The Criticisms On Agency Theory And Its Application Finance Essay

The Criticisms On Agency Theory And Its Application Finance Essay Introduction Issues on corporate governance, business ethics, decision making and risk-taking are the normal issues being faced by all types of corporations, both old and new. One of the main assumptions why such issues are often encountered by majority of companies and institutions can be attributed to the conflict of interests and the misalignment of corporate goals among those in the managerial position and the common shareholders. According to Moldoveanu, M Martin, R. (2001), in many cases, the application of right managerial decisions, which are considered the lifeblood of any organization, are not being practiced and applied therefore causing inefficiencies on the part of the company and its people. There is always a separation in terms of control and ownership in all corporations. However, this separation is what almost always causes conflict and is most often the root cause of all other problems and issues in the organization. Ideally, the design or framework of a corporation is well-defined in a way that control and ownership of the companys assets are clearly identified and distinguished among the people within the organization. In a usual company setting, control over a corporations assets is delegated to the people assigned in the managerial posts while the ownership of company assets is being handed over to the companys shareholders. Therefore, both the managers and shareholders within the organization are responsible and accountable for each of their deliverables and assigned functions (Moldoveanu, M Martin, R., 2001). Given that both the shareholders and managers perform very specific and highly-critical functions in an organization, it is but natural for the two to develop a specific kind of relationship. The development of this kind of relationship is indeed critical for the success of the corporation. Nevertheless, out of this manager-shareholder relationship also stems the many issues and problems which often result or cause negative impact on the corporations assets. This special kind of relationship that exists between the shareholders and the managers is called an agency relationship. In a typical corporate set-up, managers are given the right to control and manage the assets of the company which are owned by the shareholders. The function of the managers is therefore highly significant as their decisions and moves may potentially cause a positive or a negative impact on the company and its total assets (Economy Professor, 2004). However, failures on the part of the managers are quite common given the structure and framework of most corporations which interfere with the proper decision making and task-delegations of most people on the managerial posts. According to Moldoveanu, M Martin, R. (2001), two of the most common failures of professional managers nowadays are a.) failures due to honest miscalculations and errors which are beyond the managers control and b.) failures related to a managers integrity and selfish motives. These kinds of managerial control failures are what cause extreme damage on the companys valuable assets. Hence, in order to safeguard the company from these potential threats and damages often caused by managerial failures, the shareholders find a less-riskier way of protecting company assets which are usually facilitated by a shareholder via a reward punishment method. The purpose of the rewards punishment method is to provide incentives for every properly executed managerial output. Other methods are also employed and utilized by the shareholders which are intended to protect the company assets such as the monitoring, assessing and checking on the decisions of the manager. Aside from incentives, sanctions are also given to the managers in order to align their interests and decisions based on that of the shareholders (Moldoveanu, M Martin, R., 2001). As in the case of any corporation, this manager-shareholder relationship exists and is most commonly referred to as the agency relationship. This paper on The Criticisms on Agency Theory and its Application on Corporate Governance is aimed at providing a detailed discussion of the agency theory, its history and basic concept, how it is currently being applied and manifested in many modern corporations nowadays and how this theory concept has been abused and improperly utilized by many corporations nowadays. A specific focus will also be allotted on the various criticisms on this particular theory and why its focus on merely two stakeholders: the managers and shareholders, is highly criticized by many people, specifically, other stakeholders involved in the organization. Moreover, this paper will answer how this criticism was justified and how in a way, the agency theory negatively affects proper corporate governance. To be more specific, this paper on The Criticisms on Agency Theory and its Application on Corporate Governance aims to answer the following questions: What is the agency theory? How did the agency theory begin and evolve? What is the role of the agency theory in corporate governance? What are benefits and advantages of adopting the agency theory in a corporation? What are the threats and disadvantages of adopting the agency theory in a corporation? Why is the agency theory being criticized with its focus on merely two stakeholders: the managers (agents) and shareholders (principal)? How does the agency theorys focus on merely two stakeholders: the managers (agents) and shareholders (principal) negatively affect corporate governance? How does this criticism affect other stakeholders within an organization, apart from the managers and the shareholders? A. Agency Theory: The Concept and its Beginnings According to the Economy Professor (2004), the agency theory originated in the year 1970s. This theory basically refers to the relationships that exist between the so-called owners of corporate assets and the so-called controllers of corporate assets. In simple terms, the agency relationship refers to the corporate relationship that exists between the shareholders and the managers within an organization. The agency theory also pertains to the firms view on its network of people resources. This theory states that a special kind of corporate relationship is formed when one person or a group of persons (known as the shareholders) decide to hire an individual or a group of individuals (known as the managers) to provide some service or work for them. Moreover, the agency relationship also occurs when the shareholders assign or delegate some decision-making tasks to the managers (Economy Professor, 2004). But aside from the shareholder-manager relationship, other forms of agency relationship may also exist in a corporation like for instance, the stockholder-debtholder relationship. Generally however, agency relationships are mostly used to refer to the shareholder-manager relationship. In many textbooks and journals, the agency theory is also being referred to as the principal-agent theory simply because it is a type of relationship that involves a principal or a shareholder and an agent or a manager (Economy Professor,2004). Moldoveanu, M Martin, R. (2001) further defined clearly what occurs in an agency relationship. They stated that in an agency relationship, the shareholder or the principal is the one who hires and accepts the services of a manager or the agent based mainly on the latters capabilities, professional competencies, decision-making ability and knowledge. Normally, the principal hires the agent because the former believes in the capabilities of the latter to increase and safeguard the assets of the company. Since the principal or the shareholder is the owner of those company assets, he or she will not hire an agent or manager who is not capable of increasing or protecting the assets of the company. Once the principal hires the agent to be in-charge of the company assets, the principal must automatically transfer his or her decision rights to that asset over to the agent (Moldoveanu, M Martin, R., 2001). The transferring of decision rights from the principal to the agent is vital in order for the latter to take full accountability, control and management over that asset. If there was no transferring of decision rights over to the hired agents, issues and problems stem from it which cause a negative impact not only on the relationship between these two stakeholders but also on the agents capacity to deliver the expectations of the principal (Donaldson, L. Davis, J., 1991). According to Lupia, A. (2001), the delegation of decision rights and power from the principal to the agent is highly important for an agency relationship to work. In the concept of the agency theory, the principal is known to be the person who performs the delegation process. The principal is the one who passes over the authority over the assets, specifically the power and authority to decide, to another person. The agent on the other hand is the one who acts as the recipient of the authority and power being delegated by the principal. When the full transferring or delegation of rights and authority is already transferred to the agent, then the agent already has the full accountability over the company assets. The agent is then subjected to either a sanction or an incentive depending on his management over the assets. According to Donaldson, L. Davis, J. (1991), various types of schemes are usually devised by the principals in order to prevent huge corporate losses due to managerial failures or the agents failure to deliver the shareholders goals and interests. Some of these schemes include financial rewards through the form of benefits and compensations which would greatly motivate the agents to achieve their company goals and align themselves with the interests of the shareholders. This has been an effective corporate