Academic topics – Page 8 – Best Essay Writers

Project Manager Roles in an Organization

What is a “single-line-of-command” organization? Why would employees used to such an organizational structure find it difficult to work with more than one boss at a time, as they would if they were reporting to both a project manager and a line manager at the same time?

Jim is a project manager for a project that requires twelve months to be completed. During the 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th months, he needs two team members with special qualifications. The functional manager associated with these team members has promised that these people will be available two months before they are needed on the project. If Jim doesn’t assign them to his project at that time, they will be assigned elsewhere and Jim will have to make do with whoever is available later on. What should Jim do? Make any assumptions necessary to support your answer.

Imagine that you are a project engineer on a high-technology project. As your project begins to wind down, the project manager asks you to write a paper about the project so he can present it at a technical meeting. His name goes first on the paper credits. Should this be a part of your job? How do you feel about this situation?

As a project nears completion, the project manager may find that the functional people on the project are more interested in finding a new role for themselves than in giving their best effort to the current task. How does this relate to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and what should the project manager do?

Your company just hired a senior manager with two masters degrees in engineering. This engineer is quite competent, and has worked well as a loner for the past twenty years. He has just been assigned to the Research and Development phase of your project. You, as project manager, must insure that he works well as a team member with other functional employees, and not as a loner. How will you accomplish this? If this engineer persists in wanting to be a loner, should you fire him?

Last month, Alice completed an assignment as chief project engineer on Project X. It was a great assignment; Alice and all other project personnel were kept fully informed by the project manager about all project activities. Alice is now working for a new project manager who tells his staff only what they have to know in order to get their job done. What can Alice do about this situation? Can this be a good situation? Why or why not? Which management style would you prefer?

Is it possible for a project manager to improve his time management skills by understanding what motivates his team? Why or why not?

Project Manager Roles in an Organization Sample Answer

Question one

A single-line-of-command organization is whereby individual report addresses their concerns by addressing them to a senior manager of a particular section or department. The manager in such organization does as directed by the supervisor. Employees used to such structures find it difficult to work with more bosses at a time because; decisions are delayed, as it requires more time and negotiations.

Question two

In this situation, Jim should negotiate with the functional team manager to make the two-team members available at the right time and if the negotiation fails, then he will have to work with the available members later. This is because, hurrying the project to solicit the service of the team members will be a risk to the project as it may not be handled well. Therefore, I would rather he use other members who will also be having skills in the areas to handle the tasks in the 7^th or 8^th or 9^th month.

Question three

I do believe that the name of the project manager should not be the first on the paper credit and as well; the project engineer should not be the one to write the paper but rather should help him with a draft. It is the responsibility of the project manager to write a final paper that should be presented to the technical committee.

Question four

This relates to Maslow’s hierarchy of need because, they are worried about their physiological needs such as food and clothing. They must therefore look for another alternative that will enable them achieve this. They are also insecure as the job is ending. The project manager should therefore, assures them that they are secure and that there will be another project to do. They should also be well paid o be able to cater for their needs even if they are not going to have another immediate project.

Question five

To ensure that the engineer works well with other members, as a project manager, I will make him through negotiation to understand the policy of an organization at his time of employment. He will also be told the importance of working as teamwork. In case the engineer persists in working as a loner, I will not fire him immediately but will try to talk to him and as well assess his performance. If he performs well without affecting the functions and operations of the team and the organization, he will not be fired, but given more time to learn to work with others.

Question six

In this situation, Alice should just comply with this situation. To me, it is not a bad situation because, the most important thing is to handle the project and finish it as required. Other things concerning the project do not hold water. I would therefore, prefer this style of management because, it is straight to the point and will ensure that projects are finished in the right time.

Question seven

It is possible for a project manager to improve his time management skills. Time is a valuable resources and it requires proper planning. A good manager must have these skills to be able to handle his or her responsibilities well (Pothukuchi, 2008). A project manager that has time management skills will have time for his employees or team members and this will allow him o understand their needs and therefore be in a position to devise various strategies to motivate them. Therefore, it is good skill and managers ought to have it.

