Standardization versus Customization of a Global Brand

Executive Summary What must be understood is that the way in which a product is promoted in one country (i.e. the name of the product, its general appearance, and how a company chooses to appeal to consumers) is often engineered to appeal to the cultural and social predilections of that particular consumer population.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Standardization versus Customization of a Global Brand specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, not all consumers in the global market place have the same tastes when it comes to particular methods of marketing a product. It is based on this that this paper will explore standardization versus customization of a global brand in order to determine the effectiveness of either met Introduction Branding is an important aspect of selling products since it is the manner in which consumers differentiate one product from the rest in terms of what the brand represents such as quality, product longevity and popularity (Viswanathan and Dickson 2007, pp. 46-63). This can often be seen in various advertisements wherein a brand name product is often compared to Brand X (a metaphor for another company’s products) wherein the brand name product that is being promoted is shown to be superior in terms of quality and value. However, the promotion of a particular brand is not limited to a products home market; rather, companies tend to expand into other international markets in order to be more competitive against their rivals in the same industry. For example, international advertising initiatives such as those done by Unilever, Pepsi and Kraft Foods all attempt to target new markets within foreign countries due to flat growth in their main consumer markets (i.e. the U.S.) They do this by utilizing various local pop culture icons in print ads and television advertisements in order to create an association between such stars and the product the company want s to sell thus resulting in a far greater degree of sales and product patronage.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In this case, this is a form of informative advertising wherein companies seek to create greater awareness for their products/services. The reason behind such actions was noted in the work of Chang (1995) where it was stated that companies often implement a form of product customization in order to make a product more appealing to a local culture (Chang 1995, pp. 5-10). As such, based on the work of Chang (1995) this necessitates the development of new brand promotion initiatives that appeal more to the target market in the country that the company is attempting to penetrate. The reason behind such attempts at developing an appeal that is more in line with the tastes of the local populace instead of relying on the traditional branding of the company is due the pr esence of already well-established brands within the targeted markets with similar products lines (Chae and Hill 2000, pp. 538-562). Attempting to penetrate such markets with a branding strategy that was utilized in a company’s home market where there is already an assortment of local brands that are popular with local consumers in the new target market could result in a relatively low product uptake which could result in significant financial losses for the company. One way of overcoming this was actually shown by Wal-Mart when it entered into the Chinese market. What the company did was bring in it’s own branding into China yet adjusted its product lineup to include local favorites that would be bought by consumers. On the other hand, while Wal-mart was successful in integrating itself into an international market, other companies were not so lucky with particular brands such as Pepsi initially suffering a setback in the Chinese market due to the way in which the phr ase â€Å"Come alive with Pepsi!† (a phrase used in a lot of its branding initiatives) was translated erroneously resulting in â€Å"Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead†.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Standardization versus Customization of a Global Brand specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The last example of which showcases how branding can go wrong happened when Gerber attempted to market its products in South Africa. What must be understood is that literacy is often an issue in this part of the world resulting in canned products often bearing a photo of what is outside of it to tell people what is in the product. Thus, when marketed in South Africa sales of Gerber’s products plummeted since people though that the product contained processed babies. Taking such factors into consideration, it can be seen that it is often necessary to rebrand a product in order for it be successf ul in a local market given the potential for cultural misunderstandings to arise resulting in low product sales. However, this is not to say that adopting a standardized method of brand promotion is not effective. Companies such as Mc Donald’s, Toyota and Ford have implemented a pretty standardized brand strategy across different markets and have emerged as globally competitive companies with well-recognized brands. When analyzing such aspects, it is necessary to examine standardization versus customization of a global brand in order to determine which method of branding would be advantageous for a company looking to establish itself in other global markets.