Saturday, December 28, 2019
Breast Cancer Risk Factors And Prevention - 1526 Words
Breast Cancer: Risk Factors and Prevention When malignant cells form in the tissues of the breast, breast cancer occurs. One in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime (Stuckey, 2011). Breast cancer also occurs in men; however, the number of cases is small compared to women accounting for only 1% of the breast cancer cases in the United States (Stuckey, 2011). Breast cancer is the third most frequent type of cancer in the world (Stuckey, 2011), and the second most common type of cancer in American women next to skin cancer. Over the past several years, deaths from breast cancer have decreased each year; however, it still remains the second most frequent cause of cancer related deaths in American women with lungâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Being a woman is the primary risk factor for developing breast cancer. Women are 100 times more likely to develop breast cancer than men (American Cancer Society, 2014). In addition, a personââ¬â¢s risk of developing breast cancer increases with age (Stuckey, 2011). One out of 8 invasive breast cancers are found in women younger than 45, while about 2 out of every 3 invasive breast cancers are found in women age 55 or older (American Cancer Society, 2014). The risk of breast cancer in a 70 year old woman is about 10 times that of a 30 year old woman (Stuckey, 2011). Having a family history of breast cancer is a risk factor (Stuckey, 2011). There are more people diagnosed with breast cancer whose close blood relatives have the disease. Having a first-degree relative, which is a mother, sister, or daughter, with a history of breast cancer approximately doubles a womanââ¬â¢s risk. Having two first-degree relatives with breast cancer makes a person three times more likely to develop breast cancer (American Cancer Society, 2014). Women with a personal history of a benign cancer disease have an increased risk of developing a second primary breast cancer (National Cancer Institute). Those diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 40 are at higher risk and younger women have are three times as likely to develop any future cancer and are four and a
Friday, December 20, 2019
The Career Of Being A Fashion Designer - 2392 Words
î ¿ ¿ î ¿ ¾ FASHION DESIGNER THE CAREER OF BEING A FASHION DESIGNER TRINITY ELISHIA MCKOY JANUARY 9 , 2015 SUBMITTED TO MR.KEVIN NELSON EIGHTH GRADE HOUSE COATS-ERWIN MIDDLE SCHOOL NORTH CAROLINA -COMMON CORE OBJ(S)8.W.1 8.W.5 Trinity Elishia McKoy 8th Grade Eng/Language Arts Mr.Kevin L. Nelson January 9 ,2015 The career of being a Fashion Designer ? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a fashion designer? Hopefully this will help you. The question is what exactly is a fashion designer. ââ¬Å" A Fashion designer is one who creates or adapts original designs for clothing for men , women , and children. Most specialize in one particular type of clothing , such as women , dresses or menââ¬â¢s suits , or in accessories such as handbags , hats , or jewelry.ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬â¢ A fashion designer job is very competitive , since you have other designers who specialize in the same thing as you. What makes a fashion designer important? A fashion designer is a great need in the world. We as humans need clothes for every type of weather and occasion. Also clothes are made to express people personality. Clothes are made so that we can be who we are and look stylish at the same time. That the fashion designer job is to make the clothes unique and to hopefully fit someone personality besides theirs. A fashion designe r job is to create. Since the fashion world is so widespread it is hard for a fashion designer to be unique. They always have to keep up withShow MoreRelatedCareers of Design: Interior and Fashion Essay1715 Words à |à 7 Pagescategory in which two special occupations fall into: a fashion designer and an interior designer. Fine Arts is a unique category that some adultsââ¬â¢ jobs fit into. Fine Arts employs a majority of people who are artistic and are creative. However, not all the employed enjoy the Arts; some of the careers are simplistic and simply follow orders of a creative boss. These jobs do not simply create accessories or vanities for people, these careers create enjoyable objects, experiences, and settings. LifeRead MoreStatment of Purpose for Psychologists and Fashion Designers924 Words à |à 4 PagesPsychologists and fashion designers may give back to society in different ways but they both offer outlets for emotions and a chance of making people happy. Both psychologists and fashion designers must be able to deal with different kinds of people and stay calm in stressful situations. They both get to encounter interesting people in their fields and with cliental which is always nice. Iââ¬â¢m not always a social person but it appeals to me to be able to meet and work with different k inds of that shareRead MoreEssay on Having a Career in Fashion Design1260 Words à |à 6 PagesHaving a Career in Fashion Design The fashion design career, has