Reference

Pothukuchi, B. (2008). Personality-Time Management Skills Relationship. ICFAI Journal of Organizational Behavior, 7(1): 57-61.

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Operation Anaconda Command Structure

Thesis: In the eyes of the public Operation Anaconda was a success but some challenges in the aspects of joint command structure, the unity of command, and joint operations.

Supporting Topic 1: Joint Command Structure on Operation Anaconda

Supporting Idea 1: The command structure is made up of a team which execute orders based on the instruction from the authority. The forward support structure in the Anaconda operation was essential to ensure proper allocation of the resources and the tactical conductivity of the process. Being a military operation, it comprises of several troops which create multiple levels of complexity. Interactions between the troops are highly complicated creating a challenge in the organization flow of information.

Supporting Idea 2: The need for forwarding command structure is essential especially when the scope of the operation is expanding. However, the command structure experienced some communication breakdown between commanders and the component units. Thus, conflicting the proper integration of upholding the directives according to the plan. In a join operation, all the commandants must coordinate closely in a joint decision-making process. The operation provided an opportunity to eliminate the enemy in a large group. However, in an operation point of view, the command structure on the ground squared the activity, and hence the operation was never executed according to the plan.

Supporting Idea 3: Having overthrown the Taliban government, the command structure felt that it had achieved success. As a consequence, they felt no need to focus on the operation as much of their emphasis was on the Iraq operation. On that account, there was an inadequate allocation of the resources to the operation. The commanding generals assumed a minimal number of the enemies existed. However, that was an assumption as there were many Al-Qaeda fighters in the valley. The assumption led to an inadequate allocation of troops for the operation contrary to what the commandants on the ground required.

Supporting Topic 2: Unity of Command in Operation Anaconda

Supporting Idea 1: A distinguished Unity of command requires placing of all the troops in a unique theatre to achieve the objective under one brain. Unity of command was essential in the success of the Anaconda Operation. It required unification of the local forces, the Special Forces and the airpower. Unity of command facilitated communication between the ground commanders and the Central command unit. The hierarchy facilitates efficient allocation of resources and mobilization of troops to the operation.

Supporting Idea 2: Conflict of unity of command was also evident from the operation. For example, as the troops carried on with the operation, a contingent of navy seals was brought into the process. The decision was in contrast to what the Army special operators thought. They did not understand the basics of inclusion of the Navy seals by the Central Command unit. The scenario depicts a breakdown in the structure of unity of command which requires the involvement of critical parties in a decision-making process. The structure of unity of authority requires that before an issue gets to the top executives, it should follow all the steps depicted by the structure.

Supporting Idea 3: Failure to adhere to the operational protocol lead to a series of mistakes by the team. The theory is enhanced by the fact that the fighting theatres came from different troops which had a separate command structure. During the early phases of the operation, instruction protocols were clear as per the plan. However, as the operation proceeded, different communication issues erupted. For instance, the splitting of the air support theatre led to confusions in the action as there were different requests from the controllers.

Supporting Topic 3: Joint Operations

Supporting Idea 1: Joint operations brings together wars troops to a broader national scale in which forces from the Army, Navy and Air are brought together in a joint operation. Operation Anaconda included the Navy, Air force and the military working together. The operation was different as it did not conform to the information battles. At the time of its occurrence, the joint military presence was not mature for the service. It also coupled up with the harsh terrain of the valley which contributed to lapse of operation at the initial stages. Coordinating the logistics in a large force increases the chances of friction within the operation.

Supporting Idea 2: Communication barrier was another challenge experienced during the Operation Anaconda. The troops were inclusive of local soldiers who were not very conversant with the communication language of the United States troops. Therefore, it was challenging for the army commanders to give instructions during the course. More importantly, the lack of similar political culture between the U.S and the Afghanistan soldiers manifested itself as a practical barrier which hindered operational efficiency.

The critical lesson from the joint operation includes regular pieces of training at the lower levels. It will enhance the level of corporation as well as the adhesiveness of the troops. Having a joint operation was beneficial to the procedure as it brought together different knowledge and experience required to fight a common enemy.

