Essay on tuition - 2308 Words

College Education nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;College education is a highly talked about subject among the presidents. For many years college education was not highly sought after or looked for, then when people who did go to college started getting better paying jobs than everyone else more and more people started to go to college. Since college is such a hot commodity these days the price of a college education is on a steady rise. Some experts have a very strong opinion as to why college education is on a rise and some believe that that it is not on the rise. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;To begin to understand this issue, we have to first examine the history and the context from which it arose. The rise of tuition is mainly due in†¦show more content†¦Later on in the same article the author states, â€Å"But while both candidates have offered an array of new financing plans, many analysts worry that neither man’s proposals will come close to what is necessary to make college more accessible and affordable for everyone.† If the candidates can’t make college more affordable then the proposals don’t make any sense. They should come up with proposals that will actually help student and parents pay for college instead of just making proposals for the sake of making proposals. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Bush has made a lot of promises, but one that I hope he holds to is one made in the article Opening the College Gates where it says, â€Å"Bush pledges to increase student aid by six percent and will try to link federal aid more closely to academics by offering a one thousand dollar scholarship to Pell recipients who take college-prep classes in high school, along with five thousand dollars more in aid to students who study math and science in college.† If he holds up this claim then a lot more people will be able to hopefully afford college and keep enrollment rates up. On the other hand, â€Å"Kerry plans to give tax credits on the first four thousand dollars of tuition to all college students whose parents earn less than one hundred thousand dollars. The credit would cover one hundredShow MoreRelatedRising College Tuition1114 Words   |  4 PagesTuition on the Rise: A Cause of Turmoil Today colleges are growing more and more necessary for attaining a solid path towards a successful career, yet the rapidly increasing cost of tuition is driving students away from their dream of attending college, due to the preposterous amount of money that is now being demanded by colleges across the nation and world as a whole. It is sad to see students being turned away from a successful future due to the money-hungry nature of the universities that dotRead MoreThe Rise Of College Tuition1344 Words   |  6 Pageshigh school diploma does not meet the requirements that society itself is looking for to accomplish one s American Dream. Everyone desires and dream to go to college with the hope to be successful; but with the fact that the skyrocketing college tuition is increasing every year might turn those dreams into nightmares. 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The first part of this paper is going toRead MoreRaising Tuition Rates1074 Words   |  4 PagesRaising Tuition Rates Tuition rates have been rising exponentially since â€Å"World War II and the GI Bill†¦Ã¢â‚¬  which allowed for, â€Å"†¦an explosive increase in the number and proportion of Americans who go to college† (Nathan 148). This change, though largely due to inflation, has been rising past what families can afford to pay, and has led to difficulties for students exiting high school. These difficulties have been seen by campuses, and many already have a plan to help these students pay for the rocketingRead MoreThe Debate On College Tuition Essay951 Words   |  4 PagesThe Debate on College Tuition In our country, several young students in pursuit of a higher education, must work overtime at the local McDonalds, flipping burgers, to pay for their college tuition; while trying to juggle school work and study time during their limited free time. Meanwhile these students live in a country who has buried itself trillions in debt with no end in sight. Sadly, this is the environment that sets up the impassioned debate on whether college tuition should be free in ourRead MoreShould State Tuition Be Regulated?1670 Words   |  7 PagesShould State Tuition be Regulated? In 2003, the 78th Legislature of Texas passed House Bill (HB) 3015, also known as the â€Å"Tuition Deregulation† bill. This bill, which took effect on September 1, 2003, transferred authority over the regulation of tuition of state universities from the Texas Legislature to the University Board of Regents. This exchange decreased state funding for Texas Universities, but allowed the individual institutions to compensate for the deficit by increasing tuition. This authorityRead MoreCollege Tuition Should Be Regulated915 Words   |  4 PagesAs a freshman college student I believe that college tuition is much higher compared to what it used to be. One reason why it continues to increase is mainly because of the significant amount of loans that are borrowed by college students but are not getting paid back; however, does anyone ever wonder where does the money that is put into colleges go to? College professors are not the reason that college cost so much; in addition to, the m oney also goes towards sport teams, scholarships, and constructionRead MoreCollege Tuition Should Be Regulated897 Words   |  4 PagesAs a freshman college student, I believe that college tuition is much higher compared to what it used to be. One reason why it continues to increase is mainly because of the significant amount of loans that is being borrowed by college students but is not getting paid back. However, does anyone ever wonder where does the money put into colleges go to? College professors are not the reason that college cost so much; in addition to, the money also goes towards sport teams, scholarships, and construction

Impact of Culture on the Spread of Hiv/Aids in Kenya Free Essays

