Social Media in Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Media in Communication - Essay Example The process of literature review can be said to be an amalgamation of the summaries of the papers or an annotated bibliography of multiple research or the manuscripts of the different eminent scholars and authors. But a meaningful literature review can be defined as the use of ideas in the literature for justifying a particular approach related to the topic. 1.1 Focus on the three audience model The following section presents a literature review on significance of social media with respect to the three audience research technique. The study will be covering the structural, behavioral as well as the cultural aspects of the literature review of the topic in question. The structural dimension will be dealing with the description of composition which is related to the society, its time use as well as the survey and analysis method incorporated within it. The behavioral dimension will direct towards explaining and predicting the choices, reactions as well as effects and the process of sur vey, experiment as well as mental measurement. The cultural dimension will associate the understanding of the meaning of the content received as its use in context, its perception of meaning as well as ethnographic and qualitative analysis. The literature review in this paper centers on the discussion of the significance of social media in the area of communication in the topical times. 1.2 Social media in communication The technological advances of the modern world are standing in the way of transforming as well as disseminating the information to the affected communities in time of a crisis situation. The network communication of the modern world like that of mobile technologies, computers as well as Internet access and digital video equipment are transforming the framework of network communication so that we can connect with each other. Veil et al. (2011) refer that in 2010, Smith in a Pew Internet Study encountered that around one third of the online adults are in the spree of u tilizing social network platforms like that of blogs, social networking sites, online video , text messaging as well as portable digital devices (Veil et al., 2011, p. 110).These media provide a cost effective forum for expressing the formation of ideas as well as stand in the way of offering more opportunities as well as new channels for global outreach in the crisis communication (Veil et al., 2011, p. 110). Veil et al. (2011) also highlight the fact that from the studies of Palen, Vieweg, Sutton, Liu, & Hughes, it is revealed that the onsite as well as online crisis response in the present world are a system of simultaneous inter-linkage and intersection with each other (Veil et al., 2011, p. 110). Social media is at the core of human communication Veil et al. cite Mayfield to portray the fact that the crux of social media is generated from the human communication at its core with the attributes of participation, openness, conversation as well as that community and connectedness. The enhanced technology induces private individuals for becoming source of online information with the sharing opinions, insights, perspectives and experiences with the others (Veil et al., 2011, p. 110). Social networking and organizations Ferreira and du Plessis (2009) referred the studies of Arvanitis and Loukis who have studied the impact of social networking within the productivity of the workers. They executed a comparative study which was based on firm level data for Greece as well as Switzerland (Ferreira & du Plessis, 2009, p. 4). The study revealed that the utilization of ICT in the Greek firms has implemented positive productivity effects and the studies also proved that full productivity was not attained as the capital was not efficiently combined with that of technology (Ferreira & du Plessis, 2009, p. 4). Lin et al. (2012) have observed that the work values are generally stable, intrinsic as well as psychological in nature. The work values

