How democracy is related to economic development Essay

How democracy is related to economic development - Essay Example Marx gave as example the histories of both England and France proved that economic development brought about democracy. Marx and his loyal fans, both within the bourgeoisie class, owned property and engaged in business as capitalists and entrepreneurs. Consequently, the bourgeoisie class led to the toppling of the prior authoritarian government, a replacement transition mode (Sfsu, 2014). The toppling resulted to the creation of democratic governments. The prior government was toppled because its policies ran smack against the very grain of laissez faire or free enterprise business concepts, based on transition theories (Sfsu, 2014). Likewise, Max Weber insisted that the fall of the profitability or viability of the bourgeoisie leaders to retain the economic development led to the destruction of the German democratic government. In the same light, Moore espoused the peasants contributed to the establishment of democratic government. The philosophers had espoused economic development leads to a better political communication environment. Further, Laothamatas adhered to Mr. S M. Lipset’s emphasis that an economically developed society will trigger the people to push for the implementation of a democratic state. The above article affirms the concept indicating economic development leads to viable democracy. M. K. Marx affirmed this concept. The bourgeoisie helped establish the economically viable democracy movements. Economic development priorities often led to free political elections within a democratic government. The reading affirms economic development contributes to the establishment and retention of democracy (Lipset, 1959, p 75). The economic wealth or status of the nation affects the nation’s democratic aspirations. Compared to a nation that is burdened with a low or bankrupt economy, a well to do nation (rich) has a better

Segmentation and Target Market Essay Example for Free

Segmentation and Target Market Essay The point of being in business is to provide a service or product to a particular consumer base and to produce a profit of the service or product given. In order to accomplish this, companies must be able provides its products and services to a particular type or group of consumer that calls for a the need of it. It takes care planning and research in order to produce something that your customer based will embrace and continue to come back for more. It takes, further, skill and effort to advertize your product and service to the right groups of consumers. Apple, Inc. is a prime company to take a look at in terms of the services and products that it provides to its customer base. Apple, Inc. can address the needs and wants of its entire customer base within a particular market segment. In todays business world, there may not be another company out there that is quite like Apple. Over the last two decades, Apple, Inc. has emerged as the premier, go-to, technology retailer for your all your tech needs. Apple offers a comprehensive portfolio to meets all of your entertainment and productivity needs. From the introduction of the Mac desktop computers to the creation of their I product line, which includes the iPod, iPad, iPhone and the new iWatch. Apple provides laptops, music streaming and cloud services along with audio equipment and printers. The company operates in a space where they can reach most individuals and their needs. Understanding market segmentation is what has along Apple to accomplish all it has. Market segmentation divides a market into well-defined slices. A market segment consists of a group of customers who share a similar set of needs and wants (Kotler Keller, 2011, p. 214). They have created easy to use products to help even the busiest student or business person throughout their work day. They have provided a means for the mom to keep her children entertained while out running errands. Apple has made family time better within home  video streaming options as well. Even big and small business have the ability to increase productivity and streamline their workflow with the software and products that are offered by the company. Apple has invested plenty of time and energy in understanding what the wants and needs are of its customer base. Based on the segmentation, there are other variables that a company, like Apple, must acknowledge and address. Demographic, geographic, psychographic, and behavioral segmentation are vital parts to a marketing program. In terms of demographics, it seems that product saturation is not an issue for Apple. According to an article posted on USA Todays website, entitled Half of U.S. homes own Apple products (2012), explains Apples reach across the United States in the title. To put that into perspective thats more than 55 million homes with at least one iPhone, iPad, iPod or Mac computer. And one-in-10 homes that arent currently in that group plan to join it in the next year (para. 1). The breakdown goes further stating that consumers tend to be male, college-educated, and younger (Half Of U.s. Homes Own Apple Products, 2012). It does not appear that money is an issue when it comes to those who own Apple products. Those on the higher end of the income scale own an average of about three Apple devices, compared with 0.6 for lower-income homes (Half Of U.S. Homes Own Apple Products, 2012). Outside of income, age does not appear to be a factor in those who own Apple products. Another statistic from the article shows that just as many Americans between ages 18 and 34 count themselves among Apple users, as those ages 35-to-49 (63 percent). The number drops to 50 percent when you get into the 50-to-64 age group, and down to just 26 percent among those 65 and older (Half Of U.S. Homes Own Apple Products, 2012). Parents are more likely to own Apple products than those without children. Sixty-one percent of households with children own Apple devices, compared with 48 percent of homes without kids (Half Of U.S. Homes Own Apple Products, 2012). Based off the numbers that were produced in 2012, it seems that Apple has everything working for them. With that many people invested in Apple products, their doors will continue to stay open. Apple has put an emphasis on the quality of their products to make them as easy to use as possible while helping to increase productivity and staying economically friendly.  