string(84) " divisions in a way that the people cannot be checked at all border-crossing zones\." bdalla A. Bafagih Professor Trent Newmeyer Sociology of AIDS Soc 309Y1F June 21, 2004 Impact of Culture on the Spread of HIV/AIDS in Kenya a national culture is not a folklore, nor an abstract populism that believes it can discover the people’s true nature†¦. a national culture is the whole body of the efforts made by a people in the sphere of thought to describe, justify and praise the action through which that people has created itself and keeps itself in existence (Fanon, Frantz). We will write a custom essay sample on Impact of Culture on the Spread of Hiv/Aids in Kenya or any similar topic only for you Order Now Introduction Culture, even in the twenty first century, has numerous denotations. In various parts of the world, it has been and is still considered to be important for the development of civilization and of people’s minds; a particular society or civilization is considered in relation to its beliefs, ways of life and values. In short, culture plays a crucial role in a groups’ quest for identity and is therefore at the centre of the socio-cultural development of a people, region or even county in terms of identity and politics-it serves as a code of life that must be followed under any circumstances even with an HIV/AIDS epidemic. These observations help illuminate responses to our central thesis: that cultural barriers and the ensuing gender bias have not only perpetuated the spread of HIV/AIDS among women, but are also hindering an effective HIV/AIDS prevention campaign in Kenya. Our position is that HIV/AIDS prevalence is a gendered issue because women in most parts of the developing world, due to the repressive cultural practices women have no power. Furthermore women continue to be betrayed by outdated traditional norms such as widow inheritance, widow cleansing, polygamy and gender inequality, as is the case in parts of Kenya. When these issues may seem to differ, in reality they are intertwined and date back to generations. To make matters worse those infected with HIV, both women and men blame witchcraft as the source of death (McGeary, J. Time Magazine, p, 30). Moreover as Madhu Bala Nath states â€Å"myths are also rooted in the nature of denial that is associated with HIV/AIDS. Because HV/AIDS is so frightening, there is a temptation to deny the existence of the disease (2001, p, 32). Such denial plays a large part in sustaining such outdated practices. We should point out from the outset that the current risky practices were at one time seen as strength (pre HIV/AIDS era) since they were really helpful and appropriate for their communities. Among the merits of such traditional practices were, among others, the widow’s security within the household was guaranteed and the orphaned children were guaranteed the extended family support and therefore survival within the community. It was meant to ensure the widow and children never became homeless. According to the Washington Post, In Western Kenya, the custom known as wife inheritance once held an honorable promise: A community would take care of a widow and her children. She did not remarry. Her husband’s family simply took responsibility for her. If a brother-in-law could not care for her, then a cousin or a respected outsider would. The inheritor made sure that the widow and her children were fed, clothed, sheltered, educated, protected, kept (Buckley, Stephen. Washington Post, November 8, 1997). For the purpose of this paper, we take a position that the spread of HIV/AIDS has rendered what were once cultural assets into deadly liabilities particularly towards women and children. That is why there is a need to be creative and embrace alternative rituals that do not involve risky sexual behavior. Our position is that inheritance per se is not bad, but widow inheritance and cleansing that endanger the lives of the widow and the inheritor/cleanser should be discarded. Wife inheritance or wife cleansing involves an inheritor who has his own family. As reported by the Washington Post â€Å"he infects his first wife and the widow he has inherited. Then he dies, and two other men inherit the women he leaves behind. Those men die. And then their widows are inherited† (ibid. ). It is this vicious circle that explains the rising HIV rates in Kenya. Kenya has vibrant and diverse cultural groups but some groups elevate ethnicity above nationalism. This makes it sometimes problematic to deal with intra and inter cultural norms or to undertake reforms of certain entrenched traditions. On one hand you have believers in Christianity who are more willing to abandon certain outdated traditions such as those discussed in this paper. For instance, a Kenyan bishop, called on widows to take a stand against wife inheritance (Gonza, Sam. 2000, p, 1). On the other hand you have the rigid traditionalists who are not open to any reforms or changes within traditions. There is usually no middle ground and unfortunately it cuts across class lines. We agree with the position put forward by Human Rights Watch in their report entitled Double Standards: Women’s Property Rights Violations in Kenya that â€Å"as important as cultural diversity and respecting customs may be, if customs are a source of discrimination against women, they like any other norm-must evolve† (2003, p, 2). Kenya has approximately forty tribes, which are co-related to the four greater ethnic groups (Buckley, Stephen. Washington Post, November 8, 1997): Bantu, Nilo-Hamitic, Nilotic and Hamitic (see figure i). Because of it’s neighboring, cultures are related to each other within Kenya and in the border countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Sudan. [pic] Figure: i Source: http://www. lib. utexas. edu/maps/kenya. html It will be imperative for this paper to provide short historical events in Kenya so as to provide a proper understanding of both the internal and external dynamics of this country. Kenya attained its independence from Britain in 1963 and has a population of thirty two million (32 million). [1] Kenya like other Sub-Saharan countries is a creation of European scramble for Africa. [2] As a result same ethnic groups are presently dispersed across different countries. The boundaries are like artificial divisions in a way that the people cannot be checked at all border-crossing zones. You read "Impact of Culture on the Spread of Hiv/Aids in Kenya" in category "Papers" [pic] Figure: ii Source: http://www. lib. utexas. edu/maps/kenya. html The point, which we want to discuss, is that it is difficult to try to onvince these communities to abandon some of their practices, because they feel that at the end, abandoning their customs, would completely wipe out their culture and eventually loose their identity. In some African countries, various ethnic groups are the minorities and would want to keep intact their culture for the purpose of their own identity, so as to enable them to negotiate any political power in the government (Kanyiga, Karuti. 