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Veterans’ Transition to Civilian Work Force

Barriers and Facilitators to Veterans’ Transition to Civilian Work Force in Lawton, Oklahoma

More than 200,000 Armed Forces veterans retire annually because of harsh battleground experiences in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq (Robertson, 2013). However, a majority of veterans find it considerably difficult to transition into society and live effectively with the rest of the civilian community. According to Baert and Balcaen (2013), 66% of veterans leaving the military report having a challenging time transitioning to the civilian work force. Furthermore, Worthen and Ahern (2014) establish that approximately two-thirds of armed forces veterans are faced with numerous challenges.

These challenges make some individuals give up on integrating successfully into the society moreso the civilian work force. Empirical literature demonstrating disconnects between military experience and the civilian labor market exists. This indicates that their transition is limited by various factors including veteran stereotyping that associates veterans with post-traumatic disorder, mental illness and addictions, inability to translate job experiences from the military to the civilian environment and civilian work force and limited knowledge of human resource professionals on hiring and retaining veterans (Iran and Afghanistan Veterans of America, 2011; Lampka & Kowalewski, 2017).

In addition, veterans’ skewed view of the civilian work force makes it difficult for them to effectively transition. According to Lampka and Kowalewski (2017), veterans often lack adequate preparation for a transition to new jobs, suffer from culture shock due to changes in the environment, are incapable of transferring their skills to the new job, and lack knowledge in the search for civilian jobs. This calls for the development of strategies that will ensure that veterans can effectively reintegrate into the civilian work force and contribute to nation building as civilians.

Transition to civilian work force

This study will explore how Army veterans can effectively transition into the civilian work force in Lawton, Oklahoma, and effectively live with the rest of the civilian community. This chapter will provide an introduction to the topic and hence set the pace for the research. Secondly, it will provide an overview of the literature concerning the transition of Army veterans into the civilian work force. It will also determine the scope of study by identifying the population of study, what will be studied and the expected outcomes of the research.

The ever-rising number of the population of service men and women leaving the military and rejoining the community results in an increase in the number of veterans in our society (Andrew, 2017). In 2015, the Veteran Administration reported that 21 million adults in the U.S population were veterans. This number translates to about 7% of the civilian population in the U.S that is non-institutional (Chalabi, 2015).

Additionally, Chalabi also asserts that more veterans have been employed since 2014 shown by the reduced number of unemployed veterans. Most civilians do not understand the magnitude of the challenge that civilians face in the transition back into civilian life. A transition is an event that results in a change which affects a person’s routines, habits, and relationships (Anderson & Goodman, 2014). One of the most famous transitions in the America society is the transition of military veterans to civilian life (Anderson & Goodman, 2014). Transition, just like all forms of change, causes anxiety or stress to the veterans (Anderson & Goodman, 2014).

Anderson & Goodman (2014) noted that the biggest source of frustration for veterans during their transition is the adaptation from the structured military atmosphere to the less structured civilian atmosphere. This is because the change calls for a change in attitude and mentality which create a wide range of emotional demands for the veteran. It is evident that to join the civilian workforce after a military career can be both stressful and exciting time.

The operations and the culture of the civilian work force may significantly differ from military career experiences. Therefore, it is essential for the retired military personnel to be patient as they adjust in new civilian positions, co-workers and work environment. The everyday workplace stressors include the feeling of disconnected. Retired military personnel may occasionally feel disconnected when working with people who never had military experience

References

Anderson, M., Goodman, J., (2014). From military to civilian life: Applications of Schlossberg model for veterans in transitions. Career planning and adult development journal

Chalabi, M. (2015). What percentage of Americans have served in the military. FiveThirtyEight. com.

Contreras, C. G. (2011). What is occupational therapy’s role in the transition of returning veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? Master’s and Doctoral Projects, Paper 155. Retrieved from http://utdr.utoledo.edu/graduate-projects/155[Accessed on March 22, 2016].

