Ethical Issues In Marketing Vulnerable Customer Groups

Ethical Issues In Marketing Vulnerable Customer Groups Ethics are defined as the set of principles which guide a persons conduct towards being morally right. When a person is faced with some moral dilemma, the choice that the person makes largely depends upon the values and ethical principles that person holds. It is over and above just being legal. Due to being dependent upon the personal values and principles a person holds, ethical code of conduct cannot be described in absolute terms. Like in all the disciplines of life, recognizing and quantifying what is ethical in marketing and what is not is difficult. In a broader sense, ethics in marketing mean implementing standards of moral rights and wrongs and of fairness in the marketing practices of an organization. The main objective of any business is said to be shareholders wealth maximization. In order to achieve this objective, the organization has to perform better than its competitors and create a competitive advantage for itself. This competitive advantage is mainly dependent upon the perception the customers hold of the products or services of the organization. An organization can create competitive advantage by means of its marketing decisions, behavior and practices. This includes aligning its marketing mix as per the customers requirements. The organization will gain competitive advantage only when the customer will perceive the marketing mix i.e. product, price, place and promotion to be of value. The focus has increased towards being ethical in marketing practices mainly due to two reasons. First, when an organization works ethically, the customers tend to develop more positive perception and attitude towards its products and services and the organization as a whole. This leads to long-term positive relationship with the customers. When the marketing practices of an organization depart from being ethical and the standards that are considered to be acceptable by the society are not followed, the organization taints its own image. It may lead to bad publicity for the firm, dissatisfied customers, lost business, lack of trust, and in some case even a legal action. Second, ethical abuses lead to pressure from either the society or the government for the firms to be more responsible. Since such ethical abuses do occur, people tend to believe that such marketing practices abound. As a result of this, consumer interest groups and some professional associations exert influence on marketing practices and keep them checked. An indicator of this is several regulations that have been designed just to protect the consumers rights. However, in order to be good to some stakeholders the organizations may sometimes make decisions which are not good for other stakeholders and effectively turn against those stakeholders interests. The ethical issues may not be only in terms of consumer, but they may also be for other stakeholders like the suppliers, employees, distribution chain etc. Categorizing Ethical Issues in Marketing Ethical issues in marketing can be categorized as follows: Unethical Product and Distribution Practices Several product-related issues, especially regarding the quality of products and services raise questions about ethical conduct in marketing. The most frequent complaints are voiced regarding the products which are of unsafe nature. Other than this, the problems are regarding poor quality of product or service, product/service not containing what is promoted or the product/service becoming obsolete or going out of style before they are used. The company which is making products that is of poor quality or is potentially unsafe for its consumers may jeopardize its image and develop a reputation for poor quality products or services. It may also put itself in situation of product claims or legal actions. Sometimes, however, the changes in an industry itself occur and the products become obsolete so fast that the consumers may misinterpret it as planned obsolescence e.g. in computer industry. Ethical issues may arise in the distribution process as well. Since the marketing personnel and sales representatives are evaluated mostly on the basis of sales performance, they may face performance pressure and this pressure may lead to ethical dilemmas. This may lead to unethical practices like pushing sale for products with higher commission, exerting influence on vendors to reduce promotions for competitors products, or making false promises regarding shipment dates and quantities. Deceptive Marketing Practices Deception is making the customer believe in the value provided by the product/service which it actually doesnt provide. It may take the form of misrepresentation or omission of key facts or misleading practices. This may also involve omission of important terms and conditions of sale and bait-and-switch selling techniques in which a product/service is offered usually at a lower price and the customers are then encouraged to buy more expensive items. Selling the potentially hazardous products without disclosing the dangers is also considered as deceptive and unethical marketing practice. There may also be packaging deception which is mislabeling regarding the content, weight, size, or use information of the product. Offensive and Objectionable Materials and Marketing Practices The promotional materials, advertisements and publications that are perceived as objectionable may create strong negative reactions for the organization. Such things may be perceived as objectionable or even offensive for some when they contain material which is related to certain stereotypical images, sex, or religious practices. Some things may carry different meanings in different locations and religions which may also be problematic if not handled properly. When people find the products or the promotion and advertising media as objectionable, they may force the vendors to stop carrying the product. So, it is in the interest of the company to screen such things and make them suitable so as to match to the tastes and preferences of their target market. Direct marketing also involves objectionable practices ranging from minor irritants like the frequency and timing of sales calls, letters or e-mails, to the ones that are even illegal. The practices that may raise ethical questions are persistent and annoying telemarketing calls, sales disguised as contests, use of mailing lists containing personal mail IDs, junk mails etc. However, there have been some steps and regulations to control these practices like Do not call registry to avoid telemarketing calls etc., but they are not sufficient and much needs to be done in this regard. Marketing Research and Benchmarking This is another area in which ethical questions may arise. Consumers and entities being benchmarked may consider it an invasion on their privacy. They are usually resistant on giving out personal information. However, in order to obtain correct and better data, researcher may act by unfair means. The same may happen in case of benchmarking. In some cases, the questions may be modified in a way to gain information which the respondent would not be willing to share otherwise. The organizations have to impose ethical standards for themselves in such instances. Ethical Issues in Marketing to Vulnerable Customer Groups The vulnerable customer groups include children, elderly, certain minorities, and religious groups. These customers may be influenced comparatively more easily as they have either less knowledge about these practices or they are