Category: Case study

One of the biggest challenges right now facing England is obesity. In 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that childhood obesity is one of the “most serious public health challenges of the 21st century.” The graph below shows obesity in teenagers in England has risen significantly during this 10-year period – 5%. The National Child Measurement Programme now states currently obesity among teenagers is fairly common in the UK “with around one in five 11-15-year-olds being obese.” This opens teenagers to a variety of health-related diseases such as type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease along with significantly lowering their life expectancy. Jane is classified as obese due to her BMI reading, she is a prime example of this. The social learning theory says that “Behaviour is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning.” Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

This means that our behavior is learned through observing those around us, therefore Jane’s eating habits may have been developed through the behavior of people she knows. The mum (Karen) may have the biggest influence due to her being the oldest in the house and therefore someone for Jane to look up to. As Karen works long hours her time spent on cooking healthy nutritious meals evidently shortens, thus fast food deliveries, ready meals, and oven cook pizzas could be the typical tea time option, these unhealthy choices maybe contribute to Jane’s poor eating habits. Not only this but Karen readily admits she comfortably eats, observing this Jane may think this is acceptable and copy it, further leading to her eating habits. Karen clearly also struggles with money, so when doing her weekly shopping she may buy foods that are more in her price range.

Foods with poor nutritional value such as biscuits and crisps may be regularly brought over fruit and vegetables, meaning Janes’s food options are nutritionally limited and her eating habits may be affected by this. Jane’s eating habits may have been established through her mum’s poor food choices, this is due to Karen being a parental model within the house, children observe the attitude and eating behaviors of their parents and parents control the food brought and served at home. There is evidence TV can influence a person’s eating habits.MacIntyre et al (1998) found “that the media has a major impact on both our attitudes to food and what we eat.” This implies that the media can impact the eating behavior of the audience through social learning theory.

Foods remembered from media showings, in particular TV adverts, often get requested by children. Food adverts can increase food purchase requests from children to parents, have an effect on children’s products and brand preferences, and thus effecting their food choice. Jane prefers to watch TV; therefore, the impact of media may greatly contribute to her eating habits. Food items targeted to young audiences in adverts are usually those that are high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat such as Mcdonald’s. Watching adverts that promote this, Jane may think it is acceptable to consume these types of foods. Children are highly likely to imitate people they perceive as similar to themselves, this includes people of the same gender and age. The school consists of many young girls like Jane, if Jane spends most of her time around people with poor eating habits, then eventually she may pick them up too. This could be due to wanting to fit into the “social norm,” which is the accepted behavior that an individual is expected to conform to in a group. Observing her peer’s eating habits, Jane may think that this is what she should be eating and in turn copy their behavior. This could be a major influence on how her eating habits have developed. Although most schools implement and promote healthy eating, many schools still lack knowledge of what is required for a healthy diet. This along with a lack of parental knowledge could be a cause of Jane’s eating habits. If Karen and the school are not emphasizing and promoting good eating habits then Jane may be unsure of what foods to eat, instead, Jane is more than likely to be choosing more appealing food and drink items such as fizzy pop and chocolate if her knowledge of what is acceptable to eat is vague. Jane compares herself to her peers which often makes her upset. Emotion and stress can cause comfort eating, in hopes that it’ll relieve the stress. As comfort eating is something that Karen readily admits to, Jane could be doing the same.

The foods chosen tend to be those high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat. There is no evidence that proves comfort eating relieves stress, however, it is likely Jane may feel worse about herself afterward and continue to compare herself to her peers, causing an emotion/eating cycle. To conclude, social learning theory alone is not entirely responsible for shaping Janes’s behavior towards food, the theory ignores other factors, such as not taking into account mental changes (mood and emotion). However, I personally think social learning theory does play a large role in Jane’s eating habits. This is because in society she will be surrounded by many role models, such as her mum, children’s TV characters, friends, school peers, and teachers. These models provide examples of behavior to observe and copy, Jane will be paying attention to some of these models and may remember their behavior, which may then be imitated and could be the main reason why her eating habits have developed.

References –

1. World Health Organization (WHO)The information center/NHSNational Child Measurement Programme
2. Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

When Shevonda Minor walked into the first Tiger Leadership Institute meeting, she felt hesitant and shy. She sat in the front, somewhat away from everybody, and talked in a soft voice, “Hi everyone! My name is Shevonda and I’m in the Tiger Leadership Institute because I am shy but I need to break away from that. I’m going to need to start networking if I am going to get a job” (Minor).

Background

John Swales, the author of “The Concept of Discourse Community,” said that a discourse community is a group (or groups) that have common goals or purposes, and uses communication to achieve these goals (219). Swales helps us understand what he means by providing and explaining six characteristics that a discourse community has to have to identify as one. The six characteristics are “agreed set of common goals”, “mechanisms of communication among the other members”, “providing feedback/information through the mechanisms”, “genres”, “lexis/specialized vocabulary”, and “the hierarchy between members” (220-222). With these characteristics in mind, the community I observed and analyzed was the Tiger Leadership Institute (TLI).

The Tiger Leadership Institute is a six-week program that teaches students-whether that be freshman, transfer or upperclassmen students-about the foundations of leadership. They are taught how to be leaders themselves and how later that plays in community leadership. With this background information, my goal is to prove with Swales’ six characteristics that TLI is a discourse community.

Methods

I became a member of this community at the same time as Shevonda and since I am a member of this club already, it was easier for me to learn about TLI even further. I was able to interact and observe with other members who are also a novice at the U of M. With having that in common, it was easier to have conversations with them. I have gotten to talk with two members of the group to get their point of view of the Tiger Leadership Institute. I asked them general questions about their involvement and feelings about TLI. Also, to help understand TLI as a discourse community, I used observation and interviews as my research tools. As well as collecting and analyzing documents that the community has to provide. With this research, I will be able to understand the community as a whole.

Observations

TLI meetings are held every Tuesday from eleven-thirty am to twelve-thirty pm and I observed the second and third meetings that were held which were held September 24 and October 1. During these observations, I would draft field notes to collect my data and thoughts. While the second meeting was awkward and tense because the other students and I haven’t seen each other in a week, we still got to get to know one another by talking about why we want to become leaders and how to do so. The third meeting, however, was substantially better. Some of the students have made friends with each other and I got to do a group activity to see which team could build a balloon tower. There is a sense of comfortability between us now.

Interviews

Twenty-year-old Hannah Nelson is one of the facilitators(the leader) of the Tiger Leadership Institute. She met with me on September 30 at two o‘clock pm in her office in the Involvement Zone which is located in the University Center. Hannah has been a member of TLI since she was a freshman. I asked her questions about Swales’ six characteristics and about how our community works together. While interviewing her, I was able to collect documents of TLI and observe how the community uses them.