Placing an emphasis on quality design and adapting to todays culture is another reason Apple, Inc. has been very successful. In todays society, the population has become more concerned about the environment than ever before. Issues of global warming, pollution reduction, and the polar ice cap melting are what drive the eco-conscientious consumer. Apple has a adopted an environmental responsibility for all of their products. As a global company that makes some of the most popular products in the world, we know we use a lot of energy and material, which in turn generates greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Thats the part of the problem we can help solve (Environmental Responsibility, 2015). Being able to appeal to a growing, societal concerns makes a play on the human psyche. Apple showing concern for their impact on the environment allows them to reach that environmentally friendly consumer and bring them to their doors. That is one example of how playing to a particular thought process can be in your favor. Apple has, also, answered the growing demand for sleek looking products that can be easing carried around and still provide access to certain daily pleasantries. With todays on-the-go society, being able to access information, view videos, email, listen to music and otherwise stay connected is another way Apple has attacked the psychographic nature of product marketing. The company understands what is essential to its consumer base and will do what it needs to do to appeal to them. Another aspect that needs to be considered is a marketing program is behavioral characteristics. Apple deals with this on several fronts. The first way Apple deals with this is in the quality of its products. With an excellent product comes customers and revenue. A great product is not the only thing that is taken into consideration the marketing plan. A company must take into account what the consumer expects to receive from the company and in exchange for those expectations being met, consumers reward the company with their loyalty. Outside of product quality and appropriately addressing the needs of all its consumer based. Apple has adopted a quality approach in how its retail employees treat those customers in their store locations. They have created an a 5-step process for the customer experience. (A)pproach, (P)robe, (P)resent, (L)isten, (E)nd. Approach customers with a personalized, warm welcome. Probe politely to understand  the customers needs (ask closed and open-ended questions). Present a solution for the customer to take home today. Listen for and resolve any issues or concerns. End with a fond farewell and an invitation to return (Apples Secret Employee Training Manual Reinvents Customer Service In Seven Ways, n.d.). According to By The Numbers: Iphone Vs. Andriod (n.d.), in an infographic provided, it showed device upgrade trends reveal that 76% of Apple customers upgrade for one iPhone to the next (Brand Retention). Creating an excellent environment for the customer is one way to meet expectations and build brand loyalty. The reason we. see customers flock to stores every fall in bigger and bigger crowds for the latest iPhone model is due to the loyalty that Apples consumer base has for their products. What company in the world can create a mass movement that way Apple does across national retailers and those that shop there? There is none. One last factor that goes into a marketing plan is the ability to reach your intended target regardless of their location in the world. Apple, Inc. is not just a United States company. The company has grown into a global presence. An organization or company must be able to meet the demand for its consumer base where their customers are located to achieve the best results possible. Apple as a presence in 16 major countries around the world including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, China, France, Italy, and Japan to name a few. In a press release drafted by the company, it stated that by the end of 2014, the new iPhone 6 and 6+ would be available for sale in 115 countries worldwide. The Statistic Portal created a graph showing the growth and expansion of Apple and their retail store locations. According to The Statistic Portal, Apple increased its retail store locations from 116 in 2005 to 437 in 2014. This shows the growth and willingness to reach as many customers as possible who can all benefit from the use of Apple products or to have place to go to continue to purchase Apple products. This year Apple became the first U.S. company in history to be worth $700 billion. Understanding the market that you are in and how to best service your consumer base is a surefire way to ensure success in marketing your products. This is what Apple as vowed to do and continues to demonstrate that with the incredible productivity level that they are producing with the help of their strong consumer base. There does not look to be an end in sight for the mega company. Marketing is a fundamental  element to their success, but it is not limited to the marketing of their products in terms of getting the word out to the population. It is an essential element when it comes to understanding the marketplace, its consumers, and their wants and needs. With that under control, everything else becomes simple and sweet. Like an apple. References Apple, Inc.. (n.d.). First Weekend iPhone Sales Top 10 Million, Set New Record. Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/09/22First-Weekend-iPhone-Sales-Top-10-Million-Set-New-Record.html Apples Secret Employee Training Manual Reinvents Customer Service in Seven Ways. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2012/08/30/apples-secret-employee-training-manual-reinvents-customer-service-in-seven-ways/ By the Numbers: iPhone vs. Andriod. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.yahoo.com/tech/by-the-numbers-iphone-vs-android-97842025474.html Environmental Responsibility. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/environment/ Half of U.S. homes own Apple Products. (2012). Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-03-28/cnbc-survey-apple-products-us-homes/53827254/1 Kotler, P., Keller, K. L. (2011). Marketing Management (14th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. The Statistics Portal. (n.). Number of Apple Stores World wide from 2005-2014. Retrieved from http://www.statista.com/statistics/273480/number-of-apple-stores-worldwide-since-2005/