vulnerable in terms of their minority or religion. Children have always been important marketing target for certain kind of products. However, in recent times more and more marketing efforts are being focused on children. Children have great influencing power while making any purchase decision. But, generally, their knowledge is less developed and limited about the products, media, advertisements, and the selling strategies adopted by the firms. Due to these reasons, they are more likely to be attracted to the strong images projected towards them and the psychological appeals directed towards them. Ethical questions arise in such environment when children are exposed to questionable practices e.g. advertisements attracting them towards products which are potentially harmful like alcohol and tobacco. The advent of Internet and direct marketing practices to market the products to children has become a major ethical issue in todays environment. There are very less, almost negligible, controls which can supervise the content which goes over the web sites. The marketers can present objectionable and misleading material to the minors without any regulation. Due to all these issues, there is increasing need to control the content being presented to children. It requires higher levels of regulations for marketing to children. Ethical Issues in International Marketing There is a relationship between the culture of a country and the perceived ethical perceptions of the citizens of that country. Due to globalization of the markets and hence the marketing practices, the marketers have to deal with the ethical issues arising in cross-cultural scenario. In this cross-cultural environment, the marketer may have to choose between entirely different set of ethical norms and values. A marketer may not wish to leave her own ethical values and adopt the cross-cultural values and this may pose the ethical dilemma. A practice which is generally accepted as being right in one country may be completely unacceptable in another. The situation gets more complex due to lack of clearly defined ethical standards and code of conduct. Major ethical problems in international marketing are as follows: Small or large scale bribery Bribery is mostly considered to be an unethical practice. However, in some countries it may be acceptable to get some work done or speed up the process. Gifts/Favors/Entertainment These include items like gifts, personal travels etc. which may be intended to get some job done. However, it may be considered just as a gift in some cultures, it may also be considered as being a source of influence in other cultures. Pricing The ethical issues regarding this include unfair price differentials, pricing to eliminate local competition by selling products at prices which are well below those in home country, or adopting pricing practices which are illegal in home country but are legal in host country like price fixing arrangements and forming cartels. Products/Technology This may involve ethical issue of selling the product/service which is banned in home country but not in the host country or which is inappropriate or unsuitable for people in host country to use. Questionable commissions to Channel partners This may include unethical practices like paying unreasonably high commissions to channel partners like dealers, distributors, sales personnel etc. to carry the products of this firm and restricting the products of competing firms. Involvement in political affairs This includes the issues of exertion of political influence by multinationals, or indulging in marketing practices in countries which are at war with the home country. Cultural differences There may be potential misunderstandings as some practices may be considered as right in one culture and immoral or even illegal in another. Reasons behind Ethical Issues in Marketing For any ethical issue arising in marketing, first we need to understand the reason of its emergence. Following are the reasons or ethical dilemmas or tensions due to which ethical issues arise: Consumer Autonomy vs. Marketing Effectiveness The consumer should be autonomous and should be allowed to make free choice about the product/service. At the same time, the marketing effort should be effective which means that it should help the organization to achieve the intended financial results and to do so affect the consumer behavior. Most of the times, the effectiveness criteria which can be described as achievement of sales goals takes preference over the consumer autonomy. The problems arising out of this type of tension may include misleading advertisements, concealment or misrepresentation of critical information etc. This can best be explained by the example of Amazon.com which offered different prices to different customers on the same day. The concept of differential pricing is perfectly in sync with the marketing effectiveness. However, it was against the concept of consumer autonomy. Consumer Choice vs. Consumer Protection Consumers should be given alternatives to choose from as per the consumer choice concept. Consumer protection says that the consumer should be protected from abuse. Consumers may not always choose the product which is good for them. This is especially true for consumers like children, elderly or poverty-stricken. Target marketing to such vulnerable consumers is an example where these two goals diverge. Target marketing is a core concept of marketing. However, when it involves vulnerable consumer segment, it may attract criticism. This raises a question that the product is serving the distinct needs of the segment or taking advantage of their vulnerability. Consumer Satisfaction vs. Revenue Growth Firms should increase their profits and they should also focus on delivering satisfaction to their customers. Most of the times these two objectives can go hand-in-hand. However, sometimes these objectives diverge because fulfilling the requirements and obligations of current customers may come in way of incremental revenue generation. E.g. If a firm discovers a fault in its product, should it recall it, offer free or discounted replacement or use the same resources for further revenue generation. If a recall is not done it may cause reduction in customer satisfaction. There have been several instances in which companies have forsaken their revenues for customer satisfaction. The latest example in this can be taken from Honda recalling almost 7 lakh Jazz and City cars globally due to a defect. However, there have also been the cases where companies chose not to act even after detecting the defect and the customers have suffered due to this. Customer Participation vs. Total System Efficiency As per the marketing theory, entire marketing process from product development to communication and distribution should be made as efficient as possible. It also says that the consumers should participate in the process. However, to gain more efficiency, the processes require standardization which may not be quite engaging for the customers. Customer Welfare vs. Price Discrimination In industries having high fixed costs and expiring capacities, like airlines, hotels etc., price discrimination is very important to maintain profitability. In such cases, the firms should try to capture the consumer surplus by exercising price discrimination. On the other hand, the firm should also contribute to consumer welfare and price discrimination is believed to reduce this consumer welfare as it results in increased price dispersion for the products/services. Ethical issues such as predatory