Women Leaders In The Media Industry English Literature Essay free essay sample

Media in China call Yang Lan the Oprah of China, and Yang Lan said that she would instead be Yang Lan of the universe. Regardless of their rubrics, Yang Lan and Oprah both have achieved great success in Television concern every bit good as in the media industry. As self-made adult females, their experiences have been animating people all over the universe. In this paper we will present their backgrounds including household, childhood, instruction and calling. Then, we will analyse their leading manners and other factors that have put them where they are. Finally we will portion the lessons we have learned from these two leaders and pull our decision. Background Information Yang Lan Family A ; Childhood A ; Education Yang Lan was born in Beijing, the capital of China. She grew up in a traditional Chinese clerisy household. Her female parent worked as an applied scientist and her male parent taught English literature. We will write a custom essay sample on Women Leaders In The Media Industry English Literature Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She had a happy and healthy childhood expect on occasion being worried about exam Markss like most Chinese childs. When she was 12, her household bought their first Television. That was twelvemonth 1980, at that clip Television was a freshness in China, and really few households owned one. With lone several channels available and limited scheduling, there was non much pick. It may surprise you that Yang Lan, who subsequently became one of the most good known Television hostesses in China, watched small telecasting as a kid. Alternatively, she focused on her school assignment, and did truly great on her University Entrance Examination, really her mark was among the top 20 of Bejing City, which was a great award for any in-between school pupil. After graduation from in-between school, Yang Lan was accepted by Foreign Studies University, one of the state s most esteemed schools. She continued her academic excellence in university, and her mark was among the top 10 in her school, particularly her unwritten English, which was ranked as outstanding for four old ages directly. Besides her surveies, Yang Lan was besides an active participant in other school events. She was the frailty president of the school pupil commission, one time won a rubric of best actress in University English Drama Contest, and besides hosted many shows performed at school. Later she recalled in her first book that those experiences did assist her in developing her communicating accomplishments. Career Path Yang Lan started her calling as a Television hostess through an inadvertent event. It was the twelvemonth 1990, when Yang Lan was 21 old ages old, a senior pupil in University. Within a pool of over one 1000 campaigners, she was chosen to be the hostess of a new assortment show, Zheng Da. Subsequently she recalled that during the choice, some managers thought that she was non beautiful plenty for the camera. She felt hurt by the fact that she was judged by visual aspect, but alternatively of experiencing sorry for herself, she found excess strength to turn out her abilities. The consequence is good known today that she outshined all other campaigners with her passion and endowments. Zheng Da Variety Show succeeded instantly, it was one time China s highest-rated plan with 220 million regular viewing audiences. In the following four old ages, Yang Lan grew out her new face on Television, and became one of the most popular hostesses in China. By that clip, she was merely 26 old ages old, with a glorious life on phase, so it was rather a surprise for her audience and coworkers when she announced that she has decided to travel to the US to prosecute a maestro s grade. Her determination of analyzing aboard later was proven to be a wise move. During her survey at Columbia University, majoring in International Communication, Yang Lan shot the first season of Yang Lan Horizon. We wanted to present Chinese viewing audiences to American dad civilization Yang Lan stated. For the 2nd season, Yang Lan took it to the following degree. Her show covered a broad scope of acute societal jobs confronting America, including societal security and drug dependence, etc. The Horizon was a major success. After finishing her maestro grade in 1996, Yang Lan went back to China. At first, she worked with the Phoenix Chinese Channel to establish a show named Yang Lan Studio, which featured pointed interviews with public figures in concern and media. In 1999, she left Phoenix, and with her hubby Bruno Wu, whom she had met and married while populating in New York, founded Sun Television Cyber Networks ( normally known as Sun Television ) . Sun Television carried her dream of establishing a channel concentrating on circulating educational plans, to settle down as the Discovery Channel of China . However, the Chinese media environment seemed unprepared her invention, after several old ages fiscal battle, Yang Lan eventually sold 70 % of her portions of Sun Television in 2003. Although Sun Television was non considered a wise commercial move, it did nt halt Yang Lan from turning her celebrity into a concern imperium. Her corporation, Sun Media, has entered assorted sorts of concerns, such as print publications, online magazines, jewellery lines and etc. Besides the day-to-day swot of concern direction, she now hosts Yang Lan One on One and Her Village. Yang Lan has more than proved herself to be a gifted anchorwoman and a originative pioneer. Oprah Winfrey Family A ; Childhood A ; Education It is no secret that Oprah had a unsmooth childhood. When she was born, she did nt hold a male parent, and her female parent was a adolescent maidservant. She was sent to populate with her grandma for six old ages shortly after her birth. They were in poorness and Oprah had to have on frocks made of murphy pokes. At age six, she moved to populate with her female parent. Get downing when she was nine old ages old, she was molested by her cousin, her uncle, and a household friend. At age 13, after enduring old ages of maltreatment, Oprah ran off from place. When she was 14, she became pregnant with her boy who died shortly after birth. Rumor has it that during the unsmooth period of clip, Oprah had some intolerable memories. She one time was an minor cocotte. Light eventually came to Oprah s life, she was sent to populate with Vernon, who was considered her biological male parent. Vernon was really rigorous. Oprah subsequently recalled that if she did nt complete the day-to-day survey program, there was no nutrient for her. With the aid of her male parent s subject, Oprah managed to turn her life about, from a otiose adolescent to an honor pupil. Later she was accepted by Tennessee State University with full scholarship, majoring in communicating. Career Path At age 19, she was hired to make intelligence part-time by a local black wireless station. Later she recalled the clip when she was making intelligence, In all those old ages I felt discontent, experiencing like I m in the incorrect topographic point, in the incorrect occupation. Until I was given an assignment to be a co-host with Richard Sher, it was a local talk show, called People Are Talking . When I was on phase, I felt like I was place. It was the most natural I of all time felt at work. Without uncertainty, Oprah s talk show calling began. Her major discovery came when she moved to Chicago, to host a forenoon talk show called AM Chicago, which was foremost aired in January 1st 1984. Today we may believe that Oprah s success happened nightlong, but that dark took about 11 old ages. During that clip, she was the lone fleshy black female on Television. Everyone talked to her like You re non gon na do it. But she made it, yet it was merely the beginning. Afterwards, she signed a syndication trade with King World. The show was renamed the Oprah Winfrey Show, which rapidly reached a national audience, and became the No.1 day-time talk show in America. Since the really first national Oprah Winfrey Show, which was on air September 8th, 1986, she has been hosting the show for 25 old ages. In her shows, mundane life is the lead, and the subjects are non merely concerned and cared about by the populace, but besides invariably involved with keen-edged societal jobs. Besides the appeal of being a hostess, Oprah has besides proved herself as a gifted concern enterpriser. Soon after the success of the show, Oprah founded Harpo Inc, which was entitled to the full authorization to bring forth the Oprah Winfrey Show. Later, Harpo Entertainment Group was founded to bring forth films and Television plans. Besides, Oprah publishes two magazines, and has created the Oprah.com web site to supply resources and synergistic content associating to her shows, magazines, book nine, and