Ethical Analysis Of The Video Game

Ethical Analysis Of The Video Game Our group chose the video game software development industry as our target industry to examine. We chose this industry because it has had a very interesting dynamic of financials versus ethical issues in the past. First, the institutional investor should be very interested in this industry financially for several reasons. It is a $25 billion industry as of 2011. 49% of U.S. households own a game console, with the average household owning at least one console, smartphone or PC. Eight video games are purchased per second in the United States (esa). Research into an industry leader gathered that Activision Blizzard (ATVI) has been grossly outperforming the market for the last 10 years. With healthy earnings, a substantial profit margin, a modest dividend yield, and a manageable price to earnings ratio, this stock will easily be a welcome addition to any institutional investors portfolio. However, our group suggests that ethical and social issues should also be taken into account when choosing to invest in an industry and a particular stock. Specifically, there is speculation of links between video games and violent crimes, obesity, anti-social behavior and a variety of health problems. The link to violent crimes hits especially close to home in relation to the speculative link between the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting and the video game Doom. In addition, there has been news regarding unethical treatment of development employees. All these will be scrutinized below and must be contrasted with several benefits games afford the community such as high profits and gainful employment for the business. Video games can also produce the benefits of increased attention, positive psychological conditioning, and an outlet for aggression and stress in its players. Following this analysis we will conclude as to whether an institutional investor can feel justified ethically and fina ncially in investing in the video game industry. Ethical Issues and Pressures facing the Gaming Industry The gaming industry battles several ethical dilemmas. These are moral and social choices that have to be made that may or may not conflict with achieving higher profits. These ethical issues could be subdivided into different categories. There are issues pertaining to the nature of the product or game itself, the effect this product has on the consumer engaging in the game, as well as the ethics related to game development such as workplace ethics and developer employment practices. Therefore, there are a vast amount of ethical issues and pressures facing the industry in general that could be addressed, and to cover each and every one of them would far exceed the scope of this analysis. As a result, we will only focus on those ethical issues pertaining to the industry that we believe are especially important for an institutional investor to take into account when making an investment decision for this industry. One ethical issue pertaining to the nature of the game is the ethics of representation. Many activists have criticized video games for being misrepresentative of real demographics. Games like Grand Theft Auto have been criticized for not only misrepresenting minorities as criminals, but also for promoting race violence. In addition, the University of Central Florida concluded that video games vastly misrepresent females. This study chose 33 games and found 41% to contain no females, 28% portrayed women as sex objects, 21% portrayed violence against women, and 30% misrepresented females in terms of their body as well as their positions as damsels in distress or insignificant participants (Dietz, 1998). Do video game manufacturers have a social responsibility to portray population demographics as accurately as possible? If so, does that limit their ability to make riveting gameplay? What is known from previous litigation is that the First Amendment protects gameplay development as free speech and manufacturers are free to create gameplay as their want. Another aspect of the ethics of representation is the portrayal of realism. The more realistic the gameplay the better the user experience, but can being too real be going too far? Recently, seven Navy seals were disciplined for divulging classified tactics and procedures to a Medal of Honor video game. The video game makers, Electronic Arts, state on their website that this game gives the player an authentic experience that puts the gamers in the boots of a soldier (Lerman, 2012). Being too realist can not only divulge secret information to the public, but it also could be seen as training gamers for real situations like that in the game. Examples of this are games like Grand Theft Auto made by Rockstar games. Video game activists, led by Jack Thompson, have been exerting pressure to limit the violence in games, labeling violent games as murder simulators (Jack Thompson (activist)). Violence in video games is seen to be worse than violence in movies, TV or music because games are in teractive. Each play gradually desensitizes and emotionally hardens (termed operant conditioning in psychology) the players to the graphic violence. A 2005 American Psychology Association study corroborates that by stating that there is a causal link between violent video games and teen aggression (Committee led by Elizabeth Carll, 2005). In addition, the games give players weapons training and procedural tactics to carry out maximum damage in the real or virtual world. A much publicized example is Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the assailants in the Columbine High School purportedly being frequent players of the id Software game Doom (Video game controversies). There is much speculation as to whether these games actually influenced and aided these brutal crimes, as there is the larger debate as to whether things such as the realism of violence, gore and sex have a causal link to mimicry of these activities in the real world. Another major ethical issue arises from the fact children are a large part of the video game consumer base. 18% of the video game population is boys under the age of 17 (esa). This statistic may not seem significant but the next few are: studies have shown that 97% of children play video games and