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Safety Standards in Product Design Goals of Ethical Companies

Safety Standards in Product Design Goals of Ethical Companies

Safety regulatory measures and policies are often considered basic tenets and requirements in product design that ethical organizations put into place to ensure that their products comply with the stated standards. As consumers increasingly turn out to be dependent on engineered products, the element of product safety and liability has turned out to be of global significance. As imbued in several companies, the ethicality of product safety and accountability is addressed by considering global trade standards and practices. The scope of product design as highlighted in design research and practice has successively changed – from a focus on material aspects to a focus on the intangible, from functions to pleasure, from goods to services and values

In this regard, organizations need to ensure that they prioritize the adherence to these measures and requirements by ensuring that their products meet the enshrined safety standards (Langerman, 2015). Meeting the established safety precautions or standards remains an essential aspect of product design; however, it is insufficient. Familiarity with the foundations and principles of the utilitarian model of ethics reveals that to underscore an action as ethical requires one to determine whether an action maximizes the highest level of positive outcomes for several people while on the other hand minimizing all the adverse outcomes to the least number.

As provided in this case, ensuring that an organization’s product meets the established safety standards may yield the highest favorable outcomes for consumers and minimize the negative repercussions that may pose a threat to the lives of the consumers. According to Langerman (2015), ethical organizations before engaging in launching their products often ensure that pilot tests are conducted several to ensure that they meet the prescribed safety and precautionary measures. However, it is essential to establish that it is often challenging for firms to conduct a 360-degree inquiry or research on their products.

Therefore, this creates the rationale behind faulty products, posing a need for an organization to ensure that products meet and satisfy the needs of the customers (Langerman, 2015).Arguably, meeting safety measures may not be sufficient in product design. Product safety professionals in light of this hold on to more profound convictions regarding the importance of ensuring that the consumers and their companies are provided with the best efforts that support the design, manufacturing, and distribution of products considered safe for consumption.

Specific Stories that would make Doug’s Presentation Interesting: Doug, as provided in this case, may consider including the case of Ford in ensuring that his presentation is appealing or attractive. As provided in Ford’s current operations and planning, it is established that the organization sort after measures driven towards launching their lightweight automobile that was incredibly affordable in price for the consumers. The company president provided specifications that the designers were required to adhere to in the unit’s production.

In other words, the production unit needed to have ensured that the Pinto weighed 2000 pounds and would cost consumers close to $2000 and other related expenses such as advertisements. However, this unit’s production was met with a flaw following the lack of compliance with the federal safety standards established for the production of such a model (Tidwell, 2000). One of the significant problems that were sighted was in regards to the fuel tank that was prone to rapturing when the car was at maximum speed. This occurred following an investigation that occurred after a dreadful accident that left six occupants in the vehicle dead after the rapturing and explosion of the fuel tank.

Doug would resort to the application of the principle of universalism. According to this principle, the authority of an ethical standard is mainly determined by the level in which a concern or an act treats people, supporting the claim that moral principles often hold for all people and not merely for a section of individuals (Tidwell, 2000). From the tests conducted on this automobile, it was later evident that Ford was in full awareness that its vehicle’s gasoline tank was faulty and prone to explode when the cars were at top speed or its rear collided.

Given this, the company failed to recall these units to correct the situation and was unable to warn the consumers on the effects of the car. Therefore, it reveals that safety measures and standards are ethically vital in organizations, establishing the essence of compliance.

Product Design Goals of Ethical Companies: Likely Possibilities from the Case

As provided in the case above, there are several likelihoods regarding the safety standards of ethical companies’ product design goals. Firstly, ethical organizations may resort to ensuring that their ethical practices are connected to their corporate social responsibilities. Therefore, this establishes that ethical organizations owe their customers, employees, the community, and their shareholders’ safety. These remain fundamental in the fulfillment of their corporate obligations and sustainability.

Utilitarianism provides a straightforward approach that organizations may use to arrive at moral decisions that weigh the cause of their actions in specific situations (Tidwell, 2000). To determine what organizations need to do in cases, such as that of Ford, there is a need first to underpin the courses of their actions. Secondly, organizations may need to determine the foreseeable benefits and consequences of each of their actions for the highest number of people affected.

