is successful in its efforts to create a better structure. Decentralization allows all members of the organization to participate in the decision making process. Employees are able to translate the decisions made by their managers into specific plans of actions. For effective communication, the management should introduce a decentralized system to ensure all members of the organization contribute towards the activities of the organization. Decentralization ensures that all decisions are implemented successfully by establishing different work centers where different individuals can contribute their ideas. Workers are ready to own decisions when they participate in the decision making as well as implementation process (Jones and Jennifer, 2003). Proper leadership strategies within the organization should be adopted when implementing the new technologies. Leadership refers to the ability of the management to influence the subordinates to contribute willingly to the goals of the organization. The managers should have the skills of influencing others to accept the new structures for the success of the organization. Managing change within the organization requires proper leadership skills so that the managers can influence their followers about developing new behaviors to adapt to the new systems of the organization (Robbins, 1998). To ensure the employees accept the new technologies, the management should ensure the employees are satisfied in the jobs assigned to them. Job satisfaction creates the willingness to perform duties without being forced and motivates the employees to improve their performance (Herzberg, Mausner and Synderman, 1959). Functional differentiation allows the management to introduce better systems within the organization. Kimberly and Evansisko (1981, pg. 693) define functional differentiation as a process which represents the extent to which an organization is divided into different units, normally measured by the different number of units under the top management. The extent to which an organization differentiations its structures determines the success in implementing technologies. The communication process is made efficient by a high differentiation of the processes. The top management has the role of ensuring all employees comply with the established rules for the efficient operation of the differentiated units of the organization (Baldridge and Burnham, 1975). To ensure employees are satisfied by the various duties assigned to them, the management should differentiate the organizations units and allocate jobs according to the skills and experience of the individual employees. The use of technology in different units should ensure that the subordinates are allocated the appropriate units to avoid conflicts (Ahls, 2001). Bibliography Ahls, B. , 2001. Organizational behavior: A model for cultural change. Ind. Manage. , 43: 6-9. Bakan, I. , Tasliyan, M, Buyukbese, T. , Eraslan, I. H Coskun, M (n. d. ). Organizational communications: the role of information technology (it). Retrieved 5 June 2010 from; http://www. iamot. org/conference/index. php/ocs/4/paper/view/624/127. Baldridge, J. and R. Burnham, (1975). Organizational innovation: Individual, organizational and environmental impacts. Admin. Sci. Q. , 20: 165-176. Bridges, W. , 1991. Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change. 1st Edn. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc. , Massachusetts. Cohn, S. F. and R. M. Turyn, (1980). The structure of a firm and the adoption of process innovations. IEEE Trans. Eng. Manage. , 27: 98-102. Dewar, R. D. and J. E. Dutton, (1986). The adoption of radical and incremental innovations: An empirical analysis. Manage. Sci. , 32: 1422-1433. Dubrin, A. J. (1997). Essentials of management, South-Western College Publishing, Ohio. Evan, W. M. and G. Black, (1967). Innovation in business organizations: Some factors associated with success or failure of staff proposals. J. Business, 40: 516-530. Fariborz, D. , (1991). Organizational innovation: A meta-analysis of effects of determinants and moderators. Acad. Manage. J. , 34: 555-590. Gill, R. , (2003). Change management-or change leadership? J. Change Manage. , 3: 307-318. Harman, Chris Zombie (2009). Capitalism: Global Crisis and the Relevance of Marx / London: Bookmarks Publications. ISBN 9781905192533 Herzberg, F. , B. Mausner and B. B. Synderman, (1959). The Motivation to Work. 1st Edn Wiley, New York. Hitt, Michael A. , Barbara W. Keats, Herbert F. Harback, and Robert D. Nixon (1994). Rightsizing: Building and Maintaining Strategic Leadership and Long-Term Competitiveness, Organizational Dynamics, 23:2, 18-32 Gregory, Jannifer (1999). â€Å"Encouraging Organizational Learning Through Pay after a Corporate Downsizing†. [emailprotected]@gement, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 163-181. Jones, Marc T. (17 Apr 2002). Globalization and organizational restructuring: A strategic perspective. Thunderbird International Business Review, Volume 44, Issue 3 (p 325-351). Jones, R. G. and M. G. Jennifer, 2003. Contemporary Management. 1st Edn. McGraw-Hill, Irwin, California. Kim, L. , 1980. Organizational innovation and structure. J. Business Res. , 8: 225-245. Kimberly, J. R. and M. J. Evansisko, (1981). Organizational innovation: The influence of individual, organizational and contextual factors on hospital adoption of technological and administrative innovations. Acad. Manage. J. , 24: 689-713. Pierce, J. L. and A. L. Delbecq, (1977). Organization structure individual attitudes and innovation. Acad. Manage. Rev. , 2: 27-37. Porter, M. E. , 1985. Competitive Advantage. 1st Edn. Free Press, New York. Robbins, S. P. , 1998. Organizational Behavior. 1st Edn, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Rogers, E. M. , 1995. Diffusion of Innovations. 3rd Edn. , Free Press, New York. Saran, A. , L. Serviere M. Kalliny, (2009). Corporate culture, organizational dynamics and

