Abstract This paper argues that multinational corporations in today's global economy have been a mixed blessing. The author points out that while these organizations have been rightly accused of debilitating local businesses, of exploiting workers in developing nations and of dangerous levels of political clout, which they wield in impoverished lands desperate for their patronage, they are also powerful engines for meaningful change with regards to such issues as affirmative action initiatives that might (belatedly) transform the work culture of certain nations. The author underscores that multinationals can serve as very effective organizations for improving the benefits and employment packages that people in developing lands receive. The paper concludes that multinationals are far from perfect, but strong and progressive leadership can make them efficacious tools for change.
From the Paper "The other negative with regards to multinational corporations (and this has actually been hinted at above) is the power they can wield over the governments of developing nations. For instance, developing lands are obviously eager to diversify their economies, to increase their tax receipts, and to overcome rampant unemployment. In a similar vein, these third-world states have a clear interest in forging ties with the developed world that will allow for greater business opportunities for their own entrepreneurs and business types."
Tags:clout, affirmative action, infrastructure power leadership
Abstract This paper presents an examination of Leni Riefenstah,l a film actor/director during Hitler's reign of Nazi Germany. It examines how
Leni worshipped many of Hitler's beliefs and used her art ability and clout in unethical manners to promote him as a humanistic in the form of Nazi propaganda. In her movies she portrayed Hitler as a brilliant political strategist who would only improve the world as the world bought into his ideas and beliefs. It attempts to understand how Leni's films helped to shape the war and the horror that many suffered from and how, had she not used her art in unethical ways then history may have been altered to have an outcome which did not include the horror that six million Jews suffered.
From the Paper "Understanding the ways that Leni's films influenced the world is important so that history does not repeat itself. There are several things that can be done to insure this does not repeat. One of the most important things the viewers need to remember is that the media presents a biased view regardless of how hard it tries not to. Each piece is put together by human beings and it is approved by other human beings and if they believe it to be a good piece it is generally because the piece dovetails with their interests and beliefs."
Tags: hitler, nazi, propaganda, movies, media, jews, director
Abstract Unions first caught the national imagination in 1869 with the foundation of three important unions: The Black National Labor Union, the first local Knights of Labor (in Philadelphia), and the Daughters of St. Crispin (first national female union). The paper shows, however, that organized labor had existed before that. Even before America was founded, powerful "guilds" protected skilled laborers. The paper questions why organized labor exists and what kind of power it wields. The paper shows that the answer to that question is in many ways ever-evolving and changing. The nature and needs for organized labor are constantly changing, as is the degree of power that they wield. About 70 years ago, for example, unions were relatively powerful and their interests mainly revolved around safe working places, living wages and so forth. They organized because they had to, for their own protection, because of the severity of working environments. The paper shows, however that unions today have far less power and though in many cases they organize for the same reasons, they are also concerned with globalization, privacy and advancement or investment rights and other concerns. Perhaps the simplest explanation for why labor becomes organized is that they are responding to the innate organization of the bosses and that their political clout is in direct reverse proportion to their expandability.
From the Paper "There are varying degrees of resistance which have been employed by labor, and the threat of which creates what political clout exists for labor. There is complete revolution, like that which has passed in many communist/socialist countries and is aimed at overthrowing both the capitalist system and the capitalist government. Additionally, labor can threaten active civil disobedience and striking by workers, even armed resistance. The third sort of threat is that of legal striking (organized or unorganized) and other legal pressures such as boycotting, which while less frightening are none the less debilitating. The fourth sort is purely political pressure, based in voting and other passive means to an end. The threat of these four sorts of resistance are enough to give labor some bargaining power when they come to the table."
Abstract This paper argues that counter to popular belief, Cubans are far from a homogeneous ethnic group. Rather, it was this group's shared sense of exile and its mobilization of large numbers of immigrants that paved the way for their socio-economic and political clout. This paper takes a historical approach to the growth of economic and political power of Cuban-Americans. It looks at how Cuban exiles slowly shifted focus from anticipating their return to the homeland in the years following the revolution, to working with and eventually becoming part of the established elite in Miami. This paper also discusses how Cubans slowly carved a new identity, as Cuban-Americans. This transformation further paved the way for the development of the Cuban-American elite, first in business and later, in politics.