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Understanding Consumer Buying Behavior and Brand Development It is rather interesting to note that various theories of consumer decision-making processes always seem to assume that consumers pass through distinct stages/steps before, during and after the process of selecting a particular product to buy or service to utilize. What must be understood is that an average consumer is influenced by a myriad of different factors that affect the way in which they choose to patronize a particular product or service (Brierley 2012, pp. 225-233). This can range from various psychological reactions such as the way in which they think and feel about different products (i.e. brand perception) to the way in which the market environment they are currently present in affects the way in which they perceive a particular product or service (i.e. local culture, their family, local media influences, etc.) (Wagner et al. 2009, pp. 69-85). For example, the 2008 financial crisis and the subsequent financial recession the U.S. and Europe is currently experiencing have greatly affected the way in which consumers perceive particular products or services at the present (Wagner et al., 2009, pp. 69-85). Consumers these days have become more conservative in their spending habits resulting in the resurgence of popular brands such as Mc Donald’s who have great product offerings at incredibly low prices. What is interesting though, is how affordability and lower incomes affect consumer choice and thus brand development. The concept of rational behavior assumes that all consumers are rational individuals who try to use their earned income in order to derive the greatest amount of satisfaction/ utility. In other words, consumers try to get the most out of their income through rational buying behavior which results in a maximization of total utility from the products or services used (Rossiter Foxall 2008, pp. 123-141). In the case of this section of the paper, this comes in the form of c ustomers opting for affordable food in the form of Mc Donald’s due to limited amounts of money. (Shaw, Shiu, Clarke 2000, pp. 879-894). This rational behavior is based on the fact that consumers will act in an economically competent manner in that they will not spend too much money on irrational purchases or services (Calder Burnkrant 1977, pp. 29-38). As such, the concept of rational behavior assumes all consumers engage in rational buying behaviors which becomes the basis for any future analysis of consumer patronage towards a particular type of brand (Oshikawa 1969, pp. 44-49). This is one of reasons why the standardization of the Mc Donald’s brand across multiple countries and consumer segments has been so successful given the brand’s association with fast and affordable food for the masses. This is one the factors that companies should consider when developing their international branding strategies wherein they need to know what their brand represents an d how it is effectively interpreted by the local populace and the consumer segment that the company is attempting to target (Viswanathan and Dickson 2007, pp. 46-63). In the case of Mc Donald’s, it has always had a more â€Å"generalized† marketing strategy which focuses on targeting class C (i.e. low income) or class b (i.e. mid-income) consumers due to the product offerings it has. By focusing on serving everybody, the company does not need to worry as much on product distinction; rather, it focuses on promotion through affordability. Similar companies that are able to utilize a standardized branding strategy by virtue of their business model come in the form of companies such as Tide (the detergent company) or Microsoft (the software developer) (O’Donnell and Jeong 2000, pp. 19-33). Either of the companies that were mentioned are focused more on generalized methods of sale to all consumer classes and thus customization of a global brand is not necessary. Howe ver, there are cases where customization is necessary given different price points that a company wishes to enter. It is based on this that the next section will examine such aspects. One of the approaches to branding that should be considered by companies when approaching consumer relationships is to take into account business cycles and market slumps and adjust branding strategies accordingly. As explained by Professor Leonard Lodish of the Wharton School of Business â€Å"pricing is a critical element of successful marketing, in good times and in bad and many companies do not focus enough on getting their pricing right†. It is based on this and the cyclical cycle of business that companies should consider proper branding strategies when penetrating particular markets. This takes the form of taking into account the physical value of the product being sold as well as various non-tangible elements that consumers take into consideration before they will be willing to pay for a product. For example, the state of the housing market in the U.S. is at an all-time low; however, there are still individuals who are in need of homes. In