strategy which proved to motivate agents to perform their managerial roles better (Donaldson, L. Davis, J., 1991). B. The Role of the Agency Theory in Corporate Governance According to Donaldson, L. Davis, J. (1991), the role of the agency theory in the modern corporations of today is quite important. Essentially, the concept of agency theory is both stewardship and shared ownership. Donaldson, L. Davis, J. (1991), states that the concept of shared ownership in the agency theory is what pushes and drives the managerial executives (agents) to perform beyond the top managements expectations. The idea that the professional managers are co-owners of the companys most valued assets is what drives them to perform better their management functions. Aside from their liability and accountability over the company assets, the idea that these managerial executives are co-owners themselves of the company assets is what makes them more concerned and involved in the nitty-gritty of the corporate process and their own functions. This therefore maximizes the shareholder returns which benefit all stakeholders within the corporation. Moreover, the agency theory encompasses the concept of stewardship. The agents or the professional managers act as the stewards of the company and its assets. Their decisions and their ability to successfully deal with various corporate issues and concerns as well as their ability to increase the value of corporate assets is what makes the managers good stewards of the business or the company (Donaldson, L. Davis, J., 1991). The capacity therefore of the agency theory to maximize shareholder returns by simply motivating the managers or the agents to perform their management functions better is what makes this theory quite useful in corporate governance. Moreover, the role of the agency theory in corporate governance involves a number of important elements which facilitate the effective governance and management of a corporation. One of which is exercise and practice of the decision rights. According to Moldoveanu, M Martin, R. (2001), the agency theory is what strengthens and allows for the proper exercise of the decision rights of the principals over the company assets. Since technically, the principals are the owners of the assets and they are the ones assigned at delegating the power and decision-making authority over to the agents, their rights must still be protected. This decision right comes in three types: a.) the principals right to create, initiate and implement a specific decision and b.) the principals right to authorize or give consent and approval to a specific decision and c.) the principals right to punish or reward an agent based on the results or outcome of a specific decision the latter has made. On the other hand, the agency theory also puts emphasis on the managerial rights that should be utilized and exercised by the agents. These management-decision rights include: a.) the agents decision right to propose, initiate or suggest a specific course of action or decision and b.) the agents decision right to counter, resist or veto a specific course of action or decision (Moldoveanu, M Martin, R., 2001). The agency theory also acts as the initiator and motivator of the punishments and rewards system in an organization. The agency theory states that the concept of incentive (rewards) and sanctions (punishments) is possibly the best form of motivation among all stakeholders, not merely the managers or the agents. Moldoveanu, M Martin, R. (2001) states that managerial incentives usually come in two types: a.) incentives for observable and obvious efforts exerted by the agent or the manager which usually come in the form of monetary or financial rewards such as bonuses, stock grants or salary increases and b.) incentives for observable and obvious efforts exerted by the agent or the manager which usually come in the form of non-monetary rewards, acknowledgement and other privileges. Given all these functions, the agency theory indeed performs a significant role in any organization in terms of safeguarding and increasing the companys most valued assets as well as motivating its stakeholders, specifically its agents or managers to go perform beyond top managements expectations given that their roles, functions and rights are clearly identified by the agency theory. C. The Benefits and Advantages of Adopting the Agency Theory One clear benefit of adopting and utilizing the agency theory within an organization is its ability to maximize the potentials and use of a particular agent. While the agents are clearly motivated to perform or even go beyond their managerial roles, the ultimate benefit is still being experienced by the shareholders as it is their assets which are being maximized. Although oftentimes, when the shareholders return on investment is quite high, all stakeholders also benefit out of it in the form of great financial rewards such as salary increases and bonuses (Sanchez, A.V., n.d.). The increase in shareholder returns and the value of the companys assets is one clear benefit and aim that the agency theory brings in to any corporation that is why its utilization is still very much applicable in the set up of modern corporations. In simple terms, the agents and the principals as well as other stakeholders within the organization directly benefit out of this company financial gain (Sanchez, A.V., n.d.). Another benefit in the adoption of the agency theory in corporations is the maximum utilization of the agency cost or the cost incurred by the shareholder by hiring the agent or the manager. Given that typically, an agent performs quite a number of critical roles including the important function of decision-making, the cost incurred by the company in hiring the agent is therefore justified by the amount of work or services accomplished by the agent for the company. This clearly benefits the shareholders as their agency costs can also be considered an investment for the further growth of company assets (Sanchez, A.V., n.d.). On the part of the agents, the application of the agency theory is also beneficial as it offers the application of the concept of maximum utility. The concept of maximum utility denotes a maximization of their potentials and skills which they have provided the company. In a way the end benefit is still clearly leaning towards the company. Nevertheless, the maximization of the managers skills and potentials also directly benefits him or her as an agent (Sanchez, A.V., n.d.). D. The Threats and Disadvantages of Adopting the Agency Theory According to Mallin (2007), the agency theory can possibly result into a number of threats or disadvantages in an organization. One of these disadvantages is the opportunistic view of the managers or the agents in the corporation. For instance, there were many instances when the agents (managers) took advantage of their power and used it for their own selfish interests. Apparently, some agents do not act in accordance to the interests and goals of the shareholders. Most of the time, the agents are tempted to use their power and decision-making advantages to pursue their own selfish interests and not act in behalf of the principals or shareholders of the company. Moreover, the agents may have a totally different view of what their roles or functions are supposed to be which may be far from what was defined by the shareholders. For instance, some agents or managers may avoid risk-taking which the shareholders consider essential in order to effectively increase the value of a corporate asset. Also, agents or managers have the tendency to avoid making decisions, especially those decisions which are entirely needed to properly govern the corporation. When this happens, the clash between these two stakeholders begin which is another disadvantage brought about by the agency theory (Mallin, 2007). Information asymmetry is also a common problem in the application of the agency theory. This happens when the amount or load of information accessed and received by the agent varies from that of the shareholder. When this happens, it results into an unbalanced amount of corporate knowledge or information between the two which may put either of them at a disadvantage. Also, the gaps in corporate knowledge or information may cause confusion or misunderstanding between these two important stakeholders. As a result of this, conflicts arise between the managers and the shareholders which hinder both of them from performing their distinct functions in a corporation (Mallin, 2007). The Criticisms on the Agency Theory: Why this theory focuses on merely two stakeholders: the managers (agents) and shareholders (principal) The agency theory, coined and popularized in the 1970s, has long been an existing concept and theory that people in the past centuries have been thinking of adopting. It was however only in the 70s that this concept was already adopted by many companies around the world. The popularity of the application and use of the agency theory only commenced when corporate governance became a more difficult and complicated task to do. When the corporations began to expand, more and more clients and employees became part of both the external and internal stakeholders of the company. An implication of this was the tasks became more difficult to manage that the owners of the corporation needed additional people to offer special work or services for them. This then resulted to the birth of the demand on hiring agents (Mallin, 2007). These agents, according to Mallin (2007), were recruited and hired based on their professional competencies, skills, talents and the ability to make decisions. The owners or the shareholders (principals) are the ones directly hiring these agents to offer special services them that would further grow or benefit the corporation. Moreover, Mallin (2007) asserted that the complications brought about by the increase in demand of