INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN BUSINESS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN BUSINESS - Assignment Example There is an undertone of optimism in the message of Suranovic’s story and its conclusions have practical implications for national governments and business leaders. National governments can learn that not to be overcautious with every prospective partner as not every prospective partner intends to exploit them unfairly. This persuades national governments to ease any stringent measures that hinder the success of their relations with other governments. The conclusions of the story advise national governments to encourage the maximization of resources for the benefit of their partners (Sengupta 65). Business leaders can borrow important lessons that would add value to their ways of making decisions. The principles used in Suranovic’s story can help business to appreciate their strengths of their partners and make them look at their partners as complementary rather than entirely competitive. The classmate’s posting is terse and insightful to both student of international studies and people seeking a deeper understanding of the model of competitive advantage. The posting presents England and Portugal as equal partners who grew mutually from their partnership. It is noteworthy that the posting observes existence of mutual need between the two countries and not that one of them needs the other more than the other does. The posting illustrates satisfactorily that harmony in the partnership between England and Portugal provides market for each country’s in the other’s domestic

CORPORATE FINANCE - Minicase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CORPORATE FINANCE - Minicase - Essay Example D0 = 2.00 2.12 2.247 2.382 1.88 1.76 1.65 . . . (2) What is the firm's current stock price (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) = = = = $30.29. (3) What is the stock's expected value 1 year from now (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) = = = = $32.10. (4) What are the expected dividend yield, the capital gains yield, and the total return during the first year (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) Total return = 13.0% Dividend yield = $2.12/$30.29 = 7.0% Capital gains yield = 6.0% The dividend yield in the first year is 10 percent, while the capital gains yield is 6 percent. e. Now assume that the stock is currently selling at $30.29. What is the expected rate of return on the stock (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) s= s= $2.12/$30.29 + 0.060 = 0.070 + 0.060 = 13%. f. What would the stock price be if its dividends were expected to have zero growth (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) 0 1 2 3 | | | | 2.00 2.00 2.00 1.77 1.57 1.39 . . . P0 = 15.38 P0 = PMT/r = $2.00/0.13 = $15.38. g. Now assume that Temp Force is expected to experience supernormal growth of 30% for the next 3 years, then to return to its long-run constant growth rate of 6%. What is the stock's value under these conditions What is its expected dividend yield and capital gains yield in Year 1 In Year 4 (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) 0 1 2 3 4 | | | |...What is the required rate of return on the firm's stock (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) g. Now assume that Temp Force is expected to experience supernormal growth of 30% for the next 3 years, then to return to its long-run constant growth rate of 6%. What is the stock's value under these conditions What is its expected dividend yield and capital gains yield in Year 1 In Year 4 (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) The dividend yield in year 1 is 4.80 percent, and the capital gains yield is 8.2 percent. After year 3, the stock becomes a constant growth stock, with g = capital gains yield = 6.0% and dividend yield = 13.0% - 6.0% = 7.0%. h. Is the stock price based more on long-term or short-term expectations Answer this by finding the percentage of Temp Force's current stock price based on dividends expected more than 3 years in the future (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006). i. Suppose Temp Force is expected to experience zero growth during the first 3 years and then to resume its steady-state growth of 6% in the fourth year. What is the stock's value now What is its expected dividend yield and its capital gains yield in Year 1 In Year 4 (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) j. Finally, assume that Temp Force's earnings and dividends are expected to decline by a constant 6% per year, that is, g = -6%.

