Public Office And Private Lives Social Policy Essay

Public Office And Private Lives Social Policy Essay The development of the media and high speed information exchange brings private lives of public officials to public discussion. Transgress moral boundaries may damage public officials career, especially elected ones, severely. The growing attention to private lives among the population makes the topic more important for the social sciences. On one hand politicians use certain aspects of their ideal private lives in their election campaigns in order to gain popularity, on the other hand they require the right for privacy in the things that will affect their lives negatively. Interestingly, the level of public interest in private life varies in modern democracies. While USA citizens are interested in every aspects of public officials (mostly elected ones), and try to find relationship between officials job performance with his private life, Greek people seems to be less caring about private lives and prefer to focus on officials job performance only. The purpose of this paper is to exp lain level of public interest for private lives of politicians, its reasons, affect on politics the Greece and the USA comparatively. In the first section I will focus on the USA case, in the second on the Greece, in the third section I will give comparison of these two countries. The final section Privacy in USA In past three decades borders between private and public life of public figures in USA became more invisible; their private lives are brought to public discussion more often. Privacy in general considered as freedom from unauthorized intrusion: state of being let alone and able to keep certain esp. personal matters to oneself.( Merriam-Websters). Freedom from unauthorized intrusion may include media, police, and government and so on. Although to define hat is public is not that easy. According to Frederick Schauer in public issue individual preferences is not indulged, including a preference that information not to be disclosed(Frederick Schauer 2000, 294 ). In this case electors right to whether decision making public official is suitable for the job, and how his/her policies affect their lives. Having normal childhood, family, and friends seems indicator of good personality as well. Through the history there are several cases showing that public leaders having abused childhood, lea ders who treated their families in abusive ways used alike policies in their job. For example Hitlers abused childhood caused disaster for the world as Alise Millen said Hitler did not invent fascism; he found it, like so many of his contemporaries, prefigured in the totalitarian regime of his family (The Natural Child Project). Or another dictator, Joseph Stalin, also had abusive childhood, problems with his family. Stalins wife Nadejda Alilulayeva wife committed suicide in 1982 after he spoke her mind about Communist Party purges and the famine and was met by a flood of vulgar abuse from Stalin (Nyu York Times, April 14, 1988) and another member of his family, his son Joseph committed suicide in 1943. Today family images of politicians play very important in their career path and their successful marriages brings moral and softer image to them. Perhaps its not coincidence that British Prime Minister Gordon Browns workaholic, lonely man changed before becoming prime minister. He is not mentioned as lonely man but family man who loves his family. In USA situation is not that much different than most of the world, even politicians private lives are more exposed than other countries. While most of the politicians complain about insufficiency of privacy in their private lives, they use their private lives as a means of advertisement. Since USA presidential election of 1992 politicians started to publicize their private lives more and more. Public interest for private life increasing, people prefer more entertaining programs, the American electorate are regarded as fed up with Washington politicians, voter want people who arent political ( Newman, in Schauer 2003, 301,). Candidates private life scandals seemed very interesting topic for news programs. Perhaps Bill Clintons extramarital relationship with Monica Lewinsky was one of the biggest scandals in USA history which was on headlines of newspapers for years. Although Clinton was elected for office for the second time after the scandal, some of higher ranked officials, had to resign after scandals, Randall L. Tobias, Deputy Secretary of State, resigned a day after confirming his usage of Washington escort services. Although