The Commodification of Disease Essay - 548 Words

The commodification of disease is a rapidly growing trend internationally. Most notably, this is prominent in every type of cancer to various degrees. Consumers buy into marketing tactics and get a sense of gratification when they purchase items branded with a cancer ribbon or other known symbol. Through the perspective and lens of the Uses and Gratifications theory, you can see the different reasons as to what drives consumers to purchase these products and engage in a type of cancer culture within our society. Uses and Gratifications theory has been used to discover why consumers use different forms of media in order to feel a sense of fulfillment within themselves. Through an array of media, this theory has been proven to be effective†¦show more content†¦An example of this would be in Japan, where it has been suggested that the media is used to sustain a certain view of their society and behaviors (Rubin 1993). Other notes: Another approach to a study on uses and gratifications could be working backwards from pleasures and gratifications to needs (Katz, Blumler and Gurevitch 1973). Whichever way you proceed with a study, you need to systemize categories of the needs and wants of people to gauge the gratification from a particular type of media (Katz, Blumler and Gurevitch 1973). How it has been used in a past study: To further show the parallel of how Uses and Gratifications theory can be applied to participating in cancer culture, the first step is to see how it has worked within another study. Darrin Brown, Sharon Lauricella, Aziz Douai and Arshia Zaidi conducted a study on why media consumers are drawn to crime drama television shows, through a Uses and Gratifications approach. They’re method of research was a survey that yielded 130 responses, and out of those 88 were applicable to their research; they also included 4 open ended questions within their survey. Through variables of sex, age and other qualities, they were able to see exactly who reached more gratification watching these television shows. Men had more gratification than women, the older you were the more you enjoyed them, and the more hours you viewed these dramas, the less enjoyable they were (Brown, Lauricella, Douai, ZaidiShow MoreRelatedSelecting the Gender of a Baby: The issue on whether parents should be allowed to choose the sex1500 Words   |  6 Pagesadvantages that support the use of the procedure to allow parents to choose the sex of their offspring is the fact that it promotes early detection of diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and cancer through scientific means. Parents should be allowed to choose their offspring’s sex because it gives them an opportunity to screen their embryos for any diseases that can later affect the growth and development of their fetuses. Secondly, gender selection through Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis should beRead MoreEssay about Cronon Review1262 Words   |  6 Pagesecosystems and the degree to which these changes result from the relationship between Indians and colonists and changes in the dominant modes of production. He argues that the transition to European agriculture, and the unsustainable extraction and commodification that accompanied capitalism led to changes in the reciprocal relationships between humans and the environment. Cronon begins by explaining two important concepts that lay the groundwork for his book. He details historical theories about theRead MoreAmerica s Health Care System Essay1615 Words   |  7 Pagesethnicity to income. There is a powerful connection between health and income. Low-income families are not typically capable of affording health care. Not having proper health care is accompanied with harmful health issues. As stated, â€Å"Poverty, disease, and illness often go together† (Macionis, p.41) Social Capital, Income Inequality, and Mortality has helped support that statement. Statistics proved that in 1990, mortality rates for poverty were at 57%. The underclass does not have the resourcesRead MoreThe Ethics Of Human Cloning918 Words   |  4 Pageswould give people another way to have children of their own, helpful to infertile people and people with hereditary genetic diseases. (148). Leon Kass explains that people might also seek human cloning to substitute for a dear relative (149). Harris contends that increased diversity from human cloning can reduce and possibly eliminate the risk of inheriting genetic diseases (148). Kass adds that human cloning increases possibility for carry ing out genetic selection and producing humans with healthierRead MoreChanges in the Land Essay1519 Words   |  7 Pagescommunities only produced a small margin of surplus beyond their own needs. 