1998, p, 7)). On the other hand the ethnic groups, which are the majority, would want to maintain their hegemony and are not ready to change their traditions (ibid). Thus why dealing with health issues such as HIV/AIDS creates profound consequences. Current HIV/AIDS Situation in Kenya The synopsis about Kenya is not good at all. United Nations AIDS (UNAIDS) reports that over 2 million out of a total population of 29. 5 million (2000) were infected with HIV and a cumulative number of 1. 5 million people had died due to AIDS. The high prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS have negatively impacted life expectancy to the extent that it has dropped by approximately 13 years to 51 years (1998); while GDP reduced by -0. in 2000 and is expected to worsen in coming years. The average literacy rate is estimated at 78% (1995) and total fertility rate in Kenya is about 4. 4 (1998). Approximately 30% of the population lives in urban areas and more than half of the population live under the poverty line, women constituting the majority. UNAIDS estimates that about 500 persons died of AIDS each day in the country in 1999. (www. unaids. org/Unaids/EN/geographical+area/by +country/kenya. asp). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the estimated number of adults and children living with HIV/AIDS, in Kenya end of 2001 stands as follows: Adults and children 2,500,000, Adults (15-49) 2,300,000, Women (15-49) 1,400,000 and Children 220,000, current living orphans, 890, 000, estimated number of death due to AIDS (2001), 190, 000 and the current adult rate of 15. 0 percent (www. who. int/hiv/pub/epidemiology/pubfacts/en/). Furthermore, the Human Rights Watch Report (2001) indicates that an estimated 2. million adults and children live with HIV/AIDS, representing about 14 percent of the sexually active population. The scary statistic is that Kenya has the ninth highest HIV prevalence rate in the world to the extent that the U. S. Census Bureau projections indicate that by 2005, there will be about 820 deaths per day from AIDS in Kenya. (http://www. hrw. org/reports/2001/kenya/kenya0701-03. htm#P144_18884). Factors behind the Gendered HIV/AIDS rates in Kenya. Through cu lture and society, we are able to transmit skills and other systems of social relations to modify our environment. But that has not been possible with women in Kenyan in both rural and urban areas even in the event of a HIV/AIDS epidemic with no cure in sight. Since our beliefs and ways of life are inseparable from our particular cultures, it is common for people to reject a behavior if it is not signified in their culture’s social code. It is however much harder for the marginalized groups like women and girls to reject what is supposedly part of their culture as is the case among the Luo and Luhya[3] of Kenya where they practice their culture to a fault. In such cases, individual behavior patterns alone are not responsible for the observed high-risk activities that cause HIV/AIDS. Needless to say, HIV/AIDS transmission in parts in Kenya is mostly through heterosexual relations. Because of [blind] loyalty to their culture, many within the group (most educated women with the economic means to support themselves are now increasingly defiant against certain regressive policies like widow inheritance) in a society which has its own subculture, often face social risks, such as wife (widow) inheritance, to the extent that failure can result in exclusion from participating in communal events. For example, women who refuse to be inherited among the Luo and Luhya automatically lose their right to remain within their households, because their behavior is considered odd. Consequently women are frequently subject to violence, abuse, scorn and ridicule and other expressions of hate (HRW, 2003, pp, 16-21). Similarly, when it comes to apportioning blame as to who is the responsible party for bringing HIV/AIDS among married couples; it is usually women who are blamed even though in most cases, it is the men who have multiple partners. That goes to show that in the name of culture, women in Kenya find themselves in subordinate positions to men and are socially, culturally, and economically dependent on them. Because of the cultural biases, women are largely excluded from decision making, have limited access to and control over resources, are restricted in their mobility, and are often under threat of violence from male relatives (that is why many women have no choice when it comes to certain oppressive rituals, because they have no where else to return to should they be evicted from their late husband’s property) (ibid). In many cases, women in many parts of Kenya are perpetual minors subject to the guardianship of their male relatives and husbands. As a result, not only are their statuses lower than that of men, but also their condition is also dependent on that of their men folk. This subordination of women is connected to the distribution of power in society. In Kenya, economic, social and political power accrued to men partially as a result of their control of women, even though the thinking was and still is that a prosperous homestead depended on female reproduction and production. This keeps such oppressive rituals like widow inheritance in practice. Additionally, the gendered HIV/AIDS prevalence rates illuminate how gender as a constitutive element of social relationships. The Human Rights Watch of 2003, stated that of the 1. 