public charity. Oprah has been ranked the richest African American of the twentieth century and was one time the universe s lone black billionaire. A Word Before Comparison As we carry on this topic, we feel that if we lay our eyes merely on accomplishments, it is non a just comparing. The Japanese have a stating that provinces, A adult male is whatever room he is in . After all, the US has been the dominant power in the media industry for several decennaries. In the sixtiess, Television was a common contraption for general American households, but in China, even in the 1980s, Television was a luxury for most households. Not to advert the related commercial operations. Another factor that we can non pretermit is the differences of authorities ordinances between China and the US. Unlike the US, the Chinese media market is much more forced. There are tonss of regulations and limitations on Television content, and they change on a regular basis. Rather than comparing their accomplishments, our analyses focuses more on the factors that get them where they are today as a individual, such as personalities, interactive elements, centered leading factors, and how they implement their leading powers. Analysiss On Leadership Personal Features Leaderships are besides people. Their leading accomplishments are either enhanced or diminished by their behaviours. How they behave is chiefly dependent to their personal features and values. So we believe that it will assist us farther understand our two leaders by first analysing their personal features. In this subdivision, we use two signifiers to present our consequences, one for their features in common, another for their features that different from each other. Features in common Yang Lan Oprah Winfrey Resilience and Courage Although Sun Television was non considered to be a concern success, it did nt halt Yang Lan from enlarging her corporation, Sun Media, which has entered assorted sorts of concerns. She was sexually abused by several male relations and became really rebellious when she was immature. However, she was able to transform her life and leave the past buttocks. Positive Attitude She maintains a positive image in the eyes of Chinese public. Her show is considered to be profound and educational. And she is invariably involved in public service. Even when she tackles negative issues, she s able to convey up positive messages. This is one of the grounds why so many people have opened up their Black Marias to the positively oriented Oprah. Invention She is non afraid of challenges. She left the glamor of phase to analyze aboard when she was one of the most popular hostesses in China. Furthermore, Sun Television was a advanced test in the Chinese media, although latter she had to sell Sun Television due to fiscal grounds. She s invariably conveying new subjects and thoughts into her show. When Oprah began to portion the painful narratives, it was something that has neer been done earlier. Her inventions enable her to take on many different subjects that were uncommon before Oprah covered them. Charity Involvement She is the laminitis of Sun Culture Foundation. She is besides the Goodwill Ambassador of the China Charity Federation and a legal guardian of the Soong Ching Ling Foundation. She is the 1 of the greatest black altruists in American history. Engagement in charity is a really of import portion of her life. Features that they are different from each other Yang Lan Oprah Winfrey Family Valuess She has a happy household with two childs, a boy and a girl. From the foreigners sentiment, her matrimony is the sort to be envied. She is a individual adult female. Her unsmooth childhood and turning up without a existent female parent likely consequence how she sees matrimony and maternity. Attitudes to Commercial She is a popular advertisement interpreter. Actually, several commercials with her image and indorsements are on air every twenty-four hours. She does urge merchandises, particularly books in her shows, but every bit far as we know, she neer endorses a merchandise for fiscal grounds. Manners She is good known by her intellectuality, elegance and soft mode. From 1996, she has interviewed more than four 100 public figures, including many caputs of province. She is able to inquire inquiries in deepness and present profound interviews. The secret of Oprah s success is sharing. She candidly portions about her past maltreatments and drug job. These personal issues are normally non discussed or even mentioned by other talk show hosts. Her friendly and empathic personality besides makes her invitees feel warm and trusty. How public sees them She seems to hold it all, calling, household, intelligence, beauty and celebrity. The public sees her as a theoretical account for calling adult females, who lives a about perfect life. Peoples, particularly adult females, see her non merely as a famous person, but truly love and trust her. That s the ground why a book can go a best seller overnight when Oprah says she it s deserving reading. Interactional Framework Based on the analyses of their features and other comparative elements, we come up with their interactive model charts severally, utilizing the leader-follower-situation model developed by Gallic and Raven. Yang Lan Leader Followings Situation Oprah Winfrey Leader Situation Followings Centered Leadership Factors Through in-depth comparing and analysis for them, we believe that being a good or even first-class leader must possess the basic elements of leading. This is besides consistent with the five basic elements of centered leading proposed by Mckinsy. Centered leading factors Beginning: Mckinsey Quarterly Meaning detecting your strengths and seting them to work in the service of an inspiring intent Meaning is the motive that moves us. It enables people to detect what involvements them and to force themselves to the bound. It makes the bosom round faster, provides energy, and inspires passion. Meaning is so of import for leaders ; it translates into greater occupation satisfaction and higher productiveness. The benefits besides include feelings of transcendence-in other words, lending to something bigger than you generates a deeper sense of significance, thereby making a virtuous rhythm. Oprah has first-class communicating accomplishments and nice memory, which help her thrust other people s emotions easy. Every clip speaking about her calling development, Oprah ever listens to the call of her bosom . She believes that since she became talk show host, she truly found the passion and feeling for work . Pull offing energy cognizing where your energy comes from, where it goes, and what you can make to pull off it Actively pull offing energy degrees is important to leaders. How to equilibrate their energy flows means establishing your precedences on the activities that energize you, both at work and at place, and actively pull offing your resources to avoid dunking into militias. Yang Lan has a really graphic analogy about equilibrating work and life. Both work forces and adult females should bear the two pails of H2O which are calling and household. Some people guess it would be easy if they merely pick one pail of H2O. However it is non consistent with the rules of mechanics. We d break utilize a transporting pole to pick the two pails other than transporting one heavy pail without a pole. There is a balanced relationship between these two pails. So we d outdo do a good balance between calling and household in our life. Positive bordering following a more constructive manner to see your universe, spread out your skylines, and derive the resiliency to travel in front even when bad things happen The frames in which people use to see the universe and procedure experiences can do a critical difference to professional results. Many surveies suggest that optimists see life more realistically than pessimists, a frame of head that can be important to doing the right concern determinations. Optimists, research shows, are non afraid to border the universe as it really is-they are confident that they can pull off its challenges and travel their squads rapidly to action. By contrast, pessimists are more likely to experience incapacitated and to acquire stuck in downward spirals that lead to energy-depleting contemplation. Oprah had an unhappy childhood. Thankss to her male parent salvaging her in clip, and learning her to confront life positively. This positive attitude changed her life. She became an optimist, and therefore achieved her calling success. Until now, Oprah has been maintaining a wont of entering moved things particularly. Every dark at bedtime, ciphering what good things happened today, and composing down at least 5 interesting things. Connecting identifying who can assist you turn, constructing stronger relationships, and increasing your sense of belonging Peoples with strong webs