recently emerged as one of the most popular and competitive among young people. Those who actually succeed in design have a very individualistic personal style and donââ¬â¢t follow trends set by others. Having fashion design as your profession sometimes allows you to meet glamorous people. It can also put you in charge of what is in and out when it comes to clothing through ramp shows and fashion write-ups. Most designers have a greatRead MoreMy Career Choice: Fashion Designer Essay775 Words à |à 4 Pageswant to become a fashion designer. My goals are to create clothing that is for all sizes, ages, and genders. In my clothing I want t show a creative side of my art ability and I want to make my clothing affordable for all as well. I think I influenced myself to wanting to become a fashion designer because I have a passion for art and wanting to become a fashion designer. I enjoy making sketches of clothing that one day will hopefully be available in stores all over. Fashion designing in my opinionRead MoreFashion Design Is The Top Of Your Head, Right?1384 Words à |à 6 PagesWithout fashion designers, we would all be naked. Do you know what it takes to become a fashion designer? You can probably name a good 10 designers of the top of your head, right? Now, think about how many people are in college at FIDM or the NY School of Fashion, or the many other schools that fashion designers strive to go to, thousands of people. The fashion industry is one of the most competitive businesses out there. It is said that, ââ¬Å"while fashion designers must be creative, they also needRead MoreThe Fashion Designers : Edith Head1657 Words à |à 7 PagesThroughout Hollywoodââ¬â¢s history, there have been several great fashion designers. One of these designers is Edith Head. She had a very long and illustrious career that lasted from 1927 to 1981, and she ins pired numerous fashion trends based on her costume designs. As the head designer for both Universal and Paramount, she also worked on several popular films including Roman Holiday, Sabrina, and The Sting. Edith Head was very secretive about her childhood and would often lie about it when questionedRead MoreFashion Stylists vs. Fashion Designers Essay591 Words à |à 3 PagesFashion Stylists vs. Fashion Designers Fashion stylists and fashion designers have some similarities, but the differences are very evident. Fashion stylists hold the job title of someone who selects the clothing for published editorial features, print or television advertising campaigns, music videos, concert performances, and any public appearances made by celebrities, models or other public figures. Fashion designers simply create garments to be worn and purchased by the general public. FashionRead MoreDesigning The Fashion Industry ( Mcalpine 14 )1330 Words à |à 6 Pagesscratchhard.com, the fashion industry generates an average of $20 billion each year. Fashion designers are the heart of the fashion world. Designing is a form of art that is translated into clothing. Inspiration for the designs comes from trends, art, culture, places, and the media. Fashion designers create ideas which they turn into clothing to sell. The first step of designing is researching current fashion trends and predicting future trends. Trends determine the success of the fashion industry (McAlpineRead MoreWhy Men Are More Talented At Design Than Women1484 Words à |à 6 Pagesaccurately measure the success rate of designers based on sex or sexual orientation, or, somewhat speciously, to examine if men are more talented at design than women. As Valerie Steele, the chief curator of the Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology, said: There is no gay gene for creativity. But circumstantial evidence is making some designers wonder about the disparities. Of the young American designers most embraced by retailers and celebrated in the fashion press in recent years, the rollRead MoreFashion Design989 Words à |à 4 Pagesover the career of Fashion Design. I chose this topic, because I have always had a desire to one day have my own clothing line and see other people support me by wearing my creations. Also because I like to mix different articles of clothing and create my own unique style to go out and express to the world. This paper will highlight the details about a fashion designer, like what type of education you need, skills required, the work environment, and their salaries. Fashion Design is a career where people
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Customer Relationship Management Balance Score Card