the services offered by a corporation and an upsurge in the number of its clients, brought about the need to separate control and ownership in a corporation. Most of the time, shareholders or owners of a company are too busy to perform and attend to the important details in a corporations daily operations. The amount of work and responsibility that these owners need to perform are way too much that they need to add more employees to handle them. This therefore resulted into a separation of control and ownership in the company, with the shareholders performing the ownership function while the managers performing the control function. According to Mallin (2007), when the shareholders or principals start performing the ownership function, thats when they begin to make the agents and other stakeholders in the company more accountable and responsible in their tasks and functions. The command and directives come straight from them which would then have to be managed by those under them. When this happens, the shareholders would have a direct control over the business or the corporation just as owners should have. Accountability increases over the shareholders capacity to function as owners of the corporation and its most valuable assets. On the other hand, direct control over the corporations daily operations is exercised by the professional managers assigned by the shareholders. Full control and accountability rests on these individuals which make their functions highly critical in a corporation. These professional managers are concerned with the nitty-gritty of the daily affairs of the corporation as well as the handling of the people under them. Also, they are in charge of increasing the value of a corporate asset which puts more pressure on the functions that they perform in the corporation (Mallin, 2007). Hence, the focus of the agency theory is basically to put emphasis on the importance of the functions that both the principals (shareholders) and the agents (managers) perform or play in the success of corporate governance. This explains the main reason why most corporations nowadays exercise or apply the agency theory in their business framework. Also, the corporations found it to be very significant to maintain the healthy relationship between the principals and the agents as it is only then can they manage the various issues that corporations normally face. Moreover the distinct advantages of applying the agency theory are tremendous, such as the maximum utilization of the companys agents and the increase of the companys most valued assets, that it led many corporations to apply the agency theorys principles in their businesses. Nevertheless, Mallin (2007) argues that one of the most popular criticism against the agency theory is its focus on merely two stakeholders: the agents and the principals. According to corporate analysts, it is not healthy for a corporation to focus on merely two stakeholders and neglect all the other stakeholders that also play key roles in the organization. In the long history of corporate governance, it has been proven to be true that the agency theorys focus on the principal-agent relationship has caused many threats and disadvantages as well to the organization. For one, these two stakeholders cannot properly operate or function without the presence of other key constituents or stakeholders within the organization. Other key stakeholders such as the managers subordinates, suppliers and the investors also perform highly significant functions in the corporation which cannot be ignored or neglected. The seemingly unfair and unbalanced focus of the agency theory on only two stakeholders have been for a long time resulting into negative impacts in the organization which was justified through the perception of other stakeholders on the unequal distribution of power in the organization. The unequal distribution of power and privileges within the organization, mostly focused on only the principals and the agents, is what makes other key stakeholders feel deprived and unimportant in the corporation (Eisenhardt, K., 1989) When this happens, these other stakeholders like for instance the investors and suppliers may be tempted to take away their loyalty on the corporation and move to its competitor. This then places the corporation into a threatening situation as its key stakeholders know much confidential information about the company. F. The Stakeholder Theory versus the Agency Theory The many issues confronted by many corporations through the utilization and application of the agency theory in their corporate governance resulted into many negative impacts on the part of other stakeholders involved in the corporation. For one, these stakeholders namely the employees, investors, suppliers, communities, subsidiaries, the media and the government and other internal and external constituents that the corporation usually deals with, are not given sufficient attention and privileges compared to the shareholders and the managers. This is because in the agency theory, the focus is merely on the shareholder-manager relationship or the principal-agent relationship and not so much on other stakeholders. In order to avoid these kinds of issues on the part of other stakeholders, another theory was created which was the stakeholder theory. In essence, the stakeholder theory states the importance of addressing the needs and emphasizing the functions and roles of other relevant key stakeholders in the organization in order to effectively govern the corporation (Donaldson, T. Preston, L., 1995). Moreover, the stakeholder theory presents the first step to divert the attention from merely two stakeholders: the shareholders and managers, to other stakeholders such as the investors, suppliers, communities, media, political associations and the general public at large whom the corporation directly affects or influences (Donaldson, T. Preston, L., 1995). The stakeholder theory also gave a strong emphasis on the importance of identifying the corporations internal and external stakeholders. This is because any corporation would not be able to stand in itself and operate by itself without the aid of other key stakeholders which the corporation serves or which help the corporation achieve its organizational goals. In other instances, even the competitors can also be considered part of the organizations stakeholders (Donaldson, T. Preston, L., 1995). The usefulness of the stakeholder theory compared to the agency theory is that the former has a clearer, wider view and concern with other people outside of the managers and the shareholders. The stakeholder theory puts more emphasis on their importance as a corporate entity and in a way helps the corporation properly position itself as well, especially in the community where it operates (Donaldson, T. Preston, L., 1995). The stakeholder theory states that by identifying the internal and external stakeholders of a corporation, the interests of the corporation would be balanced among the interests of the other key stakeholders. The corporation therefore would not appear selfish or apathetic to the community and the general public at large because its organizational goals and principles are hinged from the best interests and common good of all its stakeholders, not just the managers and the shareholders. The stakeholder theory also paints a good view of the corporation to other stakeholders as it appears concerned and ready to serve the general public at large. Also, the application of the stakeholder theory implies that the corporation acknowledges that its decisions have either a positive or negative impact on the stakeholders in general. This makes the stakeholders therefore feel important being part of the corporation as its concerned and needs are acknowledged by the corporation where they belong compared to the agency theory which only highlights the contributions and roles of merely two stakeholders: the managers and shareholders. (Donaldson, T. Preston, L., 1995). Conclusion The agency theory in corporations is a useful and widely-used theory that has in itself a lot of distinct advantages and disadvantages to the corporation. Its focus on the important functions of the principals (shareholders) and the agents (managers) is what led to its popular application in corporate governance. For many decades, the use of the agency theory has benefitted many corporations as it aimed to strengthen the relationship between the principals and the agents whose main functions are considered the lifeblood of the corporation. Also, the agency theorys emphasis on the maximum utilization of the agents resulted into tremendous increases in the value of the corporations assets and the corporations maximization of the agency costs they incurred out of hiring the services of these agents or professional managers. Nevertheless, while the agency theory application resulted into many benefits and advantages, it also brought it certain negative impact and disadvantages in the corporations. For one, it resulted into conflicting interests between the managers and the shareholders. The shareholders often seem to have a hard time influencing the managers with their own organizational goals, while the latter focuses on pursuing his or her own selfish interests in the organization. Second, the lack of focus of the corporation on other relevant stakeholders brought forth more disadvantages in the organization as the other stakeholders felt unimportant and neglected in the corporation. This issue has therefore given birth to another theory called the stakeholder theory which balances out the unbalanced treatment and view of the agency theory on the other relevant stakeholders in the company by stating the important roles and functions of other key stakeholders which the corporation directly influences and affects as well.

Pros and Cons of India’s vote in the US sponsored UNHRC Resolution against Sri Lanka.