4 million were women and girls with HIV positive, between the ages of fifteen and forty nine, this clearly shows how differences between sexes-power relationship within and between different women, urban versus rural and single versus married is very much embedded within society. Furthermore, the violation of fundamental human rights, and especially reproductive rights of women, plays an important part in perpetuating gender inequity and the observed HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Kenya. As discussed in some parts of Kenya certain groups have taken Fanon’s dictum above about culture to new levels (p, 42), which have resulted in the discrimination, violation of women’s rights and have placed women at great risk of contacting HIV. The impact has been traumatic on women as members of a community that continues to marginalize them in alls aspects of life. Yet women continue to provide care as wives, mothers, daughters, nurses, teachers, and grandmothers towards the sick, the dying and the orphaned children, many of whom are traumatized by the loss of their loved ones from AIDS. Unfortunately, in most parts of Kenya as evident elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa, as Fanon further argued, societies have not acknowledged the totality of culture and its vital role within the context of culture and history (p, 43). What we know and will be shown in this essay is that an examination of cultural practices allow us to know the nature and extent of the imbalance and conflicts (economic, social and cultural) which characterize the evolution of a society: culture allows us to know the dynamic synthesis which have been developed and established by social conscie nce to resolve these conflicts at each stage of its evolution in search for survival and progress (ibid). In the case of Kenya, and elsewhere as it was made clearer in this course, the quest for in Kenya such attitudes pervade all aspects of social life to the detriment of girls in particular and women in general. Evidently, the recurring theme in Kenya is the conflict between modernity and tradition that is often treated in terms of its relevance to women and men, rural versus urban or what it means to belong to a particular ethnic group. This goes to the heart of gender equity, property rights, agrarian reform and its problematic impact on women. In parts of Kenya, those who believe that culture is stagnant rather than vibrant to the extent that oppressions against women are presented in terms of cultural harmony and the survival of entire ethnicities have hindered the process of social liberation by women. Some of the cultural traditions discussed include wife (widow) inheritance, widow cleansing and polygamy all of which contributed to the lack of secure property rights that result into the violation of human rights for women, and the observed disparity in HIV/AIDS rates between men and women in Kenya. 4] Unfortunately westerners including many of our classmates sometimes do not seem to understand that countries like Kenya have very poor laws that govern human freedoms and rights like the Canadian Charter of Freedoms and Rights. Women in Kenya are routinely discriminated against in most cases with the connivance of the state. [5] While personal freedom and choice have certainly played a role in the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS elsewhere, where laws are enforced, in the case of Kenya, the interplay of culture and gender roles is to a great extent responsible for the statistics cited above in this essay. Although awareness of HIV/AIDS is reasonably high in Kenya this is not reflected in sexual behavioral changes, given the high prevalence and incidence of HIV/AIDS (Rosenvard, C and T. Campbell, 1996, p, 11). This finding reflects our thesis; the entrenched cultural biases against women and girls can explain such behavior to the extent where awareness is high yet infections rates are also rising. It is not that Kenyans in general or women in particular are not rational, they are but they have become victims of outdated cultural traditions and gender biases. What this rather contradictory finding shows is the need to view the HIV/AIDS pandemic through, multiple lenses but most importantly through the lens of power inequality in society that are rooted in gender. Gender norms pervade all aspects of Kenyan culture and society to the extent that culture dominates anything else among the Luo and Luhya of Western Kenya. The marginalized status of women plays a key role in the spread of HIV/AIDS in Kenya as reflected in the UNAIDS and WHO figures. It is thus important to recognize the complex underlying factors influencing the role of women and how such roles affect African societies and behavior. In the traditional Kenyan society, women are expected to be submissive and to provide for their household at all times (Caldwell, 1989, p, 185). In Kenya especially in the rural setting, the woman’s marital status does not end when the person who married her dies; she is by all accounts married to the clan in the sense that under certain ‘invented’ customary traditions, the clan has the right to inherit her. Traditionally, Luo or Luhya women have little or no say in such matters of inheritance including the retention or sharing of resources such as land and property. According to Human Rights Watch: Widows are often evicted from their homes as in-laws rob them of their possessions and invade their homes and lands. These unlawful appropriations happen even more readily when the husband died of AIDS†¦ In some places, widows are forced to undergo customary, sexual practices such as â€Å"wife inheritance† or ritual â€Å"cleansing† in order to keep their property. Wife inheritance† is where a male relative of the dead husband takes over the widow as a wife, often in a polygamous family. â€Å"Cleansing† usually involves sex with a social outcast who is paid by the dead husband’s family, supposedly to cleanse the woman of her dead husband’s evil spirits. In both of these rituals, safer sex is seldom practiced and sex is often coerced. Women who fight back are routinely beaten, raped, or ostracized (Double Standards: Women’s Property Rights Violations in