2. How did their â€Å"occupation† influence the natural development of the landscape? With the absence of the great Indian population following the spread of English old world diseases through the fur trade, the landscape changed drastically. Ironically, the English jumped on the opportunity to claim new land following each epidemic. Freed from the annual burnings, and soon to be subject an entirely different agricultural regimeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Article Land s End : Capitalist Relations On An Indigenous Frontier ``1558 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween capitalism and the economic development of the Sulawesi. She then went on to define some vocabulary, such as â€Å"capitalism†; commodification†, â€Å"food sovereignty†, and the phrase â€Å"capitalism from above and below†. First, she defined capitalism as the shift from transactions performed freely to transactions performed under the law. Second, she defined commodification as inputs that were characterized by markets, such as goods, land, and labour that could be bought and sold. Third, she definedRead MoreEconomic Development And Development Of Welfare1640 Words   |  7 Pagesof traditional social protections, commodification of labor, and the emergence of a new social category of the laboring poor dependent on the insecure labor market. In addition to establishing the above-described functional demand for welfare state intervention, industrialization also created economic resources that could be used by public authorities to address the social needs. The initial need and availability of resources eventually led to de-commodification of labor and led to the creation ofRead MoreThe Slave Trade of Europe and The Americas That Lasted 350 Years1050 Words   |  4 Pagescaptives. When enslaved Africans were purchased by European merchants at the cost, they were branded with hot iron before going on The Middle Passage. Because the slaves were often clustered together, â€Å"branding allowed for easy sorting as well as commodification.† While at sea the conditions of the ships where not suitable for human habitation. The African captives were treated like cattle, and packed on the ship like sardines. The two forms of packing that was done were loose packing, and tight packingRead MoreA Marxist Lens On Society And Ideology989 Words   |  4 Pageshad a tremendous impact on society and ideology. His theories, collectively understood as Marxism, surmise that the essential qualities governing all societies are economics and class struggle. Marx was particularly concerned with capitalism, commodification, inequality, and exploitation. Within the context of this class, a Marxist lens is essential because it provides context for the social justice issues examined. Through Marx we can, for instance, see that the hardships Shakespeare ChristmasRead MoreBuddhism And Its Impact On Society Essay1263 Words   |  6 Pagesthe cycle of rebirth. Many Buddhists claim that the ultimate reason for the body’s health and disease is karma. In the Buddhist belief, karma determines the appearance and health of the body, and can guarantee well being in future life’s by practicing Buddhist acts. Just like karma can bring health and well being, it could also bring disease. Buddhists also claim that denigrating the Dharma leads to disease. In the Lotus Sutra, it warns that disrespecting the faithful who worship the text will lead

Conflict and Omagh Essay - 1053 Words

CONFLICT AND OMAGH ESSAY Conflict is an inevitable occurrence that occurs throughout all woks of life and its effect expand far beyond the individual person and pose a significant impact on the wider community. Conflicts can be as small as a disagreement with friends or family or as big as a bombing or war. Conflict can be expressed as a fight or struggle due to a clash between people with opposing beliefs or interests. Conflict occurs in social settings and has a great impact on a persons daily life and the lives of those in the society. Conflict is part of life of humans. It can be in various types such as racial conflicts such as in the Middle Eat, religious conflict, Bali Bombing and September 11, cultural or inner conflict. As†¦show more content†¦He was a man great courage and tolerance. He taught his followers to ‘adopt a peaceful course of action to avoid all violence’. Similar to Gandhi, he also rejected violence. In the 1950’s, Mandela was arrested and imprisoned for twenty-seven years. After that twenty-seven years of imprisonment, he would have seeked revenge but he didn’t, because he believed in avoiding conflict. Instead, he kept teaching peace and equality. Mandela led a life that symbolizes the triumph of human spirit. Latter in 1994, he led South Africa as President. It is people like Nelson Mandela that try and circumvent conflict even when a human is concerned. Martin Luther King was and African American that tried to end racial discrimination, which is a hug issue n our society today. He fought and stood up equality amongst all people. He was inspired of Gandhi’s success with non-violent activism. He stood up for what was right. He didn’t respond with violence but just spoke out publically. Conflict is everywhere, it is how it is dealt with that matters. The three great men dealt with conflict by teaching good values and principles, and proves that violence is not the only way to resolve conflict. Te Gallagher family encountered conflicts. When Michael was caught up with all the meetings , he was neglecting the family and there was no one to look after the family at home most of the times. In theShow MoreRelatedWhy Does Conflict Arise in Organizations3618 Words   |  15 PagesWhy does conflict arise in organizations, and how it can be managed ABSTRACT This essay seeks to illustrate how organizational conflict cannot be avoided. It will demonstrate the various ways in which conflict may arise within organizations and classify them into a range of groups. There will be a thorough analysis to show if conflict is positive or negative towards the growth of an organization. Findings of the previous will then lead to different mechanisms that can be used when managing conflict

