Information Technology Applications in Marketing Essay

Information Technology Applications in Marketing - Essay Example This is because digital media has numerous advantages like: search ability, speed, marketing interface and perhaps most importantly, data feedback. Digital media, therefore, transcends the constraints posed by physical media and incorporates the best of personal interactivity. More importantly, digital print has been known to reduce incremental cost of production, as well as, that of content acquisition and distribution. The reason why print media is dying is because every newspaper pays writers to acquire publishing content. This makes it difficult to compete with digital media, since the latter provides free content. In the past, printed media was the most influential platform for acquisition of information since there was no other basis of doing so. At the present time, numerous individuals have resorted to electronic media like websites, e-newspapers, and online television, among others. This has led to a huge drop in newspaper circulation for the past ten years. However, this do es not mean that print media is completely obsolete because up to today there are loyal readers that prefer to get news from newspapers and other print media (Reid, n.pag). This is a notion opposed by Josefowicz (n.pag)who insists that print media is bound to die owing to poor reception and increasing popularity of digital media at all societal levels. The principal sector likely to bear the brunt of print media deterioration is that will journalism. A journalist is forced to acquire distinctive information because the internet is a threat for print media. Despite the extensive efforts of acquiring information, it is made available to people who can easily access or even download it for free. For this reason, the print industry has to lower its cost in order to sustain competition in the news industry, and this will inevitably cause its failure and that of journalism. People have always paid for monthly subscriptions for newspaper or other print media like magazines. Currently, howe ver, individuals can acquire information free of charge from the internet, a principal predicament that is shaking the print media companies financially, because they do not have the capability to offer free information. However, as Josefowicz (n.pag) states, the internet is the big problem, but in some cases it can be utilized as a solution. Print media companies can earn revenue by borrowing the internet’s business model for increasing advertising. Nevertheless, print media is still effective and in some cases it holds a variety of advantages over digital media. For instance, print media offers tangibility, an element not available in digital media. This is crucial; magazines or newspapers can be preserved for future reference, while it is possible for internet advertisements or information to get lost into the cyber space under circumstances like virus attacks. Additionally, print media has credibility owing to its sense of legitimacy. This is due to the fact that informat ion is acquired by competent journalists, and is reviewed by editors before being unveiled to the public. This is unlike in digital media where virtually everyone can gain access to information and deliver it in a manner that lacks credibility. Content Marketing Content marketing refers to a promotion method of collecting as well as distributing

Injustices during the progressive Essay Example for Free

Injustices during the progressive Essay During the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were a lot of injustices in the United States. The Progressive Movement, which began in the late 1800s attempted to bring about government reforms and correct injustices in America. One example of the problem in the U.S. was over population of the American cities. More and more people began to move cities from rural areas for jobs. As you can see in Document I, the cities were overcrowded and the infrastructure could not hold up with the influx of people moving to urban areas. The people lived in overcrowded housing developments that were dirty and poor. There was also abuse in industries. This was exposed by Upton Sinclair (Document 2). One of his most well known novels was The Jungle, which showed the abuse in the meat packing industry. He uncovered how the people would take extremely spoiled meat and use it as sausage or put it in to a can. They also used all parts of the meat and even rats were found to be in the meat. By writing this book, Sinclair was able to expose the corruption in the industry of meat packing, and Congress passed the Meat Inspection Act. A position change brought about the declining numbers of children between the ages of ten and fifteen who worked. In Document 3, you can see by the chart that the number of children working decreased by 6.8% from 1890 to 1920. Children were often used as cheap labor and were abused greatly. The government was able to reduce the number of working children under sixteen during this period of time because many states passed children labor laws. Around this time, big businesses came to power. As shown in Document 4, there were many abuses in businesses. The people who ran and formed these industries/trusts/businesses, such as Andrew Carnegie, Rockefeller, and Henry Ford. They acted like the big bosses and held control of much of the U.S. industry. In Document 5, Teddy Roosevelt explained how he felt about how these big businesses (oil, steel, copper, etc.) should be regulated if they are only in it for the money and power. Teddy Roosevelt became known as  a trust-buster because he enforced the Sherman Antitrust Act. During the late 1800s the Progressive Party was formed. They wanted to bring about change in the U.S. One of their main goals included the reforming of industries. In Document 6, their platform is partly shown. Under their platform, they wanted to prevent