Lastly, firms may resort to the choice of actions that may provide the greatest of all benefits after taking consideration of the involved costs. In a nutshell, the ethicality of product safety and accountability is addressed by considering global trade standards and practices that guide and provide frameworks that organizations need to follow.

References

Eryılmaz, E. (2016). Applied Ethics: The Secular and Utilitarian Approach. Turkish Journal of Business Ethics, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.12711/tjbe.2016.9.0011r

Langerman, N. (2015). Safety and ethics. Journal of Chemical Health and Safety, 22(3), 44–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchas.2015.04.005

Tidwell, A. (2000). Ethics, Safety, and Managers. Business and Professional Ethics Journal, 19(3), 161–180. https://doi.org/10.5840/bpej2000193/43

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Marketing Strategies

In today’s business environment, obtaining well-planned and flawlessly executed marketing strategies is vital for prosperity, attracting, and retaining more customers.

Marketing Strategies

In today’s business environment, obtaining well-planned and flawlessly executed marketing strategies is vital for prosperity, attracting, and retaining more customers. Although marketers have, in the recent past, shifted to one-to-one strategies, Nunes & Merrihue (2007) argue that such approaches may be insufficient. Their insufficiency is based on the fact that they require a considerable upfront investment, including implementing software applications for managing customer relations. Additionally, Nunes & Merrihue (2007) indicated that such marketing approaches are time-consuming and necessitate coordination of multiple parts of the organization.

These requirements can be daunting for companies that seek to remain highly reactive to a rapidly changing environment and have been associated with disappointing results due to improper integration of their use with the corporate strategy (Nunes & Merrihue, 2007). Nonetheless, several alternative solutions exist that may boost company sales, feature product value, and facilitate a brand’s growth. Among these solutions are mass marketing strategies that companies should use to grab the attention of the customers.

The first mass marketing strategy that companies should use in grabbing the consumers’ attention entails leveraging social media and other online platforms. Using social media and online marketing platforms, companies would have an environment in which they share pictures and videos regarding their products and further engage their customers through comments and feedback. This engagement with customers would foster building brand loyalty and further elevate customer service (Indeed Career Guide, 2020). For instance, by posting videos of the production process and images of the finished product, companies would grab the consumers’ attention and urge them to check out other varieties available in their outlets in distinct locations

Close to social media marketing, blogging would serve as a second strategy suitable for organically attracting customers online and delivering high-quality and educational content. Companies should provide relevant content/details to help their customers make appropriate buying decisions or learn about other services offered.

Similarly, guest blog writers may be featured to authenticate and confirm the value of the products offered within a specific company (Indeed Career Guide, 2020). Alternatively, companies can write posts that address questions from the most technical to the most fundamental issues and showcase practical answers for their readers. For instance, when introducing a new product/solution to the market, a company may write a blog, including pictures and videos, on how it works and the problems it is intended to address.

SEO Marketing Strategies

The third option that may be appropriate for mass marketing in today’s business environment entails applying and maximizing Search Engine Optimization (SEO). When consumers search online for a specific product, keywords and phrases facilitate locating the item, availability, price, and other relevant information. Therefore, companies should ensure that their websites or product pages feature keywords and phrases that place them in the first few pages of search engines such as Google.

The effective use of keywords in their website or product page would suffice to answer the consumers’ inquiries, provide test titles that pique user’s interests, offer comprehensive material, and further inform the audience about more products or details (Indeed Career Guide, 2020). For instance, a company selling a unique beauty product online should use specific keywords in creating content about the item, which allows consumers to learn about its availability, uses, price, and other relevant details.

Even though other unique and equally effective mass marketing strategies exist, these three approaches would play a fundamental role in reaching a large population of potential consumers and retaining them based on their customer service contentment.

References

Indeed Career Guide. (2020, December 22). 10 marketing strategies to attract and retain customers. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/marketing-strategies-attract-retain-customers Nunes, P. F., & Merrihue, J. (2007). The Continuing Power of Mass Advertising. MIT Sloan Management Review, 48(2), 62-72. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-continuing-power-of-mass-advertising/

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National Appliance Inc Logistics Case Analysis

National Appliance Inc Logistics Case Analysis. According to Marchet, Melacini, Perotti, & Tappia (2016), correlations exist between organizational internationalization choices and logistics operations.