and good wise mans enjoy more publicities, higher wage, and greater calling satisfaction. They feel a sense of belonging, which makes their lives meaningful. As Mark Hunter and Herminia Ibarra have noted in the Harvard Business Review, what differentiates a leader from a director is the ability to calculate out where to travel and to enlist the people and groups necessary to acquire at that place. Yang Lan s success, to a certain extent, depends on her application of GUANXI . She shows how to construct a wide web: One attack is to supply and inquire for aid on a regular footing. Finding ways to hammer connexions through involvements outside of work is another. Over and over, we heard, Make it personal, in the sense that others will acquire along with you more easy if they see your human side. You can show this in all sorts of ways at work, without unsuitably intermixing your professional and personal lives. Prosecuting happening your voice, going autonomous and confident by accepting chances and the built-in hazards they bring, and join forcesing with others Prosecuting agencies to make our ain fortune. To prosecute with chances by taking ownership of them, you must first happen your ain voice, literally. Battle is every bit about hazard pickings. We need accept hazard as a portion of chance. To encompass chance, people must frequently take crisp roundabout waies and that the hazards of unexpected alterations normally seem more obvious than the benefits. Reaching out to others-not to avoid doing determinations yourself but to larn the best result from alteration can frequently assist you see chances in the right frame and make up ones mind whether or non to travel for them. Harmonizing to Forbes magazine, Oprah has gained more than 10 billion dollars up to the present. She is so successful in her calling mostly because of a large determination from herself-She set up her ain media group, Harpo and hired Jeff Chambers as CEO with 10 % of the portions. As we know, before Harpo, Jeff was non so good known as a attorney. He suggested Oprah to put up her ain company so that she can obtain existent control in her calling. Oprah got this chance, and made a great commercial success with Jeff s aid. Power Analysiss Overview In order to understand a individual s leading, it is of import to cognize the leading power the individual possesses and the influence the individual has on his/her followings. In this subdivision, we will foremost place the assorted powers Yang Lan and Oprah Winfrey had or have as leaders, and so measure how they have used their powers to act upon others in the different phases of their calling. We learned from Hughes, Ginnest and Curphy that leading power is a leader s capacity to bring forth effects on others, while influence is the existent grade of effects produced. Two constructs are somewhat different, as leading power is more about what leaders can make, and the influence is refering what leaders want to make or hold done. Another thing to observe is that leading power does non ever entirely come from the leader him/herself. In many instances, leading power depends on the state of affairs the leader is in. The follower s behaviour besides has an impact on the leader s power. In Yang Lan and Oprah s instance, since both of them are complete Television presenters/journalists, much of their leading powers are derived from the popularity of their Television shows. For that ground, we use the leader-follower-situation model developed by Gallic and Raven to analyze the leading power of Yang Lan and Oprah. In the model, Gallic and Raven identified the following 5 beginnings of leading power: Expert power Legitimate power Referent power Coercive power Reward power As seen in the diagram below, 3 elements that interconnect with each other can be found within the model, including leader, followings and state of affairs. Different beginnings of leader s powers are maps of different elements. Among the 5 beginnings of leading power, adept power is based on the leader s ain cognition and expertness hence it is a map of the leader, legitimate power is determined by leader s function hence it is a map of the state of affairs, referent power is built on the relationship between leader and followings hence it is the map of the two, coercive power is the possible to influence others through disposal of negative countenances hence it is a map of the leader and the state of affairs, and reward power is a map of all three elements in the model. Yang Lan Adept power: Today, Yang Lan is a family name in her place state. She is recognized by people in China as an elegant, intelligent and competent female. As a leader, Yang Lan s calling success mostly replied on her adept power, which is chiefly derived from her household and instruction background. Yang Lan s parents are the chief ground that she went on to analyze English during her undergraduate old ages. Her superior English linguistic communication accomplishments subsequently gained her admittance to the co-hosting function for The Zheng Da Variety Show of CCTV. Even today, it is non easy to happen another female media personality who has the fiting English linguistic communication accomplishments as Yang Lang does. Just when her name was going the equivalent word of the Zheng Da Variety Show, to everyone s surprise, she chose to vacate the show and to analyze international and public personal businesss broadening her positions and deriving cognition in international dealingss and the concern universe. She was able to use what she learned at Columbia to set up her image as an rational adult female in China. Legitimate power and coercive power: Yang Lan s beginnings as a Television personality for CCTV led her to seek a maestro s grade from Columbia University, so she returned to the media industry as a talk-show host at China s Phoenix Television after graduation. In 1999, she had the chance to follow her dream of establishing her ain company Sun Television Cyber Networks ( Sun Television ) . This can be seen as an effort to derive legitimate power and coercive power when her expert power ca nt acquire her anywhere higher. Referent power and reward power: As a cultural icon in her state, Yang Lan served as an image embassador for Beijing in its successful command for the 2008 Summer Olympics and spoke at China s concluding presentation to the International Olympic Committee in Moscow. She has besides interviewed more than 400 Chinese and international famous persons and concern leaders since 1996. But we would nt depict her as influential among her audiences. In China, really few adult females can accomplish what Yang Lan has achieved, i.e. celebrity, fiscal success, and a harmonious household. Peoples watch her show, but do non needfully purchase the merchandises she has endorsed. This is besides mostly affected by the values within Chinese society. In China, personal heroes are non encouraged except for political figures, personal issues are frequently unbroken secret, and mercenary wagess are non encouraged but instead frequently repulsed. In other words, what Oprah has done will non work in China. Findingss on leader influence: We find that Yang Lan chiefly relies on her adept power to influence others. This mostly due to: 1 ) Her superior cognition and competence degree in her field made her base out as a prima figure. 2 ) The political and societal environment in China prevented her from deriving more referent and wages power to influence others. Her transmutation from a Television personality to a concern leader can be seen as her move to prosecute bigger legitimate and coercive power, which in her instance is the lone manner for her self-improvement. Her beneficent Acts of the Apostless and image embassador function for Beijing Olympics are her efforts to increase her influence through wages and referent powers. So far, she is concentrating more on her concern successes than on societal achievements. Oprah Winfrey Adept power: As a media personality, Oprah had demonstrated her endowment at an early age when she worked at a local black wireless station. At age 19, she was hired as a newsman, and subsequently became the youngest and merely black ground tackle of the local Television talk show she worked for. In 1984, Oprah took control of WLS-TV s AM Chicago . In less than a twelvemonth, she turned it into the hottest plan in Chicago, which was shortly renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show. Cipher is traveling to oppugn Oprah s expertness in what she does. She knows how to interact with people on her shows and she has crisp eyes for descrying critical issues in ordinary people s lives. In a field that is dominated by white and male personalities, Oprah s 1000000s of viewing audiences for her show are the strongest back uping grounds of her superior knowledge/expertise in such a field. As a concern