Mohandas Gandhi`s life and Accomplishments :: essays research papers

Mohandas Gandhi Leo Peters Section 567-01 Mid-Term Paper This Essay will be about the life and accomplishments of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. And will also discuss Civil Disobedience. Throughout history most national heroes have been warriors, but Gandhi ended British rule over his native India without striking a single blow. A frail man, he devoted his life to peace and brotherhood in order to achieve social and political progress. Yet less than six months after his nonviolent resistance to British rule won independence for India, he was assassinated by a religious fanatic. Gandhi was one of the gentlest of men, a devout and almost mystical Hindu, but he had an iron core of determination. Nothing could change his convictions. This combination of traits made him the leader of India's nationalist movement. Some observers called him a master politician. Others believed him a saint. To millions of Hindus he was their beloved Mahatma, meaning "great soul." Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on Oct. 2, 1869, in Porbandar, near Bombay. His family belonged to the Hindu merchant caste Vaisya. His father had been prime minister of several small native states. Gandhi was married when he was only 13 years old. When he was 19 he defied custom by going abroad to study. He studied law at University College in London. Fellow students snubbed him because he was an Indian. In his lonely hours he studied philosophy. In his reading he discovered the principle of nonviolence as enunciated in Henry David Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience," and he was persuaded by John Ruskin's plea to give up industrialism for farm life and traditional handicrafts--ideals similar to many Hindu religious ideas. In 1891 Gandhi returned to India. Unsuccessful in Bombay, he went to South Africa in 1893. At Natal he was the first so-called "colored" lawyer admitted to the supreme court. He then built a large practice. His interest soon turned to the problem of fellow Indians who had come to South Africa as laborers. He had seen how they were treated as inferiors in India, in England, and then in South Africa. In 1894 he founded the Natal Indian Congress to agitate for Indian rights. Yet he remained loyal to the British Empire. In 1899, during the Boer War, he raised an ambulance corps and served the South African government. In 1906 he gave aid against the Zulu revolt. Later in 1906, however, Gandhi began his peaceful revolution. He declared he would go to jail or even die before obeying an anti-Asian law. Thousands of Indians joined him in this civil disobedience campaign. He was imprisoned twice. Yet in World War I he again organized an ambulance corps for

Divorce and American Culture

Culture surrounds us everywhere we go. It reflects the people of the times and when it changes, so do the very people it reflects. A general definition would say that culture, related to society, is a set of norms that govern behavior. Within this set of norms the people of a society do certain rituals and behaviors to fit in with the world around them. Different trends rule the times. Whether it be anti-war protests, to civil rights movements, to legalization of same sex civil unions and even divorce-the people of the times roll with many different ideas and tendencies. The idea of marriage is an old and sacred one. In the Bible, a marriage is seen a holy sacrament between a man and woman that leads to the raising of a family. There is one man and one-woman involved- then with the addition of the holy spirit, the union is supposed to be ever lasting. â€Å"Christian marriage is a sacrament (sacred act approved by God). As a result marriage was very difficult to end, and before the nineteenth century usually ended with death,† (Chan and Haplin, 2001). In the world today, marriage is interpreted in many different ways. Very rarely is it seen as an everlasting contract that can withstand all tests. The revolutions of the 60s, 70s, up through today have severely changed the way people think of marriage. The drug culture has helped redefine the meaning of peace and love and of course, holy unions. People today do not get married out of the idea of love. If they do, it is most often between two young and naive children or young adults that believe that love can conquer all. â€Å"People expect too much from specialized love marriages, and when the love goes so might the marriage. Other cultures unite families through arranged