that 50% play video games every day (Irvine, 2008). Parents have been concerned about the violence, murder, and crime that many games promote, and their effect on their children especially when they spend long hours every day engaging in these games. One large organization focused on this is MAVAV: Mothers against Videogame Addiction and Violence. If there is physical and psychological harm being done by video games, children are very much in harms way. Because of this, the Entertainment Software Review Board (ESRB) exerts pressure to regulate the exposure of certain games to people of certain ages. Apart from the adverse effects that violence, gore and sex in games can have on the players, there is a link between overplaying of games and several health issues. The physical issues are many: repetitive strain injury, skin problems, muscle stiffness, vision problems, dizziness, headaches, and so on all the way up to even death (Video game-related health problems). Some muscle and skin problems related to video games have been playfully termed PlayStation thumb, Nintendinitis, Wii fractures and so on. In addition, there is a link between video game overplaying and sleep deprivation, nausea and obesity. There is also a list of non-physical effects like addiction, anti-social behavior and increased aggression. Most of the ethical issues discussed so far are tangible to the consumers, and publicly felt because they have a somewhat direct effect on the players. However, there is very little revealed about the behind the scenes developer employment practices that take place before a game is made available to the market. Crunch Time is one of the major reasons developers employment practices and work ethics are subject to a lot of scrutiny. Crunch Time is defined as the period in a games development cycle where the developers have to shift their working patterns into the highest gear in order to ship a game on time (Xbuttonkill, 2011). This has led to developers working as long as 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. In fact, Mike Capps, President of Epic Games, said on an industry panel that he wouldnt hire someone if they werent willing to work 60 hours per week. When developers use crunch time as an employment condition, and force their employees to work long hours, their only concern is to get t he game released on time and make millions. In other words, they tend to depend on crunch time to decrease the risk of competition. They do not seem to care about the physical and mental health problems unreasonable hours have on their employees. The risks of crunch time span even beyond physical and mental health problems. Studies show that overworking affects marriages, and causes children to lose attachment to their parents, because developers get to spend less time at home (Groen, 2011). Corporate Social Responsibility in the Gaming Industry In order to combat such ethical issues and pressures, companies in the gaming industries have outlined certain Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) which they take upon themselves. Part of this initiative includes ensuring that the video games content is appropriate in terms of health care and promotes an educational message. Video games such as: Bully, Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and World of Warcraft (Blizzard Entertainment) have been scrutinized for many years for the violent and sexual content involved in the games (Leigh, 2011). Both video game developers and the government have recently been taking actions to create a social impact. Governments of many countries have also been involved in activities to control video game threats. For instance, the Chinese government has restricted the number of hours a person can play a video game. The Thailand government banned GTA 4 after a cab driver got carjacked in the similar fashion shown in the game (The Telegraph, 2008). Various countries, due to violent content, have also banned video games such as Wolfenstien, Carmageddon, and Fallout 3 (Leigh, 2011). Many companies have already done much to improve the social and environmental impact of their activities through the creation of programs to tackle the issues of game content. These companies also create games to promote education and participate in events to encourage social awareness and development. Blizzard Entertainment, producers of one of the most famous video games, World of Warcraft, has introduced a function known as Parental Control, which allows parents to control the hours played by their children. Many other games including World of Warcraft have also been promoting Screen-warning messages to control the excessive use of gaming and promote the effects of gaming on health. Some of the World of Warcrafts screen messages were: Take everything in moderation (even World of Warcraft) and Bring your friends to Azeroth, but dont forget to go outside of Azeroth with them as well (Martinez). Games for Change (G4C) is a non-profit organization that has been promoting education and valuable messages through its video games. According to the company, video games are one of the most innovative and powerful learning tools for people any age in 21st century. According to the Mr. Asi Burak, Co-President of Games for Change, video game developers should not consider the quantity of the games sold but should consider the behavioral change that the game could provide (Rowley, 2011). The Entertainment Software Association (ESA), which is exclusively dedicated to serve the business and public affair needs of video game producers, took another CSR initiative recently in the gaming industry. ESA introduced the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) that assigns rating to the video games so that the parents and buyers can make an appropriate and informed decision. The rating gets divided into three categories: A.) rating categories, which suggest the age appropriateness and divides games into categories of Early Childhood, Everyone 10+, Mature etc. B.) Content descriptor, which reveals the content that may have triggered the rating or may be the interest or concern for the parent such as crude humor, alcohol reference, blood, nudity, intense violence etc. And C.) Interactive elements tell the user about the interactive aspect of the product like explaining the games ability to share your personal information, location and ability to interact with