National Appliance Inc Logistics Case Analysis

According to Marchet, Melacini, Perotti, & Tappia (2016), correlations exist between organizational internationalization choices and logistics operations. Expressly, the authors point out that logistics serve as crucial enablers for company internationalization, which further contributes to a significant increase in logistics network complexity. Today, society is characterized by an increased demand for flexibility and speed, which require organizations to understand that their logistics strategy serves as a vital aspect of the overall operations and further contributes to achieving corporate objectives (Marchet, Melacini, Perotti, & Tappia, 2016).

In this case, National Appliance Inc has been operational for the past 35 years. During the past 15 years, they have experienced increased growth in their share of the products due to the provision of high-quality products at lower prices. This growth has been coupled with vertical integration in the company’s supply and marketing channels. Nonetheless, the company’s expansion into an international market, Paris, is characterized by various strengths and limitations, especially in logistics planning.

More precisely, the strengths associated with Mr. Reard’s international transportation plan include vast experience and considerable expertise in domestic transport management and logistics. These essential components have been acquired through the company’s successful transportation of their products domestically for the past 15 years, contributing to a significant reduction of transportation costs (Li & Sun, 2014).

Additionally, the plan formulated by Mr. Reard portrays strength based on the control and close monitoring of transportation activities via trucks, which allow him to remain in close contact with the drivers. As a result, this strategy fosters increased flexibility in services and the employment rate for many drivers. Besides, potential delays in truck transportation can be quickly addressed than other modes of transportation. Simultaneously, shipment of goods internationally from New Jersey to LeHavre, France, could significantly reduce transportation costs for the company compared to airplanes (Cook, 2016).

Conversely, Mr. Reard’s plan is characterized by several weaknesses that include a considerable distance between the United States and Paris. If the products are transported via shipping, they will take at least four weeks to reach the destination. As a result, the costs incurred during this period would significantly increase the lead times, ultimately affecting its price. Specifically, transportation of the finished products from the different plants, Memphis, Minneapolis, and Omaha, would significantly increase the costs and contribute to long lead times (Cook, 2016).

Besides, hiring an international transportation manager to take charge of Paris operations would lead to increased costs as he/she would demand a high salary. These shortcomings are coupled with the fact that Mr. Reard and his staff lack the necessary international experience and may thus be ill-equipped to prepare the plan.

An alternative plan that should be presented to Ms. Jameson entails:

Establishing a central hub between the three plants to facilitate management and assortment of the products and direct dispatched to New Jersey port to minimize the transportation costs and ensuring quality
Use rail transportation as the most reliable, timely, less costly, and risky mode in Europe for bulk products
Shift to shipment of the products from New Jersey to LeHavre, France, coupled with the relevant insurance before dispatching of the goods
Avoid hiring a transportation manager since it is not elaborately established whether doing business with the Paris distributor is on a contractual or regular basis
Engagement management in laying out the operational terms between the Paris distributor and National Appliance Inc

Visual Representation

National Appliance Inc Logistics Case Analysis Conclusion

As a justification for the strategy applied in Mr. Reard’s case, the international transportation plan formulated above focuses on cost reduction and the maintenance of quality and timely delivery of the company products to the end-user. Essentially, the central hub established will play a pivotal role in ensuring accuracy through the assortment and management of the products before they are dispatched to the New Jersey/New York plant.

This way, the lead time will be significantly reduced, and the goods meant for transportation to Paris will be readily available, fostering timely delivery to the final consumer. Nevertheless, this strategy harbors some shortcomings based on risks and losses associated with railway transportation. Additionally, in case of potential delays, accidents, or power outages, monitoring the transportation of goods becomes a challenge and can deter other sectors of the logistics and transportation process. Contrastingly, using trucks to transport goods may be effective but take more time.

References

Cook, T. A. (2016). Managing growth and expansion into global markets: logistics, transportation, and distribution. CRC Press.