accidents, diseases acquired on the job, and unemployment. They further wanted to have better health and safety centers, and minimum wage. In 1913, the 17th Amendment was added to the Constitution (Document 7). When the Constitution was first written in 1787, the senators were elected by legislators. In order to make the selection of senators more democratic, the 17th amendment was added. It said that senators would be elected by people from each state, not by the legislature. This is why we now have candidates that campaign for seats in the senates to the people. By adding this amendment to the Constitution, it made the U.S. more democratic. Women suffrage also took place during this time. People like Susan B. Anthony (Document 8) and Elizabeth Cady Stanton worked and campaigned for women to be allowed to vote. Susan B. Anthony used the preamble of the Constitution to argue her case. She stated that the Constitution said We the people not We the men' She said the Constitution was written for all people, not just men. Her efforts eventually paid off, and the 19th amendment was passed in 1922 allowing women to work. In conclusion there were many injustices in the U.S. from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. The Progressive Movement help to bring about more change as did the government. Teddy Roosevelt tried the limit the abuses of big businesses, and women suffrage was granted, and the meat packing industry was exposed. With each time comes problems but with activists some are changed and reformed. During this time period, there were a lot of injustices and issues, many of which were discovered, addressed, and reformed.

Volunteer Management Has Become An Important Issue Management Essay

Volunteer Management Has Become An Important Issue Management Essay In a letter declaring September 11th a National Day of Service and Remembrance, President Barack Obama stated, No force for change is more powerful than that of Americans who are making a difference in their communities (Stewart, 2009, p. 28). Individuals who donate their time and expertise to help organizations address a need or concern are examples of these Americans who are making a difference in their communities (Stewart, 2009). Organizations over the past decade have seen a great deal of change in competition from globalization and market demands, causing them to rethink the way they are managed. This applies to both private sector and non-profit/public sector organizations, if they wish to survive in todays economy. Due to the United States economic downturn, non-profit and public sector organizations must find ways to efficiently manage their scarce resources. One of these scarce resources is a well trained and faithful volunteer workforce. Restricted budgets often make it ha rd for management to hire the sufficient number of employees needed to carry out the organizations mission, so a volunteer workforce can help fill those gaps. Volunteer workforces have become essential to fully performing everyday operations from basic office clerical work to arranging and holding fundraising events. Background Volunteer management has become an important issue today because organizational leaders must recruit, retain and motivate their volunteer workforce effectively. A number of organizations report that more volunteer assistance is needed, despite the fact that many Americans are already donating their time. This is why organizations must rethink the way they manage volunteers to recruit and retain the best individuals available. If organizations fail to look at the management of their volunteer workforce, they run the risk of losing their volunteers or not finding new qualified volunteers. In the past, a number of non-profit and public sector organizations had an abundance of individuals who were willing to lend a helping hand. However, times have changed in todays society. With a growing number of organizations needing volunteers and peoples lack of available free time, it has become essential to recruit and retain the appropriate volunteer candidates for the right jobs. Volunteers hav e a number of organizations to choose from, and they will choose the organization whose mission and values most closely align with their mission and values. Over the years a number of authors and researchers have introduced techniques and/or explored issues related to volunteer recruitment, retention and motivation. When developing a way to recruit volunteers, one might look at the talent management approach or a marketing plan that includes the four Ps (Product, Price, Place and Promotion). If improving volunteer satisfaction and retention is a priority, then the human resource management approach and the constructive feedback approach might help. However, neither recruiting the right volunteer nor retaining them is going to matter if the organizations cannot keep them motivated. This is where the psychological contract perspective comes into play, by ensuring volunteers feel appreciated and valued for their donated time. These techniques and approaches help organizations to recruit, retain and motivate volunteers. Purpose The intention of this study is to closely examine the management styles of volunteer programs and how they affect volunteers motivation, recruitment and retention. Today a number of individuals are volunteer coordinators, or responsible for managing volunteers, at organizations located throughout Central Illinois. Unfortunately, there are times that they feel ill equipped to fully understand how to manage volunteers in a way that maximizes retention and reduces turnover. At the same time, the findings of this study can help other volunteer managers and organizational leaders in the Central Illinois community improve their work with volunteer workforces. Ultimately, the individuals who volunteer will be impacted and/or helped by this study because the organizations that enlist their help will be better equipped