The other member I interviewed is eighteen-year-old Shevonda Minor. We met on October 1 at twelve-thirty, right after the TLI meeting. We talked right outside the Iris Room which is also in the University Center. During this time, we discussed being a new member in this community and how she feels about it. We also talked about how much she has observed since she had joined the community, which was three weeks ago.

Analysis and Results

Common Goals

According to Swales, these goals have to be “broadly agreed upon” (220). These goals have to be known between all the group members. In TLI, the common goal is to undoubtedly become leaders but also to also become better leaders. All the members of TLI want to be the best leader that we can be while in our community. We decided to join TLI for this purpose only. Another common goal was said during my interview with Hannah. She said, “A common goal that we all have is growth. Whether that be personal growth or leadership growth” (Nelson). Which I could relate to. We all want to grow as people because that is the way of life. Being stuck in the same mindset is not going to help anyone, including yourself.

Mechanisms of Communication

Mechanisms of communication are how the members of the community talk to one another. Examples can include, as Swales said, “meetings, telecommunications, correspondence, newsletters, conversations, and so forth” (221). In my discourse community, we use GroupMe and email as a technological resource. We use this to connect with one another while we are not in those meetings. Hannah would tell us what the activity we are going to do before we get there. But we also use talking to one another while in the meeting as communication. While observing the meetings, we always broke off into smaller groups to talk about the topic we had that day. This helps gets everyone’s thoughts out without us talking over one another.

Information and Feedback

The information and feedback portion are participating with each other and give information/feedback to one another. In TLI, we get feedback from each other by having conversations with one another. As mentioned before, one of our common goals is to become better leaders. To do that we talk to one another about how we can accomplish that goal. We have conversations about how we are already leaders and how we can build from that as life goes on.

Genres

Swales wrote that “These may involve appropriacy of topics, the form, function, and positioning of discoursal elements, and the roles texts play in the operation of the discourse community” (221). It basically means different types of communication to use. It is written documents of the discourse community to prove that the community really is a discourse community. Hannah provided me with genres that include our lesson plans, a website, a GroupMe, and a form with all the TLI information on it.

Lexis

The dictionary definition of lexis is the total stock of words and idiomatic combinations of them in a language. Which basically means specialized vocabulary used to communicate with the other members of the group. There are terms that are used in the Tiger Leadership Institute uses are “Level I”, “Level II”, and “Level III”. This specialized vocabulary is used to distinguish which program you are in. Like “Level I” is used when you are in the lower freshman level and “Level III” is the highest level that you can be apart of which is offered to juniors and seniors.

Hierarchy

The hierarchy of members is the relevance each member has. In TLI, there are only two groups included in our hierarchy which are the leaders/facilitators and the students who are learning to become leaders. “The facilitators are other students who graduated from all three levels. They want to make sure others can get a chance to learn about leadership just as we did when we were freshmen” (Nelson). The students of level I would sit and do the activity the facilitators tell us to do. “I don’t know what my role is yet but I do know that I want to become a leader at this school and in the community” (Minor).

In conclusion, I was able to prove that TLI was a discourse community by applying Swales’ six characteristics to it. From learning about our shared goals to learning about our hierarchy within the group, I acquired more knowledge about this community. Wanting to know what Hannah and Shevonda what they found most interesting about TLI, Hannah responded, “I came into this as a freshman so I get to see all types of people in it. Whether that be race or socioeconomics wise but also personality-wise. I find it interesting that this leadership community is still applicable for everybody” (Nelson). While Shevonda said, “I think the chance to find out about one another and finding what leadership means to one another but most importantly ourselves” (Minor). I am honored to say that I am a member of TLI but also a leader in the Memphis community.The Tiger Leadership Institute

One might say that language is just the way we speak to one another. But what some people do not understand in English is that language can be misleading. One may easily know how to apply grammar corrections to their papers, but they may not know how to use language properly. Using language properly can lead to the proper facilitation of peoples’ values, beliefs, and attitudes. According to James Paul Gee, “language is not important and surely not grammar, but the saying-doing-being-valuing-believing combination is how we label a discourse” (278). That specific combination is labeled as a discourse, as Gee states that discourse is an identity kit that appropriates how we act, talk and maybe write (278). John Swales defined the phrase, ‘discourse community,’ as groups that have objectives or purposes, and use certain resources to accomplish those specific objectives.

I had the opportunity to study a discourse community, which holds the name of Bethlehem Baptist Church, located on Looney Ave, pastored by Orelius Clyde Collins Jr. I have been apart of this community since I was 5 years old. I have enjoyed being apart of it because Christ looked at the needs of the people, and then begun to preach out the good deeds. There is a caste system or an order of rank that occurs in the church. One may think that defining a position of power a church can be dangerous because it allows for one person to communicate their ideas and teachings in one form. I always thought that there are so many positions in a church, that there would be no way for supreme power to exist. The pastor’s father, Collins Sr, was the senior pastor who is considered to be “man with the plan”. He is at the top and has the ultimate authority to run the church. Collins is about 5’6 who is aged at about fifty-eight. He has a mix of grey and dark hair as his age is starting to increase. Sadly Collins Sr passed away, so Collins Jr took his position when that time came. The positions below him are the deacons, who are trusted with a position of authority and oversight. The deacons are responsible for preparing the service of the senior pastor’s, by revising and overlooking his lesson plan, which is spoken to the church members. The amount of time I have spent in this church has allowed me to come up with six characteristics from my discourse community, which are culture, worship, spirituality, focus, communication, and relationships.

First, the common goal of a church is to influence the community through faith, so that every person will collectively have a better outlook on life, thus making the world a better place. That easily can be said about any church. As a local discourse community, Bethlehem Baptist Church wants to be seen as a place of fellowship, which takes part in helping some of the most troubled people, by saving them from their darkest sins. The church has a higher, more encompassing call that brings out the best in a person. The culture that my church presents, has changed the lives of many that I have seen come and leave my church. Hundreds of people gather to one place to learn a deeper understanding as to why they are here and what purpose they serve on this Earth. That is a powerful force!

In addition, the culture of Bethlehem Baptist Church is based on religious beliefs such as believing in spirits, honoring sacred grounds, taking communion, and praying to God. All of these practices performed in this church bring the members closer to their spirituality. Also, there are other actions that are performed, such as opening and closing prayers, sharing circles, and outdoor ceremonies, which show our spirituality in action. We stand behind the religion of Christianity, and we believe that the divinity of God is in all of us, and those who attend the church look for a sense of spiritual development towards God. There are some kinds of excessive worship that may take place in some churches like holiday services, singing, or prayer. But in this church, some ways of worship take the form of baptism and church service. Baptism is when water is passed onto the forehead of a person, or where one is dunked underwater, which stands for purification in Christianity. Those who want to take the next step onto a path of purity and a life filled with God participate in this form of worship. As for the service, some members take part in Sunday School and worship service, along with Bible study on Tuesdays, and prayer service on Wednesdays. The purpose of these groups is to provide another outlook of worship but to also open our services towards anyone in need or people looking for a new church home. This is where relationships are usually formed in this church, as service allows us to connect more with each other because many opportunities are presented for people to meet and connect through worshipping God.