April 27, 2007 dated press release of the state department said that he was leaving for personal reasons. New York governor Eliot Spitzer who also accused having extramarital affair with prostitute resigned from his post after scandal. Before his resignation he made a brief public appearance during which he apologized for his behavior, and described it as a private matter. (New York Times, March 10, 2008). There might be several reasons for this increase, but probably the most important two reasons which is decrease of interest to real politics as mentioned above peoples being fed up with Washington politicians (Schauer 2003, 301) and media which always tries to meet popular demand. In the last elections in USA candidate Barack Obamas race, family, religion was discussed and much as his election platform. Today media is considered as one of most profit bringing areas in the world. In the competitive market companies are working to maximize their profits at any price. American media is called as freest and most commercial media in the world by Heather Savigny (2004, 225). Privacy in Greece Discussions about privacy and public life are not something new for Greece. In ancient Greece private lives and public were separated from each others, private life was called oikos and public life was called as dimos. In Platos Republic Plato and Socrates discuss privacy issue. After reviewing Greek newspapers headlines in last 25 years one might thing that Greeks might seem not to be interested in oikos of politicians after over than 2000 years from Socrates times or Greeks are not interested in politics at all or having politicians who has very ideal life without any scandals, so that there are only two well known publicized high ranked public officials scandals. Both of these scandals have very similar feature. In the first case Andreas Papandreou, while receiving hospital treatment in London, was accompanied by a former air hostess, Ms. Dimitra Liani rather than with his wife, even friendly press gave the fact widespread publicity. Later, he was constantly seen with Ms. Liani, most notable on his return to Greece from London, In Autumn 1988 and at the EC Summit in Rhodes in December of that year. (Georgia Chondreleou 2004,5,) However this case was not revealed by journalists or someone else but Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou himself let rumors to be spread. Greek prime ministers confident action also indicates that he is not that much concerned about critiques and media pressure. Indeed this case was not discussed in the media that much, so that his health and later on corruption scandals overshadowed this case. In the Second case: Christos Zachopoulos, the former secretary general of the Greek Culture Ministry and chairman of the Central Archaeological Council, jumped off the balcony of his fourth-floor home here [December 20, 2007]after allegations that he was being blackmailed by his former office assistant, with whom he had had an affair. Mr. Zachopoulos, 54, survived the fall. (New York Times December 20, 2007) This scandals also mentioned as The juiciest sex scandal in modern Greek memory (Times Online January 9, 2008) Comparatively with the first case in the second case General Secretary of the Greek culture get more attention from the media. Perhaps, the thing that forced General Secretary to resign and attempt for the suicide was not only related publication of his love affair in the media, but also his being accused for corruption. An Athens prosecutor [was] also examining at least 10 of an estimated 200 cases in which Mr. Zachopoulos, in his capacity as the head of the Central Archaeological Council, decreed that places could be removed from the list of protected archaeological sites. (New York Times, January 19, 2008). Having only two politician private life scandal in Greece also doesnt means that Greek people are not interested in politics. Politics is still one of the most famous topics in Greek Coffee Shops. But its also known that population get information what media gives. Although there was freedom of speech in media, since the beginning of the 1980s ruling parties always had impact on TVs, so that most the TVs and big newspapers either belonged to the government or survived with the subsidies from the government. Even today from time to time Greek governments subsidize media. Perhaps it is not coincidence that there is not that much critique in media against government and high ranked officials except the cases which officials exposed them or the cases which is already related with some ethical issues. Comparison