to manage their needs. By managing the needs of volunteers, an organization can strive to maximize retention and minimize turnover. Direction A survey distributed to volunteers at local non-profit or public sector organizations in Central Illinois would have been the desired method to explore this topic. Answers to a set of survey questions would need to be analyzed in order to see if a particular management style had any effect on a volunteers decision, satisfaction, or motivation at a certain organization. Volunteers being defined as people who willingly and without pay perform a service or undertaking for an organization, and the management style being defined as the methods and techniques organizations use to recruit, retain and motivate volunteers. A case comparison between Central Illinois organizations would be needed to fully address the extent of the studys research question. However, this type of data was either nonexistent or unable to be collected in the time allotted and because of IRB approval. So this study will look at secondary data from the Current Populations Surveys volunteer supplement, two surveys con ducted of volunteers and the perspectives of two individuals who work with volunteers on a daily basis in Central Illinois. The variables from these sources includes the following: volunteers by annual hours, volunteers by number of organizations for which activities were performed, volunteers by type of organization for which volunteer activities were performed, main volunteer activity for organization, volunteers by how they became involved and items that motivate volunteers. By looking at these variables, this study will explore the question: is there a correlation between the management styles in volunteer programs and the effect they have on volunteer motivation, satisfaction and retention in Central Illinois? Literature Review When people think about volunteer management, they usually think about the supervision and selection of volunteers. However, it involves so much more! Volunteer management is an important tool used by organizations to leverage resources to accomplish designated results. It ensures that the community is involved in current issues and ensures that there is buy-in of the organizations mission. At the same time, it strengthens the credibility of the organization in the publics eyes. A number of different authors discuss that good volunteer management must encompass three key areas: (1) volunteer recruitment, (2) volunteer satisfaction/retention and (3) volunteer motivation. Together these three things can create an effective volunteer management system. Without a good balance of the three, organizations could experience high volunteer turnover and dissatisfaction. A number of different methods and techniques have been studied and/or introduced to improve volunteer management. Volunteer Recruitment To have a strong team to assist in their endeavors, first volunteer managers need to recruit good volunteers. Like everything else in volunteer management, there is more to the process than meets the eye. Volunteers do not grow on trees. Most of the time the volunteer manager has to actively search for the right person for the job. This requires the ability to reach out and even educate people about the organizations volunteer needs. On the other hand, sometimes volunteer managers have to weed through a number of interested volunteers to find a good organizational match. Eisner, Grimm, Maynard and Washburn (2009) suggested that a talent management approach be used when recruiting volunteers. With this approach, Eisner and his fellow colleagues felt that the proper volunteer, with the appropriate talent, would be recruited (Eisner et al., 2009). At the same time, it is important to create the proper infrastructure that will not only recruit the appropriate volunteers for the jobs, but place, develop and retain them as well (Eisner et al., 2009). Karl, Peluchette and Hall (2008) observed that volunteers responded positively towards organizations that know how to have a fun workplace. This fun workplace can be created by recruiting the right volunteers through a marketing strategy. Their marking strategy creates an internal marketing plan based on the four Ps (Product, Price, Place Promotion) of the marketing mix (Karl et al., 2008). By conducting a study of their marketing strategies, Karl, Peluchette and Hall (2008) found that organizations had a better success rate when they recruited volunteers by advertising the psychosocial benefits offered for their time (Karl et al., 2008). They also observed that recruitment advertisements that emphasized the personal benefits gained from volunteering were just as effective as the altruistic (i.e. wanting to help out) advertisements (Karl et al., 2008). Basically, volunteers can be recruited by showing the benefits received in lieu of money. It is also important to make sure that the organization has a staff member in the organization that can handle volunteer recruitment efforts. The recruitment techniques can only take the organization so far if it does not have a dedicated staff member to develop the relationship between the organization and interested volunteers. The Urban Institute in 2004 confirmed that there was a correlation between the amounts of time a staff member spent on volunteer management and the ability of the organization to handle additional volunteers (p. 17). However, only three out of five organizations in this study had a staff member devoted to volunteer coordination, despite the fact that a large percentage of organizations report how beneficial volunteers are to their operations (Urban Institute, 2004, p. 8). Volunteer Satisfaction and Retention When it comes to the retention and satisfaction of volunteers within an organization, the way that they are managed can determine whether they stay or find another organization where they can donate their time. In a study by