As new relationships are formed at the church, a form of communication that we take part in, whether it is involving members or non-members is through our website streamed services or by in-person attendance in the services. Our website may be more welcoming to non-members because the website provides background information about the church. The website also provides the opportunity for non-members to sign up as a new member of the church, by filling out a very detailed application. Also, another form of communication that our church implemented, is the creation of T-shirts with the church name on them. The church will sometimes hold events where members have to go out in the community and do charity work or “recruiting” as one might say. Not only is this a form of advertising, but it also is a way to encourage those who are lost in their faith to find a new place to worship and grow. There is a chance for the kids to communicate when they are not attending church at Sunday school. As we all come together with members or non-members, our communication is centered around the Bible. If there was no Bible, the whole basis of what goes on in the church would be done away with it. Stories and rules like the ten commandments on how to live, stories about the creation of time, and stories about Adam and Eve are constantly interpreted for our benefit to provide a lesson in how we act day in and out. Topics like these would come up based on concern in the public community.

The problem that may be encountered with studying the Bible is that people may not believe in unity. We can’t just toss out the Bible as a solution just to have solidarity. Be that as it may, we should have clarity where the individuals who really love Jesus Christ will love one another and attempt to cooperate. Despite the fact that our practices may contrast, Christians must cooperate and come together. The information is given to help understand the Bible and the lesson behind the story, rather than just listening to the preacher talk. Not only is the Bible a tool of communication, but prayer is to. We use the prayer group to communicate with one another to relate to a problem or blessing. In doing so, doors are opened for conversation between members and non-members.

On the other hand, I attended a Church Service this past Sunday. The lesson was about the definition of a real friend. When all else fails and no is there when the time comes, Jesus will never go away, no matter who the person is. Every time I walk inside the church, an enormous cross filled with many different colors greets me the moment I walk in. From there, the church seats the choir with the pastor in front facing the audience. It is an entirely comfortable environment. I participated in the song “Glory Hallelujah” as the congregation began. It was obvious that there was love for God based on people’s shouting, dancing, clapping, singing and I enjoyed how my Sunday morning went. Regardless if one has never been to the congregation, the church is known for leaving an impression of acceptance and harmony in the personalities of many. But after the service, I stayed back with pastor Collins Jr and asked some interview questions. He only had time to answer two questions because immediately after the service he had to go to another church for an appearance.

The first question I asked was what aspects of your identity conflict with the community’s goals, values, etc? I had to explain that the community is in reference to the church. He commented, “Well I would say my identity has been shaped to help people no matter who they are. I feel it is my job to inflict a holy, beneficial direction for someone whether I am in the church or not. So I would say there is not any conflict between myself and the goal the church has. The goal is to bring everyone together as one and who I am today complements that.” The next question I asked was who are the founders and leaders of the community? How did they become leaders? He answered, “That information can actually be found on our website for the founders. That history is way before time, so more information can be found there. When it comes to leaders, currently I see myself, my son, assistant sponsors and so on as leaders. But the way I see it, anyone in the community can be a leader in the church just by their actions no matter what position they hold. Everyone’s input matters and here, actions will speak volumes. But some do not see it that way, so a more simple response would be I would consider myself, my assistant pastor and junior pastor as the leaders. My assistant pastor handles some of my operations and fills in if I am not there, and the junior pastor who happens to be my son is up and coming in leading the church as I do. I did research on the website, and Reverend Samuel Garrett was the first pastor of Bethlehem and under him, the blueprint for the church inside and out was organized. Rev Garrett died in 1890. After his death, Reverend Samuel Garrett, Reverend A. L. Bartlett, Reverend J. R. Bibbs, and Reverend Quincy C. Billops held his position in that order. Since nineteen-ninety three, Pastor Collins has been Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church.

In conclusion, a discourse community is basically a gathering of individuals with comparable goals and interests that speak with one another with the plan to advance these objectives. Bethlehem Baptist Church serves as a rock to people inside and outside the church who have a common goal to help not just themselves spiritually but spread the faith and achieve wisdom.

In this day and age technology is the way of life. Everyone is always on their phone and never pays attention to the outside world. Even thought that is a major change in society, technology does have its perks. I have read an article by John Swales about discourse communities, and since then I never realized how many different communities I belonged to. Swales described discourse community as a group of people that have a common goal and share the same thoughts. Being on different groups on Facebook or on websites, I realized how many different communities there actually are. The discourse community that is in my life, is a parenting group that started on Facebook and has many recourses.

This community works well with Swales because it is a group of people with the same goal, while brainstorming ideas. Swales has six elements of how he describes a discourse community. Those elements are voluntary membership status, lexis, genres, feedback, communication, and common goals. Each and every one of the elements are important for a discourse community. Overall you need to have a common goal. If everyone in that group doesn’t have one, then there is no point to move on with it. Feedback is also another one that seems to be at the top of my list. If you’re not capable of giving other members your opinion and try to help them succeed, then I feel as if you shouldn’t be a part of that community as well.

In my opinion a discourse community is about the same as John Swales, a group of people who want the same results and are willing to help each other get there. In the parenting groups I am a part of, we all have the same goal. We want our children to be happy and safe. Some of the members are first time parents and have no clue what they are doing. They then turn to this group of people for answers. Most of us want to help each other, but there are some people that are rude and act like they know everything. Communicating is key to success of any kind. Without communicating we would know what each other wants or what they are thinking. Within my discourse community we communicate a lot. To start off with we post on the group a ton! It starts out with a parent asking a question or making a comment then peers reply with their opinion on what to do if they were in their situation. The admin keeps track of all the negative comments and decides if that person needs to leave. Most of the time people are kind and friendly to everyone. Parents become friends from this.

I have actually gotten two close friends that have reached out to me from this discourse community. Most of the time parents can seem to help one another, but if for some reason they can’t there is a good website we get directed to. The website that gets suggested a lot is called Motherly. That website has anything and everything that you could possibly want to know. Within the group there are hundreds of people with opinions and you have to pick and choose what you agree with and willing to try. Not everyone agrees but it’s helpful that so many people want to help. Within the communication there is terminology that you may not understand at first! A couple abbreviations are TCC, CS, LO, BF (Trying to Conceive, Breastfeeding, Little one, Cesarean section). You learn what each of these mean and become familiar. To be a member, you have to answer a series of questions in order to be accepted. The main rule to get into this group is to have a child. There is no age limit, but you have to have to have one or be expecting. Other than that, you get to choose to be in this group. Like Swales had said being born into it is common but with this case it’s all voluntary. Each person plays their own part. Everyone in the group has to be active or they aren’t able to stay. There is a hand full of people who monitor the group, of any person who lied about having kids, or if they’re being rude to other members. This parenting group is a huge part of my life. Each member has made an impact on my life and I couldn’t be more thankful. Like I said before it works well with Swales definition of discourse community. I am a part of so many discourse communities that I never realized. Most of what Swales idea of a discourse community is, and what my discourse community is, are about the same with a few tweaks here and there.