Introduction
Review of Literature
Geography and Population
From Exiles to Citizens
Miami Politics and Economics
Conclusion
From the Paper "In summary, conventional wisdom has credited Cuban American prosperity to their social homogeneity. However, this is only part of the picture. Unlike other Hispanic groups, Cuban Americans have benefited from a strong social cohesion, brought about by a common goal to topple Cuba. This commonality paved the way for the establishment of social networks, which were later geared towards increasing Cuban presence in local and state politics. Additionally, the greater educational achievement of Cuban Americans further contributed to their growing economic power in the 1980s. Given the aging of the Castro regime and Cuba's growing openness towards capitalism, the economic and political might of the Cuban American population can only increase."
Abstract This paper explains that Clinton was able to amass a great deal of the international clout and political capital over the latter course of his first term and early in his second terms, partly because of the relative strength of the American economy and partly due to his new vitality as a leader of substance. The paper states, however, that this was all undone by a series of various scandals of both a political and personal kind that resulted in Clinton becoming the first president since Andrew Johnson to be impeached and tried.
From the Paper "When the former Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton came to power, world opinion as to his foreign policy competency was fairly negative. This was only to be expected, perhaps, given that the recently deposed first President Bush was not only a vice president before he assumed the presidency, but was a former director of the CIA and an ambassador to China under Richard Nixon. Clinton had campaigned with the homespun, America-focused slogan 'it's the economy, stupid,' and his domestically oriented past career made him appear like anything but a statesman. "(BBC, 2001) Clinton was keenly aware of the recession, and his first campaign offered change and focused on the economy and the high unemployment rate. He promised health-care reform, tax cuts for the middle class and tax increases for the wealthy, and reductions in defense spending." (Rozell, 2005) However, Clinton seemed to offer little coherent vision for the post Cold War's increasingly fractious and divisive world."
Abstract In 1971, a new type of movie hero appeared on the screen. "Shaft" was the first Hollywood production that capitalized on a growing black audience who had demonstrated their box office clout with a strong response to Van Peebles's "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song". The paper questions whether the main character, John Shaft, was just another iteration of the 'big, bad black buck' or whether he constituted a new black persona.
From the Paper "To understand the cultural context of a Black superhero, it's important to appreciate the political climate of the time. Black Power and Black Nationalism were political movements expressing a new racial consciousness among blacks in the United States in the late 1960s. Black Power represented both a logical outcome of the decade's civil rights movement and an impatient reaction to persisting racism that continued to resist the efforts of black activists during the early 1960s. Black Power was influential mainly in the late 1960s. Black Power meant different things to different people."
Abstract This paper studies how the Russian mafia has established itself in Israel over the past decade. The paper discusses the arrival of the mafia alongside one million immigrants to Israel from the Former Soviet Union. The paper then examines the major inroads the mafia has made in dominator sectors of Israel's economy. The paper concludes with evidence that the mafia is now poised to gain political clout, particularly in local governments. underestimated. Either way, people have cause for concern.
Outline
Introduction
History and Influence
Summary
From the Paper "Police are concerned that the Russian Mafia is seeking to infiltrate the government through Israel's primaries system. It takes a lot of money to be elected in the primaries, which leaves the door open for organized-crime figures who have a lot of cash to pass around, police sources say. And yet, the sources add, despite the accusations of cynics, the checks and balances of the country's democratic system make it difficult to infiltrate the government. This is likely to turn the Mafia towards municipal government."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed examination of automobiles in the film industry, and how they are impacted by mass media. More specifically, this paper analyzes how mass media influences the use of automobiles and popular culture surrounding their use. The writer explores several books and movies in support of the analysis presented.
From the Paper "Since the inception of the automobile, significant importance has been placed on its use and look. Young men are conditioned to believe that attracting women is based in part on having the right type of car. Young women are raised to think if a man has a nice car he is a worthwhile pursuit. In addition, media and society have conditioned Americans to place certain values on certain cars. If it's a sedan or a station wagon the owner must be old or boring. If it is sporty or a particular type of car the assumption is made that the owner is modern in thought and action. Autos have importance in all walks of life, including entertainment."