Immigrants in detroit Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Immigrants in detroit - Research Paper Example tates and taking jobs from less fortunate Americans, which in all honesty those Americans are not willing to do those jobs anyways, but that still remains to be a huge debate. Americans get angry on immigration because if immigrants take the time to actually come to this country, they should take the time to become a legalized citizen of the US. Even if immigrants get the citizenship would Americans opinions change? Another problem associated with immigration is that it increases the population of the country and therefore, many look at immigration as a huge dilemma and in some eyes it is completely true. Detroit is one of the most exposed states of Michigan where immigrants visit to find jobs, socioeconomic status, etc. Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a major port city on the Detroit River in the Midwest region of the United States. Detroit is the only major U.S. city that looks south of Canada. Detroit is known as the world’s traditional automotive center and that’s why it has got two nicknames: The Motor City and Motown. From 1805 to 1847, Detroit was the capital of Michigan. The city assumed great importance after the mid-19th century as a shipping, shipbuilding, and manufacturing center, attracting migrants from around the world including Poles, Italians, Germans, Serbs, Croats and others. However, large number of migrants came from the South, especially African Americans who arrived in Detroit after 1900 as factory production increased rapidly. Detroit was the leading producer for the military during World Wars I and II. Industry spurred growth during the first half of the twentieth century as the city drew tens of thousands of new residents particularly workers from the Southern United States to become the nation’s fourth largest. At the same time, tens of thousands of European immigrants poured into the city. Social tensions rose with the rapid pace of growth. The color-blind promotion policies of the auto plants

A Ghost Story by Mark Twain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Ghost Story by Mark Twain - Essay Example The paper is aimed to discuss and to analyze A Ghost Story which is written by Mark Twain. It is a story of the interaction between the narrator and the ghost of the Cardiff Giant. The narrator is a person who rented a huge old building in Broadway which had not been occupied for a long time.While in bed, the blankets were pulled and other actions were made by the ‘ghost.’ Different paranormal images had been perceived by narrator and in the end the ghost finally shown himself. He is the ghost of the gentle Cardiff Giant. When the narrator recognized him, the atmosphere of the story completely changed and they talked about the reason for the haunting. There are two characters in the story, the narrator and the ghost. The main focus of the story is the ghost of Cardiff Giant. In the course of the story, the characteristics of the ghost changed, thus, he can be classified as a dynamic character. In the beginning of the story, the main objective of the Giant was to haunt an d get attention and justice because of the use of his remain in unjust manner. Prior to the end of the story, the conversation between the narrator and the ghost of Cardiff Giant changed his views regarding his situation. Through the information given by the narrator that the Giant’s remains were just duplicated and the real ones were in Albany, he was freed and he found no reason to continue his haunting in the said place anymore. The story has both the internal and external conflicts. The external conflict was observed in the first part of the story when the haunting of the ghost along with his friends caused fear to the narrator and to other people before him. The said conflict had been exhibited through the antagonistic treatment of the ghost to the residence of the building. The internal conflict was perceived in the latter part of the story, through the conversation between the Giant and the narrator. The internal conflict defined the main purpose of the ghost of the Ca rdiff Giant which was the feeling of tiredness of the ghost versus the need to seek help and justice for his remains. He wanted to rest for a very long time already but the need to bury his remains to a rightful place kept him haunting for a long time. The setting of the story is figuratively and literally descriptive of the characters of the story. The readers can accept the setting as strong part in the story since the basic information had been presented such as the names and the landmarks. Readers know that the story occurred in New York, near a museum and near a street with old buildings. May that be fictitious or real, it had contributed to the whole atmosphere of the story. The distinct imagery brought about by the setting inside the house. The point of view of the story was achieved through the perspective of the narration. This gave credibility to the story by being in the first person thus being a primary experience. Another effect of the point of view was the primal effec t of the story in terms of the feelings being conveyed, for example fear. The story is rich in metaphors and other figurative forms of language. One example is the description of the building which had â€Å"surrendered to dust and cobwebs, to solitude and sadness.† Other figures of speech are â€Å"locking out mould and darkness† and â€Å"cheery fire† which can be found in the first two paragraphs. Thus it meant that the whole story was enriched by these literary treasures. The author used these figures of speech in a casual and relaxed manner which can easily be related to and understood. The main idea of the story is that not everything is what it seems. The story teaches lesson of

Character Traits of Frair Lawerance Essay Example for Free

Character Traits of Frair Lawerance Essay In the play Romeo and Juliet, Friar Lawrence is one of the characters with an amazing personality. Friar Lawrence character is shown as trustworthy, friendly, and a helpful man. The first trait of Friar Lawrence’s personality is him being honest and trustworthy. When talking to Romeo Friar Lawrence says â€Å"But come, young waverer, come, go with me. In one respect I’ll thy assistant be† (A.2.3.96-97). By telling this to Romeo Friar Lawrence is telling him that he can be trusted to marry him to Juliet. Also Romeo and Juliet believe he will keep their marriage a secret, that why they trust him. Friar Lawrence could have told both the Montague’s and the Capulet’s that their children are getting married to each other. Instead Friar had kept his word, and not saying anything because he thought maybe the two households would become closer. â€Å"For this alliance may so happy prove to turn your household’s rancor to pure love†(A.2.3.98-99). Everyone trusts Friar with their secretes, by confessing to him†. This is another way Shakespeare shows that Friar is very trusted. Friar Lawrence is also a friendly man. He is friendly because he cares about Romeo and Juliet’s problems. He is a friend to Romeo because he talks to him daily. In one conversation with Romeo Friar says â€Å"I’ll give thee armor to keep off that word, adversity’s sweet milk. Philosophy, to comfort thee, though art banished† (A.3.3.57-59). This shows that Friar Lawrence is a friend because he tries to comfort Romeo. He also says he will protect him. By comforting and protecting Romeo Friar shows the quality of a good friend. Friar is also a helpful man when Romeo comes to Friar in a desperate need to marry; he helps him by marrying Romeo to Juliet. â€Å"Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast†. Friar Lawrence attempts to tell Romeo to take his decision carefully. Also when Juliet had no one else was left to save Juliet form getting married to Paris. Friar Lawrence was the one who helped Juliet, when she comes to see him, by making a scheme to fake her death so she will not need to marry Paris.