History of the EU Single Market

History of the EU Single Market In this paper I intend to look at the two communications presented by the European Commission, to the European Parliament, the European Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. These two communications, Single Market Act I Single Market Act II, both talk about proposals that if implemented, should make the Single Market of the European Union much better by eliminating any obstacles which were found in the systems at the time of writing. To understand better the Single Market, one should look at the history of this on-going process and then, take a look at what the Commission proposed through these two communications. This should lead to a better understanding of how these proposed set of actions would strengthen the EUs internal market. History of the EU Single Market Moving freely within the European Union (EU) today seems to be a very common activity and very often it is taken for granted. Looking back in time and seeking the beginning of this concept, one can better understand why this was necessary and important for the EU, what were the steps needed and what it took to achieve this goal. It is important to mark the landmark political decisions and historical facts that brought us to live this dream, which is also considered as one of the EUs greatest achievements. The need of a common market has been long discussed from 1957, since the Treaty of Rome which created the European Community. The main objective of this proposal was to give Europe a new push, to take integration to an upper level and to have free movement of goods, services, capital and persons, therefore a common market. Of course, this was a vital step since one cannot build a common Europe without having a common market. These four fundamental freedoms were the basis of the real European Economic Community (EEC). This common market became a reality with the removal of barriers and internal borders within the European Union. Although on 1st July 1968 the customs duties on goods going around in the EU member states were completely removed, there remained non-tariff barriers like differences in the requirements of safety and packaging of different member states or between national administrative procedures. Consequently, these barriers did not allow the manufacturers to market the same goods in different European countries.  [1]  After this step, it took until 1985 for the leaders to decide to come back to the realisation of this single market. The single market was a response for a long-standing crisis in the EEC especially created in the 1970s; the things that mostly effected the economy were the oil crisis of 1973 1979 (which caused a lot of inflation with rising prices and which therefore created unemployment), the rapid advancements in technology, t he changes occurring in the economy world and also the emergence of new strong competitors such as Japan and newly industrialising countries from South East Asia.  [2]  The European Commission led by Jacques Delors, in 1985 presented a common response to that of the leaders themselves. The Community decided to complete the construction of the great internal market in stages which was to be finalised at the start of 1993, and therefore, the ambitious date and goal were written into the Single European Act signed in February 1986. This led to the gradual removal of internal barriers and borders within the European Community, national standards were getting harmonised, and rules determining the way governments should buy services and goods were created. There was also the liberalisation of financial institutions, the Value Added Tax (VAT) rates were being set to a standard level and there was also the setting of European business laws. All these measures were taken to create the si ngle market.  [3]  Until 1992, the national regulations of the 12 member states were replaced by one rule which was common to all of them and regulated all the countries in the same manner after the EU adopted nearly 280 pieces of legislation. The monetary union was also planned and the Maastricht Treaty was the first step of the creation of the Euro, which came into use on 1st January 2002. After all these steps and hard work towards this dream, on 1 January 1993 the physical borders between EU countries vanished completely and the European Single Market was officially a reality for the member states of the EU.  [4]   12 levers of the EU Single Market After all the work done to create the Single Market of the EU, there were still some things which were not functioning as they were meant to be and according to their original purpose of creation. Although one of the main benefits of the Single Market was that of bringing economic growth in the member states of the EU as was predicted and argued in the Cecchini Report  [5]  , it has been proven by many studies and statistics that this mission was not fully accomplished and the targets were not fully reached. The faults present in this system were addressed both by the Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and the Maltese MEP Louis Grech in their reports A New Strategy for the Single Market Delivering a single market to consumers and citizens, respectively. Taken from the original Cecchini Report Therefore, the only thing that could help to get the expected results was to refine the policies and develop a proactive and cross-cutting strategy  [6]  to give the single market the opportunity to develop its full potential  [7]  . This was done through the Single Market Act I which was presented on 13th April 2011. In this communication, the Commission expressed its proposals which should help to eliminate any obstacles which are not allowing full movement of services, innovation and creativity across the member states. The Single Market Act and the actions which were proposed in this communication are aimed at giving all the citizens and businesses of the EU the ability to have full access and full beneficial that can come out of this Internal Market and strengthen their confidence in this system. All in all, the end result should be a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth  [8]  and also the creation of more jobs for the citizens. This was all presented in the so ca lled Twelve levers which the Commission has come up with. Each one of them is aimed at strengthening the Single Market in different ways. Here are some of the most important levers. Levers related to free movement of capital The first lever talks about the Access to finance for SMEs since the world has gone through financial crises, businesses in the EU have become more restricted and limited and cannot get the loans they need from the banks to advance in their industry by manufacturing innovative products and market them. Through a change in legislation, this lever proposes to make funds more accessible to SMEs so they can invest more and provide a better, smarter, innovative and more advanced technology. This should also be an incentive for SMEs to operate across borders and raise capital abroad.  [9]   Levers Related to free movement of persons The second lever which is about Mobility for citizens, talks about creating a European professional card that will make mobility for workers across the EU easier while building a better level of trust and cooperation between different countries of the EU. Another proposal was the creation of the European skills passport which is a record of the skills possessed by a person who can travel across the EU and find different jobs. This way, the citizens can always have a proof of their skills.  [10]   Another lever aimed at facilitating the free movement of persons is the seventh lever proposed which talks about The digital single market. This lever proposes that there should be a mutual electronic identification and authentication throughout the EU. This will be beneficial not only for people moving from one country to another, but also to businesses and public authorities, therefore it can also help in increasing the effectiveness of public services and procurement, service provision and electronic commerce (including the cross-border dimension). Levers Related to free movement of goods services The fifth lever talking about Services highlights the importance of standardisation as a tool used in the free movement of goods. This tools importance is growing bigger also in the services sector. This will help in improving cross-border services mainly between businesses and combat unfairness, by developing a more effective, efficient and inclusive system.  [11]  This system will work to see that standards are adopted quickly and adapted to new technologies. This will enable SMEs other similar groups to become more involved while standards remain available to everyone.  [12]   Levers Related to Law Enforcement Strengthening the EU Single Market Concluding Remarks