others (ESRB). Some organizations help gaming companies get involved with Corporate Social Responsibility through charity. Gamers Outreach Foundation is one such charitable organization that uses interactive entertainment through video games to help others. The company focuses on three initiatives: Project Go Cart, Fun for Our Troops and Gaming for Others. With these initiatives the company collects donations that are eventually used to provide entertainment in the form of video games to people such as U.S Troops and patients in hospitals (Gamers Outreach). The above is just the tip of the iceberg in the endeavor that several firms and organizations of the gaming industry have done to improve its social and environmental impact of its activities. Some firms have done more than others. Rockstar Games, which produces Grand Theft Auto, in our opinion, does not live up to the efforts of other companies. As mentioned above, even though some governments have banned GTA 4, the company is launching GTA 5, with similar if not more violent and sexual content. Regardless of some firms disregard for social responsibility, there are companies which, in our opinion, have made an unprecedented effort to improve the impact of its activities and increase social awareness. One of these companies is Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) who has done much to improve the social and environmental impact of their activities. Throughout numerous countries and various initiatives, SCE carries on activities to encourage a strong, healthy and productive social environment. In Japan, they have set up company visits where students can visit the headquarters as part of an integrated studies system and career education. Along with gaming classes held in schools with the objective of providing media literacy to students, SCE supports several schools in their e-learning approaches. One such program uses PSPs in classes in order to support individualized learning and motivation for scholastic proficiency. In North America, SCE provides joy to families in need a s part of their ongoing Holiday Giving program. They host an annual Nite to Unite (NtU) benefit dinner, which is an unparalleled effort by the interactive entertainment community to make a difference in the lives of Americas kids. NtU is an auction supported by members of the association and the interactive entertainment industry, raising funds for the ESA Foundation. SCE employees participate devotedly in such charities along with other community programs and partnerships for the independence and development of disadvantaged children. Since 2007 they have expanded their PSP in Education Program where PSP has been used extensively at more than 400 educational and training institutions in the UK, as its exceptional ability to capture and play educational digital content has made it a gripping new mobile learning program. In Asia, the SCE also actively participates in innumerable charities working to increase education and provide media literacy to students, reducing the gaming indust ries carbon footprint, and achieving basic goals of ending poverty and hunger in society. Leading by example, SCE offers job opportunities to low-income workers during the annual Asia Game Show; it also has a game console-recycling program in various shopping centers (Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.). Virginia Techs Investment Strategy Before we even look at whether Virginia Tech should invest in the gaming industry, we need to look at how Virginia Tech invests when it comes to social and ethical issues. First, we need to look at whether Virginia Tech should take corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethical issues pertaining to industries into account in its investment decisions. We also need to see if these reasons for taking CSR and ethical issues into account are purely financial or ethical. We believe that Virginia Tech should definitely take CSR and ethical issues into account when investing in industries. The reasons for this are both financial and ethical. The ethical reason for whether or not Virginia Tech should invest in specific industries has to do with core values. According to their core values, Virginia Tech promotes personal and institutional integrity: integrity demands that all members of the universityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦engage in continual civil discourse and ethical behaviorsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦inte grity demands maintaining standards of personal and professional behavior of the highest order (Virginia Tech). If Virginia Tech promotes integrity among all members of the university and wants them to engage in ethical behaviors, they should want to invest in industries which promote similar values as well as engage in ethical behaviors themselves. The financial reason for whether or not Virginia Tech should invest in specific industries has to do with examples from the past. We have seen companies such as WorldCom (2002), Tyco (2002), Enron (2001) and Madoff Securities (2008) crash due to poor ethical standards. Even though all four of these examples would have been excellent financial investments before they crashed, that did not stop everyone who invested in these companies to lose almost all of their securities. If people researched the CSR and ethical cultures of these companies before they invested, they could have possibly avoided a poor investment. The point is that we believe that ethics and financial success cannot be separated from each other. This is why we believe that it would absolutely be appropriate for Virginia Tech to sacrifice some expected financial return for ethical reasons. The reasons for this have mostly been covered already. First, Virginia Tech needs to be corporately responsible even if others are not. It is in Virginia Techs core values to hold themselves to high standards especially when it comes to integrity. If Virginia Tech does not act according to its core values, it should not be looking at investing in the first place. Second, we believe that good ethics will result in long-term success. If Virginia Tech wants short term returns, it could invest in companies such as WorldCom, Tyco, Enron or Madoff Securities: companies which get high returns at the cost of ethical standards. However, if they are focused on long-term financial success, they would see that