The Persuading Effects Of Media

The Persuading Effects Of Media The mass media in the Philippines, being the universal source of information, contributes a great influence on our thinking and behavior. This term paper will focus about the impact of media coverage on elections and how it persuades the electorates behavior. My purpose is to explore the effects of mass media on political power in the Philippines and to show how the media simultaneously disrupt and defends the status quo including the advantages and disadvantages during election campaigns. The first part of this paper will provide and support the ideas of how a fair election is measured in a democratic country. It will also focus on the medias substantial role on the voting behavior that will contribute towards a greater understanding of mass media in our country. The second part deals about the past situation of the media which concerns the different election frauds, corruption, and violence. I will also add an overview about the medias monopoly and commercialism. But among these, t he most favorable part is the emergence of the new media through the use of the introduced technology. I will also discuss how the different forms of media campaigning using various campaign strategies through TV ads, polls, debates and others can persuade the voters. Furthermore, this term paper will also argue about the effect of money on election results, whether it is an advantage or a disadvantage to the political candidate. Lastly, I hope to show that communication and persuasion works between the media and the public, that we and others can also influence the media. How to measure a fair election In a democratic country like the Philippines, where universal and equal suffrage is a must, the media plays a significant and substantial role for the development of the society. The media is responsible for ensuring free, fair and equal elections. To make a democratic form of government possible, essential conditions are required. For a country to be democratic, they must secure universal and equal suffrage. The political system must entail recognition of protection of civil liberties and rights. The freedom of speech from candidates and political parties must not be restricted. Enforceable laws must be implemented to prevent election fraud and vote tampering. It must be ensured that an electorates choice of party or candidate cannot be used against him or her by secret ballot voting. (socyberty.com, 2009) But in general term, it can be said that the people must be the highest form of society. The role of media before, during and after elections The fact that the media plays a great role in lives is well known, but its role as a political tool is also well rooted in the political systems. During times of elections, which are seen by many as the hallmarks of democratic political system, the media are expected to undertake very specific roles. It is a clichà ©, but media as the voice of the public, in the course especially of elections, must be able to inform, educate, enlighten and involve the electorate. Brandt, Hughes, and Rasmussen (2006), have discussed the major tools needed by the media in a fair report and coverage of the elections. They have to provide a platform and forum for controversial societal debates. The news media play the vital role in a democracy of providing the public information on which they can base their decisions on public issues. They have the duty to criticize undemocratic behavior of politicians, to educate the general public in respect of democracy, and to secure a fair and balanced coverage of elections. The watchdog function of the media is especially crucial during times of electoral campaigns and elections themselves. More importantly, the medias role is to scrutinize the candidates and parties and expose on the same issues and to give voters enough information to compare their positions. The media must report what the parties and candidates are saying, even if it does not reflect issues the people want to address (pp. 14-19). If the media coverage in the press and television is not free, fair and equal, the results may be prejudiced. Political discussions cannot be avoided in the print media, political stories are aired on television every day, commercial radio airs political news every hour, and paid political announcements are encountered in all media during campaigns. Candidates use of the media can have a strong impact upon those who make up their minds about candidates during the campaign. It is within human nature to believe what is told to us. We tend to believ e the media because research is done by them and they are a main source of information. The media remains important since they are the means by which people obtain current affairs both inside and outside of the Philippines however bias it may be. Overall, the media are always present with new stories on political activities. The new media The entrance of the modern era meant the advent of modern technology accessible to the public. For the first time in history, the Philippines embraced technology and transformed greatly the electoral system of the country during the May 2010 elections. The Philippine elections have frequently been marked by allegations of widespread cheating and other electoral malpractice. It was a subject to criticism since the security of the electoral process and its capacity to preserve the sanctity of the ballot and the will of the electorate was put to question. It has always been a manual process from voting to the canvassing of results with the local and national positions. Consequently, we have had hurdled so much because of the slow and tedious process. But due to the advanced technology available in the modern era, the Filipinos most awaited election was taken to another level. Generally, the automated election fulfilled the promise of speed but complaints and controversies remained (Meis burger, 2010). Many Filipinos until now were not sure whether the new process worked well enough to hold credible elections. Even automated election provided high security, there were still computer experts that bombarded the whole system or hacked the computers and manipulated the results. And I think that it is actually possible that cheaters came from the people who developed the system. Unfortunately and ironically, the press, despite of