pricing occur due to this reason. Predatory pricing initially offers lower prices to the customers, but subsequently it leads to reduced innovation, variety and increased prices. Selling branded goods at price premium is also considered as being an ethical issue due to this particular reason. Employee Satisfaction vs. Short-Term Profit Employee satisfaction has often been related to customer satisfaction which in turn leads to the success of an organization. If the organization maintains conditions such as ethical climate in the organization, then it may lead to improved employee satisfaction and service quality. However, this may come in conflict with the profit goal of the organization to maintain its competitive advantage. This may lead to situations where companies take advantage of their employees, avoid safety and health standards and go against labor unionization. There have been cases when companies have put the health and safety of their employees just in order to maintain their profits and earnings. Collaborative Supplier Relationships vs. Short-Term Cost Control Longer term relationships with suppliers enhance the firms results. The smaller the number of suppliers, i.e. the more collaboration a company has with its suppliers, the better the results of a firm are. However, the mass merchandisers take so much margin out of small suppliers that the small suppliers are forced to leave the business. Hence, such things lead to ethical issues. Changing Perception to Resolve the Ethical Issues in Marketing Ethical issues cannot be resolved easily due to the fact that there are no concrete guidelines regarding what is ethical and what it not. However, a marketer may try to resolve the ethical dilemmas she faces by applying some logics which are different from generally followed logics. Following are some of the ways that may help in resolving some of the ethical issues arising in marketing: Changing perception about the unit of exchange Changing perception about unit of exchange between the organization and consumer from just being a product or service to the benefit of than product or service may help a company make better ethical choice. Where a product focus makes a company think that since the product is intended for a particular segment, it will always provide benefit to the segment, a benefit focus makes the company think in terms of actual benefit that is being provided to its consumers. E.g. while marketing an alcoholic or tobacco product; the marketer may think that there is a good demand for the product, so the consumer should be provided with additional choice. However, when the focus is on benefit being provided to the consumer, the company may take responsible action like also providing information about the health hazard of such products. With this logic, a firm would not sell a potentially harmful product to its customers with conviction that they are do ing it for harmful purposes. Customer as a Co-Creator of Service Generally a customer is regarded as only a recipient of products or services. The marketer segments the customer, places its products, and distributes and promotes to the customers. However, if the marketer involves the customer and does things in interaction with the customer it may work to reduce two potential ethical dilemmas of consumer autonomy vs. marketing effectiveness and consumer participation vs. total system efficiency. When the customer is working in collaboration with the marketer, more transparency can be introduced which will further lead to marketing efficiency. E.g. in case of differential pricing, with collaborative actions more transparent discounting may be introduced which will further allow the customers to make informed choices. Such an approach makes sure that deception or any other type of manipulation with consumers judgment doesnt happen. When the consumer is co-creator of service, the perception of marketer will shift from making the process as efficient as possible to making it of more value to the customer. Value determination from producer to consumer Recognizing the fact that value is determined by the consumers may help the firms decide between societal benefits and mere profit maximization. This helps in resolving the ethical dilemmas of consumer welfare and price discrimination. The companies may look closely at the totality of their value proposition including all its consequences like social and environmental consequences. Instead of focusing on the product and its functional benefits, the value is determined from the perspective of consumer. Here, as long as the price discrimination is transparent, the choice made by the customers reflects the perceived value she attached with the choice. It reflects the notion of consumer welfare in the terms of customers perceived value of status, quality, convenience, innovation, variety and assurance. This logic also shows that the price premiums charged by companies are evidence of customers willingness to pay more for the trust inspired by the brand name. Firm-Customer Interaction As per this concept, the customers should be active participants instead of just being acted upon. This reduces the tension between the goals of satisfying current customers and working for incremental revenues. It also works to reduce the firm-supplier tension of collaborative relationships and profit maximization. These ethical dilemmas get diluted because the firm recognizes the value of customer relationships and this is willing to invest in the same. An example of this is the implied meaning of a brand as being a promise. There is a moral obligation for a company to deliver what a brand promises. Failure to deliver that value may harm the consumer perception and hence the firm-customer relationship. On the other hand, fulfillment of this leads to the strengthened relationship between the firm and the consumer. Recognizing the source of economic growth Traditionally, the firms consider the wealth to be the things which they own i.e. the resources which can be acted upon. However, the firms should consider that the main source of their economic growth is the skills and knowledge of the employees which act on these resources. This recognition may help in reducing the ethical dilemma of employee satisfaction vs. short-term profit. What an organization should do? Following are some guidelines that an organization may adopt in order to be ethical in its marketing practices: Take responsibility First and foremost, an organization should be able to take the responsibility of its actions. The organization should make sure that any marketing decisions and actions meet the customers needs and are able to satisfy them. In addition to this, these marketing decisions and actions should also cater to the broader needs of the society. The responsibility also extends to the employees and other organization that the firm deals with like suppliers or dealer agencies. The organization should not choose to encourage the unethical behavior in terms of any of these stakeholders. Recognize your customers rights Any organization has specific duties towards its customers: The customers should be able to expect that the products and services they intend to use are fit accordingly. The communication regarding the products or services should not be deceptive. The organization should intend to work in good faith. The organization should have appropriate policy to handle the grievances a customer might have. The organization should be considerate about the rights and interests of vulnerable groups and should not exploit them. Balance