Kenya) (http://www. hrw. rg/reports/2001/kenya/TopOfPage). While the quotation above tells us sufficient story about the problems facing Kenyan women, Human Rights Watch report entitled, Double Standards: Women’s Property Rights Violations in Kenya captures the agony of Kenyan women in their own voices. It is thus important to reproduce just three of their experiences below to capture what Human Right Watch calls â€Å"the heinous nature of women’s property rights violations: through personal interview. Human Rights Watch of 2001, reports, â€Å"AIDS exacerbates those hardships†. †¢ Jiwa, a fifty-five-year-old widow from western Kenya, said that after her husband died, her brother-in-law brought a â€Å"cleanser† to her home to have sex with her. She objected, saying: â€Å"I don’t know this man’s HIV status, and if I die my children will suffer. † Her brother-in-law and four cousins pushed the cleanser into Jiwa’s hut and he raped her. She screamed but the cleanser covered her mouth and the in-laws stood guard outside. The brother-in-law paid the cleanser with a cow, chickens, and clothing. Jiwa was then forced out of her home and into a shoddy, makeshift hut. Her brother-in-law took over her land and furniture. She reported this to the village elder, who did nothing. Jiwa now has a persistent cough and has lost much weight. She fears she contracted HIV from the cleanser but has not been tested and cannot afford medical treatment. †¢ Adhiambo, a thirty-year-old widow from Nairobi, said that when her husband died of AIDS in 1998 he left her HIV-positive with five children. She quickly went from being relatively affluent to destitute after her husband’s family took her property. Her in-laws grabbed household items from her Nairobi home and took over a rural home, land, and livestock even though Adhiambo helped pay to construct the house. Her father-in-law called a family meeting, told her to choose an in-law as an inheritor, and ordered her to be cleansed by having sex with a fisherman. Adhiambo refused, and fled when her in-laws threatened her. She now struggles to meet her children’s basic needs, and her slum landlord has threatened to evict her. †¢ Imelda, a twenty-five-year-old widow with AIDS, lost her home, land, and other property in Kenya when her husband died in 2002. She told her in-laws that she had AIDS and wanted to stay in the house. They snatched her property anyway and wanted her to be â€Å"inherited. She recalled: â€Å"I told my in-laws I’m sick . . . but they took everything. I had to start over . . .. They took sofa sets, household materials, cows, a goat, and land. I said, ‘Why are you taking these things when you know my condition? ‘ They said, ‘You’ll go look for another husband. ‘ My in-laws do not believe in AIDS. They said that witchcraft killed my husband. (http://www. hrw. org/reports/2001/kenya/TopOfPage). The above tribulations capture the victims in their own words and show how widow’s inheritance and cleansing devalues the dignity of women. While case law establishes that family property may be evenly divided upon separation or divorce in practice, the captured words of the three widows above, seems to differ. But above all, as has been our point of argument throughout this paper, under the very oppressive and discriminatory customary laws that are extremely influential in Kenya, it is the men who are accorded greater property rights than women. Other discriminatory practices are usually sexist customary tradition that obstruct women’s equal rights to property and also prevent women from seeking redress for violations of these rights. Additionally, the problem is made worse by unresponsive authorities that ignore women’s woes regarding property violations, and ineffective courts that are biased against women. However the greatest setback is the fact that many Kenyan women and men too have land problems where squatters are routinely evicted even though they have lived on such land for generations. The other is low level of awareness of their rights, the time and expense of pursuing claims, violence, and the social stigma of being considered greedy or cultural traitors if they assert their rights. www. hrw. org/campaigns/women/property/factsheet. htm). Evidently, what the discussion above illustrates is that in Kenya, women’s rights violations must be understood and combated in the context of Africa’s AIDS epidemic. In Kenya, 15 percent of the population between the ages of fifteen and forty-nine is infected with HIV, more than half of whom are women, and one out of eight adults in rural Kenya and one out of five adults in urban areas is infected, though most do not know it. AIDS has reduced life expectancy from sixty-five to forty-six years ((http://www. rw. org/reports/2001/kenya/TopOfPage). These figures are quite telling in that in Kenya, HIV/AIDS is worse among urban dwellers than is the case among rural dwellers. According to Dyson, the higher urban incidence rates are due to â€Å"relatively high rates of social interaction and crowded urban living conditions and squalid living conditions† (p, 427). Similar results for Sub-Saharan African in general, has been documented by Caldwell who found that â€Å"urban levels of HIV infection rates are typically four to ten times those of rural areas† (p, 44). In countries with a substantial level of urbanization, and home to some of the largest slum areas in Africa, the numbers are certainly depressing. Moreover as noted by Bollinger et al, Sometimes traditional practices that occur in Kenya, particularly in the rural areas, can contribute to the spread of HIV. For example, a director of the Kenyan governments AIDS efforts attributed the high prevalence rate in some parts of western Kenya to the practice of wife inheritance that exist there (5-6). These findings do illuminate our thesis. Furthermore given the feminization of poverty due to Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) policies (Cooper, 2002, 87), women in urban areas and also in rural areas find themselves on the economic margins where they are forced to engage in risky behaviors like prostitution. Moreover, because of SAP polices and the introduction of user fee in hospitals; women are disadvantaged with regard to