such cases, developers need to take into account the physical cost of the home itself and factor in the current housing slump before creating a price range for a particular apartment or home. It is based on this that it can be said that the greater the amount of non-tangible assets that are taken into consideration by the customer before making a purchase the greater the need for companies to fix prices in accordance with what is necessary to sell the product itself. This principle can be seen at work in the case of Whirpool and its branding strategy wherein it focused on a branding strategy that utilized a high-end brand (Bauknecht), a mass-market brand (Whirlpool) and a value brand (Ignis). By positioning itself in different points in the market with a branding strategy that enabled it to encompass different types of consumers, this enabled the company to develop a better pan-European positioning in terms of being able to penetrate multiple markets under different branding methods. This method of brand customization is in part due to the company’s desire to be able to appeal to multiple consumer segments through brands that are more inclined towards their end of the consumer market. For example, the brand â€Å"Whirlpool† is often associated as a mass-market type of product. However, it is not known as a high-end brand nor is associated as being a value brand that customers at the lower end of the consumer spectrum can afford. While the company could have implemented a standardized branding strategy in this case and sold different types of products for the upper and lower end of the consumer spectrum, the brand association of Whirlpool as a mass-market product would go against it. This would result in consumers in the upper end of the income spectrum assuming that the quality of the product is too low for their needs while those in the lower end of the consumer spectrum would assume that the product is too expensive for them to afford. By diversifying the company’s brand in Europe through the high end Bauknecht and the low end Ignis, this enabled the company to better capture the European market without attempting to overextend the Whirlpool brand name into multiple consumer spectrums which would cause confusion regarding the type of products the company makes (Ronkainen 1996, pp. 56-63). For example, if the company attempted to develop products for the upper end of the consumer spectrum those at the lower end would think that the brand is far too expensive for them despite the availability of affordable choices while the reverse can also occur wherein appealing to the lower end of the consumer spectrum might result in the alienation of those in the upper market segment. Rossiter Foxall (2008) explains that one of the best ways for a company to fail when it com es to penetrating new markets is to try to overextend the brand into multiple frontiers. This can cause not only a significant issue in consumer perceptions regarding the brand itself but could also cause logistical issues for the various stores attempting to sell different product price iterations of the same brand. The most effective solution as advocated by Rossiter Foxall (2008) is employed brand customization instead of standardization wherein a company has a brand embody a particular type of product that would suit a particular segment of the population. By doing so, this enables a company to reach multiple classes of consumers and be better suited to adapt to a new consumer environment as compared to sticking with a standardized method of branding. Conclusion Based on what has been presented, it can be seen that when it comes to standardization versus customization of a global brand, it all depends on the type of product that is being sold and how a company chooses to target its desired customers. A generalized consumer strategy as seen in the case of Mc Donald’s and Microsoft often follows a standardized strategy while attempting to focus on particular consumer segments would need a more customized branding initiative to become more effective especially in cases where targeting different types of consumer segments are involved as seen in the case of Whirlpool. Reference List Brierley, H 2012, ‘Why Loyalty Programs Alienate Great Customers’, Harvard Business Review, vol. 90, no. 7/8, p. 38 Calder, B, Burnkrant, R 1977, ‘Interpersonal Influence on Consumer Behavior: An Attribution Theory Approach’, Journal Of Consumer Research, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 29-38 Chae, M and Hill, J 2000,’Determinants and benefits of global strategic marketing planning formality’, International Marketing Review, vol. 17, no. 6, pp. 538-562. Chang, T 1995,’Formulating adaptive marketing strategies in a global industry’, International Marketing Review, vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 5-10 Ronkainen, I 1996, ‘Implementing global marketing strategy An interview with Whirlpool Corporation’, International Marketing Review, vol. 13, no. 3, 1, pp. 56-63. O’Donnell, S and Jeong, I 2000, Marketing standardization within global industries: An empirical study of performance implications’, International Marketing Review, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 19-33. Oshikawa, S 1969, ‘Can Cognitive Dissonance Theory Explain Consumer