Cuskelly, Taylor, Hoye and Darcy (2006), the implementation of the Human Resource Management (HRM) approach to volunteer management and retention of volunteers was observed. The HRM approach seeks to professionalize and create a business like approach to the management of people. When the approach was implemented, fewer volunteers were reported leaving an organization because of management problems (Cuskelly et al., 2006). When improved planning and orientation was used for volunteers, fewer problems were reported, therefore improving the retention and job satisfaction of volunteers within an organization (Cuskelly et al., 2006). Communication between paid staff and volunteers also plays a major role in volunteer satisfaction and retention. Garner and Garner (2010) found that organizations that encouraged their volunteers to give constructive feedback and keep the lines of communication open had a lower turnover rate than organizations that did not encourage it. Garner and Garner (2010) stated, volunteer satisfaction made little difference in participants communication choices, but participants motivations to volunteer did influence how they communicated problems to paid staff (p. 826). By allowing volunteers to address a problem, and giving them the freedom to figure out a solution, managers are giving them empowerment (Garner Garner, 2010, p. 815). This can increase the volunteers satisfaction with an organization because they can see how their contributions help the organization achieve its mission. However, sometimes it is hard to avoid volunteer turnover in the current economy. Lesley Hustinx (2008) found that in todays society, volunteers motivation for quitting can be caused by both outside and inside pressures. In a survey of ex-volunteers, Hustinx (2008), found a number of pressures that caused individuals to give up their volunteer work. Some of the outside pressures included: time pressures, family commitments and regular job or school schedules (Hustinx, 2008, p. 245). Managers can do little to address these issues. The inside pressures included: management differences and organization of volunteer work (Hustinx, 2008, p. 248). Volunteer Motivation In order to improve volunteer motivation, it is important to make sure that volunteers feel valued and appreciated. It helps them to know that the organization has a genuine concern about their efforts and well-being. Farmer and Fedor (1999) studied the Psychological Contract Perspective approach and how it could motivate volunteers. The Psychological Contract Perspective helps volunteer managers understand volunteer behaviors and motivators. Farmer and Fedor (1999) confirmed that a number of organizations were not meeting the expectations of their current volunteers. However, if the organization was meeting their expectations, then the levels of participation increased (Farmer Fedor, 1999). In a couple of instances the volunteers were willing to overlook their unmet expectations if they shared common values with the organization (Farmer Fedor, 1999). Shortly afterwards, however, Farmer and Fedor (1999) reported that the volunteers would develop a sense of separation from the organ ization because they felt the organization did not care about their well-being. Occasionally, the expectations of volunteers can change as the volunteer activity grows and changes. Wu Luping (2011), in an interview with 24 young volunteers, found that when developing a volunteer activity, special attention should be given to the possibility that people might advance and expand their abilities during the activity (p. 190). This means that more prominence should be placed on the enjoyment received when publicizing volunteer activities (Wilson, 2012). These authors have introduced a number of studies and techniques that volunteer managers and organizational leaders should consider when creating and implementing a volunteer management system. However, most of the authors only focused on one element of a good volunteer management system. In order to have a truly effective system, managers need to encompass these best practices in the recruitment, retention and motivational processes. This is why a study needs to be conducted that can explore all three key areas together, while also looking at what methods and techniques work best to develop a strong and well rounded volunteer management system. Looking at data collected in the past years will help to examine if any of these ideas introduced still have any validity in the current volunteer market. Much like everything else in society, interests and motivations change from generation to generation, so it is important to discover what techniques work best on different demographics. Fur thermore, a technique that works well in one community might not work in another. This is why it is important to study the populations that are in the community. Methodology It is important for individuals who work with volunteers to discover what suitable motivational tools are required for each volunteer when recruiting and retaining the best individual available. When taking into consideration the purpose, and the available data, this study will examine if there is a connection between the management style in volunteer organizations and the effect it has on volunteer recruitment, satisfaction/retention and motivation in Central Illinois. In order to study the areas of volunteer recruitment, retention/satisfaction and motivation, this study will look at the published data collected in the Current Population Surveys volunteer supplement of 2007 through 2011, a research project by Esmond and Dunlop (2004) on developing the volunteer motivation inventory in Western Australia and the 2012 Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois Volunteer Survey. However, using this secondary data has limitations of only representing the individuals who answered the survey, and it might not represent the population in