the intense focus on the new voting machines, failed to highlight critical problems during Election Day. But in my own opinion, the main problem we encountered during the May 2010 automated election was transparency. People were not able to see the actual process of counting the votes and several doubted if the results are really correct. Reporting on the first automated election also posed new challenges to the media. The press had to be alert to new kinds of problems as well as to keep the coverage on the day itself interesting. But it was obv ious from the first hours of coverage that the television networks were clearly prepared to resort to the magic of technology to keep audiences tuned in. The media is intensely influential in the present days systems of domination. Because the majority of the public does not in fact hear political speeches, witness activities, or observe actions of leaders, they depend on the media to exhibit the news in an accessible form. It becomes easy to comprehend how vital the media is, and what will be the effects of the news on the society whenever it is presented. Even a little change of news has the potentials to greatly influence public opinion (people.virginia.edu). Dirty Politics: Bias Media and Corrupt Candidates On the further side of the media, television has been with us for more than thirty years (Del Mundo, 1986, p. 10). By any standard, thirty years is long enough to develop a meaningful mass medium. Although in the past, the role of media is not as great as it is today. During an election, it was not surprising to see the media being harnessed to serve the politicians who held media power. Rocamora, for instance, concluded that Cheating is a well-developed art in Philippine elections. Local Politicians are adept at manipulating the process from beginning to end. (Rocamora, 1998, p. 23). So having no doubt, the media with its own weaknesses, would most likely practice bias electoral processes. Corruption in the media industry is a fact, and it is worst during elections. There is a general feeling about the political bias of the media that it is too negative. They place an importance on finding out what is wrong, but do not tell the complete picture about what is being done. There are in deed media networks that are owned by families who are biased in favor of certain candidates. We can see this prejudicial act most often when the media had begun to be very one-sided in terms of reporting the news. The media should be obligated to tell the truth and not manufacture or elaborate stories, even if it does not sound as good. It has and will continue to destroy the careers of some and make the careers of others. Even though most of the television news stations are owned by wealthy individuals, they should not be so biased. The media and the politicians only want us to see what a perfect world we live in, so they tend to hide the truth or work their way around it. But that is not always the case; sometimes desperate politicians are simply exaggerating when they condemn the alleged bias of the media. They tend to highlight the critical views reported by the media but they overlook the balanced presentation of facts in news reports. Another unjust intervention was experienc ed by the media during the Marcos era. Independence of the media has always been viewed with admiration everywhere in the world. But in 1972 to 1981, when martial law was declared during the regime of President Marcos, media monopoly started. Not just one agency was organized to do the job. Thus, the media suppression of the Marcos era restored the powerful and influential appetite of the public for news. But unfortunately, until now, the medias authority, security and freedom was not completely fulfilled (Del Mundo, 1986, pp. 77-89). Moreover, the recent Maguindanao massacre would be the worst example of election-related violence, wherein many members of the press and media was killed and abducted. Therefore, these malpractices and bad connotations simply imply the common term dirty politics which I think is not fair because politics must always be understood in a larger context. And talking about the status quo, generally it is the media that is bias and the politicians that are c orrupt. Defining a CAMPAIGN In the course especially of elections, we cannot exclude the fact of the emergence of inevitable frauds and intense violence. Every now and then, the media conclusively reports about the most compelling issues and irregularities related to elections, especially during the campaign period. A campaign is the period right before citizens make a real political choice. Campaign activity is more likely to register on voters minds as the Election Day draws near (Brady, Johnston Sides, 2004, p.2). According to Brandt, Hughes, and Rasmussen (2006): Most parties make their leader the centre of attention so voters who like the leader will vote for the partys candidates. So the partys election campaign is composed of speeches, party rallies and press conferences featuring the party leader. But the medias job is not just to repeat all the words spoken by the leaders. There should also be information in the news story about where the speech was given and how many people were there and what was the reaction of people in the streets, and what did political opponents say. Voters deserve to know so they can compare and decide for themselves. (Brandt, Hughes, and Rasmussen, 2006, p. 16). Ultimately, political ads and campaigns can affect who will win the election. As is true of other types of human relationships, first impressions can be very important as voters form their opinions about political candidates. Research on election decisions suggests that candidates use of the media can have a strong impact upon those who make up their minds about candidates during the campaign. They can affect what the voters know, whether they will vote, whom they will vote for and why they will vote for that person. In general, people already have their own ideas when they view television, read newspapers, or log on to websites. To a man, the campaign staffs of politicians agree that the three requisites for a successful campaign are: media, machinery and money. (Coronel, Chua, De Castro, 2004, p. 123) The media as a form of campaign strategy Television campaigns come from various forms. It can be a form of