Strategic Information Management and Customer Relations Management

Table of Contents Introduction Involving all stakeholders in IT decision making Management of IT risks Create Proper Awareness Effective system monitoring and evaluation Conclusion References Introduction Information Technology (IT) has gained enormous popularity in organizations and as such, management should develop appropriate strategies to reap its â€Å"fruits.† Integration of IT into organization’s operations poses significant security challenges both internally and externally.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Information Management and Customer Relations Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More IT is very dynamic; developments and changes occur so rapidly, making its management a very complicated task. IT plays a pivotal role in any organization’s development and communication and by the nature of its functions exposes the organization to great risks both from the insid e and outside. Poor management of Information system makes the organization vulnerable. Profane Individuals have managed, â€Å"to stage mega scandals based on weaknesses of information system operations† (Swanson, 2004). Strategic information management therefore seeks to develop policies and regulations to ensure successful and efficient business processes management (BPM). BPM is therefore no a fad but a literally meaningful change strategy. Involving all stakeholders in IT decision making IT forms an integral part of the organization’s management; consequently, failing to involve the entire management participants in decision-making would inevitably lead to system failure and largely the business entity. Every stakeholder has an important role to play in the successful implementation and management of the information systems in the organization. When all players participate in formulating policies and guidelines, they would see the need to observe rules and guideli nes to the letter. In addition, the emergence of IT has significantly changed the business landscape, hence the players need to develop appropriate strategies to address these challenges and tap the opportunities as well. Most organizations make significant expenditures in IT and therefore the need for good IT management policies cannot be overstated. Ensuing are but a few reasons as to why it is appropriate to involve all players in IT and policy formulations. As stated earlier, IT investment expenditures are significant and thus the need to give shareholders the value for their money. By involving the general management, it becomes easy to integrate IT strategies into the overall organizational policies and strategies. Moreover, the management becomes more conscious of the technological environment to ensure that IT investment decisions made remain relevant into the future. Involving the general management would lead to gaining competitive advantage, management effectiveness and e fficiency. IT enables competitive advantage through differentiation of the organization products and services from those of the competitors.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Differentiation by IT is realizable through enhanced product quality, shorter product development periods, creation of IT based products and services, and improved customer service delivery. To enhance effectiveness, IT provides decision support at all management levels as well it removing barriers for pursuit of opportunities (Lacity, 2005). Efficiency by IT would be achieved through decreased internal costs because of automation, shared services, downsizing, communication, and task support. Lastly, BPM would greatly prevent business failure. Management ignorance of IT can lead to devastating effects in the management. Researches have show that, IT system developments fail to yield on target not because they do not meet the required specifications, but because of poor management. Management of IT risks The risks of running business incorporated with IT are significant and require proper check mechanisms. Risk management involves the systematic analysis of the information system and its environment to determine the actual risks faced and then formulating appropriate policies to bring the risk levels down to desirable levels. To manage IT risks, the following principles are crucial. First, establish a central management unit to address IT system risks (National Institute of Standards and Technology, 1998). Members of this management group should possess technical expertise to analyze risk information properly on a continued basis. They should thereby inform and provide expertise and technical support to the general management on security issues. To enhance proper implementation of IT security policies, all persons involved should be equipped with technical IT skills through training. Training of the members would reduce resistance and increase their cooperation instead. Create Proper Awareness The users of IT system should be equipped with the appropriate skill. Since technology is dynamic, management must ensure the users get timely updates on the IT field developments. This should be done by application of user-friendly strategies viz. notices, alerts, seminars, and presentations among others. The continued awareness on information systems by the members enhances their confidence and thereby enabling them to avoid making errors and mistakes. Effective system monitoring and evaluation Monitoring encourages compliance by the users, holds the management of information system accountable for their responsibilities, and takes corrective measures. System evaluation would involve carrying out test controls and analyzing risk factors and indicators. In addition, it is imperative to enroll the use of independent system auditors whose reports, findings, and recommendat ions should be acted upon promptly. Keep record of security incidences and the damages caused this would help in determination of the system weaknesses. The system monitoring and evaluation team should be keen to developments in technology so that the tools and technologies used in the monitoring and evaluations activities are relevant.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Information Management and Customer Relations Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion The aforementioned facts form a strong conviction that BPM is a meaningful business strategy and not a management fad. PMP’s key functionality information system is effecting communication, both within the organization and without. Effective information system therefore, should relay relevant information to its users. Customers are important for the survival of business entities. Consequently, companies should endeavor to attract an d maintain a client base as large as they can. Technology has significantly changed the way business entities interact with their customers. With the emergence of online shopping (virtual markets), companies should position themselves strategically to benefit fully. This can effectively be done through BPM, which is not a fad but an imperative management change strategy. References Lacity, M.C. (2005). Why General Managers Need to Understand Information Technology. Working Paper. Retrieved from https://www.umsl.edu/divisions/business/mis/Why%20I.S./whymis.html National Institute of Standards and Technology. (1998). Management of Risks in  Information Systems: Practices of Successful Organizations. Web. Swanson, M. (2004). Contingency Planning Guide for Information Technology Systems. 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St. Peters Denial essays