The Sneakerhead Discourse Community

The Sneaker discourse community is a diverse one, which encompasses the minds of many creative members ranging from a plethora of diverse backgrounds. To communicate ideas with a central focus on modern and retro footwear, members of this group use specific terminology in their dialect. This “sneakerhead language” allows a smooth transfer of ideas between one member to another, which leaves no loose information excluded. Interestingly enough, I first entered this world through listening to what I believed was an alien language. I was sitting in class, and heard students talking about copping supreme bricks to flip. It was as I was listening to another tongue, one that I wanted to understand. Only after searching up key terms did I learn that these peers were purchasing expensive items off a website called supreme, only planning to make a small amount of money be selling them again. The discourse in the community drew me towards it and led me to become the person I am today. Slowly, I also learned more about the background and history to all fashion. I learned that figures such as “the man himself” alluded to none other than Virgil Abloh. As head designer of Louis Vuitton, CEO of Off White ℅, and successful nike shoe designer, the man was none other than the Jesus of our community. In the sneaker community, an icon’s name can not be their true full name. In our community, there is not much mention of Kanye West. However, there is mention of his aliases such as, Ye or Yeezus. To members outside of this discourse community, our ideology and language may be seen as gibberish, but a deeper look into the group will convince otherwise.

One of the largest topics of discourse in the sneaker community revolves around the structure of the shoe. The physical sneakers talked about in our community are made up of a very large amount of parts, ranging from the sole, midsole, body, tongue, heel, heel tab, laces, toe cap, and much more. People often group these parts into either “the uppers”, “the mids”, or the “lowers”. This event allows for members to quickly make distinctions on what part of the shoe deserves praise, and what part should be sent back to the drawing board. On a more technical note, this also allows for companies to understand what part of a shoe needs structural improvements and in what manner. The language of this discourse community leads to benefits for both the consumers and producer’s side. For instance, a shoe’s colorway is the specific mix of hues applied to a shoe. It’s likewise an incomprehensibly irritating term, however an important identification system in this universe. In many cases, an colorway is related with the color scheme that is found on the case. For example, the Oregon, Cements and the True Blues are altogether unique colorways of the Jordan 3 outline. Terminology such as colorway and sections such as toe box can often be heard in videos reviewing releases such as ‘Air Jordan 1: Leather Quality Different On Each Pair?”(Hall). The structure of a sneaker tells a story about it’s past, it’s inspirations, and it’s future. This is why the sneaker head discourse community uses such a selective language to discuss these factors.

Contrary to what many people believe, the current sneaker game is all about making money. Retails sell to a limited amount of buyers that can either be determined by a raffle, or on a first come first serve basis. These buyers, then become the re-sellers. Demand is high and the stock is low, which means the market price on these shoes is free to skyrocket. This in turn, means people can now sell the shoes they purchased for a retail price for a mark up, possibly making tenfold profit. To better communicate between buyer and seller, no matter at what level, terminology has been implemented. A key point in communication between buyer and seller consists of the constitution of the shoe. Common conditions incline deadstock, VNDS, NWT, and the obvious used. What Deadstock means and how it’s utilized today are two totally various things. The genuine significance of the word Deadstock is reference to a shoe that is no longer underway, or is never again sold in stores, for example Cool Dark Jordan 11 Mid. Nowadays, most interpret the term Deadstock as meaning a shoe being in pristine condition. What’s more, they mean fresh out of the box new. It hasn’t been taken a stab at, re-bound or messed with since leaving the production. VNDS basically means extremely Close to Dead Stock. On the off chance that a shoe has been worn and demonstrates insignificant wear, it will be labels as VNDS. NWT or New With Labels is just a similar alternative to DS that can be used if the buyer does not consider trying on significant. An example of this can be found in marketplace discord chats, such as the one I use the most. Members call out whether they are wts or wtb (willing to sell or willing to buy). I have attached a picture of this to show in action (Screenshot). Another factor impacting the money to be made are the droplists. Droplists basically give retail buyers an idea of how much stock there is and where it will be available. For example, the yeezy glow in the dark release that was only defined by 30,000 pairs surprise releasing online at 3:00 am will be more profitable than the air jordans anyone can go purchase at their local footlocker. To help establish the range of profit for each shoe, writers create these tools. Drop List articles such as “The Final OFF-WHITE x Nike “The Ten” Pack Drops Today” list which stores are releasing the shoes and key features of the release (Highsnobiety). The hype surrounding certain shoes is the glue that holds our discourse community together and may even be what makes it as intricate as it may be.

In conclusion, I am proud to be a member of the sneakerhead discourse community. I also take pride in understanding the various terms that are often thrown around, whether it is when describing a shoe coming out, or a shoe that is making its way through the financial market. I believe that this community has a lot to write about and should be understood by as many people as possible. It provides an explanation to why people may be seen acting in such a careful manner with their footwear. If a person is not a member of this community and does not understand the true impact of sneakers, that careful behavior would just be described as petty. My membership in this community began years ago and I hope to contribute for the rest of my years, as I see it as socially and financially beneficial. Throughout my journey, I have learned a plethora of new terminology, made a myriad of new friends, and picked up some very rare shoes along the way.

Facts

On the 16th of June of the year 2019, Mark Brexit whom is a sitting member of the United Kingdom Council met with John Whiskey an engineer and building contractor were they discussed the construction of a bridge that would join the districts of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Details of the bridge were:

• Length: 35,000 meters’ long
• Time of Construction: 8 Months to complete
• Total Cost of Construction: 2 Million Euros

Upon writing out a check of $100,000 Euros to John Whiskey for the commencement of the draft plan of the bridge and to mobilize his work team, he further mentioned that everything is in order and to submit his paper work for the upcoming council meeting.

Upon completing of the draft plans and other relevant materials and documents, John Whiskey submitted them to the Council. The meeting took place on the 18th of July of the year 2019, were Mark Brexit had an outburst where then the Council decided to vote him out. The Council later wrote to John Whiskey to inform of the situation where Mark Brexit could have by no circumstance be in position to enter into a contract in behalf of the council, and because of that, whatever contract Mark Brexit had concluded with him was ultra vires and therefore void.

Issues:

1. Was Mark in position to start a contract with John?
2. Was there a contract agreement with John upon receiving down payment and assured that all in in order?
3. Was the decision made by the council to void the contract for ultra vires correct?
4. Can John make claim for breach of contract by the Council of the United Kingdom?

The fact that Mark was a sitting member of the Council does not necessarily give him the authority to start a contract on behalf of the council alone. The meeting held by Mark Brexit with John was a Communication of intention. He writing out a check to John and informing him that all is in good stance now was the acceptance. Therefore, a contract was established by Mark Brexit on behalf of the Council however the acceptance of the contract something to be concluded by all members of the board together or by vote majority in certain cases.