Question: Discuss about the Balance score card of crocs and growth ratio of crocs using balance sheet? Answer: Introduction The balanced scorecard is found to be a significant framework for strategic management and planning which is extensively utilized in the industry and business, nonprofit and governmental organizations worldwide so that the business activities can be aligned in accordance with the organizational vision and strategy. This can further facilitate in enhancing external and internal communication emulated by the monitoring of the organizational performance against the strategic goals of an organization. The balanced scorecard has four significant perspectives that are as below: Internal business process Financial/Stewardship Customer/Stakeholder Learning and Growth Perspective The learning and growth perspective incorprates attitudes of the corporate culture and employee training that is further related to the corporate self improvement (Relevant development: Effective leadership training, 2012). In an organization having a technological change, it is quite imperative for the workers to adapt to such change and that can be attained through learning and growth perspective. The financial perspective entails the financial performance of the company where the financial performance can be explored through different key performance indicators like return on equity, net profit margin, assets turnover etc (Jiang and Lee, n.d.). The business process perspective is related to the approach as to how the business keeps on running and that the products and services conform to the requirements of the customer (Unnikrishnan, n.d.). The customer perspective realizes the importance of customer saisfaction and customer focus in a business (DR.K.VANITHA, 2012). Therefore, if the customers are not satisfied then they would look for another brand or service. Balanced Scorecard Crocs Shoewear The balanced Scorecard for Crocs Shoewear will also incorporate the above mentioned perspectives as below: Internal business process: One of the signficant strengths of Crocs is related to the supply chain competitive capabilities. The supply chain of Crocs is considered to be quite flexible that is capable enough for filling the new orders in accordance with the rapid quality manufacturing emulated by the shipping of those newly manufactured products to the retail outlets. It has a fast shipping and manufacturing process emulated by the excess capacity and rapid replenishment framework that has allowed them for meeting an unanticipated increase in the market demand within a short period of time (Relevant development: Effective leadership training, 2012). Crocs has a significantly effective, efficient and a standardized process of production associated with molding and injection and that there is no excess inventory because of an epansion in an on demand production (Zellner, 2011). For the purpose of rapidly meeting an increasing demand during a season within a certain market, the Company Crocs has an ability for moving the equipment to their several operations related to manufacturing, mainly the closest location of the production of that particular market for capturing and meeting the local needs of the customer. Financial Perspective: The financial perspective can be illusrated from numerous key performance indicators like gross profit which indicates the ability of the company to decrease the cost of goods sold and enhance the gross margin to cover up the fixed expenses. In the recent years the gross margin has enhanced significantly in comparison to its starting years. The gross profit in 2013 was $623 millions but in 2014 it was $590 million. Though, there is not so much difference but it can decrease further if the cost of goods sold keeps on increasing or the sales keep on diminishing. Furthermore, the financial strength of the company can be illustrated through three significant factors as below: Debt burden Debt to revenue ratio Altman Z-score The company Crocs has an interest expense of around $-0 million in September 2015. Apart from this, the operating income within the same time period was found to be $-21 million. Whereas, the long term debt was found to be $2 million. This indicates that Crocs did not have that much earnings for covering the interest expense. The debt to revenue ratio was found to be 0.03 which indicates that the lower the debt to revenue ratio, the better is it for the company. The Altman Z-score model is found to be a significant forecaster of the failure up till the two years of prior to distress. The crocs Z-score is calcuated using the following formula: Z = 1.2 x X1 + 1.4 x X2 + 3.3 x X3 + 0.6 x X4 + 1.0 x X5 X1 Working Capital /Total Assets 0.48 X2 Retained Earnings/Total Assets 0.42 X3 EBIT/Total Assets -0.1 X4 Market Value Of Equity/Book Value of Total Liabilities 1.7 X5 Revenue/Total Assets 1.5 After calculating the above Z score, it is found that the Altman Z score is 3.4 which indicates that it is within the safe zone. This also indicates that the company Crocs is not likely to fall into the distressed situations. Customer Perspective: Crocs has two significant types of consumers. This incorporates retail and consumer customers. For consumer customers, it has designed an extensive and broad system of distribution and that the shoes have an availability within an assortment of the retail outlets to departmental stores from the speciality stores and store chains of the large shoes (DR.K.VANITHA, 2012). Moreover, for the retail customers, the company has made this more attractive for the segment by permitting the customers of this segment to make an order of as few as 24 pairs while stocking them in accordance with