leader, Oprah s wealth and influence have grown invariably ; she was the first Afro-american adult female to make billionaire position, which speaks louder than most words that she is a concern leader who knows how to convey fiscal success to her organisation. Legitimate power and coercive power: As a Television presenter, Oprah s legitimate and coercive power comes from her being the ground tackle of her show. But when it comes to the relationship with her audiences, she has really limited legitimate and coercive power to utilize, because finally audiences have their pick for what show they watch. Oprah, as for most Television presenters, demands to trust on her other leader power to maintain her ain show running or even lasting. As a concern leader, Oprah is the laminitis and the face of her concern imperium hence she possesses abundant legitimate and coercive power within her organisation. Referent power: Referent power is the most of import leading power Oprah uses throughout her calling. In her early yearss, she was able to breakthrough as a successful Television show host because her audiences were inspired by her personality, her low roots, her recovery as an maltreatment subsister, and more significantly, her focus on issues in ordinary people s lives. She built strong interpersonal ties between herself and the audience, and made herself a trusting friend and an admirable function theoretical account for the audience to follow. For 25 old ages, this Emmy Award-winning daylight talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show has inspired, educated and enlightened 1000000s of people. She has remained true to the highest ideals of humanity and of nurturing the spirit. In the late 1990s, Oprah became a large participant in the literary industry with her Oprah s Book Club. Any book she chose became an nightlong best seller, which is another good illustration of Oprah using her referent power. Reward power: Reward power is another of import leading power Oprah has. As mentioned earlier, reward power involves all 3 elements of the model including leader, followings and state of affairs. A good illustration of how Oprah uses her reward power can be found in a typical episode of her show. For illustration, when she invites person who suffers from domestic maltreatment to be a invitee of her show, she uses her state of affairs ( being the host of a national-wide talk show ) to honor her invitees with attending on their job from 1000000s of audiences. At the same clip, she would portion with everyone her ain childhood experience of physical and mental maltreatment ; so as a leader, she was honoring her invitee with her ain experience, which would surely do her guest feel less suffering. The invitees would besides appreciate the chance to talk up about their jobs, while profiting from the bosom mending effects emotionally. Another good illustration would be, in the wildest dreams come true season of her show, Oprah gave out things that her audiences have asked for in their letters, runing from cars to mundane objects. This is another illustration of her utilizing her wages power as a leader. Findingss on leader influence: As a leader, Oprah influenced others chiefly through her referent and wages power, and that has ever been the instance throughout her calling. She foremost used referent and wages power to derive popularity for herself and her show among followings. When she became a good known figure, she continued to back up what she believed in by using her popularity and influence. Her concern venture was a natural move to merely capitalise on her celebrity, but should nt be seen as her move to derive more legitimate power in the leading. On the other manus, her philanthropic plants had ever been following the cardinal values she believed in. Lessons Learned The more we submerge ourselves to the analyses of these two phenomenal adult females leaders, the more we unfeignedly admire their accomplishments and characters. We believe the best manner to pay our regard is to larn from their experiences and utilize what we learn to better ourselves. We would wish to portion four valuable lessons. Growth is a pick No affair how talented we are, or we think we are, we can non all become Yang Lan or Oprah Winfrey. The painful fact is that success may depend on many factors that are out of our control. Should we merely admit that destiny is our foreman? The reply is NO. Because we do hold something under control, we can take to turn. It does nt take a illusion survey room or money to truly larn. We merely necessitate the strong desire to better ourselves. Growth can non vouch our success, nil can, but it can salvage us from the What if declinations. Peoples can state when you care, so do nt feign Since concern is war , should we all become pitiless soldiers ready to knife others in the back? We have no place to go through judgement ; after all, concern is concern. But, when we see the thaumaturgy that genuine attention has done, most people would appreciate it more. One of the most memorable minutes is from Yang Lan. Once in her show, Yang Lan s invitee was Malaysia s Prime Minister Badawi, whose married woman late passed off at that clip. Knowing that their relationship was really deep, Yang Lan asked the inquiry in a really sensitive manner. Prime Minister Badawi, who had neer responded to any personal inquiries in public, was touched by Yang Lan s mode, and with deep feelings recalled the last yearss with his married woman. The scene was touching. We all agree that common apprehension is an of import component of leading. We can merely accomplish that through echt attention and involvement to other people, ever seek to understand, non pass judgement. Be consistent Oprah one time recalled a existent narrative of hers: One twenty-four hours, a adult female in a food market shop stopped me and said, I do nt crush my childs any more, I used to crush my childs. At the first clip, at the 2nd clip, I ve been watching you for a long clip and you ve been consistent. Every clip, I watch you, you ever say the same thing. Beating your child alterations your child s life . I broke into cryings right off. Gandhi has a stating that states My life is the message I want to direct . Bing consistent does nt belie the fact that people s nature is complicated. We merely necessitate to happen things that we genuinely believe in, and those things we know for certain will represent our values, which can modulate our behaviour and demonstrate to the universe what sort of individual we are. What defines a concern leader? Fiscal success, power, or celebrity can convey you command over your ain life, but do nt do you a concern leader. Bing a concern leader is non merely about carry throughing our ain aspirations, but besides about doing a positive difference to the wellbeing of our community, our state and people. Yang Lan and Oprah have been utilizing their endowments and great luck to break our society, and that is why they are qualified as concern leaders. Decision In decision, while their successes and prominence illustrate that both Yang Lan and Oprah Winfrey are first-class leaders in both their place states and on the universe s phase, there are some noteworthy differences between the waies that they have chosen every bit good as in the ways they relate to their viewing audiences. Yang Lan is smart, glamourous, articulate, and progressive. Her image endorses consumer merchandises, and one is difficult pressed to go through a twenty-four hours in Beijing without seeing her exposure juxtaposed against something that is for sale. She represents a epicurean life style that many people dream about. Peoples who watch her see an graven image and a phantasy, and at the same clip a down to earth adult female to whom they can associate. On the other manus Oprah s narrative is that of a authoritative shreds to wealths . Her viewing audiences can associate to her past and take inspiration from her rise from poorness and life of fright to the famous person and leader that she is today. Oprah has neer lost the ability to link on a personal degree with her viewing audiences, to sympathize with them and set herself in their places. Her emotional openness goes a long manner in prosecuting her audience. She does non impart her image to publicize trade names, and is hence seen as a existent individual despite her position. She has considerable influence over her audience and is able to mobilise the multitudes to vote for a peculiar campaigner in American presidential elections or to do or interrupt a book on the New York Times Bestsellers List. Respected and recognized worldwide, Yang Lan and Oprah Winfrey are both leaders in their ain rights. With different manners and attacks they work in similar industries and exercise powerful influence ; their images and their messages are the voices of their states.