1. A similar case to this is that of Powell v Lee (1908) was Powell applied for a headmaster job at a school and the school managers decided to appoint him. One of the managers who acted without the consent from the other managers told Powel he had been accepted. The managers later decided to appoint someone else. Powel brought an action alleging that he suffered damages because of the breach of contract to employ him. The judge held that a contract was absent as there had been no authorized communication of intention to contract on behalf of the managers.
2. Another case relating to this as ultra vires is that of Ashbury Railway Carriage and Iron Co v Riche (1875) were it was held that by entering into the transaction the company was in breach of its constitution, for it had no competence or power to make the contract and therefore the transaction had no legal effect. Therefore, Richie’s claim against the company for breach of Contract failed as there was no contract to be enforced.

Law

The general rule of English law is that any person is competent to bind himself to any contract he chooses to make, provided that it is not illegal or void for reason of public policy. (Smith & Thomas). Thereinafter, an acceptance is valid if communicated to an agent of the offeror having authority to receive it.

In the case of Ashbury Railway Carriage and Iron Co v Riche (1875) the House of Lords considered the contract to be beyond, or outside of, the powers of the company because of it being absent in the objects clause in its memorandum. Even if all the members of the company were to endorse the transaction, the company would still be in breach of its constitution.

The situation with Mark and John can relate to that of ACI Co V Riche of 1875, and even if John claims against the company for breach of contract, he would fail as there was no contract to be enforced.

Application

In this case, Mark Brexit alone writes a check to John for the commencement of Draft panning and mobilizing the team that will work on the construction of the bridge. Him accepting to pay the price John offered and by writing a check was ultra vires as this was a decision that all members in the council were to vote for. The contract would be complete when all members of the council vote for the commencement upon reviewing the terms and information provided by John. Therefore, their endorsement of the project is essential.

The facts of this case are related to that of Powell v lee. The contract was void due to the absence of authorization by the council. Instead, it was authorized only by Mark Brexit.

Conclusion

Based on the information provided, it can be said that there was no valid contract from the council with John. The actions taken by Mark Brexit to confirm to John that all is in good standing with the commencement of the project was ultra vires as he needed to consult first with all members of the council to give consent or vote to open a contract with Johns in regards to the offer provided.

References

1. All Answers ltd, ‘Capacity Law Lecture Notes’ (Lawteacher.net, October 2019) accessed 15 October 2019
2. All Answers ltd, ‘Ashbury Railway Carriage v Riche Case Summary’ (Lawteacher.net, October 2019) accessed 15 October 2019
3. Revolvy, LLC. “‘Powell v Lee’ on Revolvy.com.” Revolvy, https://www.revolvy.com/page/Powell-v-Lee?uid=1575.
4. Revolvy, LLC. “‘Offer and Acceptance’ on Revolvy.com.” Revolvy, https://www.revolvy.com/page/Offer-and-acceptance?uid=1575.
5. Revolvy, LLC. “‘English Contract Law’ on Revolvy.com.” Revolvy, https://www.revolvy.com/page/English-contract-law?uid=1575.
6. All Answers ltd, ‘What is an Offer & What is an Invitation?’ (Lawteacher.net, October 2019) accessed 16 October 2019

Introduction

Discourse community is defined in the Genre Analysis as the “Increasingly common assumption that discourse operates within conventions defined by communities, be they academic disciplines or social groups”. (Herzberg Pg. 21). As this is a very simple break down of the term discourse community, the work that goes into keeping a discourse community continuously relevant and going is a deeper. The discourse community that I am interested in becoming a part of is the sociology discourse community. This discourse community has various elements that can be broken down.

Sociology has a huge impact on our society and has for as long as this Earth. I decided to research the sociology discourse community because I am interested in becoming a part of this field soon. I feel that researching will help me further assure myself and get a clearer understanding of what I will be entering after graduation.

In this paper, I will express in detail the sociology discourse community, common public goals, various forms of communication used, membership, lexis (terminology) and major issues going on within the sociology discourse community.

Common Goals

According to the American Sociological Association the common public goals among sociologist are “Dedicated to advancing sociology as a scientific discipline and profession serving the public good”. Overall sociologists play a vital role in not only sharing the knowledge of the world but also it is seen as their personal responsibility and or duty to keep the public in the know about what’s not only going on around us but even also internationally. Sociologists tend to also write a lot on academic journals and even published books that are later read and shared throughout the discourse community, which word of mouth reaches people outside of the discourse community. As new issues occur overtime, sociologists use this uncertainty to curate tons of research, from experience or from observation. Other goals that a lot of sociologists may also associate themselves with are having a set of principles and ethical standards when conducting their research from day to day (American Sociological Association). Every sociologist has certain rules that they abide by so that they don’t lose their focus with ethics.

Sociology overtime has evolved with new issues objectively and ethically and to keep the general public informed. To compare my findings with those of an active sociologist, Randall Wyatt, a professor and current PhD student currently teaching Sociology courses at Wayne State University. He clued me in by answering my question during our interview; I asked him this question “What are the common public goals?” he answered by stating that,” The common public goal of sociologists are to make a contribution, to understand and also provide methods which can later lead to creating change.”

Threshold of Membership

To enter and become a member of the sociology community, there a few requirements that must be met first. The first big requirement to become a part of the sociology is too interested in the study of society, social institutions, and social relationships (American Sociological Association). Therefore, if you are interested, it will be very easy for you to stay motivated and keep a grasp of what’s going on today. The next requirement is that you subscribe to the different objectives and or meetings (annual or monthly) that are held by the American Sociological Association. You must pay to get into the subscriptions, that is their way of keeping their association up and going. It is a monthly amount

Another requirement to stay apart of this sociology discourse community is to actively be apart of the committee. There are a lot of roles to choose from. According to the American Sociological Association you can become an editor for the ASA Journal or Book Series, volunteering for the council, task force or also participate for running for an elected office (ASA). The fourth requirement is to be actively involved with the ASA sections. The ASA sections are newsletters that curate current news for people within the sociology discourse community to be in the know and give current news about the various ASA sections, their leaders and when they are having fundraisers, events and book announcements (ASA).

This is a very critical requirement, because with becoming a part of an ASA section. It helps you not only connect with other sociologists; it also motivates you to stay connected and know what’s going on in society. Within these ASA sections, leaders are elected and have a set amount of duties that they must fulfill throughout the year.

Journalism Lexis

According to ThoughtCO.com lexis is defined as a term in linguistics referring to the vocabulary of a language. Lexis are also known as terminology that are used and recognize within a discourse community. Lexis are used in every discourse community to identify things that mostly only a certain group would know about (sociologist). In the sociology DC (discourse community) Randall mentioned that common lexis used between sociologists are microaggressions, capitalism, principles, attitudes and assimilate”. Through my findings, I realized that lexis within this community are very subjective. It really depends on what area of sociology you study and what you deem as important in your research and findings. I gained a lot of insight from my interview with Randall, the ins and outs of the lexis he deals with and how it also breaks down within his family dynamic.