St. Peters Denial essays As I walked around the art museum it was hard for me to pick just one thing to write on there were so many to choose from that jumped out off of the wall and said look at me. By the end of the day I ended up choosing a painting that was done by a European man named Gerard Seghers between 1591-1651. The name of the painting is The Denial of St. Peter. I chose this painting for a number of reasons one being the content and another the color. The bible has always been a part of my life and when I see artwork that was done based on a story in the bible I want to try and learn more about the artwork. As I sat three looking at this painting the colors just keep pulling me back in for another look and another. The lightness in some areas like around St. Peter play an important roll. By making the area around him bright you see how he was important instead of the woman who sits in darkness in front of the candle. As I looked at the painting I could almost hear them talking to St. Peter sayi ng, You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth. But he denied it saying. I do not know or understand what you are talking about. (Mark 14:66-68). It was at thus time when Peter noticed that he made the prophecy of Jesus Christ come true. The painting is realistic. The motion of the painting is more of a front left back to the right. As I looked at the painting I was drown to the area around St. Peter first and then I moved toward the back right where there stood a faint man holding a staff that had a flame on it pointing to St. Peter. All of men look to be shocked at something gives the allusion that St. peter was denying Jesus. The expressions on their faces are so realistic. ...

The term fashion and its definition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The term fashion and its definition - Essay Example The essay "The term fashion and its definition" talks about the term fashion. The second reason is that there were many significant historical and politycal events. Nowadays the main motto of fashion is â€Å"Comfort!†, though it is difficult to speak about comfort wearing the high heels. Now it is possible to say that today fashion has a wide range of contradictions and it is not really easy to find the right way. Before speaking about fashion and its changes during the last decades it is very important to define the term â€Å"fashion† itself.The term fashion applies to a prevailing mode of expression. Inherent in the term is the idea that the mode will change more quickly than the culture as a whole. The terms "fashionable" and "unfashionable" are employed to describe whether someone or something fits in with the current popular mode of expression. The term "fashion" is often used in a negative sense, as a synonym for fads and trends. In this sense, fashions are esse ntially a relief from boredom, or a distraction from important matters, for the idle rich. The term is also frequently used in a positive sense, as a synonym for glamour and style. In this sense, fashions are a sort of communal art, through which a culture examines its notions of beauty and goodness. If to analyze the meaning of fashion it is possible to see that fashions are social psychology phenomena common to many fields of human activity and thinking. The rises and falls of fashions have been especially documented and examined.

Nirvana - Band Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nirvana - Band Review - Essay Example His fateful suicide signaled a major loss to the music environment and marked one of the pivotal events of 1990s music. Even with the fantastical nature of Cobain’s story, the power and insight of his music is perhaps the most moving element of Nirvana. While generally concerned with the pains and angst of existence, Nirvana’s albums span a wide-range of emotions. It’s within this context that I have come to greatly relate to their music. While it was not the first album of Nirvana’s that I heard or nearly their most popular record, the first full-length album that Nirvana released was Bleach. Bleach has been an important album to my life for many reasons. One of the primary aspects that I appreciate this record is that it has a raw edge that the later Nirvana records don’t have. In many regards, some of the themes on this record are the same as on later Nirvana records; indeed, ‘About a Girl’ is even featured on these later records. .. . Virtually every song on this album is highly emotionally charged and gripping. This was the first Nirvana album I discovered. I listened to this album in a time of intense despair in my life, after my girlfriend and I had broken up. The intensity of emotion and deep feeling spoke the depression I was feeling on a level that other music couldn’t. I also believe the album was successful for speaking to the challenges of socialization and fighting one’s way through a scholastic environment that was oftentimes cruel and challenging. While other music attempts to speak to these growing pains, oftentimes the emotions contained in those albums come across as forced and somewhat produced. When listening to Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ I was truly able to take solace in a record that I felt understanding the pain and challenges I was facing in attempting to relate and survive in a cold social climate. In terms of specific tracks, I’ve always felt like ‘ Smells Like Teen Spirit’ spoke directly to my angst at feeling like I didn’t fit in with the popular crowd. While a lot of individuals put-down Nirvana for being depressing music, or criticizing Kurt Cobain for ultimately committing suicide, I find a different perspective on this music. For me it represents a necessary response to questions of life that oftentimes go unanswered. I believe that in great part the nature of the music is attempting to grasp with aspects of life that are unfair. Why do more attractive people get to enjoy certain aspects of existence that others don’t? Why do some people feel more depressed than others? Why these may seem simple and trite questions,

Engineering ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Engineering ethics - Essay Example As such, the disaster was a result of an engineering oversight arising from the underestimation on the strength and capability of the lift slab. Every major constructions have a core pillar, the pillar that traverses the entire length of the building offering a core for the inclusion of the elevator is always a determining factor on the strength of the building. The L’Ambiance Plaza was to have two of such pillars in the form of rectangular pillars at both ends of the building. The collapse occurred when the intense pressure placed on the west tower proved overwhelming. Apparently, construction on the west wing of the building had reached the eight floor with slabs for the successive three floor slabs placed at stage IV directly over the twelfth floor. This resulted in the placement of intense stress on the pillar thereby instigating the collapse. At the time of collapse, workers were in the floors below completing various categories of construction work in different floors be low the roof. Twenty-eight of the workers died instantly as the floors buried them. The ninth, tenth and eleventh floor slabs caved in with the crane through the west pillar, the stress caused by the western side of the building intensified the pressure on the eastern wing thereby resulting in the collapse of the entire building. The entire building eventually collapsed thereby compounding the loss of capital at the site of construction. More alarmingly was the fact that the entire building collapsed in less than six seconds.