Central Illinois. Also, a sample of the population might differ from the entire population results. In order to address reliability and validity issues of this data, the perspectives of professionals who work with volunteers on a daily basis at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois will also be incorporated. The Current Population Surveys Volunteer Supplements The Current Population Surveys (CPS) volunteer supplements for 2007 through 2011 is a national household survey administered by the U.S. Census Bureau (Census) for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2011), the CPS is a survey of about 60,000 households that obtains information on employment and unemployment among the nations civilian population age 16 and over (p. 1). The volunteer supplement is an annual set of questions specifically aimed at gaining information on the rate of volunteering and the characteristics of volunteers in the United States. The survey defines volunteers as persons who did unpaid work (except for expenses) through or for an organization (Current Population Survey, p. 1). This data will examine volunteer recruitment, retention/satisfaction and motivation by looking at the number of hours spent volunteering, type of organization for which volunteer work was performed, volunteer activity performed and how the volun teer became involved with an organization. Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia In the Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia study a total of 2,444 volunteers and 15 organizations participated in a five-stage research process (Esmond Dunlop, 2004). Esmond and Dunlop (2004) also collected the demographic details, such as age, gender, occupation and time spent volunteering from each participant to observe trends (p. 22). The volunteer manager of each organization distributed the survey via mail or internally. How individuals answered the survey questions will allow me to examine what factors motivate volunteers. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois Volunteer Survey The 2012 Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois is small nonprofit located in Springfield, Illinois that uses volunteers to provide a temporary home away from home for families who have a child seeking medical treatment at a nearby medical facility. In the first quarter of 2012 the House Manager and Executive Director conducted a survey of about twenty-two current house volunteers. The survey was conducted via Survey Monkey and consisted of twenty-five questions. These questions were designed to give the organization a better understanding of their current volunteer pool and the volunteers general satisfaction with the organization. This study will examine selected answers to explore volunteer motivations at a Central Illinois non-profit organization. Together the data collected from these three sources will help in analyzing the current retention, satisfaction and motivation of a sampled population of volunteers. Looking at the percent of the population that volunteers, how many hours they volunteered and what types of activities they performed, this study will explore what methods and techniques work on recruiting and retaining volunteers. The survey results from Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia study and the 2012 Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois can be used to explore volunteer motivations at fifteen organizations in Western Australia and from a Central Illinois non-profit organization. Having data samples from various individuals from completely different communities and parts of the world will show if viewpoints differ from community to community. Analysis The analysis of this study will be divided into three sections: (1) volunteer recruitment, (2) volunteer satisfaction and retention and (3) volunteer motivation. Each section has a number of graphs and/or tables that represent the data collected from the sources identified earlier. These graphs and tables will help to better understand the motivations and current volunteer statistics of the sampled population. However, it is important to keep in mind that this only represents the sampled population at the time of collection and not the entire population as a whole. Volunteer Recruitment Table 1 Volunteers by How They Became Involved with Organization Years Percent distribution of how volunteers became involved Approached the organization Was asked by Other Not reporting Boss or employer Relative, friend, or co-worker Someone in the organization/school Someone else 2011 41.6 1.3 15.3 23.8 1.2 13.0 3.8 2010 41.6 1.4 14.9 24.9 1.2 12.4 3.6 2009 40.9 1.7 14.8 26 1.2 12.3 3.1 2008 40.8 1.4 14.2 26.8 1.2 12.6 3 2007 40.1 1.3 14.8 27.2 1.2 12.7 2.7 Note. Percent Distribution of How Volunteers Became Involved with Organization. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Table 1 shows the percent distribution of how volunteers became involved with their main volunteer activity organization. This information comes from the Current Population Surveys (CPS) volunteer supplements from 2007 to 2011. Over the past five years the way that volunteers have become involved with organizations has stayed relatively the same. This graph shows that volunteers are either recruited by approaching the organization themselves, being asked to volunteer by someone or other forms of volunteer recruitment. Volunteers that approached the organization have steadily stayed around forty percent over the past five years. Additionally, the percentage of volunteers who became involved due to someone asking them has also stayed relatively steady. Adding the percentages of those asked by boss or employer; relative, friend, or co-worker; someone in the organization; or someone else, the total is consistently a higher percentage than the percentage of volunteers who approached the o rganization on their own. This indicates that a greater number of volunteers were recruited by someone asking them to participate, with largest percent being asked by someone within the organization. Figure 1 Figure 1. 