the Customer Interests with Marketing Needs Marketing has a number of objectives ranging from providing information about the product/service, stimulating the demand and boosting the sale, emphasizing the product value and differentiating the product from those of competitors. Hence, it may get difficult for an organization to strike a balance between these objectives of marketing with the ethical commitment to the consumer for providing honest, clear and unambiguous information. The situation may be aggravated if the business conditions are not good. However, the organization should focus on the long-term benefits in terms of better branding and customer loyalty while taking decisions on ethical issues. Recognize the inherent possibility of Ethical Issues Ethical issues arise when the interests and viewpoints of different stakeholders like the organization itself, customers, employees, and society etc. clash. Such issues are, however, very prominently inherent in certain industries or with certain kind of products e.g. tobacco and alcohol products. The organization should consider whether to advertise for them, to what extent to advertise and what the target customers for the advertisements should be. But, in such industry, no matter what decision an organization takes, it may have to bear the brunt of social ethicality merely be being in the particular industry. Be Environment-Friendly Green issues have come to prominence and have become major point of concern in recent times. Several organizations have made changes in their methods in order to be environment friendly. Some have even adopted special practices to give back to the environment. However, when the organizations try to improve the perception of their products/services by communicating these practices to the customers and other stakeholders they tend to get skeptical about the motives and claims of the organization. The organization should be able to promote such motives and claims so these are accurate and are able to be substantiated. Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility Conventionally, customers are primarily influenced by the product/service features, price and availability while making a choice about the product/service. However, with growing concerns about sustainable practices, environment-friendliness and social responsibility, there is one more dimension which has started influencing customer decisions. This dimension is of the policies a company adopts for its products and services. Customers are getting increasingly sensitive about the production processes, and the level of social responsibility with which organizations deal with their employees, invest their money, or indulge in other activities. Customers tend to prefer the products/services from a company which is relatively more socially responsible. Hence, it is a benefit for the organization to be ethically correct for its customers. In order to gauge the level of social responsibility of the organization, it should consider following factors: Are the products safe and being manufactured with sustainable materials, processes and under responsible conditions? Are the advertising practices being followed honest, clear and socially acceptable? Does the product provide value for money to the customers along with providing profits to the organization? Is the organization indulging in unethical selling practices? Does the organization ensure fair access to its products and services through its distribution channels? Is it easy for customers to get their issues resolved and does the organization meet customer requirements? Review all the aspects of marketing The organization should review all aspects of marketing including product design, pricing, distribution and promotion. Product Design and Development The organization needs to consider how the product will be produced i.e. the methods of manufacturing, materials and other resources to be used in the production. The company should assess whether the all these things including the production process are safe or they have any impacts on society or environment. The organization should also consider the potential use of the product/service. It needs to consider whether the product has the potential of being exploited and misused. The organization should take into consideration, the disposal of the product after it has been used. Pricing The prices of the products/services should provide value to the customers. It should not necessarily be the lowest price on the market. However, the company should be able to convey the value to the customers that they are getting for the price they pay. Packaging and Labeling Packaging has an important role in terms of brand identity and is very critical for sale. However, there are growing concerns with regards to packaging due to environmental impacts of the discarded packaging. The organization should also ensure that the labeling provides clear information regarding the use of the products. If there are some potential health or safety hazards associated with the product, they should be clearly brought to notice of the customer through means of labeling. Distribution In terms of distribution, the organization should make sure that the products are freely accessible to the customers without any discrimination e.g. of geographies. If the business is heavily dependent upon retailing, there may be another set of ethical issues that may arise. With growing concentration of retail business, retailers have gained considerable power to exert influence over the customers as well as the suppliers. The retailer may get involved in unethical practices like stocking products for only some of the companies who pay them more margins. All these issues should be tackled carefully and the power of influence should be divided carefully.

Shild’s outcome Essay

The connection between the parent’s status and the child’s well being is frequently argued. Some of the studies in the past have shown that children brought up by two married parents tend to grown better than the others (Sigle-Rushton, Wendy and McLanahan). In most of these studies, the results have been derived by comparing the family structure of single parent and both biological parents. Another aspect of the association of family structure with child’s welfare it the type of relation between the parents. The children having parents with mutual dispute are more likely to have behavioral and psychological problems (Amato and Sobolewski). Therefore while considering the question, ‘are two parents better than one? ’ a fact becomes very clear that the family definitely has an influence on the child’s outcome, well-being and future development. A couple or two parents raising a child have varying advantages. With two parents a lot of responsibilities can be distributed, which prevents the development of massive pressure on one single parent. This is especially useful in case of working parents, who can distribute their office hours in such a way that at any time one of the parents is present with the child. Along with this there is also an economic factor associated with it. With two working parents the child is expected to have a better childhood, with larger number of necessities and luxuries being made available to the child. Along with having larger parental time, attention and emotional support, the two parent children also have advantage of economic security. Apart from the above factors, two parents provide a stable environment to the children. The children parented by two parents have the love and emotional support