the matter of weeks and not even months. Learning and Growth Perspective: The organizational structure of Crocs is decentralized. This permits the company for taking an advantage for the labor division and imparted decision making with the members (Unnikrishnan, n.d.). Furthermore, it allows the employees and laborers to enhance their performance by learning in accordance with their weak competency zones. Through this particular learning and growth at Crocs, the business managers can utilize the knowledge, experience and skills of the employees in an effective manner for optimizing the business performance. Growth Ratios The growth ratios for the Crocs Inc are as below: The above ratios explain the the revenues have increased in 2009 and 2010 but then it kept on decreasing considerably. This could be due to the fact that in 2014, the company decided to convert or close approximately 100 retail locations that were company owned around the world. The company also initiated inventory planning, merchanding for the purpose of driving sales growth but the impact of closures was quite significant which resulted in the decline of annual sales. Operating income and net income witnessed significant fluctuations. This is because of the fact that the cost of goods sold have increased along with a sluggish increase in the sales. In the same way, this has impacted the net income as well. References DR.K.VANITHA, D. (2012). Customer Relationship Management on Customer Satisfaction.IJSR, 3(4), pp.1-3. Jiang, X. and Lee, B. (n.d.). Financial Ratios, Expected Returns, and Fundamentals.SSRN Electronic Journal. Relevant development: Effective leadership training. (2012).Development and Learning in Organizations, 26(5), pp.32-36. Unnikrishnan, P. (n.d.). Decision Support, Business Process Improvement and Managing Data.SSRN Electronic Journal. Zellner, G. (2011). A structured evaluation of business process improvement approaches.Business Process Mgmt Journal, 17(2), pp.203-237.
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Social Control of Tobacco and Alcohol free essay sample
Tobacco and alcohol Consumption of tobacco and alcohol has long been proven to be harmful to oneââ¬â¢s health, however it should be considered oneââ¬â¢s liberty to smoke or drink and such acts are not considered ââ¬Å"illegalâ⬠under laws. However, many countries have implement social control mechanisms in regulating smoking or drinking behavior, which raises controversy in the sense that smoking and drinking could be seen as ââ¬Å"normsâ⬠in social gatherings. This essay is divided into two parts: the first part attempts to justify the need for social control for tobacco and alcohol using various sociological theories and studies; while the second part describes the mechanism of social control on this issue in the context of Hong Kong in detail. Definition of Social Control Before justifying the need of social control for smoking and alcohol consumption, it is necessary to understand the definition of social control. The Oxford Dictionary of Sociology defines social control as social processes that regulate behavior of individuals or groups into conforming to norms and values in society. Edward Ross was known for pioneering the concept of social control, he defines it a purposive ascendency over individual aims and interests through definite and organized means to uphold social interest and function (Ross, 1986). According to Black (1976), social control includes the definition of deviance as well as the responses to deviance; while Cohen (1985) claimed that social control is an organized response towards deviance; while Meier argues that there are three functions of social control: serving as a description of social processes, mechanism to ensure compliance and social stability, as well as a method to study social order (Meier, 1982). Justifying Social Control Hobbes on Social Control In Leviathan (1651) by Thomas Hobbes, he assumes that men are all equal and selfish, and such selfish desires drives men into a state of war ââ¬â where human beings pursue their own gratifications and interests as they saw fit without considering the rights of others, thus giving rise to conflicts and chaos in the absence of a sovereign power or laws to regulate social order. Hobbes argues that in the state of nature, there is no concept of morality. Thus, under the fear of death, people would be willing to come together and to form a sovereign power, known as Common-wealth, submitting their liberties in exchange for safety and sustainability. Tobacco and Alcohol Applying this theory in the case of tobacco smoking, without social control, people who are free to pursuit satisfaction from smoking as they saw fit, without considering the threats they pose to the physical wellbeing of themselves or others. Conflict between men arises. Under the assumptions that men desire a commodious living and fear death, it calls for social control via common-wealth on the behavior of tobacco smoking or drinking. However, despite the rise of common-wealth, people are still tempted to disobey laws in the absence of a coercive system of punishment. Thus, under Hobbesââ¬â¢ theory, there should be a formal social control mechanism that compels people to conform to norms and rules. John Locke on Social Control In The Second Treatise on Civil Government (1690) by John Locke, he proposes the concept of the State of Nature ââ¬â a state with full liberty within the laws of nature. Locke assumes that men are reasonable, equal and independent before the law, and no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions. Tobacco Under Lockeââ¬â¢s theory, social control on tobacco can be justified in the sense that smoking harms both the smoker as well as people around the smoker via second-hand smoke. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in United States, people who are exposed to secondhand smoke have a 20-30% higher chance of developing lung cancer, and there has been an estimated 3,400 deaths of non-smokers a year by lung cancer in the States that is caused by secondhand smoke. In Hong Kong, according to the Hong Kong Cancer Registry under the Hospital Authority, lung cancer has been continuously ranked top of the list as the most common cancer in Hong Kong. This violates the state of nature when the smoker imposes a threat to the health of others. Locke argues that every man should have the right to punish the offender, who declares himself as violating the laws of reason and common equity, and poses danger to the preservation of mankind (Locke, 1960). Thus, in the name of sustaining the lives of men, this calls for the set up of a social contract, in which men comes to a mutual agreement in regulating the ââ¬Å"deviantâ⬠act ââ¬â in this case, tobacco smoking for the sake of common good. Alcohol Alcohol plays an important social and cultural role in society. For example, from the perspective of Chinese medicine, alcohol can be used as traditional health products to cure diseases or sooth pain; or in social gatherings or collective celebrations, consumption of alcohol can lighten up the social atmosphere, making people more relaxed, talkative or sociable. However, controversy arises when alcoholic substances causes harm on oneââ¬â¢s physical well being or bring about accidents that harm otherââ¬â¢s lives. Under Lockeââ¬â¢s theory, every one ought not to harm anotherââ¬â¢s life, health, liberty or possessions, and everyone has the right to punish transgressors of the law (Locke, 1960). Thus, social control on alcohol can be justified because consumption of alcohol is known to affect oneââ¬â¢s judgment, awareness and consciousness and often triggers alcohol-related harms and accidents. According to statistics from the Transport Department, almost 900 vehicle accidents resulting in personal injury were due to alcohol consumption, with 24 fatal cases. From this statistics, it can be concluded that alcohol consumption raises the possibility of traffic incidents, thus endangering the life of other people. Thus, according to Lockeââ¬â¢s theory, it is necessary for people to control and regulate alcohol consumption for the preservation of human lives and social safety. Differential Association Theory Apart from Lockeââ¬â¢s theory, Edward Sutherlandââ¬â¢s differential association theory can also justify the need for regulating deviant behavior. According to Sutherland, deviance is learnt through social interaction with other people, mainly via primary or close social groups (Williams amp; McShane, 1998). Such learning includes criminal patterns and techniques, motives as well as attitudes of criminals (Williams amp; McShane, 1998). In the case of drinking and smoking, people often drink because they hope to socialize and this can be learnt from various social settings. Social control of drinking can be justified in the sense that younger generations are exposed in settings where they can learn or develop such unhealthy habits, for example, hanging out in bars or with street gangs. Thus, it is necessary for some form of social control like minimum age for drinking to prevent teenagers from developing such habits at a young age. According to a population health survey conducted the HKSAR government in 2004, there is a growing trend of underage drinking in younger generations due to peer pressure. Thus, there is a need for social control mechanisms to prevent young teenagers that lack maturity from developing unhealthy habits at a young age, which would increase their risk of addiction as well as raising the risks of potential health hazards resulting from such behavior. Apart from concerns for teenagersââ¬â¢ future, from an economic perspective, there displays a need to regulate smoking and drinking. For example, smoking and drinking often results in cigarette buds and glass bottles disposed on Hong Kong streets, adding to economic burden of Hong Kong government in cleaning Hong Kongââ¬â¢s streets and maintaining the image of Hong Kong. Social Control Mechanisms in Hong Kong A. Formal Social Control Formal social control can be defined as mechanisms implemented by governments to regulate peopleââ¬â¢s behavior so to ensure conformity to social norms and legislations. Examples of formal social control include government