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Nurse-to-Patient Ratio legislation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nurse-to-Patient Ratio legislation - Essay Example The problem of nurse staffing has been a consistent problem since the year 1996. However, it needs to be addressed since patients nowadays know their rights as they are better informed that earlier about their health. Other issues have also contributed into finding a solution for this problem. This includes high levels of acuity, the amounts allocated by the national budget to this sector and finally the retirement age of employees in this profession (Buerhaus, 2009). Understaffing in government institutions has brought about so many problems that affect the well being of both patients and nurses who are meant to take care of them. These problems mostly arise when these nurses work for long hours. This can lead to patients’ mortality as nurses have a significant number of patients to attend to. In such a case, it is difficult for a nurse to detect any change in the health of the patient and consult a doctor. Secondly, it has led to increasing in the number of infections that are acquired in the hospitals by nurses in the course of their duty (Clark, 2005). This is mostly associated with poor working conditions and lack of the required equipments to perform their duties. This has been a consistent problem in most hospitals hence it should be addressed with immediate effect. Understaffing also causes shock among nurses and as well as bloodstream infections. This is because they receive and admit patients with different illnesses. Due to their limited number, a nurse might be overwhelmed by the complicated and challenging tasks. Hence, this policy if enacted will be of great help to both nurses and patients of this country. Finally, it has also caused psychological problems among nurses. This is because these nurses work for long hours, and they have limited time to take care of themselves. A large number of them in the country spend most of their time taking care of patients in hospitals. Hence, sometimes they may be depressed when they see the

MARKETING ESSAY QUESTION Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MARKETING QUESTION - Essay Example 538). Most marketers today are experiencing difficulties with effective and systematic planning due to a number of market forces such as globalization, fierce competition among market players, radical changes in technology and changing consumer behavior. This piece of research work presents a brief study on systematic approach to marketing planning from the perspective of contemporary international marketing contexts. This paper reviews relevant literatures to critically evaluate the statement â€Å"A systematic approach to marketing planning is essential to successfully inform the marketing decisions made within a contemporary international company†. Marketing planning Planning is basically a systematized method of relating to the future (Cateora and Graham, 2007, p. 317) and therefore many literatures have considered marketing planning as all rational, incremental and intuitive processes that guides a firm’s marketing activities to its future (Greenley, Hooley and Sau nders, 2004, p. 933). Dibb and Simkin (1996, p. 3) who provided a clear and systematic approach to marketing planning defined it as a systematic process that involves assessing marketing opportunities and resources, determines marketing goals and develops future plan for implementation and control. Traditionally, literatures described marketing planning as a model of logical-sequential decision making that incorporates a firm’s objectives, strategies, tactics and control. Greenley, Hooley and Saunders (2004, p. 933) pointed that this explanation to marketing planning has focused on what marketing planning decisions could be and not on how they could be made. They emphasized that marketing planning is used to pursue dynamic marketing opportunities in order to guide a firm’s marketing to its future. In today’s rigorously competitive marketing contexts, market opportunities keep on changing and hence firms need to adopt their plans with a view to pursue these dynam ic opportunities. Marketing planning involves deciding on significant marketing strategies that help the firm achieve its overall strategic objectives and future goals. A marketing planning is required for each business, each product and each brand (Armstrong and Kotler, 2005, p. 59). A Systematic approach to Marketing Planning A systematic approach to marketing planning has been considered to be the most difficult of all marketing tasks since it involves bringing together all the various marketing elements in to coherent and realistic plan (McDonald, 2007, p. 9). A systematic marketing planning necessarily requires certain degree of organizational procedures and compromise between conflicting objectives. McDonald (1992, p. 5) identified ‘lack of systematic approach to marketing planning’ as one of the most difficult barriers to marketing planning. Marketers need to design and implement most appropriate planning system for their firms. As McDonald (1992, p. 14) pointed, a marketing planning system is essential to ensure that all key issues are systematically

Mary Jane: The Devil Weed :: essays research papers fc

Mary Jane: The Devil Weed ABSTRACT: This paper, entitled "Mary Jane: The Devil Weed?" attempts to examine what we know about marijuana and what problems are associated with its use. The paper examines briefly the history of marijuana legislation, marijuana's known effects, and conclusions about its danger. Early in this century, the government waged a war of terrorism on marijuana, or cannabis sativa. "By 1937, forty-six states had laws against the use of marijuana, and its use had already been made a criminal offense under federal law" (Jaffe, 659). Andrews pointed out that "not until some time in the early 1930s did the Louisianna legislature pass a state regulation making use of the drug illegal" (5). Jaffe noted that "since the early 1900s, marifuana has been considered the one drug that might introduce the susceptible to hard drugs." Jaffe pointed out that "since about 1950.... smoking of marijuana has been linked statistically to the use of other illicit drugs....Most observers have concluded that the link is sociological rather than biological and...marijuana is a marker for individuals who are more prone to seek new experiences even when these violate social norms and local laws." Andrews related that "sensational newspaper stories relating...to crime is generally held to be accountable for the sudden enactment of a law prohibiting its use." He went on to note that "users were often subject to heavy penalties- -up to life imprisonment in Texas." "After caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, marijuana is the fourth most popular abused substance" (O'Brien, Cohen, Evans, and Fine, 175). does marijuana deserve this reputation? We must first consider what it is and what effects it has. The active ingredient is tetrahydocannabinol, or THC (Andrews). THC, found only in the female plant, produces a mild euphoric effect. Marijuana is considered a hallucinogen, a Schedule 1 drup, under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (O'Brien, Cohen, Evans, and Fine, 177). A Schedule 1 drug means there is no known medical use. Recently "a new drug application was approved for THC (Marinol) to be used therapeutically for control of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy" (Jaffe, 663). This moved THC from Schedule 1 to 2 (medical use despite potential for abuse). How dangerous is marijuana? Jaffe notes that "any performance test shows impairment....although no distinctive biochemical changes have been found in humans." Andrews writes, "Physical effects of marijuana use is probably the major question....The answer? None." O'Brien, Cohen, Evans, and Fine, reported that the National Institute on Drug Abuse found, "Marijunan now available is five to 10 times more potent than it was a half dozen years ago" (178). While these statements may not sound conclusive, the Institute of Medicine, according

Social Facts