commercial, debates, speech, press conference, polls or interviews which are aired on local television news broadcasts, talk shows and even game shows. The television commercial, the most powerful form of advertising is the most interesting and most complex kind of political advertisement. It is the main way that modern campaigns communicate with voters. It can give you as the electorate an idea of how trustworthy candidates are, how they communicate or connect with the people, how they behave under stress, how they sell their program and what do they stand for. According to a study made by Coronel, Chua and De Castro (2004), The Arroyo and Lacson campaigns were most successful than the others in getting their spins across. This was because they had more sophisticated media strategies and handlers. They had a clearer idea of the message they wanted to project and made sure that this message was successfully conveyed th rough the media. (p. 21). Through TV ads, the audiences who are watching their favorite television programs will have a chance to meet the candidates and there is a possibility that they can recall them since they are shown in every commercial break. The advertiser will create another image of the candidate to make them appreciated and accepted by the target audience. The use of informal words, the inclusion of popular song and dance, the color, social issues, and the representation of peoples age, gender, profession and religion are very useful for the ads recall (Encabo, 2010, pp.11-12). In a survey conducted by Fonbuena. Rufo and Tabunda (2008), during the campaign period itself, respondents were asked to name political advertisements on television that they could recall. An ad was considered correctly recalled by a respondent if the respondent was able to identify the candidates in the advertisements that they recalled. Political ads are effective in converting voter awareness i nto actual votes for the candidates to the extent only that these ads incredibly project an image of the candidate as one who will effectively address the issues and concerns of the electorate. Studies show that commercials and debates aired right before Election Day have the most effect on undecided viewers (pp. 27-28). Voters who have already formed their opinions are hardly influenced by the media to the point of changing their minds. But as defined by House, Ludwig and Stratmann (2009), advertising need not to be truthful in deceptive campaigns. Both types of candidates engage in campaign advertising claiming that they are of high quality. Hence, they define advertising as deceptive when a low-quality candidate advertises that he is high-quality (p. 6). Opinion polls, on the other hand, are mostly used by political parties to discover what issues a representative sample of voters think is important. As defined by Lange (1999), voting intention polls indicate the popularity of political parties/candidates, show ratings, and suggest the outcome of elections. Parties will sometimes change their campaign promises because opinion polls reveal what will be more popular (pp. 49-50). People always say in polls, they do not like negative campaigns but voting records seem to indicate that they are affected or influenced by them. Opinion polls also influence voters because voters like to know what their neighbors are thinking and may decide to vote the same way. As such, poll results could increasingly frame the coverage of the election campaign. Exposure to polls may serve to increase a general interest in voting in the public, but there is little to demonstrate a change in voter intention, which is what we call bandwagon effect. Opinion poll s are only a brief sample of peoples opinions at the time they were asked. Polls cannot predict how opinions and votes will change if voters learn new information. Polls should not become the lead story everyday because they may influence voters to follow popular opinion rather than think for themselves. Lange (1999) observed that debates have advantages and disadvantages, but on balance seem positive. On the negative side, it has been argued that mandatory debates would circumscribe the candidates freedom to run campaigns as they wish that it is not always possible to have all party leaders participating and that debates tend to spotlight the party leaders too intensely. On the positive side, debates allow the candidates to face the public directly, they have been shown to heighten citizens interest in elections and their levels of information, they are a means of enabling the public to make a direct comparison of the candidates, and as such are a useful supplement to the normal news coverage (pp. 28-29). Aside from the old traditions of advertising, the innovative transformation of the society was considered as a milestone in the electoral system. I am not just talking about the May 2010 automated elections, but it is about how social media is changing the face of democracy through the use of different social networking sites in campaigning for a political party or candidate. Generally, traditional media and new media worked together for a more comprehensive coverage of the 2010 Philippine Elections. Rafter (2009) for example, stated that, the internet has assumed an increasingly important role in political communications and has provided new ways of communicating political messages with the public. Traditional concerns about television and radio political advertising are equally applicable to the Internet but there is no debate about regulating political content on the web (p.29). TV news stations also marked a milestone in media history when they reported election updates in real t ime using the new media. They even used the Facebook and Twitter to post news updates and reports about the election. Most of the Social Media websites which have had a major worldwide impact on Internet usage and thus perceived international impact, like YouTube, Flickr, Blogger, WordPress, Google, Wikipedia, Myspace, Facebook and Twitter (eGovernment-Symposium, 2009, p. 7). As predicted by some experts and scholars, it is probably only a matter of time before everyone will be able to vote over the Internet. Still, for those who create and air ads, the bottom line is the bottom line. The intended effect of political advertising or paid media is to win political battles by creating and delivering