Black Female Identity In Black Female Rap Hits Cultural Studies Essay

Black Female Identity In Black Female Rap Hits Cultural Studies Essay Rap is considered a type of music which serves as a means of expression for those who feel alienated and outraged in American society for certain reasons. According to Tricia Rose, (or you need to provide the names of the many scholars that you have in mind in the footnote) hip hop in America originated from disadvantaged neighborhoods and served as a voice for people who lacked post secondary education and had difficulties in finding a job in the new post-industrial service sector economy. In the early beginning rap artists rapped about poverty, racism and injustice. As the genre was developing, rappers would look for inspiration in other aspects of their every life. Male/female relationships would appear as a common motif in their songs. As discussed in the first chapter, misogynistic messages could be found in a great share of male rap hits. Although rap has been associated mainly as domain of men, female contribution to this genre is also significant. Hence it is worth examining how their legacy contributed to the black female image in the United States. It is also important to note how the messages in their songs differed from those of male rap artists. In this chapter I am going to focus on the motifs of black female identity which permeated the lyrics of female rap hits starting from the late eighties through the beginning of the twenty first century. I will support my analysis by referring to the works of literary black hip hop culture critics such as Tricia Rose, bell hooks, Gwendolyn D. Pough or Cheryl L. Keyes. The findings presented in this study will be based on the existing researches on the subject as well as my lyric interpretation of Billboards Hot Rap Year End Charts. One of the recognized social theorists, Patricia Hill Collins, claims that much of the contemporary social phenomena is understood and analyzed from the European, white male standpoint. Moreover, by this approach black women in particular have been perceived as non-human, commodified and objectified. Needless to say, it is important to counterbalance this approach by interpreting black womens lives from their perspective. I find artistic works of female rappers, as well as their interviews to a be a great source for such a counter analysis. Female rap artists would oftentimes identify themselves as belonging to a certain crew or would use the words as fly, attitude, queen, diva while describing or referring to one another. Based on those self imposed labels, Cheryl L. Keyes distinguishes four prevailing types of female rappers: Queen Mother, Fly Girl, Sista with Attitude and Lesbian. These categories reflect certain images, voices and ages of African American women. Interestingly eno ugh, rappers assigned to these groups marked their presence on the hip hop scene in this particular order but, as Keyes noted, they can swing between these teams or belong to a few concurrently. According to Keyes, the first group Queen Mothers consists mainly of early female rap pioneers of the 1980s such as: Queen Latifah, Roxanne Shante or MC Lyte. They express strong connection to their African heritage by calling themselves Nubian queens, and wearing ethnic clothes and jewelry. The symbol of queen mother may be supposedly rooted in African court tradition. Mothers of kings in many African kingdoms used to be cult objects and granted special privileges. Queen Mothers in hip hop culture also consider themselves as strong, intelligent black women responsible of spreading the word among the community. They discuss issues similar to their male counterparts marginalization, subjugation, and hardship of an urban life. A theme of their concern would be also heterosexual advances of men toward women, as well as domestic violence, and male sexism. These female rappers tended to present black women in their songs as self assured and independent . Similarly to male rappers, they would aim to challenge racist white supremacy by their music. Whilst black males in order to empower themselves oftentimes resort to sexist notions addressed towards their female counterparts, Queen Mothers do not apply the same strategy of subordination. As the excerpts from the songs presented in the first chapter show, many male hip hop artists depict women merely as sexual objects and generally cast derogatory light on them. Some black culture critics, as bell hooks, claim that male gangsta rappers engage in this behavior because women supposedly emasculate black men, negating their manhood and reducing the respect received from others. The critic also states that most black males lack strong male (father) models to look up to. They are being convinced throughout their childhood that they are not destined to grow up as successful, strong, virtuous males. Instead they receive education how to become emotionless thugs. hooks blames the mass media for perpetuating the image of a strong, angry black woman as opposed to black castrated male who is not able to provide for his family. Other reason for that may be the fear of female sexuality, thus women must be controlled. Queen Mothers demand respect not only for black community in general but for black women in particular. This causes a huge inner identity conflict among black women, whether to be loyal to their ethnicity and race or gender. Extending the theory of black feminism to rap, black female rappers provide back lashing voices against male sexism and misogyny. However, being a black feminist should not mean rejection of the African heritage. The African legacy may be utilized as an additional source of strength and power in this struggle. Tricia Rose in the her