Traditional Western and Disney Ideals as Seen in Mulan Essay example --

Traditional Western and Disney Ideals as Seen in Mulan Fairy tales have been a long tradition in almost all cultures, starting as oral traditions to and gradually evolving into written texts intended for future generations to enjoy. Today, a common medium for relaying these ancient stories is through animation. The Walt Disney Company is probably the most well known for its animated portrayals of many classic fairy tales. These fairy tales are considered, by fairy tale researcher Justyna Deszcz to be â€Å"cultural institutions, which exist within an institutional framework of production, distribution, and reception, as well as fulfilling specific social functions, such as the preservation of the cultural heritage of a given country.† The majority of these Disney fairy tales are derivatives of European stories. However, in 1998 Disney opened its first animated feature with an Asian theme in both the United States and Asia. Disney’s Mulan seems to stray from the traditional structure of a Disney fairytale, those which have a â€Å"relatively uncomplicated sequence of adventures, revolving around impeccably positive characters, who, depending on their gender, either conquer evil or passively wait to be rescued† (Deszcz). Disney’s Mulan was aimed to please both the Asian and modern American markets. However, the Walt Disney Company fails to completely step away from its established model in terms of portrayals of minorities, Western depictions of men being dominant in the fairy-tale world, and a woman’s ultimate role and happiness being conditional on men. Mulan continues to promote Disney’s idea of Western cultures as being ideal and its sexist views regarding women.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story of the great Chinese female warrior, Hua Mulan, first appeared as a ballad titled â€Å"Ode to Mulan† in approximately 500 A. D. In the ballad, there is a young woman by the name of Mulan who is feeling dejected because she has just gone into town where she saw lists of men’s names who are being called to serve in the Chinese army. One man on the list is Mulan’s crippled father. Because she has no older brother who can take his place, Mulan, with the consent of her parents, then decides to go to the marketplace and buy a horse and saddle so that she may go to war. Mulan leaves and fights in the war against the Huns for twelve years. When she returns, her troop is honore... ...rsity of Southern California Lib., Los Angeles, CA. 22 April 2004 . Gleiberman, Owen. â€Å"Mulan.† Entertainment Weekly 17 July 1998: 63. He, Zhongshun. â€Å"What Does the American Mulan Look Like?.† Chinese Sociology & Anthropology 32.2 (1999):23-24. Kuhn, Anthony. â€Å"China to Show 'Mulan,' Seeming to End Its Dispute With Disney.† The Los Angeles Times. 8 Feb. 1999: 14. Proquest. Electric Lib University of Southern California Lib., Los Angeles, CA. 22 April 2004 . Li, Fei. â€Å"Plan for Mulan’s Marketing Strategy.† Chinese Sociology & Anthropology 32.2 (1999): 15-19. â€Å"Mulan’s China Woes.† Asiaweek. 2 April 1999. 26 April 2004. . Shao, Peng. â€Å"Analysis of Mulan’s Selling Points and Marketing Operations.† Chinese Sociology & Anthropology 32.2 (1999):11-14. Song, Quanzhong. â€Å"Mulan’s Former Home Hitches a Ride with Disney.† Chinese Sociology & Anthropology 32.2 (1999): 33-34. Zhang, Renjie. â€Å"Ode to Mulan.† Chinese Sociology & Anthropology 32.2 (1999): 30-32. Zhang, Yang. â€Å"Thoughts Elicited by Illustration.† Chinese Sociology & Anthropology 32.2 (1999): 26-27. Zhu, Yi. â€Å"Seeing Mulan in the United States.† Chinese Sociology & Anthropology 32.2 (1999): 20-22.

We Should be Grateful that Malaysia is a Peaceful Country

Honestly, I do not know whether to agree or disagree that Malaysians should be grateful that Malaysia is peaceful. I have doubts about the discussion title itself. Is Malaysia peaceful? That is the big question here.Personally, thinking back on our nation's problems, we have serious problems. Political problems, economical, social, financial, defense, safety, crime rates and etc. But then, compared to all the other countries in the world such as Syria, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Palestine, North Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, our country is actually way so much more peaceful. We are able to walk with freedom but of course with precaution. Women can study. The country's unemployment rate is not as high as other countries, the government providing financial help for the poor to reduce poverty but resulting in high living costs but still, not as high as other countries.Again, I am repeating that Malaysia is very peaceful. We have tourists visiting our country and tourist rates are constantly rising despite the major heat and the social problems. Our tourist destinations are heavenly getaways from tourists' hometowns. Malaysia is also considered one of the greenest countries in the world because of the forest reserves and mountiai ranges that the government hasn't has the heart to destroy seeing that it is considered a legacy.Malaysia has so many shopping malls that carry many couture brands until many visit Malaysia just to shop and explore the ever evolving country. Besides that, Malaysia has an open arm policy to all cultures in the world as long as it doesn't threaten the official religion which is Islam.Therefore, I conclude that Malaysia is a peaceful country despite it's problems. But then again, which country is a constant Utopia and doesn't have problems. We Malaysians should be grateful that we are Malaysians and that Malaysia is a peaceful country.