biased messages. Informing and engaging the public outside of ones supporters, when and if it occurs, is a by-product or secondary effect of the effort to win political battles. Does money wins elections? But the most intriguing factor that affects the decision of the electorate is the presence of money. Rocamora (1998), observe that for a candidate to win Philippine elections, they have to spend three times: once to get nominated, second to garner votes, third to get his votes counted, added to, and those of his opponents subtracted (p. 27). According to political scientist Ciyde Wilcox, money matters most when the candidates are least known to the voters, when they do not receive a lot of news coverage, and when paid advertising, which, of course, is expensive, can bring recognition and enhance images (Wayne, 1992, p.52). As I have said, the ads play a big role in the entire campaign. The earlier the ad is aired, the earlier the candidates rating goes up and the earlier the candidate can shift to conversion. Indeed, this means paying a longer period for advertisement slots. The cost of political campaign is rising and rising fast. The use of other modern technology has also increase d expenditures. One 30-second ad can cost a candidate from P34,000 to P243,000, depending on the station and the time slot. These costs are already slashed by 30 percent, the legally mandated discount for candidates (Fonbuena, Rufo, Tabunda, 2008, p. 61). But because of factors such as popularity and acceptability, campaign budgets may still vary from candidate to candidate. If a candidate is already popular, a lesser amount can be allocated for election paraphernalia. The amount a candidate spends will largely depend on the style of his/her political strategies. Literally speaking, before a sensible person joins a political fray, he/she should check his/her wallet first. Elections are indeed expensive affairs. Radio and television appearance, newspaper advertising, travel for the candidate, mailings of campaign materials, maintaining a network of campaign offices, taking polls, and raising money itself all cost a great deal of money. The notion that the side with more money has a better chance of winning is very common. Lack of budget for the campaign can be solved through public and private funding. The ability to raise money is not only a matter of wealth but also of being able to attract funds from others. Way before the campaign period, funds can already be raised. It is obviously important for a financially challenged candidate to seek and accept whatever material support they can find. Sponsored activities like a ball, a concert, a movie premier, T-shirt sales, and bazaars can be organized. But most campaign donations would not come in until a candidates showing becomes strong during the campaign period. Their contributions serve as insurance money, an investment they hope to draw from in the future. Another source, though largely unreported for obvious reasons, would be gambling and smuggling operations that seek the protection of the politicians. According to Co, Lao, Sayo and Tigno (2005), potential candidates who do not have the financial resources and backing to undertake a campaign have a little chance of winning (p.98). But apparently, I beg to disagree that financial outlays can guarantee victory in elections. Although the money spent might still serve as a good index to electoral strength, the candidates and parties with the most money did not always win. Money however is only one factor. And even when relatively honest people do win, they have to spend so much money to campaign that they invariably become corrupt in order to recover their expenses or to return the favor of financial backers. Wayne (1992) stated that, theoretically, campaign spending should have a greater impact on the nomination process than on the general election, and on the beginning of the process than at the end (p. 51). Whether or not money determines campaign victors, it exerts an enormous influence on elections. Heard (1960), notes that the ef fect of money in politics is probably more certain in determining who the candidates will be than in determining the outcome of the elections. Although the main goal of those who sponsor political advertising is to win elections, advertising can also in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence what citizens know about candidates and public policy and how engaged citizens are in their own governance. And, as discussed above, in in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uencing what voters know, ads can in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence whom voter choose (Goldenstein, Ridout, 2004, p. 211). The impact of media on the electoral system The overwhelming power of the mass media is something that we accept as fact. We are dependent on media for information. Media have become our connection to the real world. Indeed, there have been a lot of contributions media has made in politics, particularly during elections. The availability of media coverage during elections from the nomination period to the canvassing of votes, keeps the public informed of all the crucial events that occur during the elections. In the present times, it has gained a greater importance than how it was in the past. Filipinos much more now than ever in the past, rely on the mass media in deciding whom to vote and which issues are important. There is a hunger for information and citizens are much more attentive to media reports during elections than in other times. It has thus gained more influence over the voting behavior of the electorate and greater power in altering the opinions of the people. During campaigns, bad publicity can mean almost certa in death to a promising political career to a politician. No matter what good things a person has done in the past, if the media decides to publish the bad, their chances are blown. Population as a whole also recognizes the large role the media plays in their lives. They are well aware that the press plays the most dominant role in determining which issues and events are considered significant (Brandt, Hughes, Rasmussen, 2006, pp. 15-17). Conclusion The medias role in politics is even more significant. They help shape the political culture, and have the power to make a candidate appealing or repulsive. The media can also lead