India finally has taken a stand and voted for the US sponsored resolution at the United Nations top Human Rights Body (UNHRC). Every decision taken has its own value. So let us take a look at the Pros and Cons of India’s vote in the UNHRC Resolution against Sri Lanka along with some viable alternatives. The important positive aspect of the voting in favour of the resolution is that, the Government of India has finally proved that India stands alongside the Sri Lankan Tamils and they will be ‘there’ for the benefit of the people. It is a welcome stand by the Government, even though it happened after a tough political lobbying between the regional parties of Tamil Nadu. It also shows that India acts in its own show its commitment to shun violence against the unarmed civilians and for their rehabilitation. As the whole Tamil Community people were looking forward for India to act, the GoI (Government of India) did the right thing to garner their support. It may also put an end to the Zigzag diplomacy followed by the Rajapaksha’s Government (Giving a Commitment when Foreign minister of India reaches in Sri Lanka due to pressure from the Tamil Nadu politicians and when he boards the flight, commitment will be in dustbin). May be there is a minute possibility of taking Rajapaksha’s Government to the ICC (International Criminal Court) for the war crime. But what is the resolution in the UNHRC really intends to do to the Sri Lankan Government. To be frank it achieves nothing, rather it HUMILIATES Sri Lanka in the World Political Scenario. The Humiliation is thought to do wonders in the country, which has been proven wrong many a number of times (There are more than 200 resolutions passed against Israel for its action against Palestine, though no solution have been found). The resolution draft which has not been released officially by the UNHRC, is intended to contain only recommending the Government to act according to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), with the coordination and active support of the member States of the UNHRC (affecting the sovereignty of the country, like eg: USA dictating India how to control Naxalism and monitoring every move made by the State forces). As India had voted in favour of the US sponsored UNHRC resolution, the whole geographical hegemony is shifting underneath India. With this vote GoI has deliberately distanced itself from Sri Lanka in the International Scenario, since Sri Lanka has always been toeing India in all major International organization, this action might ignite their passion to pursue their own interest or lean towards the ever growing Dragon Warrior (China). A mutual distrust will be created between the GoI and the Government of Sri Lanka (Even though the severity of the resolution has been diluted with active intervention of India). The Big Brother attitude of India in the South Asian region journeys in the downward swirl. India had always maintained a stature of Non Aligned Country and look to avoid any involvement in the internal affairs of other countries, but this voting pattern has severely dented that image which was carved and niched by Foreign Affairs expert Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It leads to the questioning of the India’s commitment to the NAM (Non Aligned Movement), SAARC and other regional organizations, who look upon India as a key player in the region. China has been provided with a golden opportunity to strengthen its â€Å"String of Pearls† strategy in Sri Lanka (eg: Habantota port developed by Chinese firms) (encircling India on all the sides diplomatically and strategically). The other important aspect is that the Tamilans in the Sri Lanka are now being portrayed as Enemy of the State (due to the humiliation of the country in the world arena) by the Sinhalese people, which will lead to the increase in the rift between the various communities, rather than improving their co existence and starting of the reconstruction of the nation. Even though India had taken a stand in the issue, GoI must actively participate in the rehabilitation of the Sri Lankan Tamil People with a â€Å"Solution oriented approach†. India has already provided a helping hand in the clearing of the Land mines in the Battle field, along with the building of the houses for the Tamil People. Infrastructure development projects (railways) are being mooted in the war torn areas (Even though the essential supplies sent from India is being rotten in the godowns in Sri Lanka). India must make a dedicated approach towards the Tamil Eelam issue, rather than succumbing to the pressures of the regional parties. Since India is a heavyweight in SAARC and NAM, diplomatic channels can be opened in coherence with these regional organizations to look into the rehabilitation of Tamil people in the Tamil Eelam region. It will provide a more conducive environment to the Government of Sri Lanka & the people, rather than being dictated by the high handedness of the Police of the World (USA). People are the pillars of the democracy, so the people to people contact between the various communities in Sri Lanka must be encouraged. Rajapaksha’s government must give in to the demand of the 13th amendment plus plea. This would provide the suitable platform for bringing in a federal structure in the country (dissolution of the power to the Chief Ministers as in the case of India), which is in the best interest of all the stakeholders or communities. Effective steps must be taken against the offenders who were responsible for the atrocities, set loose upon the unarmed civilians and they must be punished according to the rule of law. The one question which will always linger in the mooting of the resolution is the active role played by the USA, which dramatizes them as the champion of the Human Rights (Literally). The answer will be real simple that Uncle Sam was unable to place a firm foot in the Island nation, while the Government of Sri Lanka were fostering and nurturing their relations with countries which have been hostile with USA (Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, etc). This prompted USA to bring the Island nation to bring in order along with its favour, which has severely backfired the USA policy (the strong anti – American mood within the people). This incident outlines the incompetence in assuring that India would become a world power in the near future. If the Human Rights violation in the Sri Lanka had been taken seriously by the Government of India and intended to take action against the lax nature of the action proceeding against the offenders, GoI should have sponsored the resolution rather than backing a resolution which is sponsored by a nation which is totally alien to the Island nation, the responsibility holds up on the shoulders of India due to its geographical, ethnical, cultural and economic proximity to the country. War, would always leave a undeniable scare in the mind of the people along with the sorrows and despair, the Citizens of Sri Lankan have long been made the pawns due to the bad decision making at the time of Independence in the Island nation. Time is always a good healer. The War now over, the hatred sowed in the minds of the different communities must be weeded out and a mutual trust must be incorporated in the minds of the people, with whatever solution available. The International community must look in to the long term prospect of the building the nation to its zenith rather than involving in petty politics and gaining fame. Government of Sri Lanka must aptly remember that â€Å"United is Strength, Divided is to Fail†. Therefore the State must take any possible measure to unite the various communities in the country, even when it is to compromise on some basic ideals. Since ultimately it is for the people the Government is formed as â€Å"Democracy†.

The Fight Against Essay Topics Common App

The Fight Against Essay Topics Common App Regardless of what topic you select, allow some time for extra editing. When you could be confident concerning the application essay topic that you want to concentrate on, a superior decision would be to prepare an essay example. The chance to choose absolutely any topic appeared not such a long time ago. Two new essay options are added, and a number of the previous questions are revised. Essay Topics Common App Features Plan to spend the test so that colleges will get your scores by the deadline. Every student ought to be well conscious of how to compose such varieties of papers. What's more, the committee will observe that you're able to accomplish impressive benefits in your academic field. Because of such paper the admission committee will have the ability to learn more about you as a possible student. Essay Topics Common App - What Is It? You can make an account now and begin working on your applications later. To compose c ommon app employing this prompt, be certain you have sufficient information which will help you prove the idea and convey an appropriate statement. Before you may submit your application, you will need to gather your materials. Save these kinds of documents for the supplemental information part of your college application. Since you can't find the completed recommendation letters, use someone you're confident will choose the opportunity to compose a constructive and well-thought out letter. The prompt you pick can influence how you write, and the mission is to earn the perfect bets. For others, it takes much more time to make a choice. Then think about whether you'd make the very same decision again and why. The Meaning of Essay Topics Common App You also shouldn't fill the entire section up with a different essay. The topic of your essay doesn't need to be completely novel. Try to remember, that you have to use a single essay for one or closed specializations. The essen tial essays depend on which application you opt to apply with. You need your own tips for your common essay. In case you have something which requires more than 250 words to say, then you need to work it in your private essay or your supplemental essays. Stephen's essay is rather effective. Starting to write this kind of essay is quite uncomplicated. You are going to have to choose something to major in, and most schools may wish to understand what you like to learn in your spare time. Try to remember, the point of the essays is to demonstrate the admissions officers something they can't garner from the remainder of your application. Colleges are not searching for perfect men and women. They are more likely to admit students who can articulate specific reasons why the school is a good fit for them beyond its reputation or ranking on any list. All About Essay Topics Common App Consider what your concerns relating to this problem reveal about the sort of person that you are or hope to be. Don't neglect to explain why the challenge is val uable to you! There are a lot of problems on earth. Clearly articulate the issue. The Lost Secret of Essay Topics Common App Therefore, aside from good writing abilities and a proper structure, you want to understand what buttons to push and what aspects to highlight in your paper. If you don't enjoy the above-mentioned ideas or want to cover different prompts, you're totally free to pick absolutely any subject place. Colleges are searching for a feeling of maturity and introspectionpinpoint the transformation and demonstrate your private growth. The Foolproof Essay Topics Common App Strategy Enhancing your writing skills is among the main things you can do in order to prepare for college applications. Bear in mind that the Common App offers you creative license. Education has to be a journey to personal growth and fulfillment in place of success. The Hidden Secret of Essay Topics Common App The term limit on the essay will stay at 650. If you found the essay that we've re viewed within this article a little daunting you aren't alone. No matter which essay prompt you address, it's all-important to give yourself time to consider the info you're conveying and what it reveals about you. A standard app essay doesn't have a strict outline. Essay Topics Common App and Essay Topics Common App - The Perfect Combination Your stories aren't debatable. Fortunately, colleges will think something similar about you in the event that you choose to incorporate your love of literature in your essay. Fine, but you must be ready to write whatever you truly feel like writing from a college that might not be your first alternative. Just take a look at the intriguing world and local news. Perhaps a breakup feels like the largest hardship you've faced thus far, or maybe you believe the way you supported your 10th grade girlfriend during her science competition appears to be a wonderful metaphor for how you intend to support your university community. Our Simple Truths about the College Essay provides you with a wide overview of what it is that you're hoping to do to your 650-word chance to express a compelling and authentic facet of yourself. The sports essay is predictable and ought to be avoided, if at all possible. It ought to be admitted that producing common app essays is the most effective means to take the compulsory course, especially for transferred students.