those firms who have solid ethical standards will obviously be the better choice. Lastly, we need to look at whether or not Virginia Tech should invest in other industries or businesses for reasons other than maximizing financial return. We believe that there are multiple reasons to invest in industries or businesses other than financial return. One reason is to increase jobs in your home county/region/state. Virginia Tech, being a public institution of Virginia, should want to improve their home states economic state by investing in Virginia businesses to increase jobs. Virginia Tech should also want to invest in their alumni. If there was a business that had an alumni running or working for it and another business which would have a slightly higher financial return, Virginia Tech should invest in the first firm to portray kindness to their alumni. Lastly, Virginia Tech should invest in industries or businesses to create goodwill. The financial gain from goodwill can hardly be measured since it can lead to inside tracks for other deals as well as near infinite go od press. These are only three reasons for Virginia Tech to invest in other industries or businesses, there are likely many more. In all examples, it is important to remember that financial considerations need to be made as we need to make a profit in everything we do. However, the main thing to realize is that there are other considerations that need to be taken into account including corporate social responsibility, ethical issues and alternate investment purposes. Should Virginia Tech Invest in the Gaming Industry? According to the aforementioned reasons, and based on our gaming industry analysis and the ethical and CSR issues facing it, it is evident that an investment decision in the gaming industry by Virginia Tech is not as clear-cut and unambiguous as it seems. In other words, there are several conflicting factors that need to be taken into consideration prior to making such a major decision. These include but are not limited to ethical and financial issues, and whether these match with the institutions social and ethical investment policy. If Virginia Tech only desires to consider the ethical issues pertaining to the gaming industry, there will be a lot of strong reasons to support its decision not to invest in the industry due to a clear contradiction with its core values and virtues. Based on our ethical analysis for the gaming industry, we have seen how developers portray a lot of violence and racism through their games, not to mention the portrayal of realism, and the effect this has on the children and adults engaging in the game. The health problems that consumers suffer resulting from addiction and the long hours spent playing these games is also a serious issue that can never be taken for granted. Last but not least, we can never understate the unethical employment practices deployed by most developers, forcing their employees to work unreasonable hours of crunch time for the mere sake of making money and increasing the companys profits. Apart from the ethical issues, there are other reasons why Virginia Tech might not consider investing in the gaming industry. We believe that Virginia Techs investment policy should include investing in an industry that would increase employment in its home state. And since Virginia is not a state where the gaming industry has a stronghold, such an investment will not directly create a positive effect on employment and job creation in the state. In addition, there are not many alumni involved in this industry for Virginia Tech to support through its investment. Many organizations have shown significant effort in promoting corporate social responsibility and goodwill within the gaming industry. Gamers Outreach Foundation and Games for change (G4C) are two examples of gamers working for the greater good. However these organizations are usually non-profit third parties that do not relate specifically to the gaming industry. In addition, a publicity test might further support Virginia Techs decision not to invest in the gaming industry. The institution might be heavily criticized for becoming a major stakeholder in an industry that was suggested to blame for the tragic massacre that took place on its campus five years ago by a video game fanatic. While there might be some evidence that the Virginia Tech shooter was actually influenced by video games, we believe that if Virginia Tech invests in certain firms in the gaming industry, the institution will be making a stance against ethically inept video game companies. Since such an investment should not be in the industry as whole, we would suggest limiting the investment to those firms within the gaming industry that have proven to be more socially responsible than others. For example, unlike most game developers, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) is an ethically strong and socially responsible firm that has used its products and activities to promote a productive and healthy social environment. Realtime Associates is another videogame developer that has exercised its corporate social responsibility through producing serious games. They have also worked with Hope Lab, a non-profit organization, to develop and produce games that improve the health and quality of life of young people with chronic illness (Hope Lab). These included the videogame Re-Mission, which was specifically targeted to young adults and children with cancer. As a result, investing in the gaming industry through socially responsible firms like Sony and Realtime Associates will not only guarantee a high financial return on investment, but will also meet the objectives of the institutions investment policy and core values. Conclusion Although the ethical issues and pressures facing the gaming industry might not at first seem to be in line with Virginia Techs investment policy, we believe there is a considerable investment opportunity for an institution like Virginia Tech in this industry. However, we do not consider that such an investment should be made in just any firms inside the gaming industry. From our research we have found that the industry is quite diverse and there are several firms pioneering strong ethics and social responsibility in this industry. In our opinion, Virginia Tech should favor these firms with a proven track record of high ethical standards and social responsibility.