from both the parents. These children are free from parenting tensions due to distribution of the stress among the parents. This way the children are not subjected to the parent’s tension at an early stage of their life. Therefore they can enjoy their childhood to a better extent than other children. The parents under marital dispute are the only disadvantage of the two parents raising a child. It has been studied that the children growing up with parents under marital dispute grow up with behavioral problems, less education and lower occupational status (Mitchell). But an important point to consider here is that most of the marriages that end in divorces are low-conflicts. Most of the divorces are mutual and seen as a positive step from both the parents and are taken healthily by the children. In case of single parenting or disrupted families the disadvantages are much higher. According to Paul Amato, Professor of Sociology at Pennsylvania State University, â€Å"Specifically, compared with children who grew up in stable, two-parent families children born outside marriage reach adulthood with less education, earn less income, have lower occupational status, are more likely to be idle (that is , not employed and not in school), are more likely to have a non-marital birth (among daughters) have more troubled marriages, experience higher rates of divorce and report more symptoms of depression† (Mitchell). Single parenting creates a lot of pressure both in emotional as well as financial sense, which might lead to a depression or insecurity in the child. The parent is sometimes not able to fulfill the requirements of the child due to such financial crisis. These may include some necessities like good quality education, a home with a social neighborhood and other essential items. Of which the quality of education has a huge impact on the personality of a child. Children going to better schools have more social company and this exhibit lesser behavioral problems. The quality of parenting also has a vast impact on the social well-being of the children. Due to their own problems, which they are not freely able to express out, the parent are not always emotionally strong enough to support their children. These single parents can sometimes let-out their stress on the children, thus creating a negative impact on them. Such parents can also be a little harsh in terms of disciple. Another disadvantage is lack of availability of time. Single parents have to work harder for financial reason, which in turn increases the number of office hours. Such parents tend to have a hectic schedule and lesser time to spend with the children. They leave early in the morning and come back late at night, therefore practically spending no time with their children. The children in turn don’t feel enough attachment and start to develop a barrier with their parents. They start showing behavioral changes and start to get away from relationships. Single parenting is a tough and sensitive job. Delicate care has to be taken to ensure the well being of the child. Single parenting can only be successful if proper attention, love and affection are provided to the child. On the other hand it has been studied and statistically concluded by Paul Amato that â€Å"Compared with other children, those who grow up in stable, two-parent families have a higher standard of living, receive more effective co-parenting, are emotionally closer to both parents (especially fathers) and are subjected to fewer stressful events and circumstances (P. R. Amato). â€Å" Under normal circumstances, two parents are always better than one. Two parents parenting a child provide an emotional as well as financial support to both their spouse as well as their children. Such children are tension free in their childhood and have role models to live up to for the future. Therefore as far as possible the children must be brought up under the guidance of two parents for their happy and prosperous future. Works Cited Amato, P. R. and Sobolewski. â€Å"The effects of divorce and marital discord on adult children’s psychological well-being. † American Sociological Review (2001): 900-921. Amato, Paul R. â€Å"The impact of family formation change on the cognitive, social, and emotional well-being of the next generation. † The Future of Children Volume 15 No 2. CYC-Online, July 2007. Mitchell, Lindsay. Research Confirms Two Parents Better Than One. Media release. New Zealand: www. cyc-net. org/cyc-online/cycol-0707-amato. html , 2007. Sigle-Rushton, Wendy and Sara McLanahan. â€Å"Father absence and child wellbeing: a critical review. † The future of the family (2004): 116-155.

Historical perspective Essay

The purpose of this report is to explore the issue of distance learning from various points of view. To start with, the report seeks to provide the definition of the term ‘distance learning’, along with its implication to the various participants. Further, the report also attempts to trace the historical background of distance learning, and how the concept has evolved over the years, together with an assessment of the various institutions of higher learning that have embraced this concept of education. Distance education is believed to have been around for as long as 1728, and the various institutions of learning have been embracing it slowly by slowly. This is yet another area that has been addressed by this report. In addition, the use of technology for purposes of delivering distance education has also been evaluated, as well as the ensuing limitations during the testing or evaluation of distance learning. A remedy on the same has also been provided. We have a number of theories that impacts on distance education and these have also been explored by this report. The issue of interconnectivity between an instructor and his/her students is very important to distance education. This issue has also bee assessed by this report. Finally, this report has endeavoured to determine the distance learning systems in the various levels of education, and how they impact on both the teacher and the student (s). Introduction Distance learning is a term used in reference to an education field whose main emphasis is on andragogy, pedagogy instructional and technology systems design (Moore & Kearsley 2005). The sole objective of distance learning is to give access to ‘off site’ students. As opposed to a physical attendance to the various courses, students and teachers instead opt to make use of advancement in technology, by way of exchanging electronic or even printed media. Alternatively, they may also decide to apply real time communication, such as online chatting. There are instances in literature whereby certain authors have sought to use â€Å"distance learning† and â€Å"distance education† as a substitute to each other (Moore & Kearsley 2005). Distance learning’s hallmark is having the learner or student and the teacher separated either in time or space. It is a desire of distance learning planners to have student control their learning process, as opposed to having the assigned distant instructor do this. This is in addition to ‘non-contagious’ correspondents between a teacher and his student. Such a correspondence could be reconciled with either print, or another type of technology (Moore & Kearsley 2005). From this perspective then, this report seeks to explore the various issues that impacts on of distance learning. In line with this, the definition of this term shall be given, along with the historical perspective of the issue at hand. It is also the intention of this report to assess