Curley’s Wife Essay

The character of Curley’s Wife is one of the most significant characters in the book as she is linked to the key themes of loneliness and dreams, which ultimately leads to both her death and Lennie’s death. Steinbeck uses the character of Curley’s Wife as a microcosm for the prejudice that faced all women in 1930’s America. Like most of the main characters in the novel, Curley’s wife is significantly related to the theme of dreams. Her role in this theme is slightly more important than others, however, because of her position as the only female character on the farm. The fact that she is the only woman makes her opinions and actions representative of all women living in the Great American Depression. â€Å"Coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes- all them nice clothes like they wear. An’ I coulda sat in them big hotels, an’ had pitchers took of me. † Here, we see how Curley’s Wife, despite not having a name, has dreams and still relies on those dreams as a way of escaping the loneliness in the farm. Curley’s Wife is a stereotype of many other women in 1930’s America who turned to men as a result of failed dreams, and chose to take the easy route rather than be crushed by America’s cruel judgement of women. Curley’s Wife is very significant to the ending of the novel as her death is the downfall of George, Lennie and Candy’s united dream. Without this death, George, Lennie and Candy may still have gone on to live their shared dream, but because of it George had to kill Lennie. The significance of Curley’s Wife is ironically also shown threw the insignificance with which the workers in the novel treat her. Within her very first introduction, Steinbeck offers a glimpse of her role as the promiscuous troublemaker and the way in which the other characters respond to this. George, in particular, illustrates how others judge or misconceive her solely because of her gender; †Jesus what a tramp, so that’s what Curley picks for a wife†. Here, Steinbeck uses George to represent the male population of America and their attitude to women in the 1930’s. The character of Curley’s Wife is particularly significant in this microcosm as she conveys the insignificance of women and their reliance on men to just ‘pick’ and drop them on their own accord. The disregard with which Curley’s Wife is treated continues through to the very lowest positions in the farm’s hierarchy. Despite being the daughter-in-law of the boss, Curley’s Wife still suffers abuse from George, Candy and even Lennie who often refer to her as â€Å"jail-bait† and a â€Å"tart†. These derogatory statements illustrate how Curley’s Wife is made to feel worthless solely because of her gender. Curley’s Wife is significant as she presents the backward attitude of most men in 1930’s America who were scared to treat women with respect for fear of evoking conflict and losing their job, something so hard to come by in the harsh economic times. Steinbeck uses the character of Curley’s Wife to convey her dysfunctional marriage, something that was common in 1930’s America. Curley disrespects his wife and she is constantly the source of his objectification. This is most evident through her name ‘Curley’s Wife’ which clearly conveys the hold and possessive nature that Curley has over her. Steinbeck’s use of withholding information here, also suggests that she is not deserving of her own name and highlights her inferior position on the farm. â€Å"I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella. † Here Steinbeck shows how Curley’s Wife did not marry for love and demonstrates a common situation in America where women often used their sexuality to get them married for stabilisation during the Great Depression. Curley’s Wife is also a symbol of the mistreatment of women. â€Å"Curley says he’s keeping that hand soft for his wife†. Here, we see how the other characters on the farm regard Curley’s wife as a mere sex object solely because of her gender and her dependency on her husband. This serves as a microcosm for 1930’s America, as the general consensus was that the sole purpose of women was to meet the needs of their husbands. A final way in which Curley’s Wife is significant in the novel is through her link to the theme of loneliness. Curley’s Wife is one of the loneliest characters in the novel, which is overlooked at first but becomes more apparent as the novel continues. â€Å"Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely. † Curley’s Wife is constantly rejected by her husband and to combat this she tries her best to attract the attention of the workers. She does this by going to extremes with her physical appearance; â€Å"She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. † This shows her desperation to be noticed, which is understandable given the cruel judgement and disregard with which she and many other American women were faced. The loneliness of Curley’s Wife and her child-like search for attention was eventually the death of her. In her happiness at being noticed for once, Curley’s Wife misjudged Lennie’s capabilities, which was what ultimately led to her inevitable death. Curley’s Wife represents the lonely people in America and in the world whose cry for attention turns out to be their downfall. In conclusion Curley’s Wife is extremely significant to the novel and serves as a symbol for prejudice and objectification in 1930’s America. With the help of this character Steinbeck can clearly illustrate some of the novels key themes of loneliness, dreams and relationships from the perspective of the only woman in this novel.