marriages, and these social functions may make them more stable,† (Chan and Haplin, 2001). People have begun to take advantage of the system and get married because of benefits they can receive. For the military couple, extra cash is a big incentive as well as extra leave time. A lot of times the benefits outweigh the costs and people today go into marriages knowing that it will be just as easy to exit the marriage. For a marriage to end, there needs to be either a death or a cause for divorce. Grounds for divorce include; a cheating spouse, an abusive partner, and mishandling of funds. Every so often though, there is no direct cause, but instead the couples just are not compatible. The constant fighting and disagreements make it difficult to raise a family and have a stable home. As society grows and culture changes, divorce still remains. In the early parts of the 20th century, divorce was a taboo idea that meant that you ultimately failed as a wife or husband. People viewed it as the easy way out and very rarely did they agree with it. In the 1950s, divorce was only 5 per 1000 women, as opposed to the rate of 20 per every 1000 women in the early 21st century (Relationships, 2008). The times influenced peoples decisions and instead of doing what might have been best for all the parties involved, couples stayed together so that they would not be viewed as such a failure to their friends, family and children. Culture put the message out to society that a divorce is an end all be all decision that means that you have failed. Of course, logically that is not true. Occasionally things do not go according to plan and you have to change your idea of the future accordingly. The idea of being a failure comes from the society that surrounds the couple. As the times began to change, so did the overall idea of separation and divorce. The more married couples got divorced, the more casual the idea has become. When a couple divorces and they have children, the children see the process and although it might hurt them tremendously, it also makes them learn and see things. As they see the process, the idea becomes to seem â€Å"normal† to them. According to a recent journal article, â€Å"growing-up in a divorced family can instill offspring with less unfavorable attitudes towards divorce (Greenberg and Nay 1982, Amato 1988, Trent and South 1989, Axinn and Thornton 1996, Kapinus 2004 as cited by Hiller and Recoules 2011). Sometimes the children involved begin to think that this is a normal thing that happens and makes it easier to do themselves. This could explain the rising divorce rates today. On the other hand, often times when a child witnesses the struggles of divorce, they are sometimes more reluctant to get a divorce themselves (Hiller and Recoules, 2011). The inevitable hurt and suffering from witnessing countless hours of parental figures fighting, getting sometimes physical, and the mental and emotional strains that the fighting causes sends some children into a downwards spiral. Their whole attitude on love in general is questioned. And from first hand experience, the sanctity of marriage itself is questioned. An idea that some children used to find so uplifting and amazing, now seems bleak and not worth it. If the two people I love the most in the whole world cannot seem to get along, and cannot make it work, then what are the chances that my marriage will fail? What is the point in even trying? Is love just another silly Disney ideation that really cannot exist in our world today? â€Å"American society may have erased the stigma that once accompanied divorce, but it can no longer ignore divorce's massive effects† (Fagan and Rector, 2000). Married couples do not always understand that their fighting and arguments are a lot bigger than just the two of them. It reaches out and branches down to all the people they know. Subsequent relationships between children and their partners become affected. Sometimes girls go crazy and give up on the concept of love and become promiscuous at a young age. They eventually fall into a routine and thanks to the invention of birth control, have no qualms and avoid the pregnancy scare that might have once deterred them otherwise. Boys may become rude and hostile towards their partners and begin to treat their ladies badly in response to how they see their fathers treat their mothers. Coworkers, neighbors, children, friends, everyone is affected. Some articles claim that the divorce rates among young adults today are lower than that of the past. This might be true, but this does not take into account the idea of young relationships failing. Couples that never got married, but might have had children at a young age with no intention of getting married and consequently leading to a single parent and broken home anyways. There was no sacrament done, but the damage still is the same. Repeatedly it is seen that parents will reluctantly â€Å"stay together† for the kids. This is a great idea on paper. It would seem that if the parents were to stay together, that the children would not suffer from the emotional and psychological damage done to a child because of a divorce. What is often overlooked is the fact that if parents stay together, and clearly are not compatible