Genres

There a various form of genres within sociology. It really depends what job you process within this discourse community. For example, (talk about different jobs and what genres they

Academically speaking, sociologists publish articles in academic journals like other discourse community, but ethics are the huge factor that goes in before any publishing or even thought of an academic journal comes to mind. Without ethics sociology can be in turmoil.

Mechanisms of Participation and Intercommunication

Sociologists communicate using newsletters, academic journals, annual or even biweekly meetings and or luncheons (ASA). Sociology is all about coming together and expressing your thoughts and concerns with your peers, and the methods to find the solutions to the issues you see that may be impacting you or those around you. I also feel that during my interview with Randall gave a unique outlook to how he stays connected within his discourse community. He stated that

” It isn’t just staying in touch with current events, it’s more than that. It’s about being in my community actively, using my real-life experiences as learning and teaching moments for myself and even for my children. You can read about what’s going 24/7, but if you aren’t actively within your community and seeing what’s going on. You can’t truly know what’s happening or not happening. I want to be active. Theory without action is dead. Impact one another. If you not picking up a book, you shouldn’t be able to pick up a gun”.

I personally feel that those words are pivotal and powerful. That although you have a degree within sociology, but every day you are still using that same major to continuously learn life lessons and be able to help those around you (whether it be a family dynamic or just loved ones).

Major Topics/Issues

The major issues that are going on currently within the sociology discourse community is the lack of unity and or inclusion within a community that is supposed to be known for being very inclusive and open to conversation, although in this case, that isn’t always the case. Through my findings I find a quote that resonated the most with this issue. The American Sociologist stated that,” The structuring of academic roles and academic departments also presents and encourages tendencies to division and conflict. These arise from diverse sources, three of which appear to be the most salient.” This is very much relevant in todays sociology discourse community. Although sociologists’ main goal in the end is to create change, sometimes if the people in certain roles that have more say so don’t agree with your methods, they may sometimes not be considered or looked over. A great example of this would be with immigration. A lot of sociologists have methods to combat with how to better relationships with immigration, but the result isn’t always an actual solution, it can very much be compared to communism and or socialism. It seems good in theory but when its time to put those methods into practice, it doesn’t always correlate right. As I was reading this article, I found a very captivating article from Among its flaws, critics have especially attacked multiculturalism’s apparent failure to integrate immigrants into host societies. Certain concerns center on socioeconomic exclusions. Multiculturalism is believed to encourage immigrants’ self-segregation and thus to impede their integration into mainstream social and economic structures (Koopmans, 2005).

Without coming together and making tough decisions to better the relationship with immigration, it leaves room for a lot of confusion and not coming to a levelheaded agreement. We can’t always be right, but with taking a vote and coming together for the greater good (society) and not always just ourselves and our mindsets, so much more can be accomplished.

Interesting Questions to Research

1. Why is there a lack of unity within the sociology discourse community?
2. Where does the lack of inclusion within the sociology discourse community stem from?
3. How does the media affect how sociologists write their academic journals?

References

1. Smelser, N. J. (2015). Sources of unity and disunity in sociology. The American Sociologist, 46(3), 303-312. doi:10.1007/s12108-015-9260-2
2. Swales, M. John. Genre Analysis. Ann Arbor: Cambridge University Press, Article (Print).
3. Wyatt, Randall. (2019, September). Personal Interview.
4. Bloemraad, Irene. (2007) Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race. UCLA (Article).

Alice Jones is 52-year-old female who has high blood pressure, which depicts hypertension. She is currently on medications and taking Vasotec (2.5 mg) to control her blood pressure. According to her dental history she has one missing tooth which is covered with bridge, have large embrasure spaces on some teeth, bleed on gums sometime when floss due to tight contact areas. She has minimal dental plaque biofilm on interproximal regions and also she use hard toothbrush with bass technique. Alice has good diet plan but she drinks juice, which is rich in carbohydrates and drink wine in a month.

As a dental assistant it is very important to identify and understand the risk factors for dental caries and periodontal disease. With the good knowledge about the stains, dental caries or periodontal disease a dental assistant can figure out the situation of the mouth. Dental assistant require discussing about the nutrition, habits, food selection as to prevent the tooth decay or serious disease, which can be prevented before it starts growing. Dental assistant can prepare a dental hygiene plan for the care of the dental caries control, periodontal disease, and management of risk factors. (Wilkins & Wyche & Boyd, 2017, p.408). It is very important for dental assistant to know form patients about the medications they are taking at the current time as it can affect their dental procedure if avoided. Patient need the education of the disease so its important that a dental assistant provides a knowledgeable education to the patient about the cause of their disease and also how they can use the oral hygiene techniques to keep themselves away from the diseases which can be preventable with their efforts. (Bird & Robinson, 2018, p. 934). With the clear understanding of the periodontal disease dental assistant can identify the disease. (Bird & Robinson, 2018, p.187&188). Identification of risk factors for the periodontal disease helps in discovering the awareness and care planning for an individual patient. (Wilkins & Wyche & Boyd, 2017, p.313). Also dental assistant has to prepare pre-operative set up which dentist has to use on patient. It is important that dental assistant go through all dental history, medical history and know the risk factors which can be told to the dentist who has to perform the procedure on the patient. Any wrong information or indication and procedure can lead to serious problem to the dentist or dental assistant as well as too the patient.