Even if this two countries seems very similar in some points there differences in public attention to their life. However political scandals take place only in liberal democracies because only there is the separation of public from private spheres fundamental to the political system (Markovitsa nd Silverstei in Betty a. Dobratz and Whitfield, Stephanie 1992, 168). Perhaps the level of the liberalization and Greeks being under dictatorship was also one of the factors that affect level of scandals. Platos Republic abolishes the foundation of any private life for the guardians who the ideal state-eliminating the family and private property in order to create unity in the state. Socrates considers the objection that guardians will not be happy if they have to give up pleasures of the private life. Such happiness he replies is senseless and childish; the guardians, after all, will enjoy a better and more honorable life than other citizens. Anyhow, the aim should be to make whole society good, not to make one section of it happy, he also argues that even if guardians will have to give up their private lives, they will still enjoy a better honorable life.'(Platos Republic in Thompson 1987, 124). If we compare USA and Greece with Plato and Socrates philosophy, Platos model private and public life is very suitable USA approach of privacy so that politicians seems to be ok giving up their privacy in order to enjoy a better honorable life. However Greece politicians still can manage to keep their private lives from public. The main difference in the cases of two countries is that USA population will get more However media also played significant role in publicizing the cases. Free and commercialized USA media seems is more likely to meet entertain popular demand of population that the media and press which is subsidized by government. Conclusion Its obvious that there are still will be a lot of debates about public and private lives. As much country will get liberalized, achieve free media, References: Frederics Schauer 2000, Can Public Figures have private lives? Social Philosophy and Policy, 17:299-306 Dennis F. Tomphson 1987, Political Etics and Public Office. Cabridge Mass.: Harvard University Press Georgia Chondroleou 2004, Public Images and Private Lives: the Greek Experience Parliamentary Affairs Vol. 57 No. 1, 53-66 Heather Savigny 2004, The Media and the Personal Lives of Politicians in the Unites States, Parliamentary Affairs Vol. 57 No. 1, 223-235 Betty A. Dobratz and Whitfield, Stephanie Sep., 1992, Does Scandal Influence Voters Party Preference? The Case of Greece during the Papandreou Era European Sociological Review, Vol. 8, No. 2, 167-180 privacy. Dictionary.com. Merriam-Websters Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/privacy (accessed: December 11, 2009). http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/privacy (accessed: December 05, 2009) http://www.naturalchild.org/alice_miller/adolf_hitler.html, last accessed December 10, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/ http://timesonline.co.uk (accessed December 10, 2009)

Cahill Essay -- essays research papers

The Gifts of the Jews Catholic author thanks Jews for Western values Review by April Witt for Miami Herald Published: Tuesday, April 14, 1998, If not for the Jews, no one would know to love justice, yearn for freedom, struggle for faith in one God or hope for a tomorrow better than today. Jews helped invent Western culture and without Jewish ideas and values there would be no civil rights movement, democracy or even history. That's the central, sweeping premise of The Gifts of the Jews, the latest book by Roman Catholic scholar and best-selling author Thomas Cahill. ''The Jews gave us the Outside and the Inside -- our outlook and our inner life,'' writes Cahill, who will be at Temple Judea in Coral Gables tonight to talk about the book. ''We can hardly get up in the morning or cross the street without being Jewish. We dream Jewish dreams and hope Jewish hopes. Most of our best words, in fact -- new, adventure, surprise; unique, individual, person, vocation; time, history, future; freedom, program, spirit; faith, hope, just -- are the gifts of the Jews.'' Cahill, 58, has his own gift: making history accessible, even compelling to a mass culture largely ignorant of its patrimony. His last book, How the Irish Saved Civilization, was a New York Times bestseller for more than a year and a half. The Gifts of the Jews, the second in a planned series, climbs onto the list next week. ''I tell history as a story and people love stories,'' Cahill said in ...