the philosophies and theories that could be related to distance learning, in addition to their interpretation. There are quite a number of systems of technology that are used in the implementation of the distance learning concept, and these too, shall be assessed by this report. Finally, the limitations that may be associated with distance learning will also be explored, not to mention the benefits to both the users and the providers alike. Distance learning subscribes to a few theories, and these are explored in this report, along with the various systems of distance education that may be found in the different educational levels. Historical perspective Distance education may be traced as early as 1728 when a Boston Gazette run an advertisement about a teacher who taught shorthand, and who was seeking to have his students receive the lessons for the course via correspondence. During the 1840s in Great Britain, Isaac Pitman, a teacher in shorthand, is believed to have taught this skill to his student via correspondence (Holmberg 2005). Amongst the pioneer universities to offer degree courses by distance learning was the University of London in 1858, when they created an External programme (Holmberg 2005). In 1873, the city of Boston, Massachusetts founded a society whose goal was to enhance home studies. The University of Queensland, Australia, created a Correspondence Studies Department in 1911 (Holmberg 2005). Not to be left out, the University of South Africa (UNISA) started to offer education courses by correspondence in 1946 (Holmberg 2005). Extramural studies were started in 1960 in New Zealand, at the Massey University. The Open University that was established in the UK in 1969 remains to-date the largest university to offer distance education. Fern Universitat was established in Hagen Germany in 1974. Over the years, there are a lot of related institutions that have been founded, a majority of whom have embraced the term open university. We have a lot of public, private, for-profit and non-profit institutions that are today offering degree programs and other courses via distance learning. With regard to the accreditation levels, these usually differ, based on such factors as location jurisdiction. For instance, an institution could be termed as â€Å"University† at one jurisdiction, even without being first having received authorization or accreditation, often times by a county’s national government. However, such a description may not apply in another jurisdiction. Even amongst the mainstream universities, there is a growing trend towards online education, up to the doctoral level (Merriam, Caffarella & Baumgartner 2007). In its history, distance learning may be said to have passed through five technology ‘generations’ (Moore & Kearsley 2005). These includes print, video/audio teleconferencing, video/audio broadcasting, e-learning, and webcasting, among others. Still, the radio has managed to maintain its position as a viable medium for the dissemination of distance education, and this is especially the case amongst the developing countries, thanks largely to the level of the masses that it manages to reach out to. In India for example, the FM Channel has gained immense popularity. The universities have thus opted to employ this medium of communication for purposes of education programmes broadcasting in a variety of areas. Some of these areas include for instance rural development, science education, teacher education, creative writing, as well as agriculture programmes meant for the farmers. Nowadays, PDAs, mp3 players as well as Smart Phone are increasingly gaining immense popularity. So much so that a number of professors have gone ahead and allow their students to both watch and listen to a video of for example, a certain course in the form of a Podcast (Lever-Duffy & McDonald 2008). This has further led to a rise in the distribution medium for distance learning content. Use of technology in the delivery of distance education There are two groups of technology that distance learning employs; asynchronous and synchronous. Synchronous technology refers to an online delivery mode in which all the various participants have to be â€Å"present† simultaneously. In this case, there emerges the need to organise a timetable beforehand, for this particular event. Videoconferencing, telephone and web conferencing are just but a few examples of the synchronous technology that we have today, and which is at times applied to distance learning. On the other hand, asynchronous technology refers to an online delivery mode in which the various participants are able to access the materials of their courses at will that is on a schedule that is convenient to them (Lever-Duffy & McDonald 2008). As such, it is not a requirement that the students have to be together simultaneously. Audiocassette, Message Board Forums, Videocassete, E-mail and fax/Voice Mail are all examples of asynchronous technologies. Limitations of Evaluation and testing distance learning For a long time now, distance learning has been faced with trouble in as far as testing is concerned. Test material delivery is an exercise that may be accomplished with relative ease. The manner in which this is done is such that a given student has the necessary material at their disposal, so that they are able to read these at their convenience. However, there arises a problem at a time when the distance learning students are needed to complete various tests and assignments (Berg 2002). One observation that has been noted with online courses is that it is usually extremely difficult for say, an instructor to control the students from cheating in tests, quizzes or even the main examinations. This is because dues to the lack of the physical presence of a teacher to facilitate a physical monitoring exercise over the students. In the case of a classroom situation, it is quite possible for a teacher to not only monitor the activities of students during examination time, but also uphold visually a certain integrity level that is in line with the reputation of an institution in question. In the case of distance education however, it becomes quite easy to have a student completely removed from a supervision exercise (Berg 2002). One way through which security to curb cheating by distance learning students may be effected is to ensure that all the final examinations get done at a location that is common to all students, to allow both professors and invigilators to directly supervise the students. The internet too, has come to the rescue of distance learning. Today, we have quite a number of websites that provides exam packages and software that are secure, in a bid to assist professors to control and manage distance learning students in a more effective manner. Theories of distance learning According to the distance education theory as postulated by Desmond Keegan, it is necessary that the system of distance learning be able to recreate artificially the learning-teaching interaction, in addition, the system should also be in a position to re-integrate such an interaction with the instructional process. The Iowa Model rests on this particular basis: providing a distance learner a traditional-like experience (that involves ‘face-to-face’ instruction), through the use of intact classrooms as well as live. On the other hand, the Norwegian Model has been known to traditionally integrate distance teaching that is mediated with local teaching that is often times face-to-face. Holmberg (2005) has attempted to explain the various duties of a teacher to distance