Alice is a patient with high blood pressure, which means Hypertension. She is on a medication of Vasotec (2.5mg) to control her blood pressure and this medication usually makes her mouth, dry. So she has xerostomia. Although it states that she is on menopause, which can also be cause of a dry mouth. When a female is in menopause their estrogen level decrease, which can cause dryness on whole body and even mouth. A dry mouth is the cause of growing bacteria in the mouth, which cause tooth decay and make gums bleed. (Orenstein, 2017). By looking at Alice’s dental history, health history and diet plan it shows she use medium toothbrush and floss 2-3 times and on her mandibular anterior teeth she bleed due to tight contact areas which is the risk factor as interproximal regions have the minimal dental plaque biofilm, has large embrasure spaces (type 3), bridge on quadrant 4, localized bone loss, clenching or grinding of teeth, recession and abfraction, medium toothbrush and using non-fluoride toothpaste. Also she drinks apple or orange juice and a glass of wine once in month which is rich in sugar and the cause of dental caries. After eating or drinking which are acidic within 5 minutes the bacteria in the mouth start producing the acids and usually saliva helps in the repair of damage caused by the bacteria and neutralizing the acids. But as the patient has dry mouth it creates the risk factor of forming the dental caries in the mouth. (Bird & Robinson, 2018, p.170). Fluoride toothpaste helps in making tooth more resistant to decay but Alice used the non-fluoride toothpaste, which also causes the risk factor of cavities. Fluoride is known for strengthening the teeth. (Pratt, 2018). As floss cannot reach the contact areas of the lower anterior teeth the gums bleed occasionally which is cause periodontal disease as the dental biofilm plaque is deposited on the interproximal region. Gingival recession can also be due to improper tooth brushing, flossing and periodontal disease. Studies also show that using of hard toothbrush can cause recession too. (Pratt, 2018). Recession can lead to dental caries but it effect usually to the root so it causes root caries. Root carries develop on the root of the teeth, which have recession. It means root surfaces are exposing. (Bird and Robinson, 2018, p.). Abfraction leads to the loss of the tooth structure and it is not due to the dental caries but it is due to the pressure on the teeth, which usually happens during clenching or grinding the teeth. Alice eventually clench her teeth while she sleeps, which means she is putting pressure on the tissues of the teeth. Abrasion is another cause of Abfraction, which usually happens due to hardness of the tooth or improper brushing. (Pietrangelo, 2019). Bridging on the quadrant 4 replacing the tooth 4.5. Bridging is good if the mouth has missing teeth. Preparing a bridge cost some price as it need two healthy teeth in between them this bridge will be placed so removing the anchor teeth’s shape and structure is the disadvantage as it will affect the tooth tissue and it can weaken the tooth. Weakening the tooth means less the longevity of the teeth. (Westcoast international, n.d.) Embrasure space (stage III) means too much open space and interdental gingiva is missing. By reading case study it is concluded that the patient suffering from Aggressive periodontitis as it states that localized early bone loss. “The localized form is associated with less acute clinical signs of inflammation then would be expected on the basis of severity of destruction and it is associated with bone loss that is most often confined to permanent molars and/or incisors.” (Bird & Robinson, 2018, p.191)

Regular dental visit should be book to help in abfraction because abfraction is not treated at home with tooth brushing so it is situation where dental assistant has to explain patient that they need to book an appointment with dentist frequently. Abfraction is usually caused due to dry mouth, medications etc. and it can be treated by the fillings, mouth-guard and so on which can only be done or prescribed by the dentist. (Pietrangelo, 2019). Proper oral hygiene should be maintained as Alice is doing right by brushing her teeth twice and flossing 2-3 times but she should be using the fluoride toothpaste as fluoride helps in making tooth resistant to the tooth decay or acidic conditions. “Slowing demineralization and enhancing demineralization of tooth surfaces are now considered to be the most important ways that fluoride controls the caries process.” (Bird and Robinson, 2018, p.196). It is not always true that thinking of patient will be same as a dental assistant so being a dental assistant brings more responsibility of being patient and educating their patients. Proper instruction of removing dental plaque should be explained to the patient and try to educate them about the disclosing agent which can help the patient to see the dental plaque as dental plague is not visible. Disclosing agent helps in this and it comes in the form of tablet or liquid and explaining the patient straight may be not good method. Sometimes dental assistants have to modify or use different techniques to help the patient in knowing the procedures of taking care of oral hygiene. Motivation is always plays an important role and this can be done very easily through Education. For a dry mouth it is very important that saliva should be there in mouth so to increase salivary flow so it is optional if the patient can chew a sugar free gum to increase the flow of the mouth as it can help in neutralizing the acids. Also always choose the gums, which have Xylitol or baking soda. (Bird & Robinson, 2018, p.171). A nutrition plan should be given to the patient in which proper dietician plan and how to brush or floss is mentioned. If possible try to explain the patient by showing them in person so the patient can do in a right manner at home. A timely manner dental visit should be planned because sometimes floss doesn’t clean properly the food debris in the interproximal region and dental plaque remains there. A dentist can help in this by doing a proper cleaning of teeth. If patient has fixed bridge or open interdental spaces then dental assistant should recommend the interdental aids which includes the End-Tuft brushes, Bridge Threaders, Automatic flosses, and Perio-Aid. (Bird & Robinson, 2018, p. 207-208).

Facts:

Heidi Blum, a student at Aloha High School attended a community health fair held in city park in May of last year. Heidi Blum attended the fair with her family which included her mother, father, and younger brother. Aloha High School held a school-sponsored booth at the fair. An Aloha High School student who was also attending the fair took a photograph of Heidi Blum holding a sign which read, “Be compassionate, legalize marijuana for medical purpose.” The picture of Heidi Blum holding the sign was then published in the school newspaper. The principal of Aloha High School, Walter Hall, suspended Heidi from school for ten days due to a school policy that allows the suspension of students who “use, advocate or promote the use of any illegal drugs at a school function.” Heidi and her parents appealed the suspension to the Hula Bay School District. The Hula Bay School District upheld the suspension. Heidi Blum is claiming she has suffered ridicule and harassment by faculty and students which has caused her great emotional damage. The suspension has also affected her grades and may jeopardize her college choices. Heidi filed a lawsuit in the federal district court claiming a violation of her civil rights under 42 U.S.C. §1983.

Issue:

Under 42 U.S.C §1983, does a civil rights violation occur when Heidi Blum wields her banner at a community health fair, and if so, whether the school district may be held liable for damages?

Analysis:

Heidi Blum, a high school student was suspended after wielding a sign which read, “Be compassionate, legalize marijuana for medical purpose.” Blum was suspended by the principal of Aloha High School. Blum is filing suit under 42 U.S.C §1983 and looking to recover damages resulting from her suspension. Morse v. Frederick and Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District are cases that contain similar key facts and similar case law. The legal question raised by these cases is whether the student’s civil rights were violated by the schools and if so, can the students recover damages.

Rule Explanation –In Morse v. Frederick, 551 U.S. 393 (2007) Frederick was suspended for wielding a 14- foot banner that stated: “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” at a school-sanctioned and school-supervised event. The high school principle, Deborah Morse, saw Frederick with other students wielding the banner. Morse directed Frederick and the other students to take down the banner. Frederick refused to take down the banner as directed by Morse. Morse confiscated the banner and suspended Frederick for 10 days. Morse believed the banner encouraged illegal drug use which is in violation of school policy. Frederick appealed his suspension to the Juneau School Board. The suspension was upheld by the Juneau District Superintendent. Frederick filed suit under 42 U.S.C §1983, claiming that his First Amendment rights had been violated by both the school board and Morse. The District Court then granted summary judgment for the school board and Morse. The Ninth Circuit reversed the court’s decision. Morse appealed to the U.S Supreme Court who granted writ of certiorari. The United States Courts of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed and remanded the case.