and cannot communicate like adults and actually raise the children, then the child will most likely suffer just as much or even more so than the child with divorced parents. Often times negative traits are learned from the parents during times of arguments that will debilitate the growth of the child. Negative traits would include, harsh tempers, awful communication skill development, and negative views of either parent based on the idea that parents will most likely isolate the children and try to get each on â€Å"their side. The strain of choosing between the two parents puts many over the edge. Children will sometimes develop different drinking or substance abuse problems in order to deal with the problems that they are facing at home leading to failing or dropping out of school, unwanted pregnancies, and even dangerous automobile accidents. â€Å"†Don't stay together just f or the sake of the children. † â€Å"If divorce is better for you, it will be better for your kids. † (Spohn, n. d. ) As the times are continually changing, so do the basic ideas that fuel society as a whole. Divorce rates will rise and fall with the times depending on society and culture. It is a trend that cannot be predicted and cannot be ignored. The overall effect of divorce is an everlasting one and before any decision is made about either marriage or divorce, all the options and pros and cons should always be weighed. Reference: Hughes, R. (2008, August 20). What is the current divorce rate in the United States? Has the divorce rate changed much over the past 5 to 10 years?. MissouriFamilies. org Home. Retrieved July 20, 2011, from http://missourifamilies. org/quick/divorceqa/divorceqa3. tm Fagan, P. , ; Rector, R. (n. d. ). World and I Magazine – The Effects of Divorce in America. Online Magazine: The World ; I Online Magazine. Retrieved July 20, 2011, from http://www. worldandi. com/specialreport/divorce/divorce. html Sociology of Divorce (GCSE). (n. d. ). The Adrian Worsfold Website. Retrieved July 20, 2011, from http://www. change. freeuk. com/learning/socthink/divorcesi mpler. html Spohn, W. C. (n. d. ). The American Myth of Divorce. Santa Clara University – Welcome. Retrieved July 16, 2011, from http://www. scu. edu/ethics/publications/iie/v9n2/divorce. html

Mapp v. Ohio and Miranda v. Arizona: An analysis

The case of Mapp vs. Ohio [367 U.S. 643 (1961)] was brought to the Supreme Court on account of Mapp’sconviction due to a transgression of an Ohio statute. Mapp was said to have violated the statue for possessing and keeping in her house various materials which are obscene in nature. The obscene materials were found in her house after a search conducted by police officers in her house. Mapp appealed her conviction before the Supreme Court, arguing that the search conducted by the police should be struck down as invalid as the same was conducted without the benefit of a warrant. In Miranda vs. Arizona [384 U.S. 436 (1966)], Miranda was convicted of rape and kidnapping. His conviction was decided by the lower court on account of his confession before police officers. He confessed to having committed the offense when he was investigated upon after being arrested by the police. Miranda appealed his conviction before the Supreme Court, contending that the confession cannot be considered as proper basis for his conviction due to the fact that he was without the assistance of counsel during the interrogation in which the confession was made by him. Section 2 In Mapp vs. Ohio, the Supreme Court set aside the conviction, holding that the search could not validly produce the conviction for the same was conducted without a warrant being issued for the same. The Court, citing Weeks vs. United States [232 U.S. 383 (1914)], supported its decision by saying, â€Å"conviction by means of unlawful seizures and enforced confessions should find no sanction in the judgments of the courts†. In the opinion of the Court, to convict a person based on an invalid search is a denial of the Constitutional rights of the citizens, and hence cannot be permitted by the Courts. The conviction in Miranda vs. Arizona was likewise held invalid by the Supreme Court. In this case, the Court relied on the coercive nature of interrogations conducted by police for saying that one conducted without the presence of counsel to assist the accused is a denial of the constitutional rights of the latter. Hence, any confession made under any un-counseled interrogation cannot be sanctioned as valid evidence against the accused. The Court, in its decision, made clear that â€Å"the person in custody must, prior to interrogation, be clearly informed that he has the right to remain silent, and that anything he says will be used against him in court; he must be clearly informed that he has the right to consult with a lawyer and to have the lawyer with him during interrogation, and that, if he is indigent, a lawyer will be appointed to represent him†. Section 3 It is believed that the decisions rendered in both cases do not handcuff the police so as to restrict them from performing their duties. In fact, it is advanced that the decisions in Mapp and Arizona even seeks to limit, if not to eradicate, the abuse sometimes perpetrated by the police in the