Consumer Trust in E-commerce

Question: Analyse methods of determining the size and structure of markets and of segmenting particular markets. Evaluate strategies of promoting sales at different sales at different product types and services and identify the interrelationship to broaden company strategies. Evaluate the extent to which the Internet aids modern working practices. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the scope of e-commerce and its benefits in business and its practical and commercial limitations.? Answer: Introduction Today the concept of business is not limited to the traditional norms and ways. With the advancement in technologies and the era of internet dominance, it is found that the internet retailing is gaining increasing trust. E-commerce is penetrating into the market and the organisations rapidly. It has quite an impact on the lives of the people and boundaries between nations, and the information systems are fading with the same pace. A wide opportunity is present to the consumers as well as the marketers. The consumers can find and buy items from overseas with just a click and companies can broaden their market scope. Also, it is found that due to the efficiency of the service, the consumers are finding it increasingly trustworthy and satisfactory to resort to e-commerce sites than by going to traditional shops. Thus, the following paragraphs will discuss the consumer segments and the strategies to utilize this trust in marketing of important brands (Reedy and Schullo, 2004). Situational Analysis The situational analysis is done to understand the external and internal environmental force of the e-commerce market. The external force is further divided into micro and macro environmental forces and is described through PESTLE and Porter's 5 forces respectively. This analysis provides the competitive advantage (Lee and Huh, 2010). PESTLE Analysis Political- The political force is only fostering the growth of e-commerce sites as it is cheaper and faster, and the government has little access over what is being done in the internet websites. Economic- The cheap access to the internet, the recent recession and the trend in globalisation has roused the interest in the e-commerce site. But the downsizing of many companies and rising oil price has lead to huge shipping cost, this in turn lead to lower consumer spending (Abdallah and Maghrabi, 2009). Social- The fast speed internet and the access of internet-enabled gadgets to a greater section of the population have increased the popularity. Also, e-commerce is found to be cost effective as it does not require travelling and hence is considered a huge benefit. Technological- The largely available internet enabled phones, laptops and tabs along with the apps and latest software have made e-shopping as easy as clicking. Legal- Apart from some Cybercrime regulations and the industry standards the legal forces are minimal in causing any effect. Environmental- The sustainable opportunity due to the absence of construction wastage and large billing paper and energy consumption, the concept of e-commerce is totally eco-friendly. The micro environmental forces are defining the competitive advantage. Porter's 5 Forces Bargaining power of suppliers- The e-retailers depends upon many suppliers and distributors for the delivery of raw materials and finished products. Thus the companies have quite an influence on deciding the costs and improving features, but maintaining such a supply base is hard, and thus the suppliers possess much power to change their rates. Bargaining power of customers- Since these companies have a huge international customer base, all these people are buying individually. Thus they are unable to form association or groups, and hence they wield very less power over the companies. The threat of new entrants- There are a lot of new firms entering into the e-commerce business every day. It requires less time and finance in setting up and hence is a very interesting ground. But, the already established companies do not find any stiff competition from the new markets. Having a trademark is essential to protect one's business, and innovation is the strategy to be applied. The threat of substitutes- The physical shops, stores and the TV shops are the substitutes that are present but they are tedious processes, and it is hard to compare the prices and hence does not provide much competition. The threat of rivals- The competition is neck to neck among the largest selling e-retailers with each company vying to be the ultimate consumer choice. It is the strategy to provide