Rule Analysis – Morse v. Frederick, 551 U.S. 393 (2007) have very similar facts and similar law. Frederick was suspended for wielding a banner at a school-sanctioned event, that encouraged illegal drug use which is in violation of school policy. Blum was suspended for wielding a banner that encouraged illegal drug use at a community fair, in which the school had a school-sponsored booth, and Blum was suspended for violating school policy. Both Frederick and Blum filed suit under 42 U.S.C §1983 alleging that the school boards violated their civil rights. In Morse v. Frederick, the court found that the banner held by Frederick did promote illegal drug use and therefore Morse had a reasonable conclusion that the banner violated the school policy. Frederick wielded the banner at a school-sponsored and school-sanctioned event. Blum held a similar sign, one that encouraged illegal drug use, at a community health fair where her school held a school-sponsored booth.

Rule Explanation – In Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969) John F. Tinker, Christopher Eckhardt, and Mary Beth Tinker wore black armbands in their schools to publicize their objections towards Vietnam. They were sent home and suspended because they violated a school policy that made it a spendable offense for any student to wear an armband to school, and if asked to remove the armband and the student refused, they would be suspended until the student returned to school without the armband. The policy was implemented after the principals of the Des Moines schools became aware of a group of students that planned to wear the armbands as a form of protest towards hostilities in Vietnam. The fathers of Tinker and Eckhardt filed a complaint in the United States District Court under 42 U.S.C §1983.

Rule Analysis –In Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District and in this case, the petitioners filed suit under 42 U.S.C §1983. Both cases raise questions with regards of whether the principals and the school districts violated the civil rights of the students. In Tinker v. Des Moines, the court found that the school did violate the student’s rights. The student’s expression did not disrupt the work and discipline of the school and therefore the school officials were wrong in suppressing the student’s expression of wearing black armbands. This form of free speech is acceptable in a school environment.

Conclusion:

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District and Morse v. Frederick serve precedent to Heidi Blum’s case. The cases have similar key facts and the same case law is in question. Morse v. Frederick has the most similarities and can be used as precedence in foreseeing the outcome of this case.

Waste Management Fraud

What were the incentives and pressures that led to the fraud?

There are different factors for the incentive or pressure to lead fraud in the cooperation because the working conditions were not followed the accounting procedure operation and they are not anti-irregularity accounting operation. The management and employees have an incentive that was the reason for committing fraud since the absence of well-organized internal controlled auditors was inefficient controls, and an inefficient management system. The other additional factor was the attitude and the ethical value of the dishonest character of the management and employees were also not honest and, followed their management fraud activities.

Buntrock benefited the most from the Waste Management fraud. Research and summarize what happened to Buntrock and evaluate if he may have felt the risk worth the reward. Include any articles you used in your evaluation.

Buntrock was the founder of west management, the chairman of the board of directors, and the chief executive officer. He was also set on how to get high earnings by changing an accounting system, he also established the donating system by inflating the company stock to his own St. Olaf College to get a large amount of the tax benefit. He was the first beneficiary of the fraud and received $16.9 million as a bonus since the increase in company revenue. He also got the retirement benefit. He also got a commission and another different payment benefit from the cooperation and was suspended from any public company services. https://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/complr17435.htm

Research what happened to at least three of the Waste Management executives (other than Buntrock) named in the chapter (Rooney, Koenig, Hau, Tobecksen, and Getz).

Rooney was the president of the cooperation and chief operating officer after Buntrock. He received bonuses of about 9.2 million dollars because of the growth of the company revenue, performance, retirement benefits, retirement benefit and the sale of company stock during the fraud, but according to the SEC investigation and based on the result Rooney paid 8,692738 these were comprised of disgorgements, prejudgment interest, and a civil penalty. Getz was another executive management to the West management cooperation, and he was the senior vice president and general counsel, and secretary of the company. He was the accounting fraud maker in the cooperation, and based on the SEC paid 1,149.756, and also suspended any public company service for limited years. https://www.sec.gov/news/headlines/andersenfraud.htm.

What happened to the auditing firm of Arthur Andersen as a result of their Waste Management audits? Summarize what happened to each executive (include links to your articles). Do you think these consequences were appropriate?

Arthur Anderson was the largest public accounting firm owner which employed more than eighty thousand in the year of 1990s, but he was mad an accounting fraud in 2002, and he got a civil penalty to pay around #7 million with the three partner auditors based on the SEC in connection with the audit of the west management Cooperation auditing financial scandal work. He was also guilty of obstruction of justice for destroying documents related to the west management audits to hide the fraud of the West Management executive committee. Among the audit partners, Mr. Allgyer agreed to pay $50,000, Mr. Maier, $40,000, and Mr. Cercavschi, $30,000. Arthur Andersen agreed to https://www.britannica.com/topic/finance

Choose at least two of the four Arthur Andersen audit partners named in the chapter (Allgyer, Maier, Cercavschi, and Kutsenda) and research what happened to them as a result of the Waste Management audit. Summarize what happened to each partner (include links to your articles). Do you think these consequences were appropriate?

Allgyer was an allied partner with the Anderson accounting firms in related to service as marketing directors, coordinating the selling consulting service and receiving composition service payment according to the SEC investigation reports, But the auditing report was not the correct accounting statement of the west management, and they make accounting fraud on the cooperation. Finally, the SEC has taken the measurement and investigated their fraud. Allgyer agreed to pay a civil money penalty of $50, 000 and suspended any public accounting service for limited years.

Edward Maier was another accounting firm partner of Arthur Andersen. He was the risk management partner for the Anderson accounting firm, but they did not agree to adjust the problem after the SEC Investigated the accounting fraud of West management. Based on the agreement, Maier agreed to pay a civil money penalty of $40,000 and was suspended from any public auditing service for a limited year. https://www.sec.gov/news/headlines/andersenfraud.htm

What policies or procedures (internal controls) could Waste Management have used to avoid fraud?

There are different types of procedures in the accounting financial statement investigation and registration. Internal control is a significant factor to protect the financial fraud in one organization, and then GAAP is specific rules for accounting for transactions occurring in a business enterprise. The internal control has to follow the procedure of sufficient information, review of the processing of sales and purchasing invoice checking, checking and evaluation of the merchandise processing costs, and checking the processing of cash receipt documents, and respect. And follow the AICPA the professional ethical code of accounting.

What policies or audit procedures could Arthur Andersen have used to avoid the problems in the Waste Management audit?

There are different accounting principles, rule and then Anderson has to follow based on the accounting procedure investigation to find out the faults and then follow the standard rule and regulations, follow the accounting principle of AICPA, and quality and better professional employees on the operation, and another accounting rule including GAAS, GAAP, and other regulations.

How did this case affect your views and opinions about Waste Management?

Did you know about the company before this chapter? Would you do business with them? I think we have gotten a lesson and information on financial fraud making by some auditing firms and organizations. This cooperation accounting scandal would be a financial crime and hurts one country’s economy and mess up fraud maker family life because whatever we doing fraud, the fraud maker would get their price from justice that was based on investigation and come up with the truth, therefore the case is given a lesson to us. We have to work the right way of business operation based on the accounting rule and regulations. I did not know this fraud company and I did not do such type of business with a fraud business group.