course of arrests or investigations. It cannot be said that the doctrines laid down by the courts handcuffs the police for law and jurisprudence provides for valid exceptions to the applications of the doctrines. At most, the decisions only seek to prevent the police from having unbridled discretion in gathering evidence against suspected violators and in obtaining confessions through violation and coercion. Section 4 After an analysis of the case, it becomes apparent that the abuses perpetrated by police officers in the conduct of their duties are the same reasons why the Court has rendered a decision which effectively limits the discretion of the police in conducting interrogations and gathering evidence against suspected violators of the law. In the same way, the cases also gave hope that after the rendition of the cases, the police would no longer be abusive for purposes of prosecuting an offender; that convictions will only be produced by evidence obtained through legally permissible means. Section 5 References Cited: Mapp v. Ohio. 367 U.S. 643 (1961) Miranda v. Arizona. 384 U.S. 436 (1966) Weeks v. United States. 232 U.S. 383 (1914)

Free Essays on English As The Official Language Of The US

There is a continuing debate among politicians and political groups about whether or not English should be made the official language of the United States. This change would mean that all government services and documents (ballots, driver’s license tests) would be available only in English. Supporters of this policy are anxiously waiting to see whether or not The English Language Unity Act of 2003 is officially implemented into the Federal government (4). I am opposed to this implementation and in the following paragraphs, I hope to convince you that making English the official language of the US is not only irrational, but also that if implemented, it could adversely affect the quality of our culture. According to an article by Deborah Schildraut (1), 26 US states have already declared English as their official language and that several surveys have shown that more than 80% of Americans support the notion. However, these Americans may not be considering the fact that social and cultural environments do tend to vary from state to state and the potential cultural repercussions. There are some states that couldn’t possibly have English as their official language because of their immigrant population. How fair would it be to only print election ballots in English in a state that hosts entire communities and even cities of non-English speakers? A news story published in The Associated Press (2) reveals how The English Language Unity Act would in fact violate Civil Rights Act of 1964. The article tells about a woman named Martha Sandoval who sued home state of Alabama for not allowing her to take her drivers license test in her first language of Spanish. She won on the grounds that The Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that no organization may â€Å"discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.† This story gives warning of many similar cases that would ensue if English were made the official language of the US. ... Free Essays on English As The Official Language Of The US Free Essays on English As The Official Language Of The US There is a continuing debate among politicians and political groups about whether or not English should be made the official language of the United States. This change would mean that all government services and documents (ballots, driver’s license tests) would be available only in English. Supporters of this policy are anxiously waiting to see whether or not The English Language Unity Act of 2003 is officially implemented into the Federal government (4). I am opposed to this implementation and in the following paragraphs, I hope to convince you that making English the official language of the US is not only irrational, but also that if implemented, it could adversely affect the quality of our culture. According to an article by Deborah Schildraut (1), 26 US states have already declared English as their official language and that several surveys have shown that more than 80% of Americans support the notion. However, these Americans may not be considering the fact that social and cultural environments do tend to vary from state to state and the potential cultural repercussions. There are some states that couldn’t possibly have English as their official language because of their immigrant population. How fair would it be to only print election ballots in English in a state that hosts entire communities and even cities of non-English speakers? A news story published in The Associated Press (2) reveals how The English Language Unity Act would in fact violate Civil Rights Act of 1964. The article tells about a woman named Martha Sandoval who sued home state of Alabama for not allowing her to take her drivers license test in her first language of Spanish. She won on the grounds that The Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that no organization may â€Å"discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.† This story gives warning of many similar cases that would ensue if English were made the official language of the US. ...