Richard Wagner s Music With An Exclamation Point !

Richard Wagner â€Å"I write music with an exclamation point!† Richard Wagner was titled many things in his lifetime. He was a German anti-semitic composer, theatre director and a polemicist ( Richard Wagner Biography). Today, he is mainly known for his operas. Unlike most composers, Wagner wrote both libretto and music for each of his stage performances. He initially established his reputation as a composer that wrote romantic music. Wagner revolutionized opera through his concept of the Gesamtkunstwerk (â€Å"total work of art†.) Wagner was born May 22, 1813 in Leipzig, Germany. His father was either Carl fried, who was a clerk at the local police station, or a man by the name of Ludwig geyer, who was extremely musical, like Wagner later became†¦show more content†¦1). The first and last named overtures were performed under Heinrich Dorn in Yuletide concerts at the Konigliches Sachsisches Hoftheater in 1830 and 1831 (Osborne, 959). Wagner went to Leipzig University, but his interest in academic studies was little to none. He was more concerned with the college life, drinking and dueling. At this time, he came in contact with a man named Christian Theodor weanling, cantor of Saint Thomas Church. Christian was so impressed by Wagner’s music ability that he turned down any payment for Wagner’s lessons (Richard Wagner’s Biography). Within the year of 1833 Wagner composed his first completed opera named â€Å"die feen† (the fairies) which notably impersonated the style of Carl Maria Von Weber (Richard Wagner Biography) . Wagner then worked as a musical director at the opera house in Magdeburg for a short period during which he wrote â€Å"das liebesverbot† (the ban on love), based on â€Å"measure for measure† by William Shakespeare. In 1834, Wagner’s roller coaster began as he fell in love with an actress named Christine Wilhelmina â€Å"Minna† planer. He ended up following her to Konigsberg, where she supported him to get an engagement at the theatre. On November 24, 1836 they got married. Troubles between them started soon after and Minna ended up leaving Wagner temporarily for another manShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Richard Wagner s The Raven 1177 Words   |  5 PagesRichard Wagner was born May 22, 1813 in Leipzig, Germany (notablebiographies.com). Wagner was a very important person in the nineteenth century due to his poetic writing and criticism (notablebiographies.com). He introduced the concept of leitmotiv (recurring musical theme that has to do with a person, place, or thing in the opera.) plot development in operas (notablebiographies.com). Wagners parents didn’t make a lot money so he was in poverty most of his life (thefamouspeople.com). Wagner’s dadRead MoreDeveloping M anagement Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesbuilt-in pretests and posttests, focus on what you need to learn and to review in order to succeed. Visit www.mymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. Cameron UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Prentice Hall Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore

Physician-Assisted Suicide Right or Wrong - 1053 Words

Running Head: RIGHT OR WRONG? Physician-Assisted Suicide Physician-assisted suicide occurs when a physician helps in the requested death of a voluntary patient (Smith, 2012). In most cases, the patient is terminally ill. A recent study revealed that pain or unbearable pain is not a major motivating factor for the request (Foley et al, 2001). Rather, the motivating factors are the effects of illness, the patients sense of self, and fears about the future. Methods used in conducting physician-assisted suicide or PAS include administering overly high dose of narcotics, a sedative or an antidepressant or subjecting the patient to the suicide machine connected to an IV tube. This machine, invented by Dr. Jack Kevorkian, consisted of a saline solution, a sedative and potassium chloride (Foley et al). In 1997, the US Supreme Court determined that physician-assisted suicide was not a constitutional right. However, States were not banned from passing laws allowing it (Smith, 2012). The practice is illegal in 34 States. Four States neither ban nor p rohibit it and it is permitted in Oregon and Washington but only within specific and limited circumstances (Smith; Walker, 2001). Both majority opinion and conscience agree that PAS is inherently wrong. Deontology and PAS Deontology is about duties, the duty to do what is right and not to do what is wrong (Lacewing, 2005). Its principle is that certain acts are our duties. It observes those duties by recognizing other peoplesShow MoreRelatedEuthanasia And Physician Assisted Suicide - Good, Bad, Right, Or Wrong?1860 Words   |  8 Pages Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suicide – Good, Bad, Right, or Wrong? November 17, 2014 Jennifer Mullen South University Online Euthanasia is a term derived from a Greek word meaning happy or fortunate in death. It is most commonly used now to denote the merciful infliction of death [either actively or passively] to avoid torment in fatal and incurable disease, usually by consent of the patient or his family. Tribal Customs: There are accounts of tribes, ancient and moreRead MoreThe Rights Of Physician Assisted Suicide1347 Words   |  6 PagesThe Right to Die By: Antony Makhlouf Antony Makhlouf PHR 102-006 Contemporary Moral Issues Final Paper The Right to Die Physician-assisted suicide, also known as euthanasia, has been a hot topic as of late. If you do not know what this is, physician-assisted suicide is the taking of ones life. This usually occurs when a patient is in a irreversible state, and must live through a tube. With multiple cases occurring in the past, current and the more to occur the in the future, this looksRead MoreAssisted Suicide Should Be Managed1273 Words   |  6 PagesAssisted Suicide Brittany Maynard was twenty-nine years old, she had been married for a year when she was diagnosed with brain cancer. Doctors gave her a prognosis of six months to live. After that, Brittany and her family decided to move to Oregon to take advantage of the Death with Dignity Act. On November 1, 2014, Maynard decided to end her life. Assisted suicide is a controversial topic that has been debated for many years. In a few countries, this procedure has already been legalized. ThereRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide, When Is It Acceptable?1709 Words   |  7 PagesPhysician-Assisted Suicide, When is it acceptable? Assisted suicide had raised issues of great importance in the society particularly the most controversial of all, the physician assisted suicide in the health care field. Since Oregon and other states implemented the legalization of physician assisted suicide, the debates continues. The U.S. Supreme Court decisions in 1997 and the Pain Relief Promotion Act of 2000 (H.R. 5544) have kept these topics on the policy of the national agenda, along withRead MoreExplanation Of Physician Assisted Suicide1262 Words   |  6 PagesPhysician assisted suicide has been legal in Oregon since November 1997. Over 750 people have taken advantage of this law since it was passed. Many people think there is something wrong with such this and it should be outlawed. I will argue that there is no moral basis for the outlaw of such a practice. Explanation of physician assisted suicide Physician assisted suicide occurs when an ill patient consults a doctor and decides that they would like to end their life. Typically, the patient is prescribedRead MoreThe Ethical Issues Of Physician Assisted Suicide Essay1736 Words   |  7 Pagesdescribed as the intentional discontinuation, by the patient s physician, of vital treatment that could prolong the person s life. Assisted suicide occurs when a health care worker provides a patient with tools and/or medication that will help the patient kill him or herself, without the direct intervention of the care provider. This paper will define key terms for my argument against Physician Assisted Death, and why I believe it’s wrong, where I will provide a brief background of the situation. NextRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide Should Be Legalized943 Words   |  4 Pagescommit suicide, but his mom resuscitated him both times. Therefore, Danny decided to starve himself to end his suffering once and for all (Grimminck). Pe ople such as Danny, cancer, and ALS patients, who are battling terminal illnesses, deserve the right to choose when enough is enough. Physician assisted suicide should be legalized because it’s the compassionate thing to do, people deserve autonomy and because it is a better alternative. People may argue that physician assisted suicide is wrong forRead MorePHI 103 Final1311 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Should Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Legal? Eileen K. Cordova PHI 103 Instuctor James Hardy July 11, 2013 SHOULD PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE BE LEGAL Physician-assisted suicide has been a controversial topic for over a decade now. In today’s society, physician-assisted suicide brings so many ehtical questions as such, who is the true owner of our lives? Should releiving pain and suffering always be the highest priority, or does it occure for a reason?Read MoreThe Death Of Terminally Ill919 Words   |  4 PagesAs Americans, we are granted rights in this country and these rights, according to the Declaration of Independence, grant us â€Å"Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness†. So tell me why someone that is terminally ill cannot use these rights to end their life of pain and suffering. Some states have rallied and given those who are terminally ill the right to die. However, some simply see this means of ending a life, inhumane, unethical, immoral, and just plain wrong. As a citizen of the United StatesRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide1226 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Physician Assisted Suicide There are instances when people who are terminally ill or severely injured who want to terminate their own lives. Sometimes, due to the state of their injuries or conditions, those people are unable to end their own pain. It is in many of these cases that the patients request assistance in their suicides. This kind of request is like to happen in facilities where the patient receives long term or permanent care. Physician assisted suicide is a hotly contested issue