Behavior?’, Journal Of Marketing, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 44-49 Rossiter, J, Foxall, G 2008, ‘Hull-Spence Behavior Theory as a paradigm for consumer behavior’, Marketing Theory, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 123-141 Shaw, D, Shiu, E, Clarke, I 2000, ‘The Contribution of Ethical Obligation and Self-identity to the Theory of Planned Behaviour: An Exploration of Ethical Consumers’, Journal Of Marketing Management, vol. 16, no. 8, pp. 879-894 Viswanathan, N and Di ckson, P 2007,’The fundamentals of standardizing global marketing strategy’, International Marketing Review, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 46-63. Wagner, T, Hennig-Thurau, T, Rudolph, T 2009, ‘Does Customer Demotion Jeopardize Loyalty?’, Journal Of Marketing, vol. 73, no. 3, pp. 69-85. This report on Standardization versus Customization of a Global Brand was written and submitted by user Zeke Beasley to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Are Socio-economic rights justiciable Essays

Are Socio-economic rights justiciable Essays Are Socio-economic rights justiciable Essay Are Socio-economic rights justiciable Essay a mistrust that seems common throughout the governments of the world. One may insist that human rights most urgently need asserting and defending, both in theory and in practice, where they are most denied. Indeed, the language of rights only makes sense at all in a context where basic requirements are vulnerable to standard threats; can one imagine a right to clean air in an pre-industrial society. The Human Rights agenda does have an aspirational and promotional dimension, which is of course wholly necessary, but it does not constitute mere rhetoric. So, to express economic and social requirements in the language of human rights does more than just emphasise the obligations of governments and international agencies and their respective publics. Socio-economic rights can be said to have justiciability but that is not to say that one should not consider them not having it. The only clear answer can be determined after a line of case law in a variety of countries whereby one can determine how effectively they can be implemented. The trouble is that governments are unlikely to want to take the initial risk of implementing untested legislation for, as mentioned earlier, in democracies the government must maintain the confidence of the electorate and bad legislation can be very expensive in electoral terms.

An Opinion on the Future of Gender Equality

An Opinion on the Future of Gender Equality As much as I would love for gender equality to become an accomplishment soon, I genuinely question that it will entirely come to a possibility. Although numerous of nations claim that they are not gender one-sided, many people still consider themselves as more superior than the opposite gender. Throughout most of Earth’s entire life time, women are most likely to become inferior to their male opponents. This sort of separation is exceptionally dangerous and can prompt troublesome ways of life, such as difficult lifestyles and one gender being submissive to another.The degrees and reasons for the amount of inequality differ from all across the world. In some countries honor killing, the point at which a female individual from a family is executed for the view of having conveyed shame to their family. This had turned to a monsterous situation in countries such as Pakistan and the Middle E the Middle East. In July 2009, two Saudi Arabian sisters were murdered by their sibling within the presence of their father under the rubric of defending the familys honor. Another circumstance of wrongdoing incorporated more than 30,000 women in Guatemala who have been murdered in the course of recent years because of cases involving misogynistic violence. It has been estimated that 130 million girls were genitally mutilated in Africa and Yemen. 5,000 ladies in India who endured female infanticide each year due to inadequate endowment installment money given to the spouse by the brides family. These types of activities are unlawful viciousness against women, as well as towards the entire mankind. Another major problem involving gender equality that has been occurring is sex-selective abortion. This fuels the problems of having human trafficking, statistic awkwardness, and sexual abuse.Since women are seen as useless unless they are given birth to a male offspring, they suffer the most pain. India and China, the two most populated countries on Earth both practice the preference of male child birth over females. Females are considered underestimated and weak in Chinese society, and under ONE CHILD POLICY, many families keep the male offspring more often than female offsprings. Additionally in India, male child birth is widely supported and welcomed while that of a woman is viewed as a burden. Numerous governments routinely smother common society by limiting flexibility of the press, expression, and assembly. These confinements antagonistically influenced the two men and women: nonetheless, females are subjected to a large group of extra gender-specific human rights violations. This legitimate segregation undermines womens full personhood and equivalent cooperation in the public eye and puts at an expansion