Indie Authors Guide to the Top 10 Self-Publishing Companies for 2019

Indie Authors Guide to the Top 10 Self-Publishing Companies for 2019 If youre a writer who wants to become a published author, chances are, youve done some research on the topic. Or, perhaps youre a seasoned pro at the writing and querying process. If thats the case, youve more than likely met that terrible foe all authors hate: rejection.Rejection is a part of life in general, and, unfortunately, a big part of the publishing world. Authors have described amassing hundreds of rejection letters from agents and publishers alike. Famously, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was rejected (a mere) twelve times before finding mind-blowing success with her series.J.K. Rowlings first Harry Potter novel was rejected twelve times before finding mind-blowing success with her series. Photo by Rae Tian on Unsplash.Writers once sought traditional publishing for the hopes of big advances, wide distribution, and generous marketing dollars. And while a number of writers have had tremendous success in this arena, many going on to become household names and best-sellers t ens of times over, many other writers find themselves facing rejection over and over, until giving up on the book theyre querying becomes the next step.However, what many writers dont realize is that rejection oftentimes has little to do with the quality of the authors work. Rejection can happen simply because the project is no longer a hot trend, or its not yet a trend. Additionally, agents may reject a project they might have otherwise accepted simply because theyve already signed a similar book. After so many rejection letters and emails, its often advised the writer move onto a different project.But Instead of tucking away those hard-wrought stories, these days, authors are finding ways to bring them to light by self-publishing. Self-publishing is a fantastic avenue for writers who are natural entrepreneurs and/or want to retain sole control over their projects. At traditional houses, authors may be asked to make significant changes to their work. They receive little say in the cover, and can often be asked to change the title to suit marketing trends. On top of that, only a select few authors receive generous marketing budgets. Most traditionally published authors are still expected to the heavy lifting where marketing is concerned, exactly as self-published, or indie, authors do.Writers may have many different reasons for wanting to self-publish, but it all comes down to this: self-publishing is for everyone! And those authors who are particularly savvy can find great success with self-publishing and turn them into extremely lucrative careers.Whether you want to be in control of your book from inception to publication, or you simply want to gift the world with a story the traditional publishing world rejected, consider self-publishing as a viable path for your dreams.Here, weve detailed ten of the best self-publishing companies for you to research and choose from as you take the next step in your writing career.Happy writing!AmazonLets start with the kin g of self-publishing companies. Amazons platform, Kindle Direct Publishing, or KDP, is the worlds largest seller of eBooks. In 2015, around 74% of of all eBooks purchased in the U.S. were from Amazon, with an estimated 3.4 million books available. Its only increased since then. Authors can create digital books (eBooks) as well as paperbacks, and its free to upload. The royalty percentages depend on the books pricing, but if an eBook is priced at $2.99 or above, the author receives a 70% royalty (it goes down to 35% if the book is priced under $2.99). The royalty split is different for paperbacks. There are also a number of user-friendly how-to guides on the KDP site itself. Once learned, the process is quick and easy.Barnes Noble PressLongtime brick-and-mortar bookstore chain Barnes and Noble jumped on the digital bandwagon, and created its own indie publishing platform, Barnes Noble Press (formerly known as NOOK Press). Like Amazon, it is free to upload, and offers many of the sa me features. The royalty split is, also like Amazon, based on book pricing. For an eBook with a price of $2.99 and up, the royalty is 65%. For eBooks below $2.99, the royalty is 40%.IngramSparkWhile KDP is the titan of eBook/digital book publishing, IngramSpark, owned by Ingram Book Group, is the largest book distributor and wholesaler in the United States. It distributes digital books and hardcopy books to Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes Nobel, Follett, and Booktopia, to name just a few. However, while publishers like KDP and BN Press are free to upload, there is a cost