book Black Noise argues that in the late 1980s and early 1990s pioneer female rappers although refraining from calling themselves feminist, expressed three feminist standpoints: female empowerment, agency, and independence. They would rather call themselves womanists as they did not feel much connection with the predominantly white second wave feminism movement. Moreover, they felt as having been overlooked or even purposely excluded by white feminists in their struggle for female empowerment. These artists rejected and challenged representations of women as simply sexual objects. Rose states that they use rap music as a platform of dispute between other female and male artists, and their audience in general. The most noticeable Queen Mother on the hip hop scene is Dana Queen Latifah Owens. Although latifah in Arabic means feminine, delicate and kind she proved to be also a strong and influential rap artist. At the young age of twenty one, she became well acclaimed artist. Despite her young age, her maternal behavior and mature approach to life made her to be perceived as a Queen Mother. Although she would find such comparison flattering, she tried to distance herself from being labeled. She would call herself a queen because every black female is a queen to her. The reason why Queen Latifah and other rappers have been allocated to the group of Queen Mothers may be linked to the othermothers phenomenon in black African community. Patricia Hill Collins elaborates on this notion in Black Feminist Thought. She claims that black women take a significant part in fostering of the black society in the United States. They have developed an image of a strong black woman who contributes to the whol e black community well-being. The notion of motherhood in general, whether invoked by bloodmothers or othermothers, has powerful connotation. It seems that African American community seeks for strong mother figures not only in real life but also on the hip hop scene. Queen Latifah reflects the image of othermother by taking up serious political-economic issues of the black community in her lyrics, as in The Evil that Men Do where she raps about struggle of women on welfare. Another example of a strong political commentary is Queen Latifahs song Ladies First. She focuses here on promoting womens importance and clamors for their equal treatment. She raps about the need for sisterhood which prompts women to support each other. The notion of sisterhood is emphasized here by the fact that the artist collaborates with another black European female rapper, Monie Love. They feel connected with each other by the bonds of the same gender and race. This is a typical approach of women of color engaged in the Third Wave Feminist Movement in America. The concept of global sisterhood coined by the Second Wave feminists is questioned and challenged here. Black feminists manifest more connection with other women of color from different countries or countries of their origin than with white middle class women from the United States. The video to Ladies First is also a tribute to African American womens history featuring images of activists and abolitionists as Rosa Parks , Angela Davis, Harriet Tubman, or entrepreneurs as Madame C.J. Walker. The video also features the image of Winnie Mandela which may serve as a commemoration of the struggle against segregation in South Africa as well as emphasis on the concept of global black sisterhood. The rappers bring back these images into the light in order to re-inspire all women of color and prove they are capable of achieving the highest goals as breaking the racism and sexism. Queen Latifah in her Grammy Award-winning song U.N.I.T.Y, as one of the first female artists does not only prove her rapping skills but also takes up the issues which divide black community. She focuses here on perpetuated hatred directed by black males toward black females. She answers back to males who use the insult bitch in reference to women. She does so by using similar forms that are used by many of their male counterparts to denigrate women. By the use of vulgar language she reclaims those forms for women. Another pioneer rapper, MC Lyte in her song Paper Thin also makes a black female a subject. She brings her to the center of discussion by rapping about the constrains of her (own?) intimacy and setting the rules by which she will date a man. According to Rose, the above mentioned artists messages are both emancipating and liberating for women. They rebel against the restrain of black female voices, offering counter hegemonic perspectives. Female gangsta rappers in particula r, have created and imposed their own definitions of womanhood through their use of vulgarity, voice intonations, and sexuality. Although most female rappers identify themselves by belonging to specific rap crews, some of them would fall from one category to another or exist in many simultaneously. As an example of such a swinging artist may serve Yo Yo. The rapper and activist when perceived through the prism of her artistic and social work would be allocated to the group of Queen Mothers. Her songs are devoted to her view on the political issues and black feminism. She is the founder of the group Intelligent Black Women Coalition (I.BW.C.) which aimed to fight against racism and sexism. Yet, Keyes claims that her style and attire would suggest she also fits the category of so called Fly Girls who gained recognition on hip hop scene mainly in the nineties. The origin of the new meaning of the word fly dates back to the sixties and seventies and describes someone wearing fancy clothes. The style has been presented in the blaxploitation movies like The Superfly (1972), Shaft (1971), The Mack (1973) or Foxy Bro wn (1974) and