learners. At a time when a teacher gets to meet with her students physically, thanks to an effective media choice, such a teacher ceases being ‘a communicator of a fixed body of information’ (Holmberg 2005), and instead assumes the role of a learning facilitator. From this point onwards the process of learning take on as a form of knowledge building between on the one hand, the students and on the other hand, the teacher. Today, the systems of distance learning takes into account an elevated interactivity level between a student and his teacher. This is also the case for the isolated or rural communities that could be separated from each other by for instance, several thousand miles. Distance learning systems The conventional approach to distance learning is that this is a form of education that is meant for the adult learners. However, it is important to appreciate that we also have institutions that have for a number of years now been actively involved in the provision of distance education to former high school students. Even then, we also have distance learning taking place at both the middle school and elementary levels. In this case, distance learning makes use of modules that are meant to enrich the curriculum, in addition to telecommunications projects that are in place. When we explore the issue of distance learning in secondary schools, this form of education is normally financially assisted by either the federal or the local government. The aim of the program therefore is to identify and fulfil the needs that small school districts within the rural areas may be faced with (Merriam et al 2007). It is also possible today for students from secondary schools to be enrolled in certain courses, so as to enable them attain the requirements of graduation for certain courses that may not be offered by their respective districts. There are those students that opt to enrol in foreign language, advanced placement or better still, vocational classes. There are also countless instances in which we have had gifted or talented students from high schools being chosen to enrol on distance classes, on the basis of their academic capacity and ability in as far as the execution of individual work is concerned. What this means is that the management exercise of classrooms turns into a much easier task. On the negative side however, we may end up with students that are quite disenfranchised (Lever-Duffy & McDonald 2008), with the result that they may end up facing a problem of managing their time, in addition to lacking discipline. Technology may be regarded as a principle portion of distance learning, yet it is a requirement that any programme that has succeeded in this field, ought to lay more emphasis on students needs, as opposed to the actual technology. In order for a system of distance learning to be considered successful, there is a need to ensure that interactivity takes place between on the one hand, the students and on the other hand, the teacher. In addition, interactivity is also required between the environment of learning and the students, as well as amongst the various students in a distance learning institution. Interactivity could assume various forms, and it is important to note here that video, audio as well as student-teacher interactions are not the only types of interactivity that could be applied to distance learning. Interactivity on the part of the student, may very well symbolize the kind of connectivity distance learning students are able to share with their teacher, in addition to facilitators, aides, peers and also local teachers. In the absence of connectivity there is a probability that distance learning may disintegrate into the conventional independent study of course model (Lever-Duffy & McDonald 2008). Bibliography Berg, G. A, 2002, Why distance learning? : higher education administrative practices. Greenwood Publishing Group, NY.Holmberg, B, 2005, The evolution, principles and practices of distance education. Bibliotheks- und Informationssystem der Universitat Oldenburg. p. 13. Lever-Duffy, J. and Jean B. McDonald, J. B, 2008, Teaching and learning with technology. New York: Pearson Education, Inc. , Merriam, S, Caffarella, R. , and Baumgartner, L, 2007, Learning in Adulthood New York: Wiley. Moore, M, and Kearsley, G, G, 2005, Distance education: a systems view (Second Ed). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Taylor, J. C. â€Å"The fifth generation of distance education’, Chinese Journal of Open Education Research, Vol. 3 (2003): 25 – 27.

Biography of Adolf Hitler, Leader of the Third Reich

Adolf Hitler (1889–1945) was the leader of Germany during the Third Reich (1933–1945). He was the primary instigator of both the Second World War in Europe and the mass execution of millions of people deemed to be enemies, or inferior to the Aryan ideal. He rose from being a talentless painter to the dictator of Germany and, for a few months, emperor of much of Europe. His empire was crushed by an array of the worlds strongest nations; he killed himself before he could be tried and brought to justice. Fast Facts: Adolf Hitler Known For: Leading the German Nazi party and instigating World War IIBorn: April 20, 1889 in Braunau am Inn, AustriaParents: Alois Hitler and Klara PoelzlDied: April 30, 1945 in Berlin, GermanyEducation: Realschule in SteyrPublished Works: Mein KampfSpouse: Eva BraunNotable Quote: In starting and waging a war it is not right that matters but victory. Early Life Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, on April 20, 1889 to Alois Hitler (who, as an illegitimate child, had previously used his mother’s name of Schickelgruber) and Klara Poelzl. A moody child, he grew hostile towards his father, especially once the latter had retired and the family had moved to the outskirts of Linz. Alois died in 1903 but left money to take care of the family. Adolf was close to his mother, who was highly indulgent of him, and he was deeply affected when she died in 1907. He left school at age 16 in 1905, intending to become a painter. Unfortunately for him, he wasnt a very good one. Vienna Hitler went to Vienna in 1907 where he applied to the Viennese Academy of Fine Arts but was twice turned down. This experience further embittered the increasingly angry Hitler. He returned to Vienna again when his mother died, living first with a more successful friend (Kubizek) and then moving from hostel to hostel as a lonely, vagabond figure. He recovered to make a living selling his art cheaply as a resident in a community Mens Home. During this period, Hitler appears to have developed the worldview that would characterize his whole life, and which centered on hatred for Jews and Marxists. Hitler was well-placed to be influenced by the demagogy of Karl Lueger, Vienna’s deeply anti-Semitic mayor and a man who used hate to help create a party of mass support. Hitler had previously been influenced by Schonerer, an Austrian politician against liberals, socialists, Catholics, and Jews. Vienna was also highly anti-Semitic; Hitlers hate was not unusual, it was simply part of the popular mindset. What Hitler went on to do was present these ideas more successfully than ever before. The First World War Hitler moved to Munich in 1913 and avoided Austrian military service in early 1914 by virtue of being unfit for service. However, when the First World War broke out in 1914, he joined the 16th Bavarian Infantry Regiment, serving throughout the war, mostly as a corporal after refusing promotion. He proved to be an able and brave soldier as a dispatch runner, winning the