A. Social Facts Durkheim defined social facts as things external to, and coercive of, the actor. These are created from collective forces and do not emanate from the individual (Hadden, p. 104). While they may not seem to be observable, social facts are things, and â€Å"are to be studied empirically, not philosophically† (Ritzer, p. 78). They cannot be deduced from pure reason or thought, but require a study of history and society in order to observe their effects and understand the nature of these social facts. In The Rules of Sociological Method, Durkheim begins by noting features such as the following (quote 3): Social Facts.When I fulfil my obligations as brother, husband, or citizen, when I execute my contracts, I perform duties which are defined, externally to myself and my acts, in law and in custom. Even if they conform to my own sentiments and I feel their reality subjectively, such reality is still objective, for I did not create them; I merely inherited them throug h my education. (Rules, p. 1). As examples of social facts, Durkheim cites religious beliefs, currency used to undertake transactions, and factors such as â€Å"the practices followed in my profession† (Rules, p. 2).These types of conduct or thought are not only external to the individual but are, moreover, endowed with coercive power, by virtue of which they impose themselves upon him, independent of his individual will. (Rules, p. 2). While obligations, values, attitudes, and beliefs may appear to be individual, Durkheim argues that these social facts exist at the level of society as a whole, arising from social relationships and human association. They exist as a result of social interactions and historical developments over long periods of time, and come from â€Å"varying collective representations and diverse forms of social organization† (Hadden, p. 04). As individuals who are born and raised in a society, these social facts are learned (through socialization) a nd generally accepted, but the individual has nothing to do with establishing these. While society is composed of individuals, society is not just the sum of individuals, and these facts exist at the level of society, not at the individual level. As such, these social facts do exist, they are the social reality of society, a reality that constitutes the proper study of sociology (Cuff et al. , p. 33). The study of social facts is the â€Å"distinct object or subject matter of sociology† (Hadden, p. 105). Durkheim istinguishes social facts from psychological, biological, or economic facts by noting that these are social and rooted in group sentiments and values. At the same time, he distinguishes the study of social facts from philosophy by noting that the real effects of social facts are â€Å"manifested in external indicators of sentiments such as religious doctrines, laws, moral codes† (Hadden, p. 105) and these effects can be observed and studied by the sociologist. The study of social facts is thus a large part of the study of sociology. In order to do this, the sociologist must â€Å"rid themselves of preconceptions† (Hadden, p. 07) and undertake objective study which can â€Å"focus on objective, external indicators such as religious doctrines or laws† (Hadden, p. 107). Each social fact is real, something that is constraining on the individual and external to the actor. The social fact is not just in the mind of the individual – that is, these facts are more than psychological facts. That these exist in society as a whole, over time, and sometimes across societies, provides some proof of this. At the same time they are in the minds of individuals so they are also mental states.Ritzer notes that social facts can be considered to be mental phenomena that are external to and coercive of psychological facts, such as human instincts. The individual mental state could be considered to intervene between social fact and action (Ritzer, p. 105). Durkheim may not have provided a sufficient analysis of the assumptions underlying, or the characteristics of, these mental states. For Durkheim the study of sociology should be the study of social facts, attempting to find the causes of social facts and the functions of these social facts.Social facts regulate human social action and act as constraints over individual behaviour and action. They may be enforced with law, with clearly defined penalties associated with violation of the sentiments and values of the group. Sanctions may be associated with social facts, for example as in religion, where resistance may result in disapproval from others or from spiritual leaders. Individuals may be unaware of social facts and generally accept them. In this case, individuals may accept the values and codes of society and accept them as their own.Two types of social facts are material and non-material social facts. Material social facts are features of society such as socia l structures and institutions. These could be the system of law, the economy, church and many aspects of religion, the state, and educational institutions and structures. They could also include features such as channels of communication, urban structures, and population distribution. While these are important for understanding the structures and form of interaction in any society, it is nonmaterial social facts that constitute the main subject of study of sociology.Nonmaterial social facts are social facts which do not have a material reality. They consist of features such as norms, values, and systems of morality. Some contemporary examples are the norm of the one to three child family, the positive values associated with family structures, and the negative associations connected to aggression and anger. In Durkheim's terminology, some of these nonmaterial social facts are morality, collective consciousness, and social currents. An example of the latter is Durkheim's analysis of s uicide. Social facts can also be divided into normal and pathological social facts (Hadden, pp. 08-9). Normal social facts are the most widely distributed and useful social facts, assisting in the maintenance of society and social life. Pathological social facts are those that we might associate with social problems and ills of various types. Suicide is one example of this, where social facts ought to be different. For Durkheim, the much greater frequency of the normal is proof of the superiority of the normal. Durkheim later modified the notion of a single collective consciousness, and adopted the view that there were collective representations as part of specific states of substrata of the collective.That is, there may be different norms and values for different groups within society. These collective representations are also social facts because they are in the consciousness of some collective and are not reducible to individual consciousnesses (Ritzer, p. 87). The social structu res, institutions, norms and values that have become part of the study of sociology can be derived from Durkheim's approach, and today there is little difficulty distinguishing sociology from psychology. B. SuicideAfter Durkheim wrote The Rules of Sociological Method, he tackled the subject of suicide as an example of how a sociologist can study a subject that seems extremely personal, with no social aspect to it – even being anti-social. It could be argued that suicide is such a personal act that it involves only personal psychology and purely individual thought processes. Durkheim's aim was not to explain or predict an individual tendency to suicide, but to explain one type of nonmaterial social facts, social currents.Social currents are characteristics of society, but may not have the permanence and stability that some parts of collective consciousness or collective representation have. They may be associated with movements such as â€Å"enthusiasm, indignation, and pity. † (Ritzer, p. 87). Hadden notes that Durkheim wished to show that sociological factors were â€Å"capable of explaining much about such anti-social phenomena† (Hadden, p. 109). In the case of suicide, these social currents are expressed as suicide rates, rates that differ among societies, and among different groups in society.These rates show regularities over time, with changes in the rates often occurring at similar times in different societies. Thus these rates can be said to be social facts (or at least the statistical representation of social facts) in the sense that they are not just personal, but are societal characteristics. This can be seen in the following quote (quote 12): Suicide Rates as Social Facts. At each moment of its history, therefore, each society has a definite aptitude for suicide. The relative intensity of this aptitude is measured by taking the proportion between the total number of voluntary deaths and the population of every age and sex.We wi ll call this numerical datum the rate of mortality through suicide, characteristic of the society under consideration. †¦ The suicide-rate is therefore a factual order, unified and definite, as is shown by both its