chance for brutality. In the governments’ eye, women are automatically viewed as weak and often dismissed if they want to report any type of offense. This can lead to the misuse of the judicial system and can make any court cases more prohibitively expensive to settle. The women’s movement has, appropriately, invested years crusading for lawful change and tending to sex predisposition in existing laws, however the concentration needs to move to changing demeanors and the social factors that keep women from practicing their rights. The power of the law to o vercome these forces ought not be overestimated. In this day and age, women are not the only group of people who are suffering from human rights violation. The LGBTQ + community has also had its fair share at the abuse governments have given them. They are constantly being tortured for being who they are, for liking someone of the same gender, and how they are perceived in everyone else’s eyes. The LGBTQ+ have always been denied from their decision from claiming getting hitched, embracing kids, or landing typical job positions. Countries all across the world feel that having two individuals of the same sexual orientation getting married is considered satanic or unnatural. This prompts churches and the court system to deny their rights to wed or have kids since â€Å" marriage ought to be between a man and a woman† or â€Å"God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.† People in this community have also been told that they will spoil in hellfire for they way they are. In any case, how are they causing issues for p referring someone over another. We should be totally legit, as much as anybody would love to have the world to have sexual orientation fairness, it will be completely inconceivable since the world is fundamentally one-sided to one sex. The world sees itself as being more male or ‘alpha† dominant instead of being equal to all sides. In an impeccable dream, gender equality would appear like a stage a route from ending up genuine. Be that as it may, in actuality, we need to remember that regardless of the amount we say that were equivalent, despite everything were isolated by what sex you are.

Reducing Juvenile Delinquency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reducing Juvenile Delinquency - Essay Example There is a great variation in the manifestation of delinquency and the underlying factors behind them. Peer pressure, poor parenting, the media influence, and other societal factors are cited as some of the causes of juvenile delinquency. Addressing the matter would require multiple approaches that incorporate the input from different sectors of the society. This paper seeks to illustrate various aspects associated with juvenile delinquency and measures taken to lower the prevalence rates. Juvenile delinquency refers to the violation of law committed by a person under the legal age, and one that defies parental control, which makes him or her subject to legal action. Alternatively, a juvenile delinquent could be defined as an under aged person who has been found guilty of a crime but is protected by the law as a minor, which absolves them from full criminal responsibility (Snyder & Sickmund, 2006). Normally, such violations fall outside the strict understanding of the law in the same way that it may apply to an adult offender. This implies that the violations may not be punishable by death or life imprisonment. The main objective of interventions is the rehabilitation of the underage offenders in order to convert them into law-abiding citizens. Institutions such as juvenile detention centers and courts assist in the dispensation of legal interventions based on specified procedures in the legal system. The age of criminal responsibility may be lowered in accordance with the nature and seriousness of the crime. This would imply that the individual could be tried as an adult in some specific cases. However, it is usually considered that the age factor of a juvenile delinquent makes them incompetent to stand trial. The assumption is that under age offenders lack mature judgment and cannot be held fully responsible for their actions. Children and young adults may be influenced to engage in certain activities that go against norms, laws, and expectations of the socie ty. Such actions may develop into consistent patterns of behavior that render the children into juvenile delinquents. On a wider scale, juvenile delinquency may yield significant social disorder. Past and recent surveys have indicated that a high percentage of children and adolescents engage in activities that are in violation of the law. The reality of the situation is illustrated in the drop in the average age of first arrests made among young people. This can be attributed to the common notion that juvenile offences are normative adolescent behaviors. However, repeated or chronic offenders are most likely to carry on with the trend away from adolescence and turn into criminal elements or outlaws. At a tender age, delinquent behavior involves minor theft, but can evolve to violent acts involving the use of weapons as the individual nears the statutory age. Other delinquent behaviors include bullying, truancy, vandalism, assault, gangs, and sexual offences. It is for this reason th at persons under the statutory age can be charged as adults depending on the severity of the crime. National statistics indicate an increase in the number of juvenile delinquency cases owing to numerous social factors within the society. Juvenile delinquency has its impacts on the victims as well as the society. Damages incurred by the victim may be in the form of injury or loss of property. Such an eventuality could be construed as a loss in productivity during that period. The victim may also