then adopted by the black youth in the eighties and nineties. Indeed, what distinguished Fly Girls from Queen Mothers at first sight was their sense of fashion. Queen Mothers tried to affirm their eroticism that refrains from the nakedness and exposure of Western styles by rejection of miniskirts or high heels. Fly Girls did not fear to wear tight clothes which accentuated their sexuality. They tried to counterbalance Western European beauty canon by showing the beauty of black female body, accompanied by eye catching hairstyles, shiny jewelry and suggestive dancing. By doing so they made a statement against the white supremacist stereotype of the black round female body being undesirable. It was their fashion style that made them not only heard but also visible. The male hip hop group the Boogie Boys describe a fly girl as: [Woman] who wants to see her name, her game or her ability. . . she sports a lot of gold, wears tight jeans, leather miniskirts, a made up face, h as voluptuous curves, but speaks her mind. The most prolific and well pronounced Fly Girls of hip hop scene is undoubtedly the trio Salt- N- Pepa. They aspired to be acknowledged as models of real independent and successful black women of the nineties. They reached the peak of their popularity in the early nineties by releasing controversial hits like Lets Talk About Sex (1991), What a Man (1993), or Shoop(1993). While the first mentioned hit raised awareness about safe sex, the other songs can be interpreted as manifestation on female sexuality and appraisal of men in terms of friendship, love and intimate heterosexual relations. Lyrics from their popular song Aint Nuthin But a She Thing, again typify messages of their powerful womanhood: Im a female, and I got it goin on /Dont be fooled by my s-e-x/It aint that simple, Im more complex/Lets keep moving forward, girls, never look back. In this song artists are exchanging ideas with women and men in general, warning men not to rely on clichà ©d notions of gender roles when in teracting with women. They refuse to be considered as a weaker sex. They prove of their ability to work as hard as men, yet their intention is not to empower, or emasculate men. Similarly, they are passing on the same message to women while concurrently urging these women to progress, not regress, in their thinking and behavior. Such messages permeate most of the Salt N- Pepa top hits. Many examples of the Fly Girls songs take focus on female agency in male/female relationships perceived from the womens point of view. In the chorus of her song, Whats Up Star, Suga initiates the interaction with males: Whats up star, Id like to get to know who you are/Lets have drinks at the bar/And if I like what I see then the drinks is on me. While men are usually considered to be the initiators in heterosexual relationships, here the artist takes it over and demonstrates her empowerment on this field. By doing so she violates an unwritten procedure of male-female courtship. She breaches the gendered norm of conduct. Instead of waiting for a man to approach her with an offer to buy her a drink, she would rather sit in judgment and contemplate over possible suitors. Upon positive evaluation of a potential mate she offers to buy him a drink. Another example of assuming power comes from a rapper and bass dancer, MC Luscious, who in her song Boom! I Got Your Boyfriend seizes another hypothetical womens partner: Ill take him, shake him, ring him out/ Ill show your man what its all about./ So when he tells you its the end./Thats when you know I got your boyfriend. Her use of the verbs take, shake, and ring in reference to her male lover illustrates the control that she maintains over him. She outdoes her female competitor by articulating her ability to sexually expose what the girlfriend cannot to the boyfriend, leading to the termination of the relationship. Thus, she demonstrates her control and manipulation of the lover and eventually her supremacy over the female opponent by stealing her boyfriend. Although deceitful and potentially unethical, MC Lusciouss desires, and behaviors are at the core of attention in her song. Another significant group of Fly Girls worth noticing is TLC ( Tione T-Boze Watkins, Lisa Left-Eye Lopez and Rozonda Chilli Thomas). Their popularity had been quickly developing since their debut in 1991 and reached its maximum in the second half of the nineties. They spread similar messages to the other Fly Girls like rising awareness about safe sex (Waterfalls) or fighting with women insecurity (Unpretty). They also introduced more diverse fashion sense. Instead of accentuating their fit bodies with tight clothes, they would wear baggy pants as a symbol of solidarity with women of less flattering shapes. Similar approach was taken by another Fly Girl Missy Misdemeanor Elliot. Being a successful writer and producer paved her way to the enormous success in the music industry. In no time she was offered a possibility to launch her clothing line and appeared in GAP and Adidas commercials. The fact that full-figured Missy became a model of the established clothing brand could be perceiv ed as groundbreaking in the sphere of perception of black female bodies. She serves as a role model to many black women who doubt in their attractiveness. As during the late nineties rap became commercialized, gained greater audience and shifted to mainstream it is worth examining what were the messages conveyed by the female rappers. During this time some female artists were as popular and selling as many records as men; for example, Lil Kim and Foxy Brown both had albums that sold one million copies. Contemporary female rappers of the late nineties and the beginning of the twenty first century also endeavor in empowering