2011 Volunteer Rates by Organization. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011 Figure 1 shows the percentage of volunteers within selected organizations. This data comes from the CPSs volunteer supplement for 2011. In the survey, participants were asked to identify the type of organization where most of their volunteer time was spent. They were given the list of sport, hobby, cultural, or arts organizations; civic, political, professional, or international organizations; educational or youth service; environmental or animal care; hospital or other care; public safety; religious; social or community service; and other (Current Population Survey (CPS), 2011). The results show that the greatest percentage of volunteers spends their time with religious organizations at thirty-three percent and educational or youth service organizations at twenty-six percent. Volunteer Satisfaction and Retention Figure 2 Figure 2. Number of Volunteers Percent of Population. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Figure 2 shows the number of reported volunteers from 2007 to 2011 and the percentage of the general population that make up this volunteer core in the United States. Again this data comes from the CPSs volunteer supplements for 2007 through 2011. The results show that over the past five years the number of volunteers has steadily stayed around sixty million, with a slight dip between 2009 and 2011. The volunteer rate rose 0.2 percent from 2007 to 2008, 0.4 percent from 2008 to 2009 and dropped 0.5 percent between 2009 and 2010. However, it rose again 0.5 percent from 2010 to 2011. The data shows that the percentage of the population that volunteered has stayed steady (around twenty-six percent) over the past five years. Figure 3 Volunteers By Annual Hours of Volunteer Activities Figure 3. Volunteers by annual hours of volunteer activities. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Figure 3 shows the results from the CPSs volunteer supplements for 2007 through 2011. In the survey participants were asked to fill in their average hours spent on volunteer activities for the year. The data was then coded into the categories: not reporting hours, 1 to 14 hours, 15 to 49 hours, 50 to 99 hours, 100 to 499 hours and 500 or more hours (Current Population Survey (CPS), 2011). This graph represents the percentage results of their responses. The results show that the greatest majority of volunteers, at about twenty-nine percent, are spending between 100 to 499 hours on their activities. However, it significantly drops from 500 or more hours. Figure 3 also shows that from 2007 to 2011 each category of reported hours has stayed fairly constant. Figure 4 Figure 4. Main volunteer activity for organization. Adapted from Volunteering in the United States, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Figure 4 represents the percentage of main volunteer activities for organizations. The results were collected from the CPSs volunteer supplement for 2007 through 2011, in particular the questions that dealt with the type of volunteer activities conducted at their main organization. The main organization is defined as the organization where the volunteer worked the greatest amount of hours during the year (Current Population Survey (CPS), 2011). The results show which activities had the greatest percentage of volunteers over the past five years, with the highest percentage being in the category of other activities, and the next highest in fundraising or selling items to raise money. Over the past five years each category, except collecting food and teaching/tutoring, has stayed at the same percentage of participation from volunteers. Collecting/serving food has seen a slight increase, while teaching/tutoring has seen a slight decrease from 2007 to 2011. Volunteer Motivation Table 2 Distribution of Responses to Volunteer Motivation Inventory Motivational items Survey question Percentage of Responses Disagree Undecided Agree Values I volunteer because I believe I am meeting a need in the community in my volunteering role 1.4 2.8 95.8 I volunteer because I feel that volunteering makes the world a better place 4.7 5.3 90 I volunteer because I believe everyone should volunteer 39 20.3 40.7 Self-Esteem I volunteer because I feel that volunteering is a feel-good experience 14.1 10.4 75.5 I volunteer because volunteering makes me feel like a good person 25.4 17.3 57.3 I volunteer because volunteering makes me feel useful 10 8 82 Personal Growth I volunteer because I feel that volunteering gives me a better understanding of what life is about 10.7 10.4 78.9 I volunteer because I feel that volunteering has given me the opportunity to appreciate the differences in people 16.6 14.3 69.1 I feel more settled in myself after volunteering 26.4 23.5 50.1 Career Development I volunteer because I feel that I make important work connections through volunteering 70.8 13.5 15.7 I volunteer because I feel that volunteering will help me to find out about employment opportunities. 77 12.7 10.3 I volunteer because volunteering gives me an opportunity to build my work skills. 56 14.1 29.9 Social Interaction I volunteer because the social opportunities provided by the agency are important to me. 53.2 20.7 26.1 I volunteer because I feel that volunteering is a way to build ones social networks. 54.1 19.8 26.1 I volunteer because volunteering provides a way for me to make new friends. 