health and health care (ibid), a clear indication that gender inequalities have led to a systematic neglect of women’s health and the gendered incidence of HV/AIDS in Kenya. It is not our intention to call such traditions as ‘uncivilized’ or extreme. It would be naive to make this assumption and one has also to try to understand the dynamics of Africa and its communities at earlier times. Caldwell captures the reality that â€Å"it is clear that lifestyle plays a dominant role in determining individuals’ chances of infection, and it seems probable that level of the disease over the coming decades is more likely to be decided by changing lifestyles than by medical breakthroughs. Those changes will be more successful, and least damaging to the society, if behavioral factors in the spread of the disease are well understood† (p, 186). Conclusion This essay has outlined and argued that the disparity in HIV/AIDS prevalence rates between men and women are rooted in the cultural biases against women and girls such as widow inheritance in parts of Kenya. Our position in this essay has been that the cultural barriers and the ensuing gender bias have not only perpetuated the spread of HIV/AIDS among women, but are also hindering an effective HIV/AIDS prevention campaign in Kenya. We have shown the linkages between cultural biases against women and girls and the spread of HIV/AIDS. The challenge has been to decouple the notion that addressing women rights in Kenya is a western value or that concerns of equity must take a back seat in the struggle against HIV/AIDS epidemic. We recognize that eliminating all forms of discrimination against women in Kenya will take time, but the government must start to enforce existing laws to protect women against repressive cultural practices like widow inheritance. The people must be told that culture is not static but rather dynamic, and should be encouraged to discard risky cultural traditions and activities that expose women to HIV/AIDS and thus endanger their lives. From this course (Sociology 309), we know the relationship between safe and improved reproductive rights such as increased condom use and the health status of women are crucial in fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS. As shown in this paper there is a positive correlation between women’s precarious health status and their susceptibility to HIV/AIDS particularly in urban areas, inequitable gender relations and women’s poverty and powerlessness in society especially in rural areas. Finally, the Kenyan stakeholders – politicians, church leaders, civil society, NGOs, women leaders, youth groups, cultural and traditional leaders, must deal urgently with the existing power inequality among the sexes, that accounts for the excessive burden of HIV/AIDS transmission and the consequences on women in general who have so far been hit most by the spread of HIV/AIDS. That trend needs to be reversed if Kenya is to stem the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS epidemic and its distressing impact on the Kenyan society at large. How to cite Impact of Culture on the Spread of Hiv/Aids in Kenya, Papers

Business Society and Planet of Bridgestone - Goodyear Companies

Question: Discuss about the Identification and Description of Bridgestone and Goodyear Companies? Answer: Bridgestone Company is among the leading multinationals dealing in auto and automobile spare parts incepted in 1931 byShojiro Ishibashiin Kurume City,Fukuoka, located in Japan. The Bridgestone Group supplies a broad assortment of tires to purchasers around the globe, such as tires for trucks, aircraft, mining vehicles, passenger cars, buses, construction, motorcycles, and so forth. The Company manufactures and wholesales a range of rubber commodities and other differentiated products (Cooke, 2001). Many of these merchandises and technologies are employed in a diversity of everyday applications. The Bridgestone Group upholds an optimal equilibrium between short-term administration methodology and mid- to long-term administration measures, with an accentuation on Lean in the short-term and Strategic in the mid- and lingers to execute management reorganizations, rendering uppermost precedence to optimization on a group and worldwide basis. The primary vision of this Group as stated (Pla ceholder1) is "Comprehending that Serving Community with the Best Quality is our legacy and our core Purpose, and taking on our accountability to forthcoming generations as an international spearhead in our industries, Bridgestone Inc. and its co-players around the globe apply modernization and technology to advance the way individuals work, live, move, and play (Bridgestone Corporation, 2017)." Goodyear Company The Goodyear Tire Rubber Corporationis a USA-based multinational tire producer company established in the year 1898 byFrank Seiberlingand headquartered inAkron, Ohio. The Company fabricates tires for airplanes, race cars, light trucks, motorcycles, SUVs, commercial trucks, farm equipment, automobiles, and heavy earth-mover machinery. Goodyear was named after Charles Goodyear, an American discoverer of vulcanized rubber (Norbert Majerus; James Morgan; Durward Sobek, 2016). The initial Goodyear products emerged prevalent since they could be detached easily and needed diminutive maintenance. From Goodyear's inception in 1898, the Firms benchmark for success has been grounded on its pledge to unremitting enhancement and innovation. Since then, the Corporation has developed into one of the globes prime tire companies, with one of the utmost renowned brand names. They employ approximately 66,000 conglomerates in various localities around the globe-every one of them endeavoring to deliver the maximum quality in everything that the business does (Goodyear Corporation, 2017). Evident differences between the two companies in terms of the range of issues dealt with in their social reports and the depth of coverage on specific issues Bridgestone Company As an international organization, Bridgestone touches a differing cluster of groups all over the world. By upgrading how individuals live, learn, and work, the organization endeavors to positively affect the groups in which it works at the worldwide and