and subversive mission against male domination, but the lyrical content of their songs show surprising and alarming similarities between them and male rappers. This may be one of the reasons why these female rappers gained more commercial recognition than the pioneers. As means of empowerment they apply the strategy of giving the attitude and answering back in a rude manner to their male counterparts. This group of female rappers fall into the category of Sistas with Attitude which includes such popular rappers as Fo xy Brown, Lil Kim, and Da Brat, or Sis, or Eve. The characteristic of their style is the employment of the same symbolic speech and behaviors as their male fellow rappers. It may seem that by doing so they show (try? unclear) to be equal to men on every level. The lyrics of their songs included motives of indulging in hedonistic activities as partying and smoking marijuana with their men, seducing, harassing, and sexually emasculating male characters; as well as disrespecting (dissin) their male and female counterparts. Although so called dissing in female rappers songs is mainly directed at male sexism, an analysis of contemporary female rap songs reveals that there are instances the same strategy is aimed at women. It is well visible here that Sistas with Attitude seek for their self empowerment by all means. The content of songs with attitude is abundant in vulgarity. The use of derogatory terms may be interpreted in a positive way. I trace some similarities between Sistas with Attitude and some of the Third Wave of feminism representatives. Similarly to them, female rappers reversed the pejorative meaning of vulgar words addressed to women.Sistas may be considered a coarser, clad version of Third Wave of feminism Girlies or Riot Grrls. These were usually members of underground punk bands who addressed issues as rape, female sexuality, domestic abuse, and female empowerment. Same as Sistas they also adopted derogatory, insulting words as cunt bitch slut in their vernacular. By writing these words on their skins or t-shirts they ridiculed and nullified their derogatory meaning. On the one hand, reclamation of the frequently used word bitch may be perceived as a positive way of self empowerment or as providing healing liberation. Other critics claim that this may bring worse returns as the message of female empowerment seem to be diminished and eradicated by female self-objectification. One of the most reoccurring motives found in female rap lyrics is their swaggering feminine self assurance. This characteristic of rap has its roots in part of African-American oral tradition of toasting , where the toast-teller employs in verbal self- enhancement, and presents himself or herself as the dreams of his [or her] Black audience and symbolize for them triumph and accomplishment against the odds. For instance, in Sittin on Top of the World, Da Brat writes: Im on top of the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/Girlfriend offender cuz they mans think Im all that/ One of the baddest bitches on the planet. She highlights how she is so bad, meaning great to such extent that she aggravates other women because their men find her beautiful. Another fitting example of braggadocio can be found in Eves song What Ya Want, writing Popular since I started my lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/ Every thugs dream wife, see the love in they eyes/My time to shine, whole package make her a dime. In these lyrics, the rappe r is presenting herself as popular, and good-looking to every male and a perfectly shaped physically ( a dime in hip hop vernacular). Many rappers enhance their sense of attractiveness by emphasizing their possession of precious objects that others cannot afford. Foxy Brown, who adopted her moniker from the seventies blaxploitation movie protagonist of the same title, in Ill Na Na raps: Uhh, rollin for Lana, dripped in Gabbanaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/And yall gon see by these mils I possess/Never settle for less, Im in excess. Foxy highlights here the fact that she wears expensive womens designer clothing that working class and middle-class individuals could not afford. Furthermore, the audience gets the message that Foxy earns millions of dollars from her rapping. She also admits she is not willing to settle down and start a family but would rather live in abundance of material goods on her own. A vast majority of the female artists mentioned owning luxurious products of mass consumption. Obviously, possession of extravagant material goods are crucial for many contemporary female artists. Material success, fame, and sexual satisfaction is their achieved American Dream. Similarly to male rap artists who glamorize life a of a pimp, these female artists present themselves as physically attractive to possible mates as well as in possession of goods that regular people do not and cannot acquire. This type and degree of overconfidence permeates throughout rap music and is common to both sexes of rappers. It illustrates artists abilities, or their dreams, to overcome obstacles (unattractiveness, lack of money) and eventually achieve (sexual and material) success. The partying, alcohol and drugs abuse is a frequent theme also in Sistas with Attitude rap music. In the overall sample of a sociologist and anthropologist Matthew Owares study of 44 female hip hop songs of the nineties, in each song there was an average of one-and a-half references made to alcohol or drugs. For instance, in her song Deeper, rapper called Boss refers to both alcohol and drug use. In these lyrics, Boss is indulging in a popular malt liquor, and also smokes chronic, a strong form of marijuana mixed cocaine. Another song by Queen Pen, Party Aint