Disease Research Free Essays

The ten leading causes of death in the United States of America as of 2005 are heart diseases, malignant neoplasm, cerebrovascular disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, unintentional disease, diabetes mellitus, influenza and pneumonia, Alzheimer’s disease, nephritis and nephrosis, septicemia, intentional self-harm. I preferred diabetes mellitus because I think this kind of disease should be given much emphasis and attention from the government. Diabetes mellitus is a type of disease in the pancreatic area. We will write a custom essay sample on Disease Research or any similar topic only for you Order Now In this disease, the pancreas does not properly generate insulin. When the body cannot generate enough insulin, hyperglycemia and other related disorders will occur in our metabolism. Diabetes can cause harm in other body organs when complications will arise. First of all, it causes damage to the kidneys which are responsible for the absorption of waste products in our body. Damaged kidneys then causes the end stage renal disease in which the kidneys are destroyed mutely. This then causes the nephrons to worsen which leads to other diseases such as hepatitis to arise. When this happens, the person now has two or more diseases to worry about. Today, it is estimated that 20. 8 million Americans suffer from diabetes. Out of this 20. 8 million Americans, 6. 2 million are undiagnosed. When diabetes goes unnoticed, prevention and early treatment would be impossible. If diabetes is not treated properly, it will then lead to life-threatening complications as mentioned earlier. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the disease will rise to more than 50% in the next 10 years if ignored. According to the United States National Diabetes Fact Sheet 2005, â€Å"Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people without diabetes of similar age. † (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention American Diabetes Association, 2005) One major cause of diabetes is an individual’s diet. Since in the United States most follow the â€Å"Western-style† diet in which almost everything is sweet (having lots of sugar in it), it is suggested that people should watch their diet more. However, there is little understanding of the mechanisms in diabetes at present. Unwatched diet may cause obesity which then causes some organs to become larger and cannot function properly (Giurini, Cook, Cook, 2007). Thus, the government must pay their attention on funding research on diabetes because first, more than 20 million people in the US suffer diabetes at present and will increase in the next 10 years; second; most people do not know that they have diabetes; and third, diabetes causes complications and even death when not treated properly and continued unnoticed. People should be well-informed about diabetes so that they will know how to diagnose, prevent, and treat diabetes.   Reference: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Diabetes Association. (2005). United States National Diabetes Fact Sheet. Retrieved. from. Giurini, J. M., Cook, E. A., Cook, J. J. (2007). Diabetes: the latest trends in glycemic control. Clin Podiatr Med Surg, 24(2), 159-189.    How to cite Disease Research, Essays

Gender In Magazine Advertisements free essay sample

Sociologists conduct various types of research in order to study human societies. Depending on the purpose of the research, either qualitative (non-numerical) or quantitative (numerical) research may be more beneficial. Researchers may also use field research in order to see the events as they actually occur or use unobtrusive research of social behavior that people create or leave behind. Content analysis is a form of unobtrusive research that studies documented commercials, such as magazine advertisements. The research conducted in our study required the use of content analysis because the purpose of the study was to look at how gender roles are portrayed within various magazine advertisements. Advertisements have enhanced societies’’ perception of stereotypes and social norms. Advertisements have allowed society to single out outliers that do not fit into their respective stereotypes or follow the expected social norm. The advertisements from various magazines are targeted at different audiences, which were then categorized into four major themes in order to depict the perceived differences between male and female gender roles in American society. Background/Literature Review: Every day, society is bombarded by a slew of advertisements to attract the eye and sell the perfect product. Graphic Designers, Commercial Advertisers, Posters, Magazines etc. are tirelessly edited and revised to sell to the consumer in such a way that makes the product almost possible to resist. However, what methods are being used to help subconsciously persuade each individual? Could the same stereotypical roles that we learned in grade school as discriminatory, sexist, and just plain out wrong be presented in such a way that makes a product appealing to the common consumer? It is important to discuss the fact of how gender roles may be used in any form of advertisement to sell a product and how these subliminal persuasions may alter our view of men and women’s role in society. If exposed to enough sexist media, society may adapt norms that would further stereotype men and women and place sanctions on those that don’t follow them to the letter. In this particular segment of sociological research, it is important to address the issue of how social roles are depicted and demonstrated through the media. In particular, entertainment means such as magazines. The magazine by Barbara B. Stern, particularly talks about the role of gender versus multicultural affairs. What can be derive from this is an image of the broader scope in which media in the past and present, has chosen and portrayed the subject of gender in a rather repressive manner; most often and usually directed towards women. What has been discovered was there are two relationships to be found: the time of which the articles are written and the social infrastructure of society back in the particular era and the culture it’s brought about within. From what is seen in the first article, there exists a correlation between the history and the tone, as well as its social implications, in terms of impact it has brought upon the youths of its generation. For example, â€Å"the focus has shifted from interest in commonalities among women and differences from men to differences between various groups of women† (Stern 1). From what we see here is in other words, is a historical shift from gender dispute to disputes within gender groups. Instead of comparing how men are different to women, we began take a look at how women are different from each other. In a following excerpt, it is also mentioned that if we take a look, again at the historical context of the article: we see that most scholars, writers and journalists were educated men, since women weren’t trained as professionals in education, but as an item which did not require necessary teachings. Additionally, the majority of literature from the past which focuses on women talks about how they were not only socially oppressed, but limited within the confinements of â€Å"wife, mother, sex object and housekeeper – whereas men were found to be free to roam everywhere else. The point of view that governed the production of the images was so automatically male-dominant that women were seen through men’s eyes as generic females who behaved in stereotypical ways† (Stern 2). Contrasting the first excerpt, the second article focuses on the effects of portrayal of women through the eyes of modern society. Stern devised a critique against the social ideology of the representation of women as what she might classify as the ‘lone woman’ of which she provides an example of something as simple as a water commercial, has subliminal messages and intentions which robs a woman of her identity and self-concepts by making the woman in the advertisement seem weak and requires the company of a figure which can protect her – requiring the physique of a man. â€Å"the stereotypic character traits attributed to women have shifted from weak and dependent to strong and autonomous† (Stern 34) Nowadays we move away from the concepts and ideologies from the past and focus on rebuilding what it means to be a ‘woman’ in society, from the depiction what society might consider as the ‘average woman’ into becoming a being which can and is capable of achieving. â€Å"Women of this era are