Impact of American Media on Caribbean Culture

Stewart-Andre Wilkinson 409001306 Impact of American media on Caribbean media culture and music Rap, Hip Hop, Pop, Fashion; all these are areas in which the culture of North America has influenced the culture in the Caribbean. To be able to determine the full extent to which American culture affects the Caribbean, we must first define what Caribbean culture is. In its broadest definition it is the actions and way of life practiced by the people who live amongst the islands of the Caribbean Sea that stretch from the Bahamas in the north to Guyana in the south. Caribbean culture as the result of the violent mixture of indigenous people from Quisqueya, Xaymaca, Borinquen and Cuba, European immigrants who invaded these territories and African slaves brought to work in the gold mines, sugar plantations and sugar mills† (Wilson 1998). The culture of the Caribbean has been developing over centuries and due to its dynamic nature it changes with the presence of external pressures. The l argest external force affecting Caribbean culture is in the form of North America; the main instrument used to cause this influence is the media.Although America’s impact is diverse, one of the major impacts it has is on the media culture and music in the Caribbean. This article will discuss how American media has affected the local media in Caribbean territories and the music industry in the region in three main ways: 1. The change in popular music in the Caribbean; 2. Treatment of local celebrities versus foreign celebrities. 3. Impact on Carnivals and television. The first major impact that American media has had on the region is on the perception of popular music.In the past reggae and calypso were the music genres of choice and the many songs produced could be heard regularly on the radios. Reggae originated in Jamaica but has found its way throughout the region so that the popular songs were sung by everyone. Calypso music which came out of Trinidad was heard throughout the region; popular artist such as The Mighty Sparrow were well known throughout the Caribbean. This is not to suggest that there was no music which came from America, because they were several popular groups and songs which originated from the United States, such as The Platters, The Drifters and The Temptations.What is noteworthy is that these songs were still popular but they would never be heard more than the local or regional music. This ratio is much different than what is heard today. â€Å"Hip hop and Top 40 tunes stream from radios as much, if not more than Soca, calypso and reggae. † (Cummings-Yeates, 2000). This can be clearly seen in the amount of airtime that the respective genres are played on the radio. Calypso is only heard in high quantities around the time of Crop Over in Barbados; reggae is heard in small amounts as is the genre of dub.In contrast to these is the fixation on American music such as Pop which is at the moment the most popular genre of music. Turn on the radio at any given time to the most popular on radio stations and you are probably going to hear music originating from the United States. There is a notion that since it comes from America the standard must be of the highest quality. Within the songs of local artists, this notion of America being the standard can be seen; their voices as well as the melody of the songs follow the pattern which is set by the United States, there is hardly any resemblance of the local customs or traits.The second impact that is observed is how local celebrities are treated in contrast to international celebrities. There is an old saying, â€Å"A king is never welcomed in his own kingdom†; this has proven true for local celebrities within the region, especially in Barbados. Local singers and actors are viewed as amateurs; this is also related to the notion of American music and film being the benchmark. â€Å"Young people idolize celebrities from ‘foreign’ more than t heir own, homegrown role models† (Cummings-Yeates, 2000).This idolizing can have a grave impact on the youth of the region. Multiple studies in Trinidad found that â€Å"The more hours Trinidadian female adolescents spent watching American sitcoms, the less satisfied they are with their body image†¦(and) also resulted in the increase in the adolescents? awareness and internalization of the American norms and expectations for thinness, as well as the pressures to adopt those norms and expectations† (Ferguson, 2011). This behavior is not shown towards local celebrities; they are seen as being no better than the other locals.On the contrary the foreign celebrities are idolized and imitated. Thirdly, the impact that America has on the various cultured festivals or carnivals is uncanny. This impact can be directly related to the importance of tourism in the region. The respective festivals within the region usually had some cultural or traditional significance to it. In Barbados for example, the festival of Crop Over had with it the Queen and King of the Harvest, these were main attractions of the festival; there were other traditional practices which had its roots in colonial days.With the switch to tourism as main source of foreign exchange for the country, the festival had to become more marketable for tourists. As a result the traditional features of the festival were no longer the focal point but rather the women and dancing of Kadooment. An