40.7 16.7 42.6 Recognition Being appreciated by my volunteer agency is important to me. 10 11.6 78.4 Being respected by staff and volunteers at the agency is not important to me. 75.3 8.2 16.5 I feel that it is important to receive recognition for my volunteering work. 50.4 18.6 31 Note. Distribution of Responses to Volunteer Motivation Inventory. Adapted from Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia, by P.J. Esmond P. Dunlop, 2004 Table 2 represents the percentage of responses from some motivational questions that were pulled from the Developing the Volunteer Motivation Inventory to Assess the Underlying Motivational Drives of Volunteers in Western Australia. The responses to questions related to volunteer motivational factors were coded on a one to five scale, with one being strongly disagree, two disagree, three undecided, four agree and five strongly agree (Esmond Dunlop, 2004). Table 2 shows the percentage of responses to the selected survey questions, with strongly disagree and disagree combined into one category, and the same with agree and strongly agree, while undecided was a separate category. The results indicate that most of the respondents are motivated by their values, self-esteem, personal growth, and recognition. It also indicates that social interaction and career development have significantly lower impact on their motivation to volunteer. Values such as believing that they are making a difference in the community play a highly significant role in volunteer motivation. Volunteering because it makes them feel good also plays a significant role in volunteer motivation. Being appreciated by the volunteer agency and receiving recognition was also regarded highly for volunteer motivation. (Continued on Next Page) Table 3 Distribution of Responses to RMHCCI 2012 Volunteer Survey Survey question Percentage of Responses Good Average Poor

Comparing Families of Fifty Years Ago with Families of Today :: Compare Contrast Comparison

The definitions of a family today and a family in the past are far from similar. The definitions may have some similarities but they have changed dramatically in many more ways. 50 years ago, families had rules that were stricter and families were closer in the sense of a relationship. Although some families today are more distant from each other and have fewer rules to maintain order, there are still some that maintain the same styles of the families 50 years ago. Families have changed a lot but still have some similarities depending on their home-life. Families today just do not seem to spend time with each other. The mother and father both have jobs and tend to not be home for the children after school therefore causing more independence among each member of the family. Children that have more independence make mistakes on their own without being warned about them. Independent children have no guidance and get out of hand because there is not a strong boss type figure around most of the time to help distinguish the difference between right and wrong. Eating dinner as a family is a major tradition that has been forgotten as the years have gone by and caused more separation among the family. A family 50 years ago that did not eat dinner together would be a strange one but today it seems to be of the norm. Once again, the job affects this aspect of the family as well. People are just too busy at work or too tired to even participate in dinner at home anymore. Either families just do not have time for each other anymore or they j ust are not together due to divorce. Divorce is another thing that was like â€Å"illegal† 50 years ago. Divorce is tragic for the children in the family today and causes the children to hate both or one of the parents. Divorce causes total chaos. This may result in the children to be neglected because single parents need to work to support themselves and their children. Thus, causing no guidance for a growing child. Losing touch with family ties have caused a lot of trouble and will continue to cause more. Families now and 50 years have similarities among the pile of differences. Comparing Families of Fifty Years Ago with Families of Today :: Compare Contrast Comparison The definitions of a family today and a family in the past are far from similar. The definitions may have some similarities but they have changed dramatically in many more ways. 50 years ago, families had rules that were stricter and families were closer in the sense of a relationship. Although some families today are more distant from each other and have fewer rules to maintain order, there are still some that maintain the same styles of the families 50 years ago. Families have changed a lot but still have some similarities depending on their home-life. Families today just do not seem to spend time with each other. The mother and father both have jobs and tend to not be home for the children after school therefore causing more independence among each member of the family. Children that have more independence make mistakes on their own without being warned about them. Independent children have no guidance and get out of hand because there is not a strong boss type figure around most of the time to help distinguish the difference between right and wrong. Eating dinner as a family is a major tradition that has been forgotten as the years have gone by and caused more separation among the family. A family 50 years ago that did not eat dinner together would be a strange one but today it seems to be of the norm. Once again, the job affects this aspect of the family as well. People are just too busy at work or too tired to even participate in dinner at home anymore. Either families just do not have time for each other anymore or they j ust are not together due to divorce. Divorce is another thing that was like â€Å"illegal† 50 years ago. Divorce is tragic for the children in the family today and causes the children to hate both or one of the parents. Divorce causes total chaos. This may result in the children to be neglected because single parents need to work to support themselves and their children. Thus, causing no guidance for a growing child. Losing touch with family ties have caused a lot of trouble and will continue to cause more. Families now and 50 years have similarities among the pile of differences.