Li, X., & Sun, X. (2014). Operations Management of Logistics and Supply Chain: Issues and Directions. Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/701938

Marchet, G., Melacini, M., Perotti, S., & Tappia, E. (2016). Shaping the international logistics strategy in the internationalisation process. International Journal of Supply Chain and Operations Resilience, 2(1), 72. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijscor.2016.075914

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Chapultepec Declaration: Freedom Declaration

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Chapultepec Declaration

Democracy connotes freedom. A core principle of freedom is access to information and ability to speak, write, publish mainstream and alternative views. Many of the countries to which you all trace your roots, and have subsequently visited or lived will have greater or lesser degrees of this fundamental right.

Chapultepec Declaration

Rights as we see them used in the Chapultepec Declaration are claimed as universal freedoms that are actually legally-defined and enforceable. This declaration is not what people think they deserve, nor is it what governments as some disembodied power structure ‘give’ at their discretion.

Chapultepec Declaration

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The Chapultepec Declaration: How its Authors Equate Press Freedom and Democracy

In 1994, the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) held a summit at Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City. The convention sought to promote freedom of the press. What came out of the comprehensive discussion was the Chapultepec Declaration. In it, delegates proclaimed that freedom of expression, inclusive of a free press, was a necessary ingredient in promoting liberty. From the Chapultepec Declaration, there are numerous ways in which its authors equate press freedom and democracy (BBC Monitoring International Reports, 2002).

The declaration’s preamble reads that individuals cannot exercise other forms of freedom if the freedom of press access to information is curbed. When the media operates unobstructed, as the document states, there is the surfacing of courage to ask for information, to disseminate it without restraints, to question it without fear, and to promote free exchange of ideas and views. Members of the public sphere cannot therefore exercise other rights if the freedom of press is held back (Mark & Fitzgerald, 1999).

Chapultepec Declaration

The declaration compels authorities to avail in a timely and reasonable fashion the information generated by public offices. In addition, the law permits journalists to conceal their sources of information. What this means is that citizens of any given state need to know how their governments operate if they are to fully benefit from it. The press bridges the knowledge gap between bureaucrats who make decisions on their behalf, and the subjects of that particular state.

Any act of corruption and mismanagement of funds by policymakers often go unraveled if the press is barred from access to such information. Timely issue of information, or giving news which is not stale, is more trustworthy thus the need for fresh news. It raises the authenticity of such news stories, making them more credible. For security purposes, journalists should be allowed to hide the identity of sources who desire anonymity, since their lives may be in danger after whistle blowing or revealing the injustices committed by the state (Mark & Fitzgerald, 1999).

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Chapultepec Declaration

In a democratic state, hindering press access to information through acts of murder, kidnappings, destruction of their facilities or even intimidating journalists, are counterproductive to the realization of liberty. This is because such harassments scare citizens of any state from accessing information and productively participating in governmental operations. That is why the declaration recommends the detention and punishment of government officers who do that, since harassing or intimidating journalists encourages impunity (Mark & Fitzgerald, 1999).

The declaration adds that prior censorships, restrictions to the circulation of information, and managing of media by authorities are direct ways of infringing on the freedom of press access to information. Imposition of such hindrances by authorities limits liberty, which in turn infringes on the citizen’s rights to be aware of their government’s operations, the injustices committed, and corruption. Citizens at the grassroots level heavily depend on the press for information. Thus barring or restricting journalists’ movements in pursuit of information amounts to the violation of their liberty (Mark & Fitzgerald, 1999).

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It is unethical and illegal of sources to favor journalists or media houses by means of assigning them radio frequencies, funding their operations or favoring them because of positive news coverage. These deeds lead to the publishing of biased news. Biased news coverage of sources limits citizens’ right to know the truth. For instance, a corrupt source of information may give journalists gifts so as to hide the truth from public notice. That is an act which hampers liberty (Mark & Fitzgerald, 1999).

Chapultepec Declaration

The credibility of the press correlates with its commitment to reporting factual information, being accurate, fair and objective. In the absence of such principles, the press is seen as biased. Journalists should therefore be able to distinguish news from advertizing. To report advertisements as news would be to encourage publicity of such organizations thus infringement of liberty (Mark & Fitzgerald, 1999).