the general public to misunderstand the actions of one particular political group, and as a result, other political parties have to face a difficult political situation. Encabo (2010) concluded that politicians and advertisement producers believe that advertising allows candidates to reach even the uninterested and unmotivated citizens like those who are not paying attention in news reports, debates, and other campaign event (p.20). The media is primarily needed to fix itself to reporting on politics, not shaping it. The media should not have the bias of the nation, but should offer information to allow ideas to form liberally and independently. The nature of the impact of the media coverage is perhaps most dramatically evident in peoples awareness of the candidates and the consequences for how they vote. I n the coverage of elections, media fulfills different roles. This includes informing, enlightening, and educating the electorate, providing a platform and forum for controversial social debates, forming public opinion, and serving as a watchdog on the side of the citizens. Among these roles, the duty of informing the electorate is the primary and the other roles are only ancillary and fall under this primary role. The media has also the ability of affecting the behavior and decision making of the electorate. Many factors are to consider in determining the voting behavior of the electorate; and though there is no certainty on the extent that media affects the decision making process of the electorate, media is one of the few things that can count heavily on affecting and changing the opinions and decisions of the electorate. Apart from persuading the electorate, the media can also persuade the political candidates. The media influence the decision and actions of politicians and offic ials, change their priorities and can reduce their ability to control events. Another thing to consider in the influence of media in elections is the campaign financing that is required of candidates in order to afford the media resources necessary for advancing the campaign. The costs on campaign financing have escalated primarily due to the fact that it is expensive to employ media resources. However, though it is expensive, but because it is believed to be the most effective medium of campaigning, it is the least likely expense in campaign financing to be cut. The high costs of campaign financing pose problems for less affluent candidates. It is a disadvantage for the poor candidate who does not have the necessary resources necessary to run a campaign which will be able to employ media as one of its medium of advertisement. Because of this, the integrity of the electoral system of a democratic nation such as the Philippines becomes flawed. People, based on democratic theory, shou ld have equal opportunity to run for office regardless of economic status. But because of the high costs imposed by media on running a campaign, this is hardly true. There is therefore a need for the strict implementation of campaign finance laws during elections so as not to put an advantage on the wealthy and a disadvantage on the less affluent candidates. The media plays a crucial role in the realization of this goal. Through these insights, it is therefore true that media persuasion does not only work between the media and the public, but logically speaking, we and others can also influence the media. Both positively and negatively, the mass media contributes a great factor in affecting the decisions of the electorate because it exercises a powerful role in the electoral processes by informing and educating the public. Bibliography (books and e-books): Brady, H.E., Johnston, R., Sides, J. (2006). The Study of Political Campaigns. United States: The University of Michigan Press. Brandt, T., Hughes, T. Rasmussen F. (2006). Coaching Manual for Media Support during Elections. Denmark: International Media Support. Co, E.E.A., Lao, M.E.J., Sayo, M.A., Tigno, J.V. (2005). Philippine Democracy Assessment. Manila: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES). Coronel, S.S., Chua, Y.T., De Castro I. (2004). Cockfight, horserace, boxing match (why elections are covered as sport): lessons learned from the 2004 campaign coverage. Quezon City : Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. Del Mundo C. (1986). Philippine Mass Media: A Book of Readings. Philippines: Communication Foundation for Asia. eGovernment-Symposium (2009). E-Society and E-Democracy. Berne, Switzerland: Amazee (www.amazee.com) and IDHEAP (www.idheap.ch). Encabo, E.A. (2010). The Filipino Language and Culture in Political Advertisement. San Diego State University: Language Acquisition Resource Center. Fonbuena, C., Rufo, A., Tabunda, A.M.L. (2008). Selling Candidates: Political Ads in the 2007 Senatorial Elections. Quezon City: Public trust Media Group Inc. Goldstein, K., Ridout, T.N. (2004). Measuring the Effects of Televised Political Advertising in the United States. Washington: arjournals.annualreviews.org. Houser, D., Ludwig, S., Stratmann, T. (2009). Does deceptive advertising reduce political participation? Theory and evidence. Washington: George Mason University, Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science. Hufilena, C.F. (2006). How to Win an Election. Quezon City: Ateneo School of Government Center for Social Policy. Lange, B.P. Ward, D. (2004). The Media and Elections: A Handbook and Comparative Study. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Lange, Y. (1999). Media and Elections. Europe: Council of Europe Publishing. Meisburger, T. (2010). Will Automated Elections in the Philippines Increase Public Confidence?. Asia: The Asia Foundation. Rafter, K. (2009). Political Advertising: The Regulatory Position and the Public View. Ireland: Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Media Research Scheme. Rocamora, J. (1998). Philippine Political Parties, Electoral System and Political Reform. Quezon City: Philippines International Review. Wayne, S.J. (1992). The Road to the White House: The Politics of Presidential Elections. New York: St. Martins Press Internet sources: http://socyberty.com/organizations/the-responsibility-of-the-media-in-conducting-free-and-fair-elections/#ixzz1Do4Q79RP. Retrieved February 25, 2011, 01:53 am. http://www.people.virginia.edu/~lkr8v/politics.htm. Retrieved February 25, 2011, 02:33 am.