Black Is Beautiful Essay

When you hear the word black what comes to mind? Some individuals think of it as a color. Other may think of it as depressing, dismal, wicked, evil, or just a sign of hatred. My definition is the total opposite. The essence of the word black displays a strong feeling of prosperity, deliverance and all the characteristics of what us; the black people have overcome for many decades. Words can’t even describe how grateful I am to be apart of this dynamic culture. To me the word black describes a thriving culture of beautiful and unique individuals. Starting with the period of slavery the black race has suffered tremendously from harsh and cruel treatment, but we managed to overcome. The black race is responsible for the wide spread of many sub-cultures to the U. S. and around the world. For instance, in the 1920s blacks were playing jazz music in nights clubs around New Orleans. This type of music caught the attention of whites and soon spread to big cities like Chicago and New York, were there was frenzy for jazz music. In this point of time, hip-hop music has touch many people from around the world like: China, India, and even places like Kuwait. The people in these countries don’t only embrace the hip-hop music but they embrace this way of life. They go to extreme lengths; changing the tradition of how they were raised to talk, dress, and act. Pg. 2. I feel that we the black people are one of a kind in many ways. The black women are some of the most strong-mined women I know. They have this certain mentality about their selves that I just can’t get enough of. From the fullness of their lips to their nice shape hips, I adore the black women in every way. Black men are some the most athletic beings I know. I not saying that we are dominated over all races but, if you look at the NBA, NFL, and other sports like track blacks dominate in skill and numbers. At times being a man of this skin tone is hard due to stereotypes placed on the black race. We all steal, sell drugs, and kill at will. Despite these stereotypical insights that we receive from others that don’t fell the same about this beautiful race, we keep our heads up and strive for the best. Black is beautiful, no matter what anyone says. God creates all of his children the way he wishes; neither one of us are the same. We all are beautiful people no matter what race. It is just up to you to realize it.

Power and Places Type

We are going to talk about power and places type: -> The power is necessarily an opposition between ruler and a ruled. There are many forms and places of power: Among the places of power, there are the White House, the Buckingham Palace, the Pentagon†¦ ? These places are powerful because they have political and military influence. Government is a governor who exercises his power through institutions such as the courts or prisons In this case, the governed are citizens who obey the laws of the government.But sometimes there is abuse of power,and we see resistances to power, as when there was apartheid in South Africa. Indeed, there was a racial discrimination between blacks and whites. The great figure of the resistance in South Africa was Nelson Mandela: he fought all his life against discrimination against black, he was imprisoned for several years. ==========================================================================Among the forms of power, there is, for example, the pow er of the media.Indeed, the media play a very important role within today's society. Media consists of books, television, movies, music, internet, radio, magazines, newspapers etc * Media have positive aspects: we can stay informed about political, social events very easily, you can have fun watching movies and listening to the music. (Through newspapers, TV, radio †¦) * But media have also bad/negative aspects. Indeed, today, it has become a great weapon to influence the opinions of individuals.For example, electronic media has the power to manipulate information, they can deny certain facts and expose another, they can broadcast in loop a topic to influence the vision of the mass of viewers (the presidential nominee can pay for more exposure on TV†¦) Media display the way of life for those who follows it. So media can influence the dressing manners of teenagers through theirs favorite film actors, etc. For example, children are specifically targeted in the advertisements . We teach them to eat Mc do’s burgers and drink coca cola. We can say that in this case, PEOPLE ARE BRAINWASHED BY MEDIA. In