permanence and its variability. For this permanence would be inexplicable if it were not the result of a group of distinct characteristics, solidary with one another, and simultaneously effective in spite of different attendant circumstances; and this variability proves the concrete and individual quality of these same characteristics, since they vary with the individual character of society itself.In short, these statistical data express the suicidal tendency with which each society is collectively afflicted. †¦ Each society is predisposed to contribute a definite quota of voluntary deaths. This predisposition may therefore be the subject of a special study belonging to sociology. (Suicide, pp. 48, 51). Durkheim takes up the analysis of suicide in a very quanti tative and statistical manner. While he did not have available to him very precise or complete data or sophisticated statistical techniques, his method is exemplary in showing how to test hypotheses, reject incorrect explanations for suicide, sort through a great variety of ossible explanations, and attempt to control for extraneous factors. Some of the factors that others had used to explain suicide were heredity, climate, race, individual psychopathic states (mental illness), and imitation. As an example of Durkheim's method, consider how he analyzes cosmic factors, such as weather or season. Durkheim (Suicide, p. 107) notes that in all countries suicide is greater in the summer months, that no country is an exception to this, and that the proportion of suicides in the six warmer months to the six colder months is very similar in each country.Durkheim notes that this has led some commentators to say the â€Å"heat increases the excitability of the nervous system† (Suicide, p. 108). But suicide may result from depression as much as from over-excitement, and heat cannot possibly act the same way on both causes. Further, a closer analysis by Durkheim considers temperature variations and shows that while suicides increase in number as temperature increases, suicides reach a peak before the temperature does. In addition, if temperature is a cause of suicide, warm countries might be expected to have more suicides than cold countries, but the opposite tends to be the case.A related explanation that Durkheim considers is that great changes in temperature are associated with suicide, but again he finds that there is no correlation between suicide rates and the fact of temperature change. Rather, the causes must be in some factor that has continuity over time. He then notes that the rates are more closely connected to the length of day, with suicides increasing as the days grow longer, and decreasing in number as the length of day declines. But it is not the su n itself which is the cause, because at noontime there are fewer suicides than at other times of the day.What Durkheim finds is that the factors associated with higher numbers of suicides must be those that relate to â€Å"the time when social life is at its height† (Suicide, p. 119). The time of day, the day of week, the season of the year, and so on, are not in themselves the reason for the changes in the number of suicides. Rather, the times when social life and interaction among people are greater, are also those associated with increased suicide. Durkheim concludes this section by saying (quote 13): Four Types of SuicideThe manner in which social integration and regulation work can be better seen by examining the four fold classification of suicides that Durkheim developed. Durkheim ends his discussion of the organic-psychic and physical environmental factors by concluding that they cannot explain â€Å"each social group[s] †¦ specific tendency to suicide. † (Suicide, p. 145). By eliminating other explanations, Durkheim claims that these tendencies must depend on social causes and must be collective phenomena.The key to each type is a social factor, with the degrees of integration and regulation into society being either too high or too low. (The following discussion is drawn from Ritzer, pp. 90 ff. ). 1. Egoistic Suicide. This is the type of suicide that occurs where the degree of social integration is low, and there is a sense of meaningless among individuals. In traditional societies, with mechanical solidarity, this is not likely to be the cause of suicide. There the strong collective consciousness gives people a broad sense of meaning to their lives.Within modern society, the weaker collective consciousness means that people may not see the same meaning in their lives, and unrestrained pursuit of individual interests may lead to strong dissatisfaction. One of the results of this can be suicide. Individuals who are strongly integrat ed into a family structure, a religious group, or some other type of integrative group are less likely to encounter these problems, and that explains the lower suicide rates among them. The factors leading to egoistic suicide can be social currents such as depression and disillusionment.For Durkheim, these are social forces or social facts, even though it is the depressed or melancholy individual who takes his or her life voluntarily. â€Å"Actors are never free of the force of the collectivity: ‘However individualized a man may be, there is always something collective remaining – the very depression and melancholy resulting from this same exaggerated individualism. ‘† Also, on p. 214 of Suicide, Durkheim says â€Å"Thence are formed currents of depression and disillusionment emanating from no particular individual but expressing society's state of disillusionment. Durkheim notes that â€Å"the bond attaching man to life relaxes because that attaching him to society is itself slack. †¦ The individual yields to the slightest shock of circumstance because the state of society has made him a ready prey to suicide. † (Suicide, pp. 214-215). 2. Altruistic Suicide. This is the type of suicide that occurs when integration is too great, the collective consciousness too strong, and the â€Å"individual is forced into committing suicide. † (Ritzer, p. 91). Integration may not be the direct cause of suicide here, but the social currents that go along with this very high degree of integration can lead to this.The followers of Jim Jones of the People’s Temple or the members of the Solar Temple are an example of this, as are ritual suicides in Japan. Ritzer notes that some may â€Å"feel it is their duty† to commit suicide. (p. 91). Examples in primitive society cited by Durkheim are suicides of those who are old and sick, suicides of women following the death of their husband, and suicides of followers after the d eath of a chief. According to Durkheim this type of suicide may actually â€Å"springs from hope, for it depends on the belief in beautiful perspectives beyond this life. † 3.Anomic Suicide. Anomie or anomy come from the Greek meaning lawlessness. Nomos means usage, custom, or law and nemein means to distribute. Anomy thus is social instability resulting from breakdown of standards and values. (Webster's Dictionary). This is a type of suicide related to too low a degree of regulation, or external constraint on people. As with the anomic division of labour, this can occur when the normal form of the division of labour is disrupted, and â€Å"the collectivity is temporarily incapable of exercising its authority over individuals. † (Ritzer, p. 92).This can occur either during periods associated with economic depression (stock market crash of the 1930s) or over-rapid economic expansion. New situations with few norms, the regulative effect of structures is weakened, and the individual may feel rootless. In this situation, an individual may be subject to anomic social currents. People that are freed from constraints become â€Å"slaves to their passions, and as a result, according to Durkheim's view, commit a wide range of destructive acts, including killing themselves in greater numbers than they ordinarily would. † (Ritzer, p. , 92).In addition to economic anomie, Durkheim also spends time examining domestic anomie. For example, suicides of family members may occur after the death of a husband or wife. 4. Fatalistic Suicide. When regulation is too strong, Durkheim considers the possibility that â€Å"persons with futures pitilessly blocked and passions v iolently choked by oppressive discipline† may see no way out. The individual sees no possible manner in which their lives can be improved, and when in a state of melancholy, may be subject to social currents of fatalistic suicide. Summary. Durkheim's analysis of suicide shows the manner n which the social as opposed to the psychological and biological can