Movie Analysis On Wag The Dog Media Essay

Movie Analysis On Wag The Dog Media Essay The movie entitled Wag the Dog was directed by Barry Levinson which deals with the relationship between the president the media and the public in the country but most importantly, it focus on the abuse of political powers by the leaders. The film is from 1997 and its timing frame is about 1 hour 37 minutes long. The title of the film comes from the saying in America why does a dog wag its tail? In natural sense to wag a tail simply means to shake it back and forth, which dogs do any time they are happy. If the tail is wagging the dog, then the consequence will be that the dog will be made to be stupid. In short term the tail wagging the dog signified or refers to something that has greater meaning such as a war being driven by something less such as sex scandal. The description of the title set the satirical tone of the movie which is a comedy about how public opinion was manipulated through the means of media. Through this film, people are now enlightened to know what the government can do with a little false-flag media. Never the less the film entails about a president who was officially accused of having a sex with a young teenage girl who belong to a society related to the girls scouts in the white house two weeks before the presidential election, which a media expert was called upon to fix the problem by causing or creating a fake war with Albania to draw the public attention away from what has happen. The media specialists were able to divert the whole sex scandal situation through the film producer named Stanley Motss (played by Dustin Hoffman). we can see that through this movie, media uses images, symbols and signs in order to divert the publics attention on problems that may not be relevant to them but what they may need to complete their lives. This method was derived from the concept of the period called the postmodern where people brains were soaked in such signs, symbols and images. This has also made the public to think that it is reality, mean while it is not but the medias version of reality. It is quite an understanding that Motss uses this style to derive the public attention away from the presidents sex scandal in the movie. The movie success lies on the believe that film does not fail to explain its basic ideas and impressions. In the beginning part of the movie, the background was dark and mysterious as Conrad the spin doctorthe spin doctor the spin doctor the spin doctor and the presidents advisors Robert DeNiro were having a conversation concerning the issue of the sex scandal and sorting out how to divert the public attention from the issue. With this, we can see that a specific setting is used to infer the secrecy of a dark setting as most unveiled plans are made underground without the notice of the public. This ways is represented the same way as in the present days where most gang members will do the same. Already we can see Conrads character as being too much demanding, pessimistic and also intelligent as he was the one who brought the formation of the fake war with Albania. He brought the idea and was the leader of the whole operation and he makes sure that all the plans went well as planned. Stanley Motts is seen as a Hollywood producer that Conrad visits to help him on producing the fake war. St anley Motts acts comparably to any other film producer in the present days as all they ever thought about is acknowledgment (credit) towards a particular project to become famous by achieving something great and to be known. Moreover Conrad and Motts had same ideas of creating a fake war to divert the sexual disaster away from the public. As the saying goes, Great minds think alike, This apply to other politician, Conrad has been in the system for a while and he knows how to cut the grass as he offers a position of being an ambassador to Motts; however Motts wants to do it as a pleasure. This shows how politician can turn ones mind by mentioning the ways of giving a reward which in this case we have seen that the position of an ambassador is guarantee. Moreover, whatever the politician says cannot be seen as a believable fact even through their line of expertise as they try to spin information on somebody, we can see that Conrad plays his own part on Motts to motivate him to produce his fake war. From this point of view, we can say that Conrad is seen as the presidents spin doctor because the president relies on Conrad to make the situation change away from the public connoting the close relationship exi sting by the president and Conrad. During the media scene of building the war, a young teenager girl was used, to act as an Albanian girl, in fact she is an actress being given such a role to run through an empty studio. However, the young girl was holding a bag containing chips instead of a white kitten as Motts could not find the kitten he needed. In the order hands the white kitten was edited by the use of technology instead of the bag of chips in which she was holding, this is to show how media can easily be used to play around with images, by using modern technology which the viewers will not have an idea whether it amount to the reality or not. Moreover the media has made us to understand that it is not everything that we see or hear that is truth. The white kitten that was edited signifies purity, peace and clarity onto the public and makes them more interested in the lost girl at war and not the presidents sex scandal. Latter on the village, sirens and sound effects of somebody screaming were added. This infor mation was played on the evening news and it touches so many hearts of the American people. They unknowingly trusted what they are seeing because it is on the news. at this point we can see how the media was use to quickly changes peoples minds into another dramatic concern at hand which is similar in our contemporary society where we get soaked into some certain advertisements, such as a magazine avert were you actually see most of the models, and you will be amaze because they are considered to be beautiful. Furthermore Conrad and Anne were having a brief talk with a CIA agent claiming that the Albanian war was all a trick. We can see that Politics is shown within the movie where Conrad spins and change the whole statement convincing the CIA agent that the war was real. At the same time, we see another side of Anne, as she does not seem to be involved in the operation which shows the weak side of her character due to the penalties that she may face if she is caught. Another sign of peace and purity was shown during the producing of the war where a young Albanian girl offers the president an offering of helping her and her mother. At the same time, the president offers his coat to the young teenage girls mother which indicates that he is giving her shelter and pity towards her feelings due her suffering in the war. Among many manipulations of the two devise are the creation of a fake war with the poor Albanian villagers, stage event congratulating with the president on his effort to Albania and the final a public inter-relation campaign used to sympathize for the death soldier after the fictionalized war was put to end by the CIA. In conclusion the film Wag the Dog is an interesting and suspicious film that have entirely manages to side up political matters of our modern society. If our entire connection with the reality of politics is through the means of media, or if politics is separated from our ordinary world to the point that we only co-operate through that terrible little box (media), truth will become a frighteningly subjective concept. Moreover, the film has also made us to understand that, we are nothing but pencil in the hands of our manipulators this means that it is not every information we hear that amount to truth.