associated with IngramSpark- $49 to set up, $25 to make changes to an already published book, and then authors have to purchase an ISBN if they wish to make print copies. The upside? IngramSpark distributes to libraries, and you have the option to make a supercool hardcover book, something KDP does not offer at this time.Apple BooksIt seems like Apple is everywhere, and most people own at least one Apple product, from iPhones to iTunes. It makes sense it founded a self-publishing platform called iBooks back in 2010. While it has remained eclipsed by Amazon giant KDP, Apple books still get hundreds of millions of downloads per year.Kobo BooksKobo, a Canadian company owned by Rakuten, sells digital books, audiobooks, and e-readers. Its self-publishing platform, Kobo Writing Life, launched in July of 2012. Due to its Canadian headquarters and affiliation with the Japan-based Rakuten, Kobo has a major international audience. Similar to the above/under $2.99 eBook price point of other self-publishing companies, Kobo offers royalties of 70% and 45%, which are better than KDP and BN Press.Draft2DigitalFor authors who are only focused in self-publishing digital books, Draft2Digital is a powerhouse. This platform is considered an aggregator, meaning it pushes your book to multiple retailers, rather than you having to upload it to multiple places and keep track of multiple reports. All your information is one place. Additionally, the royalty is a whopping 90% of your books retail price, so no worries about managing your royalty percentage if you decide to put your book on sale, or take it off sale. D2D retains just 10% of each copy sold.SmashwordsSmashwords is another aggregator, like Draft2Digital. The major thing to note about Smashwords is that it does not distribute to Amazon. So if you decide to use Smashwords but also want your book sold on Amazon, you will have to also upload it to KDP. That said, Smashwords does have an even large distribution pool than Draft2Digital. Smashwords retains 15% of the retail price of your book on its own platform, and then takes 10% on other platforms, per copy sold. Stuck between Smashwords and Draft2Digital? Check out this article that discusses the differences between the two aggregators to better help your decision.StreetLibBased in Italy, StreetLib is the only aggregator with a multi-language dashboard, including English, Italian, Hindi, and Spanish- to name a few! It distributes to all major Western stores, and has a strong presence in European stores, which include Amazon, Google Play, iBooks, Barnes Noble, Kobo, Scribd, Baker Taylor, Indigo, and many, many more. The pricing structure is such that StreetLib retains 10% of your books retail price per copy sold. Interested in publishing a print edition of your book? Theres an up-front cost of $49 and you get a free ISBN.BookBabySimilar to IngramSpark, BookBaby is a print-on-demand self-publishing company thats excellent for first-time self-publishers, because its a full-service, one-stop shop that offers editing services, cover design, book formatting for digital and print books, and marketing plans to help indie authors be as successful as possible. Prices vary depending on the services the author is looking for, but their most popular package, The Complete Self-Publishing Package, costs $1,699, which includes cover design and formatting, eBook conversion, 25 print books, international distribution, a Facebook ad campaign, and several other things (note: it does not include editing services).PublishDriveA relatively new aggregator, PublishDrive is on the rise, distributing to over 400 stores and 240,000 digital libraries, offering four tiered subscription pricing options to fit authors and publishers at every level. Their plans range from free (with limited distribution) to $99.99 a month (for the priced options available). They also offer a full distribution package but authors must submit a more detailed inquiry for pricing.Screenshot of PublishDrive, one of the newer self-publishing websites now available for indie authors.If youre a newer author, or new to the indie world, self-publishing can seem like an insurmountable beast. But there are so many resources available to help you through the process of uploading your book, and many self-publishing companies who serve as one-stop shops, like BookBaby, where you can get editing, formatting, and cover design services all in one place. Theres a lot to learn about indie publishing, but getting your story out there is the most important first step! And remember, even though traditional publishers might have passed on your work, that in no way determines its quality. The world needs your story. So use our guide today to get started!