Furthermore, the act insulates journalists from being punished by the state as a result of unraveling the truth. When journalists fear for their lives, they cannot unveil injustices and acts corruption committed by the ruling class (Mark & Fitzgerald, 1999).

All said, the Chapultepec Declaration will forever be remembered in the field of development journalism. For it has provided the impetus for exercising other rights, otherwise unattainable. Thus the most basic way of distinguishing democracy from autocracy is press access to information.

References

BBC Monitoring International Reports. (2002, May). St. Kits and Nevis signs Chapultepec

Declaration. BBC Monitoring International Reports, 1-2. Retrieved Oct 2, 2012, from http://www.ebscohost.com

Mark, Fitzgerald. (1999). Declaration of Chapultepec. Journal of Communication, Journalism, Printing, Advertizing and Public Relations, 132 (18) 1-2. Retrieved Oct 2, 2012, from http://search.proquest.com/docview/194311250?accountid=45049

Chapultepec Declaration

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Standard Academic Essay Format

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Standard Academic Essay Format

Is there a standard academic essay format? Depending on who you ask, you will get different answers. This can be confusing, so we have decided to answer the question once and for all here. This article will examine if there is indeed a standard format for academic essays and what form they take.

Yes, there is a standard academic essay format, but most institutions have a preferred format. Whilst there is no uniform style across all institutions for formatting your essays, there are some common denominators. So, one institution might prescribe a certain font or justification style, while another might use a different one. However, when it comes to certain areas like spacing, heading and pagination amongst others, the rules are somewhat similar.

Therefore, if you are writing an essay and use the specific essay format that has been given to you. But, if none has been specified, then you can format your essay using the standard below.

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Formatting Your Academic Essay

First, your essay must be clear and easy to read. Second, it should be set out in clearly distinguished paragraphs. And third, your essay needs to look professional. The standard academic essay format used here will help you achieve all the above mentioned.

Headings

If you are writing a long essay, like a PhD dissertation, for instance, you might need several levels of headings. Generally, most essays need about three levels with the first being the essay title. Here’s how to format your essay headings:

Heading 1 (or Essay Title) is usually bold, size 14 and centered.

Heading 2 is aligned left, size 12 and bold

Heading 3 is also aligned left, size 12, bold and italicized.

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Spacing

It is generally a good idea to space your essays for several reasons. One, it makes it easier on the eye when reading. And two, the grader can easily write on the paper if it is in hard copy. Some academic institutions insist on double spacing, however, if there is no specification then use a 1.5 spacing.

Paragraphs

In general, there are two rules of thumb when paragraphing in standard academic essay format. You can either indent the first line of the paragraph or leave a line between paragraphs. It is important to choose one style and be consistent. In other words, do not make use of both paragraphing styles when writing your essay.

Page Margins

There is no real set standard for page margins when writing your academic essay. If you are using Microsoft Word to write your essay, you could probably stick with the default. If not, then a margin of about 1 inch on both sides is good enough.

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Fonts

So, we’ve already touched on fonts a little in the headings section. However, for the body of your essay you need to bear a few things in mind:

– Be consistent in your use of fonts. This means that you should not use multiple fonts across a single essay. Stick to one.

– Use straightforward fonts like New Times Roman or Arial. Do not even go near fonts like Comic Sans.

– Use 12 point fonts for your essay.

Alignments

It used to be that the alignment in a standard academic essay format was justified. But, that has changed. Now it is best to make the body of your essay left-aligned for easy reading.

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Pagination

Finally, most academic essays require that you number your pages. For academic essays, it is best to place the page numbers are the right-hand corner of the page. Again, if you are using Microsoft Word, you can easily insert the page numbers. If you are writing a thesis or an essay with several pages, then you need a title page. This is the page that has the essay title and your name. Note that the title page should not have a page number.

So, is there a standard academic essay format? We believe that there is, to some extent. However, this depends on the institution in question. If you need more help with formatting your academic essay, reach out to us.

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