example of this is the sidelining of calypso with it social commentary in favor of the more catchy Soca. Advertising on American are somewhat to blame for this because they don’t advertise the cultural side of the festival but only the sexual aspect which appeals to prospective tourists.On one hand there is the changing of the traditional festival but on the other hand there is also the introduction of new festivals from the United States which is bigger than the traditional festival. These include the materially-driven festival, Christmas as well as Easter, Father’s and Mother’s day. They are celebrated in the same fashion and characterized by the same extent of commercialism as in developed societies. It is the commercial aspect of the celebrations that marks the degree of Western influence.Finally another impact seen is through the domination of television which originates in America. Caribbean residents have become exposed to this culture difference through â€Å"the pervasive commoditization and consumption of the United States way of life via cable television and other instruments† (Baptiste, 1988). As stated by Baptiste the television has been one of the major instruments used; various shows and programs from the United States are shown. This can be contrasted to the lack of local programs that are aired. In conclusion then the impact that America has had on Caribbean media is immense.It is clear that through the popularity of the music that we lis ten to as well as how we treat our local celebrities in comparison to how we idolize the foreign celebrities that this is the case. The changes in the various Carnivals that are celebrated around the region give another testament to this. There was a change in the traditional Carnival to make it more marketable to the tourists as well as the influx of festivals from outside of the region which have become larger than traditional festivals. The change in the media coverage has also been a major impact on the region. References 1.Wilson, Carlos Guillermo. 1998. â€Å" Uprooted†. pp 43 2. Cummings- Yeates, Rosalind. 2000. Foreign invasion: American media images reshaping Caribbean culture. BlackVoices. com 3. Feguson, Clarabelle. 2011. The Relationship Between American Media Exposure and Trinidadian Female Adolescents’ Body Image Satisfaction. 4. Baptiste, Fitzroy A. 1988. â€Å"The Exploitation of Caribbean Bauxite and Petroleum, 1914-1945. † Social and Economic S tudies 37, nos. 1-2:107-42. 5. Baptiste, Fitzroy A. 1988. War, Cooperation and Conflict: The European Possessions in the Caribbean, 1939-1945. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press

Nke I2 Erp - 3187 Words

Nike I2 ERP Implementation Failure Case Study February 9, 2014 Shafer Minnick Morgan Correll Jeff Harvey Nike stands as the World’s leading producer of Athletic Footwear, Apparel and Equipment. As of 2013 they held complete ownership or joint venture in the following companies: ïÆ' ¼ Nike Brand ïÆ' ¼ Cole Haan ïÆ' ¼ Converse ïÆ' ¼ Hurley International ïÆ' ¼ Umbro Athletic Wear ïÆ' ¼ Nike Golf ïÆ' ¼ Jordan Brand This is a rather long and somewhat surprising list to many, based on some of these brands are portrayed as competitors in the daily consumer market. Nike products are sold in over 170 countries worldwide through their network of 700 retails stores. They have 38,00 Nike employees worldwide, based in those retail store, or one of 65†¦show more content†¦Nike plans to operate with open communication and within a transparent and collaborative approach. Fig. 1 The Nike Value Chain ïÆ' ¼ Plan - At the core of our business is a plan – our opportunities, our resources and our values. It’s who we are. What we believe. And how we get things done. ïÆ' ¼ Design - Form. Function. Superior performance. Minimal impact. While our designers always strive to create products that are faster, lighter and stronger, they also pay close attention to smarter. ïÆ' ¼ Make - Ideas don’t become reality by magic. For a global business, it requires people, materials, tools, knowledge, skill and a whole lot of coordination. We contract with more than 900 factories globally to make products from our designs. ïÆ' ¼ Move - We ship products wherever and whenever they are needed, to get to thousands of partners and millions of consumers around the world. Airplanes, boats, trucks and trains are the tools our transport providers use to overcome the obstacle of distance every day. ïÆ' ¼ Sell - Nike operates more than 750 retail stores around the world across all our brands. Beyond selling products, each location strives to be a rewarding experience for its consumers and an asset to its community. The stores are in leased space. While NIKE and our Affiliate brands sell primarily through retail partners not owned by our company, our focus is on the impact of the selling we do in our own stores. ïÆ' ¼ Use - Once youShow MoreRelatedNike Erp2332 Words   |  10 PagesCase Study: Nike ERP Implementation Nike shoe division grew and spread rapidly around the globe from its inception in 1972 through 1998. Yet in 1999, Nike realized that in order to keep up with the growing demands of their products, and specifically their Air Jordan line of basketball shoes, they would have to make changes in the way they forecasted and projected demands and distributed their products. Eventually it was decided that these changes would take place in the form of the implementation