local levels. It aids in building more secure, healthier communities and makes education more open and comprehensive ( Bridgestone Corporation, 2016). For instance, in relationship with Fleet Watch magazine and other industry accomplices, Bridgestone South Africa (Pty) Ltd. has taken an interest in Brake and Tire Watch; a program designed for enabling traffic authorities to recognize unroadworthy vehicles on the streets, and also to expand transport administrator familiarity with a proficient braking and tire checking. Traffic officials are trained on the significance of safe tires, tire shortcomings, utilitarian brakes and other visual safety segments. Trucks or buses found to be unroadworthy are then expelled from the street and iss ued discontinuing notices. Until now, the program has prepared more than 1,200 traffic authorities and scrutinized more than 400 vehicles, of which 60% were not in roadworthy condition. Through these exercises, Bridgestone adds to a more secure society. Moreover, since 1970, the company unceasingly contributes to the healthy life of local communities. This is archived through blood donations, training, medical contributions, and colloquiums on job-related medicine (Wayne Visser; Ileana Magureanu; Karina Yadav, 2015). Recently, the company introduced defibrillators (AED) and skilled employees how to make use of them. Employees working with Bridgestone Company also benefit from health amenities, for example, echography and other therapeutic examinations, preventive health campaigns (aiming at cancer, hypertension, corpulence, and so forth.), ergonomics programs, and psychosocial care. Through these and other exercises, Bridgestone strengthens the healthy life of local people. Besides, alongside with Bridgestone Cycle Company and Bridgestone Sports Enterprise, they hold the Bridgestone Children's Eco-Art Contest. This competition was established with the aim of conserving natural environment for a forthcoming generation, and it accentuates on the appreciation for an environment which is seen through children's drawings. This contest has been held since 2003, and a total of 313,199 magnificent drawings have been contributed hence expressing a variety of skills amongst the children. So we can conclude that Bridgestone Company aims at serving society with superior services and also it embraces its duty for an imminent generation(Bridgestone Corporation, 2014). Goodyear Company Unlike Bridgestone Company which aims at serving the society through the building of healthier communities, Goodyear Company focuses more on satisfying themselves first and is intended to use their assets to build and sustain concerted programs within a community venture focus areas. Their key is to an emphasis on areas that reflect the international and local nature of their business and where Goodyear Company can have the greatest influence including: upholding safe movements to make their people stronger and more secure (Dirk Morschett; Hanna Schramm-Klein; Joachim Zentes, 2010). Motivating individuals to achieve their potential in school and get ready for smart careers, reducing waste and preserving sustainable energy for their world. Related engagement serves as the foundational component of all of Goodyears corporate social accountability efforts (Swanson, 2014). Goodyear Company puts into consideration by ensuring that their manufacturing facilities are safe and harmless to th e health and wellbeing of associates, workers, the surrounding inhabitants and the environment as a whole. Goodyear Company only participates in a program as community volunteers, unlike Bridgestone Company who views it as their responsibility to take back to the society( The Goodyear Tire Rubber Company, 2017). Extent to which can these differences be explained by the country or industry differences An organization without a goodmanagement is bound to extinction. That is why it is tremendously significant to select the right managing style that would counteract such dreadful fate, as well as convey a coveted success to an organization (John O Okpara; Samuel O Idowu, 2013). Although Bridgestone and Goodyear companies manufacture similar products (tire and rubber products), they have different management. This is because they are located in different countries which adapt differentmanagement styles. To start with, Japanese companies belief that an individual should contribute to the society as a whole, on the contrary, USA organizations focuses more on satisfying themselves first and then subsequently concentrates on the community (Samuel O Idowu; Walter Leal Filho, 2008). Moreover, in terms of employment, Japanese organizations hire someone who is cheerful, enthusiastic, vigorous and willing to dedicate herself or himself to the corporation. So they hardly employ workers based on their education and skills. Conversely, USA companies specifically hire employees who are suitable for the job based on proper education and abilities. Besides, USA companies have a tendency of making quick decisions in order to archive abrupt results. As a result, decision making is obligated to USA managers only. The decisions made are then conversed to the subordinates. In Japan, on the contrary, corporations make a decision using two approaches. The first approach involves seeking approval from the lower level of management up to the top most management. The second method of decision-making process conducting meetings with the employees' where they all agree on what should be implemented (USA International Business Publications, 2015). This is advantageous because every employee is able to participate and contribute their points of view and also their opinions are considered. Due to all these differences in the two countries, the two companies, Goodyear and Bridgestone though t hey belong in the same tire and rubber industry they differ when it comes to corporate social responsibility (CSR) (Wayne Visser; Ileana Magureanu; Karina Yadav, 2015). Assessment Of The Apparent Quality Of The Social Accounting Approach Utilized By Each Company According To Zadek Et Al.S (1997) Criteria The suggestion that corporations ought to be held responsible for their social performance has turned out to