Abstract This paper explains that, with managed care systems, hospitals needed to compete for managed care contracts and gain clout with insurers for better reimbursement rates; therefore, administrators, who are usually not medically trained, save costs by downsizing the R.N. staff, resulting in less favorable patient outcomes. The author suggests that the simplest solution would be to abolish for-profit medical facilities and replace them with facilities judged on how well they spend all their income on patient care by providing the best possible medical care by doctors, nurses and nursing assistants. The paper concludes that, as long as the United States considers the right to make a handsome profit more important than the mandate to provide care for the sick, nothing will change.
Table of Contents
History of Nursing-Staff Erosion
Legal Ramifications
Possible Solutions
Conclusion
From the Paper "Hospitals may cross-train janitors and security guards to do nursing work. "Studies report that hospital nursing staffs, which once consisted of 85-95 percent registered nurses and only 5-15 percent aides, are now only 80, 70 sometimes 50 percent registered nurses and up to 50 percent aides." This sort of understaffing leads to errors. Sometimes those errors are R.N. errors, due to lack of time to consider all the ramifications of their own and their assistants' actions. For example, in one nursing care facility, an elderly man, called Mr. D by authors Baker and Cooper, was restrained, partially because of his behavior. However, he became agitated during a time when he was not under observation because, with too few assistants, an R.N. had to reassign some staff."
Abstract This is an essay about the history and current status of Bajaj Auto limited, one of India's largest and most powerful companies. The essay contains a SWOT analysis.
From the Paper "According to the official Bajaj Auto Limited website online Bajaj is a leading manufacturer of motorcycles, scooters or ungeared two wheelers and three wheelers in India. The three wheeler is considered both as a passenger carrier and as an economical and ..."
Tags: SWOT, Bajaj, india, protection, tariffs, retaliation, political clout
This paper argues that the Ku Klux Klan, at one time a feared terrorist-type organization throughout the South in the US, has little if any political and social clout remaining.
2,250 words (approx. 9 pages), 7 sources, 2006, $ 89.95
Abstract This essay argues that the Klan's authority and effectiveness as a terrorist organization has diminished in recent years as the organization has fragmented and has been unable to attract new members in significant numbers. The threat posed by the Ku Klux Klan, while not to be taken lightly, should no longer constitute a major focus of law enforcement agencies in the United States. The modern KKK isn't an active terrorist group, so much as it is an historical artifact, the remains of an organization that once used terrorist tactics to keep much of the nation afraid.
From the Paper "In November 1999, eighteen members of the Ku Klux Klan gathered in New York City for a rally promoting their decidedly white supremacist beliefs. They stood silent for their rally because the courts denied them any sound equipment. Meanwhile, a counter-protest developed around the KKK rally, which attracted more than 6,000 New Yorkers. This latter group was there to protest the existence of the KKK and the rally that they were holding (Hentoff, 2001). The anti-KKK protesters had more than three hundred times the attendees as did the actual Ku Klux Klan. This disparity tells us quite a bit about the social and political clout that the Klan currently wields. The term "Ku Klux Klan" is used to denote any number of past terrorist organizations that have operated in the United States, under the loose banner of white supremacy."
Abstract The paper discusses how "Seeds of Terror" speaks about the growth and expansion of al-Qaeda's terrorist network in Southeast Asia. The paper looks at Ressa's portrayal of how they build their cells or networks from grassroots to political levels and work with brutal means such as killings, bombings and kidnappings. The paper explains that Ressa's main point is that al-Qaeda is not only the homegrown group we thought it was especially after the 9/11 events, but is also an organization with clout and financing that can extend its reach in the fours corners of the globe. The paper includes book reviews by LCDR Aboul-Enein of the Marine Corps Gazette, the Publisher's Weekly/Reed Business Information, Inc. and by Joe Moe of Amazon.com.
From the Paper "Books at times changed not only people's perceptions but their lives as well. This holds true especially for books that bear witness to pains, sufferings and affliction brought about by men on their fellow human beings. Maria Ressa's Seeds of Terror is on of those books that tell us how evil man could get and to what depths he is capable of going into to show his malevolence. The book could be many things to different peoples - it could be a history book because if portrays the events and explains the happenstance of the existence of the al-Qaeda network in a usually forgotten region known as Southeast Asia. For Ressa, Seeds of Terror could be a biography - her own autobiography and the way she bears witness to the atrocities of the terrorist group, or the biographies of the personalities in the book whether the perpetrators of the devious acts or victims themselves."