Faust as a Tragic Hero Essay -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe essays pape

Faust as a Tragic Hero   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the story of Faust, written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust is whirled into an adventure of sin and deceit. The further Faust follows the devil the closer he comes to his own demise, taking down with him the innocent Gretchen. As Faust goes on he embodies the characteristics of a tragic hero in a sense that he is borderline good and evil, constantly battling his conscience. The one major flaw that initiates his self-destruction is the fact that he feels he is extremely intelligent and can not be out witted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Faust is a man of privilege, his father having been a doctor and himself a respected scholar; but he is essentially a desperate character, continuously yearning for more than this world has to offer. He is an extremely well educated man as well as wise in the ways of the world. As a result of his exceeding knowledge he becomes grossly cynical in his old age. His quest for greater knowledge and power leads him into the realm of sorcery and witch craft.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Faust’s dealings with darkness eventually lead him to deal with the ruler of all that is wicked and deceitful, the devil himself. Naturally Faust, longing for more than earthly pleasures, is compelled to accept Mephistopheles’ promises of complete contentment and satisfaction. Faust’s ego is such that he feels he can not be out witted even by the most skillful and cunning deceiver to ever walk the face of the earth. Soon Faust is on a journey leading to more misery and t...

Video Games and Ethical Responsibility Essay -- Video Games Ethics

Video Games and Ethical Responsibility We are the first generation to grow up in a world full of computers. Everyone and their cousin has one. It is almost impossible to go on a vacation anymore without seeing a computer. Some hotels and cruise ships have public computers and even many planes have video game systems built into the back of every chair. With computers being so predominant in our daily lives, we must have some use for them. Many people use them for work and many for the internet, but an overwhelming amount use them to play games as well. Games as simple as solitaire, as fun as pinball, or as challenging as chess. These are simple games that almost anyone can pick up. You can teach your four year old child how to play solitaire before you even have to teach them to shuffle a deck of cards. The simplicity of being able to play a game on a computer and the advancements in technology creates a huge market for video games, and with this, much more in depth and advanced games are created. Such as games where you c an charge onto Omaha Beach as a soldier in World War II, or you can live the life of a gangster and break every rule in the book, or you can build and then govern your own modern day city. These are just a few examples of what video game creators are offering people these days. Each of these games not only offers more in terms of how interactive they are, but they are also visually breath taking. Certain games are capable of letting you zoom in and to see a worm in an apple and then progressively zoom out to see the whole world. Other games allow you to shoot an enemy and watch his arm fall off or his head explode. Others even allow you to watch your army destroy and pillage an entire town. The appearance of everything is slightly less than lifelike and mistaking a video game for real life currently would be near impossible, but that is rapidly changing. The mental effects of allowing people to easily commit such atrocities in a realistic but virtual world are not known since we are the first generation to grow up with video games. Is it desensitizing us? Will we be more likely to perform these actions in real life? With questions like these being thrown up in the air, people wonder whether game developers have any responsibility over the content in their video games. The creation of the video game industry The first video game, P... ....S. Congress, House Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, The Impact of Interactive Violence on Children (Washington, DC: GPO, 2003) 2. 4 Pew Internet, Gaming Technology and Entertainment Among College Students, 2003, Pew Internet & American Life, 16 Nov. 2003, . 5 Andy Patrizio, Did Game Play Role in Suicide?, 2002, Wired News, 16 Nov. 2003, . 6 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, The Impact of Interactive Violence on Children (Washington, DC: GPO, 2003) 6. 7 Entertainment Software Rating Board, ESRB Game Ratings, 2003, Entertainment Software Rating Board, 16 Nov. 2003, . 8 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Governmental Affairs, Rating Entertainment Ratings: How Well Are They Working for Parents and What Can Be Done to Improve Them (Washington, DC: GPO, 2002) 2. 9 David Walsh, Sixth Annual Video and Computer Game Report Card, 2001, National Institute on Media and the Family, 16 Nov. 2003, .

Software Piracy Essay -- essays research papers fc

Software Piracy - Are We Doing Enough? Introduction Imagine that a person offered to break into a software store, turn off all the alarms, and hold the doors open, and allow you to take whatever you wanted from the store. This situation is faced by most computer owners everyday, not necessarily in this form, but in the form of software piracy. Software piracy is the unauthorised duplication and or distribution of copyrighted programs. There would only be select group who would not be tempted by the prospect of basically free software, most of those who are offered these kind of goods either accept them, or are unaware that they are not legitimate. No matter how this crime is being conducted, it has been estimated that this sort of crime is costing the world approximately 13 billion dollars annually. Beginnings Software piracy became popular through the use of Bulletin Boards, which allowed people to dial into other an â€Å"underground† archive of pirated software. Around this time, 31/2 Inch discs were also a popular medium for pirated software. Popularity The reason behind the widespread popularity of software piracy lies in the cost. Why pay $80 dollars for a piece of software, when you could get it for the price of a blank CD. Software piracy has boomed over recent years, which can most likely be attributed to the drop in price of CD Writers, which allow the user to copy from one CD to another in less than an hour. During the beginnings of software piracy, the floppy disc ...