a Party, presents: Im tipsy from the cab, down the whole bottle of Henney/ Is you dealing with the cat thats blunted. Queen Pens alcohol is Seagrams Hennessy and blunted means being under the influence of marijuana. These female rappers refute the stereotype that women refrain from hard alcoholic drinks and illegal drugs. These women depict themselves as being equal to men by engaging in similar potentially harmful behaviors. Another feature of rap music that is often taken up by female rappers is disrespecting or dissin, which is the act of verbally insulting an opponent. Dissin allegedly has its origins in West Africa, among tribes such as the Efik in Nigeria and later could be found in early African-American oral traditions. Geneva Smitherman writes women rule when it comes to signifyingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦female rappers use this age-old rhetorical strategy to launch critical offensivesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Traces of such style can be found in the verse rapped by Heather B.: Fuck how much you sell cause, I read your album cover/You couldnt write a jam if your last name was Smucker. As jam may also mean a hit song she ridicules here the amount of records sold by her opponent while dissing his writing skills contrasting them with a popular food product brand Smuckers Jam. Most disrespecting attitudes were pointed at males who attempted to pursue women with pretentious tales of sexual gratification. While some rappers resorted to warning of the potential suitor who must approach them in a courteous manner or gets rejected, other rappers would openly ridicule males sex skills and their fear of womens sexuality. Considered to be one of the most overt and explicit rappers, Lil Kim in Hardcore rhymes: The sex was wack, a four stroke creepà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/(later he asked) Could he come over right fast and fuck my pretty ass?/Ill pass, nigga dick was trash. The rapper sets here her own conditions for a sexual intercourse. She keeps men under control and reserves the right to choose her partner by assessing his sex skills. She also implies what is surely feared by most of the heterosexual males to be ridiculed by a woman for poor sex performance. Black males, in particular the ones who have been trying to conceal the image of an emasculated black man, may fee l highly sensitive about it. As many instances of male rap hits presented in the first chapter show that they tried to apply many strategies to regain their control over women. Boasting about their sexual hyper skills was a frequent topic. Gangsta Boo, a successful Sista with Attitude of the late nineties and early twenty first century, touches upon similar themes in her lyrics: Ha-ha, hey, Ladies check this out/ Well, let me tell this story about this nigga/ With a little dick but when its hard, hes swearin it (is) bigger/ Im not to be the one guess you aint got much to offer. Here, Gangsta Boo speaks directly to women about false male machismo. Boo, similarly to her counterpart Lil Kim sets the norms here and evaluates whether her possible mate lives up to her expectations. When finds out that the man is poorly endowed, she ridicules him in front of other women. Hence, as Tricia Rose writes we have women speaking to men, engaging in critiques of supposed male sexual prowess; in addition, they are speaking to other women about the failed attempts of these men to satisfy them sexually. These disses provide a female response to male rappers chauvinism, misogyny and bragging about their sexual potency. Similarly empowering themes also permeate throughout the songs and lyrics that present female sexuality. Several popular female rap artists depicted themselves as explicitly sexualized. Lil Kim in one of her songs vulgarly demonstrates her acting upon a partner and presents herself as not submissive in sexual relationship. She clearly rejects here the romantic archetype of a pure virgin who is overtaken by more experienced lover. Yet, Kim is not a ho, in hip hop vernacular, because her sexuality is not being exploited by her mate, she does not submit to his wants or desires for his satisfaction; rather she gains sexual gratification from this encounter. In hegemonic discourses surrounding womens sexuality, women are silenced or are not allowed to derive pleasure from sexual intercourse with males. Kim articulates her pleasure. Oware in his study notes also another explicitly sexual song of Lil Kims fellow sista Trina, where she raps: G-string make his dick stand/Make it quick then slow head by the night stand/See I fuck him in the living room/I make him eat it while my period on. Similarly to Lil Kim, Trina controls the sexual relationship with her male partners. Also, in her narrative, she makes her male partners perform oral sex while she is menstruating, a level of vulgarity that many heterosexual males would find mortifying. Although this new level of vulgarity was introduced mainly by Sistas with Attitude, similar motifs can be seen in the songs of before mentioned Fly Girls such as Salt-N-Pepa. Even though they characteristically had lyrics that empowered women, they also had lyrics where they sexualized themselves: I throw it like a pitcher, let my sex appeal hit ya/ Game so sharp that it split ya. The quoted single Gitty Up was released in 1998 which may imply that some Fly Girls opted to adjust to the common explicit, raunchy style of the late nineties and first decade of the twentieth century. Similar path was chosen by some representatives of Queen Mothers who also shared similar coarse style in some of their late nineties songs. MC Lyte in one of her Grammy-awarded songs raps about a ruffneck but she does not condemn his involvement