the best rates and convenience and unique set of products to fight the completion. Competitor Analysis The type of retailers is the brick and mortar traditional retailers, the online rivals and the indirect companies. The low entry prices and the low costs, thousands of small and medium sized enterprises are gaining access to the e-retailing business. Even large establishes physical stores have opened their internet portals to distribute and conduct transactions. Companies like Amazon and e-bay are at loggerheads with even Wal-mart gaining access. Hence, there is a need to create consumer trust on the brand to drive the consumers away from another brand (JaÃÅ'ˆrvelaÃÅ'ˆinen, 2013). This trust could be the outcome of customer satisfaction established due to excellent service or delivery or due to the lower and comparative process offered than the market. Finally consumer satisfaction and trust could be the result of the range of items and varieties available. Hence, a competitive advantage of the e-commerce sites than the physical stores are its huge product range displayed t ogether or the ease of convenience and the attractive prices and offers. Also, attention should be paid while choosing suppliers and distributors to form long-term strategic partnerships. Further assessment of the competitors and the strengths and weaknesses will provide some added edge (Abyad, 2011). Market Segmentation The target market is to be designed after deciding the positioning strategy. The price of the product, the competitive advantage will decide which target market is to be selected. The target market is to be selected through some steps (Alessandra, 2006). Demographic- the age and Social Economic Class of the people who are to be targeted through the marketing strategies. Psychographic- the mindset and the product choices of the people will decide whether they are to be targeted. Behavioural- the consumer behaviour and brand trust developed will decide who are to be marketed through the activities (Tan and Wei, 2006). Hence, the target market comprises of the people who have belief in the company. This belief could be fostered through the company reputation and size. Once a trust is build, the marketing activities done through a range of media vehicles will influence the consumers in making the purchase decision (Jones and Leonard, 2008). Marketing Strategy through Social Media Strategies are thus formulated which determines the ways e-commerce retails could be marketed among the specific target segment and position it in the market to gain competitive advantage. Firstly, the retailers of groceries and miscellaneous articles could promote themselves through advertisements on the broadcast and print media. Using the social media is also effective. But the people who will buy this product cover all the available segments and hence are widely distributed and thus creating a single page is not enough. Linking the sites with different social Medias and other websites is also essential to tap the market (Collier, 2013). The segmented retailers like apparel retailers or book stores and furniture's can target their audience through clear methods. Many social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest provide opportunities to conduct surveys and understand the consumer behaviour and choice. The number of clicks and visits in the page or the number of shares and reviews will deliver the popularity of the e-commerce companies. The social media provides exclusive platforms to introduce new companies and market their products. Paid advertisements of online stores are a common practice. Marketers even make use of games and quizzes to introduce offers and discounts and conduct sales promotion through the social media platforms. Strategies to Build Consumer Trust As it is seen from the above studies that consumer trust is the factor that is increasingly used by web retailers as a competitive advantage against traditional retailers (Webshaper.com.my, 2015). Thus the strategies derived by web retailers to build consumer trust are: 1. The first strategy is to create a good looking website, with smooth navigation system. It will attract customer and will perceived as costly and valuable (Cabezudo, Arranz and Cillan, 2008). 2. Using of a reputed payment gateway service, that is easily recognized by customers and is convenient will be effective in amplifying the image. E.g. PayPal, Visa. 3. The websites must get a third party security certificate or a trust mark that will convince the customers that the portal is safe and secure. The logo of the certificate like McAfee and VeriSign will serve the purpose (Nahari and Krutz, 2011). 4. Transparency should be maintained at all level. The contact information should be clearly provided with images and site maps. This way the authenticity of the company will be established. 5. There should be clear return and cancellation policy, and the price must be shown clearly. 6. All the queries and replies to the email are to be given personally. Having a content blog would be effective. 7. The companies should add customer reviews and testimonials and integrate with social media so that a link is provided with the number of person visiting the profile. 