trained for growth and change; they are encouraged to develop wings, not roots† (Stern 34) While on the topic of men, the common stereotype of male superiority constantly reaffirms itself through advertisements. Men usually report positive attitude towards sexual ads while women have a more negative reaction towards explicit sexual content within advertising; men are portrayed as having positive attitudes towards casual and recreational sex, whereas women value the emotional intimacy and commitment that can surround a sexual relationship (Dahl, 2009:215). Dahl conducted four experiments that looked into different methods on how to improve women’s views on sexual advertisements and compared those results against men’s views of the same advertisement. The research focused on reactions to sex-based ads under constrained processing conditions. Researchers found that women’s attitudes toward sexual advertisements improved once the advertised product was a gift from a man to a woman, but men’s attitudes declined toward the gift advertisement. Women that are primed with the notion of a committed relationship responded with a better attitude towards the sexual advertisement when compared to women who were primed with the idea of an uncommitted relationship. The study found that the direction of the transfer of gift matters to women because when the sexual advertisement depicts a woman giving a man a gift there was no influence on women’s attitudes in general. Women view sexual ads with better attitudes after a task that aroused notions of men expressing commitment as compared to an expression of couple’s devotion. The perception within society is that women are usually more likely to verbally and nonverbally express their emotional states than men, while males are usually reluctant to disclose intimate feelings due to what they believe is socially  appropriate or desirable. Males are able to express their feelings more freely in private because social approval or disapproval doesn’t exist. Males and females differ systematically in the social desirability of low-agency emotional expression, but may not differ in terms of felt emotions (Fisher, 2005: 852). The first study used the mean score for viewing pleasure (participants were asked to answer how they felt while watching the advertisement) and attitude toward the ad (the participants were asked how they would rate the ad). Participants were shown one low-agency ad as well as one high-agency ad and were either alone or with one other participant (gender independent). Females had the same viewing pleasure as well as attitude regardless if they watched the ad alone or with a friend. Social context only affected males when they watched a low-agency ad in the presence of another male. The second study used a third variable, agency appraisals (unauthoritive, powerless, or unaggressive) as well as the two variables from the first study. The study found that there were significant differences when males indicated stronger appraisals in public when compared to private viewing context. While advertisements promote males to be against public display of intimate feelings and women overly vulnerable to attachment, the media may also have subliminally created a favoritism of sexist products. Studies conducted by Maria Michelle Morrison and David R. Shaffer of the University of Georgia show that even though participants say they favor unbiased advertisements, men and women usually are persuaded more easily by sexist roles such as women sweeping or an authoritative male voice in car commercials (Morrison and Shaffer: 267). When asked why participants unknowingly chose sexist advertisements, common responses were that the ads felt relatable and more convincing. This bias helps shows that men and women generally relate more to advertisements that fit their description. Another study conducted by Stephen J. Gould of Rutgers University shows self-consciousness traits and advertising responses across a sample of adult Americans (Gould: 215). Gould’s study, through the use of TV advertisements, showed that younger people, primarily females about public appearance and social acceptance of looks, were more self-conscious than older people because of advertisements such as body modifications (Gould: 221). Gould summarized that women â€Å"orchestrate their roles in our society with greater attention both to themselves as social objects and to external cues, such as advertising, that address their needs in those roles† (Gould: 223). What is important to take away from Gould’s experiment is how television advertisement negatively affects younger women’s confidence through the use of photo alteration and over sexualizaton of females. What is most detrimental to society in terms of sexist advertisements are advertisements with children in mind. Gender role portrayals in advertising are influential in society because they perpetuate stereotypes and can present behavioral norms for males and females. In this particular study H. -J. Paek, M. R. Nelson, and A. M. Vilela examined 2,608 prime-time television commercials in Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, South Korea, Thailand, and the U. S. to compare the gender and occupation of the prominent character and the gender of the voice over(Paek:2010:192). They analyzed cultural masculinity, country level gender-related development index, and product type according to the gender of the typical product user. Results revealed that cultural and country factors predicted the gender of the voice-over only whereas product type consistently conformed to the gender of the prominent character (Paek: 2010:192). Overall, women in ads are still idealized and stereotyped as being dependent on men, physically beautiful and perfect, and unintelligent or irrational (Paek:2010:204). S. G. Kahlenberg and M. M. Hein conducted a content analysis in toy commercials airing after school on Nickelodeon to examine gender-role stereotypes in October 2004. They viewed 455 toy commercials, which were analyzed for the type of toy, number of identifiable girls and boys, gender portrayal, gender orientation, age of children, type of interaction, setting, and color of setting. Its purpose was to determine whether toy commercials promulgate traditional gender-role stereotypes to children who are in the formative stages of developing gender schemas, identities, and values(Hein:2009:830). They wanted to show that through the socialization process and long-term exposure to television commercials, that the children are acculturated to develop a preference for toys that are designed, packages, and marketed corresponding to their masculine and feminine identities (Hein:2009:83). The toys themselves were fairly gender-typed, with females portrayed in slightly more limited settings, interactions, and color palettes when compared to males. Thus, through the use of toys, gender youths are promoted to more stereotypical roles such as housework (females) and action (males). Advertisements can affect all different parts of society and can influence it as a whole in an innumerable amount of ways. Considering gender, advertisements have created a major stereotype that women and men have set roles in society and must stick to them. Whether it be a woman’s beauty that affects society or how children grow up with preconvieved notions that one gender is superior to the other, advertisements can be correlated to things such as gender pay gaps or predominately male societies. It is important to point out these flaws in any given part of society, especially something as big as social media, so that it can be corrected in the future to create a more equal society that doesn’t base success and achievement on genders. Data/Methods: Content analysis will be the method that is used in order to understand how magazines portray male and female gender roles by using qualitative data as well as unobtrusive research. The data that is collected will be qualitative because the advertisements within the magazines is nonnumeric information that is describing people, roles, actions, or some event in social life (Newman 2013:37). Content analysis is one of a few types of unobtrusive research, which is a type of examination of data or evidence of social behavior that society leaves behind and the examiner as no contact with the people. Content analysis specifically looks at documented communications such as books, magazines, speeches, poems, television commercials, and social media (Newman 2013:41). Our study uses content analysis because the advertisements that are collected from the various magazines will be targeting different gender roles. This will allow for an analysis of gender roles within the different magazines and can be considered content analysis because no contact with any people is necessary. There are many advantages in using content analysis to provide analysis of gender roles within magazine advertisements. Content analysis is a qualitative form of research, which doesn’t require the researcher to analyze numbers. This type of analysis is useful in our study because it provides insight into how American society views gender roles through language and depictions of advertisements. Depending on the intended audience of the magazine viewer, the advertisements within the magazine will be intended to depict gender roles for the intended audience. An advantage of qualitative research is that it uses subjective information and allows for the data that is collected to be interpreted into themes or categories (Key:1998). Even though content