Persuasive Research PaperFinal Version Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Persuasive Research PaperFinal Version - Essay Example Brides must strive to live within their means and avoid situations that may lead to excessive borrowing. Many brides want to ensure that they organize for a wedding that can not be compared to any other. Many brides find the situation after the wedding stressful since most brides realize that there is no more happiness after the wedding day (Amie, 2012). Some brides may feel that their efforts were not worth it, and they should not have invested that heavily. In some cases, grooms get affected by the post-wedding blues. However, brides are more affected since they have a more emotional investment in the marriage than the grooms. Brides need to balance their expectations in order to avoid a lot of stress when things do not work according to their expectations (Laurie, 2014). For a majority of couples, wedding preparations are a primary concern for the bride (Theresa, 2014). Most women will want their bodies to slim for them to fit in their wedding gowns. Many brides become depressed when they attempt to lose their weight without success. Brides need to be advised that they do not need to change the size of their bodies in order to fit in the wedding gowns but appreciate the way they were created. Amie, M. G. (2012, July 26). Why women suffer from postnuptial blues. Psychology Today, 1. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/between-you-and-me/201207/wedding- bell-blues-dealing-post-wedding-depression Juliana, B. (2013, August 14). Why wedding planning is more stressful than it should be. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-love-and-war/201308/you-are-not-bridezilla Theresa, E. D. (2014). Pre-wedding weight loss is not all that its cracked up. Psychology Today, 1. Retrieved from

Common Practices in Religion Essay Example for Free

Common Practices in Religion Essay What is Religion? The term religion comes from the Latin word ‘religare’ which means to bind. In the world today, there are different forms of religious groups and followings that have unique beliefs and practices depending on their history. It is estimated that there are thousands of religions in the world, including the mainstream religious groups and others that are not known. One of the common characteristics of religious groups is that they all believe in the existence of a supreme being. However, there are those who don’t believe in religion. For such people, religion only assumes the existence of a supreme being while there is no substantive evidence to support the said belief. According to Norris Inglehart, through the practice of atheism, atheists believe that religion is just a fallacy that might have developed in the past and passed on from generation to generation through the various teachings in culture (2011). For enthusiasts, the reason people are afraid to question religious teachings is because of the fear of repercussions that are likely to occur due to such disbelief. Under this context, religion was assumed to be a creation of scholarly studies in the past with philosophers trying to establish how religion came into being. The major question is what religion is all about and what entails the aspects of it. For most people, there is a thin line between culture and religion. This explains why different cultures have their specific religion and beliefs. However, there are various contentious issues that have never been solved over the years. One thing that would totally shift the paradigm and, in extension, the balance of nature, is if it turned out that no supreme beings the religions are based upon exist. Such a situation would totally erode the gains made in the religious world today and also lead to mass confusion among the staunch religious followers. However, some of the religious beliefs are so strong  that they cannot be influenced by any emerging trend regarding their faith. â€Å"Most of the common definition of religion excludes some fundamental facts about religion and offering an adequate explanation of what religion is† (Hood et al., 2009). From a general perspective, religion is commonly defined as the belief in God. This belief, however, is considered as vague as it excludes some of the ideas that characterize some religious followings such as atheism. If religion was to be solely defined as the belief in God, what would the other religious groups that either believe in a different supreme being and those of atheism be referred to as? This tendency of generalization is what often causes some misconception that is associated with how religion is defined. Then what is the worldview of religion and how is it defined in different places around the world? There are arguments