A Big Threat to Brokerage Firms

These days, frauds and scams are observably rampant. In business, on the Internet, in the bank and any entity where money may be extracted. Brokerage firms and hedge funds never escaped this reality and these firms too are very susceptible to frauds and this fact is considered as a big threat upon the health of the financial market. Hedge funds are currently among the most popular or hottest type of investment prospects in the stock market these days.This type of investment â€Å"have been very prominent in the financial news, attracting a lot of attention from investors, brokerage firms, the Securities and Exchange Commission or SEC† (Evans, Atkinson, and Cho 2005) Brokerage firms on the other hand have investment advisors and stockbrokers which are pack with information needed to be relayed to the investors. In this manner, if they are having plans to defraud and manipulate the information they have, which is a very unethical act, they actually can.The aforementioned hedge f unds and brokerage are very susceptible to fraud caused by unsuitable investments. These unsuitable investments happen when the representative broker of the firm make misrepresentations of the investment to a customer or if this broker agent fall short in disclosing â€Å"to the customer all of the material facts about the investment† (Stoneman and Schulz) In short, this is a fraud, which, the common people also identify as a lie.Fraud is either lying or omitting something and according to the SEC, under Rule 10 (b) (5), employing any scheme, artifice or device defrauding someone or some entity constitute fraud or making untrue statements of material fact making the statement made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading is another way to defraud. Moreover, engaging in any act, practice or course of business which operate or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person or entity in connection with any purchase or sale of any security.Eve n though wealthy investors in the hedge funds consider the occurrence of fraud to be insignificant, it is currently happening â€Å"too often to be ignored† (Guarding Against 2005) In fact for the past five years prior March 2005, there were already a total of fifty-one (51) fraudulent hedge fund cases with investor losses of approximately $ 5. 1 billion. One very popular type fraud in hedge funds was invented as early as 1919 called the Ponzi Scheme after Carlo Ponzi who first utilized this method.With this type fraud, the fund manager maintains the fiction that the fund is performing very well and is generating returns while it encourages new investor to invest and using their investments to pay off those earlier investors at a higher rate rather than investing the amount. On the side of the brokerage firms, they are the ones leaking the information to investors leading to fraud. In fact, the SEC alleged that brokerage firms recruited new investors for hedge funds from thei r clients (a technique known as â€Å"capital introductions.† (Evans, Atkinson, and Cho 2005) General fraudulent brokerage firm practices include stock marker manipulation to benefit a certain individual or entity; utilizing phony accounts in trading in the stock market; trading without the public’s information; doing trades that are unauthorized; refusing to customers’ sell orders; and falsifying firm’s records. Furthermore, more defined types of brokerage fraud (Brokerage Fraud, 2008) include (1) biased investment advice; (2) unfounded advice; (3) contradictory investment advice; (4) continuing a risk; and (5) conflict of interest.Each of these five portrays manipulation by the firm, taking its advantage as the advisor in influencing the decision of the customer in an unorthodox manner. As early as 2004 the SEC has been requiring brokerage firms to present relevant information stating the ways on how they help the hedge funds recruit new investors in or der to prevent fraudulent fund raising. The SEC is also investigating selected cases to draw information from them and from which hedge funds might have used insider information to their ends and thereby gaining profit.This is especially true on initial public offerings (IPOs) This is according an article entitled Guarding Against Hedge Fund Fraud issue number 3 of the Trusting the Independent Financial Advisor Journal. The SEC advices the brokerage firm in order for them to stay within the rules and will not be penalized. This advice includes (1) fair dealing; (2) best execution; (3) customer confirmation rule; and (4) disclosure of credit terms. These general rules are embedded in the SEC’s Compliance Guide to the Registration and Regulation of Brokers and Dealers.Simply stated, the SEC and the American government in general do not want to have another Merrill Lynch, Salomon Smith Barney, Morgan Stanley or Bear Sterns deceiving the public. . Works Cited Evans, Thomas G. , S tan Atkinson, and Charles H. Cho. 2005. Hedge Fund Investing: Current Advice for Financial Advisers and Planners. Journal of Accountancy 199, no. 2: 52+. Morgenson, Gretchen. â€Å"Brokerage Firm Is Indicted In Fraud Case. † The New York Times, July 9, 1999, from .National Legal News â€Å"Brokerage Fraud. † 2008 from . Stoneman, Tracy P. and Douglas J. Schulz. 2002. California: Kaplan Business Publishers The Securities and Exchange Commission. â€Å"Litigation Briefs. †2008 from . . Trusting the Independent Financial Advisor Journal. â€Å"Guarding Against Hedge Fund Fraud† issue number 3. March 2005, Switzerland: Roland Ray.