Iron Cross on two occasions (First and Second Class). He was also wounded twice, and four weeks before the war ended he suffered a gas attack that temporarily blinded and hospitalized him. It was there he learned of Germany’s surrender, which he took as a betrayal. He especially hated the Treaty of Versailles, which Germany had to sign after the war as part of the settlement. Hitler Enters Politics After WWI, Hitler became convinced he was destined to help Germany, but his first move was to stay in the army for as long as possible because it paid wages, and to do so, he went along with the socialists now in charge of Germany. He was soon able to turn the tables and drew the attention of army anti-socialists, who were setting up anti-revolutionary units. In 1919, working for an army unit, he was assigned to spy on a political party of roughly 40 idealists called the German Workers Party. Instead, he joined it, swiftly rose to a position of dominance (he was chairman by 1921), and renamed it the Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP). He gave the party the Swastika as a symbol and organized a personal army of storm troopers (the SA or Brownshirts) and bodyguards of black-shirted men, the Schutzstaffel (SS), to attack opponents. He also discovered, and used, his powerful ability for public speaking. The Beer Hall Putsch In November 1923, Hitler organized Bavarian nationalists under a figurehead of General Ludendorff into a coup (or putsch). They declared their new government in a beer hall in Munich; a group of 3,000 marched through the streets, but they were met by police who opened fire, killing 16. Hitler was arrested in1924 and used his trial to spread his name and his ideas widely. He was sentenced to just five years in prison, a sentence often described as a sign of tacit agreement with his views. Hitler served only nine months in prison, during which he wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle), a book outlining his theories on race, Germany, and Jews. It sold five million copies by 1939. Only then, in prison, did Hitler come to believe he was destined to be a leader. The man who thought he was paving the way for a German leader of genius now thought he was the genius who could take and use power. Politician After the Beer Hall Putsch, Hitler resolved to seek power through subverting the Weimar government system, and he carefully rebuilt the NSDAP, or Nazi, party, allying with future key figures like Goering and propaganda mastermind Goebbels. Over time, he expanded the party’s support, partly by exploiting the fears of socialists and partly by appealing to everyone who felt their economic livelihood threatened by the depression of the 1930s. Over time, he gained the interest of big business, the press, and the middle classes. Nazi votes jumped to 107 seats in the Reichstag in 1930. Its important to stress that Hitler wasnt a socialist. The Nazi party that he was molding was based on race, not the idea of socialism, but it took a good few years for Hitler to grow powerful enough to expel the socialists from the party. Hitler didnt take power in Germany overnight and took years for him to take full power of his party overnight. President and Fà ¼hrer In 1932, Hitler acquired German citizenship and ran for president, coming in second to von Hindenburg. Later that year, the Nazi party acquired 230 seats in the Reichstag, making them the largest party in Germany. At first, Hitler was refused the office of Chancellor by a president who distrusted him, and a continued snub might have seen Hitler cast out as his support failed. However, factional divisions at the top of government meant that, thanks to conservative politicians believing they could control Hitler, he was appointed chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933. Hitler moved with great speed to isolate and expel opponents from power, shutting trade unions and removing communists, conservatives, and Jews. Later that year, Hitler perfectly exploited an act of arson on the Reichstag (which some believe the Nazis helped cause) to begin the creation of a totalitarian state, dominating the March 5 elections thanks to support from nationalist groups. Hitler soon took over the role of president when Hindenburg died and merged the role with that of chancellor to become fà ¼hrer (leader) of Germany. In Power Hitler continued to move with speed in radically changing Germany, consolidating power, locking up â€Å"enemies† in camps, bending culture to his will, rebuilding the army, and breaking the constraints of the Treaty of Versailles. He tried to change the social fabric of Germany by encouraging women to breed more and bringing in laws to secure racial purity; Jews were particularly targeted. Employment, high elsewhere in a time of depression, fell to zero in Germany. Hitler also made himself head of the army, smashed the power of his former brownshirt street warriors, and expunged the socialists fully from his party and his state. Nazism was the dominant ideology. Socialists were the first in the death camps. World War II and the Failure of the Third Reich Hitler believed he must make Germany great again through creating an empire and engineered territorial expansion, uniting with Austria in an Anschluss and dismembering Czechoslovakia. The rest of Europe was worried, but France and Britain were prepared to concede limited expansion with Germany, taking within it the German fringe. Hitler, however, wanted more. It was in September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland, that other nations took a stand and declared war. This was not unappealing to Hitler, who believed Germany should make itself great through war, and invasions in 1940 went well. Over the course of that year, France fell and the Third Reich expanded. However, his fatal mistake occurred in 1941 with the invasion of Russia, through which he wished to create lebensraum, or living room. After initial success, German forces were pushed back by Russia, and defeats in Africa and West Europe followed as Germany was slowly beaten. Death During the last years of the war, Hitler became gradually more paranoid and divorced from the world, retreating to a bunker. As armies approached Berlin from two directions, Hitler married his mistress Eva Braun and on April 30, 1945, he killed himself. The Soviets found his body soon after and spirited it away so it would never become a memorial. A piece remains in a Russian archive. Legacy Hitler will forever be remembered for starting the Second World War, the most costly conflict in world history, thanks to his desire to expand Germany’s borders through force. He will equally be remembered for his dreams of racial purity, which prompted him to order the execution of millions of people, perhaps as high as 11 million. Although every arm of German bureaucracy was turned to pursuing the executions, Hitler was the chief driving force. In the decades since Hitler’s death, many commentators have concluded that he must have been mentally ill and that, if he wasn’t when he started his rule, the pressures of his failed wars must have driven him mad. Given that he ordered genocide and ranted and raved, it is easy to see why people have come to this conclusion, but it’s important to state that there is no consensus among historians that he was insane, or what psychological problems he may have had. Sources â€Å"Adolf Hitler.† Biography.com, AE Networks Television, 14 Feb. 2019. Alan Bullock, Baron Bullock, et al. â€Å"Adolf Hitler.† Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 19 Dec. 2018.