that religion is not hard to define, but rather it is the people themselves who often create the confusion regarding its definition. According to Heelas (2005), one of the greatest challenges is how to define religion without excluding any religious beliefs or followings in the word today. However, there is a conventional way of defining religion which incorporates the primary fundamentals of religion. The following are the fundamentals of religion; The belief in a supernatural being. A clear distinction of what is regarded as the moral way of doing things in accordance with the different religious beliefs and practices. Various rituals that are commonly attributed to the religious groups from different parts of the world. Religious groups have various rituals that characterize the specific religion and establish a code of conduct in which members are supposed to operate. A specific way of communicating with God is done through prayers. However, distinct religious groups have a specific way of praying and other practices that accompany prayers. Different religious feelings that are often experienced whenever the practice is taking place. In some religious groups, members engage in incarnations and a sense of adoration. In other groups, however, there is always the aspect of guilt and repentance during religious sermons. From this approach, the worldview related to religion and what religion entails becomes clear. In most cases, it is believed that religion and religious groups in extensions are very different. This explains why there is no single approach as to what entails  religious practices. However, there is a common characteristic of religion that can be used to generalize the practice from a worldview perspective. In the world today, religion continues to shape the life of the people, whereby the religious followings and teachings provide a guideline on how people are supposed to live and interact with each other and with God. The mainstream religious groups attract millions of followers, which is an indication of just how strong religious faith is. In addition, there are thousands of religious followings that are not captured in the mainstream studies of religion but continue to exist with their distinct religious practices. Religion can, therefore, be universally defined as a compilation of religious systems that share a common belief and focus on the unique characteristics of the members of religious faith. References Heelas, P., Woodhead, L., Seel, B., Tusting, K., Szerszynski, B. (2005). The Spiritual Revolution: Why Religion is Giving Way to Spirituality. Blackwell. Hood Jr, R. W., Hill, P. C., Spilka, B. (2009). Psychology of religion: An empirical approach. Guilford Press. Norris, P., Inglehart, R. (2011). Sacred and secular: Religion and politics worldwide. Cambridge University Press.

Pacifism & Conscientious Objection :: essays research papers fc

During the 20th century America has been involved in many conflicts that have led to war or the taking up of arms against other humans and nations. Although the vast majority of Americans have blindly accepted these actions throughout the century, more and more people are seeing war as morally wrong. Reasons for this epiphany are based off of a variety of things and encompass many other aspects related to war and killing examples include: due to moral and ethical principles, objection to war due to strong religious beliefs, the objection to violence due to the same ideals above, objection to the government's use of force, and the objection to the use of weapons of mass destruction. Many of the core beliefs of conscientious objection derive from the teachings or beliefs of pacifism. Pacifism has been a system of thinking and living for hundreds of years, and, in the 20th century many objection and pacifistic movements have sprung up all around the nation, more so than in any other time. Pacifism and conscientious objection in the United States have been moral issues that have fallen under question due to the belief of the participants that killing, war, and the act of violence is wrong and immoral. To begin to understand the workings of conscientious objection, it is important have a clear view of what pacifism is. The roots of pacifism reach back for literally hundreds of years. Practically all of the messiahs of all the chief religions of the world preached for pacifism including: Allah and Muhammad from the Muslim Koran, Jesus and God from the Bible used by Catholics, Christens, and Quakers, and in the Jewish Torah. Other teachers of pacifism include: Plato and Socrates. The moral and ethical principles of pacifism and conscientious objection have been present throughout United States history. There have been known objectors in every single war that America has been somehow involved, Including: The French and Indian War, The Revolutionary War, The War of 1812, The Civil War, The Spanish American War, The Mexican American War, World War One, World War Two, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, The Persian Gulf War, and into the ongoing War Against "Terror". Pacifism is the refusal to participate in any violent actions and or killing. This can be derived from the belief that all life is sacred and that it is morally wrong to take another persons life.