policies, criminal laws and legislations. Measures to control availability Controlling the availability of tobacco and liquor is the key gatekeeping measure to control supply of such products in Hong Kong. In terms of tobacco, under Section 15A of the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance in Hong Kong, it states that selling or giving of any form of tobacco products as means for promotion to anyone under the age of 18 is strictly prohibited, and anyone who is convicted of such an act could be fined up to HKD$25,000. In terms of alcohol, under the Dutiable Commodities (Liquor) Regulations (Cap. 109), a license issued by the government is required for restaurants or clubs to sell any form of liquor at the premises. It is also stated that no licensee is permitted to sell liquor to people under the age of 18. Yet, there is currently no restriction on the sale of alcohol for off-premises purposes. Measures to control marketing Marketing is another factor that directly influences consumer consumption, the government thus makes use of negative marketing strategies for tobacco and alcohol products so to raise the public awareness on negative impacts of smoking and drinking. In terms of tobacco, under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371), it is statutory for all cigarette packs to contain a standardized health warning illustrating the side effects of tar and nicotine, e. g. ââ¬Å"Smoking causes lung cancerâ⬠. Also, price markers or price boards of cigarettes in retailers are limited in number and style, as well as are compelled to bear a healthy warning up to the size of one-fifth of the boards. Both acts holds the cigarette producers and shop sellers responsible of ensuring there is a negative effect on marketing of cigarettes, failure to comply to the laws would result in fines up to HKD$50,000. In terms of alcohol, under the Broadcasting Ordinance (Cap. 562) and the Broadcasting Authority Ordinance, (Cap. 391), there are restricted codes of practice of media concerning advertising liquor on air. For example, advertising of alcohol beverages shall be broadcasted to target audience only, and are forbidden during four to eight in the evening to prevent any children under age of 18 to be exposed to such advertising. Also, it is stated under the ordinances that broadcasters shall not attempt to lure young people into picking up the habit of drinking, and shall not portray the act of alcohol consumption as appealing to young age groups. Measures to control pricing Regulating the prices of tobacco and alcohol products is one of the most effective ways to deter consumers with elastic demands from smoking or drinking. According to the World Bank, raising the price of cigarettes are the most effective way in deterring potential smokers from smoking due to their high price responsiveness. It is said that raising the price by 10% would successfully lower tobacco consumption by 8% in low- and middle-income countries. In terms of tobacco, duty is charged to the sellers and incorporated into prices of cigarettes in order to raise the marketing price of tobacco products in the market. According to the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), tobacco duty is charged as per quantity or weight by the Customs and Excise Department. For example, the duty charged per 1,000 cigarettes is HKD$1,706. Also as a means of preventing imports of cigarettes in Hong Kong, since 1 August 2010, it is prohibited for any residents or visitors of Hong Kong to carry more than 19 cigarettes to Hong Kong. This strict no duty-free cessation restricts the quantity of tobacco products entering Hong Kong. In terms of alcohol, since the year of 2008, duty on beer and wine has been exempted in Hong Kong. However, liquor that has over 30% alcohol strength has to pay 100% duty in proportion to its value. When comparing the pricing measures, tobacco has a stricter pricing strategy in reducing demand relative to alcohol. Measures that regulate behavior Other than measures that affect the supply, marketing and prices of tobacco products and liquor, formal social control mechanisms have also been implement in restricting drinking and smoking, especially in public areas. Under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance, as effective since 2007, smoking is prohibited in all indoor areas including restaurants, indoor workplaces, public indoor areas, public transport facilities and certain public outdoor spaces. In September 2009, the government has further tightened the smoking ban in regulating smoking in Hong Kong ââ¬â Under the Fixed Penalty (Smoking Offenses) Ordinance (Cap. 600), offenders are subjected to a fine of HKD$1,500 if caught smoking in restricted non-smoking areas, and will be charged extra if fines were not settled within 21 days. In terms of alcohol, unlike the United States, Hong Kong does not restrict the carrying of alcohol products in the streets. However, behavior of drinking is mainly regulated by means to prevent drunk driving. According to the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374), it is illegal for someone to operate a vehicle