be emphasized, and how it results in some useful ways of analyzing the actions of individuals. Suicide rates as expressions of social currents are social facts that affect societies and individuals within those societies. The study of psychology is still useful in attempting to determine individual motives and the manner in which the specific circumstances can lead to an individual deciding to voluntarily end their life. But an analysis of these circumstances should be set within the context of the social currents to which that individual is subject.The method of analysis of Durkheim should prove useful even today. In terms of suicide, the social causes are now well recognized, and any analysis of suicide would have to include these. Some combination of egoistic, anomic, and fatalistic types of suicide may help explain and understand this phenomenon. More generally, the method of Suicide is exemplary in providing researchers with a means of understanding the social factors that are associated with particular phenomena. Durkheim examines patterns on the data in an attempt to determine how social factors can play a role in explaining these phenomena.This might be applied to sociobiological arguments today. The trends themselves are not the cause, but indicative of a cause, a social explanation has to be found. C. Conclusions about Durkheim 1. Contributions a. Social Facts and Social Aspects. These are real things that do affect people. He had a strong structural view of society, and the manner in which each of us is influenced by these social facts and how we must fit into these. Durkheim attempted to see a role for the social as distinguished from the economic, psychological and biological.This can be seen in his view of the social influences on suicide rates, where he takes a wide variety of factors and considers their influence on the tendency or aptitude for suicide. The effect of each of these factors is not a simple connection between the factor and the tendency to suicide, but must be mediated by social factors. In particular, the social factors that he identified were the degree of integration and the degree of regulation. For modern theories of sociobiology, and the influence of genetics, Durkheim's approach could prove a useful counter. References Cuff, E. C. , W. W. Sharrock and D. W.Francis, Perspectives in Sociology, third edition, London, Routledge, 1992. HM66 P36 1984 Durkheim, Emile, The Division of Labor in Society, New York, The Free Press, 1933. Referred to in notes as Division. HD 51 D98 Durkheim, Emile, The Rules of Sociological Method, New York, The Free Press, 1938. Referred to in notes as Rules. HM 24 D962 Durkheim, Emile, Suicide: A Study in Sociology, New York, The Free Press, 1951. Referred to in notes as Suicide. HV 6545 D812 Giddens, Anthony, Capitalism and Modern Social Theory: An Analysis of the Writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max Weber, Ca mbridge, Cambridge University Press, 1971.HM19 G53. Ritzer, George, Sociological Theory, third edition, New York, McGraw-Hill, 1992. HM24 R4938. Social Explanation. If voluntary deaths increase from January to July, it is not because heat disturbs the organism, but because social life is more intense. To be sure, this greater intensity derives from the greater ease of development of social life in the Summer than in the Winter, owing to the sun's position †¦ , the state of the atmosphere, etc. But the physical environment does not stimulate it directly; above all, it has no effect on the progression of suicide. The latter depends on social conditions. Suicide, pp. 121-122). While this is not a proof or determination of what causes suicide yet, Durkheim notes that the causes must relate to collective life and must be such that these time factors can be incorporated into an explanation. But the explanation must be social in nature, and cannot be simply related to natural factors, these natural factors must work socially, and affect some social aspects which are related to suicide. Note that Durkheim ‘s method here is very empirical, and he searches through various sorts of data and evidence to find factors associated with suicide.But the explanation is not simply a relation between these data and suicides. Rather he is searching for social causes or conditions that are expressed through these. That is, he uses data to discover patterns, but the patterns themselves are not the cause of the phenomenon. Rather the cause is social, and the observed, empirical patterns constitute a means of finding underlying causes. Another factor that Durkheim considers is religion. While he does find that religion is associated with suicide, in the sense thatProtestant countries and regions have higher suicide rates than do Catholic ones, religious doctrines are not an important factor in explaining these differences. That is, suicide is condemned more or less equally i n each religion, and doctrinal statements concerning suicide are all negative. If there is a difference between the two religions with respect to suicide rates, it must be in some aspect of social organization that differs between the two churches. But if this is the factor related to suicide, then it is the social organization that is the cause of the difference, not religion in itself.Giddens notes (p. 83) that Durkheim finds further proof of this in other factors related to social organization, that is, family structure. Where there is more integration in family structure, the suicides are lesser in number. Durkheim argues that the most important aspects of social organization and collective life for explaining differences in suicide rates are the degree of integration into and regulation by society. For Durkheim, integration is the â€Å"degree to which collective sentiments are shared† and regulation refers to â€Å"the degree of external constraint on people. (Ritzer, p. 90). Catholicism is a more highly integrated religion than Protestantism, and it is in this that the difference in suicide rates is expressed. That is, it is not the religious doctrines themselves but the different social organization of the two religions. As Giddens notes (p. 83), degree of integration of family structure is related in the same way to suicides. Those in larger families are less likely to commit suicide, whereas those in smaller families, or single, are more likely. Over time, various social factors also make their influence felt.Durkheim notes that there was a decline in the number of suicides in all the European countries in 1848, a year of revolution and political change throughout Europe. Times of political crisis, war, and economic change are also associated with changes in the rate of suicide. Each of these great social movements could be considered to be examples of social currents that have widespread impact within and across societies. Ritzer (p. 89) not es that Durkheim was making two arguments. First, he argued that different collectivities have different collective consciousness or collective representation.These produce different social currents, and these lead to different suicide rates. By studying different groups and societies, some of these currents can be analyzed, and the effect of these on suicide can be determined. Second, changes in the collective consciousness lead to changes in social currents. These are then associated with changes in suicide rates (quote 14): Sociological Explanation. The conclusion from all these facts is that the social suicide-rate can be explained only sociologically.At any given moment the moral constitution of society established the contingent of voluntary deaths. There is, therefore, for each people a collective force of a definite amount of energy, impelling men to self-destruction. The victim's acts which at first seem to express only his personal temperament are really the supplement and prolongation of a social condition which they express externally. †¦ Each social group really has a collective inclination for the act, quite its own, and the source of all individual inclination, rather than the result.It is made up of the currents of egoism, altruism or anomy running through the society under consideration with the tendencies to languorous melancholy, active renunciation or exasperated weariness derivative from these currents. These tendencies of the whole social body, by affecting individuals, cause them to commit suicide. The private experiences usually thought to be the proximate causes of suicide have only the influence borrowed from the victim's moral predisposition, itself and echo of the moral state of society. (Suicide, pp. 299-300).