analysis seems to be a perfect type of research for our particular study of gender roles within advertisements of magazines, there are some disadvantages or information that this research method may leave out. There is increased error within content analysis due to the various amounts of perception of the data being analyzed. Within our own study the perception of the meaning of an advertisement may differ from the producer of the advertisements to the researchers. Not every person can view the same image with the same meaning of gender roles that is attempting to be portrayed. There are times when the researcher may not get the same meaning from an image that the producer had intended. Another major disadvantage of content analysis is the difficulty of determining whether the conclusions follow from the data or are they explainable due to some other phenomenon. Our research is based on the generalized conclusions of the group’s portrayal of certain magazine advertisements. The themes of the advertisements that were chosen by the groups must be reliable and defined accurately, in order to measure the idea correctly. A major flaw within content analysis is when the study lacks the stability to categorize the same data the same way over a period of time. Qualitative research is usually slower for the researcher to analyze than analyzing quantitative research, especially if the research is collected by someone else (such as census data). Findings: Based on the information and the example advertisements, it is easily seen how media portrays gender differences in a negative way. The graphs provided (Appendix 2), have shown how women are constantly dehumanized and overly sexualized in most ads. In general, men are portrayed as strong, powerful; dominate forces due in part by their intimidating stance, muscular strength, and performing actions that usually require physical structure and prowess. Women on the other hand are portrayed as meager, vulnerable, and unable to have a commanding presence in the advertisements. Advertisements provided also sell their product through sexual activity. Not only is it used to attract the eye, but it also creates an idea that intimate sexual moments are allowed to become less personal and more about business. What is even more interesting are the certain objects portrayed in the advertisements. For instance, Amazon. com has an advertisement for a stylish purse. Under its fashion catalog the advertisement states Smart is Beautiful. Clearly this advertisement puts women at a lower scale then they deserve, stating that for a women to be smart, they must have fashionable items rather than any intelligence. Another advertisement is a phone case for Apple Devices. The case and phone are outlined with many stereotypical images of male in media such as a male construction worker with a jack saw, women in sunbathing in a bikini, and a man racing a jet ski. The advertisements outline also resembles that of an explosion with all these images coming out of it. One ad that encompasses both male superiority and woman vulnerability seen in most ads is created by Old Spice. The image shown is a man sweeping a woman off her feet while holding several shampoo bottles. Unfortunately, this advertisement shows how society has already accepted this as a common type of advertisement. Due to the acceptance of this, the dehumanization and over-sexualization of human beings in advertisements is now seen as humorous. Additionally, this shows that women are merely objects of a mans interest and can be taken simply by just the smell of his cologne. Conclusion: The study our group conducted on gender and advertising creates a series of dilemmas we can inherently use as a reflection upon its sociological importance. As mentioned, we have presented an array of themes which talks about gender stereotypes and social norms that are portrayed in the media, and its primary prejudicial effects upon women in society. Thus, we must make the necessary correlations which form a coherent understanding between these two interdependent variables. With a brief introduction, it is discussed in Jean Kilbourne’s documentary, Killing Me Softly 4 about the harmful effects of gender and advertising upon the social concept and breach of the question of gender identity as reflected in the means of today’s society: What does it mean to be a woman? In our modern day society, women are constantly bombarded with the ideals and concepts of beauty and being constantly reminded that they are always less than perfect. Society has created an ideal image and figure to achieve, which has affected the modern conception of physical fitness to an extent that makes it nearly impossible to achieve such an ideal model of beauty. Most of the issues that society has created have revolved around the saying, â€Å"your worth is dependent from how you look†. Women are constantly told that they have to be slim, otherwise they are not socially accepted or worthy as an individual, which looks after their own well-being. Consequences of such may include many forms of differing negative sanctions if one does not pursue such unhealthy obsessions with thinness as reflected in the magazines. This in turn, creates an atmosphere where women are portrayed as vulnerable, passive, and silenced through other forms of social repression that ultimately leads to depression, eating disorders, and low self-esteem. Intersectionality is used to describe variables which affect an individual’s subjective perspective upon the world and is often brought up by the conflict perspective through gender stereotypes in communities. The effects of advertising has severely affected the image and way we identify women nowadays, causing new forms of prejudices, thoughts and incentives, discrimination, and taking action upon the prejudice against women who do not fulfill the criteria of the model woman. This could lead to disastrous results as repeated practices eventually turn into forms of institutional sexism in the past, where practices, customs and laws were established that systematically reflect and product gender inequalities in society. The advertisements that were used within our study further confirmed social norms that exist within American society. Norms are culturally defined rules of conduct (Newman 2013:20). Individuals within society are expected to follow norms and causing a norm violation can lead to unusual looks, gestures, or appearances from nearby observing individuals. When a social norm is broken, there will be negative sanctions (reactions) from other individuals within the society. Norms relate heavily to culture because society believes that all members know their expected social norms and will abide by them. The social norms within American society are constantly being reinforced to the citizens through television, magazine, billboard, and other types of advertisements. The advertisements found within the study correlated with American society’s view of gender social norms because women are constantly being portrayed as submissive, meager, vulnerable, and unable to have a commanding presence. On the other hand, advertisements are consistently portraying men as muscular, strong, powerful, and performing actions that usually require physical structure and prowess. Individuals within society whom do not abide by the expected gender social norms are considered outliers. Individuals who are outliers have a greater risk of receiving negative sanctions from other individuals. A sanction is a direct social response to some behavior; a negative sanction is one that punishes or otherwise discourages violations of social norms and symbolically reinforces the culture’s values and morals (Newman 2013:54). The gender social norms that are expected from both men and women are constantly being reinforced through advertisements in order for men and women to clearly understand what behavior will and will not be accepted by the rest of society. One of the biggest issues within American society that continues to remain a problem is gender inequality. â€Å"Sexism is a system of beliefs that asserts the inferiority of one sex and justifies gender-based inequality† (Newman 2013:198). Advertisements are constantly reinforcing sexism because many advertisements objectify women in various ways. Martha Nussbaum claims that there are six typical ways in which advertisements will objectify women. Studies have shown that objectification of women in advertisements has led to an increase in violence from men towards women, which in the end advertisements help promote sexism by depicting men as being more superior to women. Ultimately, we believe that despite all the changes we have observed to bring drastic changes to the image of women in society, it is always important to remember that as mentioned in Killing Me Softly, that we shouldn’t underestimate the power of advertisement and its effects, because it can’t be ignored out of sheer will, because it is an ongoing unconscious process. It creates an unhealthy environment sets a certain degree of distortion within the natural image of men and women. General ideologies will begin to change within a matter of time because of the perceptions we are constantly bombarded with and reminded by every day. This not only leads to sexual repression, but is also known to be the cause of global widespread of violence activity since the exposure of advertising. What we must focus on is to begin to pay attention to the recognizable problems, and begin to change the environment in order to change the attitude.