Abstract This paper addresses the question whether or not governments should mandate the shift to biofuels. To address this issue, the paper discusses various related issues such as the role of governments in the expanded use of biofuels. The author argues in favor of governments mandating the shift to biofuels because of their authority, influence, clout and moral responsibility towards controlling and regulating the challenging shift to biofuels.
Outline:
Introduction
Biofuel Defined
The Role of Governments in the Expanded Use of Biofuels
Ecological & Economic "Ripple Effects"
Further Consequences to Mass Shift to Biofuels
Arguments For/or Against Mandating the Shift to Biofuels
Summary
From the Paper "The impact of biofuel is extensive. With biofuel costing less than fuel derived from traditional sources (Matthews, 2007), their production and use allow countries to save in their petroleum imports and strengthen their energy security by becoming less dependent on foreign oil. Biofuel is also environment friendly as these fuels do not release toxic gas that lead to global warming and greenhouse effect. The production of biofuel also creates income and labor opportunities especially in developing countries (Matthews, 2007; Abano, 2007). This could subsequently lead to poverty alleviation and food security as more people will have jobs and money to buy food (Northoff, 2004). As the production of biofuels can be tailored to the environment of different countries, its production can be cost effective given the local sourcing of raw materials. Similarly, this diversifies agricultural and forestry production for use in a lucrative industry such as alternative fuel production (Northoff, 2004).
"
Tags: bioenergy, bioethanol, biodiesel, Philippines, Brazil, UN, energy, agriculture
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that the U.S. Patriot Act was passed in haste following the terrorist attacks on the U.S. in 2001. The writer points out that the act was reauthorized and amended in 2006. The writer claims that in its urgency, the United States Congress, fueled by extremely fearful times and the mushrooming nationalism spawned by those fears, appears to have launched its own attack on the United States Constitution in order to provide the legal clout needed to avoid another attack. This paper reviews the literature surrounding the Patriot Act's intrusion into the Constitution. The writer provides a review of the issues and the amendments and looks at how the Patriot Act conflicts with those amendments.
Outline:
Introduction
Bill of Rights, Amendment IV
Background on Fourth Amendment
Generalizations
The Patriot Act Specifics and Generalizations
Senator Russell Feingold: The only U.S. Senator to Vote against the Patriot Act in 2001
Sixth Amendment
Generalizations about the Patriot Act, the Loss of Privacy, the Digital Technology Implications and the Fourth Amendment
Librarians Concerns about the Patriot Act
From the Paper "A recent research piece in the Brigham Young University Law Review asserts that, to begin with, there are problems for 21st Century individuals involved in justice and law enforcement. Quite apart from Patriot Act considerations, the Fourth Amendment is tricky. That is because, Minert writes, the language in the Fourth Amendment "is inherently ambiguous." Indeed the Amendment forbids "unreasonable searches and seizures" and it certainly does not outline parameters for how a proper search warrant should be given to law enforcement by courts."
Abstract The paper reveals that Kazakhstan possesses both the natural resources and the economic clout to forge new economic and strategic alliances. The paper reviews the literature to examine the historic trends in exports of the U.S. to Kazakhstan and thus determine the economic impact of Kazakhstan's emerging strength on the United States. The paper concludes that while some significant problems remain firmly in place, U.S. interest in Kazakhstan as a strategic partner in its ongoing war on terrorism will continue to grow in the future. Numerous color graphs are included with the paper.
Outline:
Introduction
Review of Literature
Conclusion
From the Paper "Today, the Republic of Kazakhstan has emerged as both a growing political and economic powerhouse among the former states of the Soviet Union. As the largest of the former Soviet states (except for Russia itself), Kazakhstan possesses both the natural resources and the economic clout to forge new economic and strategic alliances with former military adversaries, including the United States. Indeed, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has expanded to almost twice its former membership during the Soviet era, the Kazakhstan is well situated to become a prominent member of the international community in the future."
Tags: import, goods, commodities, services, Eurasia, Russia