in criminal activities there. Instead she assures her listeners what is her main interest: But he dont gotta be large to be in charge/Pumpin in and out and out and in and here we go/Hes got smack it, lick it, swallow it up style. As we can see in aforementioned examples, sexually explicit lyrics exist in second wave 1990s female rappers songs. Furthermore, some female pioneers who are known for songs espousing the positives of womanhood also employ overtly sexual lyrics in some of their songs during this time. They risked their well established, positive image by collaboration with the controversial, coarse style of rap which gained prominence recently. This contradiction potentially undermines any empowering messages that these rappers used to convey. Sistas With Attitude did not only present themselves in overly sexualized ways, but as stated before they also used language that would be considered derogatory and demeaning to women. The majority of the female artists in my sample referred to themselves or other women as bitches. Reclamation of bitch by female rappers may be perceived not only as a tool for self empowerment as Queen Mothers and Fly Girls would argue. The word metaphorically translates as a de meaning and derogatory word usually targeted towards women. However, the word holds multiple meanings in rap music, particularly in songs by female rappers. Whilst Fly Girls would explain the word denotes a positive and strong woman, Sistas with Attitude extend the definition to an assertive female who subverts patriarchal supremacy. In her song She is a Bitch, Missy Elliott uses the word bitch to describe a person with lyrical skills, who can motivate and excite an audience. Self-evident from the title, Da Baddest Bitch rapper, Trina, metaphorically speaking, expresses how she is the best at rhyming and sexual activities. Following in the tradition of the bad nigger tales of the late nineteenth century, these bad girls of hip hop present themselves as the best at their craft, although employing non-normative and masculine language. According to Rose in cases where females music departs from males there are more instances of empowering lyrics about women. Although these female rappers lyrics consist a lot of references to indulging in low entertainment as consumption of alcohol and drug, as well as engaging in disrespecting acts of verbal abuse, several songs found in the Billboard charts deal with more serious issues. There are songs that take into consideration domestic violence, female self-determination and power, and sexuality from the perspective of women. For instance, in her song, Eve casts a bright light on the matter that is seldom discussed in rap music and in the African American community domestic violence: How would you feel if she held you down and raped you?/What kind of love from a nigga would black your eye?/Smacked you down cause he said you was too tall for him, huh? Female rappers while talking about various issues also shared other similarities with male rappers, such as excessive use of v iolent lyrics. How could you beat the mother of your kids? In this song Eve argues from the standpoint of the victim. Her female friend is beaten, raped, and eventually killed by her abuser. In the song she asks the victim about why she stays with the oppressor and later she confronts him about his actions. In the end, Eve kills the abuser. Her song reverberates as a warning, alarming all women against becoming

Material Society, Material Thoughts :: Free Essay Writer

Material Society, Material Thoughts Ever since Midas' lust for gold, it appears to be that man has acquired a greed and appetite for wealth. Juana, the Priest, and the doctor have all undergone a change due to money. They are all affected by their hunger for wealth and inturn are the base for their own destruction, and the destruction of society. Steinbeck's "The Pearl" is a study of man's self destruction through greed. Juana, the faithful wife of Kino, a paltry peasant man, had lived a spiritual life for what had seemed like as long as she could remember. When her son Coyito fell ill from the bite of a scorpion, she eagerly turned towards the spiritual aspects of life. Beginning to pray for her son's endangered life. The doctor who had resided in the upper-class section of the town, refused to assistant the child, turning them away when they arrived at the door. Lastly they turned to the sea to seek their fortune. When Juana set sight on the "Pearl of The World." she felt as though all her prayers had been answered, if she could have foreseen the future what she would have seen would have been a mirror image of her reality. Juana's husband was caught in a twisted realm of mirrors, and they were all shattering one by one. In the night he heard a "sound so soft that it might have been simply a thought..." and quickly attacked the trespasser. This is where the problems for Juana and her family began. The fear that had mounted in Kino's body had taken control over his actions. Soon even Juana who had always had faith in her husband, had doubted him greatly. "It will destroy us all" she yelled as her attempt to rid the family of the pearl had failed. Kino had not listened however, and soon Juana began to lose her spiritual side and for a long time she had forgotten her prayers that had at once meant so much to her. She had tried to help Kino before to much trouble had aroused, only to discover that she was not competent enough to help. A hypocrathic oath is said before each medical student is granted a Doctors degree. In the oath they swear to aid the ill, and cure the injured. In the village of La Paz there lived a doctor who had earned his wealth by helping those that were ill and could afford his services.