be progressive over the last five to ten years(William B Werther; David Chandler, 2011). This has produced significant debate about how organizations ought to establish their corporate social responsibility (CSR) and about what institutes best practice in social accounting, recording and reviewing (Zadek et al., 1997). Key ideologies are that socially responsible organizations should take part in discourse with their partners and create a social report that is a record of their social enactment (Dorothe?e Baumann-Pauly, 2013). As supported by Zadeks in his work, Bridgestone and Goodyear, through their initiatives aim at ensuring inclusivity mainly by bringing on board individuals who for various reasons are marginalized or excluded. Besides, accounting information provided by these MNCS is comparable in the sense that all principles employed are consistent from one fiscal period to another and as well, from region to another. In addition, the annual financial publications contain all essential and appropriate parts, an aspect the theorist referred to as completeness. On the same breath, it is worth noting the significance of external verification in these firms. External verification according to various theoretical works involves the confirmation of all transactions by an independent third party by use of the support documents. Bridgestone, for instance, hires qualified auditors to carry out this crucial function. It is clear from the discussions in this section that these companies apply management policies and systems that ascertain evolution since they are both managed to bring about a general positive influence on the cultures and communities where they have conglomerates. The firms in the industry often collaborate to ensure a continuous improvement of these particular host communities (Samuel O Idowu; Stephen Vertigans, 2017). Extent to Which the Social Reports Provided By These Companies Reflect Their Stated Values The Bridgestone Principle, its shared viewpoint, directs the stakeholders towards building not simply better brands, but also better societies. The firm believes in observing ethical and moral values in its actions. This stress on integrity promotes a business culture that respects a variety of abilities, life experiences as well as backgrounds. Bridgestone Inc. never settles for the status quo. They are continuously challenging themselves to come up with novel inventions that will retort to consumer requirements and further benefit the entire society. Moreover, it is a common believe in this MNC that investing the time and energy essential to substantiate facts benefits not only the internal publics but also external interested parties. They use these clarifications to make and implement up-to-date decisions that lead them to the best possible results. Bridgestones pledge to distinction motivates them to put into consideration all possibilities and the full array of options before d eciding on a course of action. Then, they move forward without hesitancy. These stated values are reflected in the social and sustainability reports availed by Bridgestone. It is evident from the discourse that the company puts the welfare of all and sundry and heart when formulating and implementing their decisions(Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, 2017). As hinted beforehand, Goodyear's primary Mission is to provide high-quality goods motivated by integrity, teamwork, and innovation. For about 100 years, this Company has endeavored to deliver the unsurpassed products. Goodyear's management is devoted towards making certain that business is carried out in a manner that encourages a principled code of conduct and legal conformity. The Goodyear companions strive hard to nurture an environment which values reciprocated respect, transparency and discrete integrity. Just like Bridgestone, leadership in Goodyear, values and accommodates diversity and inclusion. Among the imperative aspects of Goodyear's Diversity Inclusion Policy is ensuring that its labor force is reflective of the societies and clienteles they serve. On the inside, their sundry and inclusive culture at the company enables their companions to contribute at their level best in an environment that is intended to be rational and nondiscriminatory. Goodyear Inc. comrades are fortified to make audacious resolutions and converse amenably and efficiently with others. Aforementioned attributes in this company are reflected in their publications in social sustainability reports which as explained beforehand elaborate on the robust connection between the firm and the external interested publics (Goodyear Corporation, 2017). Conclusion While consideration of the environmental and social influences of intercontinental business (IB) is not novel, the past centuries have realized transformed concern due to various unrelenting global challenges such as poverty and climate change. Multinational Corporations (MNCs) are viewed as taking an explicit role given their international impact and undertakings in which they are challenged with an assortment of issues, interested parties, and institutional contexts, in both motherlands as well as host nations. Their prospective in becoming not only part of the problems but also possibly part and parcel of the solution is progressively recognized and has come to the forefront in investigation interest in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) accomplishments and sustainable development implications of international business. However, organized research and inclusion in this or related works have been lacking. This paper has taken into consideration two examples of MNCs and referred to them to depict the importance CSR in the contemporary competitive business environment. It is clear that stringent philosophical practices meant to take back to the society, as opposed to the outlooks of the majority do not deprive the business of its primary economic goal of making a profit. CSR enables organizations to build and maintain an excellent corporate image which goes a long way in creating a splendid position and name of the MNC. Bibliography Bridgestone Corporation. (2016, 5 25). 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