8. An authentic domain name should be bought and keywords are to be placed so that they are search engine friendly. 9. Finally the government internet regulations and policy should be followed strictly to provide the customers with the best service. Conclusion The internet is the most user friendly system today. Retailers and entrepreneurs are using this to their advantage to build consumer trust to gain competitive advantage. The competition is huge yet it is easy to tap the market and sale their products. The wide number of features and options make the process easy. Even the environmental forces are effective in providing the best kind of opportunities to the e-marketers. Social media platforms, apps and the search engines provide a wide berth for marketing. Hence, despite of the potent risks and threats, it is a beneficial sector to invest in. References Abdallah, W. and Maghrabi, A. (2009). Do multinational companies have effective transfer pricing systems of intangible assets and eà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ commerce?.Int Journal of Commerce Mgt, 19(2), pp.115-126. Abyad, A. (2011). Consumer Trust in E-commerce.MEJB, 6(3). Alessandra, A. (2006).Reach out to your customers. [S.l.: Electronic Database Pub.]. Cabezudo, R., Arranz, A. and Cillan, J. (2008). Designing Effective Websites: The Moderating Role of User Internet Experience.Journal of Internet Commerce, 6(1), pp.35-60. Collier, M. (2013).Social media commerce for dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. JaÃÅ'ˆrvelaÃÅ'ˆinen, J. (2013).Co-created effective, agile, and trusted eServices. Berlin: Springer. Jones, K. and Leonard, L. (2008). Trust in consumer-to-consumer electronic commerce.Information Management, 45(2), pp.88-95. Lee, C. and Huh, J. (2010). Website trust evaluation as cognitive information processing and the moderating role of situational involvement and e-commerce knowledge.International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 6(2), p.168. Nahari, H. and Krutz, R. (2011).Web commerce security. Indianapolis: Wiley Pub. Reedy, J. and Schullo, S. (2004).Electronic marketing. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-Western. Tan, G. and Wei, K. (2006). An empirical study of Web browsing behaviour: Towards an effective Website design.Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 5(4), pp.261-271. Webshaper.com.my, (2015).Top 10 ways to Build Trust for your Online Store - E-commerce Learning Centre. [online] Available at: https://www.webshaper.com.my/learn/top-10-ways-build-trust-online.php [Accessed 7 Aug. 2015].

Livin On Country Essays - Alan Jackson, Country Music

Livin on Country The Alan Jackson Story Livin on Country is the complete story of Alan Jacksons journey from small-town Georgia to big time success. Alan represents the simple truths and homespun values that are the heart of country music. With songs that are personal yet universal, his music speaks to fans around the world. Alan has sold millions of albums, records and more than a dozen #1 hits, won numerous Academy of Country Music Awards, and been named Entertainer of the Year by the Country Music Association. Theres no denying that Alan Jackson is one of country musics greatest heroes. Country-Western music is the back bone of American life, how you can go from some one who has very little, to on top of the world. Alan Eugene Jackson was born October 17, 1958 in Newnan, Georgia. came from a family seven, his father Eugene, mother Ruth and four sisters: Diana, twins Cathy and Carol, and Connie. Meet his wife one Sunday afternoon after church at the local Dairy Queen in 1976, this was the teen hangout. Alan and Denise married on December 15, 1979. They moved to Nashville in August 1985, now they live in Brentwood, Tennessee. They have three daughters, their first daughter Mattie Denise on June 19, 1990, Alexandria Ali Jane was born on August 23, 1993, and Dani Grace was born on August 28, 1997. The author gives a lot of facts about Alans accomplishments in life and country music, but I dont believe he knew Alan personally. A lot of the facts are quotes from some of the interviews that Alan has given over the years. With enough researcher you wouldnt have to know your subject very well. The book just didnt make me feel like he knew Alan. Alan, I believe is one of the most inspirational singer/ song writers that country music has today. He does write almost all of his own material, not many can do this. Hes songs reflect on his own past and with the way that he see American life today. Some of the people that inspire him the most in country music are, the late great Hank Williams, and George Jones these two people are legends in country music. Real country is what they are about, how they see things in the real world. Life is no bed of roses, its how you live your life that makes you what you are today. With Alan Jackson singing and writing about the real world, the ups and downs in his experiences and things that he has seen makes me think back to the past. It feels good to sometimes sit back and reminisce. He is truly an inspiration to the way I see the American way.