if the proportion of alcohol in his breath exceeds 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 milliliters of breath. In face that drunk driving has become a growing trend in Hong Kong, since 2009, the government implemented a random breath testing policy, permitting police officers to stop any vehicle and subject the driver to a breath test without reasonable suspicion. Any offender found drunk driving will be subject to fines up to HKD$25,000 as well as imprisonment up to 3 years. Also, a three-tier system was implement in recording the frequency of offense in drivers, first convictions will be deducted ten driving offense points, banned from operating vehicles for no less than 3 months and are required to attend a compulsory driving improvement course. B. Informal Social Control According to Black (1976), informal social control refers to non-legal means of regulating socially problematic behavior. Common examples include family, friends, religious groups, work colleagues, etc. Family Family serves as the first encounter of learning and development for children. Often, children raised in a stable environment rear well-attached children who are less likely to engage in deviant behavior, as said in social control theories. Parents are responsible for caring for their children, as well as educating them on acceptable social behavior and norms. When preventing their children from smoking or drinking, parents can bring out negative health consequences related to tobacco or alcohol consumptions; as well as serve as role models by refraining from such behavior so that their children would develop healthy living habits. Also, parents can set a curfew for their children to prevent them from hanging out in the streets late at night, which increases their risk of exposure to tobacco and alcohol. Parents can also implement strict budget control so that their children would not afford to buy tobacco or alcohol. Schools Education plays a key role in teaching children the necessary knowledge and skills to take up adult roles in society concerning social relations and identities. Apart from family, school is another institution where children are placed in a system with rules and regulations, as well as authority figures to monitor their conduct. It acts as a secondary agent for socializing children of accepted social norms and values. Schools act as a form of informal social control through various ways. First, in terms of education curriculum, students are taught in biology or general studies the negative impacts of smoking and drinking, thus serves as a channel of information that deters children from taking up smoking or drinking. Second, in terms of institutional means, schools in Hong Kong have an organized system of rules that often include the ban of consumption of tobacco or alcoholic products on school premises. Teachers in school often serve as both authoritative figures and role models for students to learn and develop healthy habits and attitudes in life. Apart from institutionalized means, schools also co-operate with the government in organizing events in promoting anti-smoking or anti-drinking messages in the student body. For example, the Health Care and Promotion Fund organizes an inter-school anti-smoking campaign annually to enhance the knowledge of primary and secondary students on the harms of smoking, as well as prevent students from smoking (Health Care and Promotion Fund, 2007). It is a joint effort between the government, schools and non-governmental bodies to raise both awareness and knowledge of students on the issue through tobacco control slogan competitions, drama competitions, quizzes as well as movie competitions (Health Care and Promotion Fund, 2007). Mass Media According Demers (1999), mass media serves as both agents of social change and social control through controlling the dissemination of information that reinforces dominant social norms and values. However, due to the publicity and reach of mass media, mass media can be powerful in aiding the government in disseminating public information concerning health issues and concerns, thus raising public awareness on the issue of tobacco and alcohol. Conclusion To conclude, social control of tobacco and alcohol is necessary because consumption of both products leads to threats against other peopleââ¬â¢s health and lives. In order to preserve social order and preserve mankind, it is necessary to implement social control of tobacco and alcohol through formal and informal means. In Hong Kong, there is an organized legislature in tackling the availability, marketing, pricing as well as consumption behavior of tobacco and alcohol. While in terms of informal social control, families, schools, workplace, churches or non-governmental bodies, as well as the mass media go hand in hand in playing a key role in regulating smoking or drinking behavior